In Focus
An Untold History of Bengali Migrants in Malaya and Singapore
During the 1980s and 1990s, a new wave of Bangladeshi migrants, comprising mainly unskilled workers, led to a widespread perception of Bengali migrants as itinerant labourers and temporary workers in the Malay Peninsula.
12 January 2025, 18:00 PM
The Tale of Ramna Racecourse
In 1825, Charles Dowes, the then Magistrate of Dhaka, initiated the clearing of the Ramna jungle using prison labour. He enclosed an oval-shaped area with wooden railings and introduced horse racing competitions. From that time, the white colonial officials and residents of Dhaka found a source of recreation at the racecourse.
5 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Brains before bridges: Prioritising human capital over infrastructure
A glance at the recent history of the world’s most developed nations reveals a compelling truth: no country has ever achieved sustainable development without first investing in education and research.
29 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Growth of National Consciousness
Although the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state is a fact of recent history, this country has been the home of an ancient civilization.
22 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Wartime treatment: The heroes who saved lives, silently
While the armed freedom fighters fought valiantly on the battlefield during the 1971 war, a quieter yet equally crucial battle was being waged on the medical front.
15 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Gender and Genocide in Bangladesh
History is complicated; simplifying it is the work of politicians. My research on Bangladesh challenges the national memory of the 1971 war, as represented at the Liberation War Museum.
9 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Dreaming about Ladyland
More than a century ago, revered Bengali writer Begum Rokeya in her short story Sultana’s Dream had visualized futuristic inventions like solar cookers, atmospheric water generators and flying air-cars. She dreamt of Ladyland as a feminist utopia without crime, the death penalty and epidemics. Here men were shut indoors and responsible for childcare and household chores, while women with “quicker” brains pursued science and shaped inventions.
3 December 2024, 18:00 PM
The Faces behind ‘Made in Bangladesh’
In a conversation with Lamia Karim, professor of anthropology at the University of Oregon, Eugene, about her research on Bangladesh's RMG workers.
24 November 2024, 18:00 PM
The Journey of British-Bengali Women in Higher Education
In recent years, British-Bengali women have made significant strides in higher education, challenging stereotypes and overcoming systemic barriers. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this article delves into their journey, highlighting the challenges and achievements of these young women as they navigate their way through university and beyond.
17 November 2024, 18:00 PM
The Last Romantic
In 1961, the Arts Faculty of the University of Dhaka was still located at the southern end of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. It was there, under the high-ceilinged rooms with their antique benches that Dr Khan Sarwar Murshid taught the MA English Preliminary students.
10 November 2024, 18:00 PM
Blood on the Barred Walls: The 1975 Jail Killing Revisited
In 1975, Bangladesh’s political landscape was irrevocably altered by the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and almost his entire family (except for his two daughters, who were abroad) at their Dhanmondi 32 residence.
2 November 2024, 18:00 PM
From Sultanate to Mughal: The Architectural Legacy of Bengal
In conversation with Professor Perween Hasan, distinguished historian and expert on architecture of the Indian subcontinent
27 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and the Muslim Renaissance in South Asia
This year marks the 207th birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who was born into a prominent family with ties to the Mughal court in Delhi on 17 October 1817, and passed away on 27 March 1898.
20 October 2024, 18:00 PM
From Controversy to Classic: Lal Shalu After 75 Years
Syed Waliullah’s (1922-1971) debut novel Lal Shalu drew significant attention upon its release but faced mixed reviews, including outright rejection. Since then, it has been translated into multiple languages, adapted for the stage, and made into a film. Today, it is regarded as the first major modern novel by a Bengali Muslim writer.
13 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Abul Hashim and Revisiting the United Bengal Plan (1946-47)
Fifty years ago, in October 1974, Abul Hashim, a prominent political leader of the then dissolved Bengal Provincial Muslim League (BPML) breathed his last in Bangladesh, leaving behind an important political legacy now long forgotten.
7 October 2024, 18:00 PM
“Reform must come from the people”
The 1969 Mass Uprising was primarily focused on achieving either provincial autonomy or independence, which ultimately led to the Liberation War in 1971.
29 September 2024, 18:00 PM
The luckless president & an American icon !
As I was completing my undergraduate program in USA, the American Presidential election of 1976 came up.
22 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Abdullah: The novel that pioneered a new era in Bengali literature
Kazi Imdadul Huq’s novel Abdullah, written nearly a century ago, is regarded as one of the first modern novels by a Bengali Muslim writer. Initially known for his poetry and children’s literature, Huq transitioned into a notable prose writer, offering profound insights into history, culture, and society. Abdullah was his only novel, published posthumously, and it has since become a milestone in Bengali literature, earning enduring acclaim from readers.
15 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Reading Akhteruzzaman Elias after an uprising
Firdous Azim: There has been an uprising in Bangladesh.
8 September 2024, 18:00 PM
The Bengali Mahanayika & Mahanayak
On November 29, 1957, the Bengali-language newspaper Jugantor carried an advertisement placed by the management of Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s (MGM) Metro Film Hall of Kolkata.
1 September 2024, 18:00 PM