Editor's Pick

Did Hiroshima teach us any lesson?

When the battlefield of Verdun was getting drenched in combatants’ blood from all contending sides, the political leadership, unable to define the stalemate, was trying to sell the war as the war “to end all wars”.
The ministry of utmost disappointment

The call for defunding police in the US, after the death of George Floyd in police brutality, is one of the most striking messages coming out of what is perhaps the largest civil movement in US history.
My father was an undocumented migrant worker. People like him don’t deserve your scorn

Not long ago, I was watching a webinar on the plight of returning migrant workers streamed live on Facebook by The Daily Star.
The “Living Eagle” who beat the heavy odds!

He departed rather unsung, his glorious past recalled in this country by only a few of his friends and admirers, limited to Facebook posts mainly.
Why Kerala has succeeded in controlling coronavirus

A recent headline in Prothom Alo (June 26, 2020) stated, “Amartya Sen and Noam Chomsky showered Kerala with praise for their successful containment of the coronavirus”.
Tribute to Latifur Rahman: Two independent newspapers were his gifts to Bangladesh

He was an editor’s dream of an investor. But he turned out to be so much more. Yes, Matiur Rahman and I run the two papers -- Prothom Alo and The Daily Star respectively -- but it was he who made them happen, with his principles, integrity, courage, steadfastness, strength of character, and unswerving faith in independent media without which, he intuitively knew, that democracy could not flourish.
Is foul play the new normal?

You may have already seen the social media campaign ‘#payup’, asking Kardashian sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner to pay up their suppliers in Bangladesh. You may have also read about British brand, Debenhams, which is asking for a whopping 90 percent discount on products from 40 suppliers in the country. What you may not know is that these are only two of at least 1,931 brands which have either delayed, put on hold, or straight-up cancelled their orders since the onset of Covid-19, as per data received from the BGMEA.
Combating coronavirus: Bagerhat volunteers restoring faith in humanity

While some refuse to help their own family members out of fear of the coronavirus, others step up to take care of complete strangers. United under the banner of ‘Health Service Volunteers’, around 100 people took an oath recently to aid people infected with Covid-19, in Bagerhat Sadar and Kachua upazilas.
Kuakata's red crabs return to the beach

A shut-down is being enforced across the country to prevent the spread of coronavirus and tourist spots, including Kuakata’s beaches, have also been closed. With human activity at these spots grinding to a halt, nature has found ways to flourish.
A river runs through it

I have seen it on TV, read about it in newspapers, but never thought it would be this bad. I watched it from the deck of a launch, looking forward to a spectacular river cruise that our departmental picnic poster promised.
Coronavirus: How to protect yourself

The deadly Wuhan coronavirus, officially called 2019-nCoV, has killed 56 people and infected at least 1300 others in China. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released guidance on the symptoms of the virus. A person could be at risk if they have:
Opinion: BCS & Other Drugs

Every day, long before dawn, before insanity grips Dhaka and all manners of chaos start swirling around us, certain parts of the capital fall into a familiar routine: alarms go off and shoes go on. A group of students are on their way to the university library.
DCCs napping as mosquitoes buzz

As experts warn of a record increase in Culex mosquito population next month, measures taken by the two Dhaka city corporations to check the blood-sucking insects appear inadequate.
Accident fatalities in Bangladesh: Good trends ‘undermined’

Between 1990 and 2017, the increase in the road crash fatality rate per capita was three times higher in Bangladesh than that across South Asia, according to a World Bank report.
Star recognises 1,988 A- and O-level students for their outstanding results

As The Daily Star honoured students who achieved extraordinary marks in their O- level and A-level exams for the 2018-19 session, at its award-giving ceremony yesterday, one common dream seeped through the hall -- these youngsters would build the Bangladesh of tomorrow.
Not enough books on Language Movement at Boi Mela

Amar Ekushey book fair has always been a manifestation of people’s love for their mother tongue. On the eve of Ekushey, the fair has been buzzing with people, many of them interested in learning from books on the Language Movement.
1 year of Chawkbazar tragedy: blaze over, not danger

The walls scorched black. A thin film of soot covering the burnt-out pillars and roofs. A smell of burnt remnants still wafting through the air around it.
Untreated medical waste: A serious threat to public health

Untreated medical wastes are accumulating at landfills in seven divisional cities, posing serious threat to public health.
Jobs abroad in decline

Bangladesh continues to witness decline in overseas jobs over the last two years amid unabated malpractices in recruitment process, falling demand in the Gulf countries and an absence of effective steps to explore new markets.
Repatriation Bids: Designed to fail

Myanmar, which stands accused of Rohingya genocide, has done little to create conditions that would encourage the refugees to return to their homeland, analysts say.
After You, Mr VIP

Like all things bad and ugly in Bangladesh, the latest offensive against our sanity is playing out in a wearily predictable fashion.
River grabbing a criminal offence

All river grabbing and pollution are criminal offences, the highest court in the country has declared in the full text of a landmark judgment.
Labour Migration: Deadly desperation

Jumman Hawlader had turned 19 when his family began to expect some contribution from him. And a year later, he got lost in the Mediterranean on way to Europe. With all dreams shattered, they have now plunged into a cycle of poverty.
Elevating the rank of Dhaka University

The Dhaka University Alumni Association of New England (DUAANE) organised a seminar in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA on February 24, 2019 to discuss and debate the low standing of Dhaka University in the global academic arena.
Cox’s Bazar forests in grave danger

The critical biodiversity areas in Cox’s Bazar -- Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary, Himchhari National Park and Inani National Park -- face a grave risk of peril due to high level of human interventions following the Rohingya influx, according to two recent studies.
Sonagazi Brutality: A tripartite COLLABORATION

After Nusrat Jahan Rafi was taken to the rooftop of Sonagazi madrasa's administrative building on April 6, fellow students Umme Sultana Poppy and Kamrunnahar Moni held her hands tight.
Christchurch and the 'mass dissemination of hate' in the media

I woke up to the news of the horrific attack in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday, like millions around the world. I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed on Friday morning
A fearless woman warrior

The passing away of Bir Protik Taramon Bibi quietly in her home in Rajipur Upazila, at age 61, only 16 days before the commemoration of Victory Day, is truly a tragedy for us.
‘No matter who wins the election, people will lose': In conversation with Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury

Eminent thinker and writer Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, in this interview with Badiuzzaman Bay of The Daily Star, outlines his views about the current state of leftist politics, the upcoming election, and the future of politics and youth leadership in Bangladesh.
November 3, 1975: A day of infamy

Around midnight of November 3, 1975 a number of army personnel entered the Dhaka Central Jail where the four national leaders, Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, M Mansur Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman had been taken only a week after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.