Manisha Chakma met Pinky for the first time at a tea stall located right outside her college. Like Manisha, Pinky too had left her hometown and arrived in Dhaka in search of a good job and decent life. After a brief chat, numbers were exchanged and over the next few days, Pinky, in Manisha's words, would go on to become a 'hi-hello' friend.

The number of female workers departing Bangladesh is on an upward trajectory, 1,21, 925 in 2017, according to Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) data. The stories of female migrant workers in the Middle East have been well documented as have those of male migrant workers in Europe.

“When I went to the market yesterday, grocers told me that the price of commodities would be increased after Eid-Ul-Adha so I must clear all my dues within August 15,” says Khorsheda Begum, an assistant machine operator of a readymade garment (RMG) factory located in Tongi, Gazipur.

It was with a lot of pomp and flair that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police launched the official “999” helpline last December; but half a year down the line, data shows that only one percent of the calls could be truly served.

France was crowned world champions. During the time of the World Cup, the world saw different miracles not only in the stadium but also outside the stadium.

I get asked this question many times. Correction: I got asked this question once when I grabbed a huge, menacing, barking dog and pushed him to the ground. And he whimpered and licked my hands.

Istanbul is easily one of my favourite cities—it's one I have no qualms about visiting time and again, visa permitting. So when I found out that Turkish Airlines provides free Istanbul city tours, with food and transportation for all Turkish airlines passengers transiting through Istanbul for six hours or over...

The Films of Jiří Barta

A skilled storyteller in his own right, Humayun Ahmed's narrative prowess was eminent in his films. During the 90s when rampant commercialisation resulted in over-glammed, action-packed, blockbuster-style cinema led by testosterone-fuelled heroes, Ahmed's films exhibited a knack for well-rounded and socially relevant narratives.

From cartoons to books to movies, there is one recurring theme that catches the eye and engages all sensory experiences, and true to Proust's belief, it is the pure, unadulterated joy of a good meal.

Pakistan goes to polls in less than a week. But the country is stunned by a set of terror attacks that killed more than 160 people in a span of two days. Last Friday, a suicide bomb ripped through an election rally killing at least 149 people including the candidate in Mastung, a district in Balochistan.

Mother, seek mercy for me from the Prime Minister. Tell her that I am a regular student and that I am not involved with any political party.

“Where is your warrant?” is the first question that people ask when the police knocks on the door. That is the question being asked by a daughter in a video that recently went viral on Facebook, when the police came to apprehend her father. The police did not heed her plea and pushed right past in.

There was a time when you only had to worry about receiving spam in your e-mail inbox. Years on, though, that role seems to have been taken over by the messages folder on your phone.

What security has the working man that it may not be his turn [to starve] tomorrow? Who assures him employment, who vouches for it that, if for any reason or no reason his lord and master discharges him tomorrow, he can struggle along with those dependent upon him, until he may find someone else 'to give him bread'?

This refers to a timely piece, “Return to more of the same”, on the secret memorandum of understanding’ (MoU) signed between UN agencies and the Myanmar government. The repatriation process will not be effective as citizenship has not been ensured from the Myanmar government side.

Immigrants World Cup

“The presence of the photos of these two whores, Umme Habiba Benojir and Shamima Binte Rahman, on my newsfeed has made my blood boil with anger. I wish I could go back to the 80s when I was a part of the Chhatra League. Dear current generation, please do your duty. Please finish the job within one to two days. Don't compel half-centurions like us to come to the ground.”

At 40, Unmad is the longest running satire magazine in South Asia. Apart from its reputation as a household essential for Bangladeshi teenagers, it has also been a sole platform for the artistic tradition of cartoon and satire to flourish.

The computer is still a rare sight in many villages, but people huddling around a small television screen at the local tea stall, is as common as can be. Well, not in these villages, and the impacts are complex and far-reaching.