The week in re(ar)view

Luxury cars sit idle
Luxury cars are now no longer the sign of luxury. They have become the sign of corruption. Cars that have cool ornament/emblems on the hoods like the three pointed star for Mercedes or the Jaguar should change. The new hood ornaments needs to be a big sack of money.

Former ministers and lawmakers of BNP are trying to hide their cars. Too bad. These cars are now kept in possession of the owners' acquaintances or on display at showrooms, and trying to sell them at low prices. Wonder if anyone is willing to sell a sports car for under 1 lakh.

Teachers' double
You've heard of people giving proxy exams for other students. A school in Rangpur Sadar union where students say their teachers are absent. That's all good where students can get a free day but poor kids say that some people 'hired' by the appointed teachers sometimes come to the school and take classes. Now that's taking 'faakibaaji' to a whole new level. Wonder what the kids will learn.

Fake army on the prowl
We have fake food, fake money and now fake army. Apparently fake army men blackmail unwary people or different organisations using the name of the army. Such people, impersonating as members of the army or officers and even attired in fake army uniforms, have already been caught at some places in the country. Maybe the people should beat up any person who comes to them demanding money real, fake, in-law or otherwise.

Our anger and disappointment is a very serious issue. You see, these fake army men are simply following on the heels of the fake RAB scheme. Copycats! Isn't there any originality in crime? What is the underworld coming to?

There's something fishy in your dinner
Apparently 80,000kg formalin fish enter country every day. What's a formalin fish? These are dead fish preserved through wonders of science using chemicals not really good for your digestive system or heart or liver or blood vessels or , well, you get the message.

So you ask fish are dead when you eat them anyway, right? Well, fish are not supposed to die one fie day while they are swimming around. That means something is wrong and that is the type that comes in. And not only that but these fishes stay dead for days before you eat them.

By Gokhra and Mood Dude

Project D Youth, Bangladesh's very own answer to 'Apprentice' ended its first season on February 27, when it crowned team Lobdhi, the winner at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Project Bangladesh came up with the concept behind this unique competition and then they approached the only youth brand in BD, Djuice to help them out. This contest required teams of students to come up with unique business proposals that would weld business and community service together. We had the chance to talk to some of the team captains from the top 20. When we asked them, if being a part of PDY has made them more responsible towards the society and helped them gain more knowledge about business, they had these to say:

Tahera (Lobdhi): Definitely we are more responsible right now and this taught us to be more competitive because business is all about competition. Furthermore it has helped us be more confident and it is like a proof to us that we would be successful if we really try.

Sharif (Rapid Soul Movement): On this platform I got to meet great business students and I can say that they are the greatest business minds of our country. Being able to work with them was all the knowledge that I needed.

Moin (MAAS): PDY has definitely improved my entrepreneurship skills and it has enhanced my community service skills too. It taught me to think like a businessman. I feel like I could do well in business in the future.

At this time we let them play god and asked them what they would have liked to do differently if they were the organizer.

Javed: If I was the organizer, I would've eliminated one team at a time.

Sharif: I'd have definitely kept more of community service challenges, but I understand that it's a business competition.

Tahera: I think I'd have tried to really motivate all the competitors up at the start.

Moin: The organizers were innovative. It pushed the lazy youth to do something for the general public.

And lastly we asked them if they loved or hated the competition and Tahera replied, “Oh my god! There's no question about it. We LOOOVED it!”

On November, 2006 this competition started off literally with a bang when it received 773 applications. After talking to these bright eyed hard working students ranging from high school to college, we do believe that you do not have to be Angelina Jolie to do something good for your community. Be a business man!

By Hitoishi Chakma and Faria Sanjana

One event, many views. What is the youth of the country thinking? This is the one platform where the young generation can get their opinions heard.

This week, we went around asking them “What do you think about shopping malls closing down by 7pm?'

Sarah: Teenagers like us will face difficulties since we hardly get time from school and private tuition and cannot shop before it's late; however, the initiative is good.

Abora: It's good for shopkeepers who can now go home, spend quality time with their families and actually enjoy a personal life. However, full-time workers will face problems since they cannot spare any time during the day and when they can spare time at night, the shops are going to be closed already.

Lamia: I support this initiative because, firstly, it will stop the crazy trend of late-night 'shopping till you drop' and secondly because our supply of electricity is less; so if this is a way to deal with the problem which will benefit the country, then why not?

Ferdousi: Look around. Do the shops stay closed? Most of them are open now; way past 7 pm. The shopkeepers only followed the rule on the first day.

Tawhid: It's not a bad idea. If it's temporary then I don't mind. It's the best idea until the electricity problem is settled. Bangladesh is not equipped to face this problem all of a sudden.

Mehraj: If it solves the electricity problem then I don't mind. But it's a horrible idea if the government makes this a long-term thing.

Zasir: I want this to be permanent because we are concerned citizens of Bangladesh and this idea would be good for the country.

Rumana: I think it's a good idea because the roads are jam-free.

By Shehtaz and Anika

(1) You take the liberty of taping and gluing every Tk 2 note that you can get your hands on.

(2) To trick others, you keep the gaping manhole in your neighbourhood covered with a rag so that you can have a good laugh when someone steps on it.

(3) You cross roads just a the last moment, when a truck, bus or any other vehicle known to man is only meters away from you.

(4) You don't clutch your nose when you're passing a dust-bin, overloaded with rubbish.

(5) Instead of calling your friends, you give them miss calls at the middle of the night. Or, if you call your chums after midnight when the rate is low just to say: "See you tomorrow at the Chemistry class!"

(6) You've the habbit of making gurgling noises from your throat, and spitting on pedestrian's feet when you are taking a walk.

(7) When you suspect the bearded chap sitting beside you on the bus as a member of the JMB.

(8) When you take your loved one(Ahem!) to Dhanmondi lake instead of Star Cineplex and treat her to "jhall-muri" instead of burgers

(9) When you are in rickshaw, you say "Dhaha thaika gari bondo koira deon dorhar!" And when you are in a car, you say "Jesus! These ghastly form of transport should be banned from the Capital!"

(10) When you ask your hawker to give the Daily Star only on Thursdays, so that you get the Rising Stars for free!

By Redwan I. Orittro

Those who are tired of not being able to find just the right university for themselves even after googling for hours every day had their break between 1st to the 3rd of March. During this period British Council arranged a 3 day long exhibition titled, “Education UK Exhibition 2007” at the Sheraton Hotel. A total of 28 universities/colleges based in the UK participated in this exhibition and in their stalls they had their representatives to answer all the questions that the Bangladeshi students had in their mind. These representatives were offering all the information regarding all the courses that these colleges offered, their fees, accommodation facilities around the campus, eligibility for applying etc. Students were also able to apply for enrolment in their chosen university from the respective stalls and many were even seen filing out application forms for financial aid.

There were also officials from the British High Commission present there who were ready to advise on the procedure of obtaining a student visa to the UK. They were giving away nicely detailed flyers on the 'do's and don'ts' of applying for a UK student visa from the 'UK Visas' stall.

The event was totally neat and upon entry I found myself with free handbag, notepad, pencil and the rest I forgot. Anyone intending to visit this exhibition next year, bear in mind that a nautical mile long queue will be there to greet you.

By Hitoishi Chakma