Maisha Islam Monamee

The Ekushey Boi Mela provides ample opportunities for young authors to showcase their talents. Star Youth, The Daily Star, caught up with seven such authors to find out about their aspirations, and more.

Munzereen Shahid is an emerging online content creator and educator, from Bangladesh. Through her conversation skills and unconventional methods of imparting knowledge, she has impacted the lives of many. She recently received the Silver Play Button from YouTube, after crossing 100,000 subscribers on the platform. Her YouTube channel currently has over 170,000 subscribers.

Tabassum Ahmed initiated #dhakainred, a photo series on Instagram, to showcase the beauty of Dhaka. We spoke to participants of the series on the Independence Day of Bangladesh.

Celebrating the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence, a ten-day programme, "Mujib Chirantan", began on March 17 at the capital's National Parade Square. The eighth day of the event began with the theme, "Shanti, Mukti O Manobotar Ogrodut", acknowledging Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a pioneer of peace, freedom, and humanity. Be it the famine of 1943 or the communal riots of 1947, Bangabandhu always stood beside those in need and believed in the power of peaceful protests.

The Ekushey Boi Mela, which was inaugurated on March 18, 2021, is stretching out across an expanded space of 1500,000 sq ft to accommodate the 834 stalls allocated to 540 organisations this year.

With admission tests of different public and private universities approaching and coaching centres being closed, candidates may be in a dilemma about their preparation strategies. The last few weeks before an admission test can be tiring. Here is a list of tips to ensure that you are on the right track.

TransEnd, a social welfare organisation that works to empower the transgender community, recently began their vaccine registration drive. They began the drive in the last week of February, and have registered more than 35 transgender individuals for the first dose of vaccination against Covid-19.

“Through this initiative, we provide a platform for women to inspire and empower each other. Screening for this particular exhibition’s open-call is never conducted based on artistic skills, as we focus more on the theme interpretations,” shared Aisha Siddiqua, Program Assistant, EMK Center.

Team Bertho is a storytelling collective, initiated by a group of friends in 2016. “We present human experiences through creative mediums,” shared Murshidul Alam Bhuiyan, the director of the collective.

Hellfire is at once a book about patriarchy and the toxic strand of matriarchy that supports it. Through the lives of sisters Lovely and Beauty, both kept from socialisation and even attending school deep into middle age, the novel captures near perfectly the convoluted blueprint of life for South Asian women.

The Covid-19 pandemic witnessed several youth-based organisations step into action. From distributing food and groceries among underprivileged communities to raising awareness about the spread of the virus, youth organisations played an active role in helping the nation combat the pandemic. With vaccination drives being conducted across the nation, resuming normal lives finally seems like a possibility.

In these times of uncertainty, it helps to have something constant in your life. So, if you have an endless flow of tasks, commitments, and reminders bogging you down, or if you’re looking to become more organised, keeping a bullet journal can be productive. These aesthetically pleasing blank notebooks, turned into works of art, have become popular on social media during the last decade. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you start bullet journaling.

Established in 2017, The Johnson & Johnson One Young World (JJOYW) Scholarship Program recognises young leaders who are striving to leave behind an extraordinary impact in healthcare.

The event witnessed participation from people of all ages, from toddlers to adults.

Following the theme, A(ma)r Bhashay A(ma)r Bishsho, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) recently concluded their three-day celebrations of International Mother Language Day. The programme was inaugurated by Professor Jahirul Haque, Vice Chancellor, ULAB. During the first day, the organisers conducted a video screening of letters written to mothers in 21 different languages and shared an audio-play entitled "Kajol" from Kolkata. This was followed by an interactive session on German tongue twisters and superstitious beliefs.

Ever since its inception in 2012, Jog Art Space has been working with artistes and viewers to create a space that allows cultural conversations to bloom. By allowing people to interact and connect, it has blended various art forms into a multidisciplinary street art show. Their collective exhibition, entitled "Cheragi Art Show Bhinno'' is currently underway in "Chobi Mela Shunno”, at DrikPath Bhobon, Panthapath.

"Go Back To Roots'', a solo project by artist Joydeb Roaja, is currently on exhibit in "Chobi Mela Shunno'' at DrikPath Bhobon, Panthapath. It features 10 artworks, along with a video, and attempts to highlight the cultural identities of indigenous communities in the hill tracts of Chattogram.

“[Off] Limits”, a group exhibition currently underway in “Chobi Mela Shunno” at DrikPath Bhobon, features projects by fourteen South Asian artistes. As a part of the festival’s intention of celebrating and promoting art, the photographs on display focus on life amidst the pandemic, while also looking back at the past to reminiscence over elements that have been forgotten.

''Chobi Mela Shunno'', currently underway at DrikPath Bhobon, celebrated Solidarity Day on February 15. A panel discussion featuring female journalists and photojournalists was held on that day. Moderated by Saydia Gulrukh, the discussion featured Joyeeta Roy, staff journalist at Bangladesh Protidin, Sabina Yasmine, staff photojournalist at Prothom Alo, Sadia Marium, member of the Kaali collective and Zyma Islam, staff reporter at The Daily Star.

Bangladesh has witnessed an alarming increase in cases of gender-based violence over the past few years. According to Ain o Salish Kendra, 1,627 women were raped in 2020. Cases of domestic violence, sexual harassment and cyberbullying have also been on the rise.