Weekend 46_4

Dhaka Tribune 

vol 4 Issue 46 | FRIDAY, march 17, 2017 

6 

Cook 

your 

own way 

9 Infograph 

12 Impressions 

of Dhaka

CONTENTS 1 

Volume 4 | Issue 46 | March 17, 2017 

Editor 

Zafar Sobhan 

Features Editor 

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad 

Magazine Editor 

Farina Noireet 

Deputy Magazine Editors 

Khan N Moushumi 

Shuprova Tasneem 

Weekend Tribune Team 

Saudia Afrin 

Moumita Ahmed 

Tasfia Huda 

Baizid Haque Joarder 

Saqib Sarker 

Mahmood Sadi 

Sabiha Akond Rupa 

Contributors 

Mahmood Hossain 

Tarek Musanna 

Farzana Romine 

6 

Cook your own way 

Kitchen chronicles 

News 

2 News 

3 Meanwhile 

Features 

5 Tempt 

Daily makeup 

8 Event 

Food Festival 

12 Art 

Impressions of Dhaka 

13 Events 

14 Education 

Mental math for kids 

15 Education 

Foreign students in local 

programs 

16 New Startups 

Pathao 

19 Biz Info 

20 Ticket 

Jhalmuri S3 

Cartoons 

Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy 

Priyo 

Graphics 

Md Mahbub Alam 

Alamgir Hossain 

Shahadat Hossain 

Colour Specialist 

Shekhar Mondal 

Advertisement 

Shahin Ahsan 

Production 

Masum Billah 

Circulation 

Masud Kabir Pavel 

Website 

dhakatribune.com/weekend 

facebook.com/WeekendTrib 

Email your letters to: 

weekend@dhakatribune.com 

10 

Photo Story 

Dolyatra 

Editor’s note 

Dear Readers, 

As yet another Women’s Day 

has come and gone, we are left 

wondering about how much 

progress we’ve actually made in 

this area. While the once alarming 

numbers in issues such as access 

to education, child marriage, 

inadequate maternal and infant 

healthcare, violence against 

women, gender wage gap, etc, 

have indeed gone down, there is 

still a significant need for more 

change in bridging the everwidening 

gap, particularly in the 

case of developing nations across 

Africa and South Asia. 

This week’s Weekend Tribune 

is an assortment of stories that 

touch upon a myriad of topics and 

events. We bring to you a small 

feature on what some of today’s 

leading women had to say in last 

week’s Women and Leadership 

Summit 2017. 

While National Children’s Day 

is being celebrated across the 

country today, we also have a story 

on how mental arithmetic is playing 

a major role in the ever-inquisitive 

minds of today’s youngsters. 

Finally, we have a fun infograph 

on many of the diverse products 

and places that are wonderfully 

unique to the country we proudly 

call home. 

Happy reading. 

Farina Noireet 

Regulars 

4 Tailored 

9 Tech 

18 Stay in 

On the cover 

Photo 

Syed Zakir Hossain 

WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017

2 News | This week 

Explosion 

on highway kills 

two soldiers in 

southeast Turkey 

Suspected Kurdish rebels last 

Wednesday, detonated explosives 

on a highway as security forces were 

passing by, killing two soldiers, the 

state-run news agency reported. 

The explosion occurred on a 

highway linking the cities of Mardin 

and Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey, 

Anadolu Agency said. 

The private Dogan News Agency 

said the attack targeted soldiers 

who were searching for land 

mines. It said the security forces 

launched a large-scale operation in 

the region to catch the assailants. 

There was no immediate claim of 

responsibility. 

The rebels of the Kurdistan 

Workers Party, or PKK, have launched 

a series of violent attacks since 2015, 

when a fragile peace process with the 

government collapsed. 

The group, considered a terror 

organisation by Turkey and its 

Western allies, has led a separatist 

insurgency since 1984. The conflict 

has killed tens of thousands of people 

since then. 

Photo: AP 

Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off 

the coast of Somalia, Somali officials 

and piracy experts said last Tuesday, 

the first such seisure of a large 

commercial vessel on the crucial 

global trade route since 2012. 

The Aris 13, on Monday, reported 

being approached by two skiffs, 

John Steed with the organisation 

Oceans Beyond Piracy said. The ship 

was carrying fuel from Djibouti to 

Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, he 

said. Eight Sri Lankan crew members 

were aboard. 

An official in the semiautonomous 

state of Puntland said 

The world at a glance 

Weekend Tribune Desk 

Pakistani 

army says three convicted Islamic 

militants executed 

The Pakistani army says three Islamic militants convicted by military 

courts have been executed. 

The army’s statement last Wednesday says the militants were 

associated with the Pakistani Taliban and a second extremist group 

named Harkat-ul-Jihad e-Islami. They were convicted of involvement 

in the killing of soldiers and police officers. 

The Pakistani government began trying alleged Islamic militants in 

military courts and lifted a moratorium on executions, following the 

December 2014 Taliban attack on a school that killed more than 150 

people, most of them schoolchildren. 

Human rights groups have criticised the fairness of the military 

courts, but the army says all defendants have a right to appeal. 

The two-year mandate for the military courts to try alleged Islamic 

militants recently expired, and parliament has been debating whether 

to continue the practice. 

Photo: AP 

Pirates 

hijack freighter off 

Somalia’s coast 

over two dozen men boarded the 

ship off Somalia’s northern coast, an 

area known to be used by weapons 

smugglers and members of the 

Al-Qaida-linked extremist group 

Al-Shabab. The official spoke on 

condition of anonymity because they 

were not authorised to speak to the 

press. 

The ship was anchored off the 

town of Alula, said Salad Nur, a local 

elder. “The ship is on the coast now 

and more armed men boarded the 

ship,” he told The Associated Press 

by phone. 

Bhurungamari 

Pir held over 

Bochaganj Pir 

murder 

Police have detained a Pir, or 

spiritual leader from Kurigram’s 

Bhurungamari upazila, in 

connection with the murder of 

another Pir and his daughter in 

Bochaganj of Dinajpur. 

Eshaq Ali, 57, was picked 

up from his house at Dakkhin 

Pathordubi of the upazila 

around 3am last Wednesday, 

police said. Earlier, Pir Farhad 

Hossain Chowdhury and his 

adopted daughter, Rupali 

Begum were found dead at the 

former’s Khanqah Sharif in 

Hatrampur area of Bochaganj. 

Both of them were shot, while 

Rupali’s throat was slit. Her 

husband, whom she married 

three days before the murder, 

has remained absconding. 

Police later detained 

caretaker Saidur Rahman and 

his associate Samor Ali for 

questioning, and initially said 

it could be a militant attack or 

result of political or personal 

disputes. 

News: Dhaka Tribune 

An official based in the Middle 

East with knowledge of the incident 

told the AP that no ransom demand 

had been made. 

Photo: AP 

Local 


. . . Meanwhile 3 

Commemorating Women’s Day 

at the National Shaheed Minar 

on March 8. 

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain 

say what? 

Photo of the week 

Mum forced to answer awkward questions 

after kids find ‘child-friendly Kamasutra 

guide’ in doctor’s waiting room 

Katherine, a teacher at a school for children 

with specialist needs, was sitting in a doctor’s 

surgery waiting room with two of her three kids 

last week, when she picked up the book. 

The Croydon mum was reading Mummy Laid an Egg 

with her son, eight, and daughter, four. The literature is 

informative, if a little perplexing. It’s by legendary kids’ 

author Babette Cole, who, somewhat coincidentally, 

died in January this year. 

Katherine said that she enjoyed the read – but found 

it a little unorthodox. As a sex educator, she’s well 

aware of the quizzical nature of talking about sex with 

youngsters. But this threw her. 

Katherine said that her four-year-old remained 

relatively unaware, but her son, eight, was intrigued by 

the explicit nature of the book. 

She said, “He’s been asking me all sorts. The other 

one didn’t really know what was happening, although 

she did ask me whether me and daddy dress as clowns. 

So that was awkward.” 

“I’m not disturbed, it’s hilarious really...but I’m just 

not sure what I make of it.” 

Katherine said she hadn’t come across the author 

before, but after doing a bit of research, now knows 

that she tackles ‘difficult’ topics in a light-hearted, 

humorous way. 

News and photo: Daily Mirror 

Aries (Mar21-Apr19): If you can avoid 

becoming bored with an idea before 

it gets off the ground, something 

beautiful may blossom over the days 

ahead. 

Taurus (Apr20-May20): There are some 

things that you might prefer to keep 

secret at this time, so don’t feel guilty 

about doing so. 

Gemini (May21-June20): This is the 

time to let go of any baggage that 

could be keeping you from expressing 

yourself or achieving your greatest 

ambitions. One way to do this could be 

through art or crafts. 

Cancer (June21-Jul22): Present 

influences could see you pushing ahead 

with a goal that requires charm as well 

as persistence. The encouragement 

of your friends may persuade you to 

follow through. 

Leo (Jul23-Aug22): You could be 

curious to travel to a place you’ve never 

visited before. Pictures and online 

reviews may call out to you and be the 

reason you’re so eager to go ahead and 

book the trip. 

Virgo (Aug23-Sep22): You could be 

encouraged to take a closer look at 

your financial situation and get your 

money working harder for you. At the 

same time, this blend of energies can be 

excellent for enhancing your love life. 

Libra (Sep23-Oct22): Your love life 

could be especially spicy at this time, 

with a lovely blend of energies just 

perfect for enjoying some great social 

occasions and romantic outings. 

Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21): The focus on 

your lifestyle sector could encourage 

you to consider how productive you 

are. You may be aware of certain 

changes that could improve your health 

immeasurably. 

Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec21): This can 

be an excellent week for finances and 

work and job progress if you play your 

cards right. 

Capricorn (Dec22-Jan19): A friendly 

gesture or delightful opportunity could 

boost your enthusiasm this week. Have 

a heart-to-heart chat with a friend, and 

you’ll quickly feel better. 

Aquarius (Jan20-Feb18): If an ongoing 

issue won’t go away, you might need to 

give it more time. A friend may come to 

the rescue with a fresh perspective that 

reassures you about the future. 

Pisces (Feb19-Mar20): The week ahead 

has some very sociable qualities, 

and the more you put into arranging 

activities with others, the more fun it 

can be. 

horoscopes 


4 Tailored | Fashion editorial 

Think outside 

the box 

Here’s a look inspired by Dev Patel at SXSW 


The Lion star Dev Patel isn’t really 

known for his stylish outfits on and 

off the red carpet. However, with his 

latest performances, he’s proved that 

the kid in Slumdog Millionaire wasn’t 

a one-hit wonder. He’s a lead-worthy 

actor that is gradually raising his 

stock price in Hollywood. Alongside 

his stardom, his fashion choices have 

recently been under the spotlight. 

The soon to be 27-year-old was 

recently seen at South by South West 

(SXSW) in Austin, Texas wearing a 

somewhat risky choice in what is 

usually infested with bomber jackets, 

dark wash jeans and subtle navy 

suits. In other words, SXSW isn’t 

really known for impeccable style 

that gets the entire town talking. 

The annual film-music-media 

festival is the perfect place to pull 

off something no one would expect. 

Patel was decked out in shades of 

grey, from his shirt, casual trousers 

and suede lace-ups. What really 

topped the outfit was his doublebreasted 

pink jacket. 

While everyone else might have 

opted for the safer, black and evening 

wear, the English actor turned heads 

at Armani’s Films of City Frames 

film premiere event. This just goes 

to show that South Asian men can 

be as smooth and sexy with the best 

of them. And let’s not forget his long 

wavy locks and his not-so-tidy beard. 

So now you’re wondering, “How 

the hell do I pull something off like 

that?” Simple: carefully. 

Breakdown 

What really stands out about this 

entire look is its easy on the eyes 

A lot of fashion is also 

about pulling off an 

illusion 

fabrics and colours. A lot of fashion 

is also about pulling off an illusion. 

What may seem like a sophisticated 

evening-wear is actually incredibly 

casual and easy going. It’s something 

you might think of wearing during 

the weekends for an evening gettogether. 

The soft pink of the widelapel 

jacket, crewneck knitted top, 

even lighter grey trousers and the 

suede wingtips gives off a ridiculous 

amount of coolness aura. He also 

decided to keep the shirt untucked 

and the jacket unbuttoned. Again, 

his choices are very relaxed and not 

actually tailored so you could be 

wondering which rack holds these 

gems for you to try out. 

Up top 

It’s all about the details. Take a 

good look at how the shades of grey 

complement each other, not going on 

a drastic contrast binge. Also notice 

the grey buttons on his pink jacket. 

Another complement. You might not 

be able to pull off the pink jacket or 

even find one anytime near or soon, 

but you can substitute it with a very 

light (in fabric), soft-pink cardigan. 

It’s still a classy choice for an evening 

out and you can easily keep it 

unbuttoned. 

Since the cardigan takes care of 

the knitted category, a grey dress 

shirt or a higher quality t-shirt works 

well underneath the pink top layer. 

We want to keep the look as close to 

Dev’s so make sure the greys are in 

the softer tones. 

Down below 

The trousers are your easiest choices 

to make. You can try and be a bit 

more flexible here, choosing between 

a tailored bottom or a casual one. 

Either one works. The shoes, on 

the other hand, will take a little bit 

more consideration. They don’t 

necessarily have to be wingtips, but 

this smoother than butter look does 

require the suede to round things up. 

Instead of lace-ups, you can choose 

suede Derbys or loafers. While 

high-end sneakers aren’t completely 

out of the question, it’s better to go 

with items that will keep within the 

ensemble’s overall flow. 

Takeaway 

Putting together a look like this is 

simpler than most would think. Sure, 

you’d have to think about your skin 

tone and which colours will flatter 

you most, but if this brown guy can 

pull it off so can you. The colours and 

fabrics here can be a sure winner, 

both in comfort and style. But do 

keep one thing in mind, even if it is 

a casual look: fit is everything. You 

want to be comfortable and relaxed 

but never let any of these items look 

ill-fitting or baggy. There should 

be just the right amount of slack to 

make things comfy without making 

it look as if your clothes have nearly 

swallowed you whole. 


5Tasfia Huda 

Choosing the right foundation 

While dewy is quite an attractive 

choice, you should go with the 

matte finish foundation to look 

smashing and fresh all day at work. 

If you have acne-free skin with 

no visible dark circles, choose 

a foundation that matches your 

skin tone to have a visibly fresh 

appearance. 

Daily Makeup | Tempt 5 

quick makeup tips for working 

women 

Modern women have a lot of duties at home and work, but it 

is equally important to look your best without letting your 

stressful office responsibilities get the better of you. Here 

are some everyday makeup tips that can help you look 

picture perfect till the last working hour of the day. 

Cheekbone 

contouring 

All you need to do 

is contour your 

cheeks if you want 

your face to look 

more defined. Use 

a darker brown 

shade on the upper 

cheeks, right on 

the bone line, and 

then a lighter shade 

above the bone 

line. You can also 

use a shimmery 

highlighter on the 

high points of your 

cheeks. That’s all 

you need for beautiful cheeks, and it 

takes under five minutes to do so. 

Use the right brushes 

Some women use a 

single makeup brush 

for everything when 

doing their makeup. 

It will take up a lot of 

unnecessary time if you 

have to clean the same 

brush you used for your 

foundation in order to 

use blush. If you want 

to be able to do your 

makeup fast and efficiently, you should invest in a set 

of beauty brushes. Make sure they are of good quality 

so that blending can be done smoothly and it won’t take 

much time. 

Matte lipstick 

You certainly don’t 

have time for 

elaborate makeup in 

the morning, so you 

can just use mascara 

for your eyes and 

lipstick in striking 

deep colours before 

going to work. Dark 

red and burgundy in 

matte colours work 

best. This will add 

a touch of glam to 

your face without 

exaggerating it much. 

Keep your eyes all natural and focus on your lips for striking 

makeup that can be completed in less than five minutes. 

Cleanse and moisturise at night 

If you want your complexion to look fresh in the morning, you 

have to take good care 

of your skin at night. 

Make sure you remove 

all your makeup when 

you get back home. Use 

a nourishing moisturiser 

once you wash your 

face. Sleeping with your 

makeup on can cause 

your skin to be filled 

with zits, cracks and 

imperfections. However 

if you clean your face 

thoroughly at night and 

moisturise, your face 

will look radiant the 

next day. Just apply a BB 

cream, lipstick, blush 

and mascara, and you’re 

good to go. • 


6 Cook your own way | Kitchen chronicles 

Chinese 

classics 

Farzana Romine 

There are some classic Chinese dishes that we all love. Kung 

Pao chicken and beef with broccoli are two of my favourite 

dishes, which I order all the time when I am at a restaurant. 

They are very simple to make at home too. You will probably 

already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. It requires 

a little preparation, but takes only a few minutes to cook. 

These are my go-to Chinese dishes, when I am in a hurry. Give 

it a try, I am sure you will love them too. 

Kung Pao 

chicken 

Ingredients: 

For the marinade: 

• 2 large chicken thighs, cut into 

bitesized pieces 

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce 

• 2 tbsp soy sauce 

• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder 

(optional) 

• 1 tbsp ginger paste 

• 1 tsp black pepper 

• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch 

For the stir fry: 

• 5 cloves garlic, chopped 

• 1 small onion, sliced 

• 4 to 5 dried red chillies (use 

more if you like it super hot) 

• 1/2 cup cashew nuts or peanuts 

• 2 tbsp vinegar 


• 2 tsp sugar 

• 1/2 cup chopped scallions 


Directions: 

Mix everything for the marinade 

with the chicken and let it sit in 

the fridge for two hours. 

Now, in a wok, heat 1/3 cup oil. 

Add the cashews and the dried 

chillies. Fry until cashews have a 

light brown colour, then take the 

chillies and nuts out of the oil and 

keep aside. 

In the same oil, add the garlic and 

onion. Fry for two minutes, then 

add the chicken. Stir continuously 

over high heat, until the chicken 

is caramelised and turns slightly 

golden. Now add the vinegar, soy 

sauce, sugar and pepper. Once 

everything is well combined, add 

the fried chillies and cashews 

(save a few cashews for garnish). 

Keep stirring for another minute. 

Before taking it off the heat, add 

the scallions and toss. Garnish 

with the reserved cashews and 

scallions and serve with steamed 

or fried rice. 

Photos: Farzana Romine 


7 

Beef with 

broccoli 

Ingredients: 

For the marinade: 

• 2 cups beef, cut into 

bitesized pieces 

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce 


• 1 tbsp vinegar 

• 1 tbsp ginger paste 


• 1 tbsp cornstarch 

For the stir fry: 

• 1 medium sized broccoli 

• 1 medium carrot 

• 3 big cloves of garlic 

• 1 small sized onion 

• 2 dried chillies, thinly sliced 

• 2 tsp sugar 

• 2 tbsp soy sauce, and some 

extra if needed 

Directions: 

Mix everything for the 

marinade with the beef and 

let it sit in the fridge for a few 

hours. You can do this part 

the night before and keep it in 

the fridge. It makes the beef 

tender. 

First, heat 1/4 cup oil in wok 

and add the chillies and garlic. 

Fry until the garlic is light 

brown. Add the beef and stir 

fry over high heat continuously 

for about four to five minutes, 

until it changes colour. Once 

it’s done, take it out of the pan. 

Wipe the wok clean. 

Heat two tablespoons of oil in 

the wok and add the onion. 

Stir for one minute and add the 

carrot first. Splash a little water 

and stir fry until the carrots are 

slightly tender. (I put the carrot 

first because broccoli doesn’t 

take long to cook at all). Now 

add the broccoli. Fry for two 

minutes. Add the beef back 

into the wok. 

Stir until everything is well 

combined. Add the sugar and 

the extra soy sauce. Taste it 

and add salt if needed. Add 

a bit of extra black pepper. 

Serve hot with steamed or fried 

rice.• 


8 Event | Food festival 

Christoph Voegeli, general manager, Radisson Blu Dhaka 

Australian 

Food Festival 

to kick off at Radisson Blu 

Shadman Shoumik Anik 

Photos: Courtesy 

Why organise events such 

as food festivals? 

We have raised our bar this year. 

We are aiming to become the 

most recognised hotel in terms of 

food, and in order to convey this 

message to the public, we will be 

holding different food festivals 

every two months from now. In 

the coming months, we will be 

organising Chinese, Indonesian 

and Malaysian food festivals. 

It is a popular way in which we 

can achieve a couple of objectives 

at the same time. First of all, we 

can highlight our capabilities to 

our customers. We bring chefs 

from different countries for 

these festivals. In this way, we 

try to transfer the knowledge of 

their cuisine to our local chefs. 

For all these events, we also 

work with the high commission 

and embassies. Hence, we can 

convey more information about 

the culture, style of cooking and 

taste, so that people living here 

can taste the authentic delicacies 

of that country without even 

travelling there. 

What do you think is the 

secret behind the success 

of Radisson? 

Radisson Blu Dhaka is one of the 

first international hotels in the 

city. Radisson is very well-known 

in Europe. Bangladesh, being 

predominant in the garments 

business, many buyers from 

Europe visit Dhaka. These buyers 

recognise this brand, and most of 

them prefer to stay at Radisson 

because of the service and 

hospitality we provide. 

What are your upcoming 

plans for 2017? 

Our vision is to become the best 

hotel in terms of restaurant, 

food and beverage offerings. 

Organising food festivals is an 

important part of this. We have 

some other engagements as well, 

such as – we have started urban 

farming. By this, we can produce 

part of our supplies within 

the premises. We have started 

growing mushroom, lettuce, 

and some herbs (specifically 

micro herbs). Moreover, a new 

chef will join us shortly, with 

an elaborate menu, which will 

probably contain six or seven 

courses. We will also import 

oysters from France. We plan on 

bringing different cuisines over 

the next few months, which will 

enable us to take fine dining to 

a whole new level. People travel 

abroad in order to have this kind 

of experience, but now they 

can enjoy the same experience 

here. • 

Australian cuisine has become more diverse than ever, influenced by an array 

of ingredients, a plethora of cultures and a menu of resurgent interest in food. 

Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden is known for organising different food 

festivals around the year, bringing food from different countries and beyond. 

This time, Radisson Blu has organised the Australian Food Festival, which 

will start on March 17, and continue till March 26. The food festival will offer 

various delicacies from Australia, and interactive live counters with themed 

décor, creating a memorable experience for the guests. The Australian Food 

Festival is open for all, and guests will have to make reservations before 

visiting the fest. During the festival, many vegetarian and non-vegetarian 

delicacies will be served, which will include starters, main-course and 

desserts during dinner. 

We spoke to Christoph Voegeli, general manager, Radisson Blu Dhaka, 

about what they have in store for us at the upcoming festival. 


Infograph 9 

Panchagarh’s 

Tetul 

Land of diversity 

Khan N Moushumi 

Roshmalai, mughlai porata, delicate silk, there’s nothing that we Bangladeshis don’t 

have the means to produce. A country of 700 rivers and 250,000 mosques, Bangladesh 

boasts the longest beach, the Sixty Dome mosque and the most exquisite handwoven 

jamdani sari. This week we present an info-graphical map of what each and every 

Bangladeshi should take pride in. 

Illustration: Priyo 

Rajshahi’s Aam 

Tangail’s Taat Sari 

Bogra’s Doi 

Sylhet’s Tea Garden 

Mymensingh’s 

Nakshi Kantha 

Dhakai Jamdani 

Comilla’s Roshmalai 

Rajbari’s Zamindar Bari Ruins 

Barisal’s Hilsha 

Khulna’s Shitol Pati 

Chittagong, Port City 

Bagerhat’s Shat Gombuj Masjid 

Cox’s Bazar, the longest 

beach in the world 


10 Photo Story | DolYatra 


11 

Festival 

of 

colours 

Dol or Dolyatra or Holi is celebrated every year on the 

fifteenth day of the lunar month in the Bangla month of 

Falgun, which usually falls somewhere between the end 

of February and the middle of March. The traditional 

Hindu festival is celebrated with the worship of the 

deities Radha and Krishna. 

Images of the two deities are sprinkled with the red 

powder known as avir. After the ritual people start to 

splash or sprinkle colours on each other. Holi festival 

was celebrated last week all across the country. The 

festival celebrates the end of a season and symbolises 

leaving behind all the darkness. These pictures were 

taken at Charukala (Institute of Fine Arts) in Shahbag. 

Photos: Mahmud Hossain Opu 


12 Art | Impressions of Dhaka 

‘Impressions of Dhaka’ 

at the Bengal Foundation 

Saqib Sarker 

Set to start today, 

“Impressions of Dhaka”, an 

open studio art exhibition, 

will feature the outcomes 

of a recently held workshop 

participated by young Bangladeshi 

ceramic artists, and conducted by 

Bengal Foundations’ residency artist 

Richard Crooks and Bangladeshi 

artist Ashim Halder Sagor. The 

open studio will also showcase the 

creative processes along with the 

outcomes of Richard Crooks’ fourweeks-long 

research based residency 

in Dhaka. 

Bengal Foundation introduced the 

Residency Programme as part of its 

pedagogical approach in contributing 

to the new media art. British 

sculptor, Richard Crooks is the first 

artist of the new venture who is 

being hosted by Bengal Foundation 

for a five-week programme that 

began on February 15, 2017. 

A passionate student of South 

Asian sculpture, Richard Crooks 

set out to work “by observations 

of Bengali architectural practice 

that may be seen to reflect a unique 

cultural, sociological, and political 

evolution” in this residency 

programme. Through casting 

versions of ‘found’ textures and 

forms and small clay sculptures that 

allude to the proliferation of styles 

that he has modelled, Richard has 

been making sequences of sculptures 

that will form part of a solo 


exhibition in the UK, later this year. 

He has also been making a 

horizontal structure which has been 

inspired by his observations while 

cycling underneath the flyovers in 

Dhaka City. “One just has to ride 

a bike! It’s the only way,” Richard 

Crooks told Weekend Tribune. 

Talking about the residency 

program, the British sculptor said 

that the program has allowed him a 

certain degree of immersion. Richard 

observed that Bengal Foundation 

has extraordinary access to the arts 

infrastructure within Dhaka and 

beyond, as he realised during the last 

five weeks of his stay in the capital. 

The unique residency program 

has clearly created immense interest. 

“The residency itself has almost 

become the subject of the residency. 

Invitations to the Curatorial 

Symposium hosted by BF, the 

Samdeni seminar and meeting artists 

and critics have informed activities 

here and will emerge in the weeks 

and months ahead,” Richard Crooks 

said. 

Richard’s involvement with the 

project happened through a chance 

meeting with Hadrien Diez in Bengal 

Art Lounge a couple of years ago. But 

now fully immersed into it, Richard 

said he is deeply thankful to Tanzim 

Wahab, the Chief Curator at Bengal 

Foundation, for inviting him. “I must 

especially thank Tanzim Wahab for 

this invitation and I know that the 

visual arts program has ambitious 

plans for this project under his astute 

leadership.” 

Richard particularly stressed 

that Bengal Foundation’s program 

is not just a project, but there is a 

conscious and smart effort to “move 

toward a stronger pedagogical 

practice.” He thinks that the projects 

undertaken, do not just focus on 

a mere tangible outcome but “the 

process of how the students arrive at 

the results” has been given immense 

importance. Richard said that the 

idea of the workshops was basically 

about the “process”. 

The exhibition is set to go on until 

next Friday, March 25. • 


Events 13 

Breaking down the stereotype 

Saudia Afrin 

On the occasion of 

International Women’s 

day, the annual Women 

Leadership Summit was celebrated 

at Le Meridien Dhaka, on March 8, by 

Women in Leadership. 

The daylong summit was armed 

with a good number of sessions 

concerning ‘Realising Women 

Potential’. On the session titled 

‘Creative forces to change the status 

quo,’ women representatives from 

diverse creative sectors put up their 

thoughts on the very issue, sharing 

experiences from real life. Moderated 

by Nazia Andaleeb Preema, the 

panelists were Shobhaa de, Sarah 

Zaker, Lubna Marium, Nasreen Zamir 

together with the only male panelist 

Piplu R Khan. 

“Using creative forces did exist 

during our time. I don’t know 

how far we have been able to 

address women issues in theatre. 

Creativity, performing arts and 

reality need to interconnected” 

Sara Zaker, social activist and 

deputy managing director, 

Asiatic 360 group. 

“We do art for art. As soon as 

someone gets into the politics of 

art then the dynamics become 

different. There comes the 

question of male female or even 

cast or creed. But for me it’s all 

about merit. If you are good then 

there shouldn’t be any question 

of gender discrimination. This 

is a conscious decision that I 

personally took that I distance 

myself from the politics of art,” 

said Lubna Marium, dancer and 

art director. 

“Advertising is a critical space, 

where even without intension 

things go wrong in most of the 

cases. Because often we don’t 

know what is our story. A lot of 

us aren’t sensitive to tell stories 

around women or portraying 

them. Yet we can be very 

sensitive and innovative while 

telling stories which can qualify 

the kind of stories the women 

want to tell as women.” Piplu 

R Khan, owner and director, 

Applebox films limited. 

“I want to say all women that 

they must be self-made no matter 

what situation you are in. women 

have to be brave and courageous 

to do what they want to do,” 

Nasreen Zamir, honorary consul 

of Luxembourg to Bangladesh 

and chief designer, Nasreen 

Zamir and Associates. 

“Traditional society saying, how 

dare she writes this, women are 

forever answering the question 

how dare how dare... Yes we 

dare! And we don’t have to seek 

anyone’s permission. One has 

to think of ones own creative 

space with a sense of humor and 

without self conscious, and just 

do what they have to and need to 

do which is to wake up the world 

and shake up the society also 

be a major disruptor. That’s the 

only way… we have to disrupt.” 

Shobhaa de, author, columnist 

and novelist. 

British Council celebrates success of EDGE Programme 

In celebration of International 

Women’s Day, the British 

Council organised an event on 

March 10, to share the successes 

of its English and Digital for Girls’ 

Education (EDGE) programme with 

its stakeholders and representatives 

from organisations which work 

with a focus on girls and women’s 

empowerment. 

The EDGE programme focuses 

on enhancing participants’ English 

proficiency, digital and 21st Century 

skills, and awareness of social issues. 

As a result, participants will be better 

able to make more informed and 

independent life choices, as is their 

right, in order to contribute more 

fully to the family, the economy and 

society. In addition, the programme 

aims to improve the leadership skills 

of a smaller group of peer leaders 

drawn from the same communities 

of adolescent girls. 

Since its inception in 2012, the 

EDGE programme has opened 364 

after-school clubs, and trained 799 

peer group leaders to facilitate these 

clubs for over 8973 participants. 

The programme is being operated 

in nine districts (Manikganj, 

Tangail, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sylhet, 

Chittagong, Khulna, Narshingdi, and 

Mymensingh). 

Nasima Begum ndc, Secretary, 

Ministry of Woman and Children 

Affairs, attended the celebration 

event as chief guest. David Ashley, 

Deputy High Commissioner, British 

High Commission in Bangladesh 

was present as special guest. Barbara 

Wickham, Director, British Council 

was also present along with other 

eminent guests. 

“Ensuring gender equality through 

educating and empowering women 

is an important part of our activities 

pertaining to cultural relations. The 

EDGE programme has proven highly 

effective in empowering women and 

girls in Bangladesh, and we are not 

only glad to share the success stories 

of the programme today, but also 

commit to continuing the programme 

in the future to yield more positive 

results,” said Barbara Wickham. 

In 2012, the British Council 

launched this project in partnership 

with BRAC Bangladesh. English 

and Digital for Girls’ Education 

(EDGE) project aims to improve the 

life prospects of adolescent girls in 

socio-economically marginalised 

communities, and has started 

operating in, India and Nepal. 

For further information please 

contact: 

Arshia Aziz, Head of Marketing and 

Communications, British Council, 

Bangladesh 

Email: Arshia.Aziz@ 

bd.britishcouncil.org • 


14 Education | Mental Math for kids 

Faster, smarter, problem-solvers 

Nurturing creativity in kids with mental arithmetic 

Saudia Afrin 

“17 plus 12 minus 

15 is equal to..?” 

While listening to 

the numbers, little 

Saraf’s fingers were moving through 

his imaginary abacus beads. And his 

instant answer was 14. Saraf Islam 

Nuhil, a student of grade one from 

Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad, is 

one of the distinction winners of 

the 10th National Level Abacus and 

Mental Arithmetic competition. With 

the slogan, “building genius”, Aloha 

Bangladesh is helping children gain 

brain development through Mental 

Arithmetic. 

“Nowadays, most of the families 

are nuclear with only one child. The 

absence of playground, a lack of 

reading habit and excessive video 

games and cartoons make a big 

impact on children’s mind. Watching 

video games and cartoons impedes 

imagination. For these reasons 

children are using the right side 

of the brain (RSB) much less than 

the left side (LSB),” said Ali Haider, 

the Managing Director of Aloha 

Bangladesh. 

“That is where Mental Arithmetic 

comes in,” Ali Haider said. Mental 

arithmetic is used all over the world 

and it is particularly useful for 

stimulating both sides of the brain. 

In the process, the child is given an 

Abacus to calculate. Later on, he or 

she is introduced to an imaginary 

abacus where he or she can count 

with the help of his or her imaginary 

abacus beads. “When he or she is 

visualising while doing maths, it 

basically acts as a stimulation for the 

right side of the brain. On the other 

hand, calculation is enriching his or 

her left side,” Ali Haider explained. 

Around the country, from 

Rangpur to Chittagong, 30,000 

students are being groomed by 

Aloha. The classes entail physical 

activities, oral calculation, 

meditation and other individual 

or group activities. The impact 

of oral calculation is so brilliant 

that it increases children’s power 

of listening, boosts memory, 

visualisation and imagination. “A 

lot of people think of Aloha as a 

coaching centre for mathematics. 

In reality we work to help children 

gain brain development; maths is 

only used as a medium in mental 

arithmetic,” Ali Haider said. 

Photo: Courtesy 

While not a coaching centre 

for school maths, the thankful 

by-product of the Aloha classes is 

that the Aloha students seem to be 

solving their school mathematics 

work with 100% accuracy. Afzal 

Uddin Sahil, a student of class 7 at 

Oxford International School, who 

aspires to work at Microsoft, said, 

“I no longer fear exams. I can solve 

mathematical problems without 

using a calculator.” 

“Take home assignments 

are given regularly,” said by Ali 

Haider. After attaining one class 

work per week, the children are 

given homework including oral 

calculation. Oral calculation requires 

help from guardians at home. Since 

parents cannot always make time to 

help their children students often 

end up trying to solve a week-long 

assignment in one and a half hour. 

According to Ali Haider, the quality 

among students start varying from 

there. The children who practice 

regularly perform much better than 

those who try to complete their 

assignments in one day. 

Children with special needs can 

become more responsive through 

mental arithmetic. It might take 

time, but the impact on them is 

quite evident. However, these 

children need one to one specialised 

teaching module for six days, which 

is quite expensive. Initially, Aloha 

had a few such cases, but it became 

unsustainable. 

one of the biggest challenges, said 

Ali Haider, who have been working 

with Aloha since its inception, is 

that it is still not affordable for the 

middle class families. The cost of the 

course out of Dhaka is around Tk600, 

A lot of people think of Aloha as a coaching 

centre for mathematics. In reality we work to 

help children gain brain development 

whereas within Dhaka it ranges from 

Tk1400 to Tk2000. 

However, Aloha is planning to 

launch a self learning module, so 

that the cost can be cut by half. Ali 

Haider thinks mental arithmetic 

should be taught in schools. He 

said, “Many developed countries 

are applying such methods at their 

schools. And the learning can be 

provided by either Aloha teachers 

or by the school teachers after 

training.” 

Last month, Aloha Bangladesh 

organised its 10th National Level 

Abacus and Mental Arithmetic 

competition. Around 1600 students 

from over 300 schools around the 

country, solved 70 mathematical 

problems in five minutes, and 

a total of 199 winners were 

announced.• 


Foreign students in local programs | Education 15 

Foreign students on life in Bangladesh 

Sohel Iqbal 

It was a sunny January afternoon internationalisation they should 

when I caught up with some naturally welcome foreign students 

of the nine Ugandan students and also benefit themselves from 

at BRAC University (BRACU), international collaborations on 

as they stood waiting for BRACU capacity building through faculty 

transportation running between and student exchanges and joint 

its Mohakhali campus and Niketan academic programs to create highvalue 

degrees. 

hostel, a 10-minute’s drive. 

Our light-hearted conversation A report published in the local 

began with life in Uganda where they dailies recently reported the 

were among 5,000 secondary level University Grants Commission’s deep 

students getting support from Brac concern in its 42nd annual report 

and Master Card Foundation. During regarding the decreasing number 

a visit to Brac Uganda a couple of of foreign students studying in 

years back, Brac chairperson Fazle private universities in 2015 despite 

Hasan Abed KCMG had offered five the establishment of more new 

annual BRACU scholarships for these universities. According to the report, 

students. 

there were 1,548 foreign students in 

The students joined in observing the International Mother Language Day, on February 21 

The nine students, including two private universities in 2015 compared 

female students, were subsequently to 1,643 students in 2014. The 

selected through a competitive number was 1,612 in 2013, 1,642 in 

admission process and arrived in 2012 and 1,651 in 2011. 

groups over the last two years. 

Unfortunately, for many 

BRACU provided transportation internationals students, the 

and assistance in visa processing dream can turn into a nightmare 

and choosing insurance companies if they are not provided proper 

for medical coverage while the accommodation facilities. Kisuule 

scholarship covered lodging, meals Gordon, one of the nine Ugandan 

and some additional allowance. students, now in his fifth semester 

Universities are by nature 

in the mathematics and natural 

international institutions, so 

sciences department commented 

when it comes to the question of about the safe and internationalstandard 

accommodation facilities 

of BRACU that resembled a homely 

environment comprising a small 

community of foreigners. 

“To be honest it was a cultural 

shock when we first came in,” said 

Gordon about his first impression of 

Bangladesh. “Now things are normal 

and the campus culture and student 

clubs have helped us to adapt,” he 

added. 

“I am expecting a good life 

ahead at BRAC University. Life in 

Bangladesh is good. I am spending 

quality time here and learning a lot 

about the country. People are friendly, 

their hospitality amazes me,” said 

Wakyaya Brian, whose experience on 

Photo: Courtesy 

arrival, had not been pleasant. “I lost 

my luggage at the Dhaka airport...I 

felt lost,” he said. However, BRACU 

was there by his side. “I didn’t expect 

such levels of help that the university 

offered. The airline eventually could 

not return my luggage but with the 

help of the communications and 

relationship management office, I did 

receive compensation,” he added. 

Vice chancellor Professor Syed 

Saad Andaleeb summarises the 

efforts of BRACU for every student in 

a message saying, “We MUST let our 

students know that we care about 

them, greeting them each day with 

a smile to brighten their lives and 

ease their burdens. This is the extra 

emotional labour that can help build 

long-lasting relationships with our 

students.” 

The conversation shifted to food 

habits with Tebusweke Godfrey and 

Bisoboka Claire Precious expressing 

delight at having tasted two local 

dishes – biryani and khichuri. “Food 

is a great experience here! The menu 

is delicious but mostly rice based,” 

said Mugenyi Raymond. However, 

Nanfuka Milly lamented over not 

having tasted such items as green 

banana or Matoke as it is known in 

Uganda, in a long time. 

In attempts to shape their 

careers, BRAC University hopes 

that they can help the students 

prosper in life, whether it be locally 

or globally, through five core skills 

it strives to instil – critical thinking, 

communication, quantitative skills, 

digital awareness and global thinking. 

Education for students on any 

foreign land has always been a 

struggle, whether it be Bangladeshi 

students in the West or Ugandan 

students in Bangladesh. The culture 

shock they face initially, the feeling 

of not belonging, or the inability to 

engage in social life, all of which 

contribute to making things a bit 

difficult. 

Mutebi John Kenneth recalls the 

moment his friends pointed out that 

he had paid exorbitantly for a pen. 

He says not only Bangladeshi traders 

but also those in Uganda perceive 

foreigners to be rich travellers and a 

means to make large gains. Kenneth 

quotes Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian 

novelist. There is a saying in his novel 

No Longer at Ease that goes like “It’s 

only in a foreign land where your 

motherland becomes a name to you.” 

He, however, states that nothing can 

stop him from enjoying his time in 

Bangladesh. • 

The writer is the head 

of Communications at 

BRAC University 


16 New startups | Pathao 

Pathao: 

Creating convenience and opportunity 

Solving the crisis for Dhaka’s commuters 

Tarek Musanna 

It was 2:30pm and the clock was 

running faster than ever. Abir, a 

university student, had to be at 

Banani by 3pm. Standing on the 

side walks of Mirpur 12 bus stand, he 

was cursing his fate as there wasn’t 

any Banani bound buses coming 

his way. Even if he found one, he 

surely couldn’t be at his destination 

on time. Within minutes, he was 

rescued by a man on a motorbike 

– Awlad Hossain. Awlad was on 

his way to his day job, at a hotel in 

Gulshan 1. Awlad dropped Abir at 

Banani a few minutes before 3pm 

and while he was on his way to work, 

he made a few bucks for himself. The 

name that brought these two people 

together, delivering convenience 

for one and creating opportunity for 

another, is the brand-new startup in 

Dhaka – Pathao. 

Pathao started off as a delivery 

company, picking up on the 

e-commerce boom of the city. It was 

one of the TOP100 startups of 2016, 

to have attended Echelon, an event 

specially focusing on the budding 

startups of Asia Pacific and the 

nearby regions. However, businesses 

have delivery demands on a specific 

period every day, and the rest of the 

day, Pathao’s service is underutilised. 

Looking at the opportunity, and the 

potential of ride hailing services 

in Dhaka, Pathao started its “On 

Demand Rides” service a couple 

of months back. In just a few days, 

Pathao now boasts hundreds of 

riders, serving thousands of people 

every day. 

While Pathao’s major selling 

point might appear to be the cheap, 

convenient on-demand motorbike 

ride, the fact that all the drivers, or 

as they say ‘riders’ are freelancers 

adds a completely new dynamic 

to it. “Here at Pathao, anyone 

with a bike and a smartphone can 

become a rider. We’re providing 

the opportunity to earn more than 

twenty thousand taka every month, 

working as a freelancer, working as 

an entrepreneur,” says Elius Hussain, 

CEO of Pathao. 

With Pathao, a student, a job 

holder or anyone with a bike and a 

smartphone can work as a rider and 

earn money. They keep only 20% of 

the total charge, giving 80% to the 

rider. There are occasional incentives 

for the riders as well, where they 

can earn up to 120% of their total 

fares. A rider can decide to switch 

his status any time he wants, which 

enables him to ride whenever he 

wants, wherever he wants. With the 

leniency of freelancing, some people 

are actually taking it up as a hobby. 

Potential riders can apply through 

Pathao.com. Pathao representatives 

call them in for vetting their official 

IDs and papers. They also go through 

a training session to be familiarised 

with the app, customer etiquette and 

driving safety. At this point, Pathao 

is looking to scale up and enlist 

more riders. Elius sees what Pathao 

is doing as an innovation. He’s 

expecting people to spontaneously 

work with Pathao, and they are. In 

fact, 20-30 new riders join Pathao 

every day. Elius is expecting the 

numbers will soon go up to 100. 

He claims Pathao is capable of 

scaling up and managing way more 

riders than they have right now with 

proper quality control. Elius is trying 

to lower the barriers to entry for both 

riders and customers. 

“Pathao is solving one of the 

biggest problems in the city, which 

is transportation; beating traffic 

jams. Anyone who is involved in the 

process basically contributes to the 

net gain of the society. Yesterday, 

I took Pathao to go from Banani 

to Dhanmondi and it was only a 


30-minute ride. With other mediums 

of transportations, it would have 

taken me at least one and a half 

hours, the bill being possibly twice 

or thrice the amount. So, when 

someone is providing the service, 

the driver, he is making people’s lives 

easier.” Elius shares his personal 

view. “How can people be happy 

when coming home or going to 

office means fighting a battle on the 

streets of Dhaka every time? If your 

commute is easier, if it’s slightly 

more convenient, it makes your life 

better. And that’s what we do here at 

Pathao.” 

Pathao positions itself as a service 

which connects two strangers, 

benefiting one with convenience, 

cheap and fast commute, slicing 

through Dhaka traffic, and benefiting 

another with an opportunity to 

earn easy money and be involved 

in an amazing process that makes 

everyone happy. • 


Renting for single ladies | Issue 17 

Dynamic 

duo 

These are the 

best smartphones 

with dual cameras 


Some say that having two rearcameras 

are much better than a 

single one. To a certain extent, it’s 

not too far from the truth. Here’s a 

gathering of the best phones with 

dual cameras, and actually worth 

investing in. 

LG G6 

The latest flagship and 

most impressive Android 

phone so far this year, 

the LG G6 has a standard 

13-megapixel camera. 

In addition, there is a 

secondary 13-megapixel 

wide-angle lens, which 

captures more context 

within each and every 

frame. 

Apple iPhone 7 Plus 

Finally, the folks from Apple decided 

to tag along another camera. One of 

the cameras is a “telephoto” lens that 

lets you zoom in and out without 

compromising in quality. Another 

perk from the dual cameras is the 

depth-of-field feature, which blurs 

the background in your photos while 

it keeps the foreground in focus. You 

can actually capture a more dramatic 

photo similar to other dual camera 

smartphones. 

LG V20 

The LG crew really love 

their dual camera feature 

on their leading phones. 

They’ve never shied away 

from housing some of the 

best specs, especially in 

their cameras. Just like the 

G6, it has a second wideangle 

lens. However, the 

front-facing camera also 

features a wide-angle effect 

which doesn’t require you 

to completely stretch your 

arms out for your next 

“groupie” shot. 

LG G5 

Like I said, LG doesn’t mess 

around when it comes to 

boasting the cameras. In this 

case, the dual cameras not 

only provide the wide angle 

shots, you can attach different 

accessories to them like a 

camera grip. 

Huawei P9 

It’s got the reputable Leica brand 

slapped on the back, opposite the 

dual cameras sharing real estate. 

It’s also one of the reasons why it’s 

a little too expensive with a display 

that could be sharper. Fortunately, 

the camera hardware isn’t as bad as 

the other big setbacks of the phone. 

Huawei Honor 6 Plus 

Unlike the other premium choices, this 

is a more affordable option with a dual 

camera. When you have a solid display 

and strong processor, its 8-megapixel 

gets the job done. Hopefully, the 

new updates may have improved the 

quality in pictures. 

Asus Zenfone AR 

A tried, tested and dependable 

smartphone, the Zenfone has two 

cameras that are capable of achieving 

depth sensing 3D scanning and 

augmented reality straight through the 

Google Tango. 

HTC One M8 

The HTC 

brand is 

almost 

sent to 

popularity 

oblivion, 

while more affordable phones have 

squatted in its place. It shouldn’t take 

away from the fact that the M8 is still 

a pretty darn good phone. The dual 

cameras provided a dramatic depth of 

field effects and better upgrades in the 

Butterfly 2 model. The strangest thing 

is how the brand dropped the dual 

camera idea in the M9, yet brought it 

back in the M9+. • 


18 stay in 

Clues 

ACROSS 

1 Wrongly dial for US 

state(7) 

4 Find new access in pure 

entertainment (7) 

6 Leave a group occupying 

the stage (7) 

7 New tipsy me makes 

keyboard error (7) 

Last week’s solutions 

Mini cryptics 

Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and win one free 

month of the Dhaka Tribune. 

ACROSS 

5 Herb from orange mix and 

egg (7) 

6 Award following 

November? (5) 

9 Happy with what’s inside 

(7) 

DOWN 

1 Sack member for making 

weapon (7) 

2 Nothing for a musical 

performance (5) 

3 Organise a right to roam (7) 

5 Plaything holds Russian 

assent now (5) 

DOWN 

1 Who rearranged, and in what way? (3) 

2 Improves taste for spring and summer (7) 

3 Show bearcat a new way (7) 

4 Fight package (3) 

7 Cold temperatures from historic year (3) 

8 Nibbled at first of enchiladas (3) 

Sudoku 

Use the numbers 1-9 to complete each 

of the 3x3 square grids such that each 

horizontal and vertical line also contains all 

of the digits from 1-9 

Last week’s solutions 

Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and 

win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune. 

3 home made 

skin care recipes 

featuring honey 

Tasfia Huda 

Honey attracts and preserves water 

which aids in skin hydration. It’s also 

beneficial for acne prone skin, because 

it inhibits the growth of bacteria, 

reducing the chance of breakouts. 

Here are a few DIY skin care recipes 

using honey. 

Honey and almond face scrub 

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp of finely ground almonds 

• 4 tbsp of oats 

• 2 tbsp of honey 

• 2 tbsp of lemon juice or yoghurt 

Directions 

At first, take two tablespoons of the 

ground almonds and blend it well with 

oats and honey. Then, just add enough 

lemon juice or yoghurt to the mixture, 

until it has a thick, oatmeal-like 

consistency. 

Gently rub the mixture on clean 

skin. Leave on for about five minutes, 

and then rinse with warm water. 

You can also store the mixture in the 

refrigerator for a few weeks. 

Cucumber and honey toner 

Ingredients 

• 1 cucumber 

• 2 tsp of honey 

Directions 

Put the cucumber into a blender and 

make a purée out of it. Strain the 

contents and collect the juice. 

Add two teaspoons of honey and 

mix well. Pour the mixture into a 

bottle. 

Apply on the face and neck area 

with a cotton pad in the morning and 

at night. Air dry it and rinse clean. Store 

the bottle covered in the refrigerator for 

up to one week. 

diy 

Yoghurt and honey facial mask 

Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp of plain yoghurt 

• 1 tsp of honey 

• Dash of ground cinnamon 

Directions 

Mix all the ingredients in a cup or bowl 

and apply on your face. Leave the mask 

on for seven to 10 minutes and wash off 

with warm water • 


iz info 19 

Edison Group introduces the dual rear Camera Smartphone helio S25 

Helio has recently introduced the 

S25 smartphone in Bangladesh on 

March 14. For now, the brand new 

phone comes in only one colour – 

black. 

The Chairman of Edison Group, 

Aminur Rashid unveiled the Helio 

S25 in a launching ceremony at the 

Westin Hotel, Gulshan. 

An attractive back-pack is offered 

with every purchase of Helio S25. 

Moreover, 300 minute on-net and 

100 minute off-net talk time and 

Modern Building 

Maintenance (MBM) 

inaugurated by Munshi 

Enterprise Ltd 

Munshi Enterprise Ltd has 

inaugurated the launching of its 

newest venture Modern Building 

Maintenance (MBM), a facility 

management agency at Gulshan 

Shooting Complex, on February 

25, 2017. The group has diversified 

the business in skilled manpower 

mobilisation, FM radio, facility 

management and maintenance, 

and HR services and solutions. 

“The need of commercial 

building cleaning and 

maintenance is growing every 

day, so that organisations can 

concentrate more on their core 

operations area to gain the 

competitive advantage. We 

work with the commitment of 

providing customers with high 

standard services. We not only 

keep your premises clean but also 

ensure hygienic environment 

surrounding you,” the managing 

director of Munshi Enterprise 

Ltd, Raquib Mohammad 

Fakhrul (Rocky), informed the 

distinguished guests in his 

inaugural speech. • 

15GB data (for first three months, 

per month 5GB) with Robi are also 

available with the S25. 

The biggest highlight of the 

Helio S25 is its dual rear cameras 

– 13-megapixel alongside a 

5-megapixel secondary rear camera 

– which use camera sensors from 

Sony and Samsung respectively. The 

dual rear cameras on the S25 will 

let users adjust the focus and depth 

of field blur on clicked pictures. 

The handset also packs dual-tone 

Splendor by Aneeka Bushra 

Aneeka Bushra always had a 

knack for applying makeup. It’s 

more of a passion for her, than 

just work. She applies makeup on 

different types clients everyday— 

endowed with different skin 

tones, structures and features. 

Sometimes they’re 16 and 

sometimes 48. What excites her 

most is the outcome of all the 

hard work. The transformation 

are appreciated by all. 

Aneeka recently has been to 

a few makeup events as a guest. 

She finds it overwhelming to have 

been there along with so many 

other prominent beauticians, 

makeup gurus and bloggers of the 

country. 

She will be at the up coming 

Xirconium Boishakhi Exhibition 

LED flash. The S25 also packs a 

13-megapixel front camera with 

Helio’s selfie flash feature. It comes 

with self-timer and seven beauty 

effects to enhance selfies. 

The metal-clad dual-SIM Helio 

S25 sports fingerprint scanner at the 

front. S25 comes with several secure 

features such as an application 

password feature that locks apps 

and documents with fingerprint 

or password lock. The phone also 

offers private space that will let 

users save private pictures, texts, 

call history, and documents among 

others separately which can be 

protected with fingerprint. 

Split screen assists our customers 

to split the screen in two, doubling 

your experience of multitasking. 

Users can enjoy videos on YouTube 

and Facebook simultaneously now 

through the split screen. 

The Helio S25 is priced at 

Tk21,990.• 

where she will share makeup tips 

and give clients a free makeover. 

Excited about the exhibition, she 

says, “I try coming up with new 

looks and offers apt for different 

occassions. I just want to thank 

everyone for making Pohela 

Falgun and Valentine’s Day such 

a success. Hopefully I will have 

better offers for Boishakh as 

well.” 

The makeup artist has sensitive 

skin herself, so she understands 

how important it is to use highend 

brands for her clients too. 

For more information, 

please contact: facebook.com/ 

splendorAB/ 

instagram.com/p/BPPMpcoFYGZ/ 

splendor.aneekabushra@gmail. 

com • 

Taste of Australia at 

Radisson Blu Dhaka 

“Taste of Australia” is being 

launched on March 17 at the 

renowned Water Garden 

Brasserie Restaurant, Radisson 

Blu Dhaka. 

Radisson’s executive chef, Jed 

Archdeacon hails from Australia 

himself, and has gifted his own 

magic into this festival. An 

impressive assortment of Aussie 

delicacies will be available at the 

festival, such as beef pie, chicken 

pie, pigeon pie and so on. 

Australian meat will be smoked 

in-house, using Chef Jed’s special 

smoking mix. 

For those of you who have a 

sweet tooth, delicious Australian 

desserts will also be available 

such as lamingtons (sponge cake 

with Australian syrup), classic 

Pavalova, etc. There will also 

be a raffle draw at the festival, 

the first prize of which is free 

tickets for two from Dhaka to 

Sydney (via Thai Airways), and 

back again. Christoph Voegeli, 

general manager of Radisson Blu 

Water Garden, says, “The hotel 

organises such festivals to bring 

different food varieties of the 

world close to the Bangladeshi 

people, and this time, they will 

come in touch with Australian 

food delights. We hope the 

festival will satisfy the taste-buds 

of the people.” 

The Australian food festival 

is supported by Thai Airways 

as the airline partner, Pepsi 

as the beverage partner, 

Radisson Blu Hotel Sydney 

and Radisson Blu Chittagong 

Bay View as the hospitality 

partners, Radio Today, Dhaka 

Tribune and Harriken as media 

partners. Expolink, Northend 

Coffee, JB Trading Co, Foodex 

International, Olitalia and Noor 

Trade house have assisted with 

the arrangements of the festival. 

The food festival will end on 

March 26.• 


20 Ticket | Jhalmuri S3 

Jhalmuri 

Season 3 

Sabiha Akond Rupa 

Facebook has become one of the 

most convenient tools to set up 

one’s own online shop. The number 

of Facebook pages are increasing, 

and only a few of them could 

actually stand out from the crowd. 

In Bangladesh, four Facebook 

based online shops – Stringz, Sweet 

Potato, 6 Yards Story, and Utshaho 

have already gained fame for their 

uniqueness and professionalism. 

Due to the huge demand from 

customers, they started a 

collaboration named “Jhalmuri,” an 

exhibition where these four brands 

showcase their exclusive products 

for different festivals. This year, they 

are organising Jhalmuri: Season 3 – 

where they are going to exhibit all 

the exclusive products to celebrate 

Pohela Baishakh. 

Jhalmuri: 

Season 3 will be held at 

Innotel Baton Rouge, House 

23, road 10, Block E, Banani 

1213, Dhaka. This three day 

long exhibition will start on 

March 17, and continue till 

March 19, everyday from 

10am to 10pm. 

taken her brand to a whole new level. 

The founder of Stringz, Tanjina 

Anis Prema is an engineer, who loves 

to experiment with different fabrics, 

colours, yarns and motifs. Stringz’s 

salwar-kameez, clothes, sari, blouse 

etc. are always in demand due 

to their exceptional patterns and 

designs. 

Sweet Potato started their journey 

three years ago, with locally made 

taant saris and their reasonable 

prices, with colourful designs and 

trendy styles. Their saris have 

become quite popular among young 

women. They have also started to 

incorporate different jewellery and 

pickles in their page. The founder, 

Roksana Rashid was a journalist, 

who later changed her career and 

devoted her life to her business, 

Sweet Potato. 

6 Yards Story started their 

journey with saris, but at present, 

they have become popular among 

the people because of their unique 

jewellery as well. You can find 

contemporary designs, merged with 

traditional styles in their collection. 

Founder, Zerin Tasnim, who is an 

architect, has blended her own style 

and creativity, along innovative 

marketing strategies, which have 

Utshaho’s founder, Manami Sunjia 

works in an advertisement agency, 

but her passion for desi saris and 

Nepali jewellery led her to start this 

business. Utshaho is loved for its 

reasonable prices and contemporary 

designs. 

Photo: 6 Yards Story, 

Sweet Potato, Stringz, Utshaho’s

Weekend 46_4

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