Essay / Celebrating literary minds: Reflections on editing festschrifts

26 September 2026 • Essay
“Festschrift” is a German word coined in the 19th century by combining ”fest”, meaning “celebration” or “festival,” with ”schrift”, meaning “writing” or “script,” to signify “celebration writing” or “festival publication.”

Literary Curtains / Patriarchy inversed: Reimagining Rokeya’s Ladyland in 2026

“Ladyland is not perfect,” remarks Sultana, one of the protagonists in the much awaited play, “Project Ladyland 2026”. Produced by HerStory Foundation in collaboration with the British Council and Women of the World Foundation, the play was greeted by a full house this weekend. Staged at the Bangladesh Mohila Samiti theatre, the performance made a splash on Friday, August 14.
Event Report / Special Discussion Marks Abul Hasnat’s Birth Anniversary: ‘Nabiner Shahittya: Shwapna O Shwapnabhongo’
19 July 2026
A special literary discussion titled ‘Nabiner Shahittya: Shwapna O Shwapnabhongo’ was held on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 5:00 P.M. on the third floor of Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. This discussion was organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of distinguished poet, essayist, and literary editor Abul Hasnat. The event brought together prominent writers and editors to discuss the literary pursuits of emerging authors and the pivotal role editors play in nurturing new literary voices.
News Report / Jamir Nazir wins 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize following AI review
3 July 2026
Set in rural Trinidad, “The Serpent in the Grove” explores themes of betrayal, survival and the resilience of a woman's will.

Ah, storytelling!

Do the smooth muscles of narrative hold a deceptive appeal? Does the temporality of a story do more harm than good? One of the most intriguing stories in Aesop’s Fables, seems to think so – a fascinating story that is a good example of an anti-story!
31 December 2021

What The Daily Star read in 2021

As we near the year’s end, the Star Books Team asks the different sections of The Daily Star about the most interesting books that they would recommend to their readers this year.
29 December 2021

DS Books’ favourite reads of 2021

Sri Lankan author, Anuk Arudpragasam’s Booker-shortlisted second novel, travels through the haunted landscapes of Sri Lanka. The
29 December 2021

Andy Weir's latest in science fiction: Humanity’s hail mary to save itself

Earth is doomed. A mysterious microorganism called Astrophage is eating away the sun’s energy. If you are concerned about the planet
29 December 2021

Is economics passé? On Wahiduddin Mahmud’s new book, ‘Markets, Morals and Development’

As the world nears the second quarter of the 21st century, some of the nagging questions we still face in the world of socio-economic
29 December 2021

Anwara Syed Haq and Wasi Ahmed win the first Abu Rushd Literary Award

Anwara Syed Haq has won the award for her novel, Chokh, and Wasi Ahmed for his, titled, Borofkol.
28 December 2021

Gyankosh Prokashoni to publish book about the stock market

Gyankosh Prokashoni has announced the publication of a book on the stock market at the upcoming Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2022. 
25 December 2021

Romancing Wuthering Heights

In popular culture, if not in criticism, Wuthering Heights stands as the tale of love lost in betrayal and a grand reunion in the afterworld. The
24 December 2021

Rokeya Stands Tall

Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s (1880-1932) ancestors came from Tabriz in Iran to settle down in this region. During her lifetime, Bangladesh as an independent country did not exist. We call her a Bangladeshi writer because she was born in Pairaband, Rangpur, in what is now Bangladesh. However, the site of her activism was Calcutta.
24 December 2021

How can we tackle climate change and food shortage in Asia?

Climate change and food security issues are multifaceted and transcend national boundaries.
22 December 2021

Fyodor Dostoevsky's "The Christmas Tree and the Wedding": The uglier side of holiday parties

Two years ago, I read Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Christmas Tree and the Wedding”(1848), and even though I don’t celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense,
22 December 2021

Diversity and nuance mark the Bangladeshi experience in Sohana Manzoor's 'Our Many Longings: Contemporary Short Fiction From Bangladesh'

So many words have been used to describe this nation in the last 50 years. Started from a bottomless basket, and along the way we’ve been called resilient, passionate, corrupt, greedy, full of warmth.
22 December 2021

CLOSER TO HOME: How the MCU Spider-Man embraced his comic book roots

The film is packed with so many easter eggs that one would need another entire article just to list them all and still miss a few.
21 December 2021

Untold stories of war heroines: Revisiting Rizia Rahman’s ‘Rokter Okshor’

Published as early as 1978, Rizia Rahman’s well-acclaimed book, Rokter Okshor, narrates the lives of the women who were forced (directly and indirectly) into prostitution in the post-Liberation War era of Bangladesh. 
18 December 2021

Anwarul Amin’s memoir revisits the first Bangladeshi bank established abroad

In a discerning recollection of events, esteemed retired banker Anwarul Amin has released his memoir about opening the first branch of a Bangladeshi bank abroad.
18 December 2021

Kolimoddi Dafadaar

The banks along the river Shitalakshya flooded on a regular basis. During the rainy season, most villages around the area turned into islands.
17 December 2021

The Blighted Garden

I took my leave from the Siraj family, thanking them for their hospitality. I was just a stranger and yet they let me stay with them for weeks.
17 December 2021

‘Rokte Aka Bhor’: Anisul Hoque’s epic novel commemorates 50 years of liberation

Anisul Hoque’s most recent novel, Rokte Aka Bhor (Prothoma Prokashon, 2021), is a work of historical and political fiction that was released on the occasion of 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence. Against a vast canvas,
15 December 2021

Nonfiction books on the Liberation War released this year

An Internal Matter narrates the story of American activists who supported Bangladesh’s campaign for independence.
15 December 2021

HEFTY AT FIFTY: ‘When the Mango Tree Blossomed’ and other short stories from Bangladesh

The centenary of the Father of the Nation, and following on its heels the golden jubilee of the country’s independence, have precipitated a tireless round of celebratory events and an avalanche of varied publications.
15 December 2021
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