tmag volume 1 issue 34

Dhaka Tribune Tuesday, December 17, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 34

Against all odds

TMAG TU ESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2013

HoborodhConfused about the difference between a hartal and an oborodh? With the current situation it seems that there is none. But if you are still confused, term it as “hoborodh”ExampleAnita: Is it a hartal or an oborodh tomorrow? Natasha: Areh lalloo, chill! It’s a hoborodh!

Schools fighting back against the hartals

ModelShakil Sadat Hossain Zayed Zubair

PhotographerHomayra Adiba

About the cover

A weekly production ofDhakaTribune

EditorZafar Sobhan

Magazine EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

TMAG TeamSabiha Mahmud SumiRubab Nayeem KhanMunira FidaiNatasha RahmanSaudia AfrinTahsin MominBaizid Haque JoarderFuad M Hossain

ContributorsImtiaz SalimNabeela MRad ShararIrad MustafaMaisha Aniqa

GraphicsSabiha Mahmud SumiMohammed Mahbub Alam

Colour SpecialistShekhar MondalKazi Syras Al Mahmood

ProductionMasum Billah

AdvertisingShahidan Khurshed

CirculationWahid MuradEmail: [email protected], Website: www.dhakatribune.com

4 Look of the Week Self expression through art

8 Written in the Stars Futsol Fever

More insideGoSSIP12 Blush Much?12 He says, She says

PIcKS oF the WeeK2 Room of the week Rohini Alamgir 3 Doodle of the week Riaz Mahmood10 Guitar tabs of the week “Crazy” by Gnarles Barkley11 App of the week PushBullet

Your WorLD5 Car Talk Pagani Huayra5 FFPB9 Fiction Happiness knows no bounds9 Non-fiction Animal World9 Comic book “Qahera” the

superhero by Deena Mohamed 9 Book “Sea of Poppies” by Amitav

Ghosh10 Music Sounds from the aquarium10 Instrument Dugdugi10 Spotlight Panic at the Disco

11 Web critic 1,000 Awesome things blog11 Animation The Congress11 Movie Guerilla

FAShIoN4 Beauty check Cut the grease4 Wardrobe check Holud colours

reAL LIFe3 Events

tMAG SAYS2 Funk up your room Purely deshi2 FYI The winning bug3 School Survival Five things Youtube

can teach you6 Hot topic Schools hit back10 Playlist Top ten victory day tunes12 Listology Sore losers

horoScoPeS5 Your forecast

We know the hartals have long overstayed their welcome. While there’s not much we can do that, we can refuse to let that cramp our style. Last week we talked about drowning our sorrows in good food. In the spirit of Victory Day, we want to take a moment of pride in our schools for finding ways around the closures and strikes and putting education first. (Hot Topic, Page 6-7)

We’ve also got something for the sports lovers in a very special Written in the Stars (Page 8), something for the Fashionistas as always (Page 4), and some super hawt cars for motorheads to drool over (Page 5) while we wait for the streets to be

safe again.As we count down to the end

of a very tumultuous year, we want to put your stories in our pages. So come, participate in our very first Flash Fiction contest. The rules are simple. Send us a 250 word postcard story to [email protected] by noon, December 27, 2013. We’ll print the very best entries in our New Year issue. Best of luck!

For more gossip, news and comments, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dhakatribunetmag

Love from the TMAG desk

Editor’s note

You won’t find many people who enjoy agony as much as I do. My headaches are constant, I don’t know what I’d do if they went away.

Status of the week

I’ve got 99 problems, and 97 of them are due by the end of the week.

Quote of the week

Lingo of the week

Dear Readers,


Sheer perseveranceThe only hurdle in your path of success, is surprisingly, yourself. If you can let go of your ego, your fears, and your doubts, to simply face your problems head on, with a vow to not letting go until you’re on top of it, you will be on top of it. Giving up after a mild rejection will not win you any points for grit. Having a never say die attitude is gold.

Actions louder than wordsWinners are the doers. A work in

progress is something that inspires confidence. It tells you how far you have come and how much further you can go. It also hooks you onto the job at hand, until you’ve covered enough. Procrastinating is not a winner’s favourite characteristic.

Yes, we canIf Bob the Builder’s tractors and trucks can say this, so can you. And believe it or not, this attitude can inspire confidence like anything. Even if you

initially feel you aren’t cut out for the job you’re dealt, if you so much as think you can do it, you emerge stronger in your ability to actually fulfil the task at hand. Being your biggest fan has its payoffs.

Seek knowledgeWinners never stop learning, they are above inertia and constantly seek out advice from anyone they can learn from. Being a perpetual student is key to keeping your mind teachable throughout. Munira Fidai

FYI

Your Life2 tmag

NAMerohINI ALAMGIr

TMAG’s Room of the week!

courtesy

thE winning bug

Words in actionBe it a national leader’s quote or two lines from a patriotic poem, it always adds to the existing scene of the room. It would be great if the letters are in the red colour of our flag. Turn one wall into your canvas and put your entire patriotic imagination on it.

Clay passion For ages, our culture has been enriched with terracotta objects like dolls, vases, whimchim and much more. Once you place them in spaces beside the door or on your reading table, it will bring a very vintage look to your room. Also, create drama by adding ornamental clay vases and tiny green plants, as if the window next to your bed or veranda exists just to make you breathe safe.

Cotton love The almost lost heritage of Chandowa, the very deshi way to embellish the top part of your room can be saved. By characteristic, it looks soft, colourful, dazzling, and adorable and can cover the entire ceiling or just the upper portion of your bed. Flowers, village scenes or any historical moment can be illustrated by stitching it on to this canopy.

FurnishingsAnything low with simple designs goes well with this sort of a room. Opt for bamboo or cane over wood, since they are light and cheap. Also, don’t forget to hang a cane cradle at your veranda or inside the room. Remember, before you start revamping, think again why you are doing so. Love your country and be happy. Saudia aFrin

Funk up your room

PurEly dEshiWhy does a person want to renovate according to their passions? Most would say, to display their affection. But, the truth of the matter is much deeper that what it may seem. A person’s origin, history, literature, custom, and culture are deeply rooted within their personality. Since it’s December, the month of our victory, what can be done to show our love or devotion for our country? Refurbishing your entire room at very little cost, cultural artefacts, and lots of love would be a wonderful idea. Discover the gorgeous, yet very classic Bangali room decorating ideas from TMAG

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Plushies, puppets, and Pon and Zi. This corner is overflowing with cuteness.

Encores and bravos are music to simply anybody’s ears! However, real victory doesn’t come as easily as fake compliments do. Whether you want to kill your inner demons or prove to the world that you’re a go-getter, in order to achieve your goals, you need to have some traits in you that would take you one step ahead of the others. Fortunately, all these traits can be cultivated

AreADhANMoNDI


rIAz MAhMooD PAINteD “the INtIMIDAtIoN” AS A trIbute to WhAt he cALLS “oNe oF the

GreAteSt ArtIStS thAt hoLLYWooD ever hAD, heAth LeDGer”

EVENT TwEETs

SchooLogiSticS 3tmagSchool Survival

Pet Animal Photo Exhibition and Pet Care MelaDecember 25, 3pm Venue Drik Gallery

Performance arts “A piece for you, Dhaka”December 18, 4pmVenue Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, House 10, Road No. 9 (new), Dhanmondi

Miss Gorgeous Shopping ExhibitionDecember 19, 12pmVenue d’Popeyes & Miss Vanellis, ADC Empire Plaza, 91 Satmosjid Road, Road # 12/A, Dhanmondi

Annonymous Mask MarchDecember 19Venue TSC

How to tie a tieIt’s been too many times standing in front of a mirror feeling like a fool and trying to figure out the perfect knot. YouTube has numerous videos on how to tie a tie easily and also on different forms of knots. Take your pick.

How to wear a sariAgreed, it’s a real head scratcher unless of course you wear saris regularly. Keeping aside occasions like Eid, Puja, Pohela Baishakh and so on, very few teenagers drape themselves with saris. Hence, it is likely that you may not have much practice. There are different types of saris and different ways to drape them, and naturally, YouTube covers most of them. If you’re a first timer, the tutorials are quick and simple to follow.

Ways to wear a scarf Few simply wrap a scarf around for warmth like in the old days. However, nowadays there are many ways to wear them in style while fulfilling its purpose. Take a peek, it’ll come in handy with winter creeping in.

How to wear a hijabIf you are new to this, YouTube can

definitely provide you with many handy tutorials from which you can learn how to wear a hijab properly and learn more about the different styles you can adopt when wearing a hijab. All you need is an internet connection and a few minutes.

How to tie shoelacesWith all the lace less shoes trending in, people are starting to forget the sacred art of tying a shoelace. This is a life lesson worth knowing, for you’ll need it sooner or later. YouTube can teach you how, within a very short time.

rad Sharar & Baizid haque Joarder

FivE things youtubE can tEach youWith the wedding season prevailing, there are times when you need the help of someone while getting ready but if there’s no one around to help you, just go on to YouTube and make your life easy. Apart from teaching how to wear pants and be a ninja, YouTube has many things to offer. Things that we wouldn’t be so fortunate to learn so easily otherwise. So without further ado, here are five valuable things YouTube can teach you in minutes

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If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to [email protected] and see it in our weekly!

Confluence 13

“Confluenece 13 - the World Unity and World Peace Festival” at Lucknow was attended by a 12 member team from Scholastica, led by Farah S Ahmed, senior vice principal. The event took place from December 5-8 at Lucknow. Nine international teams and 54 national teams participated in this event. It was organised by City Montessori School (CMS), India Nagar Campus in collaboration with The World Peace Prayer Society and United Nations Information Centre, New Delhi.

Confluence 2013 was planned to develop, the love for humanity and peace and an appreciation for differences, in children.

TMAG’s DooDle of the week!

World’s largest human flag

To celebrating our Victory Day, December 16, over 30,000 Bangladeshis took part in creating the world’s largest human flag at the Army Parade Ground.

EVENTs

Hour of Code

To celebrate Computer Science Education Week from December 9-15, ISD hosted the “Hour of Code” on December 13, at their premises in Bashundhara R/A. “Hour of Code” was a global event that basically introduced its participants to the basics of computer coding and programming, all in one hour. The idea behind the event was to encourage those interested in the field of computer science, to come forward and get a real taste of what could be their future calling. More than 300 participated and Uday, a 7th grader at ISD, won the competition in the end.


Stop washing your hair dailyCleaning your hair every day, especially with shampoo, deprives your hair of essential natural oils. Over-washing forces the sweat glands to go haywire and produce more oil than you need, which makes your hair greasy rather quick. So keep a gap between washing days and here’s a secret: don’t scrub the scalp too much with shampoo. It irritates the glands further and makes them more active.

Choosing the right productsUsing the right shampoo creates a huge difference in hair appearance. Many shampoos use sodium laurel sulphate and other great cleaning agents. The problem is, it makes your hair too clean, and creates a similar issue of the overactive sweat glands. A simple way of avoiding these powerful agents is to buy natural products. You could even try dry shampoos, which absorb grease like magic and smell fresh. Conditioner wise, if you’re already taking showers a few times a week, you don’t need it. This will unnecessarily add to the grease.

Manage your hairHaving three feet long dreadlocks will undoubtedly make grease very difficult to handle. So if you have long hair which is naturally oily, maybe a haircut

is just what you need. It makes hair much easier to manage. In addition, timing is everything. You would want to wash your hair on the day before a wedding, party or other events. It’s wise not to take a bath the day before, or grease will build up faster than you can reach the venue. rad Sharar

Picking colourThis festive occasion demands clarity. Go with bright colours such as greens, pinks, and reds if you’re fair skinned. If tanned, mild sorbet colours are equally striking.

DesignIts best to stick to the classics, for the line between elegant and super cool is quite thin in these cases. You could pick solid colours, but it becomes a bit underwhelming, unless it’s brighter than the sun. Thin pinstriped panjabis have always looked smart and classy, and therefore are a good option. Sherwanis are awesome too and looks best when simple. Though, the risk kicks in when choosing shiny laces and heavily embroidered panjabis. Take a picture to see if you can pull it off beforehand. To even the scales, make sure to wear neutral pants with it, otherwise you’ll out-dress the groom.

AccessoriesWith winter coming up, pair your outfit with a scarf - thin mufflers will work to add flare to your outfit. Plain shawls can be a good addition as well. Watches also look great with panjabis, although make sure it’s not too big. Shoe wise, you may stick to sandals as the classic option; however, currently sandals-

shoes and loafers are more in. Unless you’re going in heavy, save the nagras for the groom.

DancersFor the performers, dress light, since bulky fabrics, shoes, and watches will weigh you down on stage. Always remember to wear something underneath so the sweat doesn’t kill your look. However, make sure the t-shirt inside doesn’t overlap the colour of the panjabi. It helps to keep an extra pair of t-shirts, for after the show.

rad Sharar

Wardrobe CheckBeauty Check

holud colours

fAShioN fAce-off4 tmag

Attention men, if your head is oily enough to fill a car’s gas tank, no need to worry. We’ve all been there. Here are a few steps on how to transform it into the smooth, clean, and natural-looking hair you’ve always wanted

Look of the Week

cut thE grEasE

wEar your discoursE and your Politics in thEsE bEautiFul graPhic saris. bE it your idEa oF Policing, or viEws about sElF-ExPrEssion, thEsE saris ProvidE grEat talking Points, and look chic to boot

Model Rifat Jahan & Ratri AhmedWardrobe Paera by Nawshin KhairGraphic ArtistSabiha Mahmud SumiPhotographer Homayra Adiba

sElF ExPrEssion through art

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Night skies glowing with wedding lights, shaking with muffled booming music and sweet with the wafting smells of biriyani, the wedding season has finally arrived. It’s time for a wardrobe check for the grand events to come, starting with the funkiest- the Holud


Street 5tmag

ARiES (MAR 21-APR 19) Self-doubt may get the best of you at the beginning

of this week. Refrain from making impulsive decisions.

TAuRuS (APR 20-MAY 20)

Expect highs and lows, in terms of emotions; this is

just a phase. Your confidence will be back in no time.

GEMini (MAY 21-Jun 20) It’s a good thing to take past mistakes into account in

order to improve your present. Just don’t dwell on them.

CAnCER (Jun 21-JuL 22)

Letting your guard down in the romance department?

You are entitled to dream a little, however, drifting off to fantasies won’t bode well for you in the long run.

LEo (JuL 23-AuG 22)

If issues related to family have caused you to have a

meltdown, talk it out. The more you sit on it, the more it separates you from your loved ones.

ViRGo (AuG 23- SEP 22)

This week you’ll have a clear view of who you are and

who you can be. Think about it, act on it, your goals aren’t too far from where you’re sitting.

LibRA (SEP 23- oCT 22) Living up to others’ expectations can get

frustrating. Without further ado, voice your opinions and take charge of your life.

SCoRPio (oCT 23-noV 21)

Skill building should be on your agenda this week.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you aint got it.

SAGiTTARiuS (noV 22-DEC 21) You’ll be known as the responsible one among

friends and family. People are counting on you, don’t let them down.

CAPRiCoRn (DEC 22-JAn19) If people are giving you the brush off, there must be a

reason. Look back at the old you and compare it with the new you.

AquARiuS (JAn 20-FEb 18)

Don’t hop skip from one opinion to the next,

especially when it’s about a certain someone. Word travels fast, they may not take it lightly.

PiSCES (FEb 19-MAR 20)

If you’ve been brooding over a past relationship, it’s high

time you let it go. Other relationships need your attention. Focus!

HOROSCOPECar Talk

It’s physically impossible to not like the Pagani Hauyra. It is the ultimate expression of motoring joy and passion, which combines striking looks with alien design. Even the blind can enjoy it, when they hear it, on a cold-start up and then when it screams down the track

MagnuM oPus

There are lots of comparisons to make between the Pagani Zonda and Pagani Huayra. The new car has a lot to live up to in terms of the speed and ridiculousness departments. At first glance, some might still say it looks rather calm compared to the old Zonda. Once you learn to say and spell it correctly, the Huayra (simply pronounced “Why-ra”), still makes you feel “very, very special.”

This new Pagani is mostly made of something absurdly called carbotanium, which you just want to keep repeating because it sounds cool. It was designed with absolute precision, to be light and powerful. It’s still stunning to look at, both inside and outside, even if it isn’t as ridiculous as the old Zonda.

The vehicle features a transverse seven-speed single-clutch automated manual gearbox mounted behind its unique 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged AMG V12 engine. In addition, it features active aerodynamics to reduce drag, improve stability and braking performance, ceramic brakes, and the list goes on.

That turbocharged engine and the clever transverse gearbox are perhaps the most notorious features. The Zonda’s heart and soul was its huge 7.3-litre normally aspirated AMG V12 engine. Surely turbos will simply compromise the throttle response, putting an end to that glorious sonic Pagani sound. And in a world of superb

twin-clutch boxes, like that of the Veyron, Pagani opted to go for a single-clutch box, because it is 100kg lighter. That’s Horacio Pagani’s obsession with lightness. Perhaps, but 720bhp, 737lb-ft and 1,350kg makes the Huayra faster than the Bugatti Veyron in terms of power to weight ratio.

With that being said, one would think the drama ends there but coming from Pagani, you won’t be surprised to hear the drama is yet to begin. The actual show starts as soon as you lift the gull-wing door and take in the glorious interior. Some might find it a tad ornate but when you slide into the driver’s seat those worries disappear and a smile cracks across your face. The details

are exquisite, the materials – titanium, carbon-fibre, and leather are all extravagant – and the driving position is perfect.

The thing is, an extreme car like the Huayra is always going to have its flaws. But as a supercar, as a vehicle that may brighten up other people’s day, by just being parked on the roadside, and as a machine, it provides substantial pleasure every time.

The Huayra takes some beating, but the fact that such a small company has produced such an extraordinary supercar, one that takes the fight to the best in the world, only adds to the feeling that this is something truly special. TahSin MoMin

FFPBFantasy Football PlayErs oF bangladEsh (FFPb) Fantasy lEaguE toP 10 aFtEr gaMEwEEk 15rank team Manager gw tot1 Sesc17 Shadman Haque 63 1,0092 FC Sharp Shooters Maruf Mahbub 65 1,0053 eBeastmode Ibrahim Mohammad 65 9924 Invincible Rashid tj 66 9755 noob FC Fathin Shadman Priyo 51 9756 Rakesh Challengers Rakesh Sinha 57 9677 enter Your team name Ahnaf Ahmed 61 9678 Gunners13 Md Abu Maroof 56 9629 Jokers Again Fahim Ahmed 67 96210 tomahawk Galacticos Rax Rahman 69 962

The code to join FFPB fantasy league is 975-707


hot toPic6 tmag

This past month or so has been utter hell, thanks to hartals, oborodhs, and mayhem on the streets. On one hand, there’s the constant fear, grinding us down past the point of exhaustion. On the other, the frustration and irritation of being stuck at home. Amongst all the incalculable losses we’ve suffered, and continue to suffer, is the blow struck to education. But we are nothing if not indomitable, and so teachers and students continue to fight back as best they can. This week, TMAG digs down to find out how schools are coping with the strikes

PhoTo: MahMud hoSSain oPu

SCHOOLS HIT BACKWhat initiatives have your school taken to help you combat hartals, and oborodh?

“With hartals and oborodhs showing no signs of stopping, we are in

serious jeopardy. Our O-levels are knocking on the door and we can’t go to school and

attend the crucial classes. Thankfully our school has designed a daily course pack not only for us but other classes too. This helps us to cover up whatever we are missing at school. Plus they have scheduled all our mock exams on Fridays and Saturdays. Even though it is a tall ask, it’s

better than nothing.” - Raisa Islam

Class-10, Mastermind School

“Even though we are not being able to go to school but we

are constantly being updated by the school admins, they are sending us our daily

assignments via emails. All our make-up classes are being scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays and whatever days are free of the strikes. Since our first term exams have finished before the oborodhs started, we don’t have much to

worry about for the time being. Shabab Rahman, Class-8, DPS

With the number of working days drastically cut down, schools have their work cut out for them, trying to finish the syllabus. Scheduling tests and mocks on the few working days we do get seems to be the default strategy, but the educationists have other tricks up their sleeves.

Many of the schools, like The Aga Khan School, DPS and Mastermind, to name a few, have prepared special course packs to help students complete their syllabi at home. Scholastica managed to prioritise fundamental subjects like English, Bangla and Math, and extended their weekend classes to complete the syllabus on time, so they’re pretty safe. Their O and A level students are solving past question papers at home. Nurun Nahar Gias, academic supervisor, senior section,

SRU, says, “Homework assignments are given in bulk according to syllabus schedule physically and uploaded online for complete availability. Any queries can be emailed to us, which we are happy to answer as soon as possible."

The International School, Dhaka (ISD), had remained open during the strikes, but for students who were unable to make it, they had a website called ManageBac up, where they pretty much followed the distance learning/online education protocol to complete their year’s work.

Sunbeams also provided homework assignments online, and via phone calls and text messages in order to cover their topics.

SchooLS FIGhtING bAcK


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SCHOOLS HIT BACKWhat initiatives have your school taken to help you combat hartals, and oborodh?

“Even though we are not being able to go to school but we

are constantly being updated by the school admins, they are sending us our daily

assignments via emails. All our make-up classes are being scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays and whatever days are free of the strikes. Since our first term exams have finished before the oborodhs started, we don’t have much to

worry about for the time being. Shabab Rahman, Class-8, DPS

LoSS oF INteLLectuAL

cAPItAL

1971 vS.

PreSeNt DAYTechnically, the two situations are not the same.

Due to a myriad of reasons, the majority of our schools and examination systems are not set up to groom intellectuals. The intellectuals that existed in 1971 and in the past did not become intellectuals due to standardised exams and not just due to their school hours. If students do become intellectuals, schools may play a part, but there are also other factors in play, beyond the school, which help transform the path of the individual to becoming an intellectual. These other factors involve the learning experiences the student gets beyond the realm of the school. In fact, from a perspective that may deemed radical, technically, these oborodhs/strikes do open up the time and opportunity for students to read or gain experiences that are not limited to school curriculum. Unfortunately, the system is such that the students will probably use up the time to keep preparing for their exams in a state of stress and uncertainty, which mainly emanates from the gospels of schooled education, sung cacophonously by their elders. Due to their socio-economic backgrounds, students may not have access to resources that can provide them learning opportunities at home, such as books and the internet, but on the flip side, how much of those opportunities do schools actually provide, besides the mere tunnelling through textbooks?

This does not mean that schools are totally useless – school are catalytic and do provide the sparks for students to keep on learning and educating themselves. Beyond the planned school lessons, schools do provide the safe, social spaces for students (and

teachers) to interact and learn from each other, but more has to be done for in curriculum/system design for the planned schooled lessons themselves to become supportive grounds for grooming intellectuals.

At the end of the day, all these strikes/oborodhs are doing is merely slowing down their time to gain papers of certification that can help them continue on their assumed journey to meaningful employment, but they are not preventing them from opportunities to become educated or becoming intellectuals. Being educated or becoming an intellectual is not just about getting a GPA 5 or a golden star. School hours are not the only means to becoming educated, so we should not let these political strikes demoralise us or hold our “education” back. If our school systems were set up to groom intellectuals, then yes, one may argue that the situations are comparable, but right now, the murdering of intellectuals is definitely a worse-off/horrific situation.

Now, if I was forced to draw a line of comparison, then I could say that both the strikes of today and 1971 create a state of violence, which prevents students from getting meaningful experiences outsides their homes and outside school. However, even if strikes were not going on, our rural and especially, urban environments still are in a “state” of violence, which is not safe for our students to get those meaningful experiences outside their homes anyway.

Shakil ahMed

educaTional reSearcher,

inSTiTuTe oF educaTional

develoPMenT, Brac univerSiTy

Even private tutors and coaching centres are stepping up to the plate. “I try to cushion the adversities by aiding them over the Internet using Facebook” says Akhter Ahmed, who teaches Business Studies and Economics, of his O and A level students.

This diligent educator also works the phone to help his students.Have the students cooperated with the circumstances? We heard mixed reviews. “My students were at first happy with the unexpected days off

but now, by common consensus, just want to get the exams over with” says Shafquat Huq, a teacher from the coaching centre CLASS. He has been working odd hours, taking longer classes to complete the topics.

Another teacher at coaching centre Authentica, Samiul Huq Chowdhury, says, “My students have mixed reactions to this situation. While all of them want this hartal rally to pass by at the soonest, students have relaxed their efforts and studies seem to have taken a backseat.”

A PrIvAte WorD


writteN iN the StArS8 tmag

The futsal scenario in Bangladesh has grown quite a bit in the recent times and people are frequently seen to enjoy this diverged form of football. TMAG’s very own Baizid haque

Joarder gets in touch with Ahmed Fahad, one of the founding partners of Enlighten Group. They organise “Shootout” which is a series of futsal and football events. All of them are 10th graders at Scholastica

Photos: courtesy

Futsal FEvEr

How did you guys start Enlighten? What motivated you guys?In 2010, my friends and I started to play a lot of football. We used to look for oppurtunities to play against stronger teams. On Saturday nights, we used to watch derby matches on television, as we still do, and wished to play in an atmosphere similar to that on screen. So, the four of us, Adnan Khan, Anisul Islam, Sheikh Iqram Mahbub, and I organised a friendly tournament at a local playground, with only a few teams partaking in it. It seemed like a good bit of fun so we kept on organising more tournments. In about six months, it seemed like we’d started a trend. We were actually pretty good at getting things done. So we tried out other events like gaming, birthday parties, pretty much any and every offer that came our way. From 2010 till early 2012, we organised about 14 underground football and futsal tournaments, four gaming tournaments, and a few other events. All of which were comparatively small scale events.

In August 2012, we had a monthly meeting in which our whole operation changed. We decided that it’s time to step up. We started to concentrate more on event quality, rather than the number of events that we host.

Now, I’m glad we had that meeting.

What is shootout?Shootout is a series of football and futsal events aimed to equate the beautiful game in Bangladesh. It’s one of Enlighten’s signature series. The goal (pun intended) is to create a platform for football and futsal lovers, and bring out the best in them. We believe that a footballer’s stage is his pitch. That is precisely why we look for new, spacious, and interactive venues for each event. We bring to you new, competitive, and of course fun ways to play. We present various individual awards, in order to encourage development among players.

On the day of the event, venues are wired with speakers, cameras, monitors, and ofcourse WiFi. The

purpose? We make sure the DJ drops a beat every time you score a goal, a cameraman takes pictures capturing you celebrating, a monitor is there to replay the winning moments, and to top it all, who doesn’t love free WiFi?

When organising events we don’t just make them competitive, we make them interactive and fun.

What events have you organised in the past?In the Shootout series, we’ve held four tourneys so far. The first Shootout was at International School Dhaka (ISD) in 2012. We had 24 teams, and about 240 participants. It was a success, and it led us to continue with what we started out to do.

Next was Broomfield Shootout. Broomfield is an Astro Turf ground in Banani. We were the first ones to kickoff a tourney there. This too proved to be a special event, in its own way. There were two seasons at Broomfield.

Then, came Abahani Shootout late August 2013. We had, again, a fair number of teams participating and throughout the series, we’ve had great responses from the underground football and futsal community. For which, we’d like to thank them all the way.

What are your plans for the future? With the grace of Almighty, we’re about to host our biggest event so far. Our upcoming event, GYC Shootout, promises to be the event of the year. Here, we’re introducing "Panna rules" and "Last man standing." This is a new format, being played for the first time in Bangladesh. The event is set to be held at Gulshan Youth Club on December 28. There will be stalls selling goodies and refreshments on the event day, thanks to our supporting partner Mehedi Mart. The event will be covered by Dhaka Tribune, Daily Star, The Independent, and Plaantik. We’ve got a lot more up our sleeves this time. I’d like to invite any and every futsal lover to be there at GYC, it’ll be worth your time, I can guarantee that much. Take a peek

at our event page (www.facebook.com/725687344110937).

What is futsal? What are the requirements?Futsal is not that different from football. It is played on a concrete court. An ideal futsal match consists of quick passes, freestyle moves, swift runs, quality goals, and lots of excitment. As to it’s requirments, they are very basic. A pair of indoor boots, five players per team, and a football is all you need to get your futsal journey started. Once you’ve got the ball at your feet, the moves come by themselves.

What is the futsal scenario in bangladesh? I’d say it’s reforming, since there was a phase where it started to dip but now it’s back. Currently, there’s a huge network of underground futsal players and there’s not enough quality tourneys going around. Some typical problems with the smaller tourneys, where the organisers don’t have much experience to start off with, could be that they can’t live up to what they say to the participants and they don’t go by the age limits.

These are things that can give underground futsal a bad image. But overall, I’d conclude by saying that we’re getting there. We’re definitely on the right track and we’ve got lots of talent in underground football, which will hopefully speak for itself, very soon.

Any message to the readers of TMAG?Do what you’re passionate about. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. It’s difficult establishing your ideas, but once you’ve done that, it’s an open road. Personally, I love helping start-ups. So, if you have creative and crazy ideas you want to share with the world but don’t have the right words to say, I’d be happy to help you. Send me an email at [email protected]. I’d like to thank you all for reading. Happy Holidays.


You write it 9tmag

comic book

no

nF

ict

ion

Fic

tio

n haPPinEss knows no bounds

vEilEd wondEr

Qahera is a webcomic created by a 19 year old art student, Deena Mohamed. The series was born as a result of a joke among her friends, but it soon rose to fame among comic fans. Stories delve into serious issues such as sexual harassment, fear, and cultural conditioning of Islam that is present in Cairo, Egypt. Elements of feminism is present, however, it doesn’t impose on going mad with power or equality for that matter (the episode Femen, did a good job in explaining that). Mohameds hijab clad protagonist not only feels strongly about male chauvinism and harassment, but she also cringes at the sight and sound of weak willed women. The episodes are based on problems that are prevalent in Muslim societies even today. Through Qahera, Mohamed explains how such issues will take time to diminish entirely. The artwork and sarcasm makes it a fun read and shows the readers a different side to feminism. This is a power packed comic strip with a rather uncommon hero; the episodes aren’t exaggerated at all and that pretty much sums up how awesome it is. Qahera comic strips are available for reading in Tumblr.

ruBaB nayeeM khan

“Let’s go!” He escorted me and pulled me up on the rickshaw. I was being suspicious about his health. I touched his forehead to see if he had a fever. He stopped me and held my hand with one and put the other around my waist dragging me towards him and putting a kiss on my cheek like he always did.

KKKrrraaassshh! Doesn’t really sound like the shattering of a glass window! But that’s exactly what Shabab heard when some street kids in their early teens, started breaking bus windows with extreme prejudice. Yet, it seemed like they felt a certain high from this kind of mindless violence, beaming with every window broken. Sadly, even before Shabab could realise the gravity of the situation, it got worse,

“It has been years, since we went on a rickshaw ride, right?”

“It has been years, since you gave time to me!”

Rizwan chuckled, I knew this smile of his; his smile hid a surprise for me. We went to Shahbagh and loaded our tummy with different kinds of roadside foods. We walked in the university area and recollected our love story which started in the corridors of one of those campuses. During that time Rizwan was always free for me. We used to go for movies, bunking our classes. He bought attractive flowers for me and dorned my hair with his hands. With every bit of movement, the glass bangles on my hand tinkled, which he bought me every week. But now, I could hardly see that appearance.

He snapped his fingers, flashes of the past faded away. To my ultimate surprise, he returned the old Rizwan to me on my birthday. We roamed in shopping malls

aniMal worldwhen two cocktails, the miscreants had rolled under the bus, exploded.

Shabab being a student and both a regular office worker, was well aware of the country’s chaotic situation. However, he also knew that work and life would not be put at halt. Shabab woke up early in the morning and started for his office. The traffic was much thinner than regular days. But clearly, there was a grim aura in the air. He boarded one of the safest travel vehicles in the city, a public bus and started for his office. He took a seat right at the very back of the bus, beside the window and started to wonder about his salary when the month ends. He didn’t notice that he had crossed the Kuril and Badda crossing.

This was when the gang of kids sprang out of nowhere, effortlessly hanging onto the moving bus and began to break the windows. Panic had struck the hearts of the passengers, which was quickly followed by anarchy inside the

bo

ok litErary oPiatE

Introducing Deeti, the Indian innocence; Zacharey Reid, the American sailor; Paulette, the French free-spirited beauty, and Rajah Neel, the proud and bankrupt zamindar. They meet in a journey where their fates and lives collide amid the deep sea for the first volume of a projected triology by Amitav Ghosh.

Ghosh presents us once again with an astounding novel, Sea of Poppies. Ghosh decided to take his readers on a self-styled epic cruise on a ship named Ibis, which carries convicts, coolies, and opium which occurred to be the economic theme of the 19th century. Ghosh dramatises his novel through the journey of multiple characters belonging to different caste, color, and creed on their way to the deep sea. The book pours us a volume of striking characters each representing a different

theme and premise. Ghosh’s dexterity of colonial history, cartography, and dramatic story-telling portrays his novel as a 19th century film. Every character is exposed to corruption, disguise, deceit, courtroom dramas, vetoed romances, floggings, dinner parties, mutinies, and widow-burning rituals. The novel started from the narrow streets of 1838 Calcutta and ended in the wrecked Ibis leaving the reader wondering impatiently for the unknown journey ahead.

One should really take a moment, breathe and then pick up this book, as there really will be no putting it down. Yet it could be suggested to be read slowly, in order to understand the inherent interpretation of the events that crosses from lush poppy fields of the Ganges to the rolling delirious sea waves.

ruBana iqBal PreMa

and by the time it was evening, I had a handful of bags containing my birthday gifts. He took me to Star Cineplex to watch a horror movie. Finally, before returning home, we treated ourselves to authentic Chinese food and ice-cream. The garland on my hair, the colourful glass bangles, and the big black bindi on my forehead made me look like a ten years younger version of “Shandhya.”

Being the workaholic professor husband, Rizwan never gave me the essence of our love life after our marriage. He was always busy with office, classes, and his students. I had been thirsty for his loving side for the last ten years. Well, I finally attained it. My happiness flapped its wings and made me feel like the queen of the world. Now, he has an abundance of time for me as he doesn’t have to go to university. The political turbulence erased the glumness in my life. ayeSha khan

bus. From a messy race to get off the bus, it became a small scale stampede, which only created more mayhem. Things went from bad to dreadful when the cocktails exploded under the bus. Shabab’s first instinct was to save his own life. He made his way to the gate, but then again he saw all the women getting stuck inside. He looked but he did not have the time, nor did his basic civilised mind work to give them a helping hand. Maybe the cocktail wouldn’t have really wounded anyone but the explosion and sudden window crash created confusion and turmoil and amid all that, no one really cared about each other. They all became a part of a harsh survival game, losing the sense of humanity and civilisation. Shabab got off from the bus and turned to look at it. He saw a crowd, who had no sense, human instincts, compassion, sympathy or nationality. They were all animals, including himself.

ruBana iqBal PreMa


`

` music

Stereo10 tmag

this wEEk’s bEst

victory daytunEs

1. Cholo bangladesh Cryptic Fate 2. Tritiyo Jatra Nemesis 3. Joyoddhoni Nemesis 4. Jaalo Agun Jaalo Arbovirus 5. Shoto Aasha Shunno 6. Ahoban Bohemian 7. Shamrachorajjo Alternation 8. Shada Kalo Shade 9. Aam Jonota Aurthohin 10. Purbo Digontey Khiyo

instrumentguitar tabs

sounds FroM thE watEr

toP

10

CRAzYGNARLS BARKLEY

Tuning EADGBe (standard) - Capo on 3rd fret

AmI remember when, I remember, CI remember when I lost my mind FThere was something so pleasant about that place EmEven your emotions have an echo in so much spaceAmAnd when you’re out there without care CYeah, I was out of touch FBut it wasn’t because I didn’t know enough EmI just knew too much

AmDoes that make me crazy? CDoes that make me crazy? FDoes that make me crazy? EmPossibly

noteThe entire song follows the same pattern

tiMElEss hourglassA very simple instrument to begin with, this instrument is a mainstay in our country’s folk music. However, besides being an instrument, it is also sold as a toy and is picked up by people of all ages. What is this mystery instrument, you ask? Well, it’s a dugdugi!

Dugdugi is a popular Bangladeshi musical instrument. Although it is also known as, Damvaru or Damaru, this percussion instrument’s name comes from the sound it produces. It’s shaped like an hourglass, and both it’s ends are covered with goatskin. A string with two small lead or iron ball bearings, is

fixed firmly around the dugdugi’s narrow waist. When it’s played, which is by rapidly twisting the wrist clockwise and anti-clockwise, the ball bearings hit the skin producing an earthy sound “dugdug.”

According to old Bangla literature, the dugdugi used to be played by lord Shiva and thus it is quite popular in India. In Bangladesh however, it is mostly played by gypsies, snake charmers, and jugglers. It is very appreciated in our country, since the Baul, who often play it, are a part of our culture. Their demand increases during Pahela Baishakh, Pahela Falgun and in other cultural festivals. aviTa Maheen

(violin), Sanjay (double bass/chandravan), ABS Xem (guitar, vocal), Shyamal Karmakar (dhol) and Mithu (sound engineer). This year they have released their debut album titled “Otol Joler Gaan,” this album serves music lovers with new sounds that has the potential to represent the depths Bangali cultural.

They have already performed at the Sufi Festival in Glasgow, Scotland after forming the band and have also performed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Music can act as a medium to express the freedom of mind, and can also touch souls. This becomes apparent in their stage acts, as they instantly capture the audience’s attention and leave them mesmerised with their sounds. As for the composition, the band

says: “While we blended various music, we felt there are very specific tunes that we need to put in the composition and thus we experimented with instruments, this generated the need to develop and improvise instruments to incorporate new sounds.”

Joler Gaan is now busy with regular shows and concerts. If you haven’t heard them yet then TMAG suggests you to listen to their album or better yet, go see them and experience the ultimate tranquility of true Bangali emotions through their live performances.

To get regular updates stay tuned with their official website; www.jolergaan.com as well as their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jolergaan.

iMTiaz SaliM

sPotLiGHtto vEgas and backPanic! At The Disco is back with their studio album, one that had moves away from their strict rock meets punk-pop sounds and pays tribute to their Vegas roots by building on a very 80s synth pop style. Having said that, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die never settles too deeply into just one sound. There are tracks like “Nicotine” and “Collar Full” which retain the anthemic rock sound of the band’s early work, despite the underlying dance floor intimations coming from the rhythm section and synthesisers. With “Casual Affair” they have gone into trance, with

the crescendo climbing toward the end before a sudden yet quirky transition to keys, “Far Too Young” has a spacey intro that sets us up for the dejected lyrics that echoes long after the final notes fade. A very popular track is the opener “This Is Gospel” which is anthemic and manages to show off the extent of true Panic at the Disco style and vocal range. Here’s the thing, the album isn’t everyone’s cuppa joe, but while listening to it, one must remember – There’s a Disco in their name that bleeds into their game.

naBeela MaSwood

The originators of “maatir gaan” blended with people’s life stories have been in existence since 2006. Their contribution to the revival of the folk music architecture has gained a massive response among the people. As the group says: “We are the children of the soil where the river purifies us. We whisper the symphonies of this genre in soft and soothing voices. Dark at night our dreams express themselves on a sailing boat in a land of natural abundance.” Joler Gaan’s music has created the ultimate source of natural sound and deep emotions. Typical folk music played with their unique instruments bears the flame of traditional Bangladeshi culture.

Joler Gaan comprises of nine musicians: Rahul Anand (vocal, flute, taraban, dotara), Kanak Aditya (dotara, banjo), Jarnal (percussion), Rana Sarwar (cajon/percussion), Shariful Islam


PLAYroom 11tmag

wE rEcoMMEnd

Despite the endless disagreements and intense disputes, there is one thing Bangladeshis of all ages and societies have in common, love for their country. Yes, patriotism runs in our blood and one movie which inspires such feelings is “Guerrilla.” This film was an adaptation of the novel “Nishiddho Loban” by Syed Shamsul Huq, and was released on April 14, 2011.

The realistic insight and depth of the film can be explained by the fact that the director himself, Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu, was a leading freedom fighter during the Liberation War of 1971. The film follows the story of “Bilkis” played by Joya Ahsan, whose husband died during the “Operation Searchlight” massacre. She puts the agonising pain of her loss aside and decides to take on the hazardous path towards liberation.

She thus becomes the central character in the movie, also a target for the enemy. Bilkis along with many others get involved in the publication of a secret English news bulletin “The Guerrila” thus giving the movie it’s title. The plot further reveals itself as her journey continues and she faces various traps and obstacles set by the Pakistani army. Her bravery and selflessness was portrayed throughout the movie till the very end.

This film reaches into the hearts of the people and their emotions, definitely a tear-jerker with a tragic but surprising ending. The star of the movie Joya Ahsan proves her versatility as an actress with an outstanding performance. Definitely worth your time!

MaiSha aniqa

lights, caMEra, ExPloit!

moVie

it’s thE littlE things

animation

web critic

thE PEn is MightiEr than thE sword

First there was Bitstrips, and everyone on Facebook had a go at creating their own comics, with varying levels of success. And then came the Happy Page. With simple graphics and a single line of positivity, it helped people count their blessings and share some happiness.

If you like the idea of The Happy Page, you’ll like the . The site describes itself as “just a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things.” What you basically do is submit a line stating what you find awesome, and in 1000 words or less, describe the awesome thing. If your entry is selected, it is categorised,

The Congress is a loose adaptation of a novel by Stanislaw Lem. The director, Ari Fulman frames the movie around the life of ageing actress Robin Wright (playing herself). Robin, after making some irresponsible life choices decides to sell the movie rights to her digital image to a big studio in exchange for a hefty sum of money, while promising never to act again. The studio, using the scanned image can then make movies starring digitalised versions of her.

The semi-animated film starts out as a drama about an actress past her prime but later evolves into a surreal critique on the commercial industry and how it exploits people. The combination of a real and an animated film does an excellent job. Besides the great storyline

and excellent animation, Robin Wright does a remarkable job in acting as herself and is supported by big names like Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm, and Paul Giamatti. Also, if you are familiar with cinema, there will be plenty of references that add a lot of humour to the movie. The movie is probably too experimental for its own good to win any awards. Also the fans of the book won’t be pleased by a lot of the missing elements (which isn’t really a big surprise). But Ari Folman still manages to pull off a great job in bringing forward the scary concept of this story. Using a combination of styles to make it an unforgettable journey from love to loss, delight to agony.

irad MuSTaFa

given a hi-res photo, and added to the countdown.

Every time they arrive at 1,000 entries, they are compiled into a book or calendar, or some such collection of positivity.

Even if you’re not interested in submitting, just reading through the posts will provide you with ample reminders that even when everything around you is going to hell, there are still little things that make life beautiful.

Check out the blog at 1000awesomethings.com

SaBrina FaTMa ahMad

at your FingEr tiPsaPP oF tHe week

Size 1.4MbPrice FreePlatform iOS/android

Transferring files or links from your computer to your phone or tablet can sometimes be a burden. But TMAG just came across a new app that simplifies things and does a lot more. It’s called PushBullet, and it allows you to transfer files, url links, notes, lists, addresses, and reminders to your phone or tablet. Want to send something to your friend’s device? No problem. You can even receive stuff from others as well.

It’s quite simple to set up too, all you need is the app on your phone and the Chrome extension on your desktop browser. Subsequently, you sign up using your gmail account on both your phone and desktop. You will see a PushBullet

icon at the top right corner of your desktop Chrome browser. Just click it to push a url link, a file, list, or quick note to the device of choice. For file transfers, you will need to use the website. PushBullet allows you to store multiple devices like your phone, tablet, and any of your friend’s devices. Just choose the device that you need to push to and you’re all set. The receiving device will get a notification of whatever is pushed, so either of you can quickly open it. The notification will stay until you swipe it away and you will always have access to all your past notifications from within the app, if you ever need to see anything again.

Adding to this, as of today PushBullet is now compatible with the DashClock lockscreen widget for Android 4.2 and above. TahSin MoMin


teeNArAmA12 tmag

I wore a top without a bra and walked out of my house like that.

With a tissue lodged up my nostrils, I showed up in front of my girlfriend’s window only to notice that her father was glaring at me.

My hujur was chewing paan and teaching me Arabic. He spat on me while pronouncing an Arabic alphabet with emphasis. There was a chunk of half chewed paan on my face.

I stepped on what I thought was a ripe mango. Turned out, it was a human turd.

I was at the mall and I bent down to pick up a bottle of shampoo from one of the lower shelves in the shampoo aisle. I heard a ripping sound, and the next thing I know, the zipper on my kameez ripped.

blushMuch?

1

2

3

4

Email your confession today to [email protected]

BackbiterAs the name explains, these runners up will congratulate you to your face, then go home and take your performance apart, piece by piece, having a negative remark for each of your mistakes. Oh, they will also have Facebook statuses where they openly discuss your shortcomings, but rest assured, only you know you’re being talked about. They’re pretty fair about anonymity.

MartyrsThese believe they have been wrongly judged but are generous enough to let you win. They will give you wistful, hurt smiles while congratulating you and if that doesn’t serve you the biggest chunk of self-doubt for your victory dinner, you don’t deserve the meal.

HulkThey make no bones about who’s the “real” winner. Threats going on abusive language and maybe a few punches, they ooze “macho” in the most incorrect manner possible. Steer clear of the chair they just hurled your way!

ContesterThey will smile sweetly and then go to the judges asking exactly how and why their oh-so-perfect piece of work stood second to yours. If your judge is a volatile personality, have your arguments ready. If the judgement is irreversible, chin up, give them a sympathy hug and walk away.

WaterworksThey will cry- not the bawling kind of tears, but the silent ones that make you feel guilty about a crime you did not commit. They will usually not create problems but don’t forget to throw some maltesers their way.

listology

sorE losErs

5

He says

She says

He saysI have always wanted to study engineering. After two years of studying my favourite subject, I had to shift to pharmacy because of my girlfriend. She wanted us to stay together in the same building as our departments were in two separate buildings. She threatened to breakup with me and I am too weak to let her go, so I ended up studying a subject that I wasn’t good at.

She saysMy mother is always in a hurry to marry me off. Although I am only 19, she insists that I would lose out on prospective husbands as I grow older. As much as I hate it, I am constantly forcing my boyfriend to finish his undergrad, so I can introduce him to my parents. I know he loves me a lot but this pressure to marry is really scarring our togetherness.

The problem of letting go of your passions

Sometimes we have to make compromises, tell a few lies, and curb our own desires to make our loved ones happy. But, when one starts losing their integrity and passion for all the wrong reasons, couples fall apart. TMAG shows you how important freedom is in a relationship

The problem of losing your own personality

He saysMy friends always told me I am too sober and calm about everything. It was hard to make me mad or upset. But since I started dating my girl, I am always ticked off about everything. She has a very loud personality, constantly screaming and shouting at people around her. I hadn’t realised how I too had become like her.

She saysI always thought that the more time I spend with my boyfriend, the closer we’ll get. However, when I hang out with my friends they keep complaining about how my accent and mannerisms are just like my boyfriend. Even the way I think is influenced by him, and that is just taking away from my personality.

tmag volume 1 issue 34

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