The challenges the film certification board faces
Hopeful outcomes from the new establishment will take months or years of work, research and the final formation of the act and its accompanying set of rules.
3w ago
‘Obak Bhalobasha’: 30 years later
Warfaze, one of the most celebrated bands in Bangladesh, turns 40 years old today. With albums, compositions, awards and several hits to their name, the band has contributed much to the music industry in Bangladesh. They have also played a vital role– through their melodies and lyrics– in keeping the Bengali language alive, thriving and evolving, over several generations and in countries all over the world, where Bengalis live and communicate accordingly.
5m ago
Delving deep into ‘MaLoMa’ and its topsy turvy world
As I write this, “MaLoMa”, a musical tale of extraordinary lives led by everyday people, is trending number 1 on YouTube Bangladesh & 38 on global YouTube. This song, as a whole, is many stories woven together as one, belonging to people from all walks of life. The stories touch hearts and inspire music lovers to ponder upon life in general. As Arif Dewan and Shagor Dewan sing their hearts out about how mistaken they were about life being a bed of roses, the chaotic city around them comes to life.
6m ago
Weaving ‘Tati’ as a musical, visual treat
It has been a couple of weeks at least since the Bangla New Year celebrations, which we lovingly refer to as Noboborsho. However, Coke Studio Bangla’s “Tati” is still dominating playlists. ‘Taanti’, or in this case “Tati”, refers to the craftsperson or the creator of fabrics, who works with the material called taant – depicting motifs, colourful borders, and softness to touch. Especially in this heat, a taant saree or a fatua is always a welcome addition to an average Bangladeshi wardrobe, allowing one to breathe easy and at the same time, look trendy.
7m ago
Tagore’s Gitabitan and the bookshelf of a Bengali household
It has been 81 years today since Rabindranath Tagore, a Bengali polymath, poet, composer and the first Bengali Nobel Laureate, breathed his last. In these 81 years, much has changed in the world, including the modernisation of his compositions. Tagore’s songs—Rabindra Sangeet, as they are known—are still popular amongst Bengali music lovers.
2y ago
My visit to the Grammys
When I was arriving in Phoenix, Arizona last year for my Humphrey Fellowship, I did not imagine that I would get to be a part of one of the most prestigious musical celebrations of the world – the Grammys.
2y ago
Women in Translation Month: Why we need more of Selina Hossain
The women in Selina Hossain’s books are strong, because the author herself likes to be inspired by the reality around her.
3y ago
Remembering the contemporary great: Humayun Ahmed
To me, he was a weaver of stories from lands and cultures, all within Bangladesh, that I would never have heard of otherwise. Growing up abroad amidst mixed cultures and languages, Humayun Ahmed kept Bangladesh within me and in thousands of others like me.
3y ago
August 2, 2019
Words from a commoner
Tagore songs take me back to my childhood. They remind me of the nights when my mother would stay awake well past midnight to watch over me while I studied for my board exams.
June 28, 2019
Creating more opportunities: face to face with Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair, a British barrister, lecturer and writer, is also the Chancellor of the very first (and probably the only) Liberal Arts school / university in Bangladesh, Asian University for Women (AUW), located in Chattogram.
May 8, 2019
Celebrating 158 years of Rabindranath Tagore
Tagore spoke of prayer, love, patriotism and passion. He also spoke about freedom to learn, to express and to stand up for one’s own beliefs. On the occasion of his 158th birthday, we caught up with the leading Tagore artiste Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, who spoke about learning, academics and her plans for today.
April 5, 2019
Nawazuddin to star in Farooki flick
Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, for the first time, is making an English-language film -- “No Land's Man” -- that will star the illustrious Indian actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, according to Variety, an entertainment magazine.
April 3, 2019
2 Bangladeshis on Forbes 30 Under 30 list
This year's Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, prepared by Forbes magazine, announced the names of young trailblazers yesterday, in 20 industries and categories.
March 22, 2019
Catching up with Fuad
In the mid-2000s, the music industry in Bangladesh went through a massive change in sound, when Fuad Almuqtadir introduced a unique style of blending genres of folk, rock, pop and electronica, thereby creating a distinctive variety of fusion of Bangla words and music.
March 6, 2019
Not a supporter of art made for propaganda
When Arundhati Roy finally entered the halls at Midas Centre yesterday evening, cheers erupted amidst the waiting audience, accompanied by sighs of relief -- “so, it's finally happening!” one said to the other.
January 28, 2019
In remembrance of Binod Bihari Chowdhury
January 10 was the birth anniversary of Binod Bihari Chowdhury, the anti-colonial revolutionary famous for his participation in the Chittagong Armoury Raid led by Masterda Surya Sen. Binod Bihari passed away on April 10, 2013. This week, In Focus publishes an interview with the revolutionary, which was originally published in The Daily Star's Weekend Magazine in 2010.
January 25, 2019
Always Remember, Never To Forget: Farewell, Bulbul Sir
A day after he turned 63 years old, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul posted a picture on his social media profile, asking friends and loved ones to remember him, lest they forget. In the photograph, he seemed to be waiting for a flight to his next destination, carrying his passport, all dressed and ready to face challenges as he always had. Little did we know that the photograph depicted his final farewell, with Bangladesh in his heart and music in his smile. That was the last post he had made on the platform.
January 16, 2019
Mostafa Sarwar Farooki on 'Shonibaar Bikel'
Considered a pathbreaker in the field of Bangladeshi TV visuals and cinema, Mostofa Sawar Farooki seems to be in focus once again for his much awaited film, 'Shonibaar Bikel' (Saturday Afternoon). Recently winning the Fazlul Haque Smirti Award, the storyteller decided to have a quick chat with us about the film and the controversies surrounding it, invented and spread by overrated groups on social media.
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