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Welcome to Dhaka International Trade Fair 2013 Faizul Khan Tanim writes an overview of DITF 2013 The whole of Dhaka city waits eagerly for this month-long Dhaka international trade fair (DITF) in the begining of each year. Every year the residents expects to be part of something exciting and magnetic and even if every year is not a let down, but this 18th installment could not surprise the audiences as well. Sprawling over an almost 12.5 lakh square feet venue with a  total of 505 stalls from both home and abroad participating, the entrepreneurs are more or less failing to address the concept of ‘variety’ and ‘appeal’, alleges the viewers thronging this fair. They say there is huge potential if the vastness of venue land is considered, the only thing lacking is creativity. A 35 year old Banker Mahmudur Rahman from Dhanmondi said, “It seems i came to the same fair as last year, only with minor modifications here and there. The reason i bring my family is to

Bites of Dhaka Megacity Dhaka's street food has evolved a lot over the past decade or so. While some of the items are traditional, there are a few new inductees in the Hall of Names. Writes Faizul Khan Tanim We Bangladeshis love to associate our food, especially snacks with conversations, laid-back attitude and nostalgic walks. And if these addas (conversations) can fetch all the different snacks between breakfast, lunch and dinner...then why not? Let us take a look at some of the newer Dhaka street snacks which evolved during the past one or two decades mainly. Although consumption of these food items in large quantity is not recommended, especially with the ones who have weak stomachs, but a word of caution – you cannot escape having only one! The Evolving Taste of our Street Food Authenticity The idea of ‘fusion’ has not only passed musical boundaries and it is in fact one of the innate features of food business today. For instance, w

Sounds of 2012 Faizul Khan Tanim writes on the many different audio sounds that were LOUD last year and governed our generally arid music scene There’s a track called ‘Adhek Ghumey’ in Ornob’s Rabindra Shangeet album. Considering Ornob’s classical training and his ingenious efforts behind this CD’s arrangement, the song can be interpreted as something of an anthem for the country because the words of Tagore are involved with this nation and our Bengali psyche in a symbolic way. Other songs ‘Kotha Hotey Baje’, ‘Dhonilo Ahobaan’ and ‘Rakho Rakhore’  has given us sounds that is magnetic and forward-looking, intriguing and driven, with hugely varied rhythms and melodies. However, the absolute magical vocals that became a trademark of Ornob from exemplary albums like ‘Chaina Bhabish’ and ‘Hok Kolorob’, for the most part in this compilation, shed lights in favor of a statement – Ornob can sing better. But eventually, this man-machine combination enhanced the songs emoti