Book Review: Nonfiction / The courage to speak: The life, ideas, and legacy of Ambassador M. Serajul Islam
25 August 2026
•
Reviews
Ambassador Islam passionately believed that a nation of 180 million people should chart its own path, maintaining good but never subservient relationships with global powers. He was acutely aware of “our traits as a nation” but remained firm in his belief that the country could only thrive under Lincoln's doctrine of government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
Literary Curtains / Patriarchy inversed: Reimagining Rokeya’s Ladyland in 2026
23 August 2026
•
Books & Literature
Book Review: Fiction / A novel of radical softness
20 August 2026
•
Books & Literature
BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / Cooking up heat
20 August 2026
•
Books & Literature
Event Report / In Transit: The Third Annual Slam Poetry at North South University
19 August 2026
•
News
Essay / Poet Shamsur Rahman’s drama translation: Eugene O’Neill’s ‘Marco Millions’
15 August 2026
•
Essay
Poetry / Coins in the wishing wells
15 August 2026
•
Poetry
Poetry / Reminiscence of life
15 August 2026
•
Poetry
News Report / P. Paramita’s ‘Appetite’ sells out on launch day at New York’s Strand Bookstore
13 August 2026
•
News
Interview / In conversation with Sonia Bahl: Author of ‘Eighteen Inches Apart’
What becomes increasingly evident across Bahl’s three novels is her sustained fascination with the emotional significance of almosts and maybes.
News Report / Kazuo Ishiguro set to return with new novel in 2027
20 June 2026
Ishiguro’s novels have, over his 40-plus-year career, ranged from historical fiction to fantasy to science fiction.
Event Report / Dhaka Zine Mela 2026: A celebration of creativity and community
11 June 2026
On June 6 and 7, 2026, at Goethe-Institut, Dhanmondi, Zine Mela Dhaka 2026 was held, organised by Sister Library (Dhaka) and Colors Publishing. The two-day event brought together independent artists, writers, and creators to celebrate self-publishing, artistic expression, and community engagement.
The shelf / 7 Asian healing fiction recommendations for rainy days
18 June 2026
•
The Shelf
You know when the sky trades its brightness for a low, silver hue, and you wrap your fingers tightly around your tea, seeking that small, steady pulse of warmth. This is the essence of healing fiction. Often rooted in the Japanese concept of iyashikei, these stories focus on the quiet spirit through small, everyday moments. You may have already heard of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop or We’ll Prescribe You a Cat. While those popular favourites have opened a door for many, there are a few other tales worth the read.
Reflections / In the age of AI allegations
13 June 2026
Fiction / Body Selim
18 April 2026
Heathen
Spirit breaks at home along with love mingled with innocence.
16 June 2023
Will-o’-the-Wisp
The sky to the west and overhead is mired in darkness; but to the east, light is gleaming out like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal.
16 June 2023
All she ever wanted
Elen would tell you how her hatred for her sister was so intense that she didn't know who she was without it.
16 June 2023
Across the Spider-Verse: Faithfulness to the comics
Bendis intentionally put a stark difference between Peter and Miles, so that comic book fans would not feel that their favourite web-swinger was being replaced by just another goody-two-shoes, just with a racial make-up switch.
16 June 2023
In Extreme Need of Guidance
On summer days when the sunlight falls through the trees it scatters into a play of light and shadows on the ground. My memories of Fareed are like that.
15 June 2023
Can we process trauma through writing?
Iffat Nawaz, together with The Daily Star’s Books & Literary Editor, Sarah Anjum Bari, will discuss the act and impact of processing traumatic memories through writing.
15 June 2023
Lovers, liars and lurkers in the library
Hannah's protagonist Freddie is attempting to make progress on her novel by working at the Boston Public Library, when she—along with three of the people she is sharing a table with—are transfixed by the sound of a woman screaming somewhere in the Library.
14 June 2023
Yuval Noah Harari’s take on the history of humanity
About the history of the ancient people, Harari skilfully depicts the men and the women, nature, and the environment of prehistoric times, their patterns, and the characteristics of the rough life in the wild-mountainous region.
12 June 2023
Himal Fiction Fest to showcase the next era of South Asian storytelling
Over the two-week period, six original short stories by emerging South Asian writers will be published on Himal Southasia’s website
11 June 2023
The once and future bedes & ‘Gypsies?
Szilvia Reif, a student of mine from the (indicatively named) Gandhi School in Pècs, Hungary, wrote a poem that tells what it feels like to be a ‘Gypsy (properly Roma).
9 June 2023
Meursault rediscovered
Mother sold him and he never knew a father;
Born adult, as though he never had a childhood.
9 June 2023
Myth of the witch
I killed my lover. I killed the love of my life and watched the life drain out of her eyes. Eyes that were golden brown turned pitch black; as if her soul left the body taking away all the colours of life.
9 June 2023
Exploring nostalgia over coffee
Although the story doesn’t talk about how this particular cafe became a time-travelling spot to begin with, reading through to the last page made me feel that the café was always there-since the beginning of time.
9 June 2023
Never have I ever…seen such diverse casting in western media
It makes me wonder if the entire show gets too swept up with its political correctness.
9 June 2023
A personal quest to explore the core essence of ‘Bengaliness’
We Bengalis are very much part of a collectivist society, where ‘private’ matters are communal, and everyone can have some opinions about ‘other’s business. We describe that as our own unique way of looking after each other and maintaining ‘social well beings’.
8 June 2023
Professing criticism: On Naeem Mohaiemen's new book of essays
Although the book is written in English, he has plenty of doubt to dispense about the language, its usefulness, acceptance, and communicability when it comes to writing and creating art in Bangladesh.
8 June 2023
Shantona Shantuma: A pioneering manga artist duo in Bangladesh
The ambition was to popularise Bangladeshi manga. At first the initiative was voluntary but later they succeeded to commercialise the publication.
7 June 2023
UPL Summer Book Fair 2023 underway
Some of UPL’s best selling titles include 'Political Parties in India' (2022) by Abdul Razzaq and a Bangla translation of Yuval Noah Harari’s 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind' (2014).
4 June 2023
Snapshots of history—Golam Mustafa meets Manzoor Alam Beg
Modhurimay Alap (Swapno ‘71, 2023) transcribes two days of conversations with the late Golam Mustafa, first Director of Photography of Bangladesh Television.
3 June 2023
Like father, unlike son: Martin Amis’s place in literature
Perhaps Martin Amis’s works do not grab me for the most part because it veers too far away from the humanism of, say, Saul Bellow—a writer Martin greatly admires and has written about extensively.
3 June 2023
Show in Mobile App
Off
Show Sub Category
Off
Show in Homescreen
Off