Sabir Mustafa

Journalist. Formerly at BBC (1999-2023) in London and VoA (2023-2025), in Washington, DC. Currently freelancing as writer, commentator and podcaster.

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

@OwaisTohid Thanks Owais. I’m writing in The Business Standard in English regularly. I’ll share them with you.

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Launched a new weekly column in Bangla, in the Bangla Tribune portal. Every Saturday. আওয়ামী লীগ প্রশ্নে বিএনপি কি আদালতের ঘাড়েই বন্দুক রাখবে?  https://t.co/DPtvaFhmIb

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

For Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the #Bangladesh Nationalist Party, May 27 marked 100th day in power. How has he fared?

It ought to be acknowledged that the new government was not dealt a particularly good hand to begin with. The outgoing interim government had left a stagnating economy, but one with a high rate of inflation. Investment remained low due to lack of confidence, with an unstable law and order situation.

If that was not enough, the US-Israeli war on Iran triggered a sharp rise in energy prices, increasing costs of imported raw materials and uncertainty over export of readymade garments.

To make matters worse, an outbreak of measles in mid-March, which has claimed the lives of more than 500 children, shocked the nation. Measles is a preventable disease and Bangladesh has had an excellent record of vaccination.

However, if the phrase “morning shows the day” holds any meaning, then the tell-tale signs of things to come were there for all to see within this time-frame.

Just eight days after Rahman took oath of office, the government abruptly terminated the contract of central bank governor Ahsan H Mansur, and replaced him with garments owner and party loyalist Mostaqur Rahman.

Through this single act, the idea that Bangladesh had somehow arrived at a “new dawn” was unceremoniously jettisoned. The overthrow of the Awami League government in 2024 had raised the expectation that it would lead to new ways of doing politics and of running the country. That has now proved to be as forlorn as it was naive.
Read the piece here: https://t.co/CSy5oCGuWW

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

My latest podcast: Conversation, in Bangla, with Indian journalist and political commentator @pratimbose on the impact of BJP's election win in West Bengal on Bangladeshi migration issue, and why former chief minister Mamata Banerjee is pointing fingers at the central govt. https://t.co/QOnaUK2GiV via @YouTube

[Pratim Ranjan Bose @pratimbose]

Former BBC Bangla head @Sabir59 invited me in his #Bengali #podcast for The Business Standard in #Bangladesh. We discussed a host of issues pertaining to #WestBengal. https://t.co/CyTSUhwWd7

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

@Jesii_ca_M Tiramisu

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

@uttdkola This is England. No?

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Stop complaining Arsenal. The best team won. Infact, for 120 minutes PSG looked like the only team actually trying to win the match. #ChampionsLeagueFinal

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Whenever English clubs are involved in European finals, English commentators on TV are the fuckin’ WORST!! #ChampionsLeagueFinal #ARSPSG

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

@moritz_gathmann @MrKevinRothrock The Fog of War has truly descended on us.

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Even as an #MUFC fan, I think the Premier League this season was perfectlly scripted. Arsenal deserved the league; City were denied 🤣 Liverpool won nothing 😆 We had no hope to challenge for the title 🙄 and a 3rd place finish was better than what we expected; Bruno getting Player of the Year was just the icing on the cake 👏 Even the relegation scenario was perfect: One team from London, one from the Midlands and one from the North. 👍

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

My @emirates flight from Dhaka was scheduled for 10:15. The plane began moving at 10:14. How good was that! 👏👏👏

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Prospect of US-Iran peace in the Gulf hangs in the balance https://t.co/J5DS5dQGIH

[John Spencer @SpencerGuard]

https://t.co/TtUJkpPSwT

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Oh man! This was an Onana-level fuck-up by Lammens. All the good work done by United are undone. #MUNLIV #MUFC

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Phew, that was close! But managed to see off the Mighty Garnacho 🤮 #MUFC #CHEMUN

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

Bad to worse. Down 0-2 after some poor football in 1st half; now down to 10 men after Martinez red card. This could get even more ugly. #MUFC #MUNLEE

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

We’re getting played off the park by Leeds. Carrick better do some magical substitutions and pull this out of the fire. #MUNLEE #MUFC

[Sabir Mustafa @Sabir59]

@DerekJGrossman Humayun Kabir is not the FM of Bangladesh. He is an adviser to the Bangladeshi prime minister on foreign affairs.

[Pratim Ranjan Bose @pratimbose]

Time is running out for #Hasina to revitalise #AwamiLeague. One and a half years since collapse of her govt in #Dhaka, the party is yet to much signs of reorganising - says @Sabir59 #Bangladesh #podcast https://t.co/FfuqVj034u