Beyond stereotypes: Rupert Grey’s ‘Homage to Bangladesh’

Rupert Grey, a descendant of Charles Grey and best known professionally as a leading libel and copyright lawyer stood against this statement. “If Bangladesh is a basket case,” Grey tells The Daily Star, “then it is so in the best possible way.” For him, the term collapses under the sheer vitality of the country. A single square metre of a Bangladeshi street, he argues, holds more energy than entire neighbourhoods in London. Where life in England often unfolds in rigid routines, Bangladesh thrives in spontaneity—where a hanging lighter at a tea stall can become a moment of shared choreography.
25 January 2026, 12:24 PM Books & Literature
FLASH FICTION / The rickshaw artist
24 January 2026, 01:52 AM Books & Literature
FLASH FICTION / Pirouette of a phoenix
24 January 2026, 01:48 AM Books & Literature
POETRY / Memories
24 January 2026, 01:36 AM Books & Literature

EDITORIAL / Why read?
22 January 2026, 00:00 AM Books & Literature
THE SHELF / 7 new books to look out for in 2026
22 January 2026, 00:00 AM Books & Literature

INTERVIEW / Reclaiming the unwritten: Kanika Gupta on colonialism, embodiment, and the art of remembering

Gupta shares her insights on reclaiming forgotten histories, reimagining myths, and connecting ancient narratives to contemporary ecological and social concerns.
22 November 2025, 11:51 AM Books & Literature
EVENT REPORT / An eco-critical look at Sultan: Reading the manuscript of ‘Sultan Er Krishi Jiggasha’
With the aid of Duniyadari Archive, Pavel Partha’s soon-to-be-published book Sultan Er Krishi Jiggasha is a new addition, which looks at Sultan’s work from an eco-critical perspective.
8 November 2025, 11:43 AM Books & Literature
NEWS REPORT / “Curious love letter”: Wole Soyinka responds after US cancels visa
He responded to the situation with grace, mentioning “I like people who have a sense of humour".
30 October 2025, 10:45 AM Books & Literature

A sardonic guide to dark academia novels

These novels compel readers to be more curious and romanticise mundane prospects of life in the most sinister way. For someone who loves lush and descriptive prose, dark academia is timeless to me.
17 April 2023, 12:45 PM

Neil Gaiman and Colleen Hoover in 'Time' Magazine’s 2023 Most Influential list

The author’s work has been adapted in various mediums, including graphic novels and television series, with the most recent being Netflix’s The Sandman (2022).
16 April 2023, 12:45 PM

Navigating cancel culture in the literary world

Cancel culture is best treated as a collective decision to minimise the cultural influence a person and their work have moving forward.
15 April 2023, 12:45 PM

Piracy a main reason for New Market’s Zeenat bookstore closing down

Zeenat Book Supply, a New Market staple for book lovers since 1963, will close shop on May 1, 2023. 
13 April 2023, 10:34 AM

6 books to enjoy the spirit of Pahela Baishakh

These books, among many others, can help readers feel the spirit of the Bangali new year in all its vibrant colours
13 April 2023, 08:33 AM

The great Padma story

Shorn of its sacred grandeur the Padma has embraced its secularised and earthier image with some muscularity, audacity and flair.
13 April 2023, 07:47 AM

When readers write the book

This public typewriter experiment was also a personal experience for him as he first fell in love with typewriters when he came across his grandfather’s 1930s Smith Corona. As a struggling writer at that time, this machine was what made writing to him a joyous experience.
12 April 2023, 12:45 PM

Prabir Ghosh taught me to be a sceptic

Through his simple and coherent scientific explanations for “supernatural” events such as the practice of witchcraft or the sanctity of religious sites, he challenged the dogmatic belief system which exists throughout much of South Asia.
11 April 2023, 12:46 PM

Academics, book reviews commemorate Abul Mansur Ahmad

"Without the practice of literature and study of history, no civilization has progressed much", Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury said in his closing speech.
9 April 2023, 10:37 AM

Do we need a Harry Potter reboot?

In regards to the Harry Potter universe, many fans have expressed their interest to see the story of the Marauders or a prequel about the Hogwarts founders.
8 April 2023, 12:45 PM

Reading habits: Completing the Quran during Ramadan

For a large number of practicing Muslims, completing the Quran during Ramadan is an annual goal.
7 April 2023, 09:00 AM

Dhaka’s Arman Chowdhury shortlisted for Commonwealth Short Story Prize ‘23

“Deficiency Notice” presents the daily life of an 11-year-old boy who is speech-impaired
6 April 2023, 03:00 AM

War in the waters: Looking back at Operation Jackpot, 1971

Operation Jackpot was the first—and allegedly best—campaign of naval commandos during the Liberation War of 1971, a deadly blow against the Pakistani invasion forces carried out on August 16, 1971.
5 April 2023, 19:41 PM

Homegrown heroine

This story, which originally began as a short story, features a headstrong heroine putting her desires above what society expects of her, in order to realise her destiny.
5 April 2023, 19:22 PM

Badruddin Umar: The life and works of a revolutionary

Badruddin Umarer Jibon o Kaj is an excellent collection of essays, articles and recollections about Umar written by many renowned national and international scholars.
5 April 2023, 19:08 PM

Love and caste collide in Perumal Murugan’s 'Pyre'

It is the story of young lovers, Kumaresan and Saroja, who get secretly married and run away to Kumaresan’s village to start a new life. Murugan has written before about the intricate tragedies of domestic life and how they bring about the worst of our community.
5 April 2023, 18:45 PM

Sun, surf, and soul searching

These are novels where the suspense is often drawn from the subtleties of character development, which become more evident as the story unfolds.
5 April 2023, 12:50 PM

A life of light and perseverance

While going through Monsur’s autobiography, one’s attention is bound to be drawn to facts about current affairs penned with meticulous precision. He conveys his experience of 1957—the horrendous experience of losing eyesight—along with being victim to the cruelty of harsh remarks. 
5 April 2023, 09:40 AM

Penguin unveils the Penguin Book Vending Machine

The titles in the vending machines will be updated regularly, including both new and old books, and will highlight books relevant towards contemporary issues.
5 April 2023, 09:20 AM

‘Changes’: Sehri Tales selections, Day 11

The top selections in poetry, flash fiction and artwork for Day 11 of the Sehri Tales challenge; prompt: Change
3 April 2023, 18:55 PM