The Aftermath of Korbanii

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Similarly, every
Korbanii'r Eid has a number of long-lasting effects. Beef will be part of the daily menu. (Well, that always happens at my place!) Beef is presented in different ways because now all the experimentation goes on. All the recipes that had been provided in the newspaper supplements (take Lifestyle for example) are now utilised. My mother's a great cook. So the outcome is enjoyable for me. My sympathy goes to all those out there with amateur cooks in the house who are trying their hand at cooking just out of curiosity or simply for the adrenalin rush of Korbanii. I can imagine how bad it can be to have food that transmits weird images to your eyes and funny tastes to your tongue!

For a beef-loving Chittagonian, Korbanii'r Eid is the best season of the year. To others, it might not be so. I know of people who always go for the tiny little chicken. That reminds me. Bird-flu is the new thing that's in. Chicken has been banned in my place and probably in many other homes too. (Good for me! Now there's even more beef to eat!) One crisis is likely to come up with this bird-flu (another addition to the long list of problems already bugging Bangladesh). I wonder what'll happen to the all the fast food outlets bearing the letters "FC" in their name. Anywhere you go, there'll be some "FC" awaiting you. With chicken becoming so dangerous, very soon all the "FC"s may become "CB"s. (CB= Cooked Beef) Well, that was just my imagination running wild but I do presume this bird-flu thing will surely cause some sort of mess, even if it's just for a day. At least, I'm not having chicken for the next month or more. As some poet once wrote,

"Beef, beef everywhere,
All for you to eat."

By Hamdu Mia

Ought to get married?

I know it's valentine season. So I shouldn't ask such question. What will I do if such stupid question arises in my mind? Some days ago I read an article that said MOST married men lead happier and better lives than their unmarried counterparts. This is because after getting married, a man gets someone to take care of him, support him, do his household work. On the contrary, MOST unmarried woman lead better, healthier and tension-free lives than the married ones. Married women have to take care of the whole family, give birth to children, spend their time in the kitchen (still now, a large number of women are bound to do so), do things according to the wishes of their husbands and other in-laws. I guess these things give them physical as well as mental pressure. After reading that article, as a woman, I'm just thinking if the real picture is so, then why ruin our lives by going after a thing that will bring miseries? Why is the picture different for men and women? Why don't both of them lead a happier life than the previous one?

After getting married it is the woman who has to leave her house with her husband (in most cases almost an unknown guy) for an unseen environment in her in-laws house. She has to adjust with them, try to make herself one of them. I can't even think of that! The family, the environment where they grew up and spent the most beautiful period of their life; they have to leave that. What a rude rule of the society! Living with an unknown but still relative by law is quite a difficult job. In most cases these guys don't support this new fellow in their house. Besides this, every woman has some dreams about her future husband. When they get married, most of their dreams remain unfulfilled. You guys probably know how painful it is to see breaking of own dreams. So there are many strong reasons why the married women don't lead a better life.

I have asked some of my friends the question "Why do people get married?" Most of them said because it is the rule. Some of them said to get a new life, a family that will be their own. Of course all of them said, "You are crazy". Then I asked them "We are happy in our life with our parents and sibs, then why do we search for a new family? Can't we live as we are living right now?" Alas! None gave me the answer except one. She said, "If we begin to do so, then the world will stop right here. There won't be a word called the next generation." Yes, that's a very strong logic. May be; no, I am sure that's the main reason why do people get married. There's no alternative. Another thing is some married women are really happy in their new life. It's very inspiring. It has given me a very positive thought in this matter. So, Right now I am following only one rule and that is "think positive and be optimistic".

By Desert Rose

Campus news

Sports Day at HURDCO International School

The morning of the 28th of January, was truly a very bright and colourful one at HURDCO International School (HIS). The school organised their annual Sports Day. The impressive red-bricked school building and its large playground were adorned with multicoloured balloons and banners.

The inauguration ceremony started at 10:30 in the morning. Prof. M. Alimullah Miyan, vice-chancellor and founder of IUBAT took salute of the spectacular march past by the pre-school students followed by the senior students. As the young boys and girls, all clad in red and blue sports wear, paraded across the vast field, the whole crowd applauded in admiration. It was truly an impressive performance.

The little children of Playgroup, Nursery and the Kindergarten classes assembled on the field and performed an excellent display of physical exercises. This lively performance was followed by an equally exuberant performance by the students of grades one, two and three.

The most fascinating performance of the day was the karate performance, done by the students of the karate club. The young students, who had been trained for only a few months, remarkably displayed their amazing talents at self-defence. Everyone was amazed and applauded cheerfully to see little boys and girls smashing down piles of bricks with their fists.

Next came the sports events for the students. The little children from Playgroup and Nursery took part in biscuit race, while the kindergarten children participated in the chocolate race, balance race and dress-up race.

The next age group took part in 100 metre sprint, one-legged race, ball-throwing etc. The girls also took part in a skipping contest while the boys participated in a cockfight. The sports events arranged for the senior students comprised of 100 metre sprint, 400 metre sprint, long jump, three-legged race, skipping and cockfight. The audience, teachers and other students encouraged the participating students with hearty cheers and applause. Mr. Atahar Ali, former national cricket player was the special guest.

Some parent's events were also arranged where the parents joined enthusiastically. A raffle draw was arranged for everyone present there and many attractive prizes were given out.

The chief guest of the event, the Minister for Religious Affairs, Mr. M. Shahjahan also witnessed the sports events and distributed the certificates and medals among the winners of the various competitions. Crests were awarded to the chief guest and the special guests. The event ended with the national anthem.

By Nusrat

The other side of the fence

Sometimes we are not aware of how fortunate we are because we don't know the life of the less fortunate ones.

On January 28th 2004, Wednesday Aga Khan School made their annual trip to the Shishu Hospital, the Orphanage and an Old Home in Gazipur organized by the Aga Khan's Charity Club members with a large donation of both money and clothes.

The students of the school donated at a minimum of 50 to 100 taka each thus giving a sum of a huge sub total. On 9: 15 the generous and sympathetic people of Aga khan left along with students of class 7 to 12. Every one was anxious to hand over the donations for the welfare of the poorer society.

On reaching the destination, the Charity Club members were sad to realise the Shishu Hospital filled with sick kids who tried to hang on whatever little hopes they have.

The Charity Club members eagerly distributed the clothes and gifts they brought to all sorts of children of different gender, and ages. Some of the clothes were left, so they were given to children in the ICU and other sections. Aga Khan also gave medical equipments worth around 30,000. The people of the hospital were glad to see the students and teachers of Aga Khan. The children were so ecstatic that they could not find any expression to acknowledge us.

After the Shishu Hospital the Aga Khan volunteers went to the Old home in Gazipur. This was a place where the people were victimized by their own family members. Some were purged from their senses; others went to a darker part of their sub conscious mind because their dreams were shattered. Here we saw people being afflicted by mental torture more than physical beating. The Old home provides shelter, moral support and food for these people.

One woman always keeps a bowl of rice in front of her because her children never gave her food while another keeps shouting her children's name because they left her there. Some of them became somewhat selfish and agitated due to mental distress. Some of them are quite educated but they have been stripped from the title their family property. We provided them with clothes, but next time they wanted fruits. One man is running the whole organization. He assured that with time the organization would expand. Finally we left the old home wishing that they would finally find the peace they have been searching for.

We also paid a visit to the Uttara Orphanage. Living in this place are homeless yet intelligent and quick-witted children of all ages longing for shelter and also education. The children were simply delighted when we presented our clothes, gifts and donations to them. They all have hopes for a brighter future of Bangladesh where they too will have a special role to play. Everyone was astonished by their maturity, their dreams and their will to study. The charity club member left the premises wishing them all the success in the world.

The annual charity trip to different organizations is truly an exceptional experience for every one who participated in the tour. The students and teachers of Aga Khan would like to acknowledge the steps and initiatives that the Shishu Hospital, the Orphanage and the Old home took to help these unfortunate ones. We thank you.

By Munjeen and Taseen

Bangladesh International Tutorial (B.I.T.) becomes champion…

Every year the French International School of Dhaka organizes football tournament for kids, where international schools as well as two local schools participates.

This year the schools that participated were Bangladesh International Tutorial, Aga Khan, French International School Dhaka, American International School Dhaka, International School Dhaka, Grace School, Dreyfus House, Terre des Hommes, Street Children's Partners and British School.

Three teams from Bangladesh International Tutorial (B.I.T.) took part in the tournament. With honest supervision of the coaches Mr. Mainul Haque, Abul Kalam Azad, Md. Shafiqul Anam Isa and the manager of the team, myself (Zia Ashraf) made it possible for the two teams, the "Barracudas" and the "Ravens" to achieve the Championship in the tournament. The players must not be forgotten, it's all because of them that B.I.T. has won the tournament in French school.

The other team from B.I.T. became runners up and had Riasath Ali as the captain, Md. Khalid Haque, Rizwanur Rod, Reazur Rabbi, Shahrier Ibne Mozammel, Omare Moyeen, Ishan Manzur, Taisir Ahmed, Shamin Imtial Upal as the players.

By Zia Ashraf