Weekend 141

Flying schools 6

Afzal Hossain 18

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7 2014 vol 1 Issue 41

Pete Seeger 27

1

CONTENTS EDITOR’S NOTE A Wee kly Pro ducti o n o f

DhakaTribune Vo lume 1, Issue 4 1 FEB RUA RY 7, 2 0 1 4 Editor Zafar Sobhan Assistant Magazine Editor Sumaiya Shams Rohini Alamgir Weekend Tribune Team Faisal Mahmud Adil Sakhawat Shah Nahian Farhana Urmee Natalie Siddique Art Direction/Photography Syed Latif Hossain Cartoon Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Rio Shuvo Contributors Naheed Kamal Tamoha Binte Siddiqui Ehtesamul Haque Haley Joy Fowlkes Dina Sobhan Jennifer Ashraf Masum Billah Chanchal Kamal Design Mohammad Mahbub Alam Natalie Siddique Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal Kazi Syras Al Mahmood

Fly like paper, get high like planes

W

ith conspiracies abounding in the political arena, it really is difficult to imagine that Bangladeshis are getting much sleep. Something else that might be keeping them up at night might very well be the Ekushey Boi Mela. Haven’t been there yet? Catch up on what’s hot and what’s not with Farhana Urmee’s Boi Mela Beat, or in preparation for the book fair, revisit some old favourites from her consolidated Top 10 list. Take a break and learn something new: allow Faisal Mahmud to introduce you to Afzal Hossain, one of the geniuses behind the Pentium processors, or Haley Joy Fowlkes to guide you through the experience of teaching in China.

Since it is the weekend, sit back, relax, and let yourself go. The sky is the limit. Or at least, it was for the kites at the Cox’s Bazar kite festival this year. And speaking of flying, find out how you actually can (become a pilot, that is) from Tamoha Binte Siddiqui’s Pick of the Week on flying schools in Bangladesh.

Whatever you choose to do, we hope it culminates in an amazing, educational weekend. Have a great one! n

2 This Week 3 Letters to the Editor 4 Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Conspiracy theory

5 Big Mouth Strikes Again

Money, money, it’s so funny

10 Post-Riposte

Smoking in public

11 Top 10

Books featured at Boi Mela

12 Photo Story

Kite Festival 2014

16 Crime File

Massacre in Gopibagh

17 Boi Mela Beat

Ekushey Boi Mela 2014

Production Masum Billah

20 Game On

Advertising Shahidan Khurshed

21 Stranger in a Strange Land

Circulation Wahid Murad Email: weekend@dhakatribune.com Web: www.dhakatribune.com Cover Ekushey Boi Mela

by Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

6 Pick of the Week Flying schools

18 Feature Afzal Hossain

Australian Open Teaching in China

22 Tough Love 23 WT | Leisure 24 Legal Eagle 25 The Way Dhaka Was

Dhaka Medical College

26 Travelogue

The Baths at Bath

27 Obituary

Pete Seeger

28 Last Word W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

2

THIS WEEK

january 31-february 6

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara scored the first triple century (319) against Bangladesh on Feb 5 at ZACS in Chittagong. The mammoth innings contained 8 sixes and 32 fours, as he pummelled the Bangladeshi bowlers into submission.

Dhaka Tribune

Pakistani investigators inspect the site of a grenade attack in a cinema in Peshawar on February 2. At least four people were killed and 31 wounded late on February 2, when unidentified attackers hurled two grenades at a cinema in northwest Pakistan, police and medics said.

AFP/Hasham Ahmed

One of most prolific actors of celluloid and theatre Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on February 2. Initial police report suggests that the cause of death was drug overdose. He is survived by his three children and partner Mimi O’donnell.

Reuters/Victoria Cavaliere and Chris Michaud

Whale sharks are protected species under the Chinese and international law.

However, a single carcass is worth $30,000 and makes them a target for fish poachers. A report passed by a NGO, WildLifeRisk issued a report after three years of investigation. It provides evidence proving that a factory in Southern China slaughters around 600 whale sharks every year.

National Geographic/ Jane J. Lee; Photo: WildLifeRisk

The DB Junior commissioned by Aston Martin has a 110cc petrol engine combined with a key operated electric start and a semi-automatic three-speed gear box.

The catch being it is designed for kids of 10 years and above. Priced at £16,000 this gift to your child will definitely make you their hero.

Source: Wired.co.uk/Olivia Solon

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

to the editor

3

LETTERS

Great issue

I enjoyed reading last week’s WT. I learned new things about our national zoo from Faisal Mahmud’s writing. “Paranormal Activity” by Shah Nahian was very thrilling, and Rohini Alamgir’s article on superstitions was interesting as well. I especially loved the photo story on polo fishing by Syed Zakir Hossain – it was lovely. The only thing I did not like was the cover image. Otherwise, great work guys!

Mia Md Junayed Tongi, Gazipur

Not for the weak-hearted

Reading Shah Nahian’s story of spending a night in a haunted house was quite scary. Did those things really happen? Why would anyone go back to a place like that? I, for one, wouldn’t. I’m really surprised the villagers haven’t burned down the entire place yet.

Priyanka Islam Gulshan, Dhaka

Points for effort

I’m glad to see that you guys are experimenting with the looks of the WT. It used to look quite drab, to be honest. Not sure if your efforts came to fruition completely, because the print of my magazine was quite bad.

Nevertheless, it’s good that you’re trying to make your issue look better.

The content was, as usual, great. Keep up the good work, WT. Helena Gomez Shahjahanpur, Dhaka

Hungry for more

This week’s Top 10 literally made me so hungry that I went chasing after the nearest pitha that I could find! Don’t worry, I managed to come back and finish this week’s reads. Really liked Naheed Kamal’s Big Mouth on body hair and the feature on superstitions. Looking forward to next weekend!

Rahima Khanm Dhanmondi, Dhaka

A little more change?

Reading weekend has become a part of my Friday routine. You guys come up with some great content for most of your stories.

However, I really wish you guys would do something about the quality of the paper and the size of the magazine. The paper gives out a cheap impression, which takes out much of the appeal from the covers and the layout, and the large and unwieldy size of the magazine makes holding it seem like a tedious chore.

LETTER

of the week

Nadeem Shah Uttara, Dhaka

Send us your feedback at: weekend@dhakatribune.com W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

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WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Conspiracy theory The verdict is farcical and politically motivated. It is part of a grave conspiracy against the BNP to ruin its image.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary-general of BNP, on the verdict in the 10-truck firearms haul case

I suppose everyone is busy conspiring against each other these days.

Mr Mango

Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune

The then DGFI [Directorate General of Forces Intelligence] Director General Maj Gen Sadik Hasan Rumi informed the then premier Khaleda Zia about the arms haul, but she kept mum. Without expressing any reaction, she only said she would investigate. These matters came in as evidence.

Judge SM Mojibur Rahman Chittagong metropolitan special tribunal

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We are agitated and disappointed with this verdict. It’s a high-profile political case and the verdict is a high profile political one as well.

Those who have testified in this case were high-officials of the military and civil administration during the previous (BNP-Jamaat alliance) government. This is not a case of political harassment.

Quamrul Islam Defence counsel

Kamal Uddin Public prosecutor

Big Mouth strikes again

5

Naheed Kamal

Money, money, it’s so funny ‘The bottom half of the world’s population owns the same amount as the richest 85 people in the world.’ – Oxfam

M

oney makes the world go around, so I was going to write an intense (and humourous, naturally) column on the unfairness of life, but found myself unable to express my disgust at the sheer scale of inequity in this world without flipping out completely.

Life’s little ironies include this little truth: just as I find myself becoming despondent, and if ever I feel overwhelmed, I can rely on the one and only Miley Cyrus to shock me right back to reality. She is fast becoming my goto celeb for cheap laughs. Oh, I know we shouldn’t laugh at her expense, but I have a feeling that girl is not as clueless as she leads us to believe. Yet, the misdemeanours of Cyrus, Bieber, et al, pale when compared to Woody Allen.

If you have had the ‘privilege’ of having ‘mingled’ among the rich and powerful, you know how they always become increasingly less sensitive to other peoples’ needs, and to such an extent that when the experiments were conducted outside ATM machines, having readily available (easy?) cash put people in a frame of mind that ‘prefers to be free of dependency and dependents’

Latest allegations of abuse by Allen came in an open letter from Dylan Farrow. I understand how or why it took so long for the kids to speak out, but why Mia never protested or spoke out against Allen, at least, until the Soon-Yi debacle, has always bothered me. Oddball Woody Allen grew on me. I still find his dithering on screen excruciating, but when someone else plays Woody Allen on screen – its hilarious. So yes, we do laugh at other people around here, because occasionally we must all be reminded that we are only human. Whether you are Desdemona or Shylock or Iago or Othello – rich or poor – if you cut us, we bleed. If you think hell is other people, then humour me while I play that silly game, six degrees of separation.

Gobsmacked as I was with Miley’s latest spread on the cover of W magazine – reeling from the new “look” – I spotted that the interview was by Ronan Farrow (Old Blue Eyes’ not Woody’s spawn, which brought me to Scarlett), whose venture into the music world with an album called Anywhere I Lay My Head of Tom Waits covers was surprisingly good. The collaboration with Tom Yorn, Break Up, is definitely one of my favourite albums. Well, that Scarlett came of age as an actor when she was directed

by Allen, the same Scarlett who has now whipped up a soda-stream storm and alas, abandoned Oxfam, and that brings us to the global report on income and wealth, published just on time for the grand gathering in Davos, the shocking figures however failed to move the rich.

I must confess – at first I avoided reading about such inequality. I didn’t want know anymore – what else was there to know? That number said it all: approximately 85 people own practically everything in this world.

But then a strange thing happened. A week went by, but I noticed no one had bothered to post or discuss this insane fact on Facebook, which (who?) turned 10 last week, and was overflowing with among other silliness. A report confirmed Dhaka is officially hell – I knew that already, thanks. We beat the Syrian capital Damascus – and that was gleefully posted more than Oxfam’s wealth and income report!

Journalists came away from Davos with an odd report – those who gathered at Davos wined, dined and drank champagne and packed up and went home, and yes they conveniently forgot – didn’t care at all about the “great divide” and Oxfam’s report. Did we miss something?

No one expects or wants charity, nor do people want to work and watch others benefit of their labour without any satisfaction in return. Most people would be happy to earn a decent amount, not mega bucks, a living wage in the true sense of the word. They would be happy if employers didn’t routinely take advantage of them, and automatically assume it was his/ her privilege and right to exploit, cheat, extort and treat employees like modern day slaves. Whether you are exploited just a little – or a lot – it doesn’t make any difference to the exploited.

If you are smirking and making snarky comments, let’s not forget – the world’s billions are not beggars at the palace gate, hey own the palace. Before you start spluttering indignantly, here’s another fact: wealth makes you selfish, insensitive, and you lack empathy. These are the added benefits of being rich.

Kathleen Vohs’ laboratory studies found people who are rich, don’t give a flying fig about those who are poor, or not rich like them, and it’s not just in

Naheed Kamal is an irreverent and irreligious feminist.

An old soul of indeterminate age, with one too many opinions and a very loud voice (for a little person), she laughs a lot, mostly at herself.

She lives in Dhaka, against her best judgement. Mostly, Ms Kamal rants, a lot!

the lab. Wealth makes you insensitive, as the latest study conducted by French researchers, Nicolas Guéguen and Céline Jacob, found that “handling money several seconds earlier was associated with a decrease in helping behaviour.”

I found that funny. You must admit it is ironic to consider how the destiny of billions of people on this planet lies in the hands of so few. Is modern life trying to teach us a lesson by dealing us a huge, mammoth-sized dollop of unfairness? Yes, but since we the people are slow learners, and by nature somewhat fatalistic, I am trying to find a silver lining – I stretch it a bit, granted.

Humour is my saving grace. And laughter – at my own expense or others’ – carries the day. Surely you know laughter is the best medicine. n

They need to learn life lessons, starting with how to spread love by sharing the wealth, fairly and equitably

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6

PICK OF THE WEEK

FlYING Schools

Sky is the lim it

Tamoha Binte Siddiqui tells us about the flying academies in Bangladesh and what it takes to be a pilot

Tamoha Binte Siddiqui is a contributor for Weekend Tribune, because weekends are the highlights of her life. True story!

A

sk any 10-year-old what they want to be when they grow up and the answer you are most likely to receive is: “I want to be a pilot.” Given the glamour, privilege and adventure associated with the concept of aviation, becoming a commercial pilot is a dream job for many Bangladeshis.

Thanks to a handful of flying academies established in the country, hundreds of youngsters are now able to spread their wings and follow their dream.

The Big Three

Only three academies are recognised and approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB). The oldest is the veteran institution, Bangladesh Flying Academy and General Aviation Ltd (BFA). Established in 1948 as the East Pakistan Flying Club, it is the first and only preliberation institution that trains Bangali pilots and has historical links to the birth of Bangladesh.

During the Liberation War, BFA pilots bravely launched air attacks on the Pakistani military. The academy ultimately sacrificed four captains during the war, and produced four BirUttams and five BirProtiks.

BFA has trained over 700 pilots to date, and it was the sole flying school in Bangladesh till 2008.

The academy has trained pilots for the air force, commercial airlines and government flights, as well as for the Department of Planned Protection, Ministry of Agriculture.

According to Captain Shahab U Ahmed, BirUttam, President of BFA, 90% of pilots currently working for Biman Bangladesh Airlines have been trained at the BFA, while other pilots from the academy are currently flying with Emirates, Etihad, Qatar and Singapore

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

Airlines. The academy has up to six part-time instructors, who fly with different airlines and also train new pilots at the BFA airbase situated inside Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka, using three aircrafts provided by the CAAB. The Galaxy Flying Academy Ltd started off in 2008 and is currently in the process of training 22 students for commercial pilot’s licence (CPL) and private pilot’s licence (PPL). It has 11 ground class instructors and up to six flight instructors from various

backgrounds on the books and it also offers courses in instrument rating, instructor rating and airline transport pilot’s licence (ATPL).

Galaxy owns a hanger in Rajshahi that houses five aircrafts used for training its students. The academy provides lodgings for students enrolled both in the ground classes in Dhaka and flying classes in Rajshahi. According to an official at Galaxy, the accommodation the academy offers is “equivalent to a three-star hotel” and high security is maintained to ensure that the students, especially the female

ones, feel safe.

Most recently, the Arirang Flying School of Arirang Aviation Ltd took to the skies as an offshoot of the YoungOne Company.

Launched almost two years ago, Arirang provides many aviationrelated services in addition to pilot training, such as air ambulance and corporate flying. So far, four students from Arirang have received their CPL and eight received their PPL, while 46 trainee pilots are currently enrolled at the institution. The academy boasts 12 full-time instructors for

7

The Big Three at a glance

1

BFA

•Ground course fee (PPL and CPL): Estimated Tk170,000 for each •Flying cost: Estimated Tk260,000-280,000 •Course completion: three months for both PPL and CPL

2

Arirang Flying School

•Total course fee (including PPL and CPL): Tk2,060,000 •Course completion of both PPL and CPL within two years •Sessions start in January and June

3

Galaxy Flying Academy Ltd

•Admission fee: Tk100,000 •PPL course fee: Tk950,000 (includes living cost) •CPL course fee: Tk2,000,000 (includes living cost) •Course completion of both PPL and CPL within two years •Sessions start in February, June and October

ground classes and 10 full-time flight instructors. Most of them have air force background and consequently have more flying hours and experience compared to instructors from other academies.

Arirang has its own hanger in Chittagong, which houses three of its own aircrafts, and it also owns a hostel in the port city where students can stay during their flight schedules. They also claim to be the only institution that emphasises computer literacy and spoken English during their entrance exam. The academy is also strict about class attendance as instructed by the CAAB, and it does not allow students to appear for their licensing exams unless they have the required percentage.

100 hours to make the total 150 hours, which then qualifies them to earn a CPL. So what does it take to become a good pilot? Shahab believes that speed of thought and selfconfidence are paramount: “One has to be fast to cater to different emergency situations, which may arise at any time. A good pilot needs to take prompt actions and be very confident. CAAB consultant Captain Akram Ahmed, BirUttam, on the other hand, places more emphasis on the students’ intelligence, while Nazrul Islam, a student training for PPL, says

What does it take to become a pilot?

Because BFA, Galaxy and Arirang are the only flying schools approved by the CAAB, all three must adhere to the rules and regulations set out by the government authority, including the prerequisites for students to attain a private or commercial pilot’s licence. To get a PPL, a student needs to be at least 16 years of age with an SSC or an O Level certificate. To get a CPL, which is an extended course of the PPL and the basic licence required by all commercial pilots, students need to be at least 17 years old with an HSC or A Level certificate.

Physics and maths are compulsory prerequisite subjects in both cases.

Before their final enrolment into the academies, eligible students must pass a medical fitness test conducted by the CAAB and be issued with a student’s pilot licence (SPL). The medical tests required for the students to have A-class physical fitness, but 20/20 vision is not mandatory as corrective lenses or spectacles can be worn during flights.

The students then have to complete about 10 ground subjects related to aviation. After clearing three or four of these subjects, the students start their practical flying lessons and have to juggle their ground courses with flying hours.

In order to receive a PPL, students need to log about 50 hours of flying. After receiving the PPL, students need to log an additional

discipline, maintaining a routine life and regular physical exercise are also important qualities.

He adds: “Pilots need to be physically fit to cope with changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure as well as hypoxia, i.e. lack of oxygen, which may lead to nausea.

The head honcho

The CAAB is the supreme authority for issuing pilot’s licence in Bangladesh, and they do so after closely examining the students in written exams, flying tests and medical tests. After getting their CPL from the aviation authority, the students can join different commercial airlines, which provide

Photos: Chanchal Kamal

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Our academy houses the first aircrafts that flew in the free skies of Bangladesh on January 1, 1972.”

– Captain Shahab U Ahmed, BirUttam, president of BFA

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further training specific to the type of aircrafts used by the airlines.

The students can also choose to become flight instructors after completing their instrument rating training. Indeed, due to the different aviation schools established in Bangladesh, many students aspire to become a flight instructor in the academy in which they are currently enrolled.

It seems as if these institutions are not only creating a new generation of commercial pilots, but also a generation of future flight instructors.

International competition

Despite the obvious attractions, the flying academies often fail to fill their intakes. The cost of completing PPL and CPL courses is high. Wing Commander (retd) Anisuzzaman Khan, the chief ground instructor at Arirang, believes that a lack of publicity and students going abroad for their further education are factors, too.

“Most of the students who can afford to enrol in a flying academy have English medium schooling, and more often than not, these students are sent abroad by their parents to pursue higher studies,” he says. Shahab adds: “Not

enough students are joining flying schools, because they have a wide access to different career options.”

Many students who do choose professional piloting as a career opt for flying academies abroad, in countries like Malaysia or Philippines, rather than training in Bangladesh. Asef, a pilot who completed his CPL training in HM Aerospace flight training centre in Malaysia, says the quality of training provided abroad is better, and courses can be completed faster. “I finished my course within 20 months. The scenario in Bangladesh is different. The progress is much slower,” he says.

Anisuzzaman, however, cautions against any assumption that all overseas academies maintain higher standards, and says pilots returning from abroad may encounter difficulties with their registrations.

“Some academies in the Philippines maintain very low academic standards and hence offer courses at a lower cost compared to institutions in Bangladesh,” he says. “However, students who opt for these academies are not able to pass the CAAB exams once they come here for their licensing, so students should be careful when choosing a flying academy abroad.”

9 Turbulent times

Even so, many students are not able to complete their courses within the estimated timeframe.

Though the BFA has recommended a total of six months for completion of PPL and CPL courses, in reality students can take years to finish the course. One reason behind this delay is the dearth of flight instructors. According to a CAAB official, due to low salaries at the semi-governmentsupported institution, most of the instructors work as airline pilots and hence are not fully committed to the institution. As a result, the students suffer as they cannot log in enough flying hours.

Another reason for the slow progress is the fact that most of the students are enrolled in universities and studying for regular university degrees beside PPL and CPL. In order to tackle this problem, BFA is now seeking government permission to convert the flying school into a full-fledged university that will also issue university degrees to its students.

Other problems faced by flying schools include difficulty in getting flight schedules due to heavy air-traffic.

“Our airbase in Chittagong faces a high amount of air traffic consisting of both civil and military aircrafts,” says Anisuzzaman, “So

we often do not get the priority when it comes to flight schedules, which results in our students falling behind.”

BFA, situated inside the Dhaka airport, also faces similar problems, but Galaxy benefits from its airbase being located in Rajshahi, where no domestic or international flights operate.

Despite the various problems faced by the flying schools, the industry in Bangladesh is still performing well, as an increasing number of students are choosing to become professional pilots.

According to CAAB officials, there is plenty of scope for more flight schools to make their mark on the aviation scene. It seems that the time is right for the aviation industry here to finally take to flight. n

The number of female students enrolling in flying schools is steadily increasing each year.

Many young girls from good educational backgrounds choose to be commercial pilots, despite getting admittance to prestigious universities such as BUET

*Facts and figures as of June 2013

Why choose to be a commercial pilot?

• 65% of the world’s airline captains will retire in the next 10 years, according to the International Air

Transport Association. Within the next few decades, approximately 200,000 airline pilots will be hired by major airlines

• At least 15,000 new pilots will be needed every year in the next two decades, as predicted by the

International Civil Aviation Organization. Canada and the US will need at least 60,000 new pilots by 2020

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

10

POST-RIPOSTE

Smoking in public

Yay or nay?

Should we? Should we not? The WT team fights over it

Who named you the tobacco police?

Rohini Alamgir

T

he law states that smoking is prohibited in “certain public places and workplaces such as healthcare and educational facilities and on certain forms of public transport.” Up till here, it is easy to not only understand the need for such a law, but also the validity of it. To smoke in healthcare facilities is an obvious nono since it can hurt the patient’s chance of clean recovery, and it also makes sense to not smoke in front of children and in crowded vehicles like public transport. What we fail to realise is that the law does permit the establishment of smoking areas in “many other public places and workplaces, including restaurants and hotels.”

This seems a fair enough compromise.

So keeping in mind that Bangladesh earns around $250m from taxes on tobacco products, let’s stop for a second and think. At the present state of our economy, we really can’t afford to turn up our noses at extra income. So if we can just compromise and set up these smoking areas, then we’re looking at a definite win-win.

So should smoking be banned in public? No. It can be regulated. We can keep our democratic rights to freedom of, well, some choices, and make some money in the process. n

Cartoons: Priyo

A big NO, says the law Faisal Mahmud

P

utting aside the moral debate of whether the ban on smoking in public place is an infringement to people’s right to democracy, let’s keep in mind one thing: Bangladesh became a party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on June 14, 2004. And as a signatory of the FCTC, the Parliament passed the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005, and later amended it to make the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2013. That law says smoking is prohibited in certain public places and workplaces, such as healthcare and educational facilities and on certain forms of public transport. The law enforcement personnel can impose a fine of Tk300 if they find any person smoking in public places. So can a person smoke in public places in Bangladesh?

The answer is a big resounding NO, because the law said so. End of story. n

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TOP 10

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Books Featured at Boi Mela

Put your reading glasses on!

It’s the favourite time of the year for bookworms, because Ekushey Boi Mela is back! To help pick out good reads, Farhana Urmee lists the best featured books in Boi Mela since its inception, obviously based on your votes on social media. To take part in the next poll, visit the Weekend Tribune Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WeekendTrib, or the Dhaka Tribune page at www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

1 Nantito (1973)

2

Deyal (2013)

Another Humayun Ahmed publication, Deyal was the most talked about novel last year and needed the High Court’s ruling to get published. The story revolves around the events of August 15, 1975 – the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, and the aftermath.

3

Khoabnama (1996)

Written by Akhteruzzaman Elias, Khoabnama is a milestone for modern Bangla literature. The story is about the struggle for survival by rural people during the colonial period, as well as their struggle against nature.

Homerer Odyssey (2010)

9

Ekatturer Chithi (2009)

Serajul Islam Choudhury translated Homer’s Odyssey in Bangla, which did not remain within the boundaries of mere translation. It’s an epic poem on Odyessus, a Greek hero, and his journey home after the fall of Troy.

Odyssey is the second oldest existing work of Western literature.

Narake

Humayun Ahmed’s first endeavour in portraying the life of a middle-class family, Nandito Narake is a touching story of a mentally challenged girl who becomes pregnant out of wedlock. The emotional struggle that her family goes through is something many people can relate to.

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Farhana Urmee is a forgetful journalist who is very serious about taking her notes, because without those she is of no work

4

Amar Bondhu Rashed

A creation of Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, this is the story of a schoolboy named Rashed. Narrated by his friend, the story has a number of flashbacks to the Liberation War, giving glimpses of how Rashed actively helps the freedom fighters in resisting the Pakistani Army. The novel was adapted into a feature film in 2011.

5

6

Maa (2003)

Written by Anisul Haque, Maa is the story of a freedom fighter’s mother who denies her husband’s help and is determined to raise her child all alone. Her struggle is further accentuated by her pain of losing her son in the Liberation War, without any trace of the dead body. Her life end in extreme poverty, but with her head held high.

Naree (1992)

This Humyun Azad novel was banned by the government for five years.

Initially accused of being a book of anti-establishment, the book bravely depicts the oppressed state of women in patriarchal society. The ban was lifted after the author won the legal battle.

7

Talash (2004)

Another book set in the Liberation War, this Shaheen Akhter creation depicts the agony of war survivors. It is based on reallife stories of people who lived through the turbulent times and the war’s lingering effects on their lives, even decades later.

This is compilation of letters during and around the time of Liberation War. An initiative by the daily Prothom Alo, it is the authentic, first-person narratives of the war, written by real people, carrying real emotions.

10

Sylhete Tanukaka Sange Pari (2008) Mustafa Mamun

The second book in the Tanukaka series by Mustafa Mamun sees Tanukaka visiting Sylhet, who ends getting tangled into a number of unexpected and mysterious situations. As curious as ever, Tanukaka digs deep to solve the mystery behind every scene, pulling the readers into the story and giving them a thrilling reading experience.

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PHOTO STORY Kite festival 2014

Feeling so fly

On January 31, the National Kite Festival (organised by the National Kite Federation) took the Laboni-Sugandha beach at Cox’s Bazar by storm. This joyous two-day celebration saw the skies overwhelmed by a myriad of kites and paragliders. At night, the dark blue skies were decorated with sky lanterns of different shapes and sizes.

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a photo story by Dhaka Tribune

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PHOTO STORY kite festival 2014

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Crime File

Massacre in Gopibagh

A perfect murder?

Adil Sakhawat and Mohammad Jamil Khan look into the sensational killings in the capital

Adil Sakhawat wanted to be in the army, but failing that, fights crime by reporting on it. Send him information at weekend@ dhakatribune.com

A self-proclaimed “pir” (religious preacher) named Lutfor Rahman (55), along with his son and four disciples, was slaughtered in his own home in the capital’s Gopibagh area on December 21. At least six women and children, including Lutfor’s wife and daughter-in-law, were found alive in the same place. Lutfor had rented the flat on the first floor of Aina Villa, at Ramkrishna Mission Road, only a month prior. Lutfor, who claimed to be Imam Mahdi, was allegedly killed after sunset.

The police have yet to find the murderers. The other five deceased are: Lutfor’s son Monir Hossain (32), and disciples Manju Ahmed (30), Md Shahin (30), Md Rubel Mia (32) and Mujibar Rahman (32).

Photos: Rajib Dhar

First police on site

“A group of seven or eight people knocked on Lutfor’s door, claiming they were being chased by police and needed shelter. After entering the flat, the gang held the members of the house at gunpoint and told them they were there to rob and kill them. They first tied them up and put tape over their mouths. The women and children were confined to a separate room, and threatened into silence at the risk of being killed.

Lutfor and his son were killed in one room, and his disciples in another.”

Mehedi Hasan, additional deputy commissioner, Wari police station

First civilian on site

“I saw eight men of similar ages, enter Lutfor’s house and an hour later they came out in a hurry. They did not talk with each other and I did not pay attention to them as such kinds of gatherings were common at Lutfor’s house.”

Mohammad Mujibur, security guard in the neighbourhood

Lead investigator

“Separate interrogations of Lutfor’s wife, son and close relatives have revealed that the killers were familiar with Lutfor and they had planned

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

the murders. The mobile phone numbers they used to contact Lutfor with had been out of reach since the incident. Special investigative teams of the Detective Branch of Police (DB) have been analysing several more numbers. We suspect the killers were professional and had committed the murders over a conflict on religious sentiments. We are looking for the culprits and hope to find out the real story soon.”

Jahangir Hossain Matubbor, deputy commissioner (west), DB “A total of six persons took part in the killings, while a few others remained on the lookout in the surrounding area. They were all professionals and did not leave any clues. We are investigating this case keeping three issues in mind: Lutfor’s religious practice or views, financial dealings, and robbery. Members of the intelligence wing are giving this case the highest priority as it was one of the most sensational crimes last year.”

Monirul Islam, joint commissioner, DB

Prime suspect

“After the incident, Lutfor’s younger son Abdullah Al Faruk filed a case with Wari police station, accusing 10 or 12 unidentified people. Since then,

the DB has been investigating the case. We are suspecting the killers were familiar to Lutfor’s family and had visited their home before. We have yet to trace them, but hope we will soon be able to find them.”

Jahangir Hossain Matubbor, deputy commissioner (west), DB

Witness

“Eight men aged in their 20s came to my house just before the Maghrib

prayer and took shelter, saying they were in danger. They later joined my husband in prayer, and we then gave them evening tea and snacks.

However, all of a sudden they locked us in a room at gunpoint and said they were in our house to rob and kill. They tied my husband and son’s hands with ropes and killed them.”

Salma Begum, Lutfor’s wife and eyewitness

Crime timeline 2013

December 21

5:30pm Eight people enter Lutfor’s house 5:45pm The ‘guests’ say prayers along with Lutfor 6pm Lutfor’s wife serves them with snacks and tea 6:30 pm Lutfor, his son and his four disciples are killed by the killers 7pm The miscreants flee 7:30pm Police arrive at the crime scene

December 22

1am Police send the bodies to DMCH for autopsy 12:30pm Lutfor’s younger son files a case with Wari police station

December 23

DB starts investigation

boi mela beat

17

Ekushey Boi Mela 2014

Booking it to the Boi Mela

Farhana Urmee is out and about, bringing back the latest from the book readers A week into Ekushey Boi Mela, and it’s still the hottest place to be right now. If you haven’t already been, then you now have the perfect plan for this weekend: browsing through old books from favourite writers, discovering new ones, tuning in to the scholarly discussion arranged by Bangla Academy, or simply relaxing at the cultural programs following the discussion sessions.

This year, the book fair is hard to miss, split between the Bangla Academy and with a large portion being held at the Suhrawardy Udyan.

1 Deyal

Humayun Ahmed

2 Badshanamdar Humayun Ahmed 3 Hashte Hashte Khun

•

Since 2009, the Bangla Academy has accommodated the visually impaired with a stall at the book fair.

Sparsha Braille Prokashoni is the place where the visual impaired can go and read their desired book. Although the initiative is still limited, since they only have children’s books in braille at present, at least people can come here and order a book in braille after reading it.

•

Farhana Urmee is a forgetful journalist who is very serious about taking her notes, because without those she is of no work

Anisul Haque

ALMANAC

This year, Bangla Academy has broadened the book fair, now accommodating a total of 55 stalls for less known magazines, which is the highest number in history.

4 Shahabag 2013 Shaduzzaman 5 Mithya Bolar Odhikar O Onnanya Muhammad Zafar Iqbal

After its inauguration on February 1, it took another day to get all the

books were released on the third 60were 59 released on February 4, which indicates a very great start to the fair. On February 5, around 76 new

preparations complete. A total of

day of the book fair, and another

books made their way onto the bookstalls and avid readers’ bookshelves.

Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Readers know Muhammad Zafar Iqbal for his science fictions for youngsters, his novels or other stories. But who knew about his poetic side? Yes, it is the revelation of this immense talent in poetry as well. Don’t worry folks; he is not disappointing you with ambiguous and wordy poetry that more remains in the book shelves unread or uncomprehended by popular readers. He has come up with a book of poetry adorned with complementary illustrations, all drawn by him.

Titled Bhoy Kimba Bhalobasha, the book starts with a beautiful poem named Na (No) that will strike you and give you a flow to go on. The collection of poems and illustration encompasses subject matters like climate change, unprivileged children, theory of relativity, emergency service of hospitals, social messages and many more.

The book is published by Anupam Prokashoni and is available in the publisher’s stall at the book fair. Its price is Tk150.

Pias Majid Pias Majid, comparatively new in the world of writing and publishing, has got two of his books published in book fair this year.

One is a commentary on poetry titled Kabitajiboni and the other is a collection of Syed Shamsul Haque’s poetry on different issues of which he is the editor. It is titled Arpita Podaboli.

“I am very much into poetry and I have the urge to be a poet.

I think the poet should start writing the prose on their poetry,” Majid says. He feels that only a poet can truly explore the depth of the words in poems, so the poet should be the one to write the criticisms and commentary on it.

When asked about the inspiration behind his writing, Majid says that it all comes straight from the things he has read. Whenever he reads anything, the beauty of written texts allure him. And writing is the best method of enriching society, Majid believes. Young people should not be scared to speak their minds, and putting faith in this, he writes to explore life and raise his voice.

Courtesy

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18

Faisal Mahmud is good at memorising seemingly unnecessary information and finds that journalism actually appreciates, if not nurtures, that sort of futile flair

Feature

Afzal Hossain

An Intel guy

Faisal Mahmud meets one of the brains behind the Pentium processor

“T

he year was 1991 and Gordon Moore was then the chairman of the Intel Corporation board. He was not involved with any design or administrative process. Every morning, he came into the office and asked his secretary whether he was still a billionaire or not that day,” said Afzal Hossain, a Bangladeshi engineer who worked at Intel during the 90s.

In the 90s, being a billionaire was a big deal and Moore had his share of Intel Corporation in the stock market, the value of which had fluctuated every day. So Moore, after spending an illustrious and laborious research career at Intel, spent his morning asking that seemingly trivial question.

“He was a fascinating gentleman.

I was lucky to have my office next to his,” said Afzal, who shared adjoining office space with Moore at Intel’s Santa Clara office in California.

At Intel, they never talked rank or salary. “Think about it. Gordon Moore was the chairman of the corporation, and I was just a design engineer, yet I had an office next to him. That says a lot about the corporate culture in Intel,” Afzal said.

“In a creative and complex environment, somebody works more than somebody else. When you have a rank system, you create an order. Creative jobs can’t be done while maintaining order. You have to be a free-thinker to do something creative,” he added.

“Also, if you know your colleagues’ salary, then you start measuring

people with money. That also isn’t healthy for a creative environment.

In a good corporate culture, people are asked not to discuss salary and rank.”

Starting at Intel

After completing his Bachelors in electrical and electronic engineering from BUET, Afzal went to the US to study computer architecture. “I had specific interest in that subject and even in 90s, the formative years for computer processors, Syracuse University had lots of advanced courses in that discipline, so I chose to go there,” he said.

There was an IBM facility in the area where Syracuse University is located. During his graduate studies, Afzal suddenly got an offer from Intel to work on the Pentium project.

“I had just started my PhD program and I was confused. My department chair then told me that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The university then conferred me a Master’s degree and I started working for Intel.”

Afzal joined Intel in March 1990 as a design engineer.

The Pentium project

The first project in Intel that Afzal worked on was in the internal software division. “We were developing the software for Pentium. It was a very small group.

The first year was spent in just designing the software.”

After working in the software division for over a year, Afzal was moved to the chip assembly division.

“My skill was particularly suitable for chip assembly. When Intel originally started designing integrated circuits (IC), there was a shortage of devices. We usually drew the design on paper. Then engineers sitting around a table checked, analysed and discussed the design. The design concept of Pentium was done in this way.”

After working in the assembly division for some time, Afzal was given the opportunity to work in the chip integration division for Pentium. “I had the opportunity to work with a very fascinating gentleman named Gadi Singer. He is currently a vice president of Intel.”

Singer was a visionary man. He was the mastermind behind naming the processor with a distinctive name, rather than with a series of numbers. The original Pentium branded CPUs were expected to be named 586 or i586, to follow the conventional naming process of the previous generations: 286, i386, i486.

However, as the company wanted to prevent their competitors from branding their processors with similar names (as AMD had done with previous processors), Intel attempted to file a trademark on the name in the US. So the company’s first P5-based microprocessor was released as the original Intel Pentium on March 22, 1993.

The marketing firm, Lexicon Branding, was hired to coin a name for the new processor. The suffix “ium” was chosen as it connotes a fundamental ingredient of a

“There is a thought process for any complex thing. People create it. It’s all about concept. Money does not guarantee you success.”

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computer, like a chemical element, and the prefix “pent” referred to the fifth generation of x86 processors.

“I did the chip integration for the first 20 Pentium processor.

Due to its success, the Pentium brand continued through several generations of high-end processors,” Afzal said.

Then there was Itanium

Interestingly, very few people actually know that the work of designing the Itanium processor had started right after the Pentium project. “The only reason I know is because I was hired for the project,” Afzal said. Singer called a total of five people to design the architecture of the project. I was one of them. I was given the duty to produce the architectural definition of Itanium.”

Computer architecture is a conceptual form of design. “It’s written in a book form. For the Itanium project, we submitted different architectural designs every three months.”

Explaining the Itanium project, Afzal said the Itanium processor was marketed by Intel as a highspeed processor for enterprise servers and high-performance computing systems. “We decided to have a design that would apply ‘self cannibalism’ on all the existing processors and out-speed everything in the market.”

Around the time the Itanium project kicked off, Intel used to earn $24bn and its profit margin was close to $2bn. “So we were tasked with replacing a $24bn business.

19

“You cannot predict a future invention”

Neloy I Hossain

That was a huge task.”

The Itanium project started at the beginning of September in 1992. Till 1994, Afzal and the rest of the team struggled to create a design. “We wrote about five design books but they weren’t good enough.”

HP-Intel joint venture

In the meantime, HewlettPackard (HP), who had a dream team of designers comprised of several academicians and scholars from different universities, came up with a brilliant design concept named Very Long Instruction

Word (VLIW).

VLIW is a processor architecture designed to take advantage of instruction level parallelism (ILP). While conventional processors mostly only allowed programs that specify instructions to be executed

one after another, a VLIW processor allowed programs to explicitly specify instructions to be executed at the same time (i.e. in parallel).

This type of processor architecture was intended to allow higher performance without

the inherent complexity of some other approaches. “For a super processor like Itanium, Intel wanted that concept, but it didn’t have the design. So Intel made a joint venture with HP,” Afzal said.

“We were given the duty to convert the HP architecture into Intel architecture. I was also a member of the HP-Intel joint venture.”

That architecture was so brilliant that it would have given better performance than any other existing architecture of that time.

“But it was seriously complex and it took us eight years for the first tapeout, and then another two years for the stabilisation process.”

Ultimately, the Itanium project failed to live up to the hype. When first released in 2001, Itanium’s performance, compared to the better-established RISC and CISC processors, was disappointing.

“Just think about the project.

HP and Intel, two of the largest companies were involved. We had a dream team. But still we couldn’t come up with a viable architecture.

After the failure of the project, we learned that it is not a matter of money, there is also a luck factor.”

The Itanium project taught Afzal a life-long lesson: “I learned that it’s not money that can guarantee you success, rather it’s the concept mixed with a little luck. I left Intel right before the millennium, but the lessons I learned from working there are invaluable and will remain with me forever.” n

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20 Ehtesamul Haque is a student of business who likes to travel in his free time

Game On

Australian Open

A draining start Ehtesamul Haque summarises the first Grand Slam of the year

A

ustralian Open is the first Grand Slam tennis championship of the year – a tradition of more than 100 years. Started off as Australasian Championships, the tournament had its ups and downs due to the remoteness and uncertainty of venues throughout the years. As modern transportation came into account and after the tournament was made open in 1969, the mass attendance and popularity exterminated some of the initial barriers. Currently played on Plexicushion surface, the Australian Open has been the toughest outing for tennis pros. The heat waves of January forced the organiser to come up with the Extreme Heat Policy (EHP) in 1998, which enables the referee to suspend the game if the conditions are unfavourable.

However, this policy has been the centre point of many controversies, as the physical nature of the game promotes the age-old saying “survival of the fittest.”

Heat is the new enemy

The EHP was one of most discussed topics in this tournament. It was massively criticised during the match between Frank Dancevic and Benoit Paire, where the temperature was recorded at 41°C, but the humidity level was not enough for the referee to enforce the suspension. Later, Dancevic, who had collapsed in the middle of the match, described the conditions as inhumane and said he had feared for his life. On the third day, the temperature reportedly took its toll on 970 fans, who had to be treated for heat exhaustion.

Stanislas Wawrinka won the men’s singles, beating Rafael Nadal

Frank Dancevic after collapsing during his match with Benoit Paire

Daily Mail UK

Who won?

The world is now rejoicing the newest Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka, who became only the second Swiss man to achieve this feat after Roger Federer, winner of 17 Grand Slams. On January 26, Wawrinka defeated the current No 1 Rafael Nadal by 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

To many, it was a tame end to a fantastic tournament, Nadal was battling with injury throughout the match. A humble Wawrinka later expressed: “I never expected to win a Grand Slam because, for me, I was not good enough to beat those guys.”

In the women’s department, Chinese tennis player Li Na snubbed her second Grand Slam by beating Slovakian Dominika Chibulková in a straight set of 7-6, 7-3, 6-0.

Wawrinka: Bundle of surprise China’s Li Na holds the trophy after winning the women’s singles final

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

AFP/Saeed Khan

Wawrinka may not have all the bragging rights, but he is the first man to win the Grand Slam by beating Nos 1 and 2 seeds since

AFP/Andrej Isakovic

Sergie Bruguera beat Pete Sampras and Jim Courier in 1993 French Open.

He is also the first player outside the Big Four (Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray) to win a major since 2009.

Not too many knew about the ability of Wawrinka before last year’s close encounter with Djokovic. Much has changed for him with the guidance of coach Magnus Norman, who instilled the confidence of beating the top seeded players in him.

What’s next?

Much lies ahead for the tennis enthusiasts, as the next Grand Slam, Roland Garros, is set to start on May 26. Nadal will be eager to get back to his favourite clay surface, whereas Djokovic and Murray will need to prove their worth in Nadal’s territory. Or can the new Australian Open champion Wawrinka sustain form and prove what he is made of in the French Open? Tennis fans will need to wait to find out. n

Stranger in a strange land

21

Teaching in China

But we always do it together

Haley Joy Fowlkes has been infected with wanderlust since birth, though she currently resides in Mississippi, USA. She enjoys new experiences and loves dahi phuchka, and can’t wait to visit Bangladesh again

Haley Joy Fowlkes recounts her experience with Chinese youth as an English teacher in China

Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune

D

uring my first year after graduation, I travelled to Zhuhai, China to teach English at Sun Yat-sen University.

Within moments of arriving on campus, my coordinator informed me that SYSU’s teaching building was the longest in Asia. In the disorienting darkness, it looked strange, yet familiar. It reminded me of the Olympic symbol, with its five gigantic Olympic-coloured sculptural eggs dividing the building. I didn’t really know what to gleam from the fact that the building was Asia’s longest. Why was that a big deal?

Was it the architectural prowess?

The statistical achievement? Did they lack something else to say?

At first, my student’s fun facts were intriguing and endearing.

They could identify the richest person in China, the American Idol winner and their former English teacher’s favourite films. I, too, had a tendency of collecting information, but the Chinese seemed to horde it collectively. In my course I would ask open-ended questions. My students would respond with a singular answer. When I encouraged them to speak individually, no one raised a hand, forcing me to call on students. It was strange. If they could answer collectively with the same answer, why were they afraid to say it on their own? Was it a fear of responding incorrectly? Was it that they were uncomfortable under collective focus?

When they did speak up, they spoke in whispers. So in order to hear, I would emerge from behind my podium to the empty front row. I found myself aping my own teachers’ words while teaching: “Move forward, I’m not going to bite.”

Unfortunately, moving closer meant I was presented with one too many crotch shots. It confounded me that my students were so willing to dress strikingly, but unwilling to stand out intellectually. Ultimately, I saw a lot of girls’ underwear and scandalous clothing that year. My fellow teachers and I would discuss their outfits, and I imagined my own teachers having done the same. I could hear them in my head: “Do her parents even see her before she leaves the house in the morning? Surely not.” My high school principal once gathered all the female students in the gymnasium to tell us that if we saw what she saw when walking up the stairs, we would wear longer skirts. As a teacher, I would lie in bed at night, trying to

figure out my own tactful way of telling them to keep their legs closed.

I could only picture their blushing cheeks and downcast eyes for weeks to come. So instead, I diverted my eyes and focused on trying to make them speak.

Although the presence of China’s communism is subdued internationally, it is palpable in a Chinese classroom. From clothing to Q&A responses, it often seemed my students were plugged into the same brain. I’d ask about their favourite basketball player, and they’d answer Kobe Bryant. When I mentioned his rape charges, they’d switch to Linsanity. This wouldn’t just happen in one classroom, but all six.

In my composition class, students had to take practice tests to prepare for their competency exam. One of the topics was the importance of outer versus inner appearance. They collectively wrote essays on how outer appearance demonstrates respect for those with whom you are interacting and triumphs over inner.

I wondered if my students

adjusted their answers depending on whom they were speaking to, just like they would with their clothing. It seemed a natural conclusion. You’d think if I asked why America wasn’t the greatest country in the world, they would give me a different response than to a Chinese professor. In reality, I received verbatim responses from the opening scene of The Newsroom.

Were they mimicking like toddlers, or unwilling to think for themselves?

A

mericans dress to demonstrate individuality. We also make an effort to stand out in the classroom, with our hands skyrocketing in the air to be called upon. In college, I would roll my eyes at peers who responded bizarrely just to be different. To be fair, my Chinese students were interacting with me in their second language. They were still in a formulaic point in their language skills, even though their English outmatched my proficiency in the Spanish language (in which I earned a degree). I supposed that the Chinese professors had a more

authentic understanding of them.

The first few years of college are significant in developing individuality, as we’re no longer interested in being herded like sheep.

I had a revelation during my last months in Zhuhai. Before coming to SYSU, my students wore uniforms every day to school. In the primary level, they were required to wear yellow, and in secondary, baby-blue.

A fellow teacher liked to joke that it was the cruellest burden for a prepubescent boy. And for girls, no one had told them to keep their legs closed, because they were always terrycloth covered. Unsurprisingly, they now turned to four-inch heels and tube dresses. SYSU was liberating just like university is anywhere else in the world. Without helicopter parents dictating clothing, my students were taking their first steps towards self-guided style. Let’s face it: we’ve all made mistakes developing our first wardrobes. Let’s just hope that as outer appearance garners my students’ confidence, their inner will follow accordingly. n W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

22 Dina Sobhan is a freelance writer and cautions readers not to take her “advice” here too seriously!

Got a problem? Write to Dina at weekend@ dhakatribune.com

TOUGH LOVE 1

I’ve been going out with a girl for the past few months. We’re both in our early 30s and it’s been going really well. In many ways, the relationship is different: she has many male friends and is very independent. Recently, a male friend of hers asked her to accompany him to a wedding, which she often did when she was single. However, I think things are different now and I feel it would compromise me in our relationship. Am I overreacting?

DINA SOBHAN This is a tricky one, for the very simple reason that you are asking your girlfriend to change the very thing that drew you to her in the first place. If you wanted a typical deshi girl draped in a garish kameez and false modesty, you should have stopped the search at North South University. Obviously, you knew she was independent and had male friends who she hung out with when you first started seeing her, so asking her to become the subservient girlfriend who only goes out with her boyfriend and/or only when he permits it is now asking a bit much, methinks. Rather, you can certainly ask her but should expect a

hot beverage poured on your head as a reply. Why? Because it’s silly to think you’re “compromised” just because she has a life outside your relationship … with other members of the male persuasion. I’m assuming she was attracted to you because you struck her as a confident and secure guy who would not be threatened by her friendships and lifestyle. Don’t be a bangu boyfriend and start expecting your undomesticated, free-thinking and intelligent girlfriend to suddenly start staying home in saris and cooking kormas. It’s sad and outdated, and still far too common. Yawn. n

Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune

2

My husband and I have been married for the past six years. Over this time, we’ve been slowly working toward attaining shared goals, like building our dream house. The problem is, we have got ourselves into a lot of debt doing so and now have no money left. What’s

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

worse is that I just found out my husband is now dealing drugs to make ends meet. I don’t feel I can stay here (and with him) anymore.

Should I go to the police? I know how drugs wreck lives and families.

Interesting conundrum we find ourselves in, which begs the question: were either one of you earning actual money with which to fund your lavish dreams? Or, more simply, do either of you know basic math? How on earth do you get so wrapped up in building a house that you don’t realise that, uh oh, you’re out of money? Moreover, was getting a loan, borrowing money or acquiring a second job – any one of those avenues explored before drug dealing became an option? Not to knock it, mind you – as professions go, it’s well-paid but does come with its share of headaches. However, I think it would

be a tad hypocritical and shallow of you to jump ship as soon as things got a bit sticky. I don’t think you should call the police or leave him, in which case it would not be the drugs wrecking lives and families, it would be you. Instead, try to convince him that there are less dangerous methods of availing yourself of funds and work together to solve the debt problem. If he has started getting high on his own supply, then we have a slightly more complex problem, the solution to which is rehab. Either way, marriage is a commitment, through hell or high water. Wade through it. n

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WT LEISURE With the Ekushey Boi Mela taking place, there’s finally another reason for you to organise the books you’ve carefully acquired over the years. Instead of randomly stacking your books on empty spaces, make use of your door to revamp it into your very own shelf of reflection.

Materials required An old door Particle board 10 metal clamps 5 metal brackets 1 sandpaper

Literary Devices

Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all 8 directions. Words may overlap but do not share letters.

CraftaholicsAnonymous.net

Directions 1) Using a pencil, mark a line down the centre of the door. Once you have the line outlined, cut the door into two pieces.

2) Since this is a corner shelf meant to be placed at the meeting point between two walls, you need to secure the cut pieces of door at 90 degree angles. Use clamps and ask someone to assist you while you clamp it together.

3) Using metal brackets, screw in five 90 degree metal brackets behind the door to help hold the angled pieces together.

4) To create the racks for your shelf, measure the space between both sections of the door and cut out a piece of particle board using the same measurements.

The outer edge may be left square, or you can also round it out.

5) Secure the shelves using two 90 degree metal brackets under each cut out particle board. If there are any rough edges, smoothen it out using sandpaper.

Change the door knob, if desired.

TIP: We recommend only putting one side of the door knob on so that the corner shelf can sit flush with the wall. Otherwise, you would have to leave room between the wall and shelf to allow for the knob.

allusion antithesis flashback foreshadowing hyperbole

Solution and clues for last week’s crossword

irony metaphors oxymoron paradox personification

armoredpenguin.com

simile symbolism theme tone understatement

Across

5 Quaint resort, elegant primarily and old (7) 6 101 make fun of returning to Havana (5) 9 Take away two thirds of the sneakiness (7)

Down 1 2 3 4 7 8

1st of March and April parking plan (3) Footballer refusing to work? (7) Point two lads initially in dock the same way (7) Iron will, not sick, not many! (3) Demand to cover up topless (3) Reserved the first of seasonÕs honey yoghurt (3)

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

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LEGAL EAGLE

Jennifer Ashraf is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales. She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate.

When she is not solving complicated legal problems, Jennifer is usually found travelling to exotic locations sampling the indigenous cuisine Got a problem?

Write to Jennifer at weekend@ dhakatribune.com

Jennifer Ashraf Dear Reader,

1

My spouse’s family has a large piece of property in a suburb of Dhaka. They’d built a home on it, but since most of their family members live abroad, that property had been leased out. The lessor (my spouse’s family) is made up of five siblings, a deceased father, and a surviving widow who is a permanent resident of the United States. One sibling lives in Bangladesh and wants to terminate the lease agreement when it expires. He intends to move into the house, taking one entire floor, and to rent out the other two floors. Some siblings, all of whom live in the United States and are citizens, do not want the Bangladeshi sibling to take this action; at least one other does not. The question of the property’s ownership is fuzzy. The siblings’ understanding is that the property is co-owned equally by all siblings and the surviving widow.

Yet, the Bangladeshi sibling claims the right to act unilaterally regarding the disposition of the property. How do you think we can move forward with this?

To begin with, the property will not be co-owned equally by all the siblings. Under the Islamic law of succession (and I’m assuming that this is a Muslim family, hence the applicability of Islamic law), the property ownership would pass on to the heirs in respective proportions, as ordained. There are a few ways this can be addressed – let us explore them.

Firstly, since the property has been leased out originally, we will have to consider who had authority to lease it out. Originally, did all the co-owners mutually decide to lease the property?

If so, was the Bangladeshi sibling given exclusive power of attorney?

You mentioned that “some siblings” and then mentioned “at least one other” sibling is against the prospective action of the Bangladeshi

sibling. How many siblings exactly?

Are the siblings male/female? This information is necessary in order to determine the potential ownership via succession of the Bangladeshi sibling.

How to move forward with this? Well, that’s a tricky question.

Unfortunately, owing to a lot of the facts being unclear, I’m unable to provide a straightforward answer.

What I do advise on is quick partition of the property (through Deed of Partition), owing to the disagreements arising. Boundaries need to be set and walls need to come up, figuratively speaking. Unless you look forward to a potential land legal battle for years to come and your children battling it out in courts, I also advise that this is done as soon as possible, preferably before the expiration of the current lease.

Prevention, as they say, is always better than having to find a cure! n

Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune

Dear Reader,

2

My father has been a tenant at the house I was born and grew up in for the last 50 years. When he died, which was some 14 years back, I had started paying the rent since my mother still lives there. The thing is, the rent receipt is in my father’s name. Recently, the landlord has been having some disagreements with my mother, and has often threatened to end the lease. So I’m wondering, what is my legal position? The rent is paid on time every month and there are no outstanding dues. The lease technically does not run out for another two and a half years. So are there really any grounds on which he can evict her?

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

You mentioned that the “lease technically does not run out for another two and a half years.”

This, coupled with the fact that you have been paying rent for the last 14 years or so, classifies this lease as a long-term lease, more similar to the concept of purchasing leasehold property – an instance fairly common in countries like the UK, but pretty uncommon in the Bangladeshi context. In order to analyse your legal position accurately, I would have to have a look at and refer to the terms of your lease. Long-term lease agreements, adequately drafted, usually contain provisions for situations like the leaseholder’s death or possible

disagreements between the landlord and leaseholder.

You wanted to know about possible grounds of eviction.

Rent control law in Bangladesh states that an order for eviction or “ejectment” will not usually be made unless one of the following grounds apply: the lessee (i.e. you or your mother) damages or harms the property, constructs a permanent fixture without the landlord’s consent, sublets the premises in whole or in part, is guilty of any conduct deemed a nuisance or annoyance to occupiers of adjoining or neighbouring premises, uses the premises or part for economic purposes, or is in breach of any of the express conditions of the original lease. You did not specify the nature

of the disagreements between your mother and the landlord. If any of the aforementioned conditions apply, then yes, you may be liable for eviction.

However, if none of the conditions apply, then your landlord will not have recourse to pursue eviction. However, bear in mind that he is after all the landlord, and I’m sure the original lease agreement had provisions relating to “notice periods” in case either party wished to terminate the lease earlier than its expiry. He is perfectly entitled to serve you with a notice, should he choose to do so. My advice: if his conduct is crossing the threshold and becoming unbearable, perhaps it is time to seek greener pastures.

Just a thought. n

THE WAY DHAKA WAS

25

dhaka medical college

Bangladesh Old Photo Archive

Dhaka Medical College, 1940s

The best thing about studying at Dhaka Medical College (DMC) is the number of patients that come in every day. I was able to learn a lot. As a student at DMC, I was always overwhelmed by the history of it – the building was built over a hundred years ago! Classes were always interesting, and our professors always reminisced about their days as students here. Now, working as a doctor at DMC, I can relate to them as I do the same with my students. Living in the dormitories was amazing as well. In a nutshell, it has been a wonderful journey, and more.

Dr Ankon Kumar Paul Doctors’ Hall, DMCH Chanchal Kamal

Today

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

26 Jennifer Ashraf is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales. She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate.

When she is not solving complicated legal problems, Jennifer is usually found travelling to exotic locations sampling the indigenous cuisine

Travelogue

The Baths at Bath

Of Rome and Rangamati Jennifer Ashraf discovers a new spiritual home for herself

“

The Roman Road runs straight and bare

”

As the pale parting – line in hair Across the heath

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-Thomas Hardy

t’s hard to describe the beauty that greets you as soon as you catch your first glimpse of the city of Bath. An indescribable feeling descends, and I can’t help but wonder for a moment whether I have accidentally travelled back in time.

Should I start by describing the excitement as I made my way to the tourist information centre? Or should I attempt to express the beauty of the solo singer whose musical notes rang clearly through the square? Perhaps avid readers would appreciate my endeavours to track down Jane Austen’s residence and delve into literary history. Or maybe historians would enjoy my impression of the Bath Cathedral?

No – as interesting as these may be, nothing comes close to holding a candle to the jewel in the crown: the Roman Baths. While in the queue for the tickets, I was made aware of the local folklore that surrounded these baths.

Supposedly, King Bladud (father of Shakespeare’s King Lear) contracted leprosy and decided to leave and travel the countryside, while disguised as a swineherd. The pigs he managed eventually contracted the disease from him.

One day, while travelling the Avon countryside, Bladud noticed the pig bathing in warm spring water, subsequent to which they appeared to be cured. Deciding to take a chance and follow their example, Bladud himself bathed in the hot spring water and found himself free of leprosy.

Walking around the courtyard surrounding the first bath, I looked down and couldn’t help comparing it to a large swimming pool, albeit a green one. Nothing particularly caught my eye and I couldn’t help wondering what all the fuss was about. A green swimming pool?

Surely they just painted the tiles.

However, walking down the stairs and making my way down to the bath, I was surprised to find no evidence of this.

The uneven stones beneath my feet transported me back in time.

Standing at the edge of the first outdoor bath, I looked down at the water and was instantly reminded of the mysterious green waters of W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

Photos: Courtesy

Intrigued by history, I ran my fingers along the walls just trying to absorb it all. Here, we were given free rein to explore, and no one appreciated this more than I did

Rangamati and Kaptai. Standing there, surrounded by history, I felt serene and calm, the same feelings that I feel when I make my yearly pilgrimage to Rangamati.

The water is just part of what beckons me there. Rangamati has hidden treasures and concealed troves. It is irrelevant how many times you take the boat ride trip to explore Rangamati, there will always be some little delight which you will discover during your trip. The same feelings of curiosity and anticipation swept over me and I traced the carvings in the stone pillars, and for a moment I could swear I felt it tremble. Speak to me dear stones, tell me your tales. Take me back in time so that I can explore your secrets; unburden yourself to me, I whispered to it. Alas, my pleas fell on stony ears. The stones remained silent, but my inquisitiveness drove me forward.

There were exhibits and statues, paintings and tiny stone figures on display, but these didn’t interest me. If I wanted to be a complacent

observer, I would have visited a museum or watched a documentary.

No, I was here for the old times, the history, the reconstruction of the details and the surrounding mystery.

I was here for the essence of the spirits haunting these walls. I was here for the smell of the minerals that gave these waters their unique properties, for the sight and feel of the steam rising naturally and condensing on my cold skin. I was here for the feel of the stone cold floors beneath my unclad feet, as I walked around barefoot, vaguely aware that the other tourists were giving me quizzical looks. I was here for the sentiments and sensations.

There were other attractions to explore too. I came across a magnificent floor painting of what appeared to be a dragon and it reminded me of a scene in the “666 Park Avenue” TV series. Whether it was an original restoration or whether it was done recently was not clarified and I chose not to ask; some things are just more appealing when the mystery remains intact. As

I ventured deeper into the various passages, I came across old maps and recent illustrations attempting to depict how the Roman baths were originally structured; the smaller baths gave off a more cosy feel and reminded me of hidden alcoves and structures that a decent Shakespeare’s novel brings to mind.

Leaning against a pillar in the corner of the bath, I soaked in all that I could. I tried to imagine King Bladud and his pigs making use of these waters to cure leprosy, to imagine the discovery and beginning of the city of Bath and its surrounding civilisation. I tried to pictures scores of people bathing together within these baths. Did they walk in sombrely and bathe in silence? Or did they all jump in with a splash like I had witnessed the kids do into the waters of Rangamati?

There’s no doubt that my yearly pilgrimages to Rangamati will not be ending anytime soon but, right then and right there, Bath was where I belonged and wanted to stay. n

OBITUARY

pete seeger

27

He did overcome Faisal Mahmud pays homage to a musical icon

Faisal Mahmud is good at memorising seemingly unnecessary information and finds that journalism actually appreciates, if not nurtures, that sort of futile flair

P

ete Seeger, the legendary American folksinger, died this week at the age of 94. As far as introductions go, however, he can be remembered not as a folksinger, but rather “a professional singer of amateur music,” as he frequently referred to himself as. Clad in his signature work shirt (with sleeves rolled up to the elbow), he started singing in the early 60s about equal rights. In the late 60s, he sang for peace instead of war. In the 70s and beyond, he fought and sang for a cleaner environment. Seeger always had a message and wasn’t afraid to ruffle feathers in order to achieve it, but he never wanted to sing alone.

So he got any audience, from school kids to sophisticates, to sing along with his muscular tenor leading the crowd, and giving birth to a new generation of rebels.

Early life

“As a child I was allowed to bang or tootle on any musical instrument that caught my fancy,” Seeger recalled in his 1972 autobiography, The Incomplete Folk Singer. This musical inclination was supported by his mother, Constance Edson Seeger, a violinist and teacher at the famous Juilliard School, and his father, the Harvard-educated Charles Seeger, Jr, who was a pacifist, composer, conductor and founder of the first musicology course in the US. Born in New York, Seeger later went to his father’s college, hoping to build on the song-collecting scholarship of Carl Sandburg and Alan Lomax – archival fieldwork that would spawn many of the “pop” hits of later generations.

By his sophomore year, his focus on the Young Communist League had lowered his grades, and so he determined to live the hard life he sang about, playing for pennies at

Photos: Wikimedia

union halls and riding the rails.

Musical career

Singing for quarters and food in churches and union halls, he joined with Hays and Millard Lampell in 1940 to form the Almanac Singers, a name inspired by Hays’ observation that every American farmhouse had two books, the Bible and Almanac.

“One helped us to the next world, the other helped us make it through this one,” he mentioned in his autobiography.

They sang folksongs, union songs and, as admirers of all things Soviet, anti-war songs, while the Hitler-Stalin Pact was still in effect.

In 1942, Woody Guthrie joined the Almanac Singers. The quartet’s radio gigs dried up after a newspaper columnist dubbed them the “Red Minstrels,” so they resorted to playing anywhere they could, for $510 a gig.

Drafted into the Army in 1942, Seeger sang for the troops and learned more songs. While on furlough in 1943, he married ToshiAline Ohta. She remained his bride and partner for 70 years, until her death in 2013. When the Almanac Singers disbanded, he started working for nightclubs.

In 1950, the Almanacs were reformed as the Weavers, named after title of an 1892 play by Gerhart Hauptmann about a workers’ strike (which carried the slogan, “We’ll stand it no more, come what may.”).

In the atmosphere of the 1950s red scare, the Weavers’ repertoire had to be less overtly topical than that of the Almanacs had been, and its progressive message was couched in indirect language – arguably rendering it even more powerful.

All for peace

In the late 60s, Seeger signed with

Columbia Records. He had grown tired of the Vietnam War and furiously responded by writing a song about a group of soldiers who had been pushed toward their death by an overly enthusiastic officer.

The song, Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, was set in the Second World War, but it was clearly about Vietnam. The song allegorically described Vietnam as a quagmire, depicting President Lyndon B Johnson as “the big fool” who “says to push on.” His performance of it aired months later after a storm of protest against the company.

Pete Seeger continued singing, for peace, nuclear disarmament and, most notably, the environment. He founded the not-for-profit Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. He and others built a sailing vessel, the Clearwater, and used it to educate and champion the clean-up of the Hudson River, which his home overlooked.

His legacy

Seeger was not just another folk singer. He was a people’s singer and an activist who fought for people’s rights. That’s why, when revisiting his music, you feel more admiration than pleasure.

His music, which kept folk traditions alive, delivered messages about the limits and pitfalls of contemporary society, and spanned the decades without quite taking into account the new developments all around it, seemed like something that should not be trifled with. The aura of his songs made his music a little foreboding, even when he performed old railroad songs, or revived Irish reels, or even when he made charming records for children.

Seeger’s affability couldn’t conceal that he really was all about serious business. n

Eager to know Seeger?

Advocated for Bob Dylan when Dylan performed as a folk singer, but then the two got into a feud n

After fellow band members of The Weavers sung for a cigarette commercial, he resigned from the band n

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Encouraged people to use alternative-fuel vehicles He popularised the hymn “We Shall Overcome” His wife passed away only a few months before him

In 1996, the folk singer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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Legendary singer Bruce Springsteen has already commemorated the life of Seeger n

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“Old Folkie” by Harry Chapin is a tribute to Seeger

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, FE B R UARY 7, 20 1 4

28 Masum Billah is the program manager of BRAC Education Program and vice president of Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA)

Masum Billah

A parliament without real opposition The sham of an election did not fool anyone

B

angladesh witnessed an unprecedented election last month. The end result was a parliament and cabinet already formed, claiming the whole event “successful.” But whose success was it, really?

It certainly was not the people.

People did not respond to the call of the opposition leader to take to the streets and unseat the government.

The ruling party does not have any reason to believe that people rejected the oppostion’s appeal either. The common people of the country are like fish out of water – helpless and dejected. People lost interest in this election, because they would not reap any benefits from its outcome. Bangladeshis have seen what politics and politicians have done for them. People are peace-loving. They don’t want to entangle themselves in the nasty games of politics. Unfortunately, our politicians have never been clever enough to understand how Bangladeshis perceive them and their doings, and have been staging drama to suit their purposes.

The 49-member cabinet of ministers, headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was sworn in on January 12. The cabinet includes “reformist” Awami League leaders, and has excluded a few controversial faces. As many as 35 influential figures of the previous government could not make it to the new cabinet, including the party chief of Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and

Jatiya Party’s suggestion of having double role in both the government and the opposition was peculiar, not to mention unprecedented

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, F E B R UARY 7, 201 4

Jatiya Party (Manju) as well as three members of parliament (MP) from Ershad’s Jatiya Party. Tarikat Federation and BNF, the two other parties of the ruling coalition, do not have any representatives in the cabinet as well. They will have their seats in the opposition benches, but in name only. What is even more interesting is that Ershad has now become a special envoy to the prime minister. He recovered from his mysterious “illness” overnight, making it a day of double fun for him. It is an irony that he will enjoy ministerial status, when 180 MP aspirants from his party withdrew their names from the polls race following his directive. .

It was reported that Rawshan Ershad was going to be lead the opposition in the Parliament.

Rumour has it that a few Jatiya Party leaders even agreed to play the double role, having places in both the cabinet and the opposition side. How funny it sounds! Suranjit Sengupta, presidium member of the Awami Leage, was right when he said not to make it a hodgepodge in the name of playing the double role.

He claimed the new government was formed on the basis of national consensus. Well, has the whole nation given its consent? Who constitutes the nation?

The concept of double role

by Jatiya Party members was one of a kind indeed. There are no such instances in any other parliamentary democracies in the world. Countries like the UK – birthplace of the Westminster style of parliamentary democracy – New Zealand, Australia and Canada go to the general elections through dissolving their governments. India is the only exception. The Indian parliament consists of two Houses: Lok Sabha (lower house) and Rajya Sabha (upper house). The MPs of Lok Sabha are directly elected by the Indian people. On eight occasions, Lok Sabha existed during the general elections, and sometimes the parliament was dissolved after

the election process had begun.

However, even in such situations, the government was not formed by keeping the existing one in force. In the rest of the cases, the parliament was dissolved much earlier than its tenure ended due to political instability, and the elections were held after the dissolution. India’s first Lok Sabha was constituted on April 17, 1952 following a general election. It existed when the second general election was held in 1957.

However, the first parliament was dissolved on April 4, 1956, paving the way for new MPs to take oath to constitute the second parliament the next day.

M

any policy makers in the Awami League-led government had earlier cited the example of India while defending the 10th general elections of Bangladesh taking place without dissolving the existing parliament. But the abnormal record they made by having the new MPselect take oath does not conform to the tradition set by our neighbour.

So, their claim of having done everything by the book (meaning the Constitution) does not hold water. They have failed to explain to the nation why the Awami League went ahead with the swearing in of the MPs while the previous parliament still existed. That amounted to having two MPs from each constituency at the same time.

Clearly, this violated Article 123(3)(b) of the Constitution. Again, Article 148(3) says after oath-taking, the new MPs would automatically take charge. So, technically, we now have 638 elected MPs in our parliament.

In a real democracy, the government and the opposition are two distinct sides. One is complimentary to the other. In no way can it be look like what is happening in our country now. The role of these two different entities gives a strong basis to the democracy that helps a democratic government not to behave like an autocrat. It is human to make mistakes. Leaders

How can this government be the people’s government, when people at large could not participate in electing their representatives?

of our nation they may be, but even our politicians are highly susceptible to flattery, nepotism and corruption.

Therefore, there must be a strong opposition who will give feedback on the government’s decisions, and, if necessary, criticise them.

Sadly, the hapless Bangladeshis have yet to see it happen in this country. We seemingly do everything for the people, but they unfortunately remain absent from everywhere. Iftekharuzzaman, the executive directive of Transparency International Bangladesh, commented: “Forming government without taking mandate from the people will ultimately lead to just power sharing government.”

When people’s real representatives are absent from the government, how are they supposed to remain accountable to the people? n

LAST WORD