Nuren Iftekhar

Empty Room with Cardboard Boxes

A PhD student pursuing higher education writes about "fitting in".

The mango-powered superhero you need to know about

Of all the notable works done on visual media in our country, Shabash by Mighty Punch Studio came as a welcome surprise to me. From the tone of storytelling to the beautiful visuals, Mighty Punch Studios paint a unique stroke.

False Positive × Masks

The light that drenched the man on the rooftop had no warmth to it. The light shifted and morphed with the changing visuals on the billboard,

Sword, Shield and Controversy

After E3 there was a list for the most controversial reveals based on the reactions of each YouTube video. Surprisingly on top of the list was Pokémon Sword and Shield. The tremendous amount of interest and hype that surrounds the release of a mainline Pokémon

E3 2019: A Different Spectacle

Despite Sony’s decision to pull out this year and the growing discontent in the gaming industry in general, E3 2019 has been an event full of hype and anticipation. The fewer bells and whistles and a heavier focus on games and hardware were a welcome change. This is how the E3

Dawn and Diatribe

The paper I slept on clung to the corner of my mouth. My mouth felt bitter, as if the protagonist in my story had just been betrayed by the love of his life.

Lungis will forever be the pinnacle of male fashion

As a man with zero fashion sense, let me explain why.

It's 2019

If you have been walking around the wondrous streets of Dhaka this year only to bump into a careless deviant with a phone in his hand and his mind somewhere else, then I'm afraid that individual might have been me. Before you launch into a barrage of scathing criticism, I want you to hear my story.

Dead Man's Tale

The soldiers stood with their heads hung low and weapons sheathed, the colours of their uniform clashing just like they did not so long ago. The same people who were trying to pry open each other's throats stood shoulder to shoulder under the common denominator of grief and shock.

Escape Route

It was about 3 am when Rima realised, in a half-dazed state that the train she was on was never going to stop. It was the sort of epiphany that was bound to make someone alarmed but she realised with mild amazement that it wasn't the case.

Twitched

The contemporary let's play phenomenon that took the world by storm brought with it a long withstanding culture. Watching someone's favorite streamer play on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube has become the preferred leisure activity of many.

A dog sees Dhaka

This city can be cruel. I have been kicked and pushed away. I have seen worse being done to my brethren. In spite of all this, this city has become my home.

If the World Cup superpowers Had superpowers

France is looking dominant as ever as their young squad are ripping into the opposition. The French side look to find an opening to assert their complete dominance. And it looks like they had enough! France is looking to unleash their special manoeuvre that we've heard rumours off.

The Behemoth Challenge

The fascination behind the hunting genre, established by Monster Hunter titles, has always been spearheaded by the Japanese market. However, with western releases, the genre created a loyal international following soon enough. Dauntless is the latest attempt at trying to scratch that hunting itch.

The Best Years of Our Lives

University can be considered an inexplicable place exempt from the traditional rules of time and space. One moment you walk in as a freshman with eyes full of wonder and a heart full of optimism, and in the next second you walk out as a person -- years older with slumped shoulders carrying the wisdom you wish you had before. In between there is a blur of moments that are impossible to distinguish from one another.

“Merci Arsène”

Back in 1996, when a French individual with the look of a college professor was appointed as Arsenal's next manager, the football world was confused to say the least. A man with a surface-level recognition

How to smoothly transition from SSC to HSC

For someone studying under the national curriculum, the Higher Secondary Certificate examination is undoubtedly the most pivotal one. With it being the last hurdle under the national curriculum and carrying significant weight in the admission process ahead, the preparation for it requires quite a bit of emphasis. While it is true that the experiences from multitude of public examinations preceding HSC help the examinee to be better prepared, the fact also remains that the shift from SSC and HSC is a huge one.

Post-travel melancholia

There are various stages in a successful tour that we all remember fondly. Even the inconveniences that may have been there are seen in a warmer light. However, there is one part associated with traveling that is hardly talked about and certainly is its most painful derivative. I'm talking about the post-travel melancholia.

Innovation - How Nintendo stays in the game

The video game industry is indebted to Nintendo for a great number of reasons. Whether it is bringing video games out of arcades and making it accessible to the populace with resounding success or bringing the industry back in track after the video game crash of 1983, Nintendo remains as one of the forefathers and pioneers of this billion dollar industry. While several other classic companies teetered off to

Windless

“Take it or leave it. You won't get a better deal anywhere in the Sector-C,” grumbled the man behind the counter. His voice made even more indecipherable through his respiratory device. R-no knew the man was right. Not because the man was demanding a reasonable price compared to the others, but because he knew for certain no one else had the little ornament he had, tucked safely in his palm as he glared impatiently at R-no.

Modern Day Heroes

People say “chivalry is dead”, that we don't live in the age of heroes anymore. Gone are the days when people would rise up against injustice and oppression, break forth the shackles of the old and redundant to fight for all that is right. However, I sternly disagree with this sentiment and why should I not?

Existence and Other Inconveniences

I regret to inform you that I, the tenant from flat 3B, shall no longer be living at your apartment. I have come upon this decision after

Learning worldbuilding from video games

The art of storytelling is not confined to novels. It can be found in a song, it can be there in a poem, and it most certainly can be in a video game. As a matter of fact the word “Can” doesn't do justice to the video games of the present.

Struggles of a slow reader

Reading is an unparalleled experience that anyone who indulges in it can affirm you. A gateway to a new world, a getaway from the tiresomeness of our everyday life, a glimpse into the lives we wouldn't have experienced otherwise.

A Potential Masterpiece

Piranha Bytes' new release, Elex, manages to disappoint but at the same time engross the players over an unforgettable experience. In spite of all the shortcomings, it manages to be one of the most immersive experiences one can ask for.

Pay to Play

It is rather ironic that the very industry that had zoomed in on corporate greed in the form of fictional organisations like Umbrella Corporation (Resident Evil), Shin-Ra Electric Power Company (Final Fantasy VII), Hyperion Corporation (Borderlands) and so on, is the one that's plagued by greed at an unimaginable level currently.

Ode to Bhat

Back in 2012, when Passenger was booming in everyone's radio with their hit new single, one line in particular stuck with me, “Only know you love her when you let her go”.

Mods - The story of the meddlers

The gaming community is known to be a devoted bunch. Almost every popular game has an active group of people who create a community around it. To the ones truly invested in the game, the original experience is not enough.

A night of exuberance

The famous words adorned the entrance to the auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum on October 9, 2017, where William Shakespeare's play “The Merchant of Venice” was staged by the students of Sunnydale School.

Pixel Eternal

My first memories of video games were in an arcade near our house. It had a stained floor, a noisy atmosphere and one too many people. It also had little worlds inside. Ones that were easy to get lost into.

Amateur Writing Mistakes

The best way to be proficient at something is perhaps the incessant ordeal of trial and error that goes into it. However, repetition alone is not good enough if one doesn't work on the issues that hindered the progress before. Often is the case that one doesn't necessarily realise where their work is falling short of the standard they are striving to achieve and thus fail to improve upon it.

Crows and Cons

And so he did. Brushing off all the times his classmates called him certain things regarding his weight, Rafi made it, with a glorious manoeuvre that would put the acrobatics team to shame. It was nearly perfect.

Game of Thrones characters in our everyday lives

Apart from a gripping story and deep lore, one of the biggest charms of George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire”, and its subsequent television adaptation “Game of Thrones”, is without a doubt its strong multi-dimensional characters.

A loveletter to Nilkhet

I've never been a person eloquent with words, so excuse me if my attempt at romanticism fails to grab your attention. And why shouldn't it? Is there any meaningful assortment of words which I can pull together that you haven't heard before?

Shining through the glaring faults

With great releases this year from artists like Gorillaz, Blackfield, Pond, and so on, Foster the People's latest release “Sacred Hearts Club” brought with it a whole lot of expectations to live up to.

Juxtaposed

"Excuse me, can you tell me the time?"

The Humour Conundrum

Humour at times simply does not make sense. It usually does not have an ulterior motive, an underlying message or a profound

Penny Wonderful

We all can be quite compulsive sometimes. Whether it's chewing on our fingernails relentlessly or tapping our feet to the annoyance of everyone else.

EID 2117

This is the Eid of the Future.

No, High School wasn't All that Great

Nostalgia goggles have always been my least favourite accessories.

Overused Video Game Tropes

The video game industry has come a long way.

Why You Should Never Trust an Ilish Machh

The merry occasion of Pahela Baishakh is upon us once again, bringing with it the delight of festivities and jubilation of starting anew.

THE EVOLUTION OF PINK FLOYD

There isn't much that hasn't been said about Pink Floyd. And yet, it's a story that still begs to be told again and again.

A Guide to Living Shabby: For Him

It's a common misconception among my peers that the shabby life they see me living is an easy one. This cannot be more far off from the truth. Is it comfy?

Horror through the Ages

From the penny dreadful style of Gothic literature of the Victorian era to the movies of today with multi-million dollars of budget - horror has come a long way. From then to now, the one thing that has remained constant is the love and admiration for this genre.