Why are our guardianship laws still so patriarchal?
Mothers can now be students' sole legal guardians, but this is only the first step forward
HC on Narsingdi assault: A country for the ‘civilised’?
The hostility that the Bangladeshi public usually shows towards women is in no way civilised
Why are rape victims still put on trial?
The rape culture in Bangladesh is nurtured by many disappointing legal loopholes.
Why does marital rape continue to be normalised?
Nothing that I have to say in this article in criticism of the failures in government policy is new or clever. It is merely the umpteenth rehashing of the anger and frustration that the women of Bangladesh feel every day, both in public and in private.
Durga Puja as I Remember It
As years go by, I realise it may never come back to the way it once was.
Meeting Maria
The bottles clanked. I hadn’t met her in years. But I was no longer able to take what was happening to me. And so, I gathered the courage and asked Maria for the meeting.
The Artist Reclaims Her Art
With the release of Fearless (Taylor's Version), Swift will once again own her masters.
Does anyone care about the Banshkhali Power Plant workers?
On April 17, police opened fire at the Banshkhali Power Plant workers. They were asking for something very simple—payment of due wages,
The Horrors of the Marital License to Rape
A 14-year-old child bride in Tangail’s Basail upazila has died just at the “right time”.
Five reasons why Nishat Tasnim is grateful for masks
Twenty-five-year-old Nishat Tasnim, the 6,079th of her name, has recently returned to work under the pretension that the coronavirus pandemic was a collective hallucination. She is grateful that everyone is now wearing masks, and not just because it keeps the virus away.
We must protect Hindu women’s right to inherit property
In a landmark decision, the High Court has recently ruled that Hindu widows are entitled to inherit shares in all properties of their husbands including agricultural land.
Covid-19: A win for disaster capitalism and loss for the climate
If six months ago someone had proposed shutting down the whole world to resolve a crisis, they would have been laughed off. In times of shock, impossible ideas suddenly seem possible and, more often than not, it’s the corporations that reap the benefits of that possibility.
Witness to the Wars and the Walls A day in Berlin
If you are arriving in Berlin from a more pristine, more conventionally “charming” tourist city, prepare to be shocked. Berlin is filthier than Amsterdam, less organised than Vienna, less flamboyant than Budapest. Even compared to its German counterparts, Berlin is
Is it Dhaka or is it Westeros?
Life in Dhaka is much more than just incessant traffic and countless restaurants. In fact, if you looked closely you would find that we have more in common with a fictional medieval kingdom than what appears to the naked eye. Yes, I am talking about Westeros.
Prague Bohemia's Rhapsody
After the most traumatic academic year of my postgraduate legal studies, I decided to reward myself with a budget friendly Europe trip.
The Transparent House Guest
When Ms. Sherbet Clearwater moved into her new one-bedroom apartment in the city, she didn't exactly expect to find a rude teenage ghost in the closet. Nothing about this apartment stuck out as a red flag but now she is on the verge of a heart attack. She is looking at the ashen face of someone who probably once was a fifteen year old living person. She is regretting every decision that has led up to her moving in here.
To My Beloved
From where I am sitting, it smells like disinfectants, antiseptics, confusion, anxiety, anticipation and helplessness. It's 4 AM. The doctors have told me to hope for the best.
The Team
Stormageddon is quite pissed at the boy. “What the heck is taking him so long?” he wants to yell into thin air but reserves himself at the last moment. Instead he makes a livid growling sound.
7 days of summer: My traumatic retreat
If you had seen what I saw in the span of 7 days, you'd be grateful for every little thing in your life that doesn't go wrong. With the curiosity and vigour of a youth who gets to go out of this wretched city after a year, I embarked on a trip with my father.
A millennial's tribute to Rabindra Sangeet
Don't like Rabindra Sangeet? You just haven't found the right song yet.
A dessert lover's no sugar diet experiment
I have embarked on the greatest journey of self-discovery to date. If I were given the opportunity to have free brownies for life in ...
The End of My Longest Long Distance Relationship
This is an actual conversation I had with a friend in seventh grade.
Gifted: Tale of Unlikely Friendships
Gifted is a heart-warming chronicle of ordinary relationships that face extraordinary ups and downs. The story itself is not one in a million, but the person it's about is.
Online Shopping Horror Stories
Gone are the days of bargaining exclusively by threat to mamas, “Ei daam e dile den naile jai”.
6 things to note for your first year at law school
As I await my graduation from Law school, which is supposed to happen within 2 months, I look back at the memorable journey which started with me having no idea what in the world a “plaintiff” was.
Bullet Journaling For the Lazy and the Busy
I started bullet journaling in September 2016. I haven't given up this hobby yet. Hence it's safe to say that it's worth clinging on to because God knows I am lazier than a sloth.
Mama Bari gets International Guests
Seven years ago on a June afternoon, the young people of a nine-storey Mirpur building wanted to teach the kids of nearby slums.
The Writer's Territory
On March 23, I went to cover the Imagine Write Creatively workshop at Scholastica, Mirpur campus for the second day.
The Writer's Territory
After an awful drag of writer's block stretching months, I opted to cover the event Imagine Write Creatively at Scholastica, Mirpur on March 22 for a kick of writing inspiration.
Bridging the Divides
Since October 2010, the United Nations has adopted the first week of February as World Interfaith Peace and Harmony Week.
Through the Comic-verse of the Web
The World Wide Web has brought about unprecedented accessibility. While the charm of physically printed vintage comic books still subsists, the internet offers access to everyone and anyone who wants their work reached to the mass.
Facebook: My Social Media (r)Evolution
On a warm summer night in 2007, I discovered my elder sister stealthily and quite curiously looking at her laptop screen- a surreal blueish glow pouring out of it.
The UN: Fostering or failing?
Challenges in implementing human rights through the UN mechanisms begin with the need to decide among competing priorities and strategically categorising the best use of its limited resourc
A Casual Listener's Account of Classical Music Festival
Rabindranath Tagore had apparently prayed to be resurrected to the rhythm of music. I am no expert on classical music, yet I yearn for November in this cramped city.
ODOMMO Inclusivity for people with disabilities
Can you tell the name of some places in our city where the persons with disabilities can go easily? Perhaps you will end up counting a few.
Imagine, Write and Repeat
As an occupational advantage I get to go to fascinating places. This one took me outside of the racket of Dhaka to ABC International School, Narayanganj on November 10, 2016.
The 2016 Time Capsule
Most mornings I wake up to ancient photos of the once-pristine Dhaka city from yesteryears. Sometimes photos of our legendary poets, actors, artists or even of the meme-makers surface on a couple of Facebook pages.
A Promise of Education for All
Agami Education Foundation (AEF) conducted its second fundraising event on October 21, 2016 at the Dhaka Residential Model College Auditorium.
HOW NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE IN 2016
After a long tiring day of battling Dhaka traffic and legal jargons, I sit blessed in the comfort of my own bedroom and binge-watch puppy videos on YouTube.
Swiss Army Man: A Bizarre Trip to Home
Hank (Paul Dano) is about to hang himself. Having given up all his hopes of being rescued from a deserted island, he
In the name of honour...
‘Honour killing' is an iconic oxymoron, going beyond all logic, implying that somehow there happens to be 'honour' in killing a family member.
Redeeming Childhood Myths
Growing up, not all of us were the smartest peas in the pod. Even if you were, you probably weren't immune to the ridiculous superstitions that the adults taught you. I decided to take a trip down memory lane to remind you of the most common of the bunch.
Classic Movie Endings Made Better
No matter how much you have loved the entire movie, sometimes the endings just do not feel right.
Between 2 Worlds
"I don't know if it's because of the time (last year of high school) I shifted to Canada, it was really hard for me to make friends. It took me a few months to find people I actually liked and who liked me back and wanted to be friends," says Moneesha R Kalamder, who immigrated to Canada in her teens.
Seasons Under the Sun
You don't know freedom until you've been repeatedly refused a trip to Cox's Bazar with your friends and then have been allowed a trip to Italy completely unsupervised, all by yourself.
One Little Ghost, Too Many Adventures
Vuter Naam Ramakanto Kamar is a graphic children's novel first published at Ekushay Boi Mela 2016 by Mahbubul Haque of Ikrimikri Publication.
In the hope of a society for all
World Day of Social Justice is a relatively new edition to the diverse string of international observance days as declared by the United
February 11, 2016
Stranded at Parent's Reunion
There is one thing that pains me more than going for makeup classes on a Friday morning, and that is being dragged to my parent's university reunion.
January 14, 2016
Common College Application Lies
If you were ever taught that you would be in deep trouble if you lied, it's time to forget it. I'm not saying that you should...
January 7, 2016
Changing Lives One Photo at a Time
Do you ever walk down the street and wonder how that extremely ordinary-looking man's day was? Do you wonder what his biggest struggle is right now or what advice he would like to give a large group of people?
December 24, 2015
X-MEN APOCALYPSE: CAN'T GET ENOUGH
After the blockbuster that was X-Men: Days of Future Past, the trailer of X-Men: Apocalypse seems poised to supplement the brilliance
November 26, 2015
Surviving Unpopular Opinions on Social Media
It's 3.40 AM in the morning and every man, woman and child is sound asleep. Therefore I think it's safe to declare that I utterly detest...
November 22, 2015
What Dhaka Lit Fest 2015 Offered
Dhakaites, while still immersed in the mystique of folk music, had another treat to feed their hunger for arts and literature. Dhaka Lit Fest 2015 united all kinds of readers. The spacious Bangla Academy premises wholeheartedly embraced not only the readers but also over 60 authors and thinkers from 12 countries.
October 29, 2015
FOR THE LOVE OF SCIENCE: HOLY CROSS COLLEGE CONDUCTS ITS 13TH SCIENCE FESTIVAL
With the mantra “More questions, more possibilities” the 13th Annual Inter College Science Festival 2015 at Holy Cross College...
October 15, 2015
Rejected Bestsellers on the Rebound
If you ever feel like you've made a wrong decision in life, just think about the 12 publishers who rejected Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone before finally the 8-year-old daughter of Bloomsbury's editor demanded to read the rest of the manuscript her father had shown her.
October 1, 2015
Through the Time Vortex Once Again: The 9th Season of Doctor Who
The wait is finally over. The longest-running sci-fi show is back and it's all kinds of amazing. Even though I powered through the 8th season only because I'm completely loyal to my fandom, I've been going insane for season 9 as soon as I got to know the release date.
September 22, 2015
Through the Time Vortex Once Again
The wait is finally over. The longest-running sci-fi show is back and it’s all kinds of amazing.
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