Creative nonfiction / Growing up with a new nation: The Dhaka we once knew

Khaki is not usually considered a cherished colour. Yet one might become attached to it, especially if it is connected to childhood memories.

The author shared about her life being an associate professor, teaching Management, raising two girls, and her love for writing over a cup of coffee and snacks. 

Despite the decelerating growth rate and with the country's population currently standing at 16.51 crore as opposed to just 14 crore in 2011—merely 10 years ago—overcrowding is still a massive cause of headache for most of us.

Proceeds from the book’s sales will be donated to charity foundations that work with underprivileged children. 

There are many platforms that integrate writers and poets. But somehow, academics are only thought of when one becomes a celebrity. Literary Matters, an online literary discussion series, was launched by The Daily Star in May 2022 with the thought of bringing in the up-and-coming academics who are also involved in other creative and intellectual areas.

There’s no other way but to go numb. But then the excruciating job is to make oneself un-numb.

She woke up to milky streetlight spilled on the bed, his exposed neck in its creamy glow. The dark dip between the wings of the collar bones a misshapen waking eye. Keeping watch. She shifted the weight off her right shoulder to turn to the other side. The shoulder was pulsing a heart-beat rhythm of pain. Pain unlike the kind he had brought on a million of his people. A million pairs of hands that would swim oceans, leap mountains, brave war-zones, to switch places with her. For access to that throat. She landed softly on her left. It was time for the other shoulder to share the pain.

“Here one will find on state policy analysis and societal dynamics–exploring grey areas and bringing multidimensional analysis to the refugee crisis”, said Professor Dr Meghna Guhathakurta.

His written language came close to spoken language due to the primitive and original style of Bengali syntax—simple sentence structures.

Studios seem to think female characters need to be glossed with a “zany” and “feisty” persona in order to be relevant. 

Writers and intellectuals are obligated to stir moral indignation at gross injustices and the plight of the masses.

The personal space is the same as the political sphere, the individual on the same strand as the collective. 

Glory is narrated by a vivid chorus of animal voices, while Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies is partly told by the malevolent cancer travelling through the body of protagonist Lia.

An engaging discussion on translations unfolded at the event.

Ali Riaz has tried to determine the current political trends as well as trends that may emerge in the future with his keen insight.

As I have grown older, my mind is calmer but it’s a void now, empty of any voice.

When I stood at the Mohakhali bus terminal on that winter noon of 6th February, I did not know what to expect from the journey that lay ahead. I only knew that I was out to explore some unknown history of the Liberation War of Bangladesh, to dig out some unsung heroes who are still outcasts in the history books.

Rabindranath Tagore and Begum Rokeya are two iconic figures in South Asian literature and culture. However, their genius was not confined to writing alone but spread in many directions, including the sphere of education.

When compared to other countries, our local booktok is just not up to the mark. Here are some ways to improve that.

After hosting the Bangladesh launch of the novel Cyber Mage, the critically acclaimed novel by science fiction writer Saad Z Hossain, the third ULAB Literary Salon will acknowledge Bangladesh’s passion for short stories by showcasing three remarkable recent collections: