Books

Books

BOOK REVIEW: NONFICTION / The making of Bangladesh in the global sixties

“Mr Speaker Sir, what did Bangalee intend to achieve? What rights did Bangalee want to possess? We do not need to discuss and decide on them now [after independence]. [We] tried to press our demands after the so called 1947 independence. Each of our days and years with Pakistan was an episode of bloodied history; a record of struggle for our rights,” said Tajuddin Ahmad on October 30, 1972 in the Constituent Assembly. He commented on the proposed draft constitution for Bangladesh, which was adopted on November 4, 1972.

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BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / An outlandish jumble of cults, cannibalism, and colonial violence

Melissa Lozada-Oliva takes us on a bumpy apocalyptic horror ride in her debut novel Candelaria. Spanning across three generations of women, the novel ushers together an unsettled past and an even more bizarre present.

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ESSAY / 'A terrible beauty is born' in Gaza and West Bank

Pre-occupation Palestine had, to use Anglo-American poet WH Auden's words, "marble well-governed cities" full of "vines and olive trees." But Israel and its allies have turned it into "an artificial wilderness"

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BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / ‘Apni Ki Alien Dekhte Chan?’: A debut with immense possibility

Review of ‘Apni Ki Alien Dekhte Chan?’ (Afsar Brothers, 2024) by Wasif Noor

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BOOK REVIEW: NONFICTION / From protests to power: The journey to Bangladesh’s July Uprising

Over the past couple of decades, Bangladesh has witnessed three significant social and political movements that have shaped the course of its history.

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THE SHELF / Literature thrives beyond the centre too

“All literature is regional; or conversely, no literature is regional”—is a common sentiment to have today, but I had first read those lines from Joyce Carol Oates, in her preface to a book of stories by one of Canada’s most gifted storytellers, Alistair MacLeod. In MacLeod’s short stories, his Cape Breton Island was a refrain through which the momentous lives of his ordinary characters came through.

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ESSAY / Between tradition and taboo: The arranged marriage trope in Bangla dark romance literature

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not endorse or condone any form of abuse or exploitation.

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EVENT REPORT / Celebrating diversity and language at “Bhasha Utshob 2025”

Gulshan Society held a two-day language festival at the Gulshan Lake Park, curated by Sadaf Saaz and Jatrik. The event took place over the weekend of 21-22 February that saw discussion panels, original musical performances, and poetry recitations, surrounded by an array of book stalls and food courts.

3m ago

Favourite season

Showers and storms give way To a surge of sunlight A fragrance of hope floats in On morning breeze

2y ago

Maa

Delicate like butterfly wings, And yet as strong as boulders Her mind is a divine place, Eternal peace on her shoulders. 

2y ago

Resurrection

Rahman emerged from his grave in the middle of the night. His return from the dead took place in no more than 10 days after his passing away.

2y ago

Dhaka Lit Fest 2023: There's something for every young reader

Babuibela’s third edition was launched on the first day of DLF. The Babuibela (Mayurpankhi, 2020) series, written and illustrated by artist Reesham Shahab Tirtho, are picture books showing new parents’ journeys with their little ones. The book launch was also accompanied by a discussion between illustrator Tirtho and musician, artist and author Shibu Kumer Shill.

2y ago

Day 1 of Dhaka Lit Fest sees crowds, conversations

The first day saw a relaxed yet diverse range of topics covered in the sessions, from South Asian and world history to women’s rights, publishing, Bangla literature and film, and the legacy of BRAC founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed.

2y ago

5 new books to start the new year with

Someone has to pay the price when traditions, community beliefs, and environmental issues are unheeded. 

2y ago

Blurry in Berlin: Amit Chaudhuri’s ‘Sojourn’

Amit Chaudhuri is one of our most gifted writers, a Bengali novelist and musician with an accomplished repertoire.

2y ago

On curating Slam Poetry Nights for Dhaka Lit Fest tomorrow

The most moving part about these poetry sessions is the conversations.

2y ago

Rifat Munim releases anthology, ‘Bangladesh: A Literary Journey through 50 Short Stories’

The book will be launched at the Dhaka Lit Fest starting Thursday, January 5, where Rifat Munim is also hosting a session.

2y ago

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. 

2y ago