Surveillance capitalism and the right to privacy
“Surveillance is the business model of the internet”—Bruce Schneier, security expert and privacy specialist
8 September 2019, 18:00 PM
'Whether we win or lose, we are not going to be on their side'
"Ultimately, in the long run, whether we win or lose, we are not going to be on their side. So we might as well do what we have to do as well as we can."
6 March 2019, 18:00 PM
Rethinking our digital priorities
On April 14, 2016, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with the aim of giving control to people over their personal data, recognising certain “digital” rights that individuals are entitled to regarding how their personal data is collected and used.
3 March 2019, 18:00 PM
The unexplored treasures of old Bengali manuscripts
Dr Md Shahjahan Mian, Professor of the Department of Bengali, Dhaka University talks to Shamsuddoza Sajen and Moyukh Mahtab about the importance of studying and preserving old Bengali manuscripts to write a comprehensive history of the Bengali speaking region.
24 February 2019, 18:00 PM
Recovering the stories of the Armenians of Asia
Liz Chater, a family history researcher based in the UK, has been working on the Armenian communities in South Asia since 2010. Currently, she is working with the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection in Armanitola on the Bangladesh Armenian Heritage Project, which aims to "build the stories, starting from the ground up" of the Armenian communities of Bangladesh and India. In an interview over email with Moyukh Mahtab, she talks of her own heritage, which led her to her research interest, and of her past and present projects.
17 February 2019, 18:00 PM
The gaps in our laws we need to address
Sabrina Zarin, Barrister-at-Law, (Hon'ble Society or Lincoln's Inn, UK) and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Partner in FM Associates, talks to The Daily Star's Moyukh Mahtab about needed reforms in sexual violence and harassment laws in Bangladesh and the importance of raising awareness, especially among children.
6 February 2019, 18:00 PM
Is DMP's action plan enough to fix our roads?
Apparently “inspired” by last year's safe road movement, the DMP has come up with yet another action plan to deal with Dhaka's anarchic—to put it mildly— traffic situation.
16 January 2019, 18:00 PM
Punitive drug policies don't work
Naomi Burke-Shyne, Executive Director of Harm Reduction International, and international NGO “dedicated to reducing the negative health, social and legal impacts of drug use and drug policy”, talks to The Daily Star's Moyukh Mahtab (over e-mail) about the global failure of wars on drugs, and how a health-based approach to drug policy could save lives and promote the well-being of citizens.
18 December 2018, 18:00 PM
The mother of Chotti Munda
"I think a creative writer should have a social conscience. I have a duty toward society. . . This sense of of duty is an obsession, and I must remain accountable to myself."
30 July 2016, 18:00 PM
Bengal's 'Ocean of Knowledge'
Compared to Ram Mohan's approach of creating a separate society (Brahmo Samaj) as social reformation to rid society of practices he condemned, Ishwar Chandra had a more inclusive approach. Arguably his greatest achievement was the role he played in the passage of the Widow Remarriage Act.
29 July 2016, 18:00 PM
How could this happen again?
Where do you even begin when talking about the murder of 10-year-old Sagar Barman? That it was inhumane he was killed by pumping air into his body through his rectum?
26 July 2016, 18:00 PM
The lost histories of the Bengali Harlem
Vivek Bald reconstructs the forgotten stories and communities of Bengalis in America from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
22 July 2016, 18:00 PM
Whose fault is it anyway?
One would assume that a job entails its holder to carry out his responsibilities ethically and with sincerity, especially when it comes to
1 July 2016, 18:00 PM
When the Santhals rebelled
The Scottish historian William Wilson Hunter, who was also a member of the Indian Civil Service, in his book Annals of Rural Bengal
24 June 2016, 18:00 PM
Collective indifference or silent acceptance?
When blogger Rajib Haider was killed in 2013, the outcry was tremendous. But, over the next three years, at least 38 more were added to the list of those murdered, which includes writers, publisher, foreigners, religious minorities and LGBT rights activists.
22 June 2016, 18:00 PM
The futility of the debate
It is somehow taken for granted, by students and parents alike, that there is a fundamental difference between students of Bangla medium and English medium schools. This division carries on to higher education as well.
1 June 2016, 18:00 PM
Confusing war with liberation
It seems all those gushing about the game ['Heroes of 71: Retaliation'], when thinking about the Liberation War, focus on the 'war' and forget the 'liberation'-liberation from the communalism, colonialism and the repression by West Pakistan. We get too easily swayed by nationalistic pride of having won in 1971 to look at the issues of endemic rape, murder, repression and corruption that still plague the country.
5 April 2016, 18:00 PM
How quiet people can make a stronger impression in meetings
Meetings are usually intimidating, and if you are not someone who can talk your way out of criminal cases, speaking up where you are supposed to contribute can be very difficult. And if you are the big boss, having an introverted team member can be challenging. It's not that these people don't have anything to
17 March 2016, 18:00 PM
The right way to answer: "Tell me about yourself"
First impressions last a life time. For this reason, they matter—and while it might not be as important as the impression you make on
25 February 2016, 18:00 PM
The burden of remembrance
When history is malleable, when it can be made to fit whatever version we want it to, then the cynical definition of
15 December 2015, 18:00 PM
Get psyched: The ultimate pre-presentation playlist
People have weird pre-presentation rituals. Some sit quietly in their happy place to feel all positive and butterfly-ish, while others like to punch every wall to their right and left till their knuckles are bloody. But the most common ritual for people to get all pumped to ace that speech is to listen to music.
10 December 2015, 18:00 PM
Ghosts of war crimes past
Four decades is much too long a wait for justice. The ICT was not about revenge, as many would and do simplistically reduce it to — it is about coming to terms with history.
23 November 2015, 18:00 PM
Selective outrage and the death of ideas
Is faith that shaky that all who oppose or debate need to be eliminated so that we can live in a world of conformity?
3 November 2015, 18:00 PM
Team building dos and don’ts
There was an episode of House of Cards where Frank Underwood's henchman kept cutting off a colleague from speaking, with words to the effect of 'you are here to listen, keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking.' Frank gets angry and tells him that he should stop playing office politics when there is a crisis at hand. That is definitely not how a good team works.
29 October 2015, 18:00 PM
The new baby at work
If you thought university was tough and the days of being bullied, waking up early to get to class on time and assignments that you
1 October 2015, 18:00 PM
Lose your phone, not your data
If you are one of those unfortunate who has gotten mugged, I sympathise. Losing your phone, especially today when we practically live on it, can be difficult. But more important and valuable than your phone is the massive amount of personal data, pictures and files that is not at the hands of someone else. While there are steps you should take the soonest your phone has been lost to you, there are a few steps before hand that gives an extra layer of security which could make all the difference.
20 September 2015, 18:00 PM
Things you should be doing for your career in your 20s
There are some things every person in their 20s when starting work should keep in mind.
17 September 2015, 18:00 PM
Instant inspiration
Inspiration is hard to come by, and even the muses tend to be lazy in a country like ours. Of course you can sit under a blanket, crank up the Beethoven and hope that inspiration strikes. Or you can just head on over to these sites – see what people are making, get ideas and put them to use.
3 September 2015, 18:00 PM