Governance

The minister said that the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI)has recently assessed the status of fish stocks of major commercial fish species in the Indian waters. As per the studies on fish stocks, it is revealed that the stocks are in good health and 91.1 per cent of the 135 fish stocks evaluated in different regions during 2022 were found sustainable.

Humanitarian assistance has declined sharply amid global funding shortfalls, leaving millions more exposed.

The agency emphasises that sovereign ratings have so far remained resilient, but this could change as climate shocks translate into sustained output losses, fiscal weakening, or political instability.

Horton’s final plea is therefore both scientific and moral: acknowledge the scale of the last disaster, confront the uncomfortable truths about how we live on this planet, and act before the next inevitable outbreak becomes the one we cannot contain.

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.

Farmer organisations have indicated that the February 12 protest could mark the beginning of a sustained campaign if their demands are not met or if the trade agreement proceeds without further consultation.

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.