As Ramadan concluded at the end of last month, beckoning the arrival of Eid festivities, there was a lot of buzz on social media regarding “Eid gifts”.

Eid in Dhaka is a time of vibrant celebrations, heartfelt reunions, and, for many, the perfect opportunity to capture and share the city’s festive spirit on Instagram.

The last two days before the grand Eid day are packed with frenzied fuss about anything and everything.

Four centuries ago, the Muslim population of Dhaka was relatively small. However, the arrival of the Mughals precipitated a shift. These individuals brought their own culinary staff, ensuring the availability of familiar fare.

Dilkusha garden house was built in 1866 by Nawab Khwaja Abdul Ghani

The sky glows in soft pink, blending into the gentle waves while a cool breeze fills the air with serenity. Sitting on the only boat floating in the middle of the Buriganga, preparing ourselves for iftar, it’s not hard to get lost in the beauty of the moment.

But did you know that he was a man of literature as well?

I have read somewhere that the best part of iftar is sharing the moment with your family, although not everyone is lucky enough to spend the month of Ramadan with loved ones.

Tailors typically enjoy star status at this time of the year. Besides your regular tailor, who takes your bespoke orders for dresses; there are tailors for upholstery work, who are no less busy and sought after now.

The artistes were illustrious not just in our city; their repute spanned throughout the Mughal Empire in general. 

Chandni was one of the favourites of the iconic Mughal subahdar in Dhaka, Nawab Islam Khan

Subbasi is a Bengali-influenced dialect that is now spoken by original residents of Dhakaiya community

Have you ever felt the pulse of Dhaka in Ramadan? The way this unforgiving city pauses just before sunset? As if it’s holding its breath with the rest of us, then exhaling in unison with the call to prayer?

What is hardship food? I had no idea. The thought of what people eat during natural calamities, war, displacement and such, never came to my mind. It is something we do not think about unless we start to live in destitution.

The Daily Star’s “My Dhaka” recently ran a photography contest titled “My Dhaka Lens,” where people were asked to submit their entries on the theme of Dhaka -- anything that embodies the beauty, soul, or essence of our city.

Tracing the roots of Old Dhaka's unique dialect

Food prepared on the streets is nothing new in Dhaka. Darul Kabab of yester-Dhaka saw various kebabs on skewers, or seekh as it is called in Bangla, being grilled over an open fire or coal embers.

Shojon, a Bangla word, when roughly translated means a dear one, or maybe a near one. With the promise to hold your hands in your darkest times -- like a loved one, SHOJON is a mental health service, an initiative of the SAJIDA Foundation.

If you ever happen to walk past any busy corporate neighbourhood in Dhaka during lunchtime, you are in for quite a sight!

The centuries-old charm of Old Dhaka's horse-drawn carriages, locally known as "tomtoms", is gradually disappearing. These carriages have been part of the city’s streets for nearly 200 years, but are slowly fading away with time..At one point, there were 35 to 40 horse-drawn carriages oper