weekend tribune vol 3 issue 20

vol 3 Issue 20 | FRIDAY, sep 4 , 2015 Dhaka Tribune

5 shehzAD ChowDhuRY 7 wAteR

loggeD CItY 20 the Bong MoMMA

Dear Readers,

We’ve been talking to a lot of people this week, so put the kettle on the boil as we bring you the stories. Life and art chase each other across the

Travel the villages with Behula as we follow the Jatrik-Shadona cultural collaboration. Step into a space for art, as Shehzad Chowdhury talks about engaging with art. Have another cuppa with Supriyo Sen, whose quest to document the lives of others earned him international recognition.

Mohammad Rakibul Hasan joins us for refills as he talks about his film project and an untold love story from the pages of history.

Travel places, meet people, and spend a moment with God’s creatures in our special photostory.

This week, our thoughts were also with the roads as we tried to navigate common road markings that often go unheeded. If you can see them under the water, that is, and that’s yet another story.

Wrapping up this week, The Bong Momma talks about her family’s reactions to finding out the gender of the Jellybean.

Wishing you dry shoes and easy steps this week

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

Photo: Sabrina Munni

Editor’s note

Questions? Comments? Send them to [email protected]

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

1CONTENTS

Volume 3 | Issue 20 | Sep 4, 2015

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamSaudia Afrin

Moumita AhmedFaisal MahmudSakib MridhaSaqib Sarker

ContributorsMinu Ahmed

Syeda Samira Sadeque

CartoonistPriyo

GraphicsMd Mahbub Alam

Tahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisementZia Ur Rahman

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

ThE BONg MOMMaTaleS froM a firST-TiMe MoM

20

News 2 News

3 Meanwhile

FeatuRes 4 Feature

Jatrik tour

6 Interview Supriyo Sen

12 Focus Workshop

14 Listology lefty problems

15 Listology road signs

16 Focus inequality at home

17 Rant Waterlogged city

RegulaRs18 Stay In

19 go Out

INTERvIEwMohaMMad rakibul haSan

PhOTO STORyPlaceS, faceS, furrieS

5

8

9

TEa wITh wTShehzad choWdhury


2 NEwS | This week

China welcomes Sudan’s war crime-accused leader as “old friend”Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, an accused war criminal, as an “old friend”as China’s foreign ministry defended his invite to a military parade to mark the end of World War Two.

The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Bashir in 2009 and 2010, accusing him of masterminding genocide and other atrocities in his campaign to crush a revolt in the western Darfur region.

Members of the ICC are obliged to act on arrest warrants, but China is not a member. Meeting in Beijing’s cavernous Great Hall of the People, Xi lauded the partnership between the two countries.

“You are an old friend of the Chinese people,” Xi told Bashir,. “China and Sudan are like two brothers that are also good friends and partners.” Bashir also said he was very happy to have been invited the parade.Photo: AP

The world at a glance Weekend Tribune Desk

Obama changing name of Alaska’s Mount McKinley to Denali

Pope Francis has done it!On Tuesday, he called on priests

to pardon women who have abortions, and the doctors who perform them.

“I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it,” he said.

In a message outlining special measures for the Jubilee year

starting in December, Francis said he knew that while “the tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness... many others... believe that they have no other option”.

Abortion is considered a particularly serious sin and is punishable under Canon law by excommunication, by which those guilty are expelled from the Church and considered to be condemned to Hell in the afterlife.Photo: Reuters

You can’t call America’s tallest mountain as Mount Mckinley now.

President Barack Obama officially restored Denali as the name of North America’s tallest mountain, siding with the state of Alaska in ending a 40-year battle over what to call a peak that has been known as Mount McKinley.

The historic change came at the beginning of a three-day presidential trip to Alaska which started on Monday, was a sign of how hard the White House will push during Obama’s remaining 16 months as president to ensure his fight to address climate change is part of his legacy.

Renaming the mountain, which has an elevation of more than 20,000 feet (6,100 meters), makes headlines for his climate quest while also creating goodwill in a state that has not been broadly supportive to the Democratic president.

The peak was named Mount McKinley in 1896 after a gold prospector exploring the region heard that Ohioan William McKinley, a champion of the gold standard, had won the Republican nomination for president.

But Alaska natives had long before called the mountain Denali, meaning “the High One.” In 1975, the state of Alaska officially designated the mountain as Denali, and has since been pressing the federal government to do the same.

President Obama finally heard their call.Photo: AP

A Dhaka court has awarded the death penalty to three persons for killing an O-level student in 2000.

Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 Judge, Abdur Rahim Sardar passed the judgment on Tuesday afternoon in presence of the convicts.

The convicts are Md Ziaur Rahman, Alamgir, and Salauddin.

The court also fined them Tk10,000 each.

Md Ammar Shamshi, son of Towfiq Shamshi and an O-level student of Dhanmondi Memorial Ideal School, was abducted on October 16, 2000.

The victim’s father filed a case at the Lalbagh police station on

October 19, after he got a ransom call from the kidnappers.

According to the case statement, the kidnappers took the victim to National Park in Gazipur and suffocated him to death.

The kidnappers were arrested when they went to take the ransom money from the victim’s father on October 25.

Later, they gave confessional statement before the court.

The court framed charge against the accused on May 28, 2002, after DB Inspector Shadekul Islam submitted the charge sheet on May 31, 2001.Source: Dhaka Tribune

Pope tells priests to pardon women who have abortions

Three to die for killing schoolboy


. . . MEaNwhILE 3

The world’s most famous mummy, Tutankhamun, was buried with his penis standing at a 90 degree angle, it has been claimed.

An expert in Egyptology believes the everlasting erection was made to make King Tut look like Osiris, the god of the afterlife.

Why? You ask. According to Egyptologist

Salima Ikram, professor at the

American University in Cairo, it was to counter efforts by his father King Akjenaten to establish a religion of one god.

Akhenaten wanted to focus on the worship of Aten, the sun disc, and destroyed images of other gods.

King Tut had, however, worked to reverse his father’s ideology and return Egypt to the traditional

worship of many gods.Professor Ikram believes

he was buried with his erect manhood in a bid to continue his endeavour even in death.

She believes the upright penis broke off after the discovery of the tomb, despite speculation that it was stolen.Source: Daily Mirror

Once a refrigerator staple, milk sits squarely in the middle of opposing camps: For some, it’s verboten, while others (endurance athletes, for the most part) champion milk as an essential part of their recovery. Even more recently, legions of health fanatics have come out in favor of the unpasteurized kind. So, should dairy be demonized, or does it (actually) do a body good? Let’s find out.

If I’m not lactose intolerant or lactose sensitive, is there a good reason to cut out milk?No.“Cow’s milk gets a bad rap, but it’s actually an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients

most Americans lack,” says Torey Armul, RD, a Chicago-based dietitian, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and ultramarathoner. And it has 8 grams of protein per cup, which helps you feel full and can control appetite. Skeptics say that we’re the only species that drinks the milk from another species, yet humans have a much more diverse diet than probably any other species, Armul says.

Even if I drink milk, should I make non-dairy milk part of my diet?Probably. Non-dairy milks come in lots of forms: soy, nut, rice, hemp,

quinoa and more. The key is to determine the nutritional need it fills. For instance, almond and cashew are low in calories, but also lack protein, while soy milk has as much protein as cow’s milk but may be higher in calories, Armul says. Hemp milk falls somewhere in the middle, with about 70 calories per serving, along with some protein and fiber. No matter what, go for the unsweetened kind.

Some athletes tout milk for post-workout recovery. Should I try it?Yes. There are a few reasons milk’s a go-to. For one it’s a truly all-natural alternative to protein bars and powders. And research suggests

it’s great for building muscle after a strength training session. It may even help stave off post-workout hunger: Researchers at Northumbria University in the UK found that women who drank 2½ cups of skim milk after 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous cycling ate significantly less during lunch an hour later compared with women who drank the same amount of orange juice. Go organic, which research suggests contains more omega-3 fatty acids, which is important for staving off heart disease.Source: equinox.com

Three things you need to know about milk

A father guides his son into a mosque for prayers.Photo: Md Kowshikur Rahman

You’re welcome

Photo of the week

Say what? Tutankhamun’s penis was fully erect when he was mummified so he would look like a god in the afterlife


4 FEaTuRE | JaTrik Tour

Children in Bangladesh have grown up with the folk tale of Behula. It celebrates the strength of

women in Behula’s refusal to accept fate, and the power of Manasa, the female energy looking over our land. Behular Lachadi is a folk dance drama enacted by communities all over Bangladesh, under different names.

Jatrik and Shadhona – A Centre for Advancement of South Asian Culture, have put together a tour to the heart of rural Tangail to experience this unique and fascinating performance celebrating the victory of female forces. The tour will also feature a curated boat ride with Behular Lachari performers.

The performances will be at a competition featuring the best troupes from the Tangail and Ghatail districts. The competition will be opened by the honourable Minister for Cultural Affairs, Asad uz Zaman Noor. The distinguished judges for the competition include: Dr Shamsuzzaman Khan, Director General of Bangla Academy, Professor Jamil Ahmed of Dhaka University, dancer and sanskrit scholar, Lubna Marium and Md Rezaul Huq Sholok of the Toma Shilpi Goshthi, Kushtia.

Their journey will start at 5:30am, on Friday, September 18. They will be serving breakfast on the boat in the morning, and a folk band will be there to entertain everyone. In the afternoon, guests will be treated to drive to Bhuapur for Behular Lachari Competition, with the opening ceremony being graced by the honorable Minister for Cultural Affairs, Asad uz Zaman Noor. This will be followed by a drive back to Dhaka, with dinner en route. The total cost of the tour will be Tk4,500.

The Myth of ManasaThe Manasamangal texts, redacted between 13th and 15th century, is about the victory of the primordial Female Deity, later assimilated into the Brahmanical pantheon. In it, Chand Saudagor refuses to worship Manasa, who pledges to cut off his progeny. After killing off six sons, she decides to kill the seventh on his wedding night by sending a serpent into his armored bridal room. When Behula, the bride, wakes to find her husband dead, she refuses to accept Manasa’s admonishment, and takes the corpse on an epic journey on a tiny raft to get her husband back.

Manasa’s authority and Behula’s heroism have been celebrated in various forms in various parts of Bengal and surrounding areas, through centuries of cultural transformation and political upheaval. Therefore, this Bengali folklore is a potent victory of female forces.

In rural communities like Tangail and Ghatail, Behular Lachari performers are also respected as Ojhas, healers of snake-bites. Their dance is a part of the healing ritual. Before each Lachari performance, a puja is offered to Manasa.

The HostsJatrik is a cultural tourism and arts management company. It lets urban and non-Bangladeshi communities experience rural Bangladesh’s incredible literary and musical heritage. Jatrik is best known for putting on the Hay Festival, Dhaka, the city’s largest international literary festival. Shadhona — A Centre for Advancement of South Asian Culture, has been working tirelessly for the past 25 years to promote the performing arts of South Asia. n

Naushad Ali Husein

Behular Lachari: a cultural tour

Photos: Jaglul Pasha Rushow


Why and when did you start LL? I started the series in 2003, at a friend’s apartment in Dhanmondi. It was for 3-4 days. I wanted to make something open to the community. I have always loved art. But while living abroad, I saw the amount of resources available to artists there, and I realised how there is so much talent in Bangladesh but so few facilities.

We don’t need a formal place for art. When you’re surrounded by creative energy, it’s also an inspiration for you. It’s an intoxication of ideas: people discuss great ideas, and then work on them and produce it. And you feel a great sense of belonging in their works, through your effort.

So, for the first time, a few of us got together and put it up, and it turned out to be a really big hit.

What draws you to art?I think we’re all Gods and Goddesses. Art gives us the consciousness to become that, to aspire for that. That’s what I love about it.

I always loved art, my family has loved art, and I grew up with an architect uncle who was always making designs. I’ve grown to believe art is equal to humanity, consciousness, love. And I love to be around that energy as much as possible.

You’ve always maintained the presence of different genres at LL. Why is that so crucial?I have a very broad definition of art. The process of art doesn’t happen at the artist’s end – it happens at the viewer’s or consumer’s end. That particular transformation and interaction where the viewer comprehends the work is where the art is.

So, by that logic, there is art in everything – from our daily clothes, to our food to graffiti. And we promote the idea that there is art everywhere, if you just have to engage with it.

What have you discovered about the art scene in Bangladesh while you approach artist? We’ve grown up in a conservative society, hearing “no” and “don’t follow your dreams,”and so on. Through my journey as a curator at LL6 and the director of Dhaka Art Centre, I’ve learned that if we start saying yes, it’s unbelievable what people can deliver.

How do you think art has transitioned over time in our culture?Since the fall of the Soviet Union, we’ve been going through this interesting change – our people are at the cusp of understanding the capital. Our way of living, lifestyles, intellectuals, especially those in

charge of culture of arts - their orientation was predominantly towards the socialist ideology. Since we’ve become a consumer-based society, this particular balance system has really shifted in many ways. Today, a big part of art is the entrepreneurship itself, you have to decide how to market yourself.

At the same time, art is somehow considered to be only for a limited few. I disagree. Everyone understands and responds to art. For some, going to the cinemas is an art, putting a beaded necklace around a holy book on the shelf can be considered a form of art as well. Art is for everyone, and it is continuously being made and practiced by everyone.

It’s just that the kind of art we’ve been exposed to is very different from our ancestor’s understanding of art and artists. There was a time when artisans were artists. The artwork on jamdani, kobi-lorai or jatra, nomadic bauls singing – these kinds of art has been ingrained in our societies. People interact with them whether you want them to or not.

Thus, our complain that people don’t engage in art is not true. Art has just gone through a huge transition in terms of its definition. People engage in the arts in their own ways, just different from what we’ve been traditionally made to believe. n

Syeda Samira Sadeque

shehzad Chowdhury | TEa wITh wT 5

We’re all gods and goddesses; art gives us consciousness to become that

Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu

LL6 is open everyday from 2pm – 9pm, and located at Bay’s Bellavista, Road: 11, Block C, Banani. The Dhaka Tribune is a media partner of the event.

For further information, visit their page: www.facebook.com/LaitudeLongitude6

This summer, Longitude Latitude 6 (LL6), a series of exhibitions and workshops featuring artists from various genres, took over Dhaka with their eclectic collection and shows. They have hosted photography exhibitions, interactive art sessions, poetry workshops, musicians – the entire range. They have ongoing exhibitions till October. It is the sixth edition of the Longitude Latitude (LL) series, which began in 2003.

Shehzad Chowdhury is the founder and curator of this series, and believes in making art available and accessible to all. A photographer and previously the director of The Dhaka Art Centre, he discusses art through the lens of politics, history, humanity, and sustainability. Syeda Samira Sadeque sits down with him for a chat.


6 TEa wITh wT | supriyo sen

When I met Supriyo Sen, the acclaimed Indian film-maker at the third floor of Aziz

Super Market, it was pouring heavily outside. His film was screening inside the auditorium of Bangladesh Short Film Forum.

I caught him at the door of the auditorium. Before I started

questioning him, he threw one glance at me, and asked: “Aren’t you watching the film?”

I was kind of caught off guard. “I watched the first 15

minutes. It was amazing, but I have a deadline,” I replied. It was about 7 pm.

“Journalists! always in a rush,” he said with a smile. “I used to be one. Did you know that?”

I didn’t but I gave him an impromptu reply: “Your films do display elements of journalism.”

Documenting uncharted territoriesThe film Hope Dies Last in War, which was being screened inside the auditorium, did indeed have journalistic elements. It had human interest as well.

“It is about 54 Indian soldiers who were taken as prisoners of war (PoW) during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

“It was your liberation war and our Indian soldiers also fought valiantly with the Bangladeshi soldiers and the freedom fighters. But that was on the Eastern Front.”

“On the Western front, we had a full fledged war going on against Pakistan since December 3, 1971, and eventually we declared war against Pakistan,” said Sen, adding that it’s this side of the 1971 liberation that many Bangladeshi people are unaware of.”

“I also wasn’t conscious about this particular part of history but that changed in 2004, when I read a newspaper article about the waiting of the wife of an Indian soldier who was taken as PoW during the 1971 war,” he said.

Sen said that on December 5, 2004 he was accompanied her, Damayanti Tambay, wife of Flt Lt V V Tambay to Ambala Cantonment from where her husband took off for the last time on the same day 33 years ago.

“I asked, how she could wait alone for such a long time? Even Winnie Mandela did not have to wait so long for Nelson.

“She had replied that it was the unconditional, unwavering love for her husband that had driven her to set on such an endless journey. I was moved,” said Sen. “That was the

In conversation with the acclaimed Indian film-makerFaisal Mahmud

A portrayal of endless hope


7

moment I realised that I have to tell this love story to the world.”

The reason behind the title Sen told me that his film is primarily about hope that the missing Indian soldiers will return to their near and dear ones.

During the war, over 200 Indian soldiers were repatriated from Pakistan. The last train expected to bring the last lot of the Indian soldiers from Pakistan, did not arrive. While Pakistan claimed that there were no more PoWs left in Pakistani jails, the Indian government advised the families to presume that the missing soldiers were dead and to accept monetary compensation in lieu of the missing persons.

“But that was not acceptable to the family members. For them life has become a tight rope walking between hope and despair. While waiting for the soldiers, some of the parents died, some of the wives remarried, and some children lost hope and committed suicide.”

But there were some who did not give up and they went through the real ordeal. ‘’Perhaps, because as long as there is love, there is hope. And hope dies last in wars!’’

“I wanted to portray their pictures endlessly waiting at the border, signing of petitions, refusal to give up through my film,” said Sen.

The portrayal of hope in the film In the film, Sen masterfully balanced fiction and documentary style with long shots and close shots. Each of the family members who had been waiting for their near and dear ones became the protagonist of the film with their heart touching statements.

“Most of us have heard the names of the missing soldiers announced in the Pakistani radio as ‘captured alive’. We are convinced that they are alive because stories of their being alive keep pouring in from different sources,” says the brother of a missing soldier.

“One soldier, who managed to smuggle a letter to his family, reported that twenty of his compatriots were languishing in the same cell. The Time magazine published photographs of two other soldiers,” says a daughter.

But Damayanti Tambay became the scene stealer. She was an icon

symbolising the struggle of the families to uncover the truth behind their missing member.

Damayanti, a former national badminton champion in India, spent one year with her husband, Lt.V.V. Tambay. “We drove together towards the Ambala Cantonment on December 5, 1971. He took off for the last time. I never saw or heard from him after that,” she said in the film.

Her eyes brightening with memories of a love she cherishes till this day. Her national badminton championship was then forgotten. She had lived the life of a single woman.

“When I asked her how she could wait so long, she said it is the unconditional love for the person that drove me to walk this endless journey. As long as love is there, hope is there and hope dies last in the war.”

Accolades for the film Hope Dies Last in War has won the Best Documentary film Award at the 55th National Film Awards for 2007. “The film was chosen for its sensitive albeit searching exploration of those in prisons in alien countries; a complex polyphony of variegated voices, the film is an endeavour to find hope in the midst of a struggle against despair,” said the National Academy.

Saikat Ray, the editor of the film, won the National Award for best

editing in the documentary and short-film section. The citation commends his work “for its creative blending of various elements of the past and present, as also for its seamless flow of images that evoke genuine emotions.” It was first screened in public in 2007. Ranjan Palit bagged the IDPA (Indian documentary Producer’s Association) gold award for his cinematography.

“It is a tragic story of Human Rights violation based on

the testimonies of parents, wives, siblings, children and grandchildren. The film is about their pain, helplessness, dejection, reconciliation, hopes and dreams in a war-hungry Indian sub-continent,” Supryio Sen summed up. n

Photo: Courtesy


8 INTERvIEw | MohaMMad rakibul hasan

Mohammad Rakibul Hasan was just another young boy from the small district

town of Sherpur. Raised in a simple family home, his parents raised him with the belief that he would one day fulfil their dreams of being a doctor – a highly coveted, respected, natural professional choice for most Bengali parents. As a curious young man, Hasan grew up with a love for reading and a passion for stories. From Shakespeare to Tagore, he was thrilled with the idea of losing himself in worlds unknown. It was then that Hasan’s line of interest drove him to pursue a career in film and video production as he left Bangladesh to study at UBS Film School at the University of Sydney.

Today, Hasan stands tall and proud as a renowned documentary photographer represented by Redux Pictures, USA. Nominated for the Joop Swart Masterclass, the UNICEF Photo of the Year, he was also short listed in the Ian Parry scholarship, Sony World Photography Awards in the professional category, alongside being chosen as the finalist in Contemporary Talents Competition organised by Foundation Francois Schneider. With a Post Graduate Diploma in Photojournalism from Ateneo de Manila University and a graduate degree in Film and Video Production from the UBS Film School at the University of Sydney, his photographs have graced numerous international publications. As of now, he’s continuing to forward his passions as he pursues a Certificate in Art History, a hybrid online on-campus programme at the University of Oxford.

As a young man who initially took an interest in film making, the route to documentary photography was one that seemed like a natural process when he realised his love for storytelling was better told in the form of photos.

“Though I primarily wanted to

be a film maker, ultimately I have chosen to work alone with a still camera. As soon as I was back in Bangladesh from Sydney after pursuing my degree, I travelled throughout the country and started documenting things that occurred around me. Eventually, I became more focused on choosing the day-to-day issues for my documentaries,” he expressed.

Although he is currently

focusing on his new found passion for documentary making, Hasan considers all forms of photography to be a type of “instant art” that can appeal to any number of people. “Nowadays everything is digitalised and technology offers us many aspects of this popular medium. Thus, for the time being I have become a documentary photographer,” he explained.

Interestingly, documentary photography isn’t an art form he wants to pursue forever. “I may shift to Fine Art Photography in the near future. My intended departure from the documentary genre is not from disinterest but due to a taste for change and the opportunity to explore a new kingdom of possibilities,” he explained as he talked about his openness to explore different artistic avenues for himself.

Hasan has been involved with

many different areas of photography, from advertising photography for major commercial brands in Bangladesh to producing photos based on current issues. His personal favourite is “Wave”, a documentary photography series that focuses on river erosion due to the rise of global temperatures. “Wave followed a semi-classical style that had hints of a more contemporary style of photography. While studying Art

History at the University of Oxford, I was highly motivated by post-impressionist French painter Pierre Bonnard’s paintings, especially “Riviera (c. 1923)”, where he makes the viewer feel an atmospheric heat in the pictured plane,” he stated when asked about the inspiration behind the series.

While he is deeply involved with his pet projects and passions, he is undeterred by the generic Bangladeshi viewpoint that documentary photography isn’t a serious profession. “The pre-requisite for being a documentary photographer is that you must have great passion. We are a developing country where photography is an industry that has not flourished with much strength. It is likely substantial time will pass before views change,” he added.

When discussing his struggles in

Bangladesh, he cited legacy as being the main hurdle he had to overcome. “Working independently is harder than being a part of a legacy and Bangladesh is no exception to this rule,” he stated. However, Hasan has tried to never let these hiccups come in his way, using his enthusiasm for photography to explore every avenue with as much zest as the last and finding every step of his journey to be an inspirational one.

“There were several incidences that touched my heart while I was documenting inequality, disaster and social problems. Recently I covered the Nepal earthquake, and several times I felt very emotional seeing the revenge of Nature against human civilisation. While I was covering Rana Plaza I was traumatised by seeing so many dead bodies at a time. It was a horrible experience in my life,” he commented when explaining his humbling experiences covering tragedies that went way beyond anything he has ever been through.

For him, photography is an art form that inspires him no matter which avenue of expression he chooses. As a student of Oxford, he’s not only into the art of photography, but also excited to understand and explore the thought process that goes behind each of its forms.

“I find inspiration in many things - reading literature was especially inspiring for me. After that I think it’s music along with the work of other photographers,” he stated. In the beginning of his career he found great inspiration in the work of GMB Akash, Eugene Smith, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Sebastião Salgado, but now finds himself more inclined towards Fine Art photographers such as Andreas Gursky, Thomas Demand, Thomas Struth, Candida Höfer and Thomas Ruff.

For Hasan, there is no end to his journey – he plans to dive into the Fine Art genre of photography, especially conceptual photographic art and performance. n

Worth a thousand wordsThe little boy from Sherpur who dreamed big and grew up to be a winner of a number of global awards in the world of photographyMoumita Ahmed

Photo: Suvra Kanti Das


plaCes, faCes, furries | PhOTO STORy 9

Mohammad rakibul hasan is a renowned documentary photographer. he travels across the country and documents the day-to-day issues around his surroundings. he worked on various projects, from advertising photography for major commercial brands in bangladesh to practising many other areas of photography.

Hasan tries to work across different thematic scenes, and some of his famous works include Wave, Magnitude 7.8 Nepal: A message from God, Salt and Park life. This week’s photo story features some of his well-known works.

Photos: Mohammad Rakibul Hasan

Oeuvre


10 PhOTO STORy | plaCes, faCes, furries


11


12 FOCuS | workshop

Faisal Mahmud

It was a small feud between the uncle and his nephew about a bamboo bush.

The nephew wanted to cut and sell bamboo from the bush but the uncle was against it. One thing led to another and they had a squabble. Some neighbours got involved and because of their persuasion, the nephew filed a case in the civil court.

Later on, when the nephew saw the uncle at the court, he was filled with remorse. He didn’t want to put his uncle through that case anymore. The judge was sympathetic and called both of

them to his private chamber and asked whether the nephew wanted to withdraw the case.

The nephew withdrew the case and they both went home happily.

The judge in that case was the incumbent Secretary of Law, ASM Zahrul Haque and he was sharing this anecdote at the workshop on ‘Restorative Justice’ held at a city hotel recently.

The pile of unsolved cases Secretary Haque said that many of the civil or criminal cases filed in the district court are similar to the case mentioned. “In my experience

as judge, I found that a little arbitration between the plaintiff and defendant could solve the case easily. But getting them together or giving them the opportunity to talk is the main difficulty,” he said.

“We have such a huge number of cases piled up in the court and waiting to be disposed of, but as our judiciary severely lacks the appropriate number of judges, the cases remain stuck”.

As of now, a huge backlog of around 2.3 million cases is pending with the courts across the country including the Appellate Division and High Court Division of the Supreme

Court (SC).Disposing of these cases is a hard

job for the judiciary with only seven judges for the Appellate Division, 97 judges for the High Court Division and around 1,600 judges for the lower courts across the country.

“This could have been avoided if restorative justice processes were being implemented in the country”, Law Secretary Haque opined.

What is restorative justice?Restorative justice (RJ) refers to a process where victim and offender come together in a safe and controlled environment to share

Restorative justice: A way forward?

Photo: Courtesy


13

their opinions, honestly discuss their problems, and come to a mutually beneficial resolution.

The concept of RJ as a part of the justice system has sprung from sites of activism, academia and the greater domain of the criminal justice system itself, although it has been practiced in varied forms throughout the ages. RJ is a spontaneous and natural approach to justice focusing on the needs of victims and offenders, including the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or theories for punishing offenders.

By and large, restorative processes follow a theory of justice that considers crime or wrongdoing to be an offence against individuals or communities, rather than the state. It fosters dialogue between victim and offender with an emphasis on victim satisfaction and offender accountability.

Village court and RJ in BangladeshInterestingly, one kind of RJ in the form of village courts has long been prevalent in Bangladesh. The country has a long history of informal dispute resolution mechanisms with a varying degree of procedures – the traditional shalish, NGO reformed shalish and the village court are prime among them.

The first proposal for establishment of village level courts on a legal basis was made by the Fraser Commission Report, 1902-03. Later on, the Hobhouse Commission of 1907-09 and Levinge Committee of 1913 proposed the creation of village level courts to handle minor cases amongst village people.

Accordingly, the Bengal Village Self-Government Act, 1919 (Bengal Act V of 1919) was passed. This was the first law to empower a local government body to adjudicate criminal cases. The Act established a ‘union bench’, corresponding to the present day village court, along with concurrent jurisdiction with formal criminal courts to try petty criminal cases.

Later on in 1961, the Conciliation Courts Ordinance was promulgated, which empowered the ‘union council’ (local government) to deal with minor cognizable offences. This Ordinance was repealed by the promulgation of the Village Courts

Ordinance, 1976.This Act and the Village Courts

Rules, 1976 regulate the formation, jurisdiction and functioning of the village courts, which is an ad hoc forum for adjudicating minor disputes or conflicts in rural areas. In case of any dispute triable under this Ordinance, any of the disputant parties can apply to the Chairman of the Union Parishad (UP) for remedy through a village court.

Promoting RJ in Bangladesh Currently, the home ministry, GIZ and DFID have been jointly implementing a project, “Improvement of the Real Situation of Overcrowding in Prisons in Bangladesh” since 2008. In this regard, GIZ Bangladesh has initiated restorative justice at community-level arbitrations so that local problems can be solved using local and community solutions.

It has also been decided to introduce restorative justice in specific cases like those concerning small scale physical assaults, theft, dowry, damage to crops and wealth, fraudulence, financial dispute and gambling.

Promita Sengupta, head of GIZ’s RJ project in Bangladesh, said that the criminal justice system of Bangladesh focuses more on punishing the offenders, whereas the Restorative Justice mechanism focuses on repairing the harm done to the victim and accepting the offender as a reformed member of the community.

Lack of financial resources and outdated legislation pose serious challenges for the judicial system in Bangladesh. Insufficient cooperation on the part of criminal justice bodies is leading to an enormous backlog of cases.

“In extreme situations, it can take up to 15 years for a legal case to be processed. The penal system includes imprisonment as punishment but does not generally provide any strategies for rehabilitation or reintegration”, she said.

Almost 70% of prisoners are held

in pre-trial detention, regardless of the severity of the offence of which they are accused, or merely on the grounds of vague suspicions. In some cases, women and girls are held in safe custody. Victims, not perpetrators, are detained, so as to ‘protect’ them from suffering further attacks, said Promita Sengupta.

She also said that the country’s prisons are severely overcrowded. “Even the Central Prison Directorate explicitly states that it is unable to adhere to the minimum standards for prisons as required by the United Nations – namely the provision of sufficient light, ventilation, space

and privacy”.Under the circumstances, RJ

could be an effective method for dispute resolution to reduce the backlog and future case loads. “Looking at the huge amount of pending cases in court, it is necessary to think of new approaches. Restorative Justice, where possible and applicable, might be one option to restore peace and justice in due course -and not only after years”.

“It also gives offenders and victims alike the possibility to actively take part in the restoration process”, she added. n

Photo: Bigstock


14 LISTOLOgy | lefTy probleMs

Tales from the leftThe many difficulties faced by left-handed peopleMoumita Ahmed

It is estimated that approximately 10% of the world’s population is left-handed. This adds up to around

630 to 750 million lefties worldwide. Throughout history left-handers

have achieved greatness and have transcended the limits to become leaders, athletes, artists, musicians and excel in many other fields. Many famous people like Barrack Obama to Tom Cruise to Jimi Hendrix fall into this category.

Before the 20th century, left – handedness was considered a disability. Lefties have been treated unfairly for hundreds of years. Especially in Bangladesh, the left hand is considered unclean.

The word left comes from the Old English left, meaning “weak.” In Latin, the word for “left” is sinister, which means “evil.” The French word for “left” is gauche, which in English means “awkward” or “tactless.”

Despite all these negative connotations, most societies, religions, and cultures no longer see left-handedness as a taboo. I myself being a natural left-hander, take

pride in it and like it, though it can be difficult at times.

Based on experience, here are five types of difficulties faced by left-handed people:

1. Finding the “unbiased” school desks – Most of the schools around the globe use desks with a chair attached to cater to the right-handed people. The desks are usually shaped so that you can rest your right arm while writing, but this become very difficult for a left-handed person as his/her left arm has to stick out off the edge of the desk while using it. Left-handed desks, which are built in exactly the opposite way, can be very hard to find.

2. Using scissors – You will never understand this problem unless you are a leftie yourself. Of course scissors are made asymmetrical to fit our hands, but when using a right-handed scissor, a left- handed person will have trouble seeing what is

being cut, and can tend to force the cutting blades apart.

3. Using tools and gadgets – It has been confirmed through studies that due to accidents, the number of left-handed people who make it to old age is relatively lower than the number of their right-handed peers. From kitchen utensils to cameras to just a simple door knob, most tools and machinery are made for right-handed people. As a result, lefties are more likely to get into accidents when handling those tools.

4. Southpaws get angrier faster – In 2010, a study published in the Journal of Nervous and

Mental Disease showed that left-handed people can have an imbalance in activity between the left and right hemispheres. This means that logic and emotion get mixed together more often than what we call “normal”. Hence, they are more prone to having negative emotions.

Lefties are scaredy-cats – According to research done by The British Psychological Society where some people were shown scary movies, it was seen that people whose left hands are dominant tend to be more affected by fear than right-handed people. Also, lefties show more signs of post traumatic stress disorder. n

Photo: Bigstock


Road markings in Bangladesh can be likened to those class mates or colleagues that you know

are there but you cannot recall their names. When you need them you quickly try to find out what they are called. But the latter part of the analogy doesn’t really work because you never need to know what those road markings are supposed to mean.

They do have meanings and here is a list of some of the most commonly seen road markings, some ‘should have been seen’ road markings and their meanings.

1. STOP LINE AT STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC SIGNALSThe stop line is a 400mm wide continuous white line.

This line is used wherever there is a stop sign, a rail crossing signal, or a junction controlled by traffic signals. The line normally extends from the edge of the road to the centre line, but if this distance is less than 2.75 meters, the line should be extended across the full width of the road.

Simply put, this line is meant to tell the driver to stop. It is needless to point out that this is not enforced in Bangladesh.

2. GIVE WAY LINEThe give way line is a double broken white line. The two lines are 200mmwide with 600mm marks and 300mm gaps.

This line is used wherever there is a Give Way sign. It may also be used on its own at minor junctions and at pedestrian crossings.

This sign means when a vehicle approaches a junction and sees the markings then it must give way to the traffic that it is going to join after crossing the give way line.

3. PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGThis is one of the most familiar road markings that we see. What is perhaps not going to surprise anyone is that it never gets its proper use.

What is called ‘the uncontrolled pedestrian crossing’ is indicated by white stripes. Drivers are required by law to stop for pedestrians on the crossing. Article 92.3 of The Motor Vehicles Ordinance states that “every driver of a motor vehicle shall stop on the appropriate line near every pedestrian crossing so marked where there is a pedestrian on the crossing.”

This means wherever you find these markings, you are free to walk on it to cross the road and the

motor vehicles are obliged by the law to stop. This is supposed to be mainly used in front of schools and not in busy roads. But it gets drawn everywhere.

4. SIGNAL CONTROLLED PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGThis is the one that meant to be drawn at traffic signals. Pedestrian crossings controlled by traffic signals are marked by two 100mm wide broken white lines.

They are mostly used at signalised junctions. They can also be provided away from junctions at places where large numbers of pedestrians have to cross a heavily-trafficked road.

This markings are not seen on the roads of Bangladesh, even though it is in the Road Signs Manual of the Roads and Highways Department.

5. LANE LINEThis is the most common line, frequently seen all over Bangladesh. It is the broken longitudinal white line 100mm wide along the center line of the road.

This line is used to divide the carriageway from traffic lanes. It also means that the motorist can change lanes, as opposed to the continuous line which denotes that the motorist is not allowed to change lane and overtake another vehicle. n

Road markings: what do they mean?Saqib Sarker

road signs | LISTOLOgy 15

Photo: Bigstock


In an ideal world, a relationship of equals would be the result of a conscious mutual choice, not left to chance.

“Once we moved back to Bangladesh from the US, I was startled with just how surprised most women were to see my husband as the hands-on dad he is. Seeing him help changing nappies or even calm my child at dawaats left most people, especially women, gasping at just how ‘lucky’ I was to have a husband like him,” says Sharmeen Zaman, 34 year old stay-at-home mom who recently returned from the States after the birth of her child. Despite the changing dynamics of parenting, men are usually just looked on as the sole caretaker of the family – not someone who lends a hand in cooking meals, managing the household and bathing the children – a department reserved strictly for women. Any extra help they extend to their wives is looked at as a bonus – an unexpected virtue that they should feel grateful for.

While these inequalities in gender roles are widespread and prevalent around our country, one can’t help but feel that these positive qualities such as a father’s hands-on approach to parenting is always credited to “luck” or “kismet.”

This “luck” factor is not only extended to happy marriages, but to any other situation where gender roles are reversed. From wives working late into the night to husbands who change their children’s nappies, here’s a list of reasons why women should not be compelled to credit luck for their choices

You choose your partnerLuck is not a deciding factor when it comes to marriage – in today’s world, women are less frequently forced to marry someone; increasingly they always have the option to choose,

to decide who they want to spend the rest of their lives with. They are given the opportunity to make their own decisions before they marry a complete stranger or even their long term partner. In modern day marriages in the capital, couples are given a choice to meet, discuss and talk to their potential husbands before they make their final decision. Would it really be fair to then claim that it was a matter of “luck” they had a successful marriage?

Starting a family is a joint decisionBoth the parents should take care of the children, not just the mother – both men and women should tend to their child’s needs. They should both read stories, get up in the middle of

the night, change nappies and feed their hungry young ones. Since both of them decided to start a family, all responsibilities cannot fall on the mother because it is not like she impregnated herself.

Both men and women should be given equal working rightsTraditional gender roles assume that men should be the breadwinners and women should do the household chores. Over time, this taboo seems to be changing and women are now working after marriage. However, many families in Bangladesh do not let their daughters-in-law work late at night, though the same rule is not applicable for the men of the house, giving rise to another belief that these women are blessed to have

“understanding” in-laws when they are allowed to work late.

Luck is something reserved for your offspringIt is the children who should be lucky because they cannot decide or choose who their parents will be. They cannot say what is good or bad for them; rather they are brought into the world as a matter of fate. If there’s anyone in the family who can call themselves lucky for having devoted, caring parents (not just mothers), it should be the children. n

16 FOCuS | equaliTy aT hoMe

finding an ideal partner, especially in bangladesh, is not considered to be a natural course of events, but rather, a matter of luck Moumita Ahmed

a matter of choice


Water, water everywhere, and no ones ready to helpSaqib Sarker

call of waters

Dhaka city mayors have many responsibilities. But speaking to the public and bothering to issue

some sort of statement after the whole city was submerged under water is not one of them.

Neither of the mayors received calls from the Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday and they could not be reached in any other way.

As the rain started to pour down on the over populated capital (which is an understatement), Annisul Huq (the mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation) and Sayeed Khokhon (the mayor of Dhaka City south) thought “Ah! The incessant rain is clogging the whole roadways and severely disrupting public life. What better time to completely shut off all communication?”

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and the city corporations are jointly responsible for managing the city’s waste and drainage systems.

WASA may probably have some answers. After all, they are the water

supply and sewerage authority. If there is just one person or institution that should have something to say about the water logging in Dhaka, surely it should be them.

Unlike the mayors, the Managing Director of WASA, Taqsem A Khan, did receive our call. His response, though, kind of makes you wish that he hadn’t answered. When asked about the water logging, this is literally what he said: “I will not

make any comment on that.”As you ponder about that

statement let’s quickly look at the “vision” of WASA: To be the best water utility in the public sector of Asia-with commitment towards people and environment.

WASA should perhaps start by managing their ambition. In light of the recent disaster, and make no mistake, this is a disaster, WASA may want to write a new “vision” that is more congruent with reality: To not be so inefficient that we end up at the worst institution in the water utility sector and at least pretend to care when the area we are responsible for is waterlogged with no solution in sight.

The resultant traffic congestion makes life hell for everyone in the city who needs to move from place A to B.

Zajiba Tarannum, a masters student at North South University, started toward Dhanmondi from Banani at 3pm on Tuesday. It took her 6 hours to travel the 7.7km route.

Lots and lots of people just walked to their destinations through dirty water with the risk of

falling into any of the open sewer holes, that WASA also successfully managed to not cover up.

But that is nothing compared to the life and death situations that many people must have faced. Think about the heart attack and stroke patients, just to consider one example. If the patient cannot reach a hospital quickly then there is no way to revive that person. That means you watch your loved one die right in front of you.

How many lives could have been saved, had the traffic situation been managed? But do the mayors care? Do any of the authorities care?

They always say that the problems are severe and they are not easy to solve. That is precisely why they should be extra active and put extra efforts to make things easier for the inhabitants of this unfortunate city. The quantum leap between that and completely shrugging off the responsibilities demonstrate the typical lack of accountability in our administration, which like the water logging, refuses to go away and emanates a stench. n

waTerlogged CiTy | RaNT 17

Photos: Farina Noireet


18 STay IN

S u d o k uuse the numbers 1-9 to complete each of the 3x3 square grids such that each horizontal and vertical line also contains all of the digits from 1-9

Last week’s sudoku solutions

aCROss1 No scope for fruit (6)6 Found holding on to impressionist (5)7 Street talk warbled about end of April (5) 8 Regarding turned engines without no start (6)

DOwN2 Sheep and wedding attendant run amok (7)3 Shape of horse in the middle of midday (7)4 Confused, I enter unimpaired (6)5 Sank as new US state appears (6)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCROss5 Shock as power cut involves King (7)6 Philosopher rewrites a plot (5)9 A task for the press? (7)

DOwN1 Drink for Dad (3)2 Cheese dip boy holds (7)3 Rank bible brother holds appropriate (7)4 Annoy east end between five and ten (3)7 Draw clothing (3)8 Direction horse comes from chicken (3)

Clues

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

Mini crypticsBook Publication in Bangladesh by Mohiuddin Ahmed

Mohiuddin Ahmed has an illustrious career in journalism and in the

publications business. He taught journalism for four years in Punjab University, in Lahore. Later, he worked as the editor of the Pakistan division of Oxford University Press.

After the liberation war, he was appointed as the editor for Oxford University Press Bangladesh division. Since its inception in 1974, Mohiuddin has been the publisher and the Chief Executive of the

University Press. This book is a

compilation of nine articles by the author, most of which were originally delivered as lectures and keynote speeches. All of the articles deal with the central issue of book publication in Bangladesh, and the professional matters relating to the publication and distribution of books and printed materials.

The articles discuss and shed lights on the realities of book publication industries, its evolution and how that affected our local market. In the first article Reading Society and

Us, the author points out that we are far behind from realizing the 6 goals set out by the UNESCO under its programme, Towards a book reading society. Ahmed also laments that not only are we far behind in this regard, but we don’t yet have the rudimentary qualities, such as literacy and adequate libraries, to even start working towards increasing book reading.

In the next article titled Development of Publication and

Distribution of Books in Bangladesh, Ahmed analyzes and demonstrates that there is a lack of useful and friendly government policies to aid private publishers. Sometimes these policies are even hostile.

In the following article, the author looks into children’s book and their publication. At the time of the publication of this book, the percentage of children’s books among all other books were 22.68%. Ahmed looked closely into the data, and presents the problems in the children’s book publication.

The other articles in the book are self descriptively titled: Science Book Publication in Bangladesh, Bengali Text Book Creation for the Higher Level Studies, System for Book Collection in Libraries: The Role of the Librarian in Publication, Demand for Imposing Restrictions on Book Import and the Publication Industry in Bangladesh, In the Matter of Indiscriminate Import of Books, The Fairy-tale Beliefs in the Publication Industry in Bangladesh.

Mohiuddin poured in his vast experience as a veteran in the publication industry into these articles. Even though the book was published first in 1993, many, if not most, of his findings and analysis are relevant even today. The copy of the book being reviewed was published by The University Press Ltd. at Red Crescent Building, in Dhaka. n

Saqib Sarker


gO OuT 19

When 7-9pmWhere Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct, 64-65 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Kawran BazaarWhat Bengal Cinematheque presents the films and ideas of cinema’s greatest auteurs, shown at the highest quality, to support a community of emerging film-makers, writers and programmers in Bangladesh. The second cycle of the Bengal Cinematheque excavates from our fear of death the longing for the supernatural and the gentle.

On 5th Sep, SaturdayTropical Malady (Weerasethakul), 2004, 125 minutes, Colour Thai soldiers play in the wilderness. Two young men meet and smile at each other. An atmosphere accumulates and time passes in tentative episodes. The village, the city, the jungle meld. We observe how barely they have to touch. Afterwards there is a re-creation of a northern-thai folk-tale where

a lone solider tracks spirits in the wild. Upon finding one, they tussle. Depleted, he survives in the jungle until, seduced, he gives his soul to the mysterious coursing of the deepest myth.

On 6 Sep 2015, Sunday The Flowers of St Francis (Rossellini), 1950, 89 minutes, Black and White A saint and some men, who are children, come upon the idea of goodness. They act this discovery out in the Italian countryside by applying metaphysics to everyday situations. Some of their ideas work, others lead to a beating. Through laughter, amazement, disappointments and corrections they come to venerate suffering and sacrifice. They overturn existing morality, and having developed a potent product, set out in random directions to tell others of what they’ve learnt and to show them how to be. n

Weekly Planner Sep 2-5Expo | 16th Textech Bangladesh 2015 ExpoWhen 10:30am-7:30pmWhere Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), Agargaon, Sher-E-Bangla NagarWhat The biggest, oldest and most comprehensive International Textile Garment technology and machinery show of Bangladesh - 16th Tex Tech Bangladesh 2015 International Expo, from 2 to 5 Sept 2015 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, Dhaka.Visit and meet International manufacturers and suppliers of textile garment machinery, yarn and fabric, dyestuff and Fine and specialty chemicals.

Sep 4Culture | 44th ‘Nupur Beje Jai’: Showcase of Smt. Asharani Devi’s Thangta WorkshopWhen 6:30pm Where Bangladesh National Museum, Shahbag Circle, RamnaWhat Smt. Asharani Devi from the Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association will be showcasing Thangta(Manipuri Martial Dance), for the first episode of the 44th Nupur Beje Jai. This will be followed by performances by Warda Rihab and Munni Salma and their groups.

Sep 4Workshop | Fuji Film presents Exclusive Wedding Photography Workshop by Prito RezaWhen 9:30am-5:30pmWhere Fuji film Experience Zone, Plot: 21, Road: 13, Block-G, NiketanWhat Fuji film presents One Day Exclusive Wedding Photography Workshop by Prito Rezafor a whole day. The workshop is not only on wedding photography but also includes introduction on model photography. Seats are limited. Registration Fee is only 1000BDT, and each participants will be provided with a certificate upon completion of the workshop. For registration contact:

01973338889, 01911337390

Sep 9Cinematography | Open Counseling on Cinematography CourseWhen 6pm Where Pathshala Cinema Department, House 58, Road 15/A (New), Dhanmondi R/AWhat To satiate the curiosity of movie lovers, Pathshala Cinema Department is arranging the fifth session of the subject: Cinematography courses.Course co-ordinator, Pankaj and Department Head Zico Ishtiaq will be present in the tea breaks to share their thoughts and opinions with the participants. Registration is free, but seats are limited. Type: CNM (Space) your name (Space) e-mail address and send it to 01780 379 399.

Sep 4-18Culture | ‘’The Melancholy of Urban Life ‘’ A Solo Painting Exhibition by Artist Sultan IshtiaqueWhen 3-8pm (Sundays closed)Where Alliance Francaise, 26 Mirpur Road, DhanmondiWhat Alliance Française de Dhaka invites everyone on the occasion of the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd solo painting exhibition of artist Sultan Ishtiaque, titled The Melancholy of Urban Life in its La Galerie.

Sep 4Culture | Thompson Rivers University, Canada | Free CounsellingWhen 10am-6pmWhere Executive Trade International, House: 40, Road 27, DhanmondiWhat Meet ZiPing Feng from Thompson Rivers University to discuss about studying in Canada. Remember to bring all your academic documents with you.Contact 01711385455, 01715441113 or visit www.etibd.co.uk for more information.Know more about Thompson Rivers University: www.tru.ca

Sep 5Carnival | Dhee - Launching of Bangladesh’s first-ever homosexual comic character

Sep 5-6Cinema | Bengal Cinematheque

When 6pm Where British Council Bangladesh, British Council, 5 Fuller RoadWhat British Council Bangladesh invites to the launching ceremony of the country’s first-ever homosexual comic character ‘Dhee’.

Dhee, a middle-class girl from the suburbs, will take us on a journey through her life and introduce us to our familiar but rarely talked about emotions and identities.

Participants will get a free copy of the comic. Refreshment and cultural programs will follow the main event.

The event is open for all. But one must send an e-mail confirming their participation: [email protected]


It’s 2:00 in the morning and my sweet Jellybean has just gone to sleep. Her innocent, angelic face makes me forget

all the terrors she subjected me to, the entire day. Some nights I’m less forgiving and will eat one of her chocolate bars just out of spite, but most of the time I’m very glad and thankful I have her in my life, just the way she is. My chotto bondhu (little friend), as I refer to her at times.

To be honest, I never thought about having a girl. In my side of the family, it’s just my mum, me and my sister, against my poor old dad. We’ve always been very female-centric and fiercely so. I’d grown up much like a tomboy, who blossomed (quite unwillingly at first and later wholeheartedly) into a feminine creature. I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a brother, and more than me, my mum had always wanted a son. So when my younger sister was about to be born, my mum was hoping for a boy. She couldn’t quite do much about it after “discovering” that her much awaited son was a girl. But there are incriminating photos in old family albums where my sister has been dressed in a panjabi and tupi – and not just for fun; it happened on an Eid. Nevertheless my sister graduated from her awkward bird-like teen years into a blooming beauty. I wish I could say the same for myself, but I believe my sister and I look nothing alike. She looks like someone who would model for a

20 ThE BONg MOMMa | Tales froM a firsT-TiMe MoM

Pakistani bridal magazine, whereas I was skinny, tanned and had a mass of curly hair. Now the difference is even starker, I’m fat, tanned, and that mass of curly hair has dwindled to a feeble mop. High five if you’re totally feeling me on this!

On the other hand, The Husband’s family has always been male-centric. It’s him, his younger brother, his dad, and then my poor old mom-in-law. Like I’ve said before, my in-laws weren’t used to having more than one member of the female population at home, so my entrance in their lives was a bit of culture shock on both ends. They didn’t know how to behave with a young woman in the house, and I didn’t know how to deal with a bunch of boys constantly yelling for their wife/mom to bring them something or cook them something.

My mom-in-law was literally the go-to person in the household, and she was like superwoman – she did EVERYTHING. She worked, she tutored, she cooked, she cleaned, and she found time to have an argument or two with my father-in-law. Those were very big shoes for me to fill when I came into the picture, and I still haven’t; currently I’m just trying them on for size! Hah!

So after an ultra sonogram in my sixth month of pregnancy, I found out that I was going to have a mini-me. My emotions were mixed. First I felt slightly disappointed. Jellybean was such a hyper baby inside that it was natural to assume that it was a boy, owing to her father’s well-

known hyperactivity. But then I saw mums and dads walking around with their little daughters and I felt a joy spread in me. This was familiar territory for me now! I already had experience watching my little sister grow up, and now I could raise my little Jellybean just the way I wanted! I imagined all the cooking we’d do together, and how she would steal my makeup and clothes, try to wear my shoes, and how I could reprimand her for talking on the phone with a boy. Joyful thoughts!

The Husband was less cheerful. His first question after finding out was, “Now who will I teach football to?” This question was answered by Jellybean two and a half years later from that moment, when she would run after her father with a little ball and pester him to play “pootbawl” with her. That’s karma for you!

When I came home and broke the news to my mom-in-law, she squealed and literally jumped in happiness. Prior to that she had expressed how if she had a granddaughter, she would gift the baby a gold necklace that her own father had given at her birth, but if she had a grandson, she would give nothing. And that, folks, is how I swindled my mom-in-law out of a very precious gold necklace. High five, Jellybean!

I told my parents the same day, and my dad was like, “Another girl?” before shaking his head slowly. I know he didn’t mean any harm. He was just imagining all the harassment another girl would do to him. His prediction was true; Jellybean loves to beat up her Nana, decorate him with dolls’ clothes and brush his hair with a pedicure brush, all while constantly calling him with a sing-song “Nanaaa”. My mum had to come to terms with the fact that she now had a little girl who was more active than a boy, and intermittently exclaims, “Tum ladkiyan toh aise nehin the, yeh kya cheez hai?”, which actually means, “What abomination of a cheese did you derive from your husband? This one be cray-cray, yo!”

My father-in-law was happy to hear about his soon-to-arrive granddaughter, and would see dreams where a little girl would be walking around and who was my replica. In reality, Jellybean is an exact duplicate of her father. I’ve heard it so many times that I should be immune by now, but I still feel that pang of jealousy and annoyance. Who knows, Jellybean may look exactly like The Husband, but she will definitely grow up to be more like me, i.e. totally and irrefutably awesome. n

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

Girl, UninterruptedThe bong Momma and family let the news of having a baby girl to look forward to sink inMinu Ahmed

Photo: Bigstock

weekend tribune vol 3 issue 20

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