May-2015-ICE-Today-PDf

“Men have it easy,” they say. But do they really? Think about it – men arestereotyped as much as women are. They too are tagged with labels; they too areforced to adhere by the classifications set by society. ‘Boys don’t cry’ or ‘be aman’ are phrases we often hear and perhaps don’t pay much heed to, however,the effect it has is just about the same as ‘act like a lady’ or ‘girls shouldn’t dothat’. The fact that men are subjected to this sort of treatment is not fair, just asit isn’t fair to women. All over the world men and women alike feel obliged toconform to a ‘role’ that has been assigned to them by their culture. However, wehere at ICE Today believe that people are entitled to express their individuality asthey deem appropriate, not according to a fixed set of norms. Don’t let othersput you in a box you don’t fit into!This year’s Men’s Issue has much to offer. On the cover we have supermodelAsif Azim, who was in town to endorse the fashion line Sailor. In an exclusiveinterview with ICE Today, the man with smouldering good looks shared littleknown facts about himself. Also, to keep in tune with the changing times, we feltthat it was important to highlight the diverse career paths people opt for thesedays. As a result, our Cover Story features the journeys of five youngmen who are creating ripples in their respective fields. Don’tmiss out reading on the various health risks men face and what our footballteams are up to. Looking for a blast from the past? Check out the story of theman who penned Bangladesh’s favourite song, Phiriye Dao and many more.Last month, the nation mourned the second anniversary of the Rana Plazadisaster which claimed over a thousand lives in what is now known as the worsttextile accident in history. Bangladeshis cannot forget the horrorsthey witnessed when the eight-story building crashed downon hundreds of lives. And although many were saved, some are stillbattling the trauma of the travesty. Highlighted in this issue is Siddik’s story as hediscloses some difficult memories.Moreover, we have quite a treat for our ravenous readers. We are all sure that youhave been hearing rumours about a certain Indian restaurant in town. “It can’t beas good as they’re saying, right?” Wrong. Lucknow has taken the city bystorm with its Awadhi cuisine tantalizing our worn out tastebuds. If you’re still having second thoughts it is time for you to peruse themouth-watering review inside. Now!Be it food, be it sports or be it entertainment – this magazine has it all and isbound to catch your attention for all the right reasons!The Magazine That Reads You CloselyVol 12 No 05 May 2015PublisherAbul KhairChairman Editorial BoardSyed Shamsul HaqExecutive DirectorNawshin KhairAssociate EditorNisha Sharmeen AliDeputy EditorTanuva Aumia KhundkarAssistant EditorNatasha RahmanSenior Sub-EditorTamzidur RahmanSub-EditorRubab Nayeem KhanFashion EditorGoutom SahaStaff WriterAidha CaderSenior Designer(In charge of Graphics and Layout)Jason Sabbir DhaliDesignerMd. Mainul IslamHead of MarketingLucky BegumFinance and AccountsMd. Abdul AlimSales and DistributionMd. Manik MollahOn the coverGet our official appfor your android phonee-mail: icetoday@gmail.comwebsite: www.icetoday.netfacebook.com/ice.todaytwitter.com/ice_todayflickr.com/photos/icetodayPublished by Abul Khair on behalf of ICE Media LimitedPrinted at M.K. Printers189/1,Tejgaon I/A,Dhaka-1208Editorial and Commercial office: Bengal Centre, Plot-2, Civil Aviation, New Airport Road, Khilkhet, DhakaAdvertising, Sales and Distribution: 01711339587, 01819412035, 01684570791.Tel: 880-2-8901135, 8901170 Fax: 88-02-8901205Models: Asif AzimWardrobe: SailorMakeup and hair: Farzana Shakil’sPhotos: Abu Naser@station

ContentsP. 12 ICE Tunes: For the Love of WordsInterview with lyricist Aftab Mahmud KhurshidP.37ContentsICE Must KnowsP. 16 Feature: The ForgottenStory of a Rana Plaza incident survivorP. 20 Feature: Meet, Greet and ProsperA look into Drink Entrepreneurs DhakaP. 22 Health: Rest YourselfSelf-care tips for menICE GlamourP. 26 Makeover: Pastel PerfectHow to pull off muted coloursP. 30 Beauty Alert: All Tied UpTry out funky tie knotsP. 32 Word on the Street: On the Right FootLatest shoes for men at Cats EyeP. 34 Feature: Shady BusinessBeat the rays of summer with sunglassesP. 37 Style: Spiffy Like You Mean ItICE Cover FocusP. 62 Cover Story: Making it countStories of young men who have made a differenceP. 72 Feature: Landing among the starsA chat with supermodel Asif Azim

ContentsICE Your SpaceP. 78 Breaking Barriers: On Top of the GameInterview with Salman Hossain BegP. 80 Recipes: The Mighty LeafRecipes for flavoured teasP. 88 Hangout: All set to sizzleA review of LucknowP. 90 Review: Just Beat ItA review on Café BeatsP. 92 Review: Illuminating BoishakhCoca Cola celebrates Pohela BoishakhP. 94 Relationship: BustedBusting myths on menP. 96 Entertainment: Welcome to the New AgeVideo game releases for 2015P. 98 Game On: And, Kick off!National and international football eventsP. 104 Culture Vulture: Breaking the StereotypeAidha Cader talks about gender stereotypes and moreICE Your RootsP. 110 EventsReviews and news of numerous events and openings

TunesHumayra RahmanMitul learns about alyricist’s journey inthe music industryPhoto: Kawsar12

TunesIt has been over two decades but there are only a few Bangladeshis who have not heard the song Phiriye Dao byMiles. This legendary song was written by Mahmud Khurshid who will be celebrating twenty-five years in theBangladesh music industry as a lyricist. Mahmud is an established corporate personality with his nameassociated with companies like ACI, Siemens, Trust bank, City Bank and Standard Chartered. Most recently, hehas joined Super Star Group (SSG), a leading electrical and electronics conglomerate in the country, as ChiefMarketing Officer. However, little is known of Mahmud Khurshid's immense contribution as a lyricist. He haswritten for a diverse group of musicians starting from Miles, Warfaze and Feedback to solo artists like KanizShubarna, Jhumu Khan, Akhi Alamgir, Khaled Hossain Milu, and also artistes like Walker Chowdhury andFiroz. Among his famous songs are Phiriye Dao, Dhiki Dhiki, Jala Jala and Shopno Bhongo by Miles.How did it all begin?My entry into the music industrywas not planned. I used to writerhymes and poems. My first workwas published when I was inclass nine in the Shishu by ShishuAcademy, Kochi Kachar Ashor ofthe Daily Ittefaq, Shongbad'sKhelaghor and Nobarun. Later on,two books were published fromthe writing in Nobarun asfollow-ups along with manyother poems. When I was inuniversity, some senior studentsformed a band called Octave.They knew that I used to write,so the band asked me to writesongs for them. It was the firsttime I wrote a song for an album.Was your song released?They released an album but theydidn't take the first song I wrotewhich was Ek Jhor Eshe BhengeDiye Gelo. They took seven othersongs from me, and this one waseventually taken by Miles andreleased later.So your career did not start with abang but gained momentum gradually?Yes, I already had knowledgeabout rhythms from myexperiences in writing poems, butI was not a song-writer. Nothaving any training as a lyricist Irelied on my sense of rhythmwhich eventually transformedinto songs.Why did you decide to start writingprofessionally for bands?As mentioned before, musicwasn’t something I had plannedto do; I did it because I wasasked. The recordings used to takeplace in Dawn Studios and that iswhere I met Manam Ahmed fromMiles. He was directing someoneelse's song and working on theirfirst album Protisruti. It was thenthat Manam bhai asked me towrite a song for them since theyneeded a song for their album. Forthe first time, I wrote a song forMiles, Shei Mishti Hashi Bhulte PariNi and it was released in the albumEi Mon Toh Ar Mane Na. Anotherhit was Tumi Chole Gechho byOctave which was tuned by AliAkbor Rupo.Did you ever consider playing anymusical instrument?I was interested in learning theguitar. Now that I think about it, ifI had learnt the guitar then I couldhave done more. There is ahumming in the mind whilecomposing a song and it could’vebeen implemented properly had Ilearnt an instrument. Every songhas an inherent tune and as I hadprior knowledge of rhymes, mostof my songs had a certain beat toit.Do you still write for bands? Would youconsider writing for new bands?Yes I do, I have recently writtenfor Feedback’s new album.Although I’m not acquainted withthe new bands it was anexperiment to write for them. Forinstance, I have written for Miles,Warfaze and Feedback; each oneof them had a different sound.Other than that, I have written forvarious solo as well as amateurartistes. If someone is interested insinging then I will write for them.Do you think Bangladeshi lyricists getdue recognition?I feel that Bangladeshis need torecognise the lyricists more.Sometimes, even the royaltysystem is not maintained, so at theleast recognition should be given.For example, in a live show, thename of the lyricist could bementioned before theperformance or talked about in aninterview. Songs are intellectualproperties which have royaltyvalue. Here, people know thesongs but they do not know whocreated them.Did you face any challenges?No, I did not face any challengesbecause I had all the freedom towrite. Manam Bhai and ShafinBhai had faith in me and therewere no changes made in what Iwrote. I had full confidence inthem and I knew they wouldexecute the songs well whilekeeping true to the inherent tuneof the song.Not having anytraining as alyricist; I relied onmy sense ofrhythm whicheventuallytransformed intosongs.13

Must KnowsIllustration: Jason Sabbir DhaliP. 16 Feature: The ForgottenP. 20 Feature: Meet, Greet and ProsperP. 22 Health: Rest Yourself

Must KnowsFeatureNahian Shah discusses the significance ofFashion RevolutionThe ForgottenIllustration: Jason Sabbir DhaliFashion Revolutioncalls for a systemic reform ofthe fashion supply chainwhile being an opportunityto celebrate fashion as apositive influence. One ofthe aims of this celebrationis to raise awareness anddemonstrate that creating amore ethical and sustainablefuture for fashion is not onlypossible but can beimplemented for good.Fashion Revolution standsfor the invisible workforceconsisting of thousands ofindividuals who areresponsible for theproduction of the clotheswe wear. FashionRevolution Day honoursthe one thousand, onehundred and thirty-sevengarment workers who losttheir lives in the RanaPlaza Disaster in Savar onApril 24, 2013.The Rana Plaza collapsewas the most severefactory related catastrophein the history of theworld. With such highdeath tolls, the primaryfocus now is to prevent atragedy of this magnitudefrom occurring ever again.However, in the process,forgotten are the survivorswho lived through it all.The world tends to sufferfrom a short attentionspan on even the mostdreadful tragedies. As timegoes on, lessons are learntas people pick up thepieces and move on. Butfor the survivors wholived through it all, it’s nota matter of simply movingon.Rana Plaza was aneight-story commercialbuilding which consistedof several shops, a bankand garment factories.The various shops and thebank closed downimmediately after crackson the building werediscovered on April 23,2013. However, ignoringall warnings to avoid usingthe building, the garmentsworkers were ordered toreturn to work thefollowing day to carry outtheir regularresponsibilities.Within the sea of workers,Siddik worked as anassistant line iron man inthe sewing department ofNew Wave Style Ltdsituated on the seventhfloor of the building. Hewas promised his entiremonthly salary on April25, which made himignore his father’sadmonishment beforeleaving for work in themorning. However, assoon as he reached hisdestination, he wasoverwhelmed with aterrible feeling forcing himto take two steps back forevery step he tookforward. Siddik andseveral other factoryworkers began voicingtheir safety concerns, butthey were brutally beatenby the guards, leavingscars on Siddik’s backwhich he still carries16

Must KnowsFeatureWoven DreamsRubab Nayeem Khan looks into the handwoven art of Manipuri textilesPhotos: Oxfam18

Photos: Ashraf Uddin ApuMust knowsFeatureMeet greetandprosperRubab Nayeem Khan gives you the know-howson Drink Entrepreneurs, DhakaImagine getting ready for aformal business meeting.Sweating bullets? Just take‘formal’ out of the equationand all you’re left with is ameeting. That’s where DrinkEntrepreneurs Dhaka comesto light. It is a platform forbusiness-minded people toexchange ideas andinformation with individualsmuch like themselves. Onedoesn’t necessarily have tohave a business to be a partof this community.Junaid Rafique, MahenazChowdhury and Sakib Jamalhave set up this platform inDhaka to encourage youngentrepreneurs to meet andshare ideas in order todevelop something big on thecorporate front. They aresponsored by HackHouse, aninternational IT firm based inDhaka. Apart from runningthis venture, Rafique is acommercial airline pilotrecruited by US BanglaAirlines, Mahenaz is the CEOof Buckets Engineer and theCoordinator of talentmanagement for GraphicPeople and Sakib Jamal is afinal year student at Li PoChun United World Collegein Hong Kong.Taking off in February, thewhole idea of starting this inDhaka is because there’s nosuch thing as a networkingevent. “There are platformsfor startups, competitionswith sessions whereparticipants are trained; theyare given ideas and support insetting up their businesses.However they lose theirmomentum after thecompetitions,” said Rafique.They came up with the ideato set up a platform whereyoung entrepreneurs cangather, socialise and shareideas. Before DrinkEntrepreneurs, Rafique wasan active member ofAIESEC and always wantedto build a foundation forentrepreneurs in Dhaka.20

Must knowsFeatureWhen we see that some people are not interacting freely, we go upon stage and start with the ice breaking sessions to make them feelmore comfortableAlong with his partners, heintends to do so with DrinkEntrepreneurs Dhaka.“I believe that thiscommunity exists because ofmy partners and their goals. Iam passionate about workingwith women empowermentand Rafique is enthusiasticabout helping youngentrepreneurs in Dhaka andDrink Entrepreneurs alsoworks for womenempowerment which is aglobal concern,” sharedMahenaz. Through thisinitiative, they want tosupport them as much aspossible by making themmeet potential investors andventure capitalists andpotential mentors. Theybelieve that such a platformwill sustain in Dhaka becauseit is new and so far everymeeting they’ve held alwaysbrought in engaging audiencemembers. “As it’s an informalatmosphere, it’s always easierfor the audience to socialise,”added Rafique.They’ve held three events sofar. It’s a monthly event, andin the first meeting, they hadsixty six guests. The secondevent, which was held at theUpstairs Lounge and Bistro,had about forty individualsand the third meeting whichwas held at Mozzariarestaurant had close to sixtyguests. According to Rafique,one of the biggest challengesthey have faced is that themeetings are scheduled onweekdays, which makes itinconvenient for people toattend given the trafficcongestion. Despite theobstacles, they are confidentthat this platform willcertainly bring about adifference in the businesssector. “In order to attendthe events, individuals haveto register and buy tickets.During our last event, wesold two hundred tickets in aday. Through ourprogrammes, we alsopromote new cafés andrestaurants as well,”mentioned Mahenaz.They have faced challenges insetting up this platform atfirst; they came up with acouple of activities to breakthe ice and it was receivedwith great appreciation. Theaudience engagedproductively, even more sobecause it was informal.Individuals have to wearnametags in the meetings,however, instead ofwriting their names theyhave to write theirdesignations. “When wesee that some people arenot interacting freely, wego up on stage and startwith the ice breakingsessions to make themfeel more comfortable,”said Rafique.Drink EntrepreneursDhaka has received anofficial confirmationletter from SeedstarsWorld (SSW), a Swisscompany whichpromote startups fromemerging economies viacompetitions. Theplatform is globallypartnering up withSSW.They also saidthat throughthis platform,they will begatheringinformation and theright people to work onstartup businesses withtheir available resourcesand technology. Theyhave plans forexpansion by openingup a branch inChittagong. They intendto host events inChittagong from nextmonth and furtherdown the line, theywould like to supportstartup communities inevery possible way.it’s an informal atmosphere, it’s alwayseasier for the audience to socialise21

Must KnowsHealthRest YourselfCan we really trust men to takecare of themselves? SaziaSharmin ponders over men’shealthcareDrawing and Illustration: Jason Sabbir Dhali22

Must KnowsHealthMMen often get a badreputation for beingselfish. In fact, alarge-scale researchproject carried out by theUniversity of Queenslandlast year found that menare less empathetictoward their partners incomparison to women.Yet another studypublished in the BritishMedical Journal provedthat considering men’sfrequency of risk-seekingbehaviour, emergencydepartment admissionsand mortality, menbehave like idiots muchmore than women.There’s even somethingcalled a ‘male idiottheory!’ Don’t worry. Aprominent male rightsactivist has declared thesestudies have “little to dowith real science andmore to do withperpetuating thegynocentric social agendato cast all men as inferiorand to project women assuperior.” You choosewhich side you’d like tobelieve. Meanwhile, intheir drive to perform,excel and live life to thefullest, it’s quite easy formen to neglect self-care.Here are some quick tipsthat would help!Stay true to your heartThe two leading causes ofmen’s death arecardiovascular diseasesand strokes are. Forreasons yet unknown, men’s arteriesdevelop atherosclerosis earlier thanwomen. Also, men’s average age for deathfrom cardiovascular disease is lower thanwomen’s. Men actually have to workharder than women to reduce the risk ofcardiovascular disease. So what shouldyou do? Get your cholesterol checkedregularly, starting as early as age twentyfive. Take all the common sense measuresthat we know about: get active, eat healthy,stop smoking!Don’t go mentalMen don’t cry. They don’t get depressedlike women do, right? Wrong! When menget depressed, they are more likely to getangry or aggressive rather than sad andtearful. They are also less likely to admit itor seek help. They often self-medicatewith drugs and alcohol. While womenattempt suicide more often, according tostatistics men are much more successful atcommitting it. If you are not feelingalright, please take the time to payattention to your emotions and findsupport. Have a positive copingmechanism for potential setbacks. Thereis really nothing manly about hiding yourtrue feelings.Eat healthyYes, there are a lot of us who live to eat,however stuffing down fried potatoes andgreasy beef on a regular basis doesn’t sittoo well with our system. Avoidcarbonated and energy drinks, and opt forsmoothies or better yet, good old plainwater. You don’t have to follow the latestfad diet and make a fuss about it. But youcan eat consciously using your commonsense and primary school learning about abalanced diet! Particularly, men need moreprotein than women, especially if they arephysically active. To get some idea on howmuch protein you need, it’s roughlyequivalent to your weight in grams. Forexample, if you weigh eighty twokilograms, you need about eighty twograms of protein daily. Having a proteinrich dinner will help repair your musclemass as you sleep at night.Perpetuate your legacy: procreate!You are one amazing man who hasworked hard to come where you are today.Now perpetuate your legacy by taking careof your fertility. While men’s fertilitydoesn’t drop as fast as that of women pastthe age of thirty five, the amount andintegrity of their sperm is compromised,warns the Male Reproductive Medicineunit at McGill University. Age can be afactor in male infertility, as well as geneticissues such as Down’s Syndrome, autism,schizophrenia, haemophilia or Duchenemuscular dystrophy. Lifestyle andenvironmental toxins are a major causefor concern. Various chemical productswidely available in hair products, plastics,pesticides, paint and mechanical greasehave been proven to adversely affect malefertility. Excessive exposure to heat inyour work environment, regularly wearingskinny jeans or even a laptop placed neara man’s crotch can affect testicularfunction. Most of all get over taboos andaddress issues that may affect your fertilitywithout embarrassment.Do a digital detoxIt used to be just the TV, but now there’san epidemic of full-on gadget addictionamong men the world over! To be honest,it affects women just as much. We allseem to be so connected to our gadgetsthat we live in a state of ‘continuouspartial attention’. Our compulsion withpictures, messages and social media makesus scan the horizon for something moreinteresting or urgent at all times, ratherthan focusing on what’s in front of us andtaking it all in. While it gives us this highof being ‘on’ all the time, it also raises ourstress levels and puts strain on personalrelationships. We haven’t adapted as fastas consumer technology has evolved, soinstagramming does not exercise the samebrain parts as sketching does. Textingdoes not give us the same satisfaction aswriting or having a face to faceconversation. In the near future, thosewho will learn to ignore the urgency ofblinking notifications and focus on thetrue present priority will be the ones tosucceed. It’s time we learn to disconnectand do a digital detox on a regular basis.Perhaps it wouldn’t be the end of theworld to really go offline at times? Give ita shot.23

GlamourP. 26 Makeover: Pastel PerfectP. 30 Beauty Alert: All Tied UpP. 32 Word on the Street: On the Right FootP. 34 Feature: Shady BusinessP. 37 Style: Spiffy Like You Mean It

GlamourMakeoverPastel PerfectAidha Cader colours your wardrobe withpastel huesConsidered to be spring colours these cottoncandy hues from Artisti are rocking the mens’wardrobe. Pastels have that undeniable knackto fuse with any skin tone and bring out thatsoft edge to your look.Photos: Riyad Ashraf - Studio BlackModels: Azim & ZaibMakeup & hair: Farzana Shakil’sWardrobe: ArtistiWith Saturated ColoursPastels look great when they are mixed with highly saturated colours. For example, pale pink would go wellwith a highly saturated blue. You could also try chalky blue with chocolate brown or pastel pink with brightred.26

GlamourMakeoverWith Other PastelsWearing two or more chalky colours at the same time will result in a warm and relaxed look. Some warm coloursblend well with cooler tones, such as orange and green or blue and yellow. Similalry, colours that lie close together onthe spectrum, such as red and pink or blue and green, match well together.27

GlamourMakeoverWith A NeutralThere are a series of colours that fall under the neutral spectrum. Grey, beige, khaki, tan and ivory are some ofthem. Instead of wearing an all-neutral outfit, change an item of clothing with a pastel one. Pastels look best duringdaytime. But if you are gutsy, you could go for these neutrals at night as well. The monotony of greys and brownscan be broken with sorbet colours.28

AllFatima Faheem scoops outdebonair neckties that will addflavour to your attireA man’s got to work with whatever he’s got whiledressing up in the morning. While suits are typicallygray, navy blue or black and the shirt a solid colour,it is the tie that adds a strong accent with itsinteresting pattern or contrasting colour.The Half Windsor KnotThe Half Windsor Knot is a fairly simpler versionof the Windsor knot. It is a symmetrical andtriangular tie knot that can be used with any dressshirt. It works best with somewhat wider necktiesmade from light to medium fabrics.Step 1: Bring the wide end around and behind the narrow end.Model: Riyad RahmanPhotos: Sakib MuhtasimStep 2: Bring the wide end up and pull it down through theloop. Cross the wide end around the front to the other side andget the wide end back up through the loop between the collarand the tie.Step 3: Pull the wide end down through the knot in front.Tighten the knot and bring it to the centre with both hands andyour Half Windsor Knot is all set!30

GlamourBeauty AlertThe Eldredge KnotAs opposed to the vast majority of tie knots, this isproduced by using the smaller one as the active end,creating a tapered fishtail braid-like effect. It’s a very fancyknot that will leave a lasting impression on your boss andcolleagues.Step 1: Make a dimple on the wide end and fold the narrowend underneath it. Cross it back in front through the loop.Step 2: Cross the narrow end behind the wide end andloop through the new opening created. Wrap the narrowend around the neck loop and then cross it to the otherside through the new loop.Step3: Pull the narrow end through the neck loop andcross it over the front. Next, pull it through the new loopand tuck the remaining end to your collar.The tie is complete!The Trinity KnotMuch like the Eldredge knot, it is a relatively recentinnovation. The pattern converges at a centre point,producing an eye-catching effect. It might seem a bitintimidating at first, but the steps are actually quite simple.Step 1: Make a dimple on the wide side and then loop the narrowend around the top.Step 2: Cross the narrow end twice, keeping it on the same side.This will create a heart shape. Loop the narrow end behind andover the top of the knot that was crossed over.Step 3: This is the tricky part! Take the narrow end and pull itaround behind the knot - don’t loop or cross it. Insert the endthrough the loop that got created. Pull it tight and the Trinityshould now be formed!If these styles seem too complicated, then stick to thetraditional ones. However, make sure that it does notlook off-putting. Follow the steps to ensure that youdon’t make any of the common mistakes when it comesto knotting a tie.Poorly tied: A poorly knotted tie is not even a style. A tietied too short or too long, a flimsy looking knot thatdoes not fill the gap between the collar, and a knot thatshows any part of the narrow end of the tie looksunappealing.Too short: Tie it up in such a manner so that it ends nearthe middle of your belt buckle. A tie that has been tiedtoo short will throw off the entire look. There is noexcuse for it! Even for tall men, most designers offerlonger ties.Wrinkled or stained: The necktie is usually the focal pointof your ensemble. Thus a wrinkled or a stained necktieis immediately noticeable. Since ties cannot be washedor ironed (because on doing so, the inlay and the drapeof the tie gets damaged), it is best to untie the tie oncedone with it. Also, hang your ties in a tie rack or over ahanger so that the fabric will straighten itself outovernight. Remember to rotate your ties and neverwear the same tie two days in a row. Bring back theoomph in your outfit and let these sexy knots do thetalking for you.31

GlamourWord on the StreetCarissa Musrat selects the trendiestpair of footsies from Cat’s EyeLace up loafersThese are a slightly casual version of loafers.Lace up loafers look great when paired withjeans, shorts and casual wear. Colours likebrick red, maroon and blue bring out thepulsating vigour in your style.Suede loafersThe artsy design, fabric and colours givethese shoes a rather ritzy andfashionable look. These are your bestfriends for daily wear.Suede broguePhotos: Ashraf Uddin ApuBrogues were hot last season and even hotter now!Widely originating from Scottish and Irish cultures, theyhave become a global fashion craze. The suede textureand a pale blue colour makes it casual, contemporary andstylish. Pair it up with jeans or dress pants and you are setto make a few heads turn.32

GlamourWord on the StreetLoafersCommonly known as ‘driving shoes’ for its easy wearand comfort, leather loafers speak style andsophistication. They come in a variety of colours butburgundy and brown are cult classics. They would gobest with semi-formals and can also be pulled offwell at formal occasions.Oxford shoesTimeless, elegant and classic, these pair up well withboth suits and tuxedos at formal or black tie events.They are mostly popular in black and brown, colourswhich give them a more polished look.00

GlamourFeatureFatima Faheem RaadiaHumayra Rahman Mitul pick outfunky framesShadyBusinessOval facesare thought tohave themostbalancedproportions.Consideryourselveslucky, as youcan pull offany type offrames34Didn’t we all go through that phase wherewe wore fake glasses to look cool? By the timewe realised how silly it was, some of us gotglasses - this time prescription ones.Nevertheless, the main idea is to be comfortablein whichever frame you choose for yourself.Heart-shaped faces have jaw lines that taper toa defined chin. While choosing glasses forheart-shaped faces, the goal is to minimise thewidth at the top of the face and to broaden thechin. Try avoiding frames that could exaggeratethe width of the forehead or the narrowness ofthe chin.Round faces are full and don’t have stronglines and angles. The goal should be to addcontrast to the face's natural curves and toavoid frames that could exaggerate theroundness of the face. By adding contrast, youcan make a round face appear thinner andlonger. A good rule of thumb is to chooseglasses that have wider frames, which give theillusion of a slimmer face. Your face is ideal totry glasses adorned with prints, bright colours,strong brow detailing, and otherembellishments, which all add contrast anddefinition to the face. Finally, glasses with aclear bridge can make your eyes appear widerwhile adjustable nose pads can prevent framesfrom resting on fuller cheeks.Square faces typically have strong jaw lines andfacial features defined by distinct angles. Whilechoosing glasses for square-shaped faces, theidea is to lengthen and soften the face's naturalangularity and to avoid frames that enhance thesharp facial features. By adding curving lines,you can make a square face appear thinner andsofter. Rounded and upswept frames will addcurves to the face while drawing attention awayfrom the square-like angles of the jaw. Pick outglasses that are wider than they are deep (i.e.tall), as wider frames make the face lookslimmer. Another trick you can try is to selectglasses in neutral colours (cream, beige, etc.),which help soften the angles of the face. Finally,oversized frames, like Jackie-O exaggeratedrounds, help to distract from the harshness of asquare jaw line.Oval faces are thought to have the mostbalanced proportions. Consider yourselveslucky, as you can pull off any type of frames.Avoid frames that could throw off your idealfacial proportions. Glasses with detailedembellishments will look great with those highcheek bones.Rounded and upswept frames will add curves tothe face while drawing attention away from thesquare-like angles of the jaw

GlamourStyleSpiffy likeyou mean itFlip through the following pages topick out some dapper styles andmake all heads turn.

GlamourStyleModel: Asif AzimWardrobe: SailorMakeup and hair: Farzana Shakil’sPhotos: Abu Naser38

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GlamourStyleModels: Raaz Mania, Tanzim Imran, Shanto KhanWardrobe: Cats EyeMakeup and hair: Farzana Shakil’sConcept and styling: Sunerah Binte KamalPhotos: Riyad Ashraf44

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GlamourStyleModels: Shariful Raaj, Hasib KamalWardrobe: EcstasyMakeup and hair: Farzana Shakil’sConcept and styling: Sunerah Binte KamalPhotos: Riyad Ashraf50

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Cover FocusP. 62 Cover Story: Making it countP. 72 Feature: Landing among the stars

Making it count“The starting point of all achievement is desire” – Napolen HillIdeas are a dime a dozen – even the great ones. But it only matters when you can churnthat idea into something substantial and make it flourish. Breaking conventions isalways difficult, sometimes even considered a taboo, although true success lies whenyou can tough it out and come out victorious. This month we bring to you men whodared to do it differently and we bring to you their riveting tales of success. Read on asthey discuss their achievements and passions.61

Cover FocusCover StoryCall it a stroke of luck or driving passion, S M Shaikat’s unremitting work in the field has earned himrecognition within the country and beyond. Diligently working towards women’s rights, Shaikat works forSocio Economic Rural Advancement Committee (SERAC-Bangladesh) and is the country coordinator forInternational Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP). He is also an Advisor to Bangladesh’s Global YouthCoalition on HIV/AIDS, and has been nominated as one of the hundred global young leaders by Women Deliverin 2013.I learnt that mostof the violencetowards womenwas because ofdowryWhat encouraged you to work forwomen’s rights?The fact that I am a man is whatencouraged me the most to work forthis issue. Since men are usually accusedof being the prime reason behind theshortcomings in women’s freedom, Iconsidered it my duty to work onaltering this mindset as much aspossible.I believe that by being a man if I amable to take a stance for women, thenmany other men might follow suit andultimately a day would come when menno longer are considered to be the majorcause of hindrance to women’s rights.What lead you to take this challenge?While studying LLB, I had to read upcases on domestic violence. I learnt thatmost of the violence towards womenwas because of dowry. This reallyKnockingout the hurdlesBy Mehrin Mubdi ChowdhuryPhoto: Ashraf Uddin Apu62

Cover FocusCover Storyaffected me and I wanted to do something to improvethe situation.I approached a few friends and relatives to join me inmy stance. Initially, everyone discouraged me sayingthat the concept of dowry was too deeprooted in ourculture. Also, they thought that being a man Iwouldn’t be able to make much of a difference.However, I was adamant. As the years passed andsocial media came into existence, things startedlooking up. I finally opened a page on Facebookcalling it Anti Dowry Awareness Program which washighly appreciated with innumerous ‘likes’ especiallyfrom men.How did project Jagoroni, one of your mostcelebrated projects, come into being?In 2013, Women Deliver had a global conference inMalaysia for youth leadership. My work regardingsocial awareness was selected as one of the top tenideas amongst thousands of submissions. Later, basedon the voting process, I won the competition. I wasgranted a stipend with which I started project Jagoroni.Jagoroni was a pilot project established in Mymensinghwhere six hundred and fifty young volunteersspanning over an area of thirteen districts had beentrained to revolt violence against women. We calledour volunteers Jagori which meant “uprising.” In casesof child marriages or dowry, they would immediatelyinform the law enforcement agencies and convincethem to take immediate action. Jagoris also had theduty to raise social awareness by giving lectures,distributing posters and stickers to the inhabitants, etc.Apart from your unending personal efforts who elsewould you like to dedicate your success to?It would be the three volunteers who have been helping mesince the inception of my first project. There are morevolunteers today, some of whom have formally joined asteam members. Apart from them, SERAC-Bangladeshcontributed widely by recognising and supporting my efforts.What were the major setbacks?There were many, but the major one was in the case ofcollaborative work. If leadership ideologies don’t match, thena project gets negatively affected. So it is better to work solothan to work with someone with different principles.Any profound message to the younger generation?Perseverance is the key to success. No matter how manytimes you fail, do not give up because there will come a daywhen you will be successful. People will fight you; they willalso mock you in every way possible. Do not be disheartenedeasily. Face life headfirst with courage and ultimately you willcome out victorious.What are your other accomplishments in the fieldof women empowerment?In 2010, after winning the UN habitat growthcompetition, we utilised the grant received to educatefifty women slum dwellers with life skills such assewing, handiwork, etc. Every year, we have a newbatch and with every new grant, we try to provide forthe latest batch of students.I believe that by being a man, if I am able totake a stance for women, then many othermen might follow suit and ultimately a daywould come when men no longer areconsidered to be the major cause ofhindrance to women’s rights

Cover FocusCover Storyirector of Pandora Associates, Deputy Chairperson of Jahan Education Group, Deputy Director ofBangladesh University, Quazi Taif Sadat is a man with many establishments under his belt. However,Dhe is best known for meticulously setting up reputed and effective charitable trust organisations like theSmile Foundation and the People’s Rokeya Foundation.I want to increase ourvolunteer base andwork further towardsimproving the societyHow did it all begin?I was always involved with charityorganisations; donating a portion of myincome regularly. However in 2011, amajor incident turned my life upsidedown. My mother was diagnosed withcancer and things simply went haywire.To harness back the lost happiness anddiscover the true meaning of existence Ithought of dedicating a major part of mylife to charity and hence SmileFoundation was conceived.Smile Foundation has made a bigname within such a short time, whatwould you say is the major drivingforce behind this achievement?The major driving force behind SmileA smile that fitsBy Mehrin Mubdi ChowdhuryPhoto: Ashraf Uddin Apu64

Cover FocusCover StoryFoundation is the work of young students volunteeringeveryday. They work diligently and believe that theirunited effort can help create a positive outcome. Thesevolunteers don’t seek any monetary benefit. They aresolely driven by the will to see a better society.How does Smile run? Is it true that the organisationhas not yet received any grant or external funding?Smile has not asked for or taken any monetary donationsfrom anyone as of yet; all the projects are financed by mybusinesses. Up until now, we only took donations in theform of books, clothes and food. I also want to add that,not taking financial donations from anyone has had atremendous effect on our volunteers. They believe inSmile’s initiatives and have faith in the organisation’smotives.How actively involved are the volunteers in theoperations?They are the major driving force behind Smile. We havea Smile student wing in almost all public and privateuniversities of Bangladesh. Whenever there is a disasteror a calamity in any part of the country, our team reachesthat area as soon as possible. Even the remotest part ofthe country is not out of our reach and the team can beat the spot within twenty four hours, at max.Besides Smile, what other projects are you currentlyworking on?I am the co-founder of People’s Rokeya Foundation.Fifty three orphans are currently residing in our shelterhouse for females. We provide them with training andalso plan to increase the number of students in theshelter.Your journey with Smile is very inspirational for theyounger generation. What message do you have forthem?Most young people nowadays are extremely mature,displaying the right amount of eagerness to work towardssocial welfare. I would like to say that wanting tocontribute is great but one must be self sufficient beforeone can donate. Try not to depend on others financially.Each one of you must personally try to reach a levelwhere you have enough to help others. Self sufficiency isthe best policy.What are your future plans with Smile Foundation?I want to increase our volunteer base and work furthertowards improving the society. Currently we have morethan seven hundred kids in remote areas of Bangladeshavailing our education programs. I am inspired by BRAC,which has over twenty thousand schools all overBangladesh. Although Smile has a long way to go, wehope to reach that dream number very soon.In case of disaster management, we have successfullydealt with the Rana Plaza mishap by setting up arehabilitation centre for the victims. In disastermanagement and support, our ideal is Centre for theRehabilitation of the Paralysed in Savar and somedaySmile hopes to be able to provide a massive scale ofsupport.I believe that to live a life of peace and harmonywe shouldn’t limit our lives to only earningmoney65

Cover FocusCover StoryPump ItBy Mahfuz Mizan and Nisha AliPhoto: Ashraf Uddin ApuIt’s about getting intoa shape that youdesireWorking out in a gym on a regular basis is generally associated with an objectiveto lose weight in our culture. ‘Fitness training is not just about becomingskinny, it’s about being in the best shape you can. I have clients who come tolose weight, those who aim to gain weight, and also those who wish to maintainthemselves overall. It’s about getting into a shape that you desire,’ says Ruslan, fitnessexpert and entrepreneur. Ruslan, whose humble beginnings included a one roomstudio for working out with one of each type of equipment is now the proud ownerof a 3000 square feet gymcalled “Ruslan’s Studio” witha rapidly increasing clientbase.It’s one thing that anoverweight individual workshard to shed the extra poundsfor absolute body sculpting,but to make a successfulcareer out of it is somethingextraordinary. In RuslanHossain’s inspiring story ofsuccess, an obese personliterally transforms into a"fitness expert" and runs oneof the most popular fitnesscentres in the capital.Back in 2005, Ruslan used tobe a young, obese individualwho ran out of breathclimbing stairs. Fed up withhis bodily encumbrance, hebegan working out at a gymwith his friend. Not knowingmuch about fitness, hereligiously followed whateverthe trainer there asked him todo. Soon, the results werevisible but he wasn’t satisfied,“I could see my armspumping up and thismotivated me to work harder,but I didn’t actually want alarge build. I was aiming for asix-pack with a lean build.”He set out in search for hisdesired physique by followingthe routine of others who hadthat structure. ‘I often visitedthe bodybuilding.com forumbecause it’s a treasure trove of66

Cover FocusCover Storyinformation on nutrition and workout plans. Aftercollecting information on the forum, I put my knowledgeinto practice,’ reveals Ruslan.‘First and foremost, comes the diet for sculpting yourbody and then a tailored workout routine to help youachieve your goal," adds Ruslan, who as a certifiednutritionist provides individualised diet plans besidesworkout routine to all his clients."When I began to workout, my parents and elders used to say that being on a diethas nothing to do with fitness. Then one day I saw mytrainer having chapatis with honey, that’s when I realisedthat my diet is a vital part to accomplish my goal."Through studies, gradually he gained an idea of what foodconsists of how many calories and what proportion oneshould have to stay fit.Ruslan participated in quite a few bodybuildingcompetitions in his initial years. He won a competitionorganised by Sports Zone in 2007 and was in the top fourfor Mr. Bangladesh contest in 2011. “I used to work outrelentlessly. Even if I was ill, I would get back as soon as Irecovered,” informs Ruslan. He completed a Bachelor(Honours) in Food Science & Nutrition from Kolkata in2011. To become a professional fitness trainer, he alsopursued a long distance six month course for SpecialistsPerformance Nutritionist from the International SportsScience Association in USA.Ruslan’s first gym set up was a spare room in his flat inMohakhali DOHS, where his friends became his firstclients who were inspired by his total transformation."Itwas a small set up so I couldn’t call it a gym, hence I optedfor the word studio. Due to space constraints, I couldn’ttrain more than ten people at a time, but I got greatfeedback,’ he recalls. After a while, with increasedmembers, he shifted to another space in MohakhaliDOHS by the end of 2010.Ruslan added more equipment along with assistant trainersand coached them on how to train each memberdepending on their goal. He tailored different diets andwork-out plans for the members."We’ve had clients whowant to gain weight, develop a six-pack and elderly peoplewho wish to retain a healthy lifestyle’. He monitors hisclients himself and he also sits down with them forpersonal consultation."If they are sincere and determinedto transform themselves, I back them up a hundredpercent," tells Ruslan. Due to the personalised attentionfrom the fitness expert and assistant trainers as well aspositive word of mouth, the number of members hasgrown rapidly, and in less than six months Ruslan’sStudio shifted to a prime location in Banani.Now a satisfied fitness expert, Ruslan hopes to increasehis knowledge on how to train better. He plans to sit forexams for a Certified Fitness Trainer from the AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine. The dedicated fitness traineris uncompromising regarding the training equipment andkeeps upgrading them on a regular basis even if it meanshuge sum of investment.When asked why he opted for a career in fitness, as it’snot perceived favourably in Bangladesh, he responded,"Sheer passion. I think the social perception is changingnow. People have begun to understand the significance ofleading a healthy lifestyle and they are more awareregarding fitness, which brings more respect to theprofession."Ruslan intends to eventually open up a fitness club with aswimming pool, gym and court for outdoor games and atthe same time keep training individuals to stayfit."Beginners in the gym must know that 90% of thetransformation is in one’s head and the rest depend ontheir eating habits and work out. It is difficult and you'llwant to give up but you need to have the mental strengthto keep going," states Ruslan.I could see my arms pumping up and thismotivated me to work harder, but I didn’tactually want a large build. I was aiming for asix-pack with a lean build67

Cover FocusCover StoryOwing to the success of his food joints, Melange, Mirage, Wow Burger and recently Tokyo Express,Nafees Reza Vicky has become a popular name in the food industry. His journey in the food servicebusiness began five years ago when the sector was relatively untapped. Although several food joints inDhaka kicked off with a bang in the last five years, many had to close shop due to the tremendous competitionin the industry. Fortunately, none of Vicky’s ventures had been a part of this trend. He has established thatdespite all the competition, the fluctuations in the food service sector and all other odds, his ventures have thecapacity to stand strong and he is definitely here to stay.“I’ve always been arisk-taker; I knew that thisis what I wanted to do”“Back in 2009, when I was in London,I used to regularly visit cafes andlounges. I was overwhelmed by theextraordinary service and treatment Ireceived from such places. This wassomething that was missing in Dhaka.That’s when I planned to own a foodjoint that gave customers such anexperience of warmth and comfort,”shares the thirty-three year old foodentrepreneur. Upon completing hisMBA and another Master degree,when he finally returned to Dhaka in2010, he noticed that people hardlyhad anything to do for recreation.Even though his father wanted him tojoin the family business, the younggraduate decided to follow his heart,taking a huge risk in an unfamiliarterritory. “I’ve always been arisk-taker; I knew that this is what Iwanted to do. After my mother agreedto use the land where Melange standstoday, I called my close friend TanvirAzad to discuss plans. My familymembers lent their full support,” saysVicky. The two began to look forother potential partners andRecipe forSuccessBy Nisha AliPhoto: Reaz Shariar Rahman68

Cover FocusCover Storyeventually joined hands with Zafar Iqbal to begin theirjourney in food industry with Melange.“Melange became an instant success on its inception.We pulled in a diverse crowd, starting from youngindividuals to corporate professionals. From the verybeginning, we strictly followed certain rules, such asensuring that customers are of minimum twenty-oneyears if they wanted to order sheesha. We are proud tohave created a fuss-free environment with Melange andMirage. Despite having no idea about the kitcheninitially, I quickly learned the ropes from my partners.Other than training the staff, we handled marketing,accounts, and customer service. Soon we reaped thebenefits as a team,” expresses Vicky.Managing a restaurant wasn’t all about the success andprofits either – during peak hours Vicky lent a hand intaking orders and even washing plates. “It’s somethingI do, even today when required. I still take orders fromcustomers and collect their bills. When I was abroad, Ilearnt that doing your own work and helping out thestaff makes things smoother,” Vicky candidlyexpresses. According to him, it’s not enough to justopen up a plush restaurant; it’s vital for owners to bedeeply involved with the business in order to ensure itssmooth operation, understand consumer behaviourand estimate the finances.“Customer service is crucial in the success of restaurantbusiness. If, in rare circumstances, customers areunsatisfied with the food or the service, we either don’tcharge them or offer discounts to make sure we retainour clients,” elaborates Vicky.Once the business was stable and the partners atMelange had gathered enough experience, theyconceived the idea of doing something on a largerscale. In 2013, Mirage was opened in affiliation withKabir Reza, owner of Dhaka Regency Hotel. Mirageconsisted of three sections - café, lounge and finedining.On the topic of customer satisfaction, Vicky shares,“Our employees are a crucial part of customersatisfaction and we wouldn’t have been so successfulwithout them. Maintaining the staff is very importantas customers expect to see familiar faces. Other thancommissions, we try to help our staff as much aspossible, like financial aid for their weddings orrebuilding their village homes,” informs Vicky.Two years ago, Vicky along with a few partners enteredthe food cart business with Wow Burger. There wereabout thirty carts, competing vigorously with oneanother. Among them, Wow Burger gained a loyal fanbase. “It’s a small enterprise which caters to people ofall ages at an affordable rate,” says Vicky. Last year,Wow Burger started their own shops in Banani andUttara, while the cart operation continues.Nafees Reza Vicky’s latest venture, Tokyo Express is quitedifferent from his previous ones. It’s a posh Japaneserestaurant in Banani which, despite being a month old, hasgained immense popularity. One of his partners at TokyoExpress said, “Apart from the hard work and businessinsight which every partner brings, Vicky’s strong socialnetwork has been a tremendous forte for us."“I’ve been blessed with supportive partners, employees,and the prayers of my family and loved ones,” says Vicky,“The supportive nature and encouragement of my wifewho is a barrister and understands work pressure atungodly hours, has been vital to my success. There areseveral other things in the pipeline and I hope theybecome equally successful.”When asked to express his opinion about the growingcompetition in food business Vicky responds with a smile,“Greater diversity in choices for consumers, isn’t that agreat thing? As for the owners of such joints, we have toconstantly be on our toes to ensure that we’re keeping ourcustomers happier than our competitors. For me, theincreased competition is a positive sign because it helpsraise the bar.”69

Cover FocusCover StoryPhoto: Ashraf Uddin ApuLet there be lightWBy Sheikh Sadaf Tasinhat if an average man was made to spend an entire day in the slums of Dhaka city? The first thinghe would notice is the eerie darkness. The slums are built in a way which allows little or no lightto enter into the homes. The residents of slums had found a temporary fix by borrowingelectricity from neighbouring electrical poles. But the procedure itself is inconvenient and against the lawsince it leads to misuse of non-renewable energy. Sajid Iqbal, founder of CHANGE, talks about hisproject Botol Bati, a noble initiative to curb electricity inconveniences in the slums.Sajid Iqbal completed his Bachelor degree in Environmental Science and Management, from NorthSouth University. He was also actively involved in the sport of fencing and participated in severaltournaments for the BangladeshNational Fencing team. He is currentlyrunning a research and consultancyfirm called CHANGE, which is theglobal partner of Liter of Light that isactive in eleven countries. Sajid Iqbaland his team are installing solar lightbulbs made from plastic bottles inslum areas which provide properenvironmental friendly lighting tothese households.Iqbal founded the consultancy firm,CHANGE in October 2013. Thefirm seeks to provide renewableenergy using eco-friendly solutionslike bottle lights, reduced carbonemission and proper lighting tohouseholds in the slums. They are alsothe global partners with Liter of Light.In addition, Iqbal has gathered agroup of hard working volunteers,from different universities, who areassociated with this firm. Severalworkshops are also organised byCHANGE to get the youth involvedin environment friendly activities.Amongst all their projects, Botol Batihas gained recognition.The idea for Botol Bati which meansbottle light was conceived back in2012, when Sajid was half waythrough his bachelor’s degree. Afriend of his, shared a YouTube videoshowcasing the activities of anorganisation called the Liter of Lightin Philippines, where solar light bulbs

Cover FocusCover Storymade up of bottles were installed in slums. This struckSajid as a brilliant idea and he thought this could beimplemented in Bangladesh as well. Since 95% of theslum households in the country use illegal electricity, aproject like this would reduce the misuse of electricityand also benefit the environment. He used this idea asa research paper for university. “We convinced aboutfour to five families from the slum areas of theMuslim camp to adopt this new technique. Initially,we faced a lot of challenges. One common problemwas rainwater leaking from the roof tops. Moreover,we also had to face issues like social acceptance.Despite all obstacles, finally we got a positiveresponse from a lady who wove saris for a living. Shehad to get her job done even if it was under minimallighting. Considering her conditions, this bottle lightwas a godsend. It was inspiring to see that this projectwas actually helping people and that encouraged meto pursue this more seriously,” the twenty-six year oldenvironmentalist informs.Sajid entered a social business competition organisedby South Asian Youth Leaders' Summit. Later thatyear, he presented the idea of bottle lights at theSummit with its environmental benefits and came outas the first runner up.With the attention from the local media, Sajid Iqbal’sefforts finally caught the eye of the Liter of Lightorganisation situated in the Philippines. “We signed acontract with Liter of Light to be their partner inBangladesh in September 2012. They provided astrong global network and allowed the sharing ofinformation. After that, we got in touch with theGerman and Swiss embassies about expanding thisproject. The German corporation called GIZ handedus an eight month long project in March 2013. Theproject entailed installing bottle lights in a new slumcalled Baoniabadh. We installed two hundred and fiftylight bulbs and in the end ,we found that we reducedthe electricity misuse to 8.3 megawatts per month.Furthermore, three hundred and twenty kilograms ofcarbon emission were also reduced. Twenty eightmore lights were installed in a school at the Genevacamp of Mohammadpur.” To overcome the socialchallenges, Iqbal came up with a plan to campaignabout the environmental benefits by giving out leafletsto make people aware that bottle lights shouldn’t haveanything to do with their social status. In September2014, CHANGE distributed Botol Bati, amongst schoolchildren of Khasia community in a remote area calledDouble Chhara in Sylhet. After researching and slogging ata workshop for more than six months, Sajid Iqbal andAsaduzzaman Noor, the technician working for Change wasable to develop the design and the first unit of Solar Bati.CHANGE provided thirty-two lights at Double Chhara tothe best four students from each class of the school at theend of a seminar titled “Solar Light Distribution Project”.At the seminar, Iqbal showed the students how to use thesolar lights.About his future plans, Iqbal said that with assistance fromthe government and private organisations, CHANGE plansto expand. In addition to this, he is involved in extensiveresearch to use bottle light technology for industrialpurposes. Iqbal hopes to get the youth more involved inenvironmental based activities in Bangladesh.

Cover FocusInterviewLanding among the starsPhotos: Abu NaserInternationalsupermodel Asif Azimreveals himself in aninterview with Nisha Alirom a small village Amjhupi in Meherpur, to establishing himself inFthe modeling haven of Mumbai, Asif Azim has indeed made it big.However, being one of the top ten male super models in the worldisn’t just about sharp looks, chiseled jawlines and ripped bodies. Itrequires much more than that to survive and grow in a competitive industrylike modeling, reveals Asif Azim.A graduate in Economics from Dhaka University, Asif had to initially facehis father’s disapproval who didn’t want him to take up modeling as a career.72

Cover FocusInterviewBut that never stopped him from dreaming big. Eventually being handpicked by outstanding designers likeBibi Russell to Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Manish Malhotra, made him believe in himself more. He haswalked on the ramps of fashion weeks of Spain, Sydney and Dubai to name a few and in countless othersin Mumbai, where he’s been residing for more than a decade. Last month, he walked the ramp inBangladesh after nine long years to endorse the new fashion brand Sailor.What made you join a new Sailor after endorsingCats Eye for several years?I dream for a better future for my country. I want theworld to know Bangladesh not only as a readymadegarment exports, but also as a fashion label, fusing ourunique culture and rich heritage with international looks.Epyllion Group has had twenty years of experience inRMG before venturing into fashion retail with Sailor. Ibelieve that Sailor has the strength and capacity tobecome a household name in Bangladesh and surely inthe global fashion scene. To transform my dream intoreality, I chose to endorse Sailor. I had great experienceworking with sailor so far and I wish to embark on anepic journey and forge stronger ties with my homecountry Bangladesh.You have walked the ramp last month at the launchprogram of Sailor. How was it walking the ramp inBangladesh after nine years? How different is itfrom India?It’s always a delight to return to where you started outfrom and be surrounded by the people you love.Honestly, the thought of walking on the ramp inBangladesh after nine years did make me a tad bitnervous. But the crowd was so welcoming that I wasabsolutely thrilled. As a fashion industry, I believe wehave come really far from where we began ten years ago.If we continue to give our efforts and support eachother, we can rise and stand shoulder to shoulder withthe Indian fashion industry in the near future.When endorsing Sailor, you are saying it representsyour personal taste and style. How does it actuallyrepresent your taste?In a way, every man is a sailor, facing ups and downs butstill managing to rise against the odds and stand strong.The label’s theme is ‘Sailing life’ and is intended toinspire people to be prepared for any challenge in life,just like a sailor, which is where I resonate with thebrand. As a brand, it instills self-confidence in thepeople who wear it. They have luxurious, formal attires,casual wear as well as outfits representing our heritage.The fabrics used are of premium quality and the cuts ofthe outfits are trendy, which sets the brand apart. I likewearing brands which provide me with comfort andconfidence, which is something that Sailordoes.What was it like to meet the superstarSalman Khan?Salman bhai is like an elder brother to me.He is an honest, genuine human being andalways brings out the best in people.You adopted eleven children? How did youtake on such a huge responsibility?I’d like to skip that. I believe one should dotheir good deeds in private, and not forpublicity or to show others. I hope Almightygives me the capacity to do much more formy country and mankind in general.What are the biggest lessons you havelearnt from Big Boss?Big Boss is a reality game show wherevarious celebrities have to live under oneroof and adapt to each other’s company andthe interactions are shown on television.The participants are always plotting in orderto win. I tried to make them understand thatthey shouldn’t forget what they have gainedthroughout their lives, but I couldn’t changetheir mindset or actions. There werefourteen of them and none of them couldchange me. If I look back, one of thebiggest lessons I learnt is, it definitely mademe know myself better and enabled me tostay true to my principles. Overall, Big Bosshas given me greater exposure and I amgrateful for that.How difficult is it for someone toestablish himself in Bollywood? Haveyou made any progress in terms of youracting career?I think in order to be a great model; youneed to be an actor to some extent. Nomatter how you are feeling, or what’s goingon in your life, you have to carry yourself ina certain way in front of the camera. I won’tsay it’s easy, but I believe, if you have talentand true passion for anything, it may take73

Cover FocusInterviewThings wedon’t knowaboutAsif AzimAre you ever shy in frontof the camera?Not really, but it’s difficultto be your true self in frontof the camera.How do you work underpressure?I try to stay as calm as I canto get the job done.Pressure helps to get thebest out of me.What’s the toughest thingabout being a model?You always need to takecare of yourself: yourphysique and your mentalhealth.If you could eat only onemeal for the rest of yourlife, what would it be?Any meal cooked by mymother, particularly Hilshacurry with rice.What’s the bestcompliment you haveever received?To be the way I am and tonever change myself.time but you’ll reach there. There arepotential projects in the pipeline whichare yet to be announced.What kind of barriers have you facedin the modeling or acting industry?How do you work your way out of it?Every model/actor has to face that, butfor me the challenge has been biggerbecause I had to learn foreign languageslike Hindi and Urdu and I am stillworking on them. Acceptance is also noteasy there. Initially a few models wantedto harm me because I was an outsider andwithin a short time, I was able to carve aname for myself.When you live away from home, there is acertain type of responsibility that youfeel. You need to be your best whenrepresenting your country. I feel happywhen people say my name. they don’t justsay “Asif Azim” but they say “Asif Azimfrom Bangladesh.” Every industry has itsown barriers. Hard work and dedicationto my goal is how I work my way out ofsetbacks.Do you have any big plans for theglamour industry in Bangladesh?I wish to add more to the glamourindustry here. I believe Bangladesh is apowerhouse of talents, even for models,but what they lack is proper grooming. Iwish to create a platform here likeMr/Miss Bangladesh, followinginternational standards, so that thewinners can eventually attend globalcontests like Mr/Miss Universe. I alsowant to organise fashion weeks to givegreater exposure to local designers andraise the bar in the fashion industry here.Is there any cause or issue that issignificant to you?Depression, mental health and medicaltreatment. There are treatments forphysical illnesses but when it comes tomental illness, people shy away from it.Instead of helping those who sufferfrom it, they add to the sufferings bystigmatising them. Greater awarenessmust be created regarding mental health.Anything you want to share with ourreaders?No matter how big a tree becomes, itmust remember its roots. Alwaysremember and respect your roots.Looks fade away, all that remain are thegood deeds we do and how we are ashuman beings. I take every job as mylast job and try to give my best, in case Idon’t get the opportunity to do the nextone.74

Drawing and Illustration: Jason Sabbir DhaliYour SpaceP. 78 Breaking Barriers: On Top of the GameP. 80 Recipes: The Mighty LeafP. 88 Hangout: All Set to SizzleP. 90 Review: Just Beat ItP. 92 Review: Illuminating BoishakhP. 94 Relationship: BustedP. 96 Entertainment: Welcome to the New AgeP. 98 Game On: And, Kick off!P. 104 Culture Vulture: Breaking the Stereotype77

Your SpaceBreaking BarriersOn top of the gameA successful businessman, strategicplanner and Ted fanatic, SalmanHossain Beg believes he is a ‘socialconnector.’ Carissa Musrat unravels hisbig plansPhoto: Ashraf Uddin ApuHead of sales andmarketing of Green and RedTechnologies and ChiefRevenue Officer of GenexInfosys Ltd, Salman’sprofessional experiencemakes him a highly credibleexpert. He provides anobjective assessment of thedigital ad market in ourcountry, the challengesfaced and a more valuableway of utilising the internetfor the benefit of the usersand advertisers.78

Your SpaceBreaking BarriersQWhat led you to move toGreen and Red technologiesand leave your previous job?Before joining G&R, I worked withQubee. I decided to join Qubee toget a little taste of the corporateworld. As I understood the basicsand complications of brands, Iwanted to experiment a little morewith my career and jump into onlinelocal startups. G&R, as a product,had the right potential to fuel myambition and hence I moved.What do you find mostinteresting while working inGreen & Red Technologies?The first thing that strikes me is theculture here. G&R being a local techstartup has the interesting culture ofbinding people together, startingfrom the CEO to the executives.There’s a lot of positive energywhile we casually brainstorm anddiscuss new ideas which keepsthings interesting. Also, we are veryactive on sports and social media.What’s more is that we give ouremployees the opportunity topursue their own projects while theyare at work.Being the head of sales andmarketing, what is thebiggest challenge you face?How do you tackle it?Well, coming from Qubee to G&Rthe first thing I was concerned withwas the level of literacy in theagencies. Clients and advertisersknew the concept of digital mediabut did not have an in-depthknowledge to actually reap thebenefits of this medium. So insteadof promoting G&R, I tried tospread knowledge among peopleabout online media. Anotherchallenge was to make peopleunderstand that G&R is not anagency but a technology companywhich understood online media verywell and knew how to turn clientsinto stakeholders who understandthe ecosystem better.What are the unique sellingpoints of your company andhow is it different from therest?G&R is a technology company andnot an agency which is a uniqueselling point in it itself. We are theonly one that serves ads with atechnology that explains so muchabout the user. This helpsadvertisers learn a lot about theirtarget market. In a nutshell, we serveover twenty million ads a day and wecan reach more than eight millionpeople on a weekly basis. So itjustifies us being the largest onlinedigital marketplace at the moment inour country.What would you say is yourdriving force?I used to be an introvert. Comingfrom a middle class family and myfather being in the army, I livedinside a cocoon and was unaware ofhow the world worked. Therefore, Ifeel my driving force came from thetonnes of exposure I got later inlife. With diverse experiences, Igathered more knowledge of theworld outside. Finally, switchingmyself to be a ‘yes man’ ineverything also worked wonders forme.Apart from that, you areactively involved with manytraining program, workshopsand events such as Tedx.Tell us more about theseevents and what you want toachieve through theseprograms?These are my personal hobbies andmy involvements in these programshave no connection with my job atG&R and Genex. Basically, Tedx is acommunity where we bring ininteresting people every year andcome up with ideas in a diversifiedform. We try implementing theseideas in bringing a change in thesociety. Tedx was organisedindependently by volunteers andwasn’t funded by any big sponsor.However, Tedx enabled a platformfor the crowd to listen to people’sunheard stories and get inspired inthe process. I have also beeninvolved with Google BusinessGroup for the last couple of years.In the last two years, we have beenpositioned number 1 in rankingamongst other Google BusinessGroups in the world. Since I aminvolved with this community, I ambeing able to represent a part ofwhat Ted is doing in Bangladesh. Asa social connector, it’s myresponsibility to help peopleconnect through a platform.What do you personallywant the company toachieve in the next fewyears?Given a couple of years, G&Rshould become a leading technologycompany with multiple productsthat are helping local contentdevelopers earn money and turn oneof the fastest growing contentplatform in Bangladesh mobile. Thiswill help those content providersmonetise them as well andeventually help advertisers reachmillions of Bangladeshis usingmobile devices.As a social connector,it’s my responsibility tohelp people connectthrough a platform79

Your SpaceRecipesTheMightyLeafAidha Cader looks intothe history and diversityof the humble cup of teaPhotos: AbuNaser@StationChinese Green TeaIngredientsA pinch of green tea leaves per cupWaterPreparation:Add a few Chinesegreen tea leaves intoeach cup. Pour hotwater into the cupsbefore it reaches boilingpoint. Discard thewater after a fewseconds. Pour hot wateronce again into eachcup with tea. Let it soakfor a few minutesbefore drinking.Oriental OriginsConsidered to be one ofthe world’s healthiest andpopular beverages, teahas been quenching thethirsts of many since 2737BC. The emperor of Chinawas the first to discover itshealing properties. Tealeaves were used as areligious offering duringthe Zhou Dynasty. Duringthe Han Dynasty it wasavailable only for the royalfamilies. By 618 BC it hadreached various societiesin the Tang Dynasty and itwas from then thatdrinking tea became aprivilege even among theordinary people.80

Classic English TeaIngredients3 cups Boiling water2 tsp Twinings, Classic English Breakfasttea leavesSugar and milk as requiredYour SpaceRecipesPreparation:Bring water to boil in the kettle.Pour a small amount of boilingwater into the teapot and replacethe lid. Empty out the hot waterfrom the teapot. Take the kettleto the stove and re-boil thewater. Add tea leaves into theteapot. Take the pot to the kettleand pour the water. The rule ofthumb is one teaspoon of tealeaves per cup. Cover with a lidand let it steep for a minute.Strain the tea into the teacup andadd cold milk and sugar asdesired.Creating CultureTea arrived in England in the17 th century when King Charlesthe second married thePortuguese princess, Catherineof Braganza. The Queen madetea available only for royalfamilies and soon it became apopular import into Britain viathe East India Company.Afternoon Tea was considered atrue British custom which gainedinternational popularity bythe19 th century. The credit forthis custom goes to Anna, the 7 thDuchess of Bedford. She used tohave scones, sandwiches, cakesand biscuits with her eveningtea. It was from there, the cultureof afternoon tea and tea partieswere adopted.81

Your SpaceRecipesMatcha Mint CoolerIngredients:3 sachets Matcha, 6g eachA handful of Mint leaves1 Lime, slicedSugar to taste3 cups Chilled waterPreparationPre-heat a Matcha bowl in hotwater, dispense the water and dryout the bowl. Add the Matchapowder into the bowl. Pour afew drops of hot water at 70°Cinto the Matcha. Using a warmedbamboo whisk, mix the powderwith the water until the tea isreasonably thick, smooth andwithout froth. Crush mint leavesin a jar. Add the Matcha, chilledwater, lemon slices and sugar.Serve chilled.Customary CeremonyDuring the Tang Dynasty, teaculture was brought to Japan bypriests. They got accustomed to thedrink when they were studying inChina. It was first consumed forhealth benefits and also to stayawake during meditation. Thepriests developed the art ofJapanese Tea Ceremony and forsharing tea in a sacred andspiritual manner. Matcha is finelyground powdered green tea. TheJapanese tea ceremony centers onthe preparation, serving, anddrinking of Matcha.

Your SpaceRecipesGoing GlobalMint Green TeaMoroccan Mint TeaIngredients5 Cups of boiling water1 tbsp Green tea leaves2 tbsp SugarA handful of fresh Mint leavesPreparationBoil the water and pour a smallamount in the teapot, swishing itaround to warm the pot. Combinethe mint, green tea and sugar in theteapot, and fill it with hot water. Letthe tea brew for 3 minutes. Set theteapot over the stove and simmerunder low heat for 10 minutes.Remove from the fire and pour aglass of tea into the cup. Pour itback into the pot and repeat thisprocess a few of times. Pour the teainto the cups from a higher distanceto create foam.MaghrebIt is believed that green tea knownlocally as gunpowder- tea was firstintroduced by the English into theMaghreb in the 18th century. Theserving of mint tea can take aceremonial form, especially whenprepared for a guest. Traditionallyin this region, women prepare themeals whilst the men make tea.The beverage is a symbolism ofhospitality and prepared by thehead of the family. Mint Tea isserved not only at mealtimes butalso through the day. It isconsumed socially, in tea bars as

Your SpaceRecipesMasala TeaIndiaIn the 1830s, the British East IndiaCompany grew concerned with theChinese monopoly on tea and tobreak its reliance on Chinese tea, theybegan mass cultivation of teaplantations in Sri Lanka and parts ofIndia. However, consumption of blacktea within India remained low until thepromotional campaign by theBritish-owned Indian Tea Associationin the early 20 th century. Theyencouraged factories, mines, andIngredients½ cup Milk½ cup Water2 tsp Sugar1 tsp loose Black tea leaves¼ tsp Chai masala (black pepper, dryginger powder, cinnamon powder,clove powder, nutmeg powder)textile mills to provide tea breaks fortheir workers and supported chaiwallahs throughout the railway system.The Indian Tea Association initiallydisapproved of independent vendors'tendency to add spices and greatlyincrease the proportions of milk andsugar, thus reducing their usage of tealeaves. However, traditional Ayurvedicspiced tea recipes gained popularityand became the mainstreambeverage in post-colonial India.Preparation:Pour all the ingredients into asaucepan and place it on mediumheat. When the milk comes to aboil, turn off the heat and stirwell. Repeat this twice over. Allowto steep for a few more minutes.Strain into a cup and serve.Ingredients¼ cup Dried boba tapioca pearls2 cup Water2 teabags of Black Tea per serving½ cup Water½ cup SugarSweetened condensed milk to tastePreparation:Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Add the boba and stir until they begin tofloat. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 12 minutes. Set aside for 15minutes, drain them from the water and transfer them to a small bowl.Prepare the sugar syrup by bringing ½ cup of water to boil with thesugar. Pour the sugar syrup over the boba and refrigerate for a few hours.Prepare a cup of tea: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heatand add the tea bags. Remove the tea bags after 15 minutes and chill thetea.Assembly: Pour the prepared tea into a tall glass and add the boba. Pourthe condensed milk and stir.Taiwanese Bubble TeaTaiwanBubble tea is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung in the1980s. It is believed that the recipe was inspired by the way theJapanese prepared and served cold coffee. The drink became popularin most parts of East and Southeast Asia during the 1990s and is thepreferred tea in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as well.

Your SpaceRecipesFlu FightersTulsi tea is rich in anti-oxidants,which helps the body to fight freeradicals that are responsible forcausing various chronicdegenerative diseases. Tulsi teadoes wonders to severalrespiratory illnesses ranging froma mild cold and cough tobronchitis and asthma. Tulsi helpsSpiced Tulsi TeaIngredients:1 bag Kazi & Kazi tulsi tea3 thin slices of Ginger root3 tbsp Lemon juice2 tbsp Honey½ tsp Cinnamon, ground¼ tsp Clove, groundCayenne pepper to tasteto enhance the immune system,suppression of cough and helpsin expelling out the phlegm.This herbal tea is loaded withanti-bacterial, antifungal andanti-inflammatory properties thatcan help in fighting infections aswell as inflammations andallergies in the respiratory tract.Preparation:In a large cup of hot water, steepthe teabag and the sliced ginger.Add the lemon juice, honey andspices and stir well. The tea willbe cloudy.HealthyHangoversGinger & Lemongrass TeaIngredients6 Lemongrass, smacked and cut to inches50g Ginger, sliced1 teabag of Lipton Chamomile1 litre WaterHoney to tastePreparationAdd all the ingredients except for the honey and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat and simmer for an hour. Strain on to a glass and mixin the honey. Drink it warm.Calming the SensesGinger has medicinal properties and aids the digestive system.Lemongrass is used in Ayurvedic medicine to relieve cough andnasal congestion. Chamomile is used to aid sleeping problems. Thistea is a perfect drink to have before going to bed.

Your SpaceRecipesStrawberry SensationIngredients4 Cups boiling water2 teabags Twinings Strawberry &RaspberryTen strawberries, slicedA handful of dried cranberriesSugar to tastePreparationAdd the teabag into the hot waterand let it steep for 20 minutes. Stir inthe other ingredients and set aside inthe refrigerator to cool. Remove theteabag and serve.Fruit FusionFruit tea is an exotic drink that isgaining popularity. There are manybenefits of drinking fruit tea, as it ispacked with assorted vitamins andminerals. They are made fromcombinations of fruits, herbs andspices. Made in the same way astraditional black tea, fruit is gratedand shredded into fine pieces andthen dried. Fruit tea provides a freshand revitalising cocktail and can beserved both hot and cold, dependingon the seasons.

Your SpaceRecipesIngredients:¼ cup dried Hibiscusflowers¼ cup dried Apple cubes5 cups of boiling waterSugar to tastePreparationMix in the Hibiscusflowers into the hot water,cover and set asideovernight. Strain thepetals. Mix in sugar andapple. Refrigerate for 3hours before serving.Hibiscus and apple

All setto sizzleNatasha Rahman explores the intenseflavours of LucknowStepping into the ambient premises ofLucknow, you immediately feel at home.Accentuated by tasteful paintings andclassical music, Lucknow presents a traditional yetrustic atmosphere. Give some of these signaturedishes a try and let the splendid Awadhi cuisine takeyou over.The Chicken RaraTender pieces of chicken cooked in adeliciously thick minced chicken gravy, theChicken Rara looks promising. But whatmakes the Rara a must try is the delicatesweet-spicy taste of the chicken mince thatgoes well with both biriyani and naan. Thebest thing is that it will satiate yourtastebuds, without filling you up too much.Tandoori Stuffed AlooAdmittedly, potatoes aren’t exactly anutritious choice, but you might as wellallow the Tandoori Stuffed Aloo tochange your mind. The carbs are cookedin a tandoor and stuffed with supplefillings of vegetables and beans. Theveggie fillings are a soft mash that lightensup the dish and adds that extra flavour.Photo: Abu Naser@Station88The GalawtiAvailable in mutton and beef, no praise is worthy enough ofthe Galawti. At first glance, it appears no different than aregular shami kabab- until you take a bite of this melting massof softness. Slightly crispy on the outside, the quiveringsoftness of the meat will have you reeling. Subtly spiced, theGalawti is exceptional. Paired with parathas, it makes for asumptuous meal and has enough substance to stand on itsown as a stellar starter.

Paneer MalaiTikkaWhile tikkas in general arereputed for being dry and bland,the Paneer Malai Tikka comes asa pleasant surprise. As you biteinto the semi blistered surface ofthe paneer, it easily breaks openin succulent bits. Nestled inbetween fresh tomatoes andcapsicums, the true delights ofthese skewered tikkas are in theirtender texture.Your SpaceHangoutBeef BhunaChicken LucknowiStewWhile the beef bhuna doesn’t stand as tall and proud as theother items, it tastes decent and is a popular choice amongregular customers. This spicy dish is served in generousamounts which make it perfect to be eaten in severalhelpings with naan or plain rice.The Chicken Lucknowi Stew is a mildercounterpart to the other heavier currieson the menu. The sweetness of theonions adds to the flavour while thedelicious morsels of chicken are buriedin a creamy curry. The stew brings abouta refreshing change from the othermasala-infused chicken dishes. Themildness of the dish will make you wantto slow down and savour this delicacy.ChickenTangriDrumsticks maybe ahousehold favourite, butnothing puts a smokytwist on them like theChicken Tangri.Delicately marinated in amixture of speciallyformuted spices, thegrilled chicken pieceshave mastered thatcharred, tandoori flavour.The tandoori chicken ischar-grilled on theoutside and juicy on theinside. Dip these smokylegs in mint chutney for azesty zing.With so many restaurants mushrooming all over the city, what makes Lucknowa pace setter is the authentic Awadhi flavours that you shall find in each oftheir dishes. With more hits than misses, Lucknow is now set to take the cityon a culinary journey that will cajole you to be back for more.60 E, Kamal Attaturk AvenueBanani, Dhaka

Just beat it!Burger 104What goes wrong with spicy burgers isthat if it’s too hot, it ruins the flavour.However, the Burger 104 got it justright. With fresh jalapenos nestledbetween the patty and the bun, thetanginess prepares your tastebuds fora spicy hit. If your tongue is used tothe sizzle, then this burger would giveyou that fiery kick without offendingyour stomach. The mayonnaise andgherkins soothe some of the heat inthe sauce and their paneer adds a deshiflavour to the patty.Natasha Rahman walks into Café Beats andcomes out with a delighted stomachBurgers are the best grab-and-go items when you arein a rush or just want to calm those growling horsesin your stomach. Mashharul Huda Anan and RafiqulIslam Sanju decided to jump on the burgerbandwagon. Taking off in February, they developed acompact menu of burgers, sandwiches and drinks forCafé Beats.Grilled Chicken Cheese SandwichFor those of you who have a smallappetite, the grilled chicken cheese isyour go-to sandwich. You can’t reallygo wrong with chicken and cheese,and a serving of two golden brownsandwiches easily makes for a lightlunch or an evening snack. Thelettuce adds an earthy crunch and themelted cheese easily makes this afavourite.Cheese SuprimoGrilled just right, the patty retains itsmoist juicy texture, and the gooeymolten cheese add to the glory of thecheese suprimo. If you love supplebutton mushrooms and sauteedonions, this burger will reach out toyour tastebuds. Immersed in theirspecial homemade mayo, you have aspectacular combination. This one is amust try.90Find Cafe Beats atHouse 61, Road 6/A. Anam Rangs Plaza

Your SpaceReviewIlluminatingBaishakh92

Your SpaceReviewIt is anationalcelebrationwithpeoplefrom allwalks oflifeenjoyingthis day tothe fullestn the eve of Pahela Baishakh,Coca-Cola Alokito Baishakhbrought together a fun and livelyevent at Rabindra Sharabar,Dhanmondi. Pahela Baishakh iscelebrated with much fervor withthe nation always comingtogether to enjoy this festiveoccasion. Although there aredifferent celebrations for different religions, this isone celebration where the whole nation celebrates asone. Even before the day arrives, there is a lot ofhappy commotion around this festival and peopleare already in the mood to celebrate. Hence, Coca-Cola decided to create a beautiful atmospheredecorated with diyas and faanush to welcome theNew Year. The event took off with ShafiMondal’s Baul music then came in Aditi Mohsin,followed by Nemesis and Bappa Majumderlivening up the event. When James from NagarBaul started singing, the crowd cheered on.Everyone sang together in unison to lace feeta lace,mirabai, dushtu cheler dol chonno charar dol. Baishakhhas come a long way from being bound to oldtraditions of maintaining the halkhata anddistributing sweets amongst well wishers. It is anational celebration with people from all walks oflife enjoying this day to the fullest. The event’smotto was peace, harmony and unity. To welcomethe early morning sun of Baishakh, thousands ofdiya and faanush were illuminated near theDhanmondi Lake. The crowd enjoyed this surrealatmosphere where the night sky was brightenedwith the thousands of lit up wicks. Also, there wasa delicious spread of Hilsha and panta bhaat, alongwith assorted sweets, phuchka, chotpoti, tehari for thefood lovers. With social media buzzing now, it wasapparent to see countless people taking photosand selfies and uploading it on different socialnetworking sites. Coca-Cola created a stunningevent which was perfect for people to capturethese beautiful moments forever. ATN Banglacovered the event for national and internationalviewers.93

Your SpaceRelationshipWhat does it take to be a man? SaziaSharmin asks you to think about it for aminuteIknow what you are thinking.You are right, that one littlething does make a person aman in the biological sense. Weare all thinking about the Ychromosome here, right? Now, for along time, scientists dismissed thehighly repetitive DNA in the malespecific region of the Y chromosomeas mostly non-functional. But when itwas successfully sequenced in 2003, it turned out that the Ychromosome holds many mysteries. The biological basis ofmaleness is not as simple as previously believed.This rings true beyond the scientific world where we oftenpigeonhole men and make gross generalisations about theirbehaviour. We all know these typical men in our social circles:the Robotic Robin, the Commitment-phobic Kamal, theWomen-obsessed Shoumen, the Mommy’s boy Mamun orWorkaholic Kollol. They personify certain myths aboutmanhood that both men and, even, women succumb to. Let’stake this opportunity to examine some of them.Robotic RobinThe man who has no feelingsA few months into their outwardly happy marriage, Robin’s wifeleft for her parents’ place. What went wrong? He does not talk toher, she complains. She misses the romance and expressivenessthat preceded their marriage. She feels rejected by his apathy.Men and women often have quite different notions aboutromance. Sometimes these notions are influenced by popularculture. Women are conditioned to expect certain expressions ofromance like flowers and special nights out. At the same time,men are expected to live up to the tough guy image. As a result,men may not feel free to reveal their emotional side. Thetraditional expressions of romance in the courtship days are ameans to an end. Therefore, a man has no reason to keep themup once he is in a committed relationship with his beloved.Rather than feeling frustrated, women need to take the lead here.Encourage your man to emote without any negativity! You mightbe pleasantly surprised. You will be doing a favour for your man’smental health as well.Model: Riyad RahmanPhotos: Sakib MuhtasimCommitment-phobic KamalThe man who won’t commitThen we have Kamal, who is interested in gettingto know women and spending time with them, butperhaps he has too many of them. Last month hewas spotted sipping coffee with Kashfia aroundtown. This month, it seems he is more into livemusic with Liva. Kamal seems to have no troublefinding interesting and attractive women, but hejust won’t commit to one. Is there a problem? Aremen really not as interested in making acommitment aswomen? Let’s think about this statistically, who are all thecommitted women committed to if men really don’t commit?What’s going on in here is the interplay of both genderstereotypes. Women may not admit to that fact that they are notquite interested to commit while men are rather open about it.In this case, women are trying to live up to the ‘virtuous’stereotype. The same reasoning explains why women don’t liketo admit how many relationships they have had. Men are notinsecure about enjoying the company of women even if he hasnot found ‘the one.’ Once he does find her though, he getsserious very fast, according to some relationship experts. Watchout for our buddy Kamal … when he falls, he is going to falldeep!94

He may be his mommy’s boy, but heis your man tooWomen-obsessed ShoumenThe man who can’t get enoughWe’ve all heard of this pseudo-statistic that menthink about sex every seven seconds. Sure, theremay be some men who are like that … even if itwas during a certain boyhood phase. According tosome solid research done by the Kinsey Institutefor Sexual Health and Behavior at the University ofIowa, 54% of men think about sex every day, 43%consider it several times a month or a few times aweek. Some men, about 4% actually take a wholemonth between the times they think about it.There’s no reason to think all men are stuck at theirtwelve year old mentality. Let’s give men somecredit for all the work they get done around theworld. If they were truly obsessed with sex everywaking hour, could they really concentrate onanything else? Research also tells us that womenunder-report their frequency of thoughts about sexwhich makes men look relatively more obsessed.Guess what else women don’t like to admit theythink about? Food! We say things like “the way to aman’s heart is through his stomach,” but the truthis both men and women love a treat for their tastebuds.Mommy’s boy MamunThe man who can’t get over his momYour SpaceRelationshipMamun loves Mona and Mona loves him. However, Monafeels a little awkward by how frequently Mamun talks abouthis mom. She feels apprehensive about their future togetherand what role Mamun’s mother may play in it. She wondersif she’s been handed one of those infamous mommy’s boys.The mommy’s boy stereotype has been around for a longtime. There’s a historical basis for it. In the past, womenoften did not have an equal partnership with their husbands.Lack of social and economic rights meant women oftenfulfilled their desire to be someone in the extended familyand society through their sons. Their sons were theconnection to the outer world, vicariously bringing them ataste of educational and professional success. Strong andhealthy relationship with their mothers actually helps a manlove and respect all women in his life. A mommy’s boy doesnot mean an emasculated man with a domineering mother. Itmight just mean a man who is cherished by his mother andvice-versa. How many men today really expect their wives torecreate their moms’ winning recipes? How many men asktheir mother’s permission before planning a vacation withtheir wives? Let’s give credit to the modern man who canstay loyal to his mom and lavish his wife. He may be hismommy’s boy, but he is your man too.Let’s give men some credit for all the workthey get done around the worldWorkaholic KollolThe man whose career is everything to himKollol wants to excel at his job. He wants tomaximise his income potential so that he can takecare of his family. Unfortunately, his wife feels thathe is a workaholic who does not spend enoughtime with her or the children. We have to admitthere is tremendous social pressure on men to beprofessionally successful. While this successempowers a man, the pressure can be unrelenting.Women clearly prefer men who are professionallysuccessful, yet they complain when they realise thatsuccess comes at a cost. What can we do? Men canmake an active effort to balance their lives. It isn’timpossible to go home on time, some nights of theweek if you make it a priority. Women can helptheir men by encouraging him to keep his otherinterests alive. Now that women have their owncareers as well, both men and women canappreciate the sacrifice it takes to work hard at theexpense of leisure time.95

Bring It On!Naveed Islam looks at some of the mostanticipated game releases 2015 has to offerMake no mistake, 2015 is the year when the next generationof gaming truly begins. Yes, Nintendo did fire the openingsalvo of the new console wars with the launch of the Wii-Uin winter 2012. Yes, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One wereboth released in 2013. But, as any longtime gamer will tell you,a generation doesn’t truly begin until the steady stream ofTriple-A game releases turn into a tidal wave. While 2014 hadsome notable games, 2015 is when the big boys come out toplay. Here are our top six reasons why this might just be thebest year of gaming yet.Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End PS4Metal Gear Solid V:The Phantom Pain PS4, XB1, PS3, 360Kept us waiting, huh Snake? Set nine years after the events ofthe prologue chapter Ground Zeroes, players take on the roleof Venom Snake (aka Big Boss) who travels to Afghanistan totrack down the men responsible for putting him in a coma.Series creator Hideo Kojima has promised a vast open worldwhere players will be able to tackle missions in whatever waythey want to and in whatever order they like, giving gamersunprecedented control over how Big Boss’s story unfolds.MGS V aims to evolve the series while keeping what fans loveabout it intact. Yes, this probably means a 90-minute cutsceneor two as well.Nathan Drake is back! In this PS4exclusive adventure, everyone’s favoritegun-toting, sarcastic, fortune-seekingrogue reunites with his brother Sam tosearch for lost pirate treasure. Fresh offthe critically acclaimed The Last of Us,developers Naughty Dog will no doubtbe bringing their A-game for the latestinstalment of their flagship Unchartedseries. An improved traversal system willenable Nate to reach areas he couldpreviously only grasp at whilestreamlined combat mechanics will maketaking down anonymous henchmenfaster and more fun than ever before.Mortal Kombat X PS4, XB1, PC, PS3, 360Fatalities have never looked sogood! Ed Boon and his fellowsociopaths at Netherrealm Studiosare ready to bring Mortal Kombatinto the next generation in thelandmark tenth instalment oftheir popular fighting gamefranchise. Old favourites likeScorpion, Sub-Zero and Raidenare pitted against new“kombatants” such as the insectqueen D’Vorah, the sun-godKotal Kahn and bubble-gumpopping, gun-wielding CassieCage. New additions include threenew fighting styles per character,the ability to use parts of thestage as weapons and the mostdisturbingly creative Fatalities inseries history. Finish him!

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt PS4, XB1If we had to name just one game that has our fingersitching to pick up a controller, it’s this one. CD ProjektRED’s Witcher III may just be the most anticipated gameof the year and we’re eagerly counting the days till itsrelease. This ambitious title, based on a cult hit darkfantasy novel series, will end series protagonist Geraltof Rivia’s story as the mysterious group known only asthe Wild Hunt wreaks havoc across the land. Arevamped combat system, new platforming mechanics,a deeper item creation suite, dozens of sidequests andbranching paths for completing the main story allensure that Geralt of Rivia goes out with a bang.The Legend of Zelda Wii-UNot since Walt Whitman has there been this muchhullaballoo over blades of grass. But take one look at thetrailer for the new Zelda on Wii-U and you’ll realize whygamers were slack-jawed at the gorgeous andimpressively detailed open world setting of Link’s nextadventure. This promises to be a Zelda game like noother, with every nook and cranny of the newhigh-definition Hyrule open for curious players toexplore. If that hasn’t sold you, then the rush of beingable to jump from your faithful steed Epona and firearrows in midair probably will.Batman: Arkham Knight PS4, XB1If you’ve ever wished you were Batman (and who hasn’t,right?), developer Rocksteady’s Arkham games have been thego-to source for your Dark Knight fix. Billed as the last entryin the series, players take on the role of the Caped Crusaderas he attempts to stop Scarecrow from releasing his fear toxinall over the city, while battling a ruthless new vigilante knownonly as the Arkham Knight. For the first time, Batman willnot only have the entirety of the iconic Gotham City toexplore but will be able to do so in theBatmobile. This is the Batman game we deserveand the one we need RIGHT NOW!And that’s not all. We haven’t even mentionedFrom Software’s Bloodborne, which promises to take gamingmasochism to new heights or Tom Clancy’s The Divisionwhich looks to be the first truly dynamic multiplayer shooter,Destiny be damned. Then there’s Halo 5: Guardians, Rise of theTomb Raider or Star Wars: Battlefront, which we knowexcruciatingly little about but are due out sometime this year.And there’s more, so much more to be found in gaming in2015. So change your New Year’s resolution to ‘Play MoreGames’ because this year, you’d be silly not to.97

Your SpaceGame OnPhotos: Protik Rahman, BFFAnd, Kick Off!Rubab NayeemKhan talks aboutnational andinternationalfootball eventsThe end of March was a newbeginning for football. The AFCU23 Championship 2016, rolledaway with a series of events, bothhome and abroad. The qualifierrounds for teams in Group Ewere held at the BangabandhuNational Stadium on 27 th , 29 thand 31 st March. Group Econsisted of U23 teams fromBangladesh, India, Syria andUzbekistan. The teams competedagainst each other to make it tothe championship which will beheld in Qatar. The top threequalifying teams will participate inthe 2016 Summer Olympics whichwill be held in Rio de Janeiro inAugust.The tournament began on 27 thMarch, with an opening matchbetween Uzbekistan and India at 3PM. Although throughout the firsthalf neither teams scored goals, inthe second half Uzbekistan putimmense pressure on India whichled to their first goal in the 87 thminute by Igor Sergeev. This liftedthe team’s spirit, following up withthe second goal at 90+2 minutesby Vladimir Kozak which gainedthem victory over the Indianteam.The match between Syria andBangladesh kicked off at 6 PM.This match yielded in more98

Your SpaceGame OnDespite a gruelling match, the Syrians came out as the victors in Group E,with nine points giving Uzbekistan second place with six points.audience, considering thatBangladesh was the host for thematches in Group E.Throughout the match, theSyrians asserted theirdominance. The first goal wasscored by Syrian midfielderOmar Khribin during the 5 thminute at free kick.It was after the second free kickthat the Syrians took over thegame. Midfielder, Mahmood AlBaher scored the second goal atthe 15 th minute. Khribin scoredthe third goal during penalty atthe 45 th minute.The winning goal for the Syrianteam was scored by substituteforward Mahmoud Al Mawas atthe 82 nd minute with a neat shot.The Group E matchescontinued on 29 th March,starting with a game betweenIndia and Syria at 3 PM. Syriansgot their game on at the 15thminute with the first goal, scoredby Mahmoud Al Mawas. TheIndian team fought back, butwas soon taken over by Khribin’sgoal at the 45th minute. Mawas’counter attack made way forKhribin to score the third goalfor the match. It was his fourthgoal in two matches. Mawasscored the winning goal at the81 st minute.Uzbekistan took the hosts bystorm when midfielderMasharipov Jaloliddin’s angularfree kick made the first goal atthe fourth minute. CaptainSardor Rakhmanov scored thesecond goal with a header at the13th minute. He also scored thethird goal with a header at the30 th minute. Finally, victory wassealed by midfielder AbbosherMakhstaliev at the 40 th minute.The final matches for Group Ewere held on 31 st March withSyria competing withUzbekistan. Syria took the leadin the 29 th minute, with OmarKhribin’s goal, which gave themidfielder the leverage to scorethe second goal during penalty at45+2 minutes. Uzbekistan’sefforts didn’t go unrewarded; theteam got their first goal duringthe 59th minute mark byMakhstaliev. Despite a gruellingmatch, the Syrians came out asthe victors in Group E, withnine points giving Uzbekistansecond place with six points.The match between India andBangladesh resulted in a drawtying both teams to one pointseach for the group.AFC U14 GIRLS REGIONALCHAMPIONSHIP 2015While the Bangladeshi men’steam strive to make a differencein the football front, women’steams are also making headlines.AFC U-14 Girl’s RegionalChampionship 2015 was held atDashrath Stadium and ArmyPhysical Centre in Kathmandufrom 20 th -25 th of April. Teamsparticipating in Group Bconsisted of Bangladesh, Bhutanand India.Group B’s first match was heldbetween India and Bhutan at4pm. India played a stellarmatch, defeating Bhutan with ascore of 12-0.The Indian team dominated thegame from the very beginningand their constant pressure paidoff when four minutes later,Somaaya Nadia scored twogoals.After the 20 th minute India’sattacking strategies threatenedBhutan throughout the game.The Indian team lead the gamewith a score of 7-0 at halftime.Soumya Guguloth, BannyaKabiraj, Laxmi Devi, and abrace by Thailand Yumlembamdoubled the lead for the Indianteam. Thailand Yumlembamcompleted her hat trick, threeminutes into the second halfscoring the eighth goal for India.On 21 st April, the matchbetween India and Bangladeshkicked off at 1 PM. It was in thelast 20 th minute that Marziascored the first goal forBangladesh with a ground shot.At the 25 th minute, SoniKumar’s volley shot broke thepressure built by the Bangladeshiteam and scored the first goalfor India. The match resulted ina draw, tying both teams to ascore of 1-1.Bangladesh faced Bhutan on22 nd April at the Army PhysicalCentre coming out as the victorsand defeating Bhutan with ascore of 16-0. Marzia scored the99

Your SpaceGame Onfirst goal at the 1st minute followedby Krishna’s goal at the 6th minute.At the 12th minute Shopna scoredthe third goal. In the 14 th minuteMaria scored the fourth goal. Shescored two more goals in the firsthalf at the 21 st and 28th minute. Thegame was entirely in favour ofBangladesh. Further into the game,more goals were scored by Marzia,Moushumi, Sanjida and the winninggoal was scored by Tuhura at the57 th minute.Bangladesh reached the semi-finalsof AFC U-14 Girls RegionalChampionship 2015, beating IranSOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA2-0 at the Dashrath Stadium, Nepal.Krishna Rani scored at the 23rdminute and Marzia doubled the leadat the 63rd. Due to the earthquake inNepal, the team was brought back tosafety and the date for the finalmatch is yet to be announced.AFC U14 GIRLS REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2015A1A2A3A4GROUP AIR IranMaldivesSri LankaNepalOFFICIAL MATCH SCHEDULEHost: Kathmandu, NepalDates: 20 - 25 April 2015B1B2B3GROUP BBhutanBangladeshIndiaDay/Date Match Kick-Off VenueMATCH DAY 1Mon, 20 AprMATCH DAY 2Tue, 21 AprA1A2B3A4A3B2IR IranMaldivesIndiaNepalSri LankaBangladeshvsvsvsvsvsvsNepalSri LankaBhutanMaldivesIR IranIndiaA4 13:00 Dashrath StadiumA3B1A2A1B315:0016:0016:0015:0013:00Army Physical Center StadiumDashrath StadiumDashrath StadiumArmy Physical Center StadiumDashrath StadiumA1IR IranvsMaldivesA213:00Dashrath StadiumMATCH DAY 3Wed, 22 AprA3B1Sri LankaBhutanvsvsNepalBangladeshA4B216:0015:00Dashrath StadiumArmy Physical Center StadiumThu, 23 AprREST DAYMATCH DAY 4Fri, 24 AprSFISF21A1Bvsvs2B2A13:0016:00Dashrath StadiumDashrath StadiumMATCH DAY 5Sat, 25 Apr3rd/4thFinalLoser SFIWinner SFIvsvsLoser SFIWinner SF213:0016:00Dashrath StadiumDashrath Stadium100

Your SpaceWomen’s Futsal Fiesta 2015Game OnBangladesh National Women’s Football Team’s ace forward Sabina Khatun, created history by playing forClub Maldives Women’s Football Fiesta 2015 in March and April. Sabina was the first female footballerfrom Bangladesh who represented a foreign club. The forward who has scored one hundred and sixteenlocal and ten international goals in her five year long playing career, played for Police Club Maldives.Results of Maldives Women’s Futsal Fiesta 2015:Match 0118 March 2015Police Club 7 vs MEE 0Sabina’s Achievement:-Scored 4 goals-‘Best Player’ of the matchMatch 0222 March 2015Police Club 25 vs PG office Club 0Sabina’s Achievement:-Scored 16 goals-‘Best Player’ of the matchMatch 0327 March 2015Police Club 16 vs MRDC 0Sabina’s Achievement:-Scored 10 goals-‘Best Player’ of the matchMatch 04 Match 05 Match 063 April 2015 11 April 2015 17 April 2015Quarter Final Match Semi Final Final MatchPolice Club 6 vs MRDC 0 Police Club 6 vs MRDC 2 Police Club2 vs Immigration 6Sabina’s Achievement:Total Score: 37Sabina’s Achievement:Sabina’s Achievement:-Scored 3 goals -Scored 3 goals -Scored 1 goals-‘Best Player’ of the match-‘Best Player’ of the matchName: Sabina KhatunBirth Date: 25-10-1993Hometown: Polashpur, Sakthira Sadar, Satkhira.Professional Track Record (International and local)International Games:2010 - SA Games, Bangladesh2010 - AFC U-19 Women’s Championship 2011 (Q), Bangladesh2010 -1st SAFF Women’s Football Championship, Bangladesh2012 - 2nd SAFF Women’s Football Championship, Srilanka2013 - Bangladesh- Kolkata friendly Match, Kolkata2013 - AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2014(Q), Bangladesh2014 - 3rd SAFF Women’s Football Championship, Pakistan2015 - Maldives Women’s Futsal Fiesta 2015, MaldivesLocal Games:2009 - Citycell National Women’s Football Championship2011 - Dhaka Metropolitan Women’s Football League2012 - KFC National Women’s Football Championship2013 - KFC National Women’s Football Championship2013 - Walton Dhaka Metropolitan Women’s Football League (BestPlayer of the Tournament)Coaching Career:2013 - FIFA women’s Coaching Course2013 - AFC ‘C’ Certificate Course101

Your SpaceGame OnThe eighth season of Manyavar Bangladesh Football Premier League 2015 kicked off on 7th April. Eleven teams are participating in this tournament andthe matches are being held in Dhaka, Chittagong, Feni and Gopalganj. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club is the defending champions from the previous seasonand participants of the tournament. Notable clubs like Brothers Union, Chittagong Abahani, Dhaka Abahani, Dhaka Mohammedan, Forashganj SC, FeniSoccer Club, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Rahmatganj MFS, Sheikh Russel KC and Team BJMC are also taking part in the tournament. Rounds one to sixwere held in April and rounds seven to eleven will continue till 21st May. The fixtures for round seven to eleven for Manyavar Bangladesh Football PremierLeague 2015 are given below.Manyavar Bangladesh Football Premier League 2015Round 1Day/Date Match Kick-Off VenueSat, 2 MaySun, 3 MayBrothers Union Limited vs Sheikh Jamal DC LimitedRahmatganj MFS vs Muktijoddha Sangsad KCMohammedan SC Limited, Dhaka vs Soccer Club, FeniTeam BJMC vs Sheikh Russel KC Limited17:00 TBA19:00 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBAMon, 4 May 17:00 TBAForashganj Sporting Club vs Chittagong Abahani LimitedRound 2Day/Date Match Kick-Off VenueTue, 5 MayWed, 6 MayThu, 7 MayRound 3Sun, 10 MayMon, 11 MayAbahani Limited, Dhaka vs Muktijoddha Sangsad KCSheikh Jamal DC Limited vs Mohammedan SC Limited, DhakaTeam BJMC vs Rahmatganj MFSSheikh Russel KC, Limited vs Forashganj Sporting ClubSoccer Club, Feni vs Chittagong Abahani Limited16:45 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBADay/Date Match Kick-Off VenueTue, 12 MayRound 2Thu, 14 MayFri, 15 MaySheikh Jamal DC Limited vs Muktijoddha Sangsad KCForashganj Sporting Club vs Abahani Limited, DhakaSheikh Russel KC Limited vs Soccer Club, FeniTeam BJMC vs Chittagong Abahani LimitedRahmatganj MFS vs Brothers Union Limited18:00 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBADay/Date Match Kick-Off VenueSat, 16 MayRound 2Tue, 19 MayThu, 21 MaySheikh Jamal DC LimitedMohammedan SC Limited, DhakavsvsAbahani Limited, DhakaRahmatganj MFSBrothers Union Limited vs Soccer Club, FeniSheikh Russel KC, Limited vs Chittagong Abahani LimitedTeam BJMC vs Forashganj Sporting Club16:45 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBADay/Date Match Kick-Off VenueWed, 20 MayAbahani Limited, Dhaka vs Mohammedan SC Limited, DhakaSheikh Russel KC, Limited vs Rahmatganj MFSBrothers Union Limited vs Chittagong Abahani LimitedForashganj Sporting Club vs Muktijoddha Sangsad KCTeam BJMC vs Soccer Club, Feni16:45 TBA19:00 TBA16:15 TBA18:30 TBA16:45 TBA102

Your SpaceCulture VultureBreakingthe StereotypeStaying within the fringesof mainstream culturesAidha Cader hasinculcated anappreciation for Food,History, Travel and Artbeyond her comfort zone.If you think that girls have it hard, thinkagain. There is a lot of stereotyping thatboys have to deal with as well. With ourmen’s issue coinciding with Mother’sDay it’s a good time to refute suchstereotypes.During her ten minute address at theUnited Nation “He For She” Campaignin September 2014, Emma Watsonhighlighted the issue often ignored ingender equality debates. Sheemphasised on the fact that thiswas not just a fight for women’srights but also a fight for men’srights. She said, “I have realisedthat fighting for women’s rightshas too often becomesynonymous with man-hating. Ifthere is one thing I know forcertain, it is that this has to stop.”She also stated, “It is time that weall see gender as a spectruminstead of two sets of opposingideals.” Watson compared andcontrasted the different genderstereotypes challenging theaccepted notion where men feelthe pressure to be aggressive andwomen feel the obligation to besubmissive. Her speech maderipples across social media andopened up the platform for manyissues that men are faced with.This prompted the Vogue Empowercampaign, “Start with the boys.” VogueIndia launched the social awarenessinitiative to celebrate its 7 th anniversarywhich made many of us reflect on whatwe teach our boys, how we stereotypethem and the consequences of suchactions. The core message being that weteach boys not to cry and be sensitive asthose are deemed to be girly traits.Growing up, boys express their viewsthrough aggression and don’t considerwomen as their equals, hence resortingto violence.The term ‘mama's boy’ is consideredBack in timeGender equality wasfirst highlighted byChristine de Pizan’sbook The City ofLadies in 1405. Thebook was based onthe oppression ofwomen, founded onirrational prejudiceswhile pointing out thecontributions made bywomen. With the end ofthe World War II, moregeneral movementstowards gender equalitybased around liberalisationand feminism grew instrength. In 1975 theUnited Nation held its firstworld conference inMexico City to addressgender equality. Theorganisation seeks tocreate equality in law andsocial situations, take thenecessary steps to curbunequal treatment anddiscriminations based ongender.derogatory. However, does a closerelationship with your mother make youless of a man? Does being a mama'sboy actually make you a better man?These are questions I often ask myself204

Your SpaceCulture Vultureas my son cuddles up next to me andcontinuously says how much heloves me. Though he is only twelve,he is definitely more affectionatetowards me than my daughter was atthe same age.For generations, mothers havegotten the same old message when itcomes to raising sons; beware ofkeeping him “too close.” A mumwho nurtures a deep emotional bondwill prevent him from growing up tobe a strong, independent man. FromOedipal myth to movies like Psycho,our culture warns us about thedangers of mother-son closeness. Noother parent-child combination is sostigmatized. We encourage mothersand daughters, fathers and daughters,as well as fathers and sons, to stayclose throughout their lives. Asupportive father is consideredessential to a daughter’s self-esteem.But a mother who is involved in herson’s life is often accused ofcoddling, meddling, smothering oracting inappropriately. While wedon’t worry about an involved father‘masculinising’ his daughter, thereclearly is concern about thefeminising influence of the mother.Are mothers supposed to push theirboys away, physically andemotionally, in the name ofdeveloping their manhood? Thisdouble standard is misguided and canbe deeply damaging to boys. Studiesshow that boys who do not formstrong attachments to their mothersgrow up to be more aggressive anddestructive developing a fear ofintimacy and betrayal well into theiradult years.However, despite what mothers feel,boys who are close to their mumsaren’t comfortable in admitting it outin the open. While writing this piece,my son requested not to bementioned which prompted me toask other boys about theirrelationships with their mothers.Across the board, nobody wanted tobe named but they all agreed thatthey are very close to their mums.Many of the men I spoke to arefinancially and emotionallyindependent and though the mothersdon’t call their shots, they share astrong bond with them. Some alsostated that they value their mothers’opinions and especially admire hercombination of grit and compassion.Why is that many grown up men arereluctant to admit that they have aclose relationship with theirmothers? This is usually the result ofmainstream images created by themedia and popular culture. Thedomineering,controlling mumand weak-willed,dependent sonwho never standsup on his own twofeet is thestereotypical imageof a “mama’s boy.”What mainstreammedia needs toportray is a healthyadult relationship inwhich mothers andsons are close buthave mutual respectand boundaries. Aswomen grow moreempowered, theirrole as mothers isnothing like inthe daytimetelevision dramas. Guys who areclose to their mums reap a numberof benefits and their masculinityremains intact.On the flipside, a man who talks alittle too much about his mother willraise a mama's boy flag in anywoman's mind. It's not too difficultto understand why women don't like‘mama's boys’. Women generally areattracted to strong men who aren'tintimidated or easily influenced byother people. When a mother-in-lawis in the picture, it can make awoman feel like she isn't doing agood job at keeping her man happysince he still has another womandoting on him. However, a good andbalanced relationship betweenmothers and sons will have a positiveeffect towards gender equality andbreak the daunting stereotypes thatplague boys in current societies.Illustration: Jason Sabbir Dhali105

P. 110 EventsYour Roots

Your RootsEventsJCI’sWomen onthe MoveRecently, JCI Dhaka North organised "Women on the Move;" anevent with the vision to support women entrepreneurs. DilrubaSharmin Khan, Head of HR of BRAC IT Services Limited, NazrulIslam, National President of JCI Bangladesh, Aftab MahmudKhurshid, CMO of SSG, Fayaz Taher, CEO of Fortuna, BushraAlam, Lead Consultant & CEO of IICE, Sayeda Umme Salma(Jhumur), Director Melonades, and Salima Jahan, LP, JCI DhakaNorth and fewmore werepresent aspanelists. ZahidHossain Shamol,Director JCIDhaka North isworking as the inchargeof thisproject.The eventwas an initiativeto work forexisting andupcomingwomenentrepreneurs toconnect andcollaborate withsuccessfulprofessionals.Indulge yourself intoa deliciousTomahawk SteakWestin Dhaka is serving Tomahawk steakdelicacies to pamper your tastebuds. It is arib cage steak with garlic rosemary charredpotatoes for two which is perfect for lunchor dinner. Tomahawk steaks are one of thebest tasting steaks that one would everhave. Enjoy and discover the tantalizingunique steak in town.

Your RootsEventsBangladesh winsUnilever FutureLeader’s LeagueOn 19th March 2015,Bangladesh, representingUnilever Bangladesh Limited,lifted the first runners-up crest atthe Unilever Future Leader’s League2015, beating more than threelakh students from around theworld. They beat teams fromCanada, Sri Lanka, Germany,Russia, Philippines, Singapore,and twenty-three other countries,including Nordic countries.Teams consisted of NusratKhondaker, Akib Mashrur andAftarul Islam, students of Batch20, Jahangir Nagar University,Institute of BusinessAdministration (IBA), Dhaka.Samsung GalaxyS6’s take on theselfie trendThe popularity of the selfie has createddemand for mobile phones that takebetter photos than ever before.Samsung placed a heavy emphasis oncameras when designing the Galaxy S6and the Galaxy S6 edge. Samsungmade sure that the front-facing camerawas built to take the best selfiepossible. The Galaxy S6’s front camerahas 1/4.1-inch CMOS sensor, which is1.4 times larger than Galaxy 5 offeringmaximum image quality. This 5MPcamera also makes it possible to takewide angle images with enhancedbeauty mode. Users can access thecamera almost instantly by doubleclicking the home button at any time.The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge are perfectchoices for selfie lovers all over theworld.112

Your RootsEventsPRAN standswith NepalPRAN stands with Nepal’searthquake victims. EleashMridha, Director of PRAN,handed over food products toHis Excellency Hari KumarShrestha, Ambassador ofNepal to Bangladesh at theEmbassy of Nepal, Dhaka onApril 27.EPRE Malaysia 2015SSG, electronics conglomerate of Bangladesh, has participated in Electric,Power & Renewable Energy Malaysia (EPRE) 2015. EPRE is anInternational Exhibition of Transmission and Distribution. SSG attendedthe programme as part of their international market entry recently.114

Your RootsEventsUpcomingexhibition bySaria SaguaroArtist Saria Saguaro will be holding an art exhibition under the namePretty Shitty Art on Friday, 15th May from 12PM-9PM at Hackhouse.The exhibition will showcase artworks as well as merchandise such asT-shirts, coasters, hand painted sneakers and other souvenirs crafted bythe artist. The exhibition will remain open on Saturday, 16th May.Performances will be held by Indalo, Zubair and Jon at the event.116

Your RootsEventsPhoto: Apu24th April is Fashion Revolution Day whichhonours the one thousand, one hundred andthirty-seven garment makers who lost their lives inthe Rana Plaza Tragedy in 2013. In that light, TraceMy Fashion was an event that was held at the DailyStar - Bengal Art Precinct from 24th April until27th April. The event was an initiative that, alongwith Fashion Revolution Bangladesh, aims todocument the changes being put into play in orderto bring about substantial improvement. The pointis to provide consumers with more than just a labelstating ‘Made in Bangladesh.’ The eventhighlighted Fashion Revolution Bangladesh inpartnership with BUFT (BGMEA University ofFashion and Technology) and Hong Kong-basednon-profit organisation, Lensational. Trace MyFashion featured the recent case studies, jointlyundertaken by Bengal Foundation and students ofBUFT to learn about sustainability, transparency,ethical and fair trade from several industry giants,including: Desh Garments, Beximco and socialinitiatives like Friendship and Living Blue.Simultaneously, this event hosted a photoexhibition of the Rana Plaza catastrophe.Many factories and production lines are weary ofnew initiatives that are being taken therefore, theplan is to grow gradually and invest in the future.On 24th April, Fashion Revolution Day, theofficial website tracemyfashion.com was launchedwhich exhibits this project in partnership withBUFT (BGMEA University of Fashion andTechnology). The interactive website also featuresseveral case companies, i.e. factories and socialenterprises, who are on board with #fashrev.118