Star Weekend
‘Like a morning after a nuclear attack’
A World Bank team that visited different areas of war-torn Bangladesh in June 1971 likened Kushtia to a bombed-out “WWII German town”.
Fear of sexual harassment triggering child marriage: survey
A recent survey by Plan International Bangladesh found that fear of sexual harassment and social exclusion are the major reasons behind parents marrying off their daughter at an early age.
For the Love of Tea
My baby boy snatches my empty tea mug from me and starts licking it. He was given the last few drops of tea from the mug and now he wants more. He puts his hand inside the mug, gets the boiled tea dust into his fist, inserts them in his mouth and starts chewing furiously.
Court Corner / SC forms committee against sexual harassment
The Supreme Court administration has formed a five-member committee to receive complaints of sexual harassment on court premises, conduct inquiry into them and make necessary recommendations to this effect.
UK-listed cybersecurity firm Avast in merger talks with NortonLifeLock
London-listed cybersecurity firm Avast is in advanced talks with US rival NortonLifeLock Inc about a merger that would create a clear leader in consumer security software.
THE FUTURE IS CENSORED
Ignoring the concerns of journalists and rights defenders, the Digital Security Act was passed in the parliament on September 19, 2019. It is known both at home and abroad to be draconian, antithetical to freedom of speech and democracy.
Why we need weekend magazines
So it has finally happened. Hard as it is to accept it, the Star Weekend magazine is about to close the curtain after an impressive run of 23 years.
THE LAST HUSTLE
The soft light of the setting sun illuminates the entire section every time I walk in, mostly because I AM ALWAYS LATE. On one side white balloons hang, on another side a dart board.
Change is the only constant
Eight years ago, I saw a small ad in the Friday magazine of The Daily Star which changed the course of my life—for better or worse.
Media: Between a rock and a hard place
2019 has not been a comfortable year for the media globally. While nobody has yet tallied up the numbers internationally, 7,200 jobs were lost just in the U.S., according to the business and finance news organisation Business Insider’s own calculation.
How new autocrats curb press freedom
As democratic backsliding has become a global phenomenon and hybrid regimes—a political system which has both democratic and authoritarian traits—have proliferated, freedom of the press has come under threat all around the world.
(Uncertain) Future of Journalism in Bangladesh
When we talk about changes in the media eco-system, we do not only talk about the medium but also the content, business models, and ethical practice of journalism. Media organisations that used to control both content and channels now only produce content;
“The space for in-depth critical journalism is shrinking"
Why do you think independent publications like Himal Southasian are important in today’s media landscape?
“Predisposed journalism can never grow and sustain”
Under your editorship, we got two leading newspapers in Bangladesh—Bhorer Kagoj and Prothom Alo. How did you plan the content of these newspapers, and their editorial structure and policy? How did you make them stand out in a market already occupied by several age-old, reputed newspapers?
Putting the “news” in our news feeds
Roshni Islam, 23, is a student of environmental science at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). On a typical day in her life, she wakes up around 8am and goes through a rotation of social media apps on her phone.
Media under surveillance capitalism
Yes, our world has entered into a new phase of rule which can be termed as surveillance capitalism, at home as well as on a global scale. Shoshana Zuboff, the author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism writes, “At its core, surveillance capitalism is parasitic and self-referential.
Social media and fake news: The beginning of the end?
When the Internet came, media outlets were faced with two contrasting choices: provide a web version for people to read content freely or risk descending into irrelevance.
Selfies of old school media
The first time I reported professionally was in 1973 covering the DUCSU elections. I was excited, but I nearly got whacked when two political activists mistook me for an activist—long beard, long hair, long chador etc.—and chased me. I just kept moving as they shouted, “What are you doing here when others are gone?”