News

Pochishe Boishakh: Celebrating the Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore
Celebration | May 8, 2021 | 9-11 p.m. | Zoom

Bangladesh at 50: The Transformation of Culture
Panel Discussion | April 29, 2021 | 8-9:30 a.m. | Zoom

Eight years ago, one of the worst industrial disasters in history—the collapse of an eight storey commercial building in a sub-district of Dhaka—demonstrated to the world the heavy price of producing cheap clothing to fuel the "fast fashion" industry for consumers in the global North. After the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, the international response concentrated on technocratic approaches to address the lack of worker safety measures by focusing on fire, electrical, and structural improvements to a portion of the country's registered factories.

Gender, Sexuality, Violence: A Transnational Conversation
Lecture | April 16, 2021 | 5-6:30 9.m. | Zoom

It is characteristic of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he managed to turn an occasion intended to celebrate the birth of Bangladesh into an episode about himself. That may not have been how it is seen in Bangladesh, but that is how it is being seen in India, where his admirers and critics are busy debating what role Modi may have played in 1971.

Bangladesh at 50: Achievements and Challenges of Bangladesh's Economy
Lecture | March 29, 2021 | 8-9:30 a.m. | Zoom

For our generation, who grew up when the Bengali nationalist movement was gaining momentum and witnessed the genocide and National Liberation War of 1971, the golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh is a time for both celebration and reflection. We celebrate our successes and try to identify the reasons behind them. We reflect on our failures and try to understand our mistakes. As we celebrate we need to draw lessons from our achievements as well as shortfalls so that we are better prepared in charting our future path.  

Ayesha Mahmud | Understanding the dynamics of infectious diseases in Bangladesh
Lecture | March 11, 2021 | 9-10:30 a.m. | Zoom

Foreign Policy Visions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Celebration of the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanh

The death of Mushtaq Ahmed has renewed alarm about the country’s use of a draconian digital security law to crack down on dissent.

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day.

The Daily Star ran one Op-Ed daily during last year's campaign. Here are links to a few below:

The Garment Sector Unraveling in Bangladesh: Rethinking the Health, Safety, and Livelihoods of Workers During a Global Pandemic 
Lecture | December 4, 2020 | 8-10 a.m. | Zoom

Malabika Sarker | Implementation Research: A catalyst for bridging the knowledge gap between Discovery to Delivery Lecture | November 19, 2020 | 9-10:30 a.m. | Zoom

Climate Change in Bangladesh Lecture | November 17, 2020 | 9-10:30 a.m. | Zoom

Rights of Rivers, Rights of Nature: Turning Intentions into Action
Lecture | November 11, 2020 | 2-3 a.m. | Zoom

Samik Bandyopadhyay | Tagore: Through the Wars Lecture | November 10, 2020 | 9-10:20 a.m. | Zoom

Fakrul Alam | “I’ve caught uncatchable loveliness in rhyme’s binds”: Translating Rabindranath Tagore’s Songs 
Lecture | October 16, 2020 | 9-10:20 a.m. | Zoom

More than seven years after the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, issues related to fire, electrical and structural safety in hundreds of the nation's garment factories have improved from before. For example, according to the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety's website, 84 percent of factories under the Accord have corrected their outstanding structural issues. Covid-19, however, has put a spotlight on just how "safe" workers really are. While building structures have been made safer over the years, the larger structure of the global supply chain was intentionally left intact.

The Chowdhury Center Distinguished Lecture for 2020
Naila Kabeer | Contested Narratives about National Identity: Gender, State and Community
Lecture | October 1 | 9-10:30 a.m. | Zoom