The Origin
The Bedroom Journal stands as Bangladesh’s first digital lifestyle magazine dedicated to showcasing the complexity, creativity and contradictions of the South Asian experience, with a sharp gaze towards Bangladesh and the stories that emerge from within and beyond its borders.
We are a culture-forward digital magazine curating editorials, bite size news and original articles that reflect the diverse realities of South Asians, especially Bangladeshis who are living, creating, resisting, and redefining what it means to belong in the modern world.
From exclusive interviews to commentary and advertorials our content covers everything from identity, history, arts and culture, to fashion, media, food, and the lifestyle we carry with us.
We tell stories rooted in places but open to the world. Stories that are personal but politically aware. Stories that challenge the monolithic lens through which South Asia is often seen and instead, offer something far more layered, reflective and real.
Our Platform
MISSION
At The Bedroom Journal, our mission is to archive and amplify South Asian stories, especially those rooted in or connected to Bangladeshi culture with care, creativity and cultural context. We are as interested in coffee table commentary, as we are in sharp cultural critiques, emerging artists and the historic traditions that shape who we are. Our goal is to spotlight the nuances of South Asian media, from the reflective to the playful, from untold community histories to the glamour and grit of modern pop culture. We exist to make space for stories that deserve to be seen, felt and remembered.
VISION
We envision TBJ as a digitally native cultural magazine that bridges the local and the diasporic, rooted in Bangladesh but curious about the wider South Asian experience in all its layers. As a creative archive, pop culture platform and editorial playground, we want to be where readers come for both depth and delight. Think: heritage luxury to internet moments, independent artists to iconic celebrities, fashion faux pas to geopolitical undercurrents. Our vision is to shift the lens, placing Bangladesh and the wider South Asian identity not in the margins of global storytelling but firmly at the center.
VOICE
Our editorial voice is thoughtful but never stiff, smart but never inaccessible. We speak with curiosity, not condescension. We’re just as comfortable unpacking generational trauma as we are obsessing over a red carpet look, a music video drop or the revival of a ‘90s music trend. At The Bedroom Journal, we celebrate the contradictions of South Asian identity: traditional yet progressive, local yet global, soft-spoken yet wildly expressive. Whether it’s a commentary on cultural icons, a review of rising fashion talent or an ode to that one dish that defines home, we write with wit, warmth and just enough edge to keep it interesting.
Editor's Note
"What I'm trying to build is more than a magazine, it’s an archive of cultural awakening. One that’s informed by heritage, but not confined by it. A publication that knows South Asians want both context and couture, both legacy and global virality, both community care and cultural critique."
Meet the Editor
SARWAT ZAHIN HYDER, FOUNDER AND EDITOR IN CHIEF
Some editors work in boardrooms. Sarwat Zahin started hers in a bedroom, mid-pandemic, with a laptop, a lot of tabs open and a stubborn belief that Bangladeshi stories deserve better.
In May 2020, when the world slowed down and everything went quiet, Sarwat began doing what she’s always done best - writing, observing, interviewing and archiving the stories others overlooked. What began as a creative refuge quickly took shape into The Bedroom Journal, a first of a kind digital lifestyle magazine that captured the nuance, nostalgia and next-gen narrative of South Asian identity, with Bangladesh at its heart.
Sarwat brings a decade of cultural fluency to the table. She has worked in both legacy media and digital strategy, beginning her journey as a writer at New Age Youth and Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh’s leading English-language newspapers, before moving into the world of branding, content production and digital marketing. With over 5 years of experience in digital creative strategy and a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, she is now pursuing her MFA in Strategic Media, bridging academia and the editorial world with quiet force.
Grow With Us
The Bedroom Journal is a bootstrapped, self-funded digital media platform with a sharp editorial lens on South Asian stories, anchored in Bangladesh, with global appeal. We currently reach over 50,000 monthly online readers across our website and social platforms, with an organically growing audience that engages deeply with our smart, stylish and culturally relevant content. We've collaborated with some of Bangladesh’s leading brands, including Aarong, Miniso and ISHO, and have been featured in publications like ICE Today Magazine. As we expand into more avenues of original multimedia, we’re looking to collaborate with like-minded creatives, brands, and investors who believe in our mission. If you’re interested in collaborating or becoming part of the vision, get in touch with us.