Where We Stand

On the evening of Jan 23, Dawn had the following lead news items on its website: the rape and murder of an eight-year-old child, a follow-up on the death of a young man murdered in a fake encounter, a student’s attack on a teacher, the ‘alleged’ gang rape of a transgender, a follow-up on the death of a professor and another on the death of a student beaten by his teacher, and the murder of a college principal. These were the ‘top’ stories of Jan 23.

Treat Labourers with Dignity

A front-page picture of a worker unloading coal from a supply truck in Anu Majhir Ghat in Chittagong city's Sadarghat area, published by The Daily Star on Thursday, tells everything that is wrong with our informal labour market. The man in the picture is seen offloading coal with no safety gear on to thwart the effects of exposure to harmful coal dust or prevent bodily harm in the event of an accident. His whole appearance is a throwback to the pre-industrial times. But this is not just a question of safety in hazardous jobs like coal mining or offloading; it's also about basic human dignity that all people, irrespective of the kind of work they do, are entitled to.

FAO, IOM Boost Cooperation on Migration

In view of the co-chairmanship of the Global Migration Group (GMG) this year and to further strengthen their collaboration, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

IOM DG Discusses Migration with Greek, Italian and Nigerians Leaders at WEF Annual Meeting

IOM Director General William Lacy Swing, joined Paolo Gentiloni, Prime Minister of Italy, Alex Tsipras, Prime Minister of Greece and Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria to discuss mass migration across the Mediterranean and how policy-makers can move towards a strategic partnership between Europe and its southern neighbours.

Thoughts on the Alcohol Ban for Women

“A majority of the country has criticised the decision to lift the ban arguing it would destroy family culture by getting more women addicted to alcohol”

Thoughts on the Alcohol Ban for Women

“A majority of the country has criticised the decision to lift the ban arguing it would destroy family culture by getting more women addicted to alcohol”

UAE ministers present country’s experience in shaping the future in Davos

Three young ministers in the UAE government have presented the country’s experience in shaping the future, with an emphasis on adopting services technologies and leading the world in advanced science and artificial intelligence, AI.

Emirates Red Crescent distributes winter supplies to Syrian refugees in Lebanon

The Humanitarian and Development Affairs Attache at the UAE Embassy in Beirut has distributed over 750 heaters from the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, to help displaced Syrians in Lebanon.

Investing in Better Migration Data Could be Worth Over USD 35 Billion

Could better use of data help turn human mobility into an asset worth tens of billions of dollars? That’s the finding of a study by the UN Migration Agency’s (IOM) Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC), working with the McKinsey Centre for Government (MCG), being released today at Davos’ World Economic Forum.

Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals Reach 4,485 in 2018; Deaths Reach 201

IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 4,485 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea through 21 January. This compares with 3,335 coming ashore during a similar period in 2017. Italy accounts for approximately 60 per cent of the total, with the remainder split between Spain (19 per cent) and Greece (20 per cent).

EU removes UAE from ‘Uncooperative Tax Havens’ list

The Ministry of Finance has welcomed the European Union’s decision to remove the UAE from its list of uncooperative tax havens, in recognition of the transparent procedures the State has been adhering to, and will continue to do so, locally and internationally.

Shakrain: The Festival of Kite, Light and Fire

Have you ever seen Dhaka's sky flooded with kites, lights and fireworks? This year the celebration of Poush Sankranti (the end of Bengali month Poush) popularly known as Shakrain or Ghuri Utshob brings life to the most congested part of the Old Dhaka.

Reinstating the Death Penalty a Violation of International Law

AS a consequence of President Duterte’s war on drugs, there has been in the Philippines a move to reinstate death as capital punishment. On March 7, 2017, the House of Representatives approved the reimposition of the death penalty for drug-related crimes, among others, by a vote of 217 yeses and 54 no’s. The bill is pending in the Senate. As might be expected from the chamber that approves the ratification of international treaties, certain Senators have raised objections to the bill on the ground that it is violative of international law.

Greening Economic Growth

When I hear people in Pakistan talk of how we really need to focus on economic growth now and on cleaning up later, I cannot help thinking about the Mexican finance secretary’s reaction in 2000 when he heard that environmental degradation was costing his country about nine per cent of gross domestic product per annum. I still remember him holding up one hand and pointing the other hand downwards and summing it up as (to paraphrase): you mean we are pushing the country up through our policies to promote growth with one hand, and pulling it down, through environmental degradation, with the other hand?

Address the Prime Concerns

We welcome the recent agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. However, there is ample ground for scepticism regarding the real concerns of the Rohingyas fully addressed by Myanmar. Now, as the date and timeframe have been fixed, a further concern—the rate of repatriation—has been added.