Religion

As the programme rolls out, its success will likely be measured not only by how many clergy benefit financially but also by how well it navigates the complex terrain of religious pluralism in Bangladesh.

Residents report being stopped and subjected to breath checks for alcohol, or accused of transporting illicit liquor when carrying water from filtration plants. In the...

The path to the Kalash Marriage Bill began five years ago, driven by community leaders and civil society organisations concerned about the erosion of indigenous rights.

Fortify Rights recommends that Bangladesh immediately close Bhasan Char, allow voluntary relocation to the mainland, grant all Rohingya freedom of movement and the right to work, and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention. It also calls on the UN to prioritise human rights monitoring over access, and on the international community to support accountability for crimes in Myanmar.

The court’s intervention offers temporary hope, but without prompt appointments, the institutional safeguards for religious minorities risk remaining on paper.

As the countdown to February 12 continues, the question hanging over Bangladesh is whether the interim government can deliver the security and fairness it promised – or whether the country’s most vulnerable citizens will once again pay the price for political change.

This latest edict from Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public and rules from Kandahar, reinforces his absolute authority.

These developments occur against a backdrop of worsening human rights under Taliban rule, including severe restrictions on women and girls, arbitrary detentions, and impunity for abuses.