Weekend Read
For the love of computers
Buying a computer, for most people, is a fairly mundane activity. It involves going to a vendor with a budget, a list of requirements, and the hope that the salespeople are trustworthy and knowledgeable enough about the products to find the best possible deal.
The dying art of Qasida
This is a loose translation of a melodious Urdu poem that once used to reverberate through the empty lanes of old Dhaka deep into the Ramadan night.
Sadarghat launch terminal / A bustling riverport gone quieter
It is hard to describe a place when its glory days are over.
Launch owners struggling to stay afloat
“If you seek comfort, no journey is better than a journey by launch. You book a room and you arrive at your destination well-rested. The sightseeing is a bonus,” says Mehedi Hasan, a resident of Borguna’s Bamna.
Life takes place in Dhaka’s cafes
How humans discovered coffee and how, after centuries of innovation, it became the elixir it is now is a fascinating tale itself.
Islampur: a business hub with centuries-old vibe
If listened carefully, amid the maddening hustle and bustle, cacophony of sounds, one might find a strange harmony in the chaos -- a thing that links this place to a bygone era.
Rediscovering Traditions: Putting folk arts, crafts at the forefront
Wooden dolls painted in a crimson-red or saffron-yellow sari with a black hair bun are a traditional craft of Bangladesh and an integral part of every rural fair.
To be able to dream again
At first glance it looks like a happy gathering of women and girls spanning ages from 15 to 50 years. We are greeted by this group of 30 and they welcome us with a song and dance routine.
Safe but not free
For the last five years 19-year-old Sumona (pseudonym) has been living at the Training and Rehabilitation Centre for Socially Disadvantaged Women in Barishal.
Karwan Bazar / Where night never sleeps and market is always open
As the night gets deeper and Dhaka goes to sleep, one place pulsates with energy -- Karwan Bazar kitchen market.
Bhairab a lifeline under threat
The Bhairab river is gradually approaching its demise due to encroachment, pollution, and unplanned river dredging and bridge construction works.
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.
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.
Unplanned sluice gates a curse for coastal districts
Once a fisherman, Sagir Hossain Somed, 55, of Dakshin Gilabad village of Pirojpur’s Mathbaria upazila, switched to farming after fish population depleted alarmingly within a few years of the construction of a sluice gate in neighbouring Dadhibhanga village.
Rajuk caves in to realtors’ pressure
Just over a year ago, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) adopted a new Detailed Area Plan (DAP), introducing height restrictions for buildings in a bid to enhance Dhaka’s liveability.
Tk 898.73cr project yet to start after one year
It has been almost a year since the Dhaka South City Corporation approved a project to recover, re-excavate, and revive four major canals under its purview, but the authorities have yet to start the work.
The vanguard of Dhaka’s independence
On June 9, 1971, six guerilla freedom fighters were on the way to the Intercontinental Hotel (InterContinental Dacca) in a hijacked Datsun 1000 car around 6:30pm. Shahidullah Khan Badol was driving, while Kamrul Huq Shopon and Masud Sadek Chullu, Habibul Alam, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, and Ziauddin Ali Ahmed were carrying three hand grenades each.
Totail Beel in peril
Just a decade ago, Totail Beel, surrounded by unspoiled and pristine nature, could be reached from the Buriganga river.
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.
A testimony to earliest sculpting techniques of Bengal
A rare Vishnu statue has recently been discovered during visits to several archaeological sites in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria.
Kushti’s legacy untarnished despite its downfall in Dhaka
While Dhaka’s traditional kushti is dying down, the scenario in other parts of the country is not bleak by any means. Many kushti events still take place outside the capital.
