Avenue T Volume 2 Issue 31

Dhaka Tribune | Saturday, December 13, 2014 | Volume 2, Issue 31

Of victory and virtue

Contents

AvenueT inside...

Four-starred EcoSport

5

Editor’s note 8

Exotic blooms in the patio

Editor

Zafar Sobhan

Executive Editor

Shahriar Karim

Managing Editor

Jahangir Hyder

Magazine Editor

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine Editor

Mahmood Hossain

Made in the hood

15 16

The quaint little island

Avenue T team

Khan N Moushumi N Anita Amreen Sabah Rahman Tausif Sanzum Sabiha Akond Rupa

Contributors

Dina Sobhan Tahsin Momin Adila Hoque Arafat Kazi

Photography Rajib Dhar

Graphics

Alamgir Hossain Md Mahbub Alam

Colour specialist

Shekhar Mondal

2 TUNED The 5th edition of LR 3 TRY OUT Stitching for beginners 4 TECH The new speaker from Bose 5 TIRES Ford EcoSport 6 TELL All the melodrama 8 TUCKED IN Gardening tips 9 Take Care Unblock nasal cavities 10 TRIAL ROOM Novel thinking

12 TRENDING Going deshi this season 13 Tailored Winter essentials 14 TEMPT Teeped and dolled up 15 TICKET Bangladeshi made 16 TRAILS Nijhum Dwip 18 TANTALISE Of veggies and macaroni 19 TALK Kaymu and e-commerce 20 NEWS

Dear Readers, The cold winds of December bring a mixed bag of emotions for us. From the marshalling of spirits for Victory Day, to the laziness of a chilly weekend, to a couture conundrum in the thick of the wedding season, we at Avenue T are dealing with the feels this week.

Snuggle up under a DIY kantha on Try Out. If you’re butting heads with someone over political ideology, our Tact column will help you steer clear of resentment. On Trending, we feature the latest Victory Day themed collections by local fashion houses. Finish the look with a custom teep, there are pointers on Tempt, and a real deshi accessory made in Bangladesh, which we’ve featured in Ticket.

In Tucked In, we have ways of turning your tiny veranda into a lush green space. You can chill there with the yummy treat we’ve showcased in Tantalise.

If you’re planning to make a quick getaway to make the most of the season’s chill, check out our suggestions in Trails.

Finally, join us in the Trial Room, to chat with Arafat Kazi about polishing your inner muse.

Have a great week ahead!

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Editor, Avenue T

Production

Masum Billah

Circulation

Masud Kabir Pavel

Contact us

avenuet@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com

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Embracing new perspectives

This week In honour of the ones who brought us a hard-earned victory Painting: Artist Md Nurul Haque

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2 | Tuned event

Lustrous Runway Fashion beyond shores

| N Anita Amreen

Dec 13 Ali Faiyaz Shoumo and Karishma Khan from Infinity Management with showstopper Malaika Arora Khan

Tareque Masud Short Film Competition 2014 Venue: Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Designer collection by Nova Genuine Swarovski, makeover by Prive Spa & Salon

Dec 12-13

This December, fashion aficionados were finally treated to the most anticipated fashion extravaganza in the form of the 5th edition of Pond’s presents The Lustrous Runway. Powered by BMW, it’s an initiative of Infinity Event Management that took place on November 28 at Radisson, Dhaka. In a much more glamorously enhanced and expanded version, this year’s runway featured some of the leading ladies of the Dhaka fashion scene - Nuzat Nawar, Nova Genuine Swarovski, Paera, Kimaya Design Studio, Studio Omana and Sarah Karim. On the international front they had a stunning collection by Purvi Doshi, a veteran participant of Lakme Fashion Week who graced the Dhaka runway for the first time. To share the fashion, excitement and the energy of this lavish event there was the utterly stunning Malaika Arora Khan and the Bengali beauty Shishir Al Hasan as celebrity showstoppers. While Arora dazzled in a soft teal outfit

by Sarah Karim, Shishir donned an elaborately designed khaadi piece by Purvi Doshi. As the show ended to a breathless close, we realised how for the fifth year in a row, they’ve smashed industry standards and left a new benchmark in the world of fashion, leaving us anticipating their next fashion event with more zeal than ever before.

Photos: Courtesy

Wedding Festival 2014

Venue: Spectra Convention Centre Limited

Designer collection by Sarah Karim, makeover by Prive Spa & Salon

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Designer collection by Nuzat Nawar, makeover by Prive Spa & Salon

Designer collection by Purvi Doshi, makeover by Prive Spa & Salon

Try Out |

3

diy

Kantha

stitch 101

A basic guide to getting started on stitching your own kantha

| N Anita Amreen Come winter months and you know the value of that true-blue, much loved kantha that has been passed down your family tree for years. A mesh of beautifully detailed designs, this cocoon of comfort has that feel-good factor that hits so close to home that no matter how many duvets you use, the kantha is always your first preference. This week we explore the basics of the kantha stitch to get you started on your own story-telling journey.

Perhaps a few months down the line you can stitch your own kantha and hand it down for generations to come.

You’ll need A sewing kit Thread Needle Chalk A large cotton cloth

Directions

Once you’re done with the basic running stitches, try to decrease the gap between each stitch. As you get familiar to the running stitch you can try chalking out basic shapes on the cloth and stitch on them. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily work it up to making elaborate designs and filling kanthas with stories of your own.

Put a thread of your choice through the needle and tie the two ends together in a knot. Place the cotton cloth on your left hand and hold the needle between your thumb and your index finger of your right hand (if you’re right-handed; and switch if you’re a left-hander).

To begin the running stitch, first chalk out a short straight line not more than five inches long. Put the needle through the beginning of the chalked out line, pulling it all the way out till the knotted edge comes in the way then leaving a gap of less than half an inch, put the needle through the bottom and out through the top. Continue passing it in and out of the fabric till you feel more comfortable.

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4 | Tech Troubleshoot

gadgets

More boom from Bose

Bose proves they are still the best

Out with the old, in with the new | Mahmood Hossain Gone are the days when you had to painstakingly transfer your data from one phone to the other. In technology, advancements are inevitable and that is how it will always be. While you may be emotionally attached to your current smartphone, sooner or later, you’ll have to swap it out for a new one. Surprisingly, there is more than just one way to transfer all your contacts and important files from the old phone to the new one.

All in the card If you’re fortunate enough to have expandable memory card slot for your smartphone, things can be made a lot easier. There should be enough room in your card to place all your photos and other documents. All you have to do now is simply place the memory card into your new phone. That’s if the new phone also has a memory card slot.

Through the air Not all smartphones, even with premium flagships, have the option of expanding the memory so you have to be satisfied with the storage given from the factory. No worries, you’ll always have Bluetooth technology.

This process literally takes a couple of minutes or even less depending on how much data you are wanting to transfer. Most phones will have a specific setting to which selected information you want to transfer.

You can do the same through cloud storage; however it all depends on how much free space you have in the clouds.

Old fashioned way Hopefully, you never find yourself in this situation. Then again, there are many mobile phone users that are making an epic leap from ancient devices to today’s sleek and sexy flagship phones. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll be able to hook your old phone with your PC or Mac through a USB cable. Browsing through your folders, it’ll be easy to save it on your computer and transfer them into your new phone through the same USB transfer process.

Share your troubleshooting problems, write to us at avenuet@dhakatribune.com

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| Mahmood Hossain The all new Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker packs a huge punch in such a small body. It’s the perfect little speaker to have around the office like ours, or at least just on our floor. But its lightweight and compact design makes it very convenient to take with you anywhere you choose. Just as long as you have your tablet or smartphone around, while hooked through Bluetooth (30-feet range), you can enjoy spectacular sound from this winner from Bose.

Design

At first glance, it looks a FisherPrice toy. But that’s actually not a bad thing. The speaker looks fun and very approachable as it comes in five different colours. The functional buttons are placed at the top of the speaker with a soft touch. And the back of the speaker possesses the micro-USB port, alongside the AUX cable input right underneath it. Connected through the micro-USB, the speaker can last up to eight hours of playtime on a full charge (after three hours of charging).

Performance

Don’t let the small size fool you.

The sound is fantastic coming from a tiny device that weighs only 1.25-pounds. The more expensive SoundLike Mini, however, does deliver better bass. But this speaker’s bass works well if you place it near a wall; you’ll be able to judge its sound in this particular

position, not losing sound in the process. This is also strong in both the midrange and treble categories. And its clarity is finer compared to other Bluetooth speakers in its range. Again for its class, songs can play at very loud levels without any distortion.

This Mighty Mouse of a speaker will cost you a little over Tk10,000 if you aim to shop online. It’ll cost a tad extra if you decide to scope it out in certain stores like Gadget & Gear.

apps

Colours of the wind From beginners to the professionals, it’s a must-have artistic app

| Mahmood Hossain Autodesk’s ScetchBook is absolutely brilliant. The features and abilities this app has for a free downloadable app are truly spectacular. While not all of us are sketch artists or seasoned illustrators, this still is a very fun and beautiful app to have on your mobile device. There are plenty of in-app purchases, but its free features make available all of the details you wouldn’t get from other apps in the market.

In all honesty, this app is made for artists, but you don’t have to be one to admire and experience what it has to offer. As the website states, “The entire screen is your canvas.” Even though this works better on tablets for obvious reasons, your phone – with a 5-inch display and higher –

can take care of those itchy creative moments throughout the day. You’ll be able to pack all different types of brushes, pens, pencils and markers for easier access for your newest sketch. In addition, the app lets you resize your brushes, change opacity and colour on the go.

What you’re getting from this wonderful app is nearly every feature

you’d expect from its desktop version of SketchBook. Each stroke of a brush or each line from a pencil is magnificently sophisticated. The better specs your mobile device possesses will deliver better quality production and feedback. This allows you to capture details from each image at a max level of 2500% zoom capability. You also have the choice from creating layers on top of the other, 18 different blend modes, and image manipulation.

SketchBook delivers a hassle free user interface, which makes things much easier while you work and focus on your art. This app is free to download for both Android and iOS devices.

Tires | wheels

Road rage

2014 Ford EcoSport A Swiss Army knife on wheels

| Tahsin Momin Ford seems to think that the principles applied to make a multi-tool be applied to a car and that is exactly what they tried with the Ford EcoSport; a model that the company brands as a crossover and claims that it can do nearly anything and everything.

Exterior

Ford has created a clear cut design approach to the EcoSport. It begins with a rather high tech and highly detailed front end. The large octagonal radiator intake dominates the front and uses what Ford designers call the “inverted Superman” grille. Right next to the grille is running daylight LEDs along with the hexagonal headlamps connected by a slim grille, which makes the front end look a lot cooler, radiating a young vibe. The bonnet features a pair of strakes up to the windshield. There are rocker rails on the lower edges of the front bumper and the rear bumper, just in case if you hit a tall speed bump.

Interior

On the inside, the cabin is well thought out. The dash looks quite similar to the one in the Fiesta but if you look closely, you would realise that they, in fact, are relatively different. Even though the architecture is similar, many details are modified to adapt to the interior space.

The EcoSport comes with high-tech features like the Sync audio system with a variety of connectivity options (USB, Bluetooth, Aux), six-speakers, steering wheel buttons for the audio, automatic climate control, voice command recognition and a multi-info display.

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Available at:

AG Automoblies Limited Abdullahpur, Uttara, Dhaka-1230, Bangladesh Phone: 02-8911880, 02-9564033

Performance

At the heart of the EcoSport is Ford’s 1.5-litre Ti-VCT engine paired with a six-speed PowerShift transmission that has a combined output of 110HP and 142Nm of torque. On the highway, the EcoSport is pretty good; exhibiting better stability that is typical of such a small vehicle. In terms of power, the EcoSport does a fair job, though it feels like the power unit might be a bit overworked when the car is running on full load. Crosswinds while cruising at 100 km/h are not a problem, and fuel economy is pretty decent at 14.2 km/l but the fuel economy figure drops significantly in moderate city traffic to 8.5km/l, but that’s not the issue.

Safety

The Ford EcoSport only managed four stars in its Euro NCAP crash test, even though it has a full roster of airbags on board.

The EcoSport drives outstandingly well as an SUV and it definitely drives well enough for something that has been put together in such a cleverlydesigned and incredibly well-packaged manner. It might be a creation with many compromises but mind you, that is where the EcoSport draws its best selling points from, to a great extent like the revered Swiss Army knife.

Eerie winter

| Tausif Sanzum

We are yet to see winter come in Game of Thrones but it has made its pompous entry into Bangladesh.

Along with the yummy pitahs, have come the dreadful pitfalls of winter.

Let’s start with cycling. Unless you want to be a human kebab, you wouldn’t dare to go cycling during summer. Come winter and there are countless cycles on the road. We agree that cycling is a great form of exercise but let’s face the truth – the roads of Dhaka are hardly safe even for the gigantic buses.

Badminton is a winter sport.

Especially during this time of the year, almost on every road people of all ages gather with a racquet to play this game. Such a merry picture only to be busted by the fact that it’s a road you are playing on, not a badminton court. Roads are for movement of vehicles, a fact we are already skeptical about in Bangladesh. Added to this, if we end up blocking or slowing vehicle movement by turning them into courts, it is a serious road offense.

Due to the lack of playgrounds, a lot of people especially kids end up playing cricket or football on the streets. This not only increases their chances of being run over by a car but it is also dangerous for any pedestrian who might be walking by. Back in 2011, a young student named Niamul Kabir was walking home, when out of the blue a ball came and hit his eye. The incident caused serious damage to his left eye and he still has to travel to and from Madras for treatment. There is no direct solution to this problem.

If you prefer cycling during winter, make sure you put on your safety gears and ride as close to the footpath as possible. If you cannot find a place to play badminton or cricket, do not turn the roads into your playground. On a higher level, the city corporations should seriously consider these issues which planning the infrastructure of the city.

Got a peeve to share about the state of the city’s roads and traffic? Sends it to us at avenuet@dhakatribune.com, or post it on our Facebook wall.

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6 | Tell drama mama

Blood connections | Dina Sobhan

Aries (MAR 21-APR 19)

You’ll be very comfortable in your skin this week and may even be able to find contentment in solitude. Enjoy some alone time as you will find inspiration in your thoughts.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)

On the emotional front it may not be the best week, but when it comes to unearthing every kind of secret information you will be at the top of your game. You may find out some fascination information.

Q

We are a family of four. My husband and I were married in our late 20s; it was a forced arranged marriage, rather than one we had a say in. We never established a friendship before the marriage and not a lot has changed since then. In fact, my husband and I even have separate bedrooms.

From the beginning, things were very troubled between us. Throughout our marriage, he’d yell at me and abuse me, and our children heard it all. They grew up in a home where yelling and abusing was a regular thing. Now, as they’re approaching their late teen years and becoming adults, I often find remnants of that upbringing in them.

No matter what you teach children, they learn most from what they see and hear. I feel terrible knowing that their aggressiveness stems from witnessing our relationship. Is it too late to change things?

Dina Sobhan is a free-lance writer, a part-time counsellor and a full-time mom

A

Photo: Big Stock

It’s unfortunate that your children had to grow up witnessing so much anger and animosity between their parents. It is also regretful that you did not try to manage the relationship sooner, and try to get counseling to mitigate the damage to your family. While it would’ve been better to start talking to your children at an earlier age, there is still time to be honest with them.

They are now old enough to know that the marriage you have was an arranged one, and as such there were a lot of problems from the beginning.

You need to make them understand that your particular dynamic with your husband is not common to all relationships and that it is possible to have mutually rewarding and loving relationships without the hostility that they witnessed growing up.

And, most importantly, you have to make them believe that regardless of your relationship as a couple, that both of you love your children and are thankful for them, and hope that they have better relationships and a happier life than you did.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)

There has been a tipping of the scales where you’ve lost your worklife balance. Find your inner peace by reconnecting with yourself and your old social life.

Horoscope

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

Stop living in your own world and try to take a step back to assess your surroundings. You will find a sudden change in perception that will be enlightening.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)

The more you socialise, the more gregarious you are, and the happier you feel. Don’t waste all that positive energy by doing nothing at home.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)

The longer you wait for someone to try and understand you, the more time you are wasting. Just go out there and make your visions clear; don’t wait around for things to happen.

letters to Mars

When the tables are turned Q A | Avenue T desk

Photo: Big Stock

My wife, in the truest sense, is an emotionally abusive person.

It may sound odd but she really needs help here. I love her deeply but I can no longer turn a blind eye to the way she behaves and acts with me. I am fed up of always being manipulated by her, always having to take her verbal and emotional abuse. If she doesn’t get her way she will leave no stone unturned when it comes to belowthe-belt jabs or badmouthing both me and my family. I am a man of patience and I would never disrespect my wife so I have tolerated all this but now I am so fed up of it, I don’t want this anymore.

I love her but this is too difficult to deal with every single day. How do I get her

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to realise that she’s abusive and this behaviour needs to stop?

Photo: Big Stock

Remember that a relationship is a two-way street. If you’re not feeling it and she still thinks all is rosy and good in your world then there definitely is a problem that needs to be addressed out in the open. The traits you have mentioned are commonly found in those who are generally insecure and feel the need to always exert power and control.

If her rampant insecurities are making her badmouth and disrespect you, I feel

no reason why you should “tolerate” it in silence. If you are “fed up of this,” then there is no other way to sugar-coat this to her. Try to explain to her how you feel and really hear her out and see what makes her this insecure. She wants to be heard and cared for, so make her feel that way and help her come out of this rut of power playing and struggling for control.

Write us your problems and send them to agony.aunt@dhakatribune.com

Tell |

7

tact

Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22)

There’s this particular quality about this week that really attracts Librans to its comforting folds. You will forge friendships this week that will continue to surprise and excite you throughout the week.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

Take a breather and remember that the world really doesn’t revolve around you. If you have been suffering from turmoil, it’s all in your head.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

You shall break limits that you thought were not previously possible. Development and growth are key players this week and they will be the driving force behind your success at work.

oroscope

CCapricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) This week you can literally walk through any door you choose. Put on your favourite outfit and get ready to have an action-packed time with both friends and family.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 19)

The more you try to argue and fight and prove your point, the angrier you’ll get. Try not to be such a warrior and take the diplomatic front as it will take you places.

Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)

This week tidy up your personal life. Renew old connections and rid yourself from the ones that have gone awry. It’s your time to reconstruct your life, so do it wisely.

Party warfare Dissipating an argument over politics at the next family gathering

| N Anita Amreen Heated debates about the country’s current political situation somehow always make it to a family gathering.

What starts off as a funny remark everyone can laugh at soon becomes a full blown argument with both parties aggressively trying to pledge their allegiance. Before you know it, like an infected wound, the rage mutates around the circle and often leads to name-calling, jostling and even a penetrating, pregnant silence.

Read on to find out how to tread the path off political conversations without losing your cool.

Choose your battles There will be times when you have overheard or are being told about a certain party’s level of misdemeanour or corruption, and your comeback just rolls right out of the tip of your tongue. When opportunity for disagreement arises, really think if it is necessary for you to argue to a certain point. Pick your battles before you impulsively plunge into them.

Find middle ground While it sure is easier and a lot more satisfying to prove your own point,

if you’d like to dodge the chances of a botched nose then it’s best to focus on what you two have in common rather than what you don’t.

Steer clear of below-the-belt jabs Politics is always about one’s own, very personal and highly guarded opinions.

Your definitions of right and wrong will always differ from others.

Agree to disagree at this point and try to emphasise on how each is entitled to his/her own, uncontested Photo: Big Stock opinion.

Curb your urges to fuel the fight Sometimes a spectacular comeback to the argument you had 10 minutes ago might come to you, and you may be tempted to restart your argument.

Never let this get the better of you.

Once an argument has died down, please just allow it to rest.

Be willing to apologise At the final stages of your war ravaged argument, if you think you have offended or hurt the feelings of anyone around you by saying something wrong, there really is no way to get around it. Openly apologise and do so emphatically and wholeheartedly.

letters to Venus

The other friend | Avenue T desk

Q

I have been seeing this guy for approximately eight months now, and even though it may feel too soon, I’m actually quite serious about us. I feel like this is it, and luckily, he shares the same point of view.

My friends have warned me to think enough before getting too involved with this, but I couldn’t help myself. My boyfriend isn’t exactly known for his committed nature, but he told me that he’s changing his ways now, and that he has never felt about anyone else the way he does about me. However, I have noticed he’s maybe a little too close with his girl friends. I mean I’m not the jealous

type, but I do know he has to stick to some boundaries now that he’s with someone. I talked to him about it and all he told me was that we cannot expect to be with one another forever if we begin with wanting to change each other. I just feel sometimes we need to evolve in order to make room for our loved ones in our lives. How do I make him understand that?

Photo: Big Stock

Our Agony Aunt is a life coach and a relationship coach as well as a corporate and organisational consultant. AA lives and works in Bangladesh but travels extensively around the world to attend seminars and see her clients

A

Ouch! It does not sound good to me. He may be too insecure about his masculinity and have to prove to himself, which is why he needs the reassurance from other women. I do not have enough information about him, his age, his previous relationships, but a guy who needs to have other girl friends - apart from his girlfriend - and needs to text them and see them, well I would not trust him. When a young or older man or woman is in a relationship, I do not believe in having meetings with the opposite sex, unless they are for work, or if by chance one runs into a friend in a coffee store. It often leads to unfaithfulness and into jealousy - a very lethal thing in a relationship. Most betrayals happen either in the place of work or with the people we most frequently see. Before getting engaged I would see how he reacts to your worries.

This is not a matter of being jealous; this is a way of life from someone you should be feeling safe with.

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8 | tucked In digs and finds

decor

Mirror Secret mirror on the wall Exquisite wall mirrors from Home Works

Address: House 8, Road 27, Block K, Banani Model Town, Dhaka.

Contact # 01713-377716 Photos: www.facebook.com/home.works.decor

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Garden

The how-to to your tiny garden

| Adila Hoque

Our country has a long history of having well-decorated outdoor spaces and verandas, as demonstrated by the Mughal era and the early Bengali homes. The reason why it is so important for some of us to include so much green into our homes is that even at the end of a very busy day, we all have a habit of coming back to the basics of life.

Even though the verandas in the regular apartments do not allow a lot of space to create a proper garden, if you can translate the idea of a small garden in that small space of yours, then it may become possible for you to have your little haven there.

Firstly, try to lay out the background with a muted colour so the mind is free to focus on the serenity of all the green outside.

As for the plants, try to include climbers, herbs, shrubs and any kind of bright seasonal flowers. Try to use pebbles and coloured stones to decorate the green areas; it will add another dimension to your veranda.

For you to actually enjoy some time with nature, you should need a good sitting area. In many houses, this sitting area is actually an extension of your living room. You can have bright cushions, bamboo

chairs or swings; if it is possible, try and include a shade to protect you from rain or too much sun. With these things, evening teas with the family will become something you actually look forward to. For the table, try to stick to something simple and nothing too elaborate.

You may use old tables to give more character to your veranda, but only if you adjust it right. Since our country is normally really hot in almost all seasons, include a fan in your arrangement. It can be a regular table fan or a cloth/bamboo

one for a more rustic look.

The lighting is a very important part of your mini garden. You can place dim lights or lamp shades in a corner or have lights hanging from some of the larger plants. The lightand-shadow dance will make for a very cosy atmosphere that’s more suited for a relaxing afternoon.

For decorations, you can have a small desk lined with good pottery.

Try to keep the decoration to a minimum since you do not want the attention taken away from all the other items in your veranda.

Take care | health

9

Precaution

Under pressure Easing the pain

Womanly woes Beating the bloat

| Sabah Rahman

| Sabah Rahman For those who don’t know, some of our bones contain a cavity, which is more commonly referred to as a sinus. What you probably are aware of is that they are located in facial bones and connected to nasal cavities because of the pain you’ve felt if you’ve ever had to deal with sinusitis.

this is where compresses can come in handy. Lie down and place a warm, wet towel on the upper part of your face for some instant relief.

Spray it out

You can also try to get some of that gunk out of your nose with a nasal spray. Some people prefer and swear by nasal irrigation with the use of a“neti pot.” What is it? Well, it kind of looks like a mini “bodna.” You fill it up with salt water and rinse it out through the nose.

Know what to avoid

Photos: Big Stock

Why?

When your sinuses get filled with bacteria and fluids, you will probably get an infection. A host of different ailments can cause this, especially a cold. You will know you’ve been affected when you feel stuffy, feverish and a whole of unpleasant pressure on your face. If things take a very bad turn, pay your doctor a visit as you may need a dose of antibiotics. A lot of people are not fond of hopping on the antibiotic train, however. Try some of these home remedies to ease your symptoms before you break out the big guns:

Get all steamy

A good old-fashioned steam can really help open up those sinuses.

You know the drill. Boil some water and pour it in a big bowl. Do yourself a favour and add some menthol crystals (available at pharmacies) for an added kick. Put a towel over your head and breathe in. Do this twice a day to ease symptoms.

Warm it up

Sinus headaches are nothing to joke about. It’s really hard to go about your day with a stuffy and throbbing head.

Apart from taking some Paracetamol,

If you are suffering from sinus pain, it’s imperative to know what to stay away from. Limit your exposure to allergens by keeping your home free of dust. The same goes for bedding and curtains. Wash them in hot water.

Keep it clean. If you are allergic to pets, stay away. Avoid those pleasant evening walks if it’s pollen that sets off your allergies. Alcohol is known to worsen sinusitis symptoms. Laying off the sauce won’t hurt either.

As if that horrid time of the month wasn’t enough to deal with, we women also get bloated and feel like we morph into a whale. Fear not, this week, Avenue T talks about a few ways we can banish that blubbery feeling: Step away from that scale It’s absolutely normal to gain up to 10lbs of water weight a fortnight before you start. Do yourself a favour and stay away from the weighing scale.

Work it out As much as you may want to curl up in bed with an oversized bag of chanachur, working up a sweat can be the best remedy. Countless studies have shown that women who exercise on a regular basis tend to gain less water weight and avoid pesky mood swings.

Say no to salt You’re going to crave all sorts of salty sensations. Try not to give in because that salt will make your body retain even more water. Who wants that? Train yourself to reach for healthier snacks. Your body will thank you for it.

Minty marvel Sip on peppermint tea. It’s chock full of anti-inflammatory properties. Apparently, it helps to stabilise mood swings as well.

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10 | Trial room

When in doubt, listen to Ferdous Wahid

How to be successfully creative AVEN U E T SATU R DAY, de c e m b er 13, 201 4

Photos: Courtesy

In 13 easy steps

| Arafat Kazi Creative people bring ideas to life. They create. But creation is not a mystical process. There are some who believe that you must be born with natural gifts. That’s silly. You can work hard and achieve a reasonable facsimile of immortality. Like carpentry, or bricklaying, it is a matter of practice, effort, and putting the right things in the right places.

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Trial room | It’s easy to be creative. All you have to do is be it. It’s that simple. Believe it, do it, and one day you will realise that you are successfully creative.

By which I mean that you will be producing media - in the form of words, visuals, music, whatever - of a high standard.

Here are some guidelines. They are not sacrosanct. Sometimes they contradict each other.

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You have access to the greatest knowledge base in the history of human existence. Use it. The Internet is full of addictively interesting information. Go and learn something new. Be the first in your group to discover something. Once you taste that secret joy, the world changes.

Knowledge becomes your drug.

people achieving miraculous results with limited means. The two most important resources are time and effort. Be generous with them.

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Don’t judge others.

Drummer Mike Johnston said, “There’s the day you start, and from that day, you just move forward. You get better every

influences into a mediocre product.

Ideas have a life of their own, and theft is part of how they reproduce.

Instead of worrying about someone else plagiarising a world-famous piece, think about the under-the-surface similarities your own work has to generic conventions. Try to subvert them into originality, or avoid them altogether. Alternately, find something

1

Define what success means to you. Do you want to create great art or do you want to be wealthy? The two are not always mutually exclusive, but you need to choose your priority.

2

Practice. This is the most important thing to do. A personal example: When I was a teenager, I used to play drums for hours every day. I reached a certain skill level. For over a decade after that, I would practice until I got to that set level, and then stop. I wondered why I didn’t get better, until about a year ago, when I decided to play every day, no matter what.

Within three months I had broken through a 14-year plateau.

Master the box before you go out of it

3

Get rid of whatever you created and do it again. Don’t settle for the low-hanging fruit, everybody else can get those too.

It’s only when you exhaust every cliché, every predictable line, that you’ll come up with something that is truly yours. Because nobody else took the time to work through four hundred permutations to get to one perfect idea. The band Bangla discarded multiple fully-recorded, complete albums before they were happy with Kingkortobbobimurh. On a much smaller scale, this is the tenth complete rewrite of an article I won’t get paid for.

4

Similarly, sweat the details.

A grand vision needs to be articulated. A great technique for tackling a big project is to break it down into manageable components.

You cannot ignore the small parts.

As chef Marco Pierre White says, “Perfection is lots of little things done well.”

5

Don’t break the format. Before you create something brand new, master the system that already exists. There’s a reason why feature films are 90-minutes long with three acts, songs are in 4/4, and so many of the best poems are sonnets.

6

Don’t follow the same old format.

Rules were made to be broken.

William Blake said, “I must create a new system, or be enslaved by another man’s.” Dipjol said, “Shob kicchu system koira dimu.” They are both right.

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Stay current. Musicians wrote great songs in the 1960s. Poets wrote great poems in the 1660s.

By admiring the past, you appreciate the towering achievements of giants.

But we stand on their shoulders, and this is a golden age of self-expression.

There is beauty and truth in art today.

Instead of, say, complaining about Ke$ha or Mila (I love them both), look for pockets of weird and wonderful that are buried under the mass media surface. Hint: It’s all online.

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Make the most of the resources you have. Everybody wants a bigger lens, richer recording studio, a faster processor. But chances are, you can get more use out of your current circumstances.

The Internet is filled with examples of

single day. So when I see somebody that’s not as accomplished as me at the drums, I don’t think they’re worse than me, I think they’re earlier than me - earlier on the timeline of drumming than I am.” As the old Nike ad said, there is no finish line. The destination is “better than I was yesterday.” And that’s where your energy should go. (On a personal note, I constantly struggle with judging people because I am extremely insecure. But the same insecurity drives perfectionism, so it’s an acceptable trade.)

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There’s a point where influence becomes theft. We all steal. But I think we are overly concerned with explicit theft and don’t care enough about working

that nobody else knows and steal that.

It worked for Shakira’s“Waka Waka.”

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Judge yourself by global standards. Even if the world is not your stage, you are competing against everything that’s being broadcast, everything that’s in print, every song ever recorded. You don’t have to be The Beatles or guru Azam Khan. Just don’t take comfort in being the best in your neighbourhood.

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Know when a project is completed. This is a nuanced and entirely subjective call.

But overworking something can destroy it. It is better to be apposite than to be grand. And there is beauty in finishing something when it’s done.

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12 | Trending fashion

Stand tall and proud in vivid shades of red and green from Rang

n o m o d e nt

Wrapped in the map of our beloved motherland, discover the trails of Bay of Bengal

Fhreefashion fro t

Deshi brands introducing this year’s Bijoy Dibosh collection

| Sabiha Akond Rupa

Ritzy cuts fused with ethnic patterns from Kay Kraft

AVEN U E T SATU R DAY, de c e m b er 13, 201 4

This December local fashion houses like Rang, Shroddha, Bibiana and Kay Kraft launched their unique line of Victory Day themed apparel. In subtle combinations of red and green, they bring to you different styles, patterns, eclectic embroidery, screen prints and wood-block on cotton and linen fabric.

Deshi handloom saris, salwar kameezes, panjabi, kurtis and T-shirts are the main attractions of this occasion. Before you pay a visit to the National Memorial, Shaheed Minar or any other places on December 16, here’s a sneak peek into their new, flamboyant collection.

Photos: Courtesy

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Tailored| his style

style session

Fab five

with mahmood Hossain

Q A

The fashion essentials during the winter season

| Mahmood Hossain

1.

A Tartan designed tie is a key accessory to have in order to up your suit game for work.

The more layers during winter mean more mixing and matching patterns so adding this significant piece to your outfit is a sure winner.

Nothing says business-ready like the perfect card holder or case packed with your contact cards.

Those metallic card holders add a bit more sophistication to go along with your ambitious goals in getting to know the right people. A leather card case is equally

2.

attractive. Whichever style you choose, make sure it’s a representation of your stylish profile.

3.

Thermal crewneck, long-sleeve shirts can be a perfect substitution to a fully fledged sweater. A twotone crewneck brings out the definition to all the muscles you were working on during the summer.

4.

Leather brogues will never go out of style, but this winter it’ll be taken to the front of the line. Try out more and more brogues while you can. It’s the ideal, professional and suave look for your feet.

5.

Dark toned chords are the alternatives to your casual trousers or chinos. Corduroys are one of those colder month essentials so a couple of pairs can take you a long way, right into the coming spring.

in fashion

Threaded pride

Q

Wearing the colours of the national flag can be tricky, tread carefully

Common sense over pride

Not every shade will look good

that have a more flattering presentation where fashion is concerned. As you’ve been able to tell, their colours aren’t exactly the same as their flag.

Accessories are just enough

against your skin tone, especially not with the duo of red and green on the Bangladeshi flag. It can become, dare we say, tacky to a certain extent. In other words, you don’t have to have the actual flag colours on you when you’re out and about. Take a page from the Portuguese national football team. They have a deep shade of green and red – almost maroon –

I’ve always had chest hair, and plenty of it. Well into my 30s, I always thought this was how a man should be, but my fiancé says to trim things down.

My hair nearly creeps into my neck. How do I solve this problem?

Some women love chest hair, others not so much.

And you know what? It’s perfectly fine. Because simple issues like this have easy remedies.

Chest hair is almost the same as cutting down a beard. Whether you’re a Sean Connery or a young Akshay Kumar, get yourself a beard trimmer. Grab a pair of scissors and start cutting the longer strands, followed by trimming things down with the beard trimmer. There’s no need to go manscaping, you want to avoid the initial shock of losing Rapunzel’s hair. Keep things tamed and be careful around the nipples.

A

| Mahmood Hossain Altogether, it’s something we wouldn’t encourage when trying to sport the colours of the country’s flag. The Americans, English and French will find it very easy to incorporate the tricolours into their outfit for certain government holidays. With the boxers and socks aside, it’s easier for them because the colour combination makes sense; they are pleasing to the eye. This is where many of us, here at home, find it difficult to comprehend. You don’t see the Italians rocking their flag’s colours that often do you? Of course not.

They know better.

What is the difference between showering with a traditional bar of soap and fancy body wash or liquid soap?

Well, the long lasting argument is that a bar of soap, like Irish Spring or Zest, can damage your skin. In other words, a regular bar of soap does too much of a cleansing. It’ll dry your skin like chapped lips.

It’s hard to believe but it’s true for some cases. If you have oily skin, this won’t be too much of a problem. In fact just to be safe, you can scrub the bar of soap on a shower scrubber first and then apply to your body.

When it comes to clean and cost factors, the bar of soap will always win.

The care factor, on the other hand, will go to the body wash or shower gel.

There will be no tight, itchy or dry skin after using a body wash. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but since it is winter, you should give it a try. Happy scrubbin’!

Pendants, pocket squares, straps on watches, or flag pins can be worn instead.

Sometimes, it’s about subtlety. We can learn a few things from the Italians in this department.

If you’re really wanting to show national pride, all it takes is a single item from your wardrobe. There’s no need to wrap the flag around your neck and start brooding like Batman.

Smaller yet significant additions to your everyday outfit get the job done.

Point in case? Don’t overdo it.

Send in your style inquiries to avenuet@dhakatribune.com

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14 | Tempt beauty session

with sabah rahman

Fair polish fouls Why you shouldn’t

diy

Teep inspiration Your very own DIY teep

| N Anita Amreen

This treatment called “Fair Polish” has gained immense popularity in most beauty institutions in Dhaka. Its primary function is to brighten the skin by using bleaching agents that we all know are no good for our precious skin. FYI. Most institutions use the same bleach they would use to lighten those dark facial hairs. Here are a few downsides to this procedure: • • •

•

•

•

•

Bleaching leads to increased thinning of the skin and may leave nasty marks.

Bleach is a carcinogen (cancer causing agent).

Using skin-whitening concoctions, made by unprofessionals can damage the skin and cause it to lose its protective properties, leading to infections.

Bleaching products may cause liver damage, visible blood vessels and hyper-pigmentation.

Many of these ailments cannot be reversed.

If all these points are not enough to deter you from the fair polish game, visit a licensed dermatologist if chemical whitening is what your heart is set on. Those friendly ladies at your regular salon may not be properly trained and further disrupt your mug.

If you insist on going through with this procedure, remember it doesn’t end at your face. Your whole body needs to match.

Learn to love the skin you’ve been blessed with. No whitening treatment can do that.

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In the spirit of Victory day, why not spruce up your ensemble with an inconspicuous yet striking teep? Not only does it add an eclectic touch, it also frames your face giving it a more dramatic portrayal. This week we give you an easy step-by-step guide to making your teep, if you happen to find yourself out of stock and in the mood for some DIY elbow grease.

Lip liner

If you’re thinking precision, highpigment, long-lasting glam then it’s best you work that bindi using a lip liner. Not only is it easy to just get that picture perfect detailing, it also lasts longer (given that you’re using a high quality lip liner).

Kajal

What better alternative to the quintessential black teep if not waterproof kajal? Gently trace out your design or your base shape and fill it in carefully to make yourself an elegant black teep. If you’re thinking of something a little more elaborate, use liquid eyeliner to draw and fill.

Gel eyeshadow

Gel eyeshadow has a long lasting quality that helps it settle on our skin. If you want something more on the colourful side, try using a mix of eyeshadows and then outline it with sharpened lip liners. You may try coloured liquid liners for more elaborate designs.

Sequins and eyelash glue If you really want to get your creative juices flowing, dig out your trusted eyelash glue or use clear nail polish to form

the base of your teep. Available at Almas, Priyo and Bodyline, this little one is your best friend as far as elaborately designed DIY bindis

are concerned. Use two drops (or more) of your lash glue onto one side of cellophane paper. Give it just about 20 to 30-seconds to get goopy and then place small sequins or mini gems in a pattern of your choice. Don’t press the gems in, rather let them lay there and dry on their own.

Once they’ve dried, use an anticutter to cut out the extra glue surrounding your design. Once it has the perfect shape, place some more glue or clear nail polish behind the teep and stick it neatly between or slightly above your eyebrows.

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Ticket|

Made in

Bangladesh “Made in Bangladesh” is the brainchild of Khaled Mahmud, the creative director of Headoffice Communication, one of country’s leading branding agencies. The idea was to design accessories that would provide the owners with a sense of belonging and intimacy. The product line currently includes small bags for stationary, books of poetry, badges, candles, and a whole lot more. All of these products are made from environmentfriendly materials and as far as aesthetics are concerned, they reflect the essence of Bangladesh.

Buy local

| Sabah Rahman

This number is referred to as the Peakies. You can tote around all your necessities in this spacious bag. The leather belt makes it a breeze to carry on your shoulders. They don’t get any more real than this, as this product is made with jute cotton and leather

Made with cord and canvas, the Layla is another option if you’re looking for a carry-all

A convertible backpack called the Jolpy, it can be slung around your shoulder as well

The travelling kit named BG71 is a new addition. It’s perfect for your trusted shaving kit or to store those extra cables you need with you all the time. You can also stash a pair of socks in this bag to keep those toes warm during winter

The Dream Catcher is a notebook, made with felt cord, where you can scribble down your thoughts, chores and dreams Photos: Courtesy

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16 | trails

Rolling in the (Nijhum) Dwip | Sabrina Fatma Ahmad What started out as a couple of sandbars emerging from the mouth of a river, with the help of an aforestation programme implemented by the Forest Department in 1974, gradually became the tree-lined haven for birds and deer, proof that a little support from the government can make a huge difference. Nijhum Dwip is definitely an eco-tourism hotspot for nature lovers in town. This winter, you can put it on

AVEN U E T SATU R DAY, de c e m b er 13, 201 4

your travel list for a low-budget getaway.

Accommodations: Nijhum Resort.

While not your fancy star-rated digs, this is the only place on the island where you can hang your hat while you visit.

Sightseeing and Activities: The 9550 acres of forestland provide plenty of opportunities for deer sighting and birdwatching. The beach

is also accessible for sports and chilling under the winter sun.

handy to capture the wildlife and the gorgeous sunsets.

Food: Hot, piping paratha/

Costs: Tk 9,500 for a 4 nights/3 days

egg breakfasts, chicken/fish and vegetables for lunch, and a BBQ option for dinner.

What to pack: Sunscreen and

mosquito repellant. Lots of trees mean mosquitoes. Also, keep a camera

package (food, accommodation, sightseeing and guides included).

Booking: Abakash Parjatan Ltd 17, New Easkaton Road, Moghbazar, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Contact: Mr Monjur 01940653577

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trails|

Photos: Rajib Dhar

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18 | Tantalise recipe

Veggie

macaroni salad Macaroni salad featuring earthy, colourful veggies

| Khan N Moushumi With winter, comes an array of super healthy, super delish, fresh vegetables.

One way to make good use of them is by tossing them in a macaroni salad.

We’re not talking about the goopy mess that most pasta salads are known for – there’s not a blob of mayonnaise added to this one. The lemon juice and garlic paste in the dressing, teamed with olives and raisins make for a surprising pop of sweet and sour punch here.

Ingredients for dressing: • • • • • • • • •

1tsp fresh garlic paste 2tsp sliced green chilli ½tsp ground black pepper 1 cup raisins 4tsp olive oil 4tsp lemon juice Salt to taste ½tsp tasting salt 1tsp sugar

Mayo haters rejoice, for we give this raisin studded dressing a unique spin with the wonderful pungency of fresh garlic and olive oil. In a bowl, first add olive oil and lemon juice.

Also add garlic paste, sliced green chilli, freshly ground black pepper and raisins. To get the sweet and sour punch going, add salt, tasting salt and sugar into the mix and refrigerate the dressing until chilled (for 30 minutes).

Salad ingredients: • 3 cucumbers • 2 carrots • 2 tomatoes

• • • • • • •

½ of a cabbage 5 cobs of baby corn 1 chicken breast 2 cups macaroni 1 cup cubed sausage (optional) Canned mushrooms (optional) Canned olives (for garnishing)

In a separate bowl, cut the cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and baby corn into cubes, shreds, chunks or in any shape that floats your boat. Boil the macaroni and chicken breast in two different skillets. Once boiled, cut the chicken breast into strips or cubes and add both the chicken and macaroni to the bowl of vegetables.

You may also add cubed or sliced sausage and mushrooms into the mix at this point. Next, take the dressing out of the freezer and pour it into the bowl of veggies. Mix the dressing and the salad ingredients well making sure everything is evenly coated with the dressing.

Drizzle some more olive oil on top and garnish with raisins and sliced, canned olives. Bon appétit.

Photos: Big Stock

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talk | such as Tesco or Best Buy, there is still potential here. Bangladesh is a great, great market for Kaymu.

There are so many young people, and they are all so entrepreneurial and have such drive and determination to make progress, I really think Bangladesh is a great market for us. The future of retail lies in e-commerce, and given Bangladesh’s growth potential, this is ideally the country meant for Kaymu.

Often times buyers are hesitant to purchase goods online, how do you dispel trust issues that both buyers and sellers experience?

For the sellers, we offer cash on delivery. We even have our own staff who undertake the deliveries, that way all the sellers have a trusted delivery partner who is collecting cash on the doorstep and then returning it to the merchant. As for the buyers, we have a system where they can rate sellers on our website. Depending on past buyers’ rate and reviews on sellers using stars, buyers can make their purchase decision. For example, five stars would mean the seller is reliable.

With e-commerce booming at such an exponential rate, what made Kaymu survive competition when they first began?

Kaymu riding the e-commerce boom

Of online portals, the booming e-commerce industry and convenient shopping experiences

| N Anita Amreen This week we talk to Christian Schroeder, co-founder and managing director at Kaymu Asia, one of the largest and fastest growing online marketplaces. Founded in December 2012 as a venture of Rocket Internet, Kaymu.com.bd has experienced astronomical growth ever since, with over 500,000 people visiting the website on a monthly basis. We get a scoop on the inside story behind Kaymu, its role in empowering the regular seller and the enterprising spirit of the Bangladeshi market that has helped Kaymu thrive in the industry like no other.

Tell us a little about the Kaymu franchise and how it began.

Well we began not too long ago, entering Pakistan first as a successful online marketplace where buyers and sellers would find a platform to interact. We started in what you can call predominantly emerging markets, such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Ghana, etc. Earlier this year we received funding and that is when we really accelerated our growth across the Asian and African continents. And now here we are, steadily progressing through the Bangladeshi market.

We’ve noticed that Kaymu focuses on small emerging markets in developing countries. What is the reason behind this?

I wouldn’t say the markets are small, especially in Asia and Africa, I would rather say they are large markets

with great untapped potential. In terms of population, these markets are extremely big. They may not be as successful as other first world countries in Europe or even like the US, but they really are catching up quickly. The growth rate in Europe and the US maybe 1-2% a year, but in this region right here, the growth rate is increasing at breakneck speed and we want to catch this wave.

We are, in essence, aggregators that bring many merchants from Facebook with their small online websites and offer them a larger platform and professional ecosystem of marketing, delivery as well as customer service.

That is something other websites cannot provide or they cannot afford on their own, especially if they operate through a Facebook page. Moreover,

what is really important is that we are very attractive for buyers. We have so many merchants selling the same product that they compete for prices, leading to lowered prices for goods that buyers can now afford, thanks to the positive competition.

Tell us three unexpected hurdles you faced when starting out here.

I would say the biggest for us was the infrastructure. The logistics and delivery systems which are present in the market are very expensive or unreliable or they only operate in the Dhaka region. We often have problems delivering outside the capital. However, we are now able to facilitate deliveries by getting our own people to do it. Second, in Bangladesh, e-commerce is a novelty and not everyone who uses Kaymu understands the concept that they aren’t buying from us, rather we are just the middlemen who are providing a medium for exchange between buyers and sellers. Third, the internet penetration here may be 10% or 15%?

But even that is improving as more people are getting smarphones. We have also recently launched a mobile app.

Where do you see the Bangladeshi market going from here onwards?

Do you think there is more growth potential?

There is absolutely enormous potential in Bangladesh. I think what we offer is very convenient, especially given the traffic situation in Bangladesh where it can take hours to get to a place, the convenience of shopping online is unbeatable.

Finally, in your personal opinion, what truly sets Kaymu apart from the rest of the online shopping portals?

I think it’s our ability to create a market where we are open to individual sellers and not just big companies finding a medium to sell their products online.

We are empowering regular people to sell, to earn and to succeed. I’ve been to many countries but I must say, again, that no other country is as entrepreneurial as Bangladesh.

Everyone here is very enterprising. They all want to start their own business, but the main problem they have is gathering capital. The big advantage of Kaymu is that we offer them an avenue to increase sales without any capital investment. It’s as simple as taking a picture, uploading it on our website and allowing Kaymu’s traffic to attract sales for individual sellers.

What made you believe that the Bangladeshi market could be Kaymu’s latest venture into the international market?

In terms of population, Bangladesh is in the list of top 10 countries with the highest population and we really feel that this is where we need to be.

Although the retail landscape here is nothing like developed markets where you have large chain stores

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20 | news

It’s Me made-to-order T-shirts

ISD’s “Colour Run” In the dull, misty, grey morning of December 9, over 800 students, teachers, parents, support and administrative staff took to the streets of Bashundhara to partake in ISD PEOPLE UNITED “COLOUR RUN.” It was sponsored by the Bashundhara Group. The theme for the December 2014 edition of the run was “Colour Run.” This added a fun dimension to the day where students got to dip into coloured powders at each of the check points. All the participants appeared to have enjoyed the event regardless of whether they ran, walked, jogged or huffed and puffed their way through

the 2km and 5km courses.

The beneficiary of this fun run is The Kajol Project, that started off 12 years ago by Kate Grant, a previous PYP coordinator at International School Dhaka (ISD). The project aims to place disadvantaged children from the slum arrears surrounding ISD in local schools. Over the years the project has evolved, however the mission has remained the same students helping students. Currently the project is organised by a number of committed staff at ISD. You are invited to contact the school at info@ isdbd.org if you wish to become involved or make a donation towards this worthy cause.

It’s Me is a new online clothing store that offers an entire range of made-toorder T-shirts. Ideal for a personalised gift to a loved one, It’s Me makes the entire purchase process easy. To order, one has to choose from any nine basic T-shirt models and then send them the picture and text they want printed on that T-shirt. Their automated online software instantly estimates the price which usually ranges between Tk250 to Tk450. The payment is made through Bkash and within 72-hours the T-shirt is home delivered completely free of cost.

Find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/itsmeitsmin or call 01722-669-933.

Viyellatex takes over Pledge Harbor

Alluvial Return

Thai Food Fest On December 11, Pledge Harbor International School (PHIS) organised a press tour, accompanied by a press conference at the school premises in Gazipur near Dhaka.

Chairman of Viyellatex Group, David Hasanat announced that Viyellatex Group feels proud to take over the Pledge Harbor International School (PHIS), the largest English Medium Boarding School in Bangladesh. The company’s single minded focus is to uplift Bangladesh to a global platform in every possible sphere; from that sense of

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responsibility towards the country and its people that Viyellatex has taken over Pledge Harbor School and Sports Academy as Pledge Harbor International School (PHIS), in an attempt to facilitate international quality education. It follows the Cambridge International Curriculum from class 3 up to A-levels.

To commemorate the event, Ahsan Kabir Khan (group vice chairman of Viyellatex), Kaniz Fatema Zareen (group director and chairman of PHIS), and Amina Salima Khan (group director) were present.

Water Garden Brasserie is hosting a 10 day-long Thai Food Festival featuring delightful delicacies. Chef Khun Somboon Temtananurak and chef Nawachol Thueakjunta have crafted a distinctive buffet and set menu with flavourful wonders from Thailand. Dine during the festival at Water Garden Brasserie and win two return air tickets from DhakaBangkok-Dhaka sponsored by Bangkok Airways and two nights’ accommodation at Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy requests the pleasure of your company at the inaugural ceremony of a 13-day long 70th solo art exhibition of internationally reputed artist Kalidas Karmakar titled “Alluvial Return” on January 4, 2015, Sunday at 5pm at the National Art Gallery Auditorium, Dhaka.

Professor Dr Gowher Rizvi, hon’ble prime minister’s international affairs adviser, will inaugurate the exhibition as chief guest. Farooq Sobhan, president, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, will be present as special guest. Liaquat Ali Lucky, director general, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, will preside over the ceremony. The exhibition will remain open at the National Art Gallery, 1st floor, from January 4 to 16, 2015, from 11am to 8pm on weekdays, and from 3pm to 8pm on Friday.

News |

StyleSell’s

The Westin Dhaka earns the World Luxury Hotel Award 2014

wedding collection StyleSell is a luxury fashion house specialising in wedding couture that is set amid the Gulshan area. The fashion house has something for every bride and budget.

It always provides free alter solutions to help achieve the desired fittings and looks. It also showcases the latest trends for women, men, teens and kids with a wide selection of its designer’s high-end fashion apparel, jewellery, shoes, bags and accessories. Call it one of a kind or difficult to find, each one of StyleSell’s products has an aura of uniqueness. Known for its extremely competitive value and updated mapping of global trends, the house of StyleSell has carved a niche for itself as a fashion and lifestyle entity in Bangladesh with its specialisation in the art of haute couture.

For a sneak peek into their latest collection and more details visit StyleSell, South Avenue, House 2, Road 9, Gulshan 1, Dhaka or contact 01775777778, www.stylesellbd.com, Facebook.com/HouseOfStyleSell.

Ecstasy since 1997 Fashion house Ecstasy has been setting the trend in town since 1997.

Tanjim Haque and Asha Haque, the masterminds behind the fashion brand came to realise their passion for designing clothes when they were students at Bangladesh Medical College. Coming from meager means, they had a big challenge ahead of them but they overcame it all to open the first Ecstasy store in Elephant Road.

From its humble beginning as a single store chain in 1997, Ecstasy is now one of the largest lifestyle fashion retailers of the country with 17 outlets. In the past 17 years, its various collections have displayed classiness ranging from stylish informal wear to classic formal wear.

Ecstasy is the brand which has defined the term “casual wear” in Bangladesh with their hip and trendy collections. Now, Ecstasy is back with their winter collection catering to the versatile taste of fashionable men and women in Bangladesh. This collection has it all, from New Year’s party wear to the winter casuals. Their men’s collection is inspired by solid colours like navy blue, brown and black. The collection also boasts diverse party wear, pinstriped shirts, button-down long sleeves, winter casuals, T-shirts, sports jackets and denim jeans. For women, Ecstasy is going back to the basics with simple and classy dark colour combinations. Women can go for a casual winter look with trendy

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sweaters or sassy jackets. For party wear, there are cheetah print studded tops paired with miniskirts and chic, sophisticated dresses.

Besides taking a tour to your nearest Ecstasy showroom, you can now browse and shop at Ecstasy on the go with their exclusive mobile app, available on iOs and Google Play. Check out their latest winter collection which hit the racks on December 6.

The Westin Dhaka prides itself to announce that it has earned the most prestigious World Luxury Hotel Award 2014, consecutively for the fourth time in 2014 in the category of Luxury Business Hotel. December 6 marked the eighth annual World Luxury Hotel Awards, and the first time in six years it was celebrated on South African shores. Local and international award winning hospitality superstars shone bright at the gala dinner ceremony hosted at the Bay Hotel’s majestic Rotunda in Camps Bay, Cape Town. General manager of the Westin Dhaka, Daniel Muhor stated that the Westin Dhaka is an example of the best luxury business hotels. To win this award consecutively for the fourth time is a humbling and heartening experience for the Westin Dhaka.

Meghmallar

A press conference on the release of the first feature film Meghmallar, jointly produced by National Film Grant, Government of Bangladesh and Bengal Entertainment, was held on December 11, at the Bengal Shilpalay Cafe in Dhanmondi.

Producer, director and chief casts were present at the meet.

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Emotion of Life

A solo art exhibition of eminent artist Md Nurul Haque titled “Emotion of Life” was recently held at Drik Gallery from December 4 to 8. Sponsored by Parvoti Multimedia & Platinum Limited, the chief guest of the event was Barrister Sheikh Fazle Nur Taposh (mp).

A total of 59 artwork were on display at the exhibition, most of which were inspired by our 1952’s Language Movement, 1971’s Liberation War, Victory Day and many more. Spanish ambassador in Bangladesh, as well as other visitors from Canada, Australia, India, Japan and Switzerland paid a visit to the exhibition among many others.

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