weekend 231

Dhaka Tribune | vol 2 Issue 31 | FRIDAY, DeCembeR 19, 2014

Pet PIgeons8 12 InDIgenous

ChRIstmAs 17 FunnYbone YAmIn KhAn

Angels we have heard

on high

Angels we have heard

on high

Editor’s noteAngels we have heard on highDear Readers,

As evening falls, blanketing the city with a thick fog, and chilled nights call for blankets and hot drinks, and the lights of wedding parties start blinking on, one can’t help but think of Christmas. The warm fuzzy feeling associated with the holiday is precisely what we need after a particularly trying week. So this week, after all the horror and tragedy that has taken up headlines, we take a nostalgic trip into the past to a better time.

Start with our list of outdoor entertainment of old (page 4). Come indoors to take a moment to bust some popular Christmas myths (page 5), before going back in time to trace the evolution of the religion in Bangladesh (pages 6-7). Coming back to the present, we head out of Dhaka to witness how this holiday is celebrated by the Bawm community (pages 12-13).

Back in Dhaka, we check out the wonderful world of pigeon fanciers (page 8). Our photo story this week is a moment of relief amidst the horror being played out in the Sundarbans at present (pages 9-11). Still on the subject of animal rights, we have our WT alums battle it out in a Post Riposte (page 16).

Weekend Tribune wishes all its readers a very Merry Christmas!

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

On the coverA praying angel silently overlooks passers-by at the Nagari St Nicholas Church at Gazipur.

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, DECEMBER 19, 2014

1CONTENTS

Volume 2 | Issue 31 | December 19, 2014

News

2 News

3 Meanwhile

Features

5 Tradition Myth busting

8 Feature Pet pigeons

15 Music Evolution

16 Post-Riposte Animal rights

17 Funnybone Yamin Khan

20 Interview Dr Kaniz Khan

regulars14 Legalese

18 Stay In

19 Go Out

EditorZafar Sobhan

Executive EditorShahriar Karim

Managing EditorJahangir Hyder

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Weekend Tribune TeamTasnuva Amin Nova

Mark S BaidyaFarhana UrmeeFaisal MahmudFarina NoireetTausif Sanzum

Art Direction/PhotographySyed Latif Hossain

CartoonsSyed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Rio Shuvo

ContributorsJennifer Ashraf Kashmi

Syed Zakir HossainReema Islam

Naheed KamalYamin Khan

Sumaiya Shams

GraphicsMd Mahbub Alam

Tahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

LISTOLOGyOutDOOr ACtivitieS

4 FEaTuRE iNDiGeNOuS CHriStMAS

12

ORIGIN STORyCHriStiANitY iN BANGlADeSH

6

PhOTO STORySuNDArBANS Oil SPill

9

FEaTuRE iNDiGeNOuS CHriStMAS


inside police officers from the Tactical Operations Unit stormed the café.

One hostage was shot dead by the gunman, who in turn was shot dead by the police. Another hostage died of a heart attack during transport to a hospital.

Early on, hostages were seen holding a jihadist black flag up against the window of the café, with the Islamic Shahādah creed written on it in Arabic. Initially the media mistook it for the flag used by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), though the gunman later did demand that an ISIL flag be brought to him in the middle of the crisis.

The gunman, who had a history of criminal charges including sexual assault, and who was to be tried as an accessory in his wife’s murder, was described as having indicated a “political motivation.” Monis, also known as Sheikh Haron, pleaded guilty in 2013 to writing letters to relatives of Australian service members saying they were “Hitler’s soldiers,” according to Australian media reports.

UN chief to travel to Ebola-hit countries: UN sources

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Ebola-hit countries in west africa this week to raise awareness about the health crisis, UN officials said Tuesday.

Ban is to make the announcement at a year-end press conference at the United Nations on Wednesday, UN officials said.

The UN chief is to visit Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Mali to take stock of international efforts to beat back the world’s worst outbreak of the disease, which has left more than 6,800 people dead. Photo: AP

Obama will sign Russia sanctions bill: White House

US President Barack Obama will sign into law a bill passed by Congress to tighten sanctions against Russia over its Ukraine incursion, the White House said Tuesday amid a dramatic run on the ruble.

“The president does intend to sign the bill,” spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters, while adding, “it does preserve the president’s flexibility to carry out this strategy.”The US Congress on Saturday unanimously passed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, which includes fresh sanctions against Moscow over its support of the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern ukraine.

It also authorises - but does not legally require – Obama to provide lethal and non-lethal military aid to Ukraine including anti-tank weapons.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday branded the new sanctions as hostile. Photo: AP

2 NEwS | This week

The world at a glance

Taliban killed 141 at Pakistan schoolTaliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in Peshawar on Tuesday and massacred 141 people, nearly all children, an act of barbarism that left Pakistanis in shock as they mourned the loss of relatives and friends.

“In every street of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, someone has lost a dear one today,” said Qazi Murtaza, 24, of Peshawar, whose cousin and aunt were killed in the attack. “My aunt lost her son – his funeral is tonight – and then I have to go to my uncle’s house. He lost his wife.”

The attack on the Army Public School in the northwestern city near the Afghan border was one of the worst incidents of extremist violence in Pakistan since a 2007 suicide bombing in the port city of Karachi killed 150 people. Peshawar has been the target of frequent militant attacks – in September 2013 a twin suicide bomb blast in a church killed at least 85 people.

Asim Bajwa, spokesman for the Pakistani military, said 132 of those killed Tuesday were children and the other nine were staff members. An additional 121 students and three staffers were wounded at the school, which includes more than 1,000 students and staff.

Bajwa said seven gunmen stormed the school wearing explosive vests. They did not take hostages but instead fired indiscriminately as they entered the school.

“Their sole purpose, it seems, was to kill those innocent children. That’s what they did,” Bajwa said.Photo: Reuters

Church of England to name first woman bishopThe Church of England is to name its first ever female bishop, ending centuries of male leadership following a historic change to its rule, said a British media report.

The church is set to ordain a female priest as the new Bishop of Stockport, a post that has been vacant since May, The Telegraph and The Guardian reported.

The name of the new bishop will be announced on Wednesday, according to the newspapers.

The mother church of the global Anglican Communion, which has 80 million followers in more than 165 countries, gave its final approval to the change last month.

The decision, which comes two decades after the first women were ordained as priests by the church, has provoked division in the ranks of believers and was opposed by conservatives.

Anglican churches around the world do not have an obligation to follow England’s lead but the ordination will set a symbolic precedent.

Two hostages and a lone gunman died in Sydney hostage crisisFrom Monday to Tuesday, a self-styled Muslim cleric, Man Haron Monis, held hostage 17 customers and employees of a Lindt chocolate café located at Martin Place in Sydney, australia. After a 16-hour standoff, during which areas of the Sydney central business district surrounding the site were cordoned off and nearby buildings locked down, upon hearing gunshots from

Weekend Tribune Desk

Govt preparing visitor’s policy to protect

Sundarbans

The government is preparing a visitor’s policy to protect the world’s largest mangrove forest – the Sundarbans.

The policy will include comprehensive guidelines for the tourists as part of the government effort to save the mangrove forest from pollution created by the vessels and visitors.

“We are exchanging views with both the government and private stakeholders, who are directly involved with the tourism industry,” Faiz Ahmed, joint secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, said.

He said the policy would be finalised immediately after getting the opinion of the people concerned in the tourism sector.

Officials of the ministry said the government had initiated the process of preparing visitor’s policy nearly two years back.

As part of the process, the ministry sent letters to different stakeholders, including the tour operators, seeking opinions.

Apart from the tour operators, all the organisations concerned have given feedback in this regard.

Yunus Ali, chief conservator of Forests, said the policy was needed for the sake of greater interest of the Sundarbans.

“All the tourists and vessels are used to leave solid wastages which are not decomposed properly, polluting the environment of the Sundarbans severely,” he added.Photo: Dhaka Tribune


3meanwhile ... | NEwS

You’re welcome

How to make tofuFor all the health nuts out there, here’s how to make tofu at home:

1. Soak soybeans over night.

2. After draining and rinsing the soaked soybeans, blend them with water to make soy milk. (Note: Commercial soy milk won’t work properly because of all the additives so it is best to make your own)

3. Heat the fresh soy milk by bringing it to a boil first and then letting it simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. Strain the soy milk through cheese cloth and collect the solid remnants in the cloth, squeezing out as much milk as possible.

5. Bring the clean soy milk to a boil, remove it from the heat and add a coagulant – either a salt or an acid (lemon juice or vinegar) – to curdle it. Adding the coagulant slowly, in stages, will make the curd fluffier.

6. Let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes, giving it enough time to form.

7. Collect the curds with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a container to drain and mould into shape. The container should have a few holes in the bottom so that the tofu can drain.

8. Use a weight to gently press liquid from the tofu. For firmer tofu, you can let the block rest for up to 50 minutes, and for softer tofu, closer to 20 minutes.

9. The final step is firming up the tofu in a dish of cold water. Set the block in cold water for about 10 minutes for a nice, firm texture. It is now ready to use however you want.Source: The Huffington PostPhoto: Bigstock

On Victory day when the whole city is adorned with red and green, this little girl

who sells flowers on the streets surrounding TSC,

comes across a two-horse carriage. She feeds the

horse her flowers and takes a happy moment to hug and

kiss it.

Photo: Shekhar Mondal

Photo of the week

Say what? Black Captain America leading

comic book diversity

For decades, comic books have been in colour, but now they truly reflect all the hues of American society.

The new Captain America is black. A superman who is suspiciously similar to President Barack Obama, recently headlined a comic book. Thor is a woman, Spider-Man is part-Puerto Rican and Ms Marvel is Muslim.

Mainstream comic book superheroes – America’s modern mythology – have been redrawn from the stereotypical brown-haired, blue-eyed white male into a world of multi-coloured, multi-religious and multi-gendered crusaders to reflect a greater diversity in their audience.

“Society has changed, so

superheroes have to as well,” said Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief at Marvel Comics, who in November introduced Captain America No 1 with Samuel Wilson, the first African American superhero taking over Captain America’s red, white and blue uniform and shield.

“Roles in society aren’t what they used to be. There’s far more diversity,” said Alonso, who has also shepherded a gay wedding in the X-Men, a gender change from male to female in Thor and the first mainstream female Muslim hero in Ms Marvel.News: APPhoto: AP


4 LISTOLOGy | OuTdOOr acTiviTies

The old sport

Snake charming

Snake charmers play a special kind of pipe, locally called “been,” in front of the snake, which puts the snake in a sort of trance, where by it can be controlled by the tune of the charmer. Snake charming dates back to 3000 years in ancient Egypt. The snake charmers skill in controlling the snake’s movement and playing tunes drew the attention of passers-by, inviting them to stop and have a look. Nowadays “true” snake-charmers are hardly seen in the city streets. Bede women have instead taken their place to roaming around with a tiny box with a little snake inside and extorting money from people.

Clay pigeon shooting

This target shooting competition was one of the well regulated competitions that Dhaka dwellers revelled in during early times. At the competition, contestants would shoot a flying object with a firearm.The Ramna Race Course Ground used to host this as an annual event once upon a time.

Cock-fightingIt is a sport where two roosters are made to fight, where spectators witness and bet on the combat. The origin of cock fighting dates back to the 16th century in the Philippines. It is still a popular sport in north eastern parts of Bangladesh. An annual cock fight is also organised in old Dhaka.

traditional forms of entertainment are almost non-existent in the fast-paced lives of Dhaka dwellers, for whom leisure is now almost a luxuryFarhana Urmee

CircusDuring winter season, the circus used to be the most popular means of entertainment in this country. Watching performances by acrobats, clowns, trained animals, stunt men, and fireworks, was one of the best outdoor amusement events that one could have from evening till midnight, and such events were much looked forward to. n

FootballAlthough we are a nation which freaks out over its overwhelming love of cricket, football used to have a huge fan following in Dhaka in post liberation times. Spectators even used to fight over the supporting of different teams, mainly, Abahani and Mohammedan. Even motorbike processions were seen out in the streets of Dhaka during the victories of these teams.

Horse racing

In the mid nineteenth century, Suhrawardy Udyan was a ground for horse racing. Men and women of the British Raj used to watch the polo games from the VIP gallery of the then Ramna Race Course ground. Later the race was patronised by Dacca Gymkhana Club. People gathered there on Sundays to witness the horse races.

Street monkey performance

There used to be a time when it was a common street scene of a trainer with a monkey, chained or free, playing tiny drums or dancing to the beat of it being played by the trainer. This is now an almost forgotten form of street entertainment, but it is sometimes seen in the old parts of the city during a number of religious and annual occasions.

Staying home is the easiest solution for a person wanting to avoid the cold outside in winter and enjoy traditional pithas and a few indoor activities. But festivity loving Bangladeshis have always found out new ways to celebrate winter outside home, which include some form of physical activity. Although, over time some of these have been lost, forgotten or could not be accommodated in the modern urban lifestyle, a few are still seen in some parts of old Dhaka.

Kite FestivalThe clear and calmer skies of winter season are a cue for the the people of this land to be involved in all sorts of fun, outdoor activities, a favourite among which is kite flying. This tradition still continues to this day in the form of Shakrain, a seasonal kite flying festival held on the first day of winter in old town.

Photos: Bangladesh Old Photo Archive


5myTh BusTing | TRadITION

I remember that Christmas when the youth were performing a nativity play at church. I remember how the cast (Joseph,

Mary, Baby Jesus, three kings, three shepherds and two scrawny camels) sang “Silent Night, Holy Night” during the final scene of the play when the congregation stood up and started to sing and rejoice in unison.

It’s a great story – the story of Christmas – but it does narrate certain fabrications that I did not have the capacity to understand then.

The nativity sceneThe nativity scene is a story that starts about 2000 years ago, on the evening of December 25. Mary rides into Bethlehem on a donkey, urgently needing to deliver her baby. Her husband, Joseph, seeks tirelessly for a room only to be turned away by the (only) innkeeper, as no space was available that night.

Finally, they stop inside a stable, and it is here that Christ was born. Then angels appear to the shepherds and sing to them the good news and later, they all join three kings with camels in worshipping the quiet new-born.

Born in a stableThe first misconception about Christmas is regarding the location of the birth of Christ. It is commonly shared that Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room for them at the inn. This is based on the misconception that the Greek word, “kataluma,” translated in many Bibles as “inn,” actually means, “guest-room.”

It is more likely that Mary and Joseph were staying with members of Joseph’s family in Bethlehem and she gave birth in the lower levels of the house where it was common to have animals brought in at night to provide warmth. Perhaps, this is why there could have been a manger in the room.

Donkey expressWhile it is possible that Mary could have arrived in Bethlehem on a donkey, there could have been other alternatives. The Bible does not say how she got to Bethlehem. It just says that she came with Joseph.

Three kings? Maybe not!The Bible does not say anything about three kings or camels visiting young Jesus. It does report that “wise men or magi” came but it does not say how many. None of the early church Fathers suggested the magi were kings. As the word “magi” used in the Bible is plural, there were apparently, at least two but there could have been several more. The Bible simply states the three costly gifts they presented to Jesus – gold, frankincense and myrrh. Also, the wise men clearly did not visit Jesus while he was still lying in the manger as commonly depicted in greeting cards and plays. Based on calculations of King Herod and the magi (Matthew 2:16,) Jesus could have been two years old or under.

The ‘X’ in XmasMany have asked what the “X” stands for in Xmas and it’s common that they’ve heard two possible answers in response. One – that X is used as an attempt to remove Christ from the culture and two – that X stands for Christ himself. Even though these answers may seem confusing and in conflict, both the answers can be correct.

There is no question that many secularists use the X today for the very purpose of eliminating Christ from the holiday that bears his title. Some may even do this in ignorance.

Christ is a title given to Jesus to signify that he is the Messiah. In Greek, this word is “Christos.” The first letter used to spell the word in Greek (the letter “chi”) looks like X in English and many used it as an abbreviation for Christ since.

December 25The next common misconception is the date of Jesus’ birth. The fact is that we really do not know what time of the year he was born. The date, however, coincides with Saturnalia – a pagan holiday – but there is little evidence that this date was chosen to replace it.

Some have argued that the traditional date is impossible because shepherds would not have been out in the fields in the winter. The average December night temperatures near Jerusalem are between 0 – 4 degrees Celsius.

December 25 was chosen by the Roman Catholic Church and because Rome dominated most of the Christian world for centuries, the date became tradition for most of Christendom.

The original significance of December 25 is that it was once a well-known festival day celebrating the annual return of the sun. December 21 is the winter solstice, which is the shortest day on the calendar and

December 25 was the first day that ancients could clearly note that the days were visibly longer.

Since no one knows the actual day of Jesus’ birth, The Roman Catholic Church felt free to choose this date. The Church wished to replace the pagan festival with the Christian holy day (holiday).

Fact not fictionThe Christmas tree is an evergreen conifer and has nothing to do with the story of redemption and the birth of Christ but is symbolic to the never changing God in all His mercy and grace.

The Christmas story is a marvellous and true story of the birth of a saviour king. Although ornamented with decorations that may not have Biblical relevance, the fact is that Mary did conceive Jesus while she was a virgin as was prophesised many hundreds of years before the birth of Christ in the Scriptures. n

Photos: Bigstock

Over time, many beliefs with little to no Biblical basis have crept into Christmas celebrations

Mark S Baidya

Myth and Magic


6 ORIGIN STORy | chrisTianiTy in Bangladesh

As the world gears up to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, we take a look at the origins of Christianity in Bangladesh

Reema Islam

St Thomas Cathedral Old Dhaka

The Christian community

From the Firingi bazaar of Chittagong to the winding alleys of Armanitola, the Christians have influenced

us in many ways. With a 500 year old heritage behind them, Christian Bangladeshis today can trace their roots back to one of the many Europeans who entered our deltaic country for trade.

Early historyChristianity spread across Bangladesh from the Porto Grande de Bengala or Chittagong, as it was known to the Portuguese traders. Even though Christianity had already arrived in

India with Thomas the Apostle in the year 52 BCE, the Portuguese merchants and traders along with Christian missionaries reached India in 1498 with the explorer Vasco de Gama. They eventually reached the Bay of Bengal on the way back from the straits of Malacca and set up a trading port in Chittagong in 1535.

Acting on a “farman” or royal decree given by the Emperor Akbar, granting them the permission to trade and preach their religion, the Portuguese missionaries got to work and the first church of Bangladesh was built in Chandecan (possibly near present day Kaligonj-Satkhira) by Father Francisco Fernandez the Jesuit,

in 1599. Braving the Sundarbans, the dacoits, the tigers and navigating across the rivers of Bengal, the Jesuits were very warmly greeted by the King Pratapadittya who was one of the Baro-Bhuyans of his times and the most famous among them. The Baro-Bhuyans were a confederate that acted collaboratively in the Bengal region and Pratapadittya unsuccessfully resisted the Mughal infiltration in the early 1600s. An intelligent leader, he invited the Portuguese to preach their religion while allowing them to also join his army, strengthening his forces. After Father Fernandez built the church in Pratapadittya’s area, he built a second church in Chittagong

The remnants of a proud people who

left their Caucasian roots to build their lives in the riverine

region of Bengal, the Armenian Church has even hosted eminent figures like Mother Teresa who stayed there during her

1996 visit to Dhaka


7

which today, after being re-built upon its former structure, is known simply as the Patharghata Church. Father Fernandez carved his niche in history as he went on to become the first Christian martyred in Bangladesh, when he tried saving some children of the settled Portuguese, who were kidnapped by the Arakans to become slaves.

By the time the Mughals had a firmer grip on Bengal, Islam Khan the subedar, made Dhaka or Jahangirnagar, the capital in 1608 and opened the gates for more European traders to arrive. The Armenians came in to trade in jute and leather along with other Dutch and Italians and the East India Company members. The Portuguese Augustinians shifted upwards from Chittagong to trade in silk and Muslin and built a church in Narinda called the Church of Assumption. According to a date on top of the church gateway, they later built the Holy Rosary church in 1677, which today is the oldest church of Dhaka, in Tejgaon. Known as the Church of Japamala Rani, some in fact

claim it to be one of the oldest in the Indian subcontinent and The Holy cross school and Notre Dame College are run under the parish of this old church.

The Portuguese mingled with the Bangalis, married the local women and gave those converted their own surnames. So the many Rozarios (Virgin Mary’s rosary), D’Costas (from the coast), Gomes (man or male) and D’Souzas (of or from the salt marsh) to name a few, all trace their lineage back to a Portuguese trader, or a “firingi.” The famous area in Chittagong known as Firingi bazaar housed most of these Portuguese settlers, where they were commonly referred to as the foreigners whereas the converted Bangalis were known as “kala firingi.”

Arrival of the ArmeniansOusted by Shah Abbas after the Persians took over Armenia, part of Caucasia in the 1500s, the Armenians

were an enterprising lot and chose to act as middle men initially and traded jute and leather along with the East India Company. They soon became zamindars and owned property and also collected taxes.

One of the most famous Armenians to still have left his mark on the people of Dhaka would be JG Nicholas Pogose, who founded the first private school, the Pogose School. The Armenians built a church in Dhaka in 1781, known as the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Resurrection. The church once housed a clock whose chimes could be heard far and wide and allowed people to synchronise their watches with it. The remnants of a proud people who left their Caucasian roots to build their lives in the riverine region of Bengal, the Armenian Church has even hosted eminent figures like Mother Teresa who stayed there during her 1996 visit to Dhaka. In recognition of our independence, a small suburb in Armenia was even named Bangladesh. Known to be one of the less developed parts of the main city, the name Bangladesh is familiar to most Armenians, who might even be unaware of their delicate connection to this country.

Accomplishments under Christian institutionsThe Protestants came a good 200 years after the early Christians and The Baptist Church Sangha is the oldest and largest Protestant denomination in Bangladesh. It owes its roots to Dr William Carey, who came in 1796 with two other Englishmen as the first Baptists and were instrumental in translating the Bible into Sanskrit, Persian and hence Bengali. They were based in Serampore or Srirampur

in West Bengal and Dr Carey was an accomplished linguist. After Bangladesh’s partition in 1971, the protestant groups merged with the Anglicans and today their work is inclined more towards development and evangelical activities.

St Thomas Church near the Bahadur Shah park, is an Anglican Church which was built in 1819 by none other than the convicts of the Dhaka central jail. They were put to good use by building this symbol of the Presbyterians and Anglicans of Dhaka and today, it functions as a cathedral.

The Christians influenced the education system in a major way with institutions like the Dhaka College, established in 1835 by Dr James Taylor and the St Francis Xavier’s Green Herald International School, along with the St Joseph Higher Secondary School fall under the administrative body of the catholic archdiocese.

So as December 25 approaches and Christians get ready to celebrate their big day, let us take this opportunity to pay homage to their heritage and roots and the diversity that makes us true Bangladeshis. n

Statue on the grounds of the Armenian Church Photo: Reema Islam

Cemetary at the Patharghata Church in Chittagong Photo: Reema Islam

The old clock tower of the Armenian Church Photo: Reema Islam


8 FEaTuRE | PeT PigeOns

Fine, feathered friends

A flighty fadFaisal Mahmud

If you visit Kaptan Bazar on a Friday between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, you will find yourself among thousands of pigeon lovers who,

for those few hours, turn that part of Dhaka into a miniature “haat” of pigeons where these birds of every possible variety are sold, bought, exchanged and auctioned.

Its hard to imagine how this little bird occupies the lives of a bunch of Dhakaites.

Different breedsMeet Hasib, 24 for instance, who for the last 16 years, has all his time nurturing some thousands of pigeons.

“My uncle bought me a pair of pigeons when I was eight and from then on my life is centered around these creatures. I usually spent eight to nine hours a day with them on my rooftop where I currently have around 150 pigeons,” Hasib said.

Hasib was at Kaptan Bazar this Friday with six of his beautiful birds, which he had brought along to sell to other fellow pigeon-lovers.

“The Giribaj is sold between Tk1,200 to Tk2,000 a pair, depending on the quality and the size of the bird. I also have the Napta, which costs between Tk300 to Tk500 and the Loton, which costs around Tk600,” Hasib informed.

Hasib claims that he has birds worth Tk30,000 at his house. “Those are called Racer pigeons and are imported from Holland. I currently

have four of them,” Hasib proudly informs us.

Md Riad Imtiaz, 17, is a student of Kazi Nazrul Islam College and lives in Sutrapur. He was seen at the market with some unusual looking pigeons. “These are called Mayurpankhi because of their special feathers that imitate those of the peacock and they cost between Tk3,000 to Tk5,000 per pair,” informed Riad.

“My personal favourite is the Sirazi, which I currently don’t have. I will sell the Mayurpankhi and buy one Sirazi which costs around Tk 3,500,” Riad said.

Imon Hasan, 24, was spotted with some beautiful looking pigeons – some where brown, some where yellow but all of them had a common feature – they all sported bright green feathers on their necks. It was therefore, small wonder to learn from Imon that the name of these particular pigeons was Sobuj Gola.

“These pigeons originate from the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, I bought a pair at Chengrabandha (the border between India and Bangladesh at Panchagar district) three years ago. Now, through breeding, I have 14 of them, each of which costs at least Tk12,000.

Meet the founderKawsar Ahmed, 52 could be called the founder of this open “pigeon haat” and doubtlessly is both the biggest pigeon merchandiser and pigeon

fancier (people who breed pigeons are commonly referred to as pigeon fanciers) in Dhaka. Kawsar is also a graduate of Zoology from Dhaka University.

“Most of the birds that you have seen in the market right now are the domesticated descendents of the Pahari Kabutor (Rock Dove). There are hundreds of different types of domesticated pigeons spreading from this common ancestor which are currently bred by lots of pigeon fanciers in the rooftops of old Dhaka,” Kawsar said.

“Houses for pigeons on the rooftops are generally called ‘khuppa.’ Sometimes pigeon houses are also referred to as coops although the word seems to have originally applied to the breeding pens inside the housing,” as Kawsar explained.

Kawsar informed that the most valuable and prized ones are the pigeons kept and bred for their aerial acrobatics and for their reproduction and are known as Racers. They are trained to participate in pigeon racing.

Pigeon racingKawsar said that pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained Racers, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. “These pigeons can find their way home over extremely long distances,” Kawsar added.

Until a few years ago, racing pigeons in Bangladesh referred to

the traditional Grivas pigeons. When “racing” them, competitors travel to a spot approximately 25-50km from home. Each person then releases the same number of pigeons (eg fifty.) The winner is the one who has most pigeons returning home by sunset.

But there are now many new breeds and they fly longer and faster, reaching high altitudes. The record-holder flew from St Martin’s to Dhaka in two hours and forty minutes. The pigeons always find their way back home, so the winner is determined by speed.

“The racer pigeon is however extremely expensive. The price range starts from Tk20,000. I even sold one of my Racers for Tk2,50,000 once,” Kawsar said.

Kawsar informed that 70% of the local pigeons are bred with the Huma, imported from Netherlands to create fancy new breeds.

Kawsar said that he had also imported Frillback, Jacobin, Fantail, Archangel, Starling, English Carrier and Turbit and bred them with the local Jalali Kabutar and Golla. “I have dreamt of owning a Pigmy Pouter, the rarest among pigeons, for a long time now but still haven’t managed to get hold of one,” Kawsar said.

“Pigeon fancying” is in a way expensive and time captivating but there is no doubt that it is addictive as Kawsar said and some thousands of people at Kaptan Bazar every Friday bears testimony to Kawsar’s claim. .

Photo: Bigstock


9sundarBans Oil sPills | PhOTO STORy

Saving livesPhotos: Syed Zakir Hossain

Turn for more photographs

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, are tragic to all creatures that experience them and only with courage and love, can they be successfully dealt with.

The recent capsize of an oil tanker, carrying 357,000 litres of oil in the Sela river of the Sundarbans has been a catastrophe that spread across 20 kilometres of the river area, turning the water pitch black and wreaking havoc on the local flora and fauna.

What is truly tragic is that it is the innocent birds and animals whose habitats are destroyed, thus having to suffer due to the cruelty of man-made disasters.

A pair of hands for a single bird might be trifling in comparison to the huge loss that we are going to face for this oil spill in Sela. Yet, these hands are the silver lining of hope that humans can handle any disastrous situation single handedly, just with the right determination and decision.


10 PhOTO STORy | sundarBans Oil sPills

The kingfisher struggles to free itself

The little bird’s colourful feathers are covered in mud and oil

A little kingfisher in search of food, is stuck in the oil slick on the banks of the Sela River in the Sundarbans


11

The little bird’s colourful feathers are covered in mud and oil

The hands of Sohel, assistant captain of Bengal Tours Limited reaches out to save the life of this tiny bird

Finally, the kingfisher was ready to fly after an entire day’s effort to save its life

After Sohel’s careful and rigorous effort in cleaning the oil off its feathers, the birds was kept in a shelter and given warmth and fed small shrimps. People in Kotka village take pictures of the rescued bird

Sohel dedicated at least three to four hours in meticulously cleaning the oil from its body and feather with a handkerchief


12 FEaTuRE | indigenOus chrisTmas

In the last seven years, I took more than 20 visits to the deepest parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), especially in Bandarban

and I found out that many ethnic groups have converted to Christianity, sans their different ethnic religions.

Almost 100% of the Bawm people are now converted Christians. You now can find churches at almost every small para (tribal village) of the Bawm tribe. Aside from the Bawm tribe, many people from the Khumi, Pangkhua and Murong tribes also have converted to Christianity.

I talked to several of the convertees as well as the Christian missionaries working there on different occasions and I came to know that the conversion to Christianity in the CHT has started and evolved because of the tireless works of many missionaries who made frequent visits in that region from the end of the nineteenth century, onwards.

How Christianity evolved in CHTAccording to Reverend Thimkup Buiting, who has been working in the CHT on behalf of the International Missions Inc., the Christian works among the Bawm and Pangkhua

tribes in the CHT have been an outgrowth of missionary work under the ventures of the North East India General Mission which was started in 1918.

Both the Bawms and Pangkhuas spent many years worshipping nature, but in 1918, through the work of Wales Missionary Edwin Rowlands, both the tribes learned about Christianity. Buiting said: “The early works of ‘spreading Christianity in the CHT’ is being recorded at the reference work of the ‘Thado–Kuki Pioneer Mission,’ which was founded in 1913 by Watkin R. Roberts, who was known as Sap Tlângval or “white young man” and who sailed for India along with Dr Peter Frazer and his wife.

That record depicts that after the Mission work gradually expanded in Mizoram and Manipur in 1918, Edwin Rowlands, who was known as Zo sapthar or “new white man” was sent by Thado-Kuki Pioneer Mission to visit the CHT and to bring the gospel to the Bawm people.

Buiting explained that the reference work, however, lacks proper written documents, so it is very difficult to put the exact date

of Edwin Rowlands (Zo Sapthar) and his friend’s departure from the Mission headquarters in Manipur for Chittagong Hill tracts.

“But they probably started at the beginning of December 1918, and after travelling many days through the thick jungles, they reached the Bawm village at Vairelh in the CHT on December 12, 1918. In that village they began preaching the gospel to the Bawm people, showing Bible pictures and explaining the meanings to them. After a few days of stay, they moved on to some neighbouring villages such as Tlângpi, Fiangpidung and Pankhiang etc,” said Buiting.

Later in 1921, the North East India General Mission (NEIGM) sent three native missionaries, such as Pastor Patlaia, Lianthawnga and Saikunga, from Mizoram to the CHT, and the gospel work was continued to the Bâwm people and later to the Pangkhua people.

The establishment of first church in CHTWith the increase of Christianity among the different tribes day by day, more leaders were needed to look after the Mission work. Therefore,

Christmas comes to the CHT

the Christian communities of the CHt have come a long way since the days of the first missionaries, yet have more to overcomeFaisal Mahmud

Photo: Ashraful Jubaer Photo: Ashraful Jubaer



13

Christmas comes to the CHT

in 1929 Pastor H Dala who was the student of Dr Frazer, along with Pastor Ruala were sent to Bandarban to supervise the mission work there. After living about ten years in the Mru area, they moved the Bawm area in 1939, said Buiting.

They lived in the Bawm villages, such as Pankhiang, Mualpi, Arthah, Munnuam and Lunginkhar. They remained at the same post until the new missionary couple Dr Pierce D. Samuels and his wife, came and took over charge in 1956.

Dr and Mrs Pierce D. Samuels lived among the Bawms for about five years at the Arthah and Munnuam headquarters in CHT. When the then

Government of Pakistan declared the Hill Tracts to be restricted area, putting it out of bounds to foreigners, they moved to Chittagong and lived there until returning to the United States in 1967. Before leaving the Bawm area in 1965, they established the first official church in Mualpi.

The hard road to Christianity Laram Bawm, a Christian community leader among the Bawms, said that Christianity has had to face lots of obstacles to find its ground in the CHT. “First of all, our forefathers were sceptical about leaving their original religion. Some of the village heads and Karbri (medium level tribal

leader) even rebelled against the missionaries in the early years and there were some battles.”

But soon enough the tribes found out that the missionaries went there not just to spread the word of god but also provided education and health services. “The missionaries started to win the hearts of the local community through their work. Since then lots of people started to come under the light of Christianity.”

Laram Bawm said: “Even in this modern era, the Christians in this area face obstacles in practising their religion. The hardest obstacle came in December 2010. One of the two main political parties – The United People’s

Democratic Front (UPDF) – prevented Christians from celebrating Christmas.

UPDF at that time demanded that Christian converts return to Buddhism and threatened adivasi Christians of at least seven churches in Khagrachari district. “The king of Boman circle resolved the crisis but till today, some incidents of this sort happens sporadically,” said Laram Bawm.

The Christmas celebration Sujon Tripura, a Christian convert and a renowned social worker in the CHT said that like other Christians, Christmas day is the biggest celebration of the year.

“During the rest of the year, we go to the church every Sunday. But on Christmas day, we go to the church early in the morning and listen to the preaching. Then we usually distribute sweets and snacks in the church compound and afterwards we all sit together to eat.”

“Every celebration among the tribal people involves dance and song. Christmas is no different than that. Among our Tripura tribal, we have a tradition to conduct a special Rina-plung parade on Christmas day. Rina-plung is a special bamboo flute, and we play some famous festival tunes with it.”

Sium Bom, owner of several rest-houses in Boga Lake – a famous tourist destination – said that on the occasion of Christmas, Bawm people wear new clothes and visit each others’ houses. “In the afternoon, we usually have an open dance competition,” said Sium. n

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain



14 LEGaLESE | Jennifer ashraf kashmi

Dear Reader:Thank you for writing in to me. There has been a lot of queries and analysis of the existing legal framework pertaining

to the registration and regulation of NGOs in Bangladesh. The appropriate authority to register the new entity in Bangladesh as a foreign non-profit organisation is the Non-Governmental Organisation Affairs Bureau (“NGOAB”). The necessary documents that must be submitted for registration are as follows:

1. FD-1 Form (Signed by Chief Executive in Bangladesh) - 09 Copies. 2. Certificate of Incorporations in the Country of origin - 03 Copies. 3. Constitution - 04 Copies. 4. Activities Report - 05 Copies. 5. Plan of Operation (Work procedure, Organogram) - 04 Copies. 6. Decision of the Committee/Board to open office in Bangladesh - 04 Copies. 7. Letter of appointment of the Country Representative - 04 Copies. 8. Copy of Treasury Challan in support of depositing US$ 3000 or Equivalent Tk. amount in the Code-1-0323-0000-1836. - 03 Copies (With original copy) 9. Deed of agreement with the landlord in support of opening the office in Bangladesh - 03 Copies. 10. List of Executive Committee (foreign) - 04 Copies. 11. List of Executive Committee (local, if any) - 04 Copies. 12. Local constitution (if any) - 04 Copies. 13. Letter of Intent - 03 Copies

A

got a

problem?

Write to Jennifer at weekend@

dhakatribune.com

Based on the above, all necessary documents will have to be submitted to the NGOAB to register the entity in Bangladesh. Once registration is done, it can start operating as an NGO in Bangladesh. However, it will need approval from NGOAB of its project plans to make the funds available to them through Bangladesh Bank.

It is worth mentioning here that to get a registration with the NGOAB, an NGO needs a prior approval from the Home Ministry and at least one other Ministry in line and the NGO is required to submit a 5-year plan with the application. For every grant, an NGO is required to submit a complete proposal and a letter of intent from the donor. An NGO cannot receive any amount of donation from a donor directly. All overseas funds must be deposited in a specific bank account and the bank will give a report to the central bank. Annual audits done by auditors approved by the NGOAB are mandatory for every NGO.

I also need to stress that it is not the kind of thing that can easily be covered during a discussion. There are loopholes, bureaucratic hurdles, non- compliance to deadlines, etc. that exist and need to be considered as practical considerations. Thus, in conclusion, I would advise that you conduct extensive research in this matter and preferably seek independent legal advice before embarking on this journey. Keep us updated! n

QI have been contacted by a foreign NGO who wishes to establish an office in Bangladesh and to help out with humanitarian aid. This NGO is a foreign entity and a very reputable one. Could you kindly advise on the necessary formalities involved in this regard?

Cartoon: Priyo/Dhaka Tribune

Jennifer ashraf Kashmi is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales. She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate.

Setting up shop: the paper chase

Cartoon: Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune


15evOluTiOn | MuSIC

Hip Hop began as an underground cultural practice of the marginalised African-American and

Latino-American communities of North America to voice their protest through “street” music and dance.

In Bangladesh, Hip Hop first took root during the early 2000’s following the introduction of satellite cable television and the distribution of popular hip hop music via pirated CD shops.

The music industry actively recognises hip hop as a musical genre with potential and understands that the audience – comprised mostly by teenagers and young adults – demand for it.

This is wonderful news for the infant hip hop enterprise along with emerging rappers, beat boxers, DJs and producers.

Media exposureTruly, hip hop has come a long way since spray painted walls with messages of “love” and “intimidation.” If you need proof, go on to YouTube and search for “Planet Hip Hop” or “Black Zang” and you will see what I mean.

From the beats to the melody to the lyrical finesse – rapping in Bangla is no easy task. However, we have seen many examples of those who have demonstrated high proficiency in the genre.

Charun Kobi Toufique a.k.a “cK toff” would be one excellent example. The artist currently represents Bengali Hip-Hop internationally and is currently one of the best there is. He raps in Bangla and because Bangla is a “classy” language, it requires high education and a keen perspective.

“Black Zang” is perhaps another notable and new hip hop artist who demonstrates a distinct flare in his delivery, which sets him apart. Artists like Mizta Ifu, G Sifz, Bigg Spade, Riddler have already made their presence known. We now know that there are many more – waiting to be discovered.

Colours FM 101.6 airs a programme called “Planet Hip Hop” with hip hop enthusiasts in mind. Now listeners can tune in or go on to YouTube and watch the sessions. The programme is hosted by Black Zang – a hip hop artist, who gained recognition from the group, Uptown Lokolz. This is the first hip hop dedicated radio

programme that is also hosted by a prominent hip hop artist. The programme airs every Tuesday from 9 – 11 pm.

Next levelNext Level is a programme that sends American hip-hop artists abroad to foster cultural exchange, conflict resolution, and entrepreneurship. Comprised of MCs, DJs, beatmakers and dancers, the Next Level performed, conducted workshops and also worked individually with artists and musicians throughout Bangladesh.

From November 7 to 17, 2014 the American Center partnered with Shadhona, a well-known cultural organisation in Dhaka, to conduct a hip-hop workshop at the EMK Center where four musicians from the USA worked with 50 young performers

of Bangladesh, from both the contemporary and traditional arts. Together, they produced a two-hour long presentation that took place at the National Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on November 17, 2014 in front of a packed audience

At a glanceAll the necessary components for a successful hip hop scene seems to be in place. What the hip hop scene in Bangladesh lacks, however, is the knowledge of what hip hop is and what it is not. The medium has a lot of potential, for expression and poetic ammunition, to address and combat contemporary issues. As the scene starts to grow, it can be hoped that things will improve and there will be a lot more competition than there is now. n

Hip Hop winsHip hop in Bangladesh has come a long way from high school cover concerts and has never been so active and right-footed

Mark S Baidya

Next Level- National Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Hip Hop fans and lovers have existed in small pockets in various suburbs for a while now but they were never this

centralised before


16 POST-RIPOSTE | animal righTs

Funding animal welfare

It is a Luxury– Sumaiya ShamsWhen you live in one of the poorest countries

in the world, indulging in anything other than meeting the fundamental human rights seems a little absurd, in my opinion. Surely, you don’t need me to tell you that there are thousands of people, including children, in Dhaka alone who don’t get to have three proper meals a day – just go to the city’s slums, and you’ll see. There are hundreds of children who drop out of school every year, or don’t go to school at all, due to being unable to pay the expenses or to work and support their families. Healthcare is a mess in Bangladesh. The doctor-to-patient ratio is laughable. The rate of unemployment is on a constant rise, too. More and more people from all over the country flock to the capital every day in the hopes of getting a job.

Our resources are limited, with a huge number of people to take care of. Schools have to be provided with facilities so that the number of drop-outs decreases. A proper healthcare system has to be established so that everyone in Bangladesh gets the medical attention they need. New jobs have to be created so that more people find the financial stability needed to support their families.

When we already have so much on our plate, caring for stray dogs has to take a backseat. Spending from what little resources we have on animal welfare seems a little unrealistic to me at the moment. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not against the well-being of the animals, nor am I unsympathetic towards them. I do believe that all living things should get equal care and respect. However, considering the current “human” problems that prevail in our country, I think we should concentrate more on the people right now. Once those issues are dealt with, we can focus on the animals’ well-being, too. .

Is animal rights only for those with the luxury to fight for it?

Photo: Bigstock

It Is not a western luxury – Naheed KamalThe idea of animal rights or welfare in a developing country

can raise uncomfortable questions. Of course, people should be protected and cared for. But that doesn’t mean we can allow for needless cruelty and neglect towards helpless creatures. Research shows that children who have pets are responsible and empathetic. While many agree cruelty and neglect towards animals is unacceptable, the same people may be the ones who allow pets to be neglected. The obvious question to ask is how anyone can allow that. Why are so many animals abandoned and left to fend for themselves across Dhaka, and all over the country?

But the reason animal welfare is

just as relevant and worth spending limited resources on is because, in poor nations, the welfare of people goes hand in hand with that of animals, such as farm animals. Many nations, including Cambodia, Fiji, New Zealand, the Seychelles and Sweden have officially endorsed the principles of the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare, which is the first ever-international agreement regarding protection from cruelty to animals. A loose coalition of 130 developing countries representing at the United Nations, called the G77, met for the first time in 2008 to discuss how issues related to animal welfare also impact on humans and their livelihoods. This is because out of one billion of the

world’s poorest people, over 750 million depend totally on animals for a living, and most live in these countries.

In fact, animal welfare has many valuable knock-on effects for developing nations. Where large rural populations, such as that of Bangladesh, depend on animals for agriculture, transport and food, having healthy animals is vital for the health and welfare of the people. An example from Brazil shows how simple and cheap changes to farming can result in both better conditions for animals and increased productivity, benefiting people and the economy. Animal welfare, therefore, does matter, for the welfare of humans as well.

YES

NO


17yamin khan | FuNNybONE

If I quantify the incident of “a member of the opposite sex attracting me,” it would out number the fingers in my entire

neighbourhood (toes inclusive). And if you are curious about my success rate, my firm belief in consistency means that the figure has never moved from zero.

What could be the possible reason? My “down to earth” height, charity-prone hair style, carbohydrate fetish, bad investments on fairness, creams or maybe the entire package. It’s not that I never got complimented for my exterior – there were times when people used the words “tall, dark and handsome” to describe me. The entire sentence was more like – “You are partially tall, excessively dark and almost handsome.”

One more possible reason could be my lack of romantic exposure. Since I never had a girlfriend, chick flicks were my only source of information and the lesson I learnt: If your girl is looking for a pumping heart, give her yours. Just in case the first one doesn’t serve the purpose, cross scientific boundaries and generate a second one. I followed this philosophy for a while and ended up with a lot of “sisters.” So after repeatedly becoming broke on every Sister’s Day, I finally realised that something was wrong.

What girls look for is a nice guy with a naughty mind. This is the

instruction given to me by my subconscious mind during one eventful dream. So I woke up, neatly wrote the line down in my favourite diary and then lost the diary the following day. Luckily my memory didn’t let me down and I started following my renewed enlightened path. End result: three hate groups on Facebook.

So I tamed my timid mind down and got on with my inquisitive nature. How did I mess up this time as well? The question directed me to a session with my friend who is a self proclaimed Casanova. History has it that Mr Casanova can figure out what a girl is thinking from just a mere glance. Not that he is accurate every single time, but he has a functional mouth so he speaks.

Mr Casanova laughed heartily after hearing about my failed

ventures and confidently preached about the Do’s and Dont’s of womanising. To summarise his 2 hour long speech: You can be no less then Sherlock Holmes if you are to become a womaniser. It’s all about reading a girl’s personality and acting accordingly. Give her the right vibes and reciprocate according to her reactions. Never make her realise that you are too weak for her. Always maintain leverage...etc. All these heavy duty talks got me more confused then ever. So I left feeling

Do ‘nice guys’ finish last, or do they finish at all?

Yamin Khan

The one(s) that got away

dejected, beaten and worthless, and had some comforting chocolates to look forward to. As far as Mr Casanova is concerned, he is serving a three month long sentence in Central Jail for being an eve teaser.

Television gave me the idea that girls like talented guys. So I tried my luck with outdoor sports, only to realise that I am too skinny for Sumo and too fat for every other sport (given hide and seek doesn’t count). Music wasn’t also very comforting. After the third session, my music teacher concluded that the only genre of music applicable for me is rapping (his mispronunciation got my parents worried for a while). Given my “never-say-die-till-you-realise-that-there’s-no-other-way” attitude, I even tried painting, but couldn’t see myself going anywhere with drawing geometrical figures.

Amidst all the mishaps and gloomy outcomes, a girl came into my life like

a strike of lightning. For a brief period I did feel like the king of the world. I started smiling a lot more. The little joys of life became more prominent and since I had her company to look forward to, it made me feel content. To top it all, I even got to save money on chocolates.

However, the dream run was short lived since my lack of expertise

had to pull me to the ground. I made all the mistakes of trying too hard, failing to decipher her intentions, excessively going along with the “nice guy” image and buckling down to my self created pressure. To make matters worse, I was realising every single mistake of mine, but not in time that I could do anything about it. In other words, I was a silent observer as she walked out of my life. And that’s when I realised that being stupid is a curse, but being partially stupid is a sin. .

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

Cartoon: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune


18 STay IN

S u d o k uuse 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

Mini cryptics

ACROSS1 US city fashionable in the past (7)4 Scale of cash used by Tottenham Hotspur first (7) 6 Organic bronze back in mountain (7)7 Mexican state sauce (7)

DOWN1 Government furniture (7)2 Incompetent pet in mix-up (5)3 Moorish Prince to return greeting (7)5 Game where points on the board score? (5)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCrOss1 Small explosion care of Royal Navy snack (7)4 No night is disturbed for naught (7) 6 Manager of hydrogen and the french king (7)7 Lots of boats make a target complicated (7)

DOwN1 Criticise relation’s first cat (7)2 Include Russian leader (5)3 Country I regain following revolution (7)5 Bay home permitted (5)

Clues

Solved it? Email answers to [email protected] and win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune.

Jingle all the way

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

This Frank Capra classic has all the ingredients of Christmas – a miracle on Christmas Eve, an angel and a man with a heart of gold. George has always wanted to travel in Europe. However, after the death of his father, family responsibilities force him to stay in New York. He always prioritises the interest of others over his. The shame of a would-be scandal makes George attempt suicide only to be saved by an angel, Clarence. The angel shows George an alternative universe where he doesn’t exist and how his entire town falls apart in his absence.

The Home Alone series

Admit it – you still want to save your house from burglars just like Kevin McCallister. The first two movies in this series with Macaulay Culkin remain a must watch even today. The first movie has Kevin mistakenly left at home by his family when they leave for Paris. Since most houses in his neighbourhood are empty in the holiday season, two burglars

plan to rob them starting with the McCallister house. Little do they know what they are in for. The next movie takes the fun another step forward with Kevin being lost in New York.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)

Though there have been numerous adaptations of this Charles Dickens classic, this motion picture features 3D animation that stands out because of the dazzling special events. Jim Carrey plays the lead character of Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter old money lender who hates everything associated with Christmas. In his hatred for the festival, he makes the lives of people around him miserable. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)A list of Christmas themed movies without a mention of Miracle on 34th Street is incomplete. When the Santa at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is found to be drunk, he is replaced by the jolly old man who reported him, Kris Kringle. Everyone is so impressed with his work that the event director, Doris Walker hires him

to be the Santa at Macy’s flagship New York City store on 34th Street. The story takes an interesting turn when Kringle claims himself to be the real Santa and somehow even his actions of spreading the joy of Christmas back up his claim.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Jim Carrey seems to have a liking towards playing villains in Christmas themed movies. This one has him playing the Grinch, an infamous being from the city of Whoville. Since the Grinch is different from others in appearance, he is ridiculed from childhood and he ultimately runs away to live alone on Mt Crumpit. A young girl named Cindy Lou, is fascinated by him and invites the Grinch to be part of Whoville’s Christmas celebrations. However, the Grinch is ridiculed here and he tries to ruin their Christmas by stealing all their extravagant gifts. Is the spirit of Christmas able to change the Grinch? n

A hit list of classic holiday movie favouritesTausif Sanzum


GO OuT 19

Weekly PlannerDeC 17-19

Fair| wiNter Fair relOaDeD!!wheN 10:30am- 8:30pm where Women Voluntary Association, Road 27, Dhanmondi what The online shop, Trendy Brooches and Hijabs Online BD, is participating in a fair for the very first time.

DeC 19

Film | sCreeNiNg OF DeNDrOlOgium (2013) aND artist talK with raFael stemPlewsKiwheN 3:30 - 7:30pmwhere Pathshala TV-Film, House 58, Road 15/A (New), Dhanmondi (Behind Drik Gallery)what This film has been nominated as best feature film in Sao Paolo International Film Festival 2013 and has also been screened at many international film festivals. Director Rafael has been invited as guest lecturer at ULAB and will be at Pathshala TV-Film campus for the screening and an artist talk session after that.

eveNt | lauNChiNg OF mONerKhObOr.COm

wheN 5:30 - 9:30pmwhere Russian Cultural Centre, Dhanmondi,what The site www.monerkhobor.com will be inaugurated. Renowned psychiatrist Prof Dr Hedayatul Karim, Prof Dr Anwara Syed Haque and Prof Dr MA Sobhan will be given special honour at the programme. The event will be followed by colourful cultural programmes. Musical band Joler Gaan, will be performing along with Anusheh Anadil, Sunny Jubaer and Shimul Mustafa.

Cause | CharitY shOw ‘CONCert FOr NiPu’wheN 2:30pm where Green Model Town Field, Mughda-Mandawhat Students from different universities and colleges have arranged this charity concert to help Nipu, a student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. Ark (Hasan), Artcell, Lalon, Black, Yaatri, Aronno, Pentagon, Bangladesh, Gaatch, Psychoveena, S.I.X and Shobdo Kobi will be performing at the show. Tickets are available at Tk220. For details call 0167 3354 795 and 0167 2278 072.

DeC 20

musiC | saturDaY blues with the blues brOtherswheN 8 -11:30pmwhere The Farmers’ Market, 76/2, Road 127, Gulshan 1what Come and share the experience of some soulful music offered by “The Blues Brothers” at The Farmers’ Market. The Blues Brothers will perform a mix of classic selections from jazz, blues, soul and easy listening numbers from the 60’s to 90’s, featuring John Lennon, Tracy Chapman, Fleetwood Mac, Otis Redding, Norah Jones, The Mammas and the Papas, Bob Dylan, and Edie Brickell.Be a part of this beautiful outdoor event, catch up with loved ones, relax and let The Blues Brothers take you on a musical journey like none other.

JewellerY | shOilee- exhibitiON aND wiNter salewheN 10am - 8pm

where Banani Chairman Bari Fieldwhat Shoilee will be showcasing their jewellery collection and introduce a variety of womens wear and household items. There will also be a variety of home made pickles on sale.

eDuCatiON | thiNK liKe aN aNalYstwheN 6 - 7:30pmwhere The Wave, 19th Floor FR Tower, 32 Kamal Atarturk Road Bananiwhat LightCastle Partners has arranged a workshop titled “Think Like an Analyst” presented by Asif Khan, CFA, Deputy head of Research, BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage Limited. The discussant will speak on the type of characteristics a good analyst should possess, dealing with failure, balancing top down and bottom up approaches, dealing with biases and describing a typical day for an equity analyst.

DeCeMBer

2014SUn MOn TUe WeD THU FrI SaT

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1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 20

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Send your events to [email protected]

When you are done with decorating your house and buying Christmas gifts for near and dear ones, taking a tour of Dhaka’s churches could be an enjoyable expedition. Although only 1% of the total population in the country are Christians, we have churches dating way back to the 16th and 17th centuries, including many new ones that have been built since.

On Christmas eve you can start your journey from Banani Catholic

Church. The exterior lighting decoration will draw your attention from far and give you the feeling that it’s Christmas.

After Banani the next destination can be Holy Rosary Church in Tejgaon, which is also known as Tejgaon church. The Japmala Queen Church was built in 1677. The church premises has two Catholic cemeteries that will make your tour to the church a peaceful one.

After taking a walk by the tombstones of the Tejgaon church premises, you can move on to touring a church with architectural significance. Archbishop House, known as Kakrail church will welcome you with a view of a sculpture on the road outside the church. The church was built in 1925 and later renovated in 1976. The church was first built with a chapel on the right. It has Gothic and Renaissance motifs both in the

interior and exterior. The Armenian church in Naya

Bazar, old Dhaka will be another take on the historically significant churches in Dhaka. The church is a historical proof and symbol of Armenian presence in Dhaka in the 17th century. Built in 1781, the church is now closed to the public, but the structure and property is highly valued as an archaeologically significant site. n

Touring Dhaka’s churches


20 INTERVIEw | dr kaniz khan

In September 20 this year, a mobile court of Rapid Action Battalion arrested 10 fake dentists and jailed them for

different terms. Even though they were not registered with the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, these people were running dental clinics in Savar in the outskirts of the capital.

In November 16, Charlie Brown, founder of World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry (WAMFD) spoke at a seminar in Dhaka, where he stated that people here unknowingly

becoming victims to one of the most toxic materials that enter our bodies through our teeth.

According to that Washington-based leading campaigner’s research, the toxicity of mercury, comprising in liquid form, makes up half of conventional dental fillings which are popularly known as “silver amalgams.” This has fatal consequences on the human body and environment.

But very few people in the country actually bother about it because most of them are not aware of proper

dental care. A study conducted by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), a local think tank, found that a vast majority of nearly 85% people in Bangladesh are not aware of the impact that mercury-heavy dental amalgams can have on human health and environment.

Ironically, the mercury level that Bangladeshis are exposed to is significantly higher than international safety limits, because most dentists here use silver amalgam to save costs.

In that context, Weekend Tribune talked with Kaniz Khan, an acclaimed

Canada-based dentist, who recently came back to Bangladesh and opened her chamber in Gulshan to provide North American standard dental care to Dhaka’s residents.

What are the impacts of using mercury in dental filling? What could be the alternatives?The silver-coloured amalgam, used for filling up cavities caused by tooth decay, has been in use for over a century across the world. However, after researchers identified it as toxic, dental clinics across the world and in

The tooth fairy

‘tis the season for brighter smilesFaisal Mahmud


21

North America have stopped using this material.

Instead the dental clinics there use dental composites, which is a safe alternative to mercury-heavy amalgams. It consists of synthetic resins, silica, ceramics and polymers. The research shows that the longevity of dental composites are as long as the longevity of silver-mercury amalgams. So, depending on the skill of the dentist, the type and location of damage and the composition of the composite, dental composites can have a similar longevity as metallic amalgams.

Many people here don’t consider it important to have regular dental check-ups. Is it important? If so, why? What are the practices in Canada?The general people in Bangladesh usually don’t have the tendency to go for a regular dental check-up unless there is actually some unbearable pain or trauma to the tooth. But it’s always too late. Two factors usually cause this, either they see it as unnecessary expenses or are simply afraid of it. It is very important to get a complete dental and oral assessment at least twice a year.

A professional cleaning is beyond comparable to regular brushing and flossing. Regular dental check-ups act more as a preventive measure from any tooth decay, gum disease or any other problem that might arise and minimise the extensive work later on – thereby becoming cost effective.

What are the practices in Canada?Canada has an amazing sense of encouraging dental care starting from the kindergarten level onwards as a non-stop effort. This usually plays a big role in children to break the fear from dental treatments and becomes a habit of having healthy gums and teeth. Dental practices in Canada have endless possibilities. Not only have the conventional services been bumped up and modernised with higher material quality, ease and perfection but dental beautifications by ornamental or cosmetic dentistry have also been encouraged.

Do you think, Bangladeshi people, with their regular diet, are more vulnerable to dental problems?In general, the food intake and diet habits of Bangladeshi people have a great impact on their dental and oral health. Even though the food is

delicious, everyday intake of food containing oils, carbohydrates and strong spices not only discolours the teeth but may also cause heat conditions, frequent gastro intestinal refluxes that end up causing teeth erosion. This leads to plaque accumulation and bad breath. A certain group of people who have the habit of chewing tobacco are more vulnerable to get heavy dark staining, attrition and also in extensive cases, oral cancer.

Does your clinic have any unique features that others don’t?I’ve been introduced to the North American technique of practice, which breaks from the stereotypical set-up and décor of a dental clinic. Two of the unique features of the clinic is the intra oral camera and on the spot intra oral X-ray, which allow the patient to have a complete self-assessment and to see the instant changes after the treatments have been provided. This actually helps the patient to understand better what’s actually going on. Checking blood pressures and blood sugar levels in case of diabetic patients are a must in my practice. I am also working on dental related sleep apnoea too.

The best part of my clinic is that not only do patients leave with a better smile but also with an encouraging dental kit as a gift. Consultations over telephone and email are also a part of my practice. n

Some good and easy tips to follow are:

• Brush your teeth and gum twice a day.

• Use a soft bristle tooth brush if not at least a medium and never hard.

• Floss every day• Eat a well-balanced diet

and limit food & beverage containing sugar or carbohydrates

• Don’t smoke and don’t chew tobacco.

Photos: Chanchal Kamal

weekend 231

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