For decades, Bangladeshi governments referred to their overseas workers as remittance warriors—a formulation that was generous in one respect and quietly limiting in another. It honored their economic contribution while bracketing their political identity. The July Uprising may have ended that bracketing for good. What is now taking shape, imperfectly and without clear resolution, is a constituency that earns its living abroad but has not surrendered its stake in what Bangladesh becomes.
The policy could have particularly significant consequences for employment-based Green Card applicants, many of whom have traditionally relied on adjustment of status (AOS) while continuing to live and work legally in the U.S. There is a large number of Indian immigrants who stand to face significant disruption and delay because of this policy shift.
It is not just Indian professionals, but this bill could result in a further drop in Indian students - the largest foreign student cohort in the US - showing interest in higher studies in the US. It is not just the H-1B visa by itself, but the proposal for ending the OPT which prospective students would be paying attention to. OPT helps students in drawing employment, gaining experience and potentially transferring to H-1B Visa status. In 2024-2025, over 140,000 Indian students were participating in the OPT program.
Le-Huu calls the Red EP “a bright exemplar of world fusion music… -- a folk duo blending South Asian and American traditions” layering “original Urdu, Hindi, and English lyrics over classical Indian ragas and beats borrowed from rock, reggae, and American roots music.”
UAE possesses specific advantages from an academic standpoint. It hosts branch campuses of several dozen top universities: New York University, for example, has its Abu Dhabi campus as a full-service liberal-arts university. France's Sorbonne University has a branch in Abu Dhabi. Britain's Heriot-Watt, University of Birmingham, Middlesex, and other Western universities have similarly invested heavily in UAE campuses.
Barely twenty years later, in 2023, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially accepted Tasveeri as an Oscar-qualifying film festival. It is so far the only South Asian film festival to be officially recognized as such. This means that Tasveer film festival winners become eligible for submissions to the Oscars.
Ultimately, the recruitment of 100,000 workers presents both opportunities and challenges for Bangladesh. If Bangladeshis can understand Japanese work culture, then it's truly a blessing; however, misunderstanding or violating it poses a risk to the hard-earned trust that has been established between the two Asian countries.
While FY25 has been a success story, sustaining this trend won’t be easy. Bangladesh’s remittance economy relies heavily on labor migration to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. However, labor demand in host countries is changing due to automation, nationalization of jobs (Saudi Arabia’s Saudization policy), and shifting immigration laws. The future of low-skilled labor exports is uncertain
The question must be asked: has the Middle Eastern dream become an Indian nightmare? Migrant workers face compounding insecurities, with the confiscation of passports turning them into virtual hostages. Structural exploitation, poor working conditions, and the intensifying climate crisis disproportionately impact Indian migrants—many of whom are semi- or unskilled laborers from already vulnerable communities.
This was no mere diplomatic courtesy call. India’s renewed outreach must be seen through the lens of historical connection and future potential. Nearly 44 percent of Trinidad and Tobago’s Indian diaspora traces its origins to the indentured labour system—deep roots that have flourished into rich cultural traditions shared in cuisine, music, festivals, and faith.
The good news is our team of scientists and biomedical engineers at Columbia University has developed a stent, The Stentinel, that can continuously scan the bloodstream to find cancer’s first cells and the earliest biomarkers. And, the stent can be programmed to electrocute The First Cell. This approach will democratize medicine worldwide, shifting the healthcare paradigm from one of treating illness to one of maintaining wellness
Activists are asking who creates wealth in the U.S. and does the most difficult jobs? It is immigrant workers who form the backbone of the economy, as participants of a well-attended seminar agreed. The event, titled Union and Community Activists Unite for Immigrant Rights organised by the activist group Boston South Asian Coalition
Featuring the works of 26 young artists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the multidisciplinary exhibition takes South Asia's stories to a global stage. A special half-day event in London last Tuesday, 10 June, titled ' South Asia: people, promise and potential - art, film and discussion' at the Bloomsbury Institute London that brought together the South Asian artists exhibit with a documentary I made in Sri Lanka last year
“As much as this is an Indian American community, we are also an American Chamber of Commerce,” added Dr. Rachakonda, who is also CEO for Radiant Digital, a D.C. metro-based provider of digital transformation delivery services. “We have very strong relationships, for example, with the Black Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and a lot of others. Because you know, at the end of the day, it’s about helping businesses.”
Some of us are aware of the beginning of indentureship but we need to acknowledge the end of this horrible system. They faced racism, religious discrimination, were exploited and endured inadequate housing, low wages and physical abuse.
As South Asia stands at a crossroads, the path forward lies not just in political accords but in confronting the shadows of its past. Healing requires more than ceasefires — it calls for courage, empathy, and the willingness to rewrite inherited narratives.
As Pakistan's first Sikh representative in the Punjab Assembly in more than 60 years, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has continuously pushed for inclusive policies and legislative changes, serving as a ray of hope for minorities.
Chickens are incredibly intuitive. They can sense your mood, your energy. And in return, they’ve taught me to slow down, to be present. In moments of stillness, my hens are calm and responsive, and in their peaceful company, I’ve learned that there’s no need to rush.
Public perception is arguably the biggest political obstacle Muslim Americans face. Islamophobia has fueled unfavorable preconceptions since 9/11, which has hindered Muslim candidates' ability to win widespread support. While religiously driven opposition is uncommon for Jewish and Hindu politicians, Muslim candidates frequently face allegations of being "anti-American" or "radical."
