"In Bangladesh's lopsided healthcare market, imaginative ventures can make a big difference. Bangladeshi expatriate medical professionals can spearhead such a venture, with many socio-economic benefits. They would set up an institution in Bangladesh, and sign up on a database to donate at least two weeks of their services in a given year. Those who might not give their time in a particular year can donate a comparable amount of money."

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"Developments over the past year demonstrate that militant Islamists have regrouped and seem to be steadily gaining strength. The government has always been one step behind in dealing with them. To my knowledge no investigations, either public or administrative, has been conducted to identify the individuals concerned and the reasons behind the leniency displayed toward militants. Patrons of the militants - individuals and organizations, domestic and foreign – have escaped justice altogether."

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"Bangladesh's Internet users are besieged. With disregard for free speech, free thought, and fundamental rights, the military-led government has taken unprecedented steps to snoop on the data and lives of citizens, without proper judicial oversight and at the whim of the government security apparatus. So now we're forced to take measures to protect our rights. This article shares some simple steps."

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"We waited, but no newspaper ran a supportive editorial, no lawyer defended the freedom of speech, and cartoonist Arifur Rahman remains jailed. If the government fails to free him and the 'moderates' continue to stay quiet, it will only fan the fire of extremism. What the government decides to do should be based on the common thread that created Bangladesh and initiated Islam: tolerance and justice. And liberals should defend that vigorously."

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"Economies are being led increasingly by knowledge-based sectors. But we lack good institutions that harness collective knowledge. Our efforts have been driven by individual power and will, followed by an institutional failure to capitalize on their achievements. Institution building, free of persecution and politicization, and knowledge creation, free of intimidation, must be the focal points of our development strategy." (Photos by Monir-uz-Zaman)

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"No longer are South Asian Muslims building stupendous monuments, producing powerful art, or setting standards in statecraft. They are battling corruption, dictatorships, poverty, nepotistic politics, or chauvinistic majoritarianism; to say nothing of their increasing limelight in the spectacle that is the war on terror. Akbar would have certainly been dismayed." (Photos by Sebastian Tkaczyk)

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"As we entered the village, a 60+ man welcomed us with a big smile and open arms. He was at the time sweeping the streets like it was the most enjoyable thing to do in the whole world. He wore a watch that didn’t work and walked so fast that a 30 yr old was having a rough time keeping up with him." (Photos by Mahrukh Mohiuddin)

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"Textbook history writing is as much a project of nation-building as it is of educating... There are politics involved with not just how histories are revised, and stories retold, but also in the politics of mention: what gets mentioned and what omitted." (Photos by Ahmed Sharif)

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