BRACU Express - Volume 3 Issue 2

Volume III, Issue II

November 6th , 2018

Fall XVlll

BRACU TEAM wins at BISWAMIL Shaikat Majumder Journalist BRAC University students have once again left their mark in BISWAMIL 2018, a cultural contest that includes dance, drama, music and is hosted by O.P Jindal Global University. Team BRACU stood third in the unplugged music performances and second in the Battle of the Bands. BRAC University students have been participating in BISWAMIL since 2016, but this is the first time that they have done so well in both the unplugged and Battle of the Bands segments, although they had reached a milestone last year by winning the classical dance segment in 2017.

The contest was hosted at the Haryana campus of the university, and included various segments such as group dance, classical songs, western and eastern songs, finger painting, t-shirt painting, unplugged music shows and the “Battle of the Bands”.

The team’s hard-earned victory was

Team BRACU at BISWAMIL 2018

definitely a sweet one. “We prepared secured the second and third prize in for three months non-stop and after the Unplugged session and Battle of a lot of hard work and training we the Bands respectively,” said Mehedi

Third Edition of Joy of Innovation held at BRACU

Hasan Dew, one of the members of team BRACU at BISWAMIL, “People over there loved our performances. They cheered throughout and during the Battle of the Bands, we could see a sea of people just shouting and screaming for us.”

Along with Mehedi, Team BRACU consisted of Siam Sakib, Tonmoy Bagchi, Murtafa Mridha, Ehsan Ohee, Nistar Ahmed Nadvi, Sadia Siraj Saba and Pramit Linkan Sarkar. Murtafa Mridha amazed the audience with his skillful voice in the western solos while Tonmoy Bagchi gave an outstanding performance in the eastern solos.

Speaking of their stay in India, the students credit the warm hospitality they received for making their experience even more memorable. Although this year’s BISWAMIL was a success, the team believes that with proper support BRAC University will be able to perform even better in the upcoming years, and hopes more students will receive an opportunity to participate and flourish in BISWAMIL 2018.

Club fair 2018: Hymn of fall

Indoor Auditorium during Club Fair 2018

A group of kids displaying their project at the event

Sadman Hasan Journalist It’s Humanity Foundation (IHF) organised ‘Joy of Innovation”, the third instalment of its annual science fair for children, held at BRAC University’s Indoor Auditorium in UB1 on the 13th of October.

The science fair is a joint venture of the BRAC University Natural Sciences Club (BUNSC) and the IHF. The main aim of this event is to create a bridge between the communities of privileged and underprivileged children, where the latter get the opportunity to learn about science and environment from the former while getting a hands-on experience in building projects.

The event started at 11 AM with the arrival of guests, students and participants. In keeping with previous editions of the event, it was Sunbeams School this year who collaborated with IHF to help the kids with building their projects. The kids were divided into groups of seven, where each group had its own project on which they were trained to give presentations on. Four of the

groups did their projects focusing on science inspired topics, whereas the rest of them did theirs on issues relating to the environment.

As the event drew to a close, Adnan Hossain - founder of IHF and a BRACU alumnus gave a thank you speech to everyone for making the event successful. He also spoke of how his foundation has been working to make sure that underprivileged children get the education they deserve. Afterwards the BUNSC president Tahrima Mohsin Mohona (Senior, MNS) expressed her gratitude to the members who worked relentlessly with the children to make the fair a successful event.

She also shared her hopes that the exposure and experience that the kids acquired through this science fair will continue to inspire them to study and learn.

As the other respected guests gave their own congratulatory speeches to the participants, all the kids were awarded goody bags, certificates and medals to mark their accomplishments and participation.

Fabiha Priyoti Journalist

Bidding farewell to summer, BRAC University Cultural Club (BUCuC) organised the club fair for the fall semester.

True to its theme, the university premises was decorated in vibrant hues as students engaged themselves in three days of fun and festivity.

The event commenced on the 7th of October in the Indoor Auditorium located at UB1. The day was abuzz with activities as the students enthusiastically swayed to the rhythm of the music under the retro disco ball. The registration booths were crowded with students milling around to sign up for the club of their choice. The event hit a new note once the students enchanted the audience with their stage performances. The day came to a memorable close with an outstanding performance by one of the most renowned bands of Bangladesh, Black.

On the second day of the event, BRAC University Film Club (BUFC) screened an amazing movie while BRAC University Monon and BRAC University Drama & Theatre Forum (BUDTF) staged the closing performances for the day, leaving the audience mesmerised.

The final day of the fair saw a day-long food fest where popular restaurants went on to serve their delicacies. The event marked its ending with an acoustic show arranged by BUCuC.

2 | BRACU Express

BRIEFS

November 6th, 2018

CAMPUS NEWS

BRAC A breaks 24th at ASCENSION

Call for submissions to Resonance The Department of English and Humanities (ENH) will be publishing the third issue of its creative writing journal Resonance in Summer 2019. Founded by Rukhsana Rahim Chowdhury, a senior lecturer from ENH, Resonance is a bilingual platform for the students of BRAC University to showcase their work in literature and explore their creativity.

From prose (narratives, fiction, short stories, etc.) to poetry to even book reviews, movie reviews or blog posts, submissions are now open for all kinds of original literary pieces. Submissions for prose items should be within 7001200 words, while other pieces will have no fixed word limit. Write-ups should be written in either English or Bengali and emailed to resonance.bracu@gmail. com. The deadlines for submission is the 31st of December. Interested writers can look out for further details on notice boards or contact the ENH Department.

ICPC Preliminary Chapter, 2018 The preliminary rounds of ACM ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest) organised by Baylor University, USA took place on the 5th of October this year. More than 20 teams from BRAC University participated in the preliminary round, with faculty members acting as their coaches. The round started at 3 pm and lasted for 6 hours, well into the Saturday evening.

The teams selected for the national round were announced later on October 14th, with BRACU Triangle, BRACU Random Permutation, BRACU Angie and BRACU DP Pari Na qualifying for the next round. The Regional on-site contest is scheduled to be held on 9th of November at Daffodil International University (DIU).

Presenting G-suite in BRAC University BRAC University has started offering Google Suite for Education.

“G-Suite for Education” is a cloud based computing service provided by Google for academic purposes. It offers webbased messaging, enhanced emailing, calendaring and storing information by collaboration tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs and other Google applications. The service is available to all the faculty members, students, staff members and alumni of BRAC University. Students and staff who will be using the Google Suite for Education version will have access to more features than the personal Gmail services provided by Google, as well as unlimited space, more support, and an uptime guarantee as long as they are affiliated with BRAC University. The authority has already sent emails to the students regarding how to access their G-Suite accounts. For more G-Suite support or information, send an email to gsuite-help@g.bracu.ac.bd.

BRAC A-Abrar Farhan Zaman and Aliya Fairuz

Israr Nafi Hasan Journalist BRAC University Debate Club (BUDC) sent four of its best debaters to Ascension, held from the 20th to the 22nd of September, 2018. Ascension is the biggest international debate tournament in the country, hosting teams from South Asia and the Far East. It is arranged by Independent University,

Bangladesh (IUB) and its affiliated debating club, IUBDC. The four debaters were divided into two teams: BRAC A, consisting of Abrar Farhan Zaman (Sophomore, ENH) and Aliya Fairuz (Fresher, BBS), and BRAC B, comprising of Najifah Nowshin ( Junior, ESS) and Nishat Tasnim (Sophomore, BBS). Two adjudicators, Puja Sarkar (Fresher, ENH) and Muzahidul Rahi ( Junior, CSE) also attended the event, by being invited as debating round

ENH student impresses in literary competition Tasneem Habib Journalist The students of Ashoka University in India recently started an online publication called “Plot Number Two” to provide undergraduate students a platform for their innovative ideas. Risen out of collective desires, the journal is committed to publishing literary pieces that are diverse in experiences, ideas and languages. This summer, Plot Number Two collaborating with the Juggernaut Books, a well established printing press of the region, conducted a contest for undergraduate students titled “Express”, in collaboration with Juggernaut Books, a well extablished printing press in the region.

The competition was for students aged between 17-25 years, with the winner of the contest receiving a contract with Juggernaut Books. Naveed Hossain, a senior from the English and Humanities Department, was one of the participants whose work got special attention. With the intent to let his creativity flow rather than winning the competition, Naveed Hossain clearly made his mark among the competing students, and his story “The Red Train,” was shortlisted and published on the Juggernaut website. Though he did not win the competition, Hossain’s story has won hearts. The plot develops with our protagonist falling in love with his childhood friend and meeting her regularly on the red train. Falling under the genre of crime and mystery, the story is more than just a romantic cliché. “I wanted to express love, or rather how our own ideas of love, a feeling we believe to be so 'pure', can be distorted into something utterly horrifying,” said Hossain about his story.

A person with diverse interests, Hossain does not believe that studying in one concentration should stop people from venturing out and exploring different aspects of life. He said, “I love immersing myself in different realities whether they be books, video games or even cheesy superhero TV shows. When I'm not shaking my head at my own stories, I indulge in making music and experimenting with different styles of lyrics and composition. And when I'm not immersed in the world of creation, I find myself in the arms of science.”

judges by IUB. Amidst all the glitz, glamour and the raw energy, the overall competition turned out to be quite a challenge.

Abrar and Aliya, representing Team BRAC A, broke as the 24th team but sadly got knocked out in the prequarters. The journey to breaking was not smooth as Abrar, who got a 73 for his speech in his first round, bounced back to get 80 in the last round, helping him secure the break.

The art of discipline

Jahin Kaiissar Journalist

Fostering self-control and focus, developing physical stamina and improving overall lifestyle - martial arts provides numerous benefits for students. Every Wednesday from 5 pm to 7.30 pm, certified trainer Dr. Mohamed Foysol Chowdhury instructs a martial arts class at the Listening Lab, located on the 12th floor of UB2 in BRAC University’s Mohakhali campus.

Dr. Foysol states, “Martial arts keep youngsters occupied and teaches them how to be physically fit and how to react in a confronting situation.”

He also emphasizes on how martial arts is not about violence. It is more like meditation through which students can acquire valuable lessons and moral values.

Dr. Foysol especially encourages women to participate because many martial arts teach an individual about body conditioning, basic self-defense, and most importantly, the techniques that can allow a person to come out of a dangerous situation.

Students can get the opportunity to learn warm-ups, different punching techniques, kick-boxing, self-defense; they might even be able to break a board or two. Students can master various skills and may even get a Black Belt to certify their expertise. If students are looking to relieve their stress or sharpen their mind, martial arts may be the answer, as it helps students build their character by developing discipline, and this lesson can be applied from there to any aspect of life.

BRACU Express | 3

November 6th, 2018

OPINION & ACADEMICS

Musings: Are you happy or just comfortable?

Sagarika Shahriar Journalist I created this very time-consuming piece back in 2016. Although I like doing still-life and abstract art, my mother finds my landscapes more perceptible.

From color to curves, every work of art is different.

We will not see layers of strokes in “Le Rêve” because Picasso was not Van Gogh. Likewise, Van Gogh’s magical brush comprised of nothing but layers of strokes with vibrant colors. Perhaps the boundaries of his own creation lay in his comfortzone. But do we know if Van Gogh was happy?

Everyone, at least once, has had an epiphany in his or her life. Mine was when I realized that I had always lived life in a certain bubble. For me, my “bubble” is my comfort-zone where I can function with ease and familiarity. Things have changed since my mother urged me to explore my weaker

The “Consent” Note

The chapters of my epiphanies

side; I made an attempt to burst out of my bubble and shockingly, it felt amazing, even more so than being cocooned in my bubble. However, this euphoria is only momentary as a feeling of rigidity eventually sets in.

Regardless, why not live a little outside our comfort-zones once in a while and enjoy? They say life’s greatest turning points are only revealed when we push our boundaries and expand our horizons.

From my personal experience I can definitely vouch that trying something new is indeed fun and much more thrilling than following our own set routine.

There are risks and uncertainties of course, and the initial step at times takes a lot of courage to take, but in the end it really is worth it to explore and see.

At least then, we know for sure if the routine and structure we have created is indeed the one best for us- guaranteeing us the biggest share of life’s dose of happiness.

BRACU collaborates with UMass Boston

Rawnak Tahnia Web Media Manager To shed some light on what immediately became the trending topic on campus, the ‘Consent Note’ is an official document distributed to the students of almost all departments which states that the respective student signing it will have no objection to his/her results being sent directly to their parents.

The note also has a section where the details - name, email, phone number and the signature of the student and his/her parent or guardian is to be provided.

While it is not an entirely new concept in Bangladeshi tertiary sector education to send semester results to the parents, for students are accustomed to simply checking their results privately online, this came as a major shock. Even more so since students were asked to submit the notes before mid-term examinations or face consequences, making many question why a mandatory new policy was given the label of “consent”.

Despite the student reaction, there are several arguments for such a policy to exist. In a country like Bangladesh, where parents are highly involved in their child’s life and are more likely to bear the cost of university expenses, it is very natural for them to be informed about how their child is performing.

The counter argument of university students being adults and deserving the right to maintain their privacy about such things always fall into a debatable spectrum.

Moreover, the drive to take education seriously is rather non-existent in many students. This could be given reason through many opinions; family issues, personal issues or even the way the overall system works. In that light, intervention from their parents might not be such a bad thing when considering familial pressure might push the student to become more studious and benefit from it personally. It is also important to make the distinction between useful encouragement and forced career choices. Perhaps a lack of easy understanding back and forth between student and parent is also what stems a wider gap in communication between the two. Common phenomenon of hiding the actual results from parents was perhaps the main cause that triggered the introduction of the consent note.

Whatever the note’s merits, labeling it a “consent” note might not have been the best decision. However, the reaction to it would perhaps have been the same anyway as it is really what the note entails that has worried the majority of the students. In the semesters to come this policy will become the norm and students will adjust to the change but for now, the consent note will continue to be a rather off putting subject for many students.

Dr. Seuty Sabur at work

Syeda Tasnim Islam and Proteeti Ahmed Journalists The Department of Economics and Social Sciences (ESS) at BRACU offers a course titled Gender and Society (ANT350) led by Dr. Seuty Sabur. This semester, the course has made a revolutionary transformation by collaborating with the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Boston. The alliance has been made with Professor Elora Halim Chowdhury and her class Women’s Gender, and Sexuality Studies 411, as part of a South Asian Connections program.

Classes from both ends are being shared online, as well as discussions and reading materials.

This time around, the content is focusing mainly on ‘Transnational Feminism’ and delves deep into what it really means to be a feminist, and have an associated gender identity in today’s world - keeping intersectionality at its focal point. It also aims to educate the students on the different societal norms that enable oppression of minorities and analyzes those patterns.

Tackling contested and controversial topics like approaching women’s movements and struggles as something other than a “hegemonic Western vision that promotes imperialism,” discussions are brought up regarding the role of feminist politics and paradigm shifts in society at large, as well as the part they play in it. Additionally, not only does the course explore technical terms and their implications, but it also provides explanations in light of everyday phenomena. While aiming to view things with an anthropological perspective, the course does not make short work of relevant disciplines, taking the help of film, literature, and personal narratives to explain things as well as possible.

In addition to the abundance and diversity of research materials, critical thinking, deductive reasoning, the blending of minds via the alliance of people residing on opposite sides of the world also helps enrich this program. Despite having varying perspectives, students of both institutions have built a rapport through the forum of sharing experiences, world views, and even traditions and values from their own respective societies. This initiative taken by the two visionaries has in fact upped the proverbial bar as to just how far a typical syllabus can be improved with an intent to accommodate everything going on in the world today in mind, while extending the reach of globalization at a university education level.

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November 6th, 2018

SPECIAL FEATURE

Disclaimer: Dear Reader, you are advised to have snacks with you while reading this particular feature; rumor has it that each editor (from chief to managing to features) has failed to complete reading this in one go due to an unexplained and sudden craving of food, mid-editing.

Budge

The average timeline of an active university student consists 90% of being stuck in campus for hours at a time. Blame it on badly planned out class schedules, deadlines, attempts at being macho in front of that unattainable crush or even traffic - it is tough to make time for the important things in life, like eating proper meals or calling your mom back after the 37 missed calls. We go through the same struggles every day and although we cannot force you to call your parents back, we hope to help you mark the best places for a quick bite around campus.

Beverages Name: Bottola Venue: Street directly facing UB3, UB4, UB5 and (the mysterious) UB7 Price Range: Taka 20 to Taka 50/It only makes sense to start with Bottola, the place most popular for food that is fresh, fast and affordable. The entire street, from UB3 leading up to the actual Bottola, is filled with small, crowded tongs and food carts. At the heart of Bottola is Shopon Milkshake and Juice Corner, offering fresh and fruity drinks. Be prepared to fight a crowd to get there - the refreshing drinks are always in demand. If you do manage to walk up to the shop, the first thing you will notice is the bursting display of colorful fruits along with the sound of the whirring blenders working on top of the counter.

The sweet lemonade, one of Shopon’s bestsellers, is the perfect refreshing drink to cool yourself with on a humid day - and it only sets you back by Taka 20. Consisting of a vibrant orange color and countless health benefits, papaya juice is another popular drink which will cost you only Taka 30. Whether it is the need to quench that sweltering thirst from the heat or to take the perfect shot of your aesthetic hand holding the aesthetically classic glass of juice, Shopon Milkshake and Juice Corner is the place to go.

Name: Ripon Tea Store Venue: Bottola, right beside Eat Fresh Price Range: Taka 10/A rainy day, some fried snacks and a smile on your face; something still seems amiss. Contrary to our editors suggesting the lack of love in one’s life to be the reason, the missing element to complete this picture is a hot cup of cha. The choices are endless in this tong: Morich cha, Kacha Aam er cha, malta cha, and even a special Banana milk tea! (try it before you hate it, we insist.). If you are feeling particularly adventurous, give these funky flavors a try for only 10 taka before the rush of classes take over your day.

Fried Food Name: Eat Fresh Venue: Bottola, right beside Shopon’s Milkshake and Juice Bar Price Range: Taka 5/Another tong aptly titled Eat Fresh offers a variety of fried delicacies for just Taka 5 each. These include piyaju, beguni, shingara, aloo puri, aloo chop, dim chop and other deep-fried seasonal vegetables. What truly makes these irresistible is the complementary sauce the mama will provide you with. This refillable sauce is one of a kind with its tangy flavor, which perfectly complements the crunchy food. Among the numerous other snacks suggestions from Bottola, it is also worth checking out the beef chop for taka 70 from Kebab Ghor and chicken rolls for taka 40 on the other side of our favourite juice bar.

Name: Akkas Mamar Pagla Muri Venue: Bottola, in front of UB5 Price Range: Taka 10-80/Akkas Mamar Pagla Muri has to be one of the most underrated carts around Bottola. It lives up to its name with the amusing variety of muri makhas it has to offer, all within the budget of Taka 10 to Taka 80. This peculiar cart has made a filling meal out of the concoction of muri, achar, chanachur, kolija, murgir kabab and dim. After a chat with the humble Akkas mama himself, we found out that he settles in front of UB5 with his cart after 1 pm, and later moves on to Bottola after 5 pm. If the name itself has not yet convinced you to pay a visit to this cool cart, then perhaps it is not Akkas Mama’s Muri that is Pagla, friend.

Writte Maisha F Afia Ye Farhin H

BRACU Express | 5

November 6th, 2018

SPECIAL FEATURE

et Eat

en by: Farzana easmin Husain

Fast Foods Name: Chol Khai Venue: Infront of UB2 Price Range: Varies from Taka 30 to higher depending on item of choice.

Amidst the influx of food carts, Chol Khai has stolen the limelight with their best selling french fries for Taka 30, and their mouth-watering chicken momos. The soft and juicy momos are served hot, and with Taka 70 per plate, it is a must try.

Name: Tongue Buzz Venue: In front of UB2 Price Range: Taka 30-Taka 320 Another cart named Tongue Buzz, standing right in front of UB2, will bake you fresh, hot pizzas with your preferred toppings right in front of you. These pizzas are priced between Taka 90 up to as much as Taka 320, depending on the sizes and flavors you choose. Tongue Buzz has also recently extended their menu to include lunch items like chicken rice bowl, masala wedges and mixed chow mien - all priced reasonably within Taka 30 to Taka 90.

Full Fledged Meals Name: Cinnamon Venue: Across the street from UB2 If you are looking for something more substantial, maybe more of a fulfilling lunch, we have you covered. Cinnamon, right outside of UB2 used to be a staple for BRAC University students. Even today, the full fledged restaurant serves a pretty decent portion of egg noodles for just Taka 120, enough to leave you full for an entire day of classes. Besides, who can say no to some good Bangla Chinese?

Name: The Palace Venue: Right beside Cinnamon Do not be deceived by the name, The Palace provides hygienic, delicious and affordable food. When in need of a classic daal-bhat, head over to this restaurant and order their bhaat, bhorta and daal bhaji, spending no more than just Taka 85. Add their dark and juicy kolija bhuna with an extra Taka 80, and you will have a hearty, homely meal.

Name: Bismillah Venue: Left of UB2, same row as Chillox If daal-bhat is a little too much for you, you can always head over to Bismillah and have their popular naan and grilled chicken, for Taka 20 and Taka 85 respectively. The freshly made naans give off the most heavenly smell of butter or garlic depending on your choice, which truly, is good enough on its own. You can always choose more sides and order a shobji for Taka 30 and daal for Taka 20, and these are promised to be just as good.

Name: Ghoroa Venue: 2-minute walking distance from UB2 Ghoroa offers paratha and naan for Taka 8 each. Their chicken jhal fry is a popular dish to go with these, and it costs Taka 128. The regulars claim that this spicy bowl of tender chicken is worth the walk (we all know you need the exercise).

Happily Healthy Venue: BRACU Cafeterias If you are more health conscious than most (any) of us, check out our very own cafeterias for more hygienic options. From lunch menus to snacks during class breaks - the UB1 and UB3 cafeterias have it all. Their tandoori naan has been a bestseller for a while now. For Taka 30 each, these soft, tender naans is a popularly raved choice among students. UB3 cafeteria now offers a set menu lunch for the students and employees, effective since September 5th.

The meal consists of bhaat, daal, vegetables and either fish, chicken or eggs.

The lunch is scheduled from 1 pm to 2:30 pm, and you need to buy a coupon the day before, within 9 am to 4 pm from the UB3 cafeteria. Rumour has it that the set lunch tastes just like the residential campus meals. If you do not mind the hassle of the schedule and coupons, the set meal is a steal for just Taka 45.

Hot Favorite Venue: ARC Department Dubbed as the “Archi-Cafe,” you have probably already come across this place. If not, let us first take a moment of silence for this fact to sink in. Additionally, if not - let us introduce you to your next favourite spot on campus - Robin mamar stall. This cafécumfood stall is run by Robin mama, who has been a part of BRAC University since its inception - almost 17 years now. Situated on the 9th Floor of UB4, this is the best place to unwind and catch up with friends over what is claimed to be the best cha on campus. Like most other places in BRAC, you need to be either early or lucky to get enough space here; and yet, you will never feel unwelcome.

Sip on some good quality cha and the infamous kolijar shingara and put on your headphones for that much needed me-time.

Although some of you may have the liberty to hustle through Banani traffic and queue for your favourite restaurants, we hope this encourages you to rediscover the food scene around campus. And now that you have a comprehensive list to help you with that, start exploring!

6 | BRACU Express

Tasnuva Tabassum Journalist

November 6th, 2018

OFF CAMPUS & SPOTLIGHT Petuk Naki?

Being a full time student comes with its own set of headaches and issues. A largely underrated matter at hand involves the limited number of options one has to choose from to satiate a rumbling stomach. BRAC University’s campus range currently enlists numerous varieties for picking the right food at the right price.

This change is not a sudden movement. Over the years, multiple initiatives have been led for bringing a variety in food choices while also adhering to a student friendly budget. “Petuk Naki,” a cart beside UB3 of BRACU’s Mohakhali campus, is one such initiative hosted by a handful of students from BRAC University.

Petuk Naki started its journey earlier this year with just one signature item – the chicken cone. The idea was simple- chicken curry bites to serve as the filling inside an ice cream cone. Amrito Das, one of the co-owners of the cart came up with this ingenious idea when he took a bite from an ice cream cone and some cooked chicken simultaneously. Enraptured by the concoction, he tried to prepare it himself which resulted in a delicious success. Without further ado, he started the journey with some of his friends.

So far, the cart has gotten a huge and positive response in just less than a month.

It is a quick, tasty and a filling item to have during breaks for a budget friendly price of just Tk. 100. “We wanted to create a unique signature item which would create a place in the consumers’ minds as a symbol of Petuk Naki,” said Mazedul Alam Rakib, another one of the co-owners, when asked about the vision. They also wanted to ensure quality and variety at a reasonable price. Although they only have one item now, they plan to bring in more items in the near future depending on the response from the consumer base.

When asked about the future of the cart, the owners stated that they have long term plans for this project, and that they wish to continue with this even after completing graduation. However, they wish to keep their plans a secret for now. Rest assure, something exciting is in store for us. So for now, let us enjoy the delicious chicken cone and eagerly await the surprise!

The cart of Petuk Naki

The Journey of Attic

Serve of victory Zaria Amreen Journalist

Syeda Tasnim Upoma Journalist

Cover art for echoes in your attic single

Before the release of their highly popular music video of “Echoes in your Attic”, the band Attic went through years of hard work and dedication. Take a peek into their journey, through an interview with the drummer - Sayem Chowdhury, a junior year student at BRAC University currently studying in the Economics and Social Sciences department.

Attic’s initial step began in 2012, when they began their journey into the world of music with strong rock influences.

“We started off by covering music from bands like Nemesis, Foo Fighters, and Black. However, with time, and after a slight adjustment to our lineup, we got into more indie-rock, and were covering songs from bands like The Strokes, The Neighborhood, and Arctic Monkeys,” admits Sayem. He also said, “The band does not want to stick to only one specific kind of sound; rather, we want to play music that sounds good to us. We like bits and pieces of all kinds of music and genres, and that is precisely what inspires us to form our own sound.” The band now consists of 5 members - Shadab Rahman (frontman), Tauhid Shamsuddin (guitarist), Sharar Shayor (bassist), Gourav Nandy (keyboardist), and Sayem Chowdhury on the drums.

2013 was the year they started writing more original music, it was also the year they finished writing “Echoes in your Attic,” but it took them years to perfect the composition. “We wanted to really make it right and we took our time for that. The rest of the album was done by 2016,” revealed Sayem, according to whom “The debut of “Love or Hate” at 2014’s Battle of the Bands was their big break.

Coming to the topic of the making of the music video, Sayem mentions that the entire team is grateful to their director Ejaz Mehedi and the production house Glitch for crafting their ideas into reality. Although they already discussed the script and the scenes among each other, it was their director who put in a few extra finishing touches that really made the music video what it is now.

The drummer said that they plan on releasing the entire album next year, and possibly a few singles coming out earlier. He also hinted at the possibility of a second album in the making.

For CSE Sophomore Ayman Zaman, time has become an invariably fixed factor with no stops in between. Although ranked as the No.1 single-player in the country, Zaman has decided to currently take a break from the National Badminton Team to run his own personal Academy, where he trains local teenagers to perform on a professional level.

The first time Bangladesh broke ground for qualifying in the Commonwealth Games for Badminton was in 2014. That was the same year Zaman took part in the Games (held in Glasgow, Scotland) and brought home victories over Macau and Uganda.

Zaman has also made BRAC University the best Inter-Badminton university team by securing the champion’s place twice in a row.

“It is a matter of meeting expectations and the constant pressure to perform, especially when I am representing my entire country,” explains Zaman about how all these tremendous achievements are not just defined by glory and fame. He admits his journey was not plain at all; he had to cope with endless criticism to reach his dream. “Failure is important in winning,” he says in hindsight.

The journey does not end here for Zaman, who plans to go global and earn funds for advocating further training abroad. He has high hopes for a bright future for the coming generation and for them to hone their skills for the game to perfection.

BRACU Express | 7

November 6th, 2018

SPORTS NEWS

Beyond the Boundary

Nafees Mosharraf on the pitch for BRAC University

Fabiha Priyoti Journalist Renowned wicketkeeper of BRAC University Cricket Team, Nafees Mosharraf (Senior, BRAC Business School) is currently pursuing his internship at Siemens.

In this interview, Mosharraf opens up about his time as a student of BRAC University and his life outside the pitch.

Is cricket more of a passion or a hobby?

It's more of a passion. Sports in general because it runs in the family.

Anyone who inspired you specifically?

My dad. He was an athlete himself so he used to inspire and motivate me all the time.

Health On The Go Daiyan Khan Journalist If there is one thing in particular that university students end up not paying much attention to, is the state of our fitness and general health. Far too often we find ourselves not even realising how little we take care of our bodies, whether it be the unhealthy food we put into it, or the lack of physical exercise we partake in. Luckily, there are many ways we can incorporate healthy changes into our day-to-day lives. The following tips and pointers have been suggested with advice from Ismat Ara, a BRACU student who also happens to be a fitness instructor at Shutham, a sports and fitness community.

Firstly, let's talk physical exercise. Who has the time for the gym, with all the assignments and odd routines we have? To tackle this issue, here are some tips we can incorporate into our day to day lives, such as • Using the stairs instead of queuing up for the lift • Cycling to and from university, if possible • When walking, walk at a pace faster than your regular one • Do a 30 minute yoga exercise every morning, known as "Pranayam" We all know that exercise is only as good as your diet. You also probably spend most of your day at BRAC University, so you must be thinking - how do I eat healthy at university of all places? Here are some pointers to help with that • Try to pack a healthy lunch from home the night before coming to class • Do your best to avoid oily foods items.

• STAY HYDRATED: A minimum of 2 litres of water a day is required to stay healthy • Don't drink fizzy drinks/colas. They all contain excessive amounts of sugar and caffeine If we can add these simple steps into our day to day lives, I am positive that we can all lead healthier and fitter lives, a little better than our current lifestyles if not anything else.

Youngsters shine in the RS Cricket Cup 2018

Speaking of life outside the pitch, how was your journey in BRACU till now?

Well as I am done with courses in BRACU, I will definitely miss the journey and the people everyday. Residential Semester was special and representing BRAC University Cricket team was special for me. The bonding we guys shared and still share is definitely something I will never forget in a lifetime.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Interesting question! Have not thought much but for now I would like to work and gain enough experience while simultaneously planning to go abroad for my masters, keeping cricket as a hobby as long as I can. Life is too short and unpredictable, better keep doing what you love, beside your responsibilities.

One word that describes youRealist, as I always accept things as it is and work accordingly.

If you are not busy in the field or with your studies, one might find youListening to music, watching movies and sitcoms mostly. Do love hanging out with my friends, another reason I get scolded by my mom is because I am rarely seen at home.

What would be the highlight of your cricket career?

Although I have won the RS Cup as a part of RS 39, I would still consider last year's BUPL as a highlight of my cricket career at BRAC University, playing for BUDTF. Especially the quarter-final against BUFC where we were in a dire situation and I was able to play a valuable knock of 89 to help chase the target, which shocked a lot of people. The semi-final against BUMONON was intense, and I got to score the winning runs in a super over. We later on went to lose in the final, but it was a great achievement nonetheless, considering that we were huge underdogs. I would also like to say that I am honoured to have represented BRAC University in all the inter-university tournaments we have taken part in.

Players of RS 47 warming up before a match

Samiu Mostafa Ishan Journalist

The RS Cricket Cup 2018 got under way on 28th of September, at the Shaheed Park Field situated in Mohammadpur. The tournament was organized

by Cricket BRAC University (CBU). The Quarterfinals took place on October 12, where cricket teams comprising of RS” 39, 42, 44 and 48 were able to consecutively make their ways into the semifinals.

The tournament started off with 12 teams of the residential semesters, divided into 4 groups. In the groups, group A had RS” 40, 46 and 47, whereas in Group B, RS” 35, 41 and 45 battled it out for the quarterfinals. In group C, RS” 32, 39 and 44 played to qualify, and group D had the likes of RS” 42, 43 and 48. The tournament was a 10 overs a side affair. The group stages saw RS” 46, 41, 44 and 48 come out as champions from their groups. RS” 47, 35, 39, 32 were runners-up of their respective groups. Following the group stage, the qualified teams were pitted against teams from the alternating groups in the quarter-finals.

On the 1st quarterfinal, RS 46 had their dream run halted as RS 39 won the match, and on the very next match, RS 42 defeated RS 41. On the 3rd quarterfinal, RS 44 kept their winning streak intact, as they were victorious against RS 47.

On the final match of the quarterfinals, RS 48 kept their dominance as they were able to manage a spot in the semis after a win against RS 35.

8 | BRACU Express

November 6th, 2018

A Place Called Here Kashfia Hassan Journalist Ever wondered where your favourite stuffed animal had disappeared to even though you had left it on your bed? That box of markers containing all the colors of the rainbow? What about the numerous hair ties which simply seem to sprout legs and wander off? In "A Place Called Here" Ahern has painted a world where all the missing things and people end up and remain till the end of time.

The protagonist, Sandy Shortt dedicates her life to finding missing people and things. The

ENTERTAINMENT

source of her obsession can be traced back to her childhood, when after a tragic incident, she lost a part of herself. While working on a case, Sandy herself ends up in “Here�- the world filled with missing objects and people - and on her trip down memory lane, finds a lot more than she could have hoped for.

Ahern knows how to work magic - she has the ability to make one weep with nostalgia and heartache, and then turn around and make you fall in love with life in an instant.

This book is everything a great book should be - unique, sentimental and filled with soulful quotes.

Executive Panel Editor-in-Chief -Subah Shaheen Managing Editor - Roshni Shamim Creative Head - Md Rezwanur Rahman Administrative Director - Saadman Saif Web Media Manager - Tashfia Zaman

Editors News - Faisal Bin Iqbal Opinions and Academics - Rafsan Zia Features - Nishat Tasneem Shahara Off-Campus - Kazi Saad Asif Sports News - Safir Zawad

Contributors Graphics Designers - Ashrar Hussain Ibnul Mubin Niloy Md Sizer Ahmed Sajid Hossain Artist - Junaid Iqbal Photographers - Meekail Mughdo Sharar E Noor Web Media - Afra Antara Anjum Maisha Rafa Khan Rawnak Tahnia Tamanna Tasnim Administration - Faiza Khondokar Izma Mashia Md Tawsif Ur Rashid Saika Farhin Umma Khadija Alam Warda Asif

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