Endeavour

Endeavour

Of hope and resistance in Balata

Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River Valley, in Palestine, there are some of the oldest cities in the world—Jericho and

5y ago

An indigenous way to save our soil

Namapara village is like any of the 84,000 villages of Bangladesh. Located in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram, the poorest district in Bangladesh, this village is inhabited by some 200-250 families, most of whom are impoverished farmers. The Jinjirum, a meandering

5y ago

Endeavour / What do Fidel Castro, Walt Disney and Bertrand Russell have in common?

Mohammad Anwarul Quadir pushed his glasses over his forehead and moments later, began looking for it everywhere. It may appear so, but he was no amnesiac. The 77-year-old flawlessly recollects the many world leaders, scholars, and celebrities who sent him their autographs.

6y ago

The Motorcycle Diaries

Their first obstacles were their families and their apprehension. When a group of four women—Sakia Hoque, Manoshi Saha, Silvy Rahman and Shamsun Nahar—decided to explore Bangladesh's North on motorbikes, they were told horror stories of kidnap, rape and accidents.

6y ago

endeavour / A school off the beaten track

Just a few days back, The Daily Star ran a report that students' enrollment in government primary schools is decreasing sharply.

6y ago

A day on the Shitalakhya

Though it's a sunny Friday morning, the concrete Gulistan flyover renders the landscape gunmetal, where I'm to meet Shohag Mohajon, the manager of Clean River Bangladesh. Almost 20 minutes of miscommunication later, I manage to find him in a sea of speedy civilians. We exchange greetings and get on the waiting bus.

6y ago

Endeavour / The tree doctors

Even though it was monsoon, I watered my rooftop plants before leaving Dhaka during Eid. While travelling in the night coach, I kept worrying about my plant babies. What would happen to them in the absence of water in this sweltering heat and high humidity? Will they survive my seven-day vacation? My fears were confirmed—when I returned, I found that the smaller plants had almost died, while the leaves of the mature ones had turned yellowish.

6y ago

More than a place of learning

Abinta Kabir was one of the 22 hostages killed at the terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Bakery, two years ago now. Only 19 years old and an undergraduate student in the US, she wanted to return to Bangladesh to open an NGO for those less fortunate than her, according to her family. While her life was cut short, her family have carried forward her unrealised

6y ago

Of hope and resistance in Balata

Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River Valley, in Palestine, there are some of the oldest cities in the world—Jericho and

5y ago

An indigenous way to save our soil

Namapara village is like any of the 84,000 villages of Bangladesh. Located in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram, the poorest district in Bangladesh, this village is inhabited by some 200-250 families, most of whom are impoverished farmers. The Jinjirum, a meandering

5y ago

What do Fidel Castro, Walt Disney and Bertrand Russell have in common?

Mohammad Anwarul Quadir pushed his glasses over his forehead and moments later, began looking for it everywhere. It may appear so, but he was no amnesiac. The 77-year-old flawlessly recollects the many world leaders, scholars, and celebrities who sent him their autographs.

6y ago

The Motorcycle Diaries

Their first obstacles were their families and their apprehension. When a group of four women—Sakia Hoque, Manoshi Saha, Silvy Rahman and Shamsun Nahar—decided to explore Bangladesh's North on motorbikes, they were told horror stories of kidnap, rape and accidents.

6y ago

A school off the beaten track

Just a few days back, The Daily Star ran a report that students' enrollment in government primary schools is decreasing sharply.

6y ago

A day on the Shitalakhya

Though it's a sunny Friday morning, the concrete Gulistan flyover renders the landscape gunmetal, where I'm to meet Shohag Mohajon, the manager of Clean River Bangladesh. Almost 20 minutes of miscommunication later, I manage to find him in a sea of speedy civilians. We exchange greetings and get on the waiting bus.

6y ago

The tree doctors

Even though it was monsoon, I watered my rooftop plants before leaving Dhaka during Eid. While travelling in the night coach, I kept worrying about my plant babies. What would happen to them in the absence of water in this sweltering heat and high humidity? Will they survive my seven-day vacation? My fears were confirmed—when I returned, I found that the smaller plants had almost died, while the leaves of the mature ones had turned yellowish.

6y ago

More than a place of learning

Abinta Kabir was one of the 22 hostages killed at the terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Bakery, two years ago now. Only 19 years old and an undergraduate student in the US, she wanted to return to Bangladesh to open an NGO for those less fortunate than her, according to her family. While her life was cut short, her family have carried forward her unrealised

6y ago

Our environmental saviour?

As global concerns continue to rise with 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags being produced every year around the globe, a number of eco-friendly companies come up with a seemingly wonderful idea: biodegradable bags.

6y ago

Adopt a Library

While Boi Mela sadly lasts only a month, what do readers in Dhaka and the rest of the country do the rest of the year? Buying a year's worth of books in one go is hardly feasible. For those without the means to buy, reading for pleasure is a luxury. Readers, especially young students, require a well-stocked and diverse library in the vicinity of their home or where they work or study to encourage them to read year-round.

7y ago