Zarif Faiaz

Zarif Faiaz is a writer, journalist, and a tech policy researcher based out of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is the In-Charge of the Tech & Startup section at The Daily Star and a Fellow at the Tech Global Institute.

Key considerations for getting bancassurance

In Bangladesh, bancassurance is gradually becoming a popular and convenient way for customers to purchase insurance products through their banks.

1m ago

Why it’s wise to start insurance at an early age

Starting insurance early is one of the smartest financial decisions a person can make—especially in Bangladesh, where insurance penetration remains low while the need for financial protection is rising.

1m ago

Bridging Bangladesh’s skills gap

Bangladesh’s vocational training sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, particularly in information and communications technology (ICT). Thousands of private training centres now operate across the country, offering similar types of courses in areas such as web development, hardware maintenance, and digital marketing. However, the absence of a standardised system of curriculum design, delivery, and assessment has contributed to wide disparities in the quality of training offered.

1m ago

Disinformation campaigns target women and minorities in Bangladesh: Study

Study reveals how gendered abuse, misinformation and disinformation on Facebook threaten democratic participation in Bangladesh, especially for women and gender-diverse individuals.

1m ago

Rewriting the future: Bangladeshi innovation in home appliances

The domestic appliance sector in Bangladesh is no longer playing catch-up with global markets, in many cases, it is leading them.

1m ago

Too old to hire? The quiet bias keeping skilled professionals out of jobs

In a world that prizes innovation and adaptability, one would assume experience is a critical asset. Yet, for many older professionals, particularly those over 50, the job market tells a different story—one where decades of service are quietly disregarded in favour of youth. Age discrimination, or ageism, in the workplace remains a pervasive but often under-acknowledged issue globally, and Bangladesh is no exception.

1m ago

The skills premium: how AI became essential for marketers

The marketing world is undergoing a seismic transformation. As generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) matures from a technical novelty into a strategic necessity, marketing professionals are being forced to adapt at a pace unprecedented in recent memory. No longer confined to the realms of data science or IT, AI has become central to the everyday operations of marketing departments, not just enhancing productivity, but fundamentally reshaping the structure, skills, and strategy of marketing teams worldwide.

1m ago

The colonial legacy in our digital infrastructure

How Bangladesh and the Global South remain trapped in digital dependence

2m ago
January 10, 2020
January 10, 2020

Underrated places in common destinations

Over the past couple of years, Bangladeshis have become more and more inclined towards travelling.

January 3, 2020
January 3, 2020

Take a step back in time

There are places in this world that will wow you with their old-time charms and carefully preserved heritage—cities that are hundreds of years old and still look the same, ruins of kingdoms lost forever in the jungle and waiting to be rediscovered,

December 27, 2019
December 27, 2019

Mobile photography tips to up your travel photography game

In the age of Instagram influencers, every other person with a smartphone is a photographer. Smartphones these days are packed with so many top-notch photographer-friendly features that they are replacing DSLRs for many, especially when it comes to travel photography, where many prefer the portability of a smartphone.

December 27, 2019
December 27, 2019

4 tips for online communication

Our work environments are changing fast. Most of our business communications now take place online and much of these communications are now moving to our inboxes rather than e-mails.

December 20, 2019
December 20, 2019

Darjeeling - winter wonderland, close to home

Welcome to Darjeeling - the majestic Kangchenjunga in the backdrop of a bustling small town, the echoing sound of the old steam engine train running through its streets, the captivating smell of momos and warm tea.

December 13, 2019
December 13, 2019

Embracing differences through travelling

Some travel to escape the drabness of routine mediocrities. For some, it’s a call that can hardly be ignored. Even before the age of discovery, travelers like Faxian and Ibn Battuta travelled around the world with a single goal - to learn. No matter what category we fall under as a traveller, adventure lover or leisure seeker, we all agree that to travel is to discover.

June 18, 2018
June 18, 2018

Traveller’s notebook: in the Land of the Blue Dragon

Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is not the first destination that comes to an average Bangladeshi traveller’s mind when thinking of getting out on exploring a new place.

March 21, 2018
March 21, 2018

Traveller’s notebook: Kuala Lumpur

We’re a generation of wanderers and we have long been a species of wanderers. What ties us to our 9–5 routine is not natural. We want to explore, even if we don’t realise it, each one of us, to our very core, are explorers.

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