Weekend 1 45

Successful women 6

Working women 16

FRIDAY MARCH 7 2014 vol 1 Issu e 45

Women in crime 25

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CONTENTS EDITOR’S NOTE

A Weekly Pro ductio n o f

DhakaTribune Vo lume 1, Issu e 4 5 M ARC H 7, 2 0 14 Editor Zafar Sobhan Weekend Tribune Team Sumaiya Shams Rohini Alamgir Rumana Habib Faisal Mahmud Shah Nahian Adil Sakhawat Farhana Urmee Syeda Samira Sadeque James Saville Esha Aurora Art Direction/Photography Syed Latif Hossain Cartoon Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Rio Shuvo Contributors Tausif Sanzum Dina Sobhan Jennifer Ashraf Chanchal Kamal Quamrul Abedin Design Mohammad Mahbub Alam Alamgir Hossain Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal Kazi Syras Al Mahmood

Salute to the ladies

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omorrow is International Women’s Day, and this issue is a tribute to the women of Bangladesh.

Four features stories look at the women who are changing the face of our patriarchal society every day: the movers and shakers get to at the top of their game, the working ladies who take pride in their unusual professions, a gender activist who is also a hijra, and the female police officer who had the pleasure of arresting Aduri’s abuser.

We ask some important questions: Are domestic workers are the real feminists in our country? Can women demand equal rights but also enjoy special privileges?

We get a glimpse at the joys of fatherhood, Arise India reveals their plan of expanding to Bangladesh, and the puthipath master teaches us about our Bangla poetic heritage.

Have a beautiful weekend. Don’t forget to hug the women in your life! n

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Standpoint

The help

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This Week Letters to the Editor Say What?

Post-Riposte Gender equality

9

Top 10

Women in film and TV

An gender activist

Fatiha Yesmin

The real goddess

Meena Bazar Art Competition

OBR: March in Her Heels

Puthipaath

Women in crime

Arise India

Dhaka Club

10 Day in the Life of 11 Interview

12 Photo Story

Production Masum Billah

18 Out and About

Advertising Shahidan Khurshed

19 Out and About

Circulation Wahid Murad Email: weekend@dhakatribune.com Web: www.dhakatribune.com Cover Girl power!

by Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

6 Feature Successful women

16 Feature Working women

20 Culture Vulture 22 Tough Love 23 WT | Leisure 24 Legal Eagle 25 Crime File 26 Business

27 The Way Dhaka Was 28 Last Word W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

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THIS WEEK

March 1-6

12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Matthew McConaughey, Cate Blanchett, Alfonso Cuaron, Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong’o won top honours at the 86th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on March 2.

CNN

The Power Development Board (PDB) of Bangladesh has proposed a 15.50% raise of retail power tariff rates. They also urged the BERC to make the proposed rates effective from March 1. Last week, five state-owned electricity distribution companies also submitted their respective proposals as per decision of the government to raise retail power tariff from 8.59% to 23.50%.

Dhaka Tribune

Russian president Vladimir Putin said he had pulled his army back from the Ukrainian border, and suggested that war is not imminent with Ukraine. Russian soldiers fired shots in the air to stop unarmed Ukrainian troops attempting to go to their jobs on a Crimean base, but have so far halted short of enforcing their ultimatum for a surrender.

Quartz

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

Facebook is reportedly looking to buy a solar-powered drone company to help in its quest to bring the next five billion people online.

Facebook also happens to be a part of Internet.org, a collaboration between private sectors, non-profit organisations and local communities working to make the internet available to the two-thirds of the world’s population, where it is yet not available.

Wired.co.uk

to the editor

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LETTERS

Brilliant narrative Natalie Siddique’s travelogue on Croatia was such a wonderful read!

After reading about her experience, I have half a mind to move there for life! The pictures were beautiful too. I wish they were bigger, though. Anyway, hope to see more from Natalie.

Sumaiya Haque Dhanmondi, Dhaka

Learning about military life Loved the “Day in the life” of an officer from the military! I don’t know anyone in the army so have always wondered what their lifestyle is like. But I could do without the “eats his breakfast” part though – it was the kind of obvious detail that could’ve been omitted.

Nadia Sultana Paltan

By the people?

The “Top 10” of last week was very interesting but I was disappointed to see that the votes generated by the people put Gandhi 9th in rank! While I agree with the top 3 – or even top 5, I cannot imagine Abu Taher having gained more of an international acknowledgment or respect than Gandhi. I mean, please, we are comparing alleged treason to someone who was an advocate for independence through non-violence!

Rameez Ronnie Dhanmondi

Loved the Baridhara story Good to see Baridhara doing environment-friendly activities. After the supposed lungi-ban on rickshaw pullers last year, I was genuinely worried about people living in the area and the reputation it received.

Good to see them engage in something so positive. Also, I loved the infograph – definitely helped me understand the process better.

Natasha Barua DOHS

Fantastic topic for debate

I love to read the section Post-Riposte in your magazine. It’s very entertaining and the topics that you cover are interesting. This week’s argument over Bollywood films was quite fascinating.

Both the arguments were convincing. However, I would definitely side with Urmee. Our women and girls are enough influenced by Indian drama as it is, we don’t need more of it.

Shahed Ahmed Lalbagh, Dhaka

LETTER

of the week

Send us your feedback at: weekend@dhakatribune.com W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

SAY WHAT?

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Bangladesh gets its first female Vice-Chancellor of a public university. Professor Farzana Islam has been appointed as the vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University.

DU science faculties fail to retain students. Around 50% of the students in various science-related disciplines either change their department or drop out before the completion of their degree.

Dhaka Tribune

Dhaka Tribune

Oscar Pistorius’s trial take a new turn as his neighbour testifies that she was awoken by a woman’s terrible screams, followed by cries and shots during the night of the incident.

Who is mightier – the snake or the crocodile? A snake won a lengthy battle with a crocodile in northern Queensland, wrestling it, constricting it and then finally eating it.

BBC

CNN

Engineer MA Rashid, director of South Point School and College filed a Tk200cr defamation lawsuit against Prothom Alo’s chief news editor and its Comilla correspondent.

Gunmen burst into a court in Islamabad on Monday killing at least 11 people.

Dhaka Tribune

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

Lauren Pears opens the first cat cafe in London, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium.

Wired.co.uk

Standpoint

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Tausif Sanzum

Tausif Sanzum likes to think about life’s many mysteries. He is also interested in development work and is quite vocal about human rights

The help

A connection exists between feminism and domestic workers

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aking up at 5am, preparing food for her family and leaving her two-year-old child behind, she starts her daylong journey with a dupatta on her head. She knows very little about women’s rights.

She does not know who Sylvia Plath might be or how many billions are rising for women rights. All Nazma knows is that she has to follow this routine for the entire month to make ends meet.

A lot of girls like Nazma move to Dhaka, coming from Rangpur, Mymensingh, Barisal, Kurigram and other places, looking for better opportunities. Call them victims of circumstance or merely bold, these girls are not scared to move to a big city with nothing but a “potla” on their shoulders and a dream. in their hearts. With little or no educational qualifications, they either take up jobs in the RMG sector or become domestic help.

Nazma was 17 when she got married and moved to Dhaka with her husband. Her husband used to work at a construction site, but then he quit. While he idled away his time blabbering big words

Despite having difficult lives, these women do not spare any time lamenting over their fate. They know what they have to do, and they keep on doing it

about finding better employment, Nazma had to take a job as a domestic helper to feed her oneyear-old child. She might have dreamt about living in a floating castle with her Prince Charming, but now she dwells in a slum.

However, she does not have the time to cry over this. She does not bother to listen to any more of her husband’s big talk. She has made peace with the fact that words and tears will not stop her child from wailing when he is hungry.

It is nothing short of a miracle that her one-year-old toddler can stay apart from her, with little supervision by her husband, while she is away tending to the needs of other people’s children. One can hear many “fairy tales,” like that of Nazma, in any slum in Dhaka.

One topic most housewives bond over is complaining about their domestic help. Either they do not like the way they mop the floor, or they have the classic complaint: “The buas are charging so much these days.” By the way, if we do the calculations, buas earn on average Tk15 for every daily task they perform. So it is Tk15 which keeps your floor shiny, another Tk15 for delicious food, and so forth. Is that overcharging?

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hadeeja is in her late 20s. She lives with her mother and sister in a slum in Mohammadpur.

She was once married but recently her husband remarried without her consent, so her marital status remains ambiguous. She works as a domestic helper in four houses every day, and earns Tk5,000 a month. Her sister works in the garments sector and earns Tk5,000, of which she saves half for her wedding. So it falls upon Khadeeja to single handedly support her sixyear-old child and her bedridden mother, with little help from her husband and sister. Though she feels weak and helpless at times, she keeps fighting as she has no other option. She wants her son to receive at least a basic education, and therefore sends him to a school costing Tk500 a month, a huge amount for her. It did not

require a women’s rights activist’s advice to instil this progressive idea in her.

Have you ever observed a house help at work? If you do, notice how she works without any inhibition even in the presence of men around her. Her saree might not cover her back while she is mopping the floor but she is too tired to bother about such petty issues. She nags her landlady for extra food when she is hungry, and keeps nagging until she gets something to eat. She retorts at times when she thinks that she is being asked to do more than her share of work. She quits her job when she does not get her fair share of festival bonuses. Despite rain, storm, dust or heat she goes to work every day, paying no heed to the attention she might be getting from onlookers. She is not even bothered by the social stigma against women getting married a second time when their first marriage does not work out.

So, you see, even without knowing it, these illiterate women are exercising ideologies which educated feminists might be advocating for others, but are not able implement in their own lives.

They are not going to Pathways of Women’s Empowerment conferences and making speeches about the oppressive conditions which women are facing. However, they have a voice which they raise much higher than the conferencegoing bhadra mahilas when they are given more than their share of work. They do not pretend to be supporters of women by wearing outfits from boutiques (the price of which equals their monthly food budget). Nonetheless, they still spend money from their income to buy clothes from Mirpur market to make themselves happy.

They might not be able quote the articles in the Constitution, or

Domestic workers may seem helpless, but in my opinion, they are the biggest feminist around.

Without paying heed to anyone, they keep on fighting for what they want - a decent life those prescribed by the UN about women rights, but they do know how to get their share of festival bonuses, by hook or crook.

Aren’t these all the qualities which come before your eyes when you imagine what a modern woman should be? Though these helpers might be illiterate, they end up affirming an important part of life: the right to live happily, to start all over again – even without any support. n

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

6 Shah Nahian is a staff writer at Dhaka tribune with a passion for music and art. When he’s not being forced to work, he spends his time daydreaming and hanging out with friends

COVER

Successful Women

Against all odds

Shah Nahian writes about women who swam against the tide and made a name for themselves

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rowing up, I was taught that we were all meant to do great things. Young and innocent – and a little naive – my classmates and I truly believed that we could be anything we desired. The heavy encouragement I received from my teachers and family to chase my dreams were not exclusive to me; everyone in my class received the same treatment. However, as we grew older, somewhere along the line, the boys and girls were slowly led to believe two different things.

Sure, I could never be anything I wanted – I couldn’t be a

mathematician as I didn’t know maths very well. Nevertheless, my parents, teachers and professors never stopped encouraging me to play my strengths and pursue a career in which I could achieve success and make something out of myself.

However, I noticed that many girls in my class – some of whom I had known since day one at school – were gradually persuaded into believing that higher studies, or a successful career, was not their top priority in life. They were told that what they loved doing, or want to be, was not as important as getting married and raising a

family. Pressure from family and relatives eventually became an obstacle between them and their goals.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to marry and raise a family. But not all women want to be identified as only a homemaker. In fact, most of my friends were driven by their ambitions. They were headed towards becoming doctors, lawyers, etc, but eventually their ambitions were never enough. University scholarships, promising jobs and all of their achievements never meant as

much as finding husbands who could provide them with a stable life.

Living in the 21st century, surely we cannot believe that a successful career is still exclusive to the boys’ club? Surely, women are born with the same intelligence and are talented enough to achieve the goals they set for themselves? Why hold them back when they are meant for so much more?

Vidiya Khan

Director, Desh Group of Companies

Courtesy

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W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

s a young girl, Vidiya aspired to become a teacher, but as she grew up, her goals changed and she studied to become a barrister.

However, not being able to find fulfilment within the walls of the courts, Vidiya eventually turned towards her family business, where she has been working ever since.

Being the director of the Desh Group of Companies, it is Vidiya’s job to oversee all the operations that take place. She is responsible for two trading companies, which manufacture machinery for the grain milling industry and sell local motors to Bangladesh Railway, Desh Real Estate, Desh Agencies, Desh Commercials, etc. However, the company that takes up most of

“You must first complete your education. Finish your undergrads and reach for a Master’s degree if possible.

Education enhances your ability to think and will guide you on the path to success.” her time is the flagship company, Desh Garments. As Vidiya believes that she is still learning about the RMG industry and has a long way to go, she spends a lot of her time micro managing.

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Khushi Kabir

Coordinator, Nijera Kori

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fter the Liberation War, in a war-torn Bangladesh, Khushi joined one of the first Bangladeshi NGOs and became the first woman to work to help the poor men and women in the remote, rural areas in the country.

In 1980, Khushi joined Nijera Kori, a national-level NGO that believes in creating strong autonomous organisations for the rural poor to assert their rights and ensure their entitlements as citizens.

When asked what it takes to become a successful social worker, she says: “I believe the key to success in my line of work is the ability empathise and

“What keeps me going is when I see the poorest and the most marginalised of men and women being able to fight back and struggle to survive. That is my inspiration.” sympathise with people from different backgrounds. You need to appreciate diversity and be able to fully understand their issues.”

Courtesy

Salma Khatun

Captain, women’s national cricket team

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Shahnaz Huda

Professor and chairperson, Department of Law, Dhaka University

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hen she was young, Shahnaz dreamt of becoming a vet because of her love for animals. But as she grew up, she got fascinated by the profession of law. However, while most people aim to practise law, she was more interested in the academic side of the profession.

“One of the biggest problems with this profession is that everything is getting politicised,” said Shahnaz. “I always stress that my students should not deviate from their path because of whatever might be going on around them. They must always remember why they are here and the reason they are here is to uphold the rights of the people.”

Joining the university in 1989, Shehnaz has been teaching law ever since.

“I think what separates success from failure is loving what you do. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, everyday becomes a chore and you won’t give it your best. I love teaching and I love researching and finding out new things about law. Maybe that’s the main reason why I’ve been doing well in my profession.”

“There is no shortcut to success. You have to work very hard. If you fail to do so, you won’t find the results you are looking for. Having a positive attitude towards your goals and to others is also a very important factor if you really want to be successful.”

Near the end of 2006, Salma tried out for the national cricket team that was being assembled in Khulna and wowed the judges.

Everyone was stunned by the girl who could play as well as any man, if not better. Since then, Salma has been shedding blood, sweat and tears to be the very best that she can be, to stay in the best possible form and make everyone proud. n Courtesy

Courtesy

alma was an avid follower of sports from a very young age.

She loved watching cricket and ultimately wanted to learn how to play it.

Because no other girls played cricket in her area, she only got to play and practise with her uncles, who taught her the game and never discouraged her from pursuing her interest in the game.

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

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POST-RIPOSTE

Gender Equality

Should buses have reserved seats for women?

When it comes to equal rights, should women be given these extra privileges? The WT team battle it out

Equality is for all

Syeda Samira Sadeque

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f you are fighting for equal rights, classifying seats on the bus as “for women only” does pretty much the opposite. Cordoning off a section of the bus for women, or labelling certain - often convenient - seats for them, puts them on a pedestal that should ideally be only for the disabled, elderly or children who are actually in need of this special treatment. But for a perfectly able-bodied woman to have seats reserved for her not only goes against the basic notion of equality, but is also a desperate – and unnecessary – token of pity.

It assumes that women need this favour, instead of encouraging them to claim their own space, in turn perpetuating and further promoting the idea that women are dependent on the system.

Granted, women in this part of the world are often subjected to harassment, inappropriate touching and ogling on buses, but if women don’t go and claim their territory themselves – on the bus or anywhere else – then they will

lose the battle for equality, either by not standing up for themselves or for accepting this tokenistic pity.

And that is detrimental to the fight our women have been fighting, and, in fact, a sign of disrespect for the independence that our women have been striving for.

Cartoons: Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune

It IS a right, not a favour Tausif Sanzum

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he question should not be “Why should seats be reserved for women on public transport,” but rather: “Why shouldn’t they be reserved?”

Before climbing on to a bus, the only thing on a man’s mind might be whether he will get a place to seat or not. However, several things run through a woman’s head before she rides on public transport – how is she going to react if someone inappropriately touches her? If she does not get a seat and has to stand in a jam-packed bus, she not only has to deal with being pushed and kicked, but also has to worry about whether her clothes are covering her body.

One might say, if women expect equal rights they need to treat themselves equal to men in all aspects, and that the reservation of seats on buses goes against that idea. However, we need to keep in mind that we are talking about a country like Bangladesh where people stare even when a woman wears a t-shirt. In such a scenario, W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

seat reservation is going to continue to be very important for women wanting to travel safely on public transport, at least for the next decade or so, or until society evolves to accept women as equal to men. n

TOP 10

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Women in film and TV

Fearless females

Rumana Habib lists 10 best films and TV shows that are shining examples of fearless females in

entertainment media, voted by our readers. To take part in the next poll, please visit our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WeekendTrib

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he dearth of strong roles for women has been much lamented in the entertainment industry, but the winds are changing.

This Sunday in her Oscar acceptance speech for best actress, Cate Blanchett said some people in the industry “are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films, with women at the center, are niche experiences. They are not.

Audiences want to see them and, in fact, they earn money. The world is round, people!”

In November, a Swedish cinema started giving films a “feminist rating.” To get an A grade, a film must pass the Bechdel test, which has three simple criteria, absent in too many films. It must have: 1) at least two women 2) who talk to each other 3) about something besides a man.

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claimed she could recite all 144 episodes of the seven-series run of this supernatural fantasy TV show.

Buffy is the latest in a long line of slayers, always women, who must guard the mouth of hell. She and her gang of misfits protect humanity from vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness.

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Mulan

Mulan was the first of the new generation of Disney heroines, who no longer need to be rescued by men. In the patriachial ancient China, Mulan disguises herself as a man to takes the place of her aging father in the Emperor’s army. She proves her mettle on the fields and her intelligence in battle strategy and espionage, finally gaining an unprecedented honour from the Emperor himself.

Subsequent Disney princesses in Brave and Frozen have followed in Mulan’s nimble footsteps, taking her place as the independent young women.

Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) took the top honour as the fiercest lady in the land. She is a modern-day Mary - her son is the future saviour of humanity, when the machines rise against us. But Sarah is the real hero of the series. Pregnant, she faces down the fearsome Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), sent back in time to kill her and her unborn child, and destroys him herself. She was also a key player in the subsequent films in the franchise, and was at the heart of a short-lived TV series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (played by Lena Headey, aka steely Cersei in Game of Thrones).

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The Chosen One came in second on our list.

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is still a cult hero with a devoted fan following, among both men and women. One of our voters

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Kill Bill

Quentin Tarantino is no stranger to creating strong women characters, but The Bride (Uma Thurman) kung-fu kicks all of them out of the water. Though her mission is man-centric (to kill her old lover and boss) she struggles

The Dirty Picture

Pioneering Bollywood actress Vidya Balan shows up twice on our list, first here in her homage to the real-life Silk Smitha, a sultry South Indian item-song actress who boldly flouted society’s norms.

Although the film’s Silk meets a tragic end, it is on her own terms, after a lifetime of playing by her own rules. Even though her entire persona is about enticing men she is not above using her body to achieve her outsized ambitions - we never get the impression that she cedes control. Though it looks straight at the, well, dirty side of the industry, this film is more concerned with portraying Silk’s humanity and private struggles, beneath her bravado.

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Terminator

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

with some very female concerns, like motherhood, marriage and attempted rape (by a man who clearly didn’t know who he was dealing with). All the women in this film, friends and villains, are formidable, most memorably the Deadly Vipers, an all-female team of assassins named after snakes, and played by a cast of incredible actresses, including Lucy Liu, Vivica Fox and Daryl Hannah.

Alien

This long-running science fiction horror franchise produced seven films spanning from 19792012. Lieutenant Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) fights aliens in space. She is sometimes impregnated by them, but always emerges (spoiler alert) victorious.

Ripley is Weaver’s most famous role, earning her numerous Oscar and Golden Globes nominations for best actress. The films were heralded for challenging gender roles in the typically maledominated science fiction genre.

The Devil Wears Prada

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She may be a devil of a boss, but fashion editor Miranda Priestly (played by inimitable Meryl Streep, and modelled on Vogue’s famously brittle real-life editor Anna Wintour) is a highly respected professional who knows what she wants, and gets it. Her harried assistant Andy (Anne Hathaway) goes from hatred to respect by this towering figure.

She realises the same qualities that get Miranda labelled a b-word as a woman, would in fact be considered admirable in a man.

In the end, the much-bullied Andy learns to hold her own.

Rumana Habib is a lifelong film buff and playwright. In between editing duties at the Dhaka Tribune, she’s been working on her Oscarwinning script right. A girl can dream…

Salt

The

main character Evelyn (Angelina Jolie) was originally named Edwin. The script was written for a male lead, and for more than a year it was slated to be played by Tom Cruise. After he passed, Columbia pictures executive Amy Pascal reached out to Angelina Jolie, as the two had often spoken about creating a female spy franchise.

Pascal had once invited Jolie for a Bond girl role, but the actress reportedly replied that she was more interested in playing James Bond himself. In this action thriller, Salt is accused of being a Russian sleeper agent, and goes on the run to try to clear her name.

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Kahaani

Vidya Balan shows up again, this time as a heavily pregnant woman on a mission to find her missing husband, who seems to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As she delves deeper and deeper into Kolkata’s underbelly, she only gains in personal strength. After the surprise ending of the film, you may be tempted to stand up and salute.

Veronica Mars

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Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) is a show about a young detective who is also dealing with the usual adolescent dilemmas of high school and college. Like Salt, it was also initially written for a male protagonist, but creator Rob Thomas thought a noir piece told from a female point of view would be more interesting and original.

The critically acclaimed show only had three seasons, much to the heartbreak of its devoted fan base. They were able to raise more than $5.7m from over 90,000 backers for the upcoming movie version, making it one of the most successful Kickstarter projects of all time. n W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

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Day In The Life Of

A Gender activist

Always a fighter

Adil Sakhawat spends a day with Evan Ahmed Kotha, a role model for Bangladeshi hijras

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

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n light of Bangladeshi hijras finally obtaining recognition as a third gender, I spent the day with a dedicated transgender activist who has been working to eliminate discrimination against Hijras since 1997.

Evan Ahmed Kotha, 47, lives in Manda in Dhaka, and is the head of Shoceton Shilpy Songho, the treasurer of Sex Workers Network of Bangladesh, and the Sanghoti district head of the Durbar Network.

At 6:30am, Kotha’s day starts. After making and eating her breakfast, she starts work for her organisation Shaceton Shilpy Sangho, which has now 450 members. This organisation works to raise awareness of violence against women and also conducts charity activities.

“Sometimes I have to attend seminars organised by many national and international organisations. At those times, I go to those seminars after having my breakfast,” Kotha said.

own identity within the family, living without any social barrier and stigma, and can be educated to do jobs in different sectors of our country, just like ordinary boys and girls,” Kotha added.

Taking tea with Kotha in a restaurant, I saw some of her disciples come and take money, called “bazar tola.” This is collected from the market place on a weekly or monthly basis.

The reastaurant’s owner gave Tk100 more than the actual amount.

Kotha asked him the reason for paying those transgenders more money. He said those transgenders had never behaved badly.

“I always tell my disciples to behave in a good manner for collecting money from the marketplace as we depend on that money for living as hijras in Bangladesh are not getting jobs in different sectors,” Kotha told me with

organisations such as UN women, the ICCDRB, the Manusher jonne Foundation, and Care Bangladesh.

There she urged the government to undertake initiatives to ensure the rights of marginalised people, such as transgenders. She said: “Many transgenders cannot open bank accounts to put savings in. Bank officials do not allow us to. Aren’t we citizens of the country?”

It was 7:30pm and almost dusk. Kotha and I went to Mugdha again, where the offices of her group Shoceton Shilpy Songho are located. Some of her friends came to meet her. Kotha said she usually hangs out with her friends up to 9pm.”

Her friend John (not his real name) said: “Kotha is a friendly lady and also very responsible for her organisation.

If any hijras or sex workers with

At 10:30am, after completing her daily administrative work, she gives her time over to playwriting.

“I am mainly writing issue-based dramas. My plays have been aired on different channels, and those dramas are performed on occasions like Women’s Day, Sex Workers Day, Human Rights Day and AIDS day.”

At 1pm, she normally takes her lunch. After lunch, she goes to her dance school Kothakoli Shisu Kishore Sanghoton, where many children and teenagers come to learn dance.

“Yesterday some unemployed youths came in and asked me to arrange a job for them. I assured them I would manage it. I previously found jobs in a hospital for six youths who passed their HSC.” Sometimes distressed women come to Kotha with problems. Kotha tries to solve their problems. If they need legal help, Kotha sends them to the police station, and helps them find lawyers.

Kotha has already visited 15 countries, where she has spoken about the situation of Bangladeshi hijras.

Kotha said: “I spend my afternoons and evenings with my disciples who are also transgendered. I am ‘Guru Ma’ to many transgenders in Mugdha, Manda, Basabo and Sayedabad areas.

But personally I do not support this concept of a Guru Ma-Chala [leaderdisciples] relationship. I want every transgender person have his or her own identity, like mainstream people.

“I dream a day will come when every transgender has his or her W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

Photos: Quamrul Abedin

tears in her eyes.

“Yes we have got recognition as a separate gender, but there is still discrimination in society. Still transgender children are often not recognised within families. They are treated like rubbish in schools.”

At 4pm, on the day she talked to me, Kotha went to the Sex Workers’ Network of Bangladesh, where she works as the treasurer, to attend a meeting. The meeting was with representatives of international

troubles call her, she runs to solve their problems.

At 9pm, Kotha said goodbye, and went to her house where her mother was waiting for her to take dinner.

Before leaving her office, I asked her about her dreams. She said: “I want to be a role model to the transgenders of Bangladesh. I want it to be like neighbouring countries where hijras are not considered a curse for their families and society. I want to make Bangladesh discrimination-free for

transgender people.”

“I want to establish my Kothakoli Shisu Kishor Sanghoton as a renowned dance school with my own house, which will be named Kotha Nibash, where a graveyard for transgender people will be established along with an outlet of Dhong [a handicrafts house run by transgender people]. I am working as a representative of all the hijras in Bangladesh. I wish every transgender person would raise their voice to ensure their rights.” n

Interview

11

Fatiha Yesmin

Identified by her uniform

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

Adil Sakhawat talks to a female cop fighting to maintain the security of our country

A

dditional Superintendent of Police Fatiha Yesmin was on duty during the time of this conversation. She was providing security for cricket players from different countries who have come to participate in the Asia Cup. Quamrul Abedin

Tell us about yourself.

I am from Nalitabari under Sherpur district. I completed my SSC exams in 1992 and HSC in 1994. I got myself admitted to the Political Science Department at Dhaka University (DU). There I completed my Bachelor’s degree, and Master’s degree in 2000.

In 2003, I again enrolled at Dhaka University for my MPhil. I have completed it on female participation in local government. In 2005, I joined the Bangladesh Police after being successful in the 24th BCS exam.

After completing one year of training at the Bangladesh Police Academy at Shardah, Rajshahi, I joined the force in Munshiganj district as Assistant Superintendent of Police for my probationary period. From there I was transferred to CID, where I served for six years. Then I went on a UN mission to Haiti as a logistics officer. Seven days before going on the UN mission, I got promoted to Additional Superintendent. After 11 months, I returned to Bangladesh and joined the Women’s Support and Investigation Division, at the Victim Support Centre (VSC) under Dhaka Metropolitan Police. In 2007, I got married to an engineer. I have two sons.

Tell us about the victim support centre and your duties.

The VSC was inaugurated on February 17 in 2009. In 2011 the VSC turned into Women support and investigation division. Previously, it just supported only female victims, but now the VSC has three different cells: The victim support cell, investigation unit and quick response team. We have some telephone helplines.

If any women victims such as abused domestic workers, trafficked women, oppressed hotel girls make a complaint to those helplines, our quick response team recovers those victims with the assistance of the

local police station. We normally support victims for seven days, as per the law. But sometimes we assist them for up to one month, if when we cannot find any solutions for the victim, we have to keep them under our supervision. There are 49 police stations under the DMP. Cases related to women and children filed at those police stations come to the VSC. Then we investigate the cases with our own investigative officers.

Sometimes plaintiffs want their cases investigated by the VSC. They can submit an application to the DMP commissioner asking for their cases to be transferred to the VSC. Why did you join the police?

When I was in first year of my university studies, I dreamt of becoming a college teacher. But during time my third year I changed my decision, as a uniformed job attracted me a lot. I liked the idea of people identifying me by my uniform.

Did you make the right career choice?

Of course, I am on the right track.

Policing is a multidimensional profession where a person can meet different types of people in society, either those people are good and respected people or they can be bad or even wanted criminals. As a police member, I have to keep my society secure so people can be free to move around the country. I think this profession is a good way for a woman to become a leader. In this profession I have to undertake challenges at every step. In this profession, I can perform my duties not only in my country, but also in the international arena. So, I believe I have selected right career.

What types of barriers have you faced throughout your career?

When I joined in Munshiganj district as an ASP, people looked curiously at

me. I had to keep two male constables with me for security. It seemed women who are working in police were considered to be zoo animals.

Other than this, I have never faced any kinds of trouble in my profession.

I got full support from my family, even from my husband who married me knowing that I am a police member.

As this profession is a challenging job, I have to face the threat of many unexpected situations, but I never thought of those as barrier. Those are my challenges which I have to overcome.

Do you get the same training as male cops?

Yes, I am getting all kinds of training from the Bangladesh Police. I have already visited the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, the US, Haiti, Bahrain, and Switzerland.

Are there any limitations remaining in the Bangladesh Police with respect to female cops?

There are some limitations; many female officers cannot perform duties in many sectors. Female officers do not want to work at the police stations in upazilas or in remote areas. This happens because they cannot get out of their traditional mindset, even when wearing this prestigious uniform.

How do you maintain your personal life?

I make the situation positive for myself. My children are habituated to my duties. If I remain at home they get confused. After spending six months, when I came back from UN mission on leave, my younger son called me aunt as he is used to calling my domestic worker mum.

It’s really painful to hear but I have to endure it, as I have to achieve my goal. The domestic worker has been working in my house for a long time,

and I think of her as my sister. Several times I go to perform my duty, while the children are in bed. My husband never asks me why I am out at night.

I get full support from my family. But I give my family my full attention when I get leave.

Please share your success stories which you have remembered, or which inspire you still.

When I was working in a human trafficking cell in CID, I rescued a girl who had been kidnapped from Obhoynagar in Jessore and taken to Chittagong. A woman kidnapped her and forced her into prostitution for one year. When we were tipped off, I rescued the girl from a hotel but in that raid I could not arrest the main kidnapper who had forced many women into this profession. After some days, I arrested her along with her husband in Netrokona district.

This happened in 2007. Now, that woman is in Jessore jail after the final verdict. I am very happy that I can see the verdict with my own eyes. The latest success is Aduri, the girl who was found in the dustbin by a police official in the cantonment area. When the case was transferred to VSC, within one hour I arrested one of her abusers. We were really happy to give her shelter and rehabilitation.

I also remember that, when I was in Munshiganj, after completing my training, I arrested four criminals in one night drive. I was appreciated for that by my SP. What do you think of Women’s Day, and what would you say to women who want to become police officers?

Women’s Day did not come easily, so people should support it. More importantly, if women want to keep their voices heard, they must get into these types of profession so they can become leaders. n W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

12

PHOTO STORY The real goddess

The scent of a woman A photo story by

Syed LATIF Hossain

When we see our mothers, sisters, wives, we marvel at the wonder that is woman. We wonder how she is able to love so completely, care so selflessly, work so tirelessly, and never waver in her ability to fulfill all her obligations. In that state of awe, we worship the feminine Shakti; uphold her many virtues as the faces of a deity. And yet when it comes to our day-today interactions with women, we forget all this. We don’t hesitate to

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

commit violence or worse against her. We don’t remember to stand up and speak on her behalf. We oppress her and silence her voice.

Captured in this photo story are the real women of our country, who even in their normalness, are just as marvelous and wonderful as the deities we revere. Let’s take a moment to remember that a woman (whether mortal or god), deserves our love and respect at all times.

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W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

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PHOTO STORY The real goddess

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15

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

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

Feature

Working women

Standing tall

Farhana Urmee talks to four women who were all smiles when talking about their life

W

here does happiness come from? Day labourers live hand to mouth, but I met one of them who felt empowered by earning for her family.

Women are coming out of their homes in droves - from all ages, from all classes, educated or uneducated, from urban or village homes. Of course, we have a long list of problems in our patriarchal society, and women still face discrimination.

Yet, engaging in work that is paid can bring her esteem and empowerment, and gives her the freedom from being enslaved by the traditional role for women. Work is her liberty.

Quamrul Abedin

Driving, Miss Khatun Aklima Khatun is an unsual sight on Dhaka streets: a female chauffer.

She is also the ever-smiling woman. She smiles when she steers the wheel. She smiles because of the power she has gained through her work. Her smile conveys her happiness at having a job, after having been an impoverished divorcee and single mother at the age of 20.

“My life has changed after I found this work.”

Regarding people’s response to seeing her behind the wheel, Aklima says: “I clearly see appreciation in the eyes of female passers-by. The men do

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

stare at me sceptically, with distrust or disregard, but that look makes me feel that yes, I am doing something that has not really been done, and I feel uplifted.”

How did she come to choose this unusual line of work, rather than working in the RMG sector like so many other young women in her position?

Luck and an enterprising spirit.

After her divorce, Aklima went to live with her sister in Goforgaon, Mymensingh. She was helpless, scared, and felt like a burden to her family. As an uneducated and unskilled women,

she did not have the courage to come to Dhaka all alone to try to find a job.

Her sister happened to live next door to a Brac-funded school, which found her and began to offer her skills training and counselling. They helped her move to Dhaka, where she took a five-month training course at their driving school. It took two tries to get her driver’s license, but she stuck with it. And she passed the exam, they helped get her a job.

She now works for another working woman in the city, who wants to help women like her become self reliant.

Aklima feels fortunate to have had Brac’s support. Where once she couldn’t even talk to strangers, she is now a self-assured woman, who holds her car keys in her hand all the time, as if in a perpetual state of readiness to drive.

She takes pride in taking on a job that is mostly done by men.

“During the training programme, one day I drove to my home village in a training car. From their faces I could see that I was setting an example for other girls in my village, whereas before I had been living as a poor abandoned wife,” she beams.

17

A healthy mission Gulshan Ara, another tough but smiling woman, has 10 years experience in her field. She works as a health visitor and service promoter for Surjer Hashi Chinhito Clinic in Dhaka.

Health visitors travel from place to place to convey healthcare information such as on birth control, prenatal care, child vaccinations.

They also counsel people to encourage healthy behavioural changes.

“As a child, I always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I could not make it. Still, I made my dream come true by serving people in a different way. I hope to raise my daughter with a good education, and perhaps she can become doctor one day,” Gulshan says.

She smiles because it helps her with the uphill job of motivating people who are mostly illiterate with a number of health problems, asking them to adopt new habits. She has to be friendly even in the face of their negative reactions, and display on understanding of their apprehensions.

The work is not without challenges.

“I really feel good about my job, even though it comes with a number of physical hazards that I have to cope with.” says Gulshan, who walks in sun and rain, trudging through muddy roads in bare feet to get to her destination. She often needs to deal with local goons to enter certain localities.

“I see people are listening to me and trusting me simply because I am female,” Gulshan says, since it allows her access to people’s homes despite being a stranger.

“I know some women face problems at their work, but in some professions, it helps being a woman.”

Quamrul Abedin

Constructing her own reality Construction worker Johura’s weather beaten face does not fail to smile while speaking about her job. She did not seem to feel like a victim, but rather takes pleasure at the sight of her children playing nearby while she works.

I found Johura at a construction site in Bashundhara neighbourhood, loading construction materials into a cane basket and carrying them to the other site workers. She also breaks bricks.

She and her husband eat together. He is also a construction worker, often at the same site, so they take their breaks together.

She had surprisingly few complaints about

difficulties at her workplace, other than occasional disagreements on late wage payments with the contractor.

Regarding eve-teasing, Johura says: “Just let someone come here to harass us. All the women working here at the site will teach him a lesson.”

She hopes to give her three children an education, and continue her work as long she is physically capable.

At the end of the day when she gets her wage; she goes back to her abode with a smile. n

Farhana Urmee

Her just desserts Sheema Akter is a 21-year-old university student who sells ice cream at Bashundhara City.

She took the job to help her father during a family financial crisis by earning her own income. Although the hard times have now passed, Sheema continues to work, in addition to studying at Eden College, where she is majoring in psychology.

Sheema is a pretty girl, and she attracts both negative and positive attention from customers.

She says some people buy from her and express support for her, but others make suggestive comments. She just ignores the lewd behaviour. “I simply give them a polite smile and hand them their ice-cream.”

Sheema is proud of her work, which is letting her become financially independent, and fills her with self-esteem.

Farhana Urmee

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18

Out AND about Meena Bazar Art Competition

Esha Aurora is a staff writer at Dhaka tribune where she excels at breathing, sleeping, eating and the occasional opinion making

A great new initiative

Esha Aurora explores the colourful world of Meena Bazar Art Competition

F

or the last three years, Meena Bazar has been organising an art competition for children.

The objective for this initiative is to cultivate talent from an early age.

Children in Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka, have very few creative outlets. Competitions like this not only give them an outlet, but also provide a sense of achievement through creativity. This event will take place today with the theme of Kolponar Bangladesh (Bangladesh in Dreams).

Alvi. The winners will be selected through a meticulous process. There will a maximum of a 120 paintings from which the winners will be selected. 40 winners will receive gift vouchers worth Tk2,000 plus a certificate, catalogue and a framed picture. 60 other paintings will be selected as nominees, and 20 paintings by autistic children will be rewarded by a gift voucher worth Tk1,000 along with a catalogue and framed painting.

Who

The competition will be held at Abahani Stadium from 9:30am to 1pm, where the winners will be announced. The prize giving ceremony will be held on April 5 at 4:30pm, at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, which is located at Dhanmondi Road 27. The CEO of Meena Bazar and other judges, along with the officials of Meena Bazar and partners, will be present at the prize giving ceremony.

Bengal Art Gallery will also hold an exhibition for a few days for the public. Meena Bazar will publish a catalogue of the 120 paintings selected for the competition that will be available for purchase during the prize giving ceremony and also at the Meena Bazar outlets. n

Children from Dhaka, Khulna and Chittagong are invited to participate by registering at their local Meena Bazar outlet, or through their own website and Facebook. Anyone from 6 to 15 years of age is eligible for this competition. An enlistment token will be given to registered participants. The registration closes at 11am today.

What

This is a one-day event which also includes an entertainment show for parents. The art competition begins at 10am and goes on till 12:45pm. The judging will commence at 1pm by eminent artists like Hashem Khan, Subir Chawdhury and Abul Barok

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

Where

19

OBR: March in her heels

This March, walk in her shoes

Rohini Alamgir is ready to RISE and MARCH, and urges you to join Equality for women has been a struggle since time immemorial, or at least since women first realised that men just had things better. To break down the barriers in communication between the genders, One Billion Rising, as part of their program to raise awareness about violence against women, wants to put the men in the women’s shoes literally. So on March 8 at 9am, gather in front of Landmark Tower in Gulshan 2 and RISE and MARCH one kilometer in Dhaka for “the women in your life, or simply for a cause you believe in.”

What’s going on?

Inspired by a global campaign called “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes,” OBR brings to both the men and women of Dhaka, from all spheres of life, an opportunity to help end violence against women. High heels, which have become a symbol of women’s sexuality, are their chosen icons for the event. Women are fast breaking out of stereotypical roles, and are reclaiming their freedom to make their own decisions.

Tahmina Shafique, coordinator of OBR Bangladesh, explains the event, saying: “When we speak of ‘March in Her Heels,’ we speak of numerous challenges that we face every day such as sexual harassment, or even cyber harassment, as a way to restrain women’s freedom.” OBR wants people to recognise that violence against and oppression of women is not just a problem for women, it is a problem for everyone, and can only be stopped when we all come together.

Who’s Rising and Marching?

Tassafy Hossain, founder of V-Day Dhaka, has already signed up. She says: “We have to be vocal and come together to stand up and speak out against violence against women.

If we all come together, we can definitely stop it.”

CEO/Country manager of DELL Bangladesh, Sonia Bashir, wishes to speak out against cybercrime against women. With women now progressing into various fields that until recently had been dominated by men, it is necessary to ensure that they are provided a comfortable working space and professional environment. Sonia feels that it is time for men to come forward and join the cause, saying, “Everyone of you, men and women, boys and girls, young and old, please rise and fight.”

Another recognised personality who is marching with OBR is Rubaba Dowla, chief service officer at Airtel Bangladesh. She says that in this day and age of information technology, we have witnessed all

kinds of advancement that have had both positive and negative impacts.

A huge negative impact is the increasing amount of cybercrime.

Her advice is that victims of cybercrime like herself should come forward and speak up against their aggressors instead of keeping quite about it.

Fatema Jannat Mony, a junior visual development artist at Ogniroth Studios, represents the younger generation of Bangladeshi women who are rising.

Understanding the positives and negatives of the Internet, Mony looks forward to constructive ways in which to use the Internet to help women, saying, “Since the Internet reaches a very wide audience, we can use it to spread information and thereby raise awareness about these issues.” Mony feels that, “Only when violence against women is stopped, can they truly rise and play their part in shaping the world.”

Rohini Alamgir likes looking into the details of seemingly simple matters. She is constantly working on her autobiography because she thinks her life is worth reading about

Who’s with them?

QUBEE, one of the leading highspeed wireless Internet service providers in Bangladesh, is partnering with OBR for this event.

As Tasneem Ayub, head of brands and communications at QUBEE, says: “As responsible citizens, we should all be working together to raise awareness about stopping violence against women.”

Accompanying the event, QUBEE is launching their new limited edition connectivity device (in OBR colours) called “Cosmo.” This device can be pre-booked online and purchased only from QUBEE’s Gulshan store from March 3–8.

The first 100 buyers will get a pair of high-heeled shoes and other attractive prizes upon purchase.

The modem will also be available at other QUBEE outlets from March 9–31, until stocks last.

What can you do?

Find out more, or sign up for the event at www.marchinherheels.com or check out the OBR page on Facebook!

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20

Culture Vulture

puthipaath

Guardian of a lost art Faisal Mahmud writes about our poetic heritage

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

B

y day, Abu Bakar Siddique is a music producer for Bangladesh Betar. He has to write music for at least 10 songs per week. “Creating music for a lyric is hard, and an artist can never get satisfaction if he has to create music under a deadline,” says Siddique. “But that’s a part of my job.”

By night however, he indulges his creative self. In a small music studio in the corner of his house in Shyamoli, he practises, researches and creates music for a glorious, almost-lost art of Bengal: puthipaath.

“Only a hundred years ago, puthipaath was the main source of entertainment for the people A family affair

“It’s hard to understand the magic of puthipaath by sitting in a room amid the concrete jungle,” Siddique tells me. “Just think of the context: It’s a spring night under a banyan tree in some village without electricity, a group of simple, guileless villagers ready to be charmed by the two bards.”

Siddique talked about growing up during a time when people would take pleasure in simpler things. “It was in the 60s, and a village in Tangail district couldn’t offer much to entertain rather than puthipaath.”

He has been involved with puthipaath since childhood. “My village is in Sakhipur, Tangail, an area with rich cultural heritage.

During my childhood, I saw my uncle reciting puthi everyday. My father also recited puthi.”

That image is etched in his mind.

“I used to participate as an assistant, reciting and playing the percussion,

of rural Bengal, along with palagaan and kiccha kahinir ashor. Now it has almost become obsolete.

A very few people, like me, still bear the torch for it,” he said.

Before I met Abu Bakar Siddique, I knew very little about puthi. But one night at a poetry reading, I was about to leave early after averse overdose, eager to grab a cup of coffee, but my plans changes as soon as Siddique’s mellifluous voice started his puthipaath.

It was rhythmic and full of story.

I was instantly hooked.

in the village gathering where my uncle performed puthi. He was a famous bard of the area. A group of village bauls provided background music. Since then, I developed a great affection for it.

Later he did a Master’s degree

in Bangla literature from Dhaka University (DU), where he conducted research on puthi.

Passion as profession

Photos: Faisal Mahmud

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Siddique was drawn into the profession of music since his student years in DU. At that time, he was mainly singing the folk songs of Abbas Uddin and Abdul Alim.

In 1984, Siddique was enlisted

by BTV and Bangladesh Betar as a music composer and artist, where he met Abdul Latif.

“The thought of puthipaath flickered in my mind again when I met Latif. He revived the practice of puthipaath in the modern era. Also an enlisted artist and composer for BTV and Bangladesh Betar, Abdul Latif started creating music for puthi. I started working with him on it. Later I pursued a Master’s degree on it and conducted research on puthipaath.”

After completing his Master’s, he enrolled at the government music college in Agargaon and did a Bachelor’s in music. He then went to Medinipur in India and did another

Master’s in music. His core focus at that Master’s program was Bangali folklore.

“I particularly focused on puthi.

My uncle had lots of ancient puthi but I didn’t store those. I have only a few of those,” he said.

He has participated in several research workshops on puthi conducted by Bangla Academy.

“The pioneer in puthi research in Bangladesh is of course Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad. He has done a colossal amount of work in that regard.”

Siddique has been able to successfully provide music to many puthis. “But the problem is, with the advent of Western and other music, people of this generation have started to lose interest in this rich part of our folklore.”

“I am now thinking of mixing western instrument with our local ones to create music for the puthis. I think the young generation will find such a fusion appealing.” n

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What is puthipaath?

“Puthi represents the poetic part of ancient Bangla literature,” Siddique said, “while folklore represents mostly the narrative part of ancient Bangla literature.”

Wikipedia describes the puthi as: “A book of poetic fairy tales and religious stories of rural ancient Bengal which were read by a senior ‘educated’ person while others would listen. This was used as a medium for education and constructive entertainment.”

The word “puthi” means book.

Puthis are ancient manuscripts, whose pages could be leaves, sheets of wood, or old papers. Usually, they were written on one side and bound with a piece of string.

“To understand the context of puthi, you have to go back to the medieval age of Bangla literature.

In that time, in rural villages in Bengal, two bards would stand in front of each other and engage in an impromptu musical debate.”

Siddique said the bards would conduct these debates in poetic manner with a certain rhythm. “The bards had a number of disciples who, during such debates, took notes and later converted those into books.

The concept of ‘puthi’ was born in that manner.”

“In Bengal,” Siddique said “these books were different and unlike other books at that time. Writers, or

After the Sultani era in Bengal, literary works by Mohammad Khan, Alaol, Doulat Uzir Bahram Khan, Shah Mohammad Sagir, Shah Mohammad Garibullah in the postMughal period were also referred as puthis.

Language of its time

‘munshis,’ wrote in Sanskrit, Bangla, or local dialects.”

A product of Muslim literature

Puthis were also part of Muslim revolution in arts and literature in the subcontinent. “Puthipaath was a way to spread messages about Islam in the form of entertainment.

Various Sufis used to do that,” said Siddique.

The Indian subcontinent was mainly inhabited by Hindus.

Sufis and Bauls, who came to the subcontinent from Persia, found it effective to spread the messages

of Islam through songs and poetry.

“Such practice was very common in Persia at that time.”

Siddique told me about Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad, who collected more than 2,000 puthis.

More than 1,000 of them were written by Bangali Muslims. “Such findings prove that Muslim were at the forefront of producing puthis.”

The most ancient types of Bangla literature are Chorjapod, Shunnopuran and Srikrishnapuran.

“These are basically puthi,” says Siddique. “The literature that got recognition in the court of Muslim Sultans of Gauda was all puthi.”

Originally, most puthis were written in Sanskrit. But during the Sultani era, many Persian and Arabic words were made into the puthis. “Sanskrit was a tough language. In Hindu dominant societies, only people from higher castes were allowed to communicate in that language, and it became unpopular among the common people. So puthi writers started to prefer writing puthis with a concocted language comprised of Persian, Arabic and Bangla.”

Shah Mohammad Garibullah should be given a special credit for popularising puthis written in that concocted language. In his Amir Hamza, Garibullah included colloquial words of contemporary society, a revolutionary practice in that time.

Later in the 19th century, Saidur Rahman Boyati of Manikganj and Helim Boyati of Netrokona started writing puthis in their local dialect. n

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22

TOUGH LOVE

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

DINA SOBHAN

1

Lately, I have been noticing changes in my friends’ attitude towards me. I feel like they don’t want to hang out with me anymore. With my crazy work schedule (I work when everyone’s sleeping, and sleep when everyone’s working), I understand that it’s difficult to include me in all the plans, but I still expect to be asked! I would probably be able to make it to half of all the gatherings. Maybe I am overreacting, but it’s really bothering me. Do I confront my friends?

Sweetie, there’s no way to say this but directly: Your friends never liked you, and now have the perfect opportunity to elbow you out of their group and make it seem like it’s your fault! At the very least, they’re bored with you because even if you do show up, you’re too tired to function like a normal human being, and grumpy to boot. The sad truth is life is short and so is the average person’s memory.

When you’re not there, your friends aren’t going to sit around reminiscing about the swell times they used to

have with you. They’re going to get themselves a new friend to have even more fun with – one who is not an undertaker and has a job that allows him to coordinate his life to their wild and crazy ways. You could confront your friends, but you’ll probably get a lot of shifting of feet and paltry excuses, accompanied by pats on the back assuring you that you’re still their number one guy – except they’d be lying. Do yourself a favor and find some weirdos on the night shift to drink coffee with and call your own. n

Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune

2

I am suspicious that my husband might be cheating on me. He’s been coming home late from work, sometimes even at 2am! I don’t understand what he does all day. He leaves at 7:30 in the morning, and lately has been working during the weekends

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as well! Whenever I ask him about it, he claims he’s work ing extra hours to cover our son’s education, as we recently put him in an English medium school. My husband is a clerk, so I’m not sure how much more he can earn by staying late. How do I deal with this?

Get a divorce? Let’s face it: he’s definitely cheating on you. You’ve suspected it, I’ve confirmed it, and now you can move on with your life. I mean, you said it yourself: he’s a clerk. How good a life could you possibly have, anyway? And on top of that, he has the temerity to cheat on you? This nonsense can no longer be tolerated! Of course, we could be wrong and the poor man could actually be slogging away day and night – maybe at two jobs – just to give you and your son a good life. Wouldn’t you feel quite the fool if that were the case? I suggest you do a little detective work and get

to the bottom of this mystery before making any hasty decisions. Call him daily to find out how he is and where he is – but never at the same time. Drop into the office unannounced at all hours of the day, with a good pretext such as bringing lunch or requiring his signature for an important document. Figure out how to track his whereabouts by GPS. Or give your driver a sizable bakshish to spy on your husband’s every move and report back. Only with the right evidence can you make him pay – in more ways than one. n

WT | LEISURE

23 Solution and clues for last week’s Sudoku

Sudoku

DID YOU KNOW? Archaeological researchers recently found evidence that the Queen of Sheba is not just a myth. She did in fact did rule over Southern Arabia, which was then known as the capital of the Kingdom of Sheba.

The origin of the word “woman” is assumed to be “wyfman,” a term from Middle English which means wife of man.

Research shows sex is a 10x more effective pain reliever than Valium.

Crossword

Across

1 Tuneful mixture of cod and lime (7) 4 Writer of tales of tea and a strange cure (7) 6 Country is French on Italian acres, initially (7) 7 Weapon no US TV legend returns (7)

Down

1 Scottish monarch arranges match bet (7) 2 Minimum rent has a small inclusion (5) 3 Ruin act about drapery (7) 5 River visit after swindle (5)

Solution and clues for last week’s crossword

Across

1 Famous Roman transport holds groove (6) 6 The French and the Spanish keep five even (5) 7 Furniture made from 100 locks (5) 8 Bandit not in US city walls at first (6)

Down

2 Dependent on retinal movement (7) 3 Worker rises to hold mad rave in Greek bar (7) 4 Sincere chopping lemons (6) 5 Prepare chop on simple garment (6)

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

24 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

LEGAL EAGLE

Jennifer Ashraf

1

For the past two years, I’ve been living in Europe. While there, I regularly sent my wife (in Bangladesh) half of my paycheck, in order to help her and our son get on. A few months ago, she started asking for more money, but when I began asking why, she waffled and didn’t offer a straight answer. One night, six days after I returned, she randomly left home at midnight. Sixteen days later, she sent me a divorce notice, not approved by the court, but instead written on a lawyer’s letterhead with some judicial stamps. I have tried my best to reconcile with her because we have a six-year-old son, but she is not interested. I have been to her parent’s house (where she is living) to meet my son on many occasions, but they refused to let me do so every time, bringing in local goons who threatened to kill me. I informed the local police station about this, but they did nothing. Currently, my wife is working: she goes out every day 8am and returns home around 10/11pm and sometimes does not come back at all. My son is living with his maternal grandmother and grandfather. My mother-in-law is a tailor and my father-in-law has been unemployed for the last 17 years and at present is “practicing black magic,” and conducting séances for money. They practically have no income. I want to get my son back and take him back to Europe with me. How can I do this?

Got a problem?

Write to Jennifer at weekend@ dhakatribune.com

Dear Reader, Marital troubles, local thugs, black magic séances – this is beginning to sound like a script any Bengali cinema director would be itching to get his hands on! Your wife is entitled to a divorce and can apply for one under one of the reasons as allowed in civil law. However, the main issue to remember here is that divorce is not the answer.

From what you have mentioned above, it appears that your wife is upset with you for some reason or

other. It may be that she is irritated by the fact that she was questioned about her spending habits. It’s also a common misconception among men that as long as the funds are being sent to wifey back home, their share of the duty is complete. The real story, however, is very different.

Your wife probably had to deal with a multitude of issues, which came up constantly, alone, without your support. Your question, though possibly posed with the best

Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

intentions, probably sounded similar to an accusation.

My first advice – attempt a reconciliation immediately. The last thing your young child needs is a broken family, with divorced parents. However, if this does not work and your wife proceeds with the divorce, your next step is to apply for custody of your child. You have already stated that your wife comes home very late at night and sometimes does not return home at all. She may be out for a number of reasons – one being that she is trying to become financially stable and earn a decent living for your child. You need to consider again whether attempting to gain custody of your child is the right move.

Although, as per the law, you are the legal guardian of the child, the court is always sympathetic to a mother’s plight and will usually always grant custody to the mother.

A couple of other points to note – there is no need to get hassled by local thugs every time you visit. Two can play that game: the next time you go to visit your son, make sure you have a couple of legal representatives with you who will explain to your in-laws and your wife that you are serious about being an active and caring father. Additionally, it won’t hurt to ‘casually’ point out to your fatherin-law that holding black magic séances for money, or any sort of séances for money, is not permitted by law and that it’s important for him to refrain from such activities.

The last thing you need is your child becoming involved with something like this and wrongfully choosing your father-in-law as a role model to follow.

In conclusion, the first thing you need to focus on here is reconciliation. If that fails, make an application for custody of your child, but be aware of the fact that this may not work in your favor. Wishing you all the best! n

Crime File

25

Women in Crime

Hell hath no fury Adil Sakhawat on the reigning queens of Bangladesh’s criminal underworld

Godmothers

U

Before becoming a drug dealer, Gulbahar and her husband used to live in Mohammadpur, and were scavengers. In 1994 she met Alekzander, a heroin dealer, and started her own business selling heroin. Now after 20 years, Gulbahar is a rich woman. She owns a six-storey building in Mohammadpur, land and properties in Dhakkhinkhan. She has been controlling the underworld drug business with the help of her 50 associates. According to a police official, she has been arrested on numerous ocassions but got out on been bail every time.

ntil a few decades ago, the world of crime was believed to be predominantly reined by men. The odds of a female committing a crime have been ignored most of the time. However, in recent years, the number of female criminals has risen at an alarming rate. The assumption that all culprits must be men makes it even easier for women to presume that they can commit a crime and get away with it. .

Judging by her day-to-day life, Kolpona seems very gentle in nature.

But in reality, she is very clever and very “efficient” in running her firearms and drug-dealing business.

According to intelligence reports, Kolpona has three houses in the capital. She runs her illegal business in the Kalyanpur area. She has a Prado to carry out her daily dealings.

The Yaba Queen On June 20 last year, Manila Chawdhury, 22, was arrested in the capital by the criminal intelligence division of the police, along with five others. Police recovered 30,000 yaba pills from Manila and her associates, worth Tk65lakh. Three separate cases were filed against the arrestees at Chawkbazar, Rampura and Motijheel police stations.

The police found that Manila ran her drug business posing as a student. She is in her third year of studies at the Finance Department of Dhaka Titumir College. Before, she had been imprisoned for 10 months due to her involvement in the yaba business. When interrogated, she

Sakhina from Old Dhaka is more commonly known as “Leader Sakhina.” She is the No 2 on the list of drug dealers created by the Department of Narcotics Control of the police. She has been arrested seven times but got free on bail every time. As many as 18 cases have been filed against her in different police stations. She runs and controls her drug business in the Islampur area.

confessed that she used to traffic pills from Myanmar via Teknaf illegally, and used to sell them to different areas in Chittagong and Dhaka. According to the DB, she was known to her associates and customers as the Yaba Queen.

Moreover, when she was in jail, Manila created a syndicate of female prisoners inside the jail to expand her business. After she was granted bail, she helped her syndicate members get out of prison on bail, starting her business all over again.

Now that she is in jail, her syndicate members are running her drug business, according to a DB official.

Big stock

Rusia, also known as Mafia Chunni, is the most wanted criminal in Dhaka’s Sabujbagh area. She has been apprehended by the police at least 100 times. Her most recent arrest was a month ago: she was accused of killing a bank official. But she was recently granted bail and got out. She made her fortune by doing criminal activities like kidnapping, drug dealing and murder, according to sources in Khilgaon, Motijheel, Jatrabari and Sabujbagh police stations. She confessed to law enforcement officers that many political leaders have saved her from the law in exchange for huge amounts of money. n W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

26

business

Arise India

The Game Plan

Rohini Alamgir speaks to the mastermind of Arise Asia Cup 2014

“F

Rohini Alamgir likes looking into the details of seemingly simple matters. She is constantly working on her autobiography because she thinks her life is worth reading about

or business, you need passion,” begins Avinash Jain, the 42-year-old founder and managing director of Arise India, which has recently made itself very well known as the title sponsor of the Asia Cup 2014 currently being held in Bangladesh. Looking fresh and crisp in a well-pressed suit, complete with pocket square, Avinash is every part the business tycoon, until he begins to speak. Comfortable and open, Avinash’s passion is evident in the excited way in which he leans forward every time he answers a question, and how he uses his hands to speak just as much as his words. “Cricket is a very popular sport in South Asian countries, and it’s a great way to get our name out there,” explains Avinash when asked why he chose such an unusual medium like cricket to begin marketing his company: “And since we are looking for partners here and in other neighbouring countries, we figured this was a great way to approach them.”

And he couldn’t be more right.

At this point, it’s impossible not to know him or his company, Arise India. With the Asia Cup 2014 well underway, cricket lovers throughout Bangladesh, and even non-cricket fans, now know all about Arise. One of the India’s largest integrated manufacturers of electrical goods, Arise provides a large and varied range of consumer products, taking pride in their exceptional quality and reliability. Amid their large array of products, Arise specialises in water pumps, batteries, inverters, LED TVs, and household appliances.

Chuckling guiltily he says:“I wasn’t a good student at school, and I didn’t really feel like it mattered. And frankly, I think I’ve made it just fine, but today, I feel that studies always help. If I was good at studies, maybe I could have multiplied my successes sooner.”

How did it all start?

It all started when Avinash was 12-and-a-half years old, at a small shop in New Delhi. It was a hardware store, and Avinash remembers, “My neighbour was selling TVs, but I realised he provided a terrible service to his customers. I thought that if I could provide a good service, then why couldn’t I start up a similar business?”

With that thought, he started his own business (selling water pumps), 30 years ago. Today, he’s built up Arise India.

“It’s all in the approach. Our unique selling point is our customer

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

relations. We don’t sell products without setting up customer service first,” said Avinash, explaining how and why Arise has done so well in such a short expanse of time. He smiles and says that a big part of it is

are stopping Lakshmi from coming into our world. We are stopping ourselves from being lucky and wealthy,” he says, laughing.

Sangam, which has won several human rights awards, currently

Courtesy

to make an effort, stating: “In the last 20 years, I having personally visited all the villages, districts etc, that my company provides products to. I also know about 10,000 dealers on a personal level.”

Building relationships

Not just content with making huge profits through Arise India Ltd, Avinash has extended the company into community service as well.

A project of Arise is is a home for orphaned girls called Sangam. The idea that Sangam operates under is to persuade people not to abort baby girls, but rather to give birth to them and hand them over to Sangam who takes on the responsibility for their upbringing. Sangam has a contract with the Indian government whereby they provide partial funding in order to support Sangam’s activities.

“Girls are Lakshmi,” says Avinash, shyly revealing his superstitious side.

“If we hurt them, or abort them, we

houses 45 children. It is also connected to around 1100 other registered orphanages, which are all linked to their website.

Mission Bangladesh

Already involved in exporting inverters to South African countries like Nigeria and Kenya, and also with Afghanistan, Arise India currently has set their eyes on expanding to Bangladesh. “Bangladesh and India are in similar places in terms of economic development, and so we could start by introducing the same core products that we began with in India,” said Avinash, explaining their shift. “We want to provide products with lifetimes spanning 10-15 years, and back it up with good a support service,” he says.

Avinash doesn’t think that a shift to Bangladesh would be threatening to his own company’s success, and neither does he think that it would negatively affect the companies

that already exist here. “They do not produce inverters in Bangladesh, so we would be helping out. On top of that, we’ve done intensive R&D on water pumps and use proven technologies, which Bangladeshi companies can pick up from us. I think we can easily fit into the current state of this particular market, and help it become even better,” says Avinash with a smile.

And unlike other companies, Arise isn’t set up to just startup and sell their products. Avinash says that they are looking to set up a contract with the Bangladeshi government so that they can not only open retail outlets, but also set up a manufacturing factory or two, and build their products right here in Bangladesh. “If the government is interested, we can help boost the infrastructure of the electronics market, and even boost the economy. At present, all our retail stores have prices that are uniform and fixed. If we were producing within Bangladesh, we could lower those prices further,” he says, continuing to explain, “Nothing new needs to be done to start business here. We could source our raw materials from Bangladesh, and then get whatever is unavailable here, from abroad.”

“Bangladesh is looking forward to a very good future in this industry in the next five years or so. We want to help you get there faster.”

What good can we do?

“We should always ask ourselves, ‘What good can we do?’ and that’s exactly what Arise India does,” says Avinash.

“On that note, we’ve even thought about creating employment in Bangladesh. Of course, we cannot do anything without the support and agreement of your government, but if we can set up a factory here, we can always get boys and men who know just basic engineering, train them up, and give them jobs not only in our factories, but also as repairmen or even sales people in our retail outlets.

On top of that, we would like to continue working to protect and help orphan girls in Bangladesh, also,” said Avinash, wrapping up with, “We’re not just here to expand a business.

We want to do good while we’re at it.”

Avinash’s idea is that all the people in the world are the same, and that if we could only come together, we could be a perfect united world.

“Games are uniting. They bring people together. That’s what we’re doing too,” he said. n

THE WAY DHAKA WAS

27

Dhaka CluB

Dhaka Club Ltd has been a part of my life since childhood. My father and uncles were active members, and even served as president of the club over the years.

After becoming a member on my own right in the late 1970s, I spent most of my waking hours there. There was so much to do! Besides cultural nights and entertainment events, I made good use of their sport facilities, especially snooker, golf and cricket. Thanks to DCL, I became the Bangladesh Snooker Champion five times. I also serving six times in the executive committee.

DCL helped me make very close friendship with members who were fascinating people: political activists, entrepreneurs, and renowned sport and cultural personalities. I eventually left the club in 1998, but not a day goes by when I don’t miss what was once my second home.

Dhaka Club, 1890

Reshadul Ameen Gulshan, Dhaka Bangladesh Old Photo Archive

Today

Chanchal Kamal

W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M ARC H 7, 20 1 4

28

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

Adil Sakhawat

The other side of the story The indescribable feeling of being a father

I

had my first taste of fatherhood when my daughter Warda Sakhawat was born on November 14 last year. Waiting for her birth made me realise how my parents must have felt when they used to wait for me to come home at the end of every day. I lost my mother when I was young. She did not get to see her son’s success.

My father still waits for me – to come home, to become a successful person.

Thanks to Warda, now I understand this chemistry between parents and children. Also, her arrival has brought me and her mother even closer.

Warda’s birth has given me a whole new sense of responsibility.

And being a father and husband feels overwhelming. Even when Warda was in her mother’s womb, I constantly felt her presence around me. Whenever we felt her moving, both my wife and I were ecstatic. And that made me to become even more attentive towards my wife. During pregnancy, a woman goes through several changes that make her feel ugly, inadequate and sometimes downright miserable. My wife was no different, but she was also very patient and tried to keep her troubles to herself. She always worried that she might not be a good mother, but as her husband and the father of her child, I always felt the need to be her support, to tell her that

Being a father feels amazing – I want to experience every moment of it. I want to witness every moment of my daughter growing up

W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M ARC H 7, 201 4

she was going to be alright. I always felt the need to reassure her that we were going to be fine.

Supporting my wife physically and emotionally surely kept my baby happy too.

Warda is now three months old.

When I come home after work, it feels amazing to see when she recognises my voice. When my wife was carrying her, I used to talk to her a lot, as my wife’s doctor and our friends advised us to do. I suppose that helped me create this amazing bond with my daughter.

Warda’s birth has given me a confidence in myself that I never thought I would have. When I was in college, I once heard one of my teachers saying that a human being learns the most during the first two years of its life. Now that my daughter is here, both my wife and I feel compelled to learn more, because she is going to learn from us. We are parenting together to give my Warda a good life.

I know that taking care of a child is a parental duty that is still associated with the mother in our society. But I always feel I should be as much involved in Warda’s upbringing as my wife. I put my daughter to bed when I get home, I change her diapers, I get up at night with her, I sing her lullabies. I feel that, this way, I can let my wife have some rest, and also I can have my own time with my daughter.

My daughter is very little now, but she grows every day. I plan to make her life comfortable and loving. I want her to feel she can be friends with her parents.

Raising a child is no piece of cake.

It is very easy to lose your temper and patience when you are a parent.

However, allowing yourself to react in anger or frustration in front of your

child is the worst thing to do. And this is something I have to keep in mind all time. Before, when my wife and I had fights, I sometimes aggravated the situation further by constantly telling her to calm down. Now, thinking about her, both my wife and I lose all the will to fight. Apologies come naturally now, as I know how stressful a job it can be to raise a child.

Becoming a father has made me a homebody. I used to be an absent husband, but now I want to stay at home with my family as much as I can.

We watch films together when I get home from work. I know Warda does not understand anything now, but I see her stare at the TV screen with a curious look on her face. I think it’s a good sign. Plus, this also gives us the chance to spend more time together as a family.

Warda’s arrival in my life has changed me in more ways than I thought it would. Because of her, I am getting rid of all my bad habits. I used to be a chain smoker, but now I am trying to quit smoking. I have stopped smoking at home. I never thought about saving money before, but now, for the sake of Warda’s future, I have started to track my expenditure and save money so that I can provide her with a stable future. It is amazing how a man can change in fatherhood.

It may sound clichéd, but my daughter has also brought me luck.

After her birth, a lot of my troubles got resolved – troubles that I had been having for a long time. She truly is God’s gift to me and my family.

Warda wants me to be a better person. I want to make this world better for her, so she can grow up feeling free and comfortable in her skin, becoming whoever she want sto be. I will always be there for my darling Warda. n

Being a father is no easy job – if you want to be involved.

But when you see your child smiling at you, all of it is worth it

LAST WORD