28th Anniversary Supplements
A walk down 'pop' lane
How does one define culture, and essentially 'pop culture'? Never mind the academicians as there is no true consensus.
The great fish debate: to fry or not before cooking it!
It was the usual hangout. And of course a heated debate began out of the blue. The topic of discussion – is fish tastier when fried
Surviving the test of time: Of shops and legacies
Long before he became a 'darwan' at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, he used to work as an apprentice under one Muslim Miah,
Once upon a time
Over the decades, children's fairy tales and stories have evolved significantly. From Hans Christian Anderson's classics to the Grimm's
Thakurma's stories: Bengali lit for children
The origin and development of Bengali literature for children can be dated back to the times when colonial modernity began to
Stitched in time: The saga of Nakshi Kantha
The Europeans may have lauded masterpieces of tapestry, but the iconic 'Nakshi Kantha' is a canvas indigenous to Bengal that holds a
Zero chemicals; hero toiletries!
You get up in the morning, brush your teeth, and gargle with your mouth wash, all the while thinking about the lunch meeting and
The Pratapaditya Trail / Finding Bangladesh
In this short article, I humbly attempt to engage the readers and equip them with some facts about olden Bangladesh that once were
Biased for a cause
The cuckoo's call is ushering Spring, our favourite season. Once again, the premises of Charukola will fill with activities; cheerful women with garlands around their necks and gerbera blooms neatly tucked behind their ears will become a common sight.
Jibanananda: A lingering consciousness
I was introduced to Jibanananda in 1999. In December of the penultimate year of the last millennium, I became 18; Jibanananda Das had just turned 100 in February.
Folk musical instruments of the land
Melody is part of the Bangladeshi DNA, and no melody is complete without an instrument to go with it. Words often do not need a place as the sound of the bamboo flute mingles into the moonlight.
EDITOR'S NOTE
In today's world, urbanisation is an inescapable reality. In fact, for the first time in history, more than half the world population lives in urban areas.
The dark side of Dhaka's urbanisation
Just over a decade ago, in 2008, almost half of the world's total population used to live in urban areas. This phenomenon has continued and is expected to gain further momentum in future.
Towards a better, balanced metropolis
If you look hard at a map of Dhaka city, you may notice a striking similarity with the side profile of a human face. The more you focus, the more you will notice that Uttara resembles the forehead, Mirpur resembles the eyes, Tongi resembles the scalp, Gabtoli resembles the nose, Motijheel resembles the mouth and Keraniganj resembles the throat.
Humanising Dhaka with civic spaces
Imagine yourself as an international tourist who just arrived in Dhaka to explore a quintessential city of the Global South. You checked into your hotel somewhere in Banani.
Without proper urban facilities, quality life is unachievable
The word “city” comes from the Latin root “civis/civitas”, meaning citizen/citizenship. The expressions “civil/civic/civilisation” owe their pedigree to this Latin origin. Eventually, it came to correspond with the French “urbs”, meaning city in a more physical sense.
Harnessing the potential of Blue Economy
Seas have always been instrumental in defining the destiny of the world, be it as a means of transportation or as trade routes or as a hub of resources.
Jobs and hope for the future
“Is it a problem of not enough jobs in the national economy, or not enough people with the right skills for them?” This is a question that is often asked, but looking at only one side of the coin provides a partial or even misleading answer. Besides jobs and skills, young people also want to look at the future with hope, confidence and pride in their country.