Every year has a story to tell, and it goes without saying that there is a bittersweet feeling once it comes to an end. The best part about the year end is the ability to look back at the past and cherish the memories. Despite the good or bad, the happy or sad, 2015 really did shape us-for better or for worse. Change is a doorway to new beginnings. With that in mind, ICE Today slips into a brand new image. Being the longest-running premier lifestyle glossy, we have commitments to the broad spectrum of style and culture. Hence, we have taken it upon us to introduce a plethora of events for the fashion and lifestyle industry. As a stepping stone to that, Project Fashionscape is a first-of-its-kind dialogue platform that brought in Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Designer, Arrington De Dionyso who wowed the audience with his illustrations and insights on fashion. We have launched a special Instagram workshop for Bangladeshi models through which models will learn how to popularise their social media fan following. Although 2016 has just begun, it’d be too soon to assume what it will bring. However, there are a few hard-hitting issues that we are anticipating in our Cover Focus. Along with that, we also applaud the efforts of those in various fields of entertainment (Great Expectations, p71). Our motto this year is ‘out with the old.’ To celebrate that adage, we’ve put together an exotic fashion spread featuring snazzy collections from the city’s finest clothing lines. It’s a brand new year; make the most of it and don the very best!

Vol 13 No 01 January 2016The Magazine That Reads You Closely

Published by Abul Khair on behalf of ICE Media Limited Printed at M.K. Printers189/1,Tejgaon I/A,Dhaka-1208Editorial and Commercial office: Road 23/A, House 4, Block B, Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh Advertising, Sales and Distribution: 01711339587, 01819412035, 01684570791. Tel: +8809666773313

On the cover

Publisher Abul KhairChairman, Editorial BoardSyed Shamsul HaqDirector, International PublicationsZeenat ChowdhuryExecutive Director Nawshin KhairManaging EditorTawhidur RashidFashion EditorGoutom SahaDeputy EditorTanuva Aumia KhundkarAssistant Editor Natasha RahmanSenior Sub-EditorTamzidur RahmanSub-EditorRubab Nayeem KhanStaff WriterAidha CaderSenior Designer (In charge of Graphics and Layout)Jason Sabbir DhaliDesignerMd. Mainul IslamHead of Marketing Lucky BegumAssistant Manager, MarketingFarah TaniFinance and Accounts Md. Abdul AlimSales and DistributionMd. Manik Mollah

Model: IshaWardrobe: JocondeMakeup and Hair: Farzana Shakil’s Photography: Riyad AshrafLocation: Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka

editorial

e-mail: icetoday@gmail.com editor@icetoday.netfacebook.com/ice.todaytwitter.com/ice_todaywww.icetoday.net

Contents January 2016

BuzzIn TheP. 12 Hot On Wheels Grand launching of the BMW 3 seriesP. 14 Oh Laila! Jazz singer Laila Plamondon takes centre stage at Red Shift Coffee LoungeP. 16 Oscar Bait 2016 Oscar predictions and moreP. 18 In the Spirit of Pop Culture Superheroes, supervillains, and cosplaying at the Dhaka ComiconP. 20 Extending the Roots A few staples for the bookshelfP. 22 Before the A B C s Basic learning tips for children before they start pre-schoolP. 24 The New Year’s Little Helpers Organisational apps for a better year aheadP. 26 Exhibitions A review of ‘Unmasked’ a mask exhibition held at Zainul Gallery P. 28 An upcoming star Aref Syed shares his experiences from the film Anil Bagchir EkdinP. 30 Music, meet magic Indalo: a band that’s setting stages on fireP. 32 Decadent Tease your tastebuds with these winter delights P. 34 Fashion Portfolio 1: The Bespoke Beauty Dazzling new collections from Jarwa House P. 40 RSVP Snippets from the Khadi Festival to revive the glory of KhadiP. 42 Fashion Portfolio 2: Fit for a Diva Go casual with Plaire’s winter collectionP. 48 Makeover Raise a toast to winter days with these lovely looks P. 54 Fashion Portfolio 3: Newfound Novelties Joconde’s eye-catching attires fit for a divaP. 62 Skintastic Four Meet the Stylistas of town. Comic by Adyat naba

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P.66 Drop Dead Gorgeous Sanjana Hossain gets cracking on her makeup skillsP. 68 Take Two Filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain’s inspiration behind her film ‘Under Construction’P. 71 Great Expectations A chat with change makers and young entertainers about making a difference in 2016P. 72 Going Ahead Tahera Ahmed on maternal and child healthcare goals for next year P. 73 Legally Right In 2016 we have new milestones to achieve in human rights. Khushi Kabir opines P. 74 Global Recognition Academic advancements in North South University (NSU)P.75 Reconstructing Perceptions Iresh Zaker sheds light on the advertising and the world of PR P. 76 Live, love, laugh Ahmad Ashik’s take on stand-up comedyP. 77 Drop that bass Beatboxer Moktadir Dewan shows ICE his mad skillsP. 78 Scratch That DJ Judo’s analysis on the party scene in DhakaP. 79 Pyro Mania Tihan Shah’s fire spinning glory with NaurP. 80 Comic Relief Farhana Muna takes YouTube by storm with her side-splitting comedyP. 81 The Guiding Light Zehra Ispahani shares stories about her afterschool programme, North Star Learning P. 82 Work of Art Subir Chowdhury Practice Grant winners share their artistic perceptions P. 84 For the Suitable Man Mehruz Munir picks out snazzy winter suitsP. 85 Attitude on Sleeves How to nab those mantastic looks from the silver screen P. 86 Shutter Speed Appreciating the raw beauty of Jyoti Omi Chowdhury’s photographsP. 90 Spritz It Perfumes for him that will take her breath away P.92 Out in the Blue The dolphin watcher Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli’s aquatic discoveries P. 94 Game on A review of Super Mokh Cup 2015P. 96 Recipes Warm recipes to conquer the chills of winterP. 102 Hangout Sumptuous treats from 3 Dragons at Pearl P. 104 Savoury Soups to soothe the soulP. 110 Moments of Grandeur Candid moments from the Bengal Classical Music Festival 2015 P.112 United We Stand Kali O Kalam’s roundtable discussion ‘Nari’r Srijon o Odhikaar’P. 114 Events News and reviews of local events

Contents January 2016

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BuzzICE Today

A reel of the latest lifestyle updates

For A Majestic RideExecutive motors Ltd, the sole importer and distributor of BMW vehicles in the country, launched the new BMW 3 series 1.5 liter cars for the first time in Bangladesh. The launch took place on December 4th at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel. The General Manager of Executive Motors Ltd Dewan Muhammad Sajid Afzal unveiled the new BMW 3 series sedan. The event was attended by BMW owners, future customers, media professionals, doctors, bankers and business professionals.

Banking Professional Zara Mahbub with Stand Up comedian Naveed Mahbub never looked this good. Here’s a picture of the stunning couple from the Josephites Ball that was held in December 18, 2015.

Power Couple

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The Girl ICE Loves

A vision in her red dress, matching red lipstick and shoulder length black hair, Laila arrived at the New York Cabaret in the Red Shift Coffee Lounge, along with her family, an hour and half early for her live performance. She spoke in hushed tones punctuated at times with thoughtful pauses or girlish laughter. She is not your cookie-cutter singer, “If all I had to do is write papers on psychology,” pondered this Fulbright Scholar and Smith alumnus, “I would do that for fun.” Presently the associate director of product solutions at Uncommon Schools, in New York City, Laila speaks passionately about developing educational technology for public schools in low income areas and closing the achievement gap by “giving these kids an opportunity to not only go to college but make it through college.” She switches to Bangla to explain that this is something Bangladeshis understand very well, that “without education you are not going to go anywhere.” While it would have been very easy for her to use work as an excuse to give up singing, Laila finds herself saying yes enthusiastically to any opportunity to perform live. However, when inquired about her intentions to perhaps transition into a career in music, she had a surprising answer,“While I love to perform and sing,” she then explained, “I don’t like the life of a musician.” Upon inquiring further, she said, “I love going to work at the same

Laila Plamondon’s unforgettable jazz numbers and Christmas songs left Rumana Fouzia Choudhury star struck

Photograph by Sakib Muhtasim

time and getting out and having that balance in my life. I don’t enjoy staying up late. So going out at 2am to jam with people I don’t know and coming back at 4am by myself is a nightmare for me and that is not what I think is fun or sustainable.”When asked what it is about jazz that she loves so much, Laila reflected on her Third Culture background, and the Third Culture phenomenon on which she has done much research, she answered, “The improvisation,

the experimentation and play that happens in jazz transcends nationality and gender. It is a genre that allows for more communication, more cultural understanding than others.” With each song Laila sang, the audience concluded with resounding applause and all too soon, the show came to an end. All we can do now, is wait for thistime next year, when Laila will be back with more jazz and Christmas cheer.

“I don’t like the life of a musician”

Oscar Hopefuls2015 was a strong year for the big screen, and the hour of the Academy Awards is fast approaching. As with every year the Oscar forecasts might not hold true as such things are unpredictable, moreso than the weather. Although the following list maybe treated as a solid forecast chart – things

can and will change when it’s time. By Tamzidur Rahman

“Bridge of Spies”

Best Film

Best Director

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Original Screenplay

Best Original Score

Spotlight Star Wars The Revenant Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian

Steven Spielberg “Bridge of Spies”

Bryan Cranston “Trumbo”

George Miller “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Ridley Scott “The Martian”

Alejandro G. Iñárritu “The Revenant”

Tom McCarthy “Spotlight”

Eddie Redmayne “The Danish Girl”Johnny Depp

“Black Mass”Michael Fassbender

“Steve Jobs”

Saoirse Ronan “Brooklyn”

Cate Blanchett“Carol”

Brie Larson “Room”

Jennifer Lawrence “Joy”

Charlotte Rampling “45 Years”

“The Hateful Eight” “Inside Out” “Joy” “Spotlight”

“Bridge of Spies” Thomas Newman

“The Danish Girl” Alexandre Desplat

“The Hateful Eight” Ennio Morricone

“Spotlight”Howard Shore

“Star Wars: The ForceAwakens” John Williams

Leonardo DiCaprio “The Revenant”

Entertainment

Culture Vulture

Dhaka Comicon (DCC) has become a popular pop culture convention (or comic-con) within the city. It was created by a group of die-hard fans for other like minded people, to celebrate the culture of comic books, movies, video games and anime. Dhaka Comicon 2015 ‘Beyond Borders’ was bigger and much more diverse in contrast to the previous ones.Dhaka Comicon ‘Beyond Borders,’ took place from December 11 to December 13 at Jamuna Future Park. The event was thronged by many from the first day and only kept growing crowded over the next two days, both of which were weekends. There were all sorts of characters coming to life - Disney princesses, superheroes and supervillains. Some of the noteworthy characters were the Antman, Dragonball Z characters, Scooby Doo characters; Tinkerbell and Iron Man MK7. It was a place where people could turn into any character they could ever want to be and have a great time with friends and family. Some that stood out at the comicon were the artist’s corner, action figure photography corner, a chance to meet international comic book distributors, cosplay and an art competition. There was a concert which provided a platform to many rock bands. There were electro artists, b-boying by Anonymous Crew, magic by Max Mystel and many other elements which made the entire event a very memorable one.

by Nusrat Jahan Pritom

Photo: Ashraf Uddin Apu

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Ashfaque Zaman and Rumana Fouzia Choudhury connect Bengali writers to their native land

Extending the RootsBookworm

Fire in the Unnameable Country By Ghalib Islam464 Pages, Tk 1500Hamish Hamilton

Islam chronicles the life of a young man, Hedayat, who is born into a titular country. The novel is set in a number of nations throughout the world, none of which are clearly specified. Islam’s debut novel follows an outlandish and chaotic plot in order to depict the very real struggle to thrive in nations that harbor negative stereotypes of the Islamic religion. The intricate puzzle that is Hedayat’s family, from the colonial times, to present day unravels itself. Between the realms of dreams and reality, Islam metaphorically uses the sub narrative of one family to depict the struggles of geopolitics, social class and race into perspective. You can get the book from Bookworm.

Brick Lane By Monica Ali496 Pages, Tk 400Black Swan

Incorporating yourself into a culture that you are completely oblivious of is a daunting task that many immigrants have must face. In her first novel, Brick Lane, Monica Ali pens the story of Nazneen, a young girl, who is married off to a land and husband both of which she hasn’t the slightest clue. Ali walks us through the development of the protagonist finding her own identity. As Nazneen explores her new Bengali community in London, she also find the many perplexities, desires and sense of self-identity. The poignant manner in which Ali handles the depth of her central character and Nazneen’s story in her debut novel is a transporting experience into the life of a woman trying to centre her Eastern traditions in a Western world. The book is available for purchase at Bookworm.

Photography books for the coffee table have earned quite a bit of notoriety as expensive picture books of idle entertainment, as one tosses barely a cursory glance at each image when flipping pages to pass the time. It is not surprising though. However, in Labyrinth, through the apposite collocation of co-authors Munize Manzur’s text and Arif Hafiz’s photographs, we see the power of visual saturation of advertisement images subverted as we grope to understand a glimpse of the people of the Korail. In the foreward, it is Syed Manzoorul Islam, fiction writer and Professor, Department of English at D.U. who describes this book justly: “Labyrinth is a conversation between an author and a photographer which is rich in images- both visual and literary. It shimmers with life, and compels one to look beyond oneself, and appreciate the value of each and every life of Korail’s people—surely an amazing as well as desirable feat.” Its available for purchase at Bookworm, Aranya, Boi Bichitra and you can also get it from rokomari.com

Labyrinth By Munize Manzur and Arif Hafiz56 Pages, Tk 1200Bengal Publications Ltd

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Tender Loving Care

This can get stressful for many parents because they can’t figure out how to prepare a toddler for an admission interview. That being said, you can prepare your toddler by spending enough time playing with them and reading to them at home. Schools try to figure out if children can adapt to new environments. To aid with that, you can arrange regular play dates with kids of his or her age - this will hone their social skills. Make sure you are there to help your child engage with other kids. Another helpful practice is to encourage your child to greet everyone with a smile. This helps immensely in getting your child to greet teachers as well as peers. “We have always encouraged our baby to greet every individual she met with a salaam- on a daily basis. And as expected, during her school interview, she promptly greeted her teacher with a smile and a salaam all by herself ” says Shahriar Wahid, father of a two year old girl. Students are tested on their motor skills during admission tests. Jason Nolan, a Ryerson early childhood education professor studying how technology can support real world learning said, “Children will learn more physics by throwing play- doh around than ever by interacting with an iPad.” So cut back on their daily screen time and spend more time on helping them with building blocks and kneading play-doh. Also children are often tested on their ability to recognise common objects, therefore reading books with or to your child helps immensely with honing this ability. Thirty years old Nazmun says, “We have been reading to our son every day since he was an infant and thanks to that, he has learnt the alphabets by sight before his second birthday”. Furthermore, you could opt to teach your child the basic colours simultaneously by repeating phrases like ‘red apple, yellow banana etc.’ Bringing up a child is no small feat, so start today by laying out a regular schedule to play/read with your child. Not only will it help your child learn better and faster, but it will also allow you to spend more time together. As a result, you will enjoy each other’s company and simultaneously nurture a much stronger bond with your young one.

Before the ABCsEvery year comes with new challenges; but for parents with toddlers, New Year feels extra challenging if this is the year of school admission. Natasha Sabrin Khan’s parenting column sheds light on this issue

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Aref Syed is a name that has become popular recently on the release of his feature film acting debut Anil Bagchir Ekdin. His journey took flight when director Morshedul Islam spotted his performance in the short-film ‘The Professionals.’ A few years after, he was invited to meet Morshedul Islam who handed him the novel by Humayun Ahmed and suggested that he play the title role. During the time when he was studying for his Bachelors degree at Columbia University, he received training from Stella Adler Studio of Acting and The Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York City. These led him to act on theatre productions like ‘The Zoo Story’ and ‘The

An Upcoming StarLady of Lakspur.’ Aref shared, “I am very fortunate to have been a part of Stella Adler Studio’s programme, although it was only as a hobby. Their most famous student till date is Marlon Brando.”On his return to Bangladesh he had also taken part in several theatre productions here as well. Based on his experience, Aref commented on the difference between the stage and the camera, “Acting is the only constant. Yes, it is the most important bit, but it is probably the only thing that stays the same in both mediums. The thing about acting on stage is that once you get up and start acting – the floor is yours. However long it may be, for an hour or two – however many the audience comprises of, ten people or a thousand. The actor owns it even with all the obvious risks. “It’s a whole other story when it comes to acting in front of the camera,” Aref said. You get multiple takes until you reach a personal level of satisfaction as an actor. Even then, I would say that acting on film is slightly more difficult because it’s a more personal, more intimate medium compared to the theatre. The audience gets to watch your performance more closely. For instance if I had to play Anil Bagchi on stage rather than on film – the script, character portrayal, the story, etc would remain the same – what would change is my body language as I am trying to reach the farthest person in the audience from me with my voice projection. And for no reason would I get a single retake.”Anil Bagchir Ekdin is a period drama set during the Liberation

War of ’71 and the eponymous character is a young, Hindu man travelling from one part of the country to the other in order to unite with his sister. Aref Syed had not just walked on to the set with no prior prep. He had done some extensive research on how life had been for the residents of a wartime Bangladesh. “Obviously, I never experienced the Liberation War but I wanted to bring a genuine feel to the character. I was fortunately able to get in touch with survivors of the war who had similar experiences to Anil and get firsthand accounts of their experiences from that time. I am very grateful to them. I read the novel the film was based on cover to cover multiple times. I also read other books on the war and even had to forego my habit of working out at the gym because obviously a boy like Anil wouldn’t have the physical qualities I had. I tried my best to make the charac-ter portrayal as real as possible,” shared the young actor regarding his preparation to play Anil Bagchi.When asked if there was anything at all that he’d want to change about the film, Aref shared, “The marketing. People in the Bangla-deshi film industry put in a lot of effort and resources into making a production. Whether, ultimately the film turns out to be good or bad – it is never advertised properly to the masses. Either because of budget constraints or time – the film gets a release date and starts getting screened without the masses being aware. If there was one thing I could change about the movie – I would advertise it before its release.” By Tamzidur Rahman

Photographs: Courtesy

Look Out

Object d’art

The Athena Gallery of Fine Arts organised a solo painting exhibition of internationally reputed artist Kalidas Karmakar titled Alluvial Realization. The opening ceremony took place on December 4 at 6pm at Athena Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka. Artist Kalidas Karmakar is one of the most internationally acclaimed artists in Bangladesh and is indeed a very significant name in the world of modern art. At 70, he is still youthful and exuberant, an artist par excellence. Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, Finance Minister inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest. Tasmima Hossain, Acting Editor of Daily Ittefaq and Editor of Anannya, Renowned Artist and Media Personnel Mustafa Manwar, Ambidextrous Writer Syed Shamsul Haque were also present as special guests.

Visual Impressario

Most primitive expressions were captured using the art of face carving. The pieces hanging on the walls of Zainul Gallery located at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University demonstrate this ancient art-form at its best. Each character depicts a unique story and myth. Namirah Farzana, Sabuj Das, Md Zakir Hossain, Sajib Paul and Tushar Dey skilfully infused life into mediums such as wood, metal, mirror, even fabrics with their thoughtful ornamentations. Detailed cuts, unusual shapes and vivid shades inspired by cultural norms and folklores were beautifully portrayed by the craftsmen. Traditional adornments such as the tilak on the forehead, Vermillion on the partings or nolok (nosepin) bolstered the authenticity of the masks. While enlightening us with the tales underlying the masks, Namirah says, “Two of my masks signify the characters from the Mymensingh Geetika Mohua Noder Chand, a love story, whereas the other two are portrayal of the Vaishnav and Vasishnavi, the worshippers of the god Vishnu.” Sabuj on the other hand says, “Life is converted into a form of art through these masks. Each piece has a story to offer to its audience. The crown of the historical kings of Bengal has inspired my work greatly. For instance, the depiction of strata was portrayed by the distinctive embellishments on the coronets while the vibrant colours narrated the symbolic face of a shong (Joker).” “Behind the Mask” epitomised the lost faces that define our norms and heritage. The overall variety was a reminder of the diversity and the essence of a culturally rich civilisation.By Nahid Tabassum

The Masquerade

Phot

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phs

by S

akib

Muh

tasi

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From creating streamlined to-do lists, setting reminders and taking notes for research, to simultaneously managing social media, answering phone calls and text messages, these apps will keep track of your plans. They will also transfigure your smartphone into a digital personal assistant you simply cannot do without.

The Task Manager in Your PocketFew of us can boast of a memory like an elephant’s, and for those of us who love to research, Evernote (Windows, Android, iOS) is a truly a trusty sidekick. Whether one needs to jot down a to-do list or take extensive notes; save clippings of web articles, snap photos of interest and record voice messages, Evernote is an excellent interactive virtual notebook where one can save all the necessary information. Furthermore Evernote’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of images makes it an impressive search tool when one needs to find important information ASAP.

Your Very Own Virtual Personal AssistantEver wish you had a personal assistant to sort out your inbox and answer your calls? Well, your wish might just come true this New Year with YouMail, an automated secretary for your smartphone, who will answer your calls, greet your callers by name; provide them other methods of

reaching you via email address, website and inform them of when you will be next available. YouMail also has an enhanced Visual Voicemail option which will transcribe your voicemail messages and send them to your inbox so that you can read them instead.

Distraction Busters and Focus BuildersSo distracted that you cannot focus on the task at hand? Spending hours on Facebook and ending up procrastinating? Well then, it is time that you get Antisocial (Mac, PC). Though technically not a mobile app, Antisocial automatically blocks out every known time-wasting site—Facebook, Flickr, Digg, Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo and all web programs—for a set time period. If you still feel that it is not just social media, but that the entire internet is distracting, you have the Freedom (Windows, Android, Mac, iOS) to block the whole thing. If you are still feeling fidgety and unable to make progress with the work at hand, try Focus@Will. Based on new neuroscience research, Focus@Willl is a music streaming service which plays lyric-free songs and music of a myriad styles to enhance your focus and increase memory retention of information as you work, study, write or read. And if you are stuck in your office cubicle, wishing you could work in

your favourite cafe instead, get yourself a mug of your favourite instant brew and plug in your earphones — indulge in Coffitivity and get to work!

Your Pocket-size Networking Buddy If your new goal for 2016 is networking, by all means, try Contactually. While it will cost you $35 a month for a basic set-up, the Contactually mission is straight and simple: Contactually will get you to identify your key relationships, follow up with them consistently, help you close more opportunities and track your business results. An economic alternative to Contactually would be a combination of Brewster, Bond and Grip. Consider Brewster as your contact manager which will sift through all your multiple accounts, services and devices, finally gathering all your contacts in a single streamlined virtual cardholding, photograph displaying contact diary. Bond plays the role of a personal assistant; allowing you the freedom to select which contacts you would like to keep in touch with and how often, and then remind you of your appointments. Formerly known as Networkr, Grip (Android, iOS) was designed as a Tinder-style app for connecting with your LinkedIn contacts, and it comes handy when searching for professionals you might be interested to network with.

The New Year’s Little HelpersKnowing how hard it is to keep those New Year’s resolutions, Rumana Fouzia Choudhury has scouted out for the best virtual personal assistant apps to help you maximise your productivity in 2016

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Plugged

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Tunes

Photograph by Sakib Muhtasim

Nahid Tabassum chats up the Indalo men about their melodious journey

Music, MeetMagic

Legend has it that Indalo refers to the bearer of the rainbow. Jon Kabir (Vocal), Zubair Hasan Chowdhury (Lead Guitarist), Bart Nandit Areng (Bassist) and Dio Haque (Drummer) started their venture from mainstream music towards the novelty and the goodness of rock.Getting to know the essence of Indalo, Bart ascertained, “Different dimension and palates came together and made Indalo what it is.” Thus far, the eccentricity of their sonic characteristics and the creativity in the visuals has marked an edge in their music. “To transform the ideas of a song into a video is the biggest challenge. We lack essential support in that department required for the harmony of a melody with its visual,” Jon added. The steadfast fans of rock are following the footsteps with the euphoria of kindling something

individual; a tune of their own.The evergreen rock bands of the 90s such as Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Queens of the Stone Age and later Radiohead grew to be their muse.The members of Indalo also expressed their ignorance towards mapping a song beforehand. “It all depends on the mood,” the lead guitarist Zubair reckoned. “Most of the music naturally evolves during our jamming session as the riffs, solo, grove and drum pits merge into soundscape,” spelled out Bart, the bassist. For the rainbow bearers, enthusiasm is the key that comes first prior to the melody or the lyrics. “Songs like Deyal Ghori is an example of how pieces and bits are adjoined to make a complete number,” deemed Jon. “The lyrics later catches the mood of the song like an

unbidden process,” Zubair further revealed. Summing up, the band unanimously agreed on Ke Shunbe as their personal favourite, being somewhat oddly yet positively placed track in the album. On a serious note, the band counselled youngsters about music. “Music can be a diversion for the youngsters to involve themselves in something more constructive. It gives an outlet from the conventional life,” suggested Dio the drummer. While we shifted the focus onto their success story, Jon shared, “Making a new set of audience was an overwhelming achievement for the band.” Not as a pursuit of fame or success, rather the artistes chose music for the love of it. “The only struggle is to reach the practice pad from different parts of the city. Once reached, nothing else matters anymore,” the troop concluded.

Jon

The full time singer Jon is also a part time actor. His band mates consider his acting to be their comic relief when they are all stressed out.

Zubair

While he’s making music, Zubair’s interests also lie in photography

Bart

He grooves, snoozes and collects toys. He is also a voice artist for TV and radio commercials.

Dio

The spirited drummer is a diehard Manchester United fan.

Built on the trademark Butlers chocolatier standards, the eponymous Chocolate cafe is furnished with Scottish leather sofas, black marble counters and dull gold painted

Guilty pleasures

Winter Delights

wooden display racks. Add in soft jazz music and warm lighting, the cafe creates an ambiance that is both outstanding and luxurious. “It’s been an exciting journey for me to see this store materialise and the joy in bringing the chocolate cafe culture to Dhaka,” says Mehreen Gheewala, managing director of Butlers Chocolate Café. “When our customers walk in, we want to give them a luxurious feel,” comments Dara O’ Flynn, International Retail Manager for Butlers.

She has a unique perspective and understanding of the local customer demands as well as the global quality standards. With this East-West standpoint, she has been able to tweet some new products into the menu such as the chilli prawn pizza and spicy rice, a first-time edition into the Butlers chocolatier menu. - Aidha Cader

CChef Shirin Chowdhury from Nawabganj reminds us winter is no winter without a platter of delectable pithas. From 3pm to 11pm, ready-to-be-devoured at Daily Treats, Shirin loves crafting these delicious pithas every day. “I am extremely humbled and grateful to The Westin Dhaka, for giving me the opportunity to prepare my district’s special pithas here.” Her favourites include the Bhapa, Chitoi Pitha and Deem Chitoi which is her speciality. “I also prepare an array of exotic pithas such as the

Chitai Pitha with duck meat, Hilsha Chitai and Shaj Pitha.” Her pithas have recieved rave reviews from the customers and people are coming back for more. “I avoid overusing sugar, so that people with diabetes can also have my pithas. I personally recommend the patishapta to everyone since it keeps the belly cool and is nutritious as well.” With that, the lovely Shirin rushes back to her pitha corner as throngs of customers surround her for Dhaka winter’s much-loved sweet treats. - Natasha Rahman

Photographs by Ashraf Uddin Apu

Photographs by Ashraf Uddin Apu

Decadent

Culture Vulture

Model: TaniaJewellery: Jarwa HouseWardrobe: StyleSellMakeup and Hair: Farzana Shakil’s Photography: Riyad Ashraf

Eyes are windows to the soul; Retreat to the moment magnanimously

The Bespoke Beauty

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RSVP

Khadi, also known as ‘khaddar’ was first heard of in the 6th century, as described by Huen Tsang of China and later on popularised in the 12th century AD by Marco Polo. Recently, this timeless garment was beautifully presented on the runway of the Tresemme Khadi festival. The Founder President of the Fashion Design Council Bangladesh and the acclaimed designer Maheen Khan signified the event as an initiative of reincarnating traditional high end Bangladeshi fashion. “We emphasized on the global look

Timeless Then, Timeless Now

by Nahid Tabassum

Photographs by: Farhan Ahmed

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of Khadi besides its traditional appeal,” she enunciated.The event was held at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel Dhaka. A fusion of ethnicity and elegance was the phrase to define the indelible event. Representing the goodness of the Khadi was the motif of these celebrated designers from Bangladesh and our neighbouring country India. The earnest effort of reincarnating Khadi took the breath away of the voguish guild surrounding the gala.

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Model: Ema, RupomWardrobe: PlaireProps: JatraMakeup and Hair: Farzana Shakil’s Photography: Abir Hossain Noman

Surrender yourself to a much needed respite and tap into nature’s offerings with a fun-filled picnic

Slip into winter

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Makeover

Warm Up!Farzana Shakil together with Aidha Cader gives you an effortless winter makeover that’s glam and bam! Photographs by Riyad Ashraf

Morning Americano

Eyes Brown tone eyeshadow is blended across the lids with mascara on the lashes.Cheeks A soft beige tone blusher is applied across the cheekbones.Lips A base tone lipstick is used to create a natural look for your pout.Hair The hair is blow-dried straight and back combed.Style Tip Keep the morning make-up natural and ‘fuss free’ in brown and beige tones. Team it up with a denim jacket and a beret.

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Afternoon LatteEyes Beige tone highlighter is applied below the brows. Deep tone brown and copper eye shadow is blended across the lids. Black eye shadow is also used along the lash line followed by a coating of mascara on the lashes.

Cheek A blend of pink and brown blusher is used across the cheekbones.Lips A soft pale pink lipstick with a touch of peach toned gloss is used on the lips.Hair Strands of hair are pinned up at the crown to create an unstructured hairstyle. Style Tip Beat the afternoon chill with natural toned leather jacket and a pastel shade cashmere scarf. Pair it up with well-fitted jeans and you have the perfect ‘get up’ for lunch with friends at a cafe.

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Evening CappuccinoEyes White eye shadow is applied as a highlighter below the brows. Create smoky eyes by blending black eye shadow along the lash lines. Contour the eyes with a thick black eye liner followed by a coating of mascara on lashes.

Cheeks A blend of bronze and copper tone blusher on cheeksLips Deep burgundy lipstick is applied on lips.Hair Apply hair mousse and divide them into strands. Use a curling tong to make spirals. Loosen the spirals curls with your fingers.Style Tip Long trench coats are a great way to keep warm and still look trendy. Pair it up with leggings, a tank top and ankle boots to set the dusk on fire.

Model: IshaWardrobe: JocondeMakeup and Hair: Farzana Shakil’s Photography: Riyad AshrafLocation: Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka

Winking embellishments here and there telegraphs the warmth of the winter sunshine

Newfound Novelties

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Winter is here! As much as we love our skin, it’s been an age old battle to keep it moisuturised .Meet your new girlfriends who face the same dilemma.

Skintastic Four

Aah…don‛t you just love the weather?

It feels

so fresh?

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It‛ll get better in winter. That‛s the

best season! Sweat-ers, BBQs, hot cocoa…

Not when you feel like an oil tanker.

There‛s so much oil I could whip up a feast

for us!

I‛m hungry. Let‛s go get some fries!

Flaky skin, cracked lips, lack of moisture. Sure- ‘tis

the season to be jolly!

I‛ll pass too. My lips are already cracked.

Sure. Then end up with a thousand pimples? No thanks.

More oil? Seriously?

HOW CAN YOU STAY THIS DEWY AND FRESH?

your skin is so

smooth!

Your lips are so pink and pouty

And you don‛t have pimples!

HOW? Let‛s see…washing, scrubbing, exfoli-

ating…and moisturising.

Here, try some

Who wants fries? I‛m game!

Me too!

Love the skin you‛re in.

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Beauty Alertedding and winter has been the yin to the yang in the local

scenario. In contrast, London and most parts of the West observes the bridal season throughout the year. “I have recently noticed the rise in summer weddings and daytime ceremonies in Dhaka. This is an exciting time for the beauty industry, since we get to work on different looks for different seasons,” an ecstatic Sanjana claims. Boasting over ten years of professional experience in the field of make-up artistry and techniques, the British national comes with the professional experiences from the world-class studios of MAC pro and Joshiv Beauty International Limited. “In order to give my clients the look they want, it is vital for us to understand the theme of their event and choice of attire. Make-up is all about reflecting your personality and style while enhancing your beauty. The way I work is have a one-to-one consultation with my clients, get a clear picture in my head and then they can leave the rest to me,” Sanjana reveals.

A common dilemma every season is what to highlight or tone down – lips, cheeks or the eyes? Sanjana tells us, “The 90s bright red lips, be it ripe berry, plump black or ox blood, will be in vogue throughout the upcoming seasons. We shall see snow white apple red playing a dominant role during spring and summer next year.” Although Sanjana has a loyal clientelle, there are undeniably numerous other independent make-up artists operating in the city. We wonder how Sanjana will stand out in this race. “I believe in a natural look while looking glamorous. As a make-up artist I try to blend with the trends while having the make-up reflect the personality of my client. That’s my recipe.”

Sanjana Hossain’s go-to brandsFor skin care EmbryolisseFor lips Liptar by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC).

What are some of the ‘go to’ colour palettes Bangladeshi girls should opt for? Girls with dusky skin with mostly olive undertones should opt for bronze, classic gold or silver.

A few quick tips for lazy girls’ make-up? Red lips; Mascara; flushed and contoured cheeks

What are we doing wrong with contouring?The wrong colour tone is being used (e.g red instead of grey) to contour. Grey-ish colours should be used to give the skin a natural shadow

Make-up motto Always remember – less is more

The 90s bright red lips, be it ripe berry, plump black or ox blood, will be in vogue throughout the upcoming seasons.

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Drop Dead GorgeousBeauty Craft by Sanjana Hossain is one name that has made a niche amongst the fashionishtas of Dhaka. Samira Yasmin sits with the beautful make-up artist as she shares her makeup mantra

Sanjana Hossain

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Woman on the Move

Rubaiyat Hossain’s second movie Under Construction premieres at the Dhaka Film Festival before releasing on January 22 in four theatres – Star Cineplex, Blockbuster, Shyamoli and Balaka. “My film was supposed to release in July. However, I got an offer from Dhaka Film Festival that they want Under Construction as their opening film. Their theme for this year is women in cinema. They are also having an academic conference with Dhaka University based on this theme. I thought it would be a great opportunity if my film was shown here and thus decided to push back my initial release plans. We will have two screenings at the festival – National Museum and Public Library,” explains Rubaiyat.

Her movie has also done the rounds at several international film festivals. Successfully concealing the pride in her voice, Rubaiyat says that the experience has been overwhelming, “It started in June when it premiered in Seattle and the two shows there were completely sold out. After Seattle, it was screened at the Montreal World Film Festival, where it recieved great reviews. It has been to a lot of other film festivals including Sao Paolo Film Festival in Brazil.” On a funny note, she shares that, “It is great when people pay you to go to a country, put you up in a nice hotel, and you get to meet a lot of directors from different countries, to whom you can show your work.”

Tausif Sanzum converses with Rubaiyat Hossain about her upcoming film Under Construction

Take Two

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Rubaiyat talks about the perception of Bangladeshi movies at film festivals. She points out, “There aren’t many films from Bangladesh out there, but they really want to see our films. One of the reviews of my movie described my protagonist as way too liberated. So I think when people out there think of Bangladesh, they have this vision of seeing oppression, Islamic militancy and poverty which is not completely depicted in my movie. However, I believe that if people who come to these festivals can connect to a film, they will love it regardless of the elements present in it.”Without giving out any major spoilers for the movie, Rubaiyat gives us a sneak peak of her latest film, “There are two women in the film – a theatre artiste and a garments worker. It is about how Moina, the garments worker, influences the theatre artiste’s adaptation of Tagore’s play Raktokorobi. I have tried to show the journey of women through

different classes.”Shot over a period of 36 days, Rubaiyat talks about two major difficulties which she faced, “Firstly, we wanted to shoot inside a garments factory but we weren’t getting permission. The owners were apprehensive about how their factories might be portrayed in the movie. Secondly, we have a scene where we show a young sapling growing among the ruins of Rana Plaza. This scene conveys the message that life can emerge from ruins, it was also the inspiration behind Tagore’s play. We went to the Rana Plaza site and on the second day of the shoot, the police started questioning us.”Talking about the Bengali diction of Shahana Goshwami and Rahul Bose, Rubaiyat recalls, “I read out all of Shahana’s dialogues and recorded it. I told her to keep listening to them and when she finally performed it, she was spot on. When you watch the film, you will be unable to discern the differences in dialect but you

might find it with Rahul’s at times. When asked if the current unrest in the country will affect the reception of her movie, she notes, “It is always in the back of our minds. When we see these incidents, we are paralysed with fear, but with time we forget them and move on. I am just hoping to enjoy the Dhaka Film Festival. On a brighter note, I am actually happy that it has been a good year for Bangladeshi films as five of them have been in major international film festival circuits.” From directing Meherjaan to Under Construction, we ask her what has changed. To which she shares, “I think at the core, I am still the same. But I think, I am a lot calmer now and this has come with age. These days, for instance, if I hear that my film is going to a big festival, I don’t get too happy. And if something goes wrong, I do not get too upset. I have learnt that it doesn’t matter at the end - you are who you are and your work is what it is.”

Photo credit: Courtesy

Cover Story

GreatExpectations

Last year flew by faster than ‘The Flash’ could say “I am the fastest man alive.” It is 2016 already and this year, we are looking forward to many things, among which are a select few that have entertained us through and through. We hope they’ll continue to do so this year as well. Along with that, we shall also look at the contributions of several change makers in the social forefront and appreciate the differences they’ve made. Inspiring us time and again, representing the country and kin, they have made us stand tall in the world.

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The Changemaker: MCH

Our achievements in the sector of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) in Millennium Development Goal (MDG) are remarkable. Now that MDG is over and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)s are in, what are we looking forward to in that sector?The third goal in the SDGs covers maternal health fully and is well-targeted. Twenty years ago, maternal mortality rate was very high. I remember in 2001, the maternal mortality survey results showed that 13,500 women were dying due to complications in pregnancy. Now the rate has come down to 5000. From there we have come a long way though a lot is yet to be achieved.A number of activities have been established at the upazila health complex and district levels. One of them is Emergency Obstetrics Care (EOC). EOC consists of medical doctors and anaesthetists ready to facilitate women during pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery period. As of now, there are three delays-in decision making, transportation and receiving quality care which needs to be fixed. There are incidents when a woman, who is in an obstructed labour for more than 8 hours, ends up losing a lot of blood due to poor decision making. The hassle to look for transportation comes next. Lastly, you have to wait at the hospital for the doctor to attend your needs. So if

we address these issues more, the maternal mortality will drop down even more. Although the maternal mortality rate has come down to 5000, I feel that not a single woman should die from giving birth. There are still gaps here and there so SDGs are looking into the quality of care as of now. Early marriage of girls is a hindrance for ensuring maternal health. The debate over age limit is still going on. What's your take on that?The minimum age should be 18 and no less than that though we still have cultural norms which agree on marrying off girls in their teens. In addition, families are worried about their daughters’ security and welfare. In extreme poverty, managing a home is tough. However, knowledge about family planning and physical changes a woman experience in different stages of her life is essential. My personal opinion is a girl should be at least 21 at the age of her marriage. This is the age when she is emotionally and mentally calmer and responsible.Being a veteran in the field of MCH care, what roles do you think the policy makers, the civil society and the youth play?Policy makers have a big role to play. We have various conferences on policies, but we have to focus on implementing them as well. It’s

essential to focus on the field level because policies will come from top down but should be generated from bottom up since that’s where the action really is. It’s important to acknowledge that policies can’t be perfect and should be adapted to the culture and the country itself. Based on that, action plans should be formulated.The civil society changes the mindset of the people. Lobbying, advocating and getting the message across and working closely with people are important. Keeping our cultural norms in mind, the civil society will know what works in a different country may not work here and keeping that in mind, adjustments have to be made.Bangladesh was one of the first countries to develop adolescent reproductive health strategy under my guidance. Later Nepal followed our footsteps. Ministries for education, youth and women and children welfare were involved in the process with a focus to harness the power of the youth. We must conduct awareness programs about certain misconceptions. The sex of a child depends on the man and not the woman but more often we see women getting blamed for giving birth to a daughter. Proper education and information among the youth can dispel the darkness of such ignorance.-By Natasha Rahman

Professor Tahera AhmedFaculty of Reproductive Health and Maternal &

Child Health, North South UniversityFormer Acting Chief, Sexual and Reproductive

Health and Rights (SRHR) at UNFPA

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The Changemaker: Human Rights

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pu what inspired me towards this cause.”The social worker mentions that she began by working for Sir Fazle Hassan Abed at BRAC, during its early days. Later on, she joined Nijera Kori so she could work directly at the grassroots level, “BRAC was taking up a lot of projects at the time and getting involved at every possible strata. My interest however, was specifically to work with the rural people and their issues, so I joined Nijera Kori.”She has accomplished a lot via Nijera Kori. She says,“I would consider the most successful campaigns to be the land rights campaign by the institution.” Khushi Kabir elaborates further, “Previously underprivileged people were evicted from their own place illegally by rich malefactors. As a result they could not claim what was their own. Our success is that we‘ve been able to convince the government that ‘Illegal Land Grabbing’ has been a regular occurence and needed to be addressed. We created awareness among citizens at large that this illegal activity is not acceptable.” When asked where Bangladesh stands, in context to global development Khushi confidently says, “Bangladesh has been doing great in various facets; such as, increasing school enrolments, reducing disparity between genders, ensuring security for women, reducing instances of child marriage and issues related to dowry and bringing an end to female feticide etc.”When discussing the rights of the LGBT Community, Khushi remarks, “The subject matter is still a criminal offense in Bangladesh. Social workers are trying to create awareness and remove the communal stigma that presides over the LGBT community. This sector has a long way to go and much work and dedication needs to be put into it. But on a positive note, the movement has begun and hopefully in a few years’ time we can see some changes for the better”When asked what she wishes for in the New Year, Khushi Kabir was very direct, “My dream for the New Year is to achieve a uniform family code instead of the different religious laws that we follow. This is to ensure that everyone has equal rights. People can follow their own religious rules if they want to, but sadly in general the court delivered rules will preside.” - By Mehrin Mubdi Chowdhury

Legally Right!

Khushi Kabir, starts by discussing why she chose to enter the world of development. “After the Liberation war, the will to build a better Bangladesh was prevalent among many, including myself. As a result, I had a strong desire to do something for the country and see it positively transform with my own eyes. That is

Khushi Kabir, Human Rights Activist

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The Changemaker: Education

NSU makes news once again when, for the first time in Bangladesh, the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at NSU was granted American accreditation. The leading specialised American accreditation association for business education, the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accredits business, accounting, and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctorate degree levels worldwide, and last November, the ACBSP Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Board of Commissioners certified that the teaching and learning processes within NSU SBE meet the rigorous educational standards established by ACBSP.This accreditation is a faculty-driven process, a culmination of a year’s worth of rigorous self-study and improvements of the academic programs, and the professor beamed as he explained how the accreditation will now streamline the educational track for NSU SBE graduates when they pursue further studies in the US. “Undergrad students would now be able to transfer midway to many American universities without losing any credits where previously most of their courses were disregarded and required repetition.” He also pointed out that the accreditation also meant that students could now stay in Bangladesh and receive the same quality of education as it aspires to implement global standards set by reputed universities in developed countries. According to the dean, there still lies discrepancies between the numbers of students graduating each year compared to the number of jobs available in the market. “While the increase in number of graduates in our country is a good sign the alarming gap is symptomatic of a disconnect of what the education system is providing and what the job market requires.” SBE has formed the business advisory board at NSU, comprised of the CEOs of the top fifteen corporations in the country, and are addressing the

Global Recognition

Dr Mohammad Mahboob RahmanDean of the School of Business and Economics, NSUPhotograph by Ashraf Uddin Apu

issue of closing this gap. “We are trying to improve the situation by designing courses which promote experiential learning, equipping students with critical analytical thinking, technological and communication skills which are indispensible in the workplace,” he shared.When it comes to the prospective changes for the university, the dean stressed on particulars for 2016, emphasising on the continuous improvement in the quality of education. “The assessment techniques, ensuring that the prevalent study curriculums are further developed to enhance the student experience, in both academic and co-curricular activities are all being looked into.” He also mentioned that SBE will focus not only on developing more research opportunities for faculty members, but also on increasing international and regional collaborations. “This includes student exchanges and invitations to international faculty members to teach at the university, with a view of promoting cultural diversity on campus,” he concludes. – Mehrin Mubdi Chowdhury

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The Changemaker: Advertising

ReconstructingIresh Zaker

Executive Director at Asiatic 360

What areas of development do you expect to see from the paid advertisement scenario in 2016 starting from creatives to client demand to execution?I think the biggest challenge offline (television, radio, print) advertisers are facing is, a shrinking consumer base. We are losing viewers to foreign channels at an alarming rate. Very soon it will be difficult to justify the trend of expenditure that currently exists within our local media. To this end advertisers must think about bringing more viewers to local channels. The channels alone should not be mandated with this task. What this would mean is that more advertiser generated content, which, given our current media scenario, would lead to higher production values in contrast to channel generated content. We have to start thinking outside traditional advertising and use the programmes as a part of our promotional plans. And of course increase focus on the digital space, as this would allow for much more effective targeting than offline media.

What is the worth and size of the PR industry and what kind of shift in advancement do you expect to see in 2016. What’s holding us back?The PR industry is quite small in Bangladesh. While the numbers are hard to gauge, the total size probably does not exceed BDT300 million. For the PR industry to grow, the local industry has to become more cognizant of the need for PR services. So far, the bulk of professional PR work is done for multinational clients. The local conglomerates have started coming to the party when it comes to paid advertising, I just hope that they do the same and start engaging in PR services as well.

Businesses rely heavily on the traffic they get from Facebook. Since Facebook was blocked recently along with other social media apps, how’d you reckon the public relations and e-commerce sector managed their markets at the time?Whenever a major medium gets blocked, advertisers are posed with serious challenges. So far, we as an industry have few alternatives to Facebook commerce. And while Facebook being blocked was a challenge, we as an industry saw it as an opportunity to explore other mediums of engagement online, beyond social media platforms. Instead of bemoaning the unspent money, we should invest in attracting more consumers to web based entertainment and commercial platforms that go beyond social media. By Natasha Rahman

Perceptions

QYou have 13 years of experience in the advertising industry. Nowadays we see ads focussing on topics that were once

considered taboo to discuss; for example contraceptive pills, sanitary napkins etc. How far are we really advancing in

getting the message across? I think we have seen some progress. Much of that progress,

however, has been driven by brand marketing necessity. When it comes to social communication, the advances have been less than ideal. We are still bound by certain arbitrary standards of decency and propriety when it comes to creative, effective and meaningful

ways to communicate regarding issues such as reproductive health, sexual violence and gender equality. This is an area I would like to

see progress, in the coming years.

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Barrister and stand-up comedian, Ishtiaquddin Ahmad Ashik is a spirited performer. Rubab Nayeem Khan gets entertained by his quirky persona

Performing under the name ‘Ahmad Ashik,’ he has been doing stand-up comedy for ten years. When asked about what gets his humour up and running, Ashik says, “I have opened up to a lot of different things; world news has suddenly piqued my interest considering everything that’s going on these days. However, I am finding a way to bridge these two dimensions of me,” adds Ashik. Having said that, he finds it comfortable to delve into self- deprecation, observational humour and physical comedy because that is what he started with as a comedian. While he’s at it, he mentions that he is currently enjoying not having to script his jokes. “During performances, I just improvise and interact with the audience about my interests along with local and international issues. The thrill of finding humour from nothing is what gets my adrenaline kicking in,” says the enthusiastic comic. Although people have some idea

about comedy, Ashik shares that stand-up comedy as an art form is still unknown to the masses. In light of this, he says that stand-up comedy is yet to become concrete in Dhaka. “Rickshaw fares have fared better than comedy in Dhaka,” chuckles Ashik. Nevertheless, he takes the challenges in stride and works with it thoroughly. “I have done shows at universities and at our local club and the response has been great so far,” explains Ashik.For Ashik, stand-up comedy is a therapeutic and thrilling experience. He thrives on spontaneity and improv, when on stage. He further explains that one has to think on their feet. Even when humour runs dry, he manages to make something out of it. “As a comedian, I believe I can sense what can and cannot work. This for me is a perfect system because if my joke fails, my excuse is lack of preparation; but if it works, that makes me a genius,” exclaims Ashik.

While he goes on to explain that this platform is rather new, he feels that it takes guts to perform. He says, “Your purpose will be to make people laugh and also be entertained yourself. If you genuinely feel you have something interesting and funny to share, by all means get up and do it.”The stand-up comedy scene is still a work in progress; Ashik feels that the platform would certainly flourish if the youth engaged themselves in this art form. “It would be brilliant to have school kids coming to shows. In addition, Dhaka needs more female comedians, which can be done through comedy shows like ‘student night’ or ‘ladies night.’ That way people won’t feel skittish about getting up on stage. These initiatives should be promoted heavily through social media to get the message across that stand-up comedy is indeed something to look forward to,” concludes the comedian.

Stand-up Comedian

Live, Love & Laugh

Moktadir Dewan Shanto shares how his musical journey led him to beatboxing. Fatima Faheem is all ears

thatBassDrop

The guitarist used to beatbox way before he ever picked up the guitar. He thought it was his own unique perspective on music and had no idea that it existed until the day he saw Micheal Jackson do it. That is when he decided to master this unique artform. “Beatboxing comes in two forms, the technique and the usage.” Being creative and incorporating Beatboxing with instruments such as the guitar, or even rap. “I like to be creative and experiment with different genres of music in order to incorporate it with my beatboxing through my Looper – it’s a device,” elaborates Moktadir. Human beings are capable of making various sounds through their mouths. From the very basic beats to the blending of multiple beats with various instruments and genres, there are infinite possibilities to make the final product stand out from the rest.Moktadir says, “Beatboxing is a rather innovative form of music. Everybody should experiment with it and make sure that they are creative and very spontaneous.”“Criticism has horrible consequences, unless you

believe in yourself,” comments Moktadir, who despite the setbacks made his way up and has successfully established his own identity among the masses as the ‘Beat Baksho.’ He also states that he didn’t face as many challenges during the beginning or while transitioning from being Blunderware’s guitarist to the Beat Baksho compared to present day, because this has raised interest among the audience – they want to learn more about the genre. “I encountered challenges while incorporating beatboxing with multiple genres like fast paced metal songs to local fusion and folk songs,” divulges Moktadir. Music never comes to a standstill; it always branches out to something new. With the changes in the music industry, people’s expectations have changed. As far as ‘beatboxing’ is concerned, currently there is a beatbox community consisting of people from all over Bangladesh known as ‘BeatBox Bangladesh.’ Their primary objective is to expand and intensify this platform for young individuals. Also, they are ready to step above the negativity and be determined to promote the musical art of beatboxing. Moktadir concludes, “I hope that 2016 brings prosperity to the community and that people learn to accept that talent comes in many forms and no talent deserves criticism.”

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“I love music and that’s why I play it,” says a shy Judu Omar, when asked why he decided to become a DJ. “I used to go clubbing in Bangkok and I really enjoyed it. As a result, I decided to do some courses on how to become a disc jockey.” Judu Omar aka DJ Judu, has been in the Dhaka clubbing scene since 2003. He says, “I started out big, only accepting prominent offers and maintained that, and now I only play four times a month, at parties in places such as the Nordic Club, International Club as well as Aurum at The Westin Dhaka, which is my favour-ite.”. This young musician has also played alongside many renowned international names: Edward Maya, Raghav, HardKaur, Hed Kandi, DJ Suketu, Aqeel and so on, although his favourite remains Tiesto. Judu has not only been a regular name in clubs and parties in Dhaka, but he also plays in Bangkok. “When it comes to parties, there is no difference between the ones in Bangkok and Dhaka. When you get into the music, it’s all the same,” he expresses. His choice of music is hip hop,

R&B, house and commercial hits. “I don’t like noisy music. I prefer music people can also enjoy listening to while dancing.” he adds. Being a big DJ has its perks; Judu has two assistants who set up before he plays his set. “I let my assistants play for a while before I get on stage, and then they take over again after I’m done,” he reveals. “I let them play during the peak hours of the party, so they get maximum exposure instead of me stealing the limelight,” Judu points out. It’s obvious that DJ Judu passionately enjoys his job and would probably not trade shoes (or turntables) with anybody anytime soon. He reminisces with an excitement on his usually passive face, “I have once played for eleven hours straight, and I loved it.”The optimistic but laid back Judu has left 2016 to impulsive decisions, as well as floor-shaking and heart throbbing music, as should be expected from him, a DJ who has kept Dhakaites entertained for more than a decade now.

Scratch that!

Farasha Khan Sayeed gets to know DJ Judu and the club and music scene in Dhaka

DJ

Fire Spinner

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Tihan Shah’s steps as a fire spinner for Naur community, the first Bangladeshi group of fire spinners. Fatima Faheem retraces his steps

Inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Naur in the elvish language translates to fire. Motivated by his elder sister, Samina Alam who was also a fire spinner for Naur, Tihan comments that the art of fire spinning varies from place to place and is open to blending music and dance together. He states, “It was more like an alchemy of sights and sounds - whooshing balls of fire over and around myself creating a magnificent aura of fire on air.” According to Tihan,

there were numerous challenges and risks involved, especially during the learning phase. “To minimise the risks, the beginners are given an unlit Poi to practice. As the initiate get accustomed to spinning – which takes roughly a month, the ‘Poi’ is finally lit.” He says, “It provides an escape from the hum drumness of Dhaka city. There is absolutely nothing compared to the thrill of fire spinning.” The sounds of the spinning Poi, the

music and dance when combined create a performance that your eyes can’t turn away from. Tihan shares that the art form requires a lot of dedication. Although there are many new faces at the academy, only a few make it till the end. Taking the first step is always scary says Tihan. “ I was worried I’d be criticised, but to my surprise everyone appreciated the performance. And as a result it boosted my confidence,” he further

added. Naur has gained immense popularity among many people, and Tihan hopes that this trend continues. When asked about the future of this community, Tihan says, “Well, at one point, we may see firespinng ingrained even more among mainstream entertainment. It is open to so many possibilities: creativity including music, choreography and so on.” Tihan hopes that Naur’s plans for even bigger events in 2016 come true.

Pyro ManiaPhotograph from Naur Community Photograph by Kazi Ahnaf Aquib

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Farhana Muna aka Munatic, is gorgeous, spunky and probably the most hilarious Bangladeshi YouTuber. In her videos she depicts the plights of urban Bengali life while keeping us in stitches. She calls herself an ‘accidental You Tuber’ since she became a major hit overnight with her video ‘How Bengali Women React When You’ve Lost Weight’ with thousands of shares on Facebook that inspired her to go ahead with her YouTube channel Munatic. She confidently claims that ‘bhaat’ (rice) is the secret behind her success. She brushes off comments like ‘YouTube is a men’s platform’ and tells women to ‘own it’ as she attributes this very attitude (not to mention her indomitable wit) towards her fame. She wants to be an inspiration to women who feel suppressed by society’s expectations of them. “When you feel like you have a chance to make an impact, why

not?” says the comedian. “I want to raise my voice for those women who feel like they can’t.” Speaking of future media offers, she says, “I want to take up projects that don’t just present me as another pretty face, but instead caters to my personality.” For 2016, Munatic looks forward to opening a separate health channel mainly due to the tremendous amount of fitness queries she gets.“I also want to be more regular with my comedy channel and put out quality content; I’m not in this for the money and have refused having ads monetising on my YouTube channel so far,” she added further. Munatic has added a new dimension to the field of comedy, and her videos such as ‘Girlfriend vs Wife’ or ‘Boyfriend vs Husband’ has viewers belly-laughing. We wish Farhana Muna a fantastic journey ahead!

YouTuber

ComicReliefFarasha Khan Sayeed shares a giggle (or many) with the overnight hit YouTube comedian Munatic

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Young Mavericks

ehra Ispahani, a young mother of two boys, began her journey with North Star Learning in 2013. She

revealed how ‘life’ eventually guided her towards this path, when she realised her eldest son was having speech problems at a young age. Unable to find any help in the country, she decided to take it upon herself to learn all there was to speech and learning difficulties. Over the course of her studies, Zehra earned several degrees in teaching children with speech and learning difficulties from various institutions worldwide including Oxford University.After coming back to Bangladesh, she decided to help her son. In the process, she realised that many of her friends, acquaintances, neighbours and relatives were facing similar problems with their children. That’s when she recognised her calling was to establish a school for children with special needs in Dhaka. Subsequently, Zehra started training other teachers with the knowledge she had acquired from her

studies and established an institution to help children who faced difficulties with learning, reading, writing and comprehension.“First of all, we conduct a basic assessment to understand the degree of autism the child suffers from, and then we try to evaluate the child’s preferred process of learning; whether they are vocal, auditory or love to learn from writing etc. After this initial assessment, a systematic learning programme is built and customised for the particular student,” said Zehra. She also mentioned, “With the right kind of information, these children can even become writers someday.” She believes that every special child can be helped and parents need to

stop being in denial about their children needing help.Zehra is currently working with a few international schools and their special students. She said, “Most school teachers become overwhelmed when their students don’t learn in the standardised way that others do. That’s when they enlist our help in order to learn more about these students and find out the exact ways to approach them.” When asked what her vision were for the year 2016, she reiterated that she is planning on doing more research regarding prevalent learning disorders. She also plans on conducting more workshops in collaboration with other learning centres, to inform parents

regarding these conditions and encourage them to learn to deal with the needs of their children. In 2016, she also wants to work directly with local teachers to identify the reasons behind the difficulties surrounding the learning of Bengali language. While in the process she hopes to learn the language by herself.

The Guiding Light

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Zehra Ispahani, the proprietor of North Star Learning, an afterschool programme for special

kids engages in a rendezvous with Mehrin Mubdi Chowdhury

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Aspiring ArtistsIn memory of the late trustee of the Bengal Foundation, Subir Choudhury and his immense contribution to supporting artistes and reviving the arts in Bangladesh, on July 3, 2015 at Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi, the Bengal Foundation announced the Subir Choudhury Practice Grant. Applications for this annual grant of Tk2,00,000 to Tk4,00,000 are received through open call and this grant will be awarded specifically to one or two upcoming artists below the age of 35 years By Rumana Fouzia Choudhury

Eshita Mitra Tonny reminisces how her mother wanted her to be a doctor. Luckily enough she refused. “I just didn’t have any space here to keep them” Eshita says, as she shows the expanse of her room, relating to how after her graduation, she had to send all her sculptures back home. “I am so happy and thankful for the grant because after Charukola, my work stopped,” she adds, “Now I can have my own studio. I can again start to work.” She creates her sculptures out of objects she finds, discarded busts, old cricket bats, tin cooking pots, plastic whistles, wire sponge scrubbers etc. Simply put, Eshita makes use of any and every object as a medium for her art. She says, “Every object has

its designated value or function. But when I put different objects together, each object in interaction with all the others, begins to change in value and in meaning.” She points out a sculpture inspired by a gladiator, and explains, “This bat here is no longer just a bat, it is a sword.” When asked if the metaphorical implications of such arrangements are premeditated, she responds , “No, I like to play around with different configurations of the objects that I have at hand.” When asked about her plans for the upcoming year, Eshita plans to focus on building more sculptures while Abir’s focus is on creating a dystopic world through his art.

At the ‘ONLY CONNECT EDITION 3, an exhibition of experiments’ Abir Shome finally displays his framed artwork. “I am incredibly grateful to Bengal Foundation for this opportunity,” he says. Only a month ago, he had this very painting, Obscene as Cancer, Bitter as Cud displaying a throng of red painted figures, of humans and animals, in a tangled heap, framed and hanging above his bed. Completing his bachelors at the Charukala Institute, Abir heavily uses text as a medium of art and this is comprehensively illustrated in his book In Dhaka or The Last Days of Sodom, which he wrote in collaboration with Rafiqul Islam Shubho, who provided the photographs.

His work is macabre and when pointing out the despair in these works and his bleak series of paintings, depicting red figures in hardly any ideal form, he evades any questions targetted to his person. With an Albert Camus-esque tone he explains that through his work, he merely shows the human condition - where “ideals are shattered, the weather hellish and yet the people revel in it. One can only very normally embrace this dystopic [sic] absurdity. Because there is nothing else to want, there is nothing here for which to raise questions, there is no need for resistance.” They plan to open their own respective studios and hope that their work shines through.

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Willing to organise the perfect ensemble to turn heads this wedding season? Here is how By Ashfaque Zaman

For a Suitable Man

Mehruz Munir, the creative director and founder of Zurhem prioritises his designs with the outlook of an artist illustrating their vision of beauty on a canvas. With the upcoming wedding season in full swing, he takes us through the various attires that will make any gentleman standout in this wedding season.

Outdoor ChicA blend of tropical wool that can be worn through the seasons in a tropical country, this suit is a pristine off-white suit with a grey tint that is most fitting for daytime or outdoor weddings. Simply put, it is the ideal attire for a pastel themed festivity. The look maintains a standard of class without a serious or dark tone. Mehruz recommends it with a contrasting darker tie. Price: Tk 7,800 per yard, approximately Tk 40,000-50,000 depending on the fabric.

Cashmere CoolHere we have a double breasted pin striped cashmere wool sweater. A classic suit for those who like the classic look that isn’t to far a stretch from the tradition. The suit is paired best with an intricately patterned pocket square that accentuates the brown details of the buttons and gives the demure suit a vibrant element. Price: Tk 15,000 per yard

Pure ClassicA wool and polyester blend from the ready to wear collection. The trendy black and white suit with a little bit of a modern edge; the suit is a black on black-checkered look. Incorporated contemporary elements include the yellow detail on the collar and the decorative element on the tie creates a more distinctive element. In a nutshell, this is a versatile suit that can be worn at formal parties as well as matrimonial occasions. Price: Tk 32,300

Velvet Dreams A velvet navy blue one button dinner jacket that is reminiscent of the iconic James Bond demeanor. The jacket is adaptable to various looks. It can be paired with a black bow tie and pants for the classic look or accessorised with navy blue for a more monochromatic appearance. Price: Tk 50,000 for the blazer

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The men’s corner for all that’s suave and debonair

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Attitude on the Sleeves

Michael Fassbender ActorThe Look ICE Digs Fassbender has a confident approach to clothes. Maintaining a simple yet sleek style that is accessible. It’s all about working out a structured look without having it look premeditated.

The TrickThe line’s very thin when it comes to making something considered casual and basically, looking like you can’t be bothered. Fassbender nails it by putting together minimalistic layers in conjunction with accessories to create the perfect smart-casual look. Daraz picks out the little details from Doors so that you can pull off the Fassbender look.

Hrithik RoshanActor

The Look ICE Digs When he keeps it casual, a pee cap seems to be his best friend. Even if it's an indoor event, the

cap is his crown. A leather jacket or scarf almost always completes this look.

The Trick He's got a closet full of well-tailored suits that make him stand out on the red carpet, at weddings and social events. His favourite look is the jacket thrown over a white

T-shirt or an unbuttoned shirt.

Benedict CumberbatchActor

The Look ICE DigsCumberbatch regularly champions proportions, ranging from a penny collar and slim tie to a

70s double shawl collar. He knows the key is in the details, which is why he’s always got a crisp, white pocket square or a pair of superb shoes - most notably velvet slippers or patent Oxfords

The Trick The key to nailing this look is to make suits the backbone of your wardrobe. That's

why you'll regularly find him paring down his best suits by swapping out the trousers for his best selvedge. You too can don the Cumberbatch staples with some

of Dorjibari and Textmart’s formal collections for men.

*Grab your favorites from daraz.com.bd

Tom HardyActorThe Look ICE Digs Hardy is more into looking comfortable and has a good kit. He thinks his style as practical.

The TrickUsually he’ll have his navy blue jogging bottoms, printed T-shirts, a sweatshirt with cut-off sleeves and a hooded sleeveless gilet, to give a comfy, off-duty feel. These are the kind of clothes he wears, going for a stylish post-gym look.

By Kyoko Bhuiyan

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Man of the Monthurope based international fashion and street photographer Jyoti Omi Chowdhury has stunned

the world with his thought provoking photographs under the name ‘Omigraphy.’ The passionate photographer, Omi, has covered London, Paris, and Copenhagen fashion week and continues to do so. Bangladesh is no stranger to Omi’s work either; the skillful photographer has doneshoots for Shwapno and Aranya as well.

Your work has been showcased in publications like Vogue (Italia), Mess (LA), CHA (Hong Kong), DeFuze (UK) and En-Vie (Paris),

hence it goes without saying that there is immense pressure on you to come up with something out of the ordinary. Given your credibility, how do you manage to cope with the rising expectations? I think rising expectations is a good thing. It means that your work is meeting a certain standard and is not static. My biggest fear is getting stuck in a phase of static mediocrity with no rising expectations. But ultimately the pressure catches up with you. So having distractions help. Having something else to do (in my case research and writing on civil war, counterterrorism) helps. Also I think literature helps immensely. Because writers get hit with this situation of expectation and writer’s

ShutterSpeedInternational fashion photographer Jyoti Omi Chowdhury shares with ICE the creative insight behind his contemporary art

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block, more often than anyone else on this planet. So reading Camus or Kundera, getting immersed in Proust or Auster, helps you out in more ways than I can count. Ultimately if you take your art seriously, you will be comfortable with pressure and deal with it in your own unique ways. As for the logistical issue of dealing with expecta-tions, you need to remember that there are two sets of expectations in play, first and foremost the expectation of the client and your audience (which defines in many ways where you are in the process) and your own expectation. If your own expectation is lower than your client’s then you have a problem. Who or what are your prime subjects? What makes them worthy of your lenses?Due to my focus on fashion photography I shoot a lot of models but grew up with street photogra-phy and there are no bad shots in street photogra-phy just bad photographers. Philosophically that’s where I reside as a photographer/artist. If I am getting a less than stellar photo of my subject matter, it is my lack of expertise as opposed to a myriad of other reasons like light, posture and atmosphere. Ultimately you have to treat art professionally otherwise you will not progress. In terms of what kind of model/s I seek for my shoots, well that is a rather interesting question as I have never consciously tried to dissect who I am photographing. I usually let my agency dictate who I am shooting. They narrow it down to three to five people and I shoot one or two of them for a project. If I were to dissect that process, I would say I like classically trained people as protagonists. I have immense respect for ballet and classical dancing, so many of my projects incorporate that into haute couture. In terms of the look of the model, I am not terribly interested in shooting ‘pretty’ faces so to speak. If a face has some unique attributes I will probably be drawn to it more as opposed to a standardised version of beauty. Same goes with make-up and such, I try to encourage whoever I am working with to keep things natural. I don’t want to see five inches of foundation to make the model look ‘forsha’ or ‘Caucasian.’ I want the protagonist to exude a certain sense of inner beauty that only comes out if they are in their own skin.

Among the various photographers who seek to bring out the raw beauty of the streets, what is it that you do to make your work stand out from the rest?I think everyone is different in this respect, what stands out now may not stand out six months down the road. The trick is consistency. You need

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to find your own canvas and not become a jigsaw puzzle of derivatives. A lot of newer photographers encounter this problem and I did too when I was starting off. Who do you look up to, what should be your signature look? If those questions are settled, you are already on your way to doing things your way. The thing about raw beauty is that it remains despite what you do to it. So if you put a ballerina in the middle of a collapsing castle or put a Victoria’s Secret model inside a fading Greek church, the elemental aspect of the photograph would be unique. Then your job becomes far more nuanced. Then it is a question of how to make the uniqueness your own. And that is where your expertise, your consistency and your sense of aesthetics play a role. Your work would stand out if you do it consistently without falling victim to replication. That equipoise only happens over a period of time. So in short, I don’t do anything special to make my work stand out, I do what I know and what I know well. And then it appeals to a segment of people … a happy accident of sorts. It’s like batting in many ways, your technique may be off, your stance may be strange but if you are making runs, no one would care eventually. Be a Hashim Amla, as opposed to a Mark Ramprakash. Tell us what inspired you to work on ‘Dreams of the Diaspora,’ a multimedia conversation of photographs, poetry, prose, spoken word and soundscape? What feelings are you trying to evoke among viewers and why?George Bush inspired me. When I was finishing my undergrad in the US, America was in a heightened state of paranoia about terrorism. There were all sorts of ridiculous hoops I had to jump through to go to school there at that point. So after I was done with my undergrad I decided that I don’t want to deal with the bureaucratic nightmare that was stemming from this sort of paranoia, so I moved to Canada for my masters. But that

period of absurdity had a strange sort of effect on me, instead of feeling annoyed at America (which I was initially) I felt that the country could be better and should be better. So I went back to finish my PHD work there. I remember many people who were both Americans and non-Americans felt the same sort of confusion and attachment to America during that tumultuous period. When author Frances Wang of NBC contacted me about doing something collaborative, I was on board from the get go and what came out of our conversations about the disconnect one feels about one’s home; what one feels about one’s ability to integrate in a different culture and ultimately what drives us to be who we are in an age of political and social upheaval, is what ‘Dreams of the Diaspora’ is. It is really a conversation with visual clues of alienation, clarity and ultimately hopes of many. Things get worse and things get better. We are the only constant.

Photographs are nonverbal means of connecting with a mass audience. As the man behind the lenses, what kind of responses have you gotten from people on a local and international level? How does it shape you as a photographer?Since I mostly work in an international arena, the response internationally has been great. I was surprised how many industry people showed up to my Ann Arbor and then Copenhagen show. I think if you spend a lot of time in

academia where there are ten people who show up to your seminars or five people who read your journal article, then you are a bit shocked at how many people show up to your photography shows, how many people read Mess Magazine or Vogue. I still haven’t gotten used to that aspect of visibility and mass media. But I am learning to be more appreciative of it and ignore the inner academic who rolls his eyes at every selfie and sneers at the commercialisation of art. In terms of demographic when I look at my social media feeds I would say more or less 75% of my audience is from the western hemisphere. I had no presence in Bangladesh until August 2015. But I am planning to change that as I will be doing a lot of work with Aranya, a brand that appeals greatly to the sense of aesthetics I want to push in this country. It is actually a little shocking to me that we haven’t pressed more for the international market. There’s this neo-colonialist aspect of our fashion industry that gets perpetuated through the means of certain Western companies and our own sense of victimisation, where we are good enough to make clothes for them, but not good enough to share the same spotlight during fashion weeks in Milan or Paris. I think that would gradually change as we have more people with disposable income and more people knocking on the doors of high fashion. So I would like to be in that sort of an industry where recognition locally equatesto recognition globally.

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AZZARO Visit Eau De Toilette For Men - 100mlTk 2,750

Launched by the design house of Loris Azzaro in 2003, this scent is refined and an ultimate classic. The infusion of spices, woods and musk is a sensational mix of uninhibited sensuality. Wear this one for the afternoon luncheon with your sweetheart.

Grab these edgy scents from daraz.com.bdPhotographs from daraz.com.bd

For the savvy man, ICE brings to you warm, soothing scents that will entice anyone who comes your way. Invest in one of these fragrances that will get those pulses running. You can thank us later!

KenzoL'eau Homme Perfume for Men - 100ml Tk 7,245

Consisting of invigorating top notes of Japanese yuzu, sweet lime, and green pepper this one opens as an aromatic aquatic fragrance. Finishing with a woody base of cedar wood and white musk, its ideal for men constantly on the go. The freshness lingers subtly and is light and crisp. Kenzo draws its liveliness from the heart of the rock. The exciting notes of yuzu, a small Japanese lemon, combined with sparkling plants, lotus leaf and green pepper gives it an enthralling touch.

Whoever said men can’t pull off floral scents need to think again. Launched by the design house of Ferrari in 1996, this

is a flowery fragrance but deliciously masculine.

Possessing a blend of fresh woods, it exudes a

woody-floral freshness. Spritz this lightly for those long

tiring daytime meetings.

Armaf Derby Club House Perfume Men- 100 mlTk 1,550

Let the crowd gather around you with this dashing fragrance. It opens with natural notes of lavender and bergamot with a mysterious heart of spices, patchouli and black woods. The warmth of tonka beans and the white amber closes the composition with a sweet touch of vanilla, and don’t we all love vanilla?

S. T. Dupont Paris Passenger Pour Homme Perfume for Men - 50mlTk 3,523

A blast of citrus with violet leaves give way to a strong composition of Passenger for Men. The heart notes add spices, Indian ginger, and cardamom from Guatemala, pink pepper and lavender. This ‘scentsational’ journey ends with Guaiac wood from Paraguay and benzoin from Laos bringing us an fragrance of natural aromas of dark leather.

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Ferrari Scuderia Eau De Toilette Perfume For Men -125ml Tk 2,295Spritz It

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Wildlife

Out in the Blue Exploring the wild is not just about stepping foot on unknown lands; the picture is much bigger. Apart from the lands, the waters of the great Bengal speak volumes of the wealth that lie beneath the waves.

Do you think Bangladesh is a lucrative destination for people who want to discover the diversities of flora and fauna?

The Sundarbans alone are a unique and rewarding destination for international travellers. The largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world, the last stronghold of the Bengal tiger, the home of part of the world’s largest population of Irrawaddy dolphins, and its amazing and diverse species of birds are just a few of the highlights.

Apart from the Bengal Tiger and the Irrawady Dolphins, what other animals are present in Bangladesh that is not given enough priority on a national level? Why do you think this happens? The estuarine crocodile in the Sundarbans is one species that I think is not getting enough attention on a national level. Due to overfishing and human disturbance in its nesting habitat, they are vanishing rapidly. Twenty years ago we would see dozens of these large reptiles basking on the mud banks during a cruise from Mongla down to Katka. Nowadays, you can count yourself lucky to spot one. The masked finfoot is another such rare animal that should receive equal attention. The lack of awareness

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Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli shares his experience of working with aquatic life and beyond with Rubab Nayeem Khan

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The VoyagerMowgli is the Country Representative and Principal Researcher of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Bangladesh. He is also a Member of the Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project.

about the conservation status of this endangered coot-like bird is worrisome, and unless we can successfully stop people from robbing their nests, the future of its population in the Sundarbans looks bleak. Perhaps because they are not as charismatic as tigers or dolphins, they receive less attention and financial support for their conservation.

During the filming of ‘Exploring our Waters,’ what in particular raised your interest about the habitat of the dolphins in Bangladesh? Why?Filming for the documentary Exploring our Waters happened while we were conducting research activities on bottlenose dolphins and Bryde’s whales at the

Swatch-of-No-Ground in the Bay of Bengal. I first got to know about our marine cetaceans during a survey of Bangladesh’s coastal waters for dolphins and whales in 2004 organised by Brian D Smith from the Wildlife Conservation Society, my mentor in dolphin conservation. We surveyed the entire coast of Bangladesh and found an amazing diversity and abundance of cetaceans. Since 2005 I have been spending three winter months every year out at sea studying different species in an attempt to understand their conservation needs.

How effective has Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project (BCDP), been in raising awareness about dolphin habitats among locals? BCDP organised the first Shushuk Mela, an interactive educational exhibition on dolphins and whales of Bangladesh, in 2009 in Dhaka. We were overwhelmed by its success. As a result, in 2011 we installed the exhibition on a large wooden barge, with which we travelled for a month visiting local communities in remote locations around the eastern Sundarbans. We have continued to organise the Shushuk Mela every year since then, with new exhibits and attractions. We are also working closely with the Forest Department to implement a science-based, community informed management plan for the new wildlife sanctuaries in the eastern Sundarbans established by the Government, specifically for the protection of freshwater dolphins.

Does BCDP encourage travellers to take part in their initiatives? We welcome visitors to come join our research and educational outreach activities whenever possible. People from all around the world have volunteered their time and skills to our project. For many of our activities, including the Shushuk Mela, we strongly depend on Bangladeshi student volunteers.

There are various things to consider when preserving wildlife and nature. In the case of dolphins, it depends on the environment and the people. What steps are being taken by BCDP in order to avert manmade disasters that threaten the dolphin and shark habitats in Bangladesh? Based on our recommendations, the Government of Bangladesh declared three wildlife sanctuaries, specifically for the protection of the Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins in the Sundarbans. A management plan for these three sanctuaries is being developed in consultation with local community members and a national technical committee. The plan is awaiting final approval by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. A large area encompassing the core habitat for eight species of cetaceans in our coastal waters, including the tip of the Swatch-of-No-Ground, has recently been declared as the first Marine Protected Area in Bangladesh.

The lack of awareness about the conservation

status of this endangered coot-like bird is

worrisome, and unless we can successfully stop

people from robbing their nests, the future of its

population in the Sundarbans looks bleak

Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli

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Let’sget it on

The latest victory of both under-12 and under-13 football teams, who respectively became the champion and runners-up of plate stage of Super Mokh Cup in Malaysia, brought ample joy for local sports lovers. En route to their success, the under-13 team beat their counter-parts from the renowned Brazilian club Corinthians and the top Croatian club Dynamo Zagreb. The jubilant faces of the winners with the Bangladeshi flag adorned all the newspapers in the country the next day. Not only does this make us proud as a nation but also inspires the younger generation to attain

further glory. These glories for Bangladesh in football has become quite a regular phenomenon since recently, they also bagged the trophy at the under-16 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) tournament. Some of these young boys also had the opportunity to practice at the famous Manchester United Football Club.Like many good things Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) started a football academy in Sylhet with the help of FIFA to nurture the young and the talented. However, recently according to BFF, they have had to shut down the academy due to a lack

of financial support.Footballing success should not only put Bangladesh under a global spotlight but it could also help nurture the young talents within our country, which in turn will help boost the morale of other young and aspiring players. It is good to see that many developing countries have been investing and taking a serious approach towards training football players, to bring in quality football-ers; a venture that would enrich the country. Bangladesh has enough talent and enthusiasm to become a footballing giant. All we need is proper care and attention.

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Now that winter is in full swing we bring to you winter classics that must not be missed. Find homemade delicacies prepared by Afroza Zaman which makes for great winter specials. Also, for the gourmet lovers, Chef Björn Gustav Hörberg, from Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View brings for you delecable delights that is sure to tantalise the tastebuds. Read on! - Aidha Cader

Culture Vulture

Tis’ The Season

Recipes

Butternut Squash Soup

PreparationIn a large saucepan, sauté onions in butter until tender. Add squash, water, stock cubes, rosemary, black pepper and paprika. Bring to boil and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is tender. Once all this is cooked remove from the stove and puree the squash with the soup. Add cream into the mixture and blend it some more. Return it to the stove and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat before the soup comes to a boil. Serve it warm with shavings of parmesan.

Ingredients4 onions diced2tbsp butter1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed500ml water2 cubes vegetable stock ½tsp dried rosemary½tsp paprika¼tsp of pepper 100g creamParmesan cheese

PreparationHeat oil in a heavy base pan; add the bones and fry for a few minutes. Mix in the salt, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and ginger paste. Store the remaining spices in a muslin bag. Once the mixture in the pan becomes fragranct, add in the water and the spice bag. Cover and simmer on low heat for five hours. In another pan heat a tablespoon of oil and fry the onions until golden. Add it into the soup and thicken it with corn flour and ground rice. Serve hot with a sprinkling of chopped coriander.

Nehari

Ingredients300g of beef marrow150g sliced onions3 liters water1tsp salt1tsp pepper½tsp turmeric powder1tsp coriander powder4tbsp oil2tbsp corn flour40g kalijira rice, ground1tsp ginger paste

Spice mix 2tsp fennel seeds½tsp whole black peppercorns½tsp cumin seeds2 small cardamom pods1 cinnamon stick1 bay leaf¼tsp nutmeg

Quantity for 4 person700g tuna loin cut into 4 steaks2 piece of lemon cut into 4 half ’s 4 triangles of thin bread baked with parmesan cheese until crisp

Caponata1 piece chopped onion2 piece eggplant (peeled and cut into cubes)3tbs raisins 3tbs pinenuts1tsp chilli flakes1tbsp sugar1tbsp cacao powder1tsp cinnamon100ml Italian tomato sauce 50ml balsamic vinegar20g chopped mint50ml extra virgin olive oil

Capsicum puree2 piece large red capsicum 400ml olive oil

Grilled Tuna Steak with Caponata and Capsicum Puree (by Radisson)

PreparationCaponata: Sweat onion and eggplant in olive oil. Add chilli, pinenuts and raisins. Add tomato sauce and remaining ingredients. Cook the caponata for 40 minutes on medium heat under cover, season with salt and pepper.Puree: Slow cook the capsicum in the olive oil until the skin comes loose, peel and blend into a smooth puree, season with salt and pepper.Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil, grill on high heat until medium rare.Arrange all items as in the picture above.

With over 25 years of experience in the culinary arts at prestigious luxury hotels in China, Latvia, Russia and Sweden, Chef Björn Gustav Hörberg, from Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View presents delectable recipes for your gastronomic delight this new year

PreperationBoil the prawns in salted water for about 2-3 minutes. Marinate the prawns in the marinade.Bring the vinegar, sugar and water to boil and poor over the vegetables and let them sit overnight in the fridge.Arrange all items as the picture.

Marinated Prawns with Pickled Vegetables (by Radisson)

Ingredients(Serves 4)

16 pieces of prawns Assorted lettuce leafs4 slices of baguette bread, brushed with olive oil, grilled and rubbed with garlic clove 2tbsp of your favorite chilli sauce

Marinade100ml extra virgin olive oil3tbsp balsamic vinegar1tbsp dijon mustard3tbsp finely chopped red onion 1 finely chopped garlic clove2tbsp lemon juice1tbsp lemon zest

Pickled vegetables100ml plain vinegar200ml sugar300ml water1/2 piece thinly sliced carrot1/2 piece sliced zucchini 150g cauliflower dived in small pieces

PreparationHeat the oven till 150C. Cut the vanilla stick lengthwise and put in a pot and add the cardamom seeds, cream, milk and sugar. Heat to near boil and turn off the heat and let it rest for twenty minutes. Remove the seeds from the vanilla stick and add to the cream mixture. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and mix in the egg yolks. Pour the mixture onto four ramekins and place on a baking sheet with high edges. Fill up the baking sheet with water so it covers ¾ of the ramekins (this allows you to gently bake the brulee).Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Cool the brulee by placing it inside the refrigerator. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and put it back in the oven. Bake the brulee until the sugar has caramelised. You could also opt to use a kitchen gas burner to mildly burn the brulee.

Crème Brulee Flavored with Cardamom (by Radisson)

Ingredients (Serves 4)

6 egg yolks1 piece vanilla stick2tsp crushed cardamom seeds3dl natural cream (35%-40% fat)2dl milk (3% fat)0.75dl sugar

1 dl brown sugar for the top caramel layer

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Hangout

Saud Anam digs into authentic Sichuan food at 3 Dragons at Pearl

3 Dragons at Pearl is enticing diners with some refreshing yet traditional cuisine. They are using local ingredients and a variety of imported spices and herbs to showcase the signature flavours of this cuisine. Chef Leo, has come to Dhaka after running several successful restaurants in Singapore. His fanatical attention to detail

and cleanliness is made apparent when you walk into this impeccably clean and classical fine-dining atmosphere. Instead of finding a fifty page menu which reflects food from all over the world, you are greeted with a simple two-page introduction to the dining options, which are meant to immerse you into the Sichuan experience.

Walk Down China Town

Chong Qing Spicy Diced Chicken in Red Basket (LA ZHI JA JI)– 1550tk

Sichuan Pepper Spicy Crab (GANG ZHENG YU) – 1800tk

Steamed Seabass Hong Kong Style (XIANG LA YANG PAI) – 2200tk

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with their shells on, and as a result, they come out crispy from the potato starch. Mutton ribs in Dry Sichuan Spices followed. This dish was braised for hours in a stock of spices and to the delight of many diners, did not have any of the mutton aroma you would come to expect. The dish was succulent and rich and the size of the dish was just perfect without being overwhelmed with mutton. A big, juicy, spicy Sichuan Pepper Crab came out next, atop a trap of mixed greens and potatoes. The crabs were fresh prior to being cooked and were from the restaurant’s own crab tank. It was a hefty portion for one person and filled with spices, which were cooked on the shell and then seeped into the tender, sweet crab meat. Most pieces came pre-cracked, so there was no time wasted. The special green pepper oil and the Sichuan peppercorns gave everything a kick and the french fried potatoes were a surprising touch, soaking up all the juices. The final main dish was spectacular in terms of seasoning, freshness and presentation. This whole Hong Kong Style Steam Seabass was brought out swimming in a special light soya sauce based stock, which could be consumed by the gallons. It went alongside the delicate flavours of the fish and each individual component of the dish was made clear with just a sip. The balanced stock was sweet and salty with notes of ginger and spring onions. The dish was perfect for those who enjoy the subtle flavors of a locally-caught seabass. 3 dragons has the uncanny ability to make you feel right at home and experiencing this cuisine is much better than just reading about it.

We started with Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. This looked like a red hot basket of fire as it came out. The fiery chicken comes piled with peanuts, whole red chillies and Sichuan pepper corns. The smell of charred chillies was intoxicating. The initial bite is a jolt of spice in a juicy piece of chicken, followed by flavours of broad bean paste and a nutty after taste. The best part of the dish is the red chilly. The way they are piled on top of the dish make them look menacing, but they are truly addictive. Finishing all of them by the end of the meal was no daunting task. Next came Prawns in Tikuan Yin tea leaves. This was the most interesting dish in terms of flavour. The tea leaves are smoky, crispy, fragrant and slightly sweet. They complement the incredibly fresh and sweet prawns without masking their flavour. Whole tea leaves are left to soak overnight and then stir-fried with the prawns, which are left

A big, juicy, spicy Sichuan Pepper Crab came out next, atop a trap of mixed greens and potatoes.

Prawn in Tikuan Yin Tea Leaves (TIE GUAN YIN XIA) – 1950tk

5.Mutton Ribs in Dry Sichuan Spices (XIANG LA XIE) - 1950tk

Having spoken to the chefs at New Cathay, Fish & Co. Absolute Thai, The Westin Dhaka and Watercress, Rumana Fouzia Choudhury has collected several recipes to keep you warm this winterThe New Year begins, still wrapped in winter’s chill embrace. While it is hard not to heed the groggy and sullen weather, New Year’s resolutions will not keep themselves if you are frightened into hiding under the covers.So, what will you try this January? Will it be the light fuss-free Wonton Noodle Soup? Or the creamy Clam Chowder? Perhaps the rich Cream of Chicken and the filling Minestrone for your special someone? Or maybe what you really need is the heat of the classic Tom Yum Soup.Read through and wishing you a warm and delightful Happy New Year!

Culture Vulture

Soup for the Soul

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Ingredients(Serves 4)1kg Minced chicken2 Spring onions, sliced1tbsp Soya sauce1tsp Corn flour1tsp White vinegar¼tsp SugarSalt (to taste)

PreparationMix the minced meat, spring onions, soy sauce, white vinegar, corn flour, sugar, black pepper and sesame oil in a large bowl. Put one teaspoon of filling in each wonton wrapper, brushing dissolved corn flour on edges to seal the wontons. Fold over into triangle and press two corners together (or you can just leave them as triangles). Place prepared wontons on clean, dry plate dusted with corn flour to make sure they do not stick. Cover with cling wrap to prevent drying.

In a large soup pot, boil all of the broth (keep 2 cups aside before boiling the rest). Keep the reserved broth at room temperature. Once the stock in the pot comes to a boil, reduce to medium heat and add the wontons. Bring the pot back to a gentle boil. When it begins to boil, add 1 cup of the reserved broth. Bring back to boil again, adding the last cup of the reserved broth. Add the salt and black pepper to taste.

Using a straining spoon, scoop out the wontons and distribute amongst the individual bowls. Keeping the pot on a low heat, cook the noodles in the broth according to the package instructions. Add the bok choy at the very last minute, after the noodles have been cooked through. Ladle a bit of noodles, soup and bok choy into each bowl. Drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil. Garnish with sliced spring onions and serve with chilli garlic sauce if desired.

New Cathay

Wonton Noodles Soup

Black pepper (to taste)½tsp Sesame oil1kg Wonton wrappers (Made in-house)1tbsp Corn flour mixed with water2 litre Chicken broth (Made in-house)300g Egg noodles1kg Chinese cabbage/ bokchoy1tsp Sesame oilChilli garlic sauce (optional)

Ingredients(Serves 16-18) 200g Onions, diced 150g Carrots, diced 1tsp Oregano50g Garlic, minced200g Plain flour100g Unsalted butter1 litreMmilk

PreparationMelt the butter in a pot and sauté the onion for one minute. Add in garlic and sauté well. Follow with carrots for another minute.

To make the roux, add the flour, stir the mixture with a metal spoon for approximately one minute over medium heat, making sure to not burn the mixture.

Remove from heat and add approximately 500ml water into the roux slowly.

Place the pot back on the stove and very slowly add the liquid ingredients, a little bit at a time using a whisk. Ensure no lumps are visible.

After the liquid has been added slowly, stir the mixture constantly over high heat, and bring to boil.

Whisk occasionally to prevent burning. Once the soup begins boiling, stir in the Fish & Co. original spice, crushed black pepper and oregano.

Add the Dory fish cubes and trimming.

Boil for 5 minutes at high heat andfinally add the whipped cream and bring to boil again.

Serve immediately on warm soup plate and garnish with chopped parsley.

250ml Whipped cream2 litres Water70g Dory fish, cubed50g White prawn, cut20g Mussels, cut in half150g Dory fish trimmings40g Original Fish & Co. Spice½tsp Crushed black pepper

Clam ChowderFish & Co.

Ingredients (Serves 1)For Chicken StockBones of 2 whole chickens1 or 2 large onions10 litres ater4-5 whole black peppers (to taste)10-15g celery

PreparationFor the chicken stock, boil the water, add the chicken bones, onion, celery, and black pepper to a pan and cook for 45 minutes. For the soup, take the chicken stock in a pot and bring to boil.Add lemon grass, galangal, lemon leaf, mushroom and tomato. Cook for one to two minutes.Make the seasoning with lemon juice, fish sauce and white sugar, and add it to the soup.Add the raw king prawn into the soup and cook for one minute.Put lemon grass and red chilli into soup.Pour soup into bowl and garnish with coriander. Serve hot.

Tom Yum SoupAbsolute Thai

For Soup100 – 150g chicken stock20g Lemon grass20g Galangal2-3g Lemon leaf2-3 Ted chilli10g Tomato20g Mushroom10-15ml Lemon juice

5ml Fish sauce5-6g White sugar1 Whole king prawn

Ingredients(Serves 10-12)100g Onions, diced100g Celery, diced100g Carrots, diced100g Zucchini, diced100g Potato, diced100g Cauliflower, diced100g, Long beans, cut

The Westin DhakaMinestrone

PreparationWash vegetables. In a pot, add olive oil and sauté the onions. Add the potatoes, carrots and celery to the pot and sauté for 5 - 7 minutes on a low flame

Then add 2 litres of cold water and add the remaining vegetables, except the fresh beans. Boil the mixture for 20 minutes.

Add the fresh beans in the last minute.

Garnish with parsley and basil. Serve hot.

100g Tomato, diced100g Fresh beansParsley, for garnishingBasil, for garnishing200ml Extra virgin oil2 litres waterSalt and pepper to taste

PreparationCombine the chicken breast, chicken stock and cup of the 7- ml milk in a large saucepan and bring these ingredients to a low boil.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the remaining milk to form a smooth, thick mixture.

Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan with the broth mixture over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer and stir/whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken a bit as it cools.

Serve hot.

Ingredients(Serves 4)

100g Chicken Breast 150g Double cream 150ml Fresh milk50g Butter

Cream of Chicken Soup

Watercress

30g Flour 200ml Chicken stock 5g Salt 5gm black pepper

BCMF 2015

The city was taken by a storm with the musical and dance performances at the Bengal Classical Music Festival 2015. Here’s how some of the artistes made a statement

Moments of

Muted magnificence This simple turquoise punjabi looks great on Ustad Zakir Hussain

In a state of bliss The intense music plays well with the stark white Kerala cotton shirt. Kadai Kudi Mani looks ever so sophisticated

Grace in every step Alarmel Valli’s gorgeous meenakari necklace shines throughout her flamboyant performance

Earthy tones Students from the Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay performed the Tabla Kirtan. Their dress speaks of perfection in every thread

Pretty in pink Vidhushi Shubha Mudgal looks radiant in her signature Benarasi sari

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Evergreen ensemble Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia’s bottle-green punjabi meshes well with his moti ka maala (pearls)

Less is more A gajra and a pair of meenakari earrings; Vidushi Bombay Jayashri looks lovely here

Volumes of tradition Jaya Ramamoorthy looks stunning in her Kancheepuram silk sari

A touch of paisley Kaushiki Chakrabarty knows how to carry this brick red katan sari and long-sleeved velvet blouse embellished with stones

Bold and bright Pandit Shivkumar Sharma’s bright Jamawar knitted punjabi and his grey mane is a signature in itself

Elegance acquired Rahul Sharma’s shawlkari embroidered vest certainly compliments his sharp features

Lift your spirit The block-print sari adds the charm in Warda Rihab’s steps

Rock steady While performing Lord Krishna’s role, Raja Reddy’s bright yellow Dhoti and traditional waist belt glistened under the spotlight

Colour coordinated Animesh Bijoy Chowdhury and his troop from Geetobitan Bangladesh are in sync with their blue outfits

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Roundtable

On December 8, 2015, literary and cultural monthly magazine, Kaali O Kalam, in collaboration with Maatra o Manusher Jonno Foundation, held a roundtable discussion on the Nari’r Srijon o Odhikaar (Implementation of Women’s Rights). In terms of implementation, the discussion focused on the independence, rights and difficulties of women. It stressed on the defined roles of women in the society and how women are viewed and evaluated as per their given roles. Furthermore, the roundtable discussion delved into how the prevalent rights or the lack of it affects a woman through the passage of time. The roundtable discussion was held in Bengal Café, at 3pm. Abul Hasnat, Editor of Kaali O Kalam delivered

UnitedWe Stand

a welcoming speech for the event. Director General of Bengal Foundation, Luva Nahid Chowdhury was also part of the discussion. Other eminent figures such as Anisuzzaman, Selina Hossain, Shahin Akhter, Sara Zaker, Shahnaz Munni, Anwara Syed Haque, Rashid Haider, Rafiqun Nabi, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Lalarukh Selim, Ferdousi Priyobhashini, Sultana Kamal, Ruby Rahman, Asad Chowdhury, Mohammad Nurul Huda, Khaled Hossain, Begum Akhter Kamal, Farzana Rupa, Rokeya Sultana, Habibullah Shiraji, Tarik Sujat, Muhammad Samad, Gitiyara Nasrin, Hrita Rahman, Kazi Khalid Ashraf, Khairul Anam Shakil, Kaniz Almas, Fahmida Nabi, as well as Moinuddin Khaled took part in this initiative.

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Events

All throughout January, Amari Dhaka will be offering its guests and food lovers a variety of scrumptious cuisines hosted in different venues. At Cascade, for the whole month from 11am to 5pm, coffee lovers can dip into a fresh hot cup of coffee with free macaroons or cakes. At Amaya Food Gallery, starting from January 1, guests can enjoy an extended breakfast until 12pm, after taking part in a wonderful New Year event at Deck 41.For more information or reservations, please call +880255059620, +8801777796444.

IT’S ALL HAPPENING THIS

JANUARY AT AMARI

Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh has been awarded the prestigious ‘Bank of the Year’ award at The Banker Awards 2015. The award was handed over to Bitopi Das Chowdhury, Country Head of

Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh wins prestigious ‘Bank of the Year’ Award 2015 by The Banker

Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bangladesh at a grand gala dinner programme held recently in London. Standard Chartered Bangladesh has won this prestigious award five times since 2010.

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Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh Limited recently signed national cricketer Rubel Hossain as Brand Ambassador for a new campaign. The signing ceremony took place at the corporate office of Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh with representatives from both parties. Raghu Krishnan, general manager of RB Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Cluster, Mahbub Baset, marketing director, Nayan Mukherjee, finance director and Jude Martino, marketing manager were present in the ceremony.This is the first time RBBL has signed a national cricketer for its campaign. And excited Rubel expressed his remark while signing in his new role.

Bangladesh cricketer Rubel Hossain joins as Brand ambassador at Reckitt Benckiser

Aftab Mahmud Khurshid Group CMO of SSG has been recognised as the ‘Most Influential Marketing Leader’ at the World Global Marketing Congress held in Mumbai recently. Around 1200 Marketing Leaders from about 100 countries attended the summit where 50 talented marketing personalities were recognized across the globe, said a press release. The World Marketing Congress is strategically partnered by CMO-Asia, World Brand Congress.

SSG’s Marketing Officer wins ‘Most Influential Marketing Leader’ award

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In view of the winter season, BRAC Bank Limited stands beside the less advantaged people of the society. BRAC Bank is donating 25,000 pieces of blanket to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received a token blanket from Shib Narayan Kairy, director, and Selim R F Hussain, managing director & CEO, BRAC Bank Limited, at a ceremony at Ganabhaban in Dhaka on December 9, 2015.

BRAC Bank helps the winter stricken people

Bangladesh’s largest online marketplace, achieved resounding success during the Black Friday campaign with an 800% increase in daily orders. As the first e-commerce site to bring Black Friday to Bangladesh, Kaymu kicked off their campaign with unbeatable prices and steep discounts of up to 85% on fashion,

Kaymu records 800% order increase for Black Friday!

footwear, electronics and computer accessories among other items. The sale started at midnight on Thursday and continued to 11:59 pm on Friday night.For Black Friday almost half of Kaymu’s traffic came from users on their mobile phone or on the application. The average value of goods transacted on the website (Gross Merchandise Value) also increased by 600%. Four-fifth of orders were from Dhaka or surrounding areas whereas the remaining was spread all over Bangladesh.Kaymu’s focus in the next few days is delivering these orders to customers to complete the e-commerce experience for customers.