Weekend Read
Mangoes and litchis taking a hit from the heat
It’s painful for Tajul Islam to see what has happened to his beloved mango orchard in Rajshahi city’s Borobongram Namopara.
For the love of computers
Buying a computer, for most people, is a fairly mundane activity. It involves going to a vendor with a budget, a list of requirements, and the hope that the salespeople are trustworthy and knowledgeable enough about the products to find the best possible deal.
The dying art of Qasida
This is a loose translation of a melodious Urdu poem that once used to reverberate through the empty lanes of old Dhaka deep into the Ramadan night.
Sadarghat launch terminal / A bustling riverport gone quieter
It is hard to describe a place when its glory days are over.
Launch owners struggling to stay afloat
“If you seek comfort, no journey is better than a journey by launch. You book a room and you arrive at your destination well-rested. The sightseeing is a bonus,” says Mehedi Hasan, a resident of Borguna’s Bamna.
Life takes place in Dhaka’s cafes
How humans discovered coffee and how, after centuries of innovation, it became the elixir it is now is a fascinating tale itself.
Islampur: a business hub with centuries-old vibe
If listened carefully, amid the maddening hustle and bustle, cacophony of sounds, one might find a strange harmony in the chaos -- a thing that links this place to a bygone era.
Rediscovering Traditions: Putting folk arts, crafts at the forefront
Wooden dolls painted in a crimson-red or saffron-yellow sari with a black hair bun are a traditional craft of Bangladesh and an integral part of every rural fair.
To be able to dream again
At first glance it looks like a happy gathering of women and girls spanning ages from 15 to 50 years. We are greeted by this group of 30 and they welcome us with a song and dance routine.
Safe but not free
For the last five years 19-year-old Sumona (pseudonym) has been living at the Training and Rehabilitation Centre for Socially Disadvantaged Women in Barishal.
Tanguar Haor: A paradise lost
The iconic Tanguar Haor, one of Bangladesh’s most important ecologically critical areas, is facing an uncertain future amid growing environmental threats.
Kushti’s legacy untarnished despite its downfall in Dhaka
While Dhaka’s traditional kushti is dying down, the scenario in other parts of the country is not bleak by any means. Many kushti events still take place outside the capital.
Remnants of a wrestlers’ nest
Kushti, also known as pehlwani, a form of traditional wrestling contested in the sub-continent, was once a popular sport in Dhaka after having originated during the Mughal period.
Arctic Circle: A trip to the land of glaciers
How vast is our planet? The answer may lie in how we perceive it. On the grand cosmic scale, the earth is minuscule, a mere speck invisible even under the most powerful microscope. However, on a human scale, it is truly enormous.
A silent witness to Dhaka’s history
With falling leaves, worn-out epitaphs and gravestones, and rustle of breeze whispering tales from four centuries ago -- Dhaka Christian Cemetery, known to city dwellers as Narinda or Wari cemetery, has been the resting place of many known or unsung heroes for decades.
The Great Himalayan Trail: Shakil’s story of perseverance
“Throughout the journey, death knocked at my door several times, but I never lost my focus, I never gave up,” said Ikramul Hasan Shakil, the intrepid conqueror of the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT), home to three of the highest peaks in the world.
‘Our struggle for water is never-ending’
Bidyut Kumar Mondol, a farmer from Kamardha village in Naogaon’s Porsha upazila, finds himself grappling with a challenging predicament. He had prepared 23 bighas of land for cultivating Aman paddy, but his dreams have been thwarted by a relentless lack of water.
High Barind running out of water
Due to decades of excessive water extraction, over 40 percent of unions in the high Barind region are facing severe groundwater depletion.
Arial beel under threat
Arial Beel, one of the largest wetlands located in Munshiganj, is facing an invasion by illegal real estate developers. These business entities have acquired portions of the wetland, filling them up with sand and strategically placing signboards to attract potential buyers for residential development.
Farashganj: The French connection
In the heart of Old Dhaka, there lies a neighbourhood with a captivating history, centuries-old buildings and a thriving spice market. Farashganj is located on the northern bank of the Buriganga river. Established in 1780, its principal thoroughfares are BK Das Road and Ahsanullah Road. In today’s issue of the Weekend Read, we will explore the history, mystery, and spice of Farashganj.
JUTE MILLS IN DISARRAY
Due to lack of maintenance, the once-vibrant mill compounds now appear to be haunted places with weeds and vines growing all over
