It all started with a simple diary—a gift from Choto Mama (Mahabubur Rahman) when I was in class six. I remember holding it in my hands, feeling the smooth cover, flipping through the crisp blank pages, and wondering, What do I do with this?
“You will write”, he said.
“But what will I write?” I asked.
“Anything you want. Maybe everything you do daily,” he replied.
And so, I began. First, it was about my days—the things I did, the places I went, the people I met. Slowly, it evolved into something more. I wrote about what made me happy, what made me sad, what confused me, and what fascinated me. Every drop of rain, every sound of laughter, every small moment that felt significant found its place in those pages.
From class six to class twelve, my diary became my constant companion. I wrote every single day, capturing not just events but also the emotions tied to them. Looking back, I realize how this simple habit shaped me in ways I never anticipated.
The Power of Words: Skills I Gained from Writing Daily
Writing a diary gave me something invaluable: the ability to articulate my thoughts and emotions. I learned to express myself clearly, to put vague feelings into structured sentences. I developed my own voice, a rhythm in my words that felt uniquely mine. Without realizing it, I was training myself in the art of storytelling—one entry at a time.
It also cultivated my love for reading and writing. I could write fluently in both Bengali and English, effortlessly putting down 500-600 words on any topic at any time. This was a skill that set me apart in school, especially in writing essays, paragraphs, and poetry.
From a Personal Diary to Published Pages
In 2007, I joined the National Children’s Task Force (NCTF), where I was introduced to Shishu Kontha, a monthly newsletter run by NCTF’s central committee. Watching Shakil Mahmud Bhai, Abid Azam Bhai, and the editorial team work inspired me, and soon, I found myself writing for it.
When my first piece got published, I felt a surge of joy unlike anything before. I carried that newsletter everywhere, showing people my name in print. The thrill of seeing my words reach others was unforgettable.
From there, writing became something more than just a habit—it became a passion. I started contributing to Ghashful, a newsletter we published from NCTF Madaripur District Committee, where I served as its first editor. Every edition was an adventure—selecting stories, refining articles, ensuring our collective voice was heard. Those moments solidified my belief: writing had the power to connect people.
The Evolution of Expression: Poetry, Art, and Digital Writing
Beyond prose, poetry became a natural extension of my emotions. I found myself drawn to little magazines and literary circles in Madaripur, where I met like-minded writers and artists. Engaging with these communities deepened my appreciation for the power of words and artistic expression.
My exposure to PowerPoint, Excel, and Word came in 2006 in Khulna, thanks to Enayet Mama. The ability to structure information visually, to design and present thoughts beyond words, fascinated me. It was an unexpected bridge between my love for storytelling and the professional world I would step into later.
The Shift: From Diaries to the Digital World
In 2008, I created my Facebook account. Slowly, my writing shifted from private diaries to public expression. Facebook became my new platform—poems, thoughts, reflections—a place to share and engage with others. But with the shift from Madaripur to Dhaka for university, and the demands of academic life, my diary writing became less frequent.
It was Jannatul Rahad Bhai, my senior from NCTF and a student of Jagannath University, who encouraged me to write in national newspapers. Following his advice, I submitted articles to The Daily Observer, The Daily Prothom Alo, The Daily Sun, and The Daily Star. Soon, I had written nearly 50 articles in major national dailies between 2013 and 2017.
I even co-authored a journal publication on Ship Recycling Industry in Bangladesh with students from SUST and a professor from Dhaka University. Each step in my writing journey led me to new realms of exploration and expression.
The Need for a Home for My Words: The Birth of My Blog
By 2018, I had stopped writing regularly in newspapers. Life got busier, and I realized that I needed a space where I could write freely, without deadlines or external constraints. That’s when I decided to start my personal blog—a place where my words could breathe, where I could write at my own pace, about what truly mattered to me.
Now, looking back, I see how everything was connected. The diary pages of my childhood led to newsletters, then newspapers, and finally my blog. Writing has been my way of making sense of the world, of leaving behind something meaningful.
