Image
Tarique Rahman Oath Ceremony

Rethinking Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy: Test For a More Assertive "Bangladesh First" Doctrine

The most immediate and delicate challenge for the new government lies in its relationship with India. Following the events of August 2024 and the subsequent transitional period, the bilateral bond has faced unprecedented strain. The presence of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India remains a friction point, yet the early signs of 2026 suggest a pragmatic "reset." Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory call to Tarique Rahman on February 13, 2026 signals New Delhi's recognition of the changed political reality. However, the path forward requires addressing deep-seated issues that have long simmered.

Image
Representational Photo

Why Sri Lanka Needs to Leverage Its Geography And Culture in a Post De-globalized World

Sri Lanka has a wide range of monetizable opportunities based on its strategic location and also existing domestic business landscape.  The ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup is one example. No other country in South Asia, other than Sri Lanka, will find it possible to host a match between India and Pakistan.   It is time Sri Lanka works towards leveraging its geographical location to weather global trade reset, while effectively leveraging its cultural foundation to boost its global soft power.   

Image
Representational Photo

Pakistan: A Cricket Defeat is Merely a Symptom of a Deeper Malaise

More than 60 percent of Pakistan’s 241.5 million population (2023) is below the age 30, with a median age of about 20. It is one of the youngest nations in the world living in a country that has remained adrift since its creation. Cricket was once a source of national confidence for young Pakistanis, but in recent years even that has vanished. The T20 defeat is just another instance of the crisis of confidence gripping the country that is also debilitating its cricket team.

Image
India’s Global AI Impact Summit (16–20 February 2026)

AI Impact Summit: Will Artificial Intelligence Eclipse Nature’s Wisdom?

AI is neither inevitable trauma nor guaranteed transformation. It is an amplifier. The Delhi summit must therefore convey Bharat’s civilisational wisdom — the natural intelligence systems that sustained life long before algorithms. The future of nature will depend not on how intelligent our machines become, but on whether humanity remains wise enough to align them with the only system that has sustained life for billions of years. Artificial Intelligence may dominate global conversation. But Natural Intelligence remains the foundation of survival.

Podcast featuring Ashok Sawhny "Sahil"

In this exclusive conversation, Mehran Shah sits down with Ashok Sawhny Sahil, a renowned businessman and celebrated poet.

The One Big Beautiful Bill is Bountiful and Beastly

On July 4, President Donald J Trump signed his signature piece of domestic legislation, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB).