The value of 'Mohanagar' stretches far beyond social media hype

The web series sheds light on the grey area where the dichotomy between the executive and political authorities collapses in Bangladesh.
2 May 2023, 08:00 AM

Making Bangladeshi workers safe for capitalism

If fast fashion must dominate the “national interest,” then at the very least we must compel the state apparatuses to play a truly mediating role on behalf of “the nation.
1 May 2023, 06:36 AM

Time to prioritise social justice

We have the chance to reshape the world we live in – economically, socially, and environmentally.
1 May 2023, 02:00 AM

How different is Dhaka’s outlook from the US Indo-Pacific Strategy?

The unveiling of the Indo-Pacific Outlook has been broadly welcomed by many Bangladeshi analysts and diplomats.
30 April 2023, 16:00 PM

The environmental and social injustices of shrimp aquaculture

Not only has shrimp aquaculture caused environmental degradation, but it has also led to a loss of livelihood.
30 April 2023, 14:00 PM

‘The Hunger Games’ and the danger of desensitisation to violence

In making the Hunger Games unglamorous, Suzanne Collins challenges the audience to reflect on how they view violence in entertainment
30 April 2023, 12:55 PM

AI will replenish, complement and enhance human intelligence

Students in higher education in the USA have been using software tools enhanced by AI for years.
30 April 2023, 05:00 AM

The urgent task of restrategising domestic resource mobilisation

Steps must be taken against those who have shifted money and wealth out of the country illegally.
29 April 2023, 15:00 PM

What we mean when we talk about democracy

Whether a country is doing well in democracy should be judged by its people.
29 April 2023, 11:41 AM

The inspiring story of Nijer Bolar Moto Ekta Golpo Foundation

In an interview with The Daily Star, Iqbal Bahar Zahid talks about how his foundation seeks to help Bangladeshis become entrepreneurs, and improve their lives and the society.
29 April 2023, 06:00 AM

What makes a great university?

A great university inspires and prepares students for a rich and fulfilling experience in a changing and challenging world.
29 April 2023, 04:00 AM

BNP has lost its momentum

Just as BNP was about to come up with fresh programmes, Ramadan arrived, rendering all politics to the confines of the iftar table.
28 April 2023, 17:00 PM

Tiptoeing through the minefield

Writing is becoming increasingly difficult as one has to tiptoe through a minefield, not knowing which topic may set off a trigger or become a bummer. It’s not nice to hear that we have the worst record of press freedom among South Asian countries, lower than Afghanistan.
28 April 2023, 14:38 PM

Dr Zafrullah’s real utopia

Zafrullah’s socialism was useful in contrast to ones offered by the dominant leftist parties of the country, characterised by theoretical obscurantism, fractiousness, political irrelevance, and their inconsequentiality to the daily lives of the masses.
28 April 2023, 05:55 AM

Is 'honest politician' an oxymoron?

To politicians – most of whom lack an iota of personal integrity – power is control over their citizens, patriotism is servility, and democracy is absolutism
28 April 2023, 04:10 AM

So long as DSA exists, free and fair elections are impossible

Whether or not Bangladesh can salvage its image as a democracy will entirely depend on how the next election is conducted.
27 April 2023, 17:00 PM

Why we can’t get enough of aliens

In the US, an alien is not just an extraterrestrial; it could simply mean someone from a foreign country.
27 April 2023, 15:00 PM

Akhteruzzaman Elias: There is always an other to be purged

Shill edited the present volume as a rich collection of memories and evaluations of Akhteruzzaman Elias by his friends and relatives, some renowned literary figures of the Bangla language, as well as some occasional thoughts by Elias himself.
27 April 2023, 10:22 AM

Boats against the current: Reconciling the Dhaka of old with the new

Nadeem Zaman’s The Inheritors retells and recontextualizes one of the most famous stories there ever was—F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925).
27 April 2023, 10:01 AM

Four ways to boost clean energy in Bangladesh

Can the upcoming budget in Bangladesh guide the vulnerable power and energy sectors towards economic sustainability and energy security?
27 April 2023, 04:46 AM