Shams Rashid Tonmoy

Sub-editor & Feature Writer, Tech & Startup, The Daily Star

How to create a career roadmap that adapts with you

The key to building your career isn't a rigid five-year plan. It's building a 'flexible' roadmap, i.e. one that gives you direction without locking you into a single path. Here's how to do it.

6d ago

Quiet thriving: finding purpose in a 'just fine' job

You don't need to wait for the perfect job to feel engaged at work. A new approach called 'quiet thriving' - the positive counterpart to 'quiet quitting' - focuses on making small, intentional changes to rediscover meaning and even joy in your current role.

1w ago

Time management essentials for new employees

Starting a new job brings excitement and nerves in equal measure, often accompanied by that nagging question: "How will I get everything done?" Effective time management isn't about working harder - it's about working smarter.

1w ago

Esports: the digital arena that's redefining entertainment

What began as a niche pastime has transformed into a full-blown entertainment spectacle, one that sells out stadiums, commands prime-time viewership, and even attracts the attention of national governments and Olympic committees.

1m ago

AAB's Motorsport Academy for aspiring professional racers

Automobile Association of Bangladesh (AAB) has recently launched the Motorsport Academy, offering structured training programmes designed to develop professional racing talent. The academy currently runs three sequential courses – beginner, intermediate and advanced – each requiring successful completion of exams to progress.

1m ago

A personal goodbye to Skype; the app that connected worlds

Today, Skype, the app that once connected me to so many important moments, is officially gone. It’s a strange feeling. Sure, I have switched to Messenger for chats and Zoom for meetings like everyone else. But I can’t help but feel a little sad. Few things else carry the same level of nostalgia as that familiar blue icon.

2m ago

Bangladeshi scientist invents smart pill to track gut health

Dr Yasser Khan, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC), is leading groundbreaking research in AI-enabled medical devices. His latest innovation? A GPS-like ingestible smart pill that could revolutionise how we understand the gut-brain connection.

3m ago

Will overworking get you ahead? 

We’ve all been there—burning the midnight oil, skipping lunch breaks, or replying to emails at 2 am because we believe that grinding harder than everyone else is the golden ticket to promotions and respect. But is it really? The truth is far more nuanced than a simple 'yes' or 'no'.

4m ago
May 18, 2024
May 18, 2024

From fringe hobby to national pride

For years, gaming in Bangladesh was seen as a waste of time -- often dismissed as a frivolous activity or a distraction from more “serious” pursuits. Traditional societal norms placed little value on gaming, perceiving it as an endeavour devoid of any real-world benefits.

April 23, 2024
April 23, 2024

Navigating the big, scary world of your first career break

Whether it's for studies or personal development, stepping away from work can be scary, especially when you're new to the full-time world. In our world of constant hustle, taking a break to recharge and refocus takes guts. But, if you're up for it, the rewards can be worthwhile.

April 8, 2024
April 8, 2024

PriyoShop: Connecting local brands and mom-and-pop shops by facilitating product distribution

In the bustling streets of Bangladesh, mom-and-pop shops, also known as 'mudir dokan' in Bangla, stand as pillars of commerce, signifying an economic revolution that is steadily reshaping the retail landscape. At the forefront of this transformation stands PriyoShop, a B2B e-commerce startup that is connecting the dots between brands and mom-and-pop shops.

March 12, 2024
March 12, 2024

Cover letters: are they relevant anymore?

The efficiency of parsing through standardised resumes and extracting relevant information has led many employers to prioritise resumes and online application forms over cover letters. Thus, brings the obvious question: are cover letters even relevant anymore?

January 25, 2024
January 25, 2024

Pokémon Concierge: A stop-motion for all ages

Pokémon Concierge tells the story of Haru, a 20-something young adult riddled with anxiety, coming to the luxurious Pokémon Resort to start a new life as a concierge.

January 20, 2024
January 20, 2024

Meet 'Mama Lang': The Bangla 'toy' programming language

For a beginner, programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, and C++ might deter them as they are very different from traditional languages. Thus, comes Mama Lang, a Bangla-based toy programming language intended to be an easy entryway to coding for Bangla speakers.

January 18, 2024
January 18, 2024

Magna Water: What even is it?

Recently, certain locally-based 'free water' startups have been making waves on Facebook. These initiatives promise to provide free, clean drinking water to the general public by integrating ads on the plastic bottles the water would come in. But how do these initiatives work and where is this bottled water coming from? We recently caught up with one of these initiatives, ‘Magna Water’—literally meaning free water—to talk about their plans, goals, and details regarding this project.

December 9, 2023
December 9, 2023

Staying ahead of the employability curve

In an interview with The Daily Star, Dr Ajay Kela shared the goals of the Wadhwani Foundation, what kind of skills a modern employer looks for, and the importance of upskilling for modern graduates.

December 2, 2023
December 2, 2023

An interview with Sakib Jamal: Forbes 30 under 30 2024 

Bangladeshi-born American venture capitalist Sakib Jamal has recently achieved recognition of being listed in Forbes' prestigious 30 Under 30 list for 2024 in the North America region, in the Venture Capital category. In an interview with The Daily Star, the young venture capitalist dives into his background, experiences, and projects of both past and present.

November 4, 2023
November 4, 2023

Realme GT5 240W: The ultra-fast charging powerhouse

Realme GT5 240W is undoubtedly a powerful phone, which ticks a lot of the right boxes when it comes to modern flagships. Let's take a look at how this phone - deemed one of the fastest charging phones in the market right now - feels to try out.