Weekend-5-10

Dhaka Tribune 

vol 5 Issue 10 | friDAY, june 23, 2017 

6 

Kitchen 

chronicles 

14 

Eid for 

all 

15 

New note 

market

CONTENTS 1 

Volume 5 | Issue 10 | June 23, 2017 

Editor 

Zafar Sobhan 

Features Editor 

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad 

Magazine Editor 

Farina Noireet 

Deputy Magazine Editors 

Khan N Moushumi 

Shuprova Tasneem 

Weekend Tribune Team 

Saudia Afrin 

Mahmood Hossain 

Moumita Ahmed 

Tasfia Huda 

Baizid Haque Joarder 

Saqib Sarker 

Mahmood Sadi 

Sabiha Akond Rupa 

Contributors 

Minaal Choudhury 

Farzana Romine 

Nosheen Tasnuba 

Cartoons 

Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy 

Priyo 

Graphics 

Md Mahbub Alam 

Alamgir Hossain 

Shahadat Hossain 

Colour Specialist 

Shekhar Mondal 

Advertisement 

Shahin Ahsan 

Production 

Masum Billah 

Circulation 

Masud Kabir Pavel 

Website 

dhakatribune.com/weekend 

facebook.com/WeekendTrib 

Email your letters to: 

weekend@dhakatribune.com 

6 

10 

Cook your own way 

Kitchen chronicles 

Photo Story 

Pluviophilia 

Editor’s note 

Dear Readers, 

Eid is in the air. In our constant 

pursuit of staying positive, we 

look for any excuse to divulge 

in some fun and festivities with 

friends and family. As we find our 

streets packed with traffic, and 

every mall teeming with shoppers 

struggling to get their last minute 

Eid shopping done, we also look 

forward to those few days when 

most of our fellow inhabitants will 

be home with their loved ones 

for the holiday, and the bustling 

streets of Dhaka will know some 

respite. 

We’ve put together this week’s 

Weekend Tribune with the last few 

days of Ramadan in mind. For the 

many shopping procrastinators 

out there, check out our Ticket 

section where we’ve featured 

a couple of great online stores, 

which can come mighty handy in 

getting those last minute Eid gifts. 

Our extended fashion section also 

includes more in our Tailored and 

Trending pages, as well as a fun 

interview of the creative young 

mind behind Needlebee, an online 

shoe store featuring unique, locally 

made footwear. 

Finally, we end with a couple 

of informative feature stories on 

seasonal note-sellers and the 

bittersweet Eid celebrations of our 

transgender community. 

Eid Mubarak and best wishes to 

all our readers. 

Farina Noireet 

News 

2 News 

3 Meanwhile 

Features 

4 Tailored 

Men’s fashion 

5 Tempt 

Eid makeup 

8 Ticket 

Eid fashion 

9 Trending 

Women’s fashion 

12 Interview 

Fatima Nadia 

14 Alternative families 

Eid for all 

15 Eid novelties 

New note market 

16 Ramadan planner 

The final stretch 

17 Tech 

Nintendo 

20 Dining 

GFC 

Regulars 

18 Stay in 

19 Biz Info 

On the cover 

Terracotta art on the 

wall of Raj Bibi Mosque 

at Chapainawabganj 

(Gour) 

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain 

WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

2 News | This week 

. . . Meanwhile 3 

The world at a glance 

London attack near mosque investigated as terrorism 

The authorities in Britain said 

on Monday, last week that they 

were treating an early morning attack 

near a mosque in London as an act of 

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on 

Wednesday appointed his 31-yearold 

son Mohammed bin Salman as 

crown prince, placing him first-inline 

to the throne and removing the 

Belgium has avoided a serious attack on last 

Tuesday, after a suspected suicide bomber 

planning to explode a large bomb caused only a 

minor explosion in Brussels’ central station 

The device that failed to fully explode was filled 

with nails and was similar to the bombs used in the 

attacks at Brussels airport and on the city’s metro 

that killed 32 people in March 2016. 

The attacker was a 36-year-old Moroccan national not 

known to authorities for being involved in terror activities, 

federal magistrate Eric Van der Sypt told reporters. 

Earlier reports said the man was wearing an 

explosive belt, but Van der Sypt said that wasn’t 

true. He said the man was from the Molenbeek 

neighbourhood, the home and transit point for 

many of the suspects linked to attacks in Brussels 

and in Paris in November 2015. 

Photo: AFP 

terrorism against Muslims, 

amid fears of retaliation for 

several recent assaults in the 

country attributed to Islamist 

extremists. 

Shortly after midnight, a 

van rammed into a group of 

pedestrians near the Finsbury 

Park Mosque, in North 

London, and the imam of a 

nearby community centre 

was credited with preventing 

an angry mob from attacking the 

driver after worshippers subdued him. 

One person died at the scene and 

country’s counter-terrorism czar and a 

figure well-known to Washington from 

the line of succession. 

The monarch stripped Prince 

Mohammed bin Nayef from his title as 

crown prince and from his powerful 

position as the country’s interior 

minister overseeing security. The 

announcements were made in a series 

of royal decrees carried on the staterun 

Saudi Press Agency. 

The all-but-certain takeover of the 

throne by Mohammed bin Salman 

awards near absolute powers to a 

prince who has ruled out dialogue 

with rival Iran, has moved to isolate 

at least 10 were wounded, but the 

authorities said it was not immediately 

clear if the death was caused by the 

attack. The assailant was identified by 

the authorities as Darren Osborne, a 

47-year-old man from Cardiff, Wales. 

Little was immediately known 

about Osborne or his motives. Jo 

Stevens, the member of Parliament 

for the Cardiff Central constituency, 

issued an appeal to the public for 

any information about him but also 

urged people to refrain from online 

speculation. 

Photo: Reuters 

Saudi king upends royal succession, names son as 1st heir 

Belgium avoided serious attack in station blast 

neighbouring Qatar for its support of 

Islamist groups and who has led a war 

in Yemen that has killed thousands of 

civilians. 

The prince already oversees a vast 

portfolio as defence minister and is 

spearheading economic reforms. He 

has become popular among some 

of Saudi Arabia’s majority youth for 

pushing reforms that have opened 

the deeply conservative country to 

entertainment and greater foreign 

investments as part of an effort to 

overhaul the economy, including plans 

to list a percentage of the state-run oil 

giant Aramco. 

Photo: AFP 

Local 

BNP leader 

Mirza Fakhrul’s 

motorcade 

attacked in 

Chittagong 

BNP Secretary General Mirza 

Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s convoy 

had been attacked on last Sunday 

in Chittagong on his way to 

Rangamati to meet local people 

affected by landslides. 

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia 

has demanded arrest of those 

involved in the attack while 

Mirza Fakhrul described it as ‘an 

attack on democracy’. 

Hasan Mahmud, the Awami 

League’s local MP, has denied 

the allegation that his supporters 

carried out the attack. 

The ruling party’s General 

Secretary Obaidul Quader has 

condemned the attack and 

promised a fair investigation. 

The seven-member delegation 

started from Chittagong in the 

morning for Rangamati’s Kaptai. 

They were scheduled to board a 

vessel from there for Rangamati 

town. 

“As soon as we reached 

Rangunia’s Ichhakhali, men 

armed with iron rods and sharp 

weapons attacked our convoy. 

They have completely damaged 

our cars,” said Amir Khosru, a 

member of BNP’s policymaking 

National Standing Committee. 

Later in the day, the BNP 

leaders held a press conference 

where Fakhrul said the attack 

targeted those who are vocal 

against the ‘misdeeds’ of the 

government. 

News: Dhaka Tribune 

Photo of the week 

The colourful chaos that is Eid shopping at Dhaka New Market. 

Photo: Rajib Dhar 

Say what 

Canadian hotel wants to get its hands 

on whoever stole human toe 

A 

hotel in Canada’s Yukon 

Territory wants to 

conduct a manhunt for a 

person who stole a human toe. 

Not just any toe, mind you. 

This is a toe that the Downtown 

Hotel in Dawson City uses in 

its signature drink, the Sourtoe 

Cocktail. 

People come from all over the 

world to try the drink, which is 

basically a shot of whiskey with a 

dehydrated toe in it. 

There’s a rule about drinking 

this concoction - you can drink it 

fast or you can drink it slow, but 

your lips must touch the toe. 

The mummified toe went 

missing Saturday night, and hotel 

executives are stamping their 

feet. 

“We are furious,” Terry Lee, 

the hotel’s “toe captain” said, 

according to HuffPost Canada. • 

News and photo: Huffington Post 

Aries (Mar21-Apr19): This could be 

one of those weeks when you may not 

be able to get as much done as you’d 

like, so it would help to pace yourself. 

Taurus (Apr20-May20): Finances may 

need careful handling in the days 

ahead. While you could get lucky 

and find a bargain, it would be wise 

to check that you’re getting as good a 

deal as you think you are. 

Gemini (May21-June20): You might 

need to be very adaptable if you need 

to handle someone who resists your 

ideas. But with gentle persuasion, 

next week could be a different story. 

Cancer (June21-Jul22): 

Responsibilities and tasks could be 

piling up and you could be feeling 

overwhelmed. If this is the case, the 

stars encourage you to take a step back 

and carefully review your situation. 

Leo (Jul23-Aug22): If your confidence 

dips, it’s only temporary. This influence 

could leave you feeling like it isn’t worth 

socialising or hanging out with your best 

friends. 

Virgo (Aug23-Sep22): This week, you 

may be a lot more sensitive and aware 

of the influences around you. If you’ve 

been in denial about any issues, this can 

be your opportunity to notice that and 

do something about it. 

Libra (Sep23-Oct22): If you’re eager to 

make headway on a deal, it helps to be 

as flexible as possible. In addition, make 

sure that you understand the gist of any 

leading conversations. 

Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21): The urge to 

explore new options could be very 

powerful. You may be proactive in 

making travel plans and stepping outside 

your comfort zone. 

Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec21): A lovely 

lineup on Tuesday could encourage you 

to take the plunge with a group project. 

If you do, it could be a lot of fun. 

Capricorn (Dec22-Jan19): There could be 

some aspects of your daily life in which 

you’re trying too hard to accomplish 

something. This tendency could cause 

you to feel a little bit exasperated with a 

plan that seems to be stalling. 

Aquarius (Jan20-Feb18): This week, you 

may feel motivated to make changes to 

your daily routines. This might involve 

revamping your diet or exercise routine 

so you have more time to relax and have 

fun. 

Pisces (Feb19-Mar20): Your schedule 

could be a little bit top heavy, with work 

taking precedence. But with a strong 

focus on family affairs, you might feel 

better if you could strike a balance. • 

horoscopes 

WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

4 tailored | men’s fashion 

Eid makeup | Tempt 5 

Ramadan Rendezvous at Noir Uttara 

Zaara Naushabah 

A 

star-studded evening 

was witnessed at the 

Ramadan Rendezvous in 

Noir’s Uttara branch on 

June 19. Noir, a concern of Evince 

Group, is a leading fashion and 

lifestyle brand of Bangladesh. With 

three successful stores across the 

country, they have launched their 

fourth store at Sonargaon Janapath 

Road in Uttara in April. To celebrate 

the occasion, cricket sensation 

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza graced the 

event with his presence. 

Besides Mashrafe, other 

celebrities such as popular YouTube 

star Salman Mohammad Muqtadir 

and his crew, Raba Khan and Fahad 

Khan, Xefer, Shahtaj were also a 

part of the glamorous evening. A 

fun contest had been running on 

Noir’s Facebook page where the 

participating winners got the chance 

to meet their favourite cricketer and 

receive signed cricket bats from him 

at the event. 

“Noir is a favourite fashion brand 

of mine and I love shopping here for 

myself and my family. This year’s 

collection looks quite exquisite and 

I would advise everyone to come 

and check it out” said Mashrafe to 

the media. “I was also present at 

the launch of Noir’s Dhanmondi 

store and I am very glad to be a part 

of tonight’s event.” The cricketer 

participated in a Question/Answer 

session for his fans and interacted 

with the customers present. 

Noir launches a new Eid special 

collection every Eid which is quite 

popular among the youth. A vast 

array of panjabis, shirts, kurtis and 

other accessories are assembled to 

create the collection for men, women 

and kids. 

“We constantly focus on 

modernising our collection with 

latest international trends yet 

keeping the Bangladeshi culture 

alive. At Noir, we strive to introduce 

new fashion for our local people and 

set trends which reflect our culture,” 

said Shabnam Shehnaz Chowdhury, 

managing director of Noir. 

Noir was launched in 2014 with 

their first store in Banani. As a result 

of remarkable response from the 

people, they expanded to two more 

branches in Dhanmondi and New 

Bailey Road. Their latest store is 

located at 41 Sonargaon Janapath, 

Sector 7, Uttara. • 

Amp up your look this Eid 

Moumita Ahmed 

Eid ul Fitr is right around the corner! We all know how overwhelmed we can get from the stressful, last minute shopping. And 

eventually, we end up looking pretty exhausted on the big day. 

But don’t lose hope yet! This week, Aneeka Bushra, the owner of Splendor by Aneeka Bushra shares two day and night 

makeup looks, which you can practise before Eid which might compliment your attire. 

Day LOOK 

• Infallible Pro Matte Foundation 

• Chocolate Soleil by Too Faced 

• Better Than Sex by Too Faced 

• Beverly Hills Highlighter by Ofra Cosmetics 

• NYX Crystal Silk Liner – Gold Eye Liner 

• Kristen Lip Kit by Kylie Cosmetics 

• Tarte Tartelette Tease Eyeshadow Palette 

DAY LOOK 

NIGHT LOOK 

• Infallible Pro Matte Foundation 

• Juvia’s Place Masquerade Palette 

• Colour Pop Super Shock Shadow 

- Get Lucky 

• Rodeo Drive Highlighter by Ofra 

Cosmetics 

• MAC Rich & Restless Retro Matte 

Liquid Lipcolour 

• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 

• Milani Baked Blush 

Fashionable band aid 

night LOOK 

The band collar shirt is a pure gem for your summer wardrobe 


Vibrant colours and 

lightweight fabrics are one 

thing, but finding an item 

that you didn’t know you 

The upscale 

Whether you believe it or 

not a band collar shirt can be 

worn with a three-piece suit. 

forget your newest pair of sunglasses 

either. The best fabric for this look 

would be linen, but it’s not a foreign 

concept to find those that are 

needed is another. The band collar, 

We’d suggest you skip on 

finished in fine lightweight cotton. 

also known as the grandad collar, shirt 

may seem like a more casual version 

of a dress shirt, but you’d be mistaken. 

the waistcoat (vest) since it’s 

summer, but don’t be shy on 

sporting a white and crispy 

The downscale 

This particular style of shirt can 

While there are classified casual band 

band collar shirt with your 

also be a substitute to the popular 

collar shirts, there is a variety of those 

suits. The obvious takeaway 

Henley shirts. It’s as versatile as the 

that can be beautifully put together 

from this, of course, is the 

Henley if not more. Again, the focus 

with semi-formal ensembles. 

absence of the tie. This look 

is on the details and quality of fabric. 

For those who don’t know, this is 

can easily be worn at the office 

You will find band collar shirts that 

not a new style of shirt. We’re talking 

or for an occasion during the 

look exactly like Henleys with slight 

about a design that used to be worn 

weekend. You might not believe it 

designed shirt can play as a faux- 

differences in the collar design and 

back in the 1920s, and further pushed 

now, but see yourself in this look 

panjabi with fitted pyjamas. This 

the number of buttons. Obviously. 

into pop culture in the 1950s by India’s 

and you’ll be surprised to see how 

is when you get in touch with your 

This casual take is perfect for slim-fit 

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. For 

sophisticated this shirt looks with 

inner Julia Roberts and shout out 

denim and chinos for a more kick- 

obvious climate reasons, this style was 

suits. It’s class without restriction. 

Eat Pray Love. Strap on some fresh 

back, relaxed day. As you can tell, 

Aneeka Bushra is a professional makeup artist. To know more about her, 

picked up by the masses, inspired by 

such a polarising figure like Nehru. 

Ethnic flavour 

A slightly looser fit and casual 

new leather sandals, alongside some 

contrast bracelets and you’ll look 

as light as a summer breeze. Don’t 

this look is probably the easiest to 

wear, and more importantly, the 

most comfortable. • 

visit her page: Splendor by Aneeka Bushra, https://www.facebook.com/ 

splendorAB/ 


6 Cook your own way | Kitchen chronicles 

7 

Eid specials 

Laal mohon 

Farzana Romine 

Eid is almost here. Time to indulge in great food and spend good time with family and friends. In 

my home, my mom makes all the main dishes and I make the desserts. Today I am sharing my 

mom’s chicken roast recipe. It’s the best “wedding roast” recipe, which you can make at home 

easily. 

Since I make the desserts, it’s been a tradition of many years, that I make my Boston cream 

pie, which everyone loves. This year, I am also going to make the traditional Bangladeshi 

sweet, laal mohon. 

I hope you enjoy these recipes, and the upcoming Eid festivities. 

Eid Mubarak! 

Boston cream pie 

Ingredients: 

For the cake: 

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus 

more for pan 

• 1 + 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for 

pan 

• 1 + 1/4 cups flour 

• 1 + 1/4 tsp baking powder 

• 3/4 tsp salt 

• 2 large eggs 

• 2 large egg yolks 

• 3/4 cup whole milk 

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

For the custard: 

2 cups of milk 

1/2 cup sugar 

4 egg yolks 

3 tbsp cornstarch 

Chocolate topping: 

• 1 cup good quality chocolate 

chips 

• 1/2 cup cream 

• 1/2 cup toasted almond flakes 

(optional) 

Directions: 

Make the custard first. In a 

medium saucepan, combine milk 

and 1/4 cup sugar over medium 

heat and bring it to a simmer. 

In a medium bowl, whisk egg 

yolks and remaining sugar until 

well combined. Whisk in the 

cornstarch, one tablespoon at a 

time, until fully incorporated. 

While whisking the egg 

mixture constantly, slowly 

add one cup of the heated 

milk to the egg mixture. 

Strain this mixture into 

the remaining milk in the 

saucepan. Continue cooking 

over medium heat, whisking 

constantly for four to six 

minutes, until the mixture comes 

to a full boil. 

Transfer to a medium bowl, and 

cover with plastic wrap, pressing 

wrap against the filling to prevent a 

skin from forming. Refrigerate for 

at least three hours or overnight. 

To make the cake, preheat oven 

to 350°F/175°C. 

Butter and flour a nine-inch 

round cake pan. In a small bowl, 

whisk together flour, baking 

powder and salt; set aside. 

Combine milk and butter in a small 

saucepan; set over very low heat. 

With an electric mixer, beat eggs 

and sugar on high speed for four to 

five minutes until it turns thicker 

and paler. Then switch to a lower 

speed, and gradually add the hot 

milk mixture to the egg mixture. 

Then stir in the vanilla. 

Gradually 

whisk in dry 

ingredients, 1/4 cup at a 

time, just until incorporated. Mix 

until just smooth. Transfer batter 

to prepared pan and smooth the 

top. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until 

golden and pulling away from sides 

of the pan. Allow the cake to cool 

for 10 minutes in the pan, then 

remove, and transfer to a rack to 

cool further. 

To assemble the cake, first take 

the custard out of the oven and 

beat it with a whisk to make it 

smooth. With 

a serrated knife, split cooled 

cake horizontally. Spread 

bottom half with the custard 

and gently place top half of 

cake on custard layer. 

Over a double boiler, melt the 

chocolate with the cream and cool 

it down slightly. Now pour the 

glaze on top of the cake and spread 

it with a spatula. Sprinkle the 

toasted almonds on top. 

Let it set in the fridge for 30 

minutes before you serve.• 

chicken 

• 1/2 cup oil 

Ingredients: 

• 1 kg whole 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup flour 

• 3/4 cup milk powder 

• 1 egg 

• 2 tsp baking powder 

• 2 tbsp ghee or oil 

• 2 tbsp water 

• Extra oil for deep frying 

For sugar syrup: 

• 2+1/2 cup sugar 

• 2+1/2 cup water 

• 1 cardamom 

• Pinch of saffron (optional) 

Directions: 

First, heat plenty of oil over low 

• 1 tsp sugar 

• 4 dried plums or apricot 

For the spice mix: 

• 1 cup butter milk or plain 

yoghurt 

• 1 tbsp ginger paste 

• 1 tsp garlic paste 

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder 

• 1/2 tsp mace powder 

• 1 tbsp white poppy seed or 

cashew paste 

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder 

• 6 cardamom 

• 1 tsp red chilli powder (you can 

adjust it according to your taste) 

• Salt to taste 

heat for deep frying. 

In another deep and wide 

pot, make the sugar syrup. Pour 

the water and sugar in the pot. 

Add the cardamom. Let it come 

to a boil. When all the sugar has 

dissolved, add the saffron if using, 

and take the syrup off the heat. 

You don’t need to thicken this 

syrup. 

Beat the egg, oil or ghee, and 

water together. In another bowl, 

mix the milk powder, flour and 

baking powder together. 

Now add the liquid mixture 

to the flour. Mix it well to make a 

very soft, sticky dough. 

Oil the palms of your hand, 

take a small portion of the dough 

and make a small and smooth 

ball. Make sure all the balls are the 

same size. 

Once the balls are made, start 

frying them in the oil. The oil 

Chicken roast 

Finishing ingredients: 

• 2 tsp milk powder 

• 8 green chillies 

• 1 cup crispy caramelised onions 

Directions: 

First, cut the chicken into four 

pieces. Make one or two slashes 

on each piece. This helps in the 

marination process. 

Mix the yoghurt and spices 

together. Make sure to grind the 

cardamom. 

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. 

Fry the chicken pieces until lightly 

browned. 

Take them out and in the same 

pan, cook the spice mix for two 

should be just warm, not hot. Fry 

until the balls turn a dark brown 

colour, which will take around 10 

to 15 minutes. 

Bring the sugar syrup back to 

boil. Now put the fried balls in the 

sugar syrup. Boil the balls in the 

syrup for two more minutes, then 

turn the heat off and cover the pan 

with a lid and keep it like this for 10 

minutes. 

After 10 minutes you will see 

that most of the sugar syrup has 

been absorbed by the sweets. Let 

it cool down. You can serve them 

warm or cold. 

Note: Frying the dough at a very 

low temperature is crucial to 

making this sweet. If you fry it 

in hot oil, then it will not cook 

through inside and will become 

hard. • 

to three minutes. Now add the 

chicken pieces back in the pan. For 

Bangladeshi local chicken you need 

to add a little water, but not in the 

case of broiler chicken. Add the 

apricots or plum and leave covered, 

until the chicken is cooked 

through. 

Once chicken is cooked, mix the 

milk powder and the caramelised 

onion, as well as the sugar and 

green chillies. Mix well, cover and 

cook for a further two to three 

minutes. 

The gravy will thicken up and 

will nicely coat the chicken. Serve 

with plain polau or any other 

favourite rice dish. • 

Photos: Farzana Romine 


8 ticket | Eid fashion 

Women’s fashion | Trending 9 

must-have 

bags for the 

4season 

Lydia May’s got you covered 

Wearhouse 

Recently, online clothing brand 

Wearhouse launched their summerfriendly 

collection “For the love of 

blue,” which includes long jackets, 

vests, palazzo and dupatta made of 

breathable cottons. This collection 

represents all the small beautiful 

things that bring a smile to your face 

and the designs were inspired by one 

of Anne Frank’s quote, “Think of all 

the beauty left around you and be 

happy.” 

Checkout their Facebook 

page: www.facebook.com/ 

Wearhouse.2015/ 

zois 

Zois Clothing is an exclusive lifestyle and clothing line for men, focusing on high 

quality ethnic wear and unique accessories that blend well with contemporary trends. 

Recently, they have unveiled their e-commerce website through an exhibition. Their new 

collection consists of simple and sophisticated panjabis, kurtas and bracelets for Eid. 

Website: www.zoisclothing.com/ 

Models: Sherman Sheridan Moreino, Maimur Ferdous and Zeeshan Sadeque 

Photography: Shahed Ibrahim Nahid, Control N Digital Ltd 

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad 

Groceries? Maybe. 

Handbags? Heck yes! 

When talking about the 

nexus of fashion and 

function, there’s no item more useful 

and versatile than a handbag. Here 

are four types every girl needs. 

Got a handle on it 

Let’s face it; it took its sweet time 

to get here, but the Eid holidays 

will come and go before you get 

a chance to really appreciate the 

firni. So if you want a bag that can 

make the transition from 

holiday mode to real life seem 

smoother, and ease you out 

of that Ramadan routine back 

to your regular schedule, 

get yourself a no-nonsense 

satchel. The Farmland Top 

Handle is the Farmland 

saddle’s roomier older sister. 

With the same paddy-patchwork 

motif, this girl can accommodate 

your brunch diary and wallet as 

well as that all-important grooming 

kit and is perfect for brunch and 

work meetings alike. 

Saddle up 

Some of us are taking roadtrips with 

the fam this Eid, and if you’re one of 

those people, or if you’re planning to 

take advantage of the empty roads to 

travel about a bit, then the crossbody 

saddle bag is the one for you. The 

Farmland saddle, so named because 

of the clever bit of embroidery 

inspired by aerial view of our paddy 

fields, is available in warm, exciting 

tones, and can add a pop of colour 

to any outfit. The sturdy strap and 

compact body make it a perfect bag 

to sling on and take out. 

Totes trending 

If ever there’s a bag that’s perfect 

for everyday occasions, whether 

you’re running to class, shattering 

glass ceilings in 

the boardroom, or 

raising tomorrow’s 

leader, it’s the tote 

bag. The Ronni 

tote gets a practical 

update on the classic 

design with multiple 

compartments, easyto-reach 

pockets, 

zips and snap locks, 

and sturdy handles. 

The embroidered 

bull on the corner 

is a nod to our folk 

art, and gives this 

cosmopolitan accessory a subtle 

deshi touch. 

Clutch and hold 

With Eid approaching fast, one 

has to be ready for some dawats. 

You want to keep things light and 

clutter-free during a party, and that’s 

why your everyday bag just won’t 

do. A sleek clutch that houses your 

keys, phone and favourite gloss 

for a touch up after all the “cha 

nashta” you’ll be force-fed is what 

you should be aiming for. Lydia May 

has tasteful line of clutches called 

“Trang” which is selling out pretty 

fast. With a streamlined body and an 

embroidered front flap that echoes 

floral geometry seen in our mosques, 

it’s a bag that’s ready to party. • 

Lidia May bags can be ordered 

from the website lidiamay. 

com, and you can check out 

their brand new Facebook 

page at www.facebook.com/ 

LidiaMayDesigner 


10 Photo Story | pluviophilia 11 

Rain-drenched 

Dhaka 

The past few weeks have been plagued with incessant rain, 

causing horrific landslides in many parts of the country. In Dhaka, 

people have gone about their business as best as they can, on 

muddy roads next to waterlogged drains. But despite the rain 

(or maybe because of it?), the resilience of Dhaka’s residents, 

has shone through, whether in the smiles under heavy umbrellas 

or in the helping hands stretched out to friends jumping across 

puddles. 

Photos: Shafiqul Alam Kiron 

Shafiqul Alam Kiron is a documentary photographer and founder member of Map Photo Agency. He is the 

first Bangladeshi photographer to have earned the World Press Photo Award twice, once in 1998 (first prize, 

People in the News Stories) and again in 2000 (second prize, Spot News Stories). The last 17 years of his work 

have been published in the book Unstoppable: The Courage Within, and is dedicated to acid survivors. 


12 interview | Fatima Nadia 

13 

of entrepreneurship in itself was 

quite challenging. Fortunately, these 

days, women entering businesses 

have a little more support than 

previously. I’ll have to confess, 

being as young as I am, it was a 

Notes 

about 

Needle 

Bee 

Founder Fatima Nadia 

discusses her journey 

Moumita Ahmed 

Ballet flats are a wardrobe 

staple for women in pretty 

much any culture, but the 

typical Western ones can 

sometimes be a little, well, bland 

when worn with traditional South 

Asian clothes. The closest thing we 

have to these flat closed shoes are 

nagras and juttis, but the pressure 

of globalisation has made these hard 

to come by. Enter one Fatima Nadia, 

and her Facebook store Needle Bee, 

which offers a wide selection of 

comfy, 

blinged out juttis for the shoe 

enthusiasts. We listen in. 

When did you decide to 

become a footwear designer? 

I have always seen my mom wait 

all throughout the year for the 

Dhaka International Trade Fair 

just to get her favourite piece of 

footwear - juttis. They were not all 

worth the wait. Neither the make 

nor the comfort level could satisfy 

us. Unfortunately back then, we did 

not have many options in ethnic 

footwear for Bangladeshi women. 

It’s from then onwards I wanted to 

introduce my own footwear line 

in this genre for all the beautiful 

ladies in Bangladesh. 

What motivated you and 

who inspired you? 

Being born and brought up in 

a family where all the members 

have their own business, 

entrepreneurship runs in my blood. 

Noticing the demand for juttis and 

their scarce supply, mixed with my 

passion for them, is what motivated 

me. My mother’s interest in her 

choice of footwear and the lack of 

it in our country had inspired me to 

start my own venture. 

Was it difficult to become a 

footwear designer? What was 

your biggest obstacle and 

how did you overcome it? 

Tell us about your journey. 

For a young woman who has recently 

come out of her teens and is on the 

way to becoming a lawyer, the idea 

little difficult convincing my family 

to take my project seriously at 

first. I started Needle Bee as a trial 

project. Failing to open up my own 

production unit I outsourced the 

manufacturing to neighbouring 

Asian countries. It took quite a while 

for both sides to sync and produce 

something that had generated from 

my ideas. The first shipment was 

a blast, generated enough sales to 

garner more fundings. Gradually, 

people started loving the juttis and 

the popularity soared. Finally, with 

the Almighty’s Grace, I was able to 

gain enough trust from both family 

and patrons in the strength of my 

work. Now, I’m working on setting 

up my own footwear production unit 

in Bangladesh and have introduced a 

clothing line to go with the juttis. 

Do you have a shoe motto? 

Yes. We at Needle Bee believe 

nothing can make you feel 

more confident than a pair of 

comfortable yet stunning footwear. 

So ladies, next time you feel 

down just grab a Needle Bee love 

and #makeyourfeetshine! 

What makes Needle Bee 

stand out from other 

footwear designers? 

Needle Bee incorporates ethnicity 

with glamour so a deshi woman can 

wear a little bit of her culture even 

when she is rocking a western outfit. 

The primary concern regarding juttis 

is comfort. Our juttis are made of 

pure leather and have double 

padded soles so that even 

when you are feeling 

low we can give you a 

little boost. That’s how 

Needle Bee connected 

to its audience; all the 

juttis here have been 

handcrafted with sheer love! 

With Eid approaching, 

what new designs are you 

currently working on? 

That’s a surprise! For that, you would 

need to keep an eye on our Facebook 

page. 

What have been the most 

popular designs among your 

clients? 

There is not a 

specific answer to 

this. I launched 

during the wedding 

season where I had 

kept gorgeous juttis 

with dakba, zardosi 

and patti work. 

For summer, I 

introduced vibrant 

and soothing 

Photos: Courtesy 

embroidery, florals, pearls and 

animal print which have been widely 

appreciated by all. Our designs are 

quite season oriented. 

In the age of heels and 

stilettos how has been 

people’s response to the 

juttis that you design? 

It is quite a warm welcome. People 

loved the juttis. That they’d prefer 

ethnic flats over highly popularised 

western footwear was beyond my 

expectation. I was quite glad to see 

how eagerly Bangladeshi women 

wanted to connect to their roots and 

wear something that is modern and 

represented their culture at the same 

time. • 


14 Alternative families | eid for all 

new note market | eid novelties15 

Isolated on Eid day 

The invisible divide that keeps the transgender community away 

from their families 

Saudia Afrin 

Can you sell happiness this Eid? 

Turns out you can, with new banknotes 

Mahmood Sadi 

What does Eid mean 

to you? For most 

people, it is being 

with family and 

friends, enjoying their company and 

sharing your happiness. For us, Eid 

symbolises togetherness and goodwill, 

but unfortunately, the reach of 

this festival do not stretch as far as 

we think. 

Much like their isolated existence 

in society, happiness is absent on the 

doorsteps of the hijra community in 

Dhaka, even on the day of Eid. 

Separated from their families by 

an invisible gulf 

Pervin was attempting to collect 

money at a busy intersection 

of Dhaka city. Throughout our 

conversation, she talked about a 

struggling childhood with her sisters, 

when they would pass almost the 

entire day sitting on a sheetal pati 

on the courtyard of their simple, 

clay house - until their father would 

return with Eid dresses for them. 

According to 17 year old Pervin, 

“leaving my family three years ago 

and now standing on the verge of 

adulthood, you know what I miss the 

most? The hugs and cuddles from 

my family members. These feelings 

haunt me the most when the days of 

any festivity come around. I’m not 

allowed to visit my parents anymore. 

I can only send them money through 

Bkash. ” 

This is the story of most of 

the transgender population in 

Bangladesh, according to Bobby from 

Sustho Jibon, a organisation working 

for the betterment of the community. 

She said, “even though we live in 

the same society, every aspect of our 

life is dealt with differently. Neither 

can we live our life as men, nor as 

women. The feeling of having such 

an existence is so painful that it is 

beyond words.” 

Bobby left her home when she 

was 15 years old. After her parents 

deaths, she hardly got the chance to 

see any other members of her family. 

“On the occasion of Eid, I used 

to send money and clothes to my 

parents and often visited them 

during festivals. Though I couldn’t 

continue visiting my home, I have 

kept alive the practice of sending 

gifts to my siblings.” 

Her experience portrays how 

the pressure from society, and its 

existing norms, are inducing the 

entire community to live in isolation. 

“I don’t even go outside, and 

neither do my other acquaintances,” 

she added. On Eid day, Bobby 

spends most of the time lying in bed, 

remembering the happy days of old, 

or sometimes paying visits to other 

rooms to console each other. 

“I have seen young souls suffer 

the most, since their memories of 

their families are still so fresh.” 

Even though we live in the same 

society, every aspect of our life is dealt 

with differently 

There is always a limit to 

acceptance 

Kotha from Shocheton Hijra 

Shongothon refers to herself as a 

member of one big family of around 

150 transgender people who live at 

an undisclosed area in Dhaka. On Eid 

day, she makes a point of going to a 

mosque to pray, and of taking other 

members of her community with her. 

She said, “After namaz, I always 

visit my parents’ home to be blessed 

by my mother. I get the chance to 

meet my 11 siblings there, together 

with their families. However, the 

moment I step into my home, I 

realise that I have left it for good, and 

Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu 

I can feel the whispers all around me 

and the judgmental eyes on me.” 

Even her nieces and nephews 

welcome her with warm hearts, 

yet they demand she change her 

appearance so they don’t feel 

ashamed. 

“Maybe I wouldn’t have had to 

face this situation if my mother 

could have accepted me for who 

I truly am. So I think there is a 

need to orient parents and make 

them understand in the first place, 

in order to change the existing 

situation,” she added. 

After returning to her 

transgender family, Kotha visits 

the others rooms to taste their food 

and have a chit-chat. However, 

everything happen inside their 

bubble. “It’s not like we don’t go 

outside. We go to watch movies 

as a group, yet on such occasions, 

we can feel people’s judging eyes 

digging into us like spears.” 

Echoing Bobby, Kotha also 

attested that most transgender 

people are not able to visit their 

families. However, “thanks to 

modern, mobile technologies, now 

at least they can hear the voices of 

their loved ones over the phone.”• 

Plastic money has been able 

to replace the need for 

paper currency to some 

extent, especially in Dhaka, 

and mobile wallets have slowly 

been making inroads in the money 

market. But nothing beats the joy of 

having a bundle of fresh banknotes 

during Eid. 

A visit to Motijheel - the 

commercial district of the capital - 

on the last week of Ramadan, can 

tell you why. Sitting under umbrellas 

on wooden tables and chairs, both 

the seasoned and seasonal banknote 

sellers were having their springtime 

there. 

There were at least 20-25 

banknote sellers, some standing 

without even bothering about a 

makeshift arrangement. “Selling 

money” was the point and that 

commodity hardly needed any 

functional setting to draw customers. 

“My Eid shopping is done. 

Now I’ve come here to buy new 

banknotes,” said Sabrid Rozin, an 

employee of a telecom company. 

Rozin said he needed the new 

banknotes to give as salaami to his 

niece and nephews. 

“Once I used to wait eagerly to 

get salaami during Eid. There is a 

relation between new banknotes and 

salaami – it holds a certain charm. I 

used to love the smell of crisp, new 

banknotes and now want to give the 

same to my younger relatives,” said 

Rozin. 

Altaf Goni, a plastic businessman 

from Bakshi Bazar, meanwhile said 

that like new dresses and new shoes, 

new banknotes is a part of Eid. 

“Eid doesn’t just mean donning 

new clothes after a month long 

fast, it means spreading joy 

among people, especially the 

underprivileged ones. That’s why 

the term ‘Fitra’ is used in this Eid, 

which refers to giving away a certain 

amount of money to the poor.” 

“The person whom are you going 

to give your money as ‘Fitra’ to also 

loves to get new banknotes. That’s 

why I came here to get them.” 

The pricing and sourcing of notes 

Each year before Eid, Bangladesh 

Bank’s currency officer sends a 

demand list to the Security Printing 

Corporation. The corporation 

supplies fresh bank notes according 

to stated requirements. 

This year, Bangladesh Bank 

released new currency notes worth 

Tk25,000 crore in the market ahead 

You have to give commissions to 

every place - to the syndicate, police 

and to the bank people 

of Eid-ul-Fitr. The new notes were 

distributed from June 8 to June 22 

from all branches of Bangladesh 

Bank, counters of authorised 

commercial banks across the country 

and 20 counters of 19 commercial 

banks in the capital. 

The banknote sellers collect 

the money from these commercial 

banks. The seasoned banknote 

sellers who sell new banknotes in 

exchange of old ones throughout the 

year however, start stockpiling new 

banknotes way ahead of Eid. 

Mohsin Ali is one such banknote 

seller. He has a makeshift stall 

to sell money in the alley beside 

Bangladesh Bank. 

Ali has been a seller of new 

banknotes for the past 30 years. 

For him, it’s not just a seasonal 

business. “I have a permanent place 

to sell notes in Thatharibazar of Old 

Dhaka. But during the last week of 

Ramadan, I usually come beside 

the central bank, as I find more 

customers here.” 

Ali said that at the same time, 

his elder son was also looking after 

business at his permanent stall. “If 

you want to place a makeshift stall 

here, you need to give money to the 

police.” 

When asked where he gets these 

new banknotes, Ali said, as he is a 

regular note seller, he has started 

stocking new banknotes way before 

Eid. “I collect it from different banks 

and I have my sources there.” 

The banknotes are being sold in 

bundles. From Tk2 to Tk1,000 - all 

sorts of denominations are available. 

A bundle which contains 100 

banknotes of Tk10 is sold at Tk1,100; 

a bundle of Tk20 at Tk2,100-Tk2,150 

and a bundle of Tk100 at Tk10,250- 

Tk10,300. 

These are the banknotes that have 

the highest demand. In Motijheel, 

during the last ten days of Ramadan, 

Ali usually sells banknotes worth 

of Tk60,000 - Tk1,50,000 per day. 

The profit margin ranges between 

Tk4,000 - Tk8,000. 

Problems for seasonal notesellers 

However, Shukkur Mridha, a 

Photo: Mehedi Hasan 

seasonal note seller, doesn’t make 

that much profit or sells an amount 

similar to his seasoned counterpart 

Ali. Mridha has the experience of 

doing multiple businesses, including 

selling lemon juice and fried chicken 

at Motijheel, and said that he usually 

makes Tk8,00 - Tk1,200 a day in the 

last week of Ramadan by selling new 

banknotes. 

“You have to give commissions 

to every place - to the syndicate, 

police and to the bank people,” he 

said. 

Mridha has been doing lots of 

business on the streets of Motijheel 

for the last 15 years. “I have been 

dealing in new notes before Eid for 

the last couple of years. It’s just a 

two week long business for me.” 

Mridha and other seasonal 

banknote sellers cannot collect 

banknotes from the banks, as there 

is a syndicate of seasoned banknote 

sellers who don’t allow them to 

collect this money. 

Interestingly, the bank officials 

also know the seasoned banknote 

sellers and they are aware of the 

syndicate. They don’t usually 

sell new banknotes to people like 

Mridha. 

“We collect banknotes from the 

syndicate of seasoned banknote 

sellers by giving commissions. They 

charge us a certain amount, but we 

still can make profit after that,” said 

an apparent happy Mridha.• 


16 Ramadan planner | The final stretch 

7 things to do this Ramadan 

Nintendo’s E3 show 

Nintendo | Tech 17 

Noshin Tasnuba 

During Ramadan, there are many things that you can do to increase 

the strength of your faith, keep healthy, and participate in 

community activities. Follow this list to make the most of the last 

week of this holy month! 

DAY 1 

Eat light 

As the month of Ramadan is coming to an end, your remembrance of Allah 

is likely to increase. Try eating a healthy and light meal during iftar, so 

that you don’t get tired afterwards and are able to stay awake till Fajr for 

additional prayers. 

DAY 3 

Help the neighbourhood 

children memorise a 

significant surah 

Try to gather the children 

living in your neighbourhood 

and teach them about the 

importance of the holy month 

of Ramadan in our lives. You 

can also help them memorise 

some significant short surahs to 

recite during their free time. 

DAY 2 

Organise a food 

drive for the less 

fortunate 

Along with your family and 

friends, organise a food drive 

and distribute normal iftar 

items to the poor individuals 

around you. This act may 

make you feel at peace and 

will surely help you gain 

some extra blessings. 

DAY 5 

Send Eid greetings to 

all your relatives and 

friends 

It may be difficult for you to 

DAY 4 

Sharpen your 

culinary skills 

Try preparing some new 

dishes for iftar, rather than 

the usual. You can also 

look up traditional dishes 

of different regions on the 

Internet to give your family 

members a taste of a totally 

unfamiliar cuisine. 

spare a lot of time to call all 

your loved ones and wish 

them a happy Ramadan 

and a joyful upcoming Eid. 

Instead, you can send your 

close friends and family 

members a short text 

message, filled with words of gratitude and asking for their blessings. 

Also, try writing some old-fashioned letters to your grandparents to 

make them smile on this special occasion of Eid. 

DAY 7 

Spare some time for 

yourself 

At the end of this holy month, list 

down the negativity in your actions 

and try to work on developing 

yourself. Try controlling your anger 

issues and practice being selfless. 

This change is likely to bring out the 

best in you and help you become a 

better human being. 

DAY 6 

An exercise in 

gratitude 

Try listing down the things in 

your life that you are grateful 

for, and take a few moments 

to appreciate the life you are 

blessed with. Offer additional 

prayers and recite significant 

surahs for the well-being of 

the ones who hold a special 

place in your heart. 

We pick up where we left off from 

last week’s roundup of E3 2017 


Whether you’re a loyal 

supporter of the 

PlayStation or the 

Xbox, you cannot 

deny the fundamentals and pure 

authenticity of what Nintendo has 

to offer. In other words, you can 

see Nintendo as the Switzerland of 

the video game world. The basic 

connection to old school classics, 

and genuine fun, that Nintendo has 

to offer really can’t be duplicated by 

the other titans of the field. In a way, 

Nintendo is unique in their approach 

to the market, and we love them for it. 

A new odyssey 

The next biggest tittle to be released 

on October 27 is Super Mario 

Odyssey for the Nintendo Switch. 

The company also showed a trailer 

of the game, displaying the main 

mechanics and gameplay throughout 

different levels. As seen in the trailer, 

Mario will go on a new adventure 

while accompanied by Cappy (his 

hat), which players will be able to 

use to takeover enemy characters 

by a new Capture feature in the 

game. This will become quite the 

entertaining display in the co-op 

mode of the game. 

Mario himself will be able to 

attack his enemies and interact with 

other objects by chucking his hat 

like a boomerang. Alongside the 

usual navigation, 

punching his way 

up and down, he’ll 

also react to the 

environment, like 

shivering because 

of the location’s 

temperature. 

The half-hour 

presentation of 

the gameplay has 

left many players 

wanting even more 

of the new game. 

Just a tease 

If you already 

know of the new 

development stages of the latest 

Metroid Prime 4 game, you should 

already be disappointed over the 

fact there was simply a tease for 

the audience. Just a sharp looking 

number four is what they have to 

offer so far. This might get many 

excited because as gamers, we’ve 

been eagerly waiting for a new 

Metroid game, keeping tabs on the 

pipeline. This title also comes to 

the Switch, making way for a new 

path for Samus Aran. Apart from 

that ladies and gentlemen, no other 

information was revealed on the new 

instalment. We’ll have to keep an eye 

out on latest developments from the 

following months. 

Too darn cute 

Nintendo does nostalgia best. 

The audience were also treated to 

a trailer for the new Kirby game 

for the Switch. Kirby was first 

introduced by Nintendo in 1992 

(Kirby’s Dreamland) for the ever-sopopular 

handheld Game Boy. This 

opened up a series of Kirby games 

following the initial introduction 

that led many more ways to use the 

title character through fun action 

platforms, puzzles, racing and even 

pinball. And yes, the pinball version 

was equally entertaining as the rest. 

The cute little animated character 

will be back to the handheld world 

in 2018. Except this time, instead of 

inhaling his enemies, 

he’ll be able to befriend 

them. Now, there’s a 

new concept! 

Revving up 

rockets 

Another huge 

announcement was 

the introduction of 

Rocket League making 

its way to the Nintendo 

Switch. This soccer 

game (yes, you read 

that correctly) took the 

gaming world by storm back in 2015 

when it was first released on PC, 

PS4, Xbox One and on the Mac OS 

X. The developers went as far as to 

stating that the Switch players will 

be able to compete with other across 

all-platforms. 

The developers, Psyonix, also 

revealed that the Switch version 

of the game would include 

exclusive customised items and 

cars. In addition to the main 

announcements, gamers will be able 

to access local wireless multiplayer 

mode, sort of similar to Mario Kart 

8 Deluxe. Whether the mode will 

allow split-screen co-op has yet to be 

confirmed. 

Gotta catch ‘em all 

No dates, no real gameplay or actual 

news for a new Pokémon game, but 

there is one in development. And 

a proper one at that. Game Freak, 

the developers of the new Pokémon 

game, made it very clear this will 

be a “core” RPG found in the main 

Pokémon series. Nintendo is very 

tight-lipped about the entire affair 

and has only disclosed the fact the 

new game will be released early next 

year. Fingers crossed, let’s hope this 

is a legitimate claim.• 


18 stay in 

Biz Info 19 

Clues 

ACROSS 

1 Heavenly body posed 

with vase (6) 

6 Keep energy in push (5) 

7 Power scattered mates 

(5) 

8 Stayed confused but 

solid (6) 

Last week’s solutions 

Mini cryptics 

DOWN 

2 Sporty type made the late 

change (7) 

3 Rude man newly deweaponised 

(7) 

4 Require the french sewing 

equipment (6) 

5 The short sibling made 

academic paper (6) 

Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and win one free 

month of the Dhaka Tribune. 

ACROSS 

1 Mr Toad’s sorted for fame 

(7) 

4 Month keeps on for ruler (7) 

6 Everything in exam is the 

most high (7) 

7 Seaman I changed for 

forgetfulness (7) 

DOWN 

1 Island USA tram rebuilt (7) 

2 Cancel first of Acme’s new no-use line 

(5) 

3 Wise Indian keeps beret between 

mothers (7) 

5 Grass snooker balls hold energy (5) 

Sudoku 

Use the numbers 1-9 to complete each 

of the 3x3 square grids such that each 

horizontal and vertical line also contains all 

of the digits from 1-9 

Last week’s solutions 

Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and 

win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune. 

How to make a 

DIY geometric 

brass pendant 

light 

Tasfia Huda 

You will need: 

• Brass tubing (you can use a 

seamless 1/4” tubing) 

• Wire string to attach your tubes 

together 

• Nylon-wrapped lamp cording – 2 ft 

• Lamp socket (a basic black one 

that you can attach with the 

covered wire) 

• Ceiling canopy (to cover your 

electrical opening) 

1. Run your string through three 

pipes at a time, forming a bow tie 

shape. This will serve as the base of 

your pendant. Then, run the wire 

through the copper piping. 

2. Play around with different 

configurations until you find a 3D 

shape you like. Add two more pipes 

to both sides of your bow tie shape 

to close the shape. 

3. Using a pipe cutter, cut one 12 

inch pipe in half and two six inch 

pipes. 

4. Using two 12-inch pipes, and two 

6-inch pipes, attach the piping to the 

corners of your base. 

5.Cut four ¼ inch pipes to attach 

between the tops of your remaining 

pipes. Measure four ¼ inch pieces of 

brass piping to surround your wire. 

6. Attach your Nylon-wrapped 

lamp cording to the socket, and then 

thread the cord through the collar in 

your pendant. 

7. Now, you can just install it like 

any other pendant lamp (if you don’t 

know how to do this, you probably 

want to check with a pro).• 

diy 

Enticing offers at Amari Dhaka 

In celebration of the end of 

Ramadan, Amari Dhaka offers 

sumptuous dining choices as well 

as a special Eid room package 

during Eid-ul-fitr. 

Under the ‘Eid Mubarak at 

Cascade Lounge’ package Amari 

will be offering slider burgers, 

snack meal deal and kulfi special 

for the first three days of Eid. The 

meal choices include four sliders 

with a choice of mocktail at 

Tk1,200 per person and a special 

snack combo containing éclairs, 

macaroon, fruit tart, chicken pie 

Pre-departure ceremony for 

summer cricket program in UK held 

A 

pre-departure ceremony 

was organised on June 

18 by the British Council 

at its Fuller Road office for 

Bangladeshi students selected 

for the Summer Cricket and 

Leadership Programme by the 

Oxford International Education 

Group in the UK. 

During the two month summer 

program in July and August, the 

students will participate in cricket 

master classes and will get the 

opportunity to play club cricket. 

They will also participate in a twoweek-long 

English and leadership 

program. 

and Amari special chicken quiche 

for Tk1,100. 

The luxury hotel is also offering 

a Superior Queen Room package 

for Tk9,999. The package includes 

buffet breakfast for two at Amaya 

food gallery. Amari’s signature Thai 

Spa Breeze is offering a buy one get 

one free package with the purchase 

of any 90 minute massage. The 

room offer is available until July 1. 

For more information call 

01878499999 

Or visit www.amari.com/ 

dhaka/• 

This year, a total of 50 

students have been selected for 

the program. The program was 

initiated last year in Bangladesh 

by the British Council. A total 

18 schools participated in the 

program. 

“The objectives of the 

program are to promote the 

Summer School Campaign 

among Bangladeshi students. 

The students will be exposed 

to a new culture and come back 

more knowledgeable and wiser,” 

said Shegufta Ahmed, the acting 

project manager of Study UK of 

British Council Bangladesh.• 

Eid weekend at Le Meridien 

Dhaka 

In celebrating the Eidul-Fitr, 

Le Méridien 

Dhaka is offering city 

guests to take advantage 

of the long weekends by 

enjoying quality family 

time at Le Méridien 

Dhaka. 

A family of four (two 

adults and two children) 

may enjoy one night 

accommodation on any weekends 

between June 23 and July 8 with 

complimentary buffet breakfast/ 

buffet sehri at only Tk11,900. The 

package also includes welcome 

drinks, pizzas and chocolates in the 

room upon arrival, use of the Fitness 

Centre and Skyline Infinity Pool, and 

uninterrupted High Speed Internet 

Access throughout the hotel, as well 

as complimentary 30-minute Thai 

massage for two adults. Guests may 

Syngenta-VSO Partnership triples income 

of 10 thousand smallholder farmers 

Syngenta, one of the world’s leading 

agriculture companies, and VSO, a 

leading international development 

NGO, just published the results 

of their community development 

program “Growing Together,” 

revealing that the program tripled 

farmers’ net income in a three-yearperiod. 

The program places Syngenta 

corporate employees from across 

the world into the heart of rural 

Bangladeshi communities, offers 

smallholder farmers modern 

also enjoy a 20 percent discount 

on food and 15 percent discount on 

beverage during their stay. 

The hotel is also arranging live 

music by its Filipino band North 

Wave with live food stations by the 

Skyline Infinity Pool. 

To learn more contact 

+8801990909909 (weekend package) 

or +8801990900900 (restaurant 

offers). • 

agricultural techniques, financial 

services alongside access to national 

and international markets. 

Halima Begum, secretary of one of 

the farmer’s groups created as a part 

of the program, said, that because of 

the program she can now afford three 

meals a day, whereas in the past her 

family could not afford two meals. 

The report suggests that through 

the adoption of ‘social franchise 

model’ future projects can potentially 

improve the livelihoods of more than 

two million people.• 


20 Dining | GFC 

Eat well 

and thrive! 

Minaal Choudhury 

The Gourmet Food 

Company (GFC) is Dhaka’s 

latest addition to high 

end food options. It is an 

online food service with no brick and 

mortar restaurant. The head chef, 

George, is a famous restaurateur 

having opened George’s Café before 

moving onto the Gourmet Food 

Company. 

GFC started its operations in 

April 2017 and has quickly become a 

burger lover’s haven. Their loyal fan 

following is largely due to the unique 

burger combinations, freshly baked 

peppered buns and the use of only 

fresh, premium ingredients. The 

main goal is to keep their customers 

happy and make them want to come 

back. The customers enjoy the 

amazing food as they are served up a 

perfect burger at a great value. 

With our favourite food joints, 

family and friends posting drool 

worthy food pictures every day, 

we just can’t get enough of the 

varied food experiences in our city. 

And, when we do indulge in our 

favourite foods, we love sharing the 

food spread, ‘share’ as in share our 

food exploits on social media. Now, 

consider this. What if, in addition 

to eating out and sharing the food 

pictures you could actually share a 

meal with an underprivileged child? 

What if every time you ate a meal 

of your liking, an underprivileged 

child in your vicinity also savoured 

a meal? 

As part of a conscious endeavour 

of the GFC founders to nourish 

the lower strata of the 

society in sync with the 

company’s growth by 

marrying the concept 

of actual meal sharing, 

GFC is offering a very 

meaningful promotion 

during Ramadan. GFC 

has partnered with 

Thrive, a volunteer based 

organisation to help 

feed children attending 

schools in the slum areas 

across Dhaka City. Thrive 

volunteers, provide 

healthy nutritious meals 

daily to these school 

children. For some of the 

children, it is their only 

meal of the day. 

GFC Ramadan offer 

is simple: with the purchase of two 

burgers, Tk500 is given to Thrive 

to procure food for the children. 

The best part of the Ramadan offer? 

Feeding the needy while feeding 

yourself. 

The burger offerings are one of a 

kind. They include: 

The Blue Cheese: Blue cheese, apple 

and onion relish with beef bacon for 

silky and sharp finish. 

Dirty South: Deep fried goodness! 

breaded deep fried chicken burger 

on a bed of spicy and smoky paprika 

mayonnaise with beef bacon, pickles 

and caramelised onions. 

The Greek: Creamy feta cheese 

with caramelised onion, roasted 

red pepper pickles on smeared with 

roasted lemon mayo for a zesty 

kick. 

Dijon: A succulent burger with 

Dijon mustard, feta, mozzarella, 

pickles and garlic mayo for a tangy 

bite. 

The GFC: The house favourite. It’s 

made with lettuce, roasted tomato, 

caramelised onion, pickles, garlic 

mayonnaise, special hot sauce and 

sliced cheese! 

The Italian: Pesto and mozzarella 

burger with roasted tomatoes. 

There is nothing quite like it. 

To learn more about Thrive and 

the Gourmet Food Company and to 

place your burger order, please visit 

www.gourmetfoodcompanybd. 

com.• 

WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

Weekend-5-10

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