TMAG Volume 1 Issue 48

Dhaka Tribune Tuesday, March 25, 2014 Volume 1, Issue 48

HOT TOPIC

Voices of inDepenDence

HOT TOPIC

Voices of inDepenDence

TMAG TU ESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014

A weekly production ofDhakaTribune

EditorZafar Sobhan

Magazine EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

TMAG TeamSabiha Mahmud SumiRubab Nayeem KhanMunira FidaiNatasha RahmanSaudia AfrinTahsin MominBaizid Haque JoarderFuad M HossainRad Sharar

ContributorsAfshan SattarKhatidja HusseinFaizah AzizShishir HoqueZaki Adnan

GraphicsTahsin MominMohammed Mahbub Alam

Colour SpecialistShekhar MondalKazi Syras Al Mahmood

ProductionMasum Billah

AdvertisingShahidan Khurshed

CirculationWahid MuradEmail: [email protected], Website: www.dhakatribune.com

2 Funk up your room Our own heritage

More insidePICKS OF THE WEEK2 Room of the week Xarif Rashid 3 Doodle of the week Imad Al Din 10 Guitar tabs of the week

“23” by Jimmy Eat World

YOUR WORLD5 Car 2014 Porsche Panamera Turbo5 FFPB 9 Fiction Blissful 9 Non-fiction Aspects of independence 9 Comic book

Noah Van Scivers Sketchbook 9 Book Harold Fry 11 Comic strip The Boy

FASHION4 Beauty check

4 steps to beautiful brows 4 Wardrobe check

Playing with plaid- desi style

REAL LIFE3 Event Tweets12 Choose/lose 12 He says, she says 12 Listology 5 types of deshpremiks

TMAG SAYS2 Funk up your room Our own heritage 2 FYI I’m not bossy; I’m the Boss3 School Survival

How much do children know? 10 Spotlight Mutemath10 Playlist Top ten deshi tunes 10 Music Folk Nations 11 Movie Her11 TV House of Cards 11 Anime Claymore 11 Gadget Sony SBH20 wireless stereo

headset

HOROSCOPES5 Your forecast

Dear Readers,

March 26 comes every year, bringing in a fresh wave of nationalistic pride. This year, it coincides with the T20 tournament on our home grounds, making that deshi feeling twice as strong. But beyond the flash mobs, memes and sea of green and red, what significance does Independence really have for us? This week, TMAG plumbs that very idea for answers.

In Schoologistics (page 3), we examine just how well-versed young school children are about their own history. In Hot Topic (page 6-7) we explore what independence means to some very diverse people, and how they feel about being Bangladeshi. We also have a very interesting one-on-one with a young politician about the agency of the youth in the future of our country.

Let us know how we did! Our new mailing address is [email protected]. Check us out on Facebook as well, and like, comment and share to spread the love.

Love from the TMAG desk

EDITOR’S noteWhat do you call someone who destroys corn flakes and coco puffs? A cereal killer.

Status of the week

If you were half as funny as you think you are, you’d be twice as funny as you are now.

Quote of the week

SMHShort for - Shake my head

Usage Person 1 I just spilt milk all over the table!Person 2 SMH

Lingo of the week

4 Look of the Week Effortless beauty

6 Hot topic Voices of independence

8 Written in the Stars Zunaid Ahmed Palak

Independence day is a cause for celebration.

Photograph by SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

Art Direction NATASHA, SAUDIA, BAIZID

AbOUT THE COvER


Your Life2 tmag

TMAG’s Room of the week!

Courtesy

NAME

XARIF RASHIDAREA

GULSHAN

CAUTION Due to too much horror,

avengers and other distractions of awesomeness, do not use this

table before the exams.

Knowing what you want and being vocal about it is not wrong. Of course, snappin’ those fingas n orderin’ around yo own bossy boss isn’t so cool yo, but politely and firmly proving your point can earn you respect from both your peers and your superiors. Nobody likes taking orders. It is demeaning and it can trigger the “I’m not your servant” attitude in many.

Having said that, let’s look at how often this word is used in the wrong context, for the wrong behaviour. A girl is usually tagged the bossy tag when she speaks out about what she wants. In nine out of ten cases, this may simply be termed as being confident, or assertive. But when the behaviour is tagged, it affects not just the confident girl, (her self-esteem just took a nosedive), but also the meek ones, who now have the idea, that nobody likes assertiveness, reinforced in their minds.

Forget the impact on just girls - the boys who hear this, understand that while the go-getter attitude is appreciated in them, it is deemed aggressive and unpleasant in girls, strengthening yet again, the age old stereotype that a good girl is meek, polite, and not very vocal.

This is not to say that if people were to stop using the word “bossy,” everything would be fine and dandy. Girls would still struggle with other gender related issues. But this goes to say how important our words are, how significant each tag, that we so unthinkingly attach to a person’s behaviour. Girls, you do not need Beyoncé to tell you that you’re not bossy, simply call it honing your management skills. Be spirited, and be confident yet respectful at all times - some people will always be intimidated by your confidence - that need never be your problem. Munira Fidai

FYI Funk up your room

The word “bossy” literally means someone who is domineering. “Assertive” means having a confident personality. How the very distinct line between these two words clouded over is baffling to us, but now we know, a few personality changes may be in order

I’M NOT bOSSY; I’M THE bOSS

Golden hueThe best thing about jute is that it can be used anywhere in a room. Imagine the window wrapped with braided, pure golden jute sticks, along with silk drapes of the same tone hanging beneath. Imagine the sunlight entering the room through them on a bright summer day, it definitely makes one feel fabulous. Finish up the walls beside the window by hanging different shaped lattices and smacking eventful fun pictures of your folks and friends on them. If you are fond of simplicity, cover the floors with jute fabric only. The chunky texture of perfect diamond jute rug will add a chic touch to the room.

Slim beauty Nothing will look better than a low height cane bed with two clone lamps beside it, in the middle of the room. Instead of a metal lamp, opt

for bamboo made lamps as they will complement the look. It will be a worthy decision to keep a bamboo shelf in the room. It is up to you whether you hang the shelf or place it near your reading table.

Love from earth If you love the antique appeal, the corners can be taken up by pitchers or cylinder shaped terracotta vases. The vases will appear gorgeous if some of them are wrapped with burlap jute fabric like flower bouquets. Fill up the vases with different types of artificial, vibrant flowers. Besides vases, windchime or dolls made out of clay can be added for a more detailed effect. Along with branded shops like Aarong or Jatra, you will get vases in thousands of designs on almost every other road in Bangladesh.

Saudia aFrin

Are you “glad to be Bangladeshi?” Or do you belong to the group that thinks “we don’t have anything to be proud of.” Before you state an opinion, take a look around your country. From the roadsides to the centre of a shop, you will come across heaps of stuff you can be proud of. Jute, silk, and terracotta artefacts are just a few names. On the occasion of Independence Day, TMAG shows you a glimpse of how you can fill your space with our country’s very own treasures

OUR HERITAGE

bigstoCk

bigstoCk


SchooLogiSticS 3tmagSchool Survival

“Ever since Bengal divided into India and Pakistan in 1947, and Bangladesh gained its identity as East Pakistan under the reign of Pakistan, it had always been subdued and overruled as a rural servant to the powerful West Pakistan. Their continued oppression ignited revolt when first, we Bangladeshis were denied our mother tongue, and then with the unforgettable ‘Operation Searchlight’ on the ‘Kaalo Raatri’ of March 25, 1971. An inspiring speech made by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is what led to the beginning of the fight for freedom on March 26, 1971.” – Nasreen Nisha, 14, Penfield Coachings.

This is the type of answer one would expect, however, very few were able to answer in accord. TMAG made it a mission to survey school students about just how much they know of our history and the results were surprisingly disappointing.

The majority could only produce a generalised answer at best. With little to no knowledge of details behind the obvious, the most common

misconception was that 26th March is a celebration of our victory and a commemoration of our freedom-fighters.

But 26th March, actually, is a tribute to the innocent civilians that were killed on the dark night of 25th March, a cowardly stunt pulled by the West Pakistani government to muffle our rising voices. To live in the spirit of that adrenaline-pumping patriotism that pushed our people to lay down their lives

and break the shackles to create our own identity.

Although there are many out there equipped with the proper information, most however, are fed an array of misinformation. We, the youth, the future of this nation are only the third, fourth, and fifth generation following our forefathers. They were people who lost their lives for the establishment of this country and yet we are already forgetting where we rose from. If the Japanese and Chinese can keep their century-old

TMAG’s DooDle of the week!

If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to [email protected] and see it in our weekly!

EVENT TWEETS

history and traditions intact, why are we, with a mere 43 years into freedom, letting our history fade away?

It is said, our parents are our first teachers and our teachers, our second parents. As such, the blame falls on both, for parents, it’s the failure to instill this knowledge into their children from a very early age. For teachers, it’s the failure to liven up this historical event in order to inspire the children. Is Bangladesh losing its patriotic heritage? Did our fighters die in vain? Faizah azizIMAD AL DIN

DOODLED THIS WHILE HE TOOK A bREAK FROM PLAYING HIS UKELELE

MAkING A GROUND FOR FREELANcER On March 18, “Policy Cafe with Sajeeb Wazed Joy on ICT” an initiative of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), was held at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel to create a discussion platform on ICT.

In the programme, Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy discussed Bangladesh’s ICT policy and Vision 2021 with young experts, professionals, and entrepreneurs. He also talked about the five sectors that fall under digital Bangladesh; e-service, infrastructure, IT education, IT skill development, and IT industry development.

Joy says: “Bangladesh holds the third position when it comes to freelancing on a global scale. However, most freelancers lack marketing knowledge. Therefore, they are being trained in business principles to make them even more efficient.”

HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW?

PURIFYING THE wATER On March 21-22 Coca-Cola and JAAGO Foundation collaborate to clean up Dhaka’s Banani Lake on World Water Day. With 200 volunteers the event was organised to generate awareness.

IB DIPLOMA VISUAL ARTS ExHIBITION The IB Diploma Visual Arts Exhibition was staged in the Secondary Well, at International School Dhaka (ISD) on March 23. The exhibition started at 4pm and lasted till 6pm. The event will continue till March 28, everyday from 8am to 4:30pm


Wardrobe Check

fAShioN fAce-off4 tmag

PLAYING WITH PLAID - DESI STYLE

How can a person show patriotism? A simple question with a simpler answer, yet so many people get it wrong. Patriotism can be how you portray your country, how you see it, how loud you shout when your country is playing a sport, and of course, what you wear. This week, TMAG tells you how to show patriotism through your wardrobe

Clothing and patriotism may well paint a green and red picture in your mind but it’s high time we think past that. The colours are fine but it’s nice to try different things once in a while. “Grameen check” or rural plaid can come handy and if you can wear it right, heads are sure to turn and jaws are sure to drop.

Panjabis Your wardrobe cannot be any more culturally infused than if you’re sporting a “panjabi.” Where solid colours are a safer option, checked ones, especially the ones with rural plaid can look amazing. One should wear such panjabis with simple cotton pyjamas,

though denim pants could be an option too. It’s best to not opt for colourful trousers, as you don’t want to overdo it!

kurtis Kurtis can be very good options for girls. Kurtis made of similar plaid would definitely look awesome and they don’t fail to speak about our heritage. Be it a long or a short kurti, with black or white leggings, you simply cannot go wrong.

Shirts These are unisex. Go for bright coloured ones and for the bottom part of your wardrobe, opt for a solid, primary colour. Best if that colour is one of the colours used in the check. Needless to say, the

shirts need to be fitted, or, well, semi-fitted because you may not feel too comfortable in skin-tight clothes!

The main mantra, which you need to keep in mind, is that you shouldn’t overdo the colours. If the top part of your wardrobe is that colourful, it’s better to avoid any more colours for the bottom half.

Hit the Grameen check stores, Jatra, Aarong, Kay Kraft, and other such boutique shops. Be sure to look for colours which look good on you and that aren’t an eyesore to the people around you. Walk proudly as you have just infused your wardrobe with your culture and heritage. Baizid haque joarder

Trim and prune Even the bushiest eyebrows need a little trimming, because you want to look full and neat. Comb your brows upwards in the direction of the hair growth, and then trim just the edge of the longer hairs, also in the direction of the growth.

Tweeze right Either you have Megan Fox’s arched eyebrows or you don’t. Often, in an attempt to introduce an arch where there is none, you end up with unrecognizable brows. The best thing you can do for your brows is to work with what you have. Use a tweezer with sharp, slanted, elongated tips for the best results, and pluck out only the strays.

Pencil in Fake a fuller brow with a little pencil work. You’ll need to make sure your eyebrow pencil is sharpened, to better emulate hair-like strokes. Start filling in the brow from the inside, bottom corner and work your way outwards along the edge. Repeat on top, filling in where you need extra coverage.

Apply a smidgen of shadow primer right under the lower brow line, and then use your ring finger to dab a little bit of shimmer on top, and blend, blend, blend. Even if you’re not rocking full eye makeup, subtle hightlighting will accentuate the curves of your brows, and hide the signs of recent tweezing.

SaBrina FatMa ahMad

Beauty Check

Strong brows are back in a big way. If you want to rock the fierce, independent look, here are four ways to do it right

FOUR STEPS TO bEAUTIFUL bROWS

Look of the week

bigstoCk

EFFORTLESS bEAUTY

THE GOLD KOLKIS COMPLIMENTING

THE LONG GOLD PATTERNS CREATE

A STYLE STATEMENT FOR THEMSELvES.

PAIR IT UP WITH COMFY WEDGES AND YOU ARE

READY FOR YOUR DAY.

Photographer Homayra Adiba

Wardrobe Bloom

Model Maisha Tabassum


The name Porsche is synonymous with sports cars. They had great ones like the 911, they also had not so good ones like the 924, but this edition of their venture is low, sleek, muscular, and it has four doors.

This is the Porsche Panamera Turbo. It will set you back almost $135,000 and that buys you a staggering top speed of 188mph. That’s not just sports car performance, but super car speed in a sedan.

The engineers at Porsche have delivered a 911 with a front engine and two extra doors. You might be thinking that it’s a big fat fail already; Porsche should be making sports cars, not sedans. And they never made a sedan, which clearly shows.

Pretty? It’s not!It gets a little better once you see

Car Talk

FFPB

In two syllables, it defines an entire category - sports car. One glance at its code of ornament conjures up images of superiority, racing pedigree, and a rear engine

Street 5tmag

FANTASY FOOTbALL PLAYERS OF bANGLADESH (FFPb) FANTASY LEAGUE TOP 10 AFTER GAMEWEEK 30

Rank Team Manager GW TOT1 Da_Dreamers Fazle Rabbi 50 1,9452 Dream United FC Fahim Al Ifran Rahim 63 1,8983 mclovin.. Asif Khan 67 1,8884 Underdog FC Shazzadur Rahman 51 1,8825 Firehouse Quamrul Hassan_FFPB 47 1,8586 tomahawk Galacticos Rax Rahman 51 1,8537 ABRAR FC Abrar Moeen 71 1,8498 eBeastmode Ibrahim Mohammad 53 1,8469 Sesc17 Shadman Haque 64 1,83810 GLADIAtoRS_R nakibul Rakib 75 1,836

The code to join FFPB fantasy league is 975-707

AN EvOLvED bUG

ARIES (MAR 21-APR 19) You’ll be craving for some attention midweek from

a particular person. Don’t get frustrated if they don’t respond.

TAURUS (APR 20-MAY 20) You’ll be involved in a conflict at the beginning of

this week. Talk it out and try to bury the hatchet.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUN20) Conversations with your

partner could take a different flight this week. Don’t push it.

cANcER (JUN 21-JUL 22) You’ll have a lot of ideas this

week, but distractions will hinder you from implementing them.

LEO (JUL 23-AUG 22)You’ll become a social

butterfly midweek. Don’t neglect your loved ones while you’re at it.

VIRGO (AUG 23- SEP 22) Suddenly you’re agreeing with people you’ve had

differences with. Confused much?

LIBRA (SEP 23- OcT 22)You can do everything at once; that is if you know

how and when to prioritise. Things don’t have to fall apart.

ScORPIO (OcT 23-NOV 21)You’ll get distracted from your priorities midweek. You

could get a bad rep, if you don’t snap out of it.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22-DEc 21) You might think that it’s all “rainbows and butterflies”

on the romantic front. The week will tell the tale.

cAPRIcORN (DEc 22-JAN19) The person on the other end is having a hard time

understanding you. Reach out to them this week.

AqUARIUS (JAN 20-FEB 18) Your friends think you’re a tad bit annoying. Why is

that? Take the week to prove them otherwise.

PIScES (FEB 19-MAR 20)Reality is closing in on you. Anything you do keeps

backfiring. Got any backup plans this week?

HOROSCOPE

it from the inside but the cockpit has so many bells and whistles that you will need a telephone operator riding shotgun.

So, it’s not pretty, it’s got a dumb name and a dash board that will baffle even NASA; but not everything about the Panamera is a failure. For instance, it has big back seats. Having a back seat is important in any car. But is it worth the sacrifice when it looks like an egg-plant?

So, what if it’s got two extra doors? When you are looking out of the windshield, you won’t even notice! But the Panamera turbo has a massive 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine borrowed from the Cayenne turbo SUV, that delivers a whip lashing 500hp and weighing around 2,200kg, it needs as much power as it can squeeze out to maintain its sportiness. The result is

that it can do 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, faster than an Aston Martin DBS. Driving this car is like holding on to a missile.

Much of the body is built from aluminium to reduce weight and improve fuel economy. Even then, the Panamera never totally shakes off its weight, but it goes down the road at a proper lick and it steers very well. As in other Porsches, you don’t really notice this lack of linearity, and while there’s not so much feel as in a 911, it’s still more than what you’ll find in any other luxury saloon.

The Panamera might not conform to what you would expect from a Porsche, but isn’t that bad, to be honest. Certainly not bad enough that old Ferdinand would be turning in his grave just yet! tahSin MoMin


hot toPic6 tmag

Every year, we celebrate Independence Day in the spirit of a nation that declared it was more than capable of running its own affairs. Independence, on a personal level, means different things to different people, and this week, we talk to some people of indomitable spirit, about what “being independent” means to them

Our five senses allow us to gain perspective; each sense is dependent on the others. Take one or two away, and we become like furniture without support and this is what happens to someone with hearing impairment.

Navina Aziza Kabir has witnessed such challenges on a personal level. Growing up with both parents being hearing-impaired, she realised that although her situation was unusual, there were other children struggling to communicate with hearing-impared family members, and so she decided to lend a hand. She has been a sign-language instructor for six years now.

Another thing Navina learned about the language during her experience as a teacher is that interpreters have to be very patient and cautious when communicating with the deaf, and also maintain gentle facial expressions while teaching.

One can’t help but wonder why Navina, who is a student of Media and Communication, doesn’t opt for a more “lucrative” media job. “I want to bridge the gap between the capable and the disabled,” she answers. “A significant percantage of our population is hearing impaired. Hence, our nation is in dire need of sign language institutes. There are better paying jobs, but I chose this in order to promote my parents’ identity by their language and mine as a child of hearing impaired people. The sense of achievement in this line of work triumphs all others.” ruBaB nayeeM Khan

The Teacher“when I started out, I didn’t have enough people to train since there wasn’t

a formal institution for teaching sign languages” Navina tells us. “I picked up

some of the signs, and then I looked for people who spoke sign languages in order to connect with my parents. I took formal train-ing in sign language from SDSL (Society for Deaf Sign Language User) for three

months in order to get a certificate to start my work as a sign language interpreter and instructor.”

“Like spoken

language, there is a

presence of dialect in sign

language too. Hearing impaired

people who are home schooled

have difficulties in picking up the

language faster. This causes lack of

uniformity and creates confusion in

understanding what the person

is trying to say, particularly

because they invent their

own language.”

Can’t hold us backCan’t hold us backCan’t hold us back

There was a time, when during floods, we wouldn’t

get any kind of relief from the government. However, now, if the

area does get affected by any sort of natural calamity, the government comes forward and arranges for relief in terms of food, money and manpower to assist

us. So, I believe we have come a long way, and this makes me happy and

proud to be Bangladeshi.

Ivan Ahmad Kotha,Sex worker

“I am very happy to be a Bengali

because I was born as a Muslim in a Muslim country.

I love to travel and Bangladesh has some amazing scenery like

cox’s Bazar and Rangamati that you can visit freely in this

independent country.”

Abid Hossain Nabi


hot toPic 7tmag

People often wonder what happens to people who suffer from autism. For starters, they sometimes win Olympic gold medals for Bangladesh. Surprised? In most cases, such specially gifted people remain stigmatised by our judgmental cultures. Deceived by perception, our society in general fails to recognise their significance and tends to look down on them. Remember, gold is found in mines, not in mansions or palaces.

We caught up with Almas Uddin Dipu, who suffers from autism. Now, “autism” is used as a blanket term for a range of disorders, but Dipu’s condition is a combination of cognitive problems that affected his communication skills, which made it difficult for him to socialise; and physical impairments that affected his ability to perform daily activities.

A ray of hope shone upon Dipu when, at age thirteen he joined Proyash, an institute for children

with special needs. With the help of activities, physical training, vocabulary training and the job placement services provided by Proyash, he started developing progressively and has broken the cells of autism to establish himself as a regular working person.

Currently, Dipu is working at the CSD super store as a salesperson. He has developed a working relationship with his colleagues who are very fond of him. Besides working for the CSD, Dipu took part in the Special Olympics held at Shanghai, China in 2007 and he became the first person to win the Special Olympic gold medals for Bangladesh, bagging two of them, both in the sport of swimming: one in breaststroke and the other in freestyle.

Dipu has been working in CSD for the past three years and he is very happy with the way his life is panning out and as a Bangladeshi, he couldn’t be happier. Syed azraF zaMan

The Olympic Medallist

The Believer“I have struggled a lot in life. People have taunted me with their words. I have been referred to as ‘Jamaat,’ ‘Shibir,’ and even ‘terrorist,’ all because I study at a madrasa, I refuse to shave my beard and wear a panjabi. They have insulted me in various other ways, but I bore all this in silence. However, I haven’t lost or given up just yet. I believe we are destined for something and being born as a Bangladeshi is the biggest

part of my destiny.I can proudly say that I am glad to

be born as a Bangladeshi. I believe that some day I can overcome all difficulties and do something significant for my country because nothing is impossible for us human beings.”

Abu Saad Mohammed Noor (19)Darul-Ullum Forkania Madrasa, Uttara, Dhaka

There was a time, when during floods, we wouldn’t

get any kind of relief from the government. However, now, if the

area does get affected by any sort of natural calamity, the government comes forward and arranges for relief in terms of food, money and manpower to assist

us. So, I believe we have come a long way, and this makes me happy and

proud to be Bangladeshi.

Ivan Ahmad Kotha,Sex worker

I am happy to be a Bangladeshi,

because my roots are in this country. Also, I am happy that I have the right to vote. But the

society doesn’t give us credit for the work we do. This society creates the demand for sex workers, but the same society abhors it. Hence, this

isn’t treated like any other respected profession and we remain

underpaid and unrecognized.

Joya Sikder,Sex Worker

“I was born in Bangladesh where I

spend my time with family and friends with joy, especially if I am able to visit the outskirts

of the city with them. I have been a barber for the last five years

and this is something that I love to do in my country.”

Mohammad Shuvo Hossain

MuMit M


What is the reason behind political aversion among youths?We had a vision to make Bangla our state language in 1952 and in 1971 to free our lands through the Liberation War. During that instance our youth was ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of freedom. However, presently, the youth does not want to engage in politics. This is because of the current political trends of employing them to only serve personal agendas. As a result, our youth harbour negative beliefs about our country, political-groups, leaders, and politicians. Moreover, they end up with erroneous interpretations regarding all political groups, principals, and morals. This current norm will indefinitely take time to fix. I believe that our new generation is politically aware but not active.

What is your opinion on involving the youth in politics?To obtain youth involvement in politics there is a dire need to build positive examples for them. If we are able to fulfil our roles properly then in the near future, we can hope for more youth involvement in the political scenario.

As the youngest minister in the parliament, how valued is your opinion in policy making?During decision making in the parliament, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prioritises logic over age when it comes to receiving suggestions. It is not a question of how old we are but of our capabilities to fulfil our given responsibilities. If our suggestions are valid enough, they would obviously be accepted, if not they are rejected. In our country, the youth comprise a majority of our population, and during policy making I always try to reflect the youth’s

desires/dreams. My prime aim is to bridge the gap between policy and what the youths want.

Tell us about the idea centreWe would like to create a platform where the youth can share their ideas. And if their ideas are good enough and rational, they will receive support. On the other hand if an idea is good, we

want to help reduce the bureaucratic difficulties the youths might face when bringing their ideas to fruition.

“The ICT act of 2013 threatens freedom of expression” What is your opinion about that?My opinion is clear; the ICT act 2013 is for preserving freedom of expression. This act is to ensure security of those who actively participate in social media. After amendments to the act, no action was taken against people who shared their opinions, posted statuses or

criticised the government. Riots in Ramu or the Sahtia incident was a result of abusing the social media. This act is in place to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Tell us about a few important projects that have been taken up to aid the youth.The demand for well-trained human

resources in both the domestic and international scene, especially in technology, is high and we are working on identifying them.

Mobile apps have a huge market around the world so we have taken up a project which will be implemented and we hope to train about 2,000 mobile app developers in a year. Furthermore, we have planned to train about 50,000 freelancers and the “one woman and one laptop” programme. To fulfil the aim of making 500,000 game developers, our ministry has taken up another

project to train in around 500 schools with students between the ages of 12 and 16. Such measures have been taken to aid the youth with proper guidelines about technology and enabling them to forsee a career in such fields. We have agreed to work with the British Council and Gates Foundation to make more fruitful use of Bangladesh’s unexploited wealth. n

writteN iN the StArS8 tmag

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology is the youngest minister in Bangladeshi history. Not only that, he is also the youngest person to attain a membership within the Awami League central committee. Palak’s prime political goal is to be the voice of youth. Saudia afrin has a conversation with him about his political views, upcoming projects for youths, and more

Photo: Courtesy

REPRESENTING THE YOUTH

Zunaid Ahmed Palak says: “Politically aware youths should also be politically active. If they don’t actively participate in politics, there will be no real change in our system, at the same time, not all should be politicians. The youth can opt for almost all professions such as journalism, law, medical or government services and so on. That way, they can ensure that they are doing their bit for the country responsibly with honesty, devotion and patriotism. And then, Bangladesh too, will emerge as a super-power”

Life with Zunaid Ahmed Palak

The only time he gets off from his responsibilities and work, he spends it with his family.

About his role model, Palak says: “I have read Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s ‘Oshomapto Attojibonee’ many times, after being elected as a member of the parliament as I feel that it helps me prepare myself.

He considers Mahatma Gandhi’s “Gandhi” movie to inspire him to get involve with politics.

During his college life, Palak dreamt of being a rock star and although the dream did not work out, he is quite the singer, even with no professional training. He loves listening to music, watching movies, and reading books.


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ASPECTS OF INDEPENDENCEIndependence is more of a mindset rather than a material achievement. Hence, it is precise to say that each and every person has his or her own definition of the word independence. Consequently, independence does not have the same value for all. As for me, independence is an essential element in my daily life. It is correct to say that our country has earned independence. Yet I question myself, “Have we all attained independence as individuals?”

Independence means more than words can describe to me. It is a unique feeling of freedom, where I will succeed to break out from all my bonds of dependency. I will need to be independent from several aspects before I succeed to gain independence as a whole. I need to gain intellectual independency. This is where my thoughts will be mine only, uninfluenced by the world. I think it is very important for my thoughts, or as a matter of fact, anyone’s thoughts to be authentic, because if our feelings are plagiarised then we will never gain independency.

Another very important aspect is social independency. If I fail to gain this, then I can never be independent. Social independency does not mean cutting off from all bonds and relationships. It simply means that I should be able to distinguish between my views and people’s views. I should be capable of putting forward my perspectives without hesitation.

These are just a few of the aspects of independency. I believe when I fuse these factors with other factors I will succeed in being an independent person. Khatidja huSSein

co

mic

Harold’s critical view of his own self.However, for all the sorrows that his

book remembers, this is not a sad read. It is an extremely hopeful one. It shows us new beginnings that could come at any age, and that it is never too late (or too early) to do something extraordinary.

The characters in this book are intriguing, and Rachel Joyce really has a wonderful ability to create backgrounds and settings. The stale, monotonous life of Harold and his wife was well portrayed, as was every step along Harold’s amazing journey.

There is much to enjoy in this book, but be warned: it is not for the impatient reader. The book would manage to strike up thoughts about the “what ifs” of life, and would take a very thoughtful reader to enjoy thoroughly.

The book is available for download in the form of an e-book, and can be ordered at PBS bookstore in Shantinagar. aFShan Sattar

This story was a daydream made into reality for the humble Harold Fry. Living a wearisome, routine-bound life for 65 years with a wife he no longer connects with, Harold Fry was as ordinary as a character could seem to be.

The story by Racheal Joyce begins one day, when Harold receives a letter from an old friend, telling him that she is dying. Penning his reply and having walked to the mailbox, Harold stops, and makes the impulsive decision that he must see her in person. With a strong heart, he begins to walk the 600-mile journey with no cell phone, and only the clothes on his back, feeling assured that she would not pass while he keeps walking,

Outwardly, this modest man seems like he is merely on the road to meet a former colleague who is terminally ill, but his journey is far greater than that. His life begins to unravel before the reader as we get an insight into

JOURNEY THROUGH THE AGES

fic

tio

n bLISSYou walk past me and it hurts. My heart starts to ache and I catch my breath. But you don’t notice that. You are oblivious to all my heart ache and sorrow. Thinking about my numbing existence to you, hurts even more. Numbing, because even though I am wherever you are, you still fail to see the longing in my eyes. You make me miserable and you make me weak. Every time you walk away, fade into the crowd, my heart aches all over again and I grow weaker still. But you are unaware, of what you do to me. You don’t know what you mean to me.

I am here with you, but all you see is the fake smile and nothing more. You see right through me, like air. Even when you look at me with those piercing eyes, it still feels like you don’t see me at all. Like I am not there; with my ever longing gaze, with the subtle ache in my heart, with that ever fading existence of mine; I am somewhere else. Like always, you ignore me. But I

don’t even try to make you notice me. Because for me, just being around you is enough. What a pathetic being I have become!

Even though I keep telling myself that I don’t need you, that I don’t want you, my heart still aches at the very sight of you. I still catch my breath when you walk away and when I lose you somewhere in the crowd, it feels like I’m losing myself in the chaos.

Sometimes I have to struggle with my own self; I have to stop myself from calling out to you. For fear that you might finally see what my eyes hold, what my heart aches for, and I cannot risk that. Because I know the outcome of it all and I know that our paths don’t meet. Right now, you and I are standing at the cross roads, waiting for the night to pass. And when dawn comes, at the very first break of light I know I will lose you. But it’s alright; at least I would have the memories of the night before. tahMina taSneeM KhanaM

bigstoCk

for coffee; if you scroll up and down his Tumblr page, you’ll find at least a handful of episodes where he does not forget to mention how, when and where he’s had coffee. There is really no plot, just a cartoonist who likes to portray every aspect of his life (the interesting and the mundane) within eight to ten boxes, speech bubbles and possibly crayons (with reference to his artwork). If you’re a Tumblr junkie, be sure to check it out at http://noahvansciver.tumblr.com. ruBaB nayeeM Khan

It might sound rather insulting if you consider the work of a full-fledged cartoonist as “scribbles,” but somehow the description fits Van Scivers Comics. Noah Van Sciver, the creator of 2006 comic, “Blammo” has a batch of random events in his life, captured in the comic format. Most of the episodes are based on his life as a cartoonist, and it depicts each and every movement he’s had throughout his life (showering, singing, dating etc.) Oh and let’s not forget his undying love

SCRIbbLES

bigstoCk


Folk Nations is a music documentary by British Council UK which brings together two worlds with varying tastes in music. The platform allowed folk musicians from the UK to collaborate their work with our local folk pop sensations, in order to explore the diversities of the genre. The project served as a learning process for singers hailing from both worlds. The documentary was directed by Ehsan Kabir, CEO of Green Ink. It includes notable names from the music scene: Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Nobonita Chowdhury, Labik Kamal Gaurob, Saadul Islam, Bart Nandit Areng, Rob Fokir, Arko Sumon, Tarek Bin Taher, Shofik Miah and Jalal Ahmed. Musicians from the UK include Sam Lee, Francesca Ter-Berg, Jonah Brody, and Camilotomas Tirado.

Despite vast cultural differences they were all intrigued by each other’s rich musical heritage; at the end of the day all these musicians where able to exchange ideas and come to terms with the fact that this genre acts as a

music news

Stereo10 tmagTUNES AND TONES

IN THE LIGHT OF FREEDOM

1. Parey ke jabe Nobonita Chowdhury

2. Shomoy gele Lalon

3. kandari Hushiyar Artcell

4. Egiye nao Nemesis

5. Rajaheen Rajjo Shunno

6. 30 Bochor Por Hyder Husyn

7. Amar protibader bhasha Khiyo

8. Amiee Bangladesh Shayan

9. cholo Bangladesh Cryptic Fate

10. Ahoban Bohemian

the goodsheet

toP

10

23JIMMY EAT WORLD

Tuning: Standard (EADGBm)

Verse

Bm A I felt for sure last night D Gthat once we said goodbye Bm A no one else will know these lonely dreams D Gno one else will know that part of me Bm AI’m still driving away D Gand I’m sorry every day Bm AI won’t always love these selfish things D G I won’t always live, not stopping …

chorus E GYou sit alone forever Dwaiting for the right time Awhat are you hoping for? E GI’m here, I’m now, I’m ready, Dholding on tight Adon’t give away the end, Bone thing that stays mine

Note: The rest of the song follows the same pattern

bEST OF bOTH WORLDS

sPotlight

Emerging from a family garage cloaked in dust, “Mutemath” must be given credit for revolutionising the music scene with broken-record players, ancient samplers, and radio shack microphones. The psychedelic, electronic, post-rock, alternative quartet birthed in 2003, when two friends, Paul Meany (singer/song-writer and keyboardist) and Darren King ( drummer and percussionist) acted on a shared vision. After recruiting Greg Hill (former guitarist), Roy Mitchell-Cardenas (bassist), they began their march of musical revelation.

Later, Todd Gummerman replaced Greg and took over the guitars. Till date, they have released three studio albums (Mutemath, Armistice and Odd Soul), two live albums, four extended-plays and two teleprompts. It is quite evident that their style of music is a blend of everything from DJ Shadow’s

THE RESONANCE OF MUTE

groovy beats to Bjork’s essence of aesthetics. Some even say that Meany sounds like Sting.

The outrageous official music video of “Typical,” earned them a nomination at the Grammys, where it shows them playing the entire song from start-to-end. From making the theme song for Transformers, this troublesome bunch has pushed all boundaries when

driving force for them to connect with all other aspects of life.

Folk Nations is being screened at the IndiEarth OnScreen Indie Film Evenings in Mumbai (The Daily), Bangalore (The Humming Tree), and Chennai (Alliance Francaise) on March 27 at 8pm. Director Ehsan Kabir says: “We are proud that Folk Nations is featured among this inspiring collection of

documentaries. It’s great to see how documentaries and music can work hand in hand to build bridges among nations – and now we are bringing the sound and music of Bangladesh to India!” Folk Nations is available at Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXDxki4fr8k&feature=youtu.be for viewing. ruBaB nayeeM Khan

they sued their record label ”Warner Bros Records” for labelling them as a Christian band because of their hit single, “Blood Pressure.” With their fresh new sounds and unforgettable live performances, they have established a following from all around the world. If you’re a music-lover, hurry now! Explore the magic of “Mutemath.”

zaKi adnan


Colossal monsters, tentacles, beautiful women wielding swords, all in one exciting anime series. Maybe the tentacles aren’t as exciting. Anyhow, enter Claymore, not the ones that you detonate in a FPS (First Person Shooter) game, but people who are as explosive. The series is about an organisation called “The Organisation.” With its really original name for an establishment, it hires beautiful women to slay monsters, and they are known as “Claymores.”

The hired guns are employed to eradicate monsters called “Yoma” (monsters that love to eat human innards) and they are perfect for the task since they are half human-half yoma. With strong monstrosity prevalent throughout, the series stands out for its character development, notably of the main protagonists “Clare” and “Raki.” Unlike the other claymores

however, “Clare” is different; she is only a quarter yoma. Let’s leave it at that since there is a very interesting reason behind it. Another interesting thing about this show is how it portrays the fact that anyone has the capability to fall in love. While not all mushy, you can’t help but become teary eyed during certain parts of the show.

Without giving too much away, the entire story takes interesting twists and turns. For instance the “Awakened Beings” or why only women are hired by “The Organisation” etc. Frankly, the plot is very unique and the action scenes within will have you clamouring for more. A word of caution however- the show is very gory, therefore, enjoy at your own risk. The series is available online at various anime sites. Go check it out! Fuad M hoSSain

PLAYroom 11tmagWE RECOMMEND

A poetically driven divorcee finds love in the voice of an OS. Spike Jonze takes the helm for this situation comedy. The virtual voice brightly greets him in the morning, bids him goodnight and more importantly, doesn’t complain about juggling her many roles as his assistant. Winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, “Her” is an exceptionally fitting movie for our world today.

Who knows if human beings are bound to converse better with computers than with their own kind? The movie’s set in an unspecified time in the future where Los Angeles is a city of plastic fears and dreams. Machines haven’t risen above human law so far but are folded into peoples’ daily routines.

Does Theodore end up with that girl he met on the Internet or a practical life partner? What happens to everybody else’s views on the practicality of love? Do you think our world will ever end up like that? The movie will be a worthwhile watch that will exceed your notion of romantic comedies.

You can buy the movie at Fahim Music and other video stores, rent it on iTunes or download it electronically.

Whether you’re into science fiction or a romantic comedy, “Her” has been disclosed as the best film of 2013 and certainly lives up to that expectation. SaBa Sattar

bEAUTY AND bEASTSmoVieanime

EARGASM gadget hunt

Say bye bye to tangled headphones with Sony’s newest wireless stereo headset SBH20. Pairing your phone with this device is something almost verging on sorcery. Touch your device with your phone once and you are done.

With vibrant range of colours, a standby time little south of 200 hours, and about six whole hours of talk time, you simply cannot go wrong with the SBH20. An ergonomic sliding power key and large tactile music control keys add extreme ease with subtle style.

The acoustics in this thing are out

of this world! With a frequency range of 20-20kHz, supreme bass quality, and contemporary dynamic sound you will get to take your calls and listen to HD quality music.

Compatible with almost all smart phones out there, the SBH20 is hard to pass up. Compound that with a sweet price tag of Tk4,500 and you have yourself a deal of a life time. The SBH20 wireless stereo headset is available in all the Gadget and Gear outlets. It’s time to go wireless!

aSM FoySaL

THAT GIRL YOU MET ON THE INTERNET

PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT

tV

Would you plot revenge upon the US president if he didn’t keep his end of the bargain? Or would you rather sit back tight and live in dismay? House of Cards is a 2013 TV show endorsed by Netflix with its strong crime caper. This is how the story checks out.

Francis is an ambitious Democratic Congressman from South Carolina who puts together an agreement with the US President Garrett Walker. Before becoming president, Walker made a deal where he would make Francis Secretary of State, if he ensured him a landslide win. But Walker ends up in turmoil after the accord flouted.

Francis’ major setback leads him and his wife to exact revenge on Walker. His highly intricate plan is what weaves the show in exceeding your expectation for suspense and action.

The question along the journey remains: does Francis play his cards right?

House of Cards is available at Fahim Music and other video stores. You can also rent it on iTunes or download it electronically.

Similar to Revenge and Suits, House of Cards will definitely get you hooked into its piece of ground along with some witty remarks. SaBa Sattar


Simply wearing the national colours, jerseys or a “GO TIGERS!” wrist band at the stadium during a Bangladesh match, sadly, does not make you a true patriot. Real, love for one’s country comes from a combination of factors, which some have and some don’t. This week, we look at five types of “deshpremiks,” and what sets them apart rad Sharar

THE MUTUAL

These folks are different in the sense that they support their country, they really do. However, when it comes to music, sports or other participative events, they let their hearts go free. We can’t really blame them, for it is completly their own choice in doing so. Thing is, regardless, they are usually there when our country needs them, and that’s what matters.

THE OvERLY ENTHUSIASTIC

These are the people who fill the stands in every match Bangladesh plays, be it in Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong or wherever. Their Facebook posts and tweets keep you better updated than online live score services, and they rarely miss an opportunity to show their love. Otherwise dormant, they are the true backbones of physical support.

THE SILENT TYPES

There is no doubt about their patriotism, and they have no rush to show it. They watch, experience, observe, judge and pray at all times for the betterment of the nation, but in silence. They feel they have absolutely nothing to prove, and they don’t.

THE THRASHER

We all know who these people are, for they are the supreme judges on how their country is better in every way than any other. Criticising of others brings them joy, and they will go to extreme lengths to prove it if they have to.

THE TRUE

These folks are magic. They will reek of love and support for Bangladesh at every necessary moment, and even figure out better ways to do so. Define them as the thinkers, the change makers, the entrepreneurs who strive towards the betterment of the nation and hope to eventually “do something” for it. They don’t criticise other nations, unnecessarily broadcast their opinions or stay quiet either; they are the best of all of the above and more.

teeNArAmA12 tmag

listology

FIvE KINDS OF “DESHPREMIKS”

He says

She says

He saysIt’s a pattern most guys fall under. The initial hunky dory stages are always great, where your girlfriend is still not unleashing her inner monster. But six months down the line, my girlfriend decides my wardrobe and even my friends.

She saysI aspire to be a food journalist someday on television. My boyfriend knew about this much before we started dating. Suddenly, he is giving me a really hard time about it. He is questioning my career choice and is totally against me being on television. What’s up with that?

The problem of being overly controlling

A cooing pair of lovebirds will come with their bucket of sweet nothings, but there should also be a lid on that bucket to not let either of you become completely like the other. Let’s look at two scenarios where freedom is snatched away, for good

The problem of hogging your partner’s space

He saysI love wearing watches and I love this particular “restora” in Gulshan where I eat after my coaching classes in the evening. Recently, I noticed my girlfriend not letting me wear that watch or go to that restaurant. She says it’s going to affect her “image.” Go figure.

She saysI have had a dog for the past three years. I started dating this guy a couple of months ago and he seemed perfect until recently. When he came over and saw my dog, he told me that he is allergic to them and my dog has to go. I flipped out on him and broke up; no one messes with my little puppy.

TMAG TELLS yOu TO CHOOSE OR LOSE

Got a sticky relationship ish? Let us help you make up your mind. Email your story today to [email protected]

I HAVE A BOYFRIEND FOR ALMOST TwO YEARS, and he has a really bad temper. He insults me openly in public whenever he’s angry, and strangely, I like it. My friends tell me to talk to him about this, as it is very embarrassing, but I don’t want to. What should I do?

ON THE FENCEIt isn’t healthy for a couple to be insulting each other in front of other people. It sends out the wrong message. On the other hand, if you actually like it, you are giving him the upper hand to continue doing this by not stopping him.

MY GIRLFRIEND OF TwO AND A HALF YEARS likes lizards. She has three pet snakes, four turtles and two Leopard Geckos, which I find disturbing. She feels as though I don’t give “them” enough time, and that I don’t love her anymore. What am I supposed to do?

CHOOSEBe thankful it’s not bugs. Give the lizards attention in front of her, and learn to live with it. Compromise and be strong, for mere lizards should not stop you from staying with your partner.

Documents

TMAG Volume 1 Issue 48