Behind the scenes of NCTB's blunders
For a few years now, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), the largest state-owned publishing house in the world, has been immensely criticised by civil society for their misprints, factual errors and ideologically inappropriate content.
30 November 2017, 18:00 PM
The inhumane human act of animal abuse
On November 3, a video of a stray dog getting beaten in a bathroom of a residence in Kazipara in Mirpur went viral on Facebook. The dog had supposedly bitten a 12-year-old in the region and as a result, the child's uncle, the watchman of the residence, and an accomplice were punishing it.
16 November 2017, 18:00 PM
The abandoned mothers
Thirteen-year-old Rupa Akter begs on a foot over-bridge in the capital's Shewrapara area, with her eight-month-old son, Nirob. Akter lives in a makeshift house (if one can call the threadbare tarp tent a house) under the bridge—her unemployed husband left her and married another woman during her pregnancy.
2 November 2017, 18:00 PM
Financing tertiary education
Every year, after the university admission tests, we find students who score well, but cannot afford their educational expenses, and eventually drop out. Private banks, on the other hand, offer many lucrative loan products for their customers, including education loans.
26 October 2017, 18:00 PM
Are we covering suicide responsibly?
The month of October is yet to come to an end, but the country has already witnessed at least 15 deaths by suicide. It won’t be a surprise if that number increases—statistics show that thousands commit suicide in Bangladesh every year.
17 October 2017, 15:16 PM
Going gently into that good night
A look into what palliative care is available for those with life-limiting illnesses in Bangladesh.
5 October 2017, 18:00 PM
Puppetry: The dying art form
It is the year 1971. Standing beside a green paddy field, Yahya Khan and a Razakar are locked in a heated deabate against a Bengali farmer.
14 September 2017, 18:00 PM
Hustlers on the loose
Thirty-eight-year-old Anisur Rahman had decided to send his sister BDT 10,000 through a bKash outlet on his way home from work. Eid was nearby and his sister needed some extra cash. Upon reaching the outlet, Anisur discovered that he was not the only one who urgently needed to transfer money. He was asked to write down his sister Jakia Sultana's account number and wait. A few minutes later, the agent informed Anisur that his money had been transferred and asked him to call Sultana to confirm.
7 September 2017, 18:00 PM
I deserve the blue
When 13-year-old Rafiul Islam Rabby was having trouble breathing, his mother Rabeya Begum didn't take it very seriously—not initially, at least. A week after, she noticed her son was coughing and wheezing throughout the night, unable to sleep. This time, Rabeya Begum took her son to the hospital.
31 August 2017, 18:00 PM
Is 'politics' a dirty word?
With no democratic student governments in private universities, what recourse do students really have?
10 August 2017, 18:00 PM
How safe are our schools?
A recent inspection report by Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (BFSCD) classified more than 89 percent of 933 education institutions 'Risky' and nine percent 'Very Risky'.
3 August 2017, 18:00 PM
Are the students collateral damage?
We are accustomed to students protesting to postpone their exam dates. This time, however, students of seven government colleges took to the streets demanding the announcement of exam dates and timely publishing of their results.
25 July 2017, 16:49 PM
The never ending cycle
From January 2012 to June 2017, a total of 388 incidents of violence against domestic workers have taken place, and, of them, only 161 cases have been filed.
20 July 2017, 18:00 PM
A demographic time bomb?
According to the latest figures released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), around two million youths of working age are unemployed. Young university graduates are struggling the most to secure employment.
13 July 2017, 18:00 PM
What happens to our e-waste?
What do you do with the damaged battery or chargers of your cell phone? Where do you keep your fused bulbs and abandoned switches? What about obsolete computer accessories?
22 June 2017, 18:00 PM
No longer a burden
In countries like Bangladesh, where people with disabilities often face societal barriers, negative perception and discrimination, 28-year-old Humayun Kabir, who was born with physical malformation in his lower limb, believes quite the opposite.
15 June 2017, 18:00 PM
Is the polythene ban an eye-wash?
Fifteen years after the polythene bag ban, poly bags are still ruling our markets. But who are producing and distributing these non-biodegradable bags?
25 May 2017, 18:00 PM
WHY WOMEN POLICE DON'T REPORT SEXUAL VIOLENCE
When the 23-year-old constable Halima Begum was posted to her new workplace at Gouripur Thana, Mymensingh, her father, Helal Uddin Akand, was ecstatic.
18 May 2017, 18:00 PM
Can commuter trains be a viable alternative to Road transport?
When the whole city is caught up in the debate of whether local or sitting service is more conducive to commuters...
27 April 2017, 18:00 PM
Artwork for Sale, Not the Shobhajatra
At a time when it's all but impossible to organise large-scale events without corporate sponsorship, the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), popularly known as the Charukola
13 April 2017, 18:00 PM