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Dowel Biswas

Dowel is always thinking about a million things at once and writes to make sense of it all. Feel free to send her your thoughts at ddowelbiswas@gmail.com

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Inside Dana Wyse’s pharmacy of desire

28 February 2026, 09:00 AM
Dana’s arrival in Bangladesh carried the strange familiarity of a travelling salesperson, except that nothing she sells intends to cure anything at all.
28 February 2026, 09:00 AM
Pratul Mukhopadhyay

Pratul Mukhopadhyay, a personification of Ekushey February’s spirit

20 February 2026, 09:07 AM
Mukhopadhyay lived through the fractures of partition, the uncertainties of migration, and the routines of middle-class survival. Politics was inherited consciousness, not a slogan. Songwriting became a ledger of conscience: a daily reckoning with history, place, and identity. His voice quivered at the edges, not from lack of technique, but from the weight of feeling itself. Being Bengali was not taught; it had to be experienced.
20 February 2026, 09:07 AM
Bangladesh election symbols

‘Marka’ : The symbols mapping decades of political legacy

11 February 2026, 19:06 PM
Electoral symbols in Bangladesh are semiotic anchors, mapping decades of political life into objects instantly recognised by voters. Embedded in the textures of daily life, their meanings are layered, historically rooted, and culturally resonant. They also function as tools that can shape perception and nudge voter psychology.
11 February 2026, 19:06 PM
Chhayanaut Udichi Shilpigoshthi attack

Ashes of archives, songs of resilience: Chhayanaut and Udichi still undeterred

23 December 2025, 10:18 AM
When cultural institutions crumble, archives burn, and instruments shatter, it is not merely walls that vanish—it is memory, identity, and moral courage. Culture cannot be revised; it is what history has written. Every assault upon it shakes the quiet foundations of a nation’s conscience.
23 December 2025, 10:18 AM
Ekhane Rajnoitik Alaap Joruri

‘Ekhane Rajnoitik Alaap Joruri’: Sunny’s bold political statement

12 December 2025, 03:01 AM
For Sunny, the film is not “urgent” — a word he resists — but it offers a revision of political history told through lived experience rather than rhetoric. “We’ve been mistreated by the British, by India, by Pakistan, by our own governments. These layers flow through the film. If it does anything, it helps us see where we stand politically, socially, and economically. And honestly, no one needs to watch a film. Sometimes not watching is the best choice.”
12 December 2025, 03:01 AM
‘Aloker Jhorna-Dharay’ pays luminous tribute to Rabindranath Tagore

‘Aloker Ei Jhorna-Dharay’ pays luminous tribute to Rabindranath Tagore

2 December 2025, 11:49 AM
Last evening, that engagement unfolded with both reverence and vitality at “Aloker Ei Jhorna-Dharay” (The Eternal Illumination), a collaborative tribute by the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka and HSBC Bangladesh.
2 December 2025, 11:49 AM
Ritwik Kumar Ghatak and Protiti Devi Birth Centenary Celebration Committee

Legends commemorate Ritwik Ghatak and Protiti Devi’s birth centenary

3 November 2025, 04:54 AM
At Chhayanaut’s Ramesh Chandra Dutta Memorial Hall on Sunday, nostalgia met reverence as artists, activists, and admirers gathered to celebrate the birth centenary of filmmaker Ritwik Kumar Ghatak and his twin sister, singer Protiti Devi.
3 November 2025, 04:54 AM
Fakir Lalon Shah

No ceremony can contain Fakir Lalon Shah, yet it is crucial

16 October 2025, 18:05 PM
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has turned this remembrance into a national homage — a three-day festival from October 17 to 19 at Lalon’s resting ground in Cheuriya. There will be music, discourse, and a fair that carries the rhythm of his spirit.
16 October 2025, 18:05 PM
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‘Everything Is Nothing’ to compete at France’s Cineplay Int’l Film Fest

The short film has been selected to compete at the festival on January 5. After being declared as a finalist on Wednesday, it will be screened on January 15, informed Arafat Mohsin Nidhi, director of the production, to The Daily Star.
10 January 2024, 13:46 PM
songs of 12th general election campaigns

The melody of the polls: Sometimes genius, sometimes obnoxious

While every alleyway, street and locality has been adorned with posters, the most impressive promotion of this election is perhaps the innovative and catchy songs that are being played at political stalls, through mikes, moving vans and rickshaws.
4 January 2024, 18:05 PM
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Empowering Bangladeshi women: Mano a mano with Sara Zaker

Founded by Jude Kelly CBE, WOW - Women of the World is an international festival that started its journey in 2021 in Bangladesh. It organises community events nationwide by offering a platform to celebrate the voices of women and girls, whether living within or beyond the margins of society.
20 December 2023, 18:06 PM
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Representing Bengal’s Gaudiya Nritya on the world stage

Gaudiya Nritya is a Bengali classical dance originating in Gaur, Bengal, the ancient capital of the region. Gaudiya Nritya is a composite art form representing the pre-colonial division of larger Bengal with a unique combination of music, history, poetry, literature, drama and rhythm.
12 December 2023, 18:05 PM
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Prachyanat to conclude triumphant year with ‘Koinna’

The popular theatre troupe is going to conclude a glorious year with one of its initial plays, eminent thespian Azad Abul Kalam directorial “Koinna”, being staged at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Wednesday (December 13) at 7 PM .
11 December 2023, 08:13 AM
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Singing her way to national glory

Talented singer Atiya Anisha became a household name in the Bangladeshi film and music industry with her crowd-favorite playback singles like “Cholo Niralay” from the movie “Poran”, “Jadur Ayna” from the web-film “Antonagar”, and more. Recently, she received the Best Singer Award in the female category for the song “Ei Shohorer Pothe Pothe” from the movie “Payer Chhaap”, at the Bangladesh National Film Awards. The talented songstress dropped by The Daily Star for a chat.
1 December 2023, 18:05 PM
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Brushstrokes of solidarity: Fundraiser exhibition sheds light on war-torn Palestine

To a practised eye, the images, paintings, satirical cartoons and visuals of Palestine, a country with a very rich heritage, art and cultural background and which has been diminished to the verge of destruction, where humanity is barely surviving, did not seem any less or more than what it is: A targeted cultural persecution.
30 November 2023, 14:07 PM
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Theaterian’s Death of a Salesman: The tragedy of a common man is still relevant 

Theaterian’s first production and 14th show of the famous play brought about the torturous despair of existence and set the stage on fire with eclectic performances throughout its 2:30-hour run-time at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s National Theatre Hall on Tuesday.
23 November 2023, 04:00 AM
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Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage: Still a long way to go?

Recognising the cultural construct of the state, Lubna Marium emphasises that any threat to culture hampers societal progress, national unity, and diversity. To address this, she has spearheaded the establishment of a comprehensive Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory (ICH) through Shadhona.
21 November 2023, 17:35 PM
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Humayun Ahmed and his quiet, subtle humanist stances

There is a great debate on his inclination towards choosing safer routes as a laureate; critics always said he downplayed his capabilities and did not utilize his literary brilliance on social and political instances much; rather, he opted for popular and contemporary content, a discussion popular among critics and fans alike.
13 November 2023, 13:23 PM
Shah Rukh Khan, the man behind the silver screen

Shah Rukh Khan, the man behind the silver screen

Shah Rukh Khan, the megastar of Indian cinema, ascended to superstardom with his blockbuster hits over the span of his three-decade-long career. Yet the superstar's unequivocal popularity cannot be defined by his substantial net worth or the movies that made him what he is today.
2 November 2023, 13:55 PM
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12th Annual Ganga Jamuna Cultural Fest concludes on a grand note

In an interview with the Daily Star, eminent cultural icon and convener of the Festival Committee, Ghulam Kuddus, mentioned, "Despite severe weather conditions, traffic congestion, and other issues, we received a positive response from the audience. Although our audience numbers were lower this year, those who attended thoroughly enjoyed the performances."
17 October 2023, 18:02 PM
Ganga Jamuna theatre festival going strong

Ganga Jamuna theatre festival going strong

Ganga Jamuna Cultural and Theatre Festival tantalises the audience with a plethora of performances, dance recitals, and art. A massive crowd has greeted the festival every day up till now, and The twelve-day-long festival will still continue for six more days.
11 October 2023, 10:23 AM
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Ganga Jamuna cultural festival kicks off with splendour and zeal

One of the country's largest cultural initiatives, the Ganga-Jamuna Theatre and Cultural Festival, commenced with grandeur at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Friday.
7 October 2023, 05:59 AM
‘Mrittika Mohey’: The homebound call of a travelling artist

‘Mrittika Mohey’: The homebound call of a travelling artist

The title of the art exhibition, “Mrittika Mohey”, by Karu Titas, signifies a homebound call of one’s root and the mystifying allure of it. It suggests that the destination is merely an illusion of completion, while the true significance lies in the journey itself.
25 September 2023, 18:05 PM
Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay: Ray’s greatest creative inspiration

Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay: Ray’s greatest creative inspiration

Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, the prodigal son of Bengal, remains an icon of breathtaking narrative style with a distinguished body of work. Today, on his 129th birth anniversary, this article revisits the instance when the author met the brilliant Satyajit Ray for the collaboration that weaved and shaped itself in the history of Bengal’s art and literature.
12 September 2023, 13:35 PM
‘Music connected us both’

‘Music connected us both’

Rahul Ananda concluded on a serious note, “I don't actually know. I am just doing my work. Some of my work takes me to places, into some people's minds and lives, and that’s how I connect to people myself, spiritually and philosophically. That is the wonder of music and life for me, and I feel that is what connected us both.”
11 September 2023, 11:54 AM
Love Letters: A tale of unrequited passion

Love Letters: A tale of unrequited passion

“Love Letters” remains a haunting tale of unrequited love and missed opportunities, melancholy, loneliness, and desolation. In its oblique and unaffected way, the play illustrates the universal truth that so much of life, if not all, is a solitary journey, a letter we write only to ourselves.
11 September 2023, 03:00 AM
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Sachin Dev Burman Sangeet Utsav concludes at BSA

Growing up listening to timeless melodies like "Ke Jash Re", and "Tumi Aar Nei Se Tumi", the name Sachin Dev Burman needs no introduction to Bangla song lovers. To pay homage to the legendary lyricist and composer, cultural organisation Banhishikha organised “Sachin Dev Burman Sangeet Utsav, a two-day musical festival, at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.
10 September 2023, 03:01 AM
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Celebrating the legacy of SD Burman

Thanks to timeless melodies like “Ke Jash Re”, and “Tumi Aar Nei Se Tumi”, the name Sachin Dev Burman needs no introduction to Bangla song lovers.
9 September 2023, 18:00 PM

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