A travel narrative by Md. Sakhawat Hossain recounts a six-day journey through Ethiopia, beginning with the arrival at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport. The writer describes the capital as a blend of modernity and history, highlighting visits to the National Museum of Ethiopia, home to the ancient fossil ‘Lucy,’ and the Entoto Hills, where the Entoto Maryam Church stands as a symbol of spiritual serenity.

The journey continues through Awash National Park’s rugged savanna, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela known as ‘Africa’s Jerusalem,’ and Bahir Dar’s tranquil Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile. The traveler also visits the Blue Nile Falls and the Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its dramatic cliffs and rare wildlife such as the Gelada baboon and Ethiopian wolf.

Reflecting on the experience, the author portrays Ethiopia as a living canvas of history, nature, and humanity, where every landscape and encounter reveals a deeper connection between people and their ancient land.

India has conferred its 2026 Padma Awards on 133 distinguished individuals in the fields of art, literature, and social service. Among them, only five recipients are from the Muslim community, whose contributions have been described as remarkable yet numerically limited. The list includes South Indian film icon Mammootty, who received the Padma Bhushan, and artists such as Rajasthan’s Gaffaruddin Mewati Yogi and Gujarat’s Haji Bhai Kasam Bhai, who were honored with the Padma Shri for preserving regional art and culture.

The report highlights that despite Muslims comprising around 15 percent of India’s population, their representation among awardees remains minimal. This imbalance raises questions about inclusivity in national recognition, especially amid broader social tensions and reports of violence against minorities. The article argues that national honors should reflect the country’s diversity and inclusive spirit.

It further suggests that the limited Muslim representation may indicate institutional indifference and calls for a more equitable approach to recognizing talent across communities to strengthen social cohesion and public trust in state institutions.

The 14th Zakat Fair 2026 will begin on Saturday, January 31, at the Officers’ Club on Bailey Road in Dhaka. Organized under the theme “Zakat for Establishing Justice,” the fair will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Interim government religious adviser Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain will inaugurate the event, which will feature three sessions.

At a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, fair organizing committee convener Dr. Mohammad Abdul Mazid said there is potential to collect one trillion taka in zakat across the country. He emphasized that proper zakat collection could help build a just, poverty-free society and empower recipients to become future donors.

Center for Zakat Management (CZM) CEO Dr. Mohammad Ayub Mia stated that the organization aims to collect 900 million taka in zakat this year. CZM has provided scholarships to 17,500 first-year university and medical students and operates over 60 primary healthcare centers nationwide offering regular medical services and medicine supplies.

An article published on January 29, 2026, revisits the 360th anniversary of Shaista Khan’s conquest of Chittagong, a decisive Mughal military campaign conducted between December 24, 1665, and January 27, 1666. The campaign, led by Shaista Khan’s son and chief commander Buzurg Umed Khan, began from Dhaka’s Lalbagh Fort and combined naval and land forces to capture Sandwip, advance through Jugidia, and finally cross the Feni River to launch the Chittagong assault. The four-day battle at the Karnaphuli River estuary ended with the defeat of the Arakanese forces and the expansion of Mughal control from northern to southern Chittagong.

The article contrasts this event with the concurrent Great Plague in England, describing 1665–1666 as Europe’s “Years of Wonder.” While England faced epidemic and war, Bengal witnessed the end of colonial disorder through Shaista Khan’s strategic victory. The conquest ended over a century of Portuguese and Arakanese dominance in Chittagong, restoring peace and stability to the region.

The piece highlights the campaign’s enduring recognition as a landmark in Bengal’s history for its tactical brilliance and its role in freeing the region from foreign control.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has cancelled the contractual appointment of Afsana Begum as director of the National Book Centre, citing irregularities and actions allegedly opposing the principles of the July uprising. The decision was followed by the appointment of writer and poet Sakhawat Tipu to the same post. Ministry officials claimed that Afsana Begum’s tenure was marked by favoritism in book selection and the promotion of narratives aligned with the previous Awami regime.

Officials alleged that the 2024–25 book selection list included multiple works by authors linked to the former government while excluding books supportive of the July uprising. They also accused Afsana Begum of forming a syndicate that gave undue advantage to preferred publishers and of attempting to challenge the ministry’s oversight authority. The ministry’s secretary stated that the cancellation was a routine administrative action consistent with government policy.

Afsana Begum denied all allegations, asserting that the selection process followed official guidelines and that final approval of book lists rested with the ministry. She argued that any controversy over the selected titles should be directed at the approving authorities rather than the committee.

The Ekushey Book Fair Struggle Council announced that the 'Amar Ekushey Symbolic Book Fair' will take place on February 1 at the Bangla Academy premises in Dhaka. According to a press release signed by the council’s general secretary, Delwar Hasan, the event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and will include cultural programs alongside the fair. The organizers expect the event to be held in a peaceful and orderly environment.

The council stated that the symbolic fair aims to uphold the spirit of the Language Movement, literature, and free thought. It is intended as a tribute to the identity and cultural heritage of Ekushey, emphasizing the importance of organizing the Amar Ekushey Book Fair to foster a knowledgeable and thoughtful society. The organizers have invited writers, publishers, readers, students, and cultural activists from all walks of life to participate.

The event continues the historical and traditional legacy associated with the Bangla Academy and the observance of Ekushey February, reflecting a collective effort to honor linguistic and cultural values.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh has decided to reduce stall rent for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 by 25 percent following requests from participating publishers. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki issued the directive, and the decision was announced in a ministry press release on Monday. The fair is scheduled to begin on February 20, 2026.

According to the statement, the decision came after a productive meeting between the cultural affairs adviser, the ministry’s secretary, and the director general of Bangla Academy. The Bangla Academy will implement the rent reduction promptly. The ministry expressed optimism that this initiative will help the fair continue as a gathering place for writers, readers, and publishers, while also encouraging book publishing and reading.

Professor Md. Azam, director general of Bangla Academy and convener of the fair’s implementation committee, said that the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association had requested to postpone the fair, but the timing could not be changed due to possible rain and other issues. Therefore, the rent reduction was approved to support publishers and sellers.

Following the cancellation of Afsana Begum’s appointment as director of Bangladesh’s National Book Centre, a heated debate has emerged within the country’s cultural and literary circles. The article alleges that a group of pro-Awami League and left-leaning cultural figures have strongly criticized the Ministry of Culture and adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, while Afsana herself publicly defended her position and condemned the decision to revoke her appointment.

The report claims that the National Book Centre’s book selection committee for the 2024–25 fiscal year displayed conflicts of interest, with some committee members including their own works in the purchase list. It further alleges that the list favored writers and publishers aligned with a particular ideological group, while excluding authors critical of past Awami League governments or supportive of the July uprising. The article also links Afsana’s appointment to recommendations from individuals associated with the newspaper Prothom Alo.

The author argues that the controversy exposes entrenched favoritism and ideological bias in state-funded cultural institutions, raising concerns about transparency and inclusivity in Bangladesh’s literary policy.

The month-long Jatra Registration Festival, organized by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and managed by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, concluded on January 23, 2026, with the staging of the historical Jatra play ‘General Osmani’. The play was performed at the Experimental Theatre Hall of the Academy by its repertory Jatra unit. Written by M A Majid and directed by Tanvir Nahid Khan, the production focused on the leadership, strategy, and uncompromising patriotism of Colonel M A G Osmani, the Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation War. The closing ceremony was attended by Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki as chief guest, with Secretary Md. Mofidur Rahman and Director General Sheikh Rezauddin Ahmed also present.

The festival, which began on December 1, 2025, featured 36 Jatra performances by 35 registered troupes from across the country. Veteran Jatra artist Anwar Hossain received a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the art form. Farooki noted that ‘General Osmani’ was created within seven days and will be staged in all 64 districts in March 2026, marking a renewed focus on national stories in traditional Jatra performances.

Ticket proceeds from the festival were distributed to participating troupes, and each performance was evaluated by a jury panel.

An article by Abu Sayed Kamal, published on January 24, 2026, examines how authoritarian regimes in Bangladesh—particularly military and one-party rule—have historically imposed hegemonic and fascist control over literature. It argues that state power shaped literary institutions, reader preferences, and creative expression by promoting certain narratives as national or mainstream while marginalizing dissenting voices. The essay defines literary hegemony as cultural dominance through consent and fascism as its coercive extension using censorship, fear, and exclusion.

The piece traces how state patronage turned literature into a political tool, rewarding loyal writers and sidelining critical or progressive ones. It notes that suppression led to self-censorship, creative contraction, and the marginalization of working-class, female, and ethnic minority voices. Yet, resistance literature emerged through little magazines, underground circles, and symbolic writing.

Kamal highlights the July 2024 uprising as a cultural turning point that challenged entrenched literary authority, revived marginalized voices, and redefined writers’ moral responsibility. The essay concludes that true literary freedom depends on sustaining decentralized, people-centered creative practices beyond state control.

Writer Gazi Giyas Uddin’s article revisits researcher Abdul Mannan Syed’s analysis of the Bengali Muslim literary awakening. Syed argued that British colonial rule erased the memory of Muslims’ major role in medieval Bengali literature. He noted that after the 1947 Partition, Dhaka transformed into the new capital of Bengali literature and culture, marking an unprecedented cultural resurgence. The 1952 Language Movement further deepened this awakening across poetry, prose, art, and music, giving modern Bengali literature a distinctive national identity.

Syed traced this revival through key figures and institutions such as Nawab Abdul Latif’s Mohammedan Literary Society (1863), Syed Ameer Ali’s National Mohammedan Association (1878), and the Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Samiti (1911). He credited journals like Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Patrika and Saugat for nurturing writers including Kazi Nazrul Islam. Syed emphasized that despite a shared language, East Bengal’s literature developed its own character, shaped by Muslim intellectual and social movements.

He also lamented the exclusion of Muslim writers from major anthologies and reaffirmed Nazrul’s place among the four greatest modern Bengali poets, alongside Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, and Jibanananda Das.

Dhaka University came alive on Friday as students and faculty celebrated Saraswati Puja, honoring the Hindu goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and creativity. The annual festival, centered at Jagannath Hall, featured 76 pavilions where offerings, prayers, and rituals were performed from the morning. Of these, 74 were built by different departments and institutes, while two were organized by the hall administration.

Each pavilion reflected unique themes and artistic expression. The Finance Department highlighted the vastness of the universe through lights and designs, while the English Department decorated its pavilion with hand-painted artwork. The central idol, placed in the pond at Jagannath Hall and crafted by Fine Arts students, drew special attention for its aesthetic appeal. The Department of Mass Communication and Journalism stood out with a pavilion symbolizing burned media outlets, protesting recent arson attacks on two major news organizations. Students said their theme, “Mobocracy,” called for peace and justice.

Hall Provost Professor Debashish Pal explained that, unlike previous years, no pre-festival press conference was held due to time constraints, though information was shared through notices and billboards.

The Musa Khan Mosque, located within Dhaka University’s Shahidullah Hall area, is one of the earliest examples of a residential madrasa-mosque built in the Mughal period. The structure, believed to have been constructed in the late 17th century under Shaista Khan’s architectural style, features an upper floor for prayer and teaching and a lower level once used as student dormitories. Historians differ on whether it was built by Musa Khan, the son of Isa Khan and a leader of the Baro Bhuiyans, or by his son Monowar Khan.

The mosque’s design includes three domes, arched entrances, and corner minarets, reflecting Shaistakhani architecture similar to the nearby Khwaja Shahbaz Mosque. Once surrounded by boundary walls, the site is now hemmed in by modern buildings that block natural light. Despite being under the Department of Archaeology’s care, the mosque suffers from dampness, peeling plaster, and structural decay.

The adjacent grave of Musa Khan, a key figure in Bengal’s anti-Mughal resistance, remains neglected and unmarked. The report calls for urgent restoration to preserve this significant monument of Dhaka’s early educational and architectural heritage.

Dr. Mohar Ali’s article discusses archaeological and linguistic evidence indicating that Arab Muslims settled in parts of Bengal, particularly Chattogram and Noakhali, long before the Muslim political conquest of the region. The study highlights the heavy Arabic influence in the local dialects, where nearly half of the Chattogram vocabulary is derived from Arabic. This linguistic and cultural integration, according to historians, points to long-term Arab presence rather than brief trade interactions.

The article references historical records showing that by the 16th century, Chattogram was a prosperous port city inhabited by wealthy Arab, Persian, and Abyssinian Muslim merchants. It also cites early Islamic preachers and Sufi saints believed to have arrived in Bengal before the 15th century, some possibly by sea. Historical texts such as Minhajuddin Siraj’s “Tabaqat-i-Nasiri” further suggest that Muslim traders and missionaries were familiar figures in Bengal before Bakhtiyar Khilji’s conquest.

These findings collectively indicate that Arab Muslim traders and preachers established early settlements in coastal Bengal, leaving lasting linguistic and cultural imprints that predated formal Muslim rule.

Bangladeshi publishers will not be allowed to participate in this year’s Kolkata International Book Fair, marking the second consecutive year without a Bangladesh pavilion. The organizers, Publishers and Booksellers Guild, confirmed that although Bangladesh expressed interest in joining, the guild declined their participation. The decision reportedly stems from the absence of clearance from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, which is required due to current India-Bangladesh relations.

According to Guild General Secretary Tridib Chatterjee, the guild cannot permit Bangladesh’s participation without the ministry’s approval. The Bangladeshi Deputy High Commission in Kolkata also confirmed that interest in joining had been conveyed. Chatterjee added that while Bangladesh will not have an official presence, individual stalls may still display Bangladeshi books without objection.

The United States will also miss this year’s fair due to budget allocation issues. For the first time, Ukraine will participate, and China will return after 15 years. Argentina is the theme country, with a total of 21 nations and over a thousand local and Indian publishers taking part.