TMAG Volume 2 Issue 10

Dhaka Tribune

Tuesday, July 1, 2014 Volume 2, Issue 10

Taking a leap of faith!

Status of the week ‘’Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.’’

A weekly production of

DhakaTribune Editor Zafar Sobhan Executive Editor Shahriar Karim Managing Editor Jahangir Hyder Magazine Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Asst Magazine Editor Natasha Rahman TMAG Team Sabiha Mahmud Sumi Saudia Afrin Baizid Haque Joarder Fuad M Hossain Rad Sharar Raisa Rahim Contributors Shah Nahian Alveera Mamoon Kyoko Bhuiyan ASM Foysal Isfar Imtiaz Baset Kazi Anisa Moquit Asif Newaz Lameya Alma Amin

Quote of the week

Dear Readers,

Only the mediocre are always at their best.

Lingo of the week Chillaxin Meaning Slang for chilling and relaxing Usage “What up? Not much, just chillaxin.”

More inside PICKS OF THE WEEK 2 Room of the week Newaz Kazi 3 Doodle of the week Latiful Jawad 10 Spotlight Jack White 10 The goodsheet We are the champions-Queen YOUR WORLD 5 Car Lamborghini Veneno 9 Non-fiction The answer 9 Book The Seven Storey Mountain 9 Fiction Burning conscience 11 Game Battlefield 4 Real Life 3 Event Tweets 6 Hot topic When you believe

Editor’s note

12 Listology Five types of people you will meet at Jamat 12 Quiz How strong is your faity?

FASHION 4 Beauty check Dental hygiene 4 Wardrobe check Donning the head-scarves in style TMAG SAYS 2 Funk up your room Murder you wrote 2 FYI Running on faith 10 Playlist Believe in this playlist 11 Gadget Hunt Prolink PRO700SFCV

Yes, it is Ramadan. Stomachs may growl, your throats may be parched, and you maybe feeling a slight bit dizzy? No, you are not and all that is all in your head. This Ramadan, its time you stop nagging and start embracing this month instead.

We have on Hot Topic(pg6&7) a few quotes of how faith can help you get through this month and a couple of quotes by what faith really means to some of our readers. On Teenarama(pg12) we bring you a fun list of all the people you are bound to see at a Jamaat gathering; also try out our quiz to check how faithful you are. Hope the first day goes easy on you all! Do send us your thoughts to tmag.dt@ dhakatribune.com and keep tabs on our facebook page for updates!

With love, The TMAG Desk

HOROSCOPES 5 Your forecast

Graphics Tahsin Momin Mohammed Mahbub Alam Production Masum Billah

About the cover

Advertising Shahidan Khurshed

Taking a leap of faith!

Circulation Wahid Murad Email: tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com Website: www.dhakatribune.com

2 Room of the week Newaz Kazi

Photo Miftah Rahman

4 Look of the week Fit in slits

5 Car talk Lamborghini Veneno

8 Written in the stars Hot box

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Your Life

DIY

FYI

Murder, you wrote!

Have you read books or watched the movies on Sherlock Homes? Do you like him and how he solves each and every case? If your answer is yes, then you have surely seen his murder board; where he puts up the names of the suspects and other related questions. Planning things out in life is not the easiest thing. But with things like a murder board your life becomes much easier. And here is TMAG, to teach you how to make it, so that you can accomplish all your initiatives

Things you need • • • • •

3/4 inch thick polystyrene board A tight weave fabric, that would hold up while you punch in tacks Double-sided tape Colourful thumb tacks Nails

Steps • • •

• • •

Select a place in your room from where you are able to see the board from all angles.

After that, decide your preferred board size.

Don’t even think about cutting the board by yourself. You will find plenty of shops, especially in Nilkhet that can do it for you. Go and avail their services.

Set the fabric on the floor. Remember to place the fabric inside out.

Now to get a tighter look, place the board on top of the fabric.

Peel off the paper on the double-

sided tape and stick it onto the sides of the board. Keep in mind never to peel off both sides at the same time. Strongly press down or walk over the tape for the glue to adhere to the board.

• Now you can peel off the paper on the other side of the tape, fold the fabric on top of the tape and press down.

• To secure the borders and make them a little fancy, line each long side with colourful tacks.

• Lastly, to hang it, get at least three nails and hammer them through the board into the wall and your murder board is ready.

Punch and stick all your weekly plans of studying, schedule of coaching classes, lists of university you aim to study at, a check list of visa and passport requirements, important formulas and so on. Saudia Afrin

running on earth Once, at some wedding, while everyone was busy stuffing themselves with biriyani or taking pictures with the newly weds, at a distance I noticed a woman performing tayammum using dust from a concrete wall

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Even in such an occasion she managed to keep her faith intact and perform her prayers on time. It really inspired me and from that point onwards I’ve been trying my best to be regular with my prayers.

I have to travel to various places, almost everyday, but I don’t find that to be a viable excuse for missing out on praying. It’s not very difficult to pray in one’s own air-conditioned car. Mostly, I wear a kameez so there’s a dupatta for covering my hair and even if I do wear Western clothes, I make sure there’s a scarf with me. Sometimes I feel a little uncomfortable praying if I am using public transport, but then I remind

myself that staying true to my faith is the most important thing.

At school and work, there are separate rooms for praying which makes things very convenient for me.

However, when I go shopping, this facility is not always available. In such circumstances I search for a quiet, less crowded place and pray there. Even if I’m unable to pray during the specific time, I try and make up for it later by praying qaza. I believe that if your intentions are pure then your prayers shall be granted. So it doesn’t matter what situation you’re in, stay true to your belief and pray.

Kazi Anisa Moquit

Name

TMAG’s Room of the week!

Newaz Kazi Area

Poribagh

The red and the white of the lamps brings out the calmness and the warmth of the living room. This makes the room feel comfortable and is a perfect place to sit and relax!

Qutubuddin Kapadia

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Schoologistics

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EVENT Tweets

Graduation Ceremonies

Scholastica organised a grand ceremony for class 12 graduates on June 25, followed by another one for class 10 graduates on June 27, at STM Hall of Scholastica. The chief guest at the first event was Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, former adviser to the caretaker government and executive chairman of the Power and Participation Centre (PPRC). For class 10’s graduation ceremony, chief guests were Selina Hossain, one of the most renowned personalities in Bangla literature and Ambassador Nasim Ferdous, executive director of Bangladesh Alliance for Woman Leadership. Special guests, Madiha Murshed, managing director of Scholastica Ltd and Wasima Parveen, director and chief operating officer of Scholastica Ltd graced the occasion by distributing graduation certificates among the students of Scholastica. A brief cultural show organised by the school’s music, drama and dance groups, was presented at the ceremony.

Experiencing Bit by Bit The closing ceremony of NSU Bit Arena 2014, organised by North South University Computer Club, was held on June 25, at the university campus.

A Mobile Application Contest also took place on June 24, with several participants from 10 universities.

Simultaneously, a workshop on “Cryptography,” was being conducted by the faculty adviser of the club, Dr Rajesh Palit. Winners of the contest were awarded with Nokia Lumia phones, handed over to them by Prof Amin Sarkar, the vice chancellor of NSU. The event initiated the 13th ICT fair of North South University, where renowned IT corporates were invited.

During the closing ceremony, a brief seminar on mobile game development was held, which was conducted by Quadrolabs Limited. The curtain dropped after crests were distributed among the contestants and contributors of the NSU Bit Arena 2014.

BANMUN 2014A worthy achievement

Support My School!

Senior officials of Coca-Cola and Plan Bangladesh spent a day with primary school students in Sreepur and Gazipur district, as part of Coca-Cola Bangladesh’s sustainability campaign, “Support My School.” Deepak Jolly, vice president of Public Affairs and Communications for Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, Shadab Khan, country manager of Coca-Cola Far East Ltd, and Abdul Quddus, programme unit manager of Plan Bangladesh were present at the event. Coca-Cola, in partnership with UNHABITAT and Plan Bangladesh, has provided support such as, sanitation facilities, clean drinking water and recreation amenities to 16 schools in two of the districts. They are also spreading awareness among school students about protecting and conserving the environment. The campaign aims to address issues that lead to absenteeism or dropping out from school, especially among girls.

TMAG’s easel

Latiful Jawad “This week's sketch portrays what often skips our sight” If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com and see it in our weekly!

The sixth session of BANMUN 2014 took place from June 24th to 26th.

This three day conference was a huge success with about 44 schools, both English and Bangla medium, participating at the event. The conference was organised by United Nations Youth and Students Association of Bangladesh (UNYSAB).

This year’s theme of BANMUN was “youth for development.” They had 10 committees, each of which had about two agendas to debate over and eventually draft a resolution for both the agendas and present it at the general assembly for it to pass. One of the most important committees was the UNDP where they dealt with gender equality, transgender equality and the risks of HIV. In the opening ceremony, a number of inspirational personalities were present, such as Professor Dr Dalem Chandra Barman (vice chancellor of Asha university), Fayyaz Murshed (director of UN and human rights, ministry of foreign affairs) and Maniruzzaman (officer-in-charge).

The delegates and the chairs of all individual committees, agreed that it was a very fruitful conference, where the students involved managed to impress the chairs, and the experienced MUN members. Fayyaz Murshed, in his speech, appreciated the theme as it allowed the youth to engage not only in national affairs but also in global development.

The wonderful event ended with the foreign affairs minister, along with other guests, presenting awards to the participants and organisers.

Kyoko Bhuiyan

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FASHION FACE-OFF

Wardrobe Check

Beauty Check

Dental Hygiene

Donning the headscarves in style It’s crunch time. The party has started and you are still not done showering. Elaborate drapes for the hijabs can guzzle up more time and a trip to the parlour now is a no-go. Fret not, TMAG picks out easy breezy draping styles that you can achieve in under eight minutes bigstock

In a nutshell, Ramadan is a time to cleanse the mind, the body and the soul from impurities, mischief and wickedness. However, amid all that cleansing going on, we often forget how important cleansing of the mouth can be. Read on find out why dental hygiene is important even during the month of Ramadan

bigstock

Yes! We want to be good Muslims during this month and wouldn’t want anything to make our fasting makrooh(detestable). By maintaining your dental hygiene; not only will you be doing a huge favour to everyone you interact with throughout the day, but you can save yourself from gum infections, heart diseases (you heard us!) and in the case of diabetic patients, bring it back under control.

Many Muslims believe the use of tooth paste or powder makes your fast makrooh and it is only permissible to use a miswak, a teeth cleaning twig made from the Salvadorapersica tree, or any other permissible fresh branch or root.

Now, if you’re planning on having the tube of toothpaste for lunch, you’re clearly in the wrong. However, if it

Look of the week

Fit in slits Breezy white slit pants and a printed shirt – pair it up with shades and you are ready to rock the summer!

Model Rakibul Chowdhury Photographer Tony Browne

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is with the intention of maintaining proper dental hygiene, God knows what you’re really trying to do here.

According to Dr Zakir Naik, an Indian public speaker on the subject of Islam and comparative religion: “Most of the scholars say it is permissible to use tooth paste during a fast; including Shaikh Bin Baaz. He says that using toothpaste along with toothbrush is like using Siwaak (sticks taken from trees for cleaning teeth), and the Prophet (PBUH) has never prohibited using Siwaak. Therefore, it is perfectly fine, and doesn’t break the fast. But one should be careful not to swallow any of it.”

So, do yourself and everyone a favour and please go brush your teeth this Ramadan! Seriously!

Shah Nahian

The middle-eastern cover glam Tie you hair, make sure it’s not too tightly sealed, put on a bandana or a scarf that compliments your outfit and pin it at the back. Pick out a square shaped scarf material and carefully pin one side underneath your chin. Wrap the rest of it around your head, letting the layers cascade in a uniform manner underneath the scarf, and pin it up on one side with a colourful brooch or a bling pin.

A braided gesture

Put the shawl over your head ensuring that both the ends are of the same length. Tie it up behind your neck once.

Put another thin scarf and tie it behind

your neck under the shawl and start braiding the scarf and the shawl. Tie up the ends with a hairband that matches your outfit’s colour. A turtleneck or a full length under scarf is a must to get this look right.

Get the basics

The quintessential black, beige, gray, should only come out when absolutely required. Or else, experiment with pastel shaded pashminas, patterned oblongs and bright silk scarves. If you can pair the ones you buy with a number of different outfits, then that’s points for style and savings all the same!

Natasha Rahman

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Street Car Talk

HOROSCOPE The mad bull

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19)

Other people may believe that there is a logical path that you should follow when it comes to an opportunity or a decision, but you should follow your heart.

It was no surprise when Lamborghini decided to name their latest venture after one of the strongest, fastest, and the most badass fighting bulls ever; Veneno. Veneno was the renowned bull, notorious for goring a matador to death in 1914. He was indeed a murder bull on pills. The Italians however, are at their best when they stop taking their pills

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)

If you love something let it go, if it comes back to you, it’s yours.

If it doesn’t, then it never was.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)

Your biggest problem this week would be trying to come up with a solution to a whole host of problems.

This is the Lamborghini Veneno; a three of a kind completely street legal car based on the Aventador. It is powered by the same 6.5 litre V12 that is used to power the Aventador. It even uses the same all-wheel drive system, push-rod suspension and even the monocoque chassis from the Aventador. If you thought the similarities stopped right there, then you’ll be right!

Even though the Veneno is basically an Aventador with a fancy make-over, don’t judge it just yet.

Performance figures remain identical to the Aventador, with a 0-60mph time well below three seconds and a top speed of 221mph; 4mph more than the Aventador. Weighing in at a dry 1,490kg, it is 85kg less than the Aventador due to the extensive use of carbon

composite materials.

Where the Aventador’s heart produced a whooping 690HP, the Veneno’s heart has been boosted to a whip lashing 740HP. As if the pills weren’t good enough, the Italians decided to give the raging bull some cocaine as well.

The Veneno prototype car, car Zero, was finished in grey and had an Italian flag vinyl on both sides. Only three were ever produced - a green, white, and red one; each one representing a colour of the Italian flag. Car Zero on the other hand, will be retained by the factory for the museum. Each costs three million euros and the trio have already been sold. The Veneno was built to celebrate Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary and though it would be cheaper to make a cake, this is how Lamborghini do

business anyway. And it’s why we love them!

But then there was the Sesto Elemento, a madly re-interpreted Gallardo, extensively covered in carbonfibre, which was revealed at the 2010 Geneva Motorshow as a “technical demonstrator” according to the Lambo boss, Stephan Winkelmann. However, a year later he admitted that he would sell 20 of those track-only cars. Like the Sesto though, it is likely that the Veneno will also be used as a sort of rolling laboratory for future products and special editions. And if that is the case then expect the next gen Lamborghinis to not only break free of their straight jacket, but also set themselves on fire and roll out in flames.

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

Someone in your inner circle thinks it’s just fine to offer criticism and harsh insight even when you haven’t asked for it.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)

You have a very special ability and this very special trait is in the spotlight.

Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)

You may be caught up in a dark state of mind because of something that may have put you there a while back.

Tahsin Momin

Libra (Sep 23- Oct 22)

You may have kept a certain relationship superficial for a good reason.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

A small gesture of kindness on your part may make a world of difference to someone else.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

When making an important decision in the days ahead, you may fear that you are missing a critical piece of information.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan19)

You may feel compelled to offer someone much needed advice.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)

You may want to make something happen but if you want it to happen as badly as you think you do, you have to stick to it!

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar20)

flaws.

If you’re trying to impress, you have to stop focusing on your

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Vo ices of Ram Dhaka’s a melting pot of different subcultures, a spicy mix of people of different levels of faith and a spectrum of belief.

As we ease into Ramadan, a month of reflection and spirituality, TMAG focuses on how different people approach the issue of faith. Keeping the faith in Dhaka city is no easy feat. With the constancy of random abductions, mugging and stealing, what really keeps us going is our belief in a higher power, whatever one may call this higher power. We don’t realise it, but if we sit back and contemplate, it’s an unspoken faith that a force beyond our comprehension has our backs, that gives us peace.

By Natasha Rahman, Kyoko Bhuiyan and Baizid Haque Joarder

When I find myself in times of trouble Ishfaque Saleh recalls an incident. “Five of my friends and I took a night bus to Narshingdi last December. As it was five days before New Years, everyone was eager to go to their home-towns. We drove through the foggy night, and every time I saw a big truck out of nowhere

zoom past me I would shut my eyes and pray, and I would be glad to be okay every time. I never thought of it until this moment, that it was my faith in Allah that comforted me. It made me believe that we won’t hit the truck and everything will be okay. While we jostled and brushed

The food obsessed...

Yes, you don’t get to eat your regular meals all day. But fasting is all about making that commitment and sticking to it without having to think of food. But this gets increasingly hard for some teenagers.

Labibah Yusouf - “My mother always tells me that I shouldn’t talk about my hunger or think about food while I fast.

But that is very difficult for me as I have

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a younger brother who eats thrice a day, and also takes evening snacks.

Also, my family is always planning the menu for the following iftar, they spend half their time roaming around Gulshan and Banani to get the “best iftar items.”

I become increasingly frustrated by the end of the day, and as my mother forbade me to sleep during my fast, all I end up doing is nagging about the food.”

against each other inside the bus, there was faith in the back of my mind that God would keep us safe.”

While some people turn to faith during times of trouble, others find their faith questioned in times of trouble.

Golam Rasul says “Whenever I find

myself in a difficult situation, I remind myself that this is a test of some sort, and that Allah wants to see how strong my resolve is. If I can continue to trust that He will deliver me from this, I know I will emerge from the situation as a stronger person.”

HOT TOPIC

7

madan Do not go gentle Not everyone is so accepting of lessthan-ideal situations. Ramadan, with its long hours of deprivation, and the lack of sleep, is sometimes too much of a trial for some people, and they don’t hesitate to complain about this to anyone who will give them the time of the day.

We asked some people how they feel about “Ramadan Whiners.”

Saika, who identifies as a religious person, says, “These people who come to whine and complain, I feel their faith is not strong enough for them to fast. They don’t feel that it is necessary to starve themselves. Because it’s so

obvious that everyone is fasting, it becomes difficult for the whiners to not fast, since it is also about peer pressure.”

Naurin, a student, prays all year round, and fasts every year. She believes that these people have very low self-control. Fasting is all about

practising self-control regarding food, sex, sleep etc. If the person is complaining all the time then it defeats the purpose of fasting. These people are basically making their fast “lighter” and they are not concentrating on fasting but instead on everything else that really has nothing to do with it.

Dealing with the ninjas Having friends who can encourage you and make fasting easier among the turmoil of school and tuition classes is great. But some friends take this advisory role faster and try to dictate how one should dress and behave, and this doesn’t sit well with everyone.

Raisa Afsana: “I believe I am moderately religious. That means, I do not pray five times a day but do try my best to pray once a day. Also, I do wear

pants and kurtas from time to time for which some of my “religious friends” really start bothering me. I am now scared to hang out with them as they are beginning to judge me. They first start off by giving me the “look” and then they preach to me the “right way” of practising Islam. It really gets to me because, I believe my faith is something between my God and I.”

“Our social lives have been enriched with influences from social networking sites and now everyone is connected to each other. But everyone seems busy with something or the other. However, during Ramadan, you can deal with such social obligations and meet up with your close ones. But that does not mean one should always opt for eating sehri outside. Your family deserves some time with you too.”- Shaheer Asaad “Iftar is supposed to be something which you can appreciate and enjoy with your loved ones after a day’s fast. So why not appreciate it with what I can provide for? Of course, one should keep in mind the less than fortunate people in our society as well. Plus, the schools are usually closed during Ramadan and having iftar outdoors can be a chance to catch up with them.” - Abrar Sunny

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written in the Stars

The hottest piece of meat in town Fluffy soft buns, patties bursting with flavour and the mysterious special sauce – Hotbox rolls out one burger after another, burgers that are made to melt in your mouth! With its debut cart launching on December16, 2013, nestled in ,Uttara’s sector 7, beside La Bamba, they have victoriously brought out the carnivore, for burger lovers all over Uttara. Natasha Rahman tries her best to distract herself from their melt-in-the-mouth burgers and chats with the masterminds; Tanveer Ahsan, Reashat Nawaz and Hasnain Fahmi, the trio behind Hotbox “Well it’s pretty simple. The burgers are cooked inside a box which is pretty hot, hence the name,” comments Tanvir, when asked why they called it Hotbox.

Hasnain, who is in charge of the marketing and the PR for Hotbox says: “Three of us planned to start something else but that didn’t fall into place at the time. Hence, we decided to do something together and try our luck in the food business. We were on the verge of starting up a physical shop, but unfortunately that didn’t work out either. Therefore, we thought of going out on the streets with a cart and trying our luck.”

It’s relatively easy to open a cart, but to keep it going is when things go topsy-turvy. “Getting a suitable place and operating the cart peacefully without intrusions is one of our biggest challenges, especially with the mushrooming of so many carts inside Uttara” commented Reashat, who is in charge of the daily operations and ensures everything is in place.

Curious about the special Hotbox sauce, the owners were asked about the secret ingredient in their special sauce, only to be disappointed by a smirk from Tanvir. He says: “Haha sure, visit us at our factory and we will show it to you.

For our regular beef burger, the sauce has 11 ingredients, for the chicken there are eight ingredients. We specialise the sauce in a way that complements the choice of meat people pick.”

To run two carts on a daily basis is no stroll in the park and then to handle the media/marketing is another story altogether. Hasnain shares some of the

challenges they face.

“When really busy, it gets difficult to serve people on time. However, we never compromise the taste by being hasty; we try our best to keep the burgers as hot and juicy as possible.”

Setting up two carts in Uttara, they are now expanding towards the Dhanmondi burger crowd with their third cart at Dhanmondi 12/A. “We plan to explore more areas and also start up a couple of stores as well. If things work out according to our plans, we hope to try out other food ventures as well,” interjects Tanvir.

It seems like every corner you turn in Gulshan and Banani, there is a food cart to greet you; but they don’t feel threatened, in fact according to Reashat, there is a thrill in the competition. “We think it’s great that there has been a street cart revolution in Dhaka city. We wouldn’t be where we are if it weren’t for the competition.”

So, we wonder now, why pick Hotbox over the others? The trio agrees that although cart businesses are doing really well, Hotbox does its best to ensure burgers that maintain the perfect balance of juiciness and pop of flavours. “The biggest challenge is to ensure that each patty is cooked till it reaches the right balance of moist. As a result,with each bite all the components in the burger ooze in your mouth with a cheesy, tangy, meaty melt. Every ingredient adds its own kick, but even without the added toppings the patty itself has enough integrity to stand on its own.” n

What’s the best compliment you’ve received about your burger?

Some customers have said that it’s the best burger they have ever tried.

Some have tried all the local burgers as well as McDonalds, Burger King and loved Hotbox more than the others. We don’t mean to brag, it was just our customers’ opinions.

What are the new items on your menu?

We recently introduced the chicken steak burger which is a little spicy. Also we will be introducing a special surprise burger called “Cheesearama” and french fries very soon.

A mess up that happened while you guys prepared the sauce or patty...

Before we launched our first cart, we were experimenting with the sauce, and for some reason Reashat was attempting a fancy bowl trick (trying to copy a real chef) and spilled the entire bowl’s contents on himself.

Do you think the customers are always right?

Yes they are always right. If we go out to eat, we expect a similar treatment from the owners.

How open are you to criticism and change?

You are most welcome to help us improve anytime and every time.

Their favourites in Hotbox: Reashat digs the “Smash Burger” with double beef patty and all the

toppings.

Tanveer prefers the “Chicken Steak Burger” over the rest.

Hasnain spills the beans about his new favourite Cheesearama— which is yet

to be introduced.

Photos Natasha Rahman

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YOU WRITE IT

book

FICTION

Confessions of a fidgety mind

Comic

“The Seven Storey Mountain” is a modern day confession by Thomas Merton, which happens to be one of the most influential religious works of the twentieth century. It tells the story of a passionate but impatient young man whose search for peace and faith leads him to take vows to advent the search of God. While growing up, Merton

developed immeasurable richness of spirit and intellect that he shares through his writings. He was the son of an itinerant painter and had an upbringing with little or no religious character. During his early manhood, Merton left the fast life of New York and knocked on the doors of a Kentucky monastery, to hand over his life to austere ascetic contemplation and profound internal enrichment.

The book tells Merton’s story at a delicate level. It speaks of his spiritual journey in a modern context. The book portrays the preference of living life enthusiastically, facing new challenges at every step, dwelling in the joys of religious life, and on a more important note, the book emphasises on the meaning and responsibilities of all lives.

After its original publication, the book was published in more than 20 languages and has been known to change the lives of many. When reading, be certain that you will be spellbound and feel blessed. The content is guaranteed to make you feel a saintly air around you and thus grow a sense of faith, conviction and responsibility. Raisa Rahim

Burning Conscience The girl stared out into the dazzling moon on her ceiling. Her thoughts were stuck onto the man and what she had witnessed. She just couldn’t let go.

It was a hot July evening during Ramadan. She woke up at 11 in the morning with nowhere to go. Sitting in her air-conditioned bedroom, all she did was complain about being thirsty, hungry and the heat. She was fasting along with her family and being patient was just not in her nature.

It was just before iftar time, after hours of complaining; she sat in the balcony and witnessed a young rickshaw puller at a makeshift tea stall. He sat there quietly, with his hands patiently folded, his wrinkled skin drenched in sweat, all the while breathing really fast. As the Aadhan began, his lips curved to draw the biggest smile the girl had ever seen upon receiving the small plate of rice and lentils. He sat there with utter eagerness and finished the food straight away. After drinking a glass

of water, his rickshaw was ready to pick up the next customer.

The girl stood there, awestruck, ignoring the edgy voices of her parents. The man showed her the meaning of patience, what fasting with happiness and faith was, and how a real person truly acts.

Lying on her bed, she was restless. The visual of the young man was pricking at her conscience.

Both their lives differed in every aspect, yet being a Muslim and fasting connected them in a bigger sense. But sadly, she realised that her being the superficial girl she is, she could never match the height of pure contentment his eyes had shown. Lameya Alma Amin

non-FICTION

Vampires strike back

Vampires have been making an interesting theme for fictitious works since the time of “Nosferatu.”

Still, nothing makes a horror story irresistible if it’s about surviving hoards of zombie like vampire attacks, especially if it’s in a colorful glossy comic-book.

Enter “The Fall” – the second installment of “The Strain” trilogy Adapted from Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s work, David Lapham’s comic book “The Strain

Book 3: The Fall TPB” is an amazing work indeed. The story continues from where “The Strain” (first installment of the trilogy) ended — Dr Ephraim Goodweather, along with the small group of his fellow surviving warriors, is desperately fighting endless waves of vampire attacks. But the chances of their survival look bleak as they fail to stop the “Master” while the infection continues to spread rapidly in Manhattan and New York.

Unlike Twilight, vampires in The Fall are not really charming. The hairless skulls, pale skin and stingy tongues of the bloodsucking vampires make a pretty grim impression on the readers.

Guillermo Del Toro surely knows how to grip his readers in breathtaking suspension. What’s really special about his work is that it’s not just horror—it’s a blend of diverse genres like sci-fi, religion and folklore.

If you’re reading the comic-book versions of “The Strain trilogy” for the first time, you would be mesmerised by its graphics and narrative. Reading the novels beforehand might spoil the fun for a bit, but you’ll definitely have a better understanding of the infected world of these evil vampires.

Muhammad Mustafa Monowar

The answer I stood in line in the insidious Vancouver rain, waiting for the bus that would complete the third and final leg of my daily commute to classes. It was only my first semester, but the novelty of grad school in Canada had begun to wear off, and I was terribly homesick.

After what felt like aeons, the 99 B-line finally arrived, and I dived on board fast enough to bag one of those front-facing seats so I’d be able to complete my Zuhr prayers on the bus. And then I realised that in the rush to leave the house in time to catch the first bus, I had forgotten to grab my scarf. I now had no means to cover my head for the prayer.

Now, I don’t really consider myself religious, but I do try to be regular with my prayers, no matter where I am, and this situation bothered me a little. Not only would I not be able to take advantage of the rare opportunity to get an ideal seat on the crowded bus, but I wouldn’t even be able to go pray once I

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reached the university, not being familiar enough with the sprawling campus to know where Muslim prayer facilities were located.

So I sat there, despondent, talking to the Almighty in my head.

Please forgive me, Allah. You know I wouldn’t miss it on purpose.

If I only had something to cover my head with, you know I would find a way to say my prayers...

All too soon, the bus arrived at the University depot, and disgorged us once more into the cold. As I joined the ranks of the grumbling students, reluctantly exiting the warmth of the heated bus, a movement caught my eye. There, on the chain-link fence leading to the Student Union Building, was a bright floral scarf fluttering in the breeze.

Maybe it was all a coincidence, but as I lifted it off and wrapped it around my head, to be deposited at the Lost and Found after prayers, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was an answer to my plea.

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

TM AG TU E SDAY, J u ly 1 , 20 1 4

10 tmag The goodsheet

stereo

spotlight

Queen - We are the Champions CAPO on 3rd Fret Verse: Am G Am G I’ve paid my dues, time after time.

Am G Am G I’ve done my sentence, but committed no crime.

C Fadd9 C Fadd9 And bad mi-stakes, I’ve made a few.

C G/B Am7/E D G I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face, but I’ve come through.

F/G Gm9 G9 A7 And we mean to go on, and on, and on, and on.

Chorus: D F#m7 Bm7 G A We are the champions, my friends.

D F#m7 G Adim B7b9 And we’ll keep on fighting ‘till the end.

Dumped tunes A monstrous explosion of electrifying beats, blues rock and hip-hop defines the spirit of this album. Inventive and unexpectedly witty, Lazaretto is one of the best break-up albums of the recent years

Em7 A7/E Gm6 A13 C#dim We are the champions, we are the cham-pions.

D Em9 F6 G7 Am11 No time for losers, ‘cos we are the champions, Dm Em7, Dm Em7, Dm Em7 Of the World.

TOP Believe

10

in this playlist

1. Faith George Michael 2. Allah ke Bande Kailash Kher 3. When you believe Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston 4. Dil ki doya Paban das Baul 5. Time after time Cindy Lauper 6. Bullah ki jaana Rabbi Shergill 7. Namaaz amar hoilo na Bangla 8. Jogi Fariha Parvaiz 9. You raise me up Josh Groban 10. Win Brian McKnight

TM AG TU ESDAY, J u ly 1 , 2014

Jack White’s second solo album and the most successful yet, features songs ranging from self-pity to humorous to the blank admission of loneliness. The songs are bursting with ideas and sounds, with the bleat sound of the piano ringing in the ears. “Would you Fight for my Love” is arguably the most decorous and over-the-top song, and stands out from the rest of the tracks. It opens with a low hum, shifting to a soothing tone for like 20 seconds before gradually morphing into something like a rock ballad.

The album comprises of various tunes, each different from the other, and yet all the songs are nestled into a similar theme.

Recently divorced, White’s album reflects certain emotions and the darker sides of his personality; however, he had reportedly brushed off this connection. According to him, the songs were inspired from the various plays and prose he had penned during his teenage years.

The opener “Three women” is based on Blind Willie McTell’s “Three Women Blues,” in which White sounds confused as to which woman to pick from the combination of a blonde, brunette and redhead. This song

would definitely appeal to all you befuddled men out there, trying to pick one woman from all the beauties out there. At times White sounds angry, puzzled and frustrated, making you wonder; what’s he trying to figure out.

The album comprises of songs, which have a certain underlying menacing tone, but as each word and sound passes, the songs get better and better. With all the sugary and sour tones, the songs get to you and are oddly touchy. This album was released on June 10, and if you want to spend 40 minutes of your life tasting very different flavours, this is just for you. Lameya Alma Amin

tmag 11

playroom

WE RECOMMEND GAdget Hunt

Movie

Greet the PRO Summer is upon us with all its glory and with the unbearable heat comes the unwelcomed power cuts. In between the hot flashes and the fountain of sweat your body would undoubtedly turn into, would you really be willing to add to your suffering when your electronics finally decide to kick the bucket? “No” would be an obvious and smart answer to that question. And to that end you must add some degree of protection to your electronics from all the power surges and untimely power cuts.

Meet the Prolink PRO700SFC, the intermediate. Protecting your electronics - namely desktop computer, from all that is evil about summer. It is a single phase input output interactive Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) system. It uses the latest Prolink’s

super fast charging technology so you have the batteries fully charged within three to five hours. Not very flattering to look at, but a capacity of 650VA and a transfer time of two to eight milliseconds, it will keep your electronics’ heart pumping without skipping a beat. Not only does it keep your PC churning smoothly, it also offers a wide array of protection from short circuiting or overloading.

Available at all Computer Source outlets at a price tag of Tk3,100, you can’t go wrong with the Prolink PRO700SFC; especially when it comes with a 12 month warranty. Providing a wide input voltage range, automatic voltage regulation and an alarm system to warn you if things go awry, Prolink PRO is the way to go. ASM FOYSAL

Game

To battle or not to battle?

Millions of Battlefield fans across the globe were enthralled the moment they got news about the release of the newest Battlefield. With the beefed up single player story and the mass havoc that you can create in online multiplayer mode it seems Battlefield 4 is already a roaring success.

“Second Assault” evidently marks the fabulous effort put in by the developer after the declining success of Battlefield 3. The change is more prominent in single player, where the storyline is turbulent, tantalising and yet moves with a break neck speed.

When it comes to graphics, you will surely be astounded by the clarity

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of pictures. Battlefield 4 is a game where you’ll occasionally want to stop and take a look at the world around you. Landscapes are gorgeous, the combat is engrossing, and the scale of destruction is tremendous.

The action is set in 2020, six years after the events of Battlefield 3. The US embroils in a war with China, as the notorious Chinese Admiral Chang, plans to overthrow the Chinese Government and support Russia. With the countless things you can perform the game will engross you and take you to the real battlefield. Some of the perks are,

you can call in the help of an attack helicopter, and also direct the other members of your squad to attack a particular enemy. With the fate of US citizens resting on your shoulders will you be able to make it till the end and gun down the formidable Chinese forces? Well let’s keep that for you to find out.

To sum it up, Battlefield 4 is a wonderfully robust experience. The fans had to wait for the multiplayer mode due to some developer problems, but without a doubt, the wait was worth it.

Asif Neaz

A 17 year old agony Behind the candelabra is a thrilling crime drama that focuses on, a pair of homicide detectives in Louisiana, a murder trail, mayhem and a mystery that lasts 17 years. Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson), are called to the crime scene of a gruesome, ritualistic killing of a young woman.

The woman was poised by a tree, adorned with deer antlers on her head and accompanied by strange symbols.

Fast-forward to 2012, Hart and Cohle

are grilled by another pair of detectives (Tory Kittles, Michael Potts), who are investigating a case that bears striking similarities to the one before.

In between, there is a glimpse of 2002, where Hart and Cohle struggled to deal with their inner demons in separate, but equally destructive ways. Join the search in True Detective, an eightepisode anthology series. It was surely worth the wait and with the success of the first season; we can’t wait for season 2. Alveera Mamoon

On the edge When the trailer of “Edge of Tomorrow,” came out, it seemed to be just another heavily action-packed, typical alien invasion movie. Well, there is a saying: “Never judge a book by its cover,” and in this case, it stands very true. The film has an intriguing storyline, exciting action sequences and perfectly fitting humour.

Although, the two things that could’ve made this movie redundant were, the concept of alien invasion and secondly, the concept of repeating days. But director Doug Liman executed these concepts brilliantly and there wasn’t a single dull moment. The lead actors, Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, performed remarkably. They made an excellent pair and had tremendous chemistry too.

The film itself, however, is very unpredictable and you’ll constantly find yourself wondering what happens next.

For those of you who don’t prefer watching action films, “Edge of Tomorrow” is worth giving a try. It is full of suspense and is terrifically imaginative.

Another new element in this movie is the character that Tom Cruise plays. You’ve always seen him as the hero who saves the day but this time he plays a coward’s role for a change.

The pace is just right, the acting is flawless and the effects are raging! It is without a doubt the summer blockbuster done right. The trailer might not be convincing to a lot of people but its recommended that you watch the movie, you surely won’t regret it.

Isfar Imtiaz Baset

TM AG TU E SDAY, J u ly 1 , 20 1 4

12 tmag

TEENARAMA

Meeting different types of people everyday from different walks of life is quite ordinary and during Ramadan, you get to see a few more especially in the mosques.

People come here to pray, but it’s just interesting how each one behaves at a jamat.

TMAG lists the types of people that you are likely to encounter in one

Listology

Baizid Haque Joarder

The Connected

Five types of people you will meet at jamat

Take TMAG’s PERSONALITY QUIZ Now!

How strong is your faith?

You expect other people to be faithful. But are you faithful? Take the quiz to find out.

This species can be seen updating his Facebook statuses at the end of every prayer, often to showcase the “true” Muslim he is. Check-ins about him and his friends praying, probably at a high-end, air-conditioned mosque are normal.

the several signs saying, “turn off your phones” or “put your phone on silent mode,” these people tend to overlook them.

The political/business “analyst”

The aforementioned type is just hilarious. You are in the middle of the prayer and you suddenly feel like you’re in the middle of a concert! Yes, despite

How many times have you overheard (even when you weren’t trying to) two people talking loudly or proudly about the current political or social structure?

Like they are the only ones responsible for saving everyone with their words of wisdom, or else we are doomed? Steer clear of this lot.

Question 1

Question 4

You're out with friends, and they are pressuring you to break your fast, what would be your reaction?

You're going back home on a rickshaw and its time for iftar, would you

The “Oops-Incoming-Call”

A. You give in.

B. You leave because you are mad.

C. You explain that it is your faith, and you will continue fasting.

A. Stop to buy food for yourself only.

B. You don't bother to buy food, and you ask your rickshaw-puller to paddle faster.

C. Stop to buy food for both of you.

Question 2

Question 5

If you had the opportunity of doing something that you are forbidden to do when you are fasting, what would you do?

Do you gossip about people behind their backs?

A. Often.

B. On a few occasions.

C. Never.

Question 3 Your friend reveals that he/she has been lying to his/her parents about fasting. What do you do?

A. You laugh about it because you do the same.

B. You tell him/her that he/she should be honest with their parents.

C. You try to convince him to really fast.

The newly found gas field Oh this one, this species is usually found during Ramadan, especially after breaking their fasts. Often seen during the Taraweeh prayers, this type is the one that burps every few seconds revealing the smell of undigested piajus, begunis and haleem. If found, please give him a dose of antacid with mouthwash to follow.

The true kind This is the type who closes himself to the world when entering the mosque.

Try and be this person.

A Opportunites come once in a while, so why not?

B. You'll think about it.

C. You won't even consider it.

Mostly A’s - Unfaithful You are not faithful. You do not seem to be too serious about Ramadan.

Mostly B’s - Confused You are too self-centred to be faithful. Therefore, when given the opportunity to do something unfaithful, you test the waters and get involved.

Mostly C’s - Devoted You are devoted. No matter what happens your faith doesn’t falter.

TM AG TU ESDAY, J u ly 1 , 2014