weekend tribune vol 3 issue 39

vol 3 Issue 39 | FRIDAY, JAnuARY 22, 2016 Dhaka Tribune

6 PIthA sPReAD 12 tRAFFIc

AnD heAlth 20 the Bong MoMMA

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, JAN UARY 22, 2016

1CONTENTS

Volume 3 | Issue 39 | January 22, 2016

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamSaudia Afrin

Moumita AhmedN Anita AmreenSakib MridhaSaqib Sarker

Syeda Samira SadequeShuprova Tasneem

ContributorsMinu AhmedTanbhir AshikDina Sobhan

CartoonsSyed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Priyo

GraphicsMd Mahbub AlamAlamgir HossainTahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisementShahin Ahsan

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

Editor’s noteAbout the coverDear Readers,

You can’t live in Dhaka and not talk about the traffic. With the recent hullabaloo over the problems of the Hatirjheel flyover extension, we’ve got some serious road rage.

Like anything else, the worst victims of the constant congestion are women. We talk about the many ways in which traffic impacts the health and safety of female commuters. We also talk about what has been done, is being done, and needs to be done to alleviate our collective problem.

And while we’re waiting for those problems to be solved, we talk about at least one thing that has been done for people in need – the placement of telemedicine services in the country.

If you’re looking forward to

escaping Dhaka and its woes, we’ve got just the ticket – a lush photostory from our haor areas.

Dhaka Tribune has been extensively covering the issue of our lack of earthquake preparedness. At WT, we’re going in a proactive direction with an explanation of how these tremors are measured.

This being January, the Dhaka International Trade Fair is underway. We’ve gone in to investigate how this year’s fair is faring.

Finally, kick back and relax with our stories of food, fashion and fussy babies as your favourite columnists deliver, and how.

Wishing you a great week!

-Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

News

2 News

3 Meanwhile

FeatuRes 4 Men’s Fashion Grooming5 Women’s Fashion Shoes6 Food Pitha spread8 Business DITF-2016 9 Photo Story Haor regions12 Focus Traffic and health14 Focus Jam sessions15 Focus Telemedicine16 Focus Richter scale

RegulaRs17 Drama Mama

18 Stay In

19 Go Out

20 The Bong Momma

PhOTO STOry Haor reGIonS

FOCuS TraFFIc anD HealTH

9

12

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain


2 NEWS | This week

At least 21 dead in Pakistan University attack

AFP announces new bureau in North Korea

Agence France-Presse (AFP) announced Tuesday it will open a bureau in Pyongyang, becoming only the second global news agency to establish a permanent presence in the North Korean capital.

The newswire signed an agreement with the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Paris, which will allow AFP to open an office in the nation where few foreign news organisations maintain full-time operations.

“The establishment of an AFP bureau in Pyongyang in the near future will help expand the agency’s international network,” said AFP’s chief executive and chairman

Emmanuel Hoog.“AFP needs to be present all over

the world to fulfil its mission of reporting news as fully as possible, notably through the medium of images,” he added.

AFP will join only a handful of foreign media organisations that have offices in the North Korean capital, including the Associated Press, Kyodo news agency of Japan and Beijing’s Xinhua agency.

AFP, one of the world’s three major news agencies and originally formed in 1835, operates more than 200 bureaus in some 150 countries around the world. Photo: AFP

U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone in last week and reiterated about their strong stance against terrorism. On Tuesday, while talking over the phone, both the leaders pledged to deepen their cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the White House said in a statement.

The two leaders also reiterated their shared goal of degrading and ultimately destroying Islamic State, the statement said.

Obama condemned the recent string of attacks by the Kurdistan Workers Party against Turkish security forces and stressed the need for de-escalation, the White House said.Photo: Reuters

At least 21 people died in an armed assault on a university in Pakistan last week. Witnesses reported that on Wednesday, the bloodshed began early in the morning.

The number of dead rose rapidly after armed men stormed the Bacha Khan university in Charsadda, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the city of Peshawar, in the latest outrage to hit the militant-infested region.

Police, soldiers and special forces swarmed the university from the ground and the air in a bid to shut down the assault, as television

images showed female students running for their lives.

“The death toll in the terrorist attack has risen to 21,” regional police chief Saeed Wazir told AFP hours after the alarm was first raised.

He said the operation had ended and security forces were clearing the area, with most of the student victims shot dead at a hostel for boys on the campus.

“More than 30 others including students, staff and security guards were wounded,” he added.Photo: AFP

Police chief AKM Shahidul Hoque last week has blamed Bangladesh Bank official Golam Rabbi for the much-talked-about January 9 incident.

On Tuesday, he alleged that the banker did not cooperate with police on the night of the incident but said Sub-Inspector Masud Sikder’s actions were “inappropriate”.

Hoque claimed SI Masud wanted to frisk Rabbi. “But instead of cooperating, Rabbi kept calling others over phone that annoyed the on-duty policemen.

“That’s why SI Masud detained him for two hours but it was not what he should have done,” he said,

responding to a question in Savar on Tuesday.

Rabbi claimed Masud had tortured him and threatened to kill him unless he paid Tk5 lakh. Masud was suspended two days later after Rabbi filed a written complaint.

The High Court on Sunday ordered police to accept Rabbi’s complaint as FIR and observed that the SI should be dismissed.

IGP Hoque said two police teams were investigating the incident. “We’ll take actions against him (SI Masud) if he’s found guilty,” he added.Source: Dhaka Tribune

IGP blames it on BB official Rabbi

Obama, Erdogan pledge to deepen cooperation against terrorism: White House

The world at a glanceWeekend Tribune

Desk


. . . MEaNWhIlE 3

Photo of the week

say what?

A spiderweb in the early morning mist at Patuakhali.Photo: Tanvir Ahmed Siddiky

Boy aged 7 forced to marry stray dog in religious ceremony

A seven-year-old boy has been forced to marry a female dog – because his family believe it will ward

off evil spirits.Mukesh Kerayi lives in the deeply

superstitious rural village of Manik Bazar, in eastern India.

According to his parents and grandparents, his horoscope predicts his first wife will die young.

So in an effort to avoid such a

tragedy, they put a bitch in a wedding dress and made it Mukesh’s first wife.

Just like a normal wedding, villagers danced and cheered in celebration of the youngster and his new ‘bride’.

The dog was reportedly kicked back onto the streets after the service.

Mukesh’s grandfather, Ashok Kumar Leyangi, 43, said: “We believe the marriage will ward off any bad omen attached the boy.Source: Daily Mirror


Brows on fleek

4 MEN’S FaShION | GroominG

Yes, you need to keep your eyebrows in check tooMahmood Hossain

When we endorse proper grooming from head-to-toe we aren’t messing around. This

means your eyebrows need to be taken care of with equal importance. It may seem a lot, you’ve got your haircut, moisturising, keeping your skin as clean as possible, nails on your fingers and toes clear of grime and the list goes on. One thing adds on top of the other and we’ve got a tall order of a grooming regimen. The sad thing is, if you leave any one of those off the list, it’ll throw your entire grooming game off. You don’t ever want to find yourself in that position.

Oral hygiene is always important when it comes to your smile, but the eyebrows, well, it’s for a welcoming pair of eyes. You want to look pleasant in the brows department so keep these tips in mind for an all around well-groomed look.

Within bordersUs South Asian men are hairy, there’s no going around this fact. However, there are some who are naturally blessed with hair in all the right places, with all the right amount. We consider these men to be anomalies. Slow applause. The unibrow happens to be one of those cringe-worthy areas of a man’s body. It doesn’t matter if your beard is trimmed and lined to perfection. It doesn’t even matter if your hairdo is of the latest trend, just don’t let your brows grow wild.You need to make sure you get rid of all the hair outside of the regular border of your brows. Get yourself slanted tweezers and start plucking away, one by one. Remember to keep everything in line and within the borders when plucking. You don’t want to end up looking like you’ve been teasing around Edward Scissorhands. On the subject of sharp objects, stay away from using

razors to get your rid of your unibrow. Only plucking allowed, be wise.

TrimmersOnce the border is in line and you’ve plucked away pleasantly, the length of your brows is what you need to attend to next. There is a significant difference between having strong brows and unruly bushy ones. You can get yourself a beard trimmer to carefully graze the longer hairs at the edges of your brows. A comb can easily be a stern ruler to keep things in line when you’re trimming. If this is something you don’t have the time or skill for, you can always take this task to your barber. Better safe than sorry, and they’ll do this little job free of charge. Just make sure to tip him after you’ve gotten your haircut.

Pros of the gameGetting your eyebrows done by

professionals is always a good idea. Repeat with us, “always a good idea.” There is no shame in going in to get your brows done. Just be very careful when it comes to thinness, watching every step (with one eye open) that is being done by the professional. The idea is to keep things trimmed and clean, while maintaining the natural shape of your eyebrows. You don’t want to end up rocking brows that make you look surprised all that time. One, people will assume you’re naturally shocked, or that you’ve given up on life and decided to Botox. We’re joking, we don’t judge Botox.

Just like any other grooming practice, we suggest you make this a habit. We know it may sound like a lot of hard work, but considering all that other life altering situations you might find yourself in, “this ain’t nothin’ but a cakewalk.” Groom well gentlemen, and dress smart. n

Illustration: Priyo/Dhaka Tribune

Brows on fleek


shoes | WOMEN’S FaShION 5

A spring

in your step

Spring 2016 shoe trends

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

In about a week or so, it will be time to pack up the ankle booties and the party season stilettos for some fresh kicks

for the new season. Here’s what’s cool in the next three months.

I like em chunkyGood news for those who have a lot of walking in their daily commute. Flat shoes with chunky bases lit up the catwalks around the world, so it’s safe to say these will be a hot spring trend. From thick-soled sneakers to espadrilles and sandals with a little extra padding, the look is very industrial chic and oh so comfortable.

Glitter gameThe wedding season may be over, but that’s no reason to pack up your sparkly shoes. If anything, party shoes this year are all about the bling. Stonework, sequins, metallic finishes, this is your season to let

your feet shine.

A little tied upFrom gladiators to ballerinas, tie-up shoes have the fashion world in knots this year. We can add our own flair to this global trend with some fancy kolapuris with tie up details. These shoes are best worn with hemlines that hit mid calf.

You’re so squareShoe designers this year must have put a lot of thought to comfort and functionality when planning out their spring collection. From wedges to sandals, chunky square heels are all the rage. This couldn’t have come at a better time, considering that the biggest denim trend this year is for cropped flare, so a blocky heel balances out the silhouette.So grab a pedicure and your brand new shoes and strut into the fresh, fun season with renewed confidence. n

Photo: Bistock


6 FOOD | PiTha sPread

The Dining Room:winter pitha indulgenceN Anita Amreen

As the only fine dining Bengali restaurant that opened its door barely six months ago, The Dining Room has

slowly worked it’s way to teasing Bengali palates with dishes that remind us of everything that is full of the rich authenticity and warmth of a home-style Bengali meal. Albeit, a lesser known secret haunt, The Dining Room’s menu is full of promise, allowing you to sample all the methods of Bengali cooking – from bhapa to food wrapped in banana leaves to stir fried to niramish and khichuris.

This winter, as the cold makes it’s way forth in full swing, The Dining Room has kept its promise to bring us a truly Bengali gastronomic experience. Introducing the “Winter Pitha Indulgence” from earlier this month, they’ve offered pitha lovers an extensive array of pithas (both savoury and sweet) along with a choice of main meat dishes all for either Tk799++ or

Tk899++ per head each. Located on the fifth floor of a prime

spot on Banani 11, the restaurant’s decor is minimalistic with restrained elements of Bengal evident in the neat clay pots and serving bowls or the unique mud walls, courtesy of artist Abdul Nayeem. Wooden flooring and large windows provide expansive views of the skyline, making it a quite cozy experience. The ace seats are the one’s near the floor to ceiling windows, but if you’re looking for dining spots for larger parties, you can always head to their larger, sectioned off tables.

“What we’re trying to do is revive traditional Bangladeshi cuisine. We are trying to revive the pitha as it’s not something that is easily available everywhere. Especially not in a setting as this. Most pithas in our menu are one’s that try to promote forgotten traditions – the chunga pitha, the palak bhapa and even the chhith pitha,” Syed Akhtar Hasan (Ellis), one of the partners of the restaurant mentioned.

The pitha feast begins with a complimentary offering of two bite-sized, crispy thin cone-shaped papads, neatly placed on a bamboo leaf, served on a clay plate. Bite sized and easy to chow down, it comes with a drizzle of tomato sauce, giving a usually more saltier papad a bit of fun tang. This is followed by the savoury pithas – the chhith pitha (paper thin, webbed roti), pudina bhapa (savoury rice cakes with bare traces of pudina), chaaler ruti

(rice flour roti) and the Sylheti chunga pitha. While most of these are simple, easily palatable recipes, since they lack the spices and flavours our palates are accustomed to, the chunga pitha is certainly not for the uninitiated. Considered a traditional delicacy, the chunga is sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and then stuffed and slow cooked in bamboo. Giving off an almost smoky, pungent aroma, the chunga is definitely an acquired taste.

“What we’re trying to do is revive traditional Bangladeshi cuisine. We are trying to revive the pitha as it’s not something that is easily available everywhere. Especially not in a setting as this. Most pithas in our menu are one’s that try to promote forgotten traditions – the chunga pitha, the palak bhapa and even the chhith pitha,”

Photos: Mahmud Hossain Opu


77

What really impresses you, however, are the meat dishes. Soft to the bone, the kosha mangsho is made with mutton and is done just right, with the meat sliding off the bones with a single touch. Similar to a home-style kosha mangsho, when paired with the chith ruti or even the savoury bhapa, you will be tempted for more than one serving. The shatkhora mangsho, on the other hand, provides an interesting range of flavours – slightly sweet one second, a hint of spice the next and then the dance between the piquant and the bitter as is characteristic of shathkhoras. The chui jhaal too is an interesting dish with “morish lacha” or Piper Chaba stems are peeled and chopped into small pieces to be cooked with mutton. Similar to the fiery flavour of horseradish, this dish needs to be tried to be understood.

To top off all the meat goodness, we were offered the classic sweet pithas - bhapa pitha and puli pitha along with their version of the patishapta. Instead of having a sweet milk stuffing, their patishapta comes with a coconut twist. The star of the sweet pithas was definitely the teler pitha. Light and crisp on the outside, the pitha was warm and moist on the inside, making it a light bite, inspiring more than just one serving.

Overall, priced at Tk799++ and Tk899++, the offer is almost fair, but we can’t help but hanker for more of a carb fix – perhaps rice or a more exciting array of savoury bhortas? One look at the menu seemed that for the full experience of The Dining Room, it’d be a better option to order from the a-la-carte menu and try their Dining Room specials: carefully selected dishes that represent the uniqueness and subtletly of Bengali fine dining at it’s best. A warm, comforting hilsha khichuri or a creamy bagda chingri malai curry or if you’re feeling particularly adventorous then a soft kobutor bhuna. Delish.

The chui jhaal too is an interesting dish with “morish lacha” or Piper Chaba stems are peeled and chopped into small pieces to be cooked with mutton

Package 1: Tk799++9 types of pitha, 6 types of bhortas, 2 types of main course

Package 2: Tk899++9 types of pithas, 6 types of bhortas, 3 types of main course

Pitha items (unlimited)Chunga pitha, chitoi pitha, chita pitha/chaler ruti, pudina bhapa pitha/palak bhapa pitha.Sweet pithas include bhapa narkeler pitha, rosh chitoi pitha, patishapta pitha, khir puli, bhapa and puli pitha.

Bhorta items (unlimted)Bhortas include Sylheti lai shak mas bhorta, chingri bhorta/taki maach bhorta, shorisha bhorta, pudina dhonia bhorta, tomato khejur chatni and dim jhuri.

Main course items (2 or 3 depending Main course items includes kalo bhoona, beef shatkora, haash bhoona, deshi murgi bhoona, kabutor, quail bhoona, kosha mangsho, chuijhal mangshol.

The Dining Room5/F, House 49, Road 11, BananiDhaka, BangladeshPh: [email protected]


8 BuSINESS | diTF -2016

“Ever since I was a child, I used to eagerly wait for my mother to

take me with her for day-long trips to the International Trade Fair. I would follow her around as she haggled for her money’s worth at the Iranian and Pakistani stalls. The most annoying bit would be the hours she spent buying kitchen utensils whereas I would tug at her dupatta, trying to get her attention and take me to buy toys, balloons, batasha and fried shrimp,” reminisced Ivana Asfara as she entered the gates of Dhaka International Trade Fair – 2016.

Like every other year, this year’s version of DITF has local as well as international companies showcasing their products in full swing. Machinery,

carpets, cosmetics and beauty products, electronics, jute items, leather goods, sports gear, sanitary products, toys, ceramics, processed food, kitchen utensils, furniture, fittings and handicrafts made locally and abroad are all up for grabs at the venue.

Many companies participating with pavilions at the fair are seen offering various discounts to ensure their customers’ value for money, whereas various stalls from different countries are attracting interested passers-by. The pavilions for Thai and Pakistani goods are the most crowded, teeming with customers trying to get the best deal on their goods. Interestingly, some pavilions are also employing new techniques to promote their products,

such as interactive games designed for consumers at the stalls.

However, many visitors like Ivana who has been going to the fair for years complained that the fair failed to intrigue them as much as it used to before. “Whether you term it as economic progress or an improvement of the standard of living, most of the products showcased at DITF are usually available at local stores, all throughout the year,” she added. It is noteworthy that some visitors also argued that the prices are similar to regular outlets, if not higher.

“I feel that pavilions like that of Iranian products, which are traditionally thought of as bestsellers, are losing out to Pakistani and Thai ones. But it is heartwarming to see

so many quality local companies also competing here,” expressed Namiha, who visited the fair after a break of three years.

Recently, there has been much talk about food pricing at the fair being exorbitantly high, with very few options to explore. A plate of fuchka, which would otherwise cost something like Tk40-50, costs somewhere around Tk150 at the venue. When asked about this price hike, most shopkeepers attributed it as the costs of doing business inside the fair. The Dhaka International Trade Fair hosts 553 stalls and pavilions this year, 56 of which have been allotted to foreign countries. The fair is open every day till January 31. n

Fair gameBaizid Haque Joarder

Photos: Baizid Haque Joarder


haor reGions | PhOTO STOry 9

This week’s photo story celebrates the riverine localities of Khaliajuri Haor in Netrokona. From sweeping sunsets to dwellings on the river to lonely boats lost in its gentle waves, the images capture the magic of the river to exhibit all the life that surrounds it.

Tanbhir Ashik is a freelance photographer working in Khaliajuri Haor in Netrokona under BRAC Integretated Development Programme.

The ebb and the flowPhotos: Tanbhir Ashik


10 PhOTO STOry | haor reGions


11


Could traffic have worse

consequences for women than

for men?

12 FOCuS | TraFFic and healTh

A street in Banani being fixed. When the street is in this condition, sometimes it’s impossible for pedestrians to walk Photo: Syeda Samira Sadeque

Could traffic have worse

consequences for women than

for men?


13

Due to the lack of proper public toilets, and continuous street harassment, there might be a difference between how traffic affects women and menSyeda Samira Sadeque

As the driver snakes his head out of the car window to gauge how far the traffic has stretched, Reema (not

her real name) clenches her fist in anguish. We have been sitting in traffic for one and a half hour now, and we’re not even halfway through.

Reema is in urgent need to access a toilet, and there is no way out – literally – as we sit stuck in a gridlock that stretches as far as the eye can see.

So she waits, holding it in. And the streets of Dhaka wait along.

Traffic has become one of the ugliest realities of living in Dhaka. And it is getting progressively worse. Just three years ago, the same distance that I could commute in 30 minutes, today takes me at least 1.5hours. And I predict, it is going to keep getting worse.

According to a 2013 report, Bangladesh loses, through excess fuel cost, about $196.4m per year due to traffic congestion. While this causes a huge dent on the economy, there are other consequences of traffic on human lives – especially women.

With a growth in population of women workers, there is an obvious increase in number of women who commute in the capital. In the past few decades, women have come out to work in various fields – starting from day labourers to social work to corporate-level jobs. At the same time, traffic has gotten progressively worse in the capital. The reasons vary from construction work, to city beautification to the much scoffed-at “VIP movement” wherein roads are blocked for miles during the time when a minister or head of state commutes.

What hasn’t changed, however, is healthy and hygienic access to public toilets for women. Or the level of street harassment women face when they’re in the public space.

According to a 2015 article in the New York Times, there are 67 public toilets for about 15 million residents, out of which many have no running water or electricity. When asked, many women say they either don’t know where the public toilets are or flinch at the thought of the stench that surrounds the toilets, something that

heavily discourages them from going in at all.

Stuck in reverse Thus, for the time that they are stuck in traffic, women don’t have access to proper toilets – a privilege many men have. Thus, for women, the option is to hold it in for as long as they are stuck in traffic – and sometimes, that can be hours on end.

This poses severe health risks for women, say health officials.

“This is a huge problem,” says Prof Dr Samina Chowdhury. “Because of this, many women – and girls – acquire a practice of drinking less water.”

Nusrat Manji, who commutes daily from Uttara to Tejgaon for work, says she carries her water bottle but doesn’t drink unless absolutely necessary. Nusrat, who uses private transportation, takes 2.5-3hours to go a distance of 17km.

Nusrat isn’t alone. Many women refrain from drinking water due to traffic as well the lack of hygienic public toilets, before they get on the road.

“If there is a possibility of high traffic, especially due to VIP blocks [roadblock due to movement of high officials and ministers], I refrain from drinking liquid before I head out,” says Abeer Rajbeen, who takes 1-2 hours daily to commute 20kms.

Abeer has suffered multiple times from UTI for not being able to access the toilet when necessary, and has thus formed a habit of not taking any liquid before heading out.

Such practices can have an adverse effect on women’s health, says Dr Chowdhury, a gynaecologist who has written extensively about women’s health. “As a result, the amount of water required for the body is not met, and so [the woman] is not hydrated enough.”

In a country like Bangladesh, with its climate being quite hot, it is important for people to remain hydrated. But women are left with no alternative since, as mentioned above, drinking too much water is also problematic given how long they have to hold it in, which may also cause infections and disease.

While men are also prone to such

diseases, there is a considerable difference in the comfort of and access to public toilets for men. While many men may prefer not to use public toilets, in case of an urgent need, it is still a facility they can use. The simple difference in the way the toilets are set up also makes a difference – often, many toilets for women are designed in a way that requires their skin to come in contact with the toilet seat, which in a public place, can host a lot of germs.

As a result, it is easier for women to contract infections as well, according to Dr Chowdhury. Furthermore, she adds, for many women, it is quite discomforting to be travelling at all during their menstrual cycle.

“To sit for so long in traffic with such discomfort can give a lot of mental stress to women as well,” says Dr Chowdhury.

“A similar challenge is seen among many working mothers – they often reconsider going for jobs when they realise that extra hours have to be spent on the road just commuting,” she says.

Furthermore, there is an issue of proper toilets even at the workplace, says Dr Chowdhury.

“Many workplaces don’t even have proper washrooms for women, so many women tend to hold it till they come back home. But then she spends most of her time in traffic on the road.

“Many workplaces don’t have separate toilets for women at all,” adds Dr Chowdhury. “And usually, these places will be male-dominant so they completely forget how important it is for women to have separate toilets.”

Out of traffic, into fire While many may opt to walk instead of sitting in traffic, for women in Dhaka that is a jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Often the streets are in terrible state and cannot be used for walking. Just one episode of rain can flood certain roads and make it impossible for people – men, women alike – to walk. Even worse, street harassment and lack of security for women discourage many from walking on the streets.

“Sometimes, when the traffic is unbearable, I start walking,” says

Reema, adding that she has to carry an extra scarf to make sure she is dressed “decently.”

Nusrat says while sitting in traffic, she has witnessed a woman, while waiting on a sidewalk, being groped openly by a man, something that has discouraged her from opting to walk.

Rongon Ahmed, another Dhaka dweller who on public transport takes three hours to commute through a distance of 30 minutes, says she carries tissues and scarves, as well as flip-flops for rainy days.

Reema adds that on occasions when she opts to walk in the evening, she feels unsafe as many of the sidewalks have streetlamps that don’t work.

“Sometimes, the parked buses hide [the sidewalks] from the street, and I feel unsafe to walk on the sidewalk because it’s so dark,” says Reema, who has still had to use the sidewalks many times to avoid getting late.

The anecdotes of these women show that commuting in Dhaka requires a lot of preparation – whether it’s food, or tools for protection in case they have to start walking. While of course it can be argued that men face similar ordeals, there are certain challenges that are unique for women, and this requires extensive research.

The grim reality of traffic in Dhaka is not anymore limited to the time wasted on it, or the amount of chaos it creates. Traffic has seeped, literally, into our system – whether through air pollution, or mental health effects, or the various forms of health issues it can create. Many women I spoke to for this article said they would consider telling children not to take too much liquid before leaving the house, which is a concerning practice.

Moreover, given the male-dominated nature of our society, it is likely that many issues that specifically affect women slip through the cracks. While there have been some studies on the notorious traffic of Dhaka, there remains room for vast research on how this reality affects men and women differently because the realities of men and women are different in Bangladesh.

And unless we acknowledge this, we’ll be stuck in a deadlock. n


14 FOCuS | Jam session

As if we needed more depressing news amid this violence and corruption, a recent study found

that traffic congestion in Dhaka causes the nation an economic loss of approximately $12.561bn a year. Sonjoy Chakraborty, who conducted the study, estimated that without traffic congestion the GDP growth of the country would be around 13%, which is almost double the current GDP growth rate of 6.12%.

Recently, there have been talks of introducing ‘U-loops’ for easing traffic jam. Last week, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq said he is planning to introduce an odd-even traffic scheme for Dhaka’s streets in order to curb congestion. While that sounds terribly clever, it casts further doubt on whether we are approaching the problem with enough urgency and care.

In reality, there are parts of that Dhaka that resemble – to put it modestly – a dumpster, where you can’t walk, amble, stroll, dawdle sideways, spit out without risking spitting on someone, and can’t be sure that your body parts will not be rubbed against strangers whilst you exercise your ability. Some even say that standing upright and proceeding forward as a bipedal animal would be the ideal way to walk on the roads of Dhaka.

Before taking extraordinary measures, we have to ask the simple question: are we doing the obvious? Are we taking the most sensible steps to solve an imposing problem? For anyone thinking about this issue carefully even for a minute, one obvious solution comes to mind – the expansion of the city.

This would mean spreading out the population and extending the boundaries of the capital.

“That is what eventually has to happen,” says Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury, prominent award winning civil engineer who was also an advisor to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh.

Another obvious step will of course be to enforce the traffic laws. “The

buses stop anywhere they wish to take in or drop off passengers. That needs to change – if that happens, then the situation can significantly improve,” Professor Choudhury said.

Dr Choudhury also thinks that the river links are not properly used. “The congestion around the Mirpur Road area can be diluted by improving river transportation system,” he says.

One of the major problems, Dr Choudhury says, is that the traffic

signals are rendered ineffective by the complete ignorance, by drivers, of the role of traffic lights.

“No one stops at the red light and the traffic authorities kind of incorporated that attitude into their policies,” he added, stressing that the traffic system cannot work if we intentionally devalue its function.

The idea of having a traffic signal network and refusing to use it is quite nonsensical. Yet, that is what is being

accepted as the norm. The short-term solution is creating pedestrian walkways, Dr Choudhury said.

The government has finally begun working on building a metro rail system. Professor Choudhury says that this will improve the Pallabi to Uttara traffic, but the long term solution has to be focused on building a mass public transportation that is proportionate to the population. n

Traffic pandemonium in DhakaEhh… who cares?Saqib Sarker

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain


Telemedicine | FOCuS 15

Quality healthcare services, especially the ones from specialist doctors, are something that the people

from rural areas of Bangladesh can’t avail. Ironically, about 70% of the total population lives in rural areas whereas 75% of total qualified physicians are practising in urban areas.

Thus, finding a huge rush of village people towards the cities for healthcare service has become more common than ever these days. That not only puts extra financial burden on the village people but also puts pressure on the cities, which can barely provide all sorts of civic amenities to its own regular inhabitants.

Besides, roads and highways are still underdeveloped across the country and the increasing number of vehicles now creates heavy traffic even on the highways.

Technology however can act as a saviour as the service called telemedicine can create a win-win situation for all.

Government initiativeIn Bangladesh, so far, only 0.000018% of the entire population – that is 16,287 people – has recently got the chance to avail telemedicine services.

But numbers do not tell the whole story. Telemedicine service is not a new concept. It has been tried out in different countries since the 90’s. This service was only introduced in the last few years but failed to achieve the momentum needed to make the concept popularised among the people.

The government however wants to popularise the service on a massive scale, which is why, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division, under its ‘Info Sarker’ project, launched 25 Telemedicine Centres at different upazila health complexes on January 10 to provide healthcare facilities to the rural people.

Physicians and doctors of 11 medical university and college hospitals and institutions, including, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, National Institute of Chest Disease and Hospital and National Institute of Opthalmology, among others, will be providing advice and treatment regularly to the patients of rural areas for free.

Different types of modern tele gadgets, including Tele Stethoscope, Tele Opthalmoscope, Tele Spirometer, Tele Thermometer, Tele ECG, Tele BPG Machine, Tele Pulse Oximeter, Tele Microscope, among eight other modern equipments have been sent to 25 Upazila health complexes to run these Telemedicine Centres.

A good responseProject Director of ‘Info Sarkar Project’ Saiful Islam said that under his guidance, the project materialised in only 16 months.

Saiful Islam, also a Joint Secretary with the government, said that telemedicine is the only feasible way to provide quality healthcare to the rural people.

“The doctors don’t want to go

to the villages for obvious reasons. As Bangladesh is well covered by telecommunication network and the present government truly wants to create a digital Bangladesh, we opted to starting the telemedicine service on a massive scale,” he said.

Saiful Islam said that under the government telemedicine project, a dedicated chamber is kept in all 11 renowned hospitals in Dhaka. “This chamber has all the machineries and a dedicated and trained person to operate them. The renowned specialist doctors are asked to provide their time for some specific period of a day to treat patients from rural areas.”

He said that they are also monitoring the progress and the response of the patients. “The Health Directorate is also instructed to monitor the progress and the Management Information Service (MIS) wing.”

Shukhendu Shekhor Roy, System Analyst of MIS Wing of Health Directorate said that the number of patients is increasing and the feedbacks from the patients are also very positive.

Other telemedicine services Aside from the latest government introduced telemedicine service, some private organisations had earlier taken initiatives to provide remote healthcare service to the underprivileged people.

Grameenphone, the leading mobile operator of the country, introduced the service in four upazilas across the country as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) in 2012.

Grameenphone had also provided

funding to transform some 15 Union Information Service Centres (UISC) of the government to be converted into telemedicine centres. It has also provided enough funding so that entrepreneurs in those centres could be trained on the system to assist the consultants as telemedicine assistants.

With its network, the operator has also ensured smooth video conferences between the consultants and patients with a bandwidth of at least 1 mbps.

On August 9, 2014, Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), a US based non-government organisation introduced its Telemedicine Center at Kalyanpur Health Clinic, Kalyanpur, Dhaka.

Dr Azizul Huq, a cardiologist from Atlanta, Georgia took the leadership and organised a team of expatriate doctors to provide this telemedicine support for the underprivileged people of Bangladesh. n

Healthcare through air

and wireMahmood Sadi

Photo: Bigstock

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities.


Measuring earthquakes the right way

16 FOCuS | richTer scale

Measuring earthquakes the right way

People all over Dhaka city woke up to strong tremors in the early hours of January 3rd, 2016, as a result of an

earthquake which hit Manipur, India. According to the Richter scale, the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.7. There is a reasonable possibility that Bangladesh might be the epicentre of the next devastating earthquake. Over the years, this region has experienced a major number of earthquakes which have killed thousands of people, and have caused infrastructural damage worth millions.

Basically, the Richter scale shows the Magnitude of the energy released during an earthquake, which is measured by a device called Seismometer. The other characteristic of an earthquake is Intensity, which measures the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location. Intensity is determined from effects on people, human structures, and the natural environment.

Since we are so prone to such

natural disasters, it is better to have a good understanding of the Richter scale. It ranges from a value that is below 2 to 9, with 9 being the highest with the most disastrous effects due to higher intensity. The effects of this can vary depending on the different magnitudes of earthquakes. We have always been concerned about the protective measures taken by people during and after an earthquake hits off. But most of us have a vague idea about the intensity of the quakes and those numbers claimed on the Richter scale.

• Lessthan2–These are usually known as Microearthquakes, rarely felt by few under favourable conditions.

• 2.0-2.9–Slight tremors felt by people living on the upper floors of high-rise buildings. However, it has not been known to cause any damage.

• 3.0-3.9–These Minorearthquakes

are often felt by people as slight vibrations and the shaking of indoor objects.

• 4.0-4.9– Lightearthquakes, which are slightly stronger than the minor ones might result in unstable objects being overturned. It might usually result in sensation likethat of a heavy truck striking a building.

• 5.0-5.9–The tremors of these kind of earthquakes, known as Moderate earthquakes tend to frighten people as they are felt by all. Considerable damages can be seen in poorly built or badly designed, ordinary structures.

• 6.0-6.9–These can come big and strong and can cause slight to moderate damage in well constructed buildings. Monuments, columns, and walls may collapse, as a result. A moderate number of well-built

structures in populated areas can be destructed. Although, earthquake-resistant structures may be able to survive with minimal damage. Poorly designed structures in regions like Bangladesh and India, may face moderate to severe damage. The tremors of such earthquakes can be felt in wide areas, up to hundreds of miles from the epicentre where people can experience strong to violent shaking.

• 7.0andhigher– These, Major earthquakes can lead to dreadful calamity. Heavy damage and shaking extends to distant locations, mostly sabotaging the area surrounding the epicentre. Lines of sight and level can be distorted, as bridges can be destroyed and rails bent. Foundations of building may shift off, and some may even collapse. n

Moumita Ahmed

Photo: Bistock


dina sobhan | DraMa MaMa 17

I’m a single mother with an 8-year-old son. As I work full time, I often have to

leave him at home with my mother or sometimes with his nanny. He has recently gotten into the habit of watching TV when bored, and it’s also one of the main ways to get him to eat his meals without a fuss. When watching TV unattended, he often ends up watching scenes that are slightly intimate. For the last two weeks he has wanted to enact those scenes on me but I don’t really know what is the right way to explain to him that this isn’t normal. I have blocked out inappropriate channels and have instructed his nanny not to allow him to watch those channels or shows, but I don’t know what’s the best way to approach this problem since he is only 8 years old.

Being a single mother is difficult, and the burden of raising a child is that much harder

without a partner to help you guide and teach your child. Don’t be afraid to have necessary conversations with your son for fear that he is too young to understand. Your son is old enough to understand the different roles people play in his life and what behavior is appropriate with whom. Explain the dynamic between men and women and what intimacy is, especially as he does not witness it first hand at home. If he has tried to enact those scenes with you, how do you know he has not tried to do it with others? It is important that you nip this in the bud before it becomes awkward and embarrassing for you as well as others. And it is also incumbent upon you to make sure that your son is in good hands when you are not present. He cannot be left alone with a nanny unless she is trained to take care of children. In Bangladesh, children are often left in the company of people who are bullies and cajoled into doing what

the child wants and is unable to enforce any rules or discipline

on them. Your son should be with someone who will

play a parenting role in your absence.

Dina Sobhan is a free-lance writer, a part-time counsellor and a full-time mom.

Q A

Unclear boundaries

My 17-year-old brother has always been slightly queer. He has feminine

interests – frilly clothes, girly colours, watching Hindi TV serials and singing and dancing to the pop songs by women. I had thought it was just a phase he’d get over, but it has gotten worse over time. He wears very flamboyant outfits, has a ridiculous haircut and he also got a nose piercing. A month ago he told our mother he likes men. I know this is just another phase, something he probably believes is cool. I’ve told her to take him to see a counsellor, so that he can really explore and understand who he is, and whether he is actually sure about his sexual preference. He refused to go and has locked himself up at home, refusing to talk to anyone, including me. What is a better way to talk sense into him?

At 17, your brother is almost an adult and perfectly able to discern for himself

who is attracted to and what his preferences are. It is insulting to assume that he needs to speak to a health care professional for being gay. If there has been a pattern of behaviour that he has displayed over the years, it would be safe to assume it probably is not a phase, and it must be respected and dealt with as a family. You seem to have already passed judgment in your mind about what is normal and acceptable, however it is not for you to judge your brother and his choices. What you can do is offer a safe forum for him to discuss his feelings and desires and support him regardless of his decision. n

Q A

Queer attractions

Photos: Bigstock


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

ACROSS5 Out of bed and not left of piano (7)6 Bitter card I shuffled (5)9 Half of family holds many shipwreck bits (7)

DOWN1 Friend of young flower (3)2 Farm machinery lifts rubbish cart (7)3 Win in a street in competition (7)4 Animal enclosure in East Yemen (3)7 First of old farm folk are not on (3)8 One member of parliament is a sprite (3)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCROss1 Blew up finally in bed (7)4 Change, get thin and make more secure (7) 6 Bone Len juggled and gave a title (7)7 Subatomic particle non true, strangely (7)

DOwN1 Amid Scots mountain, quaint and sweet (7)2 Groan about gas (5)3 Manure time for prison cell (7)5 Again chewed up Roman flower (5)

Clues

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

Mini crypticsho

rosc

opes

Aries(Mar21-Apr19):You’ve been immersed in the mystical mirage of a fairytale where you’re blinded by your innocence. If you focus now and see what everyone has been trying to show you; you will find clarity but if you still choose to see what you think will bring you happiness...good luck to you.

Taurus(Apr20-May20):It’s a good week to sharpen those horns and be wary of those well-wishers who are a bit too close for comfort, snuggling up to you dear bull for their own benefits.

Gemini(May21-June20):This is not a week for you to get into your head and start analysing yourself from scratch. No! Stop it! No! Get out of your head!

Cancer(June21-Jul22):This is the week when your creative energies start to flow from your core. Ease into it and let your talents find you and make you who you want to become.

Leo(Jul23-Aug22):Should you find yourself becoming the bridge between troubled waters this week, by all means burn the bridge and let the troubled sort out their troubles.

Virgo(Aug23-Sep22):You have your own way of doing things and you’ve done more than enough to make sure all your duties have been fulfilled. It is not always your job to please everyone.

Libra(Sep23-Oct22):Plant an idea, nurture it, watch it grow and then see it change every life it touches.

Scorpio(Oct23-Nov21):Sometimes it’s ok to scream and shout and let it all out. But it’s a pain when you can’t!Sagittarius(Nov22-Dec21):You have always been there for others perhaps it’s about time they learn to fend for themselves and become independent.

Capricorn(Dec22-Jan19):For you the key is patience this week and to use your imagination to innovate new ideas.

Aquarius(Jan20-Feb18):Money’s pouring out your pockets. The spending has just begun.

Pisces(Feb19-Mar20):Geronimo!!!!!! Wait. Think. Fast.


GO OuT 19

Weekly Planner

Jan22Food | Grand Opening of the Dhanmondi Outlet of Crimson Cup Bangladesh When 4pmWhere Dhanmondi-27, DhakaWhat Crimson Cup Bangladesh is proud to announce the Grand Opening of the Dhanmondi outlet of Columbus Coffee, now proudly Crimson Cup on January 22nd, 2016. The support and love given by Dhaka-dwellers have encouraged them to open their second outlet. They are looking forward to meeting all of you, and serve your favourite hot and frozen drinks.

Jan23-24Exhibition| Kimaya Design StudioWhen 11am-8pmWhereKimaya Design Studio, Rd 114, H-37/A, Gulshan 2, 1212 Dhaka. WhatKimaya design studio cordially invites you to an exclusive preview of casual and formal suits by Sammy k, Naz Junaid and Agha Noor. Stock is limited so don’t miss this opportunity to grab your piece.

Jan24Education | Connecting Startups Bangladesh University Session at Eastern UniversityWhen 11am-1pmWhere Eastern University Faculty of Engineering and Technology, House 15/2, Road 3, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka, BangladeshWhat To encourage young entrepreneurs as well as local and foreign investors to build links with the competition, Connecting Startups Bangladesh. Any idea or any start-up time of less than two years capital of less than USD5, and the product, they will be able to take part in the competition connecting startups. The winners of the competition will receive a mob armed with Software Technology Park floor which is reserved for office space, funding, innovative grants, legal assistance, the opportunity to take part in the World Startups Accelerator Program.

The young entrepreneurs will be given an idea on how to participate in the competition, held in two-hour

sessions in Eastern University. You and your are an organisation can take part in any such idea.

The link to participate in the session - http://goo.gl/forms/GoUcZxCeQ3

You can register for free. For more details, call: +88

01751786410The connecting startups to

participate in the contest can be found on the website for details - (http://www.connectingstartupsbd.net/)

Jan25Cinema | Red Shift Trending MoviesWhen 7pmWhere Title: Joy (2015) Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert de Niro, Bradley Cooper, Diane Ladd. Directed by: David O. Russel Oscar Nominations: Jennifer Lawrence (Best Actress) Tickets: Tk200 (includes free popcorn) If you want a film about women’s business empowerment which

has nothing to do with the limp sentimentality of “leaning-in”, this is it. Jennifer Lawrence has a raw, stripped-down, unmade-up look as she busts out of her claustrophobic family straitjacket and tries to make it in the rough world of American capitalism—it’s still her Hunger Games persona that seems to be on show!

In the expert hands of writer-director David O. Russel, and with a typically flinty role played by Bradley Cooper, the movie, Joy, reproduces the successful formula which once gave us Silver Linings Playbook (followed of course by the eminently forgettable American Hustle): off beat humour, quirky turns of plot, pitch perfect dialogue and modern angular cinematography featuring extremely packed images. There is much to savor in the film but please watch out in particular for the “play of hands”. In a season of generally slow-burning Oscar movies Joy is the first one that stands out for me (though I am told The Danish Girl definitely should be seen).

Jan 25Exhition | Dhaka Art Summit 2016 Exhibition Guide

Jan 26-28Exhibition | Aarong presents Photography Exhibition

When 11amWhere Le Meridien, 79/A Commericial Area, Airport Road, Nikunja 2, Khilkhet, Dhaka 1229.What The Dhaka Art Summit is the world’s largest research and exhibition platform for art from South Asia, now entering its 3rd edition from Feb 5-8, 2016. It is non commercial and free

for all. Samdani Art Foundation together

with Le Meridien, Dhaka is proud to launch the Dhaka Art Summit 2016 Exhibition Guide with a New Perspective on Curating.

It is presented by Artistic Director, Diana Campbell Betancourt at Le Meridien, in Latitude 23.

When3-8pmWhere Drik, House 58, Road 15A (New), Dhanmondi Residential Area, Dhaka What Frame arts and photography world presents their 2nd session photography exhibition in Drik gallery. We aspire to bring everyone together under a common platform

of photography. Here goes the ‘Call for Entry’.

For your convenience, we strongly recommend you to go through the event details and registration procedure.

For any query, call: +8801680566754 ( Shariful Hasan Shajol)


Last time I spoke about taking Jellybean on a trip, but I must have forgotten to mention that preparing for that trip

was in reality, a three month long process.

It was three long months of TLC (Tender Loving Care), vaccines and remaining under house arrest. I have seen that it is quite a common phenomenon among new mums to feel that if we take the baby outside, the germs and cooties will get him/her. Well that’s why we have vaccines!

I remember after Jellybean was born, she received the polio and BCG vaccines at the hospital. I had read up on these and expected to see blistering from the BCG vaccine, but nothing had happened. I asked the doctor about it and was informed that not everyone reacts to the BCG vaccine with a blister, and so it did not mean that Jellybean hadn’t responded to it. The funny thing was that the nurse, who administered it to her, had injected her high on her shoulder instead of mid-arm like everyone else. When I saw the small scar later, I had asked the nurse why she did that, and she smiled shyly and replied that she didn’t want the scar to show on Jellybean’s arm, so that she could wear sleeveless clothes unabashedly.

I laughed at this response but was really, really touched. Truly, the kindness of strangers is a wonderful thing.

After Jellybean turned a month old, we had to give her two more vaccines. You can’t give two vaccines at the same time, so there was a week’s gap between the vaccines. Another thing that The Husband and I learnt was that you can’t give vaccines consecutively in the same leg. So if the baby received one vaccine in the left thigh, the next vaccine will be in the right thigh, after the week-long interval.

So we took Jellybean to her first vaccine, and normally I’m not afraid of syringes or receiving the injection itself, but the mere idea of a needle pierce the delicate skin of my child sent waves of repulsion through my body. My mom-in-law couldn’t stand the thought of hearing Jellybean cry, so she would never go to the vaccination centre with us. The Husband held onto her tightly while I pulled down her pants to expose a tiny patch of thigh.

The needle went in, and at first, nothing. And then it started – the harrowing infantile wailing – unending, heart-wrenching.

Oh how she cried! We took her home and seeing her, my mom-in-law started crying and seeing that I started crying. The soft muscles in her thigh stiffened after the injection, and every time Jellybean moved that leg, it would

hurt her and the crying would start again. So we made a makeshift “brace” and tied up her leg with a small towel, so that she didn’t extend it. The crying decreased a bit after that, but she was clearly distressed. It was also difficult to feed her because at some point her thigh would be touched while adjusting in my lap, and the crying would start again. So instead of carrying her, I propped her head on a pillow and fed her by hovering above her. It killed my back but at least she was fed and with no pain.

The same thing happened during the next vaccine and it was only in Jellybean’s third month that she got used to the idea of the “temporary pain”. The first few times the crying would last for an entire day, but later it reduced to a few hours.

As soon as The Husband would bring us back from the vaccination center, he and the other men of the house would conveniently “disappear”

for the rest of the day. My mom-

in-law and I wouldn’t be annoyed by this, in

fact they were more

troublesome when around,

and it was enough dealing with one

bawling baby!After Jellybean turned

six months old, she only cried for a few minutes during the injection, and would stop as soon as we left the vaccination center. This has continued till date and by now she recognizes the vaccination center and asks us, “injeshun?” and proceeds to give us vaccines with her little finger while saying, “tooey, tooeyyy!” n

20 ThE BONG MOMMa | Tales From a FirsT-Time mom

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]

Photo: Bigstock

Tooey, tooey!Little Jellybean’s first vaccination Minu Ahmed

weekend tribune vol 3 issue 39

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