Weekend Read
A love affair with tea
I wonder what it is in a cup of tea that makes it so invigorating. The obvious answer would be the stimulant, caffeine, or the particular flavour of the leaves seeping into the hot water and the aroma that takes over your senses.
Hats off to our green heroes!
The first time I fell in love with plants was when I saw my mother’s glossy green pothos arranged in old porcelain bowls that were slightly chipped off.
How a rickshaw-puller changed the course of Dr Zafrullah’s life
“Should I go back to the UK? If I can’t serve my countrymen, I might as well go back.”
Mangoes and litchis taking a hit from the heat
It’s painful for Tajul Islam to see what has happened to his beloved mango orchard in Rajshahi city’s Borobongram Namopara.
For the love of computers
Buying a computer, for most people, is a fairly mundane activity. It involves going to a vendor with a budget, a list of requirements, and the hope that the salespeople are trustworthy and knowledgeable enough about the products to find the best possible deal.
The dying art of Qasida
This is a loose translation of a melodious Urdu poem that once used to reverberate through the empty lanes of old Dhaka deep into the Ramadan night.
Sadarghat launch terminal / A bustling riverport gone quieter
It is hard to describe a place when its glory days are over.
Launch owners struggling to stay afloat
“If you seek comfort, no journey is better than a journey by launch. You book a room and you arrive at your destination well-rested. The sightseeing is a bonus,” says Mehedi Hasan, a resident of Borguna’s Bamna.
Life takes place in Dhaka’s cafes
How humans discovered coffee and how, after centuries of innovation, it became the elixir it is now is a fascinating tale itself.
Islampur: a business hub with centuries-old vibe
If listened carefully, amid the maddening hustle and bustle, cacophony of sounds, one might find a strange harmony in the chaos -- a thing that links this place to a bygone era.
The wondrous world of rooftop gardening
Perhaps, there is a hidden farmer in all of us. Although suppressed under the urban rat race, many secret gardeners have decided they will create a garden, however small, within the confines of their buildings.
Tanguar Haor: A paradise lost
The iconic Tanguar Haor, one of Bangladesh’s most important ecologically critical areas, is facing an uncertain future amid growing environmental threats.
Bhairab a lifeline under threat
The Bhairab river is gradually approaching its demise due to encroachment, pollution, and unplanned river dredging and bridge construction works.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
