weekend tribune vol 3 issue 40

vol 3 Issue 40 | FRIDAY, JAnuARY 29, 2016 Dhaka Tribune

5 JewelleRY tRenDs 6 MeAt sAuce

specIAl 20 the Bong MoMMA

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, JAN UARY 29, 2016

1CONTENTS

Volume 3 | Issue 40 | January 29, 2016

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamSaudia Afrin

Moumita AhmedN Anita AmreenSakib MridhaSaqib Sarker

Syeda Samira SadequeMahmood Sadi

Shuprova Tasneem

ContributorsMinu AhmedAwrup SanyalJamila Zaman

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,

For those who have been complaining about winter not being cold enough, the chill is finally here, bringing with it a whole new bout of complaints. Fortunately for some, the on-going wedding season can provide a pleasant distraction.

Keeping that in mind, this week, we bring you a sneak peak of the season’s trendiest bling – from jaw-dropping danglers for your ears to precious gem-encrusted chokers to adorn your neck – these designs from Jarwa House are bound to provide much-needed sizzle in this cold.

Moving on to other means of staying warm, our favourite home-cook Tasmia Momin provides a

charming food spread bringing a new twist to the heartiest of sauces – Bolognese.

To add a dash of colour to this otherwise dry and slightly dreary season, our photo story features moments from a much-loved flower festival of the Tripuri people.

And last but not least, with the upcoming Dhaka Art Summit and Amar Ekushey Boi Mela in mind, we have a couple of informative listology pieces on documentaries on some of the world’s most famous artists, and much sought-after global book fairs.

Happy winter!

- Farina Noireet

News

2 News

3 Meanwhile

FeatuRes 4 Men’s Fashion

Tailored5 Women’s Fashion

Jewellery trends8 Review

Under Construction12 Focus

Her choice16 Listology

Documentaries on artists17 Listology

International book fairs

RegulaRs14 Legalese15 Drama Mama18 Stay In19 Go Out20 The Bong Momma

PhOTO STORy PHoolbHasHI

FOODMeaT saUCe sPeCIal

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6

Into the wildernessPhoto: Syed Zakir Hossain


2 NEWS | This week

Pope talks with Iran leader

Blizzard stops the life in US East-Coast

Last week, a blizzard with hurricane-force winds brought much of the East Coast of USA to a standstill, dumping as much as three feet of snow, stranding tens of thousands of travellers and shutting down the nation’s capital and its largest city.

After days of weather warnings, most of the 80 million people in the storm’s path heeded requests to stay home and off the roads, which were largely deserted. In addition to snow and treacherous winds, the National Weather Service predicted up to half

an inch of ice for the Carolinas and potentially serious coastal flooding for the mid-Atlantic region.

Snow fell from the Gulf Coast to New England. In nearly two dozen places, it passed the 20-inch mark by late morning on Sunday, according to the weather service. Terra Alta, West Virginia, reported 38 inches.

At least 19 deaths were blamed on the weather, many from traffic accidents.Photo: AP

A cold snap sweeping across East Asia last week had killed at least 85 people in Taiwan and stranded 60,000 tourists in South Korea.

Taiwanese media reported deaths from hypothermia and cardiac disease following a sudden drop in temperature over the weekend. Many of those who died in Taiwan were elderly people living in northern regions such as Taipei and Taoyuan. Those areas accounted for 66 of the deaths.

Another 16 were confirmed dead in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

The temperature in Taipei city fell to a 44-year low of 4C (39F) on Sunday, and many homes in Taiwan lack central heating.

Meanwhile heavy snow forced the closure of the airport on the Korean holiday island of Jeju, cancelling flights.

The cold spell had also hit Hong Kong, southern China and Japan.Photo: Reuters

Pope Francis held talks with Iran’s president at the Vatican Tuesday, calling on Tehran to play a key role in stopping the spread of terrorism as Iran tries to improve its image in the global arena following an agreement on its nuclear program.

The pontiff warmly clasped the hand of President Hassan Rouhani in the first official call paid on a pontiff by an Iranian president since 1999. They held 40 minutes of private talks before Rouhani met with other top Vatican officials.

“After their private meeting,

they delved into the conclusion and application of the nuclear accord, and the important role that Iran is called upon to play, together with other countries of the region, was highlighted,” the Holy See said.

It added that that role should foster adequate political solutions to the issues plaguing the Middle East, fighting the spread of terrorism and arms trafficking.

The ‘cordial’ talks also stressed common spiritual values, the statement said.Photo: AP

Bangladesh is as corrupt as

before, according to Transparency

International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI).

For the second year in a row, Bangladesh ranked 13th from the bottom - and 139th from the top - in 2015. Tranparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman disclosed this at a press conference at the organisation’s Dhanmondi office on Wednesday.

According to CPI 2015, Bangladesh is again the second-worst performer in South Asia, better only than war-ravaged Afghanistan, which scored 11 and ranked 166th, the second lowest globally.

Every other South Asian country - Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal, performed better than Bangladesh.

At the bottom of the list are Somalia and North Korea, each scoring 8 points.

Bangladesh was earlier placed at the bottom of the list for five successive years from 2001-2005.

In 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Bangladesh was ranked at no 3, 7, 10, 13, and 12 respectively while in 2011 and 2012 we were 13th, 16th in 2013, and 14th in 2014.

Countries perceived to be least affected by corruption are: Denmark on top for the second successive year having scored 91, followed by Finland (90), New Zealand (89), Netherlands and Norway (87), Switzerland (86), Singapore (85), Canada (83), and Germany, Luxembourg and the UK (81).

Aside from Singapore, only Japan, Hong Kong, Qatar and the UAE scored 70 or more in the Asian region.

Launched in 1995, CPI provides an international comparison of countries by perceived prevalence of corruption. It is a survey of surveys (12 in 2015) conducted by reputed international organisations. Source: Dhaka Tribune

Unlucky 13 for Bangladesh again

East Asia cold snap ‘kills 85 in Taiwan’

The world at a glanceWeekend Tribune

Desk


. . . MEaNWhILE 3

Photo of the week

say what?

At Sadarghat, a man performs ablution as he prepares for the afternoon prayers.

Photo: Martin Hannan

Naming a cockroach after your valentine is actually really romantic

For the sixth year running, the Bronx Zoo is offering die-hard romantics the chance to name a cockroach after their

beloved for Valentine’s Day.The promotion gets a ton of press

every year, probably because people find cockroaches so revolting that the whole idea seems pretty hilarious.

But really, the Bronx Zoo had the right idea to begin with. Having a cockroach – in this case, one of the thousands of Madagascar hissing cockroaches that reside at the zoo – named after you should be considered an honor, not an insult. The Zoo

authority cited several reasons behind that.

It said that cockroaches are survivors and they are very tough to kill, the female cockroaches are tough and independent and most importantly humans need cockroaches more than they need us.

This is because extinction of cockroaches would have a big impact on forest health and therefore indirectly on all the species that live there.Source: Huffington Post


4 MEN’S FaShION | Tailored

Winter isn’t going to stick around for too long, so it’s important to prepare for the next seasonMahmood Hossain

We’re finally feeling the real hit of winter and our layers are in play to save us from freezing

our family jewels off. The reality is we’ll only have a couple of weeks of the coldest season left. This means we’ve got to be a step ahead to adjust our wardrobes to prepare for the coming spring. Take a gander on this list and check them off, while you’re at it.

Striped short-sleevesA little bit of the sea never hurt anyone. A white and blue, horizontally striped t-shirt will be a staple for the warmer days. In fact, most men will always look decent in a t-shirt like this one. And t-shirts with a more highlighted hue works even better. The whole idea is to brighten things up a bit, while keeping the suave and cool nature of the season.

The chino wayA fresh pair of khaki chinos should be next on the list. Nothing says fitted casual or semi-formal like lighter shaded chinos. This will probably be your go-to number for the weekend casual hangouts. Don’t limit yourself to tan, khaki or in similar shades. Play it up a little, you’ll be fine.

Keep the leatherWhether it’s a traditional leather motorcycle jacket or a more modern hooded leather jacket, keep this out for air as much as you can. The leather jacket can be used in any season, apart from the summer of course. Visit any Urban Truth store for the sharpest and more affordable selection of a leather jacket.

Up in the clubThe club collar dress shirt is as classy and cool as it gets. A softer shade of blue works wonders for semi-formal outfits. Whether you choose to put a tie on or wear it under a sweater, the club collar shirt is a must-have for spring. To take it a little higher in the style level, get it done by a tailor that adds a placket to hide the buttons. And what better place to get a shirt made from scratch in this style? Zurhem in Baridhara. Give them a visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Sneaking outCanvas sneakers are more popular than ever, and the spring is the perfect time to sport them. Try and find something similar to the Jack Purcell jungle cloth

canvas shoes. Canvas shoes, in general, are always light and comfortable; the advantage of having these pairs are in its effortless design.

Top of the peakIf there was ever a time for you to buy a bespoke peak lapel suit, it’s now. If you want to up the ante in your style game, it’s best you head off to the tailors now. A snug-fit, bespoke suit with peak lapels is the epitome of the ‘3S Effect’.

Sexy, sophisticated, suave. Again, if you’re looking for the best, head on over to Zurhem for that peak lapels perfection. Say that five times fast.

The list doesn’t end here, as more and more items will make it to the new season’s closet. Keep your eye out on these mentioned items and keep yourself updated right here on this page for more in the coming weeks. Keep it stylish, gentlemen, there’s a lot from this came from. n

From the chill to chillin’

Illustrations: Priyo/Dhaka Tribune

A little bit of the sea never hurt anyone. A white and blue, horizontally striped t-shirt will be a staple for the warmer days. In fact, most men will always look decent in a t-shirt like this one


Jewellery Trends | WOMEN’S FaShION 5

Ooh, shiny!

Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked about shoes and colours and fabrics and prints. Now let’s put

some icing on the cake by talking about all things bling. Here’s a list of pretty things to add a sparkle to the next three months.

Gold shoulderBig statement earrings long enough graze the shoulder will be turning heads all through spring. From chandeliers to dangles, from enamel

clusters to gold jhumkas, you want them long and bold. While pretty much everything goes for evening do’s, you want to exercise restraint while sporting this look during the daylight hours. Stick to metal chandeliers without stones for daytime do’s. Safe to say, this is one jewellery trend you don’t want to wear to work.

Crowning gloryWhether it’s the rise in mainstream acceptance of sci-fi and fantasy, or

Jewellery trends for spring 2016Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

Coachella-inspired styles, ornaments for the hair and head were very popular on catwalks around the world. Even at home, the wedding scene is seeing the rise in tiklis and shitapatis on more than just the bride. If the looks sported during last year’s festival season were anything to go by, the hair ornament trend isn’t going away anytime soon.

Keep the rest of the bling to a minimum when sporting a hair bauble, and stick to just the one. Which means, if you’re rocking a tikli, consider avoiding the jhapta and the sheetapati, even if you are the bride.

To pull this trend off on an everyday basis, try wearing one of the items with a colourful cotton sari to your next soiree.

ChokeholdWhile we’re not quite ready to bid farewell to the layered necklace trend, what’s really back in a big way are chokers. The minimalistic steel and bronze ones are perfectly office appropriate, particularly if you’re sporting the oversized cardigans and wraps, while the more sparkly collars go well with your dawat duds.

Chain reactionForget the lockets, it’s the chain itself that takes centre stage this year, and the chunkier, the better. This is really more of an everyday look, so skip the precious materials and head to Cat’s Eye or Urban Truth to find out some industrial chic link-chokers and pendants to add an edge to your look. n

Gold choker with hints of ruby and emerald Photos: Jarwa House

Traditional gold jhapta with a mix of rubies, emeralds, south sea pearls and kundan

Gold earrings with minakari and tanzanite drops

Classic diamond and ruby jhapta

Gold and polki earrings White and yellow diamond choker


6 FOOD | MeaT sauce special

Bolognese that goes both waysTasmia Momin

bolognese is a favourite and why wouldn’t it be? The Italian ragu is the ultimate queen of sauces. Considered the “gold-standard” in the world of sauces, bolognese has got the bulk of meat, the sweetness of tomatoes and the savoury flavour of a versatile sauce that literally goes with just about any recipe. Today we revisit a classic – the spaghetti bolognese and then work our way to a more complex dish that’s given a slight twist – shepherd’s pie but one that’s served in a warm potato bowl. Read on to find out how to master the perfect bolognese sauce, one that’s neither too sweet, nor too spicy, but is a real labour of love, one that is done just right. bon appetit!


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Spaghetti BologneseIngredientsA glug of olive oil500g minced beef¼ cup white vinegar2 onions diced1 stick of celery chopped2 medium sized carrot grated6 cloves of garlicSalt & pepper500g tomato pureed500ml of beef stock1 tsp dried oreganoA splash of Soya sauceA splash of Worcestershire sauce½ tsp of sugar 1 tbsp Dano cream400g of spaghettiParmesan cheese or any regular cheese

MethodIn a large pan, add a glug of oil and stir in the onions, grated carrots and minced garlic. Once the flavours combine, stir in the minced beef and keep the heat to medium. Season with salt and pepper. Dunk in the vinegar and cook for 2-5 minutes.

Pour in the tomato puree, beef stock, oregano, soya sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and bring it to a boil.

Once it starts to boil, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer for at least two hours or more.

Add the sugar and one heaped tablespoon of heavy cream, at the end.

In another pan, boil the spaghetti in salted boiling water for around five minutes.

Serve the bolognese sauce over a bowl of cooked spaghetti and garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and grated cheese. n

Shepherd’s Pie in a PotatoIngredientsA glug of olive oil250g minced beef1 onion diced1 large carrot grated6 cloves of garlicSalt & pepperA handful of Sliced mushrooms½ kilo tomatoes chopped1 tsp dried oregano¼ tsp dried thymeA splash of Worcestershire sauce1 cup of grape juice10-12 large jacket potatoesCheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese

MethodIn a large pan, add a glug of oil on high heat. Once the pan is smoking hot, add the minced beef and cook till it turns brown. Add in the onions, carrots, garlic, mushrooms and salt & pepper.

Cook for 10 minutes and add in the remaining ingredients. Bring it to a boil and turn the heat down to medium low. Let it simmer for an hour.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted boiling water for 30 minutes. Take it off the stove and scrape off

the inside of the potato from the top. Drizzle with olive oil and bake it in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.

Mash up the scraped potatoes with cheese and salt. Take out the potatoes from the oven and fill it with the meat filling. Fill the mashed potatoes in a plastic bag and pipe it on top of the bolognese-filled potato jackets. Again bake it for around 20-30 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown.


8 REvIEW | under consTrucTion

In Rubaiyat Hossain’s Under Construction, we see an examination of the theme of under construction as it applies

to the city of Dhaka, as well as the gendered bodies of men and women.

DhakaDhaka provides a perfect visual backdrop, as well as a narrative feed of its own, being a city perpetually under construction. In various stages of incompletion, the city itself is a palimpsest of its successive avatars – feudal, rural, classical, capitalist, neo-liberal, modern, post-modern, and finally the Anthropocene – anachronistically overlapping, superseding, overtaking, slipping under, or simply existing side by side or on top of each other. Caught between being “under constructed” and a “work in progress,” it talks to Dhaka’s progress as well as its dystopian reality. What the cinematography brazenly captures is the dynamism of a city ready to twist and bend to accommodate its future. The desperations of a carbon economy suffocating in the over-burdened and under-built infrastructure that houses one of its success stories —the garments industry – is crucial to this story. Indeed, Dhaka is a narrative of the plausible and the oxymoron in the film.

The WomenRoya – a thespian, a daughter, a wife, and an aspiring feminist artist – is the main character under construction. Her narrative is suffused by the lives of two other women, well, actually three: her mother, Moyna, the young maid employed in her house, and Tagore’s fictional character Nandini, from the play Rokto Korobi. As Roya struggles to free the thinking individual and artist in her from the clutches of ascribed roles of a woman, it leads to confrontations and conflict.

At the same time, Roya struggles with Moyna’s affair with the liftman, and her subsequent pregnancy. In her role as an employer and benefactor, Roya feels responsible for Moyna’s

emancipation, and finds it difficult to accept her wish to slide into the conventional role of mother and wife. Roya’s own resistance to those roles becomes an imposition on Moyna. She tries to appropriate, albeit with the ‘right intentions’, Moyna’s agency to make her own decisions. As a spillover from this confrontation, we see a classic class divide emerge.

Roya’s mother who has been abandoned by her husband for another woman, lives her life either in the nostalgic ‘wifely’ past, or in refuge of religion in the present. Here the director nods to the role that religion ascribes to women. For example, the mother takes Roya’s life choices as an affront – she berates Roya, alluding that ‘actresses are called whores’ – encouraging her to be the good, upstanding dutiful wife that she should be instead. Clearly, in her worldview, the role of the man is paramount, which is evident in the way she treats Roya’s husband, although she isn’t presented as a black and white character. Her sense of independence and individuality surfaces in her choices to live alone, earn for herself, and take care of her own needs even when she is ill.

It is in these ‘women under construction’ that the director teases out the structures of patriarchy, capitalism, religion, and their impact on each of them – bourgeois or proletariat, progressive or traditional.

Nandini from Tagore’s play is also a crucial part of this film. Roya has been playing Nandini on stage for almost twelve years, and is playing Nandini for the last time. After the show, Roya talks about why she wants to reinterpret the play and Nandini’s character: ‘Have you met any real woman like Nandini who does everything for another man?’ As in life, so in art, Roya continues to challenge the conventional notions of womanhood.

An interesting aspect of all the women characters in the film is how they impose on each other, judging the choices each make through the prisms

of patriarchy, religion, and class. Roya’s mother on her choice to be an actor. Roya on her mother’s submission to religion. Moyna on Roya’s intention to stymie her dreams. And, Roya on Moyna’s choice to marry.

The Under-constructed MenIn a film which deals with women’s emancipation and liberation in relation to patriarchy, the role of men in their lives are paramount, as they are the representatives of the structure that each in their own way are trying to come to terms with. But somehow, men are not ‘under construction’, they seem to be quite frozen in their stereotypes.

Roya’s young businessman husband, who wants his wife to be the mother of his child, seems unaffected by any change or argument, though presented as a modern, educated, enterprising individual. Roya’s father is suggestively a debauch who has abandoned his wife for another woman – falling back on the classic reason for a break up of a marriage because of another woman’s presence. The maid’s husband who stops providing for the wife and the unborn child – despite being responsibly employed before his marriage, he suddenly takes recourse to delinquency with hints of inter-personal violence; another stereotypical picture of men in poverty and their obvious one-track fallouts. Imtiaz, an expat arts connoisseur and the progressive and feminist among the men in the film, pays lip service to

the emancipation of the woman artist – but like all man-woman interactions portrayed on screen, it will have to be about that fatal attraction; there is no space for the non-gendered interaction, the woman will always be in need of a man for endorsement and perhaps even validation.

The portrayal of men as cardboard cutouts take away from any grades, shades, and the relative battles that ‘under constructed’ men are fighting too. For example, the ordained roles of a bread earner and provider; the ideas of success, always measured by financial success; the ideas of masculinity; and not least the ideas of women’s roles in their lives. This one-dimensional portrayal of men does injustice to any kind of deconstruction of women, which is the central theme of the film.

A word or two, then, about direction, cinematography and acting. The film is tight, flows well with purpose, eschewing ornamentation or unnecessary drama. The narrative moves from one complexity to another to explore the theme. Cinematography’s main success is in capturing a visual backdrop without overbearing technique. Shahana Goswami and Mita Rahman stand out in their performances. Rahul Bose spectacularly fails in bringing out any depth whatsoever in a character that is perhaps the only bridge between under constructed men and men under construction. n

About Under Construction and the Under ConstructedAwrup Sanyal

Awrup Sanyal is a fiction writer and a communication professional


phoolbhashi | PhOTO STORy 9

every year, the second week of april sees the celebration of the national festival bizu. The colourful celebrations are divided across three days marking three different themes - Phool Bizu, Mul Bizu and Guscha Puscha Din. It brings much joy and unity among the Tripuri people. Part of the celebrations include a festival of flowers called Phoolbhashi, where brightly clad women go to the river banks and set flowers afloat. This week’s photo story features captivating moments from this enchanting festival.

Floating flowersPhotos: Jamila Zaman


10 PhOTO STORy | phoolbhashi


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When the unwanted leads to the unsafe

12 FOCuS | her choice

of politics, challenges, and policies surrounding abortion in bangladesh - and the need to change themN Anita Amreen

Samreen Rahman* was 22 when she realised she had missed her period by two months. Hailing from a

middle class Muslim family, the question of being found pregnant out of wedlock didn’t arise. Samreen went to LABAID in Panthapath but interestingly, the hospital’s protocol required that patients complete admission forms that include her husband’s name, profession and address. However, no cross referencing was required to ensure that both her or her partner’s identity was real. After visiting a gynecologist with her cousin and completing both an ultrasound and a blood test, it was found that she was seven weeks pregnant.

“The gynecologist immediately began prescribing vitamins and drugs to sustain the pregnancy. When I mentioned I wanted to terminate, she flatly refused to provide any further information. According to hospital policies, abortion or menstrual regulation is not allowed, and neither are they allowed to refer patients elsewhere or provide any kind of assistance,” she says.

Shocked, Samreen later went to a local, smaller clinic to find that she was, in fact, able to use the drug misoprostol to end her ordeal. Although she was able to terminate the pregnancy, she was shaken by the experience altogether and surprised by the strong stigma she faced.

While some believe the laws need to be altered to make both abortion and MR easier on woman and getting rid of the social stigma that surrounds it, others believe the laws in place are, to some extent, justified

Photo: Bigstock


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Unsafe practices and unfair laws While this case took place recently, there are several untold stories of women who have had to suffer from last-minute abortions as a result of lack of information and access. Farhana* was another such victim to find herself with an unwanted pregnancy.

“I was only 17 years old and I had no one to turn to. When I told my boyfriend, he abandoned me and refused to pick up my calls. I had no choice but to tell my mother. She was devastated,” she says. Around eight weeks pregnant, Farhana and her mother sought the service of a small clinic in Malibagh, undergoing a medical abortion that left her unconscious for four hours. “We were told it was a 15-20 minute procedure and I could go home right after, but the nurse who performed the surgery was inexperienced and I ended up unconscious, bleeding profusely. I stayed the night, with the hospital charging me double the amount,” she adds.

Several unmarried young women in Bangladesh find themselves in similar situations, unable to seek or find healthcare service providers who will advise them on how to deal with an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy. As for the rural poor who have even more limited access to safe medical services, the numbers are even more harrowing. Unsafe abortions are responsible for 8,000 maternal deaths and over 572,000 women suffer complications every year in Bangladesh, according to statistics provided by Women On Waves (Wow), a Dutch pro-choice non-profit organisation created to bring reproductive health services, particularly non-surgical abortion services, to women in countries with restrictive abortion laws.

In Bangladesh, under the penal code of 1860, induced abortion is illegal except when performed to save a woman’s life. Abortion to preserve a woman’s physical or mental health, to deal with foetal impairment, to deal with economic or social reasons or even for rape or incest victims is not permitted according to the law.

“In 2015 there were 666 cases of rape - what about women like them who are victims?” asks Ayesha Khanam, President of human’s right organisation Bangladesh Mahila Parishad. “They should be allowed to terminate their pregnancy. I think the law is currently ambiguous. I personally believe that steps should be taken to empower the women of

Bangladesh and give them these rights. If professionals, organisations and the government have any respect for human rights, they should reconsider these laws and step forward to help such cases.”

Menstrual regulation “It was during the 70s when there was a real civil society movement around abortion, especially in relation to the atrocities committed against women during the Liberation War,” stated Advocate Sultana Kamal, Bangladeshi lawyer and human rights activist. “That’s when we really started to talk about making abortion legal in the first trimester of pregnancy.”

Although the abortion law was temporarily waived in 1972, it is currently functioning without any changes to it. Instead, women are allowed to use Menstrual Regulation (MR) services as a family planning method, a procedure that uses manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) to safely establish non-pregnancy and gives women the freedom to terminate their pregnancy within 10 weeks from their last period. However, due to the lack of information on the procedure, many woman put their health at risk every year by having unsafe abortions.

“MR is a huge step for Bangladesh, but what is important is to ensure quality of care, so that there are no infections or other medical problems,” says Dr Kaosar Afsana, Director of BRAC’s Health, Nutrition and Population Programme. “Awareness is also a big issue - we need to ensure that young people actually know that they could get pregnant, so that they are able to get menstrual regulation before the 10 week period is over. But I think it is important for us to take this further and legalise abortion, so that women are able to exercise their own rights and have agency over their own bodies.”

What is shocking, however, is the penalties associated with illegal abortions. According to data from The Population Policy Data Bank by the UN Secretariat, the person who performs abortion is subject to up to

three years imprisonment or a fine or both penalties; if abortion is performed after quickening, then seven years imprisonment and a fine, and if a woman performs an abortion on herself she is subject to all of the above.

“First of all, the idea of miscarriage is illegal according to section 312 to 316 of the penal code, and abortion is a punishable offence even if it is done with the consent of the woman. It is only performable if it is done to save a woman’s life,” Asif Bin Kamal, Barrister-at-Law and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, explained. “However, if it is performed between 8 to 10 weeks then it is not considered an abortion and it strictly does not fall in the scope of penal code sanctions. This is because there is no way to provide clear indication that the woman is pregnant. This is where Menstrual Regulation comes in, and a few clinics in Bangladesh practice this for family planning purposes.”

Is menstrual regulation enough?Many would argue that MR is not enough to ensure that women have full access to their reproductive rights in the safest way. According to statistics from a 2012 fact sheet by Guttmacher Institue, an estimated 646,600 induced abortions were performed in Bangladesh in 2010, the majority of which were unsafe. Nationally, the annual abortion rate was 18.2 per 1,000 women aged 15–44. The same report found that an estimated 572,000 women suffer complications from unsafe abortion each year, but only 40% of those who need treatment actually receive care from a facility. With those woman who do find a hospital or facility to seek these services, 26% are refused services at all. And those that do get the services usually result in complications. Roughly 120 out of every 1,000 MR procedures result in complications that are treated in health facilities. In the case of clandestine abortion, three times that rate—approximately 358 per 1,000—result in complications that are treated in facilities.

For cases like these, several organisations, namely non-profits have stepped forward to provide health care services. Leading the way is Mary Stopes (MS), a Bangladeshi NGO that provides high quality, yet affordable health care services related to sexual and reproductive health. Consisting of a network of 132 clinics, MS Referral Clinics are located in all the major cities and some district towns of Bangladesh.

Naribandhob is another organisation that has a sexual and productive health hotline to provide women with information on reproductive health education, safe medical MR and the “abortion” drug Misoprostol. It also provides crucial information on post MR care, since deadly bleeding is one of the leading causes of maternal death and injury in Bangladesh. The information is provided completely free of charge at their hotline number +8801853-892-424.

“We need to bring certain changes to the law so that it is made compatible to the present,” Asif Bin Anwar, Barrister-at-Law and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, added. “The first thing I would advise is to ensure that abortion services can be legally provided to any woman. But at the same time one should take into account the woman’s age, her matrimonial status, her psychiatric condition, etc and also her personal liberty and her freedom to choose to become a mother at that age or not. If these matters on a balance of probabilities are in the favour of a woman giving consent to abortion, then assistance to such an abortion should not be treated as a crime.”

While some believe the laws need to be altered to make both abortion and MR easier on woman and getting rid of the social stigma that surrounds it, others believe the laws in place are, to some extent, justified.

“If a woman is pregnant beyond 10 weeks, performing an abortion imposes major health risks on the mother. There are several complications and she may even bleed to death. In that case, we try to convince the mother and her family to decide otherwise because the mother’s life is at risk,” AKM Rezaul Haque, Premier Director, Health and Training of Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) explained. As an organisation that has around 45 centres around Bangladesh, this NGO works to implement community health care programmes to improve health with special emphasis on access to health for the poor. n

Several unmarried young women in Bangladesh find themselves being unable to seek or find healthcare service providers who will advise them on how to deal with an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy


14 LEGaLESE | JenniFer ashraF

Dear Reader:Thank you for writing in to us. You are absolutely correct – an ethical and moral duty should definitely exist here. In fact, the The Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council was duly Constituted under the Medical and Dental Council Act. The Council expects the registered Medical/ Dental practitioners who are duly registered by the Council to follow the code of Medical Ethics, which clearly states that:

“The duty that a medical/ dental man owes to the profession of which he is a member is one of the highest he is called upon to fulfill … In all dealings with patients the interest and advantage of their health should along influence his conduct towards them. As their trust to their profession is great so the obligation to be true to their interest is greater and any single failure in this respect is wholly discreditable and inexcusable … Gross negligence in respect of his professional duties to his patient maybe regarded as misconduct sufficient to justify the suspension or the removal of the name of a Medical/

Dental practitioner from the Register.”Unfortunately in Bangladesh, we do

not have separate statutory provisions regarding clinical negligence; nor do we have any separate law to deal with these issues. Nevertheless, there are quite a number of laws and acts which relate to a whole range of medical issues. Unfortunately none of these provide the provisions to handle and provide the remedies if health professionals are found guilty of discharging their duties. In England the concept of tort of negligence developed in the early part of the 20th century. Following the landmark case of Donoghue v Stevenson, the “neighbourhood principle” gained widespread popularity in the English courts. In simple terms it means we all owe a duty of care to people who may be affected by our conduct or behaviour.

Doctor Noevery single week I keep reading various reports on social media sites about friends and acquaintances suffering in some way or the other at the hands of doctors and nurses. This is shocking because these people are revered in society and I believe that an ethical and moral duty should also exist here. Does the law in bangladesh protect us against clinical negligence?

The burden of proving negligence is on the part of the plaintiff who alleges it. In order to succeed in an action for negligence, the plaintiff must prove the following five things:

1. That the defendant was under a legal duty to exercise due care and skill, as there cannot be any liability for negligence unless there is a breach of some legal duty.

2. That the duty was towards the plaintiff.

3. That, in the circumstances of the case, the defendant failed to perform that duty, i.e. the duty to exercise due care and skill.

4. That the breach of such duty was the causa causans, i.e. the direct and proximate cause, of the damage complained of. If the causal connection between the negligent act and the damage is not direct, the damage is too remote, for which there is no remedy at law.

5. That the damage was caused on account of this breach of duty.

The most important thing to bear in mind is that people need to step forward and take concrete legal actions against medical malpractice offenders. Merely posting on social media sites is not the solution here. I hope you will agree with me. Please help spread the word! n

Illustrations: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmay/Dhaka Tribune

Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales. She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate


Tell | DRaMa MaMa 15

We are a small family of three, where my husband and I both work 9am-5pm jobs.

We have a five-year-old boy whom we leave with our help for the time in-between. Recently, it has come into our attention that our son has learned a few unacceptable words and developed a distinct accent while speaking Bangla. We assume that it is probably a result of him spending time with the maid, at the same time, it is not feasible for either of us to quit our job and spend more time with him. What should we do?

The problem you are facing is not uncommon for working parents. You have to

understand that it is normal for children of such ages to pick up new words and accents from their surroundings yet the age is such that it is hard for them to understand whether it is appropriate to use them. The only way to correct this is by ensuring adult supervision around your child. Since, you and your husband cannot spend more time with him, you may ask your parents or in-laws to monitor your maid while she is babysitting your child. They may encourage your maid to use proper language when around your son. And when you are home, sit with your child and tell him how and why such words are unacceptable. It may seem like a

lost battle at first, but with constant efforts, your

child will refrain from using

them.

Q A

Unclear boundaries

My son recently turned thirteen and is well equipped in socialising with

people around. However, that is not what I’m worried about. Ever since, he opened his Facebook profile, he spends most of his time on the social media site. Do you think I should make him deactivate his profile and restrict his use of the internet, at least till he understands when he’s overdoing it. Any thoughts?

Whether you like it or not, we are all prisoners of social media. The

only difference is, your son has a Facebook profile while he is going through the formative years which shape how he perceives life. Right now, he’s probably wondering which filter to apply so that his photos can secure the most number of likes or pointlessly chatting with his friends. You cannot blame him really, since there are many adults who take Facebook way more seriously than your thirteen-year-old. Cutting him off completely from the use of the internet would only trigger his raging hormones and bring out the rebel in him. However, you can make a deal with him where he would have to agree to keep a check on his Facebook hours only after he’s done studying. Also, focus on spending some quality family time so that he understands what he is missing out on, while he keeps scrolling through his newsfeed.

Q A

Queer attractions

Photos: Bigstock


16 LISTOLOGy | docuMenTaries on arTisTs

Art smartYou might think that the best way to understand and appreciate art is just to look at it. Be that as it may, you may also not live in a city where art exhibitions are readily available and frequently done at a location convenient to you. In this case, you can always do the next best thing - watch a movie or documentary, or read up on your favourite artists and their legacy. This week, we bring you a list of what to watch/read to make sure you’re one step closer to being (or pretending to be) an art aficionado in the run-up to the much anticipated Dhaka Art Summit 2016.

BBC Modern MastersThis BBC series is an incredible introductory series on, you guessed it, the modern masters of art. Presented by the young and charming Alastair Sooke, this series is amazing at dispelling the myth of art being a rather pompous past-time for stuffy old people. Focusing on Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol - the show is all about the influence of these 20th century greats on our daily lives, starting from car designs to children’s books. On the other hand, Sooke is well-versed in his art history, so you will definitely get proper insight into the lives and works of these amazing artists, not just a run-down of an average Wikipedia page.

Streaming art onto your screensIf you’re interested in watching video documentaries, not just on the famous artists but the more recent ones, hearing their voices and understanding the different themes they work on - then the London Royal Academy of Art’s videos on Vimeo are for you. Starting from visiting Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny to conversations with celebrated Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, these short videos give you a great intro into the world of art. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s website also offers a great range of artist interviews where they not only discuss their work and themes, but the

evolution and changes in the world of art itself, and is a really engaging way of keeping tabs on the latest updates in the art scene.

Taking over the streetsStreet art has been around since the 80s, but with the rise of urban art, guerrilla art, post-graffiti, and neo-graffiti, we think it’s safe to say that street art is here to stay, and one of the most celebrated street artists of our time is Banksy. Known for painting his revolutionary messages from the barriers of West Bank to the French embassy in London, Banksy’s tongue-in-cheek documentary, titled Exit Through the Gift Shop, takes a look at the new explosion of street artists, especially in Los Angeles. Another

Shuprova Tasneem

interesting take on street art is the documentary Las Calles Hablan, which is filmed almost completely on the streets of Barcelona and explores an extraordinary subculture and its struggles against restraints on freedom of expression. Finally, if you’re interested in street art, make sure to check out Google’s online exhibitions, which explores street art from all over the world at https://streetart.withgoogle.com/en/online-exhibitions.

Straight from the horse’s mouthIf you’d much rather spend some quiet time reading instead of staring into a screen, but still want to understand the unique minds of some of the most talented artists, why not read what they had to say about their own lives? The Letters of Vincent van Gogh are a great place to start - an intensely personal narrative of every facet of the life and work of this brilliant and tortured artist. Spanning across his entire artistic career, these letters show the great emotional and spiritual depths of Van Gogh, contradicting the popular image of the artist as an anti-social madman and martyr to art. Another incredible read is The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait, which gives the reader a window into the last ten years of her turbulent life. This diary not only contains Kahlo’s thoughts, poems and dreams, but also includes seventy watercolour illustrations that shed light on her creative process in a deeply personal way. n


inTernaTional book Fairs | LISTOLOGy 17

Book fairs around the world

With the annual Aumor Ekushey Book Fair knocking on our door we decided to take a

look at some of the most remarkable book fairs around the world.

Frankfurt Book Fair

With a history that goes back 500 years, Frankfurt Book Fair is one of the leading publishing events in the whole world. In 2015 the total number of visitors was 275,791. The number of accredited journalists and bloggers who visited the fair was 9,900.

The annual fair held in October takes place in the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. One of the main differences with our Aumor Ekushey Book Fair is that the event is primarily for trade purposes. The first three days of the five day fair, is exclusively for ticket holding trade visitors. The remaining two days are open to the general public.

This means the trade show presents a platform for wholesalers, publishers,

and distributors to meet each other and enter into trade deals. Whereas, the Ekushey book fair is largely intended for the public and set up for retail sales.

London Book FairAnother big event in the world publishing industry is the London Book Fair. This is also a trade fair unlike the Ekushey fair. It is a global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels.

The London Book Fair gets an average of 25,000 publishing professionals arrive in London for the week to learn, network and kick off their year of business.

The fair will be celebrating its 45th anniversary this year.

Buenos Aires International Book FairHeld every April in Buenos Aires,

Argentina, the book expo has been described as the most important annual literary event in the Spanish speaking world. Each April, more than one million readers from all over Latin America visit the premises and take part in the thousand-plus literary events organised at the event.

The fair hosts professional sessions, business opportunities and academic sessions, among many others. The fair gets an average of 1,200,000 visitors and covers over more than 45,000 square metres. On average there are more than 550 exhibitors and 12,000 professionals attending the event.

Cairo International Book Fair

Cairo International Book Fair is one of

the largest and oldest book fairs in the Arab speaking world. Like the Buenos Aires International Book Fair does for the Spanish world, this event creates the opportunity for Arabic speaking people of different nationalities to come together to enjoy the literature of their common language.

The fair reportedly gets nearly 2 million visitors every year. This year the fair opened on 27th January and will continue up to 10th February.

International Kolkata Book Fair

According to its website, International Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF) is the largest attended Book fair in the World with an average record footfall of 2.5 million. Unlike the Ekushey book fair, the IKBF hosts other countries. Every year a focus country is selected that gets an entire pavilion to showcase their culture, traditions, food, tourism, and literature through books.

This year the fair opened on 25th January and will continue until 7th February. n

Where bookworms flockSarker Saqib


18 STay IN

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

Last week’s sudoku solutions

ACROSS1 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)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCROss1 Flan who French found revolutionary (6)6 Clean broken weapon (5)7 Panache of tree-lined US city (5) 8 See short holiday in bed (6)

DOwN2 Free radical sun heal (7)3 Found in the middle, lent car stupidly (7)4 Fairly shared, like 2 and 6? (6)5 Made in advance before FA ban, initially (6)

Clues

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

Mini crypticsho

rosc

opes

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19): Have you noticed that the compliments that you’re getting lately are actually sugarcoated insults? Pay no heed to gossip and trash talk, and be resolute in your plan towards making good decisions in life.

Taurus (Apr 20-May20): Tough week ahead for you as you will be caught in the middle of an affray between friends and will be forced to pick sides. Best not to pick any sides and be as diplomatic as possible; it’s never easy being the peacemaker, good luck though.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): Making important decisions this week should be held off if your mind is not in the right place. Important decisions should not be taken lightly and almost always be made with a cool head.

Cancer (June 21-Jul22): Looks like you’re racing towards a deadline this week, instead of rushing yourself towards it; try pacing yourself and go slow. Remember, slow, steady and focused always wins the race.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22): Time is really of the essence this week as you’ll be running against the clock to make yourself available to everyone who wants a piece of you. Do make sure you look your best and to deliver the best results.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22): People don’t always appreciate it when you’re being nice to them or when you’re being just friendly. So this week just try to really think about what you’re saying and to whom you’re saying things to. Just keep things zipped up if possible.

Libra (Sep 23-Oct22): A week of self-criticism will not do you any good and blaming yourself for things not gone in the right direction will not change anything. Try focusing on the things that are bountiful in your life and that have changed your life in an extraordinarily positive way.

Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21): It’s been a while and this is the week when you’ve decided to draw the last straw and put your foot down. You have finally started to complain about everything and everyone around you and there

is nothing you can do to change your situation. This too shall pass.

Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec 21): The forecast brews to be quite stormy this week for you as it shows there may be some conflict with you and women in general. Be wary of matriarchal roles in your life and be sure to avoid heated conversations during Sunday dinner.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan19): Lately you’ve not been doing well and you could really use the comfort of friends. You may be suffering from the troubles of a broken heart and it’s ok to let it out. As far as romantic relationships are concerned you may think you’re on a rocky road for the future but none of us can see that far. Hope for the best and who knows, maybe things may be surprisingly more favourable for you than you’re imagining.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18): Arguments exist so that ideas can evolve and grow thereby causing more individuals to choose from new ideas.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20): Little things can get to you this week as you will be swimming through vast emotional currents. Try to keep it together in the best way you can, but if you do feel the need to let it out: try some self-relaxing techniques to calm yourself down. Remember anger is your worst enemy. n


GO OuT 19

Weekly Planner

Jan 28Culture | Raham Ali’r Putul NachWhen 7pm Where EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old , 9th Floor, Midas Center, DhanmondiWhat Raham Ali’r Putul Nach/Doll Dance of Raham Ali is a locally composed music performance by a chamber orchestra, along with the narration of a story.

Raham Ali’r Putul Nach is a fictional story of a puppet master from a remote village, who stages his puppet shows throughout the remote rural communities. Later he leaves the rural fields with a view to moving towards the city in search of a better life, and more fame and success. However, his life in the city becomes unexpectedly complex when he is compelled to deal with fraudulent characters. Raham struggles through the toxic and ugly sides of city life – facing his dreams being shattered and watching the loss of his livelihood and his most loyal companion. Realising that his essence lies in the country, Raham returns home to embrace himself

and seek the happiness that lies within. Iftekhar Anwar, the director of CMA, has authored the story behind Raham Ali’r Putul Nach and composed the background music to go along with the narration.

The performance will be presented to the audience through storytelling – depicted by a narrator – and an original music score performed by the CMA orchestra group. CMA orchestra includes 21 talented musicians playing the violin, cello, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, guitar and regional instrument as such tabla, dhol, and mondira.

Raham Ali’r Putul Nach will be followed by four orchestral performances, which are:

Secret Garden by Rolf LovlandGod Father Theme by Nino RotaAutumn Leaves by Joseph CosmaDhono Dhanno Pushpo Bhora by

Dijendrolal RoyThe event is open to public.

Tickets will be available at the EMK Center before the event for Tk100 only.

Jan 29Culture | Red Shift presents Disney Friday - Dumbo and BambiWhen 3pmWhere Red Shift Coffee Lounge, Bays Galleria 5th floor, 57 Gulshan AvenueWhat Red Shift’s Disney Friday is back again with two more classics for your viewing pleasure – Dumbo and Bambi. Red Shift invites everyone to enjoy these Disney classics.

Jan 30Tech | Girls Can TechWhen 10:30am-3pmWhere EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, DhanmondiWhat EMK Center with BWIT – Bangladesh Women in Technology and Maya.com.bd (Maya Village), invites everyone to Girls Can Tech, on Saturday – an event by the women, for the women, and of the women leading the way in technology in Bangladesh. Girls Can Tech is aiming to showcase the ground breaking work female entrepreneurs in the technology

industry are achieving, from home-based freelance work to running social solution focused start-ups. Women in technology are changing traditional concepts around work, entrepreneurship and business development, breaking socio-economic barriers and challenges.

Girls Can Tech will feature a range of female entrepreneurs, innovators, coders, and change makers who will share practical experiences in working in the digital space in Bangladesh. This event aspires to bring about a networking platform for young female engineers and coders with tech companies and initiatives run by women, so as to create a system that encourages women to be enterprising and part of the digital revolution that is sweeping the world today.

It is a free event with pre-registration. Registration is managed by Jete Chao?

One can register at: jetechao.com/event/95/girls-can-tech#register

For all queries and RSVP, please contact: 01713068877 or mail to [email protected]

Jan 31Cinema | Sunday Movie Night

Jan 30Culture | Dhaka Book Launch: OLIVE WITCH by Abeer Y Hoque

When 6pmWhere Goethe Institute Bangladesh [German Cultural Center], Dhanmondi 8What Goethe Institute Bangladesh is back with monthly Sunday Movie Night. This time they will show the movie Crossing the bridge – Sounds of Istanbul, which is a German music film and the first documentary of Faith Akin. The protagonist of this film is the Berlin musician, Alexander Hacke. Akin meets him on his way through the Turkish metropolis Istanbul.

Alexander catches the music of the city with his mobile tonestudio – from the sounds of the street musicians to the Turkish mega stars.

When 7pmWhere EMK Center, House 5, Road 16 (New) 27 (Old), 9th Floor, Midas Center, DhanmondiWhat EMK Centre invites everyone to celebrate the worldwide release of Olive Witch, a memoir by Abeer Y Hoque, a Nigerian born Bangladeshi American writer and photographer. She will be joining

a conversation with Zafar Sobhan, the editor of the Dhaka Tribune.

Copies of Olive Witch will be on sale at the event by Bookworm Bookstore, as well as The Lovers and The Leavers by Bengal Lights Books.

More information about the book is available at http://www.olivewitch.com/


Jellybean’s fourth month of life was wrapped up and as the fifth month rolled in, we got to witness many milestones.

Jellybean started rolling over and soon we had a baby who could move 360° all over the bed. As exciting as it was to see this, the downsides of a moving baby were soon to follow.

One day Jellybean was asleep on my in-laws bed, surrounded by pillows and covered in a portable collapsible mosquito net (a very handy device by the way). The rest of us were in the next room, chatting. Suddenly, we heard a loud thud and then crying. Running to the room, we found Jellybean on the floor, bawling her eyes out. She had woken up and rolled out of the mosquito net (we still don’t know how she managed that), but since she was surrounded by pillows, she fell with a pillow in tow, landing on it. So she wasn’t hurt but severely disgruntled at her ‘downfall’.

From then on we never left her unattended and would place a pillow on top of the mosquito net so that she couldn’t move it. That didn’t stop her though; she managed to stick a little hand or foot out from under the mosquito net anyway!

We would prop her up in a semi-sitting position from time to time, to get her used to sitting. Many babies start sitting at 5-7 months, depends on the child entirely. I knew that from the next month I would have to start solids, hence the training.

However, we noticed that Jellybean would gnaw and suck on her hands and arms a lot, covering everything in buckets of saliva. Someone told us that maybe she is hungry and just milk wasn’t enough. I asked around and got a similar response from other mums.

So at around the 5.5 month mark, I mashed Jellybean’s first ever banana into a creamy pulp (inaugurating a baby food mashing set in the process). Of course it wasn’t a very big banana, just a small champa kola. I took a small amount onto the spoon provided and hovered above Jellybean’s lips, nudging them slightly and coaxing them to

open up. Jellybean responded, opening her little mouth curiously. I plopped in the banana and watched Jellybean chew, different expressions crossing her face - curiosity and then interest as she gulped it down. I offered another spoonful and to my great joy, Jellybean lapped it up. In a few minutes, the banana was gone. When my mom-in-law returned from work, she mashed another banana and fed Jellybean, while I videoed the entire process.

Many families celebrate the first feeding of solid food to the baby through a ceremony called mukhe bhaat. Many moons ago, before marriage, husband and baby, I used to see these mukhe bhaat signboards at restaurants or event halls and wonder why anyone would announce someone having, in literal translation, ‘rice in the mouth’. Now I knew why, but my family and I didn’t put too much pressure on Jellybean to debut herself

and announce to the world that she could now eat solid food!

We started off really slowly, giving her a banana once a day. I’ve mentioned this before, but the first poop she had after her first banana was a mystical piece of art. Emulsified shades of yellow-ochre, dotted with tiny black banana seeds. Like the Gobi desert freckled with shadows and miniscule cacti.

I was still breastfeeding Jellybean, but I wondered if I could switch to formula and a bottle now. To my great, great dismay, my attempt turned out to be futile. Right after Jellybean’s birth, I had been greatly discouraged to use a bottle, but what I figured out later on, from seeing other mums, is that breast milk could be expressed and fed through a bottle. I admit, breastfeeding has more pros (no need to sterilise and prepare bottles in the middle of the night) than cons (the pain from cracks,

mastitis, and in whole the apparent embarrassment to find a private place to feed); but there are always other options as well.

As I was saying, once a baby is exclusively breastfed, it is very difficult to get them to switch to the bottle. Some brave mums have been successful, but I wasn’t one of them. Not only did Jellybean refuse to feed from a bottle, she also detested the taste of formula. Somehow, she always knew that her old mum was trying to trick her and not give her the real deal.

Exasperated, I gave up and continued breastfeeding until Jellybean was two years old. I would tell you about the nights I cried from pain from Jellybean’s newly emerged teeth, but that’s for another day!

Everyone at home took turns in feeding something to Jellybean and shared the joy as she chewed away with her toothless gums, dribbling all over her assorted, colourful bibs. 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]

Roll over!Minu Ahmed

weekend tribune vol 3 issue 40

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