Star Books Report

Embracing the bizarre and ‘An Eye and a Leg’

The Asia regional winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Faria Basher, in an interview with The Daily Star, opens up about her journey from lifelong reader to emerging writer.

3w ago

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, renowned Kenyan author and literary icon, dies at 87

The revolutionary novelist, playwright, and fierce advocate, passed away on May 28 in Bedford, Georgia

1m ago

Faria Basher named Asia Regional Winner of Commonwealth Short Story Prize

She is the first writer of Bangladeshi origin to win the regional prize

1m ago

‘Let it be a tale’: Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha wins Pulitzer Prize

Other Pulitzer Prize winners in the arts included Percival Everett in the Fiction category for his novel 'James', Branden Jacobs-Jenkins in the Drama category for his play 'Purpose', and Marie Howe in the Poetry category for her collection, 'New and Selected Poems'

1m ago

Bangladeshi writer Faria Basher shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2025

“An Eye and a Leg” has been described as "a darkly humorous and surreal take on the trope of the ‘expiring’ South Asian woman"

2m ago

Whose language matters: On inclusion, identity, and silence

The panel supplied a critical as well as emotional commentary on the issues of linguistic hegemonisation, power imbalances, the marginalisation of non-Bangali languages and identities, and the aftermath of the revolutionary spirit of July 2024

3m ago

Books about female rage

With International Women’s Day being celebrated across the world tomorrow, we here at Star Books and Literature decided to take a moment to read and reflect on the many expressions of female rage in both ancient and contemporary literature

3m ago

'Bhasha Andoloner Itihash' by Bashir Al Helal

Tracing back the events before the Language Movement of 1952, Al Helal presents a detailed account of the events that unfolded during February 1952.

4m ago
January 16, 2023
January 16, 2023

Hanif Kureishi's Twitter diary and why he couldn't make it to Bangladesh

"I realised I had to start again as a person and a writer. I had to become a comic writer, a serious writer, a writer who could integrate the madness and most interesting elements on the same page."

January 14, 2023
January 14, 2023

‘Border Crossings’ hopes to reconcile diasporic identities

Syed Afzal Hasan Uddin says of first generation immigrants that they—who are already grappling with the duality of their multifaceted identities—were not seen as being Bengali enough by their parents.

January 13, 2023
January 13, 2023

Colleen Hoover cancels ‘It Ends With Us’ colouring book on domestic abuse

Readers are questioning how “a coloring book was ever going to ‘tastefully mirror Lilly Bloom’s story’ of violent domestic abuse.”

January 8, 2023
January 8, 2023

Dhaka Lit Fest 2023: Kishwar Chowdhury to open a restaurant soon

"I started my journey with a simple dream of writing a book for my children", she shared at the talk. 

January 8, 2023
January 8, 2023

DHAKA LIT FEST, DAY 3: Big books, big ideas

Author and literary critic Nilanjana Roy moderated a session on "A World Without a Centre", with Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, Bengali litterateur Amitav Ghosh, and novelist and political analyst Pankaj Mishra discussing how novels play a role in shaping a world that lives with the legacy of colonialism, and the of impacts of climate crises and technology.

January 1, 2023
January 1, 2023

3 writers to receive IFIC Bank literary recognition

Among them, journalist and writer Mashiul Alam has been selected as the best writer for the IFIC Bank Literary Award 2020. Celebrated poet and researcher Aminul Islam and litterateur Swikrit Noman have been selected as the best writers for the IFIC Bank Literary Award 2021. 

January 1, 2023
January 1, 2023

'The VIP passes are a form of sponsorship', Dhaka Lit Fest says

Those who are paying for the BDT 10,000 tickets are allowing us to keep the student and general ticket prices at an affordable rate”, said Kazi Anis Ahmed.

January 1, 2023
January 1, 2023

A new book revisits guitar legend Niloy Das

Talking about the artist, co-author Milu Aman said, "Although he was admired in the world of music, many generations did not know him. This is our initiative to spread the word about the 'unsung hero' of our music, Niloy Da, and to get to know him a little more.’’

December 29, 2022
December 29, 2022

The best that we read this year

We asked the DS Books editors and contributors about the books that most moved them this year.

December 26, 2022
December 26, 2022

Dhaka Lit Fest tickets to go on sale soon

Some attendees have raised questions over why one would hesitate to pay for a literary event if they already spend money on watching films and going to restaurants. Students, however, have expressed opposing views.