OWSA Contributor

Violence against children emerged as another pressing issue. The committee raised alarms over sexual violence, particularly against boys, gender-based violence, corporal punishment, and online abuse.

A staggering majority of Afghans returning from Iran, Pakistan and other neighbouring countries are struggling to find livelihoods, shelter and basic services as they attempt to rebuild lives in a country beset by economic collapse, climate shocks and deteriorating humanitarian conditions, the United Nations and International Organization for Migration (IOM) warn.

With mobile subscriber numbers near saturation and data consumption climbing, Bangladesh’s telecom industry has been viewed as a cornerstone of the government’s digital ambitions – but the current operating environment, he argues, undermines that potential.

What started as an informal attempt to ease congestion and reduce the physical toll on pedal rickshaw pullers has now evolved into a dominant transport mode across Dhaka’s North and South city corporations.

The EPA, which enforces federal environmental laws, said it would stop estimating the economic value of health benefits from reducing ozone and fine particulate matter, even though it acknowledges that they contribute to pulmonary disease, heart attacks, and premature deaths. 

Experts warn that slowing global growth and elevated price levels could combine in a scenario akin to stagflation, while debt vulnerabilities across public, corporate and household sectors could amplify financial instability.

The American Psychological Association also made it clear that social media is not inherently beneficial or harmful to anyone, but each experience is affected by how one shapes their feed, who they choose to follow, etc.

This tradition spans generations: families arrive annually, relying on the Magh Mela as a vital source of income through boat services for pilgrims. Many carry licenses from previous years as proof of their long-standing participation. Yet this year, a bureaucratic hurdle has left them stranded.