More ‘Mentos’, Anyone?

“The cow is a domestic animal. It has four legs, two eyes, one tail and eats grass…”

Over the past many years, our schools have taught our children these lines. The attributes of the great, great cow that is evidently a useful animal since it bestows man with milk, poop and meat are known by heart. You can’t miss it and unfortunately, you can never quite get over it. That’s when you know you’ve turned into the cow you’ve read about all those years.

However, this article goes beyond ‘the cow’. The big picture highlights on our education system that not only encourages, but almost imposes the act of memorizing in our students. The very course of ‘Creative Writing’ undergoes an unbeatable process of memorizing a series of texts from the revered book of knowledge and puking it on exam sheets. It’s a certified formula to great grades, and if it requires such limited performance of the human mind, why should we complain?

When the Ladder to Success Breaks

Of course, the complaint comes much later. As the horde of fresh BBA graduates begins to infiltrate the multinational job market, the quality of written work is a breathing evident of a life of trained con (not the cool one). Students are not only unable to produce a certain standard of creative, written piece but are substantially left behind during brain storming sessions. The effort behind producing a unique idea seems to be a sacrilege of human rights, an insurmountable task to many. At a global stance, this very A-plus crowd who bought roshogolla for their teachers on result day seem incompatible with the tremendous pressure of the rapidly growing market, and ‘bang!’ comes the non-Bangladeshi ‘team leader’ or boss.

When School Is Actually Cool

Fact is the solution is unbelievably simple. Nurturing of the creative mind begins from an early age with activities as simple as playing with Lego blocks. The process of making and breaking, creating and destroying with the imaginative mind offsets the thinking process in a child. When he/she enters school, the child’s creative growth heightens with play time, art classes and drama rehearsals. He/she learns to improvise, think outside the box and develops a unique style. The kid gets promoted, writes tons of silly stories, reads them out in class and gets laughed at, and so on the process continues. It’s fun, free-spirited and provides the perfect environment to develop the child’s imaginations.

Well, technically… that should have been the scenario. Unfortunately, in our local context, the idea of non-academic activities as part of the learning infrastructure is yet to be implemented. Most schools focus so intently on “making the student ready for the real world” that they forget the true purpose of schooling. The excess baggage of books, incredible lengths of homework, learning multiplication at the age of five and the unrealistic pressure of weekly class tests can never enhance the young mind, but only blunt its thinking capacities. The child is so involved in this ‘military’ academic process where play time is awfully limited that thinking outside the cube does begin to seem like an additional burden.

The blame is equally shared by parents. How many of the dads and moms truly encourage kids to run around the fields in the evening or learn to ride a bicycle? With the advent of technology and Play stations, who needs a bit of greenery anyway? Yours truly is not against Play stations, but it’s depressing to see kids a quarter of her size with round, plastic glasses. There are no story books, no football in the mud and no flying kites in autumn. If for once, these same parents and teachers stop imposing and try to remember how their own childhoods used to be, the difference is a striker.

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

The problem not only lies with the core of primary education and the nurturing of children, but also in our daily lifestyle. Thanks to “I’m Feeling Lucky!” the world is a smaller, simpler place accessible with the click of a fingertip. The seemingly unlimited amount of resources and rapid development of ‘open source’ by WWW, information has become fascinatingly concise that the process of reading turns irrelevant. You no longer have to spend library hours or read reference books, you can have it all and Google is awesome. Heck, you don’t even need to know William Faulkner or Edgar Allen Poe if you’re taking a Literature course. Google will find you a range of literary analysis papers and a bit of copy-pasting will provide you with your ‘reading response’ for the term.

Yes, our capacities to read and process information decreases by the minute. We longer require thinking for ourselves since someone else has been nice enough to do it for us. We no longer have the time to read, to analyse, to think, to create. How can a bright idea spark if your brain has become so intently accustomed to getting things with a search engine? How can we write when we have forgotten how to read?

The ‘Mentos’ Idea

Quite simply put, we still need the ingenious ideas. If Bangladesh is willing to see the light of innovative progress, our generation and the ones after us need to learn to think out loud. The cow should, by now stop infiltrating our education system, and yes, it’s about time we give the ‘creative processes’ of learning a serious thought. Emulating, mimicking and memorizing can suffice only for a while, and if we don’t want to choke under a pile load of Indian Mentos in hopes of an ‘I.D.E.A’, it’s best that we let the cow rest in peace.

“The cow is a domestic animal. It has four legs, two eyes, one tail and eats grass…”

Over the past many years, our schools have taught our children these lines. The attributes of the great, great cow that is evidently a useful animal since it bestows man with milk, poop and meat are known by heart. You can’t miss it and unfortunately, you can never quite get over it. That’s when you know you’ve turned into the cow you’ve read about all those years.

However, this article goes beyond ‘the cow’. The big picture highlights on our education system that not only encourages, but almost imposes the act of memorizing in our students. The very course of ‘Creative Writing’ undergoes an unbeatable process of memorizing a series of texts from the revered book of knowledge and puking it on exam sheets. It’s a certified formula to great grades, and if it requires such limited performance of the human mind, why should we complain?

When the Ladder to Success Breaks
Of course, the complaint comes much later. As the horde of fresh BBA graduates begins to infiltrate the multinational job market, the quality of written work is a breathing evident of a life of trained con (not the cool one). Students are not only unable to produce a certain standard of creative, written piece but are substantially left behind during brain storming sessions. The effort behind producing a unique idea seems to be a sacrilege of human rights, an insurmountable task to many. At a global stance, this very A-plus crowd who bought roshogolla for their teachers on result day seem incompatible with the tremendous pressure of the rapidly growing market, and ‘bang!’ comes the non-Bangladeshi ‘team leader’ or boss.

When School Is Actually Cool
Fact is the solution is unbelievably simple. Nurturing of the creative mind begins from an early age with activities as simple as playing with Lego blocks. The process of making and breaking, creating and destroying with the imaginative mind offsets the thinking process in a child. When he/she enters school, the child’s creative growth heightens with play time, art classes and drama rehearsals. He/she learns to improvise, think outside the box and develops a unique style. The kid gets promoted, writes tons of silly stories, reads them out in class and gets laughed at, and so on the process continues. It’s fun, free-spirited and provides the perfect environment to develop the child’s imaginations.

Well, technically… that should have been the scenario. Unfortunately, in our local context, the idea of non-academic activities as part of the learning infrastructure is yet to be implemented. Most schools focus so intently on “making the student ready for the real world” that they forget the true purpose of schooling. The excess baggage of books, incredible lengths of homework, learning multiplication at the age of five and the unrealistic pressure of weekly class tests can never enhance the young mind, but only blunt its thinking capacities. The child is so involved in this ‘military’ academic process where play time is awfully limited that thinking outside the cube does begin to seem like an additional burden.

The blame is equally shared by parents. How many of the dads and moms truly encourage kids to run around the fields in the evening or learn to ride a bicycle? With the advent of technology and Play stations, who needs a bit of greenery anyway? Yours truly is not against Play stations, but it’s depressing to see kids a quarter of her size with round, plastic glasses. There are no story books, no football in the mud and no flying kites in autumn. If for once, these same parents and teachers stop imposing and try to remember how their own childhoods used to be, the difference is a striker.

Is Google Making Us Stupid?
The problem not only lies with the core of primary education and the nurturing of children, but also in our daily lifestyle. Thanks to “I’m Feeling Lucky!” the world is a smaller, simpler place accessible with the click of a fingertip. The seemingly unlimited amount of resources and rapid development of ‘open source’ by WWW, information has become fascinatingly concise that the process of reading turns irrelevant. You no longer have to spend library hours or read reference books, you can have it all and Google is awesome. Heck, you don’t even need to know William Faulkner or Edgar Allen Poe if you’re taking a Literature course. Google will find you a range of literary analysis papers and a bit of copy-pasting will provide you with your ‘reading response’ for the term.

Yes, our capacities to read and process information decreases by the minute. We longer require thinking for ourselves since someone else has been nice enough to do it for us. We no longer have the time to read, to analyse, to think, to create. How can a bright idea spark if your brain has become so intently accustomed to getting things with a search engine? How can we write when we have forgotten how to read?

The ‘Mentos’ Idea
Quite simply put, we still need the ingenious ideas. If Bangladesh is willing to see the light of innovative progress, our generation and the ones after us need to learn to think out loud. The cow should, by now stop infiltrating our education system, and yes, it’s about time we give the ‘creative processes’ of learning a serious thought. Emulating, mimicking and memorizing can suffice only for a while, and if we don’t want to choke under a pile load of our neighbour’s Mentos in hopes of an ‘I.D.E.A’, it’s best that we let the cow rest in peace.

The Death of Pop

It’s quite the irony. I was due writing a Centrefold piece titled ‘The Return of Pop’ – an article that was meant to celebrate Michael Jackson’s rejuvenation; and here I am, staging words for the opposite. The sudden death of the greatest entertainer of our time has shook the world, and from posh hotels in Los Angeles to downtown shacks in Tokyo, his wide range of international audience now mourn the loss of their most favourite artist.

The beat of Michael Jackson crept into my generation back in the days when CDs didn’t even exist. At home, we had a few cassettes, namely the record-breaker ‘Thriller’ and the phenomenal Beat It. Its catchy tunes effortlessly inspired our naive sense of beat, and we’d often find ourselves echoing the lyrics under our breath. In 4th Grade, our class performed Jackson’s Heal the World, a number that has remained close to my heart ever since. It was, however, much later that I caught up to the man behind the songs and the steps, much of what has kept my generation and the ones before glued to their music stations or TV sets for hours.

For those of us who’re still unaware, Michael Jackson was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana. The Jackson family, comprising 9 children and 2 adults shared a small home, barely 900 sq. feet. In spite of the unavoidable difficulties, the talents of the children were recognized at an early age. The father, Joseph Jackson, played for a local R&B band, and imposed the need to learn music on his children. Michael, in his later life, would recall physical abuse from his father, who would pummel the young lad when he failed to impress with his vocals. At the age of six, Michael joined his brothers – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Merlon – to form what would later be known as The Jacksons. The band gained staggering popularly, particularly at the Midwest, and soon, beginning 1972, Michael released 4 solo albums under The Jacksons’ franchise. With joint collaboration with Quincy Jones, Michael released ‘Off the Wall’, the album which brought home awards and large commercial success. However, it was not until 1982 that the world truly began esteeming Michael Jackson as a solo artist through his blockbuster hit album ‘Thriller’. His unique voice, coupled with eclectic dance steps and creativity gave listeners worldwide a new definition of entertainment and MJ soon evolved into a brand of his own with the highest royalty record in the industry.

As it is with any celebrity who walks on the red carpet at more than one occasion, the frantic media began looking past Michael’s musical success, and doting on his personal life. His rare skin conditions, vitilus and lupus caused his skin to pale rapidly, and the issue soon became a tool of mockery and debate at the gossip clubs. Embarrassed, Michael began putting on excessive makeup to cover up the flaws of his skin, and by 1990, had undergone 10 surgeries on his face alone.

In tandem to his music and frail physique, Michael was widely known for his charity affairs. He supported over 39 humanitarian organizations globally, and restructured ‘Neverland Ranch’, one of the largest private theme parks across the globe dedicated to children. It was here in 2005, at Michael’s beloved Neverland that Martin Bashir from Granada Television charged Michael of molesting a 10-year old at a private interview. Michael apparently admitted sleeping with the child and described it to be a “beautiful thing”. The allegations were later dropped as it was proven that the Michael had only slept with the child with the absence of any form of sexual or offensive activities. However, the scandal, now second to the earlier allegations of child molestation from 1993 led to a tragic drop in his popularity, and the traumatized artist resumed to a quiet life with his three children.

After stepping outside the musical scene for over a decade, the unarguable ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson signed for a comeback, a series of 50 dates offsetting in July 2009 in London as the finale to his career. Unfortunately, the finale came much earlier when he suffered full cardiac arrest on June 25th at his Los Angeles home and bid farewell to millions of fans from every walk of life and every corner of the earth.

Michael Jackson’s untimely death is indeed a grand blow to the industry. Being one of the most phenomenal entertainers of all time, an all-rounder who sang, danced, wrote and produced his own numbers, Michael’s life is a saga of controversies. Brewed largely by delirious media reports, Michael may be termed as the most polemic artist of his time and a ravaged victim of paparazzi and tabloids. However, in real life, Michael was proven wrongly accused of everything, and it is this that shows how people tried to rip off benefits from him and turned him from a world-class superstar into a retreated monster.

For my generation, my peers and I recall growing up to MJ’s hits. They were ecstatic, in the sense they shared an opinion while adding a beat – a rare combination to be found nowadays and he had remained an all-time favourite to many. His outspoken numbers such as Bad, Black or White and They Don’t Really Care About Us are a reflection of his deep thoughts, and perhaps guts that should be replicated by today’s artists who seem to have sacrificed their morals over entertainment and commercial successes. MJ’s fall was not solely brought by his own flaws, but by a hungry lot of untrained media goons. Coming from an already controversial background with a colour that affected the US subtlety of racism, MJ’s incredible success and inadvertent influence worldwide, particularly on the young crowd was undoubtedly an issue of jealousy and unprecedented gossip for many. Whether in time, the world will learn to separate his music from his persona, his electrifying performances from his secluded lifestyle is a debate of its own. For now, Michael Jackson’s death is not a standalone, and signifies the death of pop since he was, at the end of the day, one of the few artists with a massive outreach who knew what his music was doing. The music scene will surely miss that magic and feel that deficiency for a very long time.

It’s quite the irony. I was due writing a Centrefold piece titled ‘The Return of Pop’ – an article that was meant to celebrate Michael Jackson’s rejuvenation; and here I am, staging words for the opposite. The sudden death of the greatest entertainer of our time has shook the world, and from posh hotels in Los Angeles to downtown shacks in Tokyo, his wide range of international audience now mourn the loss of their most favourite artist.

The beat of Michael Jackson crept into my generation back in the days when CDs didn’t even exist. At home, we had a few cassettes, namely the record-breaker ‘Thriller’ and the phenomenal Beat It. Its catchy tunes effortlessly inspired our naive sense of beat, and we’d often find ourselves echoing the lyrics under our breath. In 4th Grade, our class performed Jackson’s Heal the World, a number that has remained close to my heart ever since. It was, however, much later that I caught up to the man behind the songs and the steps, much of what has kept my generation and the ones before glued to their music stations or TV sets for hours.

For those of us who’re still unaware, Michael Jackson was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana. The Jackson family, comprising 9 children and 2 adults shared a small home, barely 900 sq. feet. In spite of the unavoidable difficulties, the talents of the children were recognized at an early age. The father, Joseph Jackson, played for a local R&B band, and imposed the need to learn music on his children. Michael, in his later life, would recall physical abuse from his father, who would pummel the young lad when he failed to impress with his vocals. At the age of six, Michael joined his brothers – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Merlon – to form what would later be known as The Jacksons. The band gained staggering popularly, particularly at the Midwest, and soon, beginning 1972, Michael released 4 solo albums under The Jacksons’ franchise. With joint collaboration with Quincy Jones, Michael released ‘Off the Wall’, the album which brought home awards and large commercial success. However, it was not until 1982 that the world truly began esteeming Michael Jackson as a solo artist through his blockbuster hit album ‘Thriller’. His unique voice, coupled with eclectic dance steps and creativity gave listeners worldwide a new definition of entertainment and MJ soon evolved into a brand of his own with the highest royalty record in the industry.

As it is with any celebrity who walks on the red carpet at more than one occasion, the frantic media began looking past Michael’s musical success, and doting on his personal life. His rare skin conditions, vitilus and lupus caused his skin to pale rapidly, and the issue soon became a tool of mockery and debate at the gossip clubs. Embarrassed, Michael began putting on excessive makeup to cover up the flaws of his skin, and by 1990, had undergone 10 surgeries on his face alone.

In tandem to his music and frail physique, Michael was widely known for his charity affairs. He supported over 39 humanitarian organizations globally, and restructured ‘Neverland Ranch’, one of the largest private theme parks across the globe dedicated to children. It was here in 2005, at Michael’s beloved Neverland that Martin Bashir from Granada Television charged Michael of molesting a 10-year old at a private interview. Michael apparently admitted sleeping with the child and described it to be a “beautiful thing”. The allegations were later dropped as it was proven that the Michael had only slept with the child with the absence of any form of sexual or offensive activities. However, the scandal, now second to the earlier allegations of child molestation from 1993 led to a tragic drop in his popularity, and the traumatized artist resumed to a quiet life with his three children.

After stepping outside the musical scene for over a decade, the unarguable ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson signed for a comeback, a series of 50 dates offsetting in July 2009 in London as the finale to his career. Unfortunately, the finale came much earlier when he suffered full cardiac arrest on June 25th at his Los Angeles home and bid farewell to millions of fans from every walk of life and every corner of the earth.

Michael Jackson’s untimely death is indeed a grand blow to the industry. Being one of the most phenomenal entertainers of all time, an all-rounder who sang, danced, wrote and produced his own numbers, Michael’s life is a saga of controversies. Brewed largely by delirious media reports, Michael may be termed as the most polemic artist of his time and a ravaged victim of paparazzi and tabloids. However, in real life, Michael was proven wrongly accused of everything, and it is this that shows how people tried to rip off benefits from him and turned him from a world-class superstar into a retreated monster.

For my generation, my peers and I recall growing up to MJ’s hits. They were ecstatic, in the sense they shared an opinion while adding a beat – a rare combination to be found nowadays and he had remained an all-time favourite to many. His outspoken numbers such as Bad, Black or White and They Don’t Really Care About Us are a reflection of his deep thoughts, and perhaps guts that should be replicated by today’s artists who seem to have sacrificed their morals over entertainment and commercial successes.

MJ’s fall was not solely brought by his own flaws, but by a hungry lot of untrained media goons. Coming from an already controversial background with a colour that affected the US subtlety of racism, MJ’s incredible success and inadvertent influence worldwide, particularly on the young crowd was undoubtedly an issue of jealousy and unprecedented gossip for many. Whether in time, the world will learn to separate his music from his persona, his electrifying performances from his secluded lifestyle is a debate of its own. For now, Michael Jackson’s death is not a standalone, and signifies the death of pop since he was, at the end of the day, one of the few artists with a massive outreach who knew what his music was doing. The music scene will surely miss that magic and feel that deficiency for a very long time.

References: Wikipedia, MSN News

Education Is Not Business: A Support Towards Protests at NSU

Over the past couple of days, my inbox, homepage and blog has been flooded with the news. The rise of NSU students against fees’ hike is the talk of the town. Innumerable videos being posted, TV channels continuously reporting and students with some morals supporting the causes. A genuine plight is being answered to, and it’s about time you stand up for it as well.

The injustice done by North South University – one of the leading private universities in the country – authorities towards their students is not unknown to most of us. Fees were (nearly) doubled; and when peacefully protested earlier, were reduced to normal ranges for existing students and different for those getting admitted into the upcoming semester. Although promised, during course advising, existing students were charged with raised fees and thus, brew the current activities. My friend eloquently explains why NSU students stood against their authorities, and I don’t want to repeat.

This note was written in support of protests against a breach of contract between NSU authorities and their respective students. However, this note is also in disfavour of the injustices and poor standards maintained at many private universities and institutions across Bangladesh. How their money looting business cuts off talented students, how fees are charged for no apparent reasons, how academic standards are not maintained and how promises are broken.

What NSU students have successfully proven is that injustices are not tolerated and bad things have a price. They have also successfully shown the world that the power of unity against any wrongdoing supersede all forces. What is even more remarkable is how they have collected evidences for their protests and gathered a humongous response to their cause. Many TV channels and local dailies have aired or published misleading information, and these very evidences have overridden everything else.

There is a school of thought that private university students are dull, inactive and filthy rich. That they take everything in the flow and do not have the guts or interest in voicing against social issues. NSU students’ stance has proved that belief wrong, and reestablished the fact that WE can rise against a genuine infringement and remain united and adamant through it.

The small part that each of us can play is spread the news. Support their cause, write about their plight and be informed. This is not only a fight for NSU students’ rights; but also a fight against the pervading injustices in our education system.

Students Protest Against NSU Fees Hike

 

I feel obliged to share my experiences with the rest of the world. Mainly because of the meager, and technically incorrect, coverage of certain national daily >_>

It all started in February, 2009, when North South University announced that we are going to go and settle to the long awaited (and I really do mean long awaited, but I am getting there) new campus at Bashundhara. That’s all fine and dandy, we say, but that was before we learned that from the Summer 2009 semester (it was Spring), the per credit fees will be increased to 5,500 taka from 4,000.

A 1,500/= increase PER CREDIT? Are you kidding me? I mean, we waited 7 years for the Bashundhara campus to be finished, SEVEN YEARS! Do you know how long that is? Yeah, well, you do, but get this: during these seven years ALL students had to pay a 3,500/= campus development fee. And most students don’t even stay that long in a university. So basically they (as compared to me and us) had to pay 3,500/= extra. Every semester. That means NSU received, every 4 months, 3,500 * 3 semester * 4 different years * approximately 1,000 student per semester = 42,000,00/= (4.2 crore). After 7 years that becomes 42,000,000 * 7 years * 3 semester = 588,000,000/= (58.8 crore or 8.4 million USD) 8.4 million USD in one of the poorest countries in the world is a very big deal. All of which, presumably, went to develop a 12.5 million square feet campus at Bashundhara.

Right. Still okay. A bit. I mean, wasn’t NSU supposed to pay for the construction from there campus? Because wikipedia describes the Banani campus as temporary. But fine, so when we shift to the new campus there should be no more Campus Development Fee (CDF), right? The total charge should decrease. Yay us!

No, a notice in front of the SPZ building in NSU sees things differently. That was 9th February. Instantly a student stood up to protest against the hike. A few followed. Soon, thousands followed. That was the first protest against the admins of NSU in the history of NSU. If it was DU, there would have been breaking of cars and glasses, burning of a “voodoo doll” representing the Vice Chancellor, and stuff we see in news whenever something happens in DU or any other public university in the country. But this wasn’t DU. It was NSU and it was peaceful, or as peaceful as it can be when a few thousand students rise up in a common purpose. Regardless, the admins were scared to see such a unity, the first they have ever seen, and immideatly published another notice that was the price hike was not applicable for current students.

It was agreeable. When we enter a university, or any place at all, we enter a commitment. I think an analogy would serve better. Suppose, to take a CNG Taxi we make a deal with the Taxi driver. Suppose to go from Motijheel to Banini he would charge 80 taka. But there were some traffic jam and yada yada so when we finally reached our destination he said 80 taka won’t do I have to pay a hundred. You can clearly see what’s wrong with the picture. The deal we had before I took the taxi is not being acknowledged. Whether there were a traffic jam or not was not a part of the deal and hence should not be put under consideration.

So anyway, we won. We rock. Woohoo! When a new student enters the Summer semester he would know about the new tuition fee and as such would be ready to make that kind of commitment. An old student was not, and he should not be held liable for the extra 1,500 taka per credit. (On an average, we take 12 credits per semester, that actually makes the rise in price 18,000/=)

On May 7th, 3 days before the start of advising (or enrolling for new subjects before the semester) another notice went up in NSU website in the dead of the night and this is what it said (in summery, because as you can see, the link was taken down):

A rise of 500/= tuition fee per credit.

A rise of 1,000/= in student activity fee.

A rise of 1,500/= in computer lab fee.

A decrease of 5,00/= in library fee.

No CDF (Campus Development Fee) and No Caution Money of 5,000.

Wow we paid caution money? I didn’t even know that! Immediately, thanks to Facebook, we knew about the new notice. Groups were created, events were proposed and the next thing you know, there were 1,500/= registered participants in a protest in NSU and 500 group members in the protest group.

The notice was taken down by 8th. And replaced with a more humble one.

Regardless, because of the afformentioned reasons, we would not give in. Even assuming there was a rise of 300% of maintenance fee, that was not proportionate to the number of course we were taking. It’s simply illogical to increase credit fees with the increase in maintanence fees! Why don’t you convert the 3,500/= CDF into 3,500/= Maintenance fee? 4.2 Crore taka every three months is a lot. One can live happily ever after with that.

Cost of services rose 100% during the last few years, did it? Well, guess what? You don’t have to pay hundreds of thousands of taka every year renting the SPZ, STR, GMQ, BTR and the administrative building anymore. It’s not like you need a pay back for the huge investment you made. After all, it was not your investment. Past students paid 58.8 crore taka for that. I assume the campus can be put under the account “paid in full”. By my calulations, you are saving more money, not spending more.

The 7% mentioned is nothing but a, what we call, “eye-wash”. The CDF is still there, but in disguise. And on an average students take 4 courses per semister, not 3, so the percentage increase is much more then 7.23. 

Oh, and did I mention putting a different notice after saying that no extra charge will be applicable in February proved the NSU Admins are, to be blunt, liars?

Do raise the price for the lack of raising tution fee in the last 7 years. But why with us? Do it to the new kids. Give them the burden! They know what they are getting into. Well, so did we when we were admitted in the most expensive university in one of the poorest countries in the world, but not for this! Not to be extorted!

Today is the 10th. It’s 9PM as I write this post. A thousand students started the day with yet another peaceful protest. But this time, we were organized. There were banners, placards, and leadership. The admins were prepared as well. What did they began the day with? Riot police and a Proctor that… well… nevermind.

I am not going to go to the details on what happened today. In short, we blocked the road (but only after the Proctor delayed our meeting with the VC by more then an hour, and that eventually led to blocking of half of Gulshan and Banani area) and organized a rally. I stayed for a long while but not until the end. What happened in the end? Well, the VC was locked up in his office until he would see the “light”. He didn’t. He fed us to the riot police. And tear gas. About 20 students  were injured, including girls. Yes, my friends, that’s what we get for being civilized and not turning to our boxing gloves! We dispersed for the day. But not without hard feelings. This isn’t the end.

We may pay the increased fees, but only because we don’t have a choice. You may think you won, but do you realize what you just created? A flame in the heart of every NSU student who ever looked up to you as an example. Clearly, a teenager like me can see the long term implications of todays event then our honourable administrators. We may fear you, or atleast I fear you, for writing this post and letting the world know about the injustice, but do I, or anyone else in NSU, respect you, respect you anymore? That I’ll leave you to ponder.

P.S. Regardless of what you hear, no NSU student moved against the police or broke any glasses or burned any papers. This was caused by the police, as NTV reported correctly. The picketing outside was not caused by any students also. During the commossion, a few outsiders entered the NSU premises and well, and what can we expect from them who enter willingly into a place where they know trouble is brewing?

P.P.S Please leave a comment and/or forward this link to your friends. The more that knows about the truth, the better. There is nothing that we, or I, can do more.

By Hussain M. Elius

I feel obliged to share my experiences with the rest of the world. Mainly because of the meager, and technically incorrect, coverage of certain national daily >_>

It all started in February, 2009, when North South University announced that we are going to go and settle to the long awaited (and I really do mean long awaited, but I am getting there) new campus at Bashundhara. That’s all fine and dandy, we say, but that was before we learned that from the Summer 2009 semester (it was Spring), the per credit fees will be increased to 5,500 taka from 4,000.

A 1,500/= increase PER CREDIT? Are you kidding me? I mean, we waited 7 years for the Bashundhara campus to be finished, SEVEN YEARS! Do you know how long that is? Yeah, well, you do, but get this: during these seven years ALL students had to pay a 3,500/= campus development fee. And most students don’t even stay that long in a university. So basically they (as compared to me and us) had to pay 3,500/= extra. Every semester. That means NSU received, every 4 months, 3,500 * 3 semester * 4 different years * approximately 1,000 student per semester = 42,000,00/= (4.2 crore). After 7 years that becomes 42,000,000 * 7 years * 3 semester = 588,000,000/= (58.8 crore or 8.4 million USD) 8.4 million USD in one of the poorest countries in the world is a very big deal. All of which, presumably, went to develop a 12.5 million square feet campus at Bashundhara.

Right. Still okay. A bit. I mean, wasn’t NSU supposed to pay for the construction from there campus? Because wikipedia describes the Banani campus as temporary. But fine, so when we shift to the new campus there should be no more Campus Development Fee (CDF), right? The total charge should decrease. Yay us!

No, a notice in front of the SPZ building in NSU sees things differently. That was 9th February. Instantly a student stood up to protest against the hike. A few followed. Soon, thousands followed. That was the first protest against the admins of NSU in the history of NSU. If it was DU, there would have been breaking of cars and glasses, burning of a “voodoo doll” representing the Vice Chancellor, and stuff we see in news whenever something happens in DU or any other public university in the country. But this wasn’t DU. It was NSU and it was peaceful, or as peaceful as it can be when a few thousand students rise up in a common purpose. Regardless, the admins were scared to see such a unity, the first they have ever seen, and immideatly published another notice that was the price hike was not applicable for current students.

It was agreeable. When we enter a university, or any place at all, we enter a commitment. I think an analogy would serve better. Suppose, to take a CNG Taxi we make a deal with the Taxi driver. Suppose to go from Motijheel to Banini he would charge 80 taka. But there were some traffic jam and yada yada so when we finally reached our destination he said 80 taka won’t do I have to pay a hundred. You can clearly see what’s wrong with the picture. The deal we had before I took the taxi is not being acknowledged. Whether there were a traffic jam or not was not a part of the deal and hence should not be put under consideration.

So anyway, we won. We rock. Woohoo! When a new student enters the Summer semester he would know about the new tuition fee and as such would be ready to make that kind of commitment. An old student was not, and he should not be held liable for the extra 1,500 taka per credit. (On an average, we take 12 credits per semester, that actually makes the rise in price 18,000/=)

On May 7th, 3 days before the start of advising (or enrolling for new subjects before the semester) another notice went up in NSU website in the dead of the night and this is what it said (in summery, because as you can see, the link was taken down):

A rise of 500/= tuition fee per credit.

A rise of 1,000/= in student activity fee.

A rise of 1,500/= in computer lab fee.

A decrease of 5,00/= in library fee.

No CDF (Campus Development Fee) and No Caution Money of 5,000.

Wow we paid caution money? I didn’t even know that! Immediately, thanks to Facebook, we knew about the new notice. Groups were created, events were proposed and the next thing you know, there were 1,500/= registered participants in a protest in NSU and 500 group members in the protest group.

The notice was taken down by 8th, and replaced with a more humble one.

Regardless, because of the afformentioned reasons, we would not give in. Even assuming there was a rise of 300% of maintenance fee, that was not proportionate to the number of course we were taking. It’s simply illogical to increase credit fees with the increase in maintanence fees! Why don’t you convert the 3,500/= CDF into 3,500/= Maintenance fee? 4.2 Crore taka every three months is a lot. One can live happily ever after with that.

Cost of services rose 100% during the last few years, did it? Well, guess what? You don’t have to pay hundreds of thousands of taka every year renting the SPZ, STR, GMQ, BTR and the administrative building anymore. It’s not like you need a pay back for the huge investment you made. After all, it was not your investment. Past students paid 58.8 crore taka for that. I assume the campus can be put under the account “paid in full”. By my calulations, you are saving more money, not spending more.

The 7% mentioned is nothing but a, what we call, “eye-wash”. The CDF is still there, but in disguise. And on an average students take 4 courses per semister, not 3, so the percentage increase is much more then 7.23. 
Oh, and did I mention putting a different notice after saying that no extra charge will be applicable in February proved the NSU Admins are, to be blunt, liars?

Do raise the price for the lack of raising tution fee in the last 7 years. But why with us? Do it to the new kids. Give them the burden! They know what they are getting into. Well, so did we when we were admitted in the most expensive university in one of the poorest countries in the world, but not for this! Not to be extorted!

Today is the 10th. It’s 9PM as I write this post. A thousand students started the day with yet another peaceful protest. But this time, we were organized. There were banners, placards, and leadership. The admins were prepared as well. What did they began the day with? Riot police and a Proctor that… well… nevermind.

I am not going to go to the details on what happened today. In short, we blocked the road (but only after the Proctor delayed our meeting with the VC by more then an hour, and that eventually led to blocking of half of Gulshan and Banani area) and organized a rally. I stayed for a long while but not until the end. What happened in the end? Well, the VC was locked up in his office until he would see the “light”. He didn’t. He fed us to the riot police. And tear gas. About 20 students  were injured, including girls. Yes, my friends, that’s what we get for being civilized and not turning to our boxing gloves! We dispersed for the day. But not without hard feelings. This isn’t the end.

We may pay the increased fees, but only because we don’t have a choice. You may think you won, but do you realize what you just created? A flame in the heart of every NSU student who ever looked up to you as an example. Clearly, a teenager like me can see the long term implications of todays event then our honourable administrators. We may fear you, or atleast I fear you, for writing this post and letting the world know about the injustice, but do I, or anyone else in NSU, respect you, respect you anymore? That I’ll leave you to ponder.

P.S. Regardless of what you hear, no NSU student moved against the police or broke any glasses or burned any papers. This was caused by the police, as NTV reported correctly. The picketing outside was not caused by any students also. During the commossion, a few outsiders entered the NSU premises and well, and what can we expect from them who enter willingly into a place where they know trouble is brewing?

P.P.S Please leave a comment and/or forward this link to your friends. The more that knows about the truth, the better. There is nothing that we, or I, can do more.

The Making of a Dream

There is a school of thought that teen dreams are mere fantasies. They are meant to remain unfulfilled as products of immature influences. However, when some teenagers in their unique ways saw identical dreams almost three years ago, that social belief very much pervaded their visions. This is probably why, three years later, in spite of the obstacles, against all predictions; their dream has come true.

That dream is called 1° Initiative.

The Beginning of a Beginning
The August of 2006 was a memorable one. My friend, Tushmit approached me with an idea of opening up a youth network; a concept forwarded to her by a common friend, Farhana. The plan was to allow young people to express their ideas and take up leadership roles in society. Seeing this to be a marvelous opportunity to create something, I jumped to the idea. Later, I contacted another friend, Zubair who was interested in similar things and in a few days, we became a small force of nine people. 

Farhana, Zubair and I decided to act as heads and give this ‘plan’ a shape. The shape, of course, needed a name and on a sunny day while lazing inside an empty classroom in Mastermind, the team brainstormed and 1° Initiative was born. The idea behind it was simple. By each degree, we would change the way we contribute to our communities and eventually, create a small body of youngsters who wanted to act along the same line.

A few sleepless nights and Zubair had designed our logo while I had our MOU (fashionably termed ‘Constitution’) and WordPress blog. We signed, grinned and were excited to take on the world. 

That was the beginning of all problems and all solutions.

We’re Not Kids!
The difficulties of being a more informed teenager than your peers are numerous. Firstly, you’re funny. You’re one of those people who don’t approve littering, finds something to do almost everywhere and has a tendency to give bombastic speeches on noble doings of not-so-noble persona. Secondly, you’re not taken seriously. You’re a hormone-imbrued teenager, unprepared for the wild reality that infatuates adulthood and your dreams are pointless. 

We were of the kind, labeled funny and given little importance. Therefore, the transformation from thinking of doing something and actually executing it was itself a hurdle. Our first big break came with Autism Welfare Foundation (AWF). Volunteers from 1° Initiative were to spend certain hours weekly with autistic children at the foundation, and on a personal note, I believe it was the project that really changed what 1° Initiative was all about. 

Autism was not a walk in the park. The children had demands and the volunteers needed to be patient. Having their own niches and shortcomings, autistic children were difficult to become friends with, but incredibly wonderful friends once you’ve managed to inch into their lives. For us, who were doing something of this sort as our first task, it clearly was an incomparable lesson. We learnt patience, realized exactly where we needed to start and began to value the gifts of life. Working with AWF not only taught us to be more understanding as people, but also made the group realize which of us were meant to stick with 1° Initiative. 

Thus, although our force became dramatically smaller with fewer members, we shared that common belief that every miniscule difference counts. In the end, 1° Initiative (1dI) became a group of eight people, namely Zubair, Tushmit, Amreen, Mayeesha, Aaqib, Niloy, Rasha and I. 

No Mum, I’m Not Doing Durgs!
With the notion of small-scale community service, 1° Initiative began to grow very tardily. Breaks were rare and our enthusiasm was often dampened with exams and life’s temptations. Nonetheless, in collaboration with Mastermind Community Service Club, we soon started teaching their supporting staff basic English and Maths. It was a three-month long project, a duration in which we faced many hassles. From being falsely accused of stealing ideas to being underestimated to the point of not allowing us to work, 1dI was in chaos with the world. Many started mocking us with pinching remarks on whether we were about to alleviate poverty or stop floods, and taunted about our futile efforts. Peers came up to us asking for certificates as a precondition to their dedication. Yet, we glued onto what we believed and it was probably because we did, we pulled through every slag. 

I still remember our first meeting. A tin-shed house next to Tushmit’s ‘real’ house, deserted and dusty to the throat. We unlocked the doors, cleaned the floors, coughed our way to set up a decent space and it soon became our own little office. And no, our parents weren’t exactly fully supportive of our cause. Community service required time and dedication, and we only had bucketfuls of the latter. The uncountable times we pretended to shop in Etcetra and gathered under their stairs to have a meeting, counted our funds and realized there was nothing and begged our parents to let us do something still lingers in our memories. We were cooped up in a small room and it was no common surprise that suspicions arose. No, we weren’t doing drugs! No, I don’t have my boyfriend in there! No, we’re not making bombs! The doubts kept mounting up and every time, we had to crawl our ways out of our houses to work. 

With no one to fund us and no other financial backing from parents or any other organization or insitution, 1dI needed to be largely self-funded. Why should anyone trust us enough to shower their earthly greens? We were ‘children’, after all. So, each member had to contribute a certain amount of money every month and in this way, our funds began to grow. We started introducing projects that would allow us to ‘make money’ because charity had its own fair share of expenses. Friends started supporting us and stepped up to give a helping hand to our ventures. We began receiving mails from people all over the world, appreciating our initiative. A friend even wrote an article in this very magazine and responses poured in. 

Things were finally beginning to roll.

Dreams Were On Wheels
Did you know 1° Initiative has its own rickshaw? Zubair and Asif bought the paints, my driver found the maker and I did the rickshaw art. It was for a guy whose rickshaw got stolen and he seemed like a decent chap who deserved help. The 1dI rickshaw was co-sponsored by Nazim Farhan Chowdhury from Adcomm Ltd and advertised by our friends from Mastermind. It was a piece of beauty for us and today, in some dusty street of Dhaka, it trundles happily carrying our name and our email address! 

Now, since three years of its birth, 1dI has expanded beyond our imagination. From the small tin-shed house and staircases at shopping malls, we now have our meeting inside our houses because our parents have finally accepted us. We’ve worked with underprivileged children in different schools and share a very special bond with each of them. We’ve arranged series of quiz and art competitions for them, set up libraries at their schools with books we collected from our contacts and spent hours telling them about the glorious past of Bangladesh. Yes, we even found sponsors! The funny part is people from abroad are more willing to send us money because they believed we aren’t corrupt and we provide proof of its usage. Setting up tubewells and giving away sweaters to children (in collaboration with Drishtipat Canada), donating warm clothes in winter to rural regions (in collaboration with Chhinnamukul), cleaning up streets in Dhanmondi, promoting zero drug abuse, anti-littering campaigns and hosting Leadership Training Workshops in Jessore; 1° Initiative has accomplished an enormous lot. We now have our own T-shirts, a vibrant website, an awesome newsletter and most importantly, a dedicated pool of youngsters who are part of the family.

1° Initiative is now a brand. This statement is proven by the number of teens who now want to join our force and the emails we receive. We’re expanding to Nepal because people from Kathmandu believe in our initiative. It has been an overwhelming experience for me to head this dream since its birth and witness it growing wings. The time, effort, arguments and dedication have all proved their virtues and to this day, 1dI rolls in full swing. There is a long list of people to thank who have placed their faith in us, and this article does not provide me with enough space to do so (scroll down for list). You all know who you are and we will always be grateful to you. Thank you for being a 1° change in this world. 

Visit the Official 1° Initiative Website for more information, or mail us at 1d.initiative@gmail.com.

By Sabhanaz Rashid Diya 

—

1° Initiative thanks:

• Hossain M. Elius, North South University
• Daniel Rahman, Radio Foorti
• Nazim Farhan Chowdhury, Adcomm Ltd.
• Zaid Islam, Photographer
• Dr. Rownak Hafiz, Autism Welfare Foundation
• Nusrat Khandker, Bangladesh Medical College & Hospital 
• Kashfia Habib, Bangladesh Medical College & Hospital
• Md. Mohituzzaman, London School of Economics
• Sameen Rehman, Drishtipat Canada
• Sumaiya Sharmeen, Drishtipat Canada
• Ehsanur Reza Ronny, Grey Ads
• Shahriar Shamim Emil, Rising Stars
• Nahiyan Khan, Scholastica
• Wafi Sattar, USA
• Ms. Nina Huq, Mastermind School
• Mrs. K. M. Sajjad, Sunbeams School
• Mr. Rick Davies, American International School Dhaka
• Sabrina F. Ahmad, Rising Stars
• Shamma M. Raghib, North South University
• Mr. Taimur Islam, Urban Study Group
• Md. Abdus Salam, DOM-INNO Ltd.
• Mr. Golam Kibria Chowdhury, G.A.P 
• Dr. Nizam, Afzalunnessa Foundation
• Dr. Shareef Hasan, BSMMU
• Ms. Rasheda, Aalok Shishu Shikkhaloy
• Mr. Shamim Ahmed, Sunbeams School 
• Dr. Idris Ali, BSMMU
• Dr. M. A. Rashid, Ibrahim Cardiac Center
• Dr. Rebecca Milton, Asif Survivors’ Foundation
• Nabila Idris, Bangladesh Medical College & Hospital
• Hiroki Bhai, Ekmattra
• Mr. Azizur Rahman, Surovi
• Community Action
• Mastermind Community Service Club
• Sunbeams Community Service Club
• Abu Sayeed Mohammad Sohail
• Nurullah Sir, The Ark Int’l School
• Rubayat Khan, Jagoree
• Nashrah Rahman, Brandeis
• Anato Chowdhury, University of Birmingham
• Tahmid Islam, University of Liverpool

My Little Angel Is One!

 

Yes, kids do grow up very fast. (= 

Just the other day, she was all warm and cuddly, wrapped in blankets and sleeping peacefully in my arms. And now, she’s all grown, dreaming and looking up at the skies. I really made a grand effort to take a picture of her properly. You know, the typical smiling, laughing, playing kid who’s happy to be growing up. 
However, in spite of my efforts (and some successes as well), I kinda fell in love with this photo. We were trying to make her sit and smile, but she kept falling back and staring up at the heavens. And what a sky it was that day! 
I think she was dreaming. 
Do you?

A Song for the Soul

Once upon a time, there lived a Newar Prince. He spent his days on the peak of the sky-kissing, white capped Himalayas and played bansuri (flute) to the Clouds. On a sun-bathing day of the year, the Princess of the Clouds heard the Prince playing his murali (a type of bansuri). The music was so flawless, so pure that she could almost feel her soul uplifting into the Heavens. She asked the Clouds who was it that played such celestial tune on Earth. They whispered stories about the Prince to her ears, and she fell in love. Love so sacred, she waited every day to hear him play. She wept in joy to the pitch, laughed in sorrow to the harmony and breathed every note into her being. Without his music, she felt lifeless and the more she listened, the more she wanted. 

The story of the Princess from the Clouds and the Newar Prince from the Himalayas may be an imaginative one, but the music is not. The unflawed beauty of the bansuri, in combination with the arabajo and dha is indeed a symphony that can uplift any mortal soul into the heavens. It is music of a kind that you want to hold your breath onto, afraid of letting it go lest the music may stop. And this is how you feel when you listen to Kutumba.

Kutumba is a Nepali folk ensemble that concentrates on playing folk instrumentals. It comprises of six ‘guys’ (professionals) from Kathmandu who each feel for the preservation of their local music and art, and hope to spread the joy and strength of Nepali folk music to the rest of the world. The term ‘Kutumba’ means ‘family’ and holds its very special essence in the Nepali language and culture. It stands for the unique bond amongst community members. The ensemble was founded in 2004 and has now reached out to the masses with its unique vision and creation of local beats and strings.

When I met the group in late January this year at Chobi Mela V, I honestly was not prepared for the magic of Kutumba. Arun Manandhar (tungna and arbajo), Kiran Nepali (sarangi), Pavit Maharjan (percussion), Raju Maharjan (percussion), Rubin Kumar Shrestha (flute) and Siddhartha Maharjan (effects) appeared to be very regular guys with an enormous amount of friendliness and humility that affected everyone. However, when we started talking at the Drik Studio interiors, I realized that they each had a story to tell in the becoming of Kutumba. The ensemble was born when the gang met at Pavit’s shop and started discussing how they wanted to bring back the melodies of traditional folk instruments to new generations. In 2004, they played live at their debut performance and released their first self-titled album. Over the years, the ensemble has grown and has released three albums to date titled Forever Nepali Folk Instrumental (2004), Folk Roots (2005) and Naulo Bihani (2006) respectively. 
 

The music of Kutumba is, as I’ve described earlier, of another world. The simplicity of each composition is such that it easily grasps your attention and engulfs your soul. The combination of the various unheard folk instruments to improvise traditional, local numbers is a work of art, and if you haven’t witnessed the ensemble playing live, you wouldn’t be able to comprehend how effortlessly these musicians paint a breathtaking picture with their music. The harmony of each beat with the next chord, of each stroke with the next rhythm of the heart and the captivating essence of it all is what makes Kutumba’s compositions a delightful enchantment. A purely folk instrumental presentation with a twist of humour and a shot of modernity is a rare treat for most Bangladeshis (and perhaps, many other parts of the world) and is something that one rewinds and replays in one’s soul for many times even after the song is over.

Even so, the magic of Kutumba does not wholesomely move you unless you’ve heard the stories behind each of their compositions. Many of the songs have been written and composed years before, and improvised by the ensemble for the new audience. The instruments, which are on the verge of becoming extinct, are collected from obscure regions in Nepal and brought together to recreate an unique combination of ethnic and modern music. 

“We travel to various parts of Nepal and spend time with the locals to learn how to play the instruments,” said Pavit. “Often, it becomes very difficult to retrieve an instrument that was used extensively in earlier times, but we have never given up on our efforts.” 

 

“Each of us take time out of schedules to learn how to play these instruments,” added Kiran. “Frequently, there are additions to the number of instruments we use in our compositions. To date, we have revitalized the use of over 50 traditional instruments through our music.”

Indeed, the drive to preserve their roots is applaudable. Each number has an unequalled past or cause, which is why each of them is very special to the troop. ‘Jalna’, a track from Naulo Bihani was originally composed 50 years back by Bishnu Jalmi for a street theatre in Harisiddhi, small village situated at the south of Kathmandu. Similarly, a number from Folk Roots titled ‘Sinduli Gadhi’ is a famous folk song named after a war fort, and is a love call where the singer is expressing his feelings for his mistress. The modern rendition of the song combines beats from another folk number and incorporates new-instrumentation to create an upbeat from the classics. 

Kutumba’s strength lies in its determination to bring back indigenous Nepali music to the mod audience. Their dedication is reflected through each of the carefully recomposed singles. How each song paints a picture, narrates a story and only uses the words of handed-down instruments is an incomparable experience for any listener. I have been addicted to their songs ever since the day my senses were blessed by it and the joyful memory of the ensemble’s performance lingers in my heart. Yet, I feel unfed and unsatisfied like many others who have felt the music, as my soul wants more. Kutumba is one of a kind of a tout ensemble whose beauty lies within each note of its creations, and I hope it clings onto its venture to bring such soulful music to its audience for many times to come.

For more information, visit www.kutumba.com.np

For a peek into Kutumba’s music, visit www.dizab.com

By: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya
Photos: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya
Location Courtesy: Drik Studio 

Visiting the Cannes

I don’t really like blowing my own trumpet. In fact, I would rather be without it. However, I figured this is a news I can’t help but share, and I am thankful to a lot of people for bringing me to this moment. So yes, for people who know have played a role in my becoming, do know this is a toast to you for your support and love.

A couple of months back, I submitted three photographs at the Sony Cannes World Photography Awards 2009 Contest. There were 10 categories (for ‘Amateurs’) and recently, I came to know one of my photos have been shortlisted into the Top 10 under the category of ‘Music’. 183 photographers from across the globe have been selected and shortlisted (10 or more in each category under the labels ‘Amateur’ and ‘Professional’, so 183 in total), and I couldn’t believe I made it! It was even cooler to know I was the only one from Bangladesh, and it felt really good see my country’s name up in that list.

The second round of judging would have selected the Top 10 photos from the 183 shortlisted ones, and clearly, I didn’t make it through that round. That means I don’t get the prize money; however, I already had more than I could ask for.

So, I received a mail a few days back that read the following:

From a total of 25,370 images entered into the amateur categories alone, it was certainly a difficult decision for all our esteemed judges to narrow the many excellent entries down to the shortlist and then the winner. We thank you for your hard work and commitment to capturing and submitting some amazing images.

Having been short-listed, your work will be on display at the Winner’s exhibition in Cannes as well as featured in the 2009 SWPA Winner’s Book – so congratulations once more on getting to the top 10!

Scott Gray
Managing Director

Sony World Photography Awards
World Photography Awards Limited
9 Manchester Square
London. W1U 3PL
United Kingdom

Like I said, I already got more than I asked for.

Thank you everyone (you know who you are) for your continuous support and belief in my abilities. I still remember the days I dragged Tushmit or Amreen through Dhanmondi Lake to practice portraits, or begged Rajiv to buy me a camera. And Zabir, you know I would not have even participated if you hadn’t pushed me hard enough. I love you all. <3

A very big thanks also goes to my niece, Zara (who is one now) on whom I practiced each and everything about photography I learnt. I don’t think I would have come to this day without her.

As for everyone who will get tagged in this note on Facebook, I am eternally grateful to you for giving me a place to express myself. I never thought I’ll be someone carrying a camera and loving it so much! (=

Thanks to all my Flickr buddies, RS peeps and folks at Drik. You’ve all been an inspiration! (=

The winning photo and shortlisted nominations

The photo on Flickr

I still don’t consider myself a photographer. I am growing, learning and evolving every day. However, it still gives me joy to know all this. woot!

May God bless you all.

Redrawing the Heroes of Our Freedom

The current, informed Bangladesh often faces a dilemma in an effort to make the future nation builders more aware of their cultural heritage and past. The 1971 War of Liberation is a bloody, yet glorified mark in our history and it is our conscientious responsibility to make the generations of tomorrow aptly informed about it.

Hence, in cause of educating our children about our past, Shudhui Muktijuddho Publication has recently come up with a set of 7 Liberation War comic books that illustrate the lives of the 7 Biirsrestho and their contribution to the independence of Bangladesh. The comics quite elaborately take the readers through an unbiased journey of how each of these heroes have fought valiantly to liberate their motherlands, and is an exciting and acknowledging read for all, not only children.

The main author behind this remarkable initiative is Lt. Col. (Retd.) Kazi Sajjad Ali Zahir (Biir Protik) with scripts from Mitu, Anik Khan, Bondona Kabir and Ghalib Asadullah. The artists behind the illustrations are Mehdi Haque, Shahriar, Tonmoy, Mitu, Turzo and Tarek Saifullah. The series have been edited by the renowned writer and columnist, Ahsan Habib. Through an eloquent syntax of free sketches, collage and water colours; this comic series is an excellent depiction of the lives of the nation’s biggest historical fighters, honoured with the highest ranks.

What has made this series of Liberation War comics an exciting find for this reviewer is because of the simplicity and necessity behind such initiative. Our younger generations are often at a loss when it comes to interesting ways of learning our past, in tandem to the accuracy of the facts; and presenting our history in a way that easily captures their attention is indeed a brilliant idea. Surprisingly, the comic books have not only been accepted graciously by the children they are intended for, but also give adults and young adults an opportunity to revisit the history books in a new and improved manner.

The Liberation War comics are available in a set comprising of 7 seven and is currently available at Nandan Super Shop and Muktijuddho Jadughor (Liberation War Museum) at a price of Tk. 160. It is now our responsibility to take these comic books to the masses of children and inspire them to know more about our history and independence.

So, Just Live It Out

You’ve fought too hard
You’ve woken up too fast,
It’s another day of disappointments
Or another night to last.

There’s a song in your heart
You want to scream it out;
But the winds won’t let you,
They just shut you out.

You’ve tried too far
Taken it all in one,
The music plays at the background,
But you’re not getting up.

If it were another day,
You would’ve given it a shot;
Today is just not right
For another heartbreaking start.

Let the nights unfold
And lift you up,
Make your wishes come true
The candles blow out.

The stars to shine,
Red leaves at dusk,
You’ve got another day to live,
So, live it out.