Rasheek Tabassum Mujib

For the first time, Bangladesh participated in the International Blockchain Olympiad (IBCOL) 2020, held online from July 3 to July 5. Team Digital Innovation from Dhaka University, won the Silver Medal Award for their project, Decentralized Identity and Aid Distribution: Platform for Rohingya Refugees. The competition brings out blockchain based solutions to tackle real life problems.

Since October 2018, the Digital Security Act (DSA) has been threatening freedom of speech in the country, endangering our constitutional right to information and expression. This act has been used to sue and arrest journalists, writers, and artistes over the years. Recent arrests of journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol, cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, Baul singer Shariat Boyati among many others spurred a movement against the DSA.

SONGKOLPO Foundation, a non-profit organisation, supports orphaned and underprivileged children in Dhaka, in different ways.

With the motto, ‘Chilam, Achi, Thakbo,’ seven friends, Ilhaan Abdullah, Sheikh Nashwan, Ibtesham Hossain, Faraaz Ahmed, Zarafsha Chowdhury,

Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore was an immensely talented poet, essayist, writer, spiritualist, painter, composer, educationist and novelist. He was felicitated with the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. His works have been translated in many languages and serve as an inspiration to millions even today. Even decades after his death, his legacy lives on through his words. On Tagore’s 159th birth anniversary, we take a look at some successful movies that were inspired by his creations.

In 1950, Satyajit Ray, a young graphic designer at the time, set out to make a full-length film with his savings, without any experience in filmmaking. After years of financial and other struggles, he finally finished his first film in a trilogy, Pather Panchali (1955), one of the most iconic tales in Bengali cinema. Ray won a special jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival the following year.

Born and brought up in Russia, Farzana Ridy Sheikh is a Bangladeshi dancer, choreographer, model and actor. She gained immense popularity over the years, both at home and abroad.

In a shooting unit for a film or television project, there are crew members whose contribution and hard work are fundamental to the production’s success.

The indigenous communities celebrate the beginning of the New Year with different programmes, collectively known as the Boisabi festival. The word ‘Boisabi’ is derived from ‘Boisuk’ (Tripura), ‘Sangrain’ (Marma) and ‘Biju’ (Chakma). Traditionally, Boisabi is a cultural and religious festival of the indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It is their biggest annual celebration.

In these dire times, Bangladesh lacks proper healthcare equipment and necessary protective gear for doctors and other medical professionals.

Dr Md Luthfor Rahman, a veterinary surgeon at Central Veterinary Hospital and Afzal Khan, widely known as Robin Hood – The Animal Rescuer, recently raised awareness on the Coronavirus pandemic, and debunked some of the most circulated myths about the issue.

With the theme, ‘Delivering a common future’, Commonwealth Day 2020 was celebrated worldwide recently. This year, the Commonwealth highlighted how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are 'Innovating, Connecting and Transforming' to help achieve some of their biggest goals, like protecting natural resources and boosting trade.

From the biggest international concerts and conferences to the smallest community gatherings, organisers are either cancelling, postponing or rescheduling the events over public health concerns due to coronavirus.

The transgender community are prone to discrimination and stigmatisation in our conservative society. Our constitution acknowledges all people as equal under the law. But unfortunately, the reality is quite different.

Indigenous band Madal and Institute for Environment and Development (IED) jointly hosted a cultural event, Boichitrer Oikotan, (Concert for Diversity) at the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka, recently.

Line E Ashun is a collection of short stories written by Topu Rahman, under the pen name, Chorom Udash. The book, published by Pendulum Prokashoni, has hit the stalls in this year’s Ekushey Boi Mela.

Jayanta Mondal’s first solo exhibition, Rotation of Time, is underway at Zainul Gallery, Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka. Noted artists Shishir Bhattacharjee and Rafiqun Nabi among others inaugurated the exhibition on February 23.

One of the biggest attractions of February is undoubtedly the Ekushey Boi Mela. Each year, bookworms and literary enthusiasts wait eagerly for this celebration of Bengali language, literature and culture, in remembrance of the 1952 Language Movement martyrs.

Khurshid Alam Alok’s solo photography exhibition, Banglar Apon Soudho, is underway at the National Art Plaza of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).

Parenthood is an emotional experience for many. While some parents enjoy capturing the special moments of their children through camera, while others take up different mediums.