The Malala paradox
In Pakistan, national identity is often defined in contrast to the West. When a girl from Swat became a fixture in Western media, her success was misread as defection, a signal…
Sukarno, Soeharto and authoritarian failures in Indonesia
Centralisation, which is prone to authoritarianism, may serve as an emergency structure in moments of collapse, but it cannot drive innovation, productivity, or global…
Nepotism and cronyism
People’s trust in PM Karki is eroding fast due to many visible and hidden scandals.
Philippine politics in the grip of families—and vice versa
The writer laments: "But, unless we learn to honor these boundaries—between family and politics, faith and power, public duty and private interest—we will continue to see…
What awaits Awami League after the Hasina verdict?
The deeper question now is whether Awami League survives as a party, or only as a memory of fear and loyalty, says the writer.
Dhaka’s earthquake danger ignored for too long
The fate of a megacity like Dhaka facing a potential major earthquake depends on its level of preparation, scientific insight, and coordinated action, says the writer. Without…
A strategic discussion in Malaysia’s Sabah
The writer says: "Ultimately, the question 'Why are we here?' was not for the six men to answer, but for Sabah voters to contemplate. It is the voters who must now carry the…
The oust Marcos plot
The oust-Marcos plotters incorrectly misread the lay of the land if they expected a massive migration of support for VP Sara, the writer says.
The children who work while we look away
Recent surveys by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF revealed that 9.2 percent of children aged between 5 and 17 are engaged in child labour, an increase of 1.2…
Crime and punishment: Sheikh Hasina’s conviction comes as lesson for all authoritarian rulers
Ultimately, says the writer, the coercive power of the state could not withstand the power of the people.