My Publications

Des’ree Desserts – slices of paradise Faizul Khan Tanim basks in chocolaty happiness and cookie dough goodness as a slice of the dessert melts in his mouth Rich, chocolaty, mocha, charmingly sweet, sinfully scrumptious and all that jazz - these slices are what one’s heart desire, mind craves and appetite flames for. Be it Des’ree’s berry, chocolate-chip cookie dough or the rocky-road brownies, cinnamon rolls, tangy lemon cheesecake, pineapple cake, the familiar chocolate pound cake or the unusual choco-swirled marble pound cake, mocha pound cake with chocolate glaze up to any of the savoury baked items like meat pies and calzones and more – you will get high on these blissful desserts and will experience the inevitable choco-hangover and it is the best feeling ever. The name behind such marvels is Anahita Ahmed, a woman-of-substance lecturer during the days but the ultimate ‘dessert queen’ during the after hours. She claims it was love at first bite during her childhood when dear m...

Domestic violence in urban Bangladesh Faizul Khan Tanim investigates how this social disease is spreading in our society Violence against women, has accelerated to such heights in the urban areas of the country that these incidents have ceased to shock us. Moreover, the country had to witness one of the crudest forms of domestic violence recently to realise how gruesome and grotesque these incidents can be. Rumana Manzur, a University of British Columbia Canada graduate student and Dhaka University assistant professor of International Relations, while on leave to visit her family and friends, was reported to have been mercilessly assaulted by her husband Syed Hassan Shumon. In the scuffle that followed she lost an eye and flesh from her face on June 5. The husband is now in custody. Residents from all over the capital are puzzled by the fact that urban women, who are educated and financially independent, are subjected to domestic violence. A childhood friend of Rumana Manzur, requ...

A tribute celebrating the Guru’s life and legacy Faizul Khan Tanim goes beyond the usual retrospectives to explain why Azam Khan is synonymous with revolutionary ideas T he columns, tributes and condolences have been pouring in from all corners and everyone. Almost five days since the man hailed as the Guru of Bangla pop and rock music, the legendary and perhaps somewhat notorious Azam Khan, passed away on June 5, the onslaught of consumer culture has also taken over his memory. Almost overnight there are compilation albums and greatest hits, t-shirts and posters, special programmes on television and radio, as well as downloads, wallpapers and online discussions, anything to fill up the emptiness. The death of a legend has triggered the usual outpourings of grief but there is something very different also at play. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the voice of the legend lives on all around us. For the post-Independence generation, Azam Khan was the symbol of all that was revolu...

What’s Hot Petuk Faizul Khan Tanim finds a place for food-lovers Petuk is conveniently located behind a tall building, right behind Mainland China in Road 2 in Uttara’s sector 3; you’ll know it by the image of a ‘petuk’.

Floating Fun - A spontaneous boat trip on Gulshan-Banani lake Faizul Khan Tanim took a boat ride to clear his head. You can enjoy a brief sojourn on the lake. Boats stop at several spots, pick one that is convenient, on Road 32, Gulshan by the lake or try the Mohakhali TB Gate. One hour of floating without a worry costs Tk 150, and you’ll love the easy banter of the enterprising young boys who earn a little extra by ferrying you around. Meet Sohel (10), Rubel (15), Azizul Hakim (16) and Mohammad Shimul (22); they say when not on the water, they are in school. Then there is 22 year old Zahidul Islam Noman, Shimul’s friend and a budding poet, who’ll compose a fitting verse for you, here’s a sample, “ Ontor Jano Attar Pori, Shommo Shoyon Shopi Okaron…Pordar Arale Dekhlum Ak Opurbo Ordho Choron.” The only draw back is the polluted water. The Jaago Foundation’s recent initiative to clean the lake is a commendable idea, but more must be done to ensure these water bodies don’t di...

Blast from the Past Aerosmith Get A Grip takes Faizul Khan Tanim to living on the edge Flesh is one of the captivating songs of the 90’s, Aerosmith sang the lyrics, “From Boston Mass, to Bangladesh...from a Sufi in a rickshaw to a bimbo in a pink Corvette, everybody got to have flesh...” on Get A Grip, along with massive hits such as, Crazy, Amazing, Cryin’, Livin’ on the edge, and more. The album was released in 1993, with the satellite channel boom we saw the videos and heard the shrill vocals, exhilarating riffs and solos, in an album screaming rock music, in the 11th studio album from the ‘bad boys from Boston’. The Boston rockers’ come-back album featured plenty of guests; Don Henley sang backup on Amazing, Lenny Kravitz collaborated in Line Up and there were others such as Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, Mark Hudson, Richie Supa, Taylor Rhodes, Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw on board. Get a Grip became their best-selling studio album worldwide, achieving sales of over 20 million copie...

Culinary Delights Cheong Shing Faizul Khan Tanim finds authentic Chinese in Banani Climbing up the stairs, the place looks bleak and not very interesting. But as soon as you enter the restaurant proper, your senses are overcome by delicious aromas wafting in the air…appetising smells, some familiar and some not so familiar, that guarantees a feast for your taste buds. Welcome to Cheong Shing. The dining space is sparsely decorated with tables and a basic seating arrangement, hardly anything on the walls, but don’t let the no-frills décor and appearance fool you. A bowl of roasted nuts with sesame seed welcomes you, while you decide what to eat. With a drop of lime juice and a dash of the chilli paste, the mix tastes even better. On the menu, expect simple and authentic Chinese cuisine. The waiters are helpful and knowledgeable, ready with recommendations if you are indecisive. We ordered the fried fish and beef cakes (Tk 420), as appetisers. They were crunchy on top and perfect wit...

"Harappa at the Drik Gallery - Phirey Chol Matir Taney" - A Photo Story