Shahana Huda

The writer works in communications.

Dhaka University Campus: Green in the urban jungle

If the pandemic lockdowns make you feel trapped and you feel like visiting some place within Dhaka, the University campus is a safe bet.

2y ago

The rice story

Back in the days of yore, on a visit to my paternal grandfather’s house in Nilphamari, a particular sight caught my fledgling eyes, 8-10 people sitting on a floor-mat laid out in the veranda and eating heartily.

3y ago

Meet Bangladesh

It was not that long ago when travelling just meant going to one’s ancestral homes. Then again, there were not many options available for families or friends during the long stretch of Eid and Puja holidays. The denizens of the upper echelon had the opportunity to go overseas, but even they were a handful in number.

4y ago

Rangpur: History within easy grasp

Just after crossing the Jamuna Bridge, the road that goes to Rangpur is beset with fields that spread as far the horizon.

4y ago

Where the hills rest against the sky

It was a place I had visited once, but the intense love I felt for it drove me to visit the small Garo village of Achkipara twice. The first time was in summer, my group went as guests to a Garo family.

4y ago

MASHED

Bhorta is just another staple for Bengalis, and one that makes us say ‘No’ to even rich delicacies — polau, korma, kachchi, or otherwise. Bhortas come in various forms, each indigenous to the localities, cultural variations, and the supply of produces, because the ingredients of a bhorta should be as fresh as possible.

5y ago

The great fish debate: to fry or not before cooking it!

It was the usual hangout. And of course a heated debate began out of the blue. The topic of discussion – is fish tastier when fried

5y ago

East Timor: The blues in the sky and the sea

Five of us friends were sat on a suspended balcony over a sizable mountain, with the Timor Sea underneath; an unobstructed view of the sea meeting the horizon and the nearby mountains, with a road snaking through.

5y ago

August 7, 2018

Tracing the historical footsteps in Islam

Hajj pilgrims often remain so wrapped up in the rituals of the pilgrimage that they do not have time to explore the suburbs of the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. But with a little effort, anyone can easily make time to create the scope to do so, and try to walk Islam's history in person.

April 10, 2018

Travels of a Bengali foodie

Bangladesh — irrespective of its size as a nation, has always been important due to its geographical position. Over the millennia, migratory patterns have brought people to this lush delta from all regions, not only of the subcontinent, but also across the oceans.

February 24, 2018

Eating down memory lane

Ever since I was young, I have frequently travelled from Dhaka to Rangpur, and the majority of these times, our family had to use the ferry boats at Aricha to cross the Padma and enter the country's northern regions. This was true throughout the 70s and 80s and also the first half of the 90s. The ferry crossings were quite tedious, at times risky, and extremely time-consuming. It usually took two to three hours

February 24, 2018

The Love For My Food

This quote readily applies to our country's rich cuisine as you will also not experience such lovely and delicious food anywhere else. Yes, I am talking about Bangladeshi food. No matter where Bengalis live in the world, the taste of their own cuisine remains to them like the proverbial honey. The eternal Bengali comfort food, khichuri-gosht-omelette, with a dash of ghee or a spoonful of achar, almost always brings a smile to a Bengali heart; more so if it is raining outside- irrespective of your geographic location.

April 18, 2017