Dhaka Tribune
Hot Topic Discordant dystopia Spotlight catching up with nemisis Written in the Stars Ovick Alam
Tuesday, July 2, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 11
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CHECK IT OUT
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Status of the week A weekly production of
DhakaTribune Editor Zafar Sobhan Magazine Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad TMAG Team Sabiha Mahmud Sumi Rubab Nayeem Khan Munira Fidai Afshan Sattar Natasha Rahman Azfar Rahman Saudia Afrin Tahsin Momin Contributors Abak Hussain Fardeen Ameen Nabeela M. Shehtaz Huq Graphics Sabiha Mahmud Sumi Mohammed Mahbub Alam Istella Imam Production Masum Billah Advertising Shahidan Khurshed Circulation Wahid Murad Email: tmag@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com
It’s funny when you see a bald man combing his hair.
Quote of the week My love life will never be satisfactory until someone runs through an airport to stop me from getting on a flight.
Lingo of the week JAKA: (Jibon’e Aar Ki Ase?) It’s the Bengali way of saying “You Only Live Once!”
8 Written in the Stars
Example Person 1: “Oh God I flunked two exams this week!” Person 2: “JAKA?”
Ovick Alam
Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Living in the city has its perks. It’s comfortable, and there are so many more amenities available than our peers in the countryside. However, the perks come attached with their problems, and one of the big ones we’re focusing on this week is noise. Hop on to Hot Topic (Page 6 and 7) this week to see just how much noise we have to contend with every day and practically everywhere, and just what it is doing to us. And since we never point out a problem without finding ways to soothe them, we’re turning the volume down on all our other pages to help you appreciate some peace and quiet. Because shouting is overrated. Don’t forget to tell us how we did. Mail your comments, doodles, Street Check photos and more to tmag@ dhakatribune.com Love, From the TMAG desk
5 Look of the Week
10 Spotlight
Classic cottons
Catching up with Nemesis
6 Hot Topic The noise in our lives ...
More inside About the cover This week, put the “mute” on loud noises that do more than just disturb the peace. Flip through our pages, and we’ll show you how. Models Gaurav Ghosh Raziul Hoque Photographer Quamrul Abedin
picks Of the week 2 Room of the Week Ariqa Sattar 3 Doodle of the Week Suraiya Sayeed Gazi 4 Street Check Zerif Ahmed 10 Guitar Tabs of the Week Artcell’s Pothchola 11 Animation of the Week The Illusionist Your world 5 Car Muffler 101 9 Fiction One-eyed Buggy 9 Comic Book The X-Files season 10
9 Book Coraline 10 Music Ministry of Sound 10 Movie The Artist 11 Gadget hunt Logitech Gameboard 11 Web Critic Sound Ecology Horoscope 5 Your Forecast Fashion 4 Wardrobe check Macaroons! 4 Beauty check Beautifully you, Naturally!
TMAG’s says 2 Funk up Your Room Silence of the rooms 2 FYI Sleep Sense 10 Playlist Top 10 Motivational tunes Real Life 3 Event Tweets 9 Non-fiction Beggar brigade 12 He says She says 12 Exceptional love stories Marriage under construction 12 Dear diary
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Your Life
FYI
Funk up your room
Silence of the Rooms
sleep sense
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Uninterrupted night sleep is the one thing that can ensure you wake up feeling fresh and energetic for school the next morning. We realize that with the lure of social networks, online games and whatsapp, this is not always easy. However, health, wealth and wisdom demand certain sacrifices!
Get into a routine
Same time, same place should be the mantra. Schedule a bedtime and a wake up time and stick to it. It might seem difficult at first but your body will eventually adapt to it. Occasional curfew breakers are expected but don’t make these frequent.
Cut back on the catnaps
A 15 to 20 minute power nap might be refreshing but anything more and you would actually be borrowing from your night sleep. Make these naps more towards the afternoons than evenings.
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Are the rickshaw bells and the car horns getting on your nerves? The crying baby and the loud TV just about to drive you insane? Here are a few effective ways to drown out the noisy world from your bedroom! You can add a sound deadening foam to the bottom of your door in order to block out the noise that might seep in from the living room. This is a very quick and easy fix, and it's inexpensive as well. If you can manage thick curtains, this can aid in blocking out some of the sound that come in from outside. Or in the case of Dhaka city, block out the angry street sounds. But while all the car horns and yelling can be blocked out, the exceptional "Elish Mach, Rui Mach, Chanda Machh!" cannot, and should not be blocked! But seriously, if you're trying to study or sleep and the noise just won't stop,
try hanging up a thick blanket or curtain over your window to muffle out the sounds. If you live near a main road, or a construction site, or have intolerable noises coming in at all times of the day and night, consider getting glass blocks on your window. You can get these in any tile shop around Dhaka. These blur up the view a little, but they do not block out any sunlight! Also on the plus side, extremely little noise is able to pass through, and they're not bad looking! Run a loud fan or an air conditioner in your bedroom at night. The white noise from the appliance will help to faze out the other more disturbing sounds. If you were hearing a lot of unwanted noise from the room or apartment next door, an easy solution would be to place a bookcase or wardrobe against that wall. Or if that's not possible, try placing
Curb the caffeine
It may be the sweltering summer and it might not be possible to say no to just one more coke. However, keep a check on foods that are high on sugar and caffeine. They can be real sleep killers. Opt for natural fruit juices or water instead.
Sweat it out
Exercising regularly in the morning rather than evening can help you sleep better. Contrary to popular belief, sports or heavy workouts around evenings can have you keyed up and alert during the night time. Keep your evenings low key in order to slip into sleep mode better.
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your bed on the opposite wall to minimize the annoyance. Carpets can do wonders to block out noises coming in from below. Although in Dhaka's concrete apartments, too much noise does not come in from downstairs, there is always that one kid who loves to play the drums at night. Lastly you could also sound proof your room with materials like cork or green glue. Ask your local hardware store about these materials and what might be best suited for your room. You can apply one or more of these techniques to bring that peace and quiet to your room. But another way to go, which might at times be effective, is talking to the people around you. Ask to turn down the TV volume, tell your neighbours you go to sleep early, a little request can go a long way! Afshan Sattar
TMAG’s Room of the week!
Gulshan This room was made for sleeping in. The edgy monochrome colour scheme is elegant and inviting enough to entertain in, but also soothing and restful. The quirky lighting and punch spaces in the walls add enough personality to keep the space from being too old or boring.
Bed = Sleep
Avoid using your bed to work on your laptop, study, watch tv, etc. Keep your phone and other electronic gadgets away from your sleeping area. This helps conditioning your mind to fall asleep each time you hit the pillow. Munira fidai
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Send in a picture of your room to tmag@dhakatribune.com and you may be crowned TMAG’s room of the week!
kheya mezba
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Schoologistics
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School Survival
Sssssshhhhhh! “Is it a classroom or a fish market?” A very familiar mantra, there is no student in Dhaka who has not heard this sentence at least 5 times in their school life. Quite honestly guys, teachers mean it. Silence and when to keep it down are valuable lessons you should learn best in school life and no later! Silence can mean tact, it can mean respect, and at times it takes on the meaning of victory and self esteem too! So why waste words when you can just as easily nod, smile or convey what you mean in more graceful gestures In the classroom
Silent waters run deep. Teachers are more likely to notice you when you speak less nonsense and more when it is absolutely required. Talking your head off works well in a gossip session with friends after school or in bad TV commercials- in class, it’s the single most annoying thing you can do to a teacher. It distracts them, and it makes them lose their tempers with
TMAG’s Doodle of the week!
you, which most likely takes the form of bad grades and a good shunting on PTA meetings for you.
to get some work done. Respect your peers and keep it down in this part of the school.
In the library
In the assembly
Keeping silent is the first rule under library etiquettes. Ever tried reading with a bee buzzing around your ears? That’s how irritating your murmurs and whispers are to serious readers or researchers who are actually trying
Assemblies are usually held in schools once a week and for a reason. Teachers realise how near impossible it is to keep kids from all ages in close proximity and quiet for about half an hour every day and hence, they keep the ordeal
restricted to once a week. Reward them with some peace and quiet. Keep the lip movement to a minimum or use it when required- like praying and singing the anthem. And no people, it’s not cool to scream loudly in broken vocal cords, nor is it funny. It’s just disrespectful to your anthem and that isn’t something you want to advertise proudly. Ever. Munira Fidai
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“When i’m bored i like scribbling down random designs here and there.” Suraiya Sayeed Gazi
EVENT TweetS UCC E Sports Masters Summer 2013
Thursday, July 4, 10am - 8pm Venue Independent University, Bangladesh
The T-Shirt Launch Show
Crystal Rockathon
Friday, July 4, 3pm Venue Russian Cultural Centre Featuring Nemesis and other bands
SFX Street Soccer (Five-A-Side Street Tournament) Friday, July 5, 8am Venue SFX Green Herald International School
Young Guns Events Presents: Rock for the Cure Chapter-1
Saturday, July 6, 1:30pm Venue All Community Club Ticket price Tk250 Band Line-up Nemesis, Shunno, Arbovirus, Karnival, Poraho, Aushruto, Owned, Story Tellers, Aftermath, Heal, Mukhosh, Kolorob
Throne Of Metal
If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to tmag@dhakatribune. com and see it in our weekly!
Sunday, July 7, 11am Venue Muslim Hall, Chittagong Ticket price TK100 Performing bands: Thrash, Homicide, Savagery, and many more
Sporting your favourite band’s merchandise is half the fun of having a band to covet and Nemesis totally gets that! So, they have teamed up with the Crystal Collections to have a show for their official T-Shirt launch on the July 4. Supporting them are bands like Arbovirus, Shunno, Mechanix, Naïve, Zagforth and Madness Inc. So, you have a concert to rock out to, and merchandise to boot! What’s not to like? The price of the ticket is Tk250, and the ticket that includes a t-shirt costs Tk450, with the tickets being available at the venue. T-shirts by Crystal Collections will be sold after the show. For more information, follow the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1899 11171173160/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_ user_invited. Nabeela M.
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FASHION FACE-OFF
Beauty Check
Wardrobe Check
Beautiful You,
Naturally!
Macaroons!
With Falgun and Boishakh long gone, loud, louder, loudest is so out, you can’t even see it! Colours of this season are light, peaceful and soothing pastels that make you look so effortlessly fresh and young, they just scream “STYLE”
Shirts Why bright orange when you have a smoother peach? Why leafy greens when you can have minty pistachio? Light coloured, floral shirts are awesome when paired up with white capris. Go all out for those at Doja or look for light coloured printed tops in funky cuts.
Pants
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“It’s hotter than I thought and I can feel that foundation slowly melting in places … see the smears of smudged kohl on my hand … and my lipstick is all but gone, more on my sipper than on my lips. I feel more unattractive than I look. All that makeup was a bad idea.” Sounds familiar? TMAG helps you beat the feeling in ways simpler than you’ve imagined!
Leave the flutters be Leave them bare! If you have great looking eyes with long lashes, TMAG advises you to let them capture attention on their own. If you have dark circles, use a concealer to hide them and if you are short lashed, use a volume mascara. You may want to enhance the simplicity by outlining the upper and lower lids with off white shadow but DO NOT take the risk if you feel you may overdo it!
Don’t be cheeky Foundations, stick or liquid, are to be avoided! Go for tinted moisturizers from Lakme or L’Oréal - they give your skin a toned look. Choose one that is one shade lighter than your skin tone if you want to look fairer and a shade darker than your complexion if you want a tanned look. Go simple and avoid glittery bronzers for now. The simple look demands very pale pinks and peaches on your cheeks for a naturally flushed look.
Cupid’s bows; natural as cupid Nude, nude, and nude. Say no to gluey and shiny gloss that makes every flaw in your lips a thousand times more magnified. Opt for tinted gloss in light shades like tan, light browns, the palest of pinks or even simpler- go transparent! Almost all stores offer Born Lippy by Body Shop. They come in fun flavours like Passion Berry and Mango Peach and give your lips a smooth look without making you seem like an attention seeker. Munira fidai
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If tones of beige and petal pinks are not the rage, we don’t know what is! Stuff the bright red pants back in your closet and pull out the tan capris you’ve long forsaken as boring- got a white shirt? There you go! Not just capris, look for bell bottoms, jeggings, slacks and tights in soothing colours and turn heads wherever you go.
Accessories Light, lighter, lightest is the way to go with accessories! Chuck the heavy beads and bracelets for a light pendant for the neck and a slim bangle for your wrist. Go for little drop earrings if you absolutely must! Make
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use of the sling purse your mom has been hoarding for years! Now’s the time…we can use the huge bags for when the trend hits, but for now, stay light with slings. Look at Doja and New Market street shops for very nice Burberry prints or simple blacks and browns!
Shoes While shoes are also accessories, they’re important enough to dedicate
a whole new sub heading to. Wedges, heels, peep-toes and pumps- splurge on all! Shoes look great in nude colours like dusty pink, tan, beige and cream, although they require a lot more maintenance. You can get beautiful pastel coloured wedges and pumps from Chourongi Market, Elephant Road if you bargain well! Keep an expert shopper’s eye at the street markets outside Doja for flats and peep-toes, too! Munira fidai
Look of the Week
Casual cottons
Age down a cotton sari and make it casual chic with a printed blouse in a contrasting colour scheme. Go easy on the make-up and accessories, and it is perfect for a rainy weekend afternoon with tea, shingara and lots of gossip
Model Joytu Jahan Photographer Homayra Adiba
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street Chic of the Week
Car Talk
Muffler 101
zerif ahmed Age: 19 yrs
Email your street style photo in to tmag@dhakatribune.com and find yourself on TMAG’s street check!
Found on every single vehicle on the road, we know they affect a vehicle's sound. We've also been told countless times that upgrading the muffler is an essential way to boost your car’s power and performance. But how do they work their magic? What is happening inside a performance muffler that affects your vehicle's sound output and performance? Let's take a look at the different mufflers out there and see how they do what they do. Let’s start with the basics. Inside a muffler, there is a simple set of tubes with holes in them. These tubes and chambers are designed to reflect the sound waves produced by the engine in such a way that they partially cancel themselves out. Inside your car’s engine, pulses are created when an exhaust valve opens and a burst of high-pressure gas suddenly enters the exhaust system. The molecules in this gas collide with the lower-pressure molecules inside the pipe, which cause them to stack up on each other. They, in turn, stack up on the molecules a little further down the pipe, leaving an area of low pressure behind. In this way, the sound wave makes its way down the pipe much more
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quickly than the actual gases do. Long story short, mufflers work by directing the engine’s exhaust into a chamber, where the sound produced by the engine cancels itself out. This gives you a nice, throaty growl, while also giving your ride an extra boost in power. There are many different types of mufflers out there, each suited to different performance and sound tastes. If you want a blazing hot sound with a straight-through design that minimizes back pressure, go with a glass-pack muffler. For high performance with great looks, check out the highly-polished stainless steel muffler. When it comes to choosing your performance muffler you’ll want to stick with the top brands to make sure you’re getting the best results possible. Names like Flowmaster and
Magnaflow are among the best in the biz but they are not available in the local market so, the next best thing you can buy is HKS or Kakimoto Racing. Usually the price range varies from Tk3500 to Tk12000. You’ll also want to choose a muffler based on your vehicle and your specific needs. For example, Kakimoto Racing Muffler is made specifically for the powerful engines found on Hondas. However there are few drawbacks of using a muffler. Since they are extremely loud, they create noise pollution and are considered as source of general annoyance. Hence, they are illegal for street use in certain places. Though there are plenty of cars around Dhaka city that use mufflers, not all of them are aware of the fact that performance mufflers are prohibited in Dhaka city. Tahsin Momin
HOROSCOPE Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19) You’ll be coming off as grumpy or even stuck-up to those around you at the beginning of this week and this will make adapting a lot less easier; better curb that attitude before your mates start judging you. Don’t disrupt other people’s concentration. Taurus (Apr 20-May 20) Opportunities and advantages are right in front of you; it’d be a shame if you don’t grab ‘em by the horns! You’ll want to indulge in luxuries like shopping and since the week is in your favour you’ll be able to do it all without having to squint or cringe at the sight of a price tag. Gemini (May 21-Jun20) If a joke hurts your ego, work up the courage to laugh it off; your ability to take control of such situations this week will either make or break you. If you are feeling a boost of confidence, make the best use of it. The answers you are looking for will not come to you right away; might as well wait a little longer.
Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22) If the word “vacation” is orbiting around your head, now is the time to book those getaway tickets. You’ll soon be back to work and will love handling the pressure; but you need to understand that too much of the good stuff can also burn you out. Take a deep breath and finish your projects one at a time.
Libra (Sep 23- Oct 22) You are in that weird place where you can’t make heads and tails out of your actions. Your actions will become confusing and you might not even gel with your friends like you always do. Instead of acting out on others, try figuring out what it is that is eating you up; if you can’t then it’s okay to ask for help.
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22) You want to connect with someone who shares the same interests as you. If relationships or romance isn’t in the agenda then you can always take part in extra-curricular activities at school. If you get inclined with something that interests you then that ‘forever alone’ phase will eventually take a hike.
Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) You are driven by stereotypical ideas, they stop you from taking chances; why not check out some places or projects you have been putting off? Saying “no” to things has to go! If you have achieved a lot without help then take the time to pat yourself in the back. Don’t refrain from taking help if you mess up.
Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22) Refrain from being a control freak; let things fall into place without you intervening in order to bring about a desired change. You might experience a challenging situation if an authority figure is in doubt of your abilities; better turn that reputation around before it becomes an identity.
Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) Quit being stuck-up over things that cannot be changed. Learn to deal with your own problems and let others deal with theirs. Try getting away from distraction before they drive you crazy; silence might be just what you need for a change.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19)
Share secrets at your own risk; the last thing you’d want is to hear a modified version of your secret. You might be romantically involved with someone you have connected over the week; try being humble about your relationship. Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)
You are kind of tempted to give someone a dose of harsh reality-check; but you really don’t have to stoop to their level to prove your point, just let it go. You will cringe when someone imposes their ideas on you and insists on playing boss even when they know your plans are better than theirs. Pisces (Feb 19-Mar20) If tolerance isn’t your best trait then you have reason to hurl when people expect you to put up with their nonsense. If you are bummed out about something then let people know; try being an open book for a change. You’ll feel a little low if a friend laughs at you and not with you in the company of others.
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HOT TOPIC
Discordant Dystopia Dhaka City is one big organic pit of chaos, and a loud one at that. This week, TMAG listens closely to the sounds of the city and lays bare just how much noise we’re exposed to, and how it’s affecting you, whether you’re aware of it or not
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OR T F E TIM e Car T S E I S vat ks and i •6-8pm BU r P • ruc o R Most common sources of traffic noises
We next headed to the streets to chat with the traffic policemen about noise on the streets.
TMAG interviewed 35 students in Uttara, an area that sees a high frequency of planes passing overhead. Participating schools: Scholastica, The Aga Khan School, Mastermind, Turkish Hope The average teen has over 6 classes a week (coaching and school combined) and spends an average 14 hours per week commuting to and from these classes.
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The standard sound range for a human being is 20 to 20000 hertz. If a human is exposed to 80dB for more than a couple of hours his ears are in trouble. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that a minimum sound level of 60 dB can make someone deaf temporarily whereas 100 dB noises can cause someone to lose their ability to hear completely. The chart below provides an idea about the decibel level of the surroundings we are all subjected to.
150 dB = The blaring sound of rock music. 147 dB = Noise from demonstrations on the streets, university campuses, etc. 140 dB = Firearms, air road siren, jet engine 130 dB = Jackhammers at work 120 dB = Jet plane take-off, discotheques, car stereo, band practice. l Extremely Loud 110 dB to 100 dB = Airplanes, pneumatic drill, bass drum rolls, ambient music, 90 dB = Shop tools, truck traffic, subway. l Very Loud80 dB = Alarm clock, busy street 70 dB = Vacuum cleaner, busy traffic 65dB = Street Vendors going about their business l Moderate 56 dB = Ringing telephone 50 dB = Moderate rainfall 49 dB= Park 40 dB = Quiet room
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HOT TOPIC
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p The ‘shock’ music, which accompanies a dramatic reveal, happens around 2-3 times per episode of a Hindi soap, and 4-5 times per episode of a (Kolkata) Bangla one. p The Bangla soaps outdo the Hindi soaps in terms of average screams/ shouting matches per episode.
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We interviewed 30 students, aged 18-22, around the city, about generators and the noise they make.
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One man’s music is another man’s noise pollution. This is what sound technicians have to say:
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A typical residential neighbourhood will hear an average of 10 loud ferriwallahs per day, shouting their wares.
Here’s an interesting stat: we polled the Kazi offices in Gulshan, Uttara and Maghbazar, and discovered a 12% increase in weddings per year in the last decade or so. More weddings mean more loud holuds. Here are a few choice quotes from the neighbours: Zafor Iqbal “Shuchona Community centre in Iqbal Road has weddings and holuds every day. My house is at a 1 minute distance and I am invariably stuck in a noisy mess. Plus, the mosque I pray at is walking distance from the community centre, which disrupts all our prayer timings.”
Photo: Quamrul abedin
Shaurav Shah “My house is the last place I want to be before an exam. Xinxian maybe a small restaurant but it’s always packed. It seems like everyone in Uttara finds an occasion to celebrate there, be it birthday parties, anniversary dinners, holuds or weddings. I usually end up staying over at a friend’s house before a big test and sometimes just for some peace”
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Another source of noise? The soaps on TV. You know what we mean. Here are the results of a fun fact-finding mission we went on:
•Drums are the loudest instrument, followed by the guitar.
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written in the Stars
Ovick Alam: Bridging The Gap Saudia Afrin explores Most English Medium students are hesitant about enrolling at a public university in Bangladesh. Ovick Alam, the founder of BridgeWee claims that it is a result of lack of information, guidance, session jams, and of course political chaos. Alam always wanted to get a degree from Dhaka University (DU). However, the admission practices were not made transparent for English medium students, leaving them clueless about the procedure. Also, there was no one in particular that they could go to in order to get the correct information. He looked everywhere in vain, and realized that there was a necessity for an authentic and helpful information source. Asking DU students, he got a vague idea of the kind of question paper he might have to face on the admission test. Depending on vague guesses could not have been enough, so he over-prepared himself,
and catches up with its creator and finally got into DU. In 2009, when Alam was a freshman, BridgeWee took its first step. The chronicle started when some younger acquaintances requested his guidance for admission. He complied, and started teaching them at home. In his first year of teaching, 2 students out of 6 were selected and one of them achieved 13th place. In the following years Alam designed a preparation program for admission. More students started joining BridgeWee. Subsequently, more students enrolled at DU. Initially, BridgeWee only trained students for the C Unit but they are now covering B and D Units as well. BridgeWee is customising its services to groom English Medium students for public universities. Alam believes that BridgeWee has a huge professional team that will make them much more proficient in the future.
the man behind the vision
bridgewee facebook
feathers in his cap
Alam won Environment Sustainability award in Dell Social Innovation Challenge in 2012. In 2012, he won the title of second runner-up in Wharton Innovation Tournament, Abu Dhabi, UAE. He was the first runner-up in TFT Project Planning Competition in 2011, Kegalle, Sri Lanka. Also, first runner-up in PlayMakers 2011: MarketingCase Competition, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. In February 2012, he became the Youth Adviser to the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh. Apart from this, he attended plenty of training and international conferences.
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Alam was close to his mother, but at the age of 14 he lost her. He became his sister’s guardian and the experience made him tougher. He loves travelling. He mentions that his Saint Martin’s Island tour in 2011 with his sister has been his best trip so far. At night, they carried the duvet from the hotel room out on the beach, spread it near the seashore and read books on the Kindle, admiring the beauty of the vast ocean. Ovick Alam had been very passionate about cricket, he even played under the National Cricket Squad till the 8th grade. Alam is a true bookworm since his school days. He prefers reading books in his e-book reader and jokes about those who read books on print “if you want to read real books you need to be really rich.” Alam shared a good rapport with people from all corners of the world. At the Dell Social Innovation Challenge Alam met Michael Dell and had a 90 second conversation about the project. Interestingly, Dell remembered his name when they met 3 months later at a programme in USA.
“
BridgeWee taught me that to be a true leader you have to be passionate about the change you want to bring in society. It has also taught me the importance of caring for society, because it is the society that gives us so many things. Leadership is not about achievements. It's really about making your life meaningful
”
-Ovick Alam
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YOU WRITE IT
must read book
Comic book
Fiction
One-Eyed Buggy
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Button-Eyed This is one of those intriguing, creepy science fiction stories. The central character is Coraline, who tries to save herself, her parents and other trapped children's souls from the clutches of the "other mother." As Coraline enters the misty, dark, parallel universe, she finds strange, spooky creatures scurrying about, and her Other Mother and Other Father, with buttons for eyes, looking towards her with eerie smiling faces. The story began as a marvellous adventure, just the sorts of which Coraline always searched for, until she realised that the Other Parents wanted to keep her as her own daughter. Having been parent napped Coraline's real parents, Coraline and the Other Mother begin a game, which would result in either freedom for all, or the entrapment of everyone in a universe where Coraline would become buttoneyed. The additional characters also add a lot of colour to the story: The old man who lived in the upper flat training a mouse circus, and the pair of kind but slightly odd retired theatre performers. There were also "Other" versions of each of these characters, which did nothing short of add a whole new dimension to the story. And there was that character that is a must have for any adventure story: the partner in dangerous times, who in this case, was a snarky but witty back cat! This book has the amazing ability to channel wonder and fear, but without any gruesome or crude details. It is a story elegant in all its angles. Neil Gaiman did not offer a single wasted word or phrase; every line keeps the reader engrossed. A master of a storyteller, his other works have also gained much fame. This book is available for order at PBS bookstore in Shantinagar, and is also available for download from numerous sites. Afshan sattar
In the pictures I no longer have, Buggy Mouse resembles a stuffed toy dog with floppy black ears and pink paws. His sweater was emblazoned with I Lo e You, the stamped v missing from the otherwise commendable statement. I had plucked out the v. I thought, at three years old, that Buggy Mouse was better off without the v. V, what, a silly letter to have on a sweater. On the day that my mother decided to reattach his head she made sure that I was away at school so that I would be spared from the bloodbath. I walked into the sunbathed verandah to find her needle probed the cottony recesses of his body. “You’re killing him,” I yelled. The sutures looked impossibly pale
against his fragile neck. “You’re killing him.” Then his left eye popped out one day my father took me to visit his sister. I had crammed Buggy Mouse into my backpack, and when I yanked him out by a threadbare ear he was suddenly OneEyed Buggy. I wept inconsolably. The year that we moved out, my mother decided to throw out the remains of my threadbare childhood. I thought I was being stoic enough until Buggy Mouse went diving into the last of the boxes. He regarded me with his cold plastic nose and one eye, and we reminisced about his missing v before my mother came by and claimed him for the last time. Shehtaz Huq
NON-Fiction
band of beggars
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP
Beggars in Dhaka, like any other person trying to make a living in this crazy city, are enterprising fellows. You’ll find them everywhere, in all shapes and sizes, sporting all kinds of conditions, everyone with a “unique selling point”, so to speak, to attract alms. This article focuses on the Friday Fokirs, the kind you’ll find in any residential area in the weekend. Mic Beggar The opening number, this is usually a solo act, usually featuring a single beggar on a motorised cart, and a prerecorded musical message appealing to one’s philanthropy. If you’re already up by 8am, you might actually find the carolling rather symphonic, but if you’re sleeping in, the tinny chorus quickly loses its charm.
The Rolling Crones The next wave features multiple amputees who can’t afford the electronic setup, so they come rolling on small carts, yodelling at the top of their lungs. Sometimes they mix it up, so you’ll have the women on the carts, and the guys rolling on their backs. Together, they can raise quite a ruckus. The Backseat Boys This final lot, regardless of what their physical condition may be, move by dragging their bottoms across the ground, all the while bellowing out the “Allah Nobijir naam” song. This closing act is usually accompanied by street kids marching along, clapping and chanting, giving the procession a rather festive air, which might be considered counterproductive, but considering that this is a Friday feature, they probably find the act profitable. Sabrina Fatma ahmad
Back with a bang! The X-Files was just one of those timeless shows from the nineties that people will always remember with affection and a blast of nostalgia when they hear the iconic theme song. There’s so much to love; from the nailbiting suspense of each case, to the creepy monsters, to the utterly quotable dialogues, and of course, the tantalising “will-theywon’t-they” chemistry between Mulder and Scully. There are still fans unsatisfied even after 9 seasons and a movie but lucky for them Dark Horse Comics have stepped up bringing us the unaired 10th season in comic book form. The comic is penned by Joe Harris who has had experience working on Batman and X-Men, and we go back to Mulder and Scully who are trying to lead lowkey lives but get dragged back into the thick of things as events unfold. The story’s strength lies in its accurate re-enactment of the show’s macabre and mysterious tone while simultaneously having interesting plots. Mulder and Scully’s suburban lives take a turn for the dark very quickly and it makes for an exciting read but the flaws are quite apparent as well. Die-hard fans of the show will notice that the interaction between Mulder and Scully is awkward and particularly Mulder’s dialogue comes off sounding forced. Joe Harris has his own ideas for the comic which might not appease fans of the show but the comic certainly has potential; it’s a bumpy transition from show to comic but The X-Files season 10 has a good shot at being a surprise hit comic – a bit more input from the original writers of the show might just do the trick. Fardeen Ameen
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10 tmag Guitar Tabs intro of the week Artcell’s Pothchola
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This week’s best spotlight
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Catching up with Nemesis
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tunes of
serenity 1. Dead Hearts Stars 2. Wonder Soap and Skin 3. Keep Breathing Ingrid Michaelson 4. No Cars Go Maxence Cyrin 5. Moon Mirror Night Wind 6. Blank Maps Cold Specks 7. Frozen World Emilie Simon 8. Nuvole Bianche Ludovico Einaudi 9. Lost Compass Amy Millan 10. Ho Hey The Lumineers
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Nemesis. In case you’re wondering if that word was the title for this article, it’s not. That was the opening paragraph. Nemesis is a band that requires no formal introduction. It’s a name that has changed and redefined the standards of pure alternative rock music in our local music scene. Featuring the talents of Zohad Reza Chowdhury on vocals, Zeheen and Zerif Ahmed on guitars, Raquibun Nabi Ratul on bass and Dio Haque on drums,
Nemesis is a band that comes packed with groovy rhythmic rock rock’n’roll riffs, along with the perfect grungy melodious vocals. And after 14 long years, that includes a bunch of singles releasing in mixed albums, two full length studio albums, a couple of music videos, and some dramatic change in the band’s lineup, Nemesis is still going strong. Now that we’re done with a little background summary of the band, let’s move on to what they’re upto at present. Since their release of their second studio album, Tritio Jatra, the band has gone
through a lot. After Maher Khan and Omayr Khan left the band, a change that upset that whole music scene deeply, it’s now been a year since the band recruited Zeheen and Zerif as the replacements. The band’s currently still in the synchronisation process, working on their chemistry with the new members and figuring out which direction they should be headed next. Nemesis is still in the process of promoting Tritio Jatra, however, in terms of new compositions, fans should be happy to hear that an upcoming new mixed album will be featuring a new single from the band. This should be interesting, given the fact that the band now features two new musicians who have their share of experience to put on the table, so in terms of sound and tone selections, this upcoming new song should be a good base to understand how the band has evolved over the last one year. Looking back at 2003, when the mixed album “Aguntuk 2” came out, a band that made their debut into the music scene with their signature track “Obocheton”, Nemesis has come a long, long way. Maher leaving the music scene was a shock that took some time to get over for everyone, but now that the band has established a stable stand again, the members know that there’s no point looking back but moving forward. As Dio Haque puts it, “At the end of the day, over the years, all the members who’ve been a part of Nemesis have had their individual input, and they left their legacies behind. The best way to respect that is for Nemesis to carry on from where they left off and keep doing what we love doing the most – music.” Azfar Rahman
music
Ministry of Sound Ramadan’s coming; no doubt about that – just before that though, you have Element 79 bringing you Alive with Ministry of Sound, heating up your Summer some more on the 5th of July 2013! To be held at the Radisson Blue Water Garden Hotel (Utshab Hall), this seems to be the summer event one shouldn’t
miss! You have Shane Patrick (Ministry of Sound Resident DJ) whipping up a storm on the floor, with DJ Prince, DJ Duke (one of the pioneers of the Dhaka club scene) and a special Guest DJ to surprise you. To sweeten the pot, there are free Ministry of Sound giveaways while you spend the night burning the floor to their music. The cover charge is Tk3000 with a strict
guest list; you know that the plan’s to run a safe, fun event. Get in touch with the SHOK Elite; mail them your Name, Email ID, Date of Birth, Contact Number and Picture. Drop by their office with a valid ID and pay the cover charge. FInd more details on: https://www.facebook. com/events/164176407095511/?ref=2 Nabeela M.
tmag 11
playroom
WE RECOMMEND movie
The Silent Device 2012 was a great year for silent movies. Two films on the subject managed to sweep up pretty much every major film award that year. The Academy Award went to the one we liked a little less, but that’s another story. Pet peeves aside, when the issue of sound versus silence in film comes up, The Artist does deserve a mention for its portrayal of this stage of evolution of film. The story itself is a simple one. George Valentin, silent film hotshot and media darling meets the perky Peppy Miller, a dancer with Hollywood dreams. There is instant chemistry, and Valentin is charmed enough to help Peppy get a start on her career, never suspecting how quickly their paths will split in
Gadget hunt
Price Tk12000 Available at Computer Source Ltd. House: 11/B, Road: 12 (New) 31 (Old) Dhanmondi R/A Dhaka 1209 Dhaka, Bangladesh www.computersourcebd.com
Animation
opposite directions. For even as Peppy hitches her wagon to the rising star of “talkies”, Valentin clings stubbornly to the fading glory of silent pictures. The more popular she gets, the less relevant he becomes. How it ends is for you to watch and discover. Pros Some excellent physical acting from both the lead characters, and also that dog deserves all the awards it got. Cons There are still some “silent” flicks out there that work without seeming gimmicky (check out our Animation review) but The Artist wasn’t it. Sabrina F Ahmad
Bose AE2 headphone In the headphone realm, Bose’s headphones are best-known for their classleading noise cancellation, but the company makes perfectly normal headphones and earphones too. Formerly known as the TriPort, the AE2 still uses the same basic design, but Bose has implemented some significant design improvements. Bose has moved from a double- (running to each ear cup) to a single-cord design and the headphone cord detaches, which means you can wear these simply to cover your ears and muffle sound. As noted, the Bose AE2s don’t offer active noise-cancellation, but they do offer a tight seal and filter out a lot of noise from the outside world. Compared with the old TriPorts, Bose
has improved the sound on these new models. Overall, the headphones are very accurate and offer good, well-defined bass. The only small objection is that these headphones are as detailed as they are they tend to come off sounding a tad brash, overemphasizing instruments. They also make poorly recorded music sound worse because they bring out the flaws in the recordings (the flip side is they make good recordings sound very good). Are they the best-sounding headphones? Probably not; but the combination of their high-quality sound, excellent comfort level and the 1 year warranty make them easy to recommend. Tahsin Momin
city, noise is just part of the package. So much so, that we actually find it hard to deal with silence. The National Film Board of Canada has decided to explore this idea in a documentary called Sound Ecology, which compares different soundscapes urban, rural, natural, etc and explores the sources of different sounds and noises, and their effect on the environment, and even on human psychology. The results are pretty interesting. Because the project does deal with an important issue, they figured that an effective way to get people to give
it the time of day would be to make it interactive. Hence, their chosen platform was the Internet, with a cool click-through site, which allows you to play with the different soundscapes, read the facts, listen to the sound clips and watch the mini video interviews. It’s a guaranteed source of infotainment for those with curious minds and fast net speed. If you want to find out if you can tolerate noise better than silence, visit http://soundecology.nfb.ca for a great aural experience.
web critic Do you tolerate noise better than silence? Cities are loud, cacophonic, dissonant. Finding a quiet place to chill or think is a chore. This is such an obvious fact that most of the time, you probably don’t think about it. For people living in the
Sabrina Fatma Ahmad
When you say nothing at all Sylvain Chomet’s “The Illusionist” is a delightful little film not to be confused with the Edward Norton vehicle. This one, based on an old script by the French master Jacques Tati, is also about a magician. The film has no dialogue, only music and yet it never has a problem saying what it wants to say. The silence in this film does so much more than the chatty films we’ve gotten used to. Other than Chomet’s own “Triplets of Belleville”, you are unlikely to see anything like it. Only 80 minutes long, “The Illusionist” is beautifully animated without ever being ostentatious. It is the story of an aging magician slowly fading into irrelevance and later befriending a young girl. The illusionist is working in a rapidly changing world. Nobody is interested in watching rabbits being pulled out of hats anymore. The standard magician-in-blackhat acts are now been-there-done that for the jaded young viewers. They’d much rather see a rock band. So the illusionist, whose bread and butter has been card and coin effects, finds not only his popularity dwindling, but his wallet thinning. This is one of the most universal and relatable stories in the world, and that’s probably why it’s the most touching. It is so easy to feel sympathy for the illusionist, to feel sorry for his situation, and yet, there is no one to blame but a changing world. While most viewers are saturated with flashy 3D animation, “The Illusionist” is done in beautiful simple 2D reminiscent of children’s storybooks. The images and the music work together perfectly. Even though there are no words in the movies, there is magic in the quietness. Abak Hussain
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12 tmag
TEENARAMA He says she says
Marriage under construction Whoever said that men should always make the first move was wrong! Here we have a tale with the lady taking the first step and acing it. On a scorching hot Pahela Baishakh, agitated and sweating, Subah Afrin sees Shaikat Azad for the first time. Talking to a mutual friend of theirs, his animated smile and manly voice was magic to her ears. To her disappointment, they couldn’t be introduced. As fate would have it, the next night, she saw him again at a wedding ceremony but the introduction was yet to be made. Subah, being a go getter, managed to get his number from her friend. Bracing herself she dialed his number. “Hello?” Shaikat answered. Nervous, heart beating furiously, Subah meekly asked, “Is this Rubaiya’s number” No it isn’t.” replied Shaikat. She hung up and cursed herself for being so silly. In half an hour, he wrote “I wouldn’t mind being her if I get to hear that voice again.” Their love story took off from therethey were inseparable. However, once he graduated and she was still in university, they grew apart due to his new job. 8 years into the relationship, the last two years of their relationship were going through hell; they decided
to break it off. However, they kept coming back to each other .Being together may have been difficult, but living without each other, was impossible. She wanted romance- flowers, letters, cards, -the works. On the other hand, he wanted her to be more understanding of his work life. They felt marriage was the only solution. The responsibilities of a new marriage, family, and work worsened everythingromance was lost. Then came the big blow-she had to leave for Dubai for 6 months on an official assignment. The distance tore them apart. Phone calls weren’t long enough and emails didn’t suffice and they constantly fought. For a “just married” couple, this was trouble in paradise. After two months, Shaikat took matters in his own hands. She was moping in her hotel room when she heard the doorbell. Standing sheepishly against the door was her dear husband with a wind chime, a card and a bouquet of roses! He had found her hotel room number and had landed like a bomb! The next few months, he learnt to care for her little demands, and she learnt to live with his ideals of work. Some say, marriage is the end of a love story, but for Subah and Shaikat, it was just the beginning. natasha rahman
Silence is bliss. But how many couples actually take the high road and shut their opinions to establish peace? Surrendering from a silly squabble can sometimes help your relationship, rather than ear screeching arguments that lead to nowhere. Here we have a few exhibits on how “he” and ‘she’ feel about a dysfunctional relationship Does silence provoke or please your partner during a fight? He says
I think it’s important that my girlfriend speaks up when I ask her what’s bothering her. She goes mute and doesn’t really help us sort the problem out.
Usually when he and I are fighting, I don’t want it to be a battle of egos. I back down and let him win. My silence usually helps him realize the futility of the argument and we make up.
He says
SHe says
My girlfriend is easily angered about the silliest of things. I have learnt that keeping my head down and hearing her out always calms her down.
In the middle of the fight when Shahir says “ I have nothing to say” it aggravates the life out of me. I need my man to fight me and state his opinions instead of going deaf and dumb.
SHe says
The problem of constantly shouting at your partner He says
Dear Diary,
June 26, 2013
My heart ached as I saw the forlorn look on his face. But what could I do? How could I possibly tell him? As a sudden revelation, I stood up and started laughing, and he was utterly bewildered by my behaviour. I smirked and said ‘it’s a present from Ma.’ I marvelled at the easy flow of lies. Instantly, he relaxed and shook his head laughing. My heart thumped hard in my chest as he stood up. He was so tall, I felt so small, yet so protected. He pulled me in a tight embrace and I let him. I can’t imagine a happier moment in my life. He was so warm and strong and I felt love in the way he held me, gently yet firmly. The sound of people coming in to the beach startled us as we untangled ourselves from each other. He held my hand and we walked into the sunset. It was so easy being with him ; it all felt natural ; I couldn’t believe that someone this divine looking would actually spend his time talking to a girl that he may never would have seen. Could I be that lucky or maybe he has a terrible secret. At that moment I didn’t care much. Time stopped still, I didn’t remember the last time I laughed so hard, felt so happy or cared so much. As he went to talk to a friend of his, reality hit me. I rummaged through my bag for my phone and I didn’t notice that Imran called me over 30 times. Blood drained from my face and I ran out of the beach, without saying goodbye. When things seem too good to be true, reality will thump you hard and knock you down ... THE DREAMER If you want to share your awesome or not-so-awesome life events email it to us at tmag@dhakatribune.com
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I can never get anything right with her. She hates everything about me. I try to surprise her with little gifts and dress according to her needs, but she’s constantly screaming at me. I feel she enjoys trying to set me straight.
Rajon and I don’t share a loving relationship because he is always shouting at me. Coming from a conservative family, he thinks I should always be home cooking and cleaning. He hates my job and gives me hell over it. I don’t think I can deal with this anymore.
He says
SHe says
I have grown up watching my mother shout at my father. So, I expect my girlfriend to do the same. She is on the contrary very chilled out and gives me space. Once in a while I need to see her anger, to understand my value to her. I don’t know how else to deal with that.
We were dating for two years and he knew I wanted to go to Canada for a higher degree. The whole two years consisted of him manipulating, crying, nagging and losing his temper over the mention of my career. I am done with that.
SHe says