Feda Al Hossain

Kushtia, the place where Lalon Shah spread his message of spirituality and where Rabindranath Tagore came to stay to have inspiration for a number of his writings. Located in the Khulna division in south-western Bangladesh, this city calls upon you with its mesmerizing cultural heritage and beautiful natural sites. So here are 5 places that you must visit the next time you are in Kushtia.

When we think about Rafa vs Federer, we think elegance vs swagger, endurance vs aggression. The contrasting playing styles of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has played a vital part in determining the competitiveness of their rivalry, Nadal with his heavy topspin centred ground strokes at the clay courts against Federer’s single-handed backhands at grass courts, it felt like they were destined to do this forever.

In line with the ever-changing lifestyle of everyone, the preference for TVs is also changing. To address this continuous change, Samsung is bringing new innovations to the centrefold, making them one of the top TV brands globally. Samsung Bangladesh has announced its latest line-up of TVs that features cutting edge technology, smart features and innovative designs, the launch event was held on 15 September at Smartplaza, BTI, Gulshan 1.

Women in rural Bangladesh face numerous difficulties, starting from the prospect of child marriage, lack of access to healthcare facilities, to having no say in the financial matters of the household. They are reduced to being homemakers with no recognition for their hard work. Add to that a lack of training facilities to learn new skills condemning them to live a life of misery.To address the inequality that marginalised people face worldwide, Coca Cola’s primary international philanthropic organisation, The Coca Cola Foundation was launched in 1984 and to achieve sustainable development, Coca Cola Company announced 5by20 in 2010, a global initiative to enable the economic empowerment of 5 million women entrepreneurs by 2020.

Digital content creators all around the world have been making vlogs ever since social media became popular. In Bangladesh, the current scenario is full of creators who are often placed under an umbrella term — influencers — putting up a wide array of content trying to catch the attention of netizens, one post at a time.

One of the most talented and beloved actors of this generation, Tasnia Farin, has been gracing us with her amazing and versatile works like the Zee5 show, ‘Ladies & Gentlemen,’ for which she won the award of Best Actor (Female) at the Blender’s Choice-The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2021. We caught up with her to have an enchanting conversation about her expectations, struggles, and what’s in store for her in the future.

With the aim to encourage people to come forward in helping the disabled, Suborno Nagorik Foundation, which works for the betterment of the disabled people in Bangladesh, has partnered up with United Commercial Bank (UCB) and The Daily Star to introduce a special award to recognize people with disabilities and the people around them.

Kishoreganj, a district under Dhaka division is full of diverse landscapes, greeneries and rivers alongside a rich cultural heritage. Whether it’s the scenic haors that comes alive colourfully during monsoon or sites that has a strong historical and cultural legacy, Kishoreganj is every travel enthusiast’s dream place. So, here are 5 absolute must-see places in Kishoreganj that will satisfy your wanderlust.

Zayn & Myza, a clean beauty personal care and cosmetics brand aiming to provide more than just beauty. It is the only brand in Bangladesh with a Clean Label Project Certification from the United States.

Tahoor Lifestyle, a renowned modest fashion brand, has launched a new outlet at Banani’s Manama Urban Forest Building. With modest fashion taking the world by storm in recent years, thanks to its appeal to Muslim women and fashionistas who prefer sophisticated wear, Tahoor has been a pioneering force in the fashion scene of Bangladesh since its formation in 2012.

From Sylhet to Bandarban, Bangladesh is blessed with mesmerising waterfalls. As they get lively in monsoon, the peak time to visit is between July and September. Keeping that in mind we recommend 5 must see waterfalls in Bangladesh.

Sitting and sipping your favourite drink and waiting for the sunset to witness the radiant hue of the sea — experiences on the beaches of Cox’s Bazar are enticing as ever. When it comes to beaches, chances are you will think about the most popular tourist spots like Laboni Point, Inani or Himchori. If you are looking for great alternatives, let us recommend top 5 sea beaches in Cox's Bazar. The next time you are at Cox’s Bazar, don’t forget to check out the unique beaches that soothes your wanderlust.

Whenever you think of floating markets selling fresh vegetables and fruit, the Cabiao floating market in Philippines or Damnoen Saduak market of Thailand comes to mind first. In Bangladesh however, not many people know about the floating markets that are in operation in the division of Barishal, one of them is situated in Pirojpur, famous for guavas that are sold during its peak season.

The first of its kind Bangladeshi decentralized high fashion and art NFT digital space, ‘meta moina’ was launched during a ceremony at Bistro E Club Room in Dhaka recently. Bangladeshi Web 3.0 fashion label 1972ninteenseventytwo introduced this future shop concept as NFTs are increasingly becoming popular as a way to buy and sell digital artwork.

House of Ahmed, founded by the husband-and-wife duo of Ahmed Tuhin Reza and Tanzila Elma, is a premium, sustainable clothing designer brand that promotes works of local artisans. They have launched their co-design studio, House of Ahmed Lounge, where consumers can co-create their outfits and be a part of the design journey.

Shanta Lifestyle’s home décor Experience Centre has been launched in Dhaka. The initiative has brought international quality home décor items for patrons in the city through partnerships with award winning global brands such as Moletni & C, Cattelan Italia, Natuzzi and others. The centre aims to present luxurious home ideas for people to experience in reality before buying it for their homes.

The third edition of Ora Egaro Jon, presented by Bangladesh Art Week, a voice of Bangladesh’s art industry that provides a platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their artwork in an international context, brought together internationally renowned and established Bangladeshi artists alongside invited younger artists. Bangladesh Art Week introduced A.R.E (Augmented Reality Exhibition), a collection of portable generative art showcasing the work of 11 female artists at Dhaka Gallery, a concept that brings together some of the best generative art in South Asia, offering a uniquely immersive art experience.

Bata in Bangladesh is synonymous with footwear, be it the formal shoes for the office going crowd or the glitzy high heels for the summer night parties. Keeping true to their tradition, Bata Bangladesh has brought a huge collection of footwear for this Eid that will complement the trendy side of you while at the same time not foregoing comfort and reliability.

Clothes are an essential part of everyone’s Eid shopping wish list. This Eid, SaRa Lifestyle, a sister concern of Snowtex group, is presenting a wide collection of fashion wears that will catch everyone’s eyes.

Summer in Bangladesh is a special time for anyone who likes fruits, especially for the variety of mangoes, jackfruit and all other local sweet fruit varieties. Starting off in May, fruit markets all over Bangladesh are now flooded with mangoes of various types, qualities, and varieties. If you among the lucky who can access mangoes straight from the hubs like Rajshahi, Chapai Nawabganj, and Satkhira, great! But for the rest of us living away from the mango heaven, here is a simple guide to shop for the delicious king of fruits, particularly in the capital.