In Focus

In Focus

49th death anniversary / Art and decolonisation, with Zainul Abedin

When Zainul Abedin left Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1947, as India and Pakistan negotiated a partition-ridden freedom from the British Empire, he was one of the city’s most acclaimed artists.

2d ago

Forgotten Currents / Bengal’s Ties to the Straits World

Medieval Bengal’s links to the Straits world, a narrow stretch of water connecting to Southeast Asia and beyond, are overlooked. This world saw not only ocean-going vessels, but also coastal and localised traffic which, like riverine transport, has gone largely unrecorded.

1w ago

Muktadhara / How Tagore Exposed the Tyranny of Nationalism

Rabindranath Tagore, whose genius touched nearly every branch of the arts and literature, left an indelible imprint on the world of drama—not merely as a playwright, but as an actor, director, and visionary of the stage.

2w ago

In Search of Premodern Bengal’s Literary Treasures

With the passing of Professor Tony K. Stewart, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in Humanities Emeritus, the field of South Asian religions, and more specifically, premodern Bengali literature, has lost one of its leading lights.

3w ago

The untold story of Franklin Book Dhaka: In the shadow of the cold war

The Cold War was a war of armaments and ideologies—but it was also a war of words, fought in classrooms, libraries, and on the printed page.

1m ago

In Focus / Jamdani as the battleground

Jamdani is not just the material or the motifs; it encompasses everything—from the river system and flora-fauna of the Dhaka region

1m ago

The many Bengals: Samatata, Bangalah, Subah-i-Bangalah

Historians usually approach Bengal’s history from Gaur-Pandua in the west (i.e., Ilyas Shahi and Husain Shahi Bengal), but what of early Bengal?

1m ago

The politics of recognition / How Bangladesh gained global legitimacy

When Bangladesh defeated Pakistan on 16 December 1971, one could be forgiven for assuming that the international community automatically recognised Bangladesh’s independence.

2m ago

Art and decolonisation, with Zainul Abedin

When Zainul Abedin left Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1947, as India and Pakistan negotiated a partition-ridden freedom from the British Empire, he was one of the city’s most acclaimed artists.

2d ago

Bengal’s Ties to the Straits World

Medieval Bengal’s links to the Straits world, a narrow stretch of water connecting to Southeast Asia and beyond, are overlooked. This world saw not only ocean-going vessels, but also coastal and localised traffic which, like riverine transport, has gone largely unrecorded.

1w ago

How Tagore Exposed the Tyranny of Nationalism

Rabindranath Tagore, whose genius touched nearly every branch of the arts and literature, left an indelible imprint on the world of drama—not merely as a playwright, but as an actor, director, and visionary of the stage.

2w ago

In Search of Premodern Bengal’s Literary Treasures

With the passing of Professor Tony K. Stewart, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in Humanities Emeritus, the field of South Asian religions, and more specifically, premodern Bengali literature, has lost one of its leading lights.

3w ago

The untold story of Franklin Book Dhaka: In the shadow of the cold war

The Cold War was a war of armaments and ideologies—but it was also a war of words, fought in classrooms, libraries, and on the printed page.

1m ago

Jamdani as the battleground

Jamdani is not just the material or the motifs; it encompasses everything—from the river system and flora-fauna of the Dhaka region

1m ago

The many Bengals: Samatata, Bangalah, Subah-i-Bangalah

Historians usually approach Bengal’s history from Gaur-Pandua in the west (i.e., Ilyas Shahi and Husain Shahi Bengal), but what of early Bengal?

1m ago

How Bangladesh gained global legitimacy

When Bangladesh defeated Pakistan on 16 December 1971, one could be forgiven for assuming that the international community automatically recognised Bangladesh’s independence.

2m ago

Tamam Na Sud

Tamam na sud or ‘Not the end’! There could not have been a better ending of a captivating romantic novel like Shabnami.

3m ago

H. H. Risley and Bengal, 1873-1911

Sir Herbert Hope Risley (1851-1911) – who signed himself ‘H. H. Risley’ – was a member of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) who became British India’s pre-eminent anthropologist.

4m ago