Weekend Read
Plight of Dhaka’s Child Labourers / Toiling away childhood
At a time when he should have been going to school and growing up with all the happiness and blessings life has to offer, Sajjad ended up experiencing the other end of the spectrum.
Hill destroyers go unpunished
Although more than 120 hills have vanished from the port city in four decades, no one has been put behind the bar for the offence in the last 20 years, thanks to legal loopholes.
Gill nets banned but abundant
At least 300 factories continue to make these deadly fishing traps in Munshiganj due to lax monitoring and lenient punishment
In Cumilla, canals run black
Joinul Hossain, a 55-year-old farmer in Cumilla Sadar south upazila, followed in his father’s footsteps to dedicate his entire life to cultivating their small piece of land and fishing in a canal near it.
Eden Mohila College: 150 years of history and glory
The Eden Mohila College is noted not only for its academic excellence and its pioneering role in promoting women’s education in erstwhile British Bengal and present-day Bangladesh, but also for its glorious past and major contributions in shaping the nation’s history.
The forgotten people of Gaibandha shoals
It was September 20. The clock almost ticked past midnight at Dighalkandi shoal in the Jamuna river. Manoara Begum, 30, had been suffering from a persistent fever and cough for over two weeks.
From Chatlapur Tea Garden to Gothenburg: A journalistic odyssey
All that I tried so far was to represent the tea garden people and write about their plight, alongside reporting about the regional affairs.
Bangabandhu Tunnel Dream becomes reality
The inauguration of the Bangabandhu Tunnel by the prime minister today carries high hopes, with experts and locals anticipating that it will transform Chattogram into a city resembling Shanghai and boost industrial growth in the port city.
‘It was technically complex, challenging’
Md Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, who is an additional chief engineer at the Roads and Highways Department, has served as the director of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel project since February 2018, with his term extended three times until February 2024.
Exploring the delectable world of Durga Puja bhog
Durga Puja, the celebration of goddess Durga’s triumph over the demon king Mahishasura, is perhaps the biggest religious and cultural festival for Hindus in Bangladesh, West Bengal, and some other parts of Eastern India.
Dhaka’s educational heritage
In 400-year-old Dhaka, a few educational institutes have stood the test of time. These century-old schools have played a significant role in shaping the education and culture of the city and beyond and have produced notable individuals who have left their mark on the national and world stages.
Hatcheries take over traditional methods
Once upon a time, egg collectors used conventional earthen wells to hatch spawns after collecting eggs released by broodfish in the Halda.
High hopes in Halda
It rained in Hathazari, and there was turbulence in the Halda. When the clock struck midnight, quite a few boats gently glided down the river.
Shishu Park: once bustling, now fading from memory
The ever-memorable song starts playing while children, sitting on the metallic horsebacks, delightfully start going round and round -- this is a memory many Dhaka residents can still relate to.
The silent demise of National Book Centre
In a shabby, derelict building located at Gulistan’s Bangabandhu Avenue, lies Bangladesh’s only state-run organisation that looks after non-government libraries and takes initiatives to popularise reading books.
Gone are the days of glory
There was a time not so long ago when Bangladesh Film Development Corporation was abuzz with various activities -- from shooting films to dubbing and editing.
A trip down Dhaka Derby lane
After joining Abahani from BJMC in 1984, I had to endure abusive words from the fans for some off-target shots during a practice session ahead of the match against Mohammedan.
Abahani vs Mohammedan: Worth gold in nostalgia
Almost every major football crazy city in the world has a historic club rivalry that it can brag about. Kolkata, London, Manchester, Milan, Madrid – you name it and there’s at least one colourful and storied rivalry to whet the appetite of football fans.
Need to protect mangroves for coastal people
Kamal Hossen is a recently retired professor at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science of Chattogram University. In a conversation with The Daily Star, he emphasised the importance of the conservation of mangrove forests.
Destroying the last line of defence
Coastal residents at great risk of cyclones as mangrove forests cut down, leased and grabbed for ‘development’
Fire safety in a precarious state
Fire safety in Dhaka’s market buildings is in a very precarious condition, which has increased vulnerabilities for people and properties associated with these markets. The recent fire incidents in Bangabazar and Dhaka New Super Market are testimonies of these harsh realities prevailing in the capital, said Dr Adil Mohammed Khan, executive director of Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), during an interview with The Daily Star yesterday.
