Farid Shaheb earned a fair bit at the office today. These days, because of the Anti Corruption Commission and newspaper journalists’ incessant pestering, he can no longer directly take the money offered to him.

“Do you think they think about us?” Asgar muttered.

I love the texture of your hair and I wanted to tell you about it in far too many words than either you or I are comfortable with.

Beyond the celebration of Eid, this book also explores themes of love, loss, and the grief of spending a special occasion without a loved one.

I stared at the row of pre-peeled and packaged tangerines sealed tightly under plastic wrap.

You tell me stories of the sea—of its waves, of how it speaks to you in a language only you can understand—whenever you write back to me.

Rank badges, small bags, books, diaries, notebooks, files… That’s when it caught Razeen’s eye: a weathered, dusty old envelope bearing a faint, unrecognisable logo.

This is an excerpt from Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's short story "Abhishapta", translated by Dipty Rahman

It is enough— Enough to be here, Beneath the bulb of a wonton shop.

I know of my feeble frame of its graying at the edges.

migratory animal Are you looking for a home?

It was the shade of the ashwath that vanquished all one’s weariness from the fiery heat of Choitro. Or else it was not possible for fatigue to be eliminated so quickly.

The night after the story got published, Jamal stormed to my home at around 11 PM, drenched in the rain. That was the first and only time Jamal raised his voice against me

"That’s why I have jars of jealousy, anger, sadness, monotony, but this – it’s important."

I will not even begin with the skies

One sits silently. Her eyes blink sometimes. Sometimes her lips tremble a little, or they don’t tremble at all.

Behind the bangles that jingle ominously in the dark, there is a voice—a voice that has long been silenced

“Residents usually get 30 days of observation period,” said the man at the reception, “but since it’s a leap year, you get an extra day.

Bolstered, the six little mice lead their army up–up–up the trunk of the poor, ravaged oak they were so desperate to save. 

After many years, Ira has returned to my town. She hops four towns to get here. We are supposed to meet today. I’ve been ready since morning. We will meet by the lakeside.