BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / Lost in translation, looking for home

25 September 2026 • Books & Literature
I think what stayed with me most about R. F. Kuang’s Taipei Story was not its politics, its questions about diaspora, or even its fascination with a new language.

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.

5 new books to read this week

Set in the backdrop of a nameless forest, the narrative of the play 'Ekti Moragachh O Charjon Narir Shopnobhongo' revolves around characters of William Shakespeare’s creation.
16 March 2023

A diverse longlist for the 2023 International Booker Prize

Novels from India, the Caribbean, Ukraine, Spain, Bulgaria, Ivory Coast, France, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, China, Norway and South Korea in the longlist.
15 March 2023

How Netflix’s ‘Shadow and Bone’ adaptation can be improved

Season 2 of 'Shadow and Bone' will be out on Netflix on March 16—how can it do better justice to the texts than Season 1?
15 March 2023

Grow Your Reader Foundation raises the 'Flag of Peace'

Grow Your Reader Foundation instals mobile, street, and online library stations in different corners of Bangladesh, and has been providing teacher training facilities since 2016.
13 March 2023

Love the Oscars winners? Here’s what you should read

The book behind the Oscar-winning adaptations, and books about the history of the award
13 March 2023

To survive is to hope, in Nasreen Jahan’s ‘Urukku’

Originally published in 1993, 'Urukku' by Nasreen Jahan is a dive into the life of a young woman and a powerful commentary on human need.
12 March 2023

Ghazala Wahab to speak at ULAB Lit Salon on Tuesday

Also a journalist, Wahab will speak about her nonfiction, Born A Muslim, a book that talks about the increasing political irrelevance of Muslims in India and the importance of feminist interpretations of the Quran, besides highlighting other relevant socio political issues.
12 March 2023

Advice for Pliny the Elder, Big Daddy of Mansplainers

Great Man, now that you are dead, allow me to squeeze your hand. The sage bushes in Umbria are heavy with bees, so I’m killing them with hypnosis.
10 March 2023

Where are indigenous women’s stories?

Indigenous women are read even less. There are multiple root causes–lack of editorial support for indigenous authors writing in their mother tongues, the predominance of oral traditions, gender inequality and bias.
10 March 2023

24 hours, granted

I spent the whole day running on the roads near Ramna park. Riding a bicycle alone through the narrow alleys of Mohammadpur without the fear of anyone jumping out at me from the corners.
10 March 2023

A festive Friday thanks to Gulshan Society Book Fair

Organised by Shayaan Seraj, the Convener of Gulshan Society, the fair includes book stalls by The University Press Limited (UPL), Bookworm Bangladesh, Baatighar, Prothoma, Nymphea Publications, among others. 
10 March 2023

“A well-read woman is a dangerous creature”. Is she really?

It concerns me that Tate’s apologists range from impressionable boys in my grade 9 classroom to 30-something-year-old single dads. My own mother calls me a ‘feminist’ with such chagrin in her tone, it begins to feel like a slur.
10 March 2023

What to look forward to in the Gulshan Society Book Fair 3

Star Literature will be hosting a short story reading session moderated by Sarah Anjum Bari, the Books and Literary Editor of The Daily Star, on Friday at 4PM.
9 March 2023

A legacy of women's freedom in art

Schwartz’s narrator speaks in the choral “we”, and like a daisy chain, they connect all these women’s shared yet individual experiences of feeling closed in, being violated, feeling misunderstood by society, until they all shed their names and managed to “escap[e] the century”.
9 March 2023

BookTok is propagating pseudo-feminism

There lies a problem in the type of books that are being popularised by BookTok.
9 March 2023

4 nonfiction books that unpack South Asian feminism with nuance

The collection comprises essays, poetry, short fiction, feature pieces, interviews, research reports, and photographs and artwork that explore the physical, psychological and political experiences of menstruation across South Asia. 
9 March 2023

Why Iceland is a masterclass in equality

The government is better than any other nation in supporting single mothers. Parental leave is generous, and the choices and decisions by all are respected.
8 March 2023

Feminist retellings: How books reimagine mythological women

These women display extensive strength, determination and valour, acting as the pillars of their families and masters of their own fate.
8 March 2023

Children's books everyone should read

Children’s books might end up giving us more as adults than they did to us as children.
7 March 2023

Looking back at the Liberation War through poetry

On the third day of the event, two documentaries were showcased. The first featured the infamous Belonia Battle, and Pakistan’s first and only surrender to the freedom fighters. It emphasised how the battle is closely intertwined with Bangladesh’s military history and has a special significance in the turn of events that led to our independence. 
7 March 2023
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