Weekend 149(final)

6 T20:who will have the last laugh?

11 BOXING BOYS

18 food cart revolution | vo l 1 I ssu e 49 | F R I D AY, A PR I L 4, 2014

CONTENTS

1

A Weekly Pro ducti on of

DhakaTribune

Issue 49 | April 4, 2014

Editor Zafar Sobhan Magazines Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Assistant Magazine Editor Rumana Habib Weekend Tribune Team Esha Aurora Hasibul Islam Promiti Prova Chowdhury Faisal Mahmud Shah Nahian Syeda Samira Sadeque Adil Sakhawat James Saville Farhana Urmee

6 Feature

Art Direction/Photography Syed Latif Hossain Cartoon Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Rio Shuvo Priyo

News

2 This Week 3 Say What?

T20 finals

Features

4 Top 10 Cricket commentators 5 Digital Bangladesh T20 mobile Apps

Contributors Muktasree Chakma Sathi Chanchal Kamal Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi Tausif Sanzum Dina Sobhan

8 Feature T20 flashmobs 16 First person Running a marathon 17 Wellness Dieting 18 Food carts A delicious trend 20 Feature Opening a restaurant on wheels

Design Sabiha Mahmud Sumi Md Mahbub Alam

Regulars

10 Post-Riposte Constructive criticism?

22 Legalese 23 X-Files False prophet 24 Tough Love 26 Last Word

Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal Kazi Syras Al Mahmood Production Masum Billah

Sport fan politics

Advertising Shahidan Khurshed Circulation Wahid Murad Email weekend@dhakatribune.com

11 Photo Story

11 The ring

Char chhokka hoi hoi!

18 food cart revolution | vo l 1 I ssue 48 | F R I DAY, M A R CH 28, 2014

About the cover

Boxing boys

25 Letter Roopban rebuttal 26 Stay In Puzzles, Noir video games 27 Go Out Events

Editor’s note

Website www.dhakatribune.com/weekend 6 Who will have the last laugh

Extra

This week’s cover art is our playful take Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man – T20 style.

Cover by Rio Shuvo

We’ve been infected with T20 fever, and devoted the first part of our magazine to the ICC tournament.

Of the cricket crazy nations, “Who will have the last laugh?” (pg 6-7)?

Pakistan did not make it to the finals, but we make a case for “In the stadium, freedom of choice for the free man.”

While you wait for the final, play “T20 Fantasy League in your pocket” (pg 5), or spend happy hours online watching “T20 Flashmobs” (pg 8-9).

Have a laugh with the “Top 10 Controversial Cricket Commentators” (pg 4), or our debate; “Is cricket a good

spectator sport?” (pg 10).

For a break from cricket, check out our photo story “The Ring” (pg 11-15) about an under-16 boxing group. It’s a knockout!

And in other news: We join a marathon in “Why I run” (pg 16), get sound advice on “A balanced diet” (pg 17), indulge in the “Food Cart Revolution” (pg 18-19), and talk to an entrepreneur who dreams of “Opening a restaurant on wheels” (pg 20-21). Finally in Panchagarh, we try not to succumb to the “Pir pressure” (pg 23) of a crooked holy man.

Have a great weekend.

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2 THIS WEEK

The Koreas: This side, that side During a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines, South Korean Marine amphibious assault vehicles land on the seashore in Pohang, 270km southeast of Seoul, on March 31. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on earlier that day near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a "new form" of nuclear test.

[AFP]

Going dark for change Performers dance during the Earth Hour event in front of the Opera House in Hanoi on March 29. Lights went out in some 7,000 cities and towns from New York to New Zealand for Earth Hour, which this year aimed to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for green projects. Earth Hour is a global climate change movement that has been running for the past eight years. [AFP]

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A glamorous 125 years One of the most easily recognised silhouettes, and most popular tourist spots, the Eiffel Tower, on March 31, marked its 125th year – possibly the most glamourous 125-year-old around!

In a fitting tribute to the monument, TIME Magazine wrote: “It’s hard to imagine anything that’s been photographed more than the Eiffel Tower.”

The tower was the world’s tallest manmade structure for four decades until the Chrysler Building was built in New York in 1930. It is 324m tall (including antennas) and weighs 10,100 tonnes. [REUTERS]

say what?

3

Advertising brains with beauty For those who believe that beauty ought to come with brains, good news! A California-based clothing company has put the focus on “real women” to advertise their upcoming spring line.

Betabrand, an online clothing community, is advertising not only their products but the academic qualifications of their models as well.

Each poster has a blurb on the side with the name and academic qualifications of the model.

[The Meta Picture]

Cupcake purchase at ATM A woman makes a purchase from the Cupcake ATM at Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery in New York City’s Upper East Side in Manhattan, March 26.

A 24-hour sidewalk cupcake-dispensing machine which opened Tuesday, where purchases are made by credit

card, Sprinkles’ Cupcake ATM is New York City’s first and joins the Beverly Hills based company’s other ATMs already opened in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas.

[REUTERS/Mike Segar]

Pope Francis deviates from traditional mode of confession, and stuns the world - again Pope Francis surprised his own master of ceremonies last Friday by confessing his sins to an ordinary priest in St Peter’s Basilica.

The pope was presiding over a service intended to show the importance he attaches to the sacrament of reconciliation, commonly known as confession.

After reading a sermon, he was to have gone to an empty confessional booth to hear confessions from ordinary faithful, as some 60

priests scattered around the huge church did the same.

His master of ceremonies, pointed him toward the empty booth, but the pope went straight to another one, knelt before a surprised priest, and confessed to him for a few minutes. He then went back to the empty one and heard the confessions of a number of faithful. Typically the pope goes to confession in private, so his decision was a departure from the past.

[REUTERS]

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4 Top 10 | Cricket commentators

Controversial Cricket Commentators

The nation is glued to the TV screen this weekend for the T20 final games, which is as always accompanied by rather colourful commentary. Here are our Top 10 commentators who love to push our buttons – voted for by you. To take part in the next poll, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WeekendTrib Shah Nahian

1 Jafarullah Sharafat

7

2

Yorkshire cricketer who established himself as one of England’s most successful batsmen. After retiring as a player, he found further success as a commentator, but not without causing controversy. He is famous for criticising players in a harsh, sarcastic manner. In March 2008, Steve Harminson, a retired English cricketer, referred to Boycott as a “waste of space” in an article in the Daily Mail.

4

Waqar Younis is a former Pakistani fast bowler who is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time.

After his retirement as a player, he pursued a career in coaching and commentating. While he found success in coaching, his commentary is often criticised for grammatical errors and a faked accent.

5

Ranjit Fernando is a former

6

Aamer Sohail is a former Pakistani cricketer and is currently the Pakistani Cricket Board Chief Selector. While a lot of people agree that he is a decent commentator, his style is still criticised by many for being too aggressive, emotionless and a little boring.

Rameez Raja is a former Pakistani batsman

3 WEEKEN D TR I BU N E F R I DAY, AP R I L 4 , 2014

who later worked as the CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

He is infamous for funny goof ups such as: “Hafeez is pushing smoothly. His partner Jamshed is satisfied today,” “The soft ball has been hit quite hard,” “This partnership is an example of how to do it safely.” Raja was also found to have breached Article 4.2.0.1 of the code which relates to “atrocious commentary that makes viewers cringe in pain or tear their hair out in frustration” during a match. He was later fined by the match referee.

Sri Lankan cricketer best known for being a talented wicket keeper and an opening batsman. After his retirement, he moved on to work as the team manager and as a commentator. His commentary is criticised for a lot of repitition, lack of common sense and sometimes lack of proper English.

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan is a former Indian cricketer.

He is currently a players’ representative on the ICC’s cricket committee, and a commentator. His style is widely criticised because of his cliché ridden commentary, and for being extremely boring.

The Bangladeshi commentator who needs absolutely no introduction, Jafarullah Sharafat is infamous for his bizarre style. Considered more of a comedian than a commentator, his videos have been going viral on YouTube and various Bangladeshi sport forums since 2009. He never fails to catch everyones attention and keep it locked on him until the moment he’s done speaking.

Geoffrey Boycott is a former England and

Popularly known as “Siva” and “LS,”

8

Arun Lal is a former Indian cricketer, who later moved on to being a commentator.

He also regularly publishes cricket analyses in various newspapers. He speaks English well and has a good grasp of the sport.

However, his commentary is still criticised by many because of his use of flat jokes such as “The minimum they need is a DLF maximum.

HAHAHAHA.”

9

Sunil Gavaskar is a former Indian cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history. He has set world records during his career, both for the most Test Runs and most Test Centuries scored by any batsman. While he is a good commentator for the most part, his commentary is criticised because he is often found preaching and lecturing others about the sport.

10 Athar Ali Khan

is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who later became the head coach for BPL, the national team’s selector and a commentator. His commentary is usually criticised because of his biased statements.

T20 MObile apps | Digital Bangladesh

5

T20 Fantasy League

in your pocket Locally-developed mobile apps let you play the T20 tournament your way Faisal Mahmud

T

he current T20 World Cup has come right on the heels of the Asia Cup and the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka cricket series, hardly giving cricket fans a chance to catch their breath. With Bangladesh hosting the tournament, some in the country have been suffering from cricket overload.

“Tournaments such as the T20 involve all cricket playing nations, and stretch on far too long. The matches, aside from the ones that include the favourite teams, are hardly engaging. So to keep things interesting, we made this app,” said Asruf-Ul-Jubair, business development officer of MobiOApp, a local software company.

MobiOApp, has released a mobile app for Android called T20 World Cup-Bangladesh.

With this app, users can find all the necessary information about the T20 World Cup, its fixtures, scorecards, players’ profiles and stats, and records of previous tournaments.

The main attraction of this app, however, is its fantasy league.

“With this application, every user can register and create his or her own virtual eleven, choosing from the players in the T20 World Cup. A fixed virtual budget is given, and users create a team choosing from players who have their own price tags, based on their career statistics,” Asraful said.

The user acts as the manger of his or her virtual team, and gets points based on the performance of the live players he or she has selected.

He said: “When a player (a real cricketer from one of the teams in the tournament) of a registered user’s team scores a run, takes a wicket, or a catch, the user gets a fixed number of points for that. A user can also make any number of substitutions on his or her team after the tournament begins.”

Asruf said MobiOApp’s Fantasy League is similar to ESPN’s Super Selector. The main difference

is that, unlike Super Selector, MobioApp is being played through a mobile application instead of a website.

The company released the application on the Android platform to ensure a large base of followers, he said.

“These days, the best way to create a follower base is to release smartphone apps, and we did just that,” he said, adding that the app has already been downloaded by over a thousand followers who have registered and started playing the fantasy league.

Some users of MobioApp’s Fantasy League have said playing the app has enhanced their enjoyment of the real games.

Golam Morshed Tapu, 25, an investment bank employee who is hardly a cricket lover, said he has been following almost every match closely since the T20 World Cup began.

“This is so interesting. Every time, a member of my virtual team scores a run or takes a wicket, I get excited. Currently I stand at the 273rd position in the mangers tally. I hope to move up on the list as the tournament goes on,” he said.

Prosun Ahmed, an MBA student at Dhaka University, said Raqib Bosunia, a “borobhai” from his area, started a website a few years ago called www. cricketpagal.com. From there, he launched a virtual tournament named Josh Selector, an application similar to MobioApp’s Fantasy League.

The game gained huge popularity at the time, he said.

“The first prize was a trip to Singapore. But unfortunately, it didn’t last long. Raqib went abroad and Josh Selector was shut down.”

“It’s good to see that another company has launched a similar application, and most importantly, on the Android platform,” Prosun added, “where a large number of users can register and play the virtual game for free.”

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6 Feature | t20 finals

Who will have the last laugh?

Fazley Rabbi Moon

W

INDIA

ith the finale of the tournament looming, things are getting tighter as there remains only four teams fighting for victory in the all-important ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014. Defenders West Indies and former champions India look to double their tally, while South Africa and Sri Lanka are eyeing an end to their title drought in this major ICC event.

India lifted the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007, but since then failed to progress beyond the Super 8s. However, the men in blue are on a terrific run this time, having won all the group matches to breeze into the semis, where they will face South Africa.

MS Dhoni led the side to their maiden title seven years ago and, with an even more balanced side at his disposal, he looks set to repeat the feat and heighten the reputation of Indian cricket further. Rohit Sharma scored 147 runs, including two fifties, in the group stages while Virat Kohlihas averaged 85 so far, and leads the top run scorers’ list.

The veteran Yuvraj Singh also risen to the occasion; it was his 60 against Australia which allowed India to maintain the winning streak.

A bunch of quality all-rounders like Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja Photo: Mumit M

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Photo: Rajib Dhar

Past records Champion: 2007

Super 8s: 2009, 2010, 2012 Strength: Batting, playing conditions Key players: Virat Kohli, Amit Mishra

and Yuvraj Singh will surely give them great hope of performing well under the pressure to come.

Yuvraj, who was the player of the tournament in India’s World T20 2007 and World Cup 2011 successes, is now India’s leading T20 International run scorer, having surpassed Gautam Gambhir.

Amit Mishra has impressed all by taking nine wickets in four games and leading the tournament bowling tally.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s figure of four for 11 against Australia, the best figure for an Indian bowler in a T20 International, just adds more bite in the bowling department.

7

SRI LANKA Sri Lanka have often been the bridesmaids at recent ICC events.

After being the losing finalists in 2009 and 2012 World T20, also also failed to win the last two 50-over World Cup finals. The Lankans will feel at home as they have played a lot of cricket in Bangladesh over the last two months for the bilateral series, Asia Cup and World T20.

With some class performers in every department, Sri Lanka is the most balanced side in the tournament. They kicked off their campaign with a lucky 5-run win over South Africa in a lastball finish. Their run continued with Associate Member the Netherlands, before England put the brakes on them. However, they crushed New Zealand in a low scoring affair to seal their place in the last stage.

Their most dependable pair in any format, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, will

South Africa South Africa started the World T20 2014 with a choking defeat to Sri Lanka by 5 runs, but they bounced back in style to become a worthy semi-finalist. They put on stunning comebacks to win the remaining matches by 2, 6 and 3 runs in that order.

However, if they want to break their semi-final curse in a major tournament, the South Africans will need to beat the mighty Indians to reach the final for the first time in their World T20 history.

Past records Semifinal: 2009 Super 8s: 2007, 2010, 2012 Strengths: Death bowling, fielding Kep players: Imran Tahir, Dale Steyn, JP Duminy

surely eye the title before their retirement.

Runner Up: 2009, 2012 Their vast Semifinal: 2010 experience Super 8s: 2007 is certainly Strengths: Batting, bowling, conditions the biggest Key players: Mahela Jayawardene, advantage for Rangana Herath the Lankans, who have a decent depth undoubtedly the best in the death to their batting lineup. overs. Sachithra Senanayake was On a good day, opener Kusal the main focus of the spin unit Perera can be devastating against before Rangana Herath snatched any opponent, while Thisara the spotlight in their do-or-die Perera and Angelo Mathews bring match where he robbed five Kiwi the power hitting in the final wickets for only three runs, the overs. third best bowling figure for a T20 Sri Lanka's bowling in the international. tournament was not a oneSri Lanka will be facing the man show as all of them put defending champions West Indies on their best display when the in the semi-final and the question team needed it. In the pace remains: Can they break the jinx department, Nuwan Kulasekara of not lifting a major trophy for has bagged some early wickets, more than 18 years? while Lastih Malinga was

Past records

Apart from some individual innings of Hasim Amla, JP Duminy and AB de Villiers, South African batsmen have failed to show their consistency in the Super 10 games. Opener Quinton de Kockhas yet to show his spark. So does David Miler and their troubled captain Faf du Plessis, who missed a match due to an injury, and another one for suspension.

Though the batsmen were in difficulty, it was their handy bowlers who clinched those nail-biting victories to carry them into the knockout stages. The spearhead Dale Steyn has already taken 9 wickets from 4 matches, with great bowling in the death overs. With his huge variation and experience, the speedster was quite impossible to play against in the final overs.

Surprisingly, Steyn was not the pick of the bowlers for the Proteas, as leg-spinner Imran Tahir, using the favourable conditions, had grabbed 11 wickets, the most among the semi-finalists, with an impressive economy rate of 6.31 runs per over. Left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell has been in good shape while Tsotsobe is always a good option for taking early wickets.

Also, fielding is always an asset for South Africa, especially when all the sides are facing numerous problems to hold on to catches.

It has never been known what keeps the Proteas choking in the knockout stages, and it remains to be seen if they can break the jinx in Bangladesh.

Photo: Mumit M

Past records Champion: 2012, Semifinal: 2009 Super 8s: 2010 Strengths: Economical bowling, big hitters Key players: Darren Sammy, Samuel Badree

west indies The defending champions West Indies started their World T20 2014 journey on a low note, when they struggled before going down to India. But they came back strongly to thrash Bangladesh, and followed it with an even better last over win against Australia in their “Group of death� ties. Also, in a do-or-die situation in their last match, they smashed former victors Pakistan by 84 runs, their biggest margin of victory ever in T20 internationals, to qualify as the last semi-finalists.

The West Indies, who will face a cunning Sri Lankan side in the race to final, has a number of all-rounders who carry the spirit of the Caribbean game. Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith are destructive openers who have a license to kill any bowling unit in the world, while the middleorder consists of Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, and Dwayne Bravo. Bravo played a gem of an innings in the last match while it is the captain courageous Darren Sammy who has starred with his willow on most occasions.

Sammy has scored 101 runs from four innings in this tournament, including an unbeaten 20-ball 42 in the last match at a strike rate of 224.4, and has been dismissed only once.

When Trinidadian spinner Sunil Narine unleashed his array of off-breaks and carrom balls, left-arm medium pacer Krishmar Santokie also maintained a strict line and length to prevent the opponents running away with runs. Both the bowlers took six wickets each with their fine display while leg-spinner Samuel Badree tops them with 10 wickets, including 3 for 10 in the last game. More importantly, all of these bowlers have conceded less than six runs an over during the Super 10s.

All in all, these are only some analyses drawn from the recent past. In cricket, it is said, you cannot take anything for granted until the last ball is bowled. This remains the case as the people of Bangladesh have witnessed some breathtaking displays over the past 14 days.

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8 Feature | T20 Flash Mobs

Char chhokka hoi hoi The contagious energy of the T20 flashmob competition unites young Bangladeshi cricket fans across the country and around the world Shah Nahian

Y

ou will have noticed, I hope, that Bangladesh is currently hosting the T20 World Cup. Since March 16, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet have been festooned with decorative lights. And the hearts of cricket fans all over the country are shining even brighter.

This is the second time that Bangladesh has hosted an international event of such grandeur. Needless to say, cricket fans along with enthusiasts from all over the world are excited to see how the teams battle it out on the playing fields. Outside the stadium walls, however, a different kind of competition is in full swing.

It started when Grey Advertising, a local ad agency, organised a flashmob video contest, with the help of the ICC. Local schools and universities were asked to upload videos of themselves performing flashmobs to the T20 theme song “Char Chhokka Hoi Hoi,” which was composed by artist Fuad Al Muqtadir. The videos were to be uploaded on YouTube with the promise that those which got the most views would be shown in the stadiums during the matches.

The competition gave rise to flashmobs being performed in all

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the major cities of Bangladesh.

But what came next caught everyone off guard.

The trend spread abroad, and flashmobs were being performed

by Bangladeshis in places like London, New York, China and Russia. Even after the deadline for entries had passed, the flashmobs kept coming.

Why Flashmobs?

Grey wanted people to experience the energy of the music firsthand.

MA Maruf, general manager of Grey Advertising, explained: “Our initial intention was to find ways of promoting the music video. The song has a catchy tune and a lot of energy in it. But to pay channels to just air a single music video over and over would not only eat away the budget, but would also be repetitive. We wanted to introduce something new and innovative.”

Qualities, Skills and Requirements

The idea is to get into the spirit of the tournament and have a good time. All you have to do to be part of all this is to grab a couple of your friends and dance.

MA Maruf explains: “It was obvious that flashmobs are something the youth of

Bangladesh would really enjoy.

That is why we aimed for schools, colleges and universities.

However, we also planned to let this grow and go viral. That is the reason we remained silent during the competition phase. At this point, anyone can be a part of this event. All you have to do is dance.”

Not in Bangladesh? No Problem!

It is sad when you really want to be a part of a celebration here in Bangladesh but you are living abroad. This was no problem for the T20 flashmobs. It all started with the flashmob in New York.

After that, Bangladeshis from all over the world followed suit.

Photos: Courtesy

9

Organising a Flashmob BUET Dance Community performed their very own version of a T20 Flashmob in front of the BUET cafeteria on March 13. Tonmoy Dhar, a student from the university, talks about his team’s experience How did you first find out about the T20 Flashmobs?

What convinced you and your team to enter the competition?

A company approached the BUET dance community to organise a flashmob representing our university.

They wanted us to use their choreography and only wanted the skilled dancers to perform.

However, there was a lot of us who desperately wanted to be a part of this flashmob. So, we later decided to perform on our own, not to compete, but rather just to have fun with it and let anyone interested join us.

There are videos of flashmobs coming in from London, China and Russia among other places.

The flashmob organised at the University of Texas at Arlington was done in a mall without any prior permission from the authority. They were asked to leave once the dance was over.

When asked why they went through all that trouble, they replied: “We took the initiative to do this flashmob to support the tigers! Go Bangladesh!”

The Big Screen

No one had predicted the massive number of entries that would be coming in. Grey admits that keeping track of all the entries was extremely difficult. Many of the teams had contacted them or the ICC directly after uploading their video on YouTube. These teams were easy to keep track of, but the rest had to be tracked down online.

Furthermore, not all flashmobs were organised with the intension of entering the competition.

Many, including a performance consisting of seven to eight year olds in Uttara, were not even filmed. These performances had a single purpose: to celebrate the spirit of the World T20 2014.

Show me the money!

The prize for the T20 flashmobs was the chance to be shown on the stadium screens. MA Maruf explains: “We did not have commercial reasons behind this project. Bangladesh hosting the World T20 is a big deal. Sure, we were promoting the song, but in the process, Bangladesh was getting worldwide recognition.

Getting the chance to be recognised by the ICC and cricket fans all over the world by bringing a positive focus on our country itself is a pretty big reward if you ask me.”

How did you assemble your team?

There aren’t too many students in BUET and the best part about our university is almost everyone knows everyone.

None of us wanted to deny any of our friends a chance to be a part of our flashmob. We happily accepted anyone who showed up.

What problems did you guys face?

The main problem was time.

With the burden of exams, it often got difficult for some to spare time for our rehearsals. However, everyone

who showed up had a lot of enthusiasm and drive. They all wanted to be a part of this so much that they managed time and found ways to make it to the rehearsals. In the end, the time issue could only be considered an initial hiccup, nothing more.

How did you direct the choreography?

This was a team effort and done mostly through trial and error. We had a Facebook group for the BUET Dance Community. A lot of the members talked about their ideas and often uploaded videos of the steps that they had in mind. We all voted on the ones we liked and in the end all we had to do was compile what we had.

How was your overall experience?

Overwhelming, but a lot of fun.

Though we did not officially enter the competition, our video is currently the third most watched T20 flashmob. I have been performing at BUET for quite some time now and never have I seen so many people interested in the art of dancing. I was surprised to see their enthusiasm and the “We have to do this!” attitude.

You Shall Not Dance!

While flashmobs are mesmerising the majority of the public, there are some expressing annoyance at the whole commotion. The reality of our country is there is not too much to do here. The definition of going out to have fun is usually going out to eat.

So when kids discover creative means to express themselves, they should be encouraged rather than having their performances and actions criticised. So get into the spirit of the World T20 2014, enjoy watching the matches along with flashmobs being performed all around the world!

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10 Post-riposte | watching cricket

Is Cricket a Good Spectator Sport?

Cricket requires serious time commitment from its fans. Is their devotion rewarded?

Yes

For mature sport aficionados Faisal Mahmud Cricket offers something that matures and acquires depth as the game progresses.

A passage of play in which not much seems to happen, such as after a batting collapse or a glut of runs, can be seen in retrospect as a passage in which all kinds of things were happening: small adjustments made or unmade, stamina and

concentration stretched.

The transformation from almost losing the game to winning it, the interplay of offence and defence are much subtler than in other sports, with more scope for exhilarating fluctuations and changing tempos.

I can think of few spectacles in sport more engrossing and dramatic than a team chasing a victory target

or battling for a draw in the fourth innings on a deteriorating pitch.

Whichever side you support, a cricket match is intense. Each ball affects the balance of probabilities.

For both sides, it’s a test of nerves, skill and judgment, and a dash of luck.

For the spectator, it’s a roller coaster – a wild ride that’s risk-free.

NO

It’s boring!

Nahian Shah First of all, the time scale for cricket is insane! Test cricket goes on for days. Watching the game for a stretch of seven hours and have it end without a conclusion day after day does not sound fun.

While the shorter format of the sport such as T20 and One Day Internationals (ODIs) are gaining more popularity, they still take up a big chunk of one’s day.

This would’ve been okay if cricket wasn’t a slow sport. But there is rarely ever any intensity or suspense until the very end. When compared to a sport such as football, cricket is just not that unpredictable, intense or exciting.

George Bernard Shaw once said: “The English are not very spiritual people, so they invented cricket to give them some idea of eternity.”

Cartoon : Rio Shuvo

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boxing boys | Photo story

11

Suvra Kanti Daswas

The Ring There are only a few boxing gyms in Dhaka, and indeed in Bangladesh. The Mohammad Ali National Boxing Stadium is one of the major ones. These boys practiced boxing here every day, working hard to fulfil their dreams. Some of them get family support but most of them do not.

Zakir was awarded a full scholarship a year ago from the biggest sports institute in Bangaldesh, BKSP, but his father disapproved because of the family’s financial problems. He was one of the major Under 16 boxers in Bangladesh.

Al-Amin also fights well. His father is a driver and lives in a Khilgaon.

Both of them love boxing because it’s a game of power, and other boys their age show them respect. They often don’t have enough money to pay the

bus fare, so walking is the only way for them to go to practice sessions, which can last seven hours a day. On many occassions I learned that they had not had their breakfast before preparing for a match.

Zakir’s family lives in a one room house in Mugda. His father sells vegetable on the streets, and wants Zakir to leave boxing to help him. But Zakir says he doesn’t want to be a vegetableseller. He wants to be a famous boxer like Mohammad Ali. Recently, I caught up with Zakir near Paltan and I found he had become a garment worker. He left boxing because he needed to support his family and help pay for his younger sister’s education.

He still lives with the dream: “One day I will be a famous boxer and will fight in the Olympics.”

Zakir (above) and al-Amin dream of becoming successful boxers. Most boys in their Under 16 boxing group are school dropouts, and live a life of uncertainty and instability. Boxing is everything for them.

My Method In the beginning it was hard to determine the storyline and build the narrative. But after spending a week with them, I understood that their thoughts were the key to the story. With these photos, I tried to focus on their life, training, love and faith.

To tell the story I chose midcontrast black and white images.

I wanted to focus on the subject and content of the photographs.

I believe that colour sometimes can dominate the main subject.

None of these photos were staged or reconstructed.

about the phototgrapher Suvra Kanti Daswas is a visual artist who grew up in Cox’s Bazar. At the age of 15, he started to pursue photography with his cousin’s small film camera.

After completing his first degree in computer science, he was

admitted to the Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, where he graduated with a BA in photography in 2012. Since 2013, he has been represented by Agence Unframe in Italy.

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12 PHOTO story | boxing boys

Al-Amin, 14, practices boxing at the Mohammad Ali Boxing Stadium. AlAmin's father is a driver and has asked AlAmin to leave boxing and find a job.

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13

A young boy practices boxing at BKSP, Gazipur.

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14 PHOTO story | boxing boys

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15

Inside the Mohammad Ali Boxing Stadium, Dhaka.

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16 First person | running a marathon

WHY I RUN

Iffat Nawaz on discovering the joy of exercise the freedom of movement. But it did not inspire me to start running or pick up sports. I, like many other Bangali women, never tested my coordination skills apart from occasional dancing.

10 miles

However, with age and under the influence of sporty friends, I became more active. The beauty of hikes or paddling down the river on a single kayak had great appeal. The non-competitive nature of learning to kayak just to enjoy the water or climbing a mountain only to see how the world looks from the top started to make sense to me.

These were not my childhood dreams. They had never been on my agenda. I just happened to be lucky that I lived in a place where I could find out what I liked in my very own way. Overcoming the fear of water, or the concern of tanning 30 shades darker, soon went away. It was replaced by the realisation that my body can do anything my minds wants it to.

Sitting at work one morning while sipping on dudh-cha, I impulsively registered for a 10 mile run – just to find out what this running business was all about. I was surrounded by runners. They passed by me when I walked to the metro in the morning, and smiled at me when I was on my way back.

I knew I could do the 10 mile run! And after two months of training, I did.

26.2 miles

In hindsight, when I had signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC, I did not

“ WEEKEN D TR I BU N E F R I DAY, AP R I L 4 , 2014

know if I was actually going to go through with it. I continued training for four months, including three maintenance four mile runs and one long run over the weekend.

One month before the race, I gave up. I couldn’t get myself to go out for runs or even think about the marathon, until the night before the race arrived and I was confronted by an unnerving indecisiveness.

I decided to join the crowd in the morning and decide on the spot.

The next morning, along with a thousand others, I ran the 26.2 miles. While running, many passed me, and I passed many. At one point, I looked over and saw a woman in her 70s jogging next to

To be good at sports, I thought, one had to be tall and of a different shape than the average Bangali female mold

“

Courtesy

“

I ran because I could think, because I could meditate, because I was not racing and my pace was my own private decision … because my two legs gave me the validation of 26.2 miles.

“

M

y left leg is slightly shorter than my right.

That was fine. I never wanted to be good at any particular physical activity.

My parents never encouraged me to play any sports. There was a volleyball team in the all-girl’s Bangla medium school I went to. Those girls were significantly taller than me.

To be good at sports, I thought, one had to be tall and of a different shape than the average Bangali female mold. I had accepted that without any qualms. The only physical activity I was involved in was the physical training class where we marched and our teacher checked our nails, the cleanliness of school uniforms and whether our hair was tied properly without any loose ends hanging on our foreheads.

I never walked a block alone in my younger years in Dhaka. When I moved to the US, like most other immigrant young girls, I enjoyed

me. But that did not prick my ego.

I did not feel like intentionally running ahead of her to show the power of my youth. It was on mile 21 and by then, no one cared about who was next to whom. It was only about the self.

I completed the marathon and walked over for the photos and the medal. Groups of cheering friends joined their runners.

Some were running for breast cancer, others for world peace.

I had no mission as such; I did not join any groups. I walked a bit more, crossed the George Washington Bridge and went home. I made myself some rice and had it with ghee. And then, with the taste of purified butter in my mouth, I went to sleep.

Finish line

I did not run the marathon because I felt oppressed growing up in Dhaka or because I felt the need to prove my strength. I ran because I could think while I ran, because I could meditate, I ran because I was not racing and my pace was my own private decision. I did not run because anyone told me to or anyone expected me to finish. I ran because my two legs gave me the validation of 26.2 miles.

So if you are out there, wishing you could run a marathon or two, seize the day! What are you waiting for?

DIETING | WELLNESS

17

For the love of food Celebrity dietician SN Shampa shares the secret to sustainable eating habits Farhana Urmee

W

ho doesn’t want to be healthy, or live a disease-free life? To prevent diseases, and maintain a weight appropriate to your height and age, sensible eating, exercise and sleep are essential. Obviously.

Yet how many of us actually manage to maintain our health?

The lifestyle of the 21st century man entails less walking and getting more things done by the machine. The availability of a wide variety of food allows us to overeat without thinking about the consequences. Only after becoming obese do many heed the warnings and reduce their weight.

Or more often, it is for the sake of acquiring, or re-acquireing, their beauty.

Celebrity dietician SN Shampa says people’s practices are changing regarding the maintenance of good health, as they face new health problems related to modern living. Health consciousness is praiseworthy, but some commonsense is required in ensuring a balanced diet. Shampa, who has degrees in food and nutrition from universities in Dhaka and India, is a Consultant Nutritionist at the Samorita Hospital in capital’s Panthapath area.

Shampa has been in this profession for more than a decade, and has helped many people including media personalities. She says it has become fashionable to go to a dietician to get slimmer in the shortest possible time, and many people are going on extreme, unhealthy diets.

A diet plan should be tailored to an individual’s profile, Shampa says. She does not believe people need to stick religiously to diet plans, but rather they should simply eat a sensible balance of food which will prevent heath complications.

Another interesting mantra Shampa follows is keeping a small amount of the patient’s favourite food in the daily plan. The habit of eating one’s favourite food every day keeps people motivated.

A person's weight should be consistent with his or her height and age, but Shampa has seen an obsession among young women with losing as much weight as they can.

“When I see them with a perfect shape and weight, why would I help them to lose weight unnecessarily? I simply refund them the money they have paid for the visit and counsel them to maintain their current weight.”

When patients come to her, she does a thorough intake, determining whether they have diabetes, blood pressure issues, occupation, earnings and even the reason why the patient wants to lose weight. She also investigates the level of haemoglobin in blood, level of uric acid and allergies.

A nutritionist must know these particulars to avoid mismatches of food. The patient’s economic condition is an indicator of the lifestyle of the patient, and helps decide which diet plan would be feasible for the patient.

“If I suggest a patient from low income group to eat food that is pricey and unavailable, say tuna fish, the entire diet plan will make no sense for the patient,” explains Shampa.

She also inquires whether the patient has dieted before. Dieting without knowing your body may prove fatal. As high-protein diets tend to increase the creatinine in kidneys, people who stop those diets tend to put on more weight than they had before they began dieting.

Bigstock

“Another thing I need to know from my patients is why they want to reduce their weight, as I believe losing weight is a process that includes appropriate eating along with physical activities.

Often the patient's desire to lose weight is enough. I just help them

with counselling and advise them to take food in the proper way.”

Shampa also sees some unhealthy competition amongst those who believe skinnier equals more beautiful. Unnecessarily losing weight brings a number of problems, hair loss, low blood glucose and nutrition deficiencies which may cause disease and even death. Whereas huge numbers of poor people are starving in some parts of the globe, other more developed parts of the world are seeing eating disorders develop in young people who want to remain slim.

Last month, the western world observed Eating Disorder Week to address this problem, and even Barbie manufactures are creating dolls with measurements more consistent with regular men and women.

Shampa believes that life is to be enjoyed, and that discarding food is not a solution, but may in fact put your life in danger.

Maintaining a balanced diet is her mantra, and it can be done with minimal effort. We only have one life, she says, and it is okay to live for the love for food, as long as it is enjoyed with balance.

At the end of our conversation she gave me an apple as a token of good health.

Fad diets:

What not to do When dieting becomes an obsession, people tend to go on crash diets - without consulting a nutritionist – by simply following in the footsteps of some celebrity’s drastic diet to lose weight. Some of the diet plans that are the craze at the moment are highly harmful for your health and body.

The Master Cleanse diet, aka Beyonce’s Lemonade diet

The bizarre 14-day diet where you only consume a drink made of lemon, maple syrup (or honey), cayenne pepper and water. For quick weight loss try this imbalanced diet with no nutritional value.

Three-day apple diet

The quickest method to lose weight is by eating only apples for three days, somehow ignoring your hunger, cravings and hallucinations.

The Atkins diet

The original no-carb diet demands cutting out starch and sugars, and loading up on meat, eggs and other cholesterol laden, artery clogging foods. So if you enjoy steaks and heart attacks, this diet is for you.

Breatharian Diet, aka Madonna’s air diet

Madonna is said to be dieting by consuming only air and sunlight. Starvation: a surefire way to kill off those kilos.

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18 FOODCARTS | A DELICIOUS TREND

The food carT

C

omplain all you want about Dhaka, but one thing you cannot deny is the wide variety of dining options in the city. In recent years we have seen everything from Japanese sushi to Brazilian churrasco. In addition to these fine dining establishments, there has also been an upsurge in high quality food carts in the city.

This is an interesting development in a city where people generally look down on street food. Growing up, street food was considered dirty and unhealthy. The only foodcarts I recall going to were phuchka and chatpati stands. Now I can get a bagel, burger, hotdog, crepes or Thai curry!

The food cart revolution is emblematic of a shift in societal attitudes. Things are gradually becoming more relaxed. Slowly but surely, perceptions are changing.

These places offer quality food at reasonable prices, and are usually open later than most restaurants. It's also a welcome change from the stiff environment of a sit-down establishment.

This is an interesting social development that has happened in the last few years, directly influenced by greater exposure to the world. We no longer are afraid of the new and different.

More people have travelled abroad, and come home with new

and interesting ideas. Countries like Thailand and Singapore are famous for their street food.

Our standard of living has also increased rapidly in the last ten years. We have a huge emerging middle class who will demand a more balanced society. The new generation of educated young adults is no longer satisfied with the former status quo of just being a doctor, lawyer or engineer. They have different dreams for themselves, and they have seen that people can have success in different fields other than those mentioned above.

They are far more confident, more self-assured than the previous generation.

According to Maimen Zaman,

one of the partners of the H&B food cart, the reason for the increasing numbers of food carts is young people today are more passionate and independent.

They tend to take more business risks and aren’t afraid of failure.

He said he opened his food cart because he just wanted to share his love of food. These passionate young entrepreneurs want to offer something they love and, by doing so, they have created a completely new market.

One day in the near future, perhaps we can look forward to pedestrian zones in the city, where streets are lined with different kinds of food carts, like the throngs of tourists can enjoy in vibrant Bangkok.

Hot new Food carts

Quick bite

Shimanto Square is lined with food carts these days. Quick Bite is a favourite, and you will find a long line of people waiting to eat their delicious sandwiches. They can be customised in many ways, the most popular being the grilled chicken and beef. They also offer various different kinds of condiments, because variety is the spice of life.

Location: Dhanmondi, road # 2

Spice Station:

facebook.com/pages/Spice-Station/153106998089681 Bailey Road is the original food haven of Dhaka.

Things are still quite happening here, and the food cart revolution hasn’t escaped this place. Spice Station is at the quiet end of Bailey Road. Here you can find deshi style pizzas, burgers, and rolls doused with a generous amount of green and red chilies. It adds a deshi flavor to well known fast foods, giving it an almost home cooked feel.

Location: Bailey road

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Hot Box: facebook.com/hotboxbD A much buzzed about burger stand, they have already garnered a faithful fan following. They keep their menu simple with a choice of burgers and hot dogs, with funny and inventive names. You can build your own burger, add as many patties as you want, and don’t forget to ask for the secret special sauce!

Location: Uttara, Sector 7

revolution

19 Esha Aurora takes a gastronomic journey through Dhaka city’s food carts

The Cart Company: facebook.com/TheCartCompany This open air enclave is home to five different carts. You have The Break, Holy Crepe, DeshiGhar, Fusion Asia and the Big Fat Wrap to choose from.

Each cart has a specialty and you can mix and match your order from each different cart. The crepe cart is super popular, and be prepared for some serious spicy goodness from the Asian carts.

If you are not a fan of chili, then the food from this cart might have your tongue in flames.

Location: Gulshan 1

Beans and Bagels: facebook.com/beansnbagels.bd A very recent entry, Beans and Bagels specialises in New York style bagels and coffee. From a stand, they offer breakfast, lunch and dinner (if you want bagels for dinner). Until recently, you couldn’t find a decent bagel in the city unless you were willing to pay up at a five star hotel, so this is an exciting development. They also list burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches on their menu.

Location: Gulshan 2 Lake Park

H&B: facebook.com/dhakafoodcart The cart that started it all, their first stand opened in an alley behind the Westin Hotel. They have now expanded to three more branches. They only sell two things: burgers and hotdogs. The “awesome burger” is the most talked about item on the menu, and it lives up to its name! The owner Mr Zaman says he continuously seeks to improve the quality of his food.

"We keep looking for better ingredients all the time and sourcing them. We want to offer our customers the best experience that we can.”

Location: Gulshan 2, Dhanmondi, Lalmatia and Dhaka University

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20 FOODCARTS | A DELICIOUS TREND

Opening a restaurant on wheels F

or the last couple of weeks, Hemayetul Islam, an accountant currently working at a travel agency, has been busy sampling food from food carts across the capital.

While munching on the street delicacies, Hemayetul also strikes up conversations with the staff and owners. “I'm trying to gather as much information as possible from the vendors, as I am planning to open one of my own very soon.”

“First, I am going to buy a cart and then I am going to modify it with my own design.” When asked what kind of food he plans to sell, he replies mysteriously: “It’s going to be something new.”

Hemayetul managed to gather information from other vendors regarding the kinds of food in demand, number of staff members needed to run a cart, and running costs.

“I also tried to get an idea of the cost of building different types of carts. Some are fixed, some have wheels and paddles, whilst some even have engines.”

“I know it involves a risk, leaving a secure job and setting up a new business, but the food cart business is booming in Dhaka, and I am willing to take that risk.”

The cart craze

Dhaka has suddenly become flooded with mobile eateries.

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Food carts have seen a surge in popularity over the last few years in Dhaka, selling a wide variety of dishes ranging from delicious burgers to nachos, from simple lemonades juices to exotic passion fruit shakes.

Bringing a diverse range of cuisines on-the-go, these food carts have changed the food habits of city dwellers, especially the younger generation, who are embracing these carts, which provide quality food at low prices, not only for snacks but also for full meals.

This fast-growing trend has motivated many young individuals like Hemayetul to have a go at the business themselves.

Recipe for entrepreneurism

“A food business is an independent business. It has the added satisfaction of feeding people and seeing their happy faces,” said Saberid Rozin, who recently opened a food cart named Rono’s Corner in Azimpur.

Rozin’s cart sells fried chicken, french fries and fried mushrooms. He says the specialty of his food cart is a sauce.

“I know there are many food carts in Dhaka that sell what I sell, but my sauce is unique.”

Rozin started his business in May last year.

“One of my Boro Bhai (local guardians) opened a mobile cart that sold fruit juices. He

The business that tempts on every street corner Faisal Mahmud

21 invested around Tk70,000 on the food cart and got his investment back within two months. I was involved with an Internet Service Provider firm back then; my salary was nominal and I was thinking of starting my own business.”

At first he wanted to start a franchise of CP, the famous Thai joint that sells fried chicken, hot dog and sausages. “The dealership of CP costs Tk2.5 lakh and I needed a permanent place for that. The initial capital that I needed was around Tk 3.5 lakh.

I didn’t have that amount of money.”

One day while browsing Bikroy. com, an online market place, Rozin saw several food trolleys for sale. He contacted several sellers, and finally bought a food cart with paddles for Tk 85,000.

Rozin then went to a market in Gulshan and bought the necessary kitchen supplies, including an oil fryer and other utensils. After that he approached a cook from a local restaurant who used to prepare snacks such as aloor chop, piyaiju and aloo puri.

“I asked him whether he could

prepare fried chicken, french fries and fried mushrooms. He said that he never had. I told him that if he was adept at frying local snacks, he could also fry foreign items. He agreed and I employed him.”

Rozin said that with the help of his sister, he prepared the recipes for the food items. “My sister prepared the special sauce.”

Location, location, location

The most important part of the business is finding a good spot to sell the food. “You might have some great dishes, but if you can’t find a proper place, then you won’t be able to reach your customer.”

So he chose Iraqi Maat, a open field amid the concrete structures of Azimpur where local youngsters hang out. At first, local hoodlums demanded chanda (extortion money) from him, but Rozin contacted some influential local leaders, and has not been pestered since.

Corrupt licensing schemes

But not everybody has connections like Rozin, and some are extorted on a regular basis by many toughs, including law enforcement personnel.

One owner of a food cart in Dhanmondi, who asked to remain anonymous, told me that in order to run his business, he had to budget for extortion payments to police and local leaders.

The vendor in question said he had wanted to proceed legally.

He needed a trade license and went to the office of the South Dhaka City Corporation. The official there asked him to get the approval of the ward commissioner of the area where he planned to situate the cart.

He told the official that a trade license did not require the ward commissioner's approval, but the official said he could not issue a trade license without authorisation.

With no other option, he went to see the ward commissioner, but even after repeated visits, he was denied a meeting.

Finally an aide of the commissioner said if he paid Tk60,000, he wouldn’t need to have any trade license at all. The vendor returned to the SDCC office, but did not get any help.

Finally he paid that amount to that aide of the commissioner.

“Now I am doing the business without a trade license. I just pay a certain amount of allowance.”

Photos: Chanchal Kamal

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22 Legal eagle | With Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales.

She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate.

A tale of two countries

Q A

Cartoon: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

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I recently got engaged to a woman from the US, and we plan to live in Dhaka after getting married.

Should she bother applying for Bangladeshi (dual) citizenship, or just stay a US national? She’s not interested in voting, but she does want to work. Wouldn’t she actually get a higher salary as a “foreign hire?” Also, does it make any difference, legally

speaking, if we get married in the US or in Bangladesh? In case of divorce, which laws would apply, Bangladesh’s or New York’s (where she’s from and also owns a house)?

I love her and of course I want us to stay together, but if she decides she can’t live in Bangladesh after all, could she just take the kids and just leave?

Dear Reader Firstly, congratulations! Very few of us are lucky enough to fall in love and actually get married to the one we love. Those of us who are fortunate enough, more often than not, tend to rush into the actual marriage without thinking and planning ahead. I’m glad to see that you and your fiancé are dealing with this issue in a mature manner and exploring all your options. Kudos! As they say: “Knowledge is power.”

Now let’s move forward and answer your queries.

Your first question concerns her immigration situation pending the marriage. The current law (though severely outdated) allows a wife of foreign descent to apply for citizenship following a marriage to a man possessing Bangladeshi citizenship.

One of the pre-conditions is that your wife would have to reside in Bangladesh for two years before she can apply for citizenship. However, your question gives me the impression that this is not a priority and you are looking for a way around it.

In such circumstances, I would advise that your wife applies for a “No Visa Required to Travel to Bangladesh” (NVR) endorsement sticker on her passport. This will give her the flexibility to come and go as she pleases, while also avoiding the citizenship application hassle (since you mentioned she does not want to vote anyways).

There are a few documents which you will be requiring: Completed appropriate application form; three 45mmx35mm photographs taken within the last 6 months; a valid Bangladesh passport/National ID card of father/mother/spouse or birth certificate/nationality certificate of father/mother/ spouse issued by Union Parishad/ Municipality/City Corporation in Bangladesh; foreign passport/ citizenship certificate; marriage certificate (for spouse); Declaration of Relationship in favour of spouse/children of foreign nationality by the father/

mother/spouse and last, but not least, the Police Verification Report.

You also mentioned that your wife wants to work, and enquired about whether she would attract a higher salary being a “foreign hire.” This is tricky, mainly on the part of the organisation employing her, in order to justify the employment.

It is usual for questions to come up whereby a foreigner is hired when Bangladeshi nationals apply for a post and possess equal qualifications and experience.

The organisation seeking to employ her will have to arrange for a work permit and this will require the submission of quite a few documents on behalf of the company.

I’m assuming (since you didn’t mention) that both you and your fiancé are Muslim. Marriage in Bangladesh will therefore mean that your marriage will be governed by Islamic law.

Since you are both planning to reside in Bangladesh following your marriage, it is advisable to get married in Bangladesh and obtain a marriage certificate from Bangladesh.

Additionally, with respect to the unwanted situation of your wife deciding that Bangladesh is perhaps not the place for her and choosing to leave with your children, should this happen, your first step should be to alert the authorities and make an application to the court for custody rights. Arrange for the child’s passport to be legally seized by the court until the outcome of the custody trial is decided. However, I do want to make you aware of the fact that, in some instances, the court will often favour a mother’s right to custody while granting the father visitation rights.

In conclusion, for your sake, I hope everything falls into place and none of your worries materialise into reality. Earlier I mentioned that “knowledge is power,” but remember that sometimes ignorance can be bliss.

Best wishes for your upcoming wedding!

Got a problem?

Write to Jennifer weekend@ dhakatribune.com

False prophet | x-files

Pir pressure

23

A 22-year-old ‘pir’ rules over Dangapara villagers Adil Sakhawat

W

hile working on a story on Bhitargarh in Panchagarh, I came to know about a 22-year-old pir (religious preacher) who has supernatural powers, specifically the ability to cure deadly diseases.

The self-proclaimed pir Sohel Rana hails from Dangapara village in Tetulia upazila, Panchagarh.

According to locals, villagers of Dangapara come to him for his “special” treatments.

Sohel is the son of an influential local man who is a four-time elected member of the union parishad.

Around four months ago, five graves “emerged” overnight in front of the pir’s house which Sohel claimed were “blessings from God.” The incident had strengthened locals’ trust in him.

Intrigued, I set out for Dangapara to find out what the pir, his remedies and the “emerged” graves were all about.

Walking around the village, I listened to the fascinating stories of his spirituality and supernatural powers. However, a number of villagers alleged that Sohel had aquired land and three houses in Panchagarh by carrying out illegal business.

Luckily, I found the young man at home that afternoon.

After flattering him with praise about his popularity in the village, I said I wanted to write a feature on him and his spiritual powers.

Sohel took me to see the muchtalked-about “graveyards.”

“My grandfather Momtaj Kari was a pious person,” he said.

“He came from Mymensingh to this area during the liberation war, he had spiritual powers and helped the people of this village a lot. People used to come to him for medical treatment. When he died, he was buried here in this graveyard.

“He died when I was 14. I became ill and no doctor could cure me despite their best efforts.

One night, my father had a dream where my grandfather instructed him to take me to his graveyard, my father followed these instructions. I recovered.

From that point, my father realised that my grandfather had chosen me as his heir. Since then I have been a saint. My uncle

Nur Mohammad assists me as a khadem (associate).”

Regarding the “miraculous” graves, Sohel said: “These five graves emerged one night. I had a dream on the same night where my grandfather was showing me the graves beside his grave.

In the morning, I went to his grave and found five new graves had emerged beside it. Then I surrounded the new graves with a red tape.”

“After that, more villagers and people from nearby areas came to me for treatment,” claims Sohel.

Juhura Begum, a resident of the village who had fallen victim to Sohel, said: “Around three months ago on a fine morning, Sohel told us that five graves have emerged from the ground.”

“Since then, many villagers like me honoured him like a saint, but we did not get better by following his instructions,” she said.

Every year, Sohel Rana arranges a gathering at the graveyard where around 5,000 people come to bow to him and the emerged graves. They also give him gifts like money, rice, cows, goats, buffalos, hens, expecting to be healed of diseases.

Sohel said: “I bless the bottles of water or oil that they bring to me. Then they use that water and oil as per my instruction and get cured of difficulties and diseases.”

He claims many people have benefitted from his spiritual treatment.

He said: “The money that I get from them is largely used for helping the poor. Some money I spend on my disciples and on the renovation of the graveyard and mosque.”

To my surprise, I hardly found any villagers at the mosque of Sohel Rana saying their prayers.

At first, a number of villagers remained discreet, as Saint Sohel Rana is the son of a local influential man.

However, later some of them agreed to talk, requesting anonymity.

Ruhul (not his real name) said: “Those graves are not God gifted.

Sohel, along with his father and uncles made that up so they could steal the land, they are on precious land that lies just at the entry point of the village, and as majority of us are illiterate, it was

Sohel Rana Photo: Adil Sakhawat

easy to fool us.”

“Sohel never provides us with proper treatment. A few days ago, his uncle Nur Mohammad fell ill. As it was his own uncle, he took him to the hospital. But when villagers want to take their relatives to hospital, he tells them that he can cure them, irrespective of what disease it is.”

Sohel claims: “I can provide treatment for many diseases including cancer, diabetes and paralysis. I can also solve different social and personal problems related to love, relationships, family conflicts, land disputes, and any other kind of problem by using my spiritual powers.”

Despite claiming to be a pious man like his grandfather, I did not see him saying his prayers once during the whole day that I spent with him.

Sohel Rana is currently studying law at Dhaka International University in the capital.

Juhura Begum said: “Once my daughter became ill. I took her to Sohel and after seeing her he said she had caught the evil sight

of genie. He gave me an amulet, blessed a bottle of water and oil.

But my daughter’s condition deteriorated and I took her to hospital where the doctors said she had jaundice.”

Shahidul Islam, Deputy Director of the Islamic Foundation, Panchagarh, said: “These types of saints are frauds.

Graves never emerge on their own. People dig them to bury someone who is dead. Such stories of emerging graves are made up just to cheat people. As villagers are really simple and most of them are illiterate, they often take these cheats to be pious saints.”

Tetulia police officials told this correspondent that several cases had already been filed at the police station against Sohel Rana. The police said they would pursue tough action against him whenever they receive a complaint.

Before leaving, Sohel Rana invited me to visit him again, and to attend his yearly gathering, where he plans to spend Tk5 lakh on feeding his disciples.

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24 Tough Love | With DIna Sobhan Dina Sobhan is a freelance writer, and cautions readers not to take her ‘advice’ here too seriously!

Q A

My sister and I are extremely close to each other. She recently got engaged to her long-term boyfriend, whose sister is the same age as me, and they’ve started bonding over fashion, make-up, shopping and cooking – none of which I’m interested in. I already felt like I was losing her to her boyfriend without his sister taking up the rest of her time. They keep inviting me to hang out with them but my job doesn’t leave me with much free time, and when I do join them, I feel kind of left out.

What should I do?

For starters, you could try cutting the cord. Just saying…

I mean, you’ve had her all to yourself for the better part of her life, so maybe you need to let her make some new friends now. It sounds like she’s found a couple of people who she shares interests with, one being love and the other one everything else, respectively. The only thing she apparently had in common with you was DNA, and even then you had to enact scenes from Misery to keep her close, didn’t you? If you were a pimply teenager with no friends of your own I could see how these changes would affect you adversely, but I take it you’re just a socially maladjusted adult who couldn’t shake off her adolescent insecurity. I’m sorry. Try to look at it this way: Now you’ll be forced to let go of her hand, spread your wings, and fly into that great big scary world on your own. Or you could just stay at home, licking your wounds and plotting sweet revenge against her new friends by lacing the wedding cake with arsenic although in both scenarios, you end up alone. Maybe it would be better to just play along and be nice to these interlopers.

That way you can encroach on their lives slowly and surreptitiously until you’re living with them one day, and they won’t even know how it happened.

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E F R I DAY, AP R I L 4 , 2014

Cartoon: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Got a problem?

Write to Dina

weekend@ dhakatribune.com

Q A

For some time now, I’ve been talking to a guy from work who is almost to ten years older than me. Other than the age difference, the problem lies in our communication. He keeps telling me he is interested, but is avoiding a relationship because he does not want it to

get complicated with me or “hurt me.” But he also occasionally disappears and comes back in the scene just when I’m ready to move on. I am growing impatient and not sure where this is going.

I have tried to let go of him, but it doesn’t help that we work in the same office. What should I do?

There’s no discernable problem with either the age difference or the communication – or lack thereof, as the case may be. The problem is – to employ a popular vernacularism – he’s just not that into you. This is a typical scenario of the lonely, naïve woman eager to be loved, and the experienced lothario who is getting his proverbial milk for free. You need to stop deluding yourself into

thinking that he’ll come around eventually and realise what a great catch you are, yada yada, and just say “No.” To answer your question, this is going nowhere.

But you are going to get a new job because it’s clear to me that you will be unable to resist his game and this will go on like a hamster on a wheel until you grow a pair or he gets bored. This will not end well.

Roopban review | Letters

25

Too early to criticise a bold move A Dhaka Tribune staff reporter responds to our March 21 review of Roopban magazine “A missed opportunity to address LGBT issues” Muktasree Chakma Sathi

T

he Weekend Tribune issue published on March 21 was exceptional in many ways.

The issue was talking about some real problems, such as children with Down Syndrome, atypical definitions of families, skin colour complexes, and an interview of a successful Bangladesh-born transgender model living in Canada. The issue successfully portrayed how various social taboos are making it hard for many Bangladeshis.

The issue followed one which had responded to the controversial American Apparel “Made in Bangladesh” advertisement.

WT’s response, a true celebration of Bangladesh, was brilliant, according to the many readers who wrote in.

But amongst all this wonderful work, there was one writeup, criticising the first ever LGBT magazine in Bangladesh Roopban, which really lowered the tone of the magazine.

First of all, one should not criticise the work of a marginalised community without first having an appreciation for that community’s struggle and the history of their oppression.

Words matter - especially when they are being read by the public.

Pointing to the uproar that occurred over the launching of the first LGBT magazine in Bangladesh, at the end of the first paragraph the writer asks: “How many of these people actually picked up the magazine and offered constructive criticism?”

Well, publicly, no one. Perhaps that’s because every other critical writer was sensitive about the magazine itself being a step towards acknowledging that there is a LGBT community, in a country in which Islam is the state religion? Or maybe they are also aware that it is too early to criticise a magazine published by a group of people who are yet to be recognised by the state, due to concerns about “religious sentiment”?

The write-up then states that

the motive behind publishing the magazine was to create awareness among the people regarding LGBT’s rights and called it “a legitimate and noble” step. I don’t think the writer’s statement was completely accurate. Yes, the magazine contains some writeups about their rights that are yet to be recognised in Bangladesh, but it is fundamentally a magazine. And, one needs to understand that a magazine is not a rights pamphlet. It’s a publication filled with various kinds of articles relating to the magazine’s readers’ and editors’ interests.

The next question should be: Who are this magazine’s readers?

Obviously, firstly, LGBT people themselves. Secondly, their friends and families, who want to gain a better understanding of LGBT issues and people. Thirdly, general people who want to know about LGBT people. And, finally, and perhaps most importantly, the many homophobic people who don’t know or chose not to know anything about LGBT struggles and oppression but have learnt to hate them because of social taboos and so-called religious sentiment.

I see this magazine as a platform for the LGBT community, where they can speak up about their issues, interests and needs. Why do they choose to do so? Because most of the media in Bangladesh are still very much homophobic! (The Dhaka Tribune, on the other hand, was the first media outlet which made clear its stance in favour of LGBT people.)

The review also completely ignored the state-backed oppression of LGBT people.

I found the review of Roopban to be plain mean. It labelled the magazine as being “eroticised.”

Once again, the LGBT community is being stigmatised for its sexual orientation and preferences.

Surely, their magazine will talk about sex and sexuality. If, as a critic, you can’t accept this, then don’t read it. And if even if you

dare to read it, don’t be surprised if sex is a main topic.

The review, at least, points out a “rare gem” in the magazine: an interview of lawyer Sara Hossain. Some other gems that were overlooked were an article by Avijit Roy titled: “Is homosexuality a psychological disorder?”, a piece about homosexuality in Hollywood, a write-up on poet Michel Modhusudan Dutta, the article on the Universal Periodic Review, and an article on underwear hygiene (which, according to the review, was a “poor choice”).

Finally, I want to comment on the reviewer’s point regarding the absence of lesbians and transpeople in the magazine.

Our society is highly patriarchal and class based. The boys took this much time to come out of the closet, so no wonder girls need more time to go public.

Transpeople are the vulnerable among the vulnerable. They are ostracised even more, and thus are generally confined to earning a living through begging, traditional jobs like blessing newborns, asking for money from shops, or sex work.

We need to look to the root of the issue, rather than playing the blame game. We owe them our love, support and empathy, because it is us and our forefathers who created this situation, and it is our responsibility to change it.

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26 Stay in

a new Noir video game With ever more innovative styles and formats these days, video games are not just for kids anymore.

The new generation of games offer amazing stories lines and experiences that let you put the real world on hold for a while, and step into a different reality, where anything is possible.

The game offers a very unique experience. It is almost like watching a movie.

The Wolf Among Us is a five episode series based on the awardwinning DC Comics/Vertigo book series Fables. This is an often violent, mature, hard-boiled thriller, where the characters and creatures of myth, lore and legend exist in our

Sudoku Use the numbers 1-9 to complete each 3x3 square grid such that each horizontal and vertical line also contain all of the digits from 1-9

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E F R I DAY, AP R I L 4 , 2014

Shah Nahian

world.

Each episode can be finished within half a day, and with two episodes already out on all three platforms (PC, PS3 and Xbox 360), you can investigate bloody murders, get into fights, and discover the secret world of fables without having to take a single step out of your door.

Take control of the main protagonist, Bigby Wolf – the big bad wolf in human form – and shape the story according to what you say and do. You will discover that the brutal, bloody murder of a Fable is just a taste of things to come. Your every decision can have enormous consequences.

Last week’s sudoku solutions

Go out

27

Jibondhuli

Screening at Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City Showtimes (until April 10): 11am, 3pm and 7:30pm Enjoy your summer weekend with a film that has a great storyline and an engaging cast.

Directed by Tanvir Mokammel, Jibondhuli is a film set during the Liberation War. The film revolves around a professional percussionist, a lower caste Hindu, Jibonkrishna Das. His whole family is murdered by occupying Pakistani forces.

Shatabdi Wadud plays the protagonist. Other leading roles are played by Wahida Mallik Joly, Jyotika Jyoti, Ramendu Majumder and Paresh Bhuiya.

The director said getting all the artists on board was a dream come true. The cinematography, art direction, sound and above all the acting, have the made the film a rich aesthetic experience, the director claims.

The film has been nominated for the Jaipur International Film Festival.

-Farhana Urmee

Monday Night Jam Session/Open Mic Cuppa Coffee Club, Gulshan 2 Circle 8 pm to closing time

The Monday Night Jam Session is back on the calendar every week at Cuppa Coffee.

Kicking off from March 3, the weekly event includes a sprig of open mic as well, bringing together performers from all genres.

Anyone who wants to bring their A-game to the stage is welcome. Be it upcoming bands who want an opportunity to perform in front of a new audience, musicians looking to jam with friends, or the occasional singer, rapper or spoken word poet wanting to strut their stuff, all are welcome.

They also get the occasional guest performer, such as Kolkata’s Latin jazz band Los Amigos.

Note that musicians need to bring their own gear.

Anyone wanting to take the stage just needs to notify the host Seth Panduranga Blumberg, so he can call them to up for their spot in the limelight.

It’s fairly inexpensive with a Tk100 entry fee, or Tk200 for entry plus one drink.

They do this every week. It’s organic, dynamic, and always a good time.

-Sayeeda Ahmad

Weekly Planner

April 4 Chaitra Shankranti Book Festival Where Central Public Library Premises When 10am- 8pm What Several literary works have been brought together

by Adorn Publications, to celebrate the end of the Bangla year.

April 5 “Neel Megher Kabbo” - Mahbubul Haque’s solo painting exhibition Where Bronia Cafe and Gallery, Gulshan When 8pm-midnight What A total of 22 paintings of sculptures, predominantly in blue.

April 7 Monday Night Jam Session/Open Mic Where Cuppa Coffee Club, Gulshan 2 Circle When 8 pm to closing time What (see review on the left) April 10-14 Shakahon Rongila Mela Where Jatra, Dhanmondi Rd 27 When 10am-8pm What Jatra celebrates Bangladesh’s folk arts & crafts, and features performances by: Shayan, Bahok, Joler Gaan, Kangalini Shufia, Rob Fokir and Shadhona

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28 Last word | Sport fan politics

In the stadium, freedom of choice for the free man Is it unpatriotic for a Bangladeshi to support the Pakistani cricket team? Syeda Samira Sadeque

F

or as long as I can remember, I have supported Pakistan in cricket. My entire family has. I have childhood memories of watching cricket matches at the Moghbazar stadium, or crowded in front of a TV with ten other family members cheering for our team – in the following order of preference: Bangladesh (first choice), Pakistan (second choice), Sri Lanka/South Africa/West Indies/Zimbabwe (third choice) – after which it didn’t matter because most of us didn’t watch many matches that didn’t include these teams.

Those were good times. We supported or dissed teams for our own precious reasons without having to be accountable to anyone, or having our patriotism

“

crimes trials, the Shahbagh movement, Pakistan’s reaction to the execution of Quader Mollah, and a handful of Hefazat and Jamaat rallies. All this, directly or indirectly, ties into a discussion about Pakistani politics. This is legitimate. These are a product of our past with Pakistan, and it is only normal that our bitter joint history would be a part of the political conversation.

But why has it become a part of the cricket conversation?

It is rather disappointing to see how many have taken the definition of patriotism and incorporated it into the cricketing-spirit. National cricket and football teams are often used as symbols of patriotism that bring unity within a nation.

But it appears this sense of

by Wasim Akram’s performance.

That’s how I became a Pakistani supporter,” he says.

Though his support for the Pakistani cricket team has nothing to do with his opinion of the country or Pakistani politics, Faruq has been accused of being a “Jamaati,” (a term that’s been tossed around quite a bit since the advent of Shahbagh movement last year).

We can’t deny that Pakistan is a sensitive topic in our history, and it is understandable that proPakistani sentiments regarding their politics or our history are not welcome.

But in the past four decades, have we really divorced ourselves from Pakistan? Women regularly wear Pakistani designs, many buying from Pakistani fashion

In an ideal world you wouldn’t politicise sports. Sports is apolitical.

But we don’t live in an ideal world

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unity comes with an underlying expectation that Bangladeshis cannot support the Pakistani cricket team at all because of our history with them – even if their performance is better than that of the Bangladeshi cricket team.

My colleague Faruq Hasan, who supports Pakistan (after Bangladesh), told me he has actually received hate mail because of this.

He says he has been supporting Pakistan for years, because when he was growing up, Bangladesh didn’t even have a cricket team.

“As a kid I was really, really into cricket but I didn’t have a team to support. I was into fast-bowling and so would really get excited

“

or political identities questioned based on what cricket team we supported. But that was years ago.

Fast forward to 2014, and things are quite different.

With the recent cricket tournaments, a perpetual spirit of excitement has settled among Bangladeshi cricket lovers and non-cricket lovers alike. But as the flags wave high, and charchokkha-hoi-hoi ripples around in beats and flashmobs form across the country, there is another, negative energy that has arisen: the disapproval of Bangladeshis who support the Pakistan team.

We just finished a whole year of debates about the war

houses. So why the double standards when it comes to cricket?

Despite his support for the Pakistani cricket team, Faruq says he is careful to maintain certain boundaries.

“I don’t sing the Pakistani national anthem or wear their jersey. But I would wear the Australian jersey, which is my third favourite team.”

While Faruq has received personal attacks, I have seen many people spreading blanket slurs via social media – their audience evidently being any Bangladeshi (including me) who supports the Pakistan cricket team. Sometimes they

threaten. Sometimes they go on emotional rants about how fellow Bangladeshis are letting them down.

But how is this fair on the Pakistani cricket team supporters.

On those who support the cricket team simply because of their performance? These are people who know how to separate politics from sports, how to keep their sentiments outside of the stadium separate from their sentiments inside. Is it fair to judge them as any less of a patriot because they make this distinction?

Faruq doesn’t find it contradictory to support Pakistani cricket while bashing their politics. “In an ideal world you wouldn’t politicise sports. Sports is apolitical. But we don’t live in an ideal world. Sports is porous: literature, politics, all of it seeps in,” he says.

Unfortunately, the politics of supporting the Pakistani cricket team has seeped into the political arena even more since social media and blogging have taken over. Now that more people are able to express their feelings, more are freely taking the opportunity to condemn those who support the Pakistani cricket team.

But is this the freedom we fought for? Yes, we had a war four decades ago, but have we not come four decades forward since then?

How have we grown as a nation if, today, we are not able to let our countrymen – our free countrymen – choose who they want to support in something they are passionate about?

Even if it’s just a game, the free people of Bangladesh should have the space to support whichever team they want to, in spite of the history. And regarding our history with Pakistan, the war crimes trial is a testament to the fact we are, in fact, closer to a closure.