This Spring 2026 issue turns its gaze toward the lives and livelihoods too often hidden behind the beauty of the landscapes they call home. Beneath the allure of these places are indigenous communities whose cultures are romanticized, identities commercialized, and homelands exploited, while they themselves continue to face oppression and marginalization. In this issue, our six subeditors invite you to journey into the world of the mountains.
This issue commemorates Tarannum Ahmed, a MUSE sub-editor, who passed away on December 31, 2025. Tarannum served as one of the pillars of MUSE with her positive attitude, infectious presence and unwavering support. Her absence has left a space that can never be filled. The MUSE team will always be grateful for her readiness to contribute her time and energy without hesitation. Just like how the Fall 2025/Spring 2026 issue, on which she had been working at the time, highlights how something that looks effortlessly beautiful like the mountains can hide painful stories of neglected communities, the joy, positivity and brightness Tarannum exuded hid the struggles she must have endured. She has gifted us a lesson in bravery and resilience, and given MUSE gems of her creative writings. Please click on this link to see her writings in the MUSE dedication page to her: https://muse.ulab.edu.bd/2026/05/13/tarannum-ahmeds-writings/
পাহাড় আমার নাম ডাকে (The Hills Speak My Name) by Rowzat Tahania
The Millennium Trip by Irene Saha