While the COVID-19 has devastated health, economy and social sectors across the world with the death of millions of people, its impact is mixed in the low-intensity conflict regions. In India, the effect of the lockdown varied from one conflict theatre to another given the nature of conflicts - objectives, origin, support base and level of conflict. While the number of violent incidents increased in J&K, the level of military and political campaigning came down slowly in NE and LWE stronghold areas.

Pandemics brings immense human suffering, disrupts the socio-economic fabrics of society and impedes development across the affected geographical region. As Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 reaches over 200 countries infecting millions of people and killing scores of them, it is imperative to examine the threat not just from health or medical point of view but from a larger perspective of national security.

This article discusses the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on Bangladesh’s two important external sectors: Readymade garment industries that generate more than 80 per cent revenue and remittances of Bangladeshi workers working mainly in Gulf countries.

This year marks the golden jubilee of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the silver jubilee of its indefinite extension. With the ultimate legacy of surviving and effectively bringing down the number of nuclear weapons during the Cold War behind it, one must remain hopeful of NPT even in challenging circumstances of today.