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Dhaka Tribune<br />
vol 4 Issue <strong>46</strong> | FRIDAY, march 17, 2017<br />
6<br />
Cook<br />
your<br />
own way<br />
9 Infograph<br />
12 Impressions<br />
of Dhaka
CONTENTS 1<br />
Volume 4 | Issue <strong>46</strong> | March 17, 2017<br />
Editor<br />
Zafar Sobhan<br />
Features Editor<br />
Sabrina Fatma Ahmad<br />
Magazine Editor<br />
Farina Noireet<br />
Deputy Magazine Editors<br />
Khan N Moushumi<br />
Shuprova Tasneem<br />
<strong>Weekend</strong> Tribune Team<br />
Saudia Afrin<br />
Moumita Ahmed<br />
Tasfia Huda<br />
Baizid Haque Joarder<br />
Saqib Sarker<br />
Mahmood Sadi<br />
Sabiha Akond Rupa<br />
Contributors<br />
Mahmood Hossain<br />
Tarek Musanna<br />
Farzana Romine<br />
6<br />
Cook your own way<br />
Kitchen chronicles<br />
News<br />
2 News<br />
3 Meanwhile<br />
Features<br />
5 Tempt<br />
Daily makeup<br />
8 Event<br />
Food Festival<br />
12 Art<br />
Impressions of Dhaka<br />
13 Events<br />
14 Education<br />
Mental math for kids<br />
15 Education<br />
Foreign students in local<br />
programs<br />
16 New Startups<br />
Pathao<br />
19 Biz Info<br />
20 Ticket<br />
Jhalmuri S3<br />
Cartoons<br />
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy<br />
Priyo<br />
Graphics<br />
Md Mahbub Alam<br />
Alamgir Hossain<br />
Shahadat Hossain<br />
Colour Specialist<br />
Shekhar Mondal<br />
Advertisement<br />
Shahin Ahsan<br />
Production<br />
Masum Billah<br />
Circulation<br />
Masud Kabir Pavel<br />
Website<br />
dhakatribune.com/weekend<br />
facebook.com/<strong>Weekend</strong>Trib<br />
Email your letters to:<br />
weekend@dhakatribune.com<br />
10<br />
Photo Story<br />
Dolyatra<br />
Editor’s note<br />
Dear Readers,<br />
As yet another Women’s Day<br />
has come and gone, we are left<br />
wondering about how much<br />
progress we’ve actually made in<br />
this area. While the once alarming<br />
numbers in issues such as access<br />
to education, child marriage,<br />
inadequate maternal and infant<br />
healthcare, violence against<br />
women, gender wage gap, etc,<br />
have indeed gone down, there is<br />
still a significant need for more<br />
change in bridging the everwidening<br />
gap, particularly in the<br />
case of developing nations across<br />
Africa and South Asia.<br />
This week’s <strong>Weekend</strong> Tribune<br />
is an assortment of stories that<br />
touch upon a myriad of topics and<br />
events. We bring to you a small<br />
feature on what some of today’s<br />
leading women had to say in last<br />
week’s Women and Leadership<br />
Summit 2017.<br />
While National Children’s Day<br />
is being celebrated across the<br />
country today, we also have a story<br />
on how mental arithmetic is playing<br />
a major role in the ever-inquisitive<br />
minds of today’s youngsters.<br />
Finally, we have a fun infograph<br />
on many of the diverse products<br />
and places that are wonderfully<br />
unique to the country we proudly<br />
call home.<br />
Happy reading.<br />
Farina Noireet<br />
Regulars<br />
4 Tailored<br />
9 Tech<br />
18 Stay in<br />
On the cover<br />
Photo<br />
Syed Zakir Hossain<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
2 News | This week<br />
Explosion<br />
on highway kills<br />
two soldiers in<br />
southeast Turkey<br />
Suspected Kurdish rebels last<br />
Wednesday, detonated explosives<br />
on a highway as security forces were<br />
passing by, killing two soldiers, the<br />
state-run news agency reported.<br />
The explosion occurred on a<br />
highway linking the cities of Mardin<br />
and Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey,<br />
Anadolu Agency said.<br />
The private Dogan News Agency<br />
said the attack targeted soldiers<br />
who were searching for land<br />
mines. It said the security forces<br />
launched a large-scale operation in<br />
the region to catch the assailants.<br />
There was no immediate claim of<br />
responsibility.<br />
The rebels of the Kurdistan<br />
Workers Party, or PKK, have launched<br />
a series of violent attacks since 2015,<br />
when a fragile peace process with the<br />
government collapsed.<br />
The group, considered a terror<br />
organisation by Turkey and its<br />
Western allies, has led a separatist<br />
insurgency since 1984. The conflict<br />
has killed tens of thousands of people<br />
since then.<br />
Photo: AP<br />
Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off<br />
the coast of Somalia, Somali officials<br />
and piracy experts said last Tuesday,<br />
the first such seisure of a large<br />
commercial vessel on the crucial<br />
global trade route since 2012.<br />
The Aris 13, on Monday, reported<br />
being approached by two skiffs,<br />
John Steed with the organisation<br />
Oceans Beyond Piracy said. The ship<br />
was carrying fuel from Djibouti to<br />
Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, he<br />
said. Eight Sri Lankan crew members<br />
were aboard.<br />
An official in the semiautonomous<br />
state of Puntland said<br />
The world at a glance<br />
<strong>Weekend</strong> Tribune Desk<br />
Pakistani<br />
army says three convicted Islamic<br />
militants executed<br />
The Pakistani army says three Islamic militants convicted by military<br />
courts have been executed.<br />
The army’s statement last Wednesday says the militants were<br />
associated with the Pakistani Taliban and a second extremist group<br />
named Harkat-ul-Jihad e-Islami. They were convicted of involvement<br />
in the killing of soldiers and police officers.<br />
The Pakistani government began trying alleged Islamic militants in<br />
military courts and lifted a moratorium on executions, following the<br />
December 2014 Taliban attack on a school that killed more than 150<br />
people, most of them schoolchildren.<br />
Human rights groups have criticised the fairness of the military<br />
courts, but the army says all defendants have a right to appeal.<br />
The two-year mandate for the military courts to try alleged Islamic<br />
militants recently expired, and parliament has been debating whether<br />
to continue the practice.<br />
Photo: AP<br />
Pirates<br />
hijack freighter off<br />
Somalia’s coast<br />
over two dozen men boarded the<br />
ship off Somalia’s northern coast, an<br />
area known to be used by weapons<br />
smugglers and members of the<br />
Al-Qaida-linked extremist group<br />
Al-Shabab. The official spoke on<br />
condition of anonymity because they<br />
were not authorised to speak to the<br />
press.<br />
The ship was anchored off the<br />
town of Alula, said Salad Nur, a local<br />
elder. “The ship is on the coast now<br />
and more armed men boarded the<br />
ship,” he told The Associated Press<br />
by phone.<br />
Bhurungamari<br />
Pir held over<br />
Bochaganj Pir<br />
murder<br />
Police have detained a Pir, or<br />
spiritual leader from Kurigram’s<br />
Bhurungamari upazila, in<br />
connection with the murder of<br />
another Pir and his daughter in<br />
Bochaganj of Dinajpur.<br />
Eshaq Ali, 57, was picked<br />
up from his house at Dakkhin<br />
Pathordubi of the upazila<br />
around 3am last Wednesday,<br />
police said. Earlier, Pir Farhad<br />
Hossain Chowdhury and his<br />
adopted daughter, Rupali<br />
Begum were found dead at the<br />
former’s Khanqah Sharif in<br />
Hatrampur area of Bochaganj.<br />
Both of them were shot, while<br />
Rupali’s throat was slit. Her<br />
husband, whom she married<br />
three days before the murder,<br />
has remained absconding.<br />
Police later detained<br />
caretaker Saidur Rahman and<br />
his associate Samor Ali for<br />
questioning, and initially said<br />
it could be a militant attack or<br />
result of political or personal<br />
disputes.<br />
News: Dhaka Tribune<br />
An official based in the Middle<br />
East with knowledge of the incident<br />
told the AP that no ransom demand<br />
had been made.<br />
Photo: AP<br />
Local<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
. . . Meanwhile 3<br />
Commemorating Women’s Day<br />
at the National Shaheed Minar<br />
on March 8.<br />
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain<br />
say what?<br />
Photo of the week<br />
Mum forced to answer awkward questions<br />
after kids find ‘child-friendly Kamasutra<br />
guide’ in doctor’s waiting room<br />
Katherine, a teacher at a school for children<br />
with specialist needs, was sitting in a doctor’s<br />
surgery waiting room with two of her three kids<br />
last week, when she picked up the book.<br />
The Croydon mum was reading Mummy Laid an Egg<br />
with her son, eight, and daughter, four. The literature is<br />
informative, if a little perplexing. It’s by legendary kids’<br />
author Babette Cole, who, somewhat coincidentally,<br />
died in January this year.<br />
Katherine said that she enjoyed the read – but found<br />
it a little unorthodox. As a sex educator, she’s well<br />
aware of the quizzical nature of talking about sex with<br />
youngsters. But this threw her.<br />
Katherine said that her four-year-old remained<br />
relatively unaware, but her son, eight, was intrigued by<br />
the explicit nature of the book.<br />
She said, “He’s been asking me all sorts. The other<br />
one didn’t really know what was happening, although<br />
she did ask me whether me and daddy dress as clowns.<br />
So that was awkward.”<br />
“I’m not disturbed, it’s hilarious really...but I’m just<br />
not sure what I make of it.”<br />
Katherine said she hadn’t come across the author<br />
before, but after doing a bit of research, now knows<br />
that she tackles ‘difficult’ topics in a light-hearted,<br />
humorous way.<br />
News and photo: Daily Mirror<br />
Aries (Mar21-Apr19): If you can avoid<br />
becoming bored with an idea before<br />
it gets off the ground, something<br />
beautiful may blossom over the days<br />
ahead.<br />
Taurus (Apr20-May20): There are some<br />
things that you might prefer to keep<br />
secret at this time, so don’t feel guilty<br />
about doing so.<br />
Gemini (May21-June20): This is the<br />
time to let go of any baggage that<br />
could be keeping you from expressing<br />
yourself or achieving your greatest<br />
ambitions. One way to do this could be<br />
through art or crafts.<br />
Cancer (June21-Jul22): Present<br />
influences could see you pushing ahead<br />
with a goal that requires charm as well<br />
as persistence. The encouragement<br />
of your friends may persuade you to<br />
follow through.<br />
Leo (Jul23-Aug22): You could be<br />
curious to travel to a place you’ve never<br />
visited before. Pictures and online<br />
reviews may call out to you and be the<br />
reason you’re so eager to go ahead and<br />
book the trip.<br />
Virgo (Aug23-Sep22): You could be<br />
encouraged to take a closer look at<br />
your financial situation and get your<br />
money working harder for you. At the<br />
same time, this blend of energies can be<br />
excellent for enhancing your love life.<br />
Libra (Sep23-Oct22): Your love life<br />
could be especially spicy at this time,<br />
with a lovely blend of energies just<br />
perfect for enjoying some great social<br />
occasions and romantic outings.<br />
Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21): The focus on<br />
your lifestyle sector could encourage<br />
you to consider how productive you<br />
are. You may be aware of certain<br />
changes that could improve your health<br />
immeasurably.<br />
Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec21): This can<br />
be an excellent week for finances and<br />
work and job progress if you play your<br />
cards right.<br />
Capricorn (Dec22-Jan19): A friendly<br />
gesture or delightful opportunity could<br />
boost your enthusiasm this week. Have<br />
a heart-to-heart chat with a friend, and<br />
you’ll quickly feel better.<br />
Aquarius (Jan20-Feb18): If an ongoing<br />
issue won’t go away, you might need to<br />
give it more time. A friend may come to<br />
the rescue with a fresh perspective that<br />
reassures you about the future.<br />
Pisces (Feb19-Mar20): The week ahead<br />
has some very sociable qualities,<br />
and the more you put into arranging<br />
activities with others, the more fun it<br />
can be.<br />
horoscopes<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
4 Tailored | Fashion editorial<br />
Think outside<br />
the box<br />
Here’s a look inspired by Dev Patel at SXSW<br />
Mahmood Hossain<br />
The Lion star Dev Patel isn’t really<br />
known for his stylish outfits on and<br />
off the red carpet. However, with his<br />
latest performances, he’s proved that<br />
the kid in Slumdog Millionaire wasn’t<br />
a one-hit wonder. He’s a lead-worthy<br />
actor that is gradually raising his<br />
stock price in Hollywood. Alongside<br />
his stardom, his fashion choices have<br />
recently been under the spotlight.<br />
The soon to be 27-year-old was<br />
recently seen at South by South West<br />
(SXSW) in Austin, Texas wearing a<br />
somewhat risky choice in what is<br />
usually infested with bomber jackets,<br />
dark wash jeans and subtle navy<br />
suits. In other words, SXSW isn’t<br />
really known for impeccable style<br />
that gets the entire town talking.<br />
The annual film-music-media<br />
festival is the perfect place to pull<br />
off something no one would expect.<br />
Patel was decked out in shades of<br />
grey, from his shirt, casual trousers<br />
and suede lace-ups. What really<br />
topped the outfit was his doublebreasted<br />
pink jacket.<br />
While everyone else might have<br />
opted for the safer, black and evening<br />
wear, the English actor turned heads<br />
at Armani’s Films of City Frames<br />
film premiere event. This just goes<br />
to show that South Asian men can<br />
be as smooth and sexy with the best<br />
of them. And let’s not forget his long<br />
wavy locks and his not-so-tidy beard.<br />
So now you’re wondering, “How<br />
the hell do I pull something off like<br />
that?” Simple: carefully.<br />
Breakdown<br />
What really stands out about this<br />
entire look is its easy on the eyes<br />
A lot of fashion is also<br />
about pulling off an<br />
illusion<br />
fabrics and colours. A lot of fashion<br />
is also about pulling off an illusion.<br />
What may seem like a sophisticated<br />
evening-wear is actually incredibly<br />
casual and easy going. It’s something<br />
you might think of wearing during<br />
the weekends for an evening gettogether.<br />
The soft pink of the widelapel<br />
jacket, crewneck knitted top,<br />
even lighter grey trousers and the<br />
suede wingtips gives off a ridiculous<br />
amount of coolness aura. He also<br />
decided to keep the shirt untucked<br />
and the jacket unbuttoned. Again,<br />
his choices are very relaxed and not<br />
actually tailored so you could be<br />
wondering which rack holds these<br />
gems for you to try out.<br />
Up top<br />
It’s all about the details. Take a<br />
good look at how the shades of grey<br />
complement each other, not going on<br />
a drastic contrast binge. Also notice<br />
the grey buttons on his pink jacket.<br />
Another complement. You might not<br />
be able to pull off the pink jacket or<br />
even find one anytime near or soon,<br />
but you can substitute it with a very<br />
light (in fabric), soft-pink cardigan.<br />
It’s still a classy choice for an evening<br />
out and you can easily keep it<br />
unbuttoned.<br />
Since the cardigan takes care of<br />
the knitted category, a grey dress<br />
shirt or a higher quality t-shirt works<br />
well underneath the pink top layer.<br />
We want to keep the look as close to<br />
Dev’s so make sure the greys are in<br />
the softer tones.<br />
Down below<br />
The trousers are your easiest choices<br />
to make. You can try and be a bit<br />
more flexible here, choosing between<br />
a tailored bottom or a casual one.<br />
Either one works. The shoes, on<br />
the other hand, will take a little bit<br />
more consideration. They don’t<br />
necessarily have to be wingtips, but<br />
this smoother than butter look does<br />
require the suede to round things up.<br />
Instead of lace-ups, you can choose<br />
suede Derbys or loafers. While<br />
high-end sneakers aren’t completely<br />
out of the question, it’s better to go<br />
with items that will keep within the<br />
ensemble’s overall flow.<br />
Takeaway<br />
Putting together a look like this is<br />
simpler than most would think. Sure,<br />
you’d have to think about your skin<br />
tone and which colours will flatter<br />
you most, but if this brown guy can<br />
pull it off so can you. The colours and<br />
fabrics here can be a sure winner,<br />
both in comfort and style. But do<br />
keep one thing in mind, even if it is<br />
a casual look: fit is everything. You<br />
want to be comfortable and relaxed<br />
but never let any of these items look<br />
ill-fitting or baggy. There should<br />
be just the right amount of slack to<br />
make things comfy without making<br />
it look as if your clothes have nearly<br />
swallowed you whole.<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
5Tasfia Huda<br />
Choosing the right foundation<br />
While dewy is quite an attractive<br />
choice, you should go with the<br />
matte finish foundation to look<br />
smashing and fresh all day at work.<br />
If you have acne-free skin with<br />
no visible dark circles, choose<br />
a foundation that matches your<br />
skin tone to have a visibly fresh<br />
appearance.<br />
Daily Makeup | Tempt 5<br />
quick makeup tips for working<br />
women<br />
Modern women have a lot of duties at home and work, but it<br />
is equally important to look your best without letting your<br />
stressful office responsibilities get the better of you. Here<br />
are some everyday makeup tips that can help you look<br />
picture perfect till the last working hour of the day.<br />
Cheekbone<br />
contouring<br />
All you need to do<br />
is contour your<br />
cheeks if you want<br />
your face to look<br />
more defined. Use<br />
a darker brown<br />
shade on the upper<br />
cheeks, right on<br />
the bone line, and<br />
then a lighter shade<br />
above the bone<br />
line. You can also<br />
use a shimmery<br />
highlighter on the<br />
high points of your<br />
cheeks. That’s all<br />
you need for beautiful cheeks, and it<br />
takes under five minutes to do so.<br />
Use the right brushes<br />
Some women use a<br />
single makeup brush<br />
for everything when<br />
doing their makeup.<br />
It will take up a lot of<br />
unnecessary time if you<br />
have to clean the same<br />
brush you used for your<br />
foundation in order to<br />
use blush. If you want<br />
to be able to do your<br />
makeup fast and efficiently, you should invest in a set<br />
of beauty brushes. Make sure they are of good quality<br />
so that blending can be done smoothly and it won’t take<br />
much time.<br />
Matte lipstick<br />
You certainly don’t<br />
have time for<br />
elaborate makeup in<br />
the morning, so you<br />
can just use mascara<br />
for your eyes and<br />
lipstick in striking<br />
deep colours before<br />
going to work. Dark<br />
red and burgundy in<br />
matte colours work<br />
best. This will add<br />
a touch of glam to<br />
your face without<br />
exaggerating it much.<br />
Keep your eyes all natural and focus on your lips for striking<br />
makeup that can be completed in less than five minutes.<br />
Cleanse and moisturise at night<br />
If you want your complexion to look fresh in the morning, you<br />
have to take good care<br />
of your skin at night.<br />
Make sure you remove<br />
all your makeup when<br />
you get back home. Use<br />
a nourishing moisturiser<br />
once you wash your<br />
face. Sleeping with your<br />
makeup on can cause<br />
your skin to be filled<br />
with zits, cracks and<br />
imperfections. However<br />
if you clean your face<br />
thoroughly at night and<br />
moisturise, your face<br />
will look radiant the<br />
next day. Just apply a BB<br />
cream, lipstick, blush<br />
and mascara, and you’re<br />
good to go. •<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
6 Cook your own way | Kitchen chronicles<br />
Chinese<br />
classics<br />
Farzana Romine<br />
There are some classic Chinese dishes that we all love. Kung<br />
Pao chicken and beef with broccoli are two of my favourite<br />
dishes, which I order all the time when I am at a restaurant.<br />
They are very simple to make at home too. You will probably<br />
already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. It requires<br />
a little preparation, but takes only a few minutes to cook.<br />
These are my go-to Chinese dishes, when I am in a hurry. Give<br />
it a try, I am sure you will love them too.<br />
Kung Pao<br />
chicken<br />
Ingredients:<br />
For the marinade:<br />
• 2 large chicken thighs, cut into<br />
bitesized pieces<br />
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce<br />
• 2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder<br />
(optional)<br />
• 1 tbsp ginger paste<br />
• 1 tsp black pepper<br />
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch<br />
For the stir fry:<br />
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
• 1 small onion, sliced<br />
• 4 to 5 dried red chillies (use<br />
more if you like it super hot)<br />
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts or peanuts<br />
• 2 tbsp vinegar<br />
• 2 tsp black pepper<br />
• 2 tsp sugar<br />
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions<br />
• 4 tbsp soy sauce<br />
Directions:<br />
Mix everything for the marinade<br />
with the chicken and let it sit in<br />
the fridge for two hours.<br />
Now, in a wok, heat 1/3 cup oil.<br />
Add the cashews and the dried<br />
chillies. Fry until cashews have a<br />
light brown colour, then take the<br />
chillies and nuts out of the oil and<br />
keep aside.<br />
In the same oil, add the garlic and<br />
onion. Fry for two minutes, then<br />
add the chicken. Stir continuously<br />
over high heat, until the chicken<br />
is caramelised and turns slightly<br />
golden. Now add the vinegar, soy<br />
sauce, sugar and pepper. Once<br />
everything is well combined, add<br />
the fried chillies and cashews<br />
(save a few cashews for garnish).<br />
Keep stirring for another minute.<br />
Before taking it off the heat, add<br />
the scallions and toss. Garnish<br />
with the reserved cashews and<br />
scallions and serve with steamed<br />
or fried rice.<br />
Photos: Farzana Romine<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
7<br />
Beef with<br />
broccoli<br />
Ingredients:<br />
For the marinade:<br />
• 2 cups beef, cut into<br />
bitesized pieces<br />
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce<br />
• 2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
• 1 tbsp vinegar<br />
• 1 tbsp ginger paste<br />
• 1 tsp black pepper<br />
• 1 tbsp cornstarch<br />
For the stir fry:<br />
• 1 medium sized broccoli<br />
• 1 medium carrot<br />
• 3 big cloves of garlic<br />
• 1 small sized onion<br />
• 2 dried chillies, thinly sliced<br />
• 2 tsp sugar<br />
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, and some<br />
extra if needed<br />
Directions:<br />
Mix everything for the<br />
marinade with the beef and<br />
let it sit in the fridge for a few<br />
hours. You can do this part<br />
the night before and keep it in<br />
the fridge. It makes the beef<br />
tender.<br />
First, heat 1/4 cup oil in wok<br />
and add the chillies and garlic.<br />
Fry until the garlic is light<br />
brown. Add the beef and stir<br />
fry over high heat continuously<br />
for about four to five minutes,<br />
until it changes colour. Once<br />
it’s done, take it out of the pan.<br />
Wipe the wok clean.<br />
Heat two tablespoons of oil in<br />
the wok and add the onion.<br />
Stir for one minute and add the<br />
carrot first. Splash a little water<br />
and stir fry until the carrots are<br />
slightly tender. (I put the carrot<br />
first because broccoli doesn’t<br />
take long to cook at all). Now<br />
add the broccoli. Fry for two<br />
minutes. Add the beef back<br />
into the wok.<br />
Stir until everything is well<br />
combined. Add the sugar and<br />
the extra soy sauce. Taste it<br />
and add salt if needed. Add<br />
a bit of extra black pepper.<br />
Serve hot with steamed or fried<br />
rice.•<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
8 Event | Food festival<br />
Christoph Voegeli, general manager, Radisson Blu Dhaka <br />
Australian<br />
Food Festival<br />
to kick off at Radisson Blu<br />
Shadman Shoumik Anik<br />
Photos: Courtesy<br />
Why organise events such<br />
as food festivals?<br />
We have raised our bar this year.<br />
We are aiming to become the<br />
most recognised hotel in terms of<br />
food, and in order to convey this<br />
message to the public, we will be<br />
holding different food festivals<br />
every two months from now. In<br />
the coming months, we will be<br />
organising Chinese, Indonesian<br />
and Malaysian food festivals.<br />
It is a popular way in which we<br />
can achieve a couple of objectives<br />
at the same time. First of all, we<br />
can highlight our capabilities to<br />
our customers. We bring chefs<br />
from different countries for<br />
these festivals. In this way, we<br />
try to transfer the knowledge of<br />
their cuisine to our local chefs.<br />
For all these events, we also<br />
work with the high commission<br />
and embassies. Hence, we can<br />
convey more information about<br />
the culture, style of cooking and<br />
taste, so that people living here<br />
can taste the authentic delicacies<br />
of that country without even<br />
travelling there.<br />
What do you think is the<br />
secret behind the success<br />
of Radisson?<br />
Radisson Blu Dhaka is one of the<br />
first international hotels in the<br />
city. Radisson is very well-known<br />
in Europe. Bangladesh, being<br />
predominant in the garments<br />
business, many buyers from<br />
Europe visit Dhaka. These buyers<br />
recognise this brand, and most of<br />
them prefer to stay at Radisson<br />
because of the service and<br />
hospitality we provide.<br />
What are your upcoming<br />
plans for 2017?<br />
Our vision is to become the best<br />
hotel in terms of restaurant,<br />
food and beverage offerings.<br />
Organising food festivals is an<br />
important part of this. We have<br />
some other engagements as well,<br />
such as – we have started urban<br />
farming. By this, we can produce<br />
part of our supplies within<br />
the premises. We have started<br />
growing mushroom, lettuce,<br />
and some herbs (specifically<br />
micro herbs). Moreover, a new<br />
chef will join us shortly, with<br />
an elaborate menu, which will<br />
probably contain six or seven<br />
courses. We will also import<br />
oysters from France. We plan on<br />
bringing different cuisines over<br />
the next few months, which will<br />
enable us to take fine dining to<br />
a whole new level. People travel<br />
abroad in order to have this kind<br />
of experience, but now they<br />
can enjoy the same experience<br />
here. •<br />
Australian cuisine has become more diverse than ever, influenced by an array<br />
of ingredients, a plethora of cultures and a menu of resurgent interest in food.<br />
Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden is known for organising different food<br />
festivals around the year, bringing food from different countries and beyond.<br />
This time, Radisson Blu has organised the Australian Food Festival, which<br />
will start on March 17, and continue till March 26. The food festival will offer<br />
various delicacies from Australia, and interactive live counters with themed<br />
décor, creating a memorable experience for the guests. The Australian Food<br />
Festival is open for all, and guests will have to make reservations before<br />
visiting the fest. During the festival, many vegetarian and non-vegetarian<br />
delicacies will be served, which will include starters, main-course and<br />
desserts during dinner.<br />
We spoke to Christoph Voegeli, general manager, Radisson Blu Dhaka,<br />
about what they have in store for us at the upcoming festival.<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
Infograph 9<br />
Panchagarh’s<br />
Tetul<br />
Land of diversity<br />
Khan N Moushumi<br />
Roshmalai, mughlai porata, delicate silk, there’s nothing that we Bangladeshis don’t<br />
have the means to produce. A country of 700 rivers and 250,000 mosques, Bangladesh<br />
boasts the longest beach, the Sixty Dome mosque and the most exquisite handwoven<br />
jamdani sari. This week we present an info-graphical map of what each and every<br />
Bangladeshi should take pride in. <br />
Illustration: Priyo<br />
Rajshahi’s Aam<br />
Tangail’s Taat Sari<br />
Bogra’s Doi<br />
Sylhet’s Tea Garden<br />
Mymensingh’s<br />
Nakshi Kantha<br />
Dhakai Jamdani<br />
Comilla’s Roshmalai<br />
Rajbari’s Zamindar Bari Ruins<br />
Barisal’s Hilsha<br />
Khulna’s Shitol Pati<br />
Chittagong, Port City<br />
Bagerhat’s Shat Gombuj Masjid<br />
Cox’s Bazar, the longest<br />
beach in the world<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
10 Photo Story | DolYatra<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
11<br />
Festival<br />
of<br />
colours<br />
Dol or Dolyatra or Holi is celebrated every year on the<br />
fifteenth day of the lunar month in the Bangla month of<br />
Falgun, which usually falls somewhere between the end<br />
of February and the middle of March. The traditional<br />
Hindu festival is celebrated with the worship of the<br />
deities Radha and Krishna.<br />
Images of the two deities are sprinkled with the red<br />
powder known as avir. After the ritual people start to<br />
splash or sprinkle colours on each other. Holi festival<br />
was celebrated last week all across the country. The<br />
festival celebrates the end of a season and symbolises<br />
leaving behind all the darkness. These pictures were<br />
taken at Charukala (Institute of Fine Arts) in Shahbag.<br />
Photos: Mahmud Hossain Opu<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
12 Art | Impressions of Dhaka<br />
‘Impressions of Dhaka’<br />
at the Bengal Foundation<br />
Saqib Sarker<br />
Set to start today,<br />
“Impressions of Dhaka”, an<br />
open studio art exhibition,<br />
will feature the outcomes<br />
of a recently held workshop<br />
participated by young Bangladeshi<br />
ceramic artists, and conducted by<br />
Bengal Foundations’ residency artist<br />
Richard Crooks and Bangladeshi<br />
artist Ashim Halder Sagor. The<br />
open studio will also showcase the<br />
creative processes along with the<br />
outcomes of Richard Crooks’ fourweeks-long<br />
research based residency<br />
in Dhaka.<br />
Bengal Foundation introduced the<br />
Residency Programme as part of its<br />
pedagogical approach in contributing<br />
to the new media art. British<br />
sculptor, Richard Crooks is the first<br />
artist of the new venture who is<br />
being hosted by Bengal Foundation<br />
for a five-week programme that<br />
began on February 15, 2017.<br />
A passionate student of South<br />
Asian sculpture, Richard Crooks<br />
set out to work “by observations<br />
of Bengali architectural practice<br />
that may be seen to reflect a unique<br />
cultural, sociological, and political<br />
evolution” in this residency<br />
programme. Through casting<br />
versions of ‘found’ textures and<br />
forms and small clay sculptures that<br />
allude to the proliferation of styles<br />
that he has modelled, Richard has<br />
been making sequences of sculptures<br />
that will form part of a solo<br />
Photos: Courtesy<br />
exhibition in the UK, later this year.<br />
He has also been making a<br />
horizontal structure which has been<br />
inspired by his observations while<br />
cycling underneath the flyovers in<br />
Dhaka City. “One just has to ride<br />
a bike! It’s the only way,” Richard<br />
Crooks told <strong>Weekend</strong> Tribune.<br />
Talking about the residency<br />
program, the British sculptor said<br />
that the program has allowed him a<br />
certain degree of immersion. Richard<br />
observed that Bengal Foundation<br />
has extraordinary access to the arts<br />
infrastructure within Dhaka and<br />
beyond, as he realised during the last<br />
five weeks of his stay in the capital.<br />
The unique residency program<br />
has clearly created immense interest.<br />
“The residency itself has almost<br />
become the subject of the residency.<br />
Invitations to the Curatorial<br />
Symposium hosted by BF, the<br />
Samdeni seminar and meeting artists<br />
and critics have informed activities<br />
here and will emerge in the weeks<br />
and months ahead,” Richard Crooks<br />
said.<br />
Richard’s involvement with the<br />
project happened through a chance<br />
meeting with Hadrien Diez in Bengal<br />
Art Lounge a couple of years ago. But<br />
now fully immersed into it, Richard<br />
said he is deeply thankful to Tanzim<br />
Wahab, the Chief Curator at Bengal<br />
Foundation, for inviting him. “I must<br />
especially thank Tanzim Wahab for<br />
this invitation and I know that the<br />
visual arts program has ambitious<br />
plans for this project under his astute<br />
leadership.”<br />
Richard particularly stressed<br />
that Bengal Foundation’s program<br />
is not just a project, but there is a<br />
conscious and smart effort to “move<br />
toward a stronger pedagogical<br />
practice.” He thinks that the projects<br />
undertaken, do not just focus on<br />
a mere tangible outcome but “the<br />
process of how the students arrive at<br />
the results” has been given immense<br />
importance. Richard said that the<br />
idea of the workshops was basically<br />
about the “process”.<br />
The exhibition is set to go on until<br />
next Friday, March 25. •<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
Events 13<br />
Breaking down the stereotype<br />
Saudia Afrin<br />
On the occasion of<br />
International Women’s<br />
day, the annual Women<br />
Leadership Summit was celebrated<br />
at Le Meridien Dhaka, on March 8, by<br />
Women in Leadership.<br />
The daylong summit was armed<br />
with a good number of sessions<br />
concerning ‘Realising Women<br />
Potential’. On the session titled<br />
‘Creative forces to change the status<br />
quo,’ women representatives from<br />
diverse creative sectors put up their<br />
thoughts on the very issue, sharing<br />
experiences from real life. Moderated<br />
by Nazia Andaleeb Preema, the<br />
panelists were Shobhaa de, Sarah<br />
Zaker, Lubna Marium, Nasreen Zamir<br />
together with the only male panelist<br />
Piplu R Khan.<br />
“Using creative forces did exist<br />
during our time. I don’t know<br />
how far we have been able to<br />
address women issues in theatre.<br />
Creativity, performing arts and<br />
reality need to interconnected”<br />
Sara Zaker, social activist and<br />
deputy managing director,<br />
Asiatic 360 group.<br />
“We do art for art. As soon as<br />
someone gets into the politics of<br />
art then the dynamics become<br />
different. There comes the<br />
question of male female or even<br />
cast or creed. But for me it’s all<br />
about merit. If you are good then<br />
there shouldn’t be any question<br />
of gender discrimination. This<br />
is a conscious decision that I<br />
personally took that I distance<br />
myself from the politics of art,”<br />
said Lubna Marium, dancer and<br />
art director.<br />
“Advertising is a critical space,<br />
where even without intension<br />
things go wrong in most of the<br />
cases. Because often we don’t<br />
know what is our story. A lot of<br />
us aren’t sensitive to tell stories<br />
around women or portraying<br />
them. Yet we can be very<br />
sensitive and innovative while<br />
telling stories which can qualify<br />
the kind of stories the women<br />
want to tell as women.” Piplu<br />
R Khan, owner and director,<br />
Applebox films limited.<br />
“I want to say all women that<br />
they must be self-made no matter<br />
what situation you are in. women<br />
have to be brave and courageous<br />
to do what they want to do,”<br />
Nasreen Zamir, honorary consul<br />
of Luxembourg to Bangladesh<br />
and chief designer, Nasreen<br />
Zamir and Associates.<br />
“Traditional society saying, how<br />
dare she writes this, women are<br />
forever answering the question<br />
how dare how dare... Yes we<br />
dare! And we don’t have to seek<br />
anyone’s permission. One has<br />
to think of ones own creative<br />
space with a sense of humor and<br />
without self conscious, and just<br />
do what they have to and need to<br />
do which is to wake up the world<br />
and shake up the society also<br />
be a major disruptor. That’s the<br />
only way… we have to disrupt.”<br />
Shobhaa de, author, columnist<br />
and novelist.<br />
British Council celebrates success of EDGE Programme<br />
In celebration of International<br />
Women’s Day, the British<br />
Council organised an event on<br />
March 10, to share the successes<br />
of its English and Digital for Girls’<br />
Education (EDGE) programme with<br />
its stakeholders and representatives<br />
from organisations which work<br />
with a focus on girls and women’s<br />
empowerment.<br />
The EDGE programme focuses<br />
on enhancing participants’ English<br />
proficiency, digital and 21st Century<br />
skills, and awareness of social issues.<br />
As a result, participants will be better<br />
able to make more informed and<br />
independent life choices, as is their<br />
right, in order to contribute more<br />
fully to the family, the economy and<br />
society. In addition, the programme<br />
aims to improve the leadership skills<br />
of a smaller group of peer leaders<br />
drawn from the same communities<br />
of adolescent girls.<br />
Since its inception in 2012, the<br />
EDGE programme has opened 364<br />
after-school clubs, and trained 799<br />
peer group leaders to facilitate these<br />
clubs for over 8973 participants.<br />
The programme is being operated<br />
in nine districts (Manikganj,<br />
Tangail, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sylhet,<br />
Chittagong, Khulna, Narshingdi, and<br />
Mymensingh).<br />
Nasima Begum ndc, Secretary,<br />
Ministry of Woman and Children<br />
Affairs, attended the celebration<br />
event as chief guest. David Ashley,<br />
Deputy High Commissioner, British<br />
High Commission in Bangladesh<br />
was present as special guest. Barbara<br />
Wickham, Director, British Council<br />
was also present along with other<br />
eminent guests.<br />
“Ensuring gender equality through<br />
educating and empowering women<br />
is an important part of our activities<br />
pertaining to cultural relations. The<br />
EDGE programme has proven highly<br />
effective in empowering women and<br />
girls in Bangladesh, and we are not<br />
only glad to share the success stories<br />
of the programme today, but also<br />
commit to continuing the programme<br />
in the future to yield more positive<br />
results,” said Barbara Wickham.<br />
In 2012, the British Council<br />
launched this project in partnership<br />
with BRAC Bangladesh. English<br />
and Digital for Girls’ Education<br />
(EDGE) project aims to improve the<br />
life prospects of adolescent girls in<br />
socio-economically marginalised<br />
communities, and has started<br />
operating in, India and Nepal.<br />
For further information please<br />
contact:<br />
Arshia Aziz, Head of Marketing and<br />
Communications, British Council,<br />
Bangladesh<br />
Email: Arshia.Aziz@<br />
bd.britishcouncil.org •<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
14 Education | Mental Math for kids<br />
Faster, smarter, problem-solvers<br />
Nurturing creativity in kids with mental arithmetic<br />
Saudia Afrin<br />
“17 plus 12 minus<br />
15 is equal to..?”<br />
While listening to<br />
the numbers, little<br />
Saraf’s fingers were moving through<br />
his imaginary abacus beads. And his<br />
instant answer was 14. Saraf Islam<br />
Nuhil, a student of grade one from<br />
Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad, is<br />
one of the distinction winners of<br />
the 10th National Level Abacus and<br />
Mental Arithmetic competition. With<br />
the slogan, “building genius”, Aloha<br />
Bangladesh is helping children gain<br />
brain development through Mental<br />
Arithmetic.<br />
“Nowadays, most of the families<br />
are nuclear with only one child. The<br />
absence of playground, a lack of<br />
reading habit and excessive video<br />
games and cartoons make a big<br />
impact on children’s mind. Watching<br />
video games and cartoons impedes<br />
imagination. For these reasons<br />
children are using the right side<br />
of the brain (RSB) much less than<br />
the left side (LSB),” said Ali Haider,<br />
the Managing Director of Aloha<br />
Bangladesh.<br />
“That is where Mental Arithmetic<br />
comes in,” Ali Haider said. Mental<br />
arithmetic is used all over the world<br />
and it is particularly useful for<br />
stimulating both sides of the brain.<br />
In the process, the child is given an<br />
Abacus to calculate. Later on, he or<br />
she is introduced to an imaginary<br />
abacus where he or she can count<br />
with the help of his or her imaginary<br />
abacus beads. “When he or she is<br />
visualising while doing maths, it<br />
basically acts as a stimulation for the<br />
right side of the brain. On the other<br />
hand, calculation is enriching his or<br />
her left side,” Ali Haider explained.<br />
Around the country, from<br />
Rangpur to Chittagong, 30,000<br />
students are being groomed by<br />
Aloha. The classes entail physical<br />
activities, oral calculation,<br />
meditation and other individual<br />
or group activities. The impact<br />
of oral calculation is so brilliant<br />
that it increases children’s power<br />
of listening, boosts memory,<br />
visualisation and imagination. “A<br />
lot of people think of Aloha as a<br />
coaching centre for mathematics.<br />
In reality we work to help children<br />
gain brain development; maths is<br />
only used as a medium in mental<br />
arithmetic,” Ali Haider said.<br />
Photo: Courtesy<br />
While not a coaching centre<br />
for school maths, the thankful<br />
by-product of the Aloha classes is<br />
that the Aloha students seem to be<br />
solving their school mathematics<br />
work with 100% accuracy. Afzal<br />
Uddin Sahil, a student of class 7 at<br />
Oxford International School, who<br />
aspires to work at Microsoft, said,<br />
“I no longer fear exams. I can solve<br />
mathematical problems without<br />
using a calculator.”<br />
“Take home assignments<br />
are given regularly,” said by Ali<br />
Haider. After attaining one class<br />
work per week, the children are<br />
given homework including oral<br />
calculation. Oral calculation requires<br />
help from guardians at home. Since<br />
parents cannot always make time to<br />
help their children students often<br />
end up trying to solve a week-long<br />
assignment in one and a half hour.<br />
According to Ali Haider, the quality<br />
among students start varying from<br />
there. The children who practice<br />
regularly perform much better than<br />
those who try to complete their<br />
assignments in one day.<br />
Children with special needs can<br />
become more responsive through<br />
mental arithmetic. It might take<br />
time, but the impact on them is<br />
quite evident. However, these<br />
children need one to one specialised<br />
teaching module for six days, which<br />
is quite expensive. Initially, Aloha<br />
had a few such cases, but it became<br />
unsustainable.<br />
one of the biggest challenges, said<br />
Ali Haider, who have been working<br />
with Aloha since its inception, is<br />
that it is still not affordable for the<br />
middle class families. The cost of the<br />
course out of Dhaka is around Tk600,<br />
A lot of people think of Aloha as a coaching<br />
centre for mathematics. In reality we work to<br />
help children gain brain development<br />
whereas within Dhaka it ranges from<br />
Tk1400 to Tk2000.<br />
However, Aloha is planning to<br />
launch a self learning module, so<br />
that the cost can be cut by half. Ali<br />
Haider thinks mental arithmetic<br />
should be taught in schools. He<br />
said, “Many developed countries<br />
are applying such methods at their<br />
schools. And the learning can be<br />
provided by either Aloha teachers<br />
or by the school teachers after<br />
training.”<br />
Last month, Aloha Bangladesh<br />
organised its 10th National Level<br />
Abacus and Mental Arithmetic<br />
competition. Around 1600 students<br />
from over 300 schools around the<br />
country, solved 70 mathematical<br />
problems in five minutes, and<br />
a total of 199 winners were<br />
announced.•<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
Foreign students in local programs | Education 15<br />
Foreign students on life in Bangladesh<br />
Sohel Iqbal<br />
It was a sunny January afternoon internationalisation they should<br />
when I caught up with some naturally welcome foreign students<br />
of the nine Ugandan students and also benefit themselves from<br />
at BRAC University (BRACU), international collaborations on<br />
as they stood waiting for BRACU capacity building through faculty<br />
transportation running between and student exchanges and joint<br />
its Mohakhali campus and Niketan academic programs to create highvalue<br />
degrees.<br />
hostel, a 10-minute’s drive.<br />
Our light-hearted conversation A report published in the local<br />
began with life in Uganda where they dailies recently reported the<br />
were among 5,000 secondary level University Grants Commission’s deep<br />
students getting support from Brac concern in its 42nd annual report<br />
and Master Card Foundation. During regarding the decreasing number<br />
a visit to Brac Uganda a couple of of foreign students studying in<br />
years back, Brac chairperson Fazle private universities in 2015 despite<br />
Hasan Abed KCMG had offered five the establishment of more new<br />
annual BRACU scholarships for these universities. According to the report,<br />
students.<br />
there were 1,548 foreign students in<br />
The students joined in observing the International Mother Language Day, on February 21<br />
The nine students, including two private universities in 2015 compared<br />
female students, were subsequently to 1,643 students in 2014. The<br />
selected through a competitive number was 1,612 in 2013, 1,642 in<br />
admission process and arrived in 2012 and 1,651 in 2011.<br />
groups over the last two years.<br />
Unfortunately, for many<br />
BRACU provided transportation internationals students, the<br />
and assistance in visa processing dream can turn into a nightmare<br />
and choosing insurance companies if they are not provided proper<br />
for medical coverage while the accommodation facilities. Kisuule<br />
scholarship covered lodging, meals Gordon, one of the nine Ugandan<br />
and some additional allowance. students, now in his fifth semester<br />
Universities are by nature<br />
in the mathematics and natural<br />
international institutions, so<br />
sciences department commented<br />
when it comes to the question of about the safe and internationalstandard<br />
accommodation facilities<br />
of BRACU that resembled a homely<br />
environment comprising a small<br />
community of foreigners.<br />
“To be honest it was a cultural<br />
shock when we first came in,” said<br />
Gordon about his first impression of<br />
Bangladesh. “Now things are normal<br />
and the campus culture and student<br />
clubs have helped us to adapt,” he<br />
added.<br />
“I am expecting a good life<br />
ahead at BRAC University. Life in<br />
Bangladesh is good. I am spending<br />
quality time here and learning a lot<br />
about the country. People are friendly,<br />
their hospitality amazes me,” said<br />
Wakyaya Brian, whose experience on<br />
Photo: Courtesy<br />
arrival, had not been pleasant. “I lost<br />
my luggage at the Dhaka airport...I<br />
felt lost,” he said. However, BRACU<br />
was there by his side. “I didn’t expect<br />
such levels of help that the university<br />
offered. The airline eventually could<br />
not return my luggage but with the<br />
help of the communications and<br />
relationship management office, I did<br />
receive compensation,” he added.<br />
Vice chancellor Professor Syed<br />
Saad Andaleeb summarises the<br />
efforts of BRACU for every student in<br />
a message saying, “We MUST let our<br />
students know that we care about<br />
them, greeting them each day with<br />
a smile to brighten their lives and<br />
ease their burdens. This is the extra<br />
emotional labour that can help build<br />
long-lasting relationships with our<br />
students.”<br />
The conversation shifted to food<br />
habits with Tebusweke Godfrey and<br />
Bisoboka Claire Precious expressing<br />
delight at having tasted two local<br />
dishes – biryani and khichuri. “Food<br />
is a great experience here! The menu<br />
is delicious but mostly rice based,”<br />
said Mugenyi Raymond. However,<br />
Nanfuka Milly lamented over not<br />
having tasted such items as green<br />
banana or Matoke as it is known in<br />
Uganda, in a long time.<br />
In attempts to shape their<br />
careers, BRAC University hopes<br />
that they can help the students<br />
prosper in life, whether it be locally<br />
or globally, through five core skills<br />
it strives to instil – critical thinking,<br />
communication, quantitative skills,<br />
digital awareness and global thinking.<br />
Education for students on any<br />
foreign land has always been a<br />
struggle, whether it be Bangladeshi<br />
students in the West or Ugandan<br />
students in Bangladesh. The culture<br />
shock they face initially, the feeling<br />
of not belonging, or the inability to<br />
engage in social life, all of which<br />
contribute to making things a bit<br />
difficult.<br />
Mutebi John Kenneth recalls the<br />
moment his friends pointed out that<br />
he had paid exorbitantly for a pen.<br />
He says not only Bangladeshi traders<br />
but also those in Uganda perceive<br />
foreigners to be rich travellers and a<br />
means to make large gains. Kenneth<br />
quotes Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian<br />
novelist. There is a saying in his novel<br />
No Longer at Ease that goes like “It’s<br />
only in a foreign land where your<br />
motherland becomes a name to you.”<br />
He, however, states that nothing can<br />
stop him from enjoying his time in<br />
Bangladesh. •<br />
The writer is the head<br />
of Communications at<br />
BRAC University<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
16 New startups | Pathao<br />
Pathao:<br />
Creating convenience and opportunity<br />
Solving the crisis for Dhaka’s commuters<br />
Tarek Musanna<br />
It was 2:30pm and the clock was<br />
running faster than ever. Abir, a<br />
university student, had to be at<br />
Banani by 3pm. Standing on the<br />
side walks of Mirpur 12 bus stand, he<br />
was cursing his fate as there wasn’t<br />
any Banani bound buses coming<br />
his way. Even if he found one, he<br />
surely couldn’t be at his destination<br />
on time. Within minutes, he was<br />
rescued by a man on a motorbike<br />
– Awlad Hossain. Awlad was on<br />
his way to his day job, at a hotel in<br />
Gulshan 1. Awlad dropped Abir at<br />
Banani a few minutes before 3pm<br />
and while he was on his way to work,<br />
he made a few bucks for himself. The<br />
name that brought these two people<br />
together, delivering convenience<br />
for one and creating opportunity for<br />
another, is the brand-new startup in<br />
Dhaka – Pathao.<br />
Pathao started off as a delivery<br />
company, picking up on the<br />
e-commerce boom of the city. It was<br />
one of the TOP100 startups of 2016,<br />
to have attended Echelon, an event<br />
specially focusing on the budding<br />
startups of Asia Pacific and the<br />
nearby regions. However, businesses<br />
have delivery demands on a specific<br />
period every day, and the rest of the<br />
day, Pathao’s service is underutilised.<br />
Looking at the opportunity, and the<br />
potential of ride hailing services<br />
in Dhaka, Pathao started its “On<br />
Demand Rides” service a couple<br />
of months back. In just a few days,<br />
Pathao now boasts hundreds of<br />
riders, serving thousands of people<br />
every day.<br />
While Pathao’s major selling<br />
point might appear to be the cheap,<br />
convenient on-demand motorbike<br />
ride, the fact that all the drivers, or<br />
as they say ‘riders’ are freelancers<br />
adds a completely new dynamic<br />
to it. “Here at Pathao, anyone<br />
with a bike and a smartphone can<br />
become a rider. We’re providing<br />
the opportunity to earn more than<br />
twenty thousand taka every month,<br />
working as a freelancer, working as<br />
an entrepreneur,” says Elius Hussain,<br />
CEO of Pathao.<br />
With Pathao, a student, a job<br />
holder or anyone with a bike and a<br />
smartphone can work as a rider and<br />
earn money. They keep only 20% of<br />
the total charge, giving 80% to the<br />
rider. There are occasional incentives<br />
for the riders as well, where they<br />
can earn up to 120% of their total<br />
fares. A rider can decide to switch<br />
his status any time he wants, which<br />
enables him to ride whenever he<br />
wants, wherever he wants. With the<br />
leniency of freelancing, some people<br />
are actually taking it up as a hobby.<br />
Potential riders can apply through<br />
Pathao.com. Pathao representatives<br />
call them in for vetting their official<br />
IDs and papers. They also go through<br />
a training session to be familiarised<br />
with the app, customer etiquette and<br />
driving safety. At this point, Pathao<br />
is looking to scale up and enlist<br />
more riders. Elius sees what Pathao<br />
is doing as an innovation. He’s<br />
expecting people to spontaneously<br />
work with Pathao, and they are. In<br />
fact, 20-30 new riders join Pathao<br />
every day. Elius is expecting the<br />
numbers will soon go up to 100.<br />
He claims Pathao is capable of<br />
scaling up and managing way more<br />
riders than they have right now with<br />
proper quality control. Elius is trying<br />
to lower the barriers to entry for both<br />
riders and customers.<br />
“Pathao is solving one of the<br />
biggest problems in the city, which<br />
is transportation; beating traffic<br />
jams. Anyone who is involved in the<br />
process basically contributes to the<br />
net gain of the society. Yesterday,<br />
I took Pathao to go from Banani<br />
to Dhanmondi and it was only a<br />
Photos: Courtesy<br />
30-minute ride. With other mediums<br />
of transportations, it would have<br />
taken me at least one and a half<br />
hours, the bill being possibly twice<br />
or thrice the amount. So, when<br />
someone is providing the service,<br />
the driver, he is making people’s lives<br />
easier.” Elius shares his personal<br />
view. “How can people be happy<br />
when coming home or going to<br />
office means fighting a battle on the<br />
streets of Dhaka every time? If your<br />
commute is easier, if it’s slightly<br />
more convenient, it makes your life<br />
better. And that’s what we do here at<br />
Pathao.”<br />
Pathao positions itself as a service<br />
which connects two strangers,<br />
benefiting one with convenience,<br />
cheap and fast commute, slicing<br />
through Dhaka traffic, and benefiting<br />
another with an opportunity to<br />
earn easy money and be involved<br />
in an amazing process that makes<br />
everyone happy. •<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
Renting for single ladies | Issue 17<br />
Dynamic<br />
duo<br />
These are the<br />
best smartphones<br />
with dual cameras<br />
Mahmood Hossain<br />
Some say that having two rearcameras<br />
are much better than a<br />
single one. To a certain extent, it’s<br />
not too far from the truth. Here’s a<br />
gathering of the best phones with<br />
dual cameras, and actually worth<br />
investing in.<br />
LG G6<br />
The latest flagship and<br />
most impressive Android<br />
phone so far this year,<br />
the LG G6 has a standard<br />
13-megapixel camera.<br />
In addition, there is a<br />
secondary 13-megapixel<br />
wide-angle lens, which<br />
captures more context<br />
within each and every<br />
frame.<br />
Apple iPhone 7 Plus<br />
Finally, the folks from Apple decided<br />
to tag along another camera. One of<br />
the cameras is a “telephoto” lens that<br />
lets you zoom in and out without<br />
compromising in quality. Another<br />
perk from the dual cameras is the<br />
depth-of-field feature, which blurs<br />
the background in your photos while<br />
it keeps the foreground in focus. You<br />
can actually capture a more dramatic<br />
photo similar to other dual camera<br />
smartphones.<br />
LG V20<br />
The LG crew really love<br />
their dual camera feature<br />
on their leading phones.<br />
They’ve never shied away<br />
from housing some of the<br />
best specs, especially in<br />
their cameras. Just like the<br />
G6, it has a second wideangle<br />
lens. However, the<br />
front-facing camera also<br />
features a wide-angle effect<br />
which doesn’t require you<br />
to completely stretch your<br />
arms out for your next<br />
“groupie” shot.<br />
LG G5<br />
Like I said, LG doesn’t mess<br />
around when it comes to<br />
boasting the cameras. In this<br />
case, the dual cameras not<br />
only provide the wide angle<br />
shots, you can attach different<br />
accessories to them like a<br />
camera grip.<br />
Huawei P9<br />
It’s got the reputable Leica brand<br />
slapped on the back, opposite the<br />
dual cameras sharing real estate.<br />
It’s also one of the reasons why it’s<br />
a little too expensive with a display<br />
that could be sharper. Fortunately,<br />
the camera hardware isn’t as bad as<br />
the other big setbacks of the phone.<br />
Huawei Honor 6 Plus<br />
Unlike the other premium choices, this<br />
is a more affordable option with a dual<br />
camera. When you have a solid display<br />
and strong processor, its 8-megapixel<br />
gets the job done. Hopefully, the<br />
new updates may have improved the<br />
quality in pictures.<br />
Asus Zenfone AR<br />
A tried, tested and dependable<br />
smartphone, the Zenfone has two<br />
cameras that are capable of achieving<br />
depth sensing 3D scanning and<br />
augmented reality straight through the<br />
Google Tango.<br />
HTC One M8<br />
The HTC<br />
brand is<br />
almost<br />
sent to<br />
popularity<br />
oblivion,<br />
while more affordable phones have<br />
squatted in its place. It shouldn’t take<br />
away from the fact that the M8 is still<br />
a pretty darn good phone. The dual<br />
cameras provided a dramatic depth of<br />
field effects and better upgrades in the<br />
Butterfly 2 model. The strangest thing<br />
is how the brand dropped the dual<br />
camera idea in the M9, yet brought it<br />
back in the M9+. •<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
18 stay in<br />
Clues<br />
ACROSS<br />
1 Wrongly dial for US<br />
state(7)<br />
4 Find new access in pure<br />
entertainment (7)<br />
6 Leave a group occupying<br />
the stage (7)<br />
7 New tipsy me makes<br />
keyboard error (7)<br />
Last week’s solutions<br />
Mini cryptics<br />
Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and win one free<br />
month of the Dhaka Tribune.<br />
ACROSS<br />
5 Herb from orange mix and<br />
egg (7)<br />
6 Award following<br />
November? (5)<br />
9 Happy with what’s inside<br />
(7)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Sack member for making<br />
weapon (7)<br />
2 Nothing for a musical<br />
performance (5)<br />
3 Organise a right to roam (7)<br />
5 Plaything holds Russian<br />
assent now (5)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Who rearranged, and in what way? (3)<br />
2 Improves taste for spring and summer (7)<br />
3 Show bearcat a new way (7)<br />
4 Fight package (3)<br />
7 Cold temperatures from historic year (3)<br />
8 Nibbled at first of enchiladas (3)<br />
Sudoku<br />
Use the numbers 1-9 to complete each<br />
of the 3x3 square grids such that each<br />
horizontal and vertical line also contains all<br />
of the digits from 1-9<br />
Last week’s solutions<br />
Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and<br />
win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune.<br />
3 home made<br />
skin care recipes<br />
featuring honey<br />
Tasfia Huda<br />
Honey attracts and preserves water<br />
which aids in skin hydration. It’s also<br />
beneficial for acne prone skin, because<br />
it inhibits the growth of bacteria,<br />
reducing the chance of breakouts.<br />
Here are a few DIY skin care recipes<br />
using honey.<br />
Honey and almond face scrub<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 2 tbsp of finely ground almonds<br />
• 4 tbsp of oats<br />
• 2 tbsp of honey<br />
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice or yoghurt<br />
Directions<br />
At first, take two tablespoons of the<br />
ground almonds and blend it well with<br />
oats and honey. Then, just add enough<br />
lemon juice or yoghurt to the mixture,<br />
until it has a thick, oatmeal-like<br />
consistency.<br />
Gently rub the mixture on clean<br />
skin. Leave on for about five minutes,<br />
and then rinse with warm water.<br />
You can also store the mixture in the<br />
refrigerator for a few weeks.<br />
Cucumber and honey toner<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 1 cucumber<br />
• 2 tsp of honey<br />
Directions<br />
Put the cucumber into a blender and<br />
make a purée out of it. Strain the<br />
contents and collect the juice.<br />
Add two teaspoons of honey and<br />
mix well. Pour the mixture into a<br />
bottle.<br />
Apply on the face and neck area<br />
with a cotton pad in the morning and<br />
at night. Air dry it and rinse clean. Store<br />
the bottle covered in the refrigerator for<br />
up to one week.<br />
diy<br />
Yoghurt and honey facial mask<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 1 tbsp of plain yoghurt<br />
• 1 tsp of honey<br />
• Dash of ground cinnamon<br />
Directions<br />
Mix all the ingredients in a cup or bowl<br />
and apply on your face. Leave the mask<br />
on for seven to 10 minutes and wash off<br />
with warm water •<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
iz info 19<br />
Edison Group introduces the dual rear Camera Smartphone helio S25<br />
Helio has recently introduced the<br />
S25 smartphone in Bangladesh on<br />
March 14. For now, the brand new<br />
phone comes in only one colour –<br />
black.<br />
The Chairman of Edison Group,<br />
Aminur Rashid unveiled the Helio<br />
S25 in a launching ceremony at the<br />
Westin Hotel, Gulshan.<br />
An attractive back-pack is offered<br />
with every purchase of Helio S25.<br />
Moreover, 300 minute on-net and<br />
100 minute off-net talk time and<br />
Modern Building<br />
Maintenance (MBM)<br />
inaugurated by Munshi<br />
Enterprise Ltd<br />
Munshi Enterprise Ltd has<br />
inaugurated the launching of its<br />
newest venture Modern Building<br />
Maintenance (MBM), a facility<br />
management agency at Gulshan<br />
Shooting Complex, on February<br />
25, 2017. The group has diversified<br />
the business in skilled manpower<br />
mobilisation, FM radio, facility<br />
management and maintenance,<br />
and HR services and solutions.<br />
“The need of commercial<br />
building cleaning and<br />
maintenance is growing every<br />
day, so that organisations can<br />
concentrate more on their core<br />
operations area to gain the<br />
competitive advantage. We<br />
work with the commitment of<br />
providing customers with high<br />
standard services. We not only<br />
keep your premises clean but also<br />
ensure hygienic environment<br />
surrounding you,” the managing<br />
director of Munshi Enterprise<br />
Ltd, Raquib Mohammad<br />
Fakhrul (Rocky), informed the<br />
distinguished guests in his<br />
inaugural speech. •<br />
15GB data (for first three months,<br />
per month 5GB) with Robi are also<br />
available with the S25.<br />
The biggest highlight of the<br />
Helio S25 is its dual rear cameras<br />
– 13-megapixel alongside a<br />
5-megapixel secondary rear camera<br />
– which use camera sensors from<br />
Sony and Samsung respectively. The<br />
dual rear cameras on the S25 will<br />
let users adjust the focus and depth<br />
of field blur on clicked pictures.<br />
The handset also packs dual-tone<br />
Splendor by Aneeka Bushra<br />
Aneeka Bushra always had a<br />
knack for applying makeup. It’s<br />
more of a passion for her, than<br />
just work. She applies makeup on<br />
different types clients everyday—<br />
endowed with different skin<br />
tones, structures and features.<br />
Sometimes they’re 16 and<br />
sometimes 48. What excites her<br />
most is the outcome of all the<br />
hard work. The transformation<br />
are appreciated by all.<br />
Aneeka recently has been to<br />
a few makeup events as a guest.<br />
She finds it overwhelming to have<br />
been there along with so many<br />
other prominent beauticians,<br />
makeup gurus and bloggers of the<br />
country.<br />
She will be at the up coming<br />
Xirconium Boishakhi Exhibition<br />
LED flash. The S25 also packs a<br />
13-megapixel front camera with<br />
Helio’s selfie flash feature. It comes<br />
with self-timer and seven beauty<br />
effects to enhance selfies.<br />
The metal-clad dual-SIM Helio<br />
S25 sports fingerprint scanner at the<br />
front. S25 comes with several secure<br />
features such as an application<br />
password feature that locks apps<br />
and documents with fingerprint<br />
or password lock. The phone also<br />
offers private space that will let<br />
users save private pictures, texts,<br />
call history, and documents among<br />
others separately which can be<br />
protected with fingerprint.<br />
Split screen assists our customers<br />
to split the screen in two, doubling<br />
your experience of multitasking.<br />
Users can enjoy videos on YouTube<br />
and Facebook simultaneously now<br />
through the split screen.<br />
The Helio S25 is priced at<br />
Tk21,990.•<br />
where she will share makeup tips<br />
and give clients a free makeover.<br />
Excited about the exhibition, she<br />
says, “I try coming up with new<br />
looks and offers apt for different<br />
occassions. I just want to thank<br />
everyone for making Pohela<br />
Falgun and Valentine’s Day such<br />
a success. Hopefully I will have<br />
better offers for Boishakh as<br />
well.”<br />
The makeup artist has sensitive<br />
skin herself, so she understands<br />
how important it is to use highend<br />
brands for her clients too.<br />
For more information,<br />
please contact: facebook.com/<br />
splendorAB/<br />
instagram.com/p/BPPMpcoFYGZ/<br />
splendor.aneekabushra@gmail.<br />
com •<br />
Taste of Australia at<br />
Radisson Blu Dhaka<br />
“Taste of Australia” is being<br />
launched on March 17 at the<br />
renowned Water Garden<br />
Brasserie Restaurant, Radisson<br />
Blu Dhaka.<br />
Radisson’s executive chef, Jed<br />
Archdeacon hails from Australia<br />
himself, and has gifted his own<br />
magic into this festival. An<br />
impressive assortment of Aussie<br />
delicacies will be available at the<br />
festival, such as beef pie, chicken<br />
pie, pigeon pie and so on.<br />
Australian meat will be smoked<br />
in-house, using Chef Jed’s special<br />
smoking mix.<br />
For those of you who have a<br />
sweet tooth, delicious Australian<br />
desserts will also be available<br />
such as lamingtons (sponge cake<br />
with Australian syrup), classic<br />
Pavalova, etc. There will also<br />
be a raffle draw at the festival,<br />
the first prize of which is free<br />
tickets for two from Dhaka to<br />
Sydney (via Thai Airways), and<br />
back again. Christoph Voegeli,<br />
general manager of Radisson Blu<br />
Water Garden, says, “The hotel<br />
organises such festivals to bring<br />
different food varieties of the<br />
world close to the Bangladeshi<br />
people, and this time, they will<br />
come in touch with Australian<br />
food delights. We hope the<br />
festival will satisfy the taste-buds<br />
of the people.”<br />
The Australian food festival<br />
is supported by Thai Airways<br />
as the airline partner, Pepsi<br />
as the beverage partner,<br />
Radisson Blu Hotel Sydney<br />
and Radisson Blu Chittagong<br />
Bay View as the hospitality<br />
partners, Radio Today, Dhaka<br />
Tribune and Harriken as media<br />
partners. Expolink, Northend<br />
Coffee, JB Trading Co, Foodex<br />
International, Olitalia and Noor<br />
Trade house have assisted with<br />
the arrangements of the festival.<br />
The food festival will end on<br />
March 26.•<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017
20 Ticket | Jhalmuri S3<br />
Jhalmuri<br />
Season 3<br />
Sabiha Akond Rupa<br />
Facebook has become one of the<br />
most convenient tools to set up<br />
one’s own online shop. The number<br />
of Facebook pages are increasing,<br />
and only a few of them could<br />
actually stand out from the crowd.<br />
In Bangladesh, four Facebook<br />
based online shops – Stringz, Sweet<br />
Potato, 6 Yards Story, and Utshaho<br />
have already gained fame for their<br />
uniqueness and professionalism.<br />
Due to the huge demand from<br />
customers, they started a<br />
collaboration named “Jhalmuri,” an<br />
exhibition where these four brands<br />
showcase their exclusive products<br />
for different festivals. This year, they<br />
are organising Jhalmuri: Season 3 –<br />
where they are going to exhibit all<br />
the exclusive products to celebrate<br />
Pohela Baishakh.<br />
Jhalmuri:<br />
Season 3 will be held at<br />
Innotel Baton Rouge, House<br />
23, road 10, Block E, Banani<br />
1213, Dhaka. This three day<br />
long exhibition will start on<br />
March 17, and continue till<br />
March 19, everyday from<br />
10am to 10pm.<br />
taken her brand to a whole new level.<br />
The founder of Stringz, Tanjina<br />
Anis Prema is an engineer, who loves<br />
to experiment with different fabrics,<br />
colours, yarns and motifs. Stringz’s<br />
salwar-kameez, clothes, sari, blouse<br />
etc. are always in demand due<br />
to their exceptional patterns and<br />
designs.<br />
Sweet Potato started their journey<br />
three years ago, with locally made<br />
taant saris and their reasonable<br />
prices, with colourful designs and<br />
trendy styles. Their saris have<br />
become quite popular among young<br />
women. They have also started to<br />
incorporate different jewellery and<br />
pickles in their page. The founder,<br />
Roksana Rashid was a journalist,<br />
who later changed her career and<br />
devoted her life to her business,<br />
Sweet Potato.<br />
6 Yards Story started their<br />
journey with saris, but at present,<br />
they have become popular among<br />
the people because of their unique<br />
jewellery as well. You can find<br />
contemporary designs, merged with<br />
traditional styles in their collection.<br />
Founder, Zerin Tasnim, who is an<br />
architect, has blended her own style<br />
and creativity, along innovative<br />
marketing strategies, which have<br />
Utshaho’s founder, Manami Sunjia<br />
works in an advertisement agency,<br />
but her passion for desi saris and<br />
Nepali jewellery led her to start this<br />
business. Utshaho is loved for its<br />
reasonable prices and contemporary<br />
designs.<br />
Photo: 6 Yards Story,<br />
Sweet Potato, Stringz, Utshaho’s<br />
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017