Star Weekend
‘Like a morning after a nuclear attack’
A World Bank team that visited different areas of war-torn Bangladesh in June 1971 likened Kushtia to a bombed-out “WWII German town”.
Fear of sexual harassment triggering child marriage: survey
A recent survey by Plan International Bangladesh found that fear of sexual harassment and social exclusion are the major reasons behind parents marrying off their daughter at an early age.
For the Love of Tea
My baby boy snatches my empty tea mug from me and starts licking it. He was given the last few drops of tea from the mug and now he wants more. He puts his hand inside the mug, gets the boiled tea dust into his fist, inserts them in his mouth and starts chewing furiously.
Court Corner / SC forms committee against sexual harassment
The Supreme Court administration has formed a five-member committee to receive complaints of sexual harassment on court premises, conduct inquiry into them and make necessary recommendations to this effect.
UK-listed cybersecurity firm Avast in merger talks with NortonLifeLock
London-listed cybersecurity firm Avast is in advanced talks with US rival NortonLifeLock Inc about a merger that would create a clear leader in consumer security software.
THE FUTURE IS CENSORED
Ignoring the concerns of journalists and rights defenders, the Digital Security Act was passed in the parliament on September 19, 2019. It is known both at home and abroad to be draconian, antithetical to freedom of speech and democracy.
Why we need weekend magazines
So it has finally happened. Hard as it is to accept it, the Star Weekend magazine is about to close the curtain after an impressive run of 23 years.
THE LAST HUSTLE
The soft light of the setting sun illuminates the entire section every time I walk in, mostly because I AM ALWAYS LATE. On one side white balloons hang, on another side a dart board.
Kurdish Massacres One of Britain’s Many Original Sins
For those who believe in the fairy tale of original sin, Adam and Eve, so goes the narrative, partook of the forbidden fruit, fell from grace, and were forever banished from the garden.
Why do many women shun shared motorbikes?
Sahera Khatun Shimul, a young working woman, has to travel from Dhanmondi to Khilgaon regularly to attend her office.
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.
How to protest heroically on social media in comfort
These modern times are dangerous because at any moment we are required to react with more than just an angry emoji.
Of stories from tidal villages by a vanishing forest and a fast-rising sea
Maybe it was Anita Desai’s book The Village by the Sea or was it that movie My Japanese Wife—I do not remember so clearly now—that had us all riled up during that short four-day long journey down to the last villages of the Sundarbans.
Time and Space
Winter came early that year. Mid-October, a steady wind appeared and transformed Dhaka into a dust bowl; by November, a fog descended and obscured the moon.
Automation: A threat for RMG workers or an opportunity for the sector as a whole?
The fourth industrial revolution is under way and bringing with it a series of upheavals—robotics, automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are gradually making their way into the production process all over the world.
Cutting the head to cure a headache?
Speaking as a representative of the students, I want to reiterate that the BUET students are demanding that only party politics be banned on campus—not student politics in general. To be more specific, they are demanding the ban of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Mental health is political
A few months back, I installed a meditation app. It had good reviews and offered guided meditation for different circumstances—to reduce stress, improve focus, “balance and awaken the chakras”, guide mindfulness, etc.
Days and nights under the midnight sun
Known for its overwhelming natural beauty and incredible ice formations, Alaska, the largest state (in area) of the United States is home to a multitude of geological wonders.