Surveillance capitalism and the right to privacy
“Surveillance is the business model of the internet”—Bruce Schneier, security expert and privacy specialist
5y ago
'Whether we win or lose, we are not going to be on their side'
"Ultimately, in the long run, whether we win or lose, we are not going to be on their side. So we might as well do what we have to do as well as we can."
5y ago
Rethinking our digital priorities
On April 14, 2016, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with the aim of giving control to people over their personal data, recognising certain “digital” rights that individuals are entitled to regarding how their personal data is collected and used.
5y ago
The unexplored treasures of old Bengali manuscripts
Dr Md Shahjahan Mian, Professor of the Department of Bengali, Dhaka University talks to Shamsuddoza Sajen and Moyukh Mahtab about the importance of studying and preserving old Bengali manuscripts to write a comprehensive history of the Bengali speaking region.
5y ago
Recovering the stories of the Armenians of Asia
Liz Chater, a family history researcher based in the UK, has been working on the Armenian communities in South Asia since 2010. Currently, she is working with the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection in Armanitola on the Bangladesh Armenian Heritage Project, which aims to "build the stories, starting from the ground up" of the Armenian communities of Bangladesh and India. In an interview over email with Moyukh Mahtab, she talks of her own heritage, which led her to her research interest, and of her past and present projects.
5y ago
The gaps in our laws we need to address
Sabrina Zarin, Barrister-at-Law, (Hon'ble Society or Lincoln's Inn, UK) and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Partner in FM Associates, talks to The Daily Star's Moyukh Mahtab about needed reforms in sexual violence and harassment laws in Bangladesh and the importance of raising awareness, especially among children.
5y ago
Is DMP's action plan enough to fix our roads?
Apparently “inspired” by last year's safe road movement, the DMP has come up with yet another action plan to deal with Dhaka's anarchic—to put it mildly— traffic situation.
5y ago
Punitive drug policies don't work
Naomi Burke-Shyne, Executive Director of Harm Reduction International, and international NGO “dedicated to reducing the negative health, social and legal impacts of drug use and drug policy”, talks to The Daily Star's Moyukh Mahtab (over e-mail) about the global failure of wars on drugs, and how a health-based approach to drug policy could save lives and promote the well-being of citizens.
5y ago
July 31, 2016
The mother of Chotti Munda
"I think a creative writer should have a social conscience. I have a duty toward society. . . This sense of of duty is an obsession, and I must remain accountable to myself."
July 30, 2016
Bengal's 'Ocean of Knowledge'
Compared to Ram Mohan's approach of creating a separate society (Brahmo Samaj) as social reformation to rid society of practices he condemned, Ishwar Chandra had a more inclusive approach. Arguably his greatest achievement was the role he played in the passage of the Widow Remarriage Act.
July 27, 2016
How could this happen again?
Where do you even begin when talking about the murder of 10-year-old Sagar Barman? That it was inhumane he was killed by pumping air into his body through his rectum?
July 23, 2016
The lost histories of the Bengali Harlem
Vivek Bald reconstructs the forgotten stories and communities of Bengalis in America from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
July 2, 2016
Whose fault is it anyway?
One would assume that a job entails its holder to carry out his responsibilities ethically and with sincerity, especially when it comes to
June 25, 2016
When the Santhals rebelled
The Scottish historian William Wilson Hunter, who was also a member of the Indian Civil Service, in his book Annals of Rural Bengal
June 23, 2016
Collective indifference or silent acceptance?
When blogger Rajib Haider was killed in 2013, the outcry was tremendous. But, over the next three years, at least 38 more were added to the list of those murdered, which includes writers, publisher, foreigners, religious minorities and LGBT rights activists.
June 2, 2016
The futility of the debate
It is somehow taken for granted, by students and parents alike, that there is a fundamental difference between students of Bangla medium and English medium schools. This division carries on to higher education as well.
April 6, 2016
Confusing war with liberation
It seems all those gushing about the game ['Heroes of 71: Retaliation'], when thinking about the Liberation War, focus on the 'war' and forget the 'liberation'-liberation from the communalism, colonialism and the repression by West Pakistan. We get too easily swayed by nationalistic pride of having won in 1971 to look at the issues of endemic rape, murder, repression and corruption that still plague the country.
March 18, 2016
How quiet people can make a stronger impression in meetings
Meetings are usually intimidating, and if you are not someone who can talk your way out of criminal cases, speaking up where you are supposed to contribute can be very difficult. And if you are the big boss, having an introverted team member can be challenging. It's not that these people don't have anything to
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