Shamsad Mortuza

BLOWIN' IN THE WIND

Dr Shamsad Mortuza is a professor of English at Dhaka University, and former pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

We cannot let violence silence our daughters

What is perhaps more insidious than the acts themselves is the language that now surrounds them. The lexicon of liberation has deliberately opted for expletives.

3d ago

Understanding the university ranking mismatch

We need to change our mindset and up our game to improve our universities’ standing.

2w ago

When leisure turns lethal

The alarming number of deaths gives Cox’s Bazar bad press.

3w ago

Rising crime, institutional failure, and the bystander effect

The collective numbness contradicts the spirit with which the masses stormed the streets in July last year.

1m ago

In search of a vice-chancellor

Central to the formation of the panel is the objective of minimising political interference in the selection of top university managers.

1m ago

JnU crisis exposes the rot in our higher education system

Central to the JnU crisis is a list of broken promises.

1m ago

We need more than air purifiers to clean up Dhaka’s air

It’s easy to dismiss Dhaka as an unliveable city. The challenge is to replace that tantrum with the determination to make the city better.

2m ago

The crisis of a fossilised education system

It will be a crime to miss the post-uprising zeitgeist and not to overhaul our educational sector.

2m ago
June 24, 2023
June 24, 2023

The sun also rises

Those of us who thought the sickness trail of the pandemic was over have a rude awakening. The world is getting sicker by the day.

June 17, 2023
June 17, 2023

Two sides of the same conundrum

Prolonging the stay of an employee in service impedes fresh graduates from joining the workforce.

June 9, 2023
June 9, 2023

The life of insects

The death of the brothers is a stark reminder of our insignificant existence in the grand scheme of things.

June 3, 2023
June 3, 2023

The water tank with many holes

The man eager to pay back his debt is becoming a rarity. Yet, he represents the hardworking, honest Bangladesh that can bring real change to the system.

May 27, 2023
May 27, 2023

A fair warning against a foul conduct

The decision to restrict US visa services to Bangladeshi nationals who might be unlawfully and immorally involved in undermining the forthcoming electoral process has created a political maelstrom.

May 20, 2023
May 20, 2023

Bracing for another storm

Victims of a natural disaster can develop PTSD not only through the degree of physical injury they suffer, but also through the immediate risks they face.

May 5, 2023
May 5, 2023

The heat is on

The breadcrumbs of the appointment of the chief heat officer (CHO) by the DNCC led me to the Arsht-Rock site and its resilience-in-action initiative. The foundation has estimated that “by 2050, heatwaves will affect more than 3.5 billion people worldwide – half of them living in urban centres—affecting human lives and livelihoods.”

April 28, 2023
April 28, 2023

Tiptoeing through the minefield

Writing is becoming increasingly difficult as one has to tiptoe through a minefield, not knowing which topic may set off a trigger or become a bummer. It’s not nice to hear that we have the worst record of press freedom among South Asian countries, lower than Afghanistan.

April 7, 2023
April 7, 2023

10 Things I Hate About Dhaka

I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

April 1, 2023
April 1, 2023

Before Trashing the Trash Culture…

The rejection of Hero Alom as a cultural entity hint at deep-seated social anxiety.