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A Nordic treat for Bangladeshi children An initiative by Save the Children, the international children's charity, impresses DhakaLive's Faizul Khan Tanim

FACE 2 FACE The Big Mac Maqsoodul Haque discloses to Faizul Khan Tanim some of the secrets behind his music We call him the Big Mac of Bangladesh’s music industry...the tall, bespectacled man with a great sense of humour, which some might say is sarcasm but that’s because they don’t understand him, is prone to emotional outbursts, and one of the greatest lyricists of our generation. And his graceful voice is a testament to many immortal hit songs of Bangla pop and rock. When and why did you start playing music and how has it affected your life? I think I was born with music; that's how early it was. But what was important was convincing my family that I want to do music, which was difficult because there were no musicians in seven generations. I recall, it was after the Liberation war, the situation was not good in the city, the drug scene had taken hold and some of the musicians began abusing substances; the news got around and so my father thought it was a bit too much. But, ...

Blast from the Past Metallica – Master of Puppets After rewinding Metallica’s album, Faizul Khan Tanim believes it’s an epic album Recorded at Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark from September through December, 1985, Master of Puppets was Metallica’s third album released in 1986. It is the epitome of metal and thrash at its peak and in spite of not containing any singles; it was the breakthrough to US rock radio airplay that they had been looking for. It was also the very last compilation to feature the bassist Cliff Burton dying later in a tragic bus accident while touring. Running time a little under fifty-five minutes with eight powerful tracks of non-stop great riffs, killer solos, pounding drums and one of the best thrash voices of all time, Master of Puppets is arguably the band’s most successful thrash metal act. There is not a single moment in this masterpiece of puppetry where it does not scream energy or is not lyrically intriguing. The punchiest numb...

Shahriar Kabir and his youthful fiction The author of Bangla children’s literature blends dreams and reality with intriguing youthful realisations, writes Faizul Khan Tanim A child’s imagination is triggered by stories and children’s literature aims to introduce people, places, and ideas and builds the foundation of practical matters such as right and wrong. Reading habits help to cultivate a bond between a child and the written word, enhancing their vocabulary and grasping the nuances of language. In Bangladesh, there are few writers who write just for children; the gap between the number of books written for children and those written for adults is inconsolably wide. Shahriar Kabir is one of the few writers who write for children. His books focus on the vision and ideas that gave birth to our nation. He believes it is necessary to educate and inform the younger generation about the country’s history and origin, and link it to the present. His stories inspire young Bangladeshis and t...

Food Fest Time-out at Time Out Faizul Khan Tanim introduces a new hangout in Banani The popular place to hang out in Gulshan 1, Time Out, has expanded to Banani. The new branch also offers the same great taste, menu and reasonable prices. To add to the culinary experience is the fine décor and plenty of seating for all. A few of the friendly staff members from the Gulshan 1 branch are here; they will welcome you with a smile, and ensure your order arrives timely. Apart from the house favorites – Thai mixed noodles at Tk 130, egg fried rice with stir-fried chicken or beef and basil leaf at Tk 95, chicken in red and green curry at Tk 95 – they offer delicious oil-free parathas at Tk 20 to go with the beef/chicken chaap at Tk 105 each; add the chili mint sauce and fresh salad and you are good to go. They serve Mexican and South Indian dishes alongside the exclusive Thai cuisine at affordable prices. The multicultural variety appeals to a large crowd and that is why we so often find ...

‘B’ for Bangladesh Faizul Khan Tanim writes about how Brand Forum is branding the nation Goldman Sachs named Bangladesh as one of the next eleven (N11) economies with the potential to become an important player in the world economy by 2050. Considerable progress has been made in the last two decades, the ready-made garments (RMG) industry and IT solutions lead with exports, and advances in health, education, and agriculture, indicates the country’s potential to become one of the leading economies of South Asia. However, Bangladesh still lacks initiatives in the public and private sectors that can improve its image globally, and the images that do appear in the international media are often of a nation at the mercy of natural disasters, poverty and corruption. In this milieu, Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) is an initiative with a vision, of transforming Bangladesh’s image by applying branding ethoses, and believes in promoting a positive image of Bangladesh. Shariful Islam, the managing d...

Aromas of the world - sipping on a hot cup of warmth Faizul Khan Tanim gets emotional sipping a cup of coffee in the new café, North End Organic Ethiopia Sidamo, Ethiopia washed Sidamo, Sumatra Mandheling, Brazil, French Roast, Decaf Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Hill Tract Blend - choose the coffee beans from a wide selection and have it brewed to your taste. At North End Coffee Roasters, the aroma of the roasting beans, cozy décor and friendly staff comes together to bring you the finest cup of coffee in town. The café opened in March this year and is run by the Hubbards, Rick, the barista and Chris, the pastry chef, who are not just coffee connoisseurs but passionate about what they serve, which is the very best coffee in town. North End offers premium quality single-origin coffees from around the world and also has a special blend of locally-grown in the Chittagong Hill Tracts coffee. The Hubbards hope to encourage the growth of coffee culture and build a sense of commun...

Food Fest War of the veggie burgers Faizul Khan Tanim goes into battle mode If you’re craving a burger but need to shave calories off yourself then the answer is veggie burgers. There are several kinds on the menu. Let’s look at a few of the options: KFC’s veggie burger and veggie feast burger The delightful veggie burger is packed with light and golden crispy hash brown tri-patties made of potato while the scrumptious veggie feast comes with a mixed-veg patty. Both are garnished with creamy pepper mayo, lettuce, onion rings and tomato in oven-fresh buns freckled with sesame seeds and is a fantastic non-meaty delight. This burger will tantalise you with crunchy sound, green flavour, with or without cheese; you will most definitely not miss the organic protein editions at all. Veggie Burger – Tk 160 without cheese / Veggie Feast – Tk 180 without cheese Chicken King’s veggie burger This veggie burger has a hamburger-style patty that does not contain meat but is deliciously made from...

The Man-eating Tigers of the Sundarbans On April 28, Faizul Khan Tanim attended the screening of a documentary produced by the BBC, ‘The Man-eating Tigers of the Sundarbans’. The gripping documentary highlights the urgent need to conserve the habitat of the Royal Bengal tigers, the tension and heartache faced by those living close to these majestic animals, and the unusual attempts that involve street dogs into canine defense forces to scare away rogue tigers from areas inhabited by people. The documentary, shot by filmmaker Tanjilur Rahman and narrated by Adam Barlow, project manager of the Bangladesh Tiger Programme, explains the plight of the people and sheds light on how to protect the endangered species.

Food Fest Indulge in the spirit of iftari Faizul Khan Tanim is always craving the crunchy, spicy food that we eat during Ramadan Photos by Faizul Khan Tanim Chhola bhaja, piyaju, beguni, jilapi, alur chop - crispy, flavoursome, colourful - a diverse range of crunchy snacks called iftari, these items here are major attractions during Ramadan. But the availability of these munch delights are not limited to just one month anymore; you can get them in different places around town, throughout the year. Banani Bazaar is one such area where you would find these items. Tk 5 to 10 worth of chhola bhaja, piyajus and begunis from Tk 2 a piece, Tk 10 for a filling large-sized jilapi or the potato chop - they are hot, tasty, and churns essence of aromatic spices. If one can spare five to ten minutes, they will make you the ‘ultimate iftari mix’ with all the items mentioned above with specials add-ons – muri (puffed rice), green chili, shredded onions and coriander leaves, few...

Foreign Shores BHUTAN - The land of the peaceful dragon Faizul Khan Tanim explains why the Himalayan kingdom is called the land of the peaceful dragon Bhutan most probably got its name – land of the peaceful dragon – for its absolute tranquil atmosphere, snaky roads, narrow rivers, serpentine incorporations in their dance moves wearing dragon masks and the use of red hot chilli aplenty in most of their food items in case one needs to blow fire like a dragon. This unspoiled land is inspiring, green, mountainous, with an abundance of pine trees and ample fresh breeze, prayer flags adorning the mountain sky line and all that jazz. In Bhutan, the traditional Bhutanese attire of long robes in bright red and orange will catch your sight - Gho for men and Kira for women. How to get there If you are an avid adventurer, a nature and landscape person, it is always wise to take a joy ride to experience the awe-inspiring panorama. The Dhaka-Shiliguri A/C bus service will take you to ...

Lifestyle and Digital Accessory DhakaLive loves the myriad ways in which pen drives have become a part of our lifestyle They are known as pen drives, thumb drives, flash drives, or even USB disk drives, and they are available in all different shapes, sizes and as part of other interesting gadgets. They come embedded on the strap of your wrist watch, inside your locket, as a key-ring and, thanks to cutting-edge technology, as a flat card that can slide easily into the slimmest flap of your wallet. Some may refer to this as fashion technology, while others call it the merging of digital convenience and lifestyle to create fusion gadgets that can carry large amounts of data, from128 Mb up to almost 01 Tb! The beauty of technology is such that you can now carry information around your wrist, or even your neck, and it boggles the mind! In a country such as ours, these gadgets are indeed pleasant digital surprises.

Blast from the past Def Leppard's Hysteria Faizul Khan Tanim presents an album by the glam-metal legend Hysteria is probably one of glam-metal’s most definitive albums. Released on August 3, 1987, it spawned seven hit singles and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Though Def Leppard had already released three albums, this one pushed them into the spotlight. With producer Mutt Lange on board, they successfully altered their sound towards more mellow hard rock, rather than heavy metal, to break through. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and the UK Albums chart. Most importantly, this was the first release after the tragic car accident that left drummer Rick Allen with only one arm, but using a custom-made electronic kit, Allen continued to drum for the band as their inspiration. Hysteria became more successful than their previous record, Pyromania, and helped to revolutionise the music industry with an album length at 63 minutes, at a time when album length...

Children's book illustration exhibition Faizul Khan Tanim On April 19, the Goethe-Institut Bangladesh began holding an exhibition of children's book illustrations, featuring the works of 13 famous German illustrators, using water colour as collages or digital experiments, and it continues until May 9. The exhibition was inaugurated by Shishir Bhattacharjee, and organised by Maria Linsman Dedge of the Children’s Books Museum in Troisdorf and Barbara Honrath of the Goethe Institut in Munich. German illustrator Julia Kaergel ran a workshop to train Bangladeshi illustrators in the current trends and developments in contemporary children's book illustrations. The workshop produced some exciting illustrations which are on display as part of the exhibition.

After lunch, rest a while and after supper walk a mile Faizul Khan Tanim finds peace at Gulshan Tank Park When you step in to the President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park, commonly known as Gulshan Tank Park or the Gulshan Ladies Park, you will see the unexpected abundance of greenery, no pollution, and officers all about to maintain security, which might inspire you to carry on with your physical workout here, as it is quite peaceful. The park sports signboards with diagrams and social messages, such as the significance of walking and harmful effects of smoking. The tracks that run throughout have marks to indicate distance – two laps around the park equal 1.12 km and there’s even a signboard to present the approximate number of calories one burns per lap. It is a safe place for both women and children to gather, with a big pond, both flat and elevated walkways, a separate play area for the children, and a huge basketball court. You can find serenity here in the evenings with the fre...

Pranab Ranjan Ray's TRIBUTE TO TAGORE Faizul Khan Tanim in conversation with the art critic about his recent talk on Tagore's art Pranab Ranjan Ray is one of the most celebrated art critics of this sub-continent. During a recent visit to Dhaka, he spoke about the significance of Rabindranath Tagore's paintings at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts on March 31, at an event held to celebrate the poet's 150th birth anniversary in May. Educated at Shantiniketan, Kolkata University and with a degree from the Indian Statistical Institute, Ray does not have an academic background in the arts. His fondness for the arts developed during his university days as he viewed exhibitions and through interactions with artists, which soon overtook his penchant for active politics as a member of the communist party and he started to write about art when he was studying for an M.A. He gained recognition as an art critic when he started to write for the Lalit Kala Acade...

Preserving our roots Sushanta Pal's Shokher Hari -folk-art of potteries transformed on modern canvas. Reports Faizul Khan Tanim Shushanta Pal was born in Basantapur village of Paba union of Rajshahi district around 1959. He doesn’t remember his birth year properly but he learned to draw from when he started understanding life. Shokher Hari has been the oldest traditional business and passion in Pal’s family. His grandfather Banyeshwar Pal was a famous artist of this pottery art, who received provincial award during East Pakistan period. But today, due to deep frustrations over the decrease on the use of clay potteries and to run his family, this craftsman transformed this art form from pottery to art paper and canvas, believing to preserve this traditional art and as well earn a living. If clay pottery art is dying then indeed it is grave news for us because this traditional art captures the essence of rural Bengal and sports the images of mainly folk tales, celebrations, the diffe...

Alliances en résonance/ Le Bangladesh à Paris' in Paris Bangladesh's 40 years of independence is being celebrated in France. Writes Faizul Khan Tanim A month long cultural event is taking place in Paris, France. 'Alliances en résonance/ Le Bangladesh à Paris' has been organised on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence by the Alliances Française de Dhaka and Chittagong, Bangladesh Brand Forum and Fondation Alliance Française Paris, in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh, the Embassy of France in Bangladesh and the France Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFB). From March 31 onwards, until April 30, there will be various events designed to enhance Bangladesh’s image in a positive light abroad, especially in the arenas of art, music and culture. It includes an exhibition of images by 13 Bangladeshi photographers, heritage and craft exhibition of fabrics, embroidery, tapestry and jute products, which is taking...

Blast from the Past Madonna Faizul Khan Tanim gets nostalgic listening to the album 'Like a Virgin' only to realise how it revolutionised pop in the 80's She's a rebel, she's a diva...she is the queen of pop and mesmerising forever! Madonna is an artist that greatly inspired acts as diverse as Sonic Youth, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. And her second studio album Like a Virgin is one of those albums which still sound incredibly dated. It is one of those albums that defied odds and overturned the ways female musicians thought and delivered. This album, released in 1984, was the breakthrough for her, thanks to the two massive hits Material Girl and Like a Virgin. Material Girl climbed to an anthemic proportion. The videos Material Girl and Like a Virgin might have featured mild notoriety but they were taboo-busting and made sure to inform that fame and power is not all that girls in showbiz look for. The song helped make Madonna become the Monroe of the 80s and...