Weekend Tribune Vol 2 Issue 47

Dhaka Tribune | vo l 2 I ssu e 47 | F R I D AY, A pril 10, 2015

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Pohela Boishakh

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Anti-Indian sentiment

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Yamin Khan

CONTENTS

1

Volume 2 | Issue 47 | April 10, 2015 News 2 News 3 Meanwhile

Editor Zafar Sobhan

Features

Features Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Asst Magazine Editor Farina Noireet Weekend Tribune Team Farhana Urmee Faisal Mahmud Tausif Sanzum Sakib Mridha

4 Origin Story The Bengali calendar

9 Photo story

5 Origin Story Pohela Boishakh 6 Digital Bangladesh Bangabandhu-1 8 Reflections Jaipur 13 Inside Out Morning walk

Sundarban Honey

14 Post-Riposte Anti-Indian sentiment

Contributors Syed Zakir Hossain Reema Islam Md Sarower Reza Jimi Probir Kumar Sarker Saqib Sarkar Dina Sobhan Nirupama Subramanian

15 Ethnography Goraith women 17 Listology Medical Woes 20 Funnybone Yamin Khan

Regulars

14 FEATURE

Cartoons Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Priyo Graphic Md Mahbub Alam Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal 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

Sericulture

18 Stay In 19 Go Out

About the cover

Editor’s note Dear Readers, April 7 was observed as the World Health Day, and that had us thinking about the state of wellness in this city of ours. Check out our Listology for some comments collected from real experiences of the service side of our healthcare system. Nirupama Subramanian returns with her musings on her morning walks and what this can do for one’s wellbeing.

Coming right up on April 12 is the anniversary of the first human space flight. That’s a good time as any to discuss our very own satellite.

With Pohela Boishakh looming up in the coming week, we take a look back at the origins and traditions of the New Year celebrations around

the world. Funny man Yamin Khan wonders what happens if New Year’s Eve customs collided with Pohela Boishakh.

This week, we also get close with nature. Check out our gorgeous photo story about the honey gatherers of the Sundarbans. Then head to our story about silk.

Hope you have a great week, and a hearty Shubho Noboborsho from the Weekend Tribune team.

-Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

Crab-hunters of the Sundarbans Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

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2 News | This week

The world at a glance

French Muslim leader calls for doubling of mosques

Weekend Tribune Desk

Rebels kill eight Iran soldiers on Pakistan border Eight Iranian border guards have been killed in a clash with Sunni rebels who had infiltrated from neighbouring Pakistan, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

“Armed terrorists entered Iran from Pakistan and clashed with border guards, killing eight soldiers before fleeing back to Pakistan,” Ali Asghar Mirshekari, deputy governor of Sistan-Baluchistan province, told the news agency.

The southeastern province has a large Sunni Muslim community and has seen repeated attacks by militants on the security forces of mainly Shiite Iran.

Sunni militant group Jaish-ul Adl

(Army of Justice) said its fighters carried out the incursion in Negur district on Monday night, Iranian media reported.

The clash was the deadliest since October 2013 when 14 border guards were killed in an attack also claimed

by Jaish-ul Adl. Mirshekari urged Pakistani officials to “arrest the terrorists and hand them over to Iran to prevent Pakistan from becoming a parade ground for terrorists.”

There have been repeated deadly clashes in the border area. Three Iranian soldiers were killed in an ambush in December and three more in an attack in the town of Saravan in October.

Sri Lanka, Pakistan sign nuclear agreement

Sri Lanka and Pakistan signed six agreements including one on atomic energy Monday, the two countries’ leaders said, as the strategically important island looks to build its first nuclear plant.

Details of the agreement were not immediately available but it comes after Sri Lanka signed a pact with India in February to build its atomic

energy infrastructure, including training of personnel.

Sri Lanka’s new president Maithripala Sirisena swept to power in January, ending a decade of rule by Mahinda Rajapakse, and has moved to reduce China’s influence in his country, which had irked India.

His arrived in Pakistan Sunday for a three-day state visit has been watched by observers for clues over any further changes in Colombo’s foreign policy.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have traditionally enjoyed strong ties, particularly over defence, with Islamabad providing military assistance during the war against Tamil Tiger guerrillas that ended in 2009.

Photo: Reuters

One of France’s top Muslim leaders has called for the number of mosques to double over the next two years to remedy a shortage of places of worship for the country’s millions of faithful.

Speaking at a weekend gathering of French Islamic organisations, where participants asked for respect in the face of a rise in anti-Muslim attacks, Dalil Boubakeur said the 2,200 mosques in the country did not adequately represent Europe’s largest Muslim community.

“We need double (that number) within two years,” the head of the

Pope to world: don’t ignore killing of Christians Pope Francis on Monday again pressed the international community to do something about the killing of Christians in several parts of the world and not “look the other way.”

He has been increasingly vocal about the fate of Christians being targeted by Islamic extremists in parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Addressing pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter’s Square, Francis praised those who were “sensitising public opinion about the persecution of Christians in the world.”

While not suggesting any

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, AP R I L 1 0, 2015

a $10 million bounty on Mullah Omar’s head and the Taliban leader has not appeared in public since the American-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

The Taliban have gained strength as foreign troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan and control swathes of rural areas, where they implement Sharia law and collect taxes.

Despite these gains, they face defections from within, as disgruntled commanders have in various parts of the country withdrawn support and declared allegiance to Islamic State radicals.

particular course of action, he urged “concrete participation and tangible help in defense and protection of our brothers and our sisters, who are persecuted, exiled, slain, beheaded, solely for being Christian.”

The pope was building on his Good Friday denunciation of what he then called “complicit silence” about the targeting of Christians.

“They are our martyrs of today, and they are many. We can say that they are more numerous than in the first centuries,” Francis said.

IS hostage Helal returns home

Afghanistan’s Taliban say Mullah Omar is alive and well The head of Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgents, Mullah Omar, is alive and in touch with current events, the group has said in a 5,000 word document released to mark his nineteenth year of leadership.

Published on a Taliban web site on Sunday in four languages, the account addresses rumours the reclusive one-eyed leader, in hiding for over a decade, is either dead or seriously ill.

“He remains in touch with the day-to-day happenings of his country, as well as the outside world,” the document says.

The U.S. State Department has

French Muslim Council and rector of the Paris mosque said in the town of Le Bourget near the capital.

“There are a lot of prayer rooms, of unfinished mosques, and there are a lot of mosques that are not being built,” he added Saturday at the Muslim gathering, billed as the largest in the Western world.

This annual convention of the Union of Islamic Organisations of France (UOIF), which groups together more than 250 Muslim associations, comes just months after jihadist gunmen killed 17 people in and near Paris.

Photo: Reuters

Bangladeshi worker, who was taken hostage by the Islamic militant group ISIS in Libya, has returned to his home district Jamalpur.

Helal Uddin reached his house in Gazaria village under Madarganj upazila around 1am on Tuesday.

Jamalpur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Nazrul Islam

confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune.

Earlier, Helal arrived at the airport on an Emirat Airlines flight on Monday evening.

Helal and Mohammed Anwar Hossain of Noakhali were taken hostage, along with seven other foreign nationals, during an attack on a central oil field by militants from Libya’s Sirte city, 700 kilometres from capital Tripoli.

Later, the two Bangladeshis were released on March 24.

Photo and news: Dhaka Tribune

meanwhile ... | News

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Say what?

Photo of the week

Air India co-pilot beats up captain inside cockpit

A shutki (dried fish) seller at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, stares into space as there is no customer to buy his wares, amidst the on-going hartals.

Photo: Martin Hannan

You’re welcome 5 tips for dealing with a coworker you can’t stand Putting up with an annoying co-worker can cause an awful lot of stress. Try out these five hacks that will come in handy in such times:

1. Give a not-so-jolly message

It is a normal response to ignore the office jerk to avoid confrontation – in fact, 95% of workers try to do just that. But avoiding the problem doesn’t solve it.

Confront the offending person by pointing out those things they do that are keeping you from getting your job done – set boundaries. However you choose to confront the office jerk, keep it professional and nice. No name calling, raised voices, or blaming.

2. Create a united front

There is power in numbers. Everyone, including the office jerk, should meet to come up with appropriate office behavior rules – no finger pointing allowed.

There will be far more value attached to the rules when everyone is involved in choosing them and the office jerk will be less likely to feel personally attacked.

3. Leaders must take a stand

Get a higher-up to step up and remind and enforce proper behavior in the office and hold accountable those who are not following the rules of conduct.

If you have a boss who seems oblivious to such issues (this happens far too often), you need to speak to him or her about what behaviors you have been seeing that are inappropriate.

4. When the boss is the office jerk, watch out!

Far more disruptive than a co-worker’s being an office jerk is when your boss is the biggest jerk of all. A staggeringly high percentage of bosses are jerks who have no clue of the impact their behavior has on their staff until it’s too late. The best way to open your boss’s eyes to his or her jerkiness is a group meeting.

Create a united front – get other disgruntled employees involved. Before the meeting with your boss, meet and write down those things that are driving employees out the door to new jobs and then bring the boss in – once again keeping it professional.

Amid rising aviation safety concerns over pilots’ mental health, an Air India aircraft’s cockpit witnessed some tense scenes between the captain and his deputy at Jaipur on Sunday evening just before the Airbus A-320 was to take off for Delhi.

The heated scenes were witnessed when AI 611 was getting ready to fly for Delhi.

“The commander told his copilot to take down critical take off figures for the flight. This involves writing critical facts like number of passengers on board, take-off weight and fuel uptake on a small paper card (trim sheet) that is displayed in front of the pilots for the entire duration of the flight.

The co-pilot took offence at this and reportedly beat up the captain!

“In the larger interest of the airline”, the commander decided to go ahead with the flight and flew to Delhi. The normal procedure would have been to report this incident in Jaipur but that would have led to the flight being cancelled and passengers being left stranded.

On landing here, the captain is learnt to have made a log entry with AI movement control after which he flew to his home base, Mumbai.

News and photo: Times of India

5. Head to HR or quit

A very small percentage of bosses will simply refuse to change their behaviour, at which point asking your human resources department for help may be necessary.

If all else fails, find a new place to work where employees are appreciated and supported. It’s definitely worth the switch, potentially decreasing your stress and adding a few more years to your life!

News: Business Insider

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4 Origin Story | The Bengali Calendar

Boishakh's Birthday

How old is the Bengali Calendar? This Pohela Baishakh it is going to be 1422 years old. Here is the story behind introducing the Bengali calendar and using it in official and royal purposes?

Farhana Urmee

Lackshman era is 836 years old, which is a lot younger than Bongabdo.

Akbar and calendars

Akbar started to count the months as solar months according to the Persian style instead of having lunar months as per Arabic style. Having all the characteristic of the Hijri calendar and removing some discrepant aspects of it, Akbar introduced Ilahi calendar.

The first day of the Ilahi year is celebrated as Nowruz in the Persian culture. This calendar kicked off with Akbar's ascension to the throne.

Akbar introduced another calendar called “Fosholi Shon,” which was actually a calendar formed on the basis of harvest in different parts of the land. This calendar was introduced to ease the process of collecting tax. That calendar is also all different from Bengali calendar. The Bengali month Agrahayan, the season of harvest was considered to be the first month of the year.

Akbar and Bengali Calendar

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he influence and importance of the Bengali calendar in rural Bengal is significant.

There are professions that are inherited from forefathers like weavers, goldsmith, fishermen, and many more which depend on Bengali calendar to perform different rituals related to their profession.

For the businessmen, new accounts are opened, and the old resolved on the New Year. Again, seasonal and religious festivals are also performed and observed on the basis of the Nagla calendar.

Other calendars

Once, “Shokabdo” and “Bikramabdo” were used as official calendars. That was before the Muslim rule was established in this land. After the advent of Muslim Rule, Hijri calendar was followed by the ruler. It was the British Raj that introduced and established the Gregorian calendar in this land.

Why other calendars are not WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, AP R I L 1 0, 2015

Bengali calendar

There are confusions over having different calendars introduced by different rulers over different eras. Often they are perceived as Bengali calendar or “Bongabdo.” Shokabdo was introduced in 78th year on the Gregorian calendar, which means this calendar is 1936 years old. On the other hand, Bikramabdo was introduced 58 years before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, which means this calendar is 2073 years old. Neither are Bengali calendars or “Bongabdo”.

“Lackshmanabdo” is another calendar which had been used from the very beginning of the rule of Lackshman Sen in 1179 on the Gregorian calendar. Apparently,

Akbar divided his empire into many parts for the ease of governance. This part of the land was called “Subah Bangalah” of the total 12 provinces on Mughal Empire. If Akbar had introduced a whole different calendar for Subah, other provinces like Urissya, Bihar, Gujrat would have separate calendars too. But history does not have any such records.

Again, in the Akbarian era, Subah Bangalah had a time of political

turmoil. Reforming a calendar and introducing it would not be possible in such a hostile environment. Again, there is no mention of introducing a new Banglka calendar in historical book “Akbarnama” or “Ain-E-Akbari” by historian Abul Fazl.

Bongabdo

Evidence of Bengali calendar is not found in the Hindu or Buddhist era. Bengali calendar is a scientific calendar based on solar month. The names of the months in Bengali calendar are taken from Shokabdo, but Bengali calendar in totally different from Shokabdo in structure.

The names of the months are totally Indian in Bengali calendar unlike Ilahi calendar where they are Arabic.

The names of the days are after the names of Indian God and Goddesses.

Baishakh is the first month of the Bengali year, which is in the mid of April in Georgian calendar.

The Bengali calendar is the evidence of the lifestyle of the people of this land, who recognise the impact of changing seasons in their lives. They follow the Bengali months to perform several rituals of economic activity.

This calendar has been invented in to unite different groups of people and different segment of culture in this land with the spirit of noncommunalism, diversity, respect to religion and nature. n

Pohela Boishakh | Origin Story

5

The many names of Boishakh Redolent of a large, new ledger mingled with that of attor or incense and being served various mishtis when you visit shops, especially jewellery and old Dhaka shops, Pohela Boishakh or the Bengali New Year is replete with traditions and nuances throughout the Bengal region as well as South East Asia. Yet, as we approach the year 1422, most people are unaware of the Bengali dates or even the month of the year. So as we buy our new saris and stock up our kitchens for the Pohela Boishakhi celebrations, let us take a look at the journey of this date around the region.

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Photo: Syed Latif Hossain

hashanka of the Gour dynasty (around 590-625 CE) is thought to have started the tradition of celebrating the new year and also acknowledging the sun changing its course or the vernal equinox.

Nowruz, Easter, Passover, Pohela Boishakh, the end of March and April is a time of festivals and pays homage to all old cultures that heavily relied on agriculture and all its resulting traditions. Once the new year was settled in 594 CE, it remained a Bengali specialty until Emperor Akbar decided that a more efficient system to collect taxes was required. Thus, in 1584 CE Fathullah Shirazi, the royal astronomer, combined both the lunar and solar calendars to create the Tarikh-e-elahi or the fasli son/ bangabdo. In other texts, the Hussain Shahi Sultanate ruler of Bengal, Alauddin Husain Shah (1494–1519 CE), is attributed to the creation of this calendar yet all agree to Akbar ordaining an official status to it. Yet, today, we are distinctly unaware of the many ways our country celebrates this important agricultural change of season and would be surprised to hear of the bull racing in Munshiganj or the traditional wrestling known as bali in Chittagong.

Water, flowers, the new food of the season and lots of colours – these are scenes that would fit into any new year celebration whether it is Songkran in Thailand, Puthundu in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam or Pohela Boishakh in Bangladesh. This month is also of special importance to the Buddhist community as Boishakh is the month when Gautama Buddha was born and the month begins with prayers and preparations for Buddha Purnima. A time when sins are washed away, a new beginning is welcomed and what better way

Reema Islam

than through water, flowers and colours! The Boisuk of Tripura people, Sangrai of Marma people and Biju of Chakma people together form Boi-Sa-Bi, the Chittagong Hill Tracts version of Pohela Boishkah. A hearty water fight with mostly young people participating symbolises washing off the woes and troubles of the previous year. The same concept have travelled to Thailand where Songkran is celebrated with gusto and lots of traditional rituals. Songkran mainly means Passover (very similar to the concept of the Christian Easter and Passover where the sun passes onto its new path/vernal equinox) and like the Thais, their neighbours in Laos follow rituals that embody their culture well. They pay respect to their elders by washing their hands with scented water while the raucous young even throw shaving cream or powder at each other to smell nice! Animals are set free and sand, which has a symbolic significance in the culture of Laos, is used to build images of the Buddha. In Nepal, the day starts off in the ancient capital of Bhaktapur, with people pulling a two-storied chariot called the Bhairav Nath Rath and then holding a tug of war between the North and South parts of the Kathmandu valley that invariably ends in festivities.

on this day are rather sensuous, while agricultural fields are prepared for the new crop and a general feeling of festivities resonates in the air.

Dishes consumed includes various types of pithas and a combination of foods called the Jolpan, which is the equivalent to our cha nashta.

The Tamils call this month Chitterai and people don new clothes, much like we do in Bangladesh, while the South Indians of Kerala place the items they consider most auspicious near their bed so they can be the first things they see in the New Year. Gold jewelry, rice, coconuts, statuettes of their gods and maybe pictures of their children are all placed near the bed to welcome prosperity. Known as Pana Sankranti in Orissa, the day starts off with the flour of gram or beson with yoghurt and banana offered to the traditional Tulsi plant before being consumed by the people

while the Deccans of South India call it Yugadi. This festival in Karnataka also acknowledges the fact that life comes with its bitter-sweet and sour moments (known as bevu bella in Kannada), hence a platter that symbolizes these elements are served.

It contains neem buds/flowers for its bitterness, signifying sadness, jaggery for sweetness and happiness, green chillis for anger, salt for fear, tamarind juice signifying disgust and unripe mango for its tang, signifying surprise!

Popular Ugadi dishes are Holige, which is boot or gram boiled with jiggery, crushed then stuffed into a roti and consumed with milk or ghee.

So whether you call it Puthandu Vazthukal in Tamil or Pohela Baishakh, mid April arrives once more as the kalboishakhis rip through our cities preparing us for the new year.

We wish all our readers a Shubho Noboborsho! n

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he Assamese celebrate three important times of the agricultural year in a festival called Bihu. Thus, three kinds of Bihu are observed, the Rongali Bihu, Kongali Bihu and Bhogali Bihu in mid-April (Spring equinox), October (Autumn equinox) and Bhogali Bihu in January (winter solstice) respectively. The Rongali Bihu is naturally in sync with Pohela Boishakh and as it is also considered a fertility festival, some of the dances

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6

Digital Bangladesh | Bangabandhu-1

Launching the big kite From going global to going interstellar, we’re finally getting there

Faisal Mahmud

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ending a million dollar kite into the orbit has long been a dream of Bangladeshi policymakers. While some say it's nothing but a matter of prestige as all the neighbouring countries are placing or have already placed their own satellites into orbit, we feel the need to have our own up there.

The satellite dream

A proposal had been given during the last tenure (1996) of the Awami League government, to place a satellite, by the then Information and Communication Technology minister.

But the government did not agree to the proposal at that time.

When the present government came into power in 2009, it reinstated the plan of launching the satellite.

The post and telecommunications ministry opted for a geosynchronous orbital satellite (GSO) be used it for defence, broadcasting and telecommunication purpose but the telecom regulator Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) suggested a Sun-synchronous satellite for environmental monitoring and resource mapping After much deliberation, the government finally opted for a GSO satellite. An international tender was finally offloaded in March 23 this year to lunch our first ever satellite –

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Bangabandhu-1.

BTRC with its international consultant has prepared the tender documents as well as the project proposal. According to the project proposal, if everything goes smoothly, the Bangabandhu-1 satellite will be launched by 2017.

The tenure of “Bangabandhu Satellite Launching Project” was decided between July 2014 and June 2017.

ATM Monirul Alam, commissioner (Spectrum Management) of BTRC informed that the telecom regulator had paid $5.6 million (20% of the cost) to the Intersputnik, a satellite company from Russia, as first installment of purchasing the orbital slot on 119.1 East Longitude, the cost of which was fixed at $28 million (around Tk218.96 crore).

According to the contract signed on January 15 this year with Intersputnik, the BTRC will have to pay 30% of the cost ($8.4m) within the next 15 months, 25% ($7m) within 18 months after that, and the rest within the next eight months.

Earlier, the government found six alternative offers for launching its first ever satellite, and some of them were also cheap, but the government remained steadfast in a faster arrangement.

The cost of the 'big kite'

In September 16 last year, the

Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved Tk2,967 crore for the Bangabandhu-1 project. Of that fund, Tk1,652.44 crore came from foreign aid, and the remaining Tk1,315.51 crore will be paid by the government.

Of the total cost, BTRC has estimated Tk1,312.58 crore to be operational expenditure and Tk1,655.38 for capital expenditure.

At present, the country's demand for a satellite is met by renting bandwidth from different satellite operators, which cost around Tk109.2 crore every year, with the amount increasing progressively. BTRC is very optimistic as it said that the launching of satellite will not only keep foreign currency in the country, but also will take only seven years to reach breakeven point.

benefits

According to the project proposal, the satellite would minimise the existing digital divide between the country’s urban and rural areas as it would take broadcasting and telecommunication services to the most remote areas of the country, and introduce profitable and promising services such as direct service to households throughout the country.

It also claimed that after launching our own satellite, lots of new jobs will be created and it will open up

new lines of high tech business opportunities and revenues.

When launched, the Bangabandhu-1 satellite will serve the SAARC countries along with Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as the ‘Stan’ countries – such as Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – if the satellite’s frequency is properly coordinated. This will also earn money for the country.

Doubts

Meanwhile, experts in the field questioned the purpose of having a satellite for communication and broadcasting purpose. Wasim Hussain, a Bangladeshi Phd student in University of British Columbia in Canada, who has extensive research on satellite said that a GSO (geosynchronous orbital) satellite could be used to develop telecommunication bandwidth, but that cannot be compared to capacities offered by submarine cables.

Bangladesh is already connected to a submarine cable, however, it can use only a third of the capacity. Moreover, the submarine cable company is also going to be connected with another submarine cable, as an alternative.

He further mentioned that mobile operators have already rolled out services, covering about 98 percent of the country. Just a few places remain

7 outside the telecommunication network, which, too, can be developed within a few years. If the satellite is not used for commercial purposes, then there is no point in launching it, he added.

Dr Satyaprashad Saha, professor of telecommunication engineering at BUET, said domestic satellite television channels are renting satellite facilities from other countries, a satellite could curb that cost and the government can earn hard cash by renting out the satellite.

But, the government needs to form an independent agency to own and monitor the satellite’s operations, otherwise, it would be a lost project,

he said. “The lifespan of a satellite is more or less 15 years. So, to give it economic viability, Bangladesh needs to earn Tk. 200 crore per annum. Moreover, operational and maintenance cost would be added, additionally”, he added.

Who would be its operational authority?

Also the country's satellite programme continues to be haunted by the government indecision over the operational authority, as who would operate the satellite still remains a million-dollar question.

BTRC cannot be at the helm of the satellite programme,

as it is a regulatory body, and cannot act as operator as per the Telecommunication Act 2010.

Meanwhile, the government’s ownership of the satellite, which will be used for commercial purposes as well, can actually undermine potential business, as negotiations would invariably be stuck in red tape.

Partnership might work

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organisation (SPARRSO) are jointly working with Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organisation (APSCOP), to get the ownership of a satellite on the basis of partnership.

Mujibur Rahman Howleder, an expert with SPARSO, said that under an agreement with APSCOP, Bangladesh would jointly own a satellite, with nine other countries, at a cost of Tk90 crore.

“The satellite would be a high resolution observation satellite.

With that, we can map resources and forecast weather properly,” he said, adding that a joint venture will be cheaper than launching our own satellite, as the country barely has the expertise to handle a sophisticated satellite, on its own.

So many experts believe and also as the facts stand, there is no clear financial case for this project. n

Types of Satellites: Low Earth Orbits

Satellites in low Earth orbits are normally military reconnaissance satellites that can pick out tanks from 160 km above the Earth. They orbit the earth very quickly, one complete orbit normally taking 90 minutes. However, these orbits have very short lifetimes in the order of weeks compared with decades for geostationary satellites. Simple launch vehicles can be used to place these satellites of large masses into orbit.

Sun-Synchronous orbits

Meteorological satellites are often placed in a sun-synchronous or heliosynchronous orbit. These satellites are in polar orbits. The orbits are designed so that the satellite’s orientation is fixed relative to the Sun throughout the year, allowing very accurate weather predictions to be made.

Most meteorological satellites orbit the Earth 15 to 16 times per day.

Geosynchronous satellites

Earth-synchronous or geosynchronous satellites are placed into orbit so that their period

of rotation exactly matches the Earth’s rotation. They take 24 hours to make one rotation. However, the plane of orbit for these satellites is generally not the equatorial plane. The satellites are used for communications at high latitudes, particularly in Russia and Canada.

are positioned directly over the equator and their path follows the equatorial plane of the Earth. As a result geostationary satellites don’t move North or South during the day and are permanently fixed above one point on the equator of the Earth.

Geostationary satellites

Most video or TV communications systems use geostationary satellites.

Geosynchronous and geostationary satellites are typically orbiting at 35,788 km (22,238 miles) above the surface of the planet (42,000 km from its centre).

The majority of communications satellites are in fact geostationary satellites. Geostationary satellites like geosynchronous satellites take 24 hours to complete a rotation.

However, geostationary satellites

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8 Reflections | A visit to Jaipur

Exploring the Pink City with ‘Jalal’s Story’ A memorable first-time experience in Jaipur, at its grand Pink City

Md Sarower Reza Jimi

“W

hat does a script supervisor actually do?” asked actor turned filmmaker Toukir Ahmed while we were sitting around the grand table at the dining space of our hotel after the first-day hang out in Jaipur.

‘We’ include Abu Shahed Emon, director of the film Jalal’s Story, with whom we had gone to attend the 7th Jaipur International Film Festival, Toukir bhai, who played one of the major roles in the film; Arafat, who portrayed the protagonist Jalal; Munnabhai, a common friend of ours and I, the script supervisor.

I glanced at Emon bhai. He replied with a patronising smile.

“The script supervisor is the crew member who roams around in a picnic mood during shooting time when the rest are messing up work,” I answered.

Of course, that is not true.

Independent film-making in Bangladesh involves everything one can mention, from sweeping the floor to transferring footage till midnight.

No conventional definition of roles actually fits here.

But in spite of all, it is true that the entire journey of outdoor shooting was indeed a picnic for me. And the picnic does not end with the shooting phase but continues when we, the invitees, had reached Jaipur to attend and compete in the Jaipur International Film Festival this February.

We reached Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan – the pink city – after a 25hour journey by train from Kolkata.

But where is the pink? There were white, yellow and grey among all the common house colours all around. In fact, nothing was particularly ‘pink’! I admit, I was a bit disappointed.

I only discovered that there was indeed a ‘pink city’ within Jaipur, when Henrich, a Swedish filmmaker, mentioned it to me.

Fortunately, the venue, Golcha Cinema Hall, where our movie was scheduled for screening was inside that area that is called the Pink City.

And we went to visit this intriguing place the very next morning.

The Pink City is separated from the rest of Jaipur by a gigantic gate of Rajput architecture. It is an open gate with three lanes in it through which vehicles and pedestrians pass by.

The venue is just in front of the gate inside.

The discerning eye will be hardpressed to find colour pink. All the building walls were painted with the same colour, of course, but it was not pink, in particular. It might have been that colour when Maharaja Ram Singh painted the city walls in honour of the visit of Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria in 1876, as the colour pink is said to represent hospitality.

The heritage was followed by the successors as a rule, but I suppose the colour gradually changed over the course of time. It wouldn’t be a false statement if I say it is actually close to orange now. A matte shade of orange precisely.

Anyway, after watching the movie screenings, we started exploring the city as well.

For Toukir bhai, this was his second visit, and the very first time for the rest of us. Therefore, Toukir bhai eventually became our unofficial guide. As he has a background in Architecture from BUET, there couldn’t have been a better guide to explain TO us the architectural beauty of the majestic havellis and palaces.

The grandeur of Hawa Mahal, Ambar fort, Jantarmantar along with its spacious passages built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II after whom the city was named in 1727, were preserved, sometimes restored, with great care. Maharaja Jai Singh was an astronomer too, the observatory Jantarmantar tells about his passion for astronomy very clearly.

It is said that the construction of Jaipur is very scientific and organised. A Bengali Brahmin scholar named Vidyadhar Bhattacharya planned and designed the core part of the city as well as some major palaces following the classical Indian

Photos: Bigstock

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vastushastra. These historical facts are evidently visible in the roads and buildings of Jaipur.

Most of the palaces have its ancient essence intact till date. One can easily visualise the grand and heroic lives of the warrior Rajputs while sitting on a bench by the passages.

But the true colour of Jaipur blooms in its streets, with its beautiful people and amazing fabric and crafts all around! Locals in Jaipur of Rajput origins, both Hindu and Muslims, are very good-looking with their tallbuilds, fair complexion and sharp features. Like in the other parts of Rajasthan, Marwaris are the majority here. Tourism-based businesses in the city are mostly controlled by the Marwaris. If you try windowshopping, it is very possible that you would end up buying a thing or two by being convinced with their sweet talk.

Crafts are mostly made of wood and metal with vibrant colour and fine designs. One cannot ignore the traditional nagra shoes, chundri clothes and puppets being sold on both sides of the streets of the Pink City. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, but you have to know the art of bargaining. Being tempted, we bagged souvenirs more than we intended to buy on the last day of our tour.

And of course the local cuisine! Veg items are dominant in the restaurants as well as the streets. ‘Thali’ is a popular item among veggie menu where one can take rice or roti with three or four types of daal and mixed vegetables, all as much as one can eat for only Rs60-70. If you want to have meat or fish, avoid restaurants that has the word ‘pavitra’ in its name, like Gurucharan Pavitra Bhojanalay, which is a purely vegetarian restaurant.

Finally came the closing day of the festival. Our last day in Jaipur.

With bags full of Jaipuri crafts and our hearts full of warm memories of the city, we were packing up for the departure, when the news came that Jalal’s Story won the best Debutant Director’s award at the festival!

What more could grand Jaipur have offered us? n

Sundarban honey | Photo story

The hunt for honey

9

Turn for more photographs

Photos by Syed Zakir Hossain

For generations poor fishermen and villagers in the south-west region of Bangladesh, have been collecting wild honey from the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forests in the world.

The annual honey gathering season, which is between April to June every year, brings lots of expectations, as it provides people with much

needed extra income.

This week’s photo story features moments from a day in the life of the Moualis, traditional honey collectors, and the great efforts they make in the pursuit of acquiring this precious ‘fruit of the forest’.

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10 PHoto story | Sundarban honey

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12 Post-Riposte | PATRIOTISM vs CONSUMERISM

Because of the recent cricket incident, sentiments against India are running very high. But are we mad enough at India to stop buying Indian and buying more deshi?

Yes

We should boycott Indian products Probir Kumar Sarker “Enough is enough,” this is what we should say now, though it had to be declared firmly much earlier. We have been patient enough! And now this outrage is not madness, but rather rational to begin boycotting Indian products and services.

As a whole, we are agitated against India because of the authoritative mindset of the government and the influential business communities on the people of Bangladesh.

Because of the unwarranted dominance of Indian rulers and bureaucrats, and hypocrite businessmen, Bangladesh has been facing injustice for years – from trade gap to delay in signing water sharing treaty to the killing of innocent people on borders.

And now we, as well as the whole world have witnessed that the Indian authorities are capable enough to influence the crucial World Cup cricket match against Bangladesh, apparently under the influence of its brands – even the International Cricket Council is under their grip to manipulate match results in their favour.

By boycotting Indian products and services, we can teach the Indian government, their businessmen and the nationalist citizens a lesson that will shake their stubborn mindsets that they can get away with anything any time. We need to prevent them from exercising power on Bangladesh in cricket matches as well as compelling them to relax trade barriers for the Bangladeshi exporters.

On what basis should Bangladesh continue to import a ship against exporting a pair of shoes?

We should also boycott the Indian TV channels through which their businesses reach customers in our country to increase demand for their products. On the other hand, the Indian authorities have introduced strict provisions to allow its cable operators showing Bangladeshi channels there.

They do not even soften their stance, either as a symbol of mutual respect or to create a reasonable business environment, though the Bangladesh government is cordial enough to allow dozens of Indian channels here.

This is a cruel example of their utter negligence which has been imposed as an effort to control Bangladesh market through authoritative expansion mechanisms.

Not the last, there are more enraging issues to be engaged: the regional sports channels operated mostly by India did not telecast repeat of the World Cup matches treating the teams equally. They highlighted their team's feats during the matches and tried to conceal the misdeeds of their players and the umpires.

We cannot allow India and its citizens to give a deaf ear to the issues of mutual interest any more. Their authoritative but corrupt mindset should change. It is unfortunate but the process is not impossible, if we do not see any significant progress in their perception due to the boycott call, we will go for extensive campaigns against the Indian authorities to realise all our due demands. There is no scope for a compromise in sacrificing our rights.

Above all, the boycott campaign would help the local industries grow faster to cater the rising demand. Therefore, our economy would be stronger by creating more job opportunities and by saving foreign currency needed to pay the import bills.

Photo: Bigstock

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NO A relationship between Bangladesh and India is a way forward Tausif Sanzum Due to the geographical proximity between the two countries, India and Bangladesh have become great trading partners. According to recent business reports, the figure of relation stands at a massive haul of over 7 billion. One must agree that India is a huge country with a big market which our local entrepreneurs with the right strategy can tap and expand their business across national borders.

Similarly, there is a big demand for Indian products in Bangladesh. As such, a cordial relationship between these two countries is a win-win for all concerned.

However, one thing which our policy makers should keep in mind is the trade deficit. In simpler words, the balance between export and import should be maintained so that one party namely Bangladesh does not stand to lose from this huge bilateral trade agreement. Also the trade and non-trade barriers should be lowered for Bangladeshi products in India.

In January 2012, NTPC and BPDB agreed to establish a Joint Venture for creating a 1320 megawatt coalbased power plant in Bagerhat

district in Khulna. Since 2013 India has been exporting 500 megawatts of electricity on a daily basis to our country. This has greatly contributed to reducing the power supply shortage. Talking about economic assistance, India has given loans to Bangladesh accounting nearly 1 billion for various projects. Bangladesh on its part provides easy transit between India and other neighbouring countries.

In light of the common history and also a shared language, cultural exchanges have been an important part of the relationship between India and Bangladesh. Scholarships and training programs under ICCR, ITEC, TCS of Colombo Plan are being offered to Bangladeshi Nationals in India. A bilateral Cultural Programme (CEP) has been established between both the countries to promote cultural exchange. This took a major step when the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre was established in Bangladesh in 2010. Here both countries jointly celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and 90th anniversary of Kazi Nazrul

Islam’s poem, Bidrohi. Also a lot of Bangladeshi cultural programmes are being staged in various states of India.

On a lighter note, there is a big debate about the telecast of Indian television channels in Bangladesh.

Also the recent showcase of Bollywood movies in Bangladeshi theaters garnered a lot negative criticism. The primary logic provided was that local media industry will not be able to take the pressure of Indian media. However, aren’t Hollywood and English sitcoms a bigger threat?

Did a local movie like Zero Degree not run full house for several weeks despite competition from a Bollywood blockbuster like Wanted?

The thinking should not be whether we completely want to forgo India and become “deshi”. In this day an earthquake in one part of the world, affects the financial market in another, we cannot cut out links to a major country with shared borders.

Instead the emphasis should be how our policy makers can become better negotiators, how our industries can compete with foreign ones in the local market as well as penetrate and tap

the foreign market and the need to accept this fusion of culture.

Saying that, it is also important to point out the main reasons for the friction in Bangladesh-India relationship is because of the hegemonic vibe which India gives out.

Also the aversion of India towards multilateral agreements such as those of SAARC does not go well with other member countries.

Agreed, that India is a big power particularly in South-east Asia, but if it wants to remain that in the long run, it should learn to compromise and enter more institutional agreements with other smaller nations and not just think from a hegemonic point of view which will be beneficial for both parties. As an article published in Dhaka Tribune points out: “Bangladeshi political parties must also exhibit maturity and shy away from India baiting to flame anti-Indian sentiments in the country. India is a big neighbour and Bangladesh must reach a mutually satisfactory accommodation with India.” n

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Feature | Sericulture

Glorious silk

Looking into our very own silk industry, which has made quite a name for itself through the high quality products it turns out every year Farhana Urmee

S

ilk has always been a symbol of luxury across the world. Yet, the demand for silk has never been low even considering its price relative to cotton and other fabrics. The superiority of of the fibre and the elegance of weaving makes silk a desirable possession.

For the fashion conscious and traditionalists, silk has always had a huge demand in Bangladesh. Besides Muslin and Jamdani, Rajshahi silk is one of our arts that we can be proud off. Our territory has inherited the art of making silk because of its geographical proximity to China and India.

Silk industry in Bangladesh

Silk farming depends entirely on the environment. Bangladesh's agricultural and climatic advantage has well fed the growing silk industry since 1947. Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute was established in 1962 for research and development of silk and to conduct training on sericulture. Again, after its independence, establishment and operation of Bangladesh Sericulture Board (BSB) has also contributed to the growth of silk farming.

Deprivation of the Silk Industry

In the 1980's, around 25 to 30 thousand people were directly employed in the silk industry. These people began work in the different

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sectors within the industry: the pre-reeling stage had 63% of the total number, 2% was occupied in reeling, 30% in weaving and 5% in marketing and selling of the silk industry, while 2%, of the total number of people employed in the small and cottage industry of the country.

Silk farming is based on farming mulberry trees. Mulberry leaves are the food for the moths before their metamorphosis. Mulberry tree farming has become a challenge for the growers in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Thakurgaon as there isn't sufficient land to grow them and there is also a lack of availability of quality mulberry seeds.

Again, entrepreneurs these days are not interested in growing mulberry trees, which takes at least four to five years to turn a profit.

New industries have taken the place of old ones. Farmers have chosen to cultivate mango on lands where mulberry trees could be cultivated. Local young girls, the working force which could have been invested in farming silk, are switching to garments industry for better wages.

After independence, the restrictions imposed over the import of silk fabrics and yarn have contributed to the protection and growth of sericulture in Bangladesh.

But during the 1990's, the major obstacle to silk farming was that, cheaper silk yarn imported from

China became available. The intrusion of cheap and low quality silk yarn is making the silk production expensive for the ones who use local yarn.

According to the Silk Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, “the export volume of Bangladesh silk products is experiencing a sharp decline over the years. The data from Export Promotion Bureau shows that there was a drastic fall from 11.48 million dollars to only 8000 dollars in just 2 years in the value of exports of Bangladeshi silk products.” The organisation is indicating towards the inferior quality of the silk products, conventional designs, unattractive colours and comparatively high production cost than the power loom silk are for the decline in silk export.

promising silk

The land and climate in Rajshahi division is perfect for growing mulberry tree. Again, growing mulberry tree to feed the moth will be a huge contribution to forestation.

Developed road, transport and communication system in northern part of Bangladesh has opened a new window for farming and weaving silk. Again, there are non government agencies and government bodies to support and develop the industry.

Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board was established in 2013 which is a member of National Agricultural

Research System (NARS).

Time will change, new industries will come but that will not close the old ones if the government is concerned about preserving its heritage of small and cottage industry. Neighbouring country India is experimenting and developing the silk industry and making a place in the world map once again, whereas, Bangladesh is about to lose the glorious silk industry it had in the past due to lack of efficient research, government subsidy and support. If silk farming could be restored once again to meet the local demand of silk that is locally farmed and weaved, it will open a window to export silk as well, and save our glorious silk.

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Did You Know?

• Silk is a protein fibre • Silk fabric was first developed in ancient China • India is the second largest silk producer in the world after China • India is the largest consumer of silk • In Islamic culture, Muslim men are forbidden to wear silk • Silk fibres are very fine, about 10 nanometres in diameter • Silk is the strongest natural fibre known to mankind

Goraith women | Ethnography

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Where women bear the family torch

The fascinating way of life of Goraith women Naveed Ferdous

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n recent times, Netrokona's Birishiri has become a major tourist attraction and with good reason too. While the serene beauty of the place is enough to blow away your mind, that's not the only thing that has people flocking to this bustling tourist spot. It's the interesting, undiscovered way of life of the people residing in this discreet area that is reason enough to make a trip or two to Birishiri.

Although the journey from Dhaka to Birishiri is a tough one since both the bus service and going by road isn't a particularly great option, it's still worth the effort. Once you reach Birishiri, the bus stops at the beautiful Goraith village. The moment you reach, you can't help but be completely taken by the magical serenity of the place. As you settle in and have had some time to take in the beauty and bounty of the area, you will finally come across a fascinating aspect of the Birishiri way of life. I stumbled across it while I was conducting a research on the people there. While the world we live in is patriarchal, following the patrilineal lineage with more than

87% of societies following the same system, interestingly, locals residing in Goraith follow a matrilineal family lineage where women take the lead role rather than men.

From time immemorial, we have always given both power and preference to men. Despite what others say, women have almost always been discriminated. It's surprising to see that in a country like ours, there are places where women are given preference over men! In the Garo community of Bangladesh, women are the ones who avail the priviledges that are usually reserved for men. From the Goraith village I came to know that only women can inherit and own property. There is no scope for men to own any property. What's more is that after marriage, the groom must go to the bride's residence. The groom's new permanent residence is that of the bride instead of it being the other way round! These aren't the only surprising facts, there are several other issues which contribute to the disadvantaged situation that Goraith's men face.

According to sociologist Srizan Shangma, "according to the norms and practices, Garo is a matrilineal

society. Therefore according to the Garo law, family lineage will be determined via women. Women here can only inherit property and the husband must move to the wife's residence after marriage. In the recent year there has been a tendency of the men to go against the norms of the Garo society. They are trying to bring about a change."

I

n comparison to other cities, Goraith follows a completely different social setting and way of life.

Here, instead of women fighting for their rights or priviledges, it's the men that complain and stand up for their rights since they believe that they are not able to exercise their rights. They cannot accept the fact that women are in superior positions in comparison to them. I conducted a survey and studied their thoughts and opinions on the matter to find that they are willing and trying to break this social system to follow the social system of the Bengali people. While conducting the research, an ex member of the Goraith village pleaded me to work for them so that they could transform their social system into the patriarchal

social system.

In our villages we usually tend to see that women are not given the opportunity to pursue higher education since their parents believe that the investment will go in vain, especially because after marriage they are meant to live with their husbands and manage their families.

The men in this village experience the very same problem that women in Bengali societies do. In this village, the majority of the educated masses consist of women. I interviewed a male doctor who, against all odds, was able to avail higher education but his parents were constantly discouraged by other Garo members.

It's astonoshing to think that in a remote village in Bangladesh, a girl is riding a bicycle and going to school on her own. Did we ever think that the majority of the shops in that very village will be owned by women? Did we ever think there would come a day where men would be complaining about being discriminated against?

Truth be told, it's happening and it's happening here in our very country, in a beautiful, quaint village called Goraith.

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Inside Out | wellness

A walk in the park

Enjoying a morning walk and the many benefits of making it a regular habit Nirupama Subramanian

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areas of the body or promise to burn a certain number of calories, walking is an activity that is both the outcome and the goal in itself. There is a sense of getting somewhere without the urgency of needing to be there. If you walk mindfully, with all your senses open to the world, it is a moving feast.

I walk to walk.

I usually walk at the Gulshan Park near my house. Unlike any park I have seen, it has a deep basin of water in the middle, too small to be called a lake and too large for a mere pond.

The lake is fringed by a great variety of trees, with leaves that gleam in fifty shades of green: the limpid green

of new mango leaves, the waxy dark hues of the oleander plant and browngreen fronds of the palm. The park is small in comparison to the parks of the great cities of the world. A single circumambulation is just about a kilometre. It has only one path about six feet wide for runners and walkers. Yet, in a crowded city with little walking space, with roads often plagued by traffic snarls, it is a haven that takes you close to nature while affording the opportunity of exercise.

This park seems to be a hub of social and physical activities. I often see a large gathering of ladies sitting and talking to each other, over food.

The sound of their conversation mingles with the Bangla melodies that chime through the concealed speakers – the tunes are familiar but the words are new. Now I can make out some of the favourites- tumi amar meye, ami tomar maa... Friends meet and greet each other and as they walk, perhaps they talk about the state of the nation and the results of the cricket match. A beefy masseur kneads the shoulders of a slight man who is clearly enjoying the relaxation it provides.

Here, you see a serious runner, steadily beating down the paved path, lost in a world of music and rhythm. There you see a clutch of ladies, colourful in their salwar kameezes and sports shoes leisurely ambling along. On the broad swathe of concrete that is an amphitheatre, you see the yoga aspirant stretching his limbs and bowing to the sun. A few fitness enthusiasts perform their routines, bending the body to their will. An old man with a walking stick plods along in solitary splendour. A small child skips along in front of her parents, an ayah pushes a gurgling blue eyed baby in a pram. Life unfolds and moves on.

I wish there were more parks in cities in our part of the world. Amidst the concrete clutter and urban squalor, a patch of green is literally a breath of fresh air. It is also a public space which invites freedom of expression under the open skies. Parks are a blessing; they heal and connect all those who pass through it. The presence of parks is a sign of wellness in a city and presence in the park is an indication of wellness in a person. n

mellow sun, cool breeze carrying the smell of rain, a drop of water rolling off a glossy leaf, a secret bowl of shimmering water reflecting the orange arc of a bridge, a bed of tall hollyhocks nodding their pink heads alongside smiling yellow sunflowers, the dulcet tones of a black bird with a scarf of red at its throat, half hidden by the branches of a Gulmohar tree – these are the small delights that I can find during my morning walk.

Walking as an exercise has many benefits. It helps to burn calories, lose weight, reduces risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and asthma. It helps you sleep better and prevent dementia.

Walking in green spaces gives you an added bonus – it boosts your sense of well-being and promotes happiness. It is an inexpensive pleasure appealing to people across ages. Unlike other forms of exercise that target certain Photos: Bigstock

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Medical woes | Listology

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Help!

It’s not just illness from which patients suffer. From plain denial of medical services to the most awkward questions, read on to find some of the most embarrassing patient-hospital-doctor moments.

Tausif Sanzum FALL of Fame Health line service provided by a certain mobile network denies any consultation and do not refer any doctors to unmarried females having pregnancy-related questions. So ladies, in case you want to prepare yourself for future pregnancies or have any related medical scares which you want to clear, this “helpline” is of no help.

On her first visit to a counselor’s office for psychology consultation, the very first the counselor asked the woman was: “Are you having intercourse regularly?”

You pay a chunky amount for visiting a doctor at a private hospital only to be greeted by medical attendants who lack any respect for humanity. One such encounter a patient narrates, “When I showed up for my appointment at the said time, I was made to wait for half an hour.

When I asked the attendant that it’s already long past my appointment time, she suggested that I “run” in as soon as the patient who is inside comes out.

A woman with a cyst on her collar bone shows up at an orthopedics’ chamber. After a checkup and having found out that the woman has recently divorced her husband, the doctor suggests to her that the one reason behind the existence of the cyst can be depression and she should start dating. Technically speaking we might not be doctors but this cure seems a bit far-fetched particularly in medical terms.

A patient visits a dermatologist with symptoms of minor vitiligo (fading of skin colour). Instead of suggesting proper skin treatment to stop the spread of the disease, she suggests the patient that there are makeup materials available in the market which can be applied to cover the fading skin. All hail to this great advice.

A reputed private university which prides itself for being one of the first universities in the country to have an on campus student counselor has received significant flack from its students. The reason being, the personal revelations which students share with the counselor become the fodder for gossip in the university the very next day. Talk about keeping mum.

A woman on the verge of menopause consults a gynecologist who refers her to a counselor. Everything went well until the gynecologist failed to provide any contact information for any decent counselors in town.

INGLORIOUS mentions While the hygiene conditions of public hospitals are beyond redemption, those of expensive private ones are nothing particularly great to write home about either.

Check out the bathrooms at some of the private hospitals and you will know what we mean.

The ever bickering and gossip loving attendants add to the woes of the nervous patients.

Single women wanting to opt for abortion have to fight a “mahabharat.”

Photos: Bigstock

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18 stay in

Movie review: The Passenger Saqib Sarkar

The story is quite simple; David Locke (Jack Nicholson) is a respected journalist on assignment to Algeria to cover a secret war, which, due to the formidable landscape and language barrier, he is unable to find. Isolated by these factors, he becomes frustrated, and when he returns to his hotel to find the man he had been drinking with the night before dead, he seizes the opportunity to change his life by switching identities with the dead man.

Locke’s wife (Jenny Runacre), upon learning that her husband has died, attempts to track his steps while retroactively examining their marriage.

In turn, the life Locke has adopted is that of a gun

Clues

ACROSS 1 4 6 7

Headgear contains a little place to live (7) Musician put M in new murder (7) With a canoe, I moved around Pacific area (7) Room for 100 between young ferret and fowl (7)

DOWN

runner who was funneling arms to the aforesaid war. So, while Locke is blissfully plotting his new life, he is being followed by both his wife and representatives of the regime which want him snuffed out.

The overall theme is as straightforward as the timeless “Live life while you can” axiom. It is the masterful way it is told which elevates this film. Locke meets a girl in Barcelona whom he recognized in London. Striking up a conversation, he is able to convince her to follow his unmapped journey, and the two forms a relationship as kindred spirits. While Locke’s abandon hindered his career and marriage, in his new identity it sets him free and allows him to be himself.

The English title is more profound than the French Professione: reporter, as Maria Schneider, Nicholson and Jenny Runacre are passengers.

Schneider and Runacre are passengers of Locke in different capacities, and Locke, a passenger of his assumed identity. In spiritually, and in a way, literally killing himself, Locke is able to finally live. Like all great works of cinema, everything is relative to the antagonist. n

1 2 3 5

Strange rise in chop for fish (7) Savage gouge in hollowed out bangle (5) Trainer reorganised the lie of the land (7) Bite of Norwegian painter (5)

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

Last week’s solutions

You need not watch this more than once to “get” it. You do, however, have to have a broader grasp of cinema than standard Hollywood schlock.

Many (notable) critics have damned the slow pace, and snipe “Pretentious!” at those who espouse it. But entering into a world as glorious as this, I only wish I could have stayed longer.

As in any Antonioni (Director) film, the background itself is a central character, and each shot is a stunning compositional statement which could stand alone in any photography exhibition.

Working with the finest architectural locations in the world (London, Germany, Barcelona), each scene is staggering in scope, and complements a tactfully subdued plot. You read this film as if it were a classical painting. The dialogue merely hinting at internal thought processes evident in character behaviour, an added bonus.

Mini cryptics

ACROSS 5 Singer crazy about North America (7) 6 Streetcars come back looking neat (5) 9 Stole chip end sneakily (7) DOWN 1 Girl at first belongs to me (3) 2 Firm blockage found in an insect (7) 3 Entry into any lawless state (7) 4 God useful in the kitchen (3) 7 A pint is called for (3) 8 Not even weird (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

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Apr 9-11

Celebration | Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year) When Early morning onwards Where Ramna Botomul, Ramna;

TSC, Dhaka University Area; Rabindra Shorobor, Dhanmondi and all over Dhaka

Pohela Boishakh is approaching as the last month of the Bengali calender, Choitro of year 1421 is about to end. Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.

Wherever there is a Bengali community Pohela Bishakh is a huge festivity. The day will start with Rabindranath Tagore's song

Apr 11 Seminar | Seminar: Student Visa

When 4pm Where EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old) , 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi What This Student Visa Seminar will be presented by the Visa Officer from the US Embassy.

The seminar will give you useful information and advice on applying for US student visas.

To attend this free event, please register online at: http://goo.gl/ MHa1Sc

Apr 11 Opening | Grand ReLaunch of YELLOW Dhanmondi Store

When 7pm Where Yellow, House-17, Road No-2, Dhanmondi What YELLOW, a trendy fashion brand by BEXIMCO, distinguished for its true international quality designs

“Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho''

by Chayanot in Ramna Botomul at dawn. Mangal Shobhajatra will be brought out by the students and teachers of Institute of Fine Arts later on. Traditional panta-ilish with different bhortas and pickles is a must as breakfast on this special occation.

No Pohela Boishakh would be

and fabrics, is going to re-launch their Dhanmondi outlet in a spectacular way. YELLOW invites everyone to the re-launch of their store.

Apr 14 Education | Advising on U.S. University Admissions

When 3:30pm Where EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi What The US Embassy is arranging a free session for all at the EMK Center for those who are interested in pursuing higher education in the US. EducationUSA adviser will be discussing US university admissions process and requirements.

No prior registration is required to attend this program. Interested people are to go to the EMK Center as per the schedule

Apr 13 Music | American Center Music Buzz

When 4pm Where The American Center, Plot

the same without Boshakhi Mela (fair). Here you will find on offer, a veriety of traditional foods, toys, handicrafts, etc. People also visit them to enjoy the traditional music and dance.

People wear colourful dresses.

Women traditionally wear saris in white and red combinations. Men wear panjabis in the same colours.

Pohela Bishakh is also the start of the Bengali business year. There is the traditional ceremony of opening the halkhata (accounting book) in the morning, with customers and clients coming in to purchase as businessmen welcome them with sweets, biriyani, etc. n

No -1, Progati Sharani, J-Block, Baridhara, Dhaka (Opposite from the U.S. Embassy Dhaka) What All and any special musical talent are invited to Music Buzz presented by The American Center, a music club offered every other Monday in the American Center library. All vocalists, musicians and anybody who just feels like jamming to good music are welcome to the session as the program is free and open for all.

Apr 08 Education | English Club: EMK Center

When 3pm Where EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, Dhanmondi What Join the free English Club at the EMK Center – practice speaking in English with fun activities like watching English movies, reading poems and essays, etc.

Send your events to weekend@ dhakatribune.com

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20 Funnybone | Boishakh

What if?

A humorous list of things that may take place in a hypothetical Boishakhi. You might as well be prepared Yamin Khan

S

ometimes I think to myself, how would things be if the Bengali New Year started from the January 1 instead of April 14? I guess we would never know for sure but that doesn’t mean we can’t allow our imagination to entertain us with the thought.

So, following are some of the hypothetical situations which may arise if the two year ending celebrations were to collide someday.

John Venn

For the Venn diagram to be of any use, there must be two sets. Let set A consist of all those people who are eager for the New Year’s Eve countdown and Set B represent all those early birds who want to welcome the Bengali New Year.

And the intersection area will represent all those people who are equally interested in both the celebrations. a) In the instance where the intersection area is small, Dhaka will be divided into two halves, with one half out partying late into the night, and the other half calling it an early night so that they can be up and about for the morning celebrations.

There would be two different events on Facebook with each event trying to outdo each other in their attempt to attract more people.

The event organised by Set B will spread worrisome news about how foreign culture is ruining our society

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and representatives of set A will reciprocate by calling them ‘khaet’ and LS. There will be ongoing status wars, memes will flood the internet and hackers will hack important websites of opposing parties. And while all this is happening, our telecom companies will come up with packages and marketing schemes targeting both the group of people. b) However, if the intersection point ends up being big, it would give birth to an unusual but interesting scenario. While the New Years Eve celebration will go as usual, the morning events will be flooded by intensely hung-over, grumpy looking people, involuntarily sporting their sunglasses, and getting constantly irritated by even the tiniest of noises.

The sale of Panta Ilish will hit an all time low and the city corporation will have to spend the next few days cleaning puke from different parts of the city.

Entertainment Industry

a) All the TV and radio channels will get into a dilemma whether to focus on the New Year’s Eve or the Pohela Boishakh celebrations. Some will even try to balance the act by making the same anchor wear a bandana, torn jeans and sunglasses at night while testing out his IELTS skills, and then switch to pajama-punjabi by the morning with a new found respect for Kobi Guru and Nazrul.

b) It is very typical of the celebrities to answer this standard question about their plans during special festivals.

Some of the diplomatic ones resort to answers like: “I sleep all day” or “I try to spend time with my family.”

But this time around there will be a new type of challenge because one answer is not good enough. Say the answer for Pohela Boishakh plan is “I will sleep all day,” then what were you doing during the night? And if the answer for New Year’s Eve is “I want to spend time with my family,” then who do you want to spend time with during the day? And in this case as well, there will be a common ground where the answer will be like, “I am going to spend time with my family at night, and then sleep the following day!” c) The only people who’ll greatly benefit from this are the event organisers. Especially the ones who organise large-scale open air concerts.

Originally, there’s usually a night long concert for New Year’s Eve featuring some of the renowned bands from the country whereas the Pohela Boishakh celebrations make way for the Baul singers who are mostly ignored

during the rest of the year. But with the new twist, the organisers don’t need to plan two separate events.

They can make it like a 24 hour long concert where they’ll play folk songs for Pohela Boishakh and remixed version of the same songs the night before. d) Not to forget the brand ambassadors of the phrase “All talk and no action”, our beloved talk show guests, who will happily argue at night about our youth getting spoiled by global cultural aggression and how they have sleepless nights thinking about the unavoidable extinction of our own culture in the near future.

Then reappear the following morning, again happily arguing about how our culture has successfully managed to leave a mark in the global arena thanks to the patriotic Bengalis who take their culture with them no matter where they go.

In conclusion

Putting the bitterness aside, may this new year bring with it the realisation to cherish life and be grateful for everything that we have. Shubho Noboborsho!

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