Online Exclusive

Online Exclusive

Doomed to fail: Unaccountability in Ukraine’s plight

This ever-increasing Ukrainian death toll is painting a grimmer picture of the country as its military is being bled to white by Russia.

4m ago

Eden College principal believes solutions to students’ 'mistakes' is in 'counselling'

Tamanna Jasmine Riva and Razia Sultana, president and general secretary of the BCL's Eden Mohila College unit, were accused of hall seat trading, extortion, "blackmailing students into carrying out unethical activities," and torture. There were also issues regarding the other faction of BCL.

2y ago

World Press Freedom Day: Speak now or forever hold your tongue

Essentially, if someone expresses a critical view of the achievement of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, or the country’s relationship with another nation in a Facebook status, or even in a private message between friends on WhatsApp, that individual could be subjected to criminal punishment under the DSA, intrusive surveillance under the data protection law, or censorship under the digital, social media and OTT platform regulations. 

2y ago

Shakespeare—Our Contemporary in the Time of Coronavirus?

The question was already raised by some: Did Shakespeare write mainly for children? So-called "pop" Shakespeare criticism answered that question in the affirmative. 

2y ago

Did police do enough to quell the New Market clashes?

Three pedestrians were critically injured in the violence. Nahid Mia and Morsalin were among them.

2y ago

An open letter to the makers of ‘Nikhoj’

Dear Reehan Rahman, My father, photojournalist and editor Shafiqul Islam Kajol, was added to the list of hundreds of Bangladeshi victims of enforced disappearance on March 10, 2020.

2y ago

Why I’m all for Elon Musk buying Twitter

If we are to have an inclusive society, we can’t simply “cancel” those who we don’t agree with.

2y ago

Remembering the oath-taking of Mujibnagar government

On April 17, 1971, the history of Bangladesh, and indeed the history of our Liberation War, took a drastic turn as the subcontinent’s map was redrawn with the emergence of a new sovereign state headed by its first government.

2y ago

From Sri Lanka, with caution

Sri Lanka is facing one of the worst economic crises in its history.

2y ago

Palestine continues to bleed

Since the beginning of 2022, 36 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, as revealed by the Palestinian health ministry. 

2y ago

Bangla: What is it good for?

Bangla is a much tougher language to learn compared to English.

2y ago

Coke Studio Bangla's 'Prarthona': Caught between subversion and co-option?

The second song of Coke Studio Bangla, titled “Prarthona” (Prayer), was released on the eve of Ramadan this year. It was the same time when both the mainstream and social media flooded with updates, news, and views on the harassment of a Hindu female college teacher by a Muslim male police constable for wearing a teep on her forehead.

2y ago

Should Bangladesh be sleeping on crypto?

If Bitcoin is indeed a commodity, why does the Bangladesh Bank have overlying regulations on how it can be managed?

2y ago

Finding ‘Rahmah’ during Ramadan, against the odds

Life in Dhaka provides a thousand reasons to feel hopeless and frustrated. Still, we can find hope amongst it all.

2y ago

A scooter and a teep: Misogyny, in public and private

It is time to reimagine our city—a city where I can ride my bike without being run over or recorded by a stranger, where Lata can wear whatever she wants, and Meem can ride her scooter home safely without being questioned about her clothes, her movements or her company. We cannot wait for the patriarchy to be fully “smashed” before we can imagine this city and claim it as ours.

2y ago

Teep or Hijab: Why not both?

Are teeps truly a Hindu religious symbol?

2y ago

Why should we need to demand safe roads?

What hope is there for a country—soon to become a middle-income one—to be a safe one for its citizens if people are being killed on roads daily, with little intervention from authorities besides what’s on paper?

2y ago

Working towards safe, sustainable cities for women

Making cities like Dhaka women-friendly and climate-proof requires a whole-of-society approach.

2y ago