New Year, Old Questions: What Will the State Do for the Hills?

When the cuckoo begins to call from the distant peaks of the hills, and the southern breeze carries the gentle fragrance of newly blossomed wildflowers in vibrant hues, the hills awaken in their own colors—ushering in the celebration of the eternal tradition of welcoming a new year and bidding farewell to the previous year

Jamdani as the battleground

Against my better judgment, I found myself in a rather heated online debate with Indian Bengalis regarding a video made by a popular Indian influencer on the issue of Jamdani. Ishita Mangal, in her series on regional Indian outfits, highlighted the Jamdani saree as a symbol of pride for West Bengal, noting how the British attempted to destroy or erase it but ultimately failed.

Anisur Rahman: Farewell to a fellow traveler

Anisur Rahman and I have traveled together across the troubled landscape of Bangladesh’s history over many years. We first came together in October 1957, when we were recruited as teachers by Professor M.N. Huda, then the Chairman of the Economics Department at Dhaka University (DU).

New Year, Old Questions: What Will the State Do for the Hills?

When the cuckoo begins to call from the distant peaks of the hills, and the southern breeze carries the gentle fragrance of newly blossomed wildflowers in vibrant hues, the hills awaken in their own colors—ushering in the celebration of the eternal tradition of welcoming a new year and bidding farewell to the previous year

8h ago

Jamdani as the battleground

Against my better judgment, I found myself in a rather heated online debate with Indian Bengalis regarding a video made by a popular Indian influencer on the issue of Jamdani. Ishita Mangal, in her series on regional Indian outfits, highlighted the Jamdani saree as a symbol of pride for West Bengal, noting how the British attempted to destroy or erase it but ultimately failed.

19h ago

The Legacy of Thomas Bata in Bengal

Whenever Bata shoes come to mind, we are reminded not only of how footwear became woven into the fabric of everyday life but also of an extraordinary figure linked to its history in Bangladesh

4d ago

How did Pahela Baishakh become a public celebration?

Although the Bengali calendar has been in use for centuries, the tradition of celebrating Pahela Baishakh as a public festival is a relatively modern development.

6d ago

The many Bengals: Samatata, Bangalah, Subah-i-Bangalah

Historians usually approach Bengal’s history from Gaur-Pandua in the west (i.e., Ilyas Shahi and Husain Shahi Bengal), but what of early Bengal?

1w ago

How Bangladesh gained global legitimacy

When Bangladesh defeated Pakistan on 16 December 1971, one could be forgiven for assuming that the international community automatically recognised Bangladesh’s independence.

3w ago

Dhaka's deadly air: What we know and what we can do

Dhaka's air is a stew of brick kiln soot, exhaust fumes, construction dust, and factory emissions

4w ago

Anisur Rahman: Farewell to a fellow traveler

Anisur Rahman and I have traveled together across the troubled landscape of Bangladesh’s history over many years. We first came together in October 1957, when we were recruited as teachers by Professor M.N. Huda, then the Chairman of the Economics Department at Dhaka University (DU).

1m ago

Reclaiming Panthokunjo from spectral wastelands

We live within ecosystems, engaging in mutual interactions. Ecosystems such as rivers, forests, and agricultural lands are shared resources.

1m ago

Tamam Na Sud

Tamam na sud or ‘Not the end’! There could not have been a better ending of a captivating romantic novel like Shabnami.

1m ago