On stage, we watch as the teacher turns to scrawl on the board, commanding pin-drop silence and claiming to have a third eye in the back of her head. What we don't know is the racket going on backstage – in her mind – and the labour that goes into constructing the performance. You'd be surprised and awed to find out the details.

As the age-old adage goes, “Money can't buy you happiness”, it seems the same is true for a country. The Happy Planet Index (HPI), introduced by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) in July 2006, delved into this and formulated a method to determine how happy a country is. Amazingly, Bangladesh has been rising up consistently on the rankings of HPI.

With our ever-expanding bucket lists, rife with extreme sports and exotic locations, we often lose sight of the beauty that exists in our own backyard. Sure, who wouldn't want to spend the next weekend sipping an authentic Café au Lait in a dainty French bistro? As charming as that may be, sometimes, there's just no alternative to the inexplicable joy of exploring home. But when time is limited and so is your wallet, you have to keep your desires in check - but to what extent? That is, exactly what I set out to find on my two-day trip to Bandarban - with a budget of four thousand. Yikes.

If you think only academics are the most important aspect of a student's life, just look around. You're bound to find students winning medals at Olympiads, flying abroad for international debate championships, or taking quizzes just for the fun of it. The student competition scene in Bangladesh, right now, is buzzing.

A little lipstick and a spot of liner is no longer what we think of when considering a makeover. From fake lashes to sculpting your dream features, the magic of makeup has now risen to a new level – the greatest wizards being makeup artists (MUAs). Gone are the days when MUAs would strictly work at salons; more young women are expressing their passion for makeup in conventional and unconventional ways. SHOUT decided to highlight MUAs from two core forms: professional and YouTuber.

When you belong to more than one ethnicity, race, country life is bound to get interesting and often challenging. Moving halfway across the world, facing identity issues, and overcoming language barriers are just a few of the things that come with this life.

To the entrepreneurs of the country who want to do justice to that Silicon Valley poster on your wall, and to the college dropouts who seek to make Bill Gates proud, here are four 100 percent solid, totally not-satirical ideas for absolutely doable apps based on the customs of Bangladesh.

Whenever we think of our grandparents, we immediately get an image of smiles and hugs. Rarely do we think of the numerous talents they have that we can learn and preserve. In this article, we try to talk about some of the many cool things we ought to learn from these beloved elders. We also reminiscence how amazing the time we spent – as kids – with them was, because that's the only way to get it right.

One of the problems with writing in English is using words whose Bangla substitutes are simply superior.

Anaf's mother had just finished typing “mamdo bhoot” after an hour's struggle with Bangla font in the Google search bar when a man outside her window shouted something in a dialect.

“Opening your eyes at 6 am every day is like going down Alice's wonderful little hole. You have to pinch yourself every single time,”

Hair loss is a malady that has troubled man throughout history. As the sad comb-overs accrue more patches of scalp through its thinning mass, many of us have scampered to crisis mode.

As SHOUT celebrates its 3rd anniversary, I can't help but feel a surge of nostalgia and pride. Having been with SHOUT from its humble first steps, I have seen the publication grow in quality and stature to become the definitive (English) youth publication in Bangladesh.

An hour and a half flight away from Dhaka is a land of humble people, soothing climate and the highest peaks in the world. Everything about this country will sweep you off your feet. The alluring sceneries, panoramic views of the Himalayas, the serenity, and the amazing nightlife are only to name a few.

I once agreed on a fare of Tk 30 from Shahbagh to TSC. Don't judge me. I was at Dhaka University for the first time. When my friends came to know this, they mocked me and I know you have been in my position too.

Engineering is a popular choice of major for science – particularly tech – lovers in Bangladesh and beyond. Though many choose to study engineering at both public and private universities of the country, due to the competitive job market and the stress that accompanies the curriculum, some think twice before choosing it as their preferred field of studies.

While most of Bangladesh still struggles with malnutrition, obesity and weight related health issues are starting to become quite common among the urban youth.

Rawnak still remembers that odd, fateful day on Shiddheshwari Lane. The bearded rickshawala suddenly turned towards her, on the passenger seat, and uttered some weird words.

One day during school hours at an English medium school in Dhaka, 9th grader Rahul Chowdhury wished to play table tennis while some other students were already playing.

The campus of North South University was abuzz last weekend as it hosted the Gala Round of “DCCI presents Bangladesh YouthFest”, an initiative of Bangladesh Band Forum (BBF) on May 13-14, 2016.