M H Haider

Eid is a time to break free, to an extent, and to grab the opportunities of sheer fun and amusement your gram er bari offers.

When was the last time you spent an entire month of Ramadan without eating haleem at least once?  This food has indeed survived the test of time!

The dining table during iftar is often crowded with delicacies of all sorts. The assortment includes traditional iftar items and not-so-traditional items which may even border on eccentricity that leaves others questioning about your taste (and sanity). Call it "iftar cuisine" if you like, as an iftar spread is a whole different genre of food altogether!

Around a couple of months ago, the age-old Dhaka Gate near Doyel Chattar was unveiled to the public upon its renovation. If you visit the Gate, now in renewed glory, you are bound to see an imposing artefact in its premises -- a cannon called Bibi Mariam.

This hints towards a monopoly Chawk Bazar enjoyed in the olden times. 

Poneer-flavoured tea? How about bits or slices of poneer in your tea? The concept may not be all that surprising for many people these days, as just a few years ago various teashops and brands tried to popularise this almost as a novelty.

People used to gather at Ahsan Manzil, Boro Katra, Choto Katra, and Hussaini Dalan to spot the crescent moon.

Discover the Enduring Legacy of Feluda: Satyajit Ray's beloved detective series continues to enchant audiences, with its charismatic protagonist, Felu, and his youthful sidekick Topshey. Drawing parallels to Sherlock Holmes, Feluda's adventures inspire curiosity and admiration, much like real-life figures such as the author's cousin, Russell. Despite societal misgivings, Russell, like Feluda, nurtured a thirst for knowledge and exploration. Through literature and personal anecdotes, the article celebrates the timeless appeal of childhood heroes, advocating for every child to have their own Feluda-like mentor.

History, however, is hard to erase. The name itself, historians have argued, is reminiscent of olden times. Many believe Dhanmondi may have a paddy connection — "dhan".

The mansion was once the home of the affluent and influential merchant Ruplal Das and his family, and hence the stories of their wealth and opulence spin around Ruplal House even today.

Why, though? How did this odd name come about?

The stew is a wholesome meal that combines the best in a bowl – a warm soup, spices, meat and bone marrow make up for an amazing comfort food, especially during winter.

This old image portraying Dhaka Gate has a rustic vibe — with the grass and pathway and the elephants.

Among all his accomplishments and stories -- the buildings that are attributed to his era, long years of service as a subahdar, the success of keeping rice prices low -- one curious footnote would be his royal lineage.

It was on 15 February 1982 that the National Parliament Building housed its first session. 

Many of us already know of Shaheed Shafi Imam Rumi as a valiant freedom fighter through Ekattorer Dinguli, penned down by his illustrious mother Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam. In a humble attempt to understand him more intimately, we recently interviewed his brother, Saif Imam Jami. Here, we present, a lesser-known side of the Rumi saga: the memories of a brother.

From the olden times to the present day, much has changed, but Chawk Bazar continues to be one of the commercial hubs of the capital.   

To paint a picture of what this majestic building looked like just after the catastrophe, a line from an eyewitness account may be apt here.

To illustrate, the visual featured here -- taken from the book Glimpses of Old Dhaka by Syed Muhammed Taifoor (Second edition, 1956) -- has the caption, "Ruined bridge at Tantibazar-Nowabpur Road".   

If you went to the Mohammadpur area, you would come across a splendid Mughal-era mosque: Saat Gombuj Masjid, or Seven-domed Mosque.