Weekend Tribune Vol 3 Issue 36

vol 3 Issue 36 | FRIDAY, JAnuARY 1, 2016 Dhaka Tribune

6 FooD BRekkIe plAces 12 TeA wITh wT

RoBIn pAcIFIc 20 The Bong MoMMA

To sweet beginningsTo sweet beginnings

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, JAN UARY 1 , 2016

1CONTENTS

Volume 3 | Issue 36 | January 1, 2016

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamSaudia Afrin

Moumita AhmedN Anita AmreenFaisal MahmudSakib MridhaSaqib Sarker

Syeda Samira SadequeShuprova Tasneem

ContributorsMinu AhmedG’son Biswas

GraphicsMd Mahbub AlamAlamgir HossainTahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisementShahin Ahsan

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

Editor’s note About the coverDear Readers,Happy New Year!We’re kicking off a spanking new 2016 on a fresh note. Start your morning with a hearty breakfast – we’ve got a selection of menus for you.

Gentlemen, get your skincare game on with some man moisturising tips. Ladies, we’ve brought you this season’s fresh colour trend report so you can get shopping.

Let our photo story take you to the weavers’ colony in Tangail through colourful pictures that portray the magic of the textile artisans. On another side of the story, Robin Pacific shows us the

ways in which garments workers are fighting to get their voices heard.

Take a trip with us to Nepal, to witness how the blockades have been affecting the earthquake-stricken country.

Look back on the year to see some of rays of hope amidst all the turmoil, as we highlight the young Bangladeshis who achieved great things in 2015, and look forward to a better you in the coming months with our list of resolutions.

Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful 2016

-Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

News 2 News

3 Meanwhile

FeatuRes 4 Men’s Fashion

Skincare

5 Women’s Fashion Trending

8 Top 10 Bangladeshis to watch out for

12 Focus Blockades in Nepal

14 Tea with WT Robin Pacific

17 Listology Resolutions

RegulaRs16 Tell Agony Aunt

18 Stay In

19 Go Out

20 The Bong Momma

FOOdBRekkie placeS

PhOTO STOry TaNgail TaaT

6

9

To sweet beginningsPhoto: Nisha Haque


2 NEWS | This week

Putin has turned Russia’s space agency into a state-run spaceflight corporation

Top aide to North Korea leader Kim Jong Un dies in car crash: KCNAA senior North Korean ruling party official and a top aide to leader Kim Jong Un has died in a car accident, the latest dramatic demise in the close circle of deputies to the country’s leader.

Kim Yang Gon, who was a secretary of the Workers’ Party and the head of its United Front Department, the unit that handles the North’s ties with South Korea, was Kim Jong Un’s “closest comrade, a solid revolutionary partner”, KCNA said.

Kim was part of a high-level

delegation that held talks in August after the rival states exchanged artillery fire, raising tensions to one of its highest points in recent years.

Those talks produced an agreement that ended the standoff and for the two sides to reopen dialogue to improve ties.

Kim had grown visibly closer to Kim Jong Un recently, appearing alongside the young leader at various farm and factory inspections and diplomatic meetings.Photo: Reuters

French jihadist Charaffe el Mouadan, who the United States said was killed in Syria, was close to at least one of the gunmen who carried out a massacre at a Paris concert hall, according to investigators.

The Pentagon said Mouadan had ‘direct’ links to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian jihadist who was suspected of planning the coordinated attacks on Paris on November 13 and was killed by police five days later.

A French source was cautious as to whether Mouadan played any operational role in those attacks but gave details about his part in France’s jihadist scene.

“As things stand now, there is nothing to prove (Mouadan’s) involvement” in the Paris attacks, the source said.

But the source added, Mouadan was close to Samy Amimour – a former Paris bus

driver who went to Syria to fight and returned home to wreak havoc at the Bataclan music venue, where 90 out of the 130 people killed that night lost their lives.Photo: AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin is dissolving the country’s Federal Space Agency, known as Roscosmos, and turning it into a state-run corporation.

That means Roscosmos will transform from a solely government-funded agency into a company that’s overseen and partially backed by the government.

It allows the organisation to pursue the country’s overarching space goals while additionally conducting commercial affairs like other private spaceflight companies. The move is meant to fix an agency that has been plagued by corruption and major financial scandals.

The transformation will take effect on January 1st, 2016, thanks to a decree signed by Putin today that finalises a bill signed into federal law in July. All

documents pertaining to the agency’s activities will be transferred to the new company, and the powers and functions of the agency should also remain the same, according to the decree.

However, Roscosmos will go through some restructuring, and any employees who are let go during the agency’s liquidation will be guaranteed “compensation in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.”Photo: AP

The Chittagong University authorities on Tuesday last week suspended three students, who were arrested on Sunday, for their alleged involvement with banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

The trio, all students of physics department, are Naimur Rahman alias Noyon of final year, and Md Shawkat Rasel and Faisal Mahmud of Masters, said Registrar Prof Dr Kamrul Huda.

“They will get back their studentship if they can prove their innocence,” he added.

CU sources said Naimur’s final exam started on Sunday while Faisal

was likely to peruse his thesis on Quantum Field Theory.

Earlier, members of the Detective Branch of police arrested the trio from the different parts of the port city. Based on the information they gave, the detectives later recovered a sophisticated sniper rifle, ammunition, Bangladesh Army’s uniforms and huge amount of bomb-making materials from a flat in Amanbazar area.

The trio confessed that they had been active associates of JMB chief in Chittagong Fardin alias Noman, police said after initial interrogation.Source: Dhaka Tribune

CU expels 3 students for alleged militant link

French jihadist Mouadan was close to Paris attacker: investigators

The world at a glanceWeekend Tribune

Desk


. . . MEANWhILE 3

Photo of the week An aerial view of Dhaka from a commercial plane

Photo: Sakib Mridha

Your spit could tell you how long you’re going to live

Gentlemen, start hocking up some loogies – a spit test could determine how long you’re going to make it on

this Earth.Researchers have found that levels

of a certain antibody fall when you’re closer to heading six feet under.

According to the Daily Mail, it all started in 1995 when scientists took samples from 639 adults and tracked them down over 19 years later. They

found that the levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) fell the nearer the person got to death.

Antibodies are used by the body to fight infection and are secreted by white blood cells.

The researchers said the chemical appears to be a marker of mortality risk, and is much less invasive than blood sampling.

The research was published in the journal PLOS One, but Dr. Anna Phillips – from the University of Birmingham – explains that there are a number of factors that can lead to the production of antibodies and how their levels are maintained.

“There are some that we have no control over, such as age, heritability or illness, but our general state of health can also affect their levels; stress, diet, exercise, alcohol and smoking can all influence those levels,” explains Phillips. “Quite how saliva samples could be used in check-ups remains to be seen, as we need to better understand what secretion rate would be considered cause for concern – what we call the protective level. We could certainly say that, if found to be extremely low, it would be a useful early indicator of risk.”Source: Daily Mail

say what?


Your alarm goes off, you feel the first slap of the cold in your face and you have no desire to set foot outside

the confines of your bed, let alone your room. It’s a tough morning during the winter, especially if you’re not a morning person. Whether you’re a fan of the crack of dawn or not, you still need focus on your grooming game. That means everything. From keeping your face trimmed or clean-shaven to moisturising all those dry spots.

Here are several ways to keep yourself fresh and in-line regarding your grooming sessions on a daily basis.

Drown in itNever douse or cover your hands in lotion or try wearing gloves to bed to lock in the moisture. This is not advised and highly uncomfortable, not to mention the ridiculous mess it might make.

Just a little effortYou could buy yourself a humidifier for your bedroom to heat your room up with drying it out completely, while you sleep. You could even make sure you’re eating Omega-3 fatty acids to keep your skin looking young as possible. And believe it or not, you can always rub your hands a little with coconut oil. Yes, the same one people cook with.

Take it a step furtherIf you can deal with it, try moisturising hand soap instead of the antibacterial kind. As tempting as it may be, do not wash your hands in scalding hot water. It’s terrible for the skin no matter how warm and good it will feel. The same goes for public restrooms you might find yourself in. Avoid using air-dryers in restrooms and dry your hands with paper towels. In addition, an everyday routine should also apply to using

facial scrub on your hands a few times a week. You don’t need much to get a good rub but it does a darn good job washing away the dead skin.

What you should live byGet some warm leather or cotton

gloves for your hands when you step outside your door. Even if the weather is tinkering near frostbite, keep those gloves on. Get yourself a dedicated hand-lotion and use it several times a day. In fact, every time you wash your hands, you should moisturise with the heavy-duty hand lotion after

you’ve dried your hands. Finally, we can’t stress this enough, drink water. A lot of it. Dry skin is also caused by dehydration. Just because the weather is a lot colder, it doesn’t mean you skip out on the necessary amount of H20. You don’t need us or your mother to remind you to be a good little boy, and drink your eight glasses of water every single day. Keeping it real, drink as much as you can. Just make sure there’s a toilet nearby. n

4 MEN’S FAShION | skincare

Winter groomingSkincare for the stylish, working your way inside-outMahmood Hossain

Make those handshakes a pleasant experience for all

Photo: Bigstock


Hues of harmonyThis year has not one, but two dominating shadesSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Trending | WOMEN’S FAShION 5

After a year of broody, dark shades and desert tones, things are definitely looking lighter and brighter

for the year ahead, fashionwise. Let’s start with Pantone’s colour of

the year. This year, the colour experts, for the first time ever, have chosen not one, but two colours to represent the zeitgeist of 2016. A soft dawn-like shade of pink called Rose Quartz, and a lilac-blue shade called Serenity. The interplay of warm and cool shades pretty much speaks volumes about a fashion sensibility aiming to achieve more balance.

The Spring 2016 palette this year is an urban spectrum of fresh unisex shades inspired by travel and nature, and is reminiscent of many an Instagram filter. Along with Rose Quartz, there are two warm orangey shades – a salmony hue called Peach Echo, and a burnt-orange shade called Fiesta. Recalling the sparkling quality of spring sunshine is a mellow yellow called Buttercup. These colours are perfect for those weddings and dawats

that spill over from last year’s party season.

Also echoing the fresh quality of new shoots is a shade called Green Flash, which is a lovely grass green. Aside from the soothing tones of Serenity, there’s a deeper maritime shade called Snorkel Blue, and an aqua shade called Limpet. From jeans to indigo-dyed saris, these shades should make for an easy transition from brunch to the boardroom.

Every season requires at least one multi-purpose neutral that works not only as a transitional shade, but ties in all the elements of the outfit together. For this year’s Spring, it’s that delicious, frothy earth tone of Iced Coffee.

Given that Spring 2016’s outfits are all urbane, multi-layered and culturally complex concoctions that borrow liberally from arts and traditions around the world, this palette is easy to work with whether you’re rocking ethnic outfits or strutting out in western street style. n


6 FOOd | Brekkie places

Make the first meal of the year a memorable oneWeekend Tribune Desk

Breakfast of champions

It is all too well-known a truth that Bengalis like to eat, and our culture basically puts eating and enjoying different kinds of food above everything else. Which is why it’s surprising to note that while we excel in

producing lunch/dinner menus that include everything from decadent biriyanis to perfectly cooked maach-bhaat, our breakfast menus tend to involve the usual bland ruti-bhaji combination.

Or at least, that was the case once upon a time. Dhaka now offers any foodie a multicultural food experience, and although we tend to normally fixate on dinner outings and weekend brunches, it is time to remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nothing can start your day (or year) off better than the perfect breakfast, so we’ve come up with a list of places that offer you the best-brekkie experience.

Cura Para la Resaca Tk600 Mexican huevos rancheros, 2 fried eggs with tomato chilli sauce and guacamole on homemade tortillas.

Shakshouka the Mighty Tk800 North African, 4 eggs baked over tomato, chili peppers and onions.

Egg’s Benedict Tk700 Gravalax, 2 poached eggs, hollandaise sauce on toasted multigrain.

Ooh la la French Toast Tk600 Brioche, topped with clotted cream and maple syrup. NYC Breakfast Tk600Bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion and capers.

Angelic Waffles Tk600 Special homemade batter mix for a light waffle, fresh fruit compote and wild honey on the side.

Cheese & Mushroom Omelette Tk525 A light and fluffy Omelette with sautéed mushroom and cheddar cheese.

Spicy Omelette Tk525 A spicy mix of fresh chilli, coriander, tomatoes and onions.

Irish Breakfast Tk655Traditional home-style cooked breakfast of fried eggs with baked beans, sausages, turkey bacon, hash brown and grilled tomato Cream Cheese & Spring Onion Scrambled Eggs Tk525 Slow cooked eggs with cream cheese and spring onion garnish French Toast Tk450 Traditional French Toast with soft hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, served with honey or maple syrup

Chocolate Croissant Tk180 Flaky, buttery croissant with a chocolate filling, topped with dark chocolate flakes If you’re in the mood for something sweeter, they’ve got an excellent selection of waffles, crepes and muffins. Recommendations include Butler’s Signature Waffles (crispy Belgian style waffles served with Butlers Signature Chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream at Tk395) and Butlers Chocolate Crepes (light, delicate crepes with Butlers Signature Chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream at Tk395).

Butlers Chocolate CafeAvailable from 8am to 2am daily

O KitchenAvailable on weekends from 9am to 12pm.


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Mexican Breaky Tk283 Chicken sausage cooked in spicy tomato sauce, green capsicum, onion, serve on sliced milk roll with scrambled eggs and mushrooms.

Spanish Omelette Tk265 Eggs with spring onion, green capsicum, tomato, mushroom and cheese on toasted white loaf.

Big Breakfast Tk498 2 slices of bread, chicken sausage, 2

beef strips, and grilled mushrooms, baked beans served with scrambled eggs. (Only available at Gulshan-1 & 2)

Pancake at Tk224 GJC’s pancake (four pieces) with maple syrup topped with whipped cream.

Other extras such as beef strips (2 slices for Tk87) and chicken sausage (Tk87), scrambled and or sunny side up eggs (2 eggs per dish for Tk87) and grilled mushroom (Tk52) is also available.

Fruit, yogurt, danishes, croissants, cereal, omelets, waffles, pancakes, French toast and more.

Chorizo Hash Tk450 Spicy Chorizo sausage, peppers, tomatoes and onions tossed with home fried potatoes, and served with a poached egg.

Egg’s Benedict Tk550 Two poached eggs laid on toasted

muffins, topped with house special Hollandaise sauce and served with home fried potatoes cakes, beef bacon and grilled tomatoes. Croissant Egg Sandwich Tk675 Fluffy omelette laid on top of caramelised onions, Cheddar cheese, fried beef bacon and served inside a toasted croissant and served with home fried potato cakes.

Gloria Jean’s CoffeesAvailable from 7am to 10am

Bistro EAvailable daily from 8am to 12pm

Fish & CoAvailable daily from 7am to 10:30am

Breakfast platter Tk550Omelette stuffed with salmon, prawn, dory, melted mozzarella, green and red Pepper, served with jacket potato, toast and any two choices between chicken sausage, sautéed mushroom and boiled chickpeas.

Taste BudAvailable on weekends from 8am to 12pm

Set Menu 1 Tk450Chicken sausages, smoked turkey with egg on bread (chef’s special), baked beans, baked potatoes, sautéed

mushrooms, slice bread and tea/orange juice.

Set Menu 2 Tk400Chicken sausages, Spanish omelette, baked beans, hash browns, sautéed mushrooms, slice bread along with tea and orange juice.

Yellow Submarine Available daily from 8am to 11am

Breakfast Platter Tk490The platter comes with 2 scrambled eggs, 2 sausages, beef bacon, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, and waffles with maple syrup.


8 TOP 10 | Bdeshis To waTch ouT for

Bangladeshi wins Queen’s Young Leaders Award (March)Shamir Shehab, 26, from Bangladesh was selected as one of the winners of the Queen’s Young Leaders Award 2014, a unique initiative to honour young people in the Commonwealth countries who have made a positive difference in their communities. Shamir was selected for founding the Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative to raise awareness about the effects of climate change on Bangladesh. Since it was founded in 2009, the organisation has worked to train more than 500 young environmental activists and set up environmental clubs in 30 schools. It also runs the National Earth Olympiad to teach and raise awareness among the students about climate change.

Subir and Malini Chowdhury open centre for Bangladesh studies at prestigious US university (March) The Subir and Malini Chowdhury Centre for Bangladesh Studies at the University of California (UC), Berkley in US was opened in March, becoming the first-ever Bangladeshi centre to open up on a university campus.

The centre had been established in 2013, but was inaugurated only this year due to logistical complications, reported The Daily Californian. The Chowdhury Centre has been primarily funded by Subir Chowdhury, CEO of ASI Consulting Group and an author who donated $1m to this initiative. The centre aims to combine research, scholarships, the promotion of arts and culture, and the building of ties between institutions in Bangladesh and the US. It is located within the campus’ Institute for South Asia Studies.

The Surfer Girls of Cox’s Bazar (March)These pre-teen surfer girls of Cox’s Bazar made headlines in the international media throughout the year for defying gender stereotypes in a rural corner of Bangladesh. Johanara, Aisha, Shumi, Rifa, Suma, Shobe Majaraz, Mayasha

and Nargis, aged between 10 and 13 years, live with their families in Cox’s Bazar. They each make earnings for their families, selling snacks and handcrafted jewelry to tourists by the beach. However, beyond the regularities of a life that’s robbed them of their childhood, the girls are engaged in an activity that’s given them a new meaning in life: surfing. Since last year, they began taking surfing lessons from lifeguard Rashed Alam. He aims for them to become lifeguards in the future, breaking stereotypes of roles assigned to women in the society. As Joyce puts it, surfing has “given them an opportunity to dream a little bit more than they otherwise would’ve.

Liton Nandi (April)Liton Nandi became a local hero following his attempts to safeguard and protect women who were sexually assaulted in public during Pohela Boishakh celebrations earlier this year. During the celebrations in the TSC area, gangs of men cornered girls and women, and sexually assaulted them in public, in one case stripping a woman in front of her child. Liton, president of leftist student body Bangladesh Chhatra Union, was present in the situation dived in as soon as he realised what was happening and took some of the survivors to a safe spot. He suffered a broken arm while he tried to do so.

Journalist Nadia Sharmeen receives US award for bravery (May)Journalist Nadia Sharmeen, who was attacked by Hefazat-e Islam supporters in Dhaka in May 2013, received the 2015 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award.

Two years ago, Nadia was in Purana Paltan in Dhaka by supporters of Hefazat-e-Islam zealots while she was covering the Dhaka siege. US First Lady Michelle Obama joined Deputy Secretary Higginbottom and the awardees as a special guest at the afternoon ceremony at the US

Department of State.

Mustafizur Rahman breaks international cricket record (June)In June, Bangladesh national team cricketer Mustafizur became the first in history to pick up 11 wickets in the first two ODIs when he scalped six wickets against India in the second and penultimate match in a series. Mustafiz, who had taken 5/50 in the first ODI of the series, surpassed Zimbabwe left-arm paceman Brian Vitori, who previously held the record. Vitori had bagged 10 wickets in his first two ODIs, against Bangladesh at home four years ago.

US woman reunites with Bangladeshi mother after 4 decades (June)US national Esther Jording reunited with her mother in Khulna nearly four decades after being separated. Esther, who was born Jamila in a poor family in Khulna, was sold for Tk500 by her father at five days old. As an infant, she was adopted and taken to the US by an American couple. She spent the next 37 years of her life there. Now a mother of three sons, Esther never gave up her quest for her roots and finally found success two years ago. With help from friends, she found her biological parents, Nurjahan Begum and Mohan Gazi, and rushed to Bangladesh to meet them. Her story made headlines because of the sheer miraculous nature of her journey.

Obhoyaronno’s work leads to first ever animal abuse arrest (July)In June, the first ever arrest against animal abuse was made, thanks to persistent effort by animal welfare group Obhoyaronno. Three people were arrested for beating a dog in the streets of the capital’s Rampura area earlier this year. This is the first time in the country’s history that anyone has ever been arrested for abusing an animal. Obhoyaronno filed a case

with Rampura police station on June 18, after learning of the incident. Obhoyaronno, the Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation, was founded in 2009.

Bangladeshi-origin Princeton scientist leads groundbreaking discovery in physics (July) Bangladesh-origin scientist Zahid Hasan, who is currently a Princeton professor of physics, has led a research team to discover massless particle vastly known as a “Weyl fermion.” Two separate teams of the researchers found evidence for a theorized type of the particle, reported IFL Science. The discovery was made by scientists at Princeton University in New Jersey and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and could herald a whole new age of better electronics. Weyl fermions were first hypothesized by German mathematician and physicist Hermann Weyl in 1929.

ICE9 Interactive for winning awards (August)This year, ICE9 Interactive became the first Bangladeshi design firm to win the prestigious Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2015, in Germany. They are also the first Bangladeshi firm to have won the Platinum Award in the ‘A’ Design Award and Competition 2015, another international prestigious award which was handed to them in Italy, earlier in June. This is the first time a Bangladeshi company has won either of the awards – let alone winning them two in a row, according to Ahmad Niaz Murshed, one of the founders of ICE9 Interactive. According to the acceptance letter, Red Dot received 7,451 entries from 53 countries this year, making the Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2015 one of the most highly selective and competitive grounds for a creative award. The Ice9 Interactive team travelled to Germany in November for the formal gala where they were awarded the prize. n

Bangladeshis – home and abroad – who made us proud this yearWeekend Tribune Desk


Tangail’s TaaT | PhOTO STOry 9

Photos and text: G’son Biswas

Weaving wondersUnlike factory products, the weaving of taat saris proudly represents the age old craftsmanship of Bengal. The craftsmen deftly spin raw cotton into thread through charkas, which then is woven into approximately five yards-long taat saris. Two shuttles are used for this purpose. Traditionally, hand looms have been used by craftsmen, but gradually power looms have taken over.

The typical Tant sari is characterised by a thick border and a decorative anchal, woven using a variety of floral, paisley and other artistic motifs. On my recent visit to Tangail, i learnt more about the popular motifs from the taatis like bhomra (bumble bee), tabij (amulet/talisman), rajmahal (royal palace), ardha-chandra (half moon), chandmala (garland of moons), ansh (fish scale), hathi (elephant), nilambari (blue sky), ratan chokh (gem-eyed), benki (spiral), tara (star), kalka (paisley) and phool (flower).

Tangail’s taat, thought humble in affordability compared to other traditional saris, is anything but, in terms of quality and charm. Unfortunately, we can afford them at the cost of the craftsmen’s livelihoods.


10 PhOTO STOry | Tangail’s TaaT


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12 FOCuS | Blockades in nepal

The nightmare in Nepal

Rajan is dialing his phone frantically. But to no avail.

He clucks as he hangs up after some time: “Can’t

get through. You know, with the blockade…”

It is my fourth hour in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and that is the nth time I’ve heard these words. “Blockade” or “India blockade” – commonly referred to as the “bandh” – are common disclaimers behind numerous drawbacks in Kathmandu.

Rajan is a manager at a local restaurant in Thamel, the tourist capital of Kathmandu, draped in lights and live music from rooftops. Tourists flock here for reasonable hotel/hostels, good food, shopping – and to watch

Nepal come to life. When in Thamel, you barely notice the struggles and sighs beyond the brightly lit pashmina stores and lines of cafes.

But the deeper you get to the night, a sense of gloom dawns. Just after 7pm, some shops have candles instead of lights, while some just shut early.

As I step out of Rajan’s restaurant, I make a quick call to a friend I am supposed to meet. She explains she is unable to come to Thamel because there’s no guarantee of a bus going back later in the evening, because of the bandh.

Nearly everyone I meet – shopkeepers, taxi drivers, friends and colleagues, or receptionists at the hotel – appear to be adjusting and

readjusting their plans “because of the bandh by India.”

The “bandh by India” has become a defining factor for even the smallest occurrences of daily life for the Nepali people. The next day, when I met Ujjwala Maharjan, a writer and former journalist in Kathmandu, we went from one part of town to another in search of mirrors for her motorbike.

At the Yamaha store, where we stopped briefly, a salesman nonchalantly claimed that there haven’t been any supplies because, of course, the bandh.

Nearly three months since it began, the bandh has become an undeniable reality in the lives of the people of Nepal. Ujjwala says that it has even affected life in Nepal more than this year’s deadly earthquakes.

“It has definitely had the same level of frustration, especially because it has gone on for so long,” she says. “It’s been much more stifling, and while the earthquake brought people together, the blockade and the consequential unrest has somehow created an environment of distrust and divide in people.”

A man-made nightmare Nepal, a landlocked nation, shares most of its borders with India, and the rest with China and Tibet.

As a result, it is heavily dependent on India for many of its resources, from fuel to books, the lack of which has stagnated the nation.

“It’s because they [India] have power over us. They think we will do whatever they want us to do,” Neeru, a taxi driver in Kathmandu, tells me.

Neeru says he used to buy fuel for Rs104/litre, but now has to pay triple the amount, as these resources are brought into the country through the black market.

At such a time while the country’s lifestyle and economy have come to a halt, the black market thrives. Especially with resources that are needed on a daily basis, such as fuel and gas.

However, that is a luxury only few

can afford. Others have resorted to firewood for chores such as cooking, which are hampering other aspects of their lives.

“We can’t go to school on time because of the time we spend cooking with firewood in the morning,” says Roshni, a grade 10 student at a local Madrasah.

As we walked from her madrasah to her place, we met her friends who were walking back from a bookstore where they couldn’t find their books “because of the bandh.”

Roshni, who is scheduled to sit for her secondary standard exams in a few months, dreams of becoming a nurse. But these days, her concerns regarding the future are far-off; these days, her bigger concerns are the books that her friends can’t get access to, the electricity she doesn’t have at home, and the time she has to spend on cooking with firewood because there is no gas.

Politics at homeWhile most people term it as the blockade “by India”, there is more to the story. The crisis began in September following the creation of Nepal’s constitution, which some of the ethnic communities such as the Madhesis claim have disenfranchised them of their rights.

Nepal is home to more than 100 ethnic groups, out of which the Madhesis, despite a large representation in the population, are unhappy with – and protested against – the newly formed constitution. This is due to the way the provinces are divided, as it does not allow them a unified state for Madhesis, and thus deprive them of proper representation.

According to the newly drafted constitution, Nepal will operate under a federal system. This means the separate states will have their own governments and enough autonomy, while the national government will also hold some power.

The Madhesis in the southern belt of Nepal, who are quite large in number, want their own

No, it’s not the devastating earthquakesSyeda Samira Sadeque

With no gas, most restaurants offer a “bandh” menu, which has few of the items from their menu. Those who are still serving full menu, use humor to address it


13

representation in the system, a separate state for themselves – a demand that the national government has been ignoring.

The region hosting the Madhesi community shares borders with India, which means that a lot of the Madhesis are either of Indian origin, or marry Indians, or identify strongly with Indian cultural ideologies. This, coupled with the fact that most of Nepal’s factories are in that region, poses a grave threat of Madhesis coming under heavy Indian influence if they are unified as a state.

“The Madhesis aren’t wrong when they want their own state and ethnicity because they do have their own cultural identity,” says Ayesha Lissanevitch, a restaurant owner in Kathmandu. “They have every right in demanding it.”

Yet, politicians continue to ignore it, in fear that a unified Madhesi state will strengthen Indian influence in the region.

With their demand remaining unaddressed, the Madhesis have taken to protest instead: they have blocked any goods from India from coming into Nepal since they control the southern borders through which the truck pass.

India’s convenient advantage While it isn’t technically a blockade

enforced by the Indian government, they are definitely supporting this blockade – and it’s not even subtle.

India very much capitalised on the vulnerability of the Madhesi people, says Ayesha. As an article on Buzzfeed, one of the few in the international media to extensively cover this issue, says: “India’s reluctance to clear the protesters to allow supply trucks to come in has been seen by Nepali officials as twisting Nepal’s arm to force a change in the constitution to meet the demands of the Madhesis.”

Allotting a separate state for the Madhesi community would be in India’s benefit, says Ayesha.

“If the southern belt [where the Madhesi communities live], becomes its own state, then India has control over our water resources which are very important,” says Ayesha.

Attributing the blame of this crisis to a community protesting for their rights has allowed India to appear innocent about this issue, while the crisis enters its third month. Doctors last month reported that Nepal’s hospitals are running out of medicines, especially for patients with chronic diseases.

Although the blockade is hampering the lives of people in so many aspects, it is not really illegal since a nation has the right to not

trade, says Garga Chatterjee, a political and cultural commentator based in Kolkata.

“The problem is that here, India does not agree to the claim that it is actually preventing trucks from crossing over. It says, it is happening due to the apprehension among India side truckers about security situation caused by Madhesi protests,” he says. “So, even if some sort of blockading may be illegal, India claims – very conveniently – to be not involved at all.”

This lifts any responsibility off India’s shoulder, as the nation remains unsure of the relative burden of blame on the Madhesi community and India.

Conclusion The three major political parties in Nepal - Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) – are finally in dialogue with the Madhesi community, with negotiations to try and meet their demands.

However, last week the Madhesis, represented by United Democratic Madhesi Front, rejected a three-point-demand put forward by the government.

Earlier this year, when the earthquakes struck Nepal and killed thousands, support poured in from all corners of the world. The world took pride over Nepal and its people’s resilience.

But the effects of the earthquake have been made worse through this man-made blockade that continues with India’s support. The nightmare in Nepal persists, with earthquake rehabilitation made even more difficult due to political disputes.

The people of Nepal – the students, restaurant owners, writers, journalists and taxi drivers – are caught as collateral damage in a war of different opinions and identities. Although there are negotiations between the concerned parties, many worry this blockade will continue for a while.

Ironically, India has an official excuse with which it can shirk off responsibility for this disaster. But the fact that most people associate the bandh with India, tells a completely different story. This rhetoric shows who can actually make a difference in the situation by not fueling an ongoing crisis across its borders. And it is – undoubtedly – India. n

While it isn’t technically a blockade enforced by the Indian government, they are definitely supporting this blockade – and it’s not even subtle

A cafe sits empty, without customers, on a weekday afternoon in Lalitpur Photos: Samira Sadeque


14 TEA WITh WT | roBin pacific

Art with a purpose

Robin Pacific’s wonderfully serene and calming presence almost justifies her name. The Toronto-

based multidisciplinary artist will take the time to answer every question no matter the rush. She was recently invited to Dhaka by the EMK Center to exhibit her work on the Bangladeshi garment workers.

She visited during a rather concerning time for foreigners, with security alerts discouraging their movement. Pacific was quite scared too but did a lot of soul-searching on whether she should visit. “Ultimately, I felt that I could take on a small amount of risk. The kind these courageous women [the Bangladesh garment workers] trying to organise trade unions, take every day.”

She ended up going to the Dhaka Lit Fest too. “And I was inspired by writers who receive death threats and still continue to write and speak out. It felt good to be, again, a small part, of the community of writers, artists and intellectuals who are inspiring in their courage.”

Reflecting on her own venture, Pacific recalled her journey to a small village that makes Jamdani saris. She

was accompanied by her guide and interpreter, Ziauddin Ahmed, who has been a team member of this project from the beginning.

“On the way back, we were given a police escort. And I thought to myself:

not the typical day in the life of a Canadian artist!”

Pacific’s work in Bangladesh is part of a research that aims to develop an international community art project with women artists, in support of the female garment workers in Bangladesh.

Regarding her inspiration, Pacific

says she was driven by certain questions. “Who makes our clothes? What is the real human cost of that cute $12 t-shirt?” She said that the “race to the bottom” has gutted garment manufacturing in North America and

led to sweatshops in the developing world.

She went on to add that in Bangladesh, garment workers are routinely spat on, yelled at, hit, sworn at and not even allowed bathroom breaks. For a monthly wage of about $90, they work punishing hours and are

often not paid on time, and often not paid at all for overtime. This, coupled with the hundreds of deaths in fires or collapsed buildings. She mentioned 2013 Tazreen factory fire and the 2014 Rana Plaza collapse.

“Bangladesh has been in the news in Canada because of the Tazreen factory fire as well as the Rana plaza collapse, but I wanted to show success stories,” she says. “I wanted to bring messages to people outside Bangladesh that they are strong women, organising and putting their life on the line.”

Robin Pacific aims to combine these stories with art.

“I was thinking, what role can art play in supporting these workers?” she says.“How can we use art to build relationships between garment workers in Bangladesh and people in Canada?”

Pacific, along with artist Leah Houston, and portrait photographer Clare Samuel, travelled to Dhaka and conducted community art workshops with 100 garment workers in the fall of 2014 looking for an answer to those very questions.

The garment girls drew on paper petals that went on to make water lilies (shaplas), the national flower of Bangladesh, and displayed their work

a canadian artist in support of Bangladeshi garment workers Faisal Mahmud

Photos: Mumit M


in an exhibition at the EMK Centre. There were 22 water lilies with eight petals each.

Each flower had four drawings by Bangladeshi garment workers and four by their counterparts in Canada.

“I also made text pieces to aesthetically harmonise with the petals, on the same Japanese paper, using the water colour crayons the workers used for their petals,” said Pacific. “These were quotes from workers I spoke to last year.”

She said the English text alternated

with Bengali transcriptions. “The text pieces and all the petals were sewn around the edges. I had a ‘Sew-a-Thon for Bangladesh’ in Toronto and a group of nine women did the sewing – another act of solidarity with the workers in Bangladesh. The text pieces were hung with skirt hangers signifying their reference to the RMG industry.

“What I planned to do is a consumer activist campaign. Under that campaign, we will produce T-shirts with the word ‘FAST’ written on them. That stands for fair wage, adult labour

only, safe working conditions and no unpaid overtime.”

Whoever has the T-shirt can scan it and have the QR code. They can then go to a certain website and send a letter to the retailer saying he/she will be willing to pay 2% more for the clothes if these conditions are met.This extends the responsibility over to the consumers, says Pacific. “It’s basically taking some consumer responsibility and saying I am willing to pay 2% more if this means these people get a fair wage." n

15

Robin Pacific’s work has spanned thirty years and across a wide variety of media. In addition to writing personal essays and plays, she has produced artwork in a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, video, installation, performance, and numerous community-based collaborations.In 2012, she completed a Diploma in Spiritual Direction at Regis College at the Toronto School of Theology, and now practices Spiritual Direction one day a week.She holds a PhD in English Literature from York University and is currently completing a Masters in Theological Studies at Regis College.


16 TELL | agony aunT

IssuesI am 24 years old and I want to fall in love. People have asked me out on numerous occasions but I don’t feel interested. I want to find my soul-mate

and spend my life with him because all my friends are dating. But I had a bad breakup with my first and only boyfriend a year ago and my faith in love is gone. I used to believe he was ‘’The One’’ but now I think nobody will really love me, because all my ex gave me was a bunch of lies. I think I hate him but on some level I’m still not over him. What should I do?

I can hear your pain, my dear, but just to re-assure you, what you are suffering from is most common for those who went through the same experience.

Do not take it as a deficiency in you that things came to an end with “the one”. It was what it was: an experience. And the man who is destined to be your life partner is already walking on this earth. Let him come to you. “How?” you may ask: by believing that you are worthy of love and when the time is right, the person will somehow appear in your life. Have faith in yourself and especially in life; life has an extraordinary way to give us everything we want … if only we are open to seeing and feeling both its beauty and its bounty.

Letters to Mars My husband’s brother has eleven children. I currently have three, and he wants me to have another by the end of this year. Raising three children is not an easy job and

he wants me to raise an army of children like everyone in his family has. I do get a lot of help: I have five nannies, butlers,

chauffeurs, a big house, a garden, a pool and plenty of space for my children to play. But I am just one mother, I need my husband to be just as supportive when it comes to being a parent. The most I can deal with is four children, I don’t think I have it in me to raise ten or twelve children. How do I explain to him that I’m not a bad mother just because I refuse to have children after the fourth one? I’m constantly running after my kids, making sure they’re well looked after, I play with them and make sure they’re always read to and spend enough time drawing and interacting with one another. But with a dozen kids I think I’ll go mad. Will my husband understand?

You seem educated and well versed in bringing up children: playing with them, reading with them and to them. You have five nannies? Why do

you need so many? No one needs five nannies for three children. Since you can write such a well-composed letter, I take it you can discuss it further with your husband if you really think you cannot have another child. On the other hand, with five nannies, your physical work is almost next to none.

IssuesI have a friend who is a hypochondriac and thinks he has every disease and illness in the world. Just recently he thought he had skin cancer

and he’s lucky because he earns a lot of money had a lot of medical tests run on himself when it turned it out to be nasty spider bite. We all love him to bits but have run out of options as to how to beg him to throw his money out the window and stop thinking of himself as a human magnet for diseases. What is a good way of letting him cleanse himself off this terrible ‘illness’ that he already has – not the ones he desperately thinks he has?

Your friend needs professional help, individuals do not choose to be hypochondriac. Hypochondria is an anxiety disorder, many are the causes:

difficulties in expressing emotions, illness or death of family members or friends, having an over protective

parent who may herself or himself suffer from the same disease. Nowadays with everything being a quick Google search away, doctors find that more and more people despair at the though of being ill, and their fears are reinforced by symptoms or perceive symptoms they see online. Do not make fun of your friend, just support him, and if necessary accompany him to the doctors so that you can remind your friend what the doctor said: that there is nothing wrong with him. However give your friend names of professionals therapist who could help him overcome this anxiety. Ask your friend to stop Googling his symptoms, he will feel a little better just by doing this. n

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Our Agony Aunt is a Life Coach and Relationship Coach as well as a Corporate and Organisational Consultant. AA lives and works in Bangladesh but travels extensively around the world to give seminars and to see her clients

Stress stories


Quitting smokingYou promised yourself and now it’s time for you to get rid of this bad habit. But soon you’ll start dreading the fact that you have to quit soon, cringe a bit, then light another smoke without even knowing it. The trick here is – mind over body. The craving will come back every now and then, but just calm down. Try to distract yourself with something else, and by the time you’re done with it, you’ll see the craving is gone. That’s your mind taking over your body, and nobody but you can accomplish it. It is usually the first two weeks that are the real struggle in terms of nicotine addiction. If you still find yourself struggling, consult a professional and consider other options, like getting a nicotine patch.

Being less stressedIt’s easy to get overwhelmed by work and family obligations, to get carried away by an existential crisis or to create a crisis out of wondering whether or not you bought the right colour handbag. And with the beginning of a new year, it gets even more stressful. “Oh God it’s 2016! How did it get to be 2016 already? Where did the past year go? What am I doing with my life?” But calm down, you’ve survived last year, and you are ready for this year too, believe it or not. Get rid of the triggers that stress you and that in turn will make you more patient. We all have them. You just need to know what can help you get your mind off that, and try to abandon them for a while. Meditation can also transform your life and is a great way to increase your resilience to stress.

resoluTions | LISTOLOGy 17

Sticking to your resolutions this yearpromises to keepMoumita Ahmed

It’s the beginning of 2016, a new year, and for most people a new year feels a lot like a second chance or a fresh start. We start off the year chanting - ‘new year, new me’, but it only takes a few days or weeks for us to forget about it

and go back to the bad, old habits. Only 8% of people succeed in keeping their resolutions, and they are probably faking it. Sticking to your resolutions is a challenge in itself, but there’s nothing wrong with a change in your life. Lets look at some of the most common new year’s resolutions and ponder ways on how to actually achieve them this year:

Losing weight and getting fitYou’re trying to lose some pounds, or just want to get healthier, and you know 2016 is your year to do so. Every one of us desires that perfect slim body, but a resolution to lose some weight is not that easy to follow. That doesn’t mean you have to be hard on yourself, and run half a marathon on January 1. Start with one step at a time, and soon you’ll be on the road to that fit body you’ve been aiming for. Take your time, and don’t stay distracted while eating. Stop watching TV and eating at the same time, and start watching what you’re eating. Try to go for a jog for half an hour every morning or if you’re too lazy, every other day. Follow this routine for a while and soon it’ll become an everyday habit.

Learning something newIt’s always good to keep learning. You often tell yourself, this is the year I’m going to learn to drive, or learn how to knit from grandma. Eventually, however, you realise it’s the 20th of the month, and you forgot that you even had a goal to reach. But you’ll find a way if you’re determined. You’re not spider man, you won’t be able to learn the new skills over a night. Take it slow, and simply set a reminder on your phone for every two days, so that you don’t forget about it.

Saving money and paying off debts2016 is a new year, so you still have hopes of saving some money for the future and get yourself out of any debt. Start by spending less than you earn and also saving 10% of your income. Make a list of all your debts and prioritise them in order of interest (highest to lowest) or in order of the number of payments till pay off (fewest payments at the top). Once your first debt is paid off, roll that payment amount into the next debt on your list. Follow the same procedure until you’re completely debt free. n

Spending more time with familyWe all make this resolution almost every year. But with your life being so overwhelmed by work, there’s always one thing or another to keep us distracted. Start by saying ‘yes’ more often to family outings, connecting more, and removing the word ‘no’, when making plans with family. Spending an hour with your family members everyday, or taking road trips

every other weekend will help rekindle the gap that may have developed. This will boost your confidence, and you’ll realise that you’ve mastered the art of balancing out all your priorities accordingly. For those of you who are constantly around family and picking your kid’s dirty clothes off the floor, use the same game plan to try and spend more time with friends.

Travelling to new places You plan to visit two countries this year as part of your New Year’s resolution. It can be a journey to a remote destination or a return to your favourite place. Travelling and exploring a new place is easy, but we all know that it takes a lot of planning and not all of us have deep pockets. And when it’s really time for you to

take that trip, you and your friends are either short of money or they just don’t feel like going. But don’t lose heart. Give solo travel a try, because you were looking forward to this more than anybody else. Maybe travelling alone is all you needed, so create a wish list and just book that ticket to your destination.

Photos: Bigstock


18 STAy IN

S u d o k uUse the numbers 1-9 to complete each of the 3x3 square grids such that each horizontal and vertical line also contains all of the digits from 1-9

Last week’s sudoku solutions

ACROSS1 Spice mixed for fans (7)4 Cardiovascular Bio-care movement (7) 6 Drool as Agnes displays Italian cooking (7)7 We sent back soup first for damp (7)

DOWN1 Superficial performance contains everything (7)2 Sacks of fries ordered (5)3 Uncle confused America with central part (7)5 Instrument the French used under insect (5)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCROss1 For drinking and reading (7)4 Los Angeles is less than clean (7) 6 A gentle mix up, but stylish (7)7 Enemy of short Ned, me and little sibling (7)

DOwN1 Gone crazy about the entire ship (7)2 A sweet looking type of angle (5)3 Trusts a new cloud formation (7)5 Hands out cards and bargains (5)

Clues

Solved it? Email answers to [email protected] and win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune.

Mini crypticsho

rosc

opes

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19): Make time to rethink your priorities. Rely on your instincts while making decisions, since they will drastically change the course of your life. Do not try to alter the current flow of the week. Taurus (Apr 20-May20): Concentrate on finding closure for older projects. Do not take up new initiatives or ventures as they may not be successful. Emotions will run deep this week.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): Efforts will be made to forward your professional and personal goals, however, several factors may hinder your path. Let this week be one of reflection rather than action, but try not to dwell on dreams.

Cancer (June 21-Jul22): This week is all about getting ahead, and enjoying yourself while

you’re at it. Your increased sense of intuition will help you communicate well with others. Try channeling this week’s energy into community service activities.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22): Several fantastic opportunities will surface this week - grab them. The only hindrance between you and success will be stressed finances. Allocate more time while dealing with financial details and other important paperwork. Stay focused and patient.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22): The partnership realms of your life will be in action this week. Romantic decisions can be made, however, they may significantly change things. Maintain honesty in all your dealings this week- you will be deeply respected for it.

Libra (Sep 23-Oct22): Don’t take an aggressive approach when trying to achieve your goals. Be passive- attract rather than pursue your aspirations. This week bubbles with possibility and promise.

Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21): Synergy-the theme of this week. You may meet new friends and strengthen the bonds of forgotten friendships.In order to enjoy your romantic relationship(s) keep your

possessive streak in check.

Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec 21): As things begin to go as planned, you may become cocky about your recent success. Stick to your set goals and keep the motivational energy flowing. If you are unsatisfied with certain relationships, speak up.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan19): The rather practical Capricorn will be more inclined towards dreamy past times such as beauty, art and music this week. Reduce your outer walls and allow people to get to see and know the real you.You will feel intense love vibes .

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18): Rid your life from baggage this week- focus attention on the friends and family who matter the most to you. This week your 2012 resolutions will be realized and met.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20): You’ll make new friends who share common interests and passions. Friendships made this week can go on to turn into successful business partnerships. There will be several opportunities for both romantic and friendly bonding- ready yourself for a week of emotional tides.


GO OuT 19

Weekly Planner Jan 2Art | Do You Even Colour?When 6-8pmWhere EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi R/A What Do You Even Colour? is Glyph’s open and collaborative creative session for visual art enthusiasts to come and colour intricate, fun and beautiful illustrations created by passionate artists.

The event creates a platform not only for up and coming artists to share and show-case their works, but also for enthusiasts to collaborate and create their own unique works, one colour at a time.

To participate, one will have to register yourself beforehand as there only 30 places and limited resources available. Your seat will be confirmed via email. And once you’re registered, you’re set to go on the day of the event with your colouring powers and just a small fee of Tk50 so that we can make up for the printing and stationery costs.

Jan 4Education | English Speaking ClubWhen 4:30pm

Where EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi R/AWhat Are you struggling to find a place to practice your English Speaking skills? Come to EMK Center, where the English Speaking Club makes speaking and learning English fun, with games, debates and group activities. The instructor, Farjana Khan is an internationally recognised English Language Training (ELT) professional, who has worked for Cambridge as an examiner of IELTS in Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan, Kathmandu, and Bangladesh. She has also worked for UN police as an ELT trainer.

Jan 7-9Tech | Smartphone and Tab Expo 2016When 4pm Where Bangabandhu International Conference Center What The most awaiting Smartphone and Tab Expo knocking your door for the 5th time! As like before, the 3 day long event will be held from January 7th to 9th, 2016 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center

(BICC). For More Info: http://bit.ly/STE2016

Jan 3-13Culture | EMK Moves: Dance – Movement – Expression When 6-8pmWhere EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi R/AWhat Next in EMK Moves: Dance – Movement – Expression: Kinetic Stairway to Self Development organised by Srishti Cultural Center (SCC) and EMK Center.

To participate register here: bit.ly/EMK_Moves_SCC

The selection will be made on a first come first served basis. Selected participants will be notified through email and will have to pay a onetime Tk200 for the workshops. Participants who have already registered in November do need to register again.

Dance is as powerful a medication. It can provide a healthy and comforting environment for individuals suffering from psychological disorders, mental retardation and other conditions. To bring a positive change in the lives of

enthused non-artist young individuals with dance, the EMK Moves: Dance – Movement – Expression will host a 8-days workshop to motivate and impart a new sense of well-being and self-improvement among them.

Srishti Cultural Center (SCC) will conduct the workshops and train the participants with professional choreographers who teach several different forms of application of dance therapy using philosophy including authentic movement, group work and individual forms.

Dec 26- Jan 20Arts | Celebrated Violence 5: WoundWhen 5-9pmWhere 1/11, Iqbal Road (3rd floor), MohammadpurWhat Drawing exhibition by Dilara Begum Jolly. The drawings are all monochromatic(black and white). Shahaduz Zaman, author, medical anthropologist and teaching at Newcastle University, UK will speak on the opening ceremony.

Exhibition is curated by Wakilur Rahman and Kehkasha Sabah.

Jan 1-31Fair | “Visit Bangladesh” at 21th Dhaka International Trade Fair, (DITF)-2016

Jan 3-24Art | Alluvial Soul-Soil-Symbol: Solo Art Exhibition by Kalidas Karmakar

When 10am-8pmWhere Sher-E-Bangla NagarWhat Bangladesh Tourism Board is currently participating in the 21th Dhaka International Trade Fair, (DITF)-2016 organised by Export Promotion Bureau and the Ministry of Commerce, Government of Bangladesh will be held at Sher-E-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka west side

of Bangabandhu International Conference Centre during January 1st-31st, 2016.

You are cordially invited to visit the fair to get an insight into the tourism of Bangladesh and find the exotic destinations of the country waiting to welcome you where life happens in every moment.

When 9:30am-5:30pm, Fridays- 2:30-7:30pm. Thusdays closed.Where Nalinikanta Bhattasali Gallery, Bangladesh National Museum, ShahbaghWhat Bangladesh National Museum requests the pleasure of your company at the inaugural ceremony of twenty two-day long 72nd solo art exhibition of internationally reputed artist Kalidas Karmakar, titled Alluvial Soul-Soil-Symbol on January 3rd, 2016, Sunday at 5:00 pm at the Nalinikanta Bhattasali Gallery of Bangladesh National Museum.

Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, Honourable Minister for

Cultural Affairs, Government of Bangladesh, will inaugurate the exhibition as the Chief Guest. Professor Emeritus Dr Anisuzzaman and Farooq Sobhan, President, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute will grace the occasion as Special Guests.

Bangladesh National Museum cordially invites to attend the opening ceremony and visit the exhibition.For more details, call: 01711-540149, 01833-007007n


Welcome back! It’s a brand new day of a brand new year and today I have for you a

brand new story!We enter into the second month of

Jellybean’s existence, with the tale of a shearing. My in-laws are believers of the tried and tested method of “shaving = stronger hair”, and so one weekend morning while I was asleep, they cut and shaved Jellybean’s hair. I woke up and was devastated to see my little hairless egghead sound asleep. I felt like crying but the tears would not come. I placed a hand on the now-smooth skin of her head and rubbed it gently. I could see the blue-green veins, snaking around under the delicate skin, and touched the slowly hardening soft spot. Her shorn hair lay in a small decrepit pile on a sheet of newspaper nearby. I thought I had missed the whole process but I was informed that it had all been captured on video.

The video revealed how my mom-in-law held Jellybean in her lap and supported her head whilst my dad-in-law slowly snipped off all the hair and then using a new razor, carefully shaved the fragile skin. Tears welled up in my eyes and I felt an ache echo from within. This would not be the last time Jellybean’s head gets shaved but I still feel bad every time. She looks so helplessly adorable after every balding session, my heart wrenches in affection.

The balding act runs deep in The Husband’s family, he himself was subjected to so many shaving sessions that often people would ask my in-laws if he had any hair at all. Not that my family was any less - if one was to browse through old family albums at my dad’s place, you would find my sister and I in various poses, either sporting a boyish haircut or bald, or bald and wearing assorted hats.

It seemed like such a fun thing to do for us back then, and I’m sure our parents secretly found great joy in shaving our heads!

The most terrible incident regarding haircuts happened a week before

Jellybean’s third birthday. The Husband had volunteered to trim the grown out hair above her ears, during her bath time. Suddenly I see The Husband running back and forth conspiratorially. After some time, he calls me to the bathroom, and I see that he had cut off

all of Jellybeans hair. She smiled up at me innocently and her head looked like a blunt lawnmower had run over it. Hot tears felt like pin pricks in my eyes before gushing down over my face. I stood and shook in silent anger before shouting at The Husband. Pent up rage came bursting forth, because The Husband always managed to create some sort of hair mishap before Jellybean’s birthday. The Husband wrapped Jellybean in a towel and brought her out but I was too furious to even look at her. She started crying, after which I relented and cuddled her. My in-laws were also extremely

displeased and threatened to kick The Husband out of the house if he ever did something like this again. The next day we had to take her to a salon where the uneven hair was trimmed down to a crew cut. Surprisingly, Jellybean never flinched once while the trimmer was

used on her. My poor, little, brave, and forgiving child!

Back to when Jellybean was little, with her newfound baldness, she resembled an egg. My mom made a bira or a small doughnut shaped pillow to support a baby’s head. We used the bira while she slept, to maintain the ‘roundness’ of her head. My mom would often tell me that when I was a baby, my skull was so soft, my head would become flat. I have no idea if that really happened or if my mother was suffering from ‘exaggeration-itis’ – either way, the idea of it was extremely distressing. I would keep imagining

myself as a character from the film - Coneheads, with a funny shaped head.

As Jellybean’s second month progressed, so did her physical development. She had lost some weight after a week since birth, and slowly she started gaining it back. She would move her arms and legs around and look here and there. Sometimes, her eyes would become cross-eyed, and as freaky as that may sound, it’s actually very normal. The eye muscles were still developing and the eye-crossing went away by the time she was three months old.

Jellybean would also coo and gurgle and make all these sounds that we imagined were words in her own bizarre language. Sometimes it sounded like English, and sometimes like Bengali. Sometimes she went Korean and would spurt an ‘Aighooo!’ here and there. In fact, she used the ‘aighoo’ so often that we even started saying it whenever she did!

It might sound like an excuse to have cake (and for some in our family it was), but we tried to celebrate Jellybean’s birthday every month since her birth till she was a year old. I owe a large portion of my weight gain to this reason. Seriously!

Speaking of birthdays, tomorrow is mine! It isn’t everyday that I get a chance to be utterly shameless and gloat about myself, so bear with me folks!

I want to wish a very happy birthday to this bong momma and to all the bong mommas around the world! You’re all ridiculously awesome! n

20 ThE BONG MOMMA | Tales from a firsT-Time mom

Of shaved heads and tearsMinu Ahmed

Minu Ahmed is your not-so-average homemaker, norm-shirker and abomination of awesomeness, juggling a career in communication, mother- hood and a fatter half. Questions? Send to [email protected]

Birthdays and baldness

Photo: Bigstock

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