From within the Muslim community there are extremist elements who in the name of Islam provide much-needed provocations to majoritarian politics, writes Dr Ram Puniyani for South Asia Monitor
Will A Rightwing Victory Transform Bangladesh? Jamaat's Rise Raises Uncomfortable Questions
If Jamaat comes to power it will likely begin with populist moves such as anti-corruption drives, predicts Ahmedur Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi writer and editor who has been living in Norway since surviving a 2015 attack. He says he fears mobilisation of religious groups to push for declaring Bangladesh an Islamic republic and enforce Sharia law. The result would be shrinking freedoms for women, curbs on cultural life, and serious threats to freedom of expression, religious minorities, and secular political and cultural spaces.
Pakistan Mosque Blast: ISIS' Growing Shadow In The Subcontinent
The threat from ISIS-K is real and growing. A resurgence in Pakistan would have serious implications for the broader region, including India. The danger is compounded if Pakistan once again attempts to clandestinely redirect ISIS-K towards Kashmir. What may appear as an isolated terror incident is, in fact, part of a wider pattern that demands sustained vigilance. Pakistan’s internal security instability risks creating openings for cross-border terror movements, potentially hardening new militant modules aimed at India and beyond.
After the Begums: Battle For The Soul Of Bangladesh Has Just Begun
The optimistic view is that the “Twin Election” will force a compromise. The referendum provides a mandate for reform that even a BNP government cannot ignore. The “July Charter”, if ratified, creates checks on executive power that did not exist before. The students, even if they end up on the opposition benches, will form a moral pressure group that cannot be easily crushed. The cynical view is that Bangladesh is merely swapping a monopoly for a duopoly, or worse, a monopoly of a different colour.
Bangladesh Heads to Crucial Elections Amid Political Exclusion: A Divided Nation Needs Democratic Renewal
All signs point to a BNP victory. In a competitive contest without the Awami League, the BNP’s organisational depth and electoral reach make it the frontrunner. Yet victory alone may not translate into authority. The absence of the Awami League, the continued influence of Sheikh Hasina from exile, the rise of Islamist alternatives, and the central role of unelected institutions mean that any new government will inherit a fractured polity. The 2026 election may revive the BNP’s fortunes, but it will not by itself heal Bangladesh’s democratic wounds.
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The film lives to its own dialogue that showing wrong is as dangerous as hiding the truth; it totally hides the murders and exodus of Muslims, writes Dr Ram Puniyani for South Asia Monitor
The new polarizing instrument of Hindi cinema
The film has soured Hindu-Muslim relations to an extent in Kashmir - and also in the rest of the country - that the Pandits will be unable to settle down as before in close proximity with their Muslim neighbours, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor
Bangladesh-Pakistan ties: Closing the gap, increasing the gains
The younger generation of both countries is keen to forge stronger ties between these two Muslim-majority countries in the region, writes Mehjabin Bhanu for South Asia Monitor
A missile misfire that could have gone horribly wrong
Fortunately, Pakistan never went ballistic and their reaction has averted what could have potentially led to a disastrous escalation, writes Maj Gen Jagatbir Singh (retd) for South Asia Monitor
Afghanistan’s cricket future looks promising, despite political challenges back home
Afghanistan owes a measure of its progress to the India cricket board and its generosity in providing to the embattled Afghan cricketers the use of ‘home’ grounds in India, writes Qaiser Mohammed Ali for South Asia Monitor
Japanese PM Kishida's Delhi visit: The missing buzz about Japanese investments in India
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation listed India as the most attractive investment destination, yet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Delhi failed to generate that investment buzz, writes S. Majumder for South Asia Monitor
India cannot be dictated by US, UK on who to trade with
With its strategic position in the Indian Ocean, India has a vital role in America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd.) for South Asia Monitor
Bangladesh-Myanmar trade holds promise for the region
Enhanced ties between Bangladesh and Myanmar can contribute to the growth of trade and investment relations with ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries, writes Jubeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor
