Dr. Taimur Sharif

10/10/2026

Antonio Guterres: I warmly congratulate Navi Pillay on being awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

For decades, she has been a champion of international law and human rights, and a steadfast, independent voice of justice amidst some of the most historic international legal cases of our time.

From her work in South Africa defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against the oppressive apartheid regime, to her role as an international judge and President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on cases relating to international crimes, including the genocide in Rwanda, to her tenure as High Commissioner for Human Rights, to chairing the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, she has shown that the force of law must prevail over the law of force and that defending human rights is the surest safeguard against injustice.

In its citation, the Nobel Committee reminded the world that peace must be built on lasting principles, not the will of the powerful.

Today’s prize is a tribute to all those working to uphold and defend international law, the rule of law and human rights, and secure peace, justice and human dignity.

09/10/2026

ব্রিটিশ গ্রিন পার্টির নেতা জ্যাক পোলানস্কি (Zack Polanski discussion group) একদিকে নির্বাচনে লেবার পার্টির প্রার্থী সাগাল আবদি-ওয়ালির (Sagal Abdi-Wali) কাছে পরাজয়ের মুখে পড়েছেন, অন্যদিকে দলীয় অভ্যন্তরীণ বিরোধের কারণেও চাপে রয়েছেন। মোট ভোটের এক-তৃতীয়াংশ পেয়েও পোলানস্কি লেবার প্রার্থীকে পরাজিত করার মতো সমর্থন অর্জন করতে পারেননি এবং আজ রাত প্রায় ২টা ৩০ মিনিটে পরাজয় স্বীকার করেন। এর পাশাপাশি, ব্রাইটনে অনুষ্ঠিত দলের সাম্প্রতিক সম্মেলনে সদস্যরা zionism (জায়নবাদ) কে বর্ণবাদ হিসেবে বর্ণনা করে একটি প্রস্তাব পাস করায় ইহুদি সংগঠন ও দলের কয়েকজন প্রবীণ নেতার সমালোচনার মুখে পড়ে গ্রিন পার্টি।

ইসরায়েল, বিশেষ করে zionism-বিরোধী প্রচারে সক্রিয় কট্টর বামপন্থী সদস্যদের সঙ্গে মধ্যপন্থীদের মতবিরোধও তীব্র হয়েছে। ফলে, যে নেতা একসময় দলের বিভিন্ন মতাদর্শের সদস্যদের ঐক্যবদ্ধ রাখার প্রতীক হিসেবে বিবেচিত হতেন, সেই পোলানস্কিই এখন উভয় পক্ষের পদত্যাগের দাবির মুখে রয়েছেন। নির্বাচনী পরাজয় ও দলীয় কোন্দল মিলিয়ে তাঁর নেতৃত্ব এবং দলের অভ্যন্তরীণ ঐক্য এখন গুরুতর চ্যালেঞ্জের সম্মুখীন।

তবে, নির্বাচনী ফলাফল যাই হউক, ইসরায়েল-সমর্থন এবং জায়নবাদের ক্রমবর্ধমান প্রভাবের বিরোধিতা করার কারণে Green Party of England and Wales একটি উল্লেখযোগ্য ভোটারগোষ্ঠীর মধ্যে জনপ্রিয়তা অর্জন করছে। অন্যান্য মূলধারার দলগুলোর অবস্থানের সঙ্গে এই অবস্থানের পার্থক্য অনেক ভোটারের কাছে দলটিকে আকর্ষণীয় করে তুলেছে, যদিও এ নিয়ে দলের অভ্যন্তরে ও বাইরে বিতর্কও বাড়ছে।

However, regardless of the election results, the Green Party of England and Wales is gaining popularity among a significant section of voters because of its opposition to support for Israel and the growing influence of Zionism. This stance sets it apart from other mainstream parties and makes it an appealing choice for many voters, although it continues to spark debate within and outside the party.

Our support for the Green Party will therefore continue.
গ্রিন পার্টির প্রতি আমাদের সমর্থন তাই অব্যাহত থাকবে।

08/10/2026

The global automotive industry is experiencing a significant structural transformation, with China consolidating its manufacturing dominance, India emerging as a major producer, and traditional automotive economies facing increasing competitive pressures.

From an economic perspective, these developments raise important questions about the changing nature of comparative advantage, economies of scale, industrial policy and technological competitiveness.

However, production volume alone does not necessarily reflect industrial competitiveness. Manufacturing output, productivity, profitability, technological innovation and value creation are distinct dimensions of economic performance.

The transition towards electric vehicles, software-driven technologies and increasingly complex global value chains is fundamentally reshaping the sources of competitive advantage.

More importantly, a longitudinal analysis of global automotive production would help distinguish temporary market fluctuations from structural shifts in international competitiveness.

The fundamental question is no longer simply who produces the most vehicles, but who captures the greatest economic value from automotive production and innovation.

The Visual Capitalist article below provides an interesting snapshot of these changing global production patterns and is worth reading for further details:

Nearly 100 million car, buses, and trucks were built in 2025. Over a third of these came from just one country.

05/10/2026

Global Innovation Index 2026-এর দক্ষিণ এশীয় চিত্রটি বাংলাদেশের জন্য গভীরভাবে ভাবনার বিষয়। বাংলাদেশ ১০৫তম অবস্থানে - দক্ষিণ এশিয়ার তুলনীয় ছয়টি দেশের মধ্যে সর্বনিম্ন। বিগত সরকারের পররাষ্ট্রনীতিকে ব্যাপকভাবে ভারতঘেঁষা বা ভারতবান্ধব হিসেবে বিবেচনা করা হতো। কিন্তু প্রশ্ন হলো, দীর্ঘ সময়ের সেই ঘনিষ্ঠ সম্পর্ককে আমরা কতটা জ্ঞান, প্রযুক্তি, গবেষণা, উদ্ভাবন এবং মানবসম্পদ উন্নয়নের কৌশলগত অংশীদারিত্বে রূপান্তর করতে পেরেছি? ভারত যখন বৈশ্বিক উদ্ভাবন সূচকে ৩৮তম, তখন নিকটতম প্রতিবেশী বাংলাদেশ ১০৫তম। এই ৬৭ ধাপের ব্যবধান অন্তত এটুকু বলে যে রাজনৈতিক ঘনিষ্ঠতা স্বয়ংক্রিয়ভাবে জ্ঞান ও উদ্ভাবন সক্ষমতার উন্নয়ন ঘটায় না।

অতীতের দায় নির্ধারণের চেয়েও বর্তমান সরকারের জন্য এখানেই বড় শিক্ষা। পররাষ্ট্রনীতি শুধু রাজনৈতিক সমীকরণ, বাণিজ্য বা অবকাঠামোগত সহযোগিতায় সীমাবদ্ধ থাকলে চলবে না। বরং চীনসহ যেসব দেশ প্রযুক্তি, ডিজিটাল অর্থনীতি, স্টার্টআপ, উচ্চশিক্ষা ও গবেষণায় এগিয়ে আছে, তাদের সঙ্গে সম্পর্ককে technology transfer, joint R&D, university–industry collaboration, startup ecosystem, researcher mobility এবং innovation financing-এর মতো ক্ষেত্রে পরিমাপযোগ্য ফলাফলে রূপান্তর করতে হবে।

বাংলাদেশের মেধার ঘাটতি নেই; ঘাটতি হলো সেই মেধাকে উদ্ভাবনী শক্তিতে রূপান্তরের কার্যকর ecosystem-এর। তাই সরকারের সামনে প্রশ্নটি হওয়া উচিতকার সঙ্গে আমাদের সম্পর্ক কতটা ঘনিষ্ঠ, সেটি নয়; সেই সম্পর্ক থেকে দেশের জ্ঞান, প্রযুক্তি ও উদ্ভাবন সক্ষমতা কতটা বৃদ্ধি পাচ্ছে। এটাই ভবিষ্যৎ পররাষ্ট্র ও উন্নয়ননীতির অন্যতম গুরুত্বপূর্ণ performance indicator হওয়া উচিত।

02/10/2026

Human knowledge has never developed within the boundaries of a single culture or civilization. Across centuries, scholars from the Muslim world, Europe, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere preserved earlier , challenged assumptions, generated new ideas, and transmitted across languages and regions. Mathematics, medicine, astronomy, optics, philosophy, geography and many other evolved through this continuous exchange.

In all levels of educational worldwide, decolonizing knowledge should therefore not mean replacing one dominant narrative with another. Rather, it should mean presenting knowledge with historical accuracy, intellectual fairness, and due recognition of the diverse and scholars who contributed to humanity’s progress.

Given this backdrop, education's responsibility is not to diminish anyone’s contribution, but to give credit where it is due. A meaningful approach to the curriculum should enable to understand this interconnected intellectual heritage and recognise knowledge as a cumulative achievement of human civilization.

Our textbooks and classrooms should tell that fuller story.

20/07/2026

From a footballing perspective, the 2026 World Cup was a tremendous success in terms of attendance, global reach and memorable performances. At the same time, the tournament exposed persistent questions about whether political considerations, commercial interests and inconsistent officiating are beginning to overshadow the sport itself.

While some allegations—particularly claims of favoritism toward certain teams—remain matters of public opinion rather than established fact, documented disputes involving Iran's treatment, VAR decisions, governance, and FIFA's political relationships ensured that controversy became one of the defining themes of the tournament.

Despite the mixed experience, I was personally delighted to see Spain—my second-choice team after England—lift the trophy for the second time, while several of my favourite players also left their mark: CR7 became the first player to score in six different World Cups, Kylian Mbappé finished as the tournament’s top scorer, Jude Bellingham emerged as England’s leading goalscorer, and Lamine Yamal broke multiple age-related records.

14/07/2026

Whether one agrees with Jeremy Corbyn or not, he has long been one of the few politicians willing to challenge powerful interests and speak openly on issues that many others choose to avoid. The image containing Jeremy’s message is a reminder of a broader reality: when politics and media become heavily influenced by money, lobbying, and powerful vested interests, public debate can become distorted. Narratives are shaped, some voices are amplified while others are marginalised, and citizens are left wondering whether they are hearing the whole truth. A healthy democracy depends on independent journalism, transparency in political influence, and the courage of leaders who are prepared to question the status quo.

Over decades in public life, Jeremy has remained remarkably consistent in his ideological and ethical convictions, rather than adapting them to changing political circumstances—a sharp contrast to his successor, Keir Starmer, whose shifts in language and policy positions have prompted frequent debate about the consistency of his political direction. That steadfastness is one of the reasons I have admired Jeremy Corbyn for many years. In my view, Britain would have been a much better place had voters chosen Jeremy Corbyn over Boris Johnson.

12/07/2026

Nigel Farage well portrayed.

11/07/2026

Football is not just played on the pitch; in principle, it is built on fairness, consistency, and trust, and these are what make the game truly global. When they are called into question, the credibility of the sport itself is at stake.

Thankfully, technologies such as goal-line technology and VAR were introduced to minimise human error (as illustrated by the infamous disallowing of Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, despite the ball clearly crossing the goal line) and to help ensure that the same standards are applied to everyone. However, technology can only strengthen the game when it is accompanied by transparent, consistent, and impartial decision-making.

The contrasting treatment of Folarin Balogun and Jarell Quansah has understandably raised questions. Quansah received a two-match suspension following his dismissal, whereas Balogun was permitted to participate in the following match under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. FIFA is fully entitled to exercise its disciplinary discretion. However, what has fuelled the debate is the apparent inconsistency in decisions within the same competition, only days apart. Also, to date, FIFA has not publicly articulated the rationale or objective criteria underpinning these contrasting decisions.

As England takes the field today, many supporters—including myself—will be watching the speed stars Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice closely. I sincerely hope it does not appear to be more than a coincidence if both receive yellow cards today. I also hope my concern proves unfounded and that the post-match discussion is about football rather than disciplinary controversy. The game should be decided by the players, not by inconsistent application of the rules.

The sporting world has seen similar criticisms before. In cricket, the ICC has arguably periodically faced questions about whether commercial and political considerations have influenced perceptions of neutrality. If FIFA allows comparable perceptions to take root, the greatest casualty will not be any single nation or team, it will be the credibility and integrity of the world's most popular sport.

Wishing Three Lions every success tonight. May they overcome every challenge—whether unpredictable or systematic—and let their football speak louder than any controversy.

24/06/2026

The group stage has already produced several notable storylines. Traditional powerhouses such as Argentina, France, Germany, Brazil, and England have shown strong form, while emerging and smaller football nations have demonstrated the growing competitiveness of international football.

As the tournament progresses toward the knockout rounds, fans around the world are witnessing a blend of established stars, emerging talents, and dramatic underdog stories. The 2026 World Cup is already being regarded as one of the most inclusive and globally representative editions in the competition's history, highlighting football's unique ability to unite nations and cultures on a single stage.