COLORS August 2019

AUGUST 2019

Young and Confident Meet the winners of Colors Platinum Business Women Awards 2019 Telling Tales

Three NY-based Bangladeshis you Need to Know

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August 2019 WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE

On The Cover

14 CPBWA Paying Tribute to the Female Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow From Shortlist to the Winners The Magnificent Eight Women in Leadership Business Enterprise of the Year

19 Achieving New Heights Bringing Innovation in Business Trina’s telling Success Story La Mode’s Journey Thus Fair The Spirited Duo of Moar

36 PHOTO DIARY

41 FASHION Fashion Through the Ages Helena Nazneen Zobaida Rumana Chowdhury Samiya A. Rahman Maria Mrittik

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contents

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64 60 Eid-ul-Adha with House of Ahmed 64 PEOPLE Taking Dining Experience to the Next Level The Dreamer

70 WORK SPACE It’s That Time of the Month

72 RECIPE For the Love of Kacchi

77 SPOTLIGHT

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Laal NYC Jhal NYC Mati

84 SHOPPING GUIDE

Where to Buy Authentic Perfumes All Aboard the Shoe-Shoe Train

90 TRAVELS Safe Travels

94 EVENTS

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8:30

Editor In-chief & Publisher

Zakaria Masud Advisor

Ziaul Karim COLORS

Managing Editor

Mila Hossain

Advisor to the Editor

Adil Hossain Noble Associate Editor

Khawaza Mainuddin Fashion Editor

Faisal Tushar Assignment Editor

Persa Sanjana Hussain Feature Writers

Anisha Hassan Arka Dev Biswas Tamima Islam Rafa Mashiyat Zahid Tunajina Islam Nusrat Noshin Nazifa Tasnim Farhat Zishan Chowdhury Elora Majumder Afif Sarker Creative and Graphic Design

Abdullah Al Mamun Photographer

Kazi Mukul Head of Marketing and Operations

Lucky Begum

Marketing Manager

Farjana Yesmin Asha Sales & Distrubition

Kamrul Islam

www.colorsmagazine.net

Dhaka Office Road: 130, House: 11/b, Gulshan 1 Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh Phone: + 8801711339587 01752788296, 01752568816 E-mail: colorslifestyle.mkt@gmail.com Web: www.colorsmagazine.net New York Office 37 07 74th Street Suite 8 Jackson Heights, New York 11372 Phone: +1718-565-2100 Fax: +17188659130 E-mail: colorsmktg@gmail.com Web: www.colorsmagazine.net International Fashion & Lifestyle Magazine An Publication Published By

Zakaria Masud On Behalf Of Digital One Media Ltd.

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FROM THE EDITOR

Saluting Business Heroes of Tomorrow

www.colorsmagazine.net

It has been a busy month as our efforts to hold the first ever event Colors Platinum Business Women Awards 2019 reached its crescendo through a gala award dinner on the 20th of July at the sprawling ball room of Intercontinental Dhaka. It was a memorable evening in every sense of the term for Colors team members, admirers, enthusiasts, and well-wishers. The grand finale witnessed the crowning of bright, brilliant, bold, and beautiful young female entrepreneurs of the country.

As we celebrated a beautiful evening of glamor and glitz, we do not want our readers to miss out even on a bit.

From pictures of the glitterati and literati who attended to a detailed interview with each of our winners across seven categories, we have covered stories that are sure to warm your hearts. Celebrating these individuals and their success stories is also a great run up to another celebration that is right around the corner, Eid-ul-Adha.

Jump into the shoe-train as Tunajina Islam features the best picks from Bariq & Co. to make sure that your Eid outfit has the perfect pair of shoes to go with. Embrace bold trends as Anisha Hassan roots for yellow eyeshadow. What’s more you ask? Anisha gives out tips to recycle fashion in “Breaking into Your Grandma’s Closet.”

Pickup some valuable inspiration rocking you Eid attire with our featured fashion designers and countless snapshots from their well curated fashion queues. Get to know about them and their collection in more depth in the same sections.

as Nusrat Noshin interviews them in “The Big doers in the Big Apple.” At the same time, Rafa Mashiyat talks to young Bangladeshi talent Zulhaj Zubair who debuts in Indian Bengali cinema industry in the “The Dreamer.”

Since Eid can get really hectic, we do not only have ‘what to wear’ covered but we have also got the bestselling recipes from Kacchi Bhai for you to try at home and win over the guests on Eid. For people traveling back to their hometowns for Eid holidays, Farhat Chowdhury Zishan notes down ways to have a safe journey in “Safe Travels.”

As we get ready to celebrate and share happiness this Eid, the Colors team wishes you a very warm Eid Mubarak with hopes that besides relaxing and reading, you have a fantastic vacation with your loved ones.

In our most loved spotlight section this time we got in touch with three Bengaldeshis based in New York. Get a taste of their work and what they love

Zakaria Masud Editor

CPBWA

The colors team with special guests and the award winners

Paying Tribute to the

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Female Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow

t’s a lot tougher for a woman to achieve new heights in our society as they have to break the barriers that stand far too often between them and what is called success. Take an arena which is commonly identified as a man’s forte and we make it all the more difficult. Yet, we find among us some gems who manage to prove the vast majority of the ‘traditionalists’ wrong. These are the women who stand as an embodiment of victory.

On Saturday, July 20, 2019, after months of tedious preparation and hard work, the COLORS team managed to pull together one of the biggest award-giving events of the year to appreciate these very gems of our society.

City Alo, the dedicated women banking division of City Bank, presented ‘COLORS Platinum Business Women Awards 2019’ that was a tasteful affair, hosted by Intercontinental, Dhaka.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for ICT

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Riva Ganguly Das, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh

The initiative to introduce the awards was taken to identify and appreciate thriving, young women in the business industry. And colors team found quite a number of such women with an esteemed jury board who went through rigorous analysis to pick out the big entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

The submissions for nominations were taken from financial institutions to ensure transparency and credibility of their enterprises. With countless nominations submitted through three months of advertising we then shortlisted the list with the help of our jury board in a meeting held initially in March and then a one held in July, a few days prior the event to get the final verdict. They had nothing but all praises of the enterprising attitude of the new generation of Bangladeshi women.

The evening of award-giving ceremony started off with some classic Jazz performed by Seesaw Quartet, followed by ravishing run-way shows by four top designers.

For the grand opening of the show, to set the theme of the evening, Helena Nazneen Zobaida flaunted some exquisite designs which mimicked great, ancient queens; the likes of Cleopatra, Queen Victoria, Jhansi Ki Rani, and Rani Padmini.

Colors Platinum Business Women Awards 2019 is the first and the most comprehensive business awards for young women of the country. The awards were initiated to inspire and appreciate the women who work day in and out to leave their mark in the business scene of our country which is only half as robust without them.

Sheikh Mohammad Maroof, Additional Managing Director, The City Bank Ltd.

The ceremony concluded with the announcement of the winners of the awards for the seven different categories – the ultimate purpose of the gathering of luminaries of the showbiz, and corporate and media sectors.

Rumana Chowdhury showed off elegant wear from Warah, Samiya A Rahman exhibited some top-quality eid attires, while Sharna Maria Mrittik exhibited a beautiful array of wedding designs.

The Platinum Business Woman of the year award went to Rumana Chowdhury of Warah, Business Enterprise of the year award to Sausan Khan Moyeen of Enchanted Events & Prints, SME Enterprise of the year award to Tania Wahab of Karigar, Innovative Project of the year award to Amena Khatun of Nila & Sons, Startup of the year award to Trina

Marc Reissinger, General Manager InterContinental Dhaka

Nehal Ahmed, CEO of JCX Developments Ltd

Falgune of Sugar Communications Limited, Innovative Solution of the Year in IT to Fahmida Islam of La Mode, and Rising Star of the year award went to Nabila Nowrin & Nahid Sharmin of Moar.

Colors Platinum Business Women Awards 2019 is the first of what is expected to be a yearly affair, getting bigger and better by the year. This was in fact a small attempt by the team to applaud the women who work day in and out to leave their mark in the business scene of our country which is only half as robust without them.

The organizers hope to see many more women nominated for these awards in the coming years. Next year the event is scheduled to be held on the 11th of July 2019.

Zakaria Masud, Editor and Publisher of the Colors

From Shortlist to the Winners After submission of nominations from financial institutions the shortlisted candidates were evaluated through two jury board meetings where the judges unanimously decided on seven winners fit for the respective categories.

Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Md. Miarul Haque, and SK Sur Chowdhury

Shahidus Sadeque, Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Md. Miarul Haque, S.k. Sur Chowdhury and Marc Reissinger

Shahidus Sadeque, Md. Miarul Haque, James P. Mcdonald, Monjurul Islam, Dr. Rubana Haq and Colors team

Marc Reissinger, Syed Nasim Manzur, and Khawaza Mainuddin

Shahidus Sadeque, S.k. Sur Chowdhury, Marc Reissinger, Syed Nasim Manzur and Color’s team

Shahidus Sadeque, Md. Miarul Haque, James P. Mcdonald, Monjurul Islam, Dr. Rubana Haq and Colors team

CPBWA

The Magnificent

Eight

Who are the eight incredible women who won the awards after such rigrous evaluation and screening? What are their business about and how did they make it happen?

Get to know more aboout each of them as the Colors team sits with them to find out.

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Womenin

Leadership Rumana Chowdhury won the Business Enterprise of the Year award and there’s no one more deserving. Her courageous endeavors, strong determination and passion is what led her to be the inspiration she is today for all entrepreneurs out there, Tunajina Islam writes.

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umana’s passion for fashion is the principal factor to the beginning of her venture.

She grew motivated to start her own Boutique business through the undying support and encouragement from her friends and family. She started off by working from home but she was determined to make an undeniable presence in the market by setting up her own store, which she finally did through the help of a small bank loan.

Surprisingly, Rumana was just a fresh graduate with a toddler son when she first came about the making of Warah in 2008.

She started off by working from home but she was determined to make an undeniable presence in the market by setting up her own store It was no easy task balancing her work life and family life and she indeed faced countless setbacks. Tragedies struck when she was forced to relocate and even shut down following the Holey Artisan chaos. Meanwhile clients

became doubtful but she took these challenges head-on and never let her customers down. “I couldn’t let my clients down. They were expecting me to deliver” she adds. Nevertheless, she bounced back each time, making sure her hard work never went unnoticed.

“I have learnt through my mistakes, I knew nothing when I started but I gradually improvised to bring Warah to where it is today.”

Aside from these factors, Rumana experienced much emotional turmoil as being a woman in a business industry has its cruel concerns. She states that “as a woman you naturally have an instinct to keep everyone happy.” She goes on to say that not everyone she expected to be supportive was supportive enough. It’s so important to rely on yourself and keep yourself happy first in order to achieve

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your dreams. She teaches us that many young girls these days do face the same problems of placing other people’s happiness ahead their own. It’s the way our society is conditioned but we strongly must rewire the youth of today to be more independent. You cannot please everyone when trying to please yourself.

Rumana talks about the huge leap of faith she took when starting Warah.

“I have learnt through my mistakes, I knew nothing when I started but I gradually improvised to bring Warah to where it is today,” she says. She insists that It’s okay to feel lost sometimes, especially when trying something totally new to you. But you must keep going and take each hump as a learning scope. She adds, “I actually appreciate the tough times a lot now. They made me grow as a person. They showed me that I am actually much braver than I deemed myself to be and that is a beautiful feeling.” All this helped in Rumana’s great successes, as she is now the owner of one of the most popular brands in Bangladesh and gained many other achievements since then including an award at Dhaka Fashion Week 2011. Colors’ platinum business awards is another addition to her great achievements but only a portion of the many more to come.

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Business

Enterprise

of theYear An observer, an old soul and an incredibly talented young entrepreneur, Sausan Khan Moyeen scooped up the Business Enterprise of the Year award at the Colors Platinum Businesswomen Awards 2019 with her dream project, Enchanted Events.

Persa Sanjana Hussain from Colors converses with this beautiful mother of two to crack her code of translating her passion into an enterprise which is not just known but also loved by all.

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his remarkable success is probably down to the fact that Sausan Khan knows exactly what she wants, never straying from her true self. Growing up as a quiet child, her insecurities started brewing when she found herself evidently lacking in physical strength and stamina while playing with friends.

However, living in a joint family and having spent most of her time playing with younger cousins meant that her ‘disability’ which was a symptom of unidentified congenital heart disease went unnoticed. As a matter of fact, it went unnoticed for years to come.

herself that knew how to immaculately organize and design events. Her talent initially manifested at birthday parties of her own children and was quick to win hearts.

Enchanted Events slowly and beautifully grew ten folds from a passion project to one that has designed 1,200 custom events.

As years passed by, her skills to weave conversations with anyone and everyone along with debate classes made her steal the show at extracurricular activities. That is when she finally got a true taste of her potential and rose up to the occasion of letting her inner artist come out to play.

Being an avid reader, she says, the value of being savvy with people is sort of embedded into her system.

Her son’s birthday led to a relative asking her to design a birthday party in July. In August, a stroke and a fairly long and tiring recovery left her reconsidering everything. But the relative still insisted her to complete the event, being a big fan of her work.

While she was unsure, her husband insisted that she did it to take her mind off all that had happened and ever since that day, she never looked back.

Studying architecture, and having a second major in literature, even back then she was identified as a designer while she deftly completed projects and earned great scores. She decided to tie the knot at a rather early age and became the mother of a beautiful daughter soon afterwards . It was after having two children and a stroke that she stumbled upon the part of

Although Facebook marketing wasn’t a thing back then, word of mouth played out to be an integral tool for her business as the whole city began taking notice of her work. Fast forward to 2019, Enchanted Events is known to design events that look like nothing short of daydreams - true to its name as one would point out. Enchanted Events slowly and beautifully grew ten August 2019 28

folds from a passion project to one that has designed 1,200 custom events.

Starting from a small store room and a few leftover party props from a birthday party, it now has three massive warehouses and is a name to be relied upon as each client would testify.

Sausan says being a mother is the most important thing in her life but being a designer came naturally to her. Interestingly, she met her husband while designing a café for him. Her dream of opening up a restaurant with her husband someday was always on both their bucket list and got ticked off with the recent opening of O’Play, a restaurant with a play area tucked in a neat corner at Gulshan.

The entrepreneur relishes on the small details in life and she loves surprising people. She dismisses discussing futuristic plans and believes in living life to the present. Add to which, she prioritizes the upcoming winter season along with the plans on growing O’Play to be her primary focus of work for the moment.

“Being a mother is the most important thing in her life but being a designer was like a natural handle.”

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“Each event is like an architectural project that begins with something completely new and is scrapped off once done without ensuing a repetitive pattern.”

“People expect a mother to raise her children as if she weren’t working. And expect her to work as if she weren’t raising children.”

“Everything about me is always about now. I do not take a second for granted.

I’ve had a heart surgery and I wasn’t supposed to live for more than 10 years but I am living now, Alhamdulillah [Praise be to Allah]. So I make it a point to finish each day as if it were the last.

That is the same approach I take for each of my event. Each event is like an architectural project that begins with something completely new and is scraped of once done without ensuing a repetitive pattern,” she expresses her feeling and conviction.

Although she finds herself getting very personally involved with her work, be it report-card day or school drama she always makes sure that she attends the most important milestones when it comes to her children and at the same time does the best she can for each client.

She defies the need to satisfy social expectations and rather believes in creating her own utopia. She points out, “People expect a mother to raise her children as if she weren’t working.

And expect her to work as if she weren’t raising children.”

The awardee, who believes in taking the success with a pinch of salt, explains that there will be things that will be missed because perfection is a myth. She adds that everyone has his/her own perfect ways of being both mother and worker but how their family supports them can form a crucial part of their success.

The diva makes pulling off a working mother look easy and does so with humility. When asked about her mantra, she concludes sharing her ideology of the triple H: “You’ve got to be humble, honest and hard-working. When you focus on being all these three you come close to maintaining balance. It’s not just about being a mother or an entrepreneur, it is also about being a wife. Sustaining relationship and acing work has balance at its heart. You have to always remember where you started from and lock away any other identity in your wardrobe; lock it up when you come to work.”

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What is it being a mother?

It is the best gift in the world. It is the best gift from God.

What is it like getting married?

Annoying but when you are married

What is like being an entrepreneur?

Stressful but highly rewarding when you remember where you come from and learn to stay content.

What is your pet peeve?

Lack of commitment.

What was your goal as a child?

I wanted to be everything. One day a pilot and the other day a pilot.

What is an ideal plan?

Relax in a corner and eat to our hearts content.

What’s the one thing you love about Bangladesh?

The people

What’s the one thing you hate about it?

The traffic jam

Achieving New

Heights

Tania Wahab, founder of Karigar and winner of the SME Enterprise of the Year award is an inspiring woman who started off small and boldly exceeded expectations. She is a remarkable example to the upcoming young business women out there. Tunajina Islam has the story.

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ania was just a young girl when she decided to clamber her way into the business industry of Bangladesh. Starting in 2005, the business sectors were highly male dominated and only a few young women entrepreneurs were engaged in this sector. It came as no surprise to Tania as being a women entrepreneur in Bangladesh, it is tough to go beyond the social norms. On the contrary, Tania was resilient against all odds and has become a highly successful entrepreneur owning Karigar. Karigar deals with manufacturing, trading and exporting leather products.

The leather sector in Bangladesh seemed very promising to Tania as there are a huge variety of products you can make out of them. Many handbags/other bags are imported into Bangladesh but Tania continuously drives to move the market. This whole dream began with a simple sewing machine, and one employee in a small leased shop, and a small budget of only 10,000 taka. She guided that employee as he made products by hand and they began operations in full swing. Since then she has reached unimaginable heights as she is the owner of one of the leading supplier of

leather products. Karigar is now worth 1.60 Crore after 14 years of operations.

They now have 20 full-time workers and 100 part-time representatives.

Their impressive clientele consists of huge companies like British American Tobacco (BAT) Bangladesh, Grey Advertising Bangladesh, BASIC, Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, East West University, Chevron Bangladesh, Grameenphone, etc. Tania did business in many different countries one of which was UK, whom she exported to in 2008. Some of her greatest achievements were attaining these clients through immense hard work.

She has been mentoring many women to start this kind of business and many of them are successful entrepreneurs. As such, she has no doubt positively contributed to the growth of the leather and leather goods industry.

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Their impressive clientele consists of huge companies like BAT Bangladesh, Grey Advertising Bangladesh, BASIC Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, East West University, Chevron Bangladesh, Grameenphone, etc.

Throughout her career, Tania has had the pleasure of being able to motivate more than 10 young entrepreneurs when initiating this business. She has been mentoring many women to start this kind of business and many of them are successful entrepreneurs. As such, she has no doubt positively contributed to the growth of the leather and leather goods industry. Achieving this award, Tania hopes to empower more women entrepreneurs out there. She believes that passion is what drives you to be great and when working through the hardships of running a company, you have to remember that passion in order to succeed. Hurdles, negativity, blockage- come what may, but you need that level of determination to achieve new heights.

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Bringing

Innovation in

Business

Amena Khatun, winner of Innovative Project of the Year has grown her business as a small setup in 2000, to a mountain of success, with a simple idea that rattled the minds around her. Tamima highlights her journey as the innovative, young woman entrepreneur she came to be.

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hen I say ‘Successful Woman Entrepreneur’, the last thing that would typically come to our minds would be a heavy machineries business. That’s what makes Nila & Sons, a yellow equipment contracting company, stand as a truly innovative success story. With a few thousands from her personal savings, two employees and one equipment in her inventory, Amena began her startup about 18 years from now with the hope that one day, she’d reap what she sowed.

And despite what others may have thought, that’s exactly what she did.

To her surprise, her business reached breakeven within a short span of one and a half years. Today, her company employs 150 people, and Nila & Sons managed to amass a capital of BDT 174.55 million with a turnover of BDT 16 crore.

Despite the drawbacks that come with being a woman in the industry, Amena managed to secure a well-established position for herself, and her company.

Nila & Sons stands as a symbol of her dedication and justifies the motto that ‘Anything is possible with a little faith and perseverance.’

Despite the drawbacks that come with being a woman in the industry, Amena managed to secure a wellestablished position for herself, and her company.

With a few thousands from her personal savings, two employees and one equipment in her inventory, Amena began her startup about 18 years from now with the hope that one day, she’d reap what she sowed.

Amena, acting Vice President of the Heavy Earth Moving Equipment & Machinery Owners Association of Bangladesh, got awarded Innovative Project of the Year by COLORS for her outstanding dedication towards her unconventional startup. This award, which falls under one of seven categories of the COLORS Platinum Business Women’s Awards, focuses on highlighting women entrepreneurs who manage to succeed in unorthodox areas of business by breaking through unsolicited barriers.

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Trina’s Telling

Success Story Trina Falgune of Sugar Communications Limited won this year’s Start-Up of the Year award and here’s the tea on what she has to say about it as Tunajina Islam notes down her enthusing story.

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fter doing her masters in England and acquiring work experience from there, Trina moved back to Bangladesh and developed her marketing skills through different jobs. Her experience made her realise that the hospitality sector in Bangladesh wasn’t booming enough.

As head of marketing in City Scape, she faced numerous problems while hiring advertising firms, as her team was considered a ‘small client’. “Because our budget was relatively low, we were never given their best efforts or proper consideration. But every client should be treated with care and importantance”, she says. Additionally, the corporate culture of England in general was far more appealing to Trina and she was disappointed by the major difference in cultures to Bangladesh. Thus, concludes Trina’s will to start her own advertising business on her own terms.

Then and now People tend to believe that successful individuals begin with a head start because of their wealthy background or connections. But this is a huge misconception, because we often ignore the blood and sweat put into each person’s course. Trina founded Sugar Communications limited 4 years ago with just 3 other people and a very limited amount of savings. She said, “I didn’t take a single penny from anyone.

Not even the bank. I re-invested all my profits even if it meant I couldn’t withdraw for myself from the company at times. My business came first and

Becoming the Alpha

“I didn’t take a single penny from anyone. Not even the bank.

I re-invested all my profits even if it meant I couldn’t draw out any cash for myself from the company at times.”

I was completely fixated on achieving my dream.” Now she stands as the owner of one of the top advertising firms with a skilled team of 26, taking on a 360 degree marketing approach aimed at major clients. Namely, BAT, Qatar, Le Meridian and more, but their biggest success yet was their anti-drug campaign for RAB. Competing with several huge firms for this client, Trina was staggered when they got approved over the others. Not only did they deliver, but they delivered it remarkably!

“The positive feedback we got was overwhelming and everyone seemed to appreciate our work. No better feeling than that,” she claims.

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What does it take to thrive against all odds and become the Alpha?- Passion!

Something that Trina never lacks of.

But where did the passion go in all the younger generations? Trina addresses the sad reality of our youth showing less thirst for success day by day. “I always try to spark that fire in others by telling them my story,” she says. The power of stories is something we all are immensely affected by. The raw honesty, the realism and the sentiment is what inspires people a great deal. Her team of 26 can attest to that. With that being said, Trina is a true inspiration to many young girls and she is largely motivated by this fact. “This award means so much to me. From the 7 winners, if each of us can inspire even just one girl out there, there will be 7 more inspired girls, and those girls will inspire 7 more, and so on…” she adds.

Moreover, Trina talks about how great it feels to be recognized and appreciated for her efforts and these are the little moments that keep her resilient.

Trina wraps up her conversation by saying, “This journey is a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs. You are bound to get negative comments from time to time, especially being a woman.

The most important thing is to consider your mental health first. Having emotional support from your friends and family is essential to get through anything in life. My mother has been my biggest motivation and she supported me through the toughest of times. I could’ve never done all of this without these people around me as my pillars.”

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La Mode’s Journey

Thus Far As the winner of the Innovative Solution of the Year Award, we are delighted to have Fahmida Islam of La Mode with us to share her experience thus far.

Tunajina Islam digs into Fahmida Islam’s backstory.

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ahmida was always with the latest trends since she was a student.

Sadly, being a student with a student budget never really satisfied her longing for style. She always resorted to those budget friendly online pages that imported goods from abroad, like we all do from time to time. But there is a harsh reality behind favouring foreign goods over your own locally produced ones. These were the motives behind the birth of La Mode. “Remaking the need for fashionable accessories, I decided to manufacture them in Bangladesh alongside retailing my manufactured accessories via an e-commerce platform,” she says. Initially when they had started in 2012 with only e-commerce outlets, it was a risky idea as the concept on buying goods online was still fairly new in Bangladesh.

Fortunately, the still made it within just a few months with tremendous positive response. “I am proud to say that now we currently own 4 retail outlets, a fully functioning e-commerce platform, selling on Amazon prime (USA, Canada & Mexico) and a strong social media presence,” Fahmida says. This venture has inspired many entrepreneurs to take on e-commerce business as a profession till now.

Contrary to her success, Fahmida had faced a lot of backlash due to Bangladesh’s dark underbellymisogyny. “I used to hear things like “females can’t run businesses,” but I

always used to take it as challenge rather than an obstacle,” she adds. Negativity is probably what pushes us harder to smile in the face of adversity. “You are in charge of your own life, so make every bit count,” she says. Of course, staying strong is not all that easy, so you have to be sure to find your willpower and remember what inspired you in the first place. Fahmida talks about her biggest role models being her parents who are also successful entrepreneurs and taught her the keys to success since she could remember. Another source of inspiration came from Mark Zuckerberg, back in 2011, who inspired her to take Facebook as a platform to sell their products & reach huge potential clients. Today Facebook is counted as best platform to promote consumer products

Fahmida had faced a lot of backlash due to Bangladesh’s dark underbellymisogyny. “I used to hear things like “females can’t run businesses,” but I always used to take it as challenge rather than an obstacle

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Fahmida believes that the younger generation of girls can be inspired via Social media Platforms; “In today’s high tech world; future generations are more connected on social media.

I use Instagram as a personal story book now where I share my daily life, achievement & struggles. Young ladies message me telling my influence in their life helped them pursue their dreams. My award winning picture has received many comments on social media and many of which were telling me how my story helped them to believe in their dreams again! My fellow award winning entrepreneurs can share their stories on social platform & can make a huge impact on young entrepreneurs,” Fahmida states. Just like Colors believes stories have immense power in their core, Fahmida believes it too. Staying motivated is not any trouble for Fahmida as she finds great pleasure in the incredible positive feedback she constantly gets from clients, customers, family, friends and more. “I find these little moments of appreciation to be my proudest moments and I feel content,” she says.

She wraps up by stating that success is a journey; not merely a destination.

You always have much ahead of you and you need to keep working just as hard as you first did. “Work hard & be patient. There’s no shortcut to success!”

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The Spirited Duo of

Moar Nabila Nowrin and Nahid Sharmin bagged The Rising Star Award for their immaculate venture, Moar. These inspiring young women tell Tunajina Islam of Colors’all about their journey till’ now and how they came about this progressive idea.

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eing young and full of dreams in Dhaka, two young girls set out to pursue a great business opportunity. Nabila Nowrin and Nahid Sharmin’s tale goes way back when they were both just university students. Nabila had been working for a start-up design studio with a friend, but at the time with a low budget of just BDT15 000, finding an office space that feels safe enough for a girl and efficient enough for collaborative work was merely impossible. During her postgrad studies, she was sent to Brazil for a temporary work term and that’s when she was first introduced the notion of ‘a co-working space’.

“If I had known about this simple solution of a co-working space a few years earlier my problems back then could’ve been solved and, things could’ve been different now” Nabila says. This sparked a passion in her to bring this idea to Bangladesh essentially to service and support small start-ups who might be in dire need of something like this just like she once was.

Nahid Sharmin stepped into the equation shortly after Nabila had moved back to Dhaka, determined to execute her ongoing plan. Nabila approached Nahid to become partners in this venture since Nahid had also been introduced to similar ideas of a co-working space and was indeed a great friend. They both decided to fully invest themselves into this new venture and even quit their jobs at the time to make sure they can give their 100%. “We didn’t have much of a plan

at first. We just learnt on the go and tackled it one step at a time” they state.

This co-working space now known as Moar, is the top most co-working space in Dhaka. The result of all the effort, hard work and determination put in by these young women who risked it all for their dream.

The core of Moar Moar caters to anyone and everyone who needs an office space. They categorize themselves as a hospitality business as they offer co-working desks, office suites, meeting rooms, locker space, etc. “When starting a business you have to initially think about all the little things like space, air-conditioning, staff, cleaning and more, but we want to take away these hassles so you can focus on the core of the business and thrive,” they added. Their biggest break yet was when Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Al-Jazeera+ did a big event, Digital Kichri, at Moar.

“Receiving this award is such a great honour”, they said, “but even though it is labelled as “women’s” business awards, we hope that we are being merited for our business regardless of our gender.

We strongly believe we can compete amongst everyone on all levels.” Nahid and Nabila truly are an embodiment of strong-headed women who don’t care for social stereotypes or labels. They thrive on the power of ‘believing in yourself ’.

Nevertheless, family support is something you can never have enough of. Nabila and Nahid lay emphasis on the support which they got endlessly from their parents, spouses, siblings and even in-laws.

August 2019 40

The great thing about Moar is that if you give it 1%, you get 10% back. Which has always been the case.

How we tackle challenges: “Having a friend as a partner is a blessing,” Nabila added. Nahid mentions the importance of being considerate towards your partner to avoid problems in the workplace. “We have new challenges every day, but first making sure the other is emotionally okay is essential to overcoming them” she states. Come what may.

A 3rd eye is crucial in spotting flaws and mistakes that you and your team may not be able to see. Nabila mentions her husband being that 3rd eye who gives his honest opinion and constructive criticism to the both of them. “As harsh as he may be, he is always right to tell us what we need to heard.” Taking negatives and turning them into opportunities of growth is how I always help myself improve.

Last but not least, be persistent. You cannot half-ass anything if you want to see major results. “The great thing about Moar is that if you give it 1%, you get 10% back. Which has always been the case.”

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Photo Diaries

Md. Miarul Haque, Zakaria Masud, Mila Hossain & Ahkam Ullah.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak & Ziaul Karim

Sajedur Seraj & Ziaul Karim

The Colors Platinum Business Women Awards 2019, held on the 20th of July 2019 at Intercontinental Dhaka, salutes young female entrepreneurs across seven categories and celebrates their success at a gala dinner with people who take pride in women making strides in the business world. If you have missed the event here are a few snapshots of the night full of glamour, glitz, razzle-dazzle and felicitations to applaud achievements of the bold and the beautiful young business women of the country who are bossing their lives.

SK Sur Chowdhury

Shahriar Kamal & Zakaria Masud

Arup Haider & Mrs. Arup

The City Bank team with A M D The City Bank Shaikh Mohammad Maroof

M E Chowdhury Shameem, Dr Shahjahan Mahmood & Shaikh Mohammad Maroof

Mila Hossain, Zakaria Masud, Ziaul Karim & Riva Ganguly Das

Zakaria Masud

Golam Mortaza & his wife Shegufta Sharmin

Aziz Al Mahmud Mithu, Savera H. Mahmood & Family

Arif Khan & Barrrister Taufiqur Rahman Md. Miarul Haque, Shahidus Sadeque & Dilara Afroz Khan

Mila Hossain, Zakaria Masud, Abu Hanif & Mrs. Hanif

Marc Reissinger & Zakaria Masud

Golam Mortaza , Zahir Uddin Mahmud, Zakaria Masud

Muna Chowdhury, Mila Hossain, Hridoy Khan & Humayra Khan

Aziz Al Masud & Jannatul Ferdous Jina

Afroza Peveen & Lipi Khandker

Zakaria Masud, Natasha Hayat, Mila Hossain & Shamim Shahed Khan

The City Bank team Ziaul Karim, Monjurul Islam, Asif Nazrul & Shila Ahmed

Zakaria Masud, Mila Hossain & Shuvro Dev

Rafiqul Islam Raf, Nazim Farhan Choudhuryn & Mahdin Tariq

Zakaria Masud, Mila Hossain & Mahfuz Ahmed

Adil Hossain Noble, Mila Hossain & Zakaria Masud

Shampa Reza & Quazi Qumrul Islam

Mahfuz Ahmed & Golam Mortaza

The City Bank team Zakaria Masud, Aziz Al Mahmud Mithu & Adil Hossain Noble

Shahidus Sadeque, Shaikh Mohammad Maroof, M E Chowdhury Shameem, Dilara Afroz Khan & Marc Reissinger

LuckyBegum, Mohsena Hassan, Mila Hossain & Zakaria Masud

Komol, Biplob Shaha, Muna Chowdhury, Shampa Reza, Mila Hossain, Zakaria Masud & kazi asif rahman

Publisher with distinguished guests

Shamim Shahed Khan, Natasha Hayat, Biplob Shaha, Kaniz Almas, Quazi Qumrul Islam, Samia Afreen & Bizly Hoque

AURA Managment

Fashion

Fashion

Through

the Ages

In light of awarding outstanding women who are setting new bars, Colors presents a fashion queue centred on iconic women of history.

Whether it be the Cleopatra tale or the Vallabhadevi saga, these women left history imprinted with feminine power. Nishat Adnan Tariq of Aura and world renowned fashion choreographer, Faisal Tushar, the minds behind the act create a compelling show that depicts each of the famous characters of history.

Paying attention to each detail of costume and design, they infuse traditional ethnic wear with a modern touch to create a gorgeous output telling stories of these noteworthy leaders. Shararas, lehengas, and even dhotis are exhibited in unique designs that illustrate the royalty of these historic leaders.

August 2019 47

Helena Nazneen Zobaida H

elena Nazneen Zobaida has grown up with a creative mind, and has a keen interest in painting and Fashion Design. She has already passed 20 years of teaching in art-and-design-related sector and has 13 years of experience as a faculty member in the field of “Fashion Designing� at the tertiary level.

She has also contributed to the field of fashion design by directing fashion shows as a concept developer at a grand level of the university.

Helena Nazneen Zobaida obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Dhaka, and

Master of Fashion Design (MAFDT), Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology.

Currently, she is an assistant professor and program coordinator of city campus at the department of Fashion Design and Technology of Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology.

She has showcased her works in solo exhibitions. She has also worked with Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Forest Department as a freelance artist. She considers her life to be meaningful only when she finds her own students to work as promising designers in the most reputed organizations of the country.

August 2019 48

August 2019 49

Rumana Chowdhury R umana Chowdhury, the entrepreneur of Warah, has walked down a lane which required an immense amount of courage and resilience. Her favorite hue is white and she loves to experiment with moisturized cotton or Khaadi, protecting a renowned

industry of craftsmanship in rural Bangladesh. Her designs depicts simplicity and modernism coupled with intricate work. Being a fresh graduate working from her home, she was determined to make her presence felt in the market through her boutique house Warah.

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Samiya A. Rahman T rue fashion enthusiasts of the country are quite familiar to the brand TarShayn Atelier

by Samiya A Rahman – a popular trademark in the high-end fashion scenario of Bangladesh.

Whether it’s the much-coveted fashion event of the year, highly appreciated attires for eid or the lavish outfit of a beautiful bride, the recognition seems to transcend everything. Samiya A. Rahman is a Bangladeshi fashion designer with her own label TarShayn Atelier. She has been covered as the Bangladeshi designer who has blended traditional Bangladeshi textiles and techniques with Western silhouette and tailoring. She started TarShayn Atelier with only two machines and two employees and now twenty one artisans/karigars works under her along with three assistant designers. She emphasizes on never designing the type of attires she herself won’t carry. Her focus has always been on selecting suitable colours and fabrics for each of her designs and concentrating on the detailing work of the

karchupi and embroidery. Their Signature is having big Chaddar style Dupatta made with Dhakai Maslin or Jamdaani or both of it with the kameez type suits.

Combining Dhakai Maslin or Jamdaani with nice amount of embellishments that makes it stand in the crowd, is visible in maximum of her designs.

This Eid-ul-Adha Season she came up with the traditional Peshwas; A koti styled long floor length gowns with beautiful Chaddar styled dupatta. She has played traditional print body with colourblock embellished kotis as well as the pastel tones single coloured ones as well. She has reinterpreted the six-yard sari to create dhoti-pants. They are actually dhoti style saris and have become one of the signature pieces of TarShayn Atelier. She operates from her studio situated in Banani, Dhaka. You can witness her creation, her signature pieces there in the studio.

August 2019 56

Maria Mrittik M

aria Mrittik the founder of Jk Foreign Brands, studied in Dhaka Dental College. Studying dentistry did not distract her from her hobby of fashion designing.

In 2013, her passion bloomed when she started an online page with her friends.

But when her friends left her, decided not to give up. She took some money from her mom and launched her first Eid collection.

Receiving great response, she got enough inspiration to continue with her passion.

Her business kept growing and seeing the potential of her enterprise, her husband

got intereseted and invested in the project.

That marked the start of JK foreign brands.

Ever since she has focused on providing unique designs to cater the best to her clients. She wanted her design to be a manifestation of her own outgoing personality and put in all her effort to do so. In five years, the brand grew to be one of the most loved ones in Dhaka and one that she takes immense pride in. They still work on their motto of providing their clients with the best so that they keep coming back.

August 2019 60

Portfolio

A luxurious white with detailed gold borders.

Eid Ul Adha with

ofAhmed House of Ahmed

Sleek and chic for a perfect wear

House of Ahmed Designer- Ahmed Tuhin Reza & Elma Ahmed Concept & Direction-Faisal Tushar Click and Retouch-Rumon Paiker Makeover- Rajon Zx Artist- Sohail Pathan, Sumaiya Tanjina Nabila, Nibir Adnan Nahid Jewelry- Sparkly Closet Project Coordinated by - Troyee Chowdhury Location Courtesy- Eskay Decor

Exhibit radiant colors with this perfectly complemented pair.

People

Taking Dining

Experience to the

Next Level For those of us who relish finer things in life, even the smallest of details elevate our experience.

That luxe feeling we all crave, that finesse that we admire and that sophistication that demands a second look, all pertain to homeware. A thoughtfully selected set of tableware can take any dining experience to the next level.

Moin-ur Rahman, Managing Director of International Homeware, has a round of conversation with Nusrat Noshin, as he dishes out his experience in the homeware field.

Moin-ur Rahman has spent the past six years bringing about trailblazing changes to his family’s 62-year-old business.

What was this young businessman like before he held the reins of IHW? He recalls, “I grew up in the UK and graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2004. My concentration was marketing management but I gravitated towards theatre studies and IT. I returned home about six years ago; the first couple of years was all about adjusting to the business realm of Bangladesh. It is so discrepant from what we think it is.” He goes on to describe the inceptive phase of IHW. “The first generation of IHW ran on shop-based business. It was my grandfather’s initiative. When my dad took over, he started with an office encompassed by a small block in the shop.”

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Moin-ur Rahman dwells on one of the first new lines of business he started – commercial kitchen equipment.

“Restaurants were all the rage when I returned to Dhaka. I learnt that not many of them used standard, legitimately graded equipment. Now, I can’t ask them to get good oil, but I can ask them to get a high quality, safe-touse fryer.” He has pointed out that the name IHW is only six-year old. “Before that it was a traditional shop-based business model, but we needed that to change. We wanted to create a brand that would capture the true essence of what the business is about, and for that we needed to educate people. I started off with a corporate team of 35 personnel outside Dhaka, for doorto-door sales. We are in an industry where brands’ names aren’t significant.

We follow clothing brands, car brands and so on but not glassware. IHW imports from companies that have been in the business for as long as 200 years. Which is why, creating a brand identity is crucial.”

He goes on to say. “If you think about it, people do not have much knowledge about glassware relative to electronics or clothing. They can’t differentiate between low-quality products and expensive crystal, and frankly, they probably don’t care.”

He continues. “What they don’t understand are the health implications and the lack of long-term value of low-quality crockeries. The chemical the glasses are washed with to give them a temporary synthetic shine can

‘‘We are in an industry where brands’ names aren’t significant.

We follow clothing brands, car brands and so on but not glassware. IHW imports from companies that have been in the business for as long as 200 years. Which is why, creating a brand identity is crucial.’’

August 2019 71

have detrimental effects on our health in the long-run. On the other hand, customers aren’t convinced about our products’ quality when they are displayed in shabby third party retail outlets. We figured the only way to correct that is through brand identity and official retail stores. IHW strives to be a brand that can be trusted to carry top-shelf homeware, that will give you your money’s worth. We import from Germany, France, Czech Republic and such.”

People

The

DREAMER The Television presenter turned actor, Zulhaj Zubair, is the first person from Bangladesh mass-media to debut in the Indian Bengali Cinema Industry. Rafa Mashiyat Zahid talks to him about his inspirations and aspirations and his rise to stardom.

Aparajita Ghosh’s Mystic Memoir is a journey to realize our mission as human beings.

A chaser of dreams that are bigger than life and a lover of great black coffee, Zulhaj Zubair is a man of many great traits. Aside from being an extremely good looking actor, he is empathetic, kind and absolutely adores his family and his audience. He is a self-proclaimed dreamer, of dreams that seem untouchable. It seemed as if he had gone into his own little world as he closes his eyes, smiles and says, “If your dreams seem achievable, you’re not dreaming big enough. Dreams should be immense and always out of touch, so that you always feel the drive, the urgency, the need to fulfill them and have them in your grasp.”

Reminiscing about his childhood, he talks about his obsession with television and how that gave birth to his love for acting. He started performing in school plays in Dhanmondi Government Boys where he finished his schooling. Not many know that he was also a debater in his school days. He laughs about the first time he stepped out of his comfort zone and into a completion, and won it to everyone’s surprise. He has also competed in debate competitions aired in BTV. He believes debating helped a lot in his career as a host and an actor because of the confidence it gave him and because it taught him how to play with words.

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He completed his studies as a telecommunication engineer from NSU and has worked as an air crew and was also the Assistant Country Manager at Starwood Privilege. He says he was a corporate man through and through, till his father asked him “What do you want to do with your life?” This hit him hard. He thought about how he could get close to the people and thus started his life a presenter. He has hosted many shows till date and is currently working on four shows for Jamuna Tv – Check in JFP, Shokaler Bangladesh, Voice, Haar Na Manar Golpo. But, the dreamer in him wanted to do more, to be more.

Zubair’s father loved acting and did theater. It was his father’s dream to work in cinema. He wanted to fulfil his father’s wishes of being in the big screen and was toying with the idea of working in a film. But, he felt that none of the projects coming his way were “the one”. This is when he met Aparajita Ghosh, an actress and a director, who was invited as a guest in his show. As the show ended she asked him if she ever did a movie, would he be interested in starring in it. He assured her that if the story is good then he would love to. She flew back to India and he laughed off the offer thinking it was a fluke. A year went by without any contact till she came back for another show on his show and asked the same question and got the same answer. This time around, he got a call a few days later about a script from her. He instantly connected with the character and flew down there to start working on it.

Aparajita Ghosh’s Mystic Memoir is a journey to realize our mission as human beings. Zubair plays the character Jyoti, a man with unkept hair who roams around the streets of Kolkata barefoot, wearing a Panjabi. He is the depiction of a person that resides in all of us, the person that wants to be free of all responsibilities but cannot because of worldly practicalities. Zubair says excitedly that Jyoti will reconnect the viewers to their senses, he will remind people of the little things in life that we take for granted every day because of the rush we are in all the time.

In an unknown city, with unknown people, Zubair did his absolute best to be the best version of himself because he knew he was representing Bangladesh there. Being the first actor from our mass-media to debut in an Indian film, he knew he would be setting an example and opening doors for many. This sense of responsibility kept him going and pushed him to pour everything he possibly could into this project. Zubair laughs about how nervous he felt when he started shooting the first scene of the movie, and talks about his love for the character. Like a true romantic, he gushes about walking along Ganga, and the nights under sodium bulbs.

Zulhaj Zubair is a wonderful actor, an awe-inspiring presenter and as proved by this interview, a wonderful son. His passion and responsibility towards his August 2019 73

work is inspiring and unparalleled by many. He is the first Bangladeshi to debut in the Indian Bengali Film Industry and has opened up avenues for aspiring actors of Bangladesh that very few can dream of and even fewer can achieve. He truly is a force to be reckoned with.

“If your dreams seem achievable, you’re not dreaming big enough.

Dreams should be immense and always out of touch, so that you always feel the drive, the urgency, the need to fulfill them and have them in your grasp.”

Workspace

It’s that time

of the

month

During menstruation a woman goes through a very difficult time that can be complex to understand. It's normal to have the blues or feel sick before and during periods as hormone levels rise and fall during and before a girl's menstruation. It can affect the way she feels, both physically and emotionally that includes the feelings of extreme depression, anxious and helpless and is commonly termed as Premenstrual syndrome or PMS. Elora Majumder notes down ways in which the workplace can be more helpful to the women during ‘that time of the month.’

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“During period if I starve, I feel very upset and irritated and cannot work properly”— Emma, a photographer This problem is faced by all women in all over the world every month and everywhere and thus it gets really difficult for any lady to work and concentrate on something properly. Here are five ways in which any workplace could make it easier for their female employees at work during periods.

A ‘leave’ on the first day The first day is the worst day of the menstruation as many girls would advocate. A girl is occupied with full of unpleasant feelings including the feeling of extreme frustration, anger, anxiety, depression, desolation and the list prolongs. Everything on that day feels uncomfortable making the work experience all the more difficult. “Not everyone’s period is the same. Mine is usually over quickly, but the first day I have terrible cramps and really heavy bleeding. I am willing to work twice as hard the next week to make up for it, but it would be great if I could take leave on the very first day without having to give so many explanations” – says Saima, a journalist in her early 20s.

Stock the washrooms with necessary belongings: During menstruation it’s always necessary that a girl does not have to at least go through the hassle of looking around or worrying about getting access to sanitary napkins. It’s necessary that the girl always have spares of sanitary napkins available around and the easiest solution is to equip the female washrooms with an adequate provisions of pads. Even universities are doing it these days and it is about time that the workplaces step up. It’s a common

scenario that whenever a girl is in need of that and she does not have it at the time of emergency, she has to ask her colleagues or friends to be a savior during urgency. Thus, it is very important that the washrooms have a stock of sanitary napkins to cover for emergencies.

‘In my opinion it’s high time people start normalizing period and cooperate with women. Even though I always try to carry an extra sanitary napkin, that’s not always possible or at times enough for the situation. So, having some at the washroom stack would be very helpful’ – says Sania, a young banker.

Necessary medicines in the ‘first aid’ kit: We always see that most of the offices have a first aid box which contains things that would only help to cure a severe injury and not the things that would help the female employees to get rid of the severe pain during period.

Cramps are often the biggest hurdles to cross when a woman is going through her periods. While the level of pain is not the same for everyone many females require painkillers to subdue the pain and focus on the work at hand. The offices should keep the pain relievers like: Aspirin, Ibuprofen or Naproxen for any severe cramp that needs medication. For people who don’t resort to painkillers, a hot water bag be of great help as well. “Maybe if period pain burned calories, it’d be worth it”—says Farina, a university going student.

Fill up ‘Food stacks’: Periods fuel a lot of cravings to an extent that it becomes bothersome.

She’s going to have huge cravings for certain things because that’s the nature of her body chemistry. Bring them to her. There should be enough food and different flavors of tea available as this would help her to carry on with her work with a pinch of relief. The degree of pain is different for every woman, so is the reason. There are many factors that heighten period cramps, a few common ones are lack of nutrition and exercise.

Thus it’s important for the girls to not starve at all.A simple questionnaire of what the gfemale employees prefer having during their periods and then stacking up supplies with those snacks can be an easy way of making things bettefor the ladies.

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“During my second day of MC I was in severe pain and I really wanted to do few exercises that would have helped me get rid of the pain but unfortunately I had no facility for doing that at work and thus could not concentrate on work properly,” –Anahita , a yoga enthusiast

Have the facility for working out/yoga in office premises It’s no surprise that sitting at a desk all day is not good for our health.

So instead of feeling fidgety with discomfort, working out would be a good option to relieve period cramps.

Contrary to popular belief, working out during periods can be of great help. Working out makes the heart rate goes up and blood circulation pump up which in turn aids in easing pain. Physical activity generates beta-endorphins that act as a human morphine to nullify pain.

Practicing yoga is very beneficial for the same purpose. It involves breathing techniques that could stimulate and enhance the functioning of tissues.The five yoga poses that one might try are:

Cobbler’s pose Head to knee pose Seated Straddle Seated forward bend Goddess pose

Recipe

For the love of

Kacchi When it comes to food, the Bengali culture boasts a wide array of scrumptious delicacies that we are all obsessed with. Biryani is one such item that we just cannot get enough of. Add to that the tag of “kacchi� and as man would advocate, it is one dish that just cannot be compared to any other. We Bengalis have loved kacchi ever since we have known it but are weddings the only place where we get the privilege to taste the divine dish? Well, luckily for us, not any more at least.

Food industry has witnessed the emergence of many kacchi houses catering to this very craving of the people, serving kaccchi biryani to them along with all the other items that complement it. Kacchi Bhai which is one such store recently opened up at Bashundhara to bring to its residents the warm fuzzy goodness of a plate full of delicious kacchi biryani.

Besides serving inside they take orders from Shohoz, Uber Eats, Hungry Naaki and Pathao Food so that you can order in when you don’t feel like stepping outside. But you can also go

for a visit too because the location is just as convenient. It is situated at the most busy area of Bashundhara nearby the Bashundhara Gate where the locals are always buzzing around, getting their every day work done.

The place is almost always packed, teeming with people who drop by to gratify their cravings for great kacchi.

This place was initially started by two childhood friends who were enthusiastic about the item themselves and wanted to do business together from a very early age. Having received an overwhelming response they are shortly expanding August 2019 78

into another outlet at Uttara within just five months of operations, ever since it started in March 2019.

The place is decorated into section each fit for a different group of people.

So whether you are there to eat alone or with family or friends, as long as you want great kacchi you are always welcome. Kacchi Khadok is one of their best selling items and their badam-er shorbot is also a drink that is heavily loved by returning customers.

In light of Eid-ul-Adha just a few days away Colors brings to you the recipe of their bestsellers for you to try at home.

Kacchi Biryani One haari for 70 people

Ingredients: Food color (jorda) 1 tsp Shahi Jeera 1 tsp Cardamom beans (whole) 50g white pepper 100g Shahi Jeera and Bangla Jeera mixed powder 100g Cinnamon and Cardamom powder 50g Red Chillies 5kg Onion peeled, diced and deep fried 1 Liter Tomato sauce 100g salt Alu Bukhara Raisins 100g Almond powder Whole almonds (sliced) 8kg Basmati Rice (half-cooked) 12kg Mutton Coat the meat with all the spices listed above and place it at the bottom of the haari. Cover it with half of the half cooked rice and then put in some of the jorda and fried onion. Then put in the rest of the rice.

For topping: 250g malai 500g milk 200g ghee (best if organic) 500g soybean oil 2 liters water Mix all the ingredients and top the dish with it before sealing the lid with aata to let cook. Cook for one hour and 40 minutes without opening but turn the haari around after forty minutes so that it cooks evenly.

Badam Shorbot Ingredients: 1 kg powder milk 6 kg water 1 kg sugar Pinch of Saffron Sweet yogurt Almond and pistachio paste Almond and Pistachio sliced

Procedure: Mix the powdered milk with water.

Add saffron and sugar then bring it to a boil on low heat. Once boiled cool it down and then mix it with yoghurt, pistachio and almond paste and sliced almonds and pistachio.

If you want add fresh malai to the mixture and freeze the drink before serving. If you want the drink to last for a longer time add the extra ingredients right before serving.

Spotlight

Big Doers in the

Big Apple Being a minority in a hodgepodge of cultures can be daunting. Especially if you are an immigrant who is not equipped with the capacity to acclimate to the change of environment. Bangladeshi women are such marginalized subgroup within the Bangladeshi diaspora of New York. They don’t evoke much thought or conversation within their surroundings, and wind up getting the short end of the stick of immigration. Perhaps it’s because their voices have never been heard. Perhaps it’s because nobody has

facilitated them by holding a megaphone next to their mouth and allowing them to speak. Dream is a concept of the wealthy and the west. While many may agree, these young Bengalis are here to differ.

Many Bangladeshis have ventured into the melting pot of culture that is New York, with the conviction of fulfilling their dreams. While some succeed and some fail, some aspire to let the voices of these women in silent distress be heard.

Nusrat Noshin brings you a cohort of three such Bangladeshi acts.

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Laal NYC LAAL NYC Co-Founders Ayesha Akhter and Sanjana Khan are Bronx locals. Ayesha moved to New York as a child after her father won a lottery in the 90s, while Sanjana was born and raised here. “I lived on the west coast for 8 years in Olympia, San Francisco and Portland and moved back to New York four years ago. I moved back after the incident where a Bangladeshi women was convicted of 3rd degree murder, after she threw her new born out of a Queens apartment into the building's courtyard. This was the first national coverage in the New York Times about the mental health epidemic and isolation that Bangladeshi women faced in the USA. This was my call to move back and work directly with my community.” Sanjana says. Even though both the partners are native Sylheti, grew up just a block apart in the Bronx and attended the same elementary school for a while, they had only met on August 2018.

When asked about the concept of LAAL, Sanjana says. “LAAL is a Community Based Organization, a 501(c)3 creating resources and programs for Bangladeshi women to live healthy, engaged, joyful lives. Culturally and traditionally we have not given women a seat at the table from all issues pertaining to politics, religion and familial decisions. At LAAL we want to break that cycle. We want to provide the resources necessary for women to find their own joy, something that is unknown to many women. We cannot empower them, but they can empower themselves, and we can only expedite that process. That is what LAAL is, an organization, a movement for holistic

change for our women, our society, and our future generations.” Ayesha further adds. “LAAL serves women in the Norwood section of the Bronx. I grew up in the very neighborhood Laal serves. I have watched my mother, aunts, neighbors struggle to acclimate to life in America. Now, 30 years later the Bengali population has skyrocketed yet there are still no services for this community.”

Ayesha describes their fateful meeting.

“I worked at the Bronx Museum of the Arts as the Community Programs and Marketing Manager. I met Sanjana at a summer party that the Bronx Museum was co-hosting. It was on a perfect August 2019 84

September evening; we were both wearing shades of red. I had on a bright red dress and Sanjana donned a maroon jumpsuit. We were introduced by a mutual friend, and we actually started talking about a non-profit dedicated to Bengali women that very night.

Sanjana was out scouting for a perfect partner. Because of my experience in the nonprofit world, dedication to my homes - The Bronx and Bangladesh, her (Sanjana) experience with women across the country, we became a dream team!

The rest is history. Two months later we made LAAL NYC an official nonprofit. We got the official paperwork on October 31st, Hallows eve. Magic.”

The name LAAL resonates a myriad of emotions in women. Ayesha excellently demystifies the reason behind the name.

“Red is such a powerful color, and it's a color that has always been linked to my mother and Bengali women in general. Laal symbolizes the mark of menstruation, the alta Bengali women use to adorn themselves, the red saree Bengali women wear on their wedding, the red bindi for which Bengali women are famous, and the red sun which is in the center of the Bangladeshi flag.

We chose this as our name because it serves as a reminder of the strength and resilience of Bengali women.”

The co-founders then go on to narrate the inception of LAAL and how their real-life experiences had led them to beget this organization. Sanjana reminisces about how she was raised and her surroundings. “Growing up, I was always told to hold my tongue, to dress modestly while hosting the idea that the man I would marry would determine my worth in society. I was studying architecture in high school and saw my future in design. RISD was my dream school, but that did not work out. So, I attended The Evergreen State College, amidst 1000 acres of woods, and a six hours flight from my family. This was my escape; I majored in feminism and bathed in ideals and morals that imbued me. Justice, where the actual realities of the world was presented to me raw.

I traveled to Bangladesh and worked with FIVDB when I was 19. It was here where I realized the horrific reality of Bangladeshi women; acid attack survivors, rape/sexual assault survivors and victims, and realties of the women in my own family. I realized your socio economic status did not eliminate the fact, women will always be second class citizens. Violence was just a different language relying on if you lived in Gulshan-2 or a small village in Habiganj.”

estate investor. However, it is critical to understand she came from a wealthy, prominent and educated family in Bangladesh. She struggled to morphe here in spite of that. She was extremely privileged, this is not the reality of the majority of Bangladeshi women in NYC, most of them do not have support from their husbands and have not attended school past 7th and 8th grade. This is my community, I do not see myself doing good or giving back, this is my duty. If my community doesn't thrive, I will never thrive.”

This was my escape; I majored in feminism and bathed in ideals and morals that imbued me. Justice, where the actual realities of the world was presented to me raw.

Ayesha expresses her narrative. “I grew up in a very patriarchal home and I saw how the women in my family lived. Even if they were more diligent and able, they would get dismissed. I witnessed my mom and my aunts struggle to acclimate to life in America. My mom is bi-polar and seeing her raise four children with hardly any family support was incredibly inspiring but also really hard. My mom was nervous to go outside besides the two or three places that she was familiar with. She also never felt comfortable

She continues. “This did not change when families immigrate to the US. Here the women did not know the language, the idea of independence and freedom of movement is so alien; isolation grows.

I witnessed my own mother struggle through the hardships of assimilating to the American society. She learnt English and she unfalteringly battled the stigma the Bangladeshi society imposed on her for being independent. Today she is a successful business owner and real August 2019 85

with English. After 9/11 many of the women in the community, including my mom, experienced overt islamophobia.”

Ayesha then transitions to a cheery note, and shares a bit about the operations of LAAL. “LAAL is in the process of just beginning its programs. We are almost done with our needs assessment (survey 200 women in the community) so that we can find out what they want and what their needs are. We have also been doing a lot of outreach in the community.

Getting the word our there by tabling at Melas in the Bronx and Queens. We're organizing our first fundraising event headlined by legend DJ Rekha on August 8th. In Fall 2019, Laal will start with basic ESL classes, preventative care, and educate women to use the resources like subways. Many of the women who have immigrated here even after being here for over 20 years don't feel comfortable speaking in English or traveling by themselves.” Sanjana deconstructs the hoopla around their imminent fundraiser.

“LAAL Grishmo is the first of Laal’s annual online fundraiser and summer party. Our goal is to plan to fundraise 25k to kick-start Laal’s Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 programming. This amount will go towards ESL classes, fitness and nutrition classes, transportation classes, and general operations costs, and individual case management. The line up is all South Asian women/femme comedians and DJ's. LAAL is also changing the narrative of nonprofit galas. LAAL Grishmo is not for people with money and a black tie event but a night of radical love where we celebrate us, our movement building, our diasporas, ourselves.”

Jhal NYC Jhal NYC has taken it upon themselves to help these Bangladeshi domestic, often solitary women, by creating a space for them right in the heart of the globe, while also enabling them to practice something they have an innate affinity with. Bengali food.

Jhal NYC employs stay-at home-mothers and new immigrants and prepares them for paths they seek to transition to, thus creating a community for these marginalized groups.

Jhal NYC Creative Director imparts what Jhal actually is about. Contradictory to its name, Jhal NYC is not only about food.

“Jhal is a social venture that empowers its vision through food. The vision in our case is empowering the Bengali Diaspora, employing Bengali immigrants and moms, and just supporting all types of arts all around. Jhal has offered many classes to help aid the moms. We did a collaboration with Biny’s Kitchen (a self-taught home cook who specializes in halal food), where the Moms taught Biny how to make staple Bengali snacks and desserts. In return, Biny taught the moms how to make Mushroom Gravy Smothered Chicken. And at the end of class, everyone who attended taught the moms smartphone literacy and navigating Google Maps. Jhal also has an upcoming program with ‘Malikah’ to offer 10 classes teaching the moms Self Defense.” He continues with a quirky story of how he joined the Jhal team. A series of last minute meeting and well-timed texts led Miraz to be a part of this NYC-based, Bangladeshi startup. “I saw Jhal had an event at Eatscon on Instagram and judging from the buzz around it, I texted them asking if they needed a photographer for their event. Their initial answer was no. Later, on the day of Eatscon, I got this out of the blue text from Mahfuzul Islam (Co-Founder & CEO), asking if the photography gig at Eatscon still enthused me. You can tell what that ended up like.” He indicates with a chuckle.

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Miraz then proceeds to discuss their future plans. “Jhal has a lot that we want to do in the future. We want to be able to expand, open community centers, give people a platform, and just keep empowering Bengalis. The Bangladeshi diaspora and locals alike, including non-Bengali New Yorkers have shown great interest at our events. How can they not? Who doesn’t love Fuchka and Jhal Muri?” He humorously exclaims. Continuing on that notion, he says. “We want to disrupt cuisine in general with Bengali food. Our ancestors came here and set up “Indian Restaurants” as a form of survival scheme.

With Bengali Cuisine, we want to show that our previous generations have done enough. No more need for survival. It’s time to come out from the shadows and show that we’ve been here from the start; Bangladeshis have been here from the start. And that’s through the Bengali Food we eat on a regular basis such as Jhal Muri, Fuchka, Shemai and such. On top of

With Bengali Cuisine, we want to show that our previous generations have done enough. No more need for survival. that, we want to differentiate ourselves.

Not a lot of people know who or what a Bangladeshi is. They presume we’re Indians. There’s so much history that we want to teach through the foods we’ve been eating as kids.”

He lastly talks about exciting projects Jhal NYC has undertaken that we should look out for. “We have an upcoming short film called ‘Dawat’ coming out soon. The story follows a Bengali woman on her journey of getting accepted to elite school, far from home. Her parents are naturally not entertaining that idea.

The point of the story is to juxtapose the disparate Bengali Culture and American Culture, shedding light on the dilemma and rift within a woman born and raised in an immigrant family.”

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Mati Basma Sheea, an outspoken, expressive young talent from the Bronx has charged full frontal in the indie music scene around her. With her undeniable talent, cheery personality and galvanising swag, she's hard to forget. She not only represents her roots, but also the ramifications of her culture on women. She shares a small window of her life. “We moved to the US in 2002 and have moved around the tri-state area quite a lot. I have lived in the Brox for eleven years now. It was just me and my mother and a fresh start of a sort.” She then moves on to talk about the thing she loves Music. “I was a very lonely immigrant kid. I felt so out of place that I sought recluse in Disney Channel. Just like any other girl of that age, I was head over heels for Lizzie Mcguire. I learnt all the songs from her first album by heart; I dreamt of living her life. I then quickly grew out of that and branched out to other artists. I noticed I admired those who weren’t afraid to share their truth through their art. I loved Kelly Clakson and Justin Timberlake growing up, but now I am all about Sia!” She exclaims enthusiastically. “I believe my biggest backer is my mom, she really pushed me to keep up singing and perform Bangla music in Bengali communities. Not having a lot of friends factored in as well, since I could not relate to any of the kids of my age, I kept my focus razor sharp on music.”

“It is funny, though, I hated my voice lessons back in Bangladesh, but now I refer back to my voice lessons from Laguardia Performing Arts High School to train my voice. I adore singing Lalon geeti. I feel like that is the time I am in Zen and an introspective mindspace.”

Basma adds. She then addresses her name “Mati”. “It is not a persona, it is someone I want to be. I don’t think I am there yet though. I know my personality may come off as too strong in most South Asian setting; I think Mati is a metaphorical shield from that kind of unsolicited judgement. The name ‘Mati’ has a double

The name ‘Mati’ has a double entendre. The Earth protects us, but it needs protection too. On the other hand, I have an ingrained loyalty towards my desher mati.

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entendre. The Earth protects us, but it needs protection too. On the other hand, I have an ingrained loyalty towards my desher mati. The other hilariously unofficial reason is with respect of an ongoing joke amongst us friends. ‘Mati' means the ground or sometimes trash, and that’s how we sometimes address ourselves as. Trash.” She shares candidly.

“We don’t belong anywhere or to anyone, we aren’t of any help to anyone, we might as well call ourselves trash. It is a form of maintaining humbless through selfdeprecation. ‘Mati’ is unusual, unique and unforgettable in its own way.”

When asked about her favorite performance, she says. “It has to be the Bronx Night Market, about a 10 minutes walk from my home. It was an amazing synergy because so many friends attended, and my efforts seemed to be reciprocated by the audience. That feeling is so divine. It honestly touched my heart to see so many people down at the Bronx just enjoying themselves. It felt like home. Most of my sets are R&B but I also stick to my roots and perform folk music as much as possible. I have been told that they have an otherworldly experience when I sing folk and that is amazing to hear. I believe that is the best part about performing. You may have a bad day, you can go up in the front and perform your heart out. Bare soul.

People can feel the emotions, music is like a superpower. When spectators come up to me and claim I made their day, that makes my day, and that feeling can never be taken for granted.”

She rounds things off which her plans for the future and how she represents Brown Women in a constricted community.

“I see myself happy, on a sustainable path of making music my full-time job.

Basma touches a bit on her first performance and its outcome. “Honestly, I don’t remember my first performance; it feels like a lifetime ago. My mother arranged it for a Bengali community. I remember not feeling any hint of stage fright, since I had rehearsed endlessly; I didn’t want to bungle it. The audience was very proud and that pride infiltrated me. I felt like I had accomplished a big feat by performing in Bangla in the heart of the world that is New York.” Music is often not the easiest path to choose, with so many barriers to entry and high saturation, Basma feels a tad bit of its effects. “Yes, I can be quite challenging to find new gigs. It is just hard to be a ‘somebody’ in music. However, there is always an air of ‘Wow! She’s exotic.’ or ‘How does she speak English so well?’ In the Bangladeshi community I have been called ‘too American’ for the way I dress, talk, and carry myself. So, it's a constant battle with my self identity. At the end of it all, I want to look back and be able to say ‘I did all that without having to change myself.’ Through this all, I have found women who face the same struggles. It’s truly all about the sense of belonging and finding your tribe that will keep you grounded to your beliefs.”

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I want to keep finding my voice and make music that not only represents Desh but also uplifts the stories of migration and of being a brown woman.

Either by teaching or touring. I'd like to start working on a concept album for my first ep in the next year. There's a specific genre I'd like to highlight in the album.

Music is really the only thing that makes me feel close to divinity. I want to keep finding my voice and make music that not only represents Desh but also uplifts the stories of migration and of being a brown woman. Being a South Asian women in the industry, it is our responsibility to be brave and to never forget where we came from. We are a force to be reckoned and we shall forever remain that way.”

Shopping Guide

Where to Buy Authentic

Perfumes

In recent times Bangladesh has seen a rapid growth in their cosmetic market and it is only going upwards. More specifically the perfume market in Bangladesh has seen a tremendous uprise. While some of the customers are still on their way to find the right place to do their perfume shopping many has already managed to discover the best places to go to when they wish to purchase fragrances from Bangladesh. Unfortunately the majority of the cosmetic stores in the metropolitan cities do not have much of a selection when it comes to fragrances and it also suffers from lack of credibility of their authenticity. But the good news is some of the names do come up when we consider legit and authentic sources for branded perfumes and they are becoming bigger and more available than ever before. Here we will take a look at the places you might visit if you are planning to buy genuine branded perfumes from Bangladesh.

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Al Haramain Perfumes Pvt Ltd Al Haramain is one of the biggest names in the global perfume industry with business in over 60 countries. Currently Al Haramain has four showrooms within Dhaka city of which three is in Jamuna Future Park and one in Bashundhara Shopping Complex. Al Haramain has products of various price range with top quality and they have perfume oils, perfume sprays too. Some of their most famous perfumes are- Amber Oud, L'Aventure, Leather Oud and Black Oudh. Make sure to try them when you visit their shop.

named- Rasasi Perfumes and opened a display center in Purana Paltan, Dhaka.

Customers can visit and sniff all the Rasasi perfumes from the display center along with other some other designer fragrances.

BPIB (Buyperfumeinbangladesh.com) BPIB is one of the first online perfume sellers in Bangladesh, offering a varied collection of branded perfumes. They sell full bottles as well as decants (small portions such as 5ml or 10ml in spray bottles) to help customers make an informed decision about buying full bottles.

Perfumance Perfumance started operating in 2014 and became a very popular name among the customers of non alcoholic perfume oil. Their oils are generally non alcoholic inspiration of famous branded perfumes. Products can be bought from their physical shop located in DhakaKhilgaon Paka Masjid Market (2nd Floor, Shop171 & 179) and ChattogramKhulshi Town Center Concord (Ground Floor, Shop161). Alongside perfume oil Perfumance is well-known for selling beard oil and related products like beard balm. You can also place an order through their website-perfumancebd.com

USB (UK Shopping from BD) USB have not launched their website yet but operating conveniently through their Facebook page. Their extensive collection of both designers and niche perfumes is worth to take a look. USB also provides occasional exclusive offers which attracts perfume lovers from all over Bangladesh. Moreover, USB specializes in bringing rare and discontinued perfumes from abroad on order basis which helped them to stand out among all the other sellers.

Perfume Oil Stores Other than Perfumance as mentioned above, Zaki’s Perfume Fountain is attracting new customers and providing specialized products. Zaki’s sell nonalcoholic attar and perfumes and operates its business only through theirFacebook page.

Perfume Bangladesh Perfume Bangladesh (www.perfume-bd. com) is an online based perfume shop that has gained popularity since 2017 with over 64 thousand followers on its Facebook page. Their official trade name is Star General Trading and it is one of the largest online perfume sellers of Bangladesh. Since their inception Perfume Bangladesh has served many customers with positive feedback and known for their customer friendly approach. Their shop has nearly 250 foreign brands with almost 800 types of perfume. Recently Perfume Bangladesh has obtained dealership of one of the biggest perfume company from Dubai

While some of the customers are still on their way to find the right place to do their perfume shopping many has already managed to discover the best places to go to when they wish to purchase fragrances from Bangladesh.

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Mega malls and Super shops Some shops are not focused on perfumes only and sells many fashion items including cosmetics who have a growing perfume section. Infinity Mega mall (Dhanmondi 27 no, Jamuna Future Park), Priyo (Road No-5, Mirpur Road), and Starworld (Metro Shopping Mall Ground Floor, Mirpur Road), Banglashoppers (Sat Masjid Road, Dhanmondi) are among the notable ones.

Although the physical shops operating in Bangladesh are doing business effectively, the business of foreign perfume is predominantly operating through the internet in Bangladesh. In recent times some online shops have managed to gain trust with a growing online-friendly customer base by bringing original products and offering competitive prices. Some of the biggest names prominent among the perfume enthusiasts are-

E-commerce sites Online retail marketplaces such as Bagdoom.com, Daraz.com and Pickaboo.com have perfume sections.

But these sites have relatively smaller collections compared to the specialized online perfume shops. Moreover, the sources from which the products are listed cannot be identified properly which leaves the buyer in a confused state at times.

Perfume World Perfume World have built their businesses on imported perfumes and successfully conducting their business since 2009. The company currently has six retail outlets in different parts of Dhaka (Jamuna Future Park, Plaza AR, Bashundara City Shopping Complex).

It also opened up two branches in Chattogram and one in Sylhet. Major brands which are available in their stores are- Gucci, Bvlgari, Pacco Rabanne, D&G, Burberry, Versace, Thierry Mugler, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Mont Blanc, Azzaro, Victorynox Swiss Army, Armani etc.

Starlin Enterprise Starlin is actually one of the earlier perfume business entities in the country and started back in 1987. Their store was in Gulshan DCC market since 80s, which after the fire in 2017 is now re-located in Police plaza Concord shopping mall, shop-240(1st floor). Starlin has a good collection of designer (luxary) and some niche (premium) perfumes. Their Facebook page features reviews and regular product updates. One of the top fragrance reviewers from Bangladesh namely-Joy Amin occasionally does perfume reviews from their store as well.

Fragrancebd.com Fragrancebd has a modern looking website which lists exclusive deals on their website and features an ‘on sale’ section. Customers can see a neat ‘overview’ of the products and the website has cash on delivery service available across the country.

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shoe shoe train

All aboard the

Blush and topaz Lush

Shopping Guide

To quoted from the movie Forest Gump, “Mama always said you could tell an awful lot about a person by the kind of shoes they wear,” and we couldn’t agree more. They tie the whole outfit together and ultimately determine how much effort was actually put into the look. Each style tells a different story. Each style complements an outfit differently. We often overlook the strong impact a simple pair of shoes can make and forget that it is just as important as any other piece of the outfit. First impressions are lasting impressions. So all aboard the shoe-shoe train, just in time for Eid. When you don’t have diamonds, you have shoes. So what’s really a girl’s best friend? Tunajina Islam visits Bariq & Co to see what’s in the offing for the Eid festivities ahead. While we know the many emerging shoe brands of Bangladesh are making a roar though the industry, we’ve specifically picked Bariq & Co for their inimitable designs and quality merchandise. They undoubtedly cater to the new and impending trends of footwear that surfaced from Boho-Western culture.

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Camelia Name a better duo than pearls and suede red shoes. Camelia presents protruding glossy pearls ornamented on a transparent strap. Harmonizing with a dark red suede platform, this look elegantly fits any style. Don’t turn a blind eye to pearls. They’re not just a jewelry fad anymore, and this pair attests to this.

Camelia

Daniella Mother of fancy! Daniella sports an extravagant, and not so subtle, look with plentiful clear rhinestones to decorate both straps of the shoes. They say your shoes speak for you, and these speak volumes. Another admirable feature is the nude base and clear straps that intend to bring more attention to your feet. The stones are decorations for your feet rather than the shoe itself.

Daniella

O Sam O Sams scream sophistication and taste. They are a compelling alternative to the classic one strap block heels with a dash of transparent material to kick up the look. For the fashion savvy women who still want a comfortable feel, this pair has you covered. The heel is just the right amount of sassy but classy. They also come in a white color, also known as “white flamingo”, for that extra office-style look.

O' Sam

Bows on flats A lavish new concept of bows on flats fashions a flawless summer look.

Dove and Sea Shell rock this look with two different approaches. The Dove pair, curated in luxury pink satin, goes for a double bow knot on nude flats. Minimal in its color and style, this pair accords with any outfit for any time of the day. Sea shell takes a lustrous turn with rhinestones masking the strap in a bow-shaped manner. The use of grey faux leather makes this pair look all the more deluxe.

Daniella

Rhinestones embellished Lush brings you subtle colors of pink contrasted with dark blue stones centered in the cross section. This combination is effortlessly chic and can make a lasting statement this Eid. Black Bell is yet another pair that is embellished with rhinestones and gives an even bolder look on account of the pure black straps. The arrangement of the stones makes the details more eye-catching. These shoes are not like your ordinary pairs and are vying for a spot in your closet.

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Travel

Safe

Travels How to stay safe while traveling this Eid One of the best things about Eid is going back to your home town, visiting all your relatives, catching up with your childhood friends and simply roaming around the town, reminiscing the countless memories.

However, the road to home can sure be grueling. Whether you are going by bus, train, launch or even by air – the long queues, the crowd, and the bustling congestion can surely take its toll on you. Moreover, incidents of pickpockets and mugging drastically increase during this period. So how you stay safe?

Here are a few tips jotted down by Farhad Chowdhury Zishan below –

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Allocate some extra money in a separate pocket. Don’t put all your monetary belongings in one place.

In fact, this highly resembles the famous saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. Say, for example, you put all your credit cards and banknotes in your wallet. What if it gets mugged? You will be left completely stranded. To avoid this, keep a small amount of money – at least enough to cover your journey – in a small pouch or inside one of your luggage’s pocket. With all the mobile financial services companies available; another pro tip would be storing some extra money in your mobile bank account before your journey.

It is important you jot down a few cellphone numbers; preferably the ones of your family members, a few close friends and of some relatives.

Note down some of the numbers of the police stations that you will be crossing while on your journey.

What if your mode of transport gets into an accident in the middle of the highway? You are a few hundred miles away from the nearest city and there have been a few fatalities already. You can’t necessarily rely on the locals to arrange everything; even if they do, it is likely to be very time-consuming.

Hence, it is of utmost importance that you keep a separate notebook or simply a page where you will have the necessary police station contact details jotted down.

Note down key contact numbers It is important you jot down a few cellphone numbers; preferably the ones of your family members, a few close friends and of some relatives.

Pickpocketing of phones is the most common crime that takes place during the Eid season. And none of us barely remembers all the contact numbers these days. So, in case you end up becoming a victim, you will have a few sets of contact numbers to call and seek help from.

If you feel uncomfortable do not hesitate to raise your voice and express your concern.

Harassment inside public transport has become an epidemic these days. And it is likely to increases during the Eid season. Starting from unwanted touches to catcalls to even rape – anything can take place if you are not aware of your surroundings. If you detect the slightest chances of any imminent threat, become cautious. In a loud voice, charge the perpetrator. If you are traveling by an almost empty bus, go ahead and get to one of the front seats. Call someone immediately and keep him/her on the phone. In times of distress, fear or confusion won’t lead to solutions; but staying calm and thinking effectively will.

If you need to leave your vehicle for a washroom or any other reason, try to appoint someone to look after your belongings.

Thieves often treat this as a golden opportunity – you leave the bus/train for certain reasons and they steal your luggage. Simple plan. Even if you think that you are inside a very safe mode of transportation, it’s always better to assign a fellow travel companion to be in charge of your belongings while you step out of the vehicle.

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Inform some of your friends beforehand; so that they are aware that you are leaving town.

It is always better to keep someone informed regarding your journey.

They’d know when you are likely to leave town and when you’ll be arriving.

Hence, they can also call you up to confirm that you have arrived safely. In case any unforeseen event takes place or if they can’t find you on the phone, they can easily call your family members to raise a flag.

DO NOT eat anything that your travel companion gives you.

He may be a great conversationalist.

She might be a shy individual, constantly blushing at every eye contact. He might be a middle-aged man with innocence all over his face.

Or someone who resembles your mom. Don’t let the face fool you. Even if you are from the same home town, even if you think the one sitting beside you is the best travel buddy you could have ever asked for, it’s best not to eat anything he/she offers. Homemade food or packaged food – everything counts. Mixed with medicines that makes you unconscious within minutes, it’s the easiest trick out of The Mugging Playbook.

Avoid wearing white dresses if you are traveling at night.

The possibilities of hijacking increase exponentially during night travel.

It’s all about a game of intimidation.

The hijacker steps inside the vehicle, flashes his weapon, gets everyone frightened. As a result, people tend to hand over all their precious belongings. But in case, the passengers do not agree to cooperate, then hijackers often stab a few passengers to instill fear within the mass. And for this, they often tend to pick someone whose blood can be easily visible in the darkness of the night. Hence, wearing white clothing while night travel highly exposes you to be a threat during hijacks.

Beware while dozing off; keep track of your belongings.

Scenic beauty, the amazing summer breeze and eclectic, natural sounds of rural Bangladesh – the perfect elements to make you take a comfortable shut-eye. But once you do, chances are that a mugger might come down at the nearest bus stand/ railway station, taking your luggage away with him. So make sure you fall asleep keeping the security of your luggage in check.

Long-distance journeys can be full of uncertainties and you never know what kind of a problem might come at you. Therefore, carry a small bag where you can carry a few paracetamols, a few painkillers, some band-aids, and antiseptic cream.

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Keeping a mini first-aid kit shall always prove to be handy.

Long-distance journeys can be full of uncertainties and you never know what kind of a problem might come at you. Therefore, carry a small bag where you can carry a few paracetamols, a few painkillers, some band-aids, and antiseptic cream. You will be surprised to see how often these things come in handy.

The season of festivity is near. We all look forward to this time of the year. Do not let unwanted incidents turn your highly anticipated event into a dreadful nightmare. The tips mentioned above are easy and are not time-consuming.

Taking these small steps are likely to give a much more secure, stress-free journey – ensuring that you can safely return home to see the smiling faces of your family. Remember, security should not be achieved by chance; rather by choice.

Events

Another Feather in the Cap for City Bank

City Bank has received the ‘Syndicated Loan of the Year BangladeshAward 2019’ from Asian Banking & Finance on the 23rd of July, 2019. Managing Director and CEO Mashrur Arefin received the award on behalf of the Bank in an event in Singapore recently.

City Bank has received this accolade for arranging long term Foreign Currency debt for Banco Energy Generation Limited; a 53.97 MW HFO based Power

Plant of Doreen Group with a project size of USD 51 million.

Asian Banking & Finance is the industry magazine serving Asia’s dynamical financial services industry. Since 2012, Asian Banking & Finance has been recognizing the most outstanding practices and the innovative strategies in Asia's wholesale banking sector.

SHAJGOJ Launches Mens’ Line An exciting new category of the renowned e commerce site shop.shajgoj.com for men was launched on 21st of July, 2019.

For some unknown reason, selfcare for men has always been frowned upon in Bangladesh.

Yes, a man does need more than a soap & shampoo. His hair & skin also deserves extra care. After all self-care gives the biggest boost in our confidence& inspires us to pursue our goal. So why should men be discouraged to take care of themselves?

Shajgoj thought about questioning this illogical social norm. It aspired to provide men with the same customized guidance, educative contentand authentic collection of affordable products tailored for men’s self-care & hygiene it’s been providing for women for the past years. And that’s exactly how SHAJGOJ MEN’S came to be. Many corporate leaders, models and celebrities graced the event celebrating the launch. For more information please visit https://www.shajgoj.com/

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