Governance

The 2025 monsoon season arrived with unusual ferocity, delivering 8 per cent more rainfall than the long-term average across the Indian subcontinent.

Many households will meet minimum food needs only by depleting essential livelihood assets – a sharp deterioration compared with the previous year.

The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2025 underscores that tobacco industry influence remains a formidable barrier to public health policy in Bangladesh and worldwide. While some countries demonstrate notable progress, Bangladesh’s mid-to-high interference score suggests that institutional reforms and stricter safeguards are urgently needed.

With rising effects of climate change across the globe, the world has started recognising that climate change is not just an ecological collapse, but also a human rights crisis.

According to the police, 1,663 scam cases were reported, with losses exceeding MVR 22.7 million, of which MVR 8.5 million has now been retrieved. Before the centre’s formation, authorities were only able to recover about two per cent of stolen funds.

The decision to halt salary payments has drawn concern from civil society groups and international observers, who warn that continued economic contraction could fuel social unrest or increased migration out of the country.

Calling the conference a “decisive step” toward deepening Centre-State partnerships, Modi said the summit reflects India’s collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue and provides a platform to translate policy ideas into tangible outcomes for citizens.

As of mid-December, authorities reported 643 deaths and 183 people still missing. More than 107,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, making shelter one of the most urgent needs.