Rising Star of the Weeek

The Ferrari Fella

Ask any red-blooded boy about his dreams, and you'll find a car somewhere in the picture…a fast, classy car like the Ferrari. How many boys, unless blessed by Providence can turn that dream into reality? Meet Nafiz, a 19-year old boy who literally made his dream into reality, by turning his car into a Ferrari.

"I was fond of cars since I was three years old. I used to sit by the window and happily gaze at the cars passing by" he tells the RS. The young man, learned to drive at a very early age, but went by the book and enrolled at a driving school at age seventeen, receiving his license at the proper age of eighteen. Still a car-freak, he was thrilled by anything on wheels, but showed a weak spot for big cars and the 'super' cars, as he calls them. "I like huge cars because when I am driving it I can feel the power or force of the engine and about super cars (if I ever drive any) I'm sure I will enjoy the luxuries and the speed of the car." Then one day, he decided to quit wasting his time coveting the glossy models he saw in the car magazines he loves to read, and made up his mind to actually acquire the car of his dreams. While surfing through a web-site called www.kitcar.com, a web site about exotic replicas, the idea popped into his head: why not build a Replica right here in Bangladesh? "I always wanted to buy a Ferrari but it's impossible financially for me to buy one right now, so I thought this is the closest I could get to owning one."
So how did Nafiz go about building this dream car? A muse in the form of his talented cousin Lipu told him that it was possible to take a normal Japanese car and convert into a super-car. Trusting in the amazing work his cousin had done, Nafiz bought himself a Honda Prelude. While his Lipu bhai got to work on the body of the car, Nafiz took off to countries like England, Thailand and others to obtain the necessary parts.

The entire project took between six to seven months. The biggest problem the boys faced where with the length and the wheelbase, considering that the original Ferrari is a lot bigger than the Honda Prelude. Ultimately, though, the finished product came pretty close to the actual length. When he took his new car out on the road, the reaction he received was beyond his expectations. People literally stopped on the road to get a better look. When asked how he deals with the attention, Nafiz laughs modestly and says, "I'm still trying to find a way to do that. If you know how, please let me know."

Other than his cousin Lipu, Nafiz is grateful to his family for their support. "I couldn't have done it with out them. In fact whenever I was down and thought this wouldn't work my parents always encouraged me. My dad even got me the all the original logos from England."

So what are our Rising Star's plans for the future? To become a better person, successful enough in life to be able to afford a real Ferrari and other super cars. Right now, he's just started his first year at the North South University (NSU), and when he's not 'driving' people crazy with envy, he listens to music, collects car magazines, and maintains an interest in the martial arts, learning kyokshon. To the readers of the RS, he says "If you have dreams, don't just sit around doing nothing. Try to achieve them, or at least try to get as close as it as you possibly can." Well, take a good look at the beautiful machine he created. Isn't it incentive enough to follow his advice?

By Tashmia Zaman

True story

Four friends… one trip…
One disastrous car crash

The following is a true story, yet more horrifying than any fiction. This is reality and this is the state our beloved country is in.

Four friends… one trip… one disastrous car crash. Three lives taken away in a sweep and a sea of tears will not bring them back now.

Niaz, Dip, Sameer and Shohag set out for the long trip to Mymensingh at around noon on the 8th May 2004. Dip decided to sit up front with the chauffer, while Sameer, Shohag and Niaz took their seats at the back. They were on the Tangail-Mirzapur highway when a Dhaka-bound bus coming from the opposite direction had a brake failure, lost control and hit the white Sprinter. The engine of the car was smashed and pushed into the area where the people at the front were sitting. The impact sent the car skidding across the road until it came to rest at the side as a pile of unrecognizable metal. It was all over within seconds and there lay five unconscious men in a crumbled metal box.

Sameer's family was in another car going to Mymensingh and they managed to get Sameer out of the wrecked car and drove him to a private hospital in Dhaka. The local people informed the police but did not get any immediate response. Some individuals managed to get critically injured Niaz and Sameer to a nearby hospital. Dip and the chauffer were almost lost within the crumbled metal and the local people presumed them dead. The police, however, decided not to get involved in the case so far. The families of the people back in Dhaka were informed and their first reaction was to inform the thana under which the accident took place. The police refused to get involved and still decided that their time was too precious for such an incident.

In this country of who-knows-whom, a phone call from a political leader finally got the police moving. They visited the site and managed to cut open the car frame. The chauffeur's body was mingled with the metal and had to be cut to get it out. Dip, on the other hand, was presumed to be dead and was left in a police petrol car in front of the thana with the chauffeur's dead body, wrapped in nothing but a dirty cloth. Dip's father reached the thana five hours after the accident had taken place and found his son unattended in front of the thana, still alive. Dip's father rushed him to Tongi hospital but it was too late, as Dip passed away en route.

Doctors at Mirzapur Kumudini hospital, in the meantime, were treating Niaz and Shohag. The hospital was not equipped for such serious emergency cases and could not provide proper service. When Niaz's family was contacted, they were asked to bring an ambulance and oxygen tank with them. The desperate family did as they were told and set out for Mirzapur. By the time they reached the hospital, Niaz had succumbed to his injuries. Niaz did come back in the ambulance, only the oxygen mask was not used.

Niaz was only 18 years old and was supposed to sit for his O'levels this May. He had big plans of going abroad after his exams.

Dip was 20 years old and was in his second semester doing his BBA in NSU. The two boys were inseparable friends and had many things in common. Both were the only sons of their parents with one elder sister. Both of their fathers were doctors and had graduated from the same medical college. And what is more amazing is that both of their fathers have the same first name. Both Niaz and Dip were excellent pool players and were famous in their crowd for their generosity. The same car crash took them away.

It can be said without much hesitation that this story will be lost amidst the thousand other stories of the kind because we Bangladeshis have a tendency not to be bothered with something that does not concern us directly. Nevertheless the purpose of printing this article was to highlight the negligence of the concerned authorities regarding this incident.

By klub28

Book review

Greeks and Trojans

After the release of Wolfgang Peterson's epic movie 'Troy',
people are getting interested in the battle of the Greeks and Trojans, one of the most ancient event in human civilization. This battle is also the plot of one of the greatest work of literature, 'The Iliad', written by Homer. The war between the Greeks and the Trojans completely destroyed the city of Troy. It is not only a history, but also a part of the ancient Greek mythology.

Rex Warner, a prolific English poet and novelist, describes the heroic battle of Troy in his historical novel 'Greeks and Trojans'. Loosely based on Homer's 'The Iliad', this well-written book deals with every aspect of the Trojan war the great warriors, the beautiful city of Troy and its destruction, the mortal men who fought the war and the immortal gods who not only start the feud, but also manipulated it in many ways.

The book starts with the birth of Paris, a son of the Trojan king Priam. Once, Paris judged Aphrodite, the goddess of love, the most beautiful goddess, which made the other goddesses, Hera and Athena angry. Paris was allured by Aphrodeti that he will get Helen, the most beautiful mortal-woman and wife of the Greek king Menelaus. Thus the realm of Troy was brought to destruction. Paris went to Greece and brought Helen to Troy. The Greeks, enraged by this incident, gathered to fight the Trojans and bring Helen back to Greece. Many great warriors such as Achilles, Agamemnon, Odyseus, Petroclus, Nestor, Antilocus, Diamedes, Ajax, and Teucar joined forces and attacked Troy. Thus began the ten-year long ferocious battle between the Greeks and the Trojans. The people of Troy, led by Hector, defended the city for many years. But after death of Hector in a duel with Achilles, their last hope of survival was demolished. The Greeks entered the city inside the wooden Trojan-horse, defeated the Trojans and destroyed Troy.

The book takes us to the ancient times and tells us both the history and myth. Ranging from the treachery of the gods and the brave fight of Achilles and Hector, the whole battlefield comes to life. Rex Warner's descriptive writing allows the readers to be present in every event in the war. Moreover, the book provides a good overview about Homer's masterpiece 'The Iliad'. It is a must read for those who find interest in myths and legends. This blend of both history and mythology makes it a very enjoyable book to everyone.

By Cracker Jack