ICE Today, May 2016

editorial

Gender stereotyping has been an avid visual flick for quite a decade now. This month’s issue sheds light on how society holds rigid gender stereotypes for men.

Even in this day and age men’s role is still confined to masculinity, being proscriptive of emotions except aggression and so on. With that being said, we have an column on gender stereotyping and how it affects men on a global scale (Moulding the man, P.80).

While that may be true, a lot of men have stepped out of the machismo that’s been imposed upon them by social constructs. And they have certainly made a difference on a social and national level. Our cover story is dedicated to these men and their success (What maketh a man, P.68).

Speaking of change, the Dhaka Hub of Global Shapers has brought forth another platform for potential changemakers with the vision of creating a hub of young leaders who are driven towards making the world a better place (On the brighter path, P.82).

Given the sweltering heat, we’ve put together a special fashion portfolio featuring sharp threads from some of the trendiest stores in town, because being in style is for every season!

MAY 2016

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

Fashion Portfolios: P. 28 Hello Mate P. 36 The Suitable Boys P. 44 Basic Instinct P. 58 Boys’ Day Out

CONTENTS MAY 2016 The Magazine That Reads You Closely Vol 13 No 05

P. 80 Moulding the Man

An Op-Ed on gender stereotypes and how they affect men

P. 12 A Brand New Start

Rancon Motors brings in a stunning new series of Mercedes Benz

P. 14 Hit it off

Internationally acclaimed bassist Magnus Rosen visits Dhaka

P. 18 A Dash of China

P. 82 On a Brighter Path

A conversation with the Dhaka Hub of Global Shapers about social welfare

#BetterYou

Get enticed by Cantonese cuisine at Chows

P. 92 Gain Mass Naturally

Looking back at the Chinese Food Festival held at The Westin Dhaka

P. 94 Reap your Benefits

P. 22 Flavours of Grandeur

P. 24 Setting a New Benchmark

Bengal Art Lounge’s latest event

Say goodbye to protein shakes and crash diets Know-hows of investing in stocks

P.96 Pressing issues

Shedding light on the tax related laws in Bangladesh

P. 25 Exotic Spread

Checkout the sumptuous meals at Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View

P. 26 Savvy Souvenirs

Spruce up your den with vintage decorations from Casa Deco

P.32 On the Rugged side

Checkout the bold bearded looks created by Farzana Shakil

P. 100 Active Eating

A healthy spread to help you ace your fitness regime

P. 106 Events

News and reviews of local events

May 2016

Publisher Abul Khair Chairman, Editorial Board Syed Shamsul Haq Director, International Publications Zeenat Chowdhury Executive Director Nawshin Khair Managing Editor Tawhidur Rashid Fashion Editor Goutom Saha Deputy Editor Tanuva Aumia Khundkar Assistant Editor Natasha Rahman Sub-Editor Rubab Nayeem Khan Staff Writer Aidha Cader Senior Designer (In charge of Graphics and Layout)

Jason Sabbir Dhali Designer Md. Mainul Islam Senior Marketing Executive Asif Iqbal Marketing Executive Iftekhar Alam Finance and Accounts Md. Abdul Alim Sales and Distribution Md. Manik Mollah

e-mail: icetoday@gmail.com editor@icetoday.net facebook.com/ice.today www.icetoday.net Published by Abul Khair on behalf of ICE Media Limited.

Printed at M.K. Printers189/1,Tejgaon I/A,Dhaka-1208 Editorial and Commercial office: Road 23/A, House 4, Block B, Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh . Advertising, Sales and Distribution: 01711339587, 01819412035, 01775779315, 01812656961, 01614025340 Tel:+880255035336-8,+8809666773313

On the cover

P. 42 Soak up the Sun

Comfy casuals and summerfriendly bags from some of the trendiest stores in town

P. 50 Effortless Elegance

Fashion entrepreneur Alia Khan graces Dhaka for the Global Leadership Summit, 2016

P. 50 Girls on the Go

Review of the all-girls trip sponsored by Veet Bangladesh

P. 66 Data Dilemma

Questioning the contradictions attached to data encryption

P .68 What Maketh a Man

Getting to know some of our favourite personalities and their success stories

Photograph Courtesy Huawei Gadget: Huawei Mate 8

Buzz ICE Today

A reel of the latest lifestyle updates

Brand New Start The new GLC is a powerful, dynamic SUV that combines sporty agility with strong off-road credentials

Rancon Motors Limited, the Authorised General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Bangladesh has officially launched the new GLC on 20th April 2016 to enhance its SUV portfolio. The new GLC is a powerful, dynamic SUV that combines sporty agility with strong off-road credentials. GLC makes an exciting addition to the new generation

SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, taking every drive to a whole new level. Shoeb Ahmed, COO of Rancon Motors Limited inaugurated the event.

Safayet Chowdhury, Head of Sales and Khaan M Sakib Us Salehin, Head of Marketing were also present at the ceremony.

Mr Shoeb Ahmed said during the inauguration; “We consistently present

innovative automobiles that feature state-of-the-art technologies and embody our core brand values of perfection and fascination. This year, we are boosting our SUV presence by introducing the new GLC which combines the ultimate driving performance and comfort with luxurious touches and top-notch safety systems.�

Tunes

Hit it off

Benazir Alam is enthralled by Klas Magnus RosÊn’s performance at the Bengal Art Lounge

Photographs by Kazi Mukul

W “There are so many different bass styles that I like but what is important for me is that the music must be heartfelt.

When he was nine years old, Magnus wanted to play the bass flute. “At the time, the bass flute wasn’t affordable, despite which, the flute was my first instrument,” smirks Magnus.

But one day he got a magic box which was made of wood and covered in leather. “I can still recall the smell when I opened it. The wonderful smell of wood and leather mesmerised me,” Inside the box, Magnus found was a round the world ticket. “There was only one condition with this ticket, I had to figure out how the ticket worked,” he interjects.

This metaphorical ticket was the bass. He mastered it and performed in more than 50 countries around the world.

According to Magnus, good music is the kind that touches the soul. “There are so many different bass styles that I like

but what is important for me is that the music must be heartfelt. Besides for his passion for music, he is currently the ambassador of Juteborg, a Swedish organisation that recently visited Bangladesh in order to promote this golden fibre of Bangladesh globally. Through his project ‘Culture meets Industry,’ Magnus tries to come up with innovative plans to merge the two together. “Jute is biodegradable, hence it doesn’t affect the grounds.

Apart from that, one can make shoes, clothes, bags and even car accessories. Also, a big part of Bangladeshi culture, Jute has many uses and is environmentally friendly as well,” informs Magnus.

Being involved in various social projects such as Juteborg, Hunger Project, UK’s music and culture schools, has deeply influenced Magnus’ musical journey. “Music is a part of my life, so it grows with my age, which in turn acts as an influence on my social gestures,” he says.

The artiste made arrangements for the audience to bring 2kgs of food during his tour in South America. People came to the concert with bags of food which served as fees for the tickets. “I got in touch with the

health charity organisations there and with their help we distributed the food in Favelas, a slum in Brazil,” shares Magnus.

Recently, Magnus played his music free of cost for the workers in the Jute Fabric mill in Dhaka. “There were 800 young students who were very excited to see me perform.

They even cheered on loudly as I started playing,” he smiles.

Having been in the music scene since 1997, Magnus was associated with bands such as Revolution Renaissance, Shadowside, and HammerFall.

His experiences through the years helped him grow as a musician.

“I played in HammerFall for 10 years; I’d certainly admit that we had luck on our side.

Despite being an underground band, we made our way to Grammy Nomination's Jury Award,” he exclaims. Apart from that, Magnus received ‘Artiste of the Year Award’ along with other cultural prizes as well. “It certainly took us a while to get here. Somehow I would always think that this journey didn’t happen because of me or my talent.” Magnus felt it was sheer luck that made him who he is today, thus it helped him to stay rooted and humble.

Photographs by Kazi Mukul

Hangout

A Dash of China Fatima Faheem and Irfan Aziz have a taste of Cantonese cuisine at Chows

The quaint little joint which goes by the name Chows has certainly worked its magic among Dhakaites with its delectable menu. Located in Road 19/A of Banani, one of the most buzzing areas of Dhaka city, Chows with its modern outlook specialises in Cantonese cuisine and offers a wide array of items. Once you enter the place, you cannot help but praise its unique architecture

and ambience. Decorated with contemporary paintings, a portion of the building is made entirely of glass so that you can experience dining under the sunlight or the stars. If you feel like dining in open air, Chows also offers you a beautiful terrace. The versatile nature of the venue makes it possible for one to host a wide variety of events. Chef Chow Man the culinary genius behind this restaurant’s delectable delicacies is from the Gungdong,China. Hence, it goes without saying that the place is indeed a treasure trove of tastes.

Our taste buds were treated with the following items: The Dim Sum, Prawn Har Gow (Tk 485) was filled with finely chopped prawn meat perfectly seasoned with salt. And the wrapper was soft and moist overall.

Pan Fried BBQ Beef Bao (Tk 445) is one of the most popular dishes in Chows!

Presentation and taste wise, the dish is an absolute winner! The perfectly chopped beef blended well with the barbecue sauce and other condiments, deriving a ginger aftertaste. The wrapper was soft and fresh; frying it added an extra edge to it.

Moreover, the dumplings tasted heavenly with the dip that was served.

Ho Fun Noodles Chicken (Tk 485) was similar to its beef counterpart but the absence of red meat and spices caused it to be slightly overshadowed by the other dishes.

Nonetheless, it’s juicy and luscious taste makes it a special platter.

Chicken with Chilli and Black Bean Sauce (Tk 895) was tender, had the perfect blend of chilli with just the right amount of black bean sauce, making it a perfect savoury dish.

With a combination of rice, this dish would certainly satiate your voracious appetite.

Chicken Sui Mai (Tk.385) was stuffed with chopped chicken and nuts, seasoned with salt and onions. The nut filling were rich, savory and were toothsome.

Chows Crispy Beef (Tk 1290) is another favourite among customers, says Chef Chow Man. The platter delivers a mixture of both sweet and sour flavours as the crispy beef are indulged one at a time. The beef slices are chewy and the sesame seeds add a nutty and delicate crunchy taste to the dish.

The addition of thin sliced capsicum adds colour and freshness to the platter. The Chows Crispy Beef will definitely be able to curb the hunger pangs of beef lovers.

Ho Fun Noodles Beef (Tk. 485) This dish was slightly on the balsamic side; the beef was chewy and had a charred flavour to it. That’s what added the extra oomph to the dish.

The Ho Fun noodles were perfectly cooked and the oil content was exemplary. Unlike, local noodles it did not swell up, so the quantity served was more than enough.

Advetorial

A

Congolese fisherman; a particle super-collider; the world’s fastest woman. What’s the connection between the images in Huawei’s latest brand campaign?

Appearing in airports and online, the ads consist of three panels, each capturing a breakthrough moment when focus, perseverance, and preparation yield extraordinary results.

What you don’t see in these images are the steps leading up to each breakthrough. Yet it is those steps that hold the key to understanding both the campaign and Huawei itself, the culture and the values that have led the company to where it is now.

When it comes to ICT (information communications technology), one can point to many factors that drive success: smarter people, more R&D, heavier ad spending, first-mover advantage, superior customer service. But whatever its ingredients, success is nearly always depicted in its most dramatic form: the champion hoisting the trophy, the entrepreneur clinching the big contract, the Eureka moment where a light bulb switches on to illuminate the darkness.

By their very nature, breakthroughs seem to come from nowhere. But what lies behind these moments of sudden brilliance?

The answer, usually, is years of painstaking effort. People who work in R&D know that innovation is an output: an end result that everyone can see. What remains hidden to most people are the inputs: focus, patient investment of time and money, and dedication to a long-term goal.

Those are the themes of the Huawei brand campaign. We felt it was important to show them because, as we go from being a B2B seller of Internet switching

Huawei focuses on the work before “sudden” breakthroughs

By Chen Lifang

equipment to a global brand, we no longer have the luxury of merely selling gear.

Instead, we must help people understand who Huawei is, and what it stands for.

The “Huawei Breakthrough” campaign is a first step in that direction. Each of its three images shows a separate phase of success.

The first captures the moment when a Congolese fisherman lunges forward with his massive net to snare a fish in the raging waters of the Lualaba River. He chooses the right spot, stays focused amid the turbulent water, and at the vital moment catches his prey, all the while maintaining his footing to avoid being swept away by the current.

The second visual shows the world’s biggest particle collider. Scientists at CERN spent several decades and more than US $9b to

Chen Lifang is a corporate senior vice president at Huawei Technologies and a director of the company’s board. She oversees Huawei’s global public affairs functions.

build a machine sophisticated enough to detect the Higgs Boson, a sub-atomic particle so critical to our understanding of the universe that it’s popularly known as the God Particle. The quest began in the 1960s. CERN did not announce its discovery of the God Particle until 2012, when decades of patient investment produced one of the greatest breakthroughs of modern physics.

The third image shows Florence Griffith-Joyner, the world record holder for the woman’s 100-meter dash, crossing the finish line, her arms raised in triumph. While the picture captures a moment of victory, what remains invisible are the years of dedication that led up to it.

Unlike our past ads, or almost any advertising by a Chinese company, the campaign reflects Huawei’s 28-year history: our lean years and false starts as well as our technical achievements and growth. The ads are based on a Chinese aphorism consisting of just four characters: ” (hòu jī bó fā), which means “to rise suddenly through accumulated effort.” Those characters tell a simple but powerful story about picking your goals, sticking with them over time, and eventually reaping the rewards.

The explosive growth of Huawei's mobile phone business is a perfect example of focus, perseverance, and seemingly sudden breakthrough. Investments in ICT can stretch out over long periods.

For example, a decade can separate the successive generations of mobile phone technology (2G, 3G, 4G). This time lag requires companies to adopt a long-term vision and avoid being distracted by peripheral opportunities. If focus lays the foundation of breakthroughs, perseverance serves as its catalyst. The time needed to reach those breakthroughs – whether months, year, or decades – makes the eventual moment of victory all the sweeter.

Food Festival

Flavours of Grandeur

W

hat makes international cuisines an unforgettable experience is the fact that they remind us of its origins.

With that in mind, The Westin Dhaka and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, in association with Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh, Pepsi and Cathay Pacific organised a week of sizzling Chinese cuisine at the signature buffet venue of the Westin Dhaka - Seasonal Tastes from April 25-30.

The delightful spread comprised of various exotic Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine from the northern, southern and western provinces of China prepared by expert culinary

artists flown in from China – Chef Mingjing Li from St. Regis Chengdu, Chef Haiwei Wang and Chef Qianjin Ding from Beijing.

Tantalising Sichuan and Cantonese delicacies were served in the cold, hot, soup and dessert section.

Among other dishes were, hot and sour seafood soup, stewed chicken with Chinese wolfberry soup along with stewed vegetable and beef soup.

In addition to that, there were other special dishes such as Sichuan style chicken in chilli oil, deep fried spicy beef and marinated crispy fish, braised pomfret in soy sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Beef shank with dry chilli and Tian Fu style fried rabbit were served hot.

They also had an exceptional selection of sweets to neutralise the sizzled tastebuds. This consisted of white fungus with sugar candy, sweet sago cream with coconut milk, sweet balls with wolfberry and many other sweet Chinese treats. The irresistible feast from the Sichuan and the Guangdong provinces certainly provided the great taste of China.

S

Art & Culture

etting A New Benchmark

I believe in future, the joint initiatives between the Government and Bengal Foundation will continue in many regards to build a better nation,” -Asaduzzaman Noor.

Ministry of Cultural Affairs

Bengal Foundation recently handed over 40,000 pieces of art publications including, art catalogues, folios and books to 70 branches of upazila, district and divisional level public libraries of Bangladesh. About 237 items of 564 fine art-related books, folios and catalogues have already been reached to the libraries. A press conference was in this regard at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

Asaduzzaman Noor, Cultural Affairs Minister, graced the event as chief guest. Begum Akhtari Momtaz, Cultural Affairs secretary and Ashish Kumar Sarker, Director General of Public Library Department were present as special guests. Luva Nahid Choudhury, Director General, Bengal Foundation hosted the event elaborating the purpose of the endeavour while Abul Khair, Chairman of Bengal Foundation presided over the press meet.

Congratulating the initiative, Asaduzzaman Noor said, “I sincerely thank Bengal

Foundation for presenting the art publications to public library. We have already dedicated spaces for showcasing the art catalogues, folios and books at every branch of public libraries."I believe in future, the joint initiatives between the Government and Bengal Foundation will continue in many regards to build a better nation,” said Asaduzzaman Noor.

Readers and art enthusiasts living in the remote areas of the country will get to learn about the local as well as international art movements.

Abul Khair, the Chairman of Bengal Foundation said, "Bengal Foundation is probably the only institution that has been working in every media associated with art. In future, we aspire to organise art camps for children." In connection to this event, he remembered the contribution of late Waheedul Haq in music, late Qayyum Chowdhury in painting and late Subir Chowdhury in art.

Special Promotion

Exotic Spread The Exchange restaurant at Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View will tantalise your tastebuds

A Menu

American Cheese Cake Tk 600++ Double Chocolate Brownie Tk 550++ Egg Benedict Turkey Tk 650- 850++ Oven Baked Salmon Tk 1450++

OPENING HOURS: 06:30AM – 11:00PM (Daily) CONTACT Tel: +88 031 619800 Ext 4801 restaurant.booking@radisson.com

t the Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View, elegance extends to the delightful settings of four restaurants and three bars.

With traditional Bangladeshi cuisine, modern Mediterranean fare, splendid Asian specialties and a full selection of classic cocktails and fine wines, all restaurants treat you to exquisite dining experiences.

The Exchange all day dinning serves the finest international cuisines of various place.

Along with its super buffet breakfast and dinner the

Exchange also offers scrumptious a la carte menu. Treat yourself to a variety of world food favourites at the menu, which were added in April 2016. Whatever your choice, the energetic atmosphere of The Exchange is perfect for any meal.

S Decor

5

avvy

Souvenirs

By Farasha Khan Sayeed

Rolling out ideas for home decor is relatively simple. But to be off to a good start when it comes to revamping the bachelor’s pad may be overwhelming. Exclusive furniture boutique, Casa Deco is an answer to all your worries. It caters high end interior design solutions as well as top quality decor items.

Give character to your man caves with some of these hip and modern pieces to compliment your style.

1 Shabby chic Cabinet (large) Tk 85,000 Gone are the days of floral patterns on cabinets. Even if this is the only item in your bedroom, imagine the personality it would add to a drab old place!

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Union Jack storage and seat Tk 45,000 Multipurpose items are always a win, especially with boys who prefer minimal items in their space. This is the perfect item to fool people into thinking that you are neat while providing a handy seating place.

3 Decorative wall piece Tk 22,000 Not a bookworm?

Have switched to eBooks to be more eco-friendly? Either way, this rustic wall piece will give your room an old-fashioned vibe yet keeping it (relatively) dust-free!

American flag case Tk 18,000 This case might not be something you’ll be seen hauling around airports, but in one corner of your bedroom. It is a functional storage space which you can use to display your designer watch collection.

6 Bottle Rack (metal) Tk 25,000 This unique piece of finely crafted metal is a must have on every man’s shelf or table, to store, bottles, magazines or newspapers. The edgy look it will add to your room will set it apart from any other bachelor pad.

7

Antique Clock Tk 35,000 This large clock would be something to bring a touch of nostalgia into your room.

4

Steel Bottle-Rack Tk 15,000 Now it wouldn’t be a man’s den without one of these, would it?

Whether for practical or display purposes, this is a must-have for your room.

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Shabby Chic mini cabinet Tk, 65,000 This one’s for the motor-heads. Besides the fact that it is so unique and eye-catching, this cabinet would make the perfect nightstand too! Turning off your alarm in the morning won’t be that bad if this is the next thing you see in the morning.

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Photographs by Sakib Muhtasim

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Yellow decorative pot Tk 5900-7900 (dimension wise) Who says a man can’t have a vase in his room? And that too in a bright colour!

The decorative Victorian prints on these vases make them unisex and beautiful and if the woman in your life insists you to have a more “decorated” room, you know what to grab.

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Wooden Crate Tk 3,500 Use it to store your magazines, books, bottles, whatever your heart desires.

This simple crate is perfect next to an armchair where you can keep and take things from conveniently.

8

Paris decorative storage box Tk 6000 You can’t have enough storage space, especially if your man pad is on the smaller side.

This can be paired with a similar sized (or larger) case with London printed on it (not shown in picture) to showcase the traveller spirit within you.

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shop online: www.reluce.com.bd

Makeover

The Long and Layered

On the Rugged Side Aidha Cader together with Farzana Shakil spruces up macho looks for the modern man.

Be it our favourite characters on Game of Thrones to football players keeping a beard is now seen as a mark of confidence.

Photographer: Kaushiq Iqbal Model: Itmam, Rio, Rupom

Beard: Initially, resist the urge to trim your beard, when you decide to give it a go. Allow it to grow for 4 to 6 weeks as some strands will grow faster than others.

Pick a style to suit your face shape.

For an oblong or rectangular face trim the bottom and keep the sides fuller.

Hair: For curly hair, cut it at the shoulder and layer the ends. The top hair also needs to be long and layered to help weighing it down.

Spray water onto the hair to activate the curls. Mix ‘wax’ with ‘leave-on –conditioner’ and apply it onto the hair, starting from the roots to tip.

Use your fingertips to roll the curls gently and set it into place.

The Long and Knotted Beard: Once it has grown to your required length trim it to maintain shape. First, comb to untangle your hair and let the hair settle onto one direction. Using a high-grade clipper to setting number 3 and trim the sides. Use a hair-cutting scissor to shape the beard along the chin. For a better idea on the look of the beard, trim the beard when the hair is dry. For a round face its best keep the sides shorter and the bottom longer.

Man Bun: The length is the most crucial component in creating a man bun. The hair has to be at least 12 to 16 inches long for a bun to settle well at the top of your head.

With shorter hair, a bun can be created more towards the back of your head. Scoop up all your hair toward the crown and pass it through an elastic band. Pass the hair through the band for the second time but do it only halfway.

This will create a loop. Using the ends of the hair from the second passing twist it around the loop and create a bun.

The Long and Short Beard: Maintain the beard by washing it regularly. Use a cleanser and wash well to avoid dry skin. Avoid towel drying it as this can lead to frizz and split ends. Regular trimming should maintain the shape.

For a square face, a trim beard shall accentuate the jaw line. Use a clipper at number 2 for a stubble.

Hair: If your hair is naturally straight have the sides short with long bangs. It looks great for slim men with prominent jaw lines and cheekbones. This hairstyle also looks good for men with large foreheads.

Word on the Street

Soak up the sun If you’re planning for the perfect summer getaway, here are a few nifty things that might come in handy!

Apex Maverick Sunglasses, Tk 1490 daraz.com.bd

Adjustable blue bracelet Tk 450, Plaire Light Blue t-shirt Tk 790, Plaire

Brown leather sandal Tk1690, Plaire

Zempol travel bag Tk 3275, Made in Bangladesh

Ease up These comfy casuals make it easy to beat the heat this summer.

While you’re at it, pair them up with these funky accessories to complete your look!

Travel-friendly Green polo t-shirt Tk 1490, Plaire

If you’re tired of lugging around a big bag in this weather, fret not! This small tote bag should do right by you. Be it books, gadgets or clothes, your travel staples will certainly fit into this tote like a glove!

Adjustable grey bracelet Tk 450 Plaire

Axe signature mysterious body perfume 122ml Tk399, daraz.com.bd

Leather Sandals Tk 1690, Plaire

Veos denim tote bag Tk2475, Made in Bangladesh

Leather card holder brown Tk 1200, daraz.com.bd

Designer’s Diary

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ffortless Elegance Fashion entrepreneur, Alia Khan talks about fashion and the global market. Nahid Tabassum comes back enlightened Dressed in a light coloured long loose top with formal black pants, her hair wrapped gracefully in a printed scarf,, Alia Khan reflected sheer sophistication. She stunned the audience with her business savoir-faire in the 5 Global Leaders Leadership Summit, 2016, and graced us with her presence.

genre.

“We collaborated with governments, corporations, industries, media, and events along with the summits around the world to bring awareness and to develop growth opportunities for the stakeholders,” she reasons her presence in the Leadership Summit.

“We should not try to make them fit into something that isn’t natural to them” Her Ideas “Beauty is an inherent quality in every human being. We gravitate towards beautiful things in order to appreciate,” shares Alia.

Looking at the rise of modesty in fashion, Alia measures its presence in the market. “The inspiration really was the necessity. “The need for modest fashion is timeless,” she says.

Photograph by Kazi Mukul

Her Drive “This is an industry that has up to 500 billion dollar spending power. It’s only slightly behind the mainstream fashion which has up to 645 billion dollars. So when you look at it that way, you wonder, why there isn’t a council yet! Hence, we rolled up our sleeves and decided to get busy.”

Later, the designer launched her market company in L.A, and winning clients like Procter and Gamble (P&G), she inaugurated IFDC in Dubai promoting elegance and sophistication in modest fashion and lifestyle. Her ifash courses on Islamic fashion have influenced the market to come up with innovation in this

Her Focus The designs that carved modest fashion were hemmed with her ingenious ideas. Heeding the Muslim population as the primary market and other communities as secondary she spread her wings around the globe. “Despite certain parameters and requirements that my clientele wish to live by, they still want to be equally stylish, fashionable, elegant, graceful like the mainstream fashion consumers,” Alia sums up. “I think when designers can bear that in mind; they can offer certain flexibility to the consumer which allows them to feel equally appreciated and beautiful,” she adds with a smile.

Her Mantra “When you are in a leading position or attaining a leadership role, it is inherent of you to consider dressing up as a big part of that formula. The fashion platform is critical to leadership,” she believes.

To familiarise modest lifestyle to the new consumers, Alia counsels to know their requirements. “We need to know what clicks. We should not try to make them fit into something that isn’t natural to them,” she asserts.

Her Concerns While drawing the thin line Alia suggests, “Islamic fashion is basically modest fashion but not all modest Fashion is Islamic fashion. A lot of people call it modest fashion, so it isn’t alienated from any faith or any background.”

She clarifies further, “It’s your interpretation of what modesty means to you. We try not to encourage any compulsion in the interpretation of modesty.”

Drawing new horizons, Alia has also come up with a section called The Modest Man as a section in IFDC which caters to men’s attire. “It is a lifestyle that fits all. Their demands are less difficult to meet as women have a lot different factors unlike men.”

Her Summer Chants According to Alia, designers are coming up with a one piece solution. Now, one does not have to resort to extra outer or inner garments which are a blessing for women who want to dress modestly and stay cool as well. “Stay away from layering, the more pieces we put on, the more difficult it gets. Also choose a light fabric that will keep you cool, comfortable and provide coverage as well,” she advises.

Special Feature

G irls

on the go In the midst of fun and games, ICE Today, catches up with the contestants of Veet Girls on the Go

A concert was held featuring Arnob&Friends and Tahsan.

Going on an all-girls trip is an idea that is still new in Bangladesh, since safety has been a questionable aspect for more than a decade.

Despite the odds, nowadays, women do travel beyond borders for education, leisure and work.

Whatever the trip maybe, bringing along a crew adds an extra charm to your travel plans; as the saying goes ‘the more, the merrier!’ With that in mind, Veet launched an all-girls

day trip to Cox’s Bazar titled Veet Girls on the Go Contest. On 12th April, 40 girls embarked on a journey like never before!

The fact that all these girls entered the contest with their friends is what made the initiative more enthusiastic. Veet Girls on the Go certainly liberated women with utmost fervor.

The contest was held at the luxurious Royal Tulip Sea Pearl Beach Resort, overlooking the vast Inani Beach.

Since the program was the first of its kind, Brand Manager of Reckitt Benckiser, Sajuti Saleque was astounded by the response it got. “Honestly, during the planning stage we weren’t sure about how it would be received. But

finally, we had such a huge response; it was really difficult for us to choose amongst the applicants.”

The Veet proposition has evolved from endorsing celebrities to bringing forward the girl-next-door image and that’s where the ‘Girls on the Go’ platform sets in. “In this activation, we are targeting the hardworking, independent girls.” In order to celebrate the grand launch of Veet’s new hair removal cream, the brand has a big surprise for the girls. In Veet’s Girls on the Go global platform, a contest will be held through which a girl group of four will be taken to Bali to attend a beach party; and they will win a chance to meet celebrities from around the globe. “Hence,

We invited all the parents of the girls for a briefing session so as to ease their worries, and allow their children to go.”

through this trip to Cox’s Bazar we wanted to check whether our girls were ready to take this leap of faith. I am humbled by the kind of feedback we received from them,” says Sajuti.

She also explains how the idea of girls on a trip is somewhat new to us. “We invited all the parents of the girls for a briefing session so as to ease their worries, and allow their children to go.

We wanted them to feel confident and independent and get used to taking charge of themselves without being chaperoned.”

The girls claimed that they were ecstatic to be a part of this journey and they certainly took back a lot from their experiences.

Maliha, one of the contestants, said, “I travel frequently with my group of friends and my family is very supportive about it. My friends and I prefer to go to places which are perfect for hiking.”

Another avid traveler, Jasia shares that travelling with her gang is a regular things for her. “I like exploring outside Dhaka with both male and female friends. I think girls shouldn’t face any problems travelling on their

own. ” Tara says that she thoroughly enjoys travelling with her friends. “We are very comfortable with each other’s company and we all have a thirst for travelling and learning about different places,” she says gleefully.

Ananna says, “This is the first time I am travelling with friends but surprisingly I wasn’t scared. “Veet gave us a great opportunity and not only that, they ensured our safety and security as well.” Gauging factors such as safety and security, the girls know how important it is to plan ahead and analyse authenticity. Although some of them came from conservative families, their desire to go on this trip pushed them to break all hurdles.

Nawshin commented “My parents were only convinced to let me go because Veet arranged to have a conference with our parents where they were briefed about the event in detail and familiarised with the organisers as well.”

Despite the hesitancy among parents of their daughters being the only child, some of these girls braved it. “It’s great to have a whole day to myself without being worried about getting calls from home. I have never travelled alone so this trip was a big deal for me,” commented Asma. On one hand, it was easy for the girls to go and for some it was still on the edge till the very last moment. “I wasn’t granted permission till the night before the flight. Somehow I convinced my parents, got in touch with my friends and went shopping the next day. We managed to do it all in a few hours time.” said Tazina. Going on a trip comes with its decisions of making sensible decisions as well. “If I sense trouble spewing in my travel plans, I simply disregard that idea altogether. My parents too are trusting and allow me to travel with friends,” comments Proma.

Although the frequency of girls travelling is low, it’s increasing slowly but surely. Shahria shares her views, “I travel once in a year so I am used to travelling by myself. It gives you a great sense of freedom and thankfully my family is very open-minded as well.” It’s very important to have a great set of friends when going travelling. Farmin resonates that thought. “I am so thankful to Veet for creating a fun day with contests, games and a

“I applaud Veet for pulling off this event and that too at such a short notice.”

-Kona

concert, the only regret is I wish we could stay much longer.” For another contestant, safety relied completely on the company of her friends. “My friends are very protective and cautious so safety isn’t much of an issue for me.

If they are with me, I know I will have a blast without constantly worrying about

my safety,” confides Arifa. Amongst the most popular travel destinations that the girls picked were Maldives, Switzerland and even a Euro Trip.

After a splendid day of fun and frolic, Veet has ignited in them a spirit of joy which they shall carry with them and forge ahead.

Here’s what the judges had to say...

The program certainly sparked a sense of positivity among the participants as well as the judges. Kaniz expressed her delight by saying, “I appreciate that Veet made this trip happen. It enabled girls to explore outside the city with their groups of friends.” She also believes that if more such multinational companies like Veet arranged events like this in the future, then women will look forward to travelling alone. Moreover, it brings them closer to all kinds of people and helps them to learn from each other’s similarities and differences. “I have been working with women, for women, for the last 25 years, so it’s exciting to be a part of an event that is entirely centred on women,” shares Kaniz.

Given the safety and security of girls in Bangladesh, Tani believes that this initiative by Veet should encourage more such collaborations where girls can enjoy the freedom to travel, enjoy and embrace life.

“When it comes to a new initiative, the start is always rocky. I remember a time when the concept of pursuing higher studies out of your home country was a distant dream; now those bindings are loosened,” she says. Given the conservative nature of Bangladesh, the concept of “all girls” trip is new and relatively risky but that doesn’t deter their spirit. “Security, even at your own safe space, like your home, isn’t completely guaranteed. I may walk down on a lonely road and not get attacked at all, but then I may be in a public space and get harassed. So if you want to move forward, a little bit of risk is always involved,” Tani explains.

Kona was amazed to see how well Veet Go Girls was received by girls in Dhaka. And even more so when she saw how the girls went through a transition overnight. “Initially it was about enjoying a trip with friends, but as the event came to an end, the girls have managed to make friends outside their groups.” She also adds that throughout the trip, there was no sense of restriction and that is what made it an exciting and refreshing experience for the girls. “For me, the occasion was enjoyable because I went on an all-girls trip after a very long time and also from witnessing the sheer excitement among the participants. I applaud Veet for pulling off this event and that too at such a short notice,” says Kona.

Culture Vulture

Data Dilemma

R

Photos: Internet

ecently, I noticed one of the most popular messaging apps, Whatsapp introduced an encryption system onto our phones.

Staying within the fringes of mainstream cultures, Aidha Cader, ICE Today’s culture connoisseur has inculcated an appreciation for food, history, travel and art beyond her comfort zone

Apple’s battle with the FBI over the federal order to unlock the iPhone of the San Bernardino shooter and Apple’s refusal to follow suit started another debate over privacy and security in the digital age we live in. Amidst the controversy,

Whatsapp decided to introduce this encryption service to its customers, sending a loud message that they stand firm with Apple and other tech giants and oppose setting a precedent to complying with the government’s security concerns.

The current Whatsapp encryption tool means that the service will encrypt all messages, phone calls, photos, and videos moving among groups or between two persons. It applies on all phones that have the updated version of the application. With end-to-end encryption is now in place, even WhatsApp’s employees or its management cannot read the data that’s sent across its network. In wake of the federal order sent to Apple this new system makes the company unable to comply with such demand.

With this encryption, WhatsApp also hopes to tap into the corporate sector.Therefore, making business, financial or chats with your doctor secure and you don’t have to worry about eavesdroppers.

In the wake of the San Bernardino attack where an alleged ISIS inspired terrorist who killed 14 people while injuring 22 others the FBI has wanted to hack into the IPhone of one of the perpetrators’. However, Apple strongly refused to provide the software that could be installed toallow the investigators to break into the phone. The security hole that Apple is looking to mend, and which the FBI is trying to exploit, is part of a troubleshooting system that allows the company to automatically install software updates on personal phones. The company says a win for the FBI could set a troublesome precedent. Following Apple’s

refusal a court order was sent to the company. However, Apple announced they would oppose it.

In a recent interview with ABC News, Apple CEO further clarified their concerns by stating, “If a court can ask us to write this piece of software, think about what else they could ask us to write, maybe it's an operating system for surveillance, maybe the ability for the law enforcement to turn on the camera”.

However, later the FBI announced that thanks to the skills of an unknown third party, the Department of Justice was able to access data on the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters. This raised further issues for Apple who realised that their products aren’t as secure as they claim and is prone to be hacked.

In a field where technology advances are constantly changing to be better than those trying to hack is the game changer.

Though the US government has officially withdrawn from its battle against Apple the case raised issues about our civil liberties, and our collective security and privacy in a global sphere. Apple was not alone in this debate, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and WhatsApp all were outspoken in stating that be it the federal government or otherwise this is a troubling precedent and effect the core values of civil liberties.

All the Tech giants are also aware their growth and success has been due to the sense of security one has when posting something among their friends on social media. Their customer base is also global which raises more issues about which governments can be trusted which aren’t.

Apple is one of several technology companies that have introduced encryption in an attempt to restore customer trust after whistleblower and recent hacks into celebrity ‘cloud’ accounts and published their personal pictures. To further stress how the tech world stood shoulder to shoulder with Apple, Twitter chief executive tweeted that: “We stand with @timcook and Apple “Any backdoor is a backdoor for everyone,” he said.

“Everybody wants to crack down on terrorists. Everybody wants to be secure. The question is how. Opening a backdoor can have very dire consequences.”

The fall out continues to grab headlines last week, Microsoft announced that it would now notify their windows uses if their accounts have been targeted or compromised by a government.

They further added "We're taking this additional step of specifically letting our customers know if we have evidence that the attacker may be 'state-sponsored' because it is likely that the attack could be more sophisticated or more sustained than attacks from

cyber criminals.” said Scott Charney, a vice president at the company, said in a blog post.

The company already notified users if their accounts were compromised, but does not specify if a government was thought to be behind the attack.

Microsoft is adding a new feature to its Windows Defender line of anti-hacking tools as well. The feature will allow users to identify the attacks and stop them before it eats up everything.

Cyber attack is now serious as many hackers are taking advantage of vulnerable devices.

As a nation we were all shocked to hear the blatant hack on the Bangladeshi Central Bank. Cyber criminal stole$ 81million through a series of transfer from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Attempts to steal an additional $850-$870 million were only prevented after suspicions were raised due to the nature of the transactions and misspellings in the bearer account.

Yes be it the secured site as a bank or our personal phone’s the reality is we are more connected to the web than ever before. This raises the questionof how vulnerable our data and our transactions are? As tech companies tries to make us feel more secure with new encryption tool for those who want to hack into this is another benchmark to be better at.

Interviews

What Maketh a Man “In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.�

- Nikos Kazantzakis

While pop culture and social constructs paint a picture of men being indifferent or an authority figure looming over women, they fail to show men in their truest form-emotional, soft-spoken, gentlemen.

These are the traits that take them far in life as opposed to the masculinity that is often imposed upon them by different cultures and mass media. To celebrate men, we’ve put together a collection of success stories from some of our favourite personalities to know about how they came to be who they are today.

S

I think about critical things, not just criticise conditions as they are but try to figure out what can be done next

Seated on a voguish black chair, he gazes through the glass wall into the lush greenery as he softly speaks the words – I am a thinker.

“I think about critical things, not just criticise conditions as they are but try to figure out what can be done next,” says Kazi Khaleed Ashraf, the Director General of Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscape and Settlement, and co-founder of the satire magazine Unmad.

A man of many talents, Kazi Khaleed Ashraf doubles as a Bangladeshi architect, urbanist and architectural researcher, with a keen interest on the contemporary city and how it can be reorganised. In his book Designing Dhaka: A Manifesto for a Better City, Ashraf says that Dhaka is a potential laboratory for new urban thinking, and reasons out both negative aspects and positive prospects of the city. He simultaneously points out the challenges that the city puts forward (booming population, traffic congestion, lack of resources, etc), and that these are not very different from other cities like Kolkata, Mumbai and Cairo. But Ashraf insists how Dhaka is ultimately different from other cities.

“The geology and hydrology of Dhaka make the city distinctive. The development of a city like Dhaka cannot ignore its hydrological and geological matrix,” envisaging in a softer tone, he adds, “however, we overlook and destroy it through landfills, plotted by both public and private sector constantly.” With a stern voice, the architectural critic and scholar of international repute states, “when you tamper with a large scale ecology, the effects are devastating.” The urbanist always wanted to work on the aforementioned issue since he strongly believes that the larger water and geological matrix is critical to new understanding of cities. What eventually

Kazi Khaleed Ashraf galvanised the architectural historian towards urbanism was the flooding in New Orleans.

“At the time, newspapers in the US cited Dhaka as a resilient city. Both cities are in delta conditions. To plan and design a city in delta conditions is very unique, you need a different kind of attitude and intelligence. I begin to wonder from then on what is required to design a city in a delta,” he surmises.

Kazi Khaleed Ashraf completed his Bachelor of Architecture from BUET in 1983. He finished a Masters program from MIT and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Much like the role of a theatre artist, he likes to juggle between roles. Being a professor of architecture at University of Hawaii, an urban thinker, an author and a visionary, Ashraf expresses how becoming an architect is a precarious process.

At his own time of being a young architect, there was little or slow understanding of historical processes and cultural landscapes.

That was disheartening. Pointing out the newsletter of Bengal Institute for Architecture Landscapes, Ashraf picks up his enthusiasm to say how the Institute may “change that condition… we have set up this institute to motivate, sensitise and inform students and others through publications, symposiums, workshops, etc.” He also mentions that the research and design team at the Institute is dedicated to producing new visionary schemes for two critical areas in Dhaka. The intention is to offer ideas to the administration and create public opinion for a new reality that is not yet here but can be. “It’s a kind of urban design activism,” he concludes. An exhibition will be held in July in order to take the ideas to the public and stage fruitful discussions for the future of Dhaka.

As the sunlight shifts toward the West, our wonderful conversation comes to an end on the following note. Ashraf worries about the level of confrontation among different groups of people in the same society. “There is a lack of dialogue. Even after becoming one nation we see that there are pockets with differences and divergences. No matter what is said, culture is not coherent or unified. Sure, there could be multiple cultural viewpoints in a country, but when certain groups become confrontational and scheme to eliminate other groups - that is neither desirable nor acceptable.” By Raisa Rahim

Arif Hafiz

“I learned something new from every aspect of my life, I met someone new and the entire process has been exhilarating. All the experiences have been worthwhile and have helped me evolve as a person.”

A

Arif Hafiz, a popular name among Dhaka’s social circle, dons many hats at a single time. Besides being a busy entrepreneur, he is also a proletarian photographer specialising in the genre of 'Candid Portrait Photography.

When asked how he does so many things at a time, he nonchalantly says, “I just don’t know of any other way; people will multitask because that’s how they function best!”

Hafiz admits that his love for photography rose many years earlier and he kept his passion alive by studying the subject entirely on his own. “I love to study the works of famous photographers. I also spend a considerable amount of my free time online, trying to learn as much as possible about photography. There’s never an end to learning something new every day.”

Any kind of art form can be a

liberating aspect for the inventor especially when there are no set rules to follow and no deadlines. For Arif Hafiz, this had been quite true because he works exclusively on his own with no cut-off dates on most of his projects. “I made many mistakes while capturing photographs in the past and I call each of them my learning tools.

Photography is second nature to me because it is influenced by my experiences. Hence it comes very naturally to me”.

Hafiz, during the rap session informed that he always tried to follow his dreams and found solace in all his work. During his teens he dreamed of travelling around the world and based on that belief he spent the first twenty years of his corporate life working as the Head of Travel Business for American Express, a travel company. In his twenties he was passionate about food and culinary arts. That very infatuation encouraged him to become a restaurateur and setup Kozmo Lounge. Later on, in his life he became captivated with photography and as a result, today, he set up a press which goes by the name Dhaka Page3 Print Studio and a photography studio named Studio3.

Arif wraps up by saying, “I learned something new from every aspect of my life, I met someone new and the entire process has been exhilarating.

All the experiences have been worthwhile and have helped me evolve as a person.” By Mehrin Mubdi Chowdhury

Shakib Al Hasan

“It is important to be positive, regardless of how good or bad your day has been, on or off the pitch. That will allow you to identify areas where you need to improve as a player and as person,”

In Bangladesh, when someone says ‘cricket’, the first person that comes to mind is ‘Shakib.’ Being a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s national team for over a decade, Shakib Al Hasan is deemed as one of the key contributors to the rise of Bangladesh, as the newest powerhouse in international cricket.

With his aggressive and consistent playing styles, he continues to rile up the nation. In light of that, we seek to know what inspires him to remain ‘numero uno’ all year round.

“It is important to be positive, regardless of how good or bad your day has been, on or off the pitch. That will allow you to identify areas where you need to improve as a player and as person,” says Shakib.

He also says that it’s key to have faith in yourself. “You must stay focused, challenge yourself, and believe in your capacity to go beyond your limits,” continues Shakib.

One can easily understand that Shakib says so from his personal experiences.

As a player and as a team captain, he has faced numerous circumstances where one would find it natural to break down.

Shakib however braves the challenges even when the going gets tough. Shakib stresses on patience and perseverance to forge ahead on the pitch. That’s what makes him a charm for his team and a role model for his fans.

While juggling career and family may seem like a task too tedious, Shakib does it all with flying colours. “Shishir has been a constant support and a positive energy in my life. She’s always by my side, cheering me on for my success and lifting me up during tough times. This helps me focus on my areas of strength which in turn enables me to sort things out in the best way possible,” smiles Shakib.

One of the most sought after players in the international cricket arena, Shakib is already representing some of the best local and international brands. He has recently signed up as the brand ambassador of Huawei, one of the leading smartphone companies in the global market.

“It’s overwhelming to see globally renowned brands looking to partner with me; they believe that I am up to the same international standards of excellence as they are. It inspires you to push harder and achieve greater heights of success for your country,” says Shakib.

Shakib strives to put his best foot forward on the pitch and he’s not going to stop anytime soon. He aims to be resilient and hardworking so as to help his country cross newer landmarks of success in coming times.

Fahimul Islam

“Be it for fashion or vision, a frame should be a means of comfort and clarity,”

F

Fashion Optics Ltd has been a one-stop shop that provides top-notch eyewear for Dhakaites.

Having been in the market since 1975, Fahimul Islam, Director of Fashion Optics Ltd, draws light on the aspects that has this business up and running.

Fahimul reckons that eyewear is different from other forms of fashion. At Fashion Optics Ltd, they provide the customers an assortment of styles, so that they can choose as per their tastes.

“We provide various collections and materials to choose from, such as titanium, stainless-steel, carbon fibre, as well as acetated frames,” he informs. Being a niche market, eyewear fashion has undergone tremendous changes.

Fahimul too has experienced such shifts, in terms of demand for brands, trends, as well as level of customer satisfaction at Fashion Optics Ltd. “Last year we brought in acetated frames. These are light-weight and are purchased by both male and female in different colours,” points out Fahimul. He explains

that the shiny material brings out the face of the wearer, thus enhancing their beauty. “Brands such as Esprit, Rocco, Porsche Design, Elle, Calvin Klein, Lacoste are the most popular ones among the youth,” elaborates Fahimul.

According to Fahimul, every face is unique in its own way, and at Fashion Optics Ltd, there’s an array of frames to choose from. He says, “A frame isn’t just for correcting eyesight, it should create the perfect look as well. A comfortable, light weighted frame that sits on the nose gently with ease is the best choice for a daily wear. Of course when you are going on a social gathering with your family or friends you can opt for something more colourful.” Fahimul suggests that men should go for coloured square or rectangular frames to make a fashion statement.

For girls, cat’s eye or oval frames are quite trending. “Be it for fashion or vision, a frame should be a means of comfort and clarity,” states Fahimul.

He also mentions that Fashion Optics Ltd does right by their clients by catering over 50 international brands in Bangladesh. “We have a large number of customers who are deeply loyal to certain brands. Hence our inventory is up to date with the latest trends from other parts of Asia, Europe and America. Whether it’s the oval shaped frame from PSY’s music video or the square shaped ones donned by James Bond, we do our best to offer our client base the latest styles,” concludes Fahimul.

By Rubab Nayeem Khan

Zohad Reza Chowdhury

“It's very flattering to be deemed an icon. But when it comes to pacing myself , I try not to think about the rising expectations. I still believe that I, along with Nemesis have a long way to go.”

In the music scene, Zohad Reza Chowdhury is someone that needs no introduction. The vocalist of Nemesis took the nation by a storm with his powerful voice and continues to do so, day in and day out.

Having been in the entertainment business since 1999, it goes without saying that Zohad serves as a youth icon for avid fans and aspiring musicians.

When asked about how he feels about being under the limelight, he humbly says, “It's very flattering to be deemed an icon.

But when it comes to pacing myself, I try not to think about the rising expectations. I still believe that I, along with Nemesis have a long way to go.”

While he’s at it, he acknowledges that performing certainly lifts his spirits and he considers himself to be really lucky to have a fan base that admires and appreciates his music.” There are people out there who like what I do; it somehow inspires them to do what they love,” he shares.

Despite the pressures, Zohad

has his own way of acing things. In fact, his mantra for de-stressing before concerts is giving attention to what’s in hand. “I tend to go quiet in order to focus,” he adds.

While talking about music, Zohad looks into the pool of genres and picks out a few favourites he wants to work with that he hasn’t as of yet. “I’d love to incorporate electronic elements into our sound which is already there; something like Industrial Rock or what U2 did with Achtung Baby,” he elaborates.

Zohad looks at the transition of Bangladeshi music and applauds the results it has brought about. “I think Hip-Hop over the last couple of years has done great. There are some hip-hop artistes out there who sound legit and are true to their art,” claims Zohad.

The passionate musician is currently working on the third album for Nemesis. “Our third album is to be released on September 2016, so my focus is entirely on Nemesis now,” wraps up Zohad. By Rubab Nayeem Khan

Rapid Fire Questions i) A musical instrument you want to work with?

The drums ii) Your favourite English covers?

One by U2, My Hero by Foo Fighters and Dakota by Stereophonics iii) A Bengali song that you want to cover?

Ekdin by Arnob iv) Favourite Bengali artistes/bands that you look up to?

Cryptic Fate, Arnob and Bangla v) A Tritio Jatra cover that you want to hear (genre)?

An industrial rock version of Oboshobash

Sohana Nasrin questions the social stereotypes that are attached to men

A

As a part of my academic pursuit, I watched the documentary named The Mask You Live In. The film has opened a whole new dimension in me, for better or worse. Directed by filmmaker Jennifer Siebbel Newsom, this is a second in film in the Representation Project, the first being the documentary titled as Miss Representation where she, along with other fellow researchers and professionals in media talked about stereotypical depiction of women. It was easy to connect with Miss Representation; it was like watching my own life in different settings, played out by different women.

Notwithstanding, watching The Mask You Live In was something completely newit certainly made me more aware, but also left me disappointed for being selfish and biased towards my own gender. It made me realise that gender stereotype is as real for men as it is for women.

Be it in North America or South- East Asia, ‘boys don’t cry,’ ‘man up,’ ‘don’t be a sissy,’ are just few phrases

every man grows up listening to.

They are stigmatised if they like pink, or watch any sitcom or movies that deal with human emotions which are wrongly associated with women only.

From a very early age, men are subtly taught to think that they are the problem solvers, the leaders and the protectors of women. Hence they cannot be seen vulnerable at any point of their lives. If they let their guards down, they are often labelled as ‘effeminate.’ I am not sure who came up with these rules or gender specific roles for men and women, but these expectations without any solid ground affect both sexes physically and emotionally.

However, there are public and international discourses on the debate of gender equality which focuses on the oppression of women, which seeks to solve this problem to some extent.

The influence that traditional male stereotypes have on the perpetuation of gender inequality, at a transnational scale, has been ignored, at least in my opinion.

Scientists, neuro scientists, sociologists, scholars and researchers are divided among themselves as they try to figure out whether gender is a social construct or something that comes inherently. Gender must be a complicated phenomenon as it has been taking so long to figure out what it adheres to and whether difference in gender is real or just something random.

Albeit the confusion regarding the idea of gender, we barely

have confusions about such clichés as men must possess heroism, stoicism, fearlessness as opposed to emotional fragility, excessive fear, dependency, and irrationality.

Masculinity affects men and boys in terms of how they deal with their relationships, whether those are friendships, or even romantic relationships.

I would even argue that a lot of men respond to women based on what they think she wants and expects. I think a lot of men have expectations based on what they think women think that were supposed to be. So that men avoid certain behaviors because they think women won’t like that; that it won’t make them look appealing or attractive. Hence, they engage in other behaviors that they think women do like and that women will find attractive and appealing. Again, a lot of it is not based on male or female; a lot of it is based on gender based on social constructions.

Manhood is not grounded in masculinity, neither is womanhood in femininity.

Maybe we do not have to label it as black and white after all, may be all of us can be both- be strong when it needs to be and be weak when its harmless. I believe most of us are a combination of both masculinity and femininity and much of our success in breaking the stereotypes will come from the ways that we communicate with each other and treat ourselves in those notions of masculinity and femininity.

C "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi

Changing the way the world revolves isn’t something that happens overnight. In order to make a difference, one has to start from their own surroundings to make miracles beyond the borders.

With that in mind, the Dhaka Hub of Global Shapers was started. Global Shapers is an initiative of the World Economic Forum.

The Global Shapers Community is a network of city-based Hubs developed and led by young leaders, using their creativity and leadership skills to make the world a better place. With the vision of making Dhaka a more inclusive city, the Dhaka hub has implemented multiple projects so far. With the theme sports for change, the hub’s flagship project “Taal-Goal” has been designed to use sports as a tool to reduce crime and drug abuse among the 1.1

million underprivileged children of this city, and to provide them a platform to enjoy childhood. The Hub has also undertaken a project named “Odommo”, which aims to promote inclusion of the world’s largest minority – disabled people. Through this project support is provided to people with psychosocial disability and actions taken to sensitize employers to prevent discrimination regarding employment of people with disability and to make workplaces more disability inclusive. The most recent project of the hub was “Invisibellas” - a street-art project to shed light on gender discrimination and violence against women. With this project, the Dhaka Hub of Global Shapers aimed to applaud and praise women who break barriers, encourage people to raise voices against violators and perpetrators and to break the wall of restrictive social norms with the very essence of the feminine – creative force.

Currently the hub as 14 shapers who come from diverse background and are professionally successful youth who are also "disrupters". Becoming a global shaper wasn’t a walk in the park for any of them; each one of them had a vision for a better tomorrow, and that’s what drove them to be a part of this community. Upon becoming a part of the hub, all of them have certainly excelled as a professional and also as a human being.

Ahmad Niaz Murshed

Entrepreneurship Co - founder MAverick Studios & Ice9 Media

“I see globalisation as a positive force; it goes to show that we are open and accepting of different cultures and values. However, I feel we should be careful about what cultures we adopt.”

-Shamsin Ahmed

“Tauheed and I were discussing opening a platform ourselves with the misfits in Dhaka and have a network that can be a melting pot for the future leaders of Bangladesh.”

-Salman Hossain Beg

For Niaz, Global Shapers enabled him to give back to the society. While he's at it, he mentions that it has also helped him to hone his leadership and networking skills. Through the global shaper community, he had the privilege of meeting young leaders in Bangladesh and beyond.

Niaz says, “The activities of the Dhaka hub gets portrayed on the global stage through the Global Shapers community network. This gives people living in other parts of the world a very vibrant image of our country and its young change-makers."

As part of the Dhaka hub, Niaz lead the 'TaalGoal' and 'Street Cleaning' project.

TaalGoal is a platform for underprivileged children of Dhaka city to participate in sports. As part of this project, the Dhaka hub last year organised a day long football tournament. Weekly training sessions for these children will be launched

from the middle of May as part of the extension of this project. The 'TaalGoal' project also won the 'Gandhi Grant' at Shape South Asia last year in Kathmandu.

Niaz is a co-founder of Maverick Studios and Ice9 Interactive. Maverick Studios is an animation and audio-visual production studio. While Ice9 Interactive is a technology solutions provider focusing on virtual reality, augmented reality and interactive 3D solutions.

Shamsin Ahmed

Human Rights Co- Founder - Shammo Foundation

“I felt that this was a platform I could learn from to bring about the social changes I want to see,” says an enthusiastic Shamsin.

Her involvement with hub began when one of the first initiatives taken by the hub was promoting disability inclusion in the workplace.

“I was able to tap into a wide range of networks of employers and Disabled People’s Organisations.”

“The activities of the Dhaka hub gets portrayed on the global stage through the Global Shapers community network.

This gives people living in other parts of the world a very vibrant image of our country and its young change-makers."

-Ahmad Niaz Murshed

When it comes to working towards change, Shamsin approaches with positivity in every step of the way.

When asked about the effects of global culture on Bangladesh, she says, “I see globalisation as a positive force; it goes to show that we are open and accepting of different cultures and values. However, I feel we should be careful about what cultures we adopt.”

Shamsin is leading a project called Odommo, a social media campaign with the aim to increase visibility of people with disabilities and their capacity to be employed.

Salman Hossain Beg Technology and Entrepreneurship Head of Web & 3rd Party Distribution - GrameenPhone When asked about his journey into the Shapers community, Salman says, “Tauheed and I were discussing opening a platform ourselves with the misfits in Dhaka and have a network that can be the melting pot for the future leaders of Bangladesh.” The very next day, Tauheed received an email about the invite to open the Dhaka Hub and Salman got nominated as the first Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum from Bangladesh.

Salman reckons that he learned a great deal about the things people of his age were doing all around the world. “It validated my selfless connection towards the community where I constantly look for ways to contribute while juggling multiple hats at the same time. I felt like a lone minion, finding his entire community after being lost for a while,” he says cheerily.

The global culture, to Salman is not a new phenomenon anymore. In fact, it’s rather more visible due to social media and the Internet. “One easy impact of this global culture is the connection between and among shapers from seven continents. It teaches us to be more respectful towards each other, be more tolerant towards our differences, and has the

harmony to stand next to each other while pursuing our own goal,” he informs. .

Currently, Salman is the cheerleader for the projects at Dhaka Hub which includes,Project Invisibellas, Taal Goal, and City Cleaning.

Sohara Mehroze Shachi Climate Change & Arts Program Associate - UNDP A graduate of Yale University, Sohara Mehroze Shachi deems the shapers community to be a great platform and network to empower the ‘voiceless’.

“By implementing various projects as a part of the hub, I have figured out how to best utilise my skills to bring positive changes in my community and foster social inclusion of the marginalized,” stresses Sohara.

In the context of change, she says, “For Bangladeshis, the challenge lies in keeping up and seamlessly integrating with the innovative elements that are shaping our social and cultural outlook in an increasingly globalized world, while ensuring that we don’t lose the unique elements.”

Sohara works at UNDP for enhancing resilience of climate vulnerable people. She also leads the South Asia Hub of Climate Trackerthe largest international network of youth journalists - and sings for the Bengali choir Ghaashphoring.

network,” he says.

According to Mir, people will get more chances to network, discuss and innovative thought-processes which eventually will result in more elements in nation branding through the global shapers community.

One of Mir’s projects, 'Lifeline' works as a tool to connect the blood donors and receivers within the shortest time and distance in case of emergency.

Kazi Istela Imam

Arts

Freelance Visual Artist To Istela, being a part of the hub is to be something like Captain Planet’s team-

“By implementing various projects, I have figured out how to best utilise my skills to bring positive changes in my community and foster social inclusion,” -Sohara Mehroze Shachi

Mir Shahrukh Islam

Entrepreneur Founder - Bondstien

An entrepreneur by profession, Mir Shahrukh Islam always wanted to change people’s lives by providing them the easiest access to facilities.

Mir mentions that the hub is a treasure trove of skills, and it has indeed shaped him thoroughly. “I am the youngest shaper in the Dhaka Hub and this hub not only gave me the chance to work for making a more inclusive Dhaka but in the process it has further helped me

“I can use my strengths to make a difference like a superhero,” -Kazi Istela Imam

“This beautiful thread spread across the “This beautiful thread spread across the lands the second and foremost aspect lands is is the second and foremost aspect ofof Global Shapers that attracted me Global Shapers that attracted me toto bebe aa part the platform,” part ofof the platform,” -Adnan MS Fakir -Adnan MS Fakir

where whereallalltheir theirpowers powers combine combineforforthethegood goodofof thetheplanet! planet!“I“Ican canuse usemymy strengths strengthstotomake makea a difference differencelike likea a superhero,” superhero,”she shesmiles. smiles.

Istela’s Istela’sfirst firstproject projectforfor thethehub hubbegan beganwith withThe The InvisiBellas, InvisiBellas,which whichgave gave her herthetheopportunity opportunitytoto push pushher her boundaries.“Being boundaries.“Beinginina a managerial managerialposition positionand and heading headinga team a teamofof1414 artists artistshelped helpedmemeexplore explore ananarea areaoutside outsidemymyusual usual comfort comfortzone zoneand and sharpen sharpenmymypeople people skills,” skills,”she sheadds. adds.

A Afreelance freelancegraphics graphics designer, designer,Istela Istelais is involved involvedininthethestreet streetartart project, project,The TheInvisiBellas, InvisiBellas, where wherethetheobjective objectivewas was totoshed shedlight lightononeveryday everyday struggles strugglesofofwomen women through throughart, art,and andstart starta a conversation conversationwhile while educating educatingthethe community. community.

Adnan Adnan MS MS Fakir Fakir

Economics Economics && Heritage Heritage Founder Founder - Finding - Finding Bangladesh Bangladesh

Adnan’s Adnan’spassion passionforforthethe hub hubwas wasfuelled fuelledbybythethe peers peersininthetheshapers shapers community. community.

“What “Whatattracted attractedmemefirst first totoGlobal GlobalShapers Shaperswere were thethebrilliant brilliantpeople people involved involvedand andSalman’s Salman’s persuasion,” persuasion,”hehesays. says.

Looking Lookingatathishis experiences experiencesasasa shaper, a shaper, Adnan Adnansays, says,“I“Ihave have gotten gottenmuch muchmore more globally globallyconscious consciousthan than before. before.The Thestories, stories,

perspectives perspectivesand anddiversity diversitythey theybring bring arearebound boundtotochange changeyour your perception; perception;you youarearenonolonger longerable abletoto confine confineyour yourcitizenship.” citizenship.”

Adnan Adnanaddresses addressesthetheglobal globalculture culture asasananenabler enablerofofcountless countlesschanges. changes.

“You “Youcan candefinitely definitelyexpect expectmore more changes changesininthethefuture futureininterms termsofof our ouridentity. identity.Whether Whetherit itis isa good a good thing thingorora bad a badis ishonestly honestlya matter a matter ofofsubjective subjectivesemantics. semantics.Socially, Socially, however, however,I do I dobelieve believethis thisunison unisonis is symbiotic, symbiotic,with withmuch muchtotolearn learnand and give, give,”he ”hehighlights. highlights.

He’s He’scurrently currentlydealing dealingwith withresearch research projects projectscircumventing circumventingissues issuesofof domestic domesticviolence, violence,community communityroles roles towards towardschild childmalnutrition, malnutrition,long long term termhealth healtheffects effectsofofthethe1971 1971war war and and1974 1974famine famineand andwhether whether Piketty’s Piketty’sunified unifiedtheory theoryholds holdsforfor developing developingcountries. countries.Apart Apartfrom from that, that,Adnan Adnanis isalso alsopart partofofa data a data analytics analyticsstart-up, start-up,aimed aimedatata very a very niche nichemarket, market,which whichprovides provides workshops workshopsononquantitative quantitative methodology methodologytotobudding buddingresearchers researchers and andanalyses analysesmarket marketdata dataforfor corporate corporatedecision decisionmaking. making.His His project projectFinding FindingBangladesh Bangladeshis isa a documentary documentaryfilm filmseries seriesononhistories, histories, mythologies mythologiesand andlegends legendsofof Bangladesh Bangladeshaimed aimedatatlinking linkingthethetales tales ofofthethedistant distantpast. past.

Anjali Anjali Sarker Sarker

Social Social Development Development Deputy Deputy Manager Manager - Social - Social Innovation Innovation Lab, Lab, BRAC BRAC

The Theidea ideaofofworking workingclosely closelywith withanan amazing amazinggroup groupofofyoung youngleaders leadersonon pressing pressingchallenges challengeswas wasintriguing intriguingtoto Anjali.

Anjali.

“They “Theywere weretruly truly‘misfits.’ ‘misfits.’Seeing Seeing them, them,I got I gotinspired inspiredtotojoin jointhis this wonderful wonderfulplatform,” platform,”she sheexpresses. expresses.

Anjali Anjalimentions mentionsthat thatthrough throughthethe hub, hub,she shegot gotthetheunique uniqueopportunity opportunity totoexpand expandher herprofessional professionalnetwork network

“It’s “It’s a different a different type type ofof bonding bonding we we have have among among us, us, where where we we can can comfortably comfortably count count onon each each other. other.

I believe I believe that that being being aa part part ofof this this group group made made me me a better a better person,” person,” -Anjali -Anjali Sarker Sarker

“What Bangladesh needs alongside is vertical growth i.e. creating something of value on its own, something fundamental to this land and contributes in the global fabric of development,” Md. -Mahmudul Kabir

while engaging with people outside her sector in a meaningful way. “It’s a different type of bonding we have among us, where we can comfortably count on each other. I believe that being a part of thisgroup made me a better person,” she prides.

Anjali says that despite being a fairly new entity, the Dhaka Hub has already been recognized as one of the most active hubs in South Asia.

“Through our projects, we are consistently introducing new ideas, pushing for changes and inspiring many others to be changemakers, in their own capacity. Every shaper of Dhaka Hub is planting seeds of change in the society through different activities,” she points out.

She is currently associated with TaalGoal, an initiative through which they help underprivileged children change their lives through sports.

“We have been working in a few slums in Dhaka where we are giving football training to the slum children and youth,” enlightens Anjali.

Mohammed Jabber

Social Entrepreneur - Education Founder - The Tech Academy

When it comes to working for the hub, Jabber draws inspiration from collaborating and spending time with people from very diverse fields.

“On a professional level, Global Shapers enabled me to connect with some of the largest local and international organizations such as the embassies, the United Nations, etc. It greatly boosted the progress of my own organization,” he says.

He also says that being a shaper certainly helped in diversifying his skills and aptitudes.

Although he appreciates the fact that we have emerged into the global culture, Jabber believes we need to fight the belief that the success can only be achieved in the west. “We need to do so by increasing our confidence. That will happen with the growth of the local economy, politics, technology, agriculture and

various other aspects,” he asserts.

Apart from being involved with the hub, he runs his own school, The Tech Academy and a firm under the same brand that produces tech solutions for other businesses.

As a Global Shaper, Jabber has worked on numerous projects. “I helped coordinate two teams from Notun Bazaar for the ‘TaalGoal’ project, an inter slum football league.”

He also participated in the street cleaning project on the national clean up day as well as the street art project the Invisibellas.

Md. Mahmudul Kabir

Entrepreneur & Social Development CEO - Aggro

Mahmudul looks beyond his surroundings and acknowledges, “There are more people than we know or get to see in the mainstream media who are doing some amazing work. I wanted to connect, learn, and get inspired by them.”

The Global Shapers Community exposes him to a plethora of change initiatives and those who are making it possible not just locally but also globally.

He admires the strength of the group by tackling the community with a jovial, almost-casual-yet-very-effective work culture. “The omnipresent youthful energy and mutual respect for each other’s aspirations makes all the difference,” lights up Mahmudul.

Where change is concerned, he feels that Bangladesh limits itself to horizontal growth i.e. replication of ideas.“What Bangladesh needs alongside is vertical growth i.e. creating something of value on its own, something fundamental to this land and contributes in the global fabric of development,” he explains.

The dedicated shaper has been active with DhakaHub’s “the Invisibellas” Project, which highlights how women are invisible and unappreciated despite their unparalleled contribution in the

society.

He has recently launched his start up Arggro , to provide vehicles and logistical solutions to city dwellers.

Mohammad Tauheed

Education & the Arts Founder NeoArch Society & Academic Coordinator - Bengal Institute

“I also work for TED’s head office in New York as a part-time, off-site consultant/contractor. I help them with some small parts of managing the global network of TED Fellows,” -Mohammad Tauheed

“The Global shapers community provides its shapers with a worldwide network and platform to nurture and exercise their dreams or passions,” -Sharfuddin Siddique

Tauheed was approached by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in mid-2013 about starting the first Global Shapers hub in Bangladesh. “I met a program director of WEF at a TED Conference in Edinburgh,discussed the super potential platform for young ‘movers and shakers’,” he recalls.

Initially,he was sceptical as it was not answering all of his questions for due reason, as Global Shapers community was still hatching. “That got me excited as there was opportunity to shape the shapers platform itself,” he exclaims.

Tauheed finds beauty of the Shapers community in its diversity. “Global Shapers helped me to learn how to juggle with multifaceted problems and possibilities by helping each other.”

On the side of being a shaper, Tauheed is the curator of TEDxDhaka. He believes it is one of the prime repositories of ideas and inspirations from local and international communities in Bangladesh. “I also work for TED’s head office in New York as a part-time, off-site consultant/contractor. I help them with some small parts of managing the global network of TED Fellows,” he mentions.

In June 2015,he joined Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements as the Academic Coordinator. Bengal Institute is working towards an even bigger cause.

Sharfuddin Siddique

Entrepreneur & Social Development

At the hub, Sharfuddin is leading Taal-Goal, a football tournament for the under privileged children of

Dhaka city with a belief that sports can have a huge impact on the social and behavioural structure.

He is also part of the Aa-Kar initiative where he along with the other shapers are working on a campaign to develop awareness on implication of technology and internet at the educational institutions in rural areas.

“The Global shapers community provides its shapers with a worldwide network and platform to nurture and exercise their dreams or passions,” says Sharfuddin. He says that the hub has given him the opportunity to nourish his initiatives as well as professional credibility.

According to Sharfuddin, the Dhaka hub of Global Shapers community has highly motivated shapers from a huge variety of professions, which has helped him to build a strong professional network. “Their overwhelming motivation and dedication towards their passion has also boosted my personal confidence and efficiency,” he appreciates.

Moreover, he also mentions that our country can be greatly benefited by utilising such global networks and their resources to achieve social stability and cultural diversity.

Saif Kamal

Social Entrepreneur Founder - Toru

A travel enthusiast , innovator and social activist, Saif Kamal sees the hub as a platform bursting with opportunities. “The first thing that inspired me about this platform was the diversity of people. Each shaper has their own project and job and in addition as a hub they come together to build projects and sustain them.

Each member brings in diversity and knowledge. This is what makes this platform unique,” he says.

Saif states that running a social innovation hub

“While this has helped our social growth, it has put a dent on cultural values. To be Bangladeshi is a brilliant identity – a past with revolutions, a culture that boasts festivities ranging from Pahela Baishakh to Muharram.

Unfortunately we get drawn more to the Bollywood narrative, the Pakistani fashion,” -Syeda Samira Sadeque

is challenging in the Bangladeshi context. “We work in incubating early stage social innovations and eventually support their transformation into sustainable enterprises,” he briefs. The local and global network of the Shapers Community has been phenomenal for my learning and partnerships. It is all about connecting and empowering each other.

Saif has been the curator of the hub from June 2015 till present and it has helped him polish his leadership skills, specially managing a team which is full of successful individuals.

For Saif, globalization means inclusion, he adds “While we evolve and merge into a bigger global family, one needs to remember not to forget the values on what Bangladesh was founded.

We need to assure diversity, respect and inclusion of all,” he adds.

Recently Saif filed a petition demanding, ‘Every doctor and hospital, irrespective of public or private, must serve accident victims,’ with the help of human rights lawyer Sara Hossain. “We had our first hearing where the High Court ruled in our favour.

This is a long journey but baby steps can get us where we want to be in order to assure such fundamental rights for all,” he ensures.

she could do about them was write, with the hopes that it moves people enough to make a change.“Since joining the Dhaka Hub, I’ve been able to translate my role from writing to action,” she rejoices.

Through her eyes, she sees Bangladesh being affected in various ways. Global culture, in her opinion, has already affected Bangladesh.

“While this has helped our social growth, it has put a dent on cultural values. To be Bangladeshi is a brilliant identity – a past with revolutions, a culture that boasts festivities ranging from Pahela Baishakh to Muharram.

Unfortunately we get drawn more to the Bollywood narrative, the Pakistani fashion,” she states wistfully. Samira says that if we looked a little inward, and saw the value in our identity we could share that with the rest of the world, instead of trying so hard to internalise theirs.

The passionate journalist Samira currently runs a spoken word platform, Ampersand in Dhaka. “To my knowledge, it’s the first such platform for English poetry. We believe in safe space, community building, and creative expression,” she asserts.

Syeda Samira Sadeque Media & the Arts Journalist - Dhaka Tribune

Samira explains how the platform brands itself as being a group of ‘misfits.’“Having been a rebel my whole life, this resonated with me a lot. I always knew I wanted to make a difference somewhere, somehow with like-minded people,” she emphasised.

As a journalist, Samira has faced numerous crisis situations: from burn victims of political violence to marginalised communities in corners of Dhaka. Yet, the most

“We had our first hearing where the High Court ruled in our favour. This is a long journey but baby steps can get us where we want to be in order to assure such fundamental rights for all,” -Saif Kamal

Nahid Tabassum breaks down the cons of supplementary protein shakes

A A healthy habit goes a long way! Fitness junkies gravitate towards protein supplements and shakes craving for their quick and effective results but hardly many take a pause and consider the effects and alternatives.

These shake might lure you to yearn for a slick physique with six pack abs and solid delts but the side effects shouldn’t be disregarded.

Easy on the pocket Protein powders that build heavy muscles are expensive and hard to find. On the contrary, egg whites, cottage cheese, almond milk and peanut butter are easier sources to get your hands on!

Banana, strawberry or chocolate might be the best of the flavours, but consuming a warm bowl of cooked yellow lentils, kidney beans and broccoli will keep you fuller longer without the additives in protein shakes Easy come, easy go Tagged as health supplements, protein powders contain preservatives, genetically modified organisms, allergens like dairy and soy and synthetic toxins

like aspartam, saccharin and so on. The shiny packets of promises might not label the side effects but they are indeed there.

These processed powders are heated often to the level where the protein is denatured and unrecognisable to your body. Thus, it causes acidity, toxicity and unwanted disruption in your body that can easily be avoided by eating more organically. For example, a great smoothie option would be almond milk with flax seeds, vanilla extract, bananas and a drizzle of coconut oil..

Green peas, mixed nuts and edamame are also friendly green proteins for your body, so, go green!

Be slow and steady

These shake might lure you to yearn for a slick physique with six pack abs and solid delts No one wants to end up gaining weight in leaps and bounds without realising it. Protein supplements make you gain weight very rapidly that if you don't work out enough it may lead to obesity. Running after drastic changes might ruin your desired fitness rather than building it for the long term. Thus, it’s better to consume more plant based proteins that not only frame your body perfectly but also make you fit internally.

#BetterYou

A

As the saying goes, ‘To make money, you have to spend money.’ In this day and age, we’re certainly enthusiastic about splurging, given our endless wants and needs.

Unfortunately our income always falls short in backing up our desires.

However, all is not lost! You can easily curb the sorrows of cash outflow by investing in the stock market and engaging yourself in the market analysis.

“No work should be done without prior knowledge,” said Abdul Matin Patwary, the Acting Managing Director of DSE. He highlights that one should be aware of the market mechanisms before investing in the stock market in order to get the best results out of it.

In case you’re not familiar with the prerequisites of the stock market, you can pull up your socks and gear up for a great start. You don’t need an academic background in accounting or finance to understand the basic formula of gaining profit from the stock market. The return (profit) you make from a stock is as simple

b

Reap the enefits as buying the stock at a lower price and selling it at a higher price. After deducting the buying commission (approximately 0.4%) and the selling commission (approximately 0.4%) you will get your net profit.

Therefore, your returns depend entirely on the price movement of the stocks you bought. However, price can move in either direction for various reasons.

According to Nizam Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Manager, Product and Development, DSE “Before investing in any share of a company, you should go for a Trend Analysis i.e. analyse the fluctuation of the rate of share over the last few years.

This will help you understand the best time to sell or buy any share (Secondary Share) in order to get optimum profit out of it”. Here are a few tips to approach the stock market If your capital is limited at the initial stage, you can start with buying IPO (initial public offering) where the rate of share is quite low. “For beginners, it is advisable to sell it as soon as the price gets higher so as to avoid any losses,” advises the GM of Admin and HR, DSE. Definitely, you don’t want to lose money at the very first move of your investment in stock market.

Be convicted about your decisions before you commit to it. ‘Higher the risk, higher the return,’ the proverb might be a quick fix to earning a large profit from the stock market, try not to cave in to the ongoing speculation in the market. Instead,

buy shares after careful consideration of the performance of the company; then it is unlikely that you will lose.

While you’re at it, keep in mind that share prices are also affected by social, political, economical and technological issues. According to Abdul Matin Patwary (AMD of DSE), “Authentic information about market and analysis about company’s EPS (Earning Per Share), P/E (Price Earnings ratio, dividend yield will make you knowledgeable about the market and will increase the chances to get a safe return.”

Take suggestion from advisors.

Your returns entirely depend on how wisely you select your stocks.

One way that you could possibly minimise your risk is by investing in different companies in different sectors which is referred to as diversification. Your advisors can suggest you good stocks but even they cannot assure you full return always.

As per Islam, the CEO of VIPB Asset Management Company, Bangladesh’s stock market was massively overvalued before the crash that started in late 2010. Now the situation is quite stable as SEC (Security Exchange Commission) is regulating the market quite efficiently. Moreover, you can expect return from stock market only if you choose the stock wisely.

Keep your spending habits in check and plan to invest for the long term which will eventually help you to play your cards.

Q

We often consider law and legal implications as something untouchable, as a result most of us fall prey to situations that involve fraud, discrimination, violence and countless other issues. Tax related laws often get a bad rap; if an individual doesn’t raise questions about the rights they are entitled to they might suffer a great deal. Here are a few questions on tax, answered by Barristers Syeda Faiza Hossain, Sarjean Rahman Lian and Anam Hossain from Fox Mandal Associates.

By Benazir Alam Who needs to pay personal income tax?

When does one have to pay tax?

If an assesse has a total taxable income during the income year which is in excess of Tk 250,000 and a woman has a total taxable income which is in excess of Tk 300,000; they become qualified to pay their income tax in Bangladesh.

Please note that the rules vary in certain exceptional circumstances, for example – a disabled taxpayer’s limit is Tk 375,000. For gazetted war-wounded freedom fighters the limit is Tk 425,000.

If an individual was assessed to tax for any one of the

three years immediately preceding that particular income year, that individual will have to pay tax for that year even if the income of that year was not adequate to pay tax.

If a person resides within the limits of a city corporation, paurashava, divisional headquarters or district headquarters and who at any time during the relevant income year fulfills any of the following conditions, namely, owns a motor car which includes a jeep or microbus or owns a membership of a club registered under VAT Act 1991 becomes qualified to pay tax.

If a person operates any business or profession

having trade license from a city corporation, a paurashava or a union parishad, and along with that operates a bank account will be liable to pay tax.

If an individual with a specialised profession registers with a recognised professional body as a doctor, dentist, lawyer, income tax practitioner, chartered accountant, cost and management accountant, engineer, architect or surveyor or any other similar profession; he will have to pay tax.

Moreover, if a person is a member of a chamber of commerce and industries or a trade association, that person will also be held accountable to pay tax.

If a person operates any business or profession having trade license from a city corporation, a paurashava or a union parishad, and along with that operates a bank account will be liable to pay tax.

If he/she is a candidate for an office of paurashava, city corporation, or a Member of Parliament; participates in a tender floated by the government, semi-government, autonomous body or a local authority; he/she will qualify to pay taxes.

What are the legal implications of not paying the tax?

If an individual fails to pay tax, he/she will have to pay the tax amount at a later period if the individual is found to be not submitting return or the tax amount.

Along with that, the following penalty can be imposed on a taxpayer.

In case of a new taxpayer a maximum of Tk 5,000 may be imposed on him.

However, in case of a person who has previously paid income tax - 50% of the tax paid in previous year or Tk 1,000 whichever is higher may be his penalty for evading tax.

What sort of investments give you tax benefits?

The maximum amount of investment that can be made in a given income year (July-June) is Tk 15,000,000 or 30% of total income

excluding employer's contribution to recognised Provident Fund (whichever is lower of the two). The amount of reduction from tax liability will be 15% of the investment that has been made within the above mentioned ambit.

The heads of investment which has been recognised to provide tax benefits are listed below: Life insurance policy for the assessee, spouse or minor child, provided that maximum limit is 10% of policy value.

Contribution to any provident fund to which Provident Fund Act, 1925 (XIX of 1925), applies.

Assessee’s and the employer’s contribution to a recognised provident fund in which the assessee is a participant.

Annual contribution to approved superannuation fund.

Investment in savings certificate.

Unit certificates and mutual fund certificates issued by any financial institution or the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh and its subsidiaries.

Government securities (including Development loans or Bonds) as the Board may specify in this behalf.

An amount not exceeding Tk 60,000 by an

individual in any deposit pension scheme sponsored by a scheduled bank [or a financial institution] Share or portion of the share of the assessee in the income of a firm if tax of such income has already been paid by the firm.

Contribution to Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Scheme.

Purchase of one computer (Up to Tk 50,000) or one laptop (Up to Tk 100,000) by an individual assessee.

Acquisition, through Initial Public Offering, of any stocks of shares of a company, mutual fund or debenture listed with any stock exchange.

Any sum invested by an assessee, being an individual, in the purchase of Bangladesh Government Treasury Bond.

There are various donations that also receive tax benefits.

Among them, some are Donations to a national level institution set up in memory of the liberation war; national level institution set up in memory of Father of the Nation; Prime Minister’s Higher Education Fund; sum of money paid to the Zakat Fund or as donation or contribution to a charitable fund established by or under the Zakat Fund Ordinance, 1982 (XI of 1982) etc.

A Recipes

ctive Eating

Aidha Cader gives you a guide for the best way to refuel your energy levels

What you eat has a huge impact on your performance and recovery, hence it’s essential to know what foods your body needs before and after a workout.

Before the workout

Whether you're tackling your first 5K or training for a marathon, it's important to fuel your body. Exercising on an empty stomach isn't the best idea. Fuelling up the wrong way before a run can cause stomach cramps, dizziness, and headaches.The body burns fat during your workout and cause muscle loss if you regularly work out on an empty stomach.

When you're hungry, your body goes into survival mode and draws protein from muscle. When this happens, you lose muscle mass, which can ultimately slow your metabolism and make it harder for you to lose weight. Plus, if you exercise on an empty stomach, you're not giving yourself the fuel you need to power through an intense training session.

Oatmeal tends to have a good amount of fiber and is a great meal to have on-the-go

A Small bowl of oatmeal

Photographer: Abu Naser

Ingredients 1 cup of oats 1cup of milk 1 ½ cups of water Handful of raisins Handful of chopped fresh fruit(Apple, Strawberry, mango) ½ tsp ground cinnamon Preparation Combine all the ingredients together except the fresh fruit and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the oats is cooked and begins to thicken.

Mix in the fruits and eat warm.

Banana pancakes Ingredients 2 eggs 2 banana, squashed ¼ cup ground oats ¼ cup quinoa ½ cup milk 1tsp vanilla ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp of honey Preparation Blend all the ingredients together to form a thick batter. Grease a non-stick pan and place it over the stove. Pour a ladle of batter, cook for a few minutes, flip it over and cook on the other side until golden.

Serve with a teaspoon of honey.

After the workout

During a workout, your body taps the fuel stored in your muscles for energy. After you've cranked out that last rep, your muscles are depleted of their glycogen levels. Eating protein and carbohydrates 30 minutes to an hour after your workout refills energy stores, builds and repairs your muscles that were broken down, and helps keep your metabolism up and running. Research also shows that your body's ability to refill muscle, decreases by 50 percent if you wait to eat just two hours after your workout compared to eating right away.

Thereby consuming protein and carbohydrates is best immediately after exercise.

Eggs and Tomatoes Ingredients 1 egg 1 tomato diced ½ an onion diced 2 cloves garlic diced 1 green bell pepper diced 1tsp olive oil Season with chilli flakes, oregano, salt and pepper.

Preparation Heat a frying pan with oil and toss in vegetables and garlic. Cover and cook for a few minutes until soft. Add the egg, season it with spices; remove from the flame and keep it covered for the egg to cook partially.

Eggs all the way Eggs are loaded with amino acids, antioxidants, Vitamin B and iron. Unless your cholesterol levels are high, there’s no need to stay away from whole eggs. It’s a fat free, high protein essential to build muscles and stay fit. Tomatoes contain an assortment of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that protect the body against many diseases. Eating more tomatoes and vegetables can help prevent bone loss, cancer, diabetes, kidney stones, stroke, heart attack and obesity.

Tomatoes also have specific benefits for men based on research done by the American Dietetic Association. It is believed that the lycopene present in them promotes prostate health.

Detox throughout the day Whether it’s binge eating junk food or chugging down large cups of coffee or fizzy drinks, bad eating choices are made by the best of us. However, all is not lost; you can kick the habit by cleansing your system. The good news is, you don’t have to starve yourself on an extreme liquid diet to do it.

Incorporating simple detox methods into your daily routine will make your body feel less sluggish. Drinking plenty of water is paramount to detoxing, but how much do you need? Drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water a day.

This helps flush out impurities, helps rebuild cells, and improves kidney, and bowel functions. Try starting your day by squeezing a lemon into a large glass of water. Vitamin C in lemon increases glutathione, an important detoxification compound in the liver which protects it.

Green Juice Ingredients 1 cucumber, peeled 1 celery stalks, chopped 1 green apple 1 bunch of spinach leaves 1 lemon, juiced 5 cm piece of ginger crushed 2 cups water

Preparation Blend all ingredients together in a blender. Store it in the refrigerator and hydrate yourself throughout the day.

Small meals You can improve your performance by eating frequently throughout the day. But snacking on cookies or candy won’t make the cut.

Instead, opt for nutritious food in order to give optimal athletic performance. Eating small, frequent meals help you fuel your body for optimal workouts and good health. Since active people get hungry every four hours, it’s best to go for a mini meal during lunch instead of a plateful of rice. This will prevent you from getting hungry later. Six small meals during the day is a good standard; while you’re at it, choose from different food groups so as to help balance your diet and provide the energy to maintain your performance. Try whole-grain or stone-ground wheat variety and reduced-fat versions topped with tuna, salmon or cheese.

Crackers with toppings Ingredients 4 crackers such as Ryvita 2 tbsp each Tostitos chunky salsa (ready bottled) Toppings: 2 tsp canned tuna, a slice of smoke salmon, mozzarella cheese, beef bacon.

Garnish: chopped parsley Preparation Spread the salsa over the Ryvita crackers and place the toppings on each slice.

Heat under a grill for a minute and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley.

Dinner delight Ever wondered why chicken is a staple food for many athletes and bodybuilders around the world? Because it’s an abundant source of the essential nutrient protein, supporting weight loss, muscle recovery, growth and all round optimal health.Chicken happens to be one of the leanest meats, After a hard day at work or gruelling workout, a healthy chicken based meal will kick start your physical recovery.

Baked mozzarella chicken rolls Ingredients 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated 5 oz. spinach 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp. olive oil 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese 1/3 cup egg whites, beaten 1 cup marinara sauce Preparation Cut the chicken into 8 pieces and pound them until they are thin.

Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and set aside.

Filling: Chop the spinach and sautĂŠ it with the garlic and drizzle the olive oil until barely wilted.

Combine the spinach with the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and 2-3 tablespoons of the egg whites.

Place the remaining egg whites in a separate shallow bowl and set aside.

Assemble: Place the chicken pieces on a flat working surface. Put a spoonful of the spinach filling in the middle and roll the chicken up so that the edges meet. Dip the chicken roll in egg whites, and then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Place in a baking dish, seam side down.

Repeat the process for all the chicken slices. Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated moderate oven.

Once cooked, pour the marinara sauce over.

Events

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Amari Treat your mom to a lavish Mother’s Day Buffet lunch and dinner along with indulgent Spa specials at Amari Dhaka. Dine at Amari’s signature Asin buffet destination Amaya Food Gallery, and get 30% off on lunch or dinner buffet for your mother. On this special day, indulge in a dining offer for four, where your mother can dine for free. In addition to that, Amari will serve your mother a complimentary cake & free foot massage voucher under this family dining offer. Amari’s signature Breeze Spa is offering a free body scrub for any spa treatment booked under 90 minutes.

These offers are applicable only on May 8.

For query dial- 0255059620; 01777770944; 01777769444

New Grill Menu at the Westin Dhaka The Westin Dhaka introduced the finest imported Australian beef steaks and the freshest grilled seafood everyday at Prego. The premium cut menu offers steak lovers the juiciest selection of high quality Aussie beef including grain fed, Black Angus and high graded Wagyu.

To ensure the highest quality, taste and texture the beef is directly flown in from the lush pastures of Australia.

For the seafood aficionados, the new grill menu offers Norwegian salmon, Atlantic cod, tiger prawns, local lobster and a delectable seafood platter consisting of prawns, calamari, mussels and barramundi. The premium grilled dishes can all be enjoyed via the Prego À-La-Carte menu everyday at lunch and dinner. For more info call +88029891988.

Esquire’s new outlet Esquire Electronics Ltd the sole distributor of Japan's renowned electronics brands SHARP, GENERAL and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, recently inaugurated a new Show Room at Salma Tower, Mymensingh Road, Tangail. Mr. Arifur Rahman, Managing Director of Esquire Electronics Ltd inaugurated the Showroom.

High officials of the Company and renowned business personnel were also present at the Ceremony.

Shakib Al Hasan endorses Huawei Huawei, a leading global company in ICT and telecommunication solutions, announced Shakib Al Hasan’s appointment as its brand ambassador for the Bangladeshi market. The partnership with the best Allrounder in the world highlights Huawei’s alignment with people and brands that demonstrate its continued endeavor towards creating shared value of connecting greatness.

The partnership between the leading global ICT and telecommunication solutions provider and the top Allrounder in the world symbolizes the start of a new innings of leadership of two great leaders.

The collaboration also signifies the start of a new innings of performance, where Huawei has been introducing innovative new products in the market under various categories, while Shakib has been a prolific and consistent performer in all forms of cricket.

Mr. Zhao Haofu, CEO, Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Ltd., said in a speech, “Huawei has reached an epitome of innovation and excellence in performance over the years. We have provided innovative networking solution to nearly all top global telecom operators

including leading Bangladeshi telecom operators such as Grameenphone, Banglalink, and Robi. Our customers also include Google - which you may know as Nexus 6P, created in collaboration with Google, and the Internet of Vehicles products were selected and recognized by leading car makers including Audi, Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen.”

Mr. Zhao Haofu further went on saying, “Huawei is the only company based in China to be ranked in the Best 100 Global Brand released by Interband US, where Huawei has climbed from 94th position in 2014 to 88th in 2015.

Huawei also ranked 70th in the list of most valuable global brands in 2015.

Most notably, Huawei ranked 13th on Fast Company’s Annual List of World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.”

Huawei believes that sports are a great way through which people enrich their lives, which is why the company’s commitment towards sports and cricket in particular among others, is extremely strong. Huawei highly respects the undying passion the people of Bangladesh foster for this great sport.

SSG Wins Global Brand Excellence Award Recently, SSG received “Global Brand Excellence Awards 2016” for Brand Marketing Excellence in Electrical and Electronics Durable category in the 25th World Brand Congress held in Malaysia. Aftab Mahmud Khurshid, Group CMO of SSG, received the award from Debashish Biswas (Country Head, CIMA India).