Weekend Tribune Vol 2 Issue 37

Dhaka Tribune | vo l 2 I ssu e 37 | F R I D AY, J A N UA RY 30, 2015

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All about bhorta

16

Turtles in Bangladesh

20

Yamin Khan

CONTENTS

1

Volume 2 | Issue 37 | January 30, 2015 News

Editor Zafar Sobhan

2 News

Features Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

3 Meanwhile

Weekend Tribune Team Farhana Urmee Faisal Mahmud Farina Noireet Tausif Sanzum Art Direction/Photography Syed Latif Hossain Cartoons Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Contributors N Anita Amreen Rubaiya Ahmad Nihad Ferdous Reema Islam Yamin Khan Sohel Rana Ripon Dina Sobhan Nirupama Subramanian

Features 4 Heritage Local archaeology 5 Feature All about bhorta

6 Feature

8 Feature Dhaka’s delights 12 Tea with WT Kohinoor Kamal 14 Inside Out Nostalgia 16 Conservation Turtles in Bangladesh

Indigenous foods

20 Funny Bone Yamin Khan

Regulars

Graphics Md Mahbub Alam Alamgir Hossain

15 Tough Love

Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal

18 Stay In 19 Go Out

Advertisement Zia Ur Rahman Production Masum Billah Circulation Masud Kabir Pavel Website dhakatribune.com/weekend facebook.com/WeekendTrib Email your letters to: weekend@dhakatribune.com

At the Rainbow’s End Legend has it that if you reach the end of a rainbow, you shall find a pot of gold. If that pot is at the receiving end of a rainbow of deshi spices, you’re pretty sure to be rewarded with some rich, golden fish curry.

Photo: Md Sazzad Hossain

9 Photo story For the love of food

Editor’s note Dear Readers, As the weather warms and we head into the month of festivals, our thoughts turn to food. From bhortas around the country (page 5), to a culinary romp through the green hills of the CHT (page 6), we’ve gone on a long journey to bring you a mouthwatering medley of reads.

In a recent issue, we had brought to light the existence of a thriving turtle market in Dhaka. While that piece focused on the consumers and sought to understand the popularity of turtles as a food product, this week, we take a look at the very real cost of that indulgence and its impact on the biodiversity of our

rivers, and the need for conservation of the species (page 16).

Also on the note of conservation, we have a charming note about how a little mosque in Noakhali became a historical landmark (page 4).

We’re also exploring the emotional undertones of a homecoming by our newest columnist, Nirupama Subramanian (page 14), while an old favourite, Yamin Khan, tickles our funny bones with his business propositions (page 20).

Here’s hoping you have a delicious week ahead.

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

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2 News | This week

The world at a glance Weekend Tribune Desk

Modi, Obama bond find common ground on radio show Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama bonded over their modest beginnings on a radio show aired Tuesday, just after the American leader ended his New Delhi visit.

Obama co-hosted Modi’s monthly radio show as part of his packed three-day trip and took questions from Indian listeners in a more informal setting after a series of official meetings and banquets.

The leaders of the world’s largest democracies spoke of their ordinary backgrounds and the vast opportunities that helped them rise to the top.

“I think both of us have been blessed with extraordinary

opportunity, coming from relatively humble beginnings,” Obama said in answer to a question.

“When I think about what’s best in America and what’s best in India, the notion that a tea seller or somebody who is born to a single mother, like me, could end up leading our countries is an extraordinary example of the opportunities that exist within our countries,” he said.

In the 30-minute pre-recorded edition of “Mann ki Baat” (From the Heart), Modi also praised the way Obama is raising his two daughters calling it an “inspiration” for India where preferences to have sons has resulted in a wide gender gap.

Photo: Reuters

North Korean leader Kim confirms Russia visit North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed he will attend celebrations in Russia in May marking the Soviet victory over Germany in World War Two, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said on Wednesday, citing a Kremlin spokesman.

The trip would be Kim’s first foreign visit since taking power in the reclusive state in 2011, succeeding his father Kim Jong Il, who died suddenly, and is likely to come before

Pakistan opposes new India-US nuclear deal Pakistan, on Tuesday, said it opposed a new nuclear deal signed between the US and India during a recent trip to New Delhi by President Barak Obama, saying it was detrimental to stability in South Asia.

The US and India reached an agreement on Sunday during Obama’s visit to New Delhi, breaking the deadlock that has stalled a civilian nuclear power agreement for years.

The US and India in 2008 signed a landmark deal giving India access to civilian nuclear technology, but it had been held up since by US concerns over India’s strict laws on liability in the event of a nuclear accident.

“The operationalisation of Indo-

India honours Bill Gates with civilian award India conferred one of its highest civilian awards on billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda for their work to improve health in developing countries.

The announcement was made by the Indian government on Monday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted US President Barack Obama for a Republic Day parade, a day after they held talks to deepen ties between the world’s two largest democracies.

Every year the Padma Bhushan award is presented to Indians and some foreigners for service in various areas.

US citizen Bill Gates, whose Bill

and Melinda Gates Foundation has poured billions of dollars into medical research in developing countries, has partnered with the Indian government, aid groups and the private sector to curtail the spread of HIV in the country.

The world’s wealthiest foundation has also expanded into tackling maternal and child health and nutrition in India.

Photo: AFP

Koko dies in Malaysia

he visits China, the North’s main ally.

“About 20 state leaders have confirmed their attendance, and the North Korean leader is among them,” South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted the office of Kremlin spokesman as saying in response to its question to President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman.

North Korea and Russia have been looking to boost ties.

Photo: AFP

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, 44, died in Malaysia on Saturday from cardiac arrest.

He was buried at the Banani graveyard in the capital on Tuesday evening.

BNP sought permission from the Army authorities to bury Koko at the Banani Military Graveyard but was denied. Earlier on Saturday, the prime minister Sheikh Hasina was denied a meet with Khaleda Zia (on the

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, JAN UARY 30, 201 5

US nuclear deal for political and economic expediencies would have a detrimental impact on deterrence stability in South Asia,” advisor to Prime Minister on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said in a statement Tuesday.

Aziz described the new deal with India as “another countryspecific exemption from Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) rules” that would undermine the credibility of the watchdog, weaken the nonproliferation regime and “further compound the already fragile strategic stability environment in South Asia”.

ground of Khaleda’s mental and physical condition) when the premier went to Khaleda’s house to offer her condolences.

Following the 1/11 political changeover in Bangladesh in 2007, Koko was arrested on graft charges. After release on parole in 2008, he flew to Thailand for treatment with his family.

Later, he moved to Malaysia and had been staying there.

Khaleda had last met her younger son in 2013 in Singapore. But the whole family has not been together since 2007.

In 2011, Koko was sentenced to six years for laundering money during BNP-Jamaat alliance government. He was also fined Tk19 crore.

News and Photo: Dhaka Tribune

meanwhile ... | News

Photo of the week

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You’re welcome

12 ways to spot a fad diet

These 6 tips will help you critique and evaluate weight loss claims on infomercials and advertisements and spot a scam before it’s too late: 1. “It’s so easy to lose weight without dieting or exercising!”

Face it—permanent weight loss takes work, effort and time. Pass on any products that promise miraculous results without the effort. Buy one and the only things you’ll lose are money and confidence.

2. “Eat whatever you want and still lose weight!” Losing weight requires sensible food choices, not overloading on high-fat, high calorie foods.

Motin Mia, 45, face enveloped in the surrounding dust of the stone factory in Ashulia where he works, takes a minute to breathe and rest his arms from his strenuous work.

Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu

Say Woman finds face of Jesus in her pet dog’s ear what?

Rachel Evans, 25, was bathing her mini Yorkshire terrier Dave in the bathroom sink when she took some cute photos.

But it wasn’t until she showed them to her partner James Williams, 28, that she spotted the face of Jesus in the pet’s soggy ear.

The DVLA worker from Swansea, south Wales, said: “I was a bit freaked out to be honest.

“I am a bit superstitious and it’s quite spooky.

“At first I didn’t see anything at all. We were just giving him a bath in the sink and taking silly photos and selfies because he looked cute.

“About an hour later I showed my partner and he said ‘can you see that face?’ “We looked a but closer and realised it looked like Jesus. It’s a bit strange.”

Dog-lover Rachel shares eight-month-old Dave with her house mate Lewis Evans, 24, along with a seven-month-old chihuahua called Gilbert and whippet Flo, one.

The pair hope the divine appearance is a good omen, and Rachel added: “We’ve not long moved into the house, so that would be good.”

News and photo: Sunday Express

3. “Lose weight forever…you’ll never need to diet again!” For weight loss to be permanent, it requires lifestyle changes. Ongoing maintenance is always a must.

4. “Block the digestion and absorption of fat, carbs, or calories!” Remind yourself that a little pill to curb cravings and suppress appetite just doesn’t exist. There is no magic potion that will allow you to completely block the digestion and absorption of fat, carbs, or calories either. The majority of these over-the-counter products and “supplements” are scams with no supporting scientific research and thus a waste of your hard-earned money.

5. “Rapid weight loss: Lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks!” Products that safely produce lightningfast weight loss just don’t exist.

A weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is the safest and most effective way to take off weight and keep it off.

6. “Finally, a weight loss formula for everyone!” Your lifestyle habits and health concerns are unique. A diet that claims to be perfect for all is erroneous. One-size-fits-all just doesn’t work.

Source: Distractify

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Heritage | Local archaeology

Saving history In a country where over-population has led to land scarcity, getting the government and locals to recognise, acknowledge and protect heritage sites is no easy task Nihad Ferdous

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poor country burdened with more than 160 million people barely has the luxury of delving into the past to appreciate the mystic beauty of centuries old structures. The rich histories of Bangladesh however gave it abundant old structural marvels, lying across the country in obscurity.

It’s hard for the department of archaeology of the government to find, document and preserve all the archaeologically rich sites of the country with its meagre budget and extremely limited manpower. People have also been unknowingly pulling down historic structures to erect new buildings in some places. Because of all this, we are losing our heritage faster than we can document it.

But how does one deal with a problem few people are even aware of in the first place?

This is where Engr AQM Tajul Islam, ex additional chief engineer of the Public Works department (PWD) of the government comes into the picture.

Tajul Islam can proudly say that he almost single-handedly brought back a 300 year old mosque from dereliction and made it a national heritage site.

“It’s in my village-Doulatramdi, a small serene village in Noakhali district. I have grown up knowing that this mosque is the oldest building in the vicinity. It was a curious place to me from my childhood,” he says. He said that the local people used to call it “Shorkari Mosque” without any apparent reason.

Its original name however is Ramzan Miah Jam-e Mosque. “More

than 300 years ago, Ramzan Miah, a local from this area built this mosque so that the people from the area could pray. The members of Ramzan Miah’s family had been taking care of the mosque for generations.”

The mosque is small but it is beautiful. It’s made entirely of lime mortar, something which epitomises the colonial structures of the early 17th centuries. The dome, minaret and the column of the mosque have beautiful hand-carved designs.

Located next to the mosque is the tomb of the famous sufi saint Hazi Ershadullah.

Tajul Islam who is a professional civil engineer said, though the mosque structure was constructed during the colonial era it has the signature style of the glorious Muslim architecture of the Sultani period of the middle centuries.

The process of making it a heritage site

As a high official in the government, Tajul is well aware of the hassle of overcoming the infamous red tape of the government. Getting approval for a site from the government’s department of archaeology to declare it as a heritage site is not an easy task.

According to the law, unless a structure is declared a heritage point by the department of archaeology, the structure will not be maintained or looked after by the government.

“Since I joined the government service, I was determined to protect the mosque from obscurity. Different parts of the mosque’s facade had already given in to the years and had become dilapidated,” said Tajul.

Tajul explained that this is a 300year old structure. As per the law of the country, any structure older than 100 years could be declared as a national heritage site which he was aware of. “I have actively persuaded the department of archaeology to

examine the mosque and consider it as a national heritage site.

The hardest part of making it a national heritage was to sanction enough funds for the plans to be carried out. “When it was completed, most of that hard work was done.

Now it’s time to preserve the structure,” Tajul said, adding that a proper brick by brick investigation by experts is extremely necessary to bring these buildings back to life.

Sirajul Islam, ex-head master of the local Belladighir Par primary school said, the beauty and the rich history of the mosque could draw a lots of tourists in the area. “It can also help us to get the perspective of the past” Tajul believes that heritage helps us to know and reconstruct the past glory, pride and all the good traits of a nation.

“The desire and action to protect heritage thus becomes a standard as well as a process to becoming true citizens and patriots.” n

Nihad Ferdous is a banker by profession and an avid traveller by passion

Photos: Nihad Ferdous

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All about bhorta | Feature

MASHED MEDLEY There are a few things that make us uniquely Bangali, and the love of bhortas is one of them Faisal Mahmud

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he Tok bazaar in Kapasia Upazila of Gazipur may seem another ordinary small market in the lush green countryside. But its USP is a restaurant that lies just a ten minute walking distance from the market.

You don’t often come across an eatery that regularly offers around 60 types of bhorta and 40 types of bhaji.

The restaurant Niribili, located near the Tok bazaar does that and more.

The ambience

The restaurant’s interior, as well as the ambience inside are surprisingly decent and clean for a country-side eatery. It’s a colourful one storey building surrounded by green trees.

The parking space in front is large enough to accommodate around 10-12 vehicles.

Two round tables are set at the balcony outside the main restaurant.

Inside, there are around 25 tables in three rooms. A corner room is partitioned into multiple cabins to offer privacy to the customers. Each table has a clean jug of water along with clean glasses placed next to a tissue box.

This is significant considering that it is situated almost in the middle

of nowhere. There are no tourist attractions nearby to attract visitors and in Bangladesh, eateries situated in such places usually don’t care much about aesthetics or hygiene.

Nirbili, however, does care and this is one of the reasons for its increasing fame. The restaurant has now become a sort of resident tourist attraction at Tok bazaar.

The food

Of course, it is not the ambience or the neatly placed tissue boxes on the table that attracts visitors from different parts of the country. It’s the food. The speciality of the restaurant lies in the variety of bhortas and bhajis it offers.

Niribili has around 60 bhortas including-aloo (potato), begun (brinjal), three types of shim (bean), dherosh (lady finger), chichinga (snake gourd), korola (bitter gourd), lau (bottle gourd), tomato, shorisha (mustard seed), peyaj-morich (onion and chilli), roshun (garlic), kumra (pumpkin), dhone pata (coriander), four types of kachu (taro), badam (peanuts) around seven types of shutki (dried fish), eight types of maach (fish) bhorta and many more are available there.

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Photos: Zaman Ibn Zia

It also has around 40 types of bhaji and shak including-palong shak (spinach), pui shak (Indian spinach), kalmi shak (kang kong), danta shak (stem amaranth leaf), paat shak (jute leaf), badhakopi (cabbage), chalkumra (wax gourd), jhinga (ridge gourd), potol (pointed gourd), sajna (drumstick), shapla (water lily), kachur doga (stem of aroid) and more bhajis are available.

These items are available on a daily basis. The prices range from Tk10-50.

One can also avail different types of bhaji and bhorta under titles like small plate (bhaji)-Tk20, small plate (bhorta)- Tk20 and boro plate (bhaji)Tk20 and boro plate (bhorta)- Tk50.

Also anyone can try the chefs special bhaji and bhorta package comprising of over 10 different types which costs only Tk100 each.

Aside from bhaji and bhorta, the restaurant offers unique item like Shutki bora, mach er paturi, bali hash (duck) and kabutar (pigeon) bhuna.

It also serves eight types of achar (pickles). One can even buy a bottle of pickles at the cost of Tk200.

The restauranteur

The restauranteur Tota Mia takes pride in what he does. “I love preparing many of these foods with my own hands. I don’t just consider it as a business. Rather I love to feed people gourmet foods”, he said.

Tota Mia said that the restaurant was previously located at Tok Bazaar but seven years ago, he moved the location of the restaurant and reopened it in his own house. “This is my own house. It’s a bit far from the public place. But it gives the customer a homely environment. I don’t just want them to have food. I want them to have an experience. I want them to feel the hospitality.”

His idea for specialising in bhorta and bhaji. Stems from the fact that these items are so close to the Bangalis heart. “Every Bangali loves bhorta and bhaji. These are our soul food. When I first opened the restaurant nearly 20 years ago, I started serving over ten bhortas and my restaurant became famous for that” “So I thought of taking it to the new level. I planned to create over 50 bhortas and wanted to serve those one a regular basis. You have to understand that it’s not an easy process. It’s not like making a paste of every vegetable or fish. You have to know the spices; know the art of mixing it with your ingredients, perfect the amount of salt.”

Tota Mia said that making bhorta needs lots of craftsmanship as well.

“If you don’t find the colour or texture of the bhorta beautiful, you will lose your appetite.”

When asked how he prepares the enomous amounts of bhorta and bhaji on everyday, Tota Mia said that his whole family is involved in this business. “My wife, sons, daughters and daughters in law all pitch in the cooking. The process starts from 4am in the morning.”

The restaurant closes around 11pm at the night. So it’s pretty much mashing round the clock. Tota Mia said that almost all the bhorta and bhajis get sold out on a regular basis.

“The restaurant attracts people from different parts of the country.

The president of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid is my regular customer.

Whenever he visits his constituency in Kishorganj and goes there through Tok Bazaar route, he visits my restaurant and indulges in my bhorta and bhaji,” said Tota mia proudly. n

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6 Feature | Indigenous delicacies

CHT Chow On a gastronomical adventure in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Faisal Mahmud

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hen you only ever have some rice (big, red and sticky grains), corn, bamboo shoots, eggs, dry fish, chicken (without sufficient spices to cook), pork, small potatoes and tomatoes (not grown everywhere) and an unlimited supply of pumpkin in your store, your options in the kitchen are pretty limited.

I however met a guy, about six years ago, who cooked a delicious dish out of those supplies.

Interestingly, he wasn’t native to the CHT. Babar was truly a “jack of all trades.” He came to the CHT with his father as a young boy and stayed there. He could Jhum (hill cultivation), work as a guide and porter for the trekkers and even for the army as he knew almost all the

local dialects and he could cook. I met him while I and my friends were searching for a guide to help us trek up to Saikotpara (a Bom village with the highest elevation in Bangladesh).

We found out about his cooking skills while we were staying at Harmanpara (a Bom village) at night. Six years ago, before the advent of formal trekking groups, the whole undertaking of a trek was on a trial an-error basis. We were too inexperienced to abide by one principal trekking rule: “Bring your own food for a trip.”

On that night, the people of Harmanpara could only give us a chicken (a big, old live chicken), some red chilies and some cooked rice to eat. There was probably pork if we wanted, but none of us did.

Babar did some amazing things.

Cooking the chicken whole over an

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Photos: Asruf-Ul-Jubair

open flame, he de-boned the charred remains, and mixed it in a bowl with red chillies and some bamboo shoots. He then stuffed the mixture inside some green bamboo, which he placed in a hole in the ground and lit a fire over them. In 40 minutes, the cooking was done.

It might have been our hunger at that time, but I am pretty sure it was an amazing dish regardless. The cooked chicken that came out from the bamboo had a perfect blend of spicy and tangy flavours. It was way better than the expensive “cooked bamboo chicken” I had in the fancier restaurants in Rangamati.

Babar is gone. I heard that he went to Swaziland. I don’t know what he is doing over there but I am sure he could make a fortune just through his cooking skills.

Another exclusive dish that I

All tribes across the CHT are good at cooking one thing-pumpkin (I intentionally visited CHT in October 31 to see whether they celebrate Halloween. had in CHT was “Tama-Tong.” It is actually a festival dish of the Murong tribe. I tried it in Boarding Para (the biggest village of this particular tribe). This village is located in a big valley which grows tomatoes – small red ones. During the “tomato picking” season, the Murong people prepare a noodle out of corn and cook the noodle with tomato paste and beef.

The Pankhu tribe in Khagrachari can cook dry fish or shutki. Though my own taste buds could never grasp

the taste of this particular food but my acquaintances who love shutki told me the ones cooked by the Pankhu were awesome. I particularly remember one instance. It happened in Sajek (a unique group of villages, part of which is located inside Mijoram of India). The Pankhu people there served us a variety of shutkis.

Some deep-fried, some cooked with green chilies (extremely spicy) and some cooked with pumpkin. I tried and disliked all but my friend Rusho just gobbled it all up.

All tribes across the CHT are

good at cooking one thing-pumpkin (I intentionally visited CHT on October 31 to see whether they celebrate Halloween. They don’t).

They can make all sorts of dishes out of this vegetable. The Bom tribe of Saikotpara even makes some chips out of this pumpkin but it is something of an acquired taste.

Actually, a regular hill tract family has a very simple daily menu: rice, lentil (not all can afford it as lentil is not home grown but bought from market) and pumpkin.

They sometimes have an egg, chicken or pork curry along with vegetables but those are rare and the spices (apart from ginger) needed to cook those are very expensive. However, the villages located near the the Upazila market (the whole CHT has 19 of those) and the wealthier villages can afford to have a better menu.

I, myself am proud of introducing a particular meal in one of the most visited tourist destinations in the CHT-Boga Lake.

Sium Bom (we called her Sium didi) runs a chain of guest house in that place and I taught her to cook Murgi Rezala. I am fond of cooking and I took the duty of “chef” of whatever groups I had visited in the CHT. I first cooked my Murgi Rezala at Sium didi’s kitchen in 2008 and she fell in love with my dish and asked me to teach her to cook it. (The locals really don’t have many chances to indulge in urban delicacies.

Most of the ingredients needed for the dish are still scarce and expensive in the CHT markets, but Sium didi now makes (thanks to a large number of tourists and trekkers who visit Boga Lake) enough money to bring them from Bandarban town. She however charges a lot for a plate of my Murgi Rezala in her guest house (Tk150 per plate, against the normal chicken curry Tk70 per plate). If you go for a visit there and order that item, please ask Sium didi, where she learned to cook the item.

She will tell you my name. n

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8 Feature | Dhaka’s delights

8 Foods You Must Try in Dhaka Visiting Dhaka? If you haven’t tried these, you’re missing out Reema Islam

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he revered bakarkhani is baked to its age old perfection in the back alleys of old Dhaka – as the baker slaps his dough onto the flattened cushion, puncturing marks on it with his fingers then deftly sticks it into the clay oven. A walk down the area sprawled across the back of the old Central Jail can easily turn into a culinary tour which includes some of Dhaka’s most iconic dishes not to be missed during any visit to this old Mughal outpost. Our journey today leads us through some winding alley ways of Puran Dhaka and some items that are a must try on everyone’s list while visiting Dhaka.

artery clogging ghee, to give it that extra zing. Even to this day, known only for its biryani, Haji Biryani beats any of its modern versions and can be devoured in the back alleys of the old Central Jail!

The scrumptious polao

As polao might have arguably been the original Persian recipe which morphed with its Indian version of Biryani, Nanna’s Murg Polao (chicken polao) has not been perfected anywhere else. Made with succulent long grain rice and laced with spices and a hefty piece of chicken comfortably nestled inside, Nanna’s restaurant is always full of customers.

Photo: Sohel Rana Ripon

The unbeatable biryani

The quintessential biryani is thought by many to be made best in the “kaccha” style as opposed to the “pakka” style (uncooked meat vs cooked meat added in layers). It is believed that Tamerlane brought this delicacy with him when he arrived in India, but the fact remains that biryanis are found all over India, and most pre-date the Turko- Mongols or the later Mughals. The Polao was an easy dish to cook in the army barracks as a one pot meal and its transition into Biryani is disputed by experts.

Yet when Haji Biryani opened its gates in 1939 and served the first biryani, inspired by its owner’s recent Hajj trip, Dhaka added a priceless entry to its list of must have foods!

With a Bangladeshi twist, Haji Biryani is made with kataribhog rice instead of the basmati used mostly in India and mustard oil is substituted for the

Photo: Big stock

Sumptuously sweet drinks

Close to the Tara Mosque with its fine inlay of Chinikari or porcelain china pieces, this old part of Dhaka leads to yet more culinary experiences as Beauty’s faluda or Royal’s doodh er shorbot rank highest as liquid desserts! Once again, a PersianMughal influence, the faluda with its cooling basil seeds (tukma) and sago dana (tapioca) and vermicelli added with fruit and ice never misses to hit the right spots for those sweet cravings. Royal’s doodh er shorbot or chilled milk laced with crushed almonds and pistachios with a hint of saffron is one of the highest sold items during Ramadan as superb thirst quenchers.

The delightful bakakhani

The Bakarkhanis of Becharam Deory always come in handy as a snack, remaining a favourite among

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Dhakaites. Consumed alongside the Sutli kabab, a special kabab stringed together with a thread, bakarkhanis are however best coupled with the Star Hotel’s tea. Extra thick with layers of cream and a hint of salt that adds to the richness of this shot of sweet caffeine, a crunchy bakarkhani and a thick cup of tea are all one needs to kick back and relax on a lazy Friday afternoon.

All about bhorta

As we step out of Dhaka’s cuisine influenced by the Mughal’s, we linger back behind the Central Jail area a bit longer for some proper Bangladeshi cuisine and what better

Photo: Big stock

flavour, these shops lining the Gowsia and Chandni chowk areas have catered to the masses for ages now and have perfected their recipes to tempt even the most rigid eaters among us.

The tantalising tehari

Yet, we take a slight detour and try out the tehari at Nilkhet which is a great sample of diversity of the polao/biryani method of cooking rice with meat. Known to have been consumed by the Nawabs in their heyday, the tehari sets the right tone of a cacophonic Dhaka bazaar against the backdrop of the second hand book stalls and a cinema hall with its raunchy posters.

Photo: Big stock

representative than the assorted plate of bhortas at Nirob. Ranging from Taki maach bhorta to the simple and most widely consumed aaloo bhorta, Nirob offers this plate of comfort food that pays homage to the art of simple Bengali eating.

The streetside snacker's galore

We now finally move away from the Central jail area and head towards one of the busiest shopping areas of Dhaka.

The New Market environs still offer some of the best snacks in the shape of fuchkas and chotpotis. Similar to the pani puri and gol gappas in parts of India and Pakistan, the Bangladeshi fuchka simply looks and tastes all the more exciting with its potato and chickpea filling and the extra shavings of boiled egg and tamarind chutney.

If you still feel a bit peckish, try the shingaras and kola chops near Gowsia market. Small in size but big on

Photo: Sohel Rana Ripon

And still more...

Further on towards the Dhaka University campus for more road side stalls and you will come across the mushroom pakoras served in the vicinity of the TSC canteen. Made with the local variety of white, soft mushrooms and coated in batter, the pakoras offer a unique taste that totally matches the ambience of the University campus.

One of the last items on this never ending list of Dhaka foods has to be the Bihari camp chaaps. Sworn by die hard foodies on the facebook group the Food Talk as still being the best chaap in Dhaka, I leave it upon your taste buds to decide which of these foods would make you want to eat till your belly extends and your heart fills with happiness. n

for the love of food | Photo story

9

The Bengali Culture of Eating Sohel Rana Ripon

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engali food has, over the years, been influenced by a number of foreign cultures, arising from a historical and strong trade links with many parts of the world.

Bengal fell under the sway of various Turkic rulers from the early thirteenth century onwards, and was then governed by the British for two centuries (1757–1947). The Jews brought bakeries to Bengal, the Marwaris contributed their sweet-making skills, the exiled families of Wajid Ali Shah and Tipu Sultan brought different flavours of Mughlai

Turn for more photographs

cuisine. British patronage and the Babu Renaissance fueled the development of these different culinary strands into a distinct heritage. From the culinary point of view, some major historical trends influenced Bengali food.

In Bangladeshi cuisine, some foods are popular across the entire region, while others are specific to a particular area.

This week’s Photo Story features some of the popular dishes of the different regions across the county. n

Fried hilsa: Us being located in a deltaic basin, with massive rivers flowing around us, no Bengali meal is complete without a fish dish.

The country’s main staple food, sweet water fishes, comes from the riverine regions. Some of the most popular fishes include Rui, Katol, Koi, Papda, Boal, Chitol, Magur, Shing, Mola, Dhela and of course, Bangladesh’s “Padma Hilsa” is famous all over the world.

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10 PHoto story | for the love of food Chicken Korma: It involves meat cooked in a mild yogurt based sauce with ghee instead of oil, and often poppy seed paste is added to it. People of Southern Bangladesh are known to add coconut milk to many of their dishes and Korma is no exception.

Dal: Probably the most important part of the Banglai diet are lentils/pulses (legumes). There are at least five dozen varieties of dal, the most popular of which include Bengal gram (chhola), pigeon peas (orhor or red gram), black gram (biuli), and green gram (mung bean). Pulses are used almost exclusively in the form of dal, except chhola, which is often cooked whole for breakfast and is processed into flour (beshon), a particular staple in pakoras (vegetable fritters) during the month of Ramadan.

Shrimp curry: Something this scrumptious leaves no room for descriptions

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11 Dom: Vegetables, especially potatoes, or meat, cooked over a covered pot containing water, slowly over low heat, slightly steaming.

The word is derived from the Dum technique popular in Mughlai food.

Veggie: As a tropical country, wide varieties of green vegetables and fruits are available in Bangladesh.

A host of gourds, roots and tubers, leafy greens, succulent stalks, citrons and limes, green and purple eggplants, red onions, plantains, broad beans, okra, banana tree stems and flowers, lotus roots, green jackfruit, red pumpkins, and mushrooms are to be found in the vegetable markets or kacha shobji bazaars across the country.

Potol Dolma: Stuffed gourds are a party favourite

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12 Tea with WT | Kohinoor Kamal

Back to basics Kohinoor Kamal, Chairman of Meridian Group, entrepreneur in fisheries and hatchery, recently given the national award for agriculture for her contribution in the field, speaks about her key to success and proves that it is never too late.

Farhana Urmee How did you start as an entrepreneur?

I started working in my husband’s business back in 1991-92. My three sons were already in school and I had some time on my hands from household and family maintenance. I was married soon after finishing 12th grade, but completed my graduation and masters afterwards. I had previously always been busy with family responsibilities and had never really thought of being involved in business.

However, my husband used to frequently consult me on issues regarding his business so I did have some idea about it. So when he decided on expanding his business and needed an extra pair of hands to help him with the added responsibilities, I took up the opportunity.

What kind of business did you get into at the beginning?

Initially I started looking after the restaurants we had in Chittagong.

Before I joined work, these were doing okay, but didn’t really have a good profit turn over. But after I joined, I focused on the purchasing mechanism of the raw meat, fish and vegetables. I started monitoring the work in the kitchen by setting up CC cameras which brought a huge change in the quality of work in my kitchen and created an atmosphere of accountability at the workplace.

Gradually, business picked up and I turned my attention to Meridian Boutique Hotel, which was also a success for me in the business.

Any particular challenges that you faced?

Of course, the work environment was probably the biggest challenge.

Running a business as women back in the 90s, was quite different from

how things are today. I remember, when I used to drive to work, traffic policemen and rikshaw-pullers would just stare. But the situation has changed now, as has the scope of work. Of course, there were a few benefits back then in that it was a less competitive market.

From personal experience, I faced a sort of reluctant obedience from my staff and I soon realised it was probably because they themselves were not completely comfortable with the idea of having a female boss.

So I started a different approach, on an inter-personal level, where in I used to ask after their families and put effort into getting to know them better and that reciprocated with them being welcoming towards me.

Why the food business?

I’ve always been interested in food and cooking. Also, food is the first of all basic needs. Being in this business can never be a loss, not that it is always profitable. As with all startups, one can’t dream about becoming a billionaire overnight. I takes time and effort. Yet, the steadiness in the business can give you immense gratification in that you are serving people and earning honest money.

What got you interested in business in the agricultural sector?

I’ve always been fascinated with plants and greenery. After I got married, my husband instilled that fascination in me further by bringing me a little branch of Hasnahena everyday on his way back from work.

I realised that the business of plantations was an area where I could combine my passion for plants as well as contribute to the family income.

At my plantation in Bandarban, I have around two lakh trees, of which1.5 lakh is forestry, and the rest includes various types of fruit trees.

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13

In the mood for good food Farhana Urmee

and other harmful chemicals and fertilisers.

Around 1994-95 my husband wanted to close our fisheries farm, as it was turning out no profit. But I convinced him to give it another chance and I took over. I re-started our fisheries farm under my Muhuri Project of Meridian Agro. Later I started a hatchery under the same project which received a national award for hatching high quality fish.

Photos: Courtesy

I have 14,000 mango trees of which 11,000 is currently producing fruit.

We have been growing mangoes for five years in Bandarban along with some other fruits like papaya, banana, avocado and many more.

I was awarded with the national environment award in 2011 for my plantations and produces.

Tell us something about your fisheries business.

Our restaurant business is what triggered the idea behind the fisheries business, because we were always in need of fresh, good quality produce, particularly fish.

In Bangladesh, food adulteration is a big problem what with genetically modified crops, formalin added fish and fruits, and vegetables grown with high degrees of pesticides

We have seen some success in the agricultural sector in the country, but what else do you think can be done?

While there have been successes, there have also been a number of drawbacks. Our farmers are still deprived of the right prices for their produce. Farmers do not have enough facilities to store or transport their produces directly to the market, which could change their standard of living to a great extent.

The government has to notice the needs of the farmers, as in providing easy loan to buy pick up vans or cut the tax on importing such vans, so that farmers can easily acquire them.

In that case they will be able to bring their goods directly to the market.

The undue growth of intermediate businessmen can also be curtailed this way.

Regarding growing fruits and vegetables, more awareness is needed on not using chemical fertiliser or pesticides at farmers’ end. Moreover, for the fisheries business, there should be quality control monitoring system to check the quality of fish feeds and to check importing and distributing of formalin. Such steps can sustain our growth in agriculture and make it fruitful.

R

emember the Haatbazaar of old times from villages? Farmers used to bring their produce in bamboo baskets to the weekly Friday bazaar. Every one around the neighbourhood would gather at the place to get vegetables that someone might have grown in his own yard, fish that someone might have just caught from the river or fresh plucked seasonal fruits. Haatbazaar was not limited to trade, since it is once a week, people gather here to meet acquaintances and have a little chit chat too.

Fresh vegetable or fish have gotten rarer in today’s Dhaka. If you want to cut formalin from fish, chemical and colour from fruits, vegetable grown with pesticides and chemical fertiliser from your meals, you have to take an empty bag home.

But imagine such a gathering in Dhaka, selling fresh organic vegetables brought from different places around the country, formalin free river fish and a restaurant which serves deshi breakfast on Friday mornings.

Farmers’ Market is the place, an initiative of a bunch of young entrepreneurs who feel committed to ensuring healthy food for the their next generation. Farmers’ Market is a restaurant that serves five types of cuisine and interesting fusions with food.

The most interesting part is the restaurant is Organo, an open stall under a jack-fruit tree, which sells organic vegetables. The decor and ambience is designed to suit the theme, with bamboo baskets used as lamp shades and other rustic features. Shazly Omar, who collects fresh and organic vegetables from

different places and sells at the Farmers’ Market says why he is in this business of selling vegetables, “When we were young nothing was contaminated, food was fresh and we had a healthy lifestyle.

But for our kids, if we stop buying chemically contaminated food there is no option today other than to grow everything all by myself.

I have friends owning farms in different districts and I used to bring their produce for my own domestic use. Eventually I thought, it may not be on a macro scale but we can bring those fresh produces and sell them to people who are looking for it.”

Farmers’ Market sells fresh fish too. Masiha, a female entrepreneur who runs an online outlet Bhairab Fish & Co for taking orders for fish cought from rivers of Bhairab. She brings her fish in Farmers’ Market to sell. Misha Ali who is one of the owners of the restaurants, seems very enthusiastic about his venture of putting together a restaurant and a farmers’ market at a time, “I am always interested in doing things that has a new concept in it.

And food is my passion. I love to play around with different cuisines and experimenting with oriental and western tastes. The price is very reasonable as I want volumes of people to try and keep coming in my restaurant.”

“We want an older crowd to come over and snack here and take away some fresh vegetables with them,” adds Shazly. Farmers’ Market is open six days a week from 12pm to 11pm. And the literal farmers’ market with the vegetables and fishes sits on Friday mornings.

What would you recommend to other entrepreneurs in this line of work?

There is no alternative to working hard. From personal experience I sincerely believe, that in order to get anything done properly, we must get to the root of it. One has to know all the ins and outs of his or her job.

There is no shame or discredit in sharing the work of your employees.

Rather, that is how the employees become efficient, accountable and more productive. n

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14 Inside Out | nostalgia

Rediscovering Home Home is where the heart is...

Nirupama Subramanian

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inter is the season for migrations, the time when immigrants and expatriates head to a place they call home. I have been living in Dhaka for almost six months.

The past few months have been spent in settling down and getting used to the place. I have lived in many cities across India but this was the first time our family has moved out of the country. I had never taken what is called “home leave” before. I had rarely thought about what the word home really meant to me.

This December, we first went to Gurgaon, the place where we had stayed for ten years before we moved to Bangladesh. Ever since we moved, my daughter has been wanting to go back to the place that has always been home to her. Yet when we reached Gurgaon, we did not want to

Photo: Big stock

go back to our house, the house we still own but which is now inhabited by our tenants. It is no longer home.

The city, though looked comforting, even strangers on the streets looked familiar. I experienced the quiet thrill of recognition when I saw the shops and buildings I knew. Yet, this was the first time I noticed some changes: a new billboard, a new shop in my local shopping complex, the seemingly sudden accretion of garbage on the roadside, the abrupt chill in the air. It was like seeing a child you know after a gap of few months. It seems to have grown, changed in little ways that a mother would not have noticed. I knew where the roads would lead, where I could buy the slippers I needed, I knew where I could eat the paapri chaat that I missed and I knew how to get back to the place I started from. Home is where you don’t need directions. Yet, there

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veranda, the stubborn stained mosaic floors, the dusty collection of my old books in the cupboard upstairs all these are well known, loved. I feel a sense of ownership and entitlement here. I could fight and still be forgiven. “Home is the place, where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in,” said Robert Frost.

The house is like a childhood friend.

I would be accepted fully, yet my friend and I have grown in different ways. My roots are there, but I have spread my branches far beyond this particular spot.

After three weeks of living out of suitcases in other people’s houses, I was stirred by a strange feeling. I hesitated to call it homesickness. I wanted my own space. My family seemed keen to return to work, to school, to the comforting rhythms of a daily routine. I stepped in our apartment in Gulshan with a feeling of relief. Everything was just as I had left it. The house was still clean, the furniture was in place, gadgets still worked. I opened the windows to let the sun and air in, the dull metallic smell of a closed house dissipated and it seemed like we had never left. My daughter went to her favourite couch and switched on the TV to catch one of her favourite shows. We started unpacking and restoring things to their proper place with a sense of purpose.

Though the world outside in Dhaka is still unfamiliar, but inside the walls of our home, I feel a sense of belonging. I don’t own the space but I feel spacious. After the vigorous electric energy of vacations, I feel the tranquil stillness of a slow day. I am privileged to have a space which has light, air and all the comforts for a good life. I have freedom. I have a voice. I have the illusion of control.

This is a place where I don’t need permission. This is home for now.

In today’s world, there are more than two hundred million people living outside their country of origin.

Immigrants, exiles, expatriates, refugees, peripatetic travellers carry their homes with them and yet create new ones. Home is not defined by the colour of my passport or the numbers on a pin code. It is a feeling I hold within me. I needed to step out of my home to realize this.

“Home has less to do with a piece of soil that with a piece of soul’‘ says the travel writer Pico Iyer. It is not the place you come from but the place you are going to. It is not the place where you go to sleep but the place where you stand. n

was no single place there where I really wanted to be.

We then went to Mumbai. I am well acquainted with Mumbai. I have lived there. I have great memories of the vibrant energy of the city. We stayed with close friends. My daughter was delighted to be reunited with her old buddies. There was warmth, ease and affection. Home is people known well. Yet, there was always a sense of parting, of impermanence.

We also went to Chennai, the place where I was born. I have not lived in the city for twenty years. The city is both familiar and strange. My family home is there.

The well in the backyard, the Nirupama Subramanian is a columnist, travel sighing coconut writer, and author of two novels ‘Keep the Change’ trees, my mother and Intermission’ published by Harper Collins. She has recently moved to Dhaka with her family who stands with open arms in the

dina sobhan | tough love

All in a day’s work

15

Got a problem?

Write to Dina at weekend@ dhakatribune. com

Cartoon: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Q

Dear Dina, There is a colleague at work who has been extremely tardy for the past couple of months, and we keep picking up her slack.

Instead of being grateful, she whines about the things we don’t get right about her work. She claims she is depressed, but perks up whenever someone plans a party, or something non-work related.

A

A Dear Hostages, I’m not entirely certain your co-worker is as unhinged as you might think, but she certainly is devious. She knows she’s found a couple of stooges in you, and is capitalising on your kindness and sense of guilt. If I were you, I’d woman up and put her in her place.

It’s not in your job description to put up with your colleague’s pseudopsycho shtick. The next time she shows up at the office, stop cowering behind your desks and tell her you’re through covering up for her. If she

We’ve been thinking about putting in an official complaint, but she’s recently started muttering about suicide whenever she does come in to work, and the other day she produced a knife and slammed it down on her desk as soon as she walked into the office. She’s obviously troubled, and we don’t want to drive her towards some rash act, but we don’t want to put up with her either. Advice?

Sincerely, The Hostages

threatens to poison the office water supply or take a leap off the Banani bridge, tell her to go right ahead.

It may sound harsh, but I’m 90% positive that she’s manipulating you with her empty threats and has no homicidal or suicidal tendencies to speak of. If she continues with her bizarre antics, inform her that she’s in need of special assistance and that she might be better suited to a cosy inpatient ward at one of the clinics in Dhaka than her present environment.

Furthermore, that you’re willing to facilitate that change with a little help from your boss. That’ll get the craycray out of her quickly.

Q

Dear Dina, I really like this guy and we’ve been flirting for a while, but our relationship has stagnated at the flirting phase for a while now.

I have hinted that I would like to take it further, but he didn’t seem too interested. Recently, he’s been on a couple of dates with another girl, and I’ve had to sit with him later while he’s talked about it. This is like the story of my life: whenever there’s a guy

A

A Dear Desperado, I think you need to stop allowing yourself to be friendzoned. Maybe your guy was interested in you and needed more than a hint to take your relationship to the next level.

Sometimes they need to be hit on the head with a truth; subtlety is lost on most guys. And if you were interested in him, why would you allow yourself to sit through detailed accounts of his dates?

That’s just masochistic. You’re

that I care about, we become close but then I end up getting friend-zoned. I’m fun to hang out with and valued as a good friend, but not good enough as dating material or someone to be romantically committed to?

I am so sick and tired of hearing: “You’re a great girl! There’s someone special out there for you.” Why can’t that “someone special” be somebody that I like, for a change?!

Sincerely, Deeply Frustrated

mistaking being a cool, laid-back chick with just being silly. The other theory is that you just like the wrong guys and don’t know when to call it a day and move on, thereby getting your itty bitty heart trampled on time and again. Maybe you just need to stop looking and relax, and someone will come along who will do all the chasing.

.

Dina Sobhan is a freelance writer, and cautions readers not to take her ‘advice’ here too seriously!

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16 Conservation | Turtles in Bangladesh

The turtle trade

The unrestricted slaughtering of turtles for meat is leading to an alarming decline in the local turtle population, with the only hopes lying in enforcing stricter hunting regulations and initiating breeding programmes Rubaiya Ahmad

T

urtles have been on earth for over 220 million years, even surviving the Cretaceous– Tertiary K-T boundary that wiped out the dinosaurs. They are said to be the most intelligent among all reptiles. These small, slow moving creatures have a lot of personality!

They are shy and do not like to be disturbed or manhandled. They hide inside their shell when they are frightened just as kids hide beneath their blankets. They can recognise their caregiver and know when it is feeding time. They know what foods they can and cannot eat. Some turtles will even plough a cactus over to get

to its juicy fruit. A Box Turtle will literally run towards an insect or a worm moving on the ground, because it knows it doesn’t have much time to get to it. And they usually remember where their dens are.

Heroes in a half shell

Turtle shells look a little like human body armour, so one might conclude that they’re reptilian versions of the powered exoskeleton that makes Iron Man such a fearsome superhero! But the shell, which is made up of about 50 different bones, is actually an evolutionary modification of the rib cage and part of the vertebral column.

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And contrary to what you may have seen in animated cartoons, a turtle can’t take off its shell and crawl out of it – just as you couldn’t dismantle your own spine and ribs. It contains nerve endings and, just as humans can feel through their fingernails, turtles can feel through their shell.

Slaughtered for food

Now imagine these shy, sensitive creatures being captured, manhandled and scraped off of their shells with a knife and having their heads, hands and feet chopped off while still alive. The brutality with which these turtles are slaughtered

is gruesome, shocking and an abomination of nature.

Approximately 100,000 turtles are slaughtered every year during a religious festival in Bangladesh. Many of them are endangered species. It’s estimated that three animal species go extinct every hour due to human activity. The decimation of turtles has reached a critical level, more so than any other animal. Nowhere in the world is the survival of these turtles under so much pressure as in Bangladesh.

The celebration of Kali Puja in Bangladesh and the West Bengal region of India is held annually.

17

Photos: Big stock

During the festival, sacrifices are made to Kali, the Hindu goddess of power. The festival celebrates light but is controversial because thousands of turtles are killed for the pot during the proceedings.

Considering the number of turtles killed during Kali Puja over the last few years, it is estimated that around 100,000 turtles are killed every year.

This will have a devastating effect on the population in the wild. Moreover, the year round domestic turtle trade all over Bangladesh may involve several times more than the estimated numbers slaughtered during the Kali Puja.

Kali Kata, named after the goddess

Kali is the most sought after turtle species for the Kali Puja. The critically endangered crown turtle for example, is only used for sacrifice during Kali Puja and are not merely killed for the pot. Due to the scarcity of these turtles, they can now fetch as much as Tk1500/kg in Bangladesh because it’s a status symbol for the rich to use them as sacrifices.

Initiating conservation laws

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries and one of the poorest, making the conservation of turtles a low priority. In 1982, Bangladesh became a member of the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) and the country’s environmental laws were adapted accordingly. Although turtles are protected by law, the laws aren’t really enforced and that’s concerning because Bangladesh is home to almost 10% of the world’s turtles.

Domestic turtle trade, though illegal goes on unabated in Bangladesh. The Centre for Advanced Research in Natural Resources and Management (CARINAM) has been working with the Forest Department and other organisations such as Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) and Turtle Conservation Foundation (TCF) to curb this trade.

Dr SMA Rashid, Chief Executive, CARINAM in Bangladesh is battling to conserve these animals. “Turtles are one of the most endangered animals in the world right now. In India, they have enforced this law strictly where there is a total ban on the killing and capturing of turtles. In Bangladesh, we do have the law but we have to enforce them strictly and stop this domestic turtle trade totally.”

Since the ban on hunting and capturing turtles under the Wildlife Act 2012 and the increase in the enforcement by the Forest Department, the industry has gone underground but during the Kali Puja festival, these animals are killed openly in the Tanti market in the capital.

Hari Biswas, one of the oldest traders of turtle meat, says he has seen a significant decline in turtle numbers over the past 40 years and that puts his business under pressure.

“In the past, we used to get a lot of turtles from the villages as the population was smaller at that time.

Now the population is much larger in the city and we are getting fewer turtles. We want to sell Bangladeshi animals in Bangladesh. Now in Khulna District we are not allowed to sell turtles because of the Forestry Department. In comparison to last year, we have 50% fewer turtles, so there is always a war to buy them as thousands of families are in this trade.”

“These arguments demand something has to be done urgently to save the turtles,” says Dr. Rashid.

“Among the 23 species of freshwater turtles that we have in Bangladesh, 18 are considered endangered. If the

numbers of turtles continue to decline there will come a time when there will be no turtles in Bangladesh.”

The decline in freshwater turtle numbers is a cause for concern since they are often the key species in the ecosystems in which they live.

Bangladesh’s turtles and other wildlife are not only being destroyed during Kali Puja, turtles are also being eaten all year round and are also being traded as pets and for traditional medicine. All turtle species are being decimated without a thought about sustainability. Their habitat is also under pressure.

A ray of hope

Despite all the factors that are dooming Bangladeshi freshwater turtles to an almost certain extinction, there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. In some regions of the country, attitudes to turtles are very different. In Bostami Mazar, Chittagong, they are worshipped and this reverence has led to support for protecting turtles and to pressure the government to enforce laws as well as to begin turtle breeding programmes.

The value of these breeding programmes is seen by the large group of scientists and conservationists who have helped to save the world’s most endangered turtles from extinction.

With support from the Forest Department, TSA and Zoo Vienna CARINAM, an initiated captive breeding of some critically endangered turtle species like Batagur baska (Northern River Terrapin), Manouria emys (Asian Giant Tortoise), etc, has been started at a facility in Bhawal National Park which is currently jointly managed

by CARINAM, IUCN-Bangladesh and Prokriti-O-Jibon Foundation.

The facility is not only home to the rarest turtles but also to one of the rarest animals In the world. Before the breeding programme was set up, their extinction looked inevitable.

This sanctuary offers some hope that crucial species will survive, even if it’s only in captivity.

To save this species worldwide, people must change their attitudes to these animals. Ordinary people and conservationists must work together to find a balance between tradition and nature. Much still needs to be done to protect their natural habitats and change attitudes for the slaughter to stop.n

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18 stay in

Groceries at your doorstep N Anita Amreen

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Chaldal.com

One of the most comprehensive online portals for grocery shopping, Chaldal.com is a dream come true for online shoppers. Whether you’re looking for groceries or toiletries or even pet care products - everything is one click or one phone call away.

Their website follows a clean format and design that is easy to navigate

Clues

ACROSS 1 4 6 7

Young lady holds frenchman back from soldier (7) I retain movement through inactivity (7) Win with evil rap ensemble (7) Party keeps identity discernible (7)

DOWN 1 2 3 5

Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune. com and win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune.

and is divided into categories that make online shopping a convenience like never before. Log onto their website at www.chaldal.com or you can call them at +8801919123123.

Misti Bari

Take a bite out of the sweeter side of life and shop from Misti Bari’s delicious collection of sweetmeats. They have everything from the regular Kalojam to delicacies such as Natorer Kachagolla. Find them at http:// mistibari.com/ or call them at +8801776849885.

Quick look at sprite through wobbly legs (7) French resort has energy of girl (relative) (5) Handbill late elf put together (7) Find origins of the first marathon (5)

Meena Bazaar

If you’ve been to any of the Meena Bazaar outlets around town, you know that they’re the one stop solution for most of your weekly shopping needs. From regular items to never-seen-before finds, they’ve got it all and that too at very competitive prices. Luckily for us they now have a beautiful website from where you can order your weekly groceries and have them delivered for free to your place (if your order is above Tk1,000). For orders below Tk1,000, they are offering a free pick-up system where you don’t have to spend long hours looking for your goods or waiting in line at the cash counter. Find them at www.meenabazar.com.bd. n

Last week’s solutions

ith political turmoil hitting a whole new high in the capital, the idea of spending a few leisurely hours making our weekly round at grocery stores is no longer a luxury we can afford. Rather, it has turned into a nagging annoyance that we’d much rather get over with as quickly as possible. As much as we love to haggle our way for best bargains and sniff our way through the freshest produce, sometimes both time and convenience don’t allow for such small pleasures. This week we help you spend some quality time at home and make grocery shopping a breeze. Read through our list of online shopping portals that promise you quality produce at reasonable prices, with an added bonus of extremely convenient delivery systems. Sit back, relax and enjoy the hartal season before you’re hurled back into the hustle and bustle of work life.

Mini cryptics

ACROSS 1 Distance slime moved (5) 5 Pea soup for primate (3) 6 Rectify entitlement (5) 8 The French follow software company (5) 10 Uncooked, like a lion says (3) 11 Consumed, say, before nine (5) DOWN 1 Indicates temperature of planet (7) 2 Limb. Left, for example (3) 3 Took an exam in Alsatian (3) 4 Ask about search (7) 7 Use 2D for making beer (3) 8 Wonder at two fifths of a week (3) 9 Coathanger short for Margaret (3)

Sudoku

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

Last week’s sudoku solutions

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Go out

19

Weekly Planner Jan 29-31

Feb 04-7

Feb 05

Fashion | Fashion Festival-2015

Exhibition | DTG - Dhaka International Textile & Garment Machinery Exhibition 2015

Cinema | The Color Purple

When 05:30-8pm Where Emmanuelle’s Convention Center, Shimanto Square Market, Dhanmondi What Bdexplore Ltd is arranging a three-day fashion festival featuring booths and stalls of various products.

For more information contact: 01717453166, 9672775

When 12-08pm Where Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), Agargaon What Jointly organised by Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Yorkers Trade & Marketing Service Co Ltd and Chan Chao Int’l Co Ltd, the event provides textile machinery producing companies with the opportunity to showcase their products to clients from the RMG sector.

including poverty, racism, and sexism.

The Color Purple was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

When 06:30-09:00pm Where EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old) , 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi

JANUARY

What EMK Center is commemorating the Black History Month with the screening of Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple.

The Color Purple is a 1985 American period drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker. The film tells the story of a young African American girl named Celie Harris and shows the problems African American women faced during the early 1900s,

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Send your events to weekend@dhakatribune.com

Feb 1-28

Book | Ekushey Boi Mela 2015 When 9-8am Where Bangla Academy

Ekushey Boi Mela is one of the most popular festivals in Bangladesh, held annually Amor Ekushey Grontho Mela, commonly known as Ekushey Boi Mela, is the National Book Fair of Bangladesh. It takes place over the entire month of February and is devoted to the martyrs who died on 21 February 1952 in a demonstration calling for recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan. Despite the fact that Ekushey book fair began simply as a Boi Mela, it has evolved into a full blown literary festival, enlightening the spirit of the contemporary Bengali nation.

Jan 29- Feb 8

Football | Bangabandhu Gold Cup 2015 When 4-10pm Where Bangabandhu National Stadium (Dhaka) and Sylhet District Stadium (Sylhet)

The Bangabandhu Cup or Bangabandhu Gold Cup is an international association football tournament organised by the Bangladesh Football Federation as a tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This tournament was first started in 1996. With six nations participating, this year it will be the second time the tournament is held.

Channel 9 and Fox Sports will telecast all the matches live.

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20 Funnybone | Yamin Khan

Desi Apps Because you know you need one Yamin Khan

L

adies and gentleman, sorry for breaking it to you like this, but I am planning to quit stand-up comedy – for good.

Now, I am well aware of the fact that most of you don’t give a damn and some of you will breathe a sigh of relief, but for me, it was a really tough call.

Now let me tell you why I made this decision. Girls love it when a guy makes them laugh. But they love it even more when the laughter is accompanied by martinis on a secluded island, and a to-do list that includes buying a handbag, which is more expensive than her best friend’s brand new car. Or, maybe a visit to a restaurant, where the food costs as much as the GDP per capita of Somalia and you leave as hungry as a Somalian kid. *Disclaimer: The above paragraph is both sexist as well as racist. (Just In case, you already failed to notice.)

And hence, with the lure of a life of opulence, I have decided to quit stand-up comedy and set up my very own software company. Ours will be the only company in the world, where we’ll design apps, exclusively catering to the needs of Bangladeshis.

(Besides being racist and sexist, I am a nationalist as well.) And following are some of the apps that we are planning to launch this summer:

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Photo: Big stock

DaWat-da-fudge

How many times has it happened, during the winter season, that you had to attend multiple dawats in one single night? And especially those distant relatives who invite you just out of sheer courtesy? Well worry no more! Our app helps you with a database of excuses which are unique in nature and designed especially to invoke sympathy in the reader’s mind. And all that you’ll have to do is select your excuse, enter the destination number(s) and we’ll instantly send a text on your behalf!

So from now on, say goodbye to all those boring dawats and say hello to DaWat-da- fudge!

awkward moments. And all that you have to do is record a message in our app and set up a call time.

So that every time you get stuck in an unwanted conversation, you’ll receive a call from our call centre, telling you that your childhood best friend Osama Bin Laden has been attacked by the Navy Seals and your presence at the crime scene is of utmost importance. And not just that, our executives will continue calling you every five minutes till the rescue mission is over. And during exceptional conditions, we will send over an executive, who will physically retrieve you from the danger zone.

Special charges apply.

Call of Duty

Comparative Advantage

“So beta where are you working now?

Did I tell you that my son is working as an investment banker?” (As a side note: This is how you disguise a boastful statement as a question.)

“So when are you planning to get married? By the time I was your age, I already had three children.”

“Now that you are married, when are you planning to take a baby?”

These questions seem familiar to you? Do they haunt you in your dreams to the extent that you have become socially awkward? Worry no more! We have for you the “Call of Duty” app! It’s an app designed to help you during these specific

Your parents are always comparing you with your friends? They are always unhappy with your achievements because your friends have more? Well no need to worry now because we have for you, the “Comparative Advantage” app! All that you need to do is register your parents’ names and NID numbers into our system and our team of special investigators will find out all the information about their friends and regularly upload it into your account.

So that next time when they start comparing you with your friends, you can compare them with theirs!

For example Father: So, you have a CGPA of 3.4?

And Huda shaheb’s son…3.8! Is this why we have spent all that money behind your education? When will you stop embarrassing us like this?

Son: But dad Huda uncle earns Tk2.5 lacs/month and you earn Tk1.3lacs.

So if we calculate CGPA/BDT then my return is higher than his son. Plus, he doesn’t cheat on his wife.

Last word

To be honest with you, I am not sure whether I’ll make it big in the software business. But I know for a fact, that even in the bare minimum, I’ll earn more than I used to as a comedian. And my childhood dream of paying the income taxes will finally come true. So do wish me luck and please visit our company’s website for more information.

Website: www. youareanassforbelievingthistobetrue. com n

Yamin Khan is a comedian and CEO of Bangladesh Struggling Artist Survivors Foundation

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