Spotlight
Jahangirnagar University crisis - mired in a stalemate
Amidst all the commotion at Jahangirnagar University, this issue of the Star Weekend attempts to discern the trajectory of the disaster by sieving it through a chronological timeline, collated from reports published in The Daily Star and other major national newspapers. We start from the reappointment of the VC and take the reader through all that has happened till date, all that has brought this renowned academic institution to a standstill.This timeline is certainly not exhaustive. What it demands of the reader is discernment, analysis and conscious awareness of the ever-persistent, wider issues that these events represent. Where does it all begin, and where does it end? Why should a public university be in such a place to begin with?
East Jurain: Worst place to live in Dhaka?
Ashraful Islam, a retired government official, built a two-story house in Dhaka’s east Jurain neighbourhood in 1996. He spent his forty years of savings and even exhausted his wife’s fixed deposit to build this dwelling.
Stone- Crushers Dying of silicosis, failed by courts
Burimari union, a border village nestling in a nook of the Indian district of Cooch Behar, is a village of stones and stone-crushing yards.
Jamdani: A fabric of then and now
Along the banks of the Sitalakhya river in Narayanganj, some 20 villages in Sonargaon, Rupganj, and Siddhirganj in particular, women villagers starch yarn in lime and toasted rice to make warp yarn—the vertical, lengthwise weaves that make up a fabric.
TERROR RISING
The latest, but probably not the last, victim of this culture of impunity is Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of the electrical and electronic engineering department of Bangladesh University of Science and Technology (BUET).
A long, hard look at our teachers
For months, our public universities have been erupting in protests, with students demanding some very basic things: vice-chancellors who are not corrupt, teachers who cannot bribe their way into the university, student political wings who do not extort or oppress (or murder), effective sexual harassment policies, and freedom of expression.
Youth against fear and injustice
The public universities, old and new, are in quite a sorry state. It seems that these institutions exist only to offer support for the government’s misrule.
The story of Teesta
The story of Teesta begins 23,386 ft above the sea-level at the Pahunri glacier nestled between the Tibet and India border.
In Conversation with Murtaja Baseer
Invincible. That is the word that came to my mind when I met Murtaza Baseer in his house.
Metamorphosis: From a workaholic to a hard worker
At the young age of 19, as I fell in love with work, I would watch others take long vacations, go on beach holidays, travel here and there and I would smirk.
The new wave in Qurbani
We know that Eid-ul-Adha is the ultimate festival of sacrifice and gratitude for Muslims. Who doesn't remember roaming the crowded cattle market in search of the perfect cow or goat or camel or (add your cattle of choice here).
Exploring Education
A couple of weeks ago, right before the HSC and A level results were announced nation wide, Asaduzzaman Noor, the Minister of Cultural Affairs in Bangladesh, spoke at a gathering about how, one must start to think out of the box when it comes to grades...
Diary of a Smart Phone addict
I was never much of a tech-savvy person. Even when I was younger, I never fell into the hype of the newest trendy phones. Since I got
Fitting In the 'misfits'
In the world of house rentals, there are two kinds of tenants- 1) 'normal' people, 2) single or bachelors.
The Manmade Deluge
During the drier seasons from November to March, anybody visiting the northern districts of Bangladesh will come across a
Dhaka's Green Heart
In the centre of Dhaka, the booming city of 50 million people lies a green sanctuary with thousands of trees, spacious green meadows with picturesque walkways, and a serene lake.
A Paradise in Peril
In the magical mangrove forest of the Sundarbans roams one of the world's most majestic creatures. It is so elusive and ferocious that it is venerated as the king or 'God' in the localities around the forest.
Young Minds, Unheard
Sadaf (not his real name), a 20-year-old university student was trembling with excitement when he first participated at the secret get together of a faith based youth organisation – the Hizb ut-Tahrir. Little did he know – the group was banned in Bangladesh for committing anti-state activities.