Writing the City | Spring 2026

Thu 15 Jan - Mon 2 Feb' 26

A three-week non-fiction writing workshop focused on ‘records and registries’ as thematic anchors to read, think, discuss, and to write about the city. What does recordkeeping entail? What is the role of records and registries in understanding a city? Might we try to extend our understanding of erasure instead to work our ways around a city? In what ways can the intangible and abstract direct our attention to a city’s records? We will use these questions and more to evolve a writing ethic around cities.

Faculty: Parsa Sanjana Sajid (writer, editor and researcher)

Goals and Objectives

This three-week non-fiction writing workshop will use ‘records and registries’ as thematic anchors to read, think, discuss, and to write about the city. What does recordkeeping entail? What is the role of records and registries in understanding a city? Might we try to extend our understanding of erasure instead to work our ways around a city? In what ways can the intangible and abstract direct our attention to a city’s records? We will use these questions and more to evolve a writing ethic around cities.

Participants are expected to read and critically discuss assigned texts and materials on the theme, and draw inspiration from them, in order to produce their written work. And each session will be divided into discussion, writing, and feedback on the assigned materials and tasks. There will be a series of writing exercises in English including writing on prompt, experimental writing, pair-writing, short and long form writing. Participants are expected to be comfortable discussing and presenting their work with others in the workshop, provide feedback to each other’s work, and possibly develop a final project under the guidance of the faculty.

Important Information

1.Date: January 15 – February 2, 2026
Workshop meetings: 2 sessions per week
Total number of classes: 6 sessions

2.Venue: Bengal Institute, Dhaka

3.Workshop Fee:
Regular participants: 10,000 BDT
Students: 7,000 BDT (Valid student ID required)

4.Important Dates:
Application starts: November 19, 2025
Application Deadline: December 09, 2025
Selection Announcement: December 11, 2025
Payment Deadline: December 28, 2025

5.Application Requirements:

Open to all backgrounds, regardless of educational or professional experience
Women, ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities, as well as individuals from other diverse backgrounds, are particularly encouraged to apply
Participants should be comfortable discussing and presenting their work with others
This is not a “Writing 101” workshop, but covers conceptualization, style, and argument built around specific themes

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SESSIONS ARE PLANNED FOR IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES; HOWEVER, DEPENDING ON CONVENIENCE, THE WHOLE SESSION OR SOME PARTS OF THE SESSION MAY BE CONVERTED TO ONLINE.

Payment Information
Selected participants must complete their payment by December 28, 2025.
Payment Link: bengal.portwallet.com/subscription/

How to Apply
To apply for the workshop, please fill out the application form:
https://forms.gle/UTwXN9Q5RSvcrKr7A

For any queries, please contact:
[email protected]

_________

Image Release Waiver

By participating in this workshop, participants consent to allow the Bengal Institute to use photographs and videos taken during the event for publicity purposes, including print materials, the Bengal Institute’s website, and its social media platforms. Photographs and videos remain the property of the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements.

Release of Liability

By participating in the “Writing the City: On Records and Registries” workshop by the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements, participants release the Institute, its elected officials, officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, affiliates and all others acting on its behalf from any claims, actions, causes of action, and complaints of any kind which they have or may in the future have, whether known or unknown, arising out of or relating to their participation in the “Writing the City: On Records and Registries” workshop on January 15 – February 2, 2026.

Additional Information

Terms and Conditions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WpCl9gGotbHMLOb7gdVPjvAnz2oGVfplPIbVlLSGW_Y/edit?usp=sharing

IP Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12wZhRByvRpQKNgZ2ShqzR1c8leKJeiTmOqoohSDw-0M/edit?usp=sharing