Dipan Nandy

The Election Commission is weighing options for the fate of around 1.5 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs), which are now lying idle amid rising storage costs, missing units, and growing uncertainty over their final disposal.

Despite growing concerns over the fast-depleting groundwater table, Dhaka Wasa is set to seek Ecnec’s approval for a Tk 920.85 crore “emergency” water supply project that will rely on groundwater extraction.

Even after three years since the devastating fire at Dhaka’s Bangabazar on April 4, 2023 that gutted thousands of shops just days ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, victim traders have yet to receive any compensation.

Hidden within the bustling alleys in Old Dhaka’s Tikatuli lies a regal architectural gem -- the Rose Garden.

Only 12 of the 116 private kitchen markets operating under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) are legally registered, while the remaining 104 continue to operate without oversight, often encroaching on footpaths or land owned by government agencies and private individuals.

Business at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair took a massive hit in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the years since, book sales at the annual fair started to recover. However, sales plunged again this year, bringing a fresh wave of uncertainty among publishers.

Eid-ul-Fitr is a celebration of joy, togetherness, and family. Homes are filled with laughter, and loved ones gather to share meals and special moments.

Families walk miles through traffic, pay inflated fares

Families pour into major attractions

Motijheel to Agargaon see light traffic and minimal crowds, but commuters accuse drivers of charging excessive fares

In Agargaon’s Probin Nibash, celebration is shadowed by distance from loved ones and the ache of separation

Once a pre-Eid staple in Purana Paltan, printed cards now survive mainly in limited corporate demand

Brisk last-minute Eid shopping in Dhaka drives rising demand and higher prices

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair -- one of the most cherished cultural gatherings in the country -- ended yesterday, leaving many publishers disappointed as they felt the event was more symbolic than successful this year.

Dhaka’s two main civic service providers -- Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) -- are facing mounting financial pressure.

Nearly a week after the chairman and two commissioners of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) resigned, the government has yet to begin the formal process of forming a search committee to appoint a new commission.

On most evenings, the grounds of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela still reflect the familiar spirit of Bangladesh’s literary season -- students browsing poetry collections, families posing for photographs beneath colourful banners, and writers signing newly released books.

Bangladesh’s publishing sector is navigating one of its most difficult periods in recent memory, as declining sales, reduced book production, and limited institutional support continue to weigh on it.

After weeks of delays, disputes, and shifting schedules, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 has finally begun -- though in a shorter format that breaks from long-standing tradition.

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair begins today, marking the shortest edition in its history. Organisers, however, say it is not the length but the breadth of ideas that will define this year’s fair, themed “Multidimensional Bangladesh”.