Before the sun rises over Dhaka’s Korail slum, many mothers set out early for a long day of work, carrying the unspoken worry of who will care for their children while they are away.
There are thousands of people in Dhaka, each living a different life. But a few things are constant for all. Apart from the unavoidable traffic and the signal at Bijoy Sarani, their love-hate relationship with rain unites most of them.
Recent tragedies in Bangladesh have brought to our attention the urgency to recognise the need for mental trauma healing.
Long before Dhaka became a noisy sprawl of rickshaws, traffic, and concrete, it was a quieter, more graceful place. One posing for a German man with a camera and a keen eye for elegance.
I have never been to the legendary Beauty Boarding in Shiris Das Lane, Bangla Bazar. I know, it is an unpardonable offense, and I should probably be denied my self-proclaimed title as a Dhaka-know-all.
There’s something about rain in Dhaka. It doesn’t come politely. It arrives in sheets, in sideways gusts, soaking your bag, your back, and your plans. But once you let go of the instinct to rush for shelter, there’s a certain honesty to it -- the kind that peels off layers. You notice the city differently when it’s wet and slow.
When you’re on the streets of Dhaka, perhaps idly sitting in the backseat of a vehicle, if you take a minute to stop doom-scrolling and stare out through the windows, you will more than likely see drama unfolding before your eyes!
The latest go-to place in Dhaka is “At the Table”, a food court at the crossroads of Moghbazar Mor and Eskaton, towards Bangla Motor. This intersection is one of the most chaotic and busiest in the city, making it an unlikely place for an upmarket food court.
A 'katra' is essentially a caravanserai — a traveller's inn of sorts. It was established around the mid-17th century.
Essentially a research-based, artist-run, non-profit organisation, Brihatta Art Foundation has worked in Dhaka for quite some time. With an objective to integrate locals in community development, they have given the people of Hazaribagh greater accessibility to art and culture.
Imagine entering a gallery filled with canvases, where sepia-toned papers with brittle edges and faded ink burst into life with vibrant colours and witty catchphrases from ancient Bengal. On his 20th solo exhibition — the versatile artist Arham-ul-Huq Chowdhury presents one such immersive show titled “Decorated Deeds: Bangla Calligraphy on Antique Documents” (Dolile Drishyapot).
A three-day collectable exhibition titled “Dhaka Numis Show 2025”, organised by Old Dhaka Collectors Society (ODCS) was held at the National Museum from April 18 to 20. The event brought together collectors, currency researchers, and enthusiasts from all over Bangladesh.
I went to the Lalbagh area last Saturday to finalise an interesting project for My Dhaka readers (stay tuned), but this business meet-and-greet was unlike any I had ever attended or conducted.
Dhaka often feels like a city suffocating in its own chaos.
On February 25, 2025, Iqramul Hasan Shakil began his “Sea to Summit” expedition -- walking from Cox’s Bazar to the summit of Mount Everest. Only one person,
An artistic mind finds inspiration even in the mundane details of life. It makes the ordinary extraordinary. The smell of frying omelettes, the stirring sound of the spoon in a teacup, the sight of a mother oiling her daughter’s hair, or an old man reading a newspaper -- any of these can spark a fancy in their mind.
Dhaka is in a festive mood today, dressed in colours so vibrant that even in this blistering Chaitra-Baishakh heat you feel a sense of joy around you. City dwellers are out and about, attending various programmes organised to usher in the Bangla new year.
