The Star | The Daily Star
Publish: March 15, 2013
Straight Talk

Being a Tourist for the Day

I don’t know if it is just me or whether most people find that after living in a city or town for an extended period of time you become somewhat oblivious to your surroundings. Unless you happen to have guests,

Letters

The Spirit of Resistance

I really enjoyed last week’s cover story about the role of Bangladeshi women in the movements of our past. It was a fitting tribute to International Women’s Day as the occasion, which I was surprised to find out has been

TRAVEL

Angkor Diary

It was nine in the morning when the Bangkok Airways flight from Bangkok landed at Siem Reap (SR) airport. The heat could be felt already as we came out of the aircraft and walked down the gangway. However, the air

Periscope

Talking Politics

In the last two weeks the country has witnessed political violence at an unprecedented level. Members and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) took to the streets of several districts, and, armed with sticks and machetes, attacked police stations and other such

Art

A Tale of Towering Temper

Proshanto Karmaker who has been guided by his well-known elder brother Kalidas, has found in photography and painting his calling—winning accolades and prizes overseas for his lens work. He has held exhibitions of his work black and white and otherwise,

Human Rights

Tainted Identities

Since the ICT verdicts stirred unrest in the country, the war crimes tribunal, the government, the opposition, the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, the police and the Shahbag crowd – all were criticised by different national and international communities. Some

Law

WANTED PUBLIC SAFETY

Seventy-four people (and counting) have been killed so far since Thursday, 28 February, after the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayedee to death. Following the sentencing of Quader Mollah and the beginning of the Shahbag movement, Jamaat-Shibir activists went

Letters

Primary Pains

  In the issue published on March 1 2013, the Star categorically emphasised on the education system of our country in its cover story. I believe this one of the major problems of our country which should get the utmost

Write to Mita

Write to Mita

Dear Mita, I’m 21, in a relationship with a guy for six years. We started off as best friends and eventually fell for each other. The relationship has been wonderful, it’s like growing up together sharing laughter and pain. The

Chintito

No Bearer of Burdens will Bear the Burden of Another

The son of a doctor does not become a doctor, nor does a daughter of an engineer start building buildings and bridges, and never does the grandchild of a military officer don the pips without going through the rigours of

Cartoon Strip

The Conspiracy

Reflections

SEEING THE MOUNTAIN

Once there were 13,000 inhabitants on the island of Montserrat. Once there was a small capital called Plymouth, with 4,000 residents… Wake up. The alarm clock is ringing. The Earth is calling. The sun has risen over the waves of

Writing the Wrong

Eight People Eight Stories One Line

In 2009 I moved to Dhaka for a spell and brought my young son with me. He was enrolled at the American school and whenever I would go to drop him off or pick him up, we would pass the

Star Diary

A New Low This happened last Saturday morning. I was going to the “Shawpno” chain store on Central Road from Hatirpool. While my rickshaw was waiting in the slight traffic on the connecting road from Hatirpool Bazar to Central Road,

Musings

The Moon, Old Women and Quislings

The moon has since the beginning of time been an integral component of our consciousness. And since man began to walk the earth, it has taken on a dimension the appeal of which has not diminished nor looks about to

Current Affairs

Jamaat Gaining?

Which party – Awami League or Bangladesh Nationalist Party or Jamaat-e-Islami – will be benefited most if the country’s political situation is worsened further? In the prevailing situation, many people think that Jamaat-e-Islami will gain. And who will be the

Education

Nurturing the Torchbearers

'Alor Ishkool' (The School of Light) is Bishwo Shahitto Kendro's latest endeavour to creat the intellectuals of tomorrow

Some changes occur through a ‘Big Bang’, others happen gradually over time and in human societies such changes come through an alternation and widening of perception. Knowledge is the main weapon of a societal movement. For 34 years, Bishwo Shahitto

Postscript

Hartal Video Game?

When you see a few gangly young men dancing and prancing behind a TV reporter and the sound is off, it could mean anything. It could be the euphoria from Bangladesh’s remarkable performance on the fourth day of the first

Impressions

About Entertainment

“Television has raised writing to a new low”, said Samuel Goldwyn, the famous American film producer of late twentieth century. Obviously, as a man connected with films, most probably, he had script writers on his mind. He must have been

Endeavour

Rickshaw, and Tigers

Why on earth were a bunch of foreigners cycling rickshaws all over Bangladesh? When asked, they said “Amra Teknaf theke Sundarban Rickshaw chaliye jacchi, manushke Poribesh ar bagh bachanor kotha bolte (We are cycling rickshaws from Teknaf to the Sundarbans

CLOSED for BUSINESS

CLOSED for BUSINESS

Cover Story

THE PEOPLE SPEAK

In the past four months Bangladesh has experienced at least 16 nationwide hartals (shutdown). Considered an allowed form of political protest, calling a hartal has unfortunately become synonymous with bringing violence to the streets. In light of the recent intensifying political unrest in the country, the Star spoke with citizens about their opinion and concerns not only for the country, but for their lives.

It has escaped no one’s attention that the recent hartals called by Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have been particularly violent and destructive to everyday life and the country’s stability. An alarming number of people, including policemen, have died

Questions for a Conscientious Citizen

I saw a huge billboard at the Kakoli intersection sponsored by the newly elected Chatro League Joint Convener of Titumir Government College expressing his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. I got to pondering, how can a young college

Voicebox

My brother is lost. I am not afraid to go out. But would someone abduct me? I don’t think so. RAKIB MOHAMMAD younger brother of recently murdered Tanvir Mohammad Toki, son of Rafiur Rabbi, one of Narayganj’s Gonojagoron Moncho’s organiser.