History

BOOK REVIEW: NONFICTION / Stitching fragments of a city lost in time

In the contested notion of creating a ‘nation,’ few ideas provoke as much ire among the everyday citizens of a bordered entity as the concept of a space—one that carries with it the weight of instilling an identity.

We must build a foundation for genuine democracy

Democracy cannot operate as a simple majority steamroller, as we also saw in the early days of our independence.

Mahalaya to Vijaya Dashami: What this year’s Durga Puja predicts

Durga Puja, an annual Hindu festival, celebrates the divine force “Shakti” embodied in Goddess Durga. This year, Mahalaya falls on 2 October, marking the start of Devi Paksha. Durga arrives on 3 October by palanquin, considered inauspicious, and departs on 12 October by horse.

#Culture / Vibrant puja culture of Shankhari Bazar: Where tradition meets tomorrow

Shankhari Bazar, one of Dhaka’s oldest neighbourhoods, is renowned for its vibrant cultural heritage. During Durga Puja, the area transforms with colourful decorations and bustling markets. Despite modernization, it retains its charm, offering a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The desperate need for a nuanced narrative of history in NCTB textbooks

Through discourse and perception, these unknown tales of history continue to haunt us even today.

Images that changed history

Their deaths in the hands of cold-blooded law enforcement personnel might not have been in vain

Who are Bengalis?

A chronicle of race science in Bengal

Steam Power and Scientific Knowledge in Early British Bengal

In Europe, steam power evolved gradually and uncertainly over the course of the eighteenth century, with innovative peaks and long plateaus, from Thomas Savery’s steam pump (1698) via Thomas Newcomen’s reciprocating atmospheric engine (1712) to James Watt and Matthew Boulton’s double-acting rotative steam engine with a separate condenser (1765-90).

INTERVIEW / Uncovering history through storytelling

In conversation with Reem Bassiouney on the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, 'Al Halwani', and bridging the cultural gap

August 15, 2021
August 15, 2021

7 recent books on the Partition of India

With this list, we bring to attention the books recently released which deal with the politics and loss associated with this defining moment in history, in the form of both fiction and nonfiction. 

August 5, 2021
August 5, 2021

Chinmay Tumbe's 'The Age of Pandemics': Lessons from history in desperate times

Chinmay Tumbe’s The Age of Pandemics (1817-1920): How They Shaped India and the World (HarperCollins, 2020) is a timely read, touching upon three historic pandemics and the effects they had on the culture, economy, and politics of the Indian subcontinent.

August 1, 2021
August 1, 2021

50 Years of the Concert for Bangladesh: How It Came to Be

The backstory of the concert scripted in the heavens.

June 25, 2020
June 25, 2020

Into the nuances of history: Sudeep Chakravarti unpacks the Battle of Plassey

Sudeep Chakravarti is an eminent commentator and author whose narrative non-fiction and fiction have been translated into Bangla, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, German and more. In January 2020, his book—Plassey:

July 24, 2017
July 24, 2017

A quiet masterpiece that serves as Dhaka's gateway

These buildings also had a political history. They were the products of what the military regime of Muhammad Ayub Khan called the “Decade of Development” (1958-68), intertwined with West Pakistan's shrewd political strategy of placating East Pakistan's agitating Bengalis through architectural and infrastructure development.

February 21, 2017
February 21, 2017

Cricket: Five infamous India-Australia controversies

Five previous flashpoints between India and Australia. The four-match Test series will begin in Pune on Thursday.

January 1, 2017
January 1, 2017

Pakistan lose a legend

Imtiaz Ahmed, a member of Pakistan's first-ever Test team, died in a Lahore hospital Saturday after a brief illness, his family said.

December 6, 2016
December 6, 2016

Football: FIFA loses the man who led fight against match-fixing

The man who was leading FIFA's fight against match-fixing has left his post, soccer's world governing body said on Monday.

December 2, 2016
December 2, 2016

Fidel Castro cigars, Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves highlight sports auction

Muhammad Ali's fight gloves and a box of cigars signed by the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro are among some of the highlights in an auction of memorabilia steeped in sporting history.

November 30, 2016
November 30, 2016

Tennis: Argentina's Davis Cup winners return to heroes' welcome

Argentina's Davis Cup champions returned to a heroes' welcome in Buenos Aires on Tuesday after clinching their maiden title with a stunning 3-2 win over Croatia at the weekend.