But is animal cruelty something we only condemn during this particular time of year? What are the subtle and not-so-subtle acts of cruelty we exhibit as we interact with/rear/raise/consume livestock/pets/wildlife?
Prof Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury is one of two Bangladeshis who were recently named among the top 100 Asian scientists. In an interview with Abida Rahman Chowdhury of The Daily Star, she talks about her current projects, the scope of Bangladesh's policies and why they do not work, and how to encourage more women to take up STEM.
The more roads you build, the more cars there will be to fill them up. I am no expert, but the numbers don’t lie.
Cyclone Mocha was just the first of the season, and Bangladesh will face more in the days to come. We need to focus on a more holistic approach to disaster management, especially the evacuation process and recovery aspect, and not just rely on warnings and people’s willingness to move to shelters.
Do we all feel this heat similarly? The answer is no. It is no secret that if you are among the well-off in this not-so-well-off nation, you are better equipped to deal with this heatwave. There is a deep running inequality as to how the heat affects people.
Just one bystander can cause enough distraction to move the focus from the real situation on hand—which is to stabilise the emergency situation and save lives. So, who is responsible?
Bangladesh supports nearly 1.7 percent of the world's wildlife. How is that wildlife doing? Why does the chirping of birds no longer wake us? When was the last time a frog just showed up in our bathrooms?
As a traveller or visitor, if you have been to Bangladesh, you are no stranger to the shocking green everywhere, the chaos of Dhaka city, the absolute absence of rules anywhere, and if you have a keen eye then the straightforward, smooth and sometimes borderline funny naming of our businesses will surely intrigue you.
Dhaka, it looks like, is bursting at its seams with the overwhelming number of cars, buses and trucks hitting the streets every day. A city small in physical proportions yet harbouring an exceedingly high number of people, Dhaka at first sight is overcrowded and full of rubble.
Forlorn pictures of antiquity paint images of sun-beaten men rowing their boats through the blue-grey waters of the Shitalakhya -- their faded orange sails swishing with the breeze and the lonely air occasionally pierced with the folk songs of Hasson Raja emanating from the deep vocals of the majhi.
Every diet seems to falter when a lady encounters that melting chocolate fudge drenched in some more chocolate syrup, hiding thousands of calories beneath its sweet façade. Add to that a Bengali 'dawat' and you find yourself spiralling down the diet ladder and climbing up to sweet heaven all at the same time -- the sweet creamy 'paayesh', the globes of 'roshogolla' drenched in sweet syrup, and the cups laden with 'Bogra boi'. Well all is not sweet in this sweet galore and Star lifestyle has put together a list of alternative sweeteners that will allow you guilt-free indulgence when your heart desires.
Looming just around the corner is that time of the year again, where all the goodies are brought out, where all mothers leave no stone unturned in preparing that beautiful dish, the day when everyone is in high spirits after a month of fasting.
Rummaging through your wardrobe every sultry summer morning pondering over what to wear to university or going through all your evening wear trying to decide what to wear on an evening out with friends or maybe even the plain woes young adults and teenagers face everyday deciding what to wear can be quite exhausting.
Writing about stories of one's past, of an era gone by, of innocent childhood memories can often be a daunting task. The city we call home is on a fast-forward button as old staff quarters and memories are torn down while huge apartment complexes religiously shoot up to take their place.
A real, tangible and everyday concern in today's progressing world are the subjects of homophobia, trans-misogyny, sexism and racism and although the latter two are now deemed unacceptable in society many people still harbour feelings of homophobia and transphobia deep within themselves without any castigation or rebuke.
She is a woman of extremes -- extreme tolerance, endurance, strength and compassion personifies this lady who has been by you through all your ups and downs.
Pursuing a sport in Dhaka can be a cumbersome task, given the lack of parks, pockets of green space or even a designated sidewalk for pedestrians. Picking up a sport can also be a tough decision, the amount of physical labour you are willing to put in, the proximity of the location where you can practise and your overall dedication to the game.
The sharp zing of onions as you slice them fine, the clang of pans and pots, the distinct aroma of Bengali spices as they hit the hot oil. These are flavours we grow up with.
