A case for funding the Bangladeshi English-writing scene
If the country’s literary potential is not given generous support, we may never create favourable conditions for aspiring writers to devote time and energy to the art
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A country coming to life
Weaving the grand themes of politics and history, the book is a revelation into how the ordinary lives within a country are buffeted by constant changes.
Explosive speculative fiction in the latest issue of ‘Small World City’
What struck me the most about these stories is the firm, unflinching, and confident authorial voice sneaking up on and dictating the reader’s thoughts, orienting them to feel sympathy for the characters no matter how unlikeable they are.
4 fully funded Creative Writing MFA programs in the US worth exploring
While Canada, and now some programs in the UK, have also started offering the degree, it is in the United States that it is most common and rigorous.
6 UK small presses that consider unsolicited submissions
This means you can submit a manuscript on your own, without a literary agent.
A fellowship of humanity and the wild
Martell’s narrative journalism is a lesson for those in the field as to how a writer can instil empathy for the others around. The reader can taste affection for both the animals and humans in his storytelling.
Local publishers, sales, and the 2023 Dhaka Lit Fest
This year a ticketing system was imposed. As such, sales were lower than expected.
Dhaka Lit Fest 2023: What the agent does for writers and actors
Despite the popularity of TV, cinematic rights come with their drawbacks. While it is thrilling for a novelist to have their work taken up by a production house, sometimes their work ends up in a forgotten corner for a long time.
March 18, 2021
The unfortunate Asians of Uganda
In the 1890s, many South Asians were brought to Uganda by the British Empire for administration and development purposes.
February 26, 2021
Encouraging an ethical approach to pet adoption
In 2017, Orni Hasan found a disheveled kitten around Dhanmondi Lake, deciding to keep him. Before the decision, she looked for safe adoption options, but could not find any.
February 23, 2021
Lyricist Gazi Mazharul Anwar launches book, ‘Olpo Kothar Golpo Gaan’
Olpo Kothar Golpo Gaan includes 200 of these iconic songs.
February 19, 2021
The heady days of history
I still remember how there was so much commotion around the language issue in East Pakistan right after the 1947 Partition. In 1948, Liaquat Ali Khan brought amendments that sought to make English and Urdu the lingua franca of Pakistan, even though a majority of Pakistan’s population spoke in Bangla.
February 18, 2021
On the Path to Publishing
Writing a book is a journey. Then, the long and arduous journey to having the book published begins.
February 18, 2021
Where folktales meet social commentary
I stumbled across a short story written by Aoko Matsuda called “Quite a Catch” in the Wasafiri literary magazine last month.
February 15, 2021
The Liberation War: A reading list
In 1971, the people of the then East Pakistan rose up against their military oppressors, firm on their goal to carve out a separate identity for themselves.
February 4, 2021
“Boi Mela-centric love for books poses obstacles for the publishing industry.”
Minar Mansur, the current director of the National Book Centre (Jatiya Grantha Kendro), was born on July 20, 1960 in the Barlia village of Chittagong.
January 7, 2021
The Metamorphosis of a Country
The epigraph of The Old Drift (Hogarth Press, 2020), taken from Vigil’s The Aeneid, briefly narrates the story of a diverse civilisation thriving on the banks of Lethe, the river of forgetfulness that “somnolently” drifts past a “populous throng” of spirits.
December 31, 2020
“What I read in 2020”: Writers Select
We asked some of the prominent writers and academics from Bangladesh about the books they most enjoyed in 2020. Some of them confessed that the year has been too difficult to find much time for reading.
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