Weekend Tribune Vol 3 Issue 10

4 CraCk art Camp 8 New tIN

maNdate 20 CleaN CookINg

vol 3 Issue 10 | FrIdaY, JuNe 26, 2015 Dhaka Tribune

111th

NILPHAMARI

111

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E | FRI DAY, J U N E 26, 2015

1CONTENTS

Volume 3 | Issue 10 | June 26, 2015

EditorZafar Sobhan

Features EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorFarina Noireet

Weekend Tribune TeamFaisal MahmudSakib Mridha

Lameya Alma AminShaida Prodhan

ContributorsJennifer Ashraf Kashmi

Reema IslamJackie KabirAlia Kamal

Sabrina MunniSaqib Sarker

Ameer SobhanDina SobhanAsna Towfiq

CartoonistsSyed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Priyo

GraphicsMd Mahbub Alam

Tahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisementZia Ur Rahman

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Websitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTrib

Email your letters to:[email protected]

Editor’s note About the coverDear Readers,As we settle into Ramadan, it’s natural to find thoughts turning to the spiritual, if not always the religious. This is, after all, a time meant for introspection, whether or not you’re off the faith.

With this in mind, we have a mixed bag for you this week. We kick off with a trip to Kushtia, home to the annual Lalon fest, which we see through the eyes of an artist.

For those who take their tech religiously, we have a piece on the iCT computer expo.

There’s nothing like a hard

day’s fasting to make one think of food. Our resident food historian does just that with a mouthwatering piece on traditional Ramadan treats. Our photo story features Padma hilsa, a local favourite.

But don’t stop here; our next stop is to Chandrabati, a temple dedicated to a poet who tells the story of the Ramayana from Sita’s perspective.

Here’s hoping the second week is peaceful and refreshing for all of you

-Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

News 2 News

3 Meanwhile

Features 4 Event

Crack Art Camp

5 Digital Bangladesh ICT Expo 2015

8 Focus New TIN mandate

14 Travel Chandrabati’s temple

20 Feature Clean cooking

regulars16 Legalese

17 Tough Love

18 Stay In

19 Go Out

PhOTO STOryThE kINg of fIsh

6

9

Photo: Chanchal Kamal

OrIGIN STOryREgIoNAl RAmAdAN TREATs


2 NEwS | This week

‘12-year-old girl’ kills 10 in Nigeria suicide attack

Japan Says It Has a Right to Hunt Whales

A girl thought to be aged just 12 detonated explosives she was carrying at a market in northeast Nigeria on Tuesday, killing 10 people and injuring dozens, a relative of one of the injured told AFP.

The blast bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram Islamists, who have used young women and girls in the past as human bombs and regularly attacked “soft” civilian targets such as markets.

The explosion happened at around 11 am (1000 GMT) at the weekly market in Wagir, in the Gujba district south of the Yobe state

capital Damaturu.“It was a suicide attack by a girl

of around 12 years,” said Hussaini Aisami, whose relative was among at least 30 people injured.

“She went into the market and headed straight to the grain section. She detonated her explosives in the middle of traders and customers.

“Ten people died from the explosion. We brought 30 people to

the hospital.”On Monday, a girl thought to be

aged about 17 killed at least 20 at a bus station near a fish market in the state capital of Borno, Maiduguri, when the explosives she was carrying went off.

A girl about the same age was also killed in an explosion nearby but there were no other casualties.

Security analysts have suggested that younger girls may have their explosives detonated remotely by a third party.Photo: AP

A Japan whaling official told reporters on Monday that his country has the right to hunt whales in the Southern Ocean during the coming Antarctic summer, despite an international court ruling against it and no clear permission from the International Whaling Commission.

Reports from the press conference differ on whether Japan will or will

not resume its whale hunt later this year. Japan’s representative to the IWC, Joji Morishita, called the country’s current whaling proposal to the International Whaling Commission a “research plan,” according to a reporter for the journal Science.

Morishita’s statements came just a few days after the IWC’s scientific

advisory committee ended its annual meeting in California without offering a unified opinion on Japan’s proposal to hunt 330 minke whales a year in the Southern Ocean between 2015 and 2017.

Japan is a member of the committee.

Japan insisted that killing the whales would be the only way it could gather certain scientific data on the minke population and diet.

However, an expert panel advised the committee last week that Japan had failed to justify killing the whales on scientific grounds.

The committee deferred a potential decision until its next meeting in 2016, but after Japan submitted additional information, 44 committee members from 13 countries signed a statement agreeing that there was no scientific reason to kill whales for research. They released it as an attachment to the committee’s final report.Photo: AFP

The world at a glance Weekend Tribune Desk

Fitra, a charity done by solvent Muslims at the end of Ramadan, has been fixed at Tk60 for this year.

A meeting at Islamic Foundation decided the minimum rate on Wednesday, says a press statement.

Last year the amount was Tk65.The money equivalent to the

market price of 1.65kg of wheat or flour, or 3.3kg of raisin or cheese could be distributed among the poor as Sadkatul Fitr or Fitra before the Eid-ul-Fitr congregation.

According to Islamic rituals it is Wazib for all solvent Muslims to give Fitra.

A father must pay the Fitra for his adolescent children and distribute it before the Eid-ul-Fitr congregation.News: Dhaka Tribune

Fitra fixed at Tk60

US to put military equipment in several European countriesThe US will spread about 250 tanks, armoured vehicles and other military equipment across six former Soviet bloc nations to help reassure NATO allies facing threats from Russia and terrorist groups, Defence Secretary Ash Carter announced Tuesday.

Carter's announcement, made as he stood with defence chiefs from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, comes a day after he announced that the US would have other weapons, aircraft and forces, including commandos, ready as needed for NATO's new rapid reaction force, to help Europe defend against potential Russian aggression from the east and the Islamic State and other violent extremists from the south.

The defence chiefs standing with Carter all spoke bluntly about the threat they perceive from Russia, and the latest military plans provide a show of solidarity across the region and in NATO.

Estonia Defence Minister Sven Mikser said the Baltic leaders aren't

trying to restart the Cold War arms race or match Russian President Vladimir Putin "tank for tank," but the additional military presences will be a deterrent to Russia and could change the calculus.

"In global terms Russia is no match conventionally to US or to NATO, but here in our corner of the world, Putin believes that he enjoys regional superiority," Mikser said, adding that Estonia is eager and ready to accept the equipment immediately.

Each set of equipment would be enough to outfit a military company or battalion, and would go on at least a temporary basis to Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. Carter said the equipment could be moved around the region for training and military exercises, and would include Bradley fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzer artillery guns.Photo: Reuters


MEaNwhILE 3

Photo of the week

Say what? LA woman accused of killing boyfriend in canned food attack

A Southern California woman has been charged with beating her boyfriend to death with canned food.

Prosecutors on Thursday filed a murder charge against 59-year-old Linda Jackson of Lake Los Angeles.

She was jailed. It’s unclear whether she had obtained an attorney.

KNBC-TV says Jackson is charged with striking her 59-year-old boyfriend, David Ruiz, in the head with a can of peas, a can of carrots and a can of chicken broth on Tuesday at her home.

If convicted, she could face life in state prison.Source: Huffington Post

It’s hard to overstate the importance of a good night’s sleep, but sadly, many of us don’t get the rest we need. If you’re having trouble nodding off, follow these tips to sleep like a baby.

1. Purchase a mattress: While it may be slightly expensive, people who have tried sleeping on a mattress swear by it. If sleeping on bare planks of hard wood just isn’t working for you, consider buying a mattress for your bed.

2. Tuck your feet into two sheep carcasses: Chilly feet can prevent some people from dozing off. Warm up your extremities by sticking each leg down the mouth of a dead sheep.

4. Make your bedroom and clock room two separate rooms: If you keep tossing and turning all night, your hundreds of ticking clocks might be to blame. Consider moving all your gonging grandfather clocks, musical mantel timepieces, and ornate Bavarian cuckoos to a separate part of your home.

5. Replace all the air in your house

with memory foam: This space-age material will cushion your body and easily contour to fit the shape of your head, oesophagus, and lungs.

6. Take Ambien and wake up in a Vegas hotel room full of bloody $100 bills: When all else fails, ask your doctor about taking sleep medication, then regain consciousness days later in the penthouse suite at the Bellagio surrounded by exactly $50 million in singed and blood-splattered currency. Taking drugs should be considered a last resort since there are often side effects, such as the hotel room door being kicked down by an enraged Wayne Gretzky insisting that you’re going to have to work together if you want to live through this.

7. Get your parents back together: It’s no wonder you can’t sleep when your parents live in different homes! Plot a way to get them to fall back in love and remarry, and you’ll be relaxing in snoozeville in no time.Source: Clickhole.com

Effective tips for getting better sleep

An elderly man guarding raw

materials at a building construction site in

Chan Kha’r PoolPhoto: Sakib Mridha

Your’e welcome


4 arT | CraCk summer Camp

An artist reflects on her experience at the five-day summer camp held in KushtiaAlia Kamal

Art – through its different forms – has travelled over centuries and decades to be able to depict for

us our histories, as well as to give a glimpse of future possibilities. The possibilities of perspectives that art brings are as infinite as is the journey endless. And here in Bangladesh, a certain arts community is catching up to this journey.

It is on this mission that the second instalment of the CRACK Summer Camp took place this month, drawing to a joyous end on opening day – June 12, where artists showcased their collective work in Smaran Mathshya Beej Khamar in Kushtia, Bangladesh. As a returning participant, I was able to witness the process of the five-day camp this year.

The summer camp was designed to provide a platform for young artists exclusively from Bangladesh, following the success of the CRACK International Art Camp (CIAC) held every winter since 2007 at the same site for international and local artists. CIAC was the brainchild of artists Shawon Akand and Delowar Hossain who envisioned a confluence of different creative minds engaging in dialogue with each other and drawing inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of Kushtia. To foster this process, CRACK encourages individuals from diverse disciplines to apply. That, art is not exclusively a space reserved for artists of the formal academic background is also a central tenet of the CRACK philosophy.

CRACK: a beginning Since its inception, CRACK Camp runs on a non-profit trust without any corporate sponsorship. As a self-sustaining initiative, CRACK believes in the motto of modest living and respecting local culture and thus offers participants local delicious food (including fresh vegetables, fish and seasonal fruits) and simple but comfortable lodging during the entire duration of camp at no cost. Participants are only expected to

cover transportation to and from Kushtia and material costs incurred for their final projects.

The site, formerly a hatchery, is an artistic feat in itself. White life-size sculptures of revered bauls can be found peeking through the trees, which lean under the weight of the many summer fruits including delicious mangoes, lychees and jack-fruit. Paintings and murals decorate most walls inside and outside, creating a cacophony of colours for the eye. The hatchery surrounds a lake, which acts as a playground, an art space and a welcome relief especially in the hot summer days for Camp participants.

The participants are not only inspired by the immediate space but also by the surrounding town of Kushtia, birthplace of Lalon Shah and many other notable historical figures. During their stay, participants are encouraged to gain a broader understanding and appreciation of the surrounding locations with visits to many historical sites including Lalon Mazar and Shelaidaha Kuthi Bari (Rabindranath Tagore’s country house).

The vision of each participant is thus shaped due to these various interactions with the helpful direction of organising artists and the curator. As the time nears to “Open Day,” the hatchery is abuzz with work; different projects start to take shape. The environment is always that of collaboration and symbiosis with a helping hand nearby whenever needed.

Where the arts meetThe CRACK Summer Camp that took place from June 8-12 attracted participants from a diverse spectrum of backgrounds involved formally or non-formally in visual arts, theatre, photography, art history, film-making and poetry.

With the motto in mind to create something unique, participating artists created diverse pieces of work that were on display on opening day at the Camp. Recurrent themes could

be seen with many artists choosing to portray the harmful effects of urbanisation. Binoy Paul’s Ojante, a colourful meandering display of paper boats, envisioned a world where the scarcity of water in rivers would at one time force all boats aboveground. Hreekh Siddharta Soikot combined his powerful poetry with Erfanul Hoque Jewel’s shadow installation Cityscape to also highlight the urban crisis. Farid Mazumder’s Box within box questioned whether individuals in society have free choice or are they the victims of mass manipulation. In Hallucination, Roksana Amin combined performance and installation to highlight the many colourful binds that distract and stifle individuals in the urban milieu. With a myriad of hanging mirrors, Shakti Nomaan’s installation Osomaptota explored the loss of individual identity due to external societal influences.

Conversely, some participants talked of and about nature. Nomaan and Soikot united to present Poetry of Imagery/Panorama, an installation of paintings and poetry to create an inviting garden. Titled Protibimbo, Nurul Islam Swjol created a mirror installation in the lake capturing the moving reflections of the surrounding water offering a visual treat for the viewer. Mohammed Mehedi Masud exhibited Celebrations of Dissolution exploring the absorption of self into nature with the passing of time while Truth and Lies portrayed the various falsehoods and supposed truths that are engrained in us from childhood by our family, society, religion and country. Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury’s performance was an intimate exploration of the natural environment around her through a sunrise to sunset meditation. Payel Dasgupta focused on the maternal relationship with the mati or earth of Bengal through an interpretive

dance performance. My work – Bhakti – highlighted through a sound and visual installation, the importance of the story behind the craft of the brass maker and his creative process. With Easel, Abdullah Al Masood envisioned the artist’s easel with a life of its own.

Tanzina Siddiqua created a photo presentation representing different instances at this year’s camp subtitled Time is altering within us. Ali Asgar presented Time Within Time depicting his understanding of Lalon Shah in the context of Kushtia, then there was Tempest focusing on the variation of emotions of a marriage in collaboration with Polash Chowdhury and an installation Simple Patriarchal Game on society’s fixation on female objectification.

Curated by artist Polash Chowdhury, this year’s final projects included many thought-provoking installations and performances – a result of five days of creative germination experienced by each participant during their stay at the Camp.

This was possible because of frequent dialogue between participants and organisers through informal meetings every evening. On the first meeting, after the initial introductions, the organisers shared CRACK objectives and philosophy. Previous Camp projects were shown to provide ideas for the participants to help shape their own artistic process. The importance of environment-specific work was highlighted.

The spirit of the camp was captured in what Shawon told us in the very beginning: “Don’t do work that you can easily do back in your studio. Then the point of all of us coming here would be useless.”

For more information about CRACK, please visit http://crackbd.org or the Facebook page Crack International Art Camp. n

The art of our times

Photo: Tanzim Ahmed Bijoy


Only four years ago, ‘Doel’ laptop, produced by the state owned Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS)

was launched in the market amidst much hype and hope. Niether the hype nor the hope lasted long, as the product turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Aside from battery problems, those who bought the laptop said it had some problems in the BIOS as well.

That ‘Doel’ is one of the few electronic products which have the tag ‘Made in Bangladesh.’ In the market of computer and networking hardware, finding this tag is very rare indeed, since as a country, we are more of an importer and to some extent an assembler, rather than computer hardware manufacturer.

Bangladesh ICT Expo 2015, a three day long mega event, was organised recently to change that. Just four months since Digital World 2015 – the biggest information and communication technology expo of the country – another expo of almost the same scale was organised at the same venue, the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

The main organiser Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), an apex body of the computer and networking hardware businessmen of the country, however said Bangladesh ICT expo 2015 was different from Digital World 2015.

Digital World was organised by the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) which was about ‘software’

but “Bangladesh ICT expo is about ‘hardware,’” HM Mahfuzul Arif, president of the BCS explained the reason behind the event.

“Bangladesh has long been importing all sorts of computer and networking hardware. We want to change that. We want to start manufacturing world class computers and networking hardware in our own soil. Organising this expo is a step towards achieving that goal,” said Arif.

“We want to promote and facilitate the concept of ‘Made in Bangladesh,’” Arif said, adding that the expo will work as a platform to divert Bangladesh from being a “Technology Consumer” to “Technology Producer.”

The reality During the expo, it was however hard to see any reflection of the BCS’s president’s thought in the expo venue as almost 95% of some 138 stalls exhibited products manufactured by renowned global technology giants.

There were stalls by HP, Dell, Intel and Leonovo local offices from Bangladesh and they were mostly selling laptops and other computer gadgets at discounted prices.

Aside from these, there were big stalls of large local hardware importers and sellers like Computer Source, Smart Technologies and HPS Technology. They were also selling imported products-mainly laptops.

“I came to the recently held laptop fair in the same venue. I don’t see much difference from that fair as mostly laptops are being sold here,”

said Asrafuzzaman Bipul, a visitor.It is to be noted that the 15th

laptop fair was organised right here in the BICC only a month ago. The three day long laptop fair took place from May 14-16.

The stall by Daffodil group and Walton however exhibited products that are assembled and manufactured here in Bangladesh. Daffodil exhibited their laptops and networking hardware while Walton exhibited their smart phones.

A glimpse of innovationsAt the second floor of the expo venue, there were some glimpses of hardware innovation. Engineering students from BUET, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, BRAC University, Daffodil University showcased their innovative projects on robotics and cybernetics.

Mohammad Zahirul Islam and Abdullah Rabbani of BRAC University developed a Wall-E (a famous robot of the animated movie Wall-E) like robot named Robot-E, a relief robot. While explaining their robot, Rabbani said delivering aid including clean water, food, and medical supplies to places which face disaster like Rana Plaza is a difficult task.

“So, we have developed a robot whose main purpose is transporting materials over uneven and rough terrain, in tight spaces and over long distances. There is a mechanical system which delivers the goods to the victim easily. The robot is controlled by a remote control through RF communication from around 200 meters away. The movement of the robot is monitored by an IP camera which is placed on the face of the robot. The concept of designing and naming the robot was inspired from the animated Hollywood movie Wall-E,” said Rabbani.

Meanwhile, Tamanna Islam and Zerin Nasrin from North South University (NSU) had developed some interactive games for autistic children. Tamanna said, “Basically we have developed some games for autistic children. We have planned eight games for our project.”

She said that the first game

of their project is Flying with air plane. In this game, there is a plane which will move according to hand movements. The name of the second game is Knowing alphabets.

“This is basically a game through which children can learn about alphabets. In this game there are some ladders containing different alphabets. There are some coins as well and also a ball. Each time, the ball will collect a coin, alongside which an audio will start to introduce an alphabet with rhymes. In the other part of the project we have a game which will teach children about body parts, help identify different colours, directions etc.”

There were several other projects which showcased the innovative ideas and abilities of engineering students from our universities.

Industry-university coordinationDr Liakot Ali, director of Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT) of BUET thinks becoming a hardware manufacturer is not an easy task. “It needs big establishment. The government needs to plan a policy for this.”

Dr Ali said as a country, we are not hardware manufacturers, rather mostly importers. “Some of our companies have also assembled some products here”, he added.

“Hardware innovation needs big investment and research facilities. Besides it’s a competitive market. You can assemble or even manufacture a laptop but that doesn’t necessarily mean that people will accept that because there has to be significant price margin as well as confidence in your product.”

Dr Ali believes, Bangladesh has to go a long way before becoming a computer hardware manufacturer. “To achieve this, you first need to grant significant amount of money for research and development because without doing so you cannot innovate. All the large hardware producers such as Intel, Dell, HP had a string industry-university relationship as a result of which they could innovate.” n

iCT expo 2015 | DIGITaL BaNGLaDESh 5

The ‘hardware’ dreamsFaisal Mahmud

Photos: Courtesy


6 OrIGIN STOry | regional ramadan TreaTs

Milkshakes, lemonade, a glassful of something red and piles of fruits cut into wedges with

an array of fried food and a hot gruel ... this Bangladeshi iftari can surprisingly be replicated in most countries in the region. From the arrowroot vermicelli found in the Faluda, to the jackfruit laden Kolak Pisang of Indonesia, we consider the origins of some of these age old iftari staples.

The iconinc iftari drinkIn 1906, an Ayurvedic physician with extensive knowledge of herbal medicines, Hakim Abdul Majeed, gave us the drink of the East or the mashroob-e-mashriq: Rooh Afza. Mr Majeed’s clinic was based in Old Delhi and after the partition in 1947 he moved to Pakistan but Rooh Afza became a household name throughout the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora the world over! It has become such an integral part of the Bangladeshi iftar table that a

lack of the red liquid is conspicuous. Made with a melange of herbs from coriander, chicory to fruits and vegetables, roots and flowers, Rooh Afza remains a staple during Ramadan with sales reaching their highest this time of the year. A popular version is Rooh Afza mixed with lemon juice for that tangy mouth watering effect or to flavour milkshakes, often making a pink entry into our iftari tables.

Sweet and slurpy A slurpy dessert made with coconut milk, bananas, sweet potato/jackfruit or cassava, palm sugar, and sometimes tapioca pearls give you the Indonesian Ramadan favourite, Kolak Pisang! This dessert is usually served warm or at room temperature. A much revered fruit in Indonesia, the jackfruit is also consumed unripe, while in ancient times, the wood of the large jackfruit tree was used to build palaces in Bali. The fruit continues to be a Ramadan favourite and Kolak

We take a look at some of the popular dishes consumed in the South East Asian region during Ramadan, which could comfortably fit a localised version on our iftari tablesReema Islam

A Regional IftariA Regional Iftari

Photos: Bigstock


7

Pisang remains as one of those dishes that can only be prepared in the hallowed interiors of a homely kitchen. This dish is the perfect thirst quencher while offering nutrition in the form of bananas, jackfruit and sweet potatoes. The pandan leaf is added for some extra flavour so a Bangladeshi version of Kolak Pisang would be our quintessential cheera and milk with some added fruits, palm sugar or palm molasses and pandan extract or Kewra. The Indonesians are very fond of incorporating our national fruit into dessert dishes which are especially rampant during Ramadan, when the body needs all the liquid it can absorb!

Soothing soupsBarley was one of the first crops cultivated in the ancient civilisations of seventh century BCE (before current era) in Mehergarh, now situated in Pakistan. Soon it infiltrated the rest of ancient India as a popular staple. Nutritious and packed with vitamins, barley played a significant role in religious scriptures as well- the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also knew of the health benefits of a barley gruel

and would advise people to drink it to gain strength. Consuming barley influenced the Armenians for one, who were the first Christian nation and as they travelled a lot, they took their cuisine wherever they went. Thus their popular Barley and Yoghurt Soup that dates back to these ancient times, arrived to the Gangetic plains. The Armenian recipe uses simple ingredients like bay leaves, chicken stock, dried mint leaves et al that bring out the flavours of barley all the more, while this soup is consumed in different variants all over the subcontinent.

A cool, rich thirst-quencherThe Mughal emperor Jahangir is said to have been in love with this drink-dessert that appears next in our line of popular regional iftaris. Most of the food that appears on our iftari tables is an assortment of all the influences left behind by past

rulers, cultures and norms, and the indulgent Faluda is no exception. Thought to be a version of Persian dessert known as Faloodeh, ice was brought from the mountain tops and stored in underground reservoirs, so ice shavings could be used to cool drinks. The original recipe was more a composition that cooled the body with basil seeds, Psyllium or Isabgol for its digestive effects, rose water and tapioca pearls to make it a drink that really acted more like a mini snack. However, the original strands of vermicelli used are made from arrowroot, which is like a sweet potato rather than the thick noodles we use now. The Mauritians love it, as do the Pakistanis and the Iranians along with the Thais, where the Faluda has morphed and absorbed some of the local flavours. In old Dhaka, Beauty Lassi and Royal restaurant serve a decadent bowl with sliced fruit while some places

like to add ice cream as well.

The classic comfort-foodThe concept of a langar or free

food served en masse to devotees at shrines of saints or in mosques has been a very popular way to bring people together and allow the rich to share with the poor, especially on occasions like Ramadan. In Malaysia, a tradition that has been going on for more than 70 years now serves a local porridge called Bubur Lambuk. Much like our local Haleem, with local herbs and spices meant to enliven flavours just as our version does, the Bubur Lambuk is also eaten in Singapore. Originally served at mosques to be distributed freely, this cousin of Haleem is available all over Malaysia and Singapore during Ramadan and is a must have item for the Malaysian fasting Muslim, just as much as our beloved Haleem seems to be. n


8 FOCuS | new Tin mandaTe

Two prominent developments have taken place in the private education sector of the

country in the aftermath of the National Budget for 2015-16. At the post-secondary level, the government has proposed a 10% VAT on the tuition fee of private universities. On the other hand, it has also taken steps to make it mandatory for the guardians of children studying in English-medium schools to have an e-TIN (Electronic Taxpayer Identification Number) so that more high-earning individuals can be brought under the tax umbrella.

As this magazine has noted in its previous commentary on the budget, the 10% VAT on private university tuition will significantly increase the burden on middle-income guardians and students who are already struggling with the massive fees that most private universities tend to charge. Particularly for those students who come to Dhaka from other districts, this additional tax will significantly raise the cost of pursuing higher education when they are already contending with the ever-increasing living costs in the city.

Meanwhile, the government’s recent decision to ask parents to submit an e-TIN number if their children are studying in English-medium schools is a step that aligns with its intentions to bring more taxpayers under the tax umbrella. Most of the leading English-medium schools in Dhaka charge exorbitant rates of tuition and given the lack of quality English language education available elsewhere, guardians often turn to these schools for the sake of their children. Because these

schools charge such high tuition, it is usually assumed that most of those parents and guardians are from the upper strata of society. Therefore, the government’s decision to bring those individuals into the tax net is understandable from an economic point of view.

However, a closer look at the demographics of many of these schools would show that a significant number of students come from middle-income households. Similar to the situation that the guardians of private university students find themselves in, the guardians of students going to these schools also have to deal with periodic increases in tuition. Although the government is right in wanting to bring many of the high earners in this group under the tax umbrella, it is worth noting that many of the middle-income guardians are also being boxed unfairly into that same category.

Additionally, the government is putting forth a double-edged sword – whether purportedly or not – in imposing the requirement to present an e-TIN on only those guardians whose children are enrolled in English-medium schools and not those of Bengali-medium schools. An unfortunate social division already exists between students from these two groups and steps such as these will only widen that gap.

Although the government may be successful in achieving its economic objectives through such efforts, the social implications of these actions are often relegated to the background. By creating the illusion of “one” and “the other,” steps such as these entrench divisions when there should be none to begin with.

If the development goals of this country are to be met, social cohesion is imperative. Instead of putting up discernible markers such as these that betray its own dual approach in dealing with the issue, the government should strive to value the efforts and achievements of students from both streams of education with the ultimate goal ideally being to bring both together to the best extent possible.

The quality of education in this country has been gradually slipping into a severe stage of decrepitude over the last two decades. Although enrollment rates at the primary and secondary level have risen admirably over that same period of time, many public institutions of

education throughout the country are under-funded to a degree where they often struggle to even provide the basic provisions required for an environment conducive to learning. It is already unconscionable that we as a nation have not been able to do more to give better learning opportunities to our young minds but by creating artificial social barriers, we are unwittingly defining the internal boundaries of our society and driving ourselves away from each other. Therefore, although such actions may help the government to meet its short-term economic goals, the social repercussions must also be considered to mitigate the inadvertent consequences that these actions will result in over time. n

Private education and the balancing actThe new TIN mandate and its ensuing effects Ameer Sobhan

Photo: Bigstock


The king of fish | PhOTO STOry 9

Our deltaic land of rivers is also home to the king of fish – the Hilsa. Famous for its delicate texture and taste, it’s no wonder

that the Bengal ilish is proudly termed “Maachher raja”.

With the rainy season in full swing, and the upcoming Hilsa season in tow, this

week’s photo story features Padma’r ilish in all its glory.

Padma HilsaPhotos: Sabrina Munni


10 PhOTO STOry | The king of fish


11


14 TravEL | ChandrabaTi’s Temple

In pursuit of ChandrabatiThe 16th century Bengali poetJackie Kabir

Chandrabati is the poet who composed Ramayana from Sita’s point of view. She attempted such a task in as

early as the sixteenth century which has earned the right to be termed canonical texts form a women’s point perspective.

We started our journey at 8am from Mohammadpur, took a break at Egaro Shindur in Pakundia in Kishoreganj district to see the place where Isha khan, the chief of Baro Bhuiyan fought Maan Singh. As we climbed a hill like structure on foot and came down the other side, we were informed by a villager that this was the tomb of some saint

who lived here many years ago. We were taken over by guilt for treading over an unknown saint’s eternal resting place. By us, I mean the group of writers who came out on an expedition to find out more about the 16th century poet Chandrabati. What was discovered beyond the hill was a series of modern village houses with brick walls and tinned rooftops. A young villager led us to an enclosure beyond the houses.

“A beautiful mosque lies ahead,” he said. After walking through the village for about ten minutes, we finally saw a pinkish mosque peeping through trees and shrubs. Isha Khan built it in the 1650’s. It was


15

interesting to know that they named this place Egaro Sindhu as eleven rivers met there at that very spot, hence the name. The mosque was engraved with beautiful terracotta designs on its front wall, with parts of the green field plastered so that devotees could offer their prayers. It was a single domed mosque with four corner turrets, the eastern wall consisting of three entrances and the central one being the largest with a projected rectangular frame. Rosettes and embossed designs were found on the arch spandrels, along with, creeper designs with bells and chains being the main motifs on the walls. Although the archaeology department had a very small placard stating that this is a heritage site, the locals informed us that they collectively took care of the mosque and regularly offered prayers there. A box near the entrance of the boundary wall stated that donations could be made there. I couldn’t help but think that in any other country such as our neighbouring states, would preserve this kind of place with such care that visitors would be required to pay for each visit. The archaeology department could also use this place as a subject for study.

As the sun began shining, we felt the need to rest and eat somewhere. One of our companions had his

ancestral house nearby, where he arranged for us to have lunch. It took us another forty minutes to reach his home. There were two beautiful tin-roofed houses with a dusty yard in between. A number of mango, lychee and banana trees served as a fence all around the house. A hen was roaming with five of its chicks following. When we went inside the room where they served us food, I was reminded of my grand dad’s old house which had a very high ceiling and a partition that only went half-way to the top. Two girls filled our tables with dishes such as white rice, egg curry, chicken, daal with cat fish, smashed taki fish, fried koi fish, various types of leafy vegetables, and a curry of assorted small fishes. They even had polao. The best part was when we were offered fresh cow’s milk after the meal.

We resumed our journey and moved towards Chandrabati’s temple. After going through many narrow lanes, asking pedestrians where the temple was, we reached our desired destination. There were two tall cylindrical temples adjacent to each other, with one slightly taller than the other. In between them a permanent dais was erected. The brick glossy tiles with which it was made told us that it must have been a recent addition.

On the opposite side, there was a school named after Chandrabati. We saw two concrete umbrella-like structures with benches where the school children or visitors could sit. As we sat there, a local told us that the paddy fields close to the temple was actually a river named Fuleshwari. This was the same river where Chandrabati jumped after being jilted by Joyanondo. A temple was made for Chandrabati next to her father’s temple. She was the first-known Bengali poet, the daughter of Basinder, one of the poets of Manasha Mangal. Sir Dinesh Chandra Sen composed some ballads along with Manasha Mongol with the help of Chandra Kumar Dey in Ballads of Bengal in 1923 from Calcatta University. Although Chandrabati’s Ramayana was incomplete, it had a few similarities with her own life. She wrote another ballad describing her plight of being in love with a boy who betrayed her by falling in love with a Muslim woman. It is said that Joyanonda finally did return to her when she was in deep mediation in her temple. The legend goes like this: he banged the door several times, and when she didn’t answer, he thought that she had rejected him. He went around to find some Malotilata flowers and wrote two lines of his poem and jumped into

the river. Chandrabati did the same after opening her temple door and reading the lines he left for her as a farewell note.

A Hindu priest who resided in an old house near the temple came to both temples everyday to offer puja. After climbing the four stairs, we peeped through the wooden door where we saw a Shiva linga adorned with a variety of flowers. When it was time for us to leave, I was quite saddened by the thought of the untimely demise of a great writer who had the potential to gift us some more valuable compositions. n

Photos: Courtesy


16 LEGaLESE | Jennifer ashraf

Wildlife protectionI am an animal lover and, only recently, have begun to concern myself with the laws and regulations relating to the environment and

associated wildlife. I am curious as to whether any laws exist in Bangladesh regarding the protection of wildlife. I am specifically curious about the issue of wildlife sanctuaries, as these do not seem to be very commonplace in Bangladesh. Could you please give me some guidance as to whether any provisions relating to wildlife sanctuaries exist?

Dear ReaderThank you for your query. With the Yulin Festival (although “festival” is an inappropriate name)

around the corner, this question is actually something that demands attention. Wildlife sanctuaries are not very commonplace in Bangladesh. However, the law contains provisions regarding sanctuaries. The applicable law in this context would be the Wildlife (Conservation & Security) Act, 2012.

Sections 13, 14, 15 and 16 are the specifically applicable legal provisions in this instance. Section 13 states: “The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, in the light of national forest policy and forest master plan, and considering natural, geomorphological features, biodiversity and environmental significance, declare any government forests or part of such forests or any government land or wetland or any specified area as sanctuary, specifying the demarcation, for the conservation of forest and habitat of wildlife.” Furthermore, it is mentioned that these sanctuaries can be named as wildlife sanctuary, elephant sanctuary, bird sanctuary, etc. If the

declared sanctuary happens to be a wetland sanctuary, protection will be provided in order to conserve the livelihood and traditional rights of the local community (ie fisherman and such).

The purpose of establishing a sanctuary is to impose a few restrictions in order to ensure the safeguarding of wildlife. In a sanctuary, no person can cultivate any land, establish or undertake any industrial operation, set any kind of fire, enter into a sanctuary with any weapon without the permission of the Chief Warden or the officer authorised by him in this behalf or harvest, destroy or collect any plant. In addition to this, the following are also forbidden: disturb or threat any wildlife; use chemicals, explosives

or any other weapon or substances which may destroy wildlife habitat; introduce any exotic animal or plant; introduce any domestic animal or allow any domestic animal to stray; dump any materials detrimental to wildlife; explore or dig for extraction of minerals, etc. The main purpose for being so restrictive is to ensure that the wildlife is protected and conserved in the correct manner.

Entry into a wildlife sanctuary is also regulated by law. Section 15 specifically states that: “No person shall enter or reside in a sanctuary, except the following persons, namely: (a) an officer on duty under this Act or rules made thereunder; (b) a person permitted by the Chief Warden or an officer authorised by him in this behalf; (c)

a person nominated by the Forest Department for conservation- work; (d) a person passing through highway, road and waterway constructed in the sanctuary; and (e) a person necessary for the purpose of management or conservation of, who is permitted by the Chief Warden or an officer authorised by him in this behalf.”

Once again, the provisions above have the principal aim of protecting wildlife, whilst ensuring that there is minimal involvement and interference within the sanctuaries. It is worth noting that this could very well be the beginning of a new era, whereby wildlife is actually conserved in the appropriate manner though establishment of sanctuaries. n

Q

A

got a

problem?

Write to Jennifer at weekend@

dhakatribune.com

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

Cartoon: Priyo/Dhaka Tribune


dina sobhan | TOuGh LOvE 17

Dear Dina, I have a young cousin who’s a bit of a kleptomaniac. Every time she visits, I find stuff missing from my

dressing table. Once I even caught her in the act of shoving some of my nail polish bottles into her underwear. I’ve tried telling her off gently, to no avail. She’s my chacha’s only daughter, and he dotes on her, and he and my father are very close. How do I tell him about his daughter’s proclivity without starting a family feud?

Dear Klepto catcher,There’s probably no easy way of involving your family in this matter, especially as parents tend to turn a

blind eye to the wayward acts of their

offspring. Squealing on your cousin to your chacha will only result in you being in the doghouse for being so intolerant of your cousin, who is probably ‘going through a phase’ or whatever excuse he will invent to justify her potential criminality. It’s unfortunate, however, that you didn’t get a picture of her ferreting your nail polish into her undies, since no one can argue with cold, hard evidence. So, either set up an intricate surveillance system in your home, or simply start locking your door. Soon enough, her thieving ways will catch up with her and it’ll be someone else’s duty to tell her deluded parents that they’re raising a little hooligan. n

Dear Dina,My father went into early retirement when I was a baby. It was fine at the time because we lived in

a joint family, and somehow the bills got paid and we were fed and clothed. When we were growing up, my mother worked a number of contractual and part-time gigs to pay for our tuition. Extended family members helped when they could. Both my brother and I got jobs at a young age to chip in.

In the meantime, my father got used to loans from relatives. Now that we’re grown up, my brother and I can afford to maintain my parents at a fairly decent lifestyle. Not only is my father refusing to pay back all the “loans” he took from relatives when we were younger (although he’s accumulated enough savings over the year to do so), despite our insistence, he often goes asking people for more. It’s getting really embarrassing, particularly when family members make snide comments. How do we get the old man to see reason?

Dina sobhan is a freelance writer, and cautions readers not to take her ‘advice’ here too seriously!

Of loaners and thieves

Q

QA

A

got a problem?

Write to Dina at weekend@dhakatribune.

com

Cartoon: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune

Dear Ooh Dear,Who goes into ‘early retirement’ with a family and young children to take care of? Lazy, useless

freeloaders who are better at milking money and living off the kindness of others than actually doing anything worthwhile themselves; in this unfortunate scenario, the freeloader happens to be your father. I’m afraid there is no ‘reasoning’ with him, especially because he knows exactly what he’s doing and feels not an iota of guilt about it. It’s just a severe character deficit on his part, and I’m surprised it’s been tolerated for so long by so many. It is now incumbent on you to stop enabling his avarice

and cut him off. How has he managed to accumulate any ‘savings’, as you call them? Instead of giving him money to maintain the lifestyle to which he has become accustomed thanks to the generosity of others, cut him off cold turkey. Use that money to pay off his “loans” and only provide him the necessities to survive in comfort – food, water, BTV, etc. There’s no need to fund his yearly trips to Capri (or Kushtia, as the case may be) and indulge his penchant for regional delicacies – ie mangoes from Mymensingh. As for the reset of your family, snide comments is the least that can be expected under the circumstances. Once you pay them off, they may just start making them behind your back.


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 Something else, or the alternative (5)5 Expression of distaste in plug hair (3) 6 Brand new cloth (5)8 Nimble soldier found in jar (5)10 Highest rated to place first (3)11 Plant between old you and me (5)DOWN1 Egg dish to let me scramble (7)2 Egg provider in the news (3)3 Hurry to henhouse (3)4 Chequers perhaps home to orientals (7)7 Energy horse gets from Easter symbol (3)8 Initially a private trouser fitting (3)9 The girl 4 you? (3)

Last

wee

k’s

solu

tion

s

aCrOss1 In favour of healthy return (6)6 No comeback after cancellation of President (5)7 Machine for dragging tall structure (5) 8 Wild dog shy to return east (6)

DOwN2 Where plane lands holding a fugitive (7)3 Run after 8’s relative and dance (7)4 Twist the first point of view (6)5 Country-style corrosion is caught first (6)

Clues

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

Mini cryptics

A ‘review’ is a misnomer in this context because this is meant to introduce this book and its legendary

author to the interested audience. It is an iconic book in the Bengali language, both for its importance as a linguistics text and for its historical significance. Dr Muhammad Shahidullah is a monumental figure in more ways than can be described here. He wasn’t just a scholar and writer in the Bengali language but he was one of the most prominent linguistic and language historians in the Indian subcontinent.

Often called “disciple of knowledge” because of his immense and unparalleled study and mastery of different disciplines in linguistics and literature, Dr Shahidullah was and continues to be one of the most important scholars of Bengali language and literature. It was under his supervision that the first proper Bengali dictionary was compiled. He was such a huge authoritative scholar of linguistics that he was also tasked to edit and compile the modern Urdu dictionary by the Karachi Urdu Development Board.

After completing his honours in Sanskrit he completed a masters in Comparative Linguistics. He was awarded a D. Lit in 1928 by the Paris

University. One of the most important works that Dr Shahidullah undertook was compiling and editing the Dialect Dictionary (Bangla Ancholik Bhashar Obhidhan) of Bengali language. Indian Council for Cultural Relations awarded him a ‘fellowship’ to honour him and the French government awarded him the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (French title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters).

As the title suggests, this book documents the history of the Bengali language, its lineage and evolution. The first chapter lays out the history of the language in a nutshell, informing the readers of the different categories into which the scholars divide the timeline of the language. Dr Shahidullah also presents the arguments among the academics regarding which era belongs to which timeline. At the end of the chapter there is an intriguing chart showing one sentence transforming from its root Indo-European form to the modern Bengali tongue. Transliterated in English the sentence in the earliest form reads: “Oose akkawm spake-ethey.” This is the ancestor of the modern sentence “you see a horse” (transliteration: tumi ghora dekho). The chart details how it came to be this way and what

it sounded like during each era. There are 13 chapters in the book

chronicling the development of the language and analysing its linguistic properties and history. Even though the subject is hefty the book is quite accessible if you are willing to pay attention. Particularly with the advantage of the internet the readers can look up different terms when necessary. It does get quite intricate after the first chapter but never incomprehensible for the lay person. It is possible to get an overall picture without expert knowledge.

Dr Shahidullah dedicated this book to Nawab Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury. The book was first published in 1965 and an expanded and revised edition was published in 1968. The version of the book being reviewed is a reproduction of the 1968 revised edition. It was first published in 1998 and the review copy is the seventh edition, published in 2012 by Ahmed Mahmudul Haque of Mowla Brothers, 39/1 Banglabazar, Dhaka 1100. n

Bangla Bhashar Itibritto (The Origin of the Bengali Language) by Dr muhammad shahidullah

Book Review

Saqib Sarkar


GO OuT 19

When 7-11pmWhere Jatra Biroti, 60 Kemal Ataturk Ave, Banani What On June 26, there will be a unique performance on Austrian writer Peter Handke’s novel Storm Still combining elements of literature, theatre and music. The novel was adapted for the stage by musician Varun Kishore and actor Tanaji Dasgupta. Varun Kishore composed the music as Tanaji Dasgupta interprets the text visually as a dream, a rant, a stream of consciousness, a string of memories about life and death, and war and peace, and family, roots and ties. This event is a collaboration with Goethe Institute of Dhaka. Entry for this show is free.

On June 27, there will be an “Electro/Acoustic” session,

featuring Don Donadoni and The Speakeasy Crew. Combining fascinating visuals with eclectic and improvised sound “Electro/Acoustic” is a hybrid of both old and new. Acoustic performers join DJ’s, and laptop artists to create a miasma of sound and visual. Anything from Bangla dhol and dotara to saxophone and drums. Check out this interesting event at tickets available for Tk500, which include complimentary phuchka and tea.

When 3:30-7:30pmWhere Jatiyo Natyashala, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Segun Bagicha, RamnaWhat Jointly organised by Bangladesh Photographic Society and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy the ‘’Workshop on Documentary Photojournalism’’ will be conducted by Abir Abdullah, a well known

photojournalist of European press photo agency (www.epa.eu).Participants will be able to learn how to create a good documentary. Certificates will be issued to all participants. The workshop fee is Tk500. For more information please call: 01754393430, 01711122475, 01720311811, 01711373451

Weekly Planner Jun 26-28

Fair | Aesthetic Eid Mela

When 11am-10pmWhere Gulshan Club, House NWJ 2/A Road 50, Gulshan 2What Aesthetic Bangladesh Jewellery celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr with its new collection at the Eid Mela at Gulshan Club. Jewellery lovers are cordially invited to the fair. Discounts will be offered on spot purchases on all kinds of jewellery.

Jun 27

Education | Exclusive Seminar by Coventry University

When 11am-1pmWhere 15 Barun Bhaban (Janata Bank Building), 3rd Floor, Gulshan Circle 2What International Officer of

Coventry University, Maria Villarico will be providing information about studying in Coventry University. Those interested are invited to the seminar and encouraged to bring required academic documents.For more information, contact: 9854002,01914243051-61 or email: [email protected]

Jun 28

Workshop | Workshop on Spoken & Written English for the real world

When 10:30amWhere Edu+, House #69/3, Road 7/A, Dhanmondi R/AWhat Those who want to improve their skills in spoken and written English are welcome to join this workshop. Participants will get a clear idea about how to learn English quickly and naturally. They will be able to organise themselves

within the shortest possible time to present their ideas and opinions. The workshop will include suggestions for increasing fluency in speaking and writing english, use of right form of verbs, greetings, how to start a presentation, tips for learning new words, use of vocabulary with prefix and suffix, synonyms and antonyms, causative verbs, conditional sentence and many more. The workshop is free. For more information, please contact: 01610162888

Jun 29

Education | Graduate Advising on U.S. University Admissions

When 3-4pmWhere The American Center, Plot No -1, Progati Sharani, J-Block, Baridhara (Opposite to the U.S. Embassy)What Join EducationUSA’s group

advising session on basic information about studying in graduate programs (Master’s/PhD) in the US. This programme is free for everyone interested in graduate study in the US. No prior registration is required to attend this programme.

Jun 29

Cinema | The Red Moulana: Life & Works of Moulana Bhashani

When 3:30- 4:30pmWhere DUCSU Buidlding, University of Dhaka, 1000 Dhaka, BangladeshWhat BDSF’s 26th public lecture is on the life and works of Moulana Bhashani. Md Anupom Hossain Ujjal from Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Dhaka University will be the keynote speaker at the event.

Jun 26-27Culture | Jatra Biroti Live Performances

Jun 26Workshop | Workshop on Documentary Photojournalism


20 FEaTurE | Clean Cooking

Healthy living depends not only on just healthy eating, but also healthy cookingAsna Towfiq

Cooking shouldn’t kill

Food and cooking are essential parts of all our lives – we either “eat to live” or “live to eat”. We talk about nutrition, calorie count, and what makes a proper diet, but one of the most significant, yet least talked about food-related issues impacting the health of millions of Bangladeshis each day is the way we cook.

Nearly nine out of ten people in Bangladesh still rely on solid fuels such as wood, dung and crop waste for cooking. Burning these fuels in traditional stoves or chulas can release up to 400 cigarettes per hour worth of smoke. The resulting household air pollution is responsible for close to 80,000 premature deaths in Bangladesh every year, most of them children and women. Beyond the enormous health toll, this method of meal preparation carries a large ecological burden; the burning of solid fuels accounts for a significant portion of short-lived climate pollutants, including up to 25% of the world’s black carbon emissions. The country’s rapidly expanding population and heavy reliance on biomass is also putting significant pressure on limited forest resources.

The good news is that a clean cooking movement is gaining ground. Thanks to broader awareness, changing behaviours, advances in cookstove design and availability, and development of standards and testing, thousands of people are adopting cleaner, more efficient cookstoves and fuels. These stoves can significantly reduce smoke emissions and improve efficiency of fuel use, reducing the amount of fuel needed to cook and significantly improve the air quality for families using the cleaner stoves and fuels.

Yet, while momentum is building, diseases caused by smoke from rudimentary cookstoves still claim far too many lives and cause widespread

environmental damage. More must be done to spur innovation, increase investment, and change dangerous behaviours that have been part of our culture for centuries.

Cooking is a duty that falls almost exclusively to women, who are also responsible for gathering fuel to cook, a task that occupies significant time in their daily routine and places the women and accompanying children at considerable personal risk, if they must walk kilometres from their villages to gather fuel. Because of their role in cooking and fuel gathering, women are at the centre of this global health issue. On average, women spend approximately 374 hours every year collecting firewood in countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Use of cleaner, more efficient stoves that burn less fuel and cook food more quickly can allow women to spend more time to receive an education or develop an alternative livelihood.

Fortunately, there are development organisations working on this issue across Bangladesh, including The global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative hosted by the United Nations Foundation. The Alliance and its many partners working in Bangladesh helped facilitate the development of the Country Action Plan, which was approved by the government in 2013 and has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SREDA, the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. The government has a vision of smoke free kitchens in Bangladesh by 2030. The Alliance, in partnership with the government, development organisations and key stakeholders, is working to facilitate the adoption of 5 million cookstoves across the country by 2017.Availability of cleaner, more efficient

Photos: The Global Alliance for clean cookstoves

Asna Towfiq is the Regional Market Manager for Bangladesh for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative hosted by the United Nations Foundation to build a thriving global market for clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels.

cookstoves and fuels is growing across Bangladesh. What is needed is widespread awareness building, a willingness to change harmful behaviour, and the policies and programmes needed to boost the production and adoption of clean cookstoves and fuels, including favourable tax policies for cookstove manufacturers hoping to help the market grow. Government’s

role in bringing out this change is critical, and while the government is committed to make all kitchens smoke free by 2030, it can also dedicate resources from its Climate Change Fund to make it happen. While we can continue to count our calories, we must also change the way the majority of us cook our food. The health of our families and our environment depends on it. n

Date post:	22-Jul-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	dhakatribune
View:	235 times
Download:	2 times

Weekend Tribune Vol 3 Issue 10

Documents