weekend tribune june 24, 2016

vol 4 Issue 10 | FRIDAY, June 24, 2016 Dhaka Tribune

6 Cook YouR own wAY 12 soCIAl

welFARe 20 The Bong MoMMA

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, J U N E 24, 2016

Volume 4 | Issue 10 | June 24, 2016

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Features EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamSaudia Afrin

Moumita AhmedN Anita AmreenSakib MridhaSaqib Sarker

Mahmood SadiShuprova Tasneem

ContributorsMinu Ahmed

Karishma Rahman Farzana Romine

Dina Sobhan

CartoonsSyed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Priyo

GraphicsMd Mahbub AlamAlamgir HossainTahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisementShahin Ahsan

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

Editor’s note

On the cover

Dear readers,It is perhaps the greatest paradox of Ramadan that we’re supposed to be abstaining from food throughout this month, and yet all we can think about during this period of austerity is food. And just as we are expected to practise modesty and restraint in our appearance and apparel, the countdown to the festival season means that once the stomach is satisfied, our thoughts turn to what to wear on Eid.

This week, we kick off with more healthy recipes to please the palate without undoing all the good done by the period of fasting. We have a special spread on the Westin Dhaka’s Ramadan meal plans. And with the appetite sated, we talk about the more spiritual aspects of food and hunger. A guest writer muses about the layers of emotions surrounding

Ramadan. Another ingenious spirit put his enterprising skills to good use to reduce food wastage and feed the poor at the same time. We also have our fabulous discount coupons to make eating out a little easier on the wallet.

With the festival inching closer, several outlets are trotting out their collections for Eid. Take a gander at our teasers on Ticket. This week, we also take you behind the glitzy doors of Noir for ideas on how to jazz up your ensemble. Taking a small segue from wearable art to art for its own sake, we catch up with two creative minds about their muses.

Here’s wishing you peace and contentment in the week ahead

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

News 2 News

3 Meanwhile

Features

4 Tailored Opening

5 Event Ramadan

8 Offers Coupons

12 Ramadan Reflections Spirituality

13 Social Welfare Reducing food waste

15 Feature Art

16 Interview Music

17 Ticket

Shopping

regulars14 Legalese

18 Stay In

19 Go Out

20 The Bong Momma

Outfit: Koral KlausetWardrobe and styling: Rupo ShamsModel: Noureen Yousuf Photographer: Mahmud Hossain Opu

CONTENTS 1

COOk YOuR OWN WaY Kitchen chRonicleS

PhOTO STORY BAnglAdeShi Bullfight

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9


2 NEWS | This week

UK man arrested at rally planned to kill Trump

Iranian intelligence officials have broken up one of the ‘biggest terrorist’ plots ever planned to

target Tehran and other provinces in the Islamic Republic, the country’s state media reported on Monday, last week.

The reports quote the country’s Intelligence Ministry as saying that it has arrested several suspects in the plot to bomb the capital and other provinces, seizing bombs and ammunition during the operation.

The Intelligence Ministry statement, read live on Iranian state television and carried across the country’s news agencies, had little detail. The announcement comes as Iran finds itself battling the Islamic State group while also supporting Syria’s embattled

President Bashar Assad in his country’s long, bloody civil war.

Several suspects have been arrested and are under interrogation over the plot after agents seized ammunition and bombs, state media said.

The semi-official Fars and ISNA news agencies quoted Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as saying the attack was timed to hit during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, citing the Intelligence Ministry, said the attack was supposed to come on the anniversary of the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s wife, Khadija, which was commemorated in small ceremonies across Iran.Photo: AP

A Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 Nepalese security guards in an attack Monday, last week

on their minibus in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the Interior Ministry and an Afghan security official said.

The Nepalese were on their way to the Canadian Embassy where they work as guards, according to another Nepalese guard who was wounded in the attack.

It was the latest attack by the Taliban, who have stepped up assaults, including in the Afghan capital, as part of their summer offensive. The insurgents frequently target government employees and Afghan security forces across the country.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a bomb rigged to a motorbike killed eight Afghan civilians during morning rush

hour in a province in the northeast. And later on Monday in Kabul, a second Taliban bombing killed an Afghan civilian and wounded five people, including a provincial council member who was the intended target of that attack, authorities said.

In the bombing that killed the Nepalese guards, the bomber was on foot when he struck the minibus, said General Abdul Rahman Rahimi, the city’s police chief. He did not identify the foreign security company, the guards work for.

An Interior Ministry statement confirmed that all 14 killed were Nepalese citizens, describing the attack as the work of a ‘terrorist suicide bomber.’ It said the explosion also wounded nine people, five Nepalese employees and four Afghan civilians.

A British man arrested at a weekend Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas, tried to

grab a police officer’s gun. He did that with the intention of killing the presidential candidate after planning an assassination for about a year, according to authorities.

US Secret Service agents said, Michael Steven Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer at the campaign stop to say he wanted Trump’s autograph, but that he then tried to take the weapon.

A complaint filed Monday in US District Court in Nevada charged Sandford, 20, with an act of violence on restricted grounds. He was denied bail during a court appearance later in

the day. His court-appointed attorney said he was living out of his car and in the country illegally after overstaying a visa.

Sandford has not entered a plea.The arrest happened

relatively quietly at a campaign stop seen as peaceful compared to the mayhem at the presumptive Republican nominee’s recent events in San Jose; California; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.Photo: AP

A fatwa against militancy, which collected signatures from over 100,000 Islamic

muftis, ulema, and women uluma across Bangladesh, was published this week, declaring terrorism and suicide attacks as forbidden under Islamic law. The thirty volumes of documents amassed a total 101,850 signatures, of which 9,320 are women ulamas and muftis.

Each volume describes the main fatwa – which analyses the Qur’an and Hadith and declares terrorism and militancy absolutely forbidden in Islam’s eyes. All of the volumes also include similar anti-militancy fatwas issued by Darul Ulum Deoband, Moinul Islam Hathazari

Madrasa, Islamic Research Centre, Chormonai Jamia Rashidia Islamia, Shaykh Zakaria Research Centre, and Jamiatul Asad Madrasa.

The process for the fatwa, which is a scholars’ ruling or learned interpretation on Islamic law, was initiated last December by Farid Uddin Masuud, chairman of Jamiatul Ulama and imam of Bangladesh’s largest Eid congregation at Sholakia. He said, “I can say with strong conviction that a fatwa is much stronger, much sharper than 100,000 weapons. A correct fatwa purifies the psychological ideals, inspires people and makes them humanitarians.”Source: Dhaka Tribune

Iranian intelligence officials disrupt ‘biggest terrorist’ plot targeted at Tehran

Taliban suicide bombing kills 14 Nepalese guards in Kabul100,00 Islamic scholars issue fatwa

against militancy

The world at a glanceWeekend Tribune

Desk


. . . MEaNWhILE 3

Photo of the week

The skies over Cambodia are taking on fascinating new shapes thanks to a whimsical

‘cloud making service’ that is captivating audiences around the world.

In several online videos taken on the streets of Phnom Penh, a machine is seen pumping out custom, cookie-cutter ‘clouds’ into the sky. Khmer Cloud Making Service, a start-up company, says it’s a concoction of soap and helium.

In a matter of seconds, tightly packed bubbles resembling heart-shaped pancakes rise through a centre stencil before they are sliced off and fly away. And in a minute, the machine can

make three to five clouds.According to the company, which

rents out the machine in Cambodia’s capital, the soap is biodegradable. Khmer Cloud vows to donate five percent of its sales to underprivileged children in the country.

Hearts aren’t the only shape. The company’s website boasts images of floating dolphins, peace signs, stars, snowflakes, and people. Custom designs are also available according to everyone’s need.

“Our mission is to fill the sky above your house with flying bubbles in your favourite shape and size, to add fun and glamour to your event,” the website states.

Though Khmer Cloud’s business is currently local, it doesn’t have any reservations about serving foreign or

overseas customers.News and photo: Huffington Post

say what?This cloud-making machine is the stuff of dreams

A disabled beggar sleeps on the busy streets, with his prosthetic leg lying next to him. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain


Last weekend was a gathering of the fashionably inclined at the Banani branch of Noir. Noir, a unisex clothing store,

introduced a new collection that is on an exclusive run. The new line Zinari is limited, literally. Once piece each, for both men and women, are sold, and you will never see those designs again. Sure, you’ll probably have a few folks who decide to replicate each piece on those racks, but it’ll never be the genuine article. Zinari is a showcase of designs you won’t find anywhere else. But the night wasn’t simply about these wonderful limited items.

Surrounded by fashion bloggers, models and the right people from the right circles, Noir was buzzing with positive vibes, taking in compliments left and right. While Zinari was the main focus of the night, Noir has plenty more to offer. The current runway trends and what is, as the French like to say, tres chic can be found in every single corner of the store. More impressive are the accessories. The ever-so-elegant suede loafers for the men and the trendiest bags for women were a perfect example of what Noir has to offer. From belts, pocket squares, ties, bracelets, bags what have you, you can see the quality seep through every detail.

Catering to both high-street fashion and the ethnic-wear scene, Noir has all the intentions of garnering in a crowd who desire to enrich his or her lifestyle. If you could only see the frenzy at the check-out counter after

the opening ceremony had concluded, you’d possibly mistake it for Black Friday during the holiday season in the States. It took about 30 minutes to walk up to the front of the line just to make a single purchase. That’s how you do “busy” the correct way. Ultimately, Zinari is a bonus to an already attractive assortment of desirable fashionable goods. Is it worth shopping in? With a bit of the traditional ethnic-wear fused with the modern, you bet your stylish tush it is. n

4 TaILOREd | Men’s fashion

noir’s Zinari and much moreMahmood Hossain

Fade to black

Photos: Courtesy


Last weekend was a treat for any foodie. Chef Rabbi of The Westin Dhaka, prepared a luxurious multi-cuisine

iftar and dinner buffet with various delicacies including Middle-East, Indo-Asia and Western cuisine. More than 150 dishes were up on offer and will be so for the remainder of the holy month.

There are refreshing drinks and fresh fruits for a healthy way to breaking the fast. The special Orange Saffron Jalebis leave a hint of saffron in your mouth after every bite. The Pangriddled Meat station has different kinds of meats with the whole Lamb Ouzi attracting the most attention. The Ouzi meat is soft like cotton candy and melts in your mouth. Beef lovers can also feast on boneless beef rib-eye steak, which are also tenderised and juicy.

The live stations keeps busy making fresh foods constantly. If you want to try something light then pay a visit to the Sushi and Sashimi bar. Specialising purely in Sushi and Sashimi, this Japanese corner can be summed up in three word: fresh, simple and delicious. Freshness emits from the great selections of fish and outstanding quality rice. Items include maki, tuna sushi, salmon sushi.

The salad section has a repertoire of fresh and healthy preparations. The Middle-East cuisine section has kebabs such as chicken tengri kebab, beef chapli kebab, fish tikka, mutton shik kebab, tandoori quail, chicken hariwali

and many more. The Indo-Asia food section is filled

with different types of dim sum, noodles; where you can mix and match from your favorite noodles and sauce. The most colorful part is the Arabian dessert section, where you will find fresh home made food. There are different types of cakes and pastries and the cheese cake will induce saliva in cheesecake lovers.

This sumptuous Iftar and dinner

buffet is priced at Tk 4999. You can also select their special takeaway Iftar boxes; it is available for Tk 1600. For guests, a special buffet spread is also available to enjoy at Suhur and it is priced at Tk 2100.

BRAC Bank Ltd., Standard Chartered Bank, City Bank American Express, and Prime Bank card holders and GP platinum Plus Star and Icon subscribers can avail special discount. n

RaMadan | EvENT 5

Westin IftarSabiha Akond Rupa

Photos: Mahmud Hossain Opu


6 COOk YOuR OWN WaY | kiTchen chRonicles

Keeping it light and healthySometimes all we want is some quick snacks to munch on, without feeling guilty. these three recipes don’t require any oil and are very easy to make. these are my favourite snacks that i often make for myself and my family, who also love them. Farzana Romine

Crispy Baked ZucchiniThis is my favourite of the lot. With all the fresh herbs, its a great summery snack.

Ingredients:• 2 zucchini• 1 egg• 1 cup bread crumbs• 2 tsp mixed dry herbs (thyme,

basil, oregano or any herb you like)

• 1 tsp garlic powder• 1 tsp paprika• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese• Salt and pepper

Directions:Cut the zucchini into long sticks. The thickness should be like French fries.Mix the herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and cheese with the bread crumbs.Preheat your oven to 350°F/ 175°CBeat the egg. Dip the zucchini sticks in the egg and then coat them in the breadcrumb mixture. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.Bake them in the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes and then broil for two to three minutes until brown.Serve hot with your favourite dip, ketchup or marinara sauce.


77

Farzana Romine is a food lover and travel enthusiast whose mission is recreating restaurant quality dishes at home and she invites you to come along for the ride

Shrimp rolls with nuoc chamThis is my favourite of the lot. With all the fresh herbs, its a great summery snack.

Ingredients:For the dipping sauce (nuoc cham):1 tbsp fresh lime juice2 tbsp sugar3 tbsp fish sauce1 tbsp rice vinegar2 cloves of garlic, minced2 fresh hot chillies

For the filling:10 rice paper rollsOne bunch fresh basilOne bunch fresh mintOne bunch fresh cilantro10 shrimps, boiled and sliced in half (lengthwise)1 cup carrot julienne1 cup cucumber julienne1/2 packet boiled rice noodlesDirections:Mix all the ingredients for the dipping sauce and keep it in the fridge.Arrange all your filling ingredients in small bowls near your workstation. In a wide pan keep some warm water.

Place one rice paper in the water for 30 seconds to soften up.Once soft, place it on a paper towel to soak extra water. Place the shrimp, noodles, carrot, cucumber and herbs on one side of the rice paper. Now roll it like spring rolls.Continue in the same manner with the rest of the rice papers. Serve with the nuoc cham.

Ingredients:12 chicken wings3 tbsp miso paste2 tbsp minced garlic2 tbsp soya sauce1 tbsp rice wine vinegar1/2 tsp black pepper powder2 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:Wash the chicken wings well and pat dry with paper towel.Mix all the ingredients with the chicken and leave to marinate in the fridge for three to four hours.To cook the wings, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the chickens one inch apart on the baking sheet.Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 10 to 15 minutes or until its brown.Turn the wings over and broil the other side for 10 to 15 minutes more. They will be ready to serve once nicely browned on both sides. Note: The cooking time will vary according to the temperature of your oven. Rice paper and Miso paste are available at Komart in Banani.

Garlic miso chicken wingsI had this dish in a restaurant specialised only for yakitori during my visit to Tokyo and fell in love with it. This is a super easy recipe.

Photos: Farzana Romine


8 OFFERS | coupons

this Ramadan, there’s another reason to love Weekend tribune. take this page with you to the outlets mentioned below for exciting offers.

Special Deals


Bangladeshi BullfighT | PhOTO STORY 9

traditional sports and entertainment are being threatened everywhere in the world. the unstoppable force of “globalisation” and resulting technological advancements are driving out hundred or thousand years old customs and social rituals. these customs and rituals once fulfilled the need for closely knit communities that did not have virtual entertainment. People actually needed to get together in order to socialise.

While much of these age old customs and ceremonies are dissipating to make room for the modern life, some have managed to survive. the traditional bull fight used to be an annual event in Kishorganj. it takes place bi-annually now. But it still attracts audience and local people gather by thousands around the big field to witness these powerful beasts lock horns.

Raging bulls

Photos: Syed Zakir Hossain


10 PhOTO STORY | Bangladeshi BullfighT


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12 RaMadaN REFLECTIONS | spiRiTualiTy

A test of mettleRamadan brings out the best in you if you let it

Hammad Ali

Growing up in Bangladesh, Ramadan was always a festive occasion for my family and the community

in general. Preparations for the blessed month would start right from the Shab-e-Barat holiday, culminating in the sighting of the moon and the first Taraweeh prayer of the year.

It is hard to explain to someone who has not witnessed it firsthand, how the prospect of fasting during the day for an entire month takes on this odd mix of sanctity and festiveness. Waking up in the wee hours of dawn for sehri, counting down the last few minutes before iftar, planning the things to do (and food to eat!) on Eid day, all of it becomes part of the celebration. I still recall those Ramadan months I spent back in my hometown, with a large family of cousins, nieces and nephews. The whole neighborhood used to come alive at sehri time, with night guards calling out loudly to wake people up, kitchens abuzz with the sounds of meals being prepared, and us youngsters trying our best to keep our eyes open. On the other end of the day, a sweet serenity used to descend minutes before iftar, with everyone seated round the table, offering their heartfelt prayers before breaking fast. One rather misses those moments today, with tiny families cooped up in small apartment units.

Growing up, a lot of things have changed about Ramadan. Gone are the days of month-long school vacations. The focus has moved away from what delicacies to have for iftar, or what new outfits to get this Eid. Ramadan has been invaded by grown-up things like budgeting for the month, getting all errands done after tiring hours at work, and let us not even get started on the plight of those who need to procure tickets to go home for Eid.

Yet the magic of the month has not really diminished. For me personally, Ramadan has become a celebration of human willpower. It seems to me that for this one month at least, we all function at the very peak of our abilities, presenting our very best to the world.

From the religious point of view, one of the characteristics of Ramadan is that on this month, God makes some permissible things impermissible, even if only for a certain number of hours every day. Thus we are forbidden from food and drink during daytime, and are expected to offer extra prayers in the evenings. This is not a lifestyle that can be sustained all year round, and in a sense that is the point of Ramadan.

For one month, we are expected to push ourselves to our limits, with the hope that being able to do this successfully will carry over in our lives for the rest of the year. For one month, we are expected to restrain all our baser urges, and remind ourselves that we are more than just a more intelligent sort of animal.

The second takeaway from Ramadan for me is a sense of gratitude. I do not refer here to the somewhat clichéd concept of gratitude that we have food

on the table and loved ones to share a meal with, even though that is also a crucial component of it. For me, there is a deeper component to the feeling of gratitude that this month evokes.

Once again, this might be hard to explain to all but those who have witnessed it firsthand, but the feeling of being able to observe the month of Ramadan properly can be very fulfilling. There is an immense sense of accomplishment in being able to fast the full month, in being able to offer all the prayers, particularly for those like me who often miss out around the year. There is a return to fundamentals, and a simultaneous rise to the ethereal.

Just last week, we shared a meal with some extended family members where we all got to sit around the iftar table and listen to an elder talk about the life of prophet Abraham. It occurred to me then that this is not something that would have been possible at any other

time of the year. In your run-off-the-mill dinner parties, even if the whole family does somehow come together, topics are constrained to the usual politics, the price of goods and the usual griping about work and life in general. I realised then, that Ramadan gives us an opportunity to change our very mindset. It turns us, even if only for a month, into people who revisit our roots, the core of our beliefs, and ponder how we should be leading our lives today in alignment with those beliefs.

Even as an adult weighed down by the world, more than a little cynical, I am grateful for the month of Ramadan. I am grateful of this reminder that we are more than our bank balance, our degrees and designations. We are headed towards more than the next big project at work or the next vacation. I am grateful to be part of a tradition that reminds me that we are not alone, that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. This is what Ramadan offers to me, and I hope that I can make the best of this opportunity this year, and in the years to come. Ramadan Kareem to everyone, and an advance Eid Mubarak! n

The writer is a senior lecturer at Brac University

For one month, we are expected to push ourselves to our limits, with the hope that being able to do this successfully will carry over in our lives for the rest of the year


Food wastage is a very common but complex problem. On one hand, it is impossible to track down

the exact amount of food being wasted every day. On the other hand, it is certain that many people will benefit from those leftover foods if they are not thrown away.

With that in mind, many countries around the world have started what is called Global food banking, a process of collecting unused and extra food from different sources. Arif R Hossain, an adviser with Prochesta foundation introduced the idea to help the large number of underprivileged people in this country. Arif’s idea was simple: start food banking by collecting uneaten food from different events to restaurants in Bangladesh and redistributig this amongst the needy. In the capital city alone, there are a huge number of people who struggle to eat full meals everyday.

“If you live in Dhaka then a single glance out of your car window will show you that a lot of homeless people are living on footpaths, in railway stations, among other places. Often these people go to sleep with an empty

growling stomach. They do small jobs like selling papers, carrying baggage. They hardly manage three full meals a day,” said Ikramuddin Abir, the founder of Proceshta Foundation.

Currently, food banking is helping the neglected people who are outside of Prochesta Foundation’s projects.

With the vision to provide food to these people, the food banking kicked off its journey on May 19th, by of a group of youth from the Prochesta Foundation. Since its inception in Bangladesh, Arif and the team have been promoting food banking on Facebook to involve more citizens.

Ikramuddin said, “Within 72 hours of announcing the initiative, we received around 500 calls from various sources ranging from marriage ceremony to all sorts of different programs across Dhaka city.”

“Since Ramadan has started the calls have slowed down a little. However, we are expecting to be very busy time after the Eid-ul-Fitr because we have had confirmations of a lot of events taking place after the Eid.”

“Definitely its helps us to organise the volunteers, and manage everything from beforehand if the contributor

informs us few days before the event,” Ikramuddin added.

Till date, the team have distributed food among 700 people in Komlapur, airport and Tejgoan railway station over a 7 days period.

Ikramuddin said that one of the biggest challenges have been to determine the right amount of food for a location. “But the volunteers have gathered very useful knowledge about the locations and we have learned that with smaller amount of food it is better to distribute in places close to markets. For railway stations, a much larger quantity is needed. The numbers fluctuate wildly and we need to do quick data gathering every distribution,” Ikramuddin explained.

“In order to facilitate easier distribution we have planned to do a mapping of the entire city by location and on the amount of needy people,”said Ikramuddin.

Currently, 200 volunteers are working with the Prochesta Foundation. Food is currently being distributed only in Dhaka city. The volunteers, mostly students from different public and private universities, work around the city.

They are assigned areas based on their access and proximity. Volunteers are ready to pick up food and distribute at any given time of the day. Ikramuddin says, “Suppose we got a call from a source near Khilgoan area. First, we call the volunteers who live around those places. Being a local, they would know where to go.”

“After collecting the food, the first job is to pack the food. Initially, we used poly-bags but now it has been replaced by one time food packets. Financing of the packaging is currently being funded by Arif bhai,” Ikramuddin said.

“From the very beginning we have been very conscious about keeping the main objective of the initiative in focus. So, we don’t want to add any corporation as a sponsor. We don’t want to advertise their names with food banking. Within one month span of time we’ve got many calls for sponsorships but we have declined all corporate sponsorship offers. Because we don’t wish to ruin the purity of the initiative by adding a title sponsor,” Arif R Hossain said.

Procheshta is consciously avoiding corporate funding so that the intention is not misunderstood, However, Arif encourages individual or corporate involvement as stakeholders. He says, “Stakeholders as in, if someone wishes to help us by providing a pick-up van or packaging or helping to build up the call center, we would take those. In addition, all this support will be acknowledged by the term ‘powered by’.

Manssor Ahmed, a Dhaka city local, said, “A great initiative indeed, it is helping people and at the same time encouraging to not waste food.”

Arif pointed out that Procheshta is not feeding them on regular basis, so there is no chance of making the people dependent on this and stop looking for work.

Procheshta can be reached on the following number to request food pickup: 01842002023n

Reducing food wasTe | SOCIaL WELFaRE 13

Feeding the hungry food banking, an initiative by Prochesta foundation with a group of enthusiastic young individuals, has arrived at the city to feed the starved by collecting leftover foodSaudia Afrin

Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu


A couple of years ago I insured my office (small proprietorship) against fire and accidental damage. Things went smoothly for the last couple of years, as no major accidents occurred and therefore I have not had to

make any claims whatsoever. However, last week, we had a major fire accident at the office’s kitchen and the fire spread to the office’s premises. The damage was quite extensive and I’m now worried about making an insurance claim. I have not contacted the insurance company yet, but have heard horror stories about insurance companies refusing to issue payments. Any advice on how I should approach this?

Dear Reader,Thank you for writing in to us. Firstly, I have to commend you on doing the sensible thing – taking

out insurance coverage against fire and accidental damage. It’s something that few of us generally practice in Bangladesh and something that needs more awareness generated about it. Since you have sensibly taken out insurance and I’m predicting that you have been paying the premiums regularly, recovering your insurance should not be too much of an issue.

The main thing to remember and consider here is that the payout, premiums, insurance conditions, etc will actually be governed by the contract between the insurance provider and yourself. It is essential that you go through this contract very thoroughly. The insurer should be informed about the loss as soon as the loss occurs. On receiving the notice, the insurer appoints an assessor to examine the facts of the case and to determine the amount of liability. It is likely that a procedure of claim settlement will then immediately fall into place.

A claim form is usually issued to the policyholder. The claim form requires the following information which must

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

Q

A

Illustration: Priyo/Dhaka Tribune

be provided by the insured:

a) Full description of circumstances of the loss such as date of loss time, the place of fire.

b) Cause of fire.c) Particulars of the property affected

by the loss such as description, value at the time of fire, value of salvage and the claim amount.

d) Statement of other insurance on the property, name of the insurer, the policy member and the sum insured.

e) Sound value of all the property.

Please note that the above points are simply a guide to the information usually required. There is always the possibility that your insurance provider may ask for different or further information. I will now briefly explain the usual steps which follow receipt of a claim for settlement. Following submission of the claim by the insured, the insurer takes the necessary steps to verify the genuineness of the claim and

the subsequent claim settlement. At first the insurer confirms the

legality of the claim. The claim is recorded in the docket of claim, where facultative reinsurance is involved, and an advice of the loss is sent to the insurers. The insurer insures the payment of premium. If payment were not made then it would be deducted from the claim amount. For the inquiry of damage, insurer depends on the survey.

The survey report of the assessor contains the following information-

i) Cause of loss: it is necessary to know whether the fire was caused by an excepted peril or was caused by the negligence of a third party or there is any evidence of fraud, so the cause of fire is clearly obtained.

ii) The amount recommended for payment which is determined on the basis of current market value and under insurance.

iii) Detailed value of salvage. iv) The position in respect of

compliance with the warranties.v) Apportionment of the loss and

expenses among the insurers where there are more than one insurer.

vi) The exact amount of loss payable by the insurer. The presence of the average clause in the policy will determine the amount of loss payable.

vii) Any other relevant details.

Please note that after receiving all the required documents and examining all those, the insurer gives the claim amount to the insured. The insurer can take time for proper enquiry before paying the claim amount. Therefore please do not be disheartened if it starts taking a bit of time. However, it is yet too early to be worried and as long as all the legal steps are in place, it is likely that you will not face any major issues. Please keep us updated and wishing you the best of luck! n

14 LEGaLESE | JennifeR ashRaf

Loss and compensation


aRT | FEaTuRE 15

Beauty among decay

Gifted artists Kazi Sayeed Ahmed and Sarkar Nahid Niazi have been living in a small two storied house

in Shyambazaar of old Dhaka for years now, choosing the side of the river Buriganga as their space for creating their thoughtful and unconventional works of art. The two had been classmates at the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka, where they first began influencing and inspiring each other with their artistic styles and creativity. This couple’s work is giving food for thought to Dhaka’s art critics with their rejection of most old school ideas of abstract composition, and that too on two avant-garde painting media – gunnysacks and worn-out wood.

According to Kazi Sayeed Ahmed, “I grew up in the Shyambazaar area, where spices, onions and vegetables have been traded for ages. My family had and still has a bakery business, and in this business loads of sugar and flour are delivered and dispatched in large jute sacks,” he said.

He wanted to paint those jute sacks, and fill in the rough stitches with a blend of forms and colours and bring them to life on a canvas. “I

set my mind on painting on the very gunnysacks, instead of painting them.”

Sarkar Nahid Niazi recalled how Shyambazaar had struck her when she first moved there. “When I moved to that Shyambazaar house after our marriage, I was influenced by the old town’s liveliness and its amazing old-world ambiance,” she said.

She started exploring the nooks

Artists Kazi Sayeed Ahmed and Sarkar nahid niazi talk to Weekend tribune about their musesMahmood Sadi

and crannies of Old Dhaka to seek inspiration, and she opted for using an unusual medium – wood. “I became engrossed with the colour and the composition of wooden boxes and planks that were left around by the side of the river. I wanted to paint on them. I wanted to put colours on them to see how those would blend with and form on wood’s own formations and

textures,” she said.Both of these talented artists’

efforts have led to a recent collection that critics will definitely approve of, and evoked a sense of time, decay and nostalgia. Niazi created sixteen works of art that exhibits dimensions of sculpture and painting alike, building layers and breaking surfaces at the same time, much like the medium being used. Ahmed’s discarded gunnysacks splashed with the mixture of bright colours also constructed a fiercely lyrical vision of beauty and decay in his eighteen paintings.

While the layering of sacks gave Ahmed’s canvas a three-dimensional sweep and their patching together made one think of reconstructed memories, Nahid’s images of wooden planks and discarded wooden shutters also evoked feelings of desolation. Both of their work seemed to testify to the ravages wrought by time, but attempted to extract beauty out of the decay.

“We have both found our languages of artistic expressions in those seemingly banal discarded objects, and we have both learned to find life among things which are thought to be dead,” the couple affirmed. n


Yonder Music and Robi, the mobile network service provider, have partnered together to bring free music

to Bangladeshi music lovers. This is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and the customers don’t pay anything for this service. The app is available on both App Store and Google Play.

Robi users will be able to download the Yonder Music app and listen to the entire music collection free of cost. The app also allows using contents offline without limitations. Other network users will be getting a free trial until July 7.

Yonder Music and Robi have already got a formidable number of prominent artists on board. The artists include James, LRB, Miles, Warfaze, Aurthohin, Habib Wahid, Arnob, Bappa Mazumder, Balam, Elita, Kona, Nemesis, Shunno, Chirkutt, Asif Akbar, Zooel and Hridoy among many others.

Aditya Summanwar, the president of Yonder Music, Asia, is currently in Dhaka. We sat down with Aditya this week for an exclusive interview.

Please explain to our readers what is Yonder Music.Yonder Music is a music streaming service for the masses that brings to people what they actually want. When it became possible to digitize the contents people became able to distribute it digitally. Along with that came piracy, because of the

demand. Piracy became rampant and immediately music revenues started declining. CDs became a format that people lost interest in; they did not want to spend money on buying CDs. They wanted to download them from Napster. Napster came about and it said that music should be free. But then Napster got sued and the rest is history.

Soon after that, there came a phase where the spotlight was turned to distribution existing channels and delivering music through them. This brought about the arrival of music on PCs, the Internet, and streaming services – all services available through payment. But by that time, consumers were already well accustomed to piracy and comfortable with not having to pay for music. But we all know that if you do not pay for content it doesn’t get created. Because their work is a means to earn livelihoods, artists need to make money from their creativity.

So, Yonder is a proposition to solve that problem. For instance, let’s say a hundred people are listening to music. Out of those 100 people only one person wants to pay for it. That one person is essentially carrying the load of the rest. We call ourselves the music service of the 99 percent. And the reason we say this is because we do business arrangements with operators that have an existing customer base and they are already paying to acquire these customers. So, what we do is make music free for the end user.

What we take from the telecom companies is a fee per user, which is significantly less than what that telecom company would pay to acquire that customer anyway. The companies spend large sums to gain customers through many different kinds of marketing. But by giving away free music for a fraction of that marketing cost, you can attract more people to your network.

The customer doesn’t have to pay anything. All he has to do is what he is already doing. He is using his mobile phone network service and as a part of that he gets Yonder. And that gives access to millions of songs. Do you think that we can truly get past piracy?I don’t think it will ever go away completely. But the hope is that it will reduce it significantly. There will always be people who would not want to pay for music.

We want to make sure that money is going back to the artists so that artists are encouraged in their work and they can stay inspired to create music for the masses. You started your services in Malaysia first. What kind of response did you get there?It went excellent. Unfortunately I can’t disclose all the numbers and stats but I do have a way of explaining this and hopefully in a convincing fashion. When we do a deal with a teleco, there are different motivations that drive the telecom companies to do a deal with us…in Malaysia the motivation is to get customers from other network providers because there is a hundred and ten percent mobile penetration. In Bangladesh the motivation factors are different.

In Malaysia the customers don’t pay for data when using Yonder. So, if you are on a 2 GB data pack you are not

losing that data when you use Yonder. So, the primary objective is to get customers who are using other services or they want to prevent customers from moving away to other networks.

We know from the data that since we launched we have consistently outperformed any other music service in Malaysia, in terms of data consumption. We have also observed from raw statistics that the churn rate is higher with the customers that don’t use Yonder. Why have you decided to come to Bangladesh?We look at the trends and behaviours in what we call the frontier markets. We look for the places where mobile usage is on the rise or where there is already significant use, people are transitioning from feature phones to smart phones, and where data packages can be sold.

Essentially, our market is where telecom businesses have the scope and need to incentivize customers to use data. We don’t look at the biggest and already saturated markets. In places like Bangladesh people don’t have the plethora of choices. Also in places where the GDP is really low the people’s propensity to pay is less too.

So, that is why our model is so compelling. What you will be offering that your competitors aren’t offering?In terms of money it doesn’t get any better than free content, unless I start giving you money (laughs). So, that’s big thing. And there is the music collection. We are offering the biggest music library.

Unlike our competitions, we carry both international and domestic music. We have exclusive contents. We intend to be extremely local, we want to get close to the people, understand what they want and give that to them. Do you want to say something to Bangladeshi music listeners?We have interesting collaborations and exciting projects coming up throughout the year. I don’t want to disclose the projects; that will spoil the surprise. But there are a lot of interesting things that we have planned…actually these aren’t plans, they are ongoing projects. So, you should expect mind blowing music events. n

16 INTERvIEW | Music

“Music for the 99%” - Robi Yonder brings free musicSarker Saqib


shopping | TICkET 17

Discover the latest fashion trends straight from the wide Eid collection of Cats Eye. Long kurtis, flared pants, shoes, and bags are ready in the store along with an array of panjabis for men. You can find their latest collection in Basundhara City, Cats Eye, Japan Garden City, and Gulshan shops.

Cats Eye

ShimmerIt’s easy to love shoes, and Shimmer makes it even better. They have featured their Eid collection recently in their outlet at Banani. Pumps, block heels, ankle straps, flat, party shoes, and many more are available at the store.

Photo courtesy: Cats Eye


18 STaY IN

S u d o k u

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

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

Clues

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

Mini crypticshoroscopes

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19)- You might need to put your dreams on hold for a while if you have responsibilities to attend to. A focus on your home zone suggests that you may be happier pottering around the house than on the other side of the globe anyway. Taurus (Apr 20-May20)- Shopping fever could grab you at the start of the week. Communication is the key which could inspire you to get in touch with family members or anyone else you haven’t seen in a while.Gemini (May 21-June 20)- If you have something to say, try to be tactful, especially if you want to remain friends over the long term. Later, opportunities could come your way through property and real estate or business-related matters linked with family or relatives. Cancer (June 21-Jul22)- The week gets off to a dynamic start, encouraging you to forget about your diet or exercise routine and indulge. You won’t want to miss out on a potential opportunity or lucrative collaboration this weekend.Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)-The start of the week could be excellent for a party, celebration, or get-together at your place. You may have an opportunity to get closure on an issue that you’ve struggled with for some time. Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)-You might be motivated to reflect on your goals and consider whether they’re applicable to your life as it currently stands. This is a time of taking stock, so don’t be surprised if your priorities have changed. Libra (Sep 23-Oct22)- Go easy at the start of the week, as the urge to be very honest could cost you a friendship. Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21)- If you’ve been scrimping and saving lately, your hard work could go out the window unless you refuse to give in to temptation. Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec 21)- Try to be careful of more sensitive souls who might find your honesty somewhat disconcerting. Finally, opportunity knocks over the weekend. Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan19)- Prepare to make the most of a situation or circumstances that could propel you to greater success. If you’re willing to do the groundwork now, you could reap the rewards later. Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)- If you throw a party, it could be everything you hope for and more. Meanwhile, the focus shifts to your sector of lifestyle, encouraging you to think about your habits and how they contribute to your overall well-being.Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)- Be careful when dealing with those in authority, particularly at the start of the week. It might be best to toe the line if you want to avoid problems.

ACROSS5 Rap trio

reformed, like JKF? (7)

6 Revises changing tides (5)

9 Go dance about a regular shape (7)

DOWN 1 Sheep found in upper arm (3)2 Make stick in colour (7)3 Initially over the top in prison

house (7)4 Sounds like the number consumed

(3)7 Not even strange (3)8 Sounds like prevailed number (3)

aCrOss1 Exhibitor of bathroom equipment

(6)6 Engine part shown backwards and

forwards (5)7 The Spanish tie rearranged to be

special (5) 8 Venerable month (6)

DOwN2 Fish as woman’s jewellery (7)3 Edit news and sit to observe

(7)4 Royal Academy depend on,

but not often (6)5 Iceman transformed film (6)


June 26 Exhibition | Zois Exclusive ExhibitionWhen 1pmWhere Bistro E, Bay’s Edgewater, 1st Floor, NE (N) 12, North Avenue, Gulshan 2, Dhaka, BangladeshWhat Zois Clothing cordially invites you to the first opening exhibition of Zois. Drop by and have a look at their debut collection of kurtas. They maintain high quality fabrics and the kurtas are hand stitched with perfection.

June 24Exhibition | Le’Vana Summer’16When 10amWhere Le Meridien Dhaka, 79/A Commercial Area, Airport Road Nikunja 2, Khilkhet, DhakaWhat Make-up Fest is designed to bring together beauty professionals as well as interested make-up artists and general public through a two day festival.

Join them to discover the many facets of this world of colour: from everyday to glamorous makeup. Interested individuals will get the opportunity to attend two days makeup workshops to discover new makeup skills as well as products.

Make-up artists and bloggers will share their passion for their jobs and will let you discover their secrets. If you want to start a career as a makeup artist, furnish your skills or simply learn how to do makeup properly; we are waiting to give you the opportunity and a platform at this event.

Registration Link: http://paperfox.agency/registration/index.php

June 24Workshop | Workshop on Street Photography by Borderless When WhereWhat A two-day workshop on ‘Street Photography’ and ‘Ethics of Street Photography.’ This is the first of a series of workshops that are going to be arranged by ‘Borderless’ on various aspects of photography and photographic practices.

They are calling for portfolios from amateur, enthusiastic photographers aged between 18 and 30 who are interested in attending this workshop. A maximum of 10 photos can be sent either in series or single category via mail for consideration. 15 photographers will be selected for this workshop. If selected, the participant will have to submit a fee of Tk150 to attend the workshop. The workshop is technically free, the fee is for providing refreshment/iftar to the participants.

Send your portfolios to: [email protected] date of sending portfolios: June 21, 2016.Selected participants will be notified via email by June 23, 2016.

GO OuT 19

Weekly Planner

When 11:30pmWhere The Westin Dhaka, Main Gulshan Avenue, Plot-01, Road 45, 1212 Dhaka, BangladeshWhat The Westin Dhaka presents ‘Seheri Sensation’ at the Grand Ballroom. This Friday night, enjoy a 5 star multi-cuisine buffet seheri. Lounge, enjoy the delectable buffet, and try some masala tea

as you chill out with your favorite crowd.

Also, win some exciting prizes in the raffle draw for free!

Limited tickets are available at the Westin Dhaka and will be sold till Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Priced at Tk2100 net. Call +88-02-9891988 for tickets.

When 10amWhere Istanbul Restaurant, Rd 113 House 10, 1212 Dhaka, BangladeshWhat After a successful solo exhibition of her debut designs last year and increasing demand for her designs throughout the year, Fareha Raida brings to you her second collection this Eid with more exclusive pieces. Like everyone, she likes to wear unique pieces which

would not be worn by every other woman around her. To cater to your needs, she will be making one piece per design like last time.

Get yourself a Fareha Raida piece this upcoming weekend ladies! Indulge yourself in the finest of silks with intricate embroidery, zardousi, and other works of her specialty.

When 11amWhere The American Center, Plot 1, Progati Sharani, J Block, Baridhara, DhakaWhat International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an international standardised test of English language proficiency that is an admissions requirement in many universities in the

United States. This three-day free workshop at our American Center covers tips and strategies for the test.Registration is must and on a first come first serve basis. Call 02 5566 ext-2836, 2831 to register your name during their office hours (8:00am-4:30pm, Sunday-Thursday)

June 24

June 24

June 28

Food | Seheri Sensation

Exhibition | Fareha Raida Summer’16 collection

Workshop | 2-Day Workshop: IELTS Tips and Strategies


I remember one of my very first pieces of writing was about a crazy man. It was called, “The long long man.” Before your

imagination runs wild, let me tell you that in the local language, which was a version of broken English, “long long” meant “crazy”. In my neighbourhood, there was a man who was probably homeless and would wander around in dirty clothes, spaced out and intimidating. All the kids in my class would call him the “long long man” and that’s how the name stuck. In my story, I had gone to the local bakery to buy a beef pie. While eyeing the wares in the display shelf, I noticed a shadow behind me and realised the long long man was standing outside the door, looming over us. Scared out of my wits, I left the pie and ran from the shop.

The end.That’s about it, my first story. You

have to remember I was eight years old and my imagination was still spawning creativity!

Speaking of beef pie, it was one of my most favourite things to eat at The Island. The pie was as big as my hand back then, and I would peel off a bit of the crust on top to release the steam and inhale the scents of the thick brown beefy gravy. Delicious!

Another favourite was the roast chicken and french fries from a local chip shop. I started calling them french fries after moving to Bangladesh, but back then, it was always “chicken and chips”. The fries were long and soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. The chicken was cooked with its skin on and it had a wonderful smoky, barbecue flavour with tender chicken on the inside. The shop also served sheep’s tongue (yes that’s exactly what it is, not a disguised name for anything else haha!). It was a local favourite and for those feeling squeamish right now, don’t, the texture is similar to chewy, meaty cartilage, and actually quite tasty. Come on, if you like our very own khiri kabab, you gotta like some tongue!

The local cuisine was quite simple, not spice heavy at all. Usually barbecued, fried or baked in underground “ovens”. By ovens, I mean large stones were heated over fire and placed into a shallow pit, and the food to be cooked would be wrapped in banana leaves or aluminium foil and put on the stones. The food parcels were then covered up in soil and let to sit in the pit until cooked through. Traditional feasts were cooked this way, and this style of cooking was called a “mumu”. Usually present in a ‘mumu’ would be lamb chops, fried rice, and baked vegetables. Tapioca was quite sought after, I would find the baked versions chalky at first, but eventually the smoky sweetness would come through.

Tropical fruits were also abundant, and we had fruit trees in our backyard, Banana, pineapple and the bell fruit, a.k.a the jamrul. Unlike the water white variety here, the bell fruit on The Island were pink, sweet and juicy. Birds would

often flock our bell fruit tree and steal the ripe ones.

For entertainment, there wasn’t much to do on The Island. There were no amusement parks, only the hotels had restaurants (and usually too expensive), and cable TV was limited too. My sister and I had access to a popular 90s kids channel though, and so we grew up with Sesame Street, The Rugrats and Bananas in Pyjamas entertaining us. Our parents would also take us travelling on weekends or holidays, and I can (quite unabashedly) say that I’ve taken a ride on a helicopter by the time I was nine years old!

With little distraction from external devices and the only computer we had access to was the one at school, so my sister and I got hooked onto books very early on. The international school allowed students to order books from abroad at subsidised rates every few months, so I was able to buy new and high quality books while growing up. I meticulously saved all of them, over the years, because I knew books were expensive and I wouldn’t get these books anywhere else.

I’m waiting for Jellybean to learn to read so that I can give her my books from time to time. She recently has shown an interest in stories and makes us explain the pictures from the book since she can’t read yet. The Husband and I both love to read, even though I don’t have as much time and patience as before, and would love to instill this in Jellybean as well.

I know Jellybean might not have the kind of childhood that I had, growing up wild and free, but I hope to come as close to that as possible. n

20 ThE BONG MOMMa | Tales fRoM a fiRsT-TiMe MoM

Minu Ahmed is your not-so-average homemaker, norm-shirker and abomination of awesomeness, juggling a career in communication, mother- hood and a fatter half. Questions? Send to [email protected]

It’s a wild life! (Part 2)

Minu Ahmed

Photo: Bigstock

weekend tribune june 24, 2016

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