Can we look beyond the seasonal activism against animal cruelty?
But is animal cruelty something we only condemn during this particular time of year? What are the subtle and not-so-subtle acts of cruelty we exhibit as we interact with/rear/raise/consume livestock/pets/wildlife?
9m ago
‘Science has to be for the masses’
Prof Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury is one of two Bangladeshis who were recently named among the top 100 Asian scientists. In an interview with Abida Rahman Chowdhury of The Daily Star, she talks about her current projects, the scope of Bangladesh's policies and why they do not work, and how to encourage more women to take up STEM.
9m ago
More roads are not the answer to Bangladesh’s traffic problem
The more roads you build, the more cars there will be to fill them up. I am no expert, but the numbers don’t lie.
10m ago
What stops people from evacuating to shelters during cyclones?
Cyclone Mocha was just the first of the season, and Bangladesh will face more in the days to come. We need to focus on a more holistic approach to disaster management, especially the evacuation process and recovery aspect, and not just rely on warnings and people’s willingness to move to shelters.
11m ago
Heatwave: Inside the boiling pot of inequality
Do we all feel this heat similarly? The answer is no. It is no secret that if you are among the well-off in this not-so-well-off nation, you are better equipped to deal with this heatwave. There is a deep running inequality as to how the heat affects people.
1y ago
The role of bystanders during a crisis: An impediment or asset to rescue efforts?
Just one bystander can cause enough distraction to move the focus from the real situation on hand—which is to stabilise the emergency situation and save lives. So, who is responsible?
1y ago
World Wildlife Day: Conversations with conservationists
Bangladesh supports nearly 1.7 percent of the world's wildlife. How is that wildlife doing? Why does the chirping of birds no longer wake us? When was the last time a frog just showed up in our bathrooms?
1y ago
Are Bangladeshis best in the world in naming businesses?
As a traveller or visitor, if you have been to Bangladesh, you are no stranger to the shocking green everywhere, the chaos of Dhaka city, the absolute absence of rules anywhere, and if you have a keen eye then the straightforward, smooth and sometimes borderline funny naming of our businesses will surely intrigue you.
1y ago
May 18, 2020
The giants of the sea: all but gone
When we get there at the break of dawn, Cox’s Bazar is asleep and unexpectedly cold. Pinching at our cheek, making everyone scrunch up their noses. But reassurances drop in from right and left that the coast is rarely ever cold, for a long stretch anyway.
May 8, 2020
A welcome respite for them
Something strange is happening inside the Bangladesh National Zoo in Dhaka. For the first time in decades, this establishment is devoid of huge throngs of people for an extended period of time as the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in never-before-seen social distancing measures.
May 6, 2020
A moment of respite: Animals at Mirpur Zoo get a much-deserved break
With no people in sight, the animals housed at Bangladesh National Zoo in Mirpur-1 seem to be having the time of their lives (however much is possible within the confines of a cage).
March 22, 2020
Childhood sexual abuse: A trauma that continues to haunt
By the time she was a young adult, she had started to show the first signs of anxiety, rebellion (cue the dating older men, being too ready, almost too eager to be in bed with them), then not wanting to have sex altogether in adulthood, going from straight As to straight fails—she carried these childhood struggles through adulthood.
March 19, 2020
Coronavirus Outbreak: Air pollution can elevate risk
Dhaka -- Bangladesh’s densely populated capital -- keeps topping the list of cities with the worst air pollution. Concerns about health hazards due to polluted air have been raised before, but now the warning rings louder as global experts have opined that health
March 18, 2020
Coronavirus: As experts warn air pollution can elevate health risks, should Dhaka worry?
Concerns due to polluted air have been raised before, but now the warning rings louder as global experts say continued exposure to high levels of air pollution in cities can potentially increase the death rate from coronavirus infections.
March 9, 2020
The million promises and little perils of bird-watching by the coast of Bangladesh
It is years ago now. The day I took a bus to the southernmost tip of Bangladesh with a group of people wearing khaki-coloured shirts, two-in-one pants, carrying heavy duty binoculars, spotting scopes and talking excitedly about a bird.
March 4, 2020
Bangladeshi researchers discover new frog
“It is named after one of the most prominent wildlife scientists and conservationists in the country, it mimics the sound of crickets and it is tiny,” this is how the team of researchers who determined the presence of a new species of frog describe the amphibian.
March 3, 2020
Bangladeshi researchers discover new frog that can fit on your thumb
‘Raorchestes rezakhani’ was the discovery of two young researchers -- Hasan Al Razi Chayan and Marjan Maria -- from Jagannath University, guided and led closely by Sabir Bin Muzaffar, professor of biology at University of United Arab Emirates.
February 20, 2020
The story of an anxious generation growing up in a fast-changing world
“Environment, climate crisis, Facebook, Instastories, Snapchat, social media influencers, relationships (lack thereof), and a world obsessed with being connected and updated constantly.”
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