Mannan Mashhur Zarif

Hot and humid, the Bangladeshi monsoon can create havoc on your skin. The merciless heatwave that we experience even in the rainy season makes the skin vulnerable to increased secretion from sebaceous glands. This makes the skin appear oily; dry skin becomes rough and patchy.

A casual Google search started it all. Apparently, the number of people “killed” by donkeys is greater than the number of lives claimed in plane accidents annually!

If you think buying a cattle is difficult, try bringing it home from the market!

On any given Jaishtha or high summer day, fruit vendors ply the streets of the city selling delicious seasonal fruits. Jaishtha -- the second month of the Bangla calendar, is also called “mishtimash” or “madhumash” because of the wide array of fruits available during this time. It is as if the season compensates for the discomfort of the hot and humid climate with the sweetness of deshi fruits.

In the sweltering heat of a Bangladeshi summer, our bodies crave something different. Rather than sticking to our usual diet, one needs to bring change in their food habits.

One does need a dose of romance — even a dash of lunacy perhaps — to appreciate a full moon night, but to those who eagerly wait to behold nature’s symphony, it is an ethereal experience.

Unlike women, men often tend to grieve in silence. They prefer to be left alone or try to lose themselves in diversions like work or jumping into getting involved in new relationships.

Truth be told, I had no idea Wife Appreciation Day was an occasion to celebrate. Despite constant reminders on social media by media houses that it was “the day” to honour the significant other, and pretty much every married man on my friends list showering their love for their better halves on Facebook, I decided to let the occasion pass.

The number of people with disability in Bangladesh is high. While most people in this group are yet to be covered under a general education scheme, those who do attain a degree find it difficult to get suitable jobs. To help people with disabilities find employment in the job market, the Bangladesh Business & Disability Network (BBDN) has been working with its member organisations and other stakeholders in the industry since 2016.

Parenting does not come with a manual or a guide. I am repeatedly being told that every pregnancy is unique, and every child born will be unique.

Warzones of the 1971 War were many, and political confrontations were often fought thousands of miles away from the battleground. Case in point, London — the bustling metropolis where expat Bengalis, and people with conscience of all nationalities launched a civil protest, and thus began a diplomatic struggle against the Pakistani military junta.

 Recently, there has been much talk about sex education — long considered a social taboo in Bangladesh. Specialists agree that comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) should be an integral part of school curriculum, and that in an ideal setting, it should begin at home.

Unfortunate as it may be, we still do not live in such a world. Gender equality is a far cry under most circumstances, but we are working together in our society to eradicate discrimination at all levels.

Designers across town will vouch for the fact that although festivities calm down at the end of winter, the proverbial ‘wedding season’ is now a yearlong phenomenon.

It has been 70 years since that fateful February morning.

Fifty years have now passed since that glorious day in December 1971 when we achieved victory after a battle for nine months.

When Honey Ryder rises from the waters in a daring costume with conch shells in her hands and a dagger by her side, the world took notice.

The impossible has happened. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp et al — social media, as we know it, was down for some six hours. And, we survived!

Galleri Kaya celebrates its 17th founding anniversary through a soon to be inaugurated exhibit at its Uttara premises beginning Friday, 8 October 2021. The eagerly anticipated annual event is set to exhibit some 72 artworks from 32 modern and contemporary artists. It will be an opportunity for connoisseurs and art lovers alike to experience works by some of the greatest names in the local art scene.

The days have turned hot and sultry; the nights and the mornings have cooled down. This year, autumn comes soaked in the dew of renewed optimism, albeit not without its dash of melancholia.