Nahaly Nafisa Khan

Nahaly Nafisa Khan is a writer and journalist. She is working as a sub-editor at The Daily Star's City Desk.

All you need to know about fire safety in residential buildings

In 2022, the fire service officials in Dhaka evaluated 1,162 buildings and labelled 136 of them as “extremely risky” and 499 as “risky” in terms of fire hazards. The recent incidents in Bailey Road, Moghbazar and Narayanganj demand a closer inspection of the risks of fire hazards not only in commercial buildings but also in residential ones, especially when it comes to highrises.

14 September 2024, 18:00 PM

‘Safety over aesthetics is my core philosophy’

The Daily Star (TDS): What inspired you to become an architect, and how did you start your journey in this field?

14 September 2024, 18:00 PM

Bridging the Gap Enhancing Financial Services for SMEs

The SME sector currently contributes approximately 30-32% to Bangladesh’s GDP, showcasing substantial potential to emerge as a leading driver of economic growth in the country in the foreseeable future.

26 June 2024, 18:00 PM

'That Coca-Cola ad' only proves the power of boycott

A global brand trying to tell us that we are immature or ignorant for feeling this way is not acceptable.

12 June 2024, 07:20 AM

What does the recognition of European nations mean for Palestine?

However, the recognition, in practical terms, is only a symbolic move.

6 June 2024, 06:30 AM

Reimagining the urban environment with rivers

What good is a river to a city? Imagine strolling along the riverbanks on a lazy afternoon or just returning home from work. The picturesque sight that a river offers to city dwellers has its own charm. A river, as they say, has something to offer everyone.

4 June 2024, 18:00 PM

Why people will and won't cast their vote

One more vote, one vote fewer: Why people will and won't go to polls

The Daily Star asked two young voters to explain their decisions as the 12th parliamentary election rolls out.

7 January 2024, 01:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / The Runaway Boy: A promise not delivered

The Runway Boy (Eka, 2020), written by Manoranjan Byapari and translated from Bangla by V Ramaswamy, delivers an accurate portrayal of postcolonial Bengal,

18 October 2023, 18:00 PM

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Home is where my books are

How do you pack 25 years of your life in two suitcases?

13 July 2023, 06:25 AM

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Anuradha Roy's book of longing and belonging

In Hindu mythology, the figure of the flaming, underwater horse has been repeatedly used to represent balance and harmony—a state in which both the elements of fire and water can coexist.

25 May 2023, 01:27 AM

How the landless are leading the fight against sexual violence in schools

In 2009, the High Court issued a directive that requires active anti-sexual harassment cells in all educational institutions and workplaces. The landless organisations used RTI to find out how many schools in their locality had complied with the HC directive.

2 April 2023, 08:06 AM

Anti-Sexual Harassment Cells: ‘No one to listen until we make ourselves heard’

Mehnaz (not her real name), a student of Chittagong University, was sexually harassed by a group of men on her campus a few months ago.

5 January 2023, 01:20 AM

How Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children’ changed my life

Metaphors have never made more sense to me than when these two swapped but intertwined lives personified India and Pakistan, the two newborn countries, whose births were marked by blood, pain and trauma.

14 August 2022, 13:15 PM

Of ‘tantrism’ and trickery

Faruk, a poultry dealer in Karwan Bazar who hails from Laxmipur, got married to his childhood sweetheart from the same village he used to live in. While they were staying in Dhaka, his wife got pregnant with their first child. But then, the couple had an altercation, and his wife went back to the village to stay with her parents.

13 August 2022, 03:30 AM

Road Safety in Bangladesh: Demanded, yet Undelivered

On this week, 4 years ago, school and college students protested to ensure road safety for all.

4 August 2022, 00:00 AM

Home, not a cage. Safety, not a curfew.

This is 2022. Imagine asking for security from your own alma mater and being caged as part of the solution.

23 July 2022, 14:00 PM

The root of our unhappiness: When the personal becomes political

I woke up from a Covid-induced fever dream to this news: Bangladesh has ranked seventh among the world's angriest, saddest, and most stressed nations, according to the 2022 Global Emotions Report.

6 July 2022, 10:51 AM

Where are our public spaces?

A lack of safe public spaces in Dhaka has aggravated a lot of issues, especially among the youth.

16 June 2022, 00:00 AM

The story behind “Everyday Stories”

Each of them represented a unique crisis that women in our country are most frequently faced with, and when I had their stories assembled, I knew this was what I was looking for.

13 June 2022, 14:03 PM

Of grief, longing and 'Chiltey Roud'

Grief can be both excruciating and cathartic.

18 May 2022, 14:00 PM

What enables vulgar display of power over a playground?

I often think about all the times our kids took to the streets to ask for something—justice for their friends who were killed in road crashes or raped and brutally murdered.

26 April 2022, 18:00 PM

The fault in our books: Why are Bangla books poorly edited?

What does our editorial process lack? Why can’t we hire good proofreaders? The answer lies in the economics of it.

23 April 2022, 11:25 AM

A champion in the fight against climate change

“My life was not easy. When I was only 17 years of age, my family married me off against my will. I wanted to go to school and finish my education,

7 March 2022, 18:00 PM

Made in Bangladesh, played in Bangladesh

Musicians in the country, more often the young and emerging ones, have always faced the dilemma of choosing between a quality instrument and an affordable price.

16 February 2022, 18:00 PM

What does it take to prepare for Ekushey Boi Mela?

Amar Ekushey Boi Mela has been one of the most celebrated literary events of the country for decades. Every February, this book fair celebrates our love for language and literature, with a festive mood that lasts for a month. But what does it take to prepare for a fair this big?