Naveed Mahbub

HUMOROUSLY YOURS

The writer is an engineer at Ford & Qualcomm USA and CEO of IBM & Nokia Siemens Networks Bangladesh turned comedian (by choice), the host of ABC Radio's Good Morning Bangladesh and the founder of Naveed's Comedy Club. E-mail: naveed@naveedmahbub.com

When Harry Met Salary

When Harry met Meghan, two things were set in motion.

4y ago

Heavy New Year

The legendary ball drops at New York City’s Time Square, the Sydney Opera House is all lit up from fireworks as are the Eiffel Tower and many other landmarks around the world, not to mention the countless non-descript ones.

4y ago

The smog was the limit

Everyone knows you are the sharpest officer, but be prepared to put “Maj. (Retd.)” before your name once you hang up your uniform for good. Ok, maybe not. Since you stand out so much from the rest, you’ll advance further, to the rank of Lt. Col., tops. Ok? Now go, finish up your staff college and be happy with “PSC” at the end of your name and stop dreaming of adding an NDC (National Defense College) on your business card.

4y ago

Have None, Will Travel

You want to now pack me up and send me to Timbuktu?” yells Dennis Palmer, sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room.

4y ago

Every breath you take

Neither Pink Floyd nor the Pink Panther had anything to do with Bangladesh’s pink wash, but the good thing is that Bangladesh at least didn’t let India play for a good two days during the first test. In fact, the runs of our boys in the first innings were 0,1,8,1,6,0,0,0,4, which together was perhaps a cryptic message to Robi to once again pick up the team sponsorship.

4y ago

To Cut or Not to Cut

When a cyclone is named Bulbul, chances are people, at least in Bangladesh, won’t take it seriously. And we are Bangladeshis—what freaks us out is not a number 9 signal, but the lowest number

5y ago

Indecent Proposal

A bit more about “special” rooms from my column a few weeks ago, when Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) was in the news for the wrong reasons. It’s room 429, Nazrul Islam Hall.

5y ago

The last and the ludicrous

Hats off to the Ministry of Public Administration for taking the bold step of introducing paternity leave. Better be clear though about the cap on the number of such leaves, else we will have a population explosion 2.0.

5y ago
September 21, 2018
September 21, 2018

America First, Bangladesh Second

President Donald Trump said during his inaugural speech: “From this day forward, it's going to be only America First!”

August 11, 2018
August 11, 2018

It Takes Two to Tango

The busy intersection is busier because people are confused as to what is to be followed (if at all) at the moment—the traffic lights or the hand signals of the police officer on duty.

August 4, 2018
August 4, 2018

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

If there is anything that will not only wake up a drowsy driver, but near about give him a heart attack, is the flashing lights of a police squad car in the US. The wattage and luminance emitted puts Dhaka's lit up Golf Garden to shame.

July 28, 2018
July 28, 2018

Gone with the Wind

With the sun over the equator, it is hot as hell. July 19 records a high of 39 degrees Celsius, thus almost touching Bangladesh's record lowest 43…runs against West Indies.

July 22, 2018
July 22, 2018

My Own Hat Trick

My own vicarious hat trick—third in a row and the last column on the World Cup. Not surprising, as, for the past one month, not much work has been done in Bangladesh except for posting Facebook statuses on the games.

July 14, 2018
July 14, 2018

Sucker for Soccer

Well, the World Cup continues. The South Koreans are back home but are greeted with raw eggs. Thank Heavens, it's not North Korea; instead of eggs, it would've been ballistic missiles.

July 7, 2018
July 7, 2018

Kia > Mercedes

Perhaps it is no coincidence that World Cup Football is not on a leap year. For this is the time when our hearts, especially those in Bangladesh, leap not only a beat, but beat in beats to see the favourites beat the favourites of the opponents. Even on December 16, do we not see so many flags as we see during this time—not those of Bangladesh's.

June 22, 2018
June 22, 2018

Obligingly Obliging

I select seats 61A and 61B aboard the Boeing 777-200ER for myself and my only other travel companion, my 13-year-old. These are the poor man's business class seats—two seats next to the window and the aisle in the otherwise 3-3-3 seating configuration as the aircraft tapers off at the back. Besides, in the reverse direction, these are the 3rd row seats which will allow me to almost pre-board with the business class passengers.

June 1, 2018
June 1, 2018

June Bug

As I sit down to write When Eddie Met Wallie, last week's Humorously Yours, I make a Freudian Slip in writing “pure bread” instead of “pure bred”.

March 27, 2018
March 27, 2018

LDC to DC

During the serene start of a cricket game, two captains are on the field along with officials, as the coin is tossed.