Mahmudul H Sumon

All the ‘skill talk’ in university education

What skills? Who decides what is relevant for our education system?

‘Truth wars’ on social media and the ethicality of sharing

Sharing news on social media is the newest and perhaps one of the fastest-growing “rituals” of the world. When introduced to the internet nearly two decades ago, an academic relative of mine in the US, whom we would otherwise consider progressive,

Public universities need ICT infrastructure, not more buildings

Our public universities are mostly engaged in building buildings. I mean concrete buildings! Even when a simple structure such as a bus stop is built in our universities, we see structures and designs with an abundance of rod and cement.

“They don’t give us” - Garments workers’ rights in Bangladesh

The Tazreen factory fire in 2012 and the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013 have, amidst all the needless destruction and devastations of lives, at least brought Bangladesh’s apparel industry under some kind of scrutiny.

All Talk And No Walk

One morning I read an article, published in one of the most widely read newspapers of Dhaka, suggesting that all the negative news on Bangladesh's garments sector damages not only the owners but workers too. That afternoon, I decided to visit a garments factory in Mirpur—a small factory with 400 workers. My intention was to inquire about the status of maternity benefits and what exists in practice.

The glaring gaps in our research

In certain kinds of literature on NGO activities in Bangladesh—documents, annual/mid-term reviews, etc.—there is often this fascination for numbers and numerical figures.

Beyond state governance?

From the insiders of the RMG sector, there is an indication that both the Accord on Fire and Building Safety (hereafter the Accord) and

January 13, 2024
January 13, 2024

All the ‘skill talk’ in university education

What skills? Who decides what is relevant for our education system?

April 10, 2021
April 10, 2021

‘Truth wars’ on social media and the ethicality of sharing

Sharing news on social media is the newest and perhaps one of the fastest-growing “rituals” of the world. When introduced to the internet nearly two decades ago, an academic relative of mine in the US, whom we would otherwise consider progressive,

June 27, 2020
June 27, 2020

Public universities need ICT infrastructure, not more buildings

Our public universities are mostly engaged in building buildings. I mean concrete buildings! Even when a simple structure such as a bus stop is built in our universities, we see structures and designs with an abundance of rod and cement.

May 3, 2019
May 3, 2019

“They don’t give us” - Garments workers’ rights in Bangladesh

The Tazreen factory fire in 2012 and the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013 have, amidst all the needless destruction and devastations of lives, at least brought Bangladesh’s apparel industry under some kind of scrutiny.

May 25, 2018
May 25, 2018

All Talk And No Walk

One morning I read an article, published in one of the most widely read newspapers of Dhaka, suggesting that all the negative news on Bangladesh's garments sector damages not only the owners but workers too. That afternoon, I decided to visit a garments factory in Mirpur—a small factory with 400 workers. My intention was to inquire about the status of maternity benefits and what exists in practice.

November 28, 2017
November 28, 2017

The glaring gaps in our research

In certain kinds of literature on NGO activities in Bangladesh—documents, annual/mid-term reviews, etc.—there is often this fascination for numbers and numerical figures.

April 24, 2016
April 24, 2016

Beyond state governance?

From the insiders of the RMG sector, there is an indication that both the Accord on Fire and Building Safety (hereafter the Accord) and

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