Weekend Tribune Vol 3 Issue 5

5 Ethical transactions 6 trEkking in

BandarBan 12 kaan PEtE roi

vol 3 issuE 5 | FridaY, MaY 22, 2015 Dhaka Tribune

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, MAY 22, 2015

Dear Readers,

It’s been a week of events in Dhaka. Bengal Foundation celebrates their favourite Taurean with an event about understanding Tagore. With World Fair Trade Day in mind, EFTF organised an event to shed light on organisations practising trade in a manner that protects the rights of all parties concerned.

Take a break from events to climb the hills of Bandarban with us in a neat little travelogue, then come back to the future with a summit on digital investment. Our photo story celebrates the unseen and unsung forces that help keep the great machinery of city life running.

Since wellness involves mental health as well as physical fitness, we’ve covered both in our piece on Kaan Pete Roi, which turned two recently, and reflections on the state of fitness culture in Bangladesh.

Finally, blow off some steam in the kitchen, but to make some magic, you need to have the right tools, and our handy list of knives aims to help you with just that.

Have a great week!

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

Every day is a new beginning.Photo: Tanvir Ahmed Siddiky

Sweep away yesterday

Editor’s note


1CONTENTS

FEaTurEKAAn PETE Roi

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Volume 3 | Issue 5 | May 22, 2015

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamFarhana UrmeeFaisal MahmudTausif SanzumSakib Mridha

Lameya Alma Amin

ContributorsKhairul Bashar

Naveed FerdousSabrina Munni

Tanvir Ahmed SiddikyAmeer SobhanDina Sobhan

CartoonPriyo

GraphicsMd Mahbub AlamAlamgir Hossain

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisementZia Ur Rahman

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

News 2 News

3 Meanwhile

FeatuRes 4 Event

Rabinra nrityadhara

5 Feature

Ethical transactions

14 Slice of Life

Staying healthy

16 Musings

All in a day’s work

17 Feature

Women and gender studies

20 Listology

Tools of the trade

RegulaRs15 Tough Love

18 Stay In

19 Go Out

DIGITaL BaNGLaDEShDigiTAl invESTmEnT SummiT 2014

PhOTO STOryon ThE ShoulDERS of giAnTS

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8

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TravELTREKKing in BAnDARBAn


2 NEwS | This week

Nazi letter to Soviet wartime agent found in Japan

Iceland whale meat shipment to Japan sparks protests

Vatican says Pope meant no offense calling Abbas ‘angel of peace’

A birthday letter from a Nazi foreign minister to a legendary spy credited with helping turn the tide of Germany’s advance on Moscow has been found in Tokyo, a book dealer said Tuesday.

Unknown to Adolf Hitler’s regime, Richard Sorge accurately forewarned his Soviet paymasters that the Nazis were preparing to tear up a non-aggression pact and march into western Russia.

Under his cover as a journalist and press attache to the German embassy, Sorge ran a spy ring in pre-war Tokyo, reporting to Moscow what both Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were planning.

Historians say the 1938 letter from

Joachim von Ribbentrop, marking Sorge’s 43rd birthday and praising his “outstanding contribution” to the embassy in Tokyo, underlines how trusted he was by the Germans -- and therefore how valuable he was to the Soviets.

“The letter comes from pre-World War II time. It is interesting in that it allows you to surmise” the Nazis’ trust in Sorge, said Yoshio Okudaira, who works at antique book dealer Tamura Shoten in Tokyo’s Jimbocho district.

The letter came with a signed photograph of Ribbentrop, who was Hitler’s foreign minister from 1938 until 1945.Photo: AP

Environmentalists reacted angrily Tuesday to a controversial shipment of fin whale meat to Japan by an Icelandic whaling company, saying it flouted international conservation agreements.

The Icelandic whaling company Hvalur HF plans to ship 1,700 tonnes of whale meat via Luanda in Angola, repeating a similar controversial delivery of 2,000 tonnes last year which sparked protests along its route.

“This is an animal welfare issue. There is no humane way to kill animals of that size... there is no need for this meat and certainly no need for Iceland’s economy or fisheries industry to have this,” said Sigursteinn Masson, Iceland spokesman at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) told AFP.

“This is a shipment that faces strong international opposition... Commercial whaling is a very isolated business -- we want to see the end of it, as does most of the world.”

According to Icelandic daily Eyjan the meat was loaded aboard a vessel known as Winter Bay near the Icelandic capital Reykjavik two weeks ago but its departure has been delayed due to a mechanical failure.

Kristjan Loftsson, chief executive

of Hvalur HF, confirmed local media reports of the pending shipment which he said was “not illegal”.

“Iceland made a reservation on the ban so it is not bound by it,” he said.

Iceland and Norway are the only nations that openly defy the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC’s) 1986 ban on hunting whales.

Icelandic whalers caught 137 fin whales and 24 minkes in 2014, according to the anti-whaling group WDC, compared to 134 fin whales and 35 minkes in 2013.

Japan has used a legal loophole in the ban that allows it to continue hunting the animals in order to gather scientific data.

But it has never made a secret of the fact that the whale meat from these hunts often ends up on dining tables.Photo: AP

Pope Francis meant no offense to Israel by referring to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as being “an angel of peace” and intended to encourage harmony between the two sides, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

Francis met Abbas at the Vatican on Saturday and used the words as he presented the Palestinian president with a large bronze medallion representing the angel

of peace, one of his customary gifts to visiting presidents.

Receiving Abbas at the papal apartments, the Argentine pontiff, speaking in Italian, said the medallion was an appropriate gift because “you are a bit an angel of peace”, according to a reporter

representing several news agencies at the meeting.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said he had not heard the remarks himself and had nothing to add to the words attributed to the pope by the pool reporter.

“It is clear that there was no intention to offend anyone,” Lombardi told Reuters.Photo: Reuters

The world at a glanceWeekend Tribune Desk

International crimes Tribunal has sentenced Muslim League leaders Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain alias Chhutu to imprisonment until death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

The International Crimes Tribunal 2 led by Chairman Obaidul Hasan gave the verdict on Wednesday morning.

They have been awarded imprisonment until death in charge 1, five years imprisonment in charge 2 while they were acquitted in the 3 charge.

The prosecution had submitted three charges against the duo that include killing of 24 people, plundering and torching of 70-80 houses, and killing of four people after abduction during the war. The tribunal framed the charges on December 11 last year.

The duo were arrested on September 16 last year in a criminal case, and later shown arrested in the war crimes case. Mahidur

hails from Dadanchak village while Afsar from Satrashia in Shibganj, Chapainawabganj.

Mahidur and Afsar, aided by hundreds of armed razakars and members of the Pakistani Army, had attacked Chandshikari, Chamatol, Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola villages, and abducted 39 people in two phases on October 6, 1971. They were later tortured in confinement and 24 of them shot dead.

According to the second charge, the duo, accompanied by razakars, launched a systematic attack at Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola and burnt down houses after looting on October 13.

The other charge says the duo together with 30-35 armed razakars attacked the houses of Kalumuddin Mondol, Abdur Rashid, Gajal and Ilias Mondol of Sherpur Bhandar village, detained and tortured them on November 2.News: Dhaka Tribune

Mahidur-Afsar to die in jail


MEaNwhILE 3

Photo of the week Say what?

You’re welcome

Frustrated Man Drives Truck Through Own House

A little boy in Nolam, Savar, poses for the camera while he tries to untangle his goat’s hind leg as he gets ready to head back home.

Photo: Sakib Mridha

Of course, there’s no one improvement method that’s best for everyone. However, the five activities in this article are ones that players, coaches and trainers have found to be effective methods for most players, and they should make up the core of any training you do to improve your chess.

1. Play more chess This one may seem obvious, but many players forget that experience is an important and necessary part of chess improvement. Playing is what allows you to put the knowledge gained during study into practice, and work on solving practical problems during games without the aid of the prompts given in puzzle books.

2. Study annotated master games

Playing over the games of masters is a great way to improve your chess. These games show how strong players use their pieces, formulate plans, and execute endgames.

3. Review your own games While learning from the games of others is helpful, nothing beats learning from your own mistakes. Reviewing your own games is a crucial step in chess improvement, as it allows you to critically examine your strengths and weaknesses and figure out where your biggest mistakes occur. Make it a habit to record the moves whenever you play so that you can review the game later.

4. Tactics, Tactics, Tactics Tactics decide the result of most chess games, especially for beginning and improving players. Firming up

these skills will allow you to pick off inadequately defended pieces or find surprising checkmates against unsuspecting opponents – and more importantly, learning these patterns will help you defend against tactical threats during games.

5. Private chess lessons Having your own personal chess trainer can be a rewarding experience. Someone who works with you over a period of time will get a good feel for your game, and can craft lessons tailored to your needs. To find a suitable teacher, you may want to ask other local players, particularly those who play in clubs and tournaments, if they can recommend a good teacher. News: About.com

Five Ways to Improve Your Chess

A Georgia man says he was so angry after a phone call with his wife that he drove his truck through his house.

John Paul Jones Jr, 35, of Senoia, says he fully intended to drive his truck from the backyard to the front yard by way of his living room on Thursday.

The Newnan Times-Herald reported that Jones told authorities he’d been frustrated because he hadn’t been able to sell his home, but Jones told WGCL that the incident was “just one of those spur of the moment crazy things.”

Jones, who works as a contractor, did his own repairs. He appeared in good spirits when WGCL interviewed him on Sunday.

“I’ve been out of work for the past year and a half. Needed some work,” Jones told WGCL. “It didn’t pay anything, but hey, it kept me busy.”

Neighbours heard a ruckus around 4:40 Thursday afternoon and called police. Coweta County deputies met Jones outside the house, where the truck was parked with furniture caught in the bumper.

“The police came out here, I told them I needed air conditioning,” Jones told WGCL “They said, ‘open a window.’ I told them it wasn’t enough. As you can see, I had a nice breeze.”

The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office said he won’t face charges because he damaged his own property, and nobody was hurt. News and photo: Huffington post


4 EvENT | RabindRa nRiTyadhaRa

Rabindranath Tagore is and always will be eternal - a man for all ages. Through each of his compositions, be it his songs, his poetry or prose, he comes to us anew. In our minds, he will be an immortal entity yet we may still take centuries to truly realise his depth of thought and all that he has given to the world. In every era, regardless of how everchanging the world was, he would manage to introduce a new, elegant cultural edge to things. As a timeless poet and writer, it is not possible to mold his ideologies to the modern way of thinking or to change the way his theories worked.This grandmaster poet used to alter his own style and reconstruct it into something new throughout his life. Never for once was he bound to himself in a repetitive manner. Wherever he went, be it the furthest corner of the world or somewhere close to home, he learnt and grew from his surroundings and brought to us the experiences of a new world - one that we saw from his eyes. From time to time, these experiences were illustrated in his work with

great dexterity and care.

Of Tagorean DanceTagorean dance is one example of his diverse range of interests and expertise. The poet loved all folk, classical and foreign dances and not just any specific style of dancing. In one end his dances oozed simplicity while on the other end it also reflected power when required. From early on the simplicity of Monipuri people attracted him. For this reason among others, the beauty of Monipuri dance was glorified. As for his preferred Kothakoli dance, he enjoyed this form for its sheer masculinity and chivalry. As a result of his vast interests in different dance forms, the Katthak, Mohinittom and Urishi dance forms are all parts of Tagorean dance.Tagore didn’t leave any specific guideline for Tagorean dance but he left us so many dancing styles and gestures which inspired Tagorean dance artists for years. The direction was in his work as he was always a man who was inspired by simple gestures.

Amongst these traditional images, he had a hidden individuality and intellect which was somewhat lunatic in a fantastically creative way. This face of the poet can be seen in his dance. He himself added different folk styles to Tagorean dance. He danced himself with ‘ektara’ in one hand. He loved the style of the ‘Baul dance’ and the soulful style of their dance. These soul dances were the reason why he left his home so many times. Beside ‘Baul dance’, ‘Gorba’ from Gujrat and the traditional gestures of Rajasthan also moved him immensely which he added in Tagorean dance along with the love of nature.

In Tagorean dance, its gestures are not enough but its different aesthetic and angular and glamorous presentations are well received internationally. The poet not only left the dance style direction but also, if we analyse the style we can get the costume emphasis clearly. He always preferred simplicity in his costumes.

A lecture and demonstration series with Sharmila BanerjeeSabrina Munni

The drama in the dance The eventOne of his most famous ‘inventions’ is the Dance-Drama known as Rabindra Nrityadhara. Bengali people loved Shama, Chitrangoda and many ofhis famous works.

A week after Rabindranath’s 154th birthday, Bengal Foundation will present the fifth episode of this monthly series of lecture and demonstration programme titled “Understanding Dance-Rabindra Nrityadhara”. The series is curated and presented by celebrated artist, choreographer and educator, Sharmila Banerjee.

The event featured audio-visual content, spoken explanations and practical demonstrations Rabindranath’s idea and conception of dance, blending elements from several Indian classical dance styles, as well as many other folk and foreign dance forms, to emerge into a new kind of style very apt to express the emotions of the Bengalis.

The different Tagorean dance styles were showcased with a grand performance by Sharmila, as well as many other famous artists from the dance world.

Long after the presentations, the audience sat moonstruck, awed and speechless, relishing the brillinat performances.

Tagore and his work cannot be expressed fully in pen and paper alone. n

Photos: Sabrina Munni


Trading FairECoTA fair Trade forum (EfTf) celebrated World fair Trade Day 2015 on may 9, showcasing various quality products of ethnic, traditional and contemporary, international design, made using different kinds of media and craft techniques Farhana Urmee

eThical TRansacTions | FEaTurE 5

As a consumer, you can help reduce the negative affects of consumerism and industrialisation.

Fair TradeFair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers, especially in the South. Fair Trade Organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practices of conventional international trade.

World Fair Trade DayWorld Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) is a global network which organises inclusive worldwide events celebrating fair trade as a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty and exploitation, climate change and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations. The global crisis confirms the need for a fair and sustainable economy locally and globally. Trade must benefit the most vulnerable and deliver sustainable livelihoods by developing opportunities for small and disadvantaged producers. Millions of producers and traders, businesses and policy makers, supporting organisations and volunteers have contributed to the substantial growth of fair trade globally.

The platform of WFTO aims to improve the livelihoods of marginalised producers and workers. They strive to change unfair structures

of international trade, mainly by means of Fair Trade, to improve and coordinate the co-operation of our member organisations and to promote the interests of and provide services to their member organisations and individuals. WFTO has a vision of a world in which trade structures and practices have been transformed to work in favour of the poor and promote sustainable development and justice.

ECOTA Fair TradeECOTA is a leading national networking and coordination body of NGOs and SMEs Fair Trade enterprises in Bangladesh. It is also involved in the Handicraft sector development, focusing on artisan development, poverty alleviation and trade promotion through fair and ethical trading. At present, EFTF is working with 39 craft producing organisations. These organisations, altogether, represent nearly 115 thousand rural and urban artisans of which more than 80% are women. The annual turnover of all the members is about $15 million (2002-2003). EFTF members are not only motivated by making a profit but by a desire to assure economic and social well being of the artisans.

Trading that is fairFair Trade is more than just trading when it can prove that greater justice in the world trade is still possible. It highlights the need for change in the rules and practices of conventional trade and shows how a successful business can also put people first. It is a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty, climate change and economic crisis.

Poverty reduction through trade forms as a key part of the

organisation’s goals. Thus creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers is a major principle of fair trade. Another principle of trading is to ensure transparency and accountability to curb exploitation. WFTO is accountable to all its stakeholders and respects the sensitivity and confidentiality of commercial information supplied. Again, the organization trades with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of marginalised small producers and does not maximise profit at their expense.

Further, a fair price is one that has been mutually agreed by all through dialogue and participation, which provides fair pay to the producers

and can also be sustained by the market. Where Fair Trade pricing structures exist, these are used as a minimum. Fair pay means provision of socially acceptable remuneration (in the local context) considered by producers themselves to be fair and which takes into account the principle of equal pay for equal work by women and men.

Again, ensuring no child labour and forced labour and commitment to non discrimination, gender equity and women’s economic empowerment, and freedom of association are also major concerns of fair trade.

Ensuring good working conditions, promoting fair trade, respect for the environment are the areas that are focused on while trading fair. n

Photos: Courtesy


6 TravEL | TRekking in bandaRban

A trekking expedition that takes us deep into the heart of Bandarban

Faisal Mahmud

Tinmukha pillar with a view

“Is that the sound of a snake?” Tapu shouted from somewhere down below. I couldn’t see him. It was hard to look ahead due to the dense bamboo forest which blocked most of our view.

I too had been hearing the intermittent hissing for the last half an hour or so. But when you are struggling hard to keep your

balance on a hill trail at a 70 degree angle, covered with pesky dead bamboo leaves and loose pebbles, the ‘probable’ snake sound hits the bottom of your list of priorities.

“It is winter. Snakes are hibernating,” shouted Faruq bhai from somewhere down the trail.

“Are you sure that all snakes are sleeping? What happens if one

decides not to?” Tapu shouted back with a hint of genuine concern.

Our other companion, Aftab, had probably climbed too far up ahead. I didn’t hear anything from him for the last one hour. Had he reached the peak, had he seen the pillar, I wondered. The five of us with two guides had been climbing the hill for more than two hours. Mingma,


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though we were a group of seasoned trekkers.

At the beginning, the trail was easy and well-known. Almost all the members of BPSS (our trekking group) had trekked up to Keukradong (the second highest peak of the country) at least five times. So we chilled out amidst the beauty of Boga Lake for a while after we reached there by “Chand er gari” (rickety old four wheelers which were Bandarban’s own production) in the morning and started the trek at noon. We reached Keukradong by nightfall and stayed there at one of the newly built cottages situated right at the foot the mountain.

Early in the next morning, we made a 1,400 feet descent through a narrow trail and trekked for two hours to reach a beautiful Para of the Bom tribe named Rumana Para. We rested there for a while and then started the trek again. This time our destination was a small Para of the Tripura tribe named Dhupanichara Para.

Dhupanichara Para is in a very remote location. For the next four hours straight, we crossing numerous small ‘jiri’ (hilly water stream), walking trails at substantially dangerous angles and made our way through the dense bamboo and cane forest to reach the village. We arrived at the Para at around 1pm, took an hour long break, and cooked and ate a soup meal for lunch. At 2pm, we started our climb up thousand feet hill which had the famous pillar at its peak.

At the summitAs we neared the summit, suddenly

the bamboo forest thinned out somewhat. I sat down and took in my surroundings. The watch showed 4:25 pm but the ambience of the forest gave me the impression that it was about to be dark. Gradually Tapu joined me, then Roman and lastly Shubol, our other guide.

“How far is the peak?” I asked Shubol. “Ten minutes from here,” he replied. We resumed the tiresome routine of trudging our body up.

After another 15 minutes, we suddenly came upon a clearing in the middle of which a semi-broken stone pillars stood, with Aftab sitting next to it resting his back on it. We also found Mingma was standing nearby drinking water out of a bottle.

“Welcome to Tinmukh pillar,” Aftab greeted us.

On closer inspection, we realised the pillar was in the shape of a narrow pyramid. On one side, the words ‘EP Bengal regiment’ was

inscribed, on another side, it said Asam Rifles and on the third side Burmese Border Guard.

The view from the area was incredible. While three sides of the peak made gradual slopes covered with bamboo trees, the side that faced Myanmar made a straight vertical drop of about two thousand feet. In that direction, we could see the huge expanse of the Arakan state in the haze of the late winter afternoon. Standing there, I briefly felt like it was the end of the world.

The feeling didn’t last long as the chilling cool breeze coming from that side made me shiver. The wind was getting cooler and the sun was fading quicker than we anticipated.

“The sun will set soon, lets start heading back,” Mingma warned. We took some snaps at the peak and started the trek back at around 5pm, feeling content having successfully completed yet another trekking adventure. n

one of our guides had told me earlier that it is a two hour climb from the Dhpanichara Para (a hill village). Why was it is taking so long?

A historical landmarkIt is not that often you will come across a lone stone pillar at the peak of a 3,070 feet hill demarcating the boundaries of three countries.

Sixty six years ago in 1947, when Sir Cyril Redcliffe declared his famous borderline between India and Pakistan, a major of East Bengal regiment named Leonard Stabber went on a week long perilous trek inside the hilly terrain of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to install the pillar at that height in order to precisely pinpoint the borderline of three countries: India, Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and Myanmar.

We didn’t need to go through a week-long trek to reach that “peak with the pillar”, however, thanks to the engineering corps of the Bangladesh Army, who constructed a 62 kilometre road connecting Bandarban Sadar with the remote Boga Lake. But the two-day trek from Boga Lake to that peak was no less tough and it surely tested the limits of our courage, even

Photos: Wahidul Arafat


8 DIGITaL BaNGLaDESh | digiTal invesTmenT summiT 2014

Bangladesh doesn’t have any large tech companies. No tech company here has become an instantly

recognisable institution among the common people because the investment scenario in the technology field is still very poor.

Very few banks actually provide loans to fund IT start-ups and there are no venture capitalists in the country that provides money to the tech companies for the expansion. Ironically, the public can’t invest either as the capital of most of the tech companies is not good enough for initial public offering (IPO) in the stock exchange market.

Specialised tech company based stock exchanges such as Nasdaq helped the likes of Apple, Inc (AAPL), Microsoft Corp (MSFT), and Intel Corp (INTC) become what they are today. These tech giants of today used Nasdaq during their early times to raise the much-needed capital in a timely manner. It enabled them to go on to become billion-dollar enterprises and created the era of multi-billion dollar tech companies.

It is true that, slowly but steadily, Bangladesh is becoming a digital nation. The present government’s election motto was ‘Digital Bangladesh’ and it has been working on that for a while now. Concerned

policy makers have finally realised that without proper investment, the IT sector will remain confined to earning around $40 million from small scale freelancing.

The Digital Investment Summit 2015 was recently organised to attract investors to the IT sector. The outcome of that summit has provided some news that can work as a much needed impetus for the sector.

Allowing foreign companies in stock exchangeDuring the summit, Sajib Wazed Joy, Prime Minister’s adviser on Information and communication technology (ICT) affairs, said that the government is working to allow foreign mutual funds in Bangladesh’s capital market to increase the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the IT sector.

“We are working with the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) to streamline the existing policy so that foreign venture capitalists can come in, take the profit and exit. We are trying to promote this investment model to provide capital to the market,” said Joy.

He explained: “Now the number one problem that we come across in the IT industry of the country is the lack of capital. I have been in Silicon

Cashing on bits and bytesTaking up initiatives towards a thriving local iT sector Faisal Mahmud

Valley for years and the business model in the IT industry is different.”

Usually, an IT start-up in Silicon Valley doesn’t have the capital to expand its scale because they can’t come up with collateral, hence banks are usually not interested to finance them. So they go to the venture capitalists and raise the funds and then expand the company.”

“That has been a big barrier in Bangladesh. Most of the capital here is limited to the domestic market and those are invested in the capital intensive industry. Those who have capital here don’t want to invest in the IT sector or in the sector that involves intellectual property rights,” he explained.

The ICT adviser of the prime minister said that there are lots of Bangladeshi expatriates in Silicon Valley. “There has been a tremendous interest among them to come to Bangladesh and to invest in the country’s IT industry,” Joy said adding that there are lots of Indians in Silicon Valley who are familiar with the region and the market and they too want to invest into Bangladeshi market.

Joy said that from the government side, many initiatives have been taken. “We have Equity and Entrepreneurship Fund (EEF) that is provided by the government to small and medium IT companies that is starting up in Bangladesh. We are also providing direct loans to this small and medium entrepreneurs and freelancers of the country.”

Bringing Silicon Valley hereThe summit was jointly organised by the ICT division of the government, along with Aaccenture, Telenor Group and the Bangladesh

Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).

“We want to bring large foreign investors as well as investments from companies from Silicon Valley to Bangladesh. This will boost up the overall local investment scenario in Bangladesh,” said Shamim Ahsan, President of BASIS.

He also said that the process of bringing Silicon Valley’s investment into Bangladesh’s IT sector began in March 2013 when a two-day investment conference in the technical sector between Bangladesh and the United States (US) was organised at Silicon Valley in California, United States.

That conference titled, ‘US-Bangladesh Tech Investment Summit’ was jointly organised by the BASIS and the Indus Enterprise (TiE) Global of Silicon Valley. Shamim Ahsan, who was then senior vice-president of BASIS and CEO of Akhoni.com, the first e-commerce and online marketing website in Bangladesh, was the convener of the conference.

He said: “During this summit, we realised that many western companies now find it lucrative to outsource various IT and technical jobs to countries like Bangladesh. There is a $2bn industry right in front of us and so far we have been able to hit only the $38m mark.”

After that, Ahsan consulted with Sajeeb Wazed Joy and planned to bring the Silicon Valley investment here. “We have successfully organised the Digital Investment Summit. Processes have been going on to allow foreign mutual fund investment in the stock market. As soon as it will start, the whole IT sector will enter into a fast lane of prosperity.” n

Photos: Faisal Mahmud


on The shouldeRs of gianTs | PhOTO STOry 9

A tribute to the working people who makes our lives easier. Starting from early in the morning till the sun sets, they work away tirelessly: cleaning the roads, mending it, rowing boats to ferry people, cleaning garbage etc. With a minimum

wage they work their maximum just to make our daily life more comfortable.in light of the month of may, this week’s photo story features moments from their everyday lives, which otherwise go unnoticed.

Daily heroesPhotos: Tanvir Ahmed Siddiky


10 PhOTO STOry | on The shouldeRs of gianTs


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12 INTErvIEw | kaan PeTe Roi

If ever you are scared to tell your parents, or feel that your friends will judge you, know that you are just a call away from a friend who will not be judgemental. This friend of yours, Kaan Pete Roi (KPR), celebrates its second anniversary. In a phone conversation with KPR we revisit what this tiny organisation with mammoth goals has achieved so far, its challenges and future course of

action.What was the main goal behind KPR when it started and what elements has been added on the way?When we started off, our main target was to reach out to everyone and make them aware of mental health issues especially people who are depressed and/or suicidal. We wanted to create a platform for people to share their personal

problems. There are people who are very depressed and in a lot of pain but they do not have someone to share it with. Maybe they tried to reach out to their near and dear ones but maybe they couldn’t understand the intensity the problem deserved. So our aim was to create this place where someone could comfortably share these untold feelings with someone without the fear of being

judged. This was the aim, with which we

started KPR. On the way, there have been a few additions. Earlier we didn’t think of giving out references for psychiatrists and counsellors, but now we are providing this help. We are also thinking of incorporating legal help reference in the near future. The reason behind including references is that after we started, we realised there was a demand from callers who might ask us for the opinion of a psychiatrist, counsellor or ask about a hospital.

What have been KPR’s major achievements and challenges so far?At the beginning we were also a little in doubt as to whether we will be able to make people understand what we are trying to achieve. However, when we started, we were pretty surprised that people would actually call and share their problems. As a matter of fact, we have also handled quite a few suicidal calls from people who might be just standing in front of a railway line, rooftop or about to cut their wrists. At such crucial moment, they have called us. Even at such moments, talking to us made them feel a little happy and we think this is our achievement.

One of our major challenges has been that we still haven’t been able

A friend in need, is a friend indeedTausif Sanzum

Just a call away


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the suicide in such a way that there is no point of return.

As far as detecting whether a person is considering suicide or not, we have to pay attention to changes in behaviour patterns. If we notice carefully, we will be able to figure out, if the change is noticeable and not good for him/her and be able to understand whether that person is planning suicide or not. Another thing we follow at Kaan Pete Roi is that we don’t give advice or solution but instead we just listen. We need to give the person that space to just talk without us being judgemental. n

Photos: Courtesy

to reach out to everyone. The reason behind this could be that we have not been able to do that kind of aggressive publicity which requires a lot of money. Our publicity so far has been limited to Facebook, print media or media channels which are free of cost. The ones which reach out to more people but are equally expensive have been out of our reach. Also, we are still Dhaka based. We would like to expand it to other districts but currently that has not been possible due to financial constraints.

Also it is very important that we get the support from public in whichever way possible. They can help us by spreading the word that we exist or through donations.

It is a known fact that your volunteers are secretive about their identity. Why is it so?It’s true that our main work is done by volunteers. We also want our volunteers to come forward and share with the world the noble cause they are associated with. But we do not let our volunteers reveal their identity for reasons of safety. For example, suppose I am a caller and I enjoyed talking to you then I will be interested in meeting you. However, you might not be interested in meeting me. Thus, the identity of the volunteers is not revealed to avoid this kind of a scenario.

Suicide, depression, mental health etc are sensitive issues. What makes your volunteers competent enough to handle them? It’s true that there are people who might say that we are not professionals so how are we exactly handling this kind of a sensitive issue? We follow an international model called Befriending Worldwide which is followed in 40 countries

around the world. When we take in a volunteer, he/she has to complete several steps. After he/she crosses these 4-5 processes, the management trains them. This is a very intensive training which is provided in accordance to the international model we are members of. Our founder, Yeshim Iqbal herself worked on this for three years in Boston and she trained the management who now in turn provide the training to volunteers.

What is your take on the taboo associated with mental health in Bangladesh?It is a sad thing what when we talk about mental health in Bangladesh,

it is associated with madness. The fact is completely different. Mental health comprises of different arenas associated with our psychological well being. People do not give the kind of priority this issue deserves but nevertheless the scenario is changing and these issues are coming forward. Anyone of any age can suffer because of mental health conditions and from this there can be suicidal attempts too. It saddens me to see that mental health doesn’t get the priority physical health conditions do. With this very feeling, Yeshim Iqbal felt that it was time to have a helpline in Bangladesh which is available in other countries, and which will be able to create a space where people could freely discuss about mental health.

What would be your advice to the relatives/friends of people who have attempted suicide? Also how can we detect that someone around us might be committing it? There are various myths associated with suicide which a lot of us are unaware of. For example, a lot of people believe that if a person survives one attempt of suicide, he/she will never repeat it because they will be scared of the horror associated with it. This is not true as next time the person will attempt

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Line open – Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – 3pm-9pmThursday- 3pm-3am

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Contact details


14 SLICE OF LIFE | sTaying healThy

Lameya Alma Amin

Keeping fitness and obesity at bay

There is a misconception, particularly in our country, that being skinny or slim equates to being healthy.

This is however, not necessarily true.One key way to staying and

feeling healthy is by keeping ones weight under control. The correlation between a person and his/her weight is important: being either overweight or underweight is both unhealthy, and is the cause for various health disorders.

In Bangladesh, the lifestyle of its citizens are gradually changing, added with the presence of the rapid growth of fast food stores in the city, with less time and less open space to walk or exercise. Back in the day, people had a simple way of living, eating fresh foods, walking and jogging, with various sports present to participate in. Kusti (wrestling) was a famous sport, which engaged many people, and gave them a chance to work out regularly. Formal participants in these wrestling groups had to take training, where the exercises included weight training, along with squats, running and push-ups. Gradually, however, this traditional form of workout has dwindled, with only a handful of people performing them.

The trend nowadays has led to most people opting for other forms of exercise, such as walking, running, yoga and aerobics, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But this change is not occurring on a large enough scale, with a limited group of people being health-conscious. The younger generation, in particular, indulge in fast foods a lot and lack the motivation and patience to

exercise on a regular basis.“While growing up, back in the

90’s, we used to only have hand-made snacks, like the pithas, but things have changed rapidly now. Since the last few years, with the advent of so many fast food restaurants, we have been indulging in fatty foods like burgers and pizzas almost every other day. This is not just resulting in increasing weight, but also acts an invitation to many diseases,” says Nuzhat Nahin, a graduate student.

A study conducted by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, stated that, over the last 33 years, the rate of obesity

doubled among Bangladeshi adults, but remained low among children. It further noted that, in 1980, 7% of adults and 3% of children were overweight or obese, while in 2013, those numbers have escalated to 17% for adults and 4.5% for children.

These statistics describe a scenario where, on average, being overweight or obese is slowly increasing, and this is directly linked with the eating habit of an individual and his/her exercise routine. Nuzhat Nahin admits that neither she

nor her friends opt for walking or exercising unless they want to lose weight. She never thinks of it as a medium to stay fit on a regular basis.

In Bangladesh, the easy

availability of fast foods plays a major role in the rising number of obese people. With all the home-delivery services, food carts and trucks, most people, particularly busy urbanites, opt for these instead of making healthy home-made dishes. This lack of time too makes them unable to perform exercise routines.

Dr Christopher Murray, director of IHME and co –founder of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study says: “Obesity is an issue affecting people of all ages and incomes, everywhere. In the last three decades, not one country has achieved success in reducing obesity rates, and we expect obesity to rise steadily as incomes rise on low and middle income countries in particular, unless urgent steps are taken to address this public health crisis.”

It is somewhat obvious that to lead a healthy life, one needs to follow a balanced diet with an exercise regime. While occasionally indulging in one’s favourite junk foods is not a problem, one should be careful not to overdo it. Dietitian SN Shampa, in an article published in Dhaka Tribune said that, peoples practices have been changing regarding the maintenance of good health, as they face new health problems related to modern living. According to her, health consciousness is praiseworthy, but some common sense is required in ensuring a balanced diet. One doesn’t need to be skinny to be fit, having a weight according to height and age is more appropriate. n

Photos: Bigstock


Dear Dina, I am in love with this guy from my University. He is a senior and the president of a club I belong to. He

is really witty, good-looking, and very popular. Over time, we started spending a lot of time together. He acts protective and possessive of me. Basically, he treats me like I am his girlfriend. He calls me, takes me out and keeps me beside him at all times. It’s been almost two years now and he is going to graduate soon, but he just doesn’t make it official. No three magic words. It’s like he is afraid of love and commitment even though he is very much committed to me. I don’t want this anymore, but every time I make it clear that I want to move on and start keeping my distance, he does everything to get me back. What should I do?

Dear Pseudo-girlfriend,I have no idea how you’ve been with him two years without either of you declaring

any feelings for each other. Has it been a platonic relationship, or simply a marriage of convenience? It would seem to me that after such a long time together, the natural progression of things would lead to a commitment. My advice is to stop being such a meek little lamb and confront him. It’s possible that what he likes about you is that you’ve let him domesticate you like a little pet without asking any questions or making any demands, but I think it’s time to show him there’s more to you than meets his smug little eyes. The very next time you’re with him, demand to know what exactly is going on and where your relationship is going. If he tries to avoid the subject or distract you with his masculine wiles, stand firm and avoid giving in. Meet in a public place and keep a large table and a hot beverage between you two, if necessary. And this time, if you are not satisfied with his response, walk away and stay away. You need to have a backbone in any relationship, or you’ll always be a doormat(e).

Dear Dina, My husband and I work together in the same office, and recently, our boss’s secretary

has begun openly hitting on my husband. While I’m not insecure about our relationship, I do find her behaviour insulting on a professional front. Am I being petty in wanting to do something about it?

Dear Petty Woman,There are three ways to view this situation:

a) It is beneath you to react to a secretary’s

lascivious advances towards your husband, particularly in a

professional environment, as you have mentioned. You can ignore it in hopes that she will understand how inappropriate her behaviour is and stop. Or that someone else will notice and report her behaviour to the boss, who will duly reprimand her.

b) That wanton hussy is hitting on your man, and professional smofessional, you gonna put her right, even if it means sacrificing a bit of your dignity in the process. The next time you see her getting her flirt on, you sidle up to her and

with teeth bared, threaten to have her fired if she so much as bats one more eyelash in his direction. Ever. Again.

c) Your husband is a cad, who is clearly enjoying being hit on and might even be secretly pleased that it’s getting a rise out of you. Grab him by the ear and tell him that if he ever wants to enjoy marital relations with you again, he needs to keep a 15 foot distance from ‘that woman’ at all times. If need be, he should make his own coffee and avoid his boss permanently. n

dina sobhan | TOuGh LOvE 15

Dina sobhan is a freelance writer, and cautions readers not to take her ‘advice’ here too seriously!

Mixed signalsQ

Q

A

A

Cartoon: Priyo/Dhaka Tribune

got a problem?

Write to Dina at weekend@dhakatribune.

com


16 MuSINGS | all in a day’s woRk

Perspectives of a practitionerKhairul Bashar

Life of an Analyst

The word ‘Analyst’ sounds exceedingly elite when it comes to naming the profession regardless of

which word is placed immediately before it eg financial analyst, business analyst, investment analyst, data analyst, IT analyst, economic analyst etc. But from my growing yet limited experience as an equity investment analyst, I can assure you that as classy as it sounds, the life of an analyst is no picnic to Disneyland. Don’t get me wrong. The profession certainly has its own perks. But you have to earn it by going the distance.

If I had to name the single most important quality in becoming an analyst, I would say it is self-motivation. An analyst has to be extremely self-motivated to get

out of bed every morning, get to work, catch up with the current local and global affairs, outline a plan of action, deal with company management, develop insights, generate and interpret numbers, make decisions and so forth. It takes a great deal of passion and hard work to differentiate yourself from others and to surpass your own expectations at everything you do.

While subject knowledge of Finance, Accounting and Economics will definitely come in handy to become an analyst, these disciplines are not the only ones where analysts can emerge from. If someone is motivated enough, he/she can become a successful analyst irrespective of their major education. Eagerness to continuous learning is

Khairul Bashar is Senior Investment Analyst of a Private Equity Fund in BangladeshE-mail: [email protected]

something that makes the difference.A fatal yet very common

misconception of people is that analysts need to eat and breathe numbers. Without undermining the importance of numbers in decision-making, I believe the ability of intuitive thinking is even more important. And that is simply because in most of the cases numbers work like an output and the underlying intuitive thinking or rationale is what gets you there.

An analyst’s ability to think intuitively sharpens with vast amount of study, experience, talking

to people, enhanced observation power etc. Knowing as many people as possible from different professional arena also helps big time. The richer a person’s contact list, the greater is that person’s likelihood of getting different perspectives of a given scenario. Experience is something that only comes with time and cannot be even a close comparable to academic degrees. Another very crucial quality of an analyst is his reading skills. An analyst needs to have the ability to read quickly and extensively starting from a couple of English daily newspapers, macroeconomic reports, company financial, annual reports, research works, legal documents to basically everything on a regular basis. Reading books other than texts will help you become a better reader and effectively a better analyst. Analysts are expected to be very curious and inquisitive in nature and to be able to delve into the intricate details of most things.

Soft skills like computer literacy especially proficiency in advanced MS Excel and communication skills i.e. the ability to think in a structured and well-articulated manner and communicate thoughts fluently to the senior management are also of immense significance in this profession. A professional program called the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program is another feather in your cap that will help you take a big leap towards becoming an analyst enriching you with a thorough understanding of the financial market.

Disclaimer: Any views and opinions expressed in this article is of writer’s own. n

Photo: Bigstock


women and gendeR sTudies | FEaTurE 17

A discipline of the new eraNaveed Ferdous

According to Rokeya Shakhawat Hossain, a cart with two differently sized wheels can never

move in one specified direction. Since the prerequisite of moving ahead is attaining balance, sustainable human development can never be ensured by only targeting the men since they only constitute half of the population. Therefore both men and women should equally be considered and integrated in the development process.

To bring about the change, to ensure that both men and women are part of the development process of Bangladesh, to guarantee the rights of each and every citizen, to make sure that justice is not denied based on class, race, sex, etc, Women and Gender Studies started its journey as a discipline in 2000 at Dhaka University. The goal behind introducing such a course was to create a nation where there will be no discrimination based on sex, class, race etc, where each and every person will be treated equally and the deprived group will be offered equity so that everyone is at the same level. Women and Gender Studies along with the development organizations are working constantly to ensure the empowerment and improvement in the lives of the vulnerable people and attain sustainable development of Bangladesh.

It is very important to make one thing clear, Women and Gender Studies is not about only women. It is about the development of the human race as a whole. The incorporation of the intersectional lens helps to unearth the flawed development policy, knowledge and the process. Thus it aims to highlight the flaws and work to overcome these. This will in turn play a vital role in ensuring the sustainable human development.

According to Abu Saleh Mohammad Sowad, Lecturer, Women and Gender Studies Department, University of Dhaka, both men and women should grab the opportunities of this discipline. This discipline being a contemporary one, offers a lot of scholarships all over the world which make it easy to avail scholarships compared to other disciplines. This discipline will help one to become an efficient researcher or an active development leader.

It might sound that once you are engaged in this discipline your

career will be confined in this development sector. But this is not true. Graduates from this discipline are professionals at multinational companies, are bankers, are journalists or even engaged in the most prestigious government jobs. Additionally the vast development sector is ready to grasp you.

According to Faridul Haque, Gender and Communication Manager at Gender and Water Programme Bangladesh, there is no reason to feel that this discipline is for women only. Women and Gender Studies teach one to become a better human being. It unearths

and discriminations and encourages to help the vulnerable group. And if we talk about the opportunities of this disciple, just remember the fact that gender is a contemporary issue and it will remain a contemporary issue. Therefore it is for sure that the development sector will always demand gender experts. Farid was a student of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka. He graduated in the year 2009.

Women and Gender Studies is a discipline that will enlighten your way to life and gift you with a bright future ahead. At the same time, this discipline will contribute to enlighten the nation and eradicate the discriminations and thus will help us to present a beautiful and developed Bangladesh. n

Timely meditations

Photos: Courtesy


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

ACROSS5 Soldiers surround our weapons depot (7)6 Bird a couple better than 1 Down (5)9 Florida town or country duck (7)DOWN1 Knock up an average score (3)2 French pal can be good natured (7)3 Run golf badly from a distance (7)4 Organ of the year (3)7 Knot for laces or part of ship (3)8 Container for peas, or whales (3)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCROss1 Communication shambles time (7)4 Put down about newspapers (7) 6 How words are received abroad? (7)7 Jail pit none dug by mistake (7)

DOwN1 Mr Media spread legend of the seas (7)2 Amazing late repast without pie first (5)3 Oils pen anew for Greek letter (7)5 Time the South East was wiped out (5)

Clues

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

When Mad Men took its final curtain call on May 17, it ended its run as one of the

most celebrated TV shows of all time on a quiet, if powerful, note much like the chelonian pace of the show itself. After The Sopranos ended, US audiences lamented the end of a series that was largely considered by critics as one of the best shows ever produced. Everyone wondered

how long it would be – if ever – before another such show emerged that would redefine the parameters of storytelling on television and invade the cultural zeitgeist as pervasively as The Sopranos had done. Fortunately, that wait wasn’t too long. Barely a month later on July 19, 2007, US audiences met Don Draper and the

employees of Sterling Cooper. Rarely has a show ever been so

readily accepted into the pantheon of the greats in the way that Mad Men was. Ironically Matthew Weiner (the creator of the show) worked as an executive producer on The Sopranos and it was his script for the pilot episode of Mad Men that made David Chase hire him. Over time Mad Men established itself as an intellectually refined piece of work that brought

the 60s to millennial and baby-boomers alike.

For a period piece like Mad Men, the most difficult task is getting the era – in this case 1960s America – right. Since the pilot episode, the mise-en-scène of the show – from the vernacular to the costumes – has lent an air of verisimilitude to the show that transports viewers to the corporate world of Madison Avenue in the 60s; a world sheltered from the nascent but prominent Beatnik movement right outside its boundaries. The show’s fidelity to authenticity continues throughout its run, all the way into the final season when America is moving on from the remnants of Woodstock to the “Me” generation – a transition that even the final scene of the show arguably alludes to.

Despite being set in the 60s, Mad Men has explored themes that are universal and disarmingly visceral. Don’s existential crisis has taken viewers on a journey that has shown them the character’s highest achievements to his shallowest depths. Ever since viewers first heard Don describe happiness as “the smell of a new car,” they waited to see if his own perpetual search for happiness has a positive end. If this year’s premiere lay the groundwork for the show’s final run with Peggy Lee’s mesmerising “Is That All There Is?” the final moments closed on a more upbeat note when Don appeared to have a cathartic reconciliation with the enduring conflicts of his life.

The end of an era, indeed. n

Mad Men: The End of an EraAmeer Sobhan

Mini cryptics


GO OuT 19

June 1Event | Social Business Youth Summit 2015When 10amWhere Krishibid Institute Bangladesh Complex at Farmgate

For the second time in Bangladesh “Social Business Youth Alliance (SBYA) - Global” is arranging the “Social Business Youth Summit 2015”, a one of a kind event that focuses on aspirations and social business of the youth.

This event aims to bring together all communities of the society, especially the people who are changemakers or in pursuit of development. This is the place to be to network and meet entrepreneurs, heads of companies, executives, ecademicians, working professionals, students, activists, CSR practitioners, leaders of government agencies, NGO representatives and many other. These are people from diverse backgrounds who have

one thing in common – making a difference for the social causes they care about.To participate, register at: sbys.infoDeadline for registration is May 25, 2015.

May 23Workshop | Workshop on Community Leadership and VolunteerismWhen 9:30am-02:30pmWhere EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi

Weekly Planner May 22Theatre | “MADE” – Help Create a Play about BangladeshWhen 10am-1pm

Where Institute of Educational Development, BRAC University, House 113/A, Road 2, NiketanThe Target Theatre Company team hailing from the UK comprising of Ikhtisad Ahmed (Playwright), Brett Lee Roberts(Director/Actor) and Mike (Producer), are hosting a performance workshop/discussion forum to help create a brand new play about Bangladesh called MADE.

The workshop will be a platform to write and produce a play about Bangladesh through the lens of the garments industry. They want to honour Bangladesh and the story they’re creating by gathering authentic material through discussion and research.

May 22Education | Information Session with Charles Darwin University

When 3pmWhere StudyNet Bangladesh, Flat

5A (5th Floor), House No 80, Road No 2, Chairman Bari, BananiMs Jyotan Singh, International Marketing and Promotions Officer of Charles Darwin University (CDU), Australia will be present to conduct an exclusive and interactive information session for the students interested to enrol at Charles Darwin University in July 2015/February 2016.

May 23Culture | EMK Center presents: Folk Music by Rubi Ahmed (Mone)

When 7pmWhere EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old) , 9th Floor, Midas Center, DhanmondiMs Rubi Ahmed has a distinguished association with “Lalon Sangeet” stemming from her early days as a student to her present involvement spanning 28 years. Having participated in numerous musical competitions, the notable accolades include bagging the 1st prize from Dhaka division and 3rd place on a

national level ranging back to her school days. She has also received recognition by securing 1st position under Lalon Sangeet in different districts and thana level in Bangladesh. She has also shared the stage with renowned Bangladeshi singer such has Md. Jabbar, Farida Parvin, Razia Parvin, Robi Siddiki and Momtaz. Tickets will be available for Tk100 at EMK Center before the event.

May 23 Photography | 2nd National Photography Festival-2015

When 10am-8pmWhere Bangladesh Shilpokola Academy, 14/3 Segunbagicha, RamnaAfter the successful ending of the “1st National Photography Festival 2012”, the “Dhaka University Photographic Society” is back with the second version of this festival. This festival is a platform that brings together talented young photographers of the country.

May 24 Workshop | Workshop on Communication Skills by Naveed Mahbub

When 6-7pmWhere Lighthouse Bangladesh, 41 Kemal Ataturk Avenue, BananiDoesn’t matter what language you speak, whether you have an accent or your grammar is incorrect, what matters is that you get across to your audience exactly what you intend to say, whether orally, or in writing. Naveed, who is a motivational speaker and executive trainer/coach with years of multi-disciplinary work experience in several national and multi-national corporate organisations such as CEO in Nokia Siemens Networks Bangladesh, IBM and as Engineer/Manager in Qualcomm, Ford Motor Company, Kyocera Wireless, Takata USA speaks through humour and class participation about the art of mastering this skill in a sustainable way. The workshop will help participants to sharpen their communication skills.

Reserve your tickets by calling: +8801938830000

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. Encouraging this perception, Volunteer for Bangladesh Dhaka District with the support of EMK Center, is hosting a workshop on ‘Community Leadership and Volunteerism’.

This workshop will provide the participants with an opportunity to learn about volunteering at

the community level, social responsibility, community work, leadership and teamwork. Upon completion certificates will be provided for the participants. To join, register at: https://goo.gl/aXRrLZ at a fee of Tk100.


20 FEaTurE | Tools of The TRade

A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchenSakib Mridha

Know your knives

Knives are an indispensable kitchen tool. There are at least 200 types of knives

available, but usually only two or three basic types are used in an everyday kitchen at home. Every knife has a different shape and purpose.

The basic types:Chef's knife It is also called a cook's knife, and is an all purpose kitchen knife that is used for most types of chopping, dicing, mincing, and slicing. Most of the people use the chef's knife to do almost everything. From peeling the carrots to chopping onions to even bone a fish. Chef's knives can be of 6, 8, 10, and 12 inches in length. The heft, weight and balance of this knife allows it to be used for heavy duty work with thicker cuts of vegetables, fruits and meats. There is also a mini chef's knife which is half the size of a traditional chef's knife.

Bread Knife Bread knives are usually between 6 and 10 inches. The serrated edge of these knives are able to cut soft bread without crushing it.

Boning KnifeA knife with a thin short blade, typically 5 or 6 inches long and usually have a long narrow blade for ease of manipulation around bones. A boning knife is used to remove the main bone within a cut of meat, such as a ham or a beef roast. The blade is rigid and not too flexible to prevent any injury from the blade bending too easily.

Cleaver A knife with a wide rigid blade that is approximately 6 inches in length and tapers to a sharp cutting edge.

Cleaver is the perfect tool used to chop, shred, pound, or crush food ingredients and materials. The blade of the cleaver is thick, heavier than other knifes and well balanced with a bevelled cutting edge. The bevelled blade allows for ease of chopping through vegetables or hard materials even bones. Sometimes the handle is flat on the end as it may be used to crush seeds, garlic or other similar ingredients.

Carving KnifeGenerally this type is made of a fairly thin blade which is at least 8 inches long and has little flexibility. The blade has a pointed tip designed to aid in cutting meat away from the bone. The carving knife works well to slice hot meats such as roast beef. This knife typically comes with a carving fork that is used to hold the meat while carving.

Paring Knife and ShearsParing knife is a small knife with a straight, thin, narrow sharp blade that is generally three to five inches long. It is easy to handle and works well for peeling and coring foods or mincing and cutting small items such as onions, garlic or fresh herbs.Shears are basically kitchen scissors, can be used for many of the same jobs as paring knives, such as chopping herbs.

Santoku KnifeA type of knife commonly used to prepare ingredients for Asian food dishes. This knife is very similar to a chef's knife with a wide blade that has a long straight edge curving up slightly at the end. The main difference is that the santoku knife has a wider blade that is thinner, shorter in length, and curves up very gradually at the end providing a straighter cutting edge. Since it is precision made to be well balanced and well formed for ease of handling and greater control, santoku is expensive than a chef's knife. With a thinner blade than a chef's knife, the santoku can cut smoothly and more precisely through dense vegetables. n

Caring Use a wooden or bamboo chopping board. It keeps the knife edge sharper. It is best to clean your knives straight after you have used them. Wash them in tap water using a damp cloth or hand with dish-washing soap. Dry them instantly and very carefully.

Honing/Sharpening A blunt knife is very dangerous as one has to put on more pressure while cutting. Honing a knife twice a week is enough to keep it sharp. Hold the sharpening steel with your one arm and the knife with other and guide the blade with light pressure across the steel. Do this in an arching motion, side-to-side, precisely at 14 degree angle between blade and steel. Repeat this process 6-8 times. Never stroke each side more than once in succession. Remember, the top of the knife will meet the top of the steel as you start from the bottom.

Photos: Courtesy

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