Tahira Shamsi Utsa

Reporter, Print/Digital, The Daily Star

Muslin’s revival weaves past into present

Dhakai Muslin: ancient craft weaves new life, livelihoods in rural Bangladesh

2w ago

Import duty on rickshaw motors likely to rise

The government is expected to hike import duty on motors, which in recent times have been used to run modified three-wheeler rickshaws, to discourage their use and contain the proliferation of the locally developed electric vehicle.

1m ago

A monthly struggle fought in silence

Three years ago, when 12-year-old Ayesha Begum got her first period, she thought she was dying.

1m ago

Country failing to protect children from violence

A 16-year-old madrasa student in Jhenaidah was hospitalised last month after being beaten by an assistant teacher -- reportedly for eating two slices of leftover orange after iftar, with the madrasa superintendent’s permission.

2m ago

Neonatal mortality still high at 20 per 1,000 births

A recent study has raised concerns about their current condition, revealing operational issues that could threaten future progress.

2m ago

HPV vaccination for cervical cancer: Overcoming stigmas, girls get vaccinated

Monowara Mubasshira Chowdhury, a seventh-grader at Government Agragami Girls High School and College in Sylhet, suffered a head injury and was unconscious for 45 days before undergoing surgery.

3m ago

Community shocked after beloved dog Keeper killed

The man struck Keeper in the head with a heavy slab, causing serious injuries that led to his death

4m ago

The unpaid household labour GDP ignores

Yasmin represents the millions of women excluded from the labour force, who say that family and household work is a significant setback to their employment.

4m ago
December 5, 2024
December 5, 2024

Sexual abuse is part of life for street children

Dhaka’s bustling streets are both a workplace and a home for 14-year-old Amina.

November 30, 2024
November 30, 2024

The scourge of brain drain

The increasing exodus of educated professionals from Bangladesh reveals a complex web of barriers facing the nation’s brightest minds. 

November 9, 2024
November 9, 2024

Inside the lives of ride-sharing drivers

On the bustling streets of Dhaka, where traffic moves like molasses and the air hangs heavy with exhaust fumes, a new breed of urban warriors has emerged.

October 11, 2024
October 11, 2024

A community scourged by child marriage

Inside the straw-roofed clay houses that line the dusty streets of Alipur union in Satkhira Sadar upazila, a silent crisis is unfolding.

October 3, 2024
October 3, 2024

Fashion brands see higher customer footfall ahead of Durga Puja

Fashion brands and retailers are witnessing increased customer footfall ahead of Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival for Hindu community, despite rising prices and political uncertainty.

September 28, 2024
September 28, 2024

Inside the lives of RMG workers

In the shadowy predawn hours, the air in Ashulia, a small industrial town on the outskirts of Dhaka, is thick with anticipation.

August 10, 2024
August 10, 2024

Shakil was always vocal against injustice

Says brother of 23-year old who was shot in Mirpur

July 6, 2024
July 6, 2024

EMTS: Cheapest way to send money across the country

Many may be surprised to learn that the most cost-effective way to transfer money from one place to another without a bank is through the post office.

July 6, 2024
July 6, 2024

How we entered the era of digital money

Rahman Ali, a 68-year-old retired primary school teacher, begins his day in a serene village in the northwestern district of Bogura with a routine he has perfected over the decades.

June 7, 2024
June 7, 2024

Breakdown of money spent over 13 years

The food ministry spent less in fiscal 2022-2023 compared to fiscal 2009-2010, according to data on expenditure over the last 13 years.