A dealer dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" has agreed to plead guilty to supplying the drugs that killed "Friends" actor Matthew Perry, the US Department of Justice said Monday.

Bhumi Gallery in Lalmatia is currently hosting a five-day group art exhibition titled “Aranyarekha”, featuring 12 Bangladeshi artists. The artworks stem from a workshop visit to the Sundarbans. The inauguration ceremony was graced by distinguished personalities, including artist Prof Mohammad Eunus as chief guest and Prof Dr Md Anwarul Islam, Chief Executive of WildTeam Conservation Biology Center. Bird specialist Inam Al Haque presided over the event.

Heme pointed out that after the monetisation of photos was introduced recently on social media, many are grabbing the chance to make a business out of this.

For the first time in Bangladesh, “The Libation Bearers”, a renowned Greek tragedy by Aeschylus, will be staged at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on August 19, 20, and 21.

My first instinct, when walking into “Troubling Rain” at Alliance Française de Dhaka, was to recall how often rain has been romanticised in this city’s cultural memory. Generations have sung about it, written about it, danced to its rhythm. The monsoon, in Bangla literature, has been the backdrop for longing, love, and lyricism. From Tagore’s verses to Nazrul’s songs, it has always been imagined as something that enhances beauty and deepens emotion. And yet, what Abir Abdullah does in this exhibition is strip the rain of its poetry and return it to its grit.

After nearly two decades, the popular talent competition is set to return to BTV

Marking the 76th birth anniversary of theatre luminary Selim Al Deen, theatre troupe Swapnadal is organising a two-day festival titled “Natyacharya Selim Al Deen Janmotsab 2025”. The festival, held under the slogan “Selim Al Deen—Rabindranath lives in our art, the triumph of Bangla theatre is eternal”, begins today, at Jahangirnagar University and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and will conclude tomorrow.

The Dev-Subhashree starrer “Dhumketu” was released in West Bengal on August 14, grossing over INR 5 crore within its first two days—a record for the Tollywood industry. Following its box office storm, the film’s producer Rana Sarkar has expressed his wish to release “Dhumketu” in Bangladesh.

Cultural adviser and filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki fell ill on Saturday evening while attending an official programme in Cox’s Bazar.

Actress Azmeri Haque Badhan, who had also been a prominent presence during the July movement, strongly denounced such attacks. In a Facebook post, she questioned why individuals were attempting to dictate whom others could or could not honour.

The musician asserted, “These are matters of history. People will honour their leader; they will express their love with bouquets. To those who wish to suppress this, I can only say, no one can ever ‘crush’ love and remembrance!”

The first teaser of “The Ba***ds of Bollywood”, marking Aryan Khan’s debut venture as a director, is out—and it exudes pure cinematic flair. The teaser blends snippets of the show with Aryan’s own narration, delivered in a style reminiscent of his father, superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The twist? While Shah Rukh often spoke of love, Aryan’s focus shifts to action, showcasing plenty of high-octane sequences.

Legendary actress Jharna Basak, better known by the stage name Shabnam, renowned as the ‘Princess of Rupnagar', is set to appear on television for the very first time in her long career. Despite a journey spanning nearly four decades and over 180 films, the iconic star has never before been featured as a guest on a TV programme.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has once again charmed fans with his humility during an online fan interaction. Fresh off his recent National Award win for “Jawan”, the actor held an ‘Ask Me Anything’ (AMA) session on X (formerly Twitter), where he answered questions with his trademark wit and sincerity.

On August 17, the Bangladeshi art world pauses in reverence to celebrate and reflect upon the birthdays of two towering figures of our modern art history—Monirul Islam, who turns 82 today, and the late Murtaja Baseer, who would have been 93. Albeit belonging to different generations, both artists carried the flag of Bangladeshi modernism beyond our borders, inscribing their names on the international stage while remaining deeply rooted in their homeland.

Filmmaker and Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka after falling sick during an official visit to Cox’s Bazar. His wife, actress Nusrat Imrose Tisha, confirmed the development on social media yesterday, saying he had become ill while attending a ministry workshop. Doctors later stated that he had fallen sick due to excessive work pressure but is now out of danger. “Please keep him in your prayers,” she wrote.

Filmmaker Ali Zulfikar Zahedi is set to bring the lives of silver screen stars to the big screen with his upcoming project “Cholochittra: The Cinema”. Actress Runa Khan has joined the cast, taking on the role of a film heroine.

Airport authorities confirmed to The Daily Star that the adviser was flown to Dhaka by helicopter at 10:32pm

Since the Stone Age, stones have been the bearer of culture and the earliest civilisations. Over time, aside from making weapons, humans began to incorporate stones into building shelters. Later on, they became the first medium for written language through the art of carving, and even today, despite being replaced by papyrus and the printing press, this form of art lives on.

The Dhaka Theatre has launched a four-day festival in memory of the legendary playwright Selim Al Deen, staging his Liberation War-based drama “Deyal” at the Mahila Samity Auditorium in Dhaka. The festival, which began Friday (August 15), marks Selim Al Deen’s 76th birth anniversary and will continue until August 18.