Weekend Read
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary: So dark the greed of men
Satgar area under Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary in Chattogram used to be a lush green haven for Asian elephants.
Celebrating Christmas / A tapestry of faith, tradition and unity
The mud huts on the foothills of the Garo Pahar are covered with bashor lota (lady’s slipper vine) at this time of the year.
Shining through neglect
In June this year, in what seemed like a step in the right direction, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a pay bump for the contracted women’s cricketers.
Women cricketers making waves, but is next-gen ship steady?
The vast potential of women’s cricket in Bangladesh has come to the fore again following the national team’s success of late, across formats and conditions this year. But has reality at the grassroots escaped the harsher sides or, at least, on the verge of it?
Plight of Dhaka’s Child Labourers / Toiling away childhood
At a time when he should have been going to school and growing up with all the happiness and blessings life has to offer, Sajjad ended up experiencing the other end of the spectrum.
Hill destroyers go unpunished
Although more than 120 hills have vanished from the port city in four decades, no one has been put behind the bar for the offence in the last 20 years, thanks to legal loopholes.
Gill nets banned but abundant
At least 300 factories continue to make these deadly fishing traps in Munshiganj due to lax monitoring and lenient punishment
In Cumilla, canals run black
Joinul Hossain, a 55-year-old farmer in Cumilla Sadar south upazila, followed in his father’s footsteps to dedicate his entire life to cultivating their small piece of land and fishing in a canal near it.
Eden Mohila College: 150 years of history and glory
The Eden Mohila College is noted not only for its academic excellence and its pioneering role in promoting women’s education in erstwhile British Bengal and present-day Bangladesh, but also for its glorious past and major contributions in shaping the nation’s history.
The forgotten people of Gaibandha shoals
It was September 20. The clock almost ticked past midnight at Dighalkandi shoal in the Jamuna river. Manoara Begum, 30, had been suffering from a persistent fever and cough for over two weeks.
Rajuk caves in to realtors’ pressure
Just over a year ago, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) adopted a new Detailed Area Plan (DAP), introducing height restrictions for buildings in a bid to enhance Dhaka’s liveability.
Arial beel under threat
Arial Beel, one of the largest wetlands located in Munshiganj, is facing an invasion by illegal real estate developers. These business entities have acquired portions of the wetland, filling them up with sand and strategically placing signboards to attract potential buyers for residential development.
Farashganj: The French connection
In the heart of Old Dhaka, there lies a neighbourhood with a captivating history, centuries-old buildings and a thriving spice market. Farashganj is located on the northern bank of the Buriganga river. Established in 1780, its principal thoroughfares are BK Das Road and Ahsanullah Road. In today’s issue of the Weekend Read, we will explore the history, mystery, and spice of Farashganj.
JUTE MILLS IN DISARRAY
Due to lack of maintenance, the once-vibrant mill compounds now appear to be haunted places with weeds and vines growing all over
Remote palichara reflects overall reality
Palichara, a remote village in Rangpur district, is not an unknown name in the local football fraternity ever since it emerged as a breeding ground of female footballers in the country.
Hatcheries take over traditional methods
Once upon a time, egg collectors used conventional earthen wells to hatch spawns after collecting eggs released by broodfish in the Halda.
High hopes in Halda
It rained in Hathazari, and there was turbulence in the Halda. When the clock struck midnight, quite a few boats gently glided down the river.
Shishu Park: once bustling, now fading from memory
The ever-memorable song starts playing while children, sitting on the metallic horsebacks, delightfully start going round and round -- this is a memory many Dhaka residents can still relate to.
The silent demise of National Book Centre
In a shabby, derelict building located at Gulistan’s Bangabandhu Avenue, lies Bangladesh’s only state-run organisation that looks after non-government libraries and takes initiatives to popularise reading books.
Gone are the days of glory
There was a time not so long ago when Bangladesh Film Development Corporation was abuzz with various activities -- from shooting films to dubbing and editing.
A trip down Dhaka Derby lane
After joining Abahani from BJMC in 1984, I had to endure abusive words from the fans for some off-target shots during a practice session ahead of the match against Mohammedan.
