Volume III, Issue VI
22nd May, 2019
Summer XlX
ICBM 2019 – Building a bridge between Academia and Industry
Sagarika Shahriar, Subyeta Sarwar Journalists
Faisal Bin Iqbal News Editor
With a total of 260 paper submissions and over 300 participants, including 40 delegates from overseas, , Brac Business School (BBS), Brac University successfully organised the 2nd International Conference on Business & Management (ICBM) from the 25th to the 27th of April, 2019 at The Westin, Dhaka. This year’s theme, “Industry Focused Global Research Trend In Business and Management,” discussed the effects of globalization on the business world and its integration into the education sector with academics and renowned industrialists from our country and abroad. Day 1 - PhD colloquium and paper producing workshop The PhD colloquium and paper producing workshop was the main focus of the day, and was started off by the Dean of BBS Professor Dr Mohammad Mahboob Rahman, Associate Professor at BBS Dr Md Mamun Habib, and Professor Dr Tzong-Ru Lee from National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan. Dr Rahman claimed that the workshop was an outstanding opportunity for young students who are going to start their doctoral studies. Dr Lee and Dr Mamun shared their personal experiences and provided a useful framework for academic paper writing, starting from how to find a topic to the infrastructure and methodology of a well structured paper. Day 2 ICBM 2019 was officially inaugurated with a short opening ceremony on the 26th of April at 9:30AM, in the presence of the honourable guests, distinguished speakers, faculty members, and participants. The ceremony had Professor Dr Vincent Chang, Vice-Chancellor of Brac University as the Special Guest, Mr M. Anis Ud Dowla, Chairman of ACI Group as the Guest of Honor, Professor Dr Mohammad Mahboob Rahman, Dean of BBS as the Session Chair, and Associate Professor Dr Md. Mamun Habib from BBS as the Program Chair. Dr Dipu Moni, Minister of Education, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was also supposed to grace the inauguration ceremony with her presence, but unfortunately had to cancel at the very last moment due to state related matters that needed her attention; the honourable minister sent her blessings and best wishes for the conference. The day was jam-packed with intriguing sessions including two keynote presentations and three parallel presentation sessions for the participants and some of the invited foreign academics. The keynote presentations were delivered by Professor Dr Tzong-Ru Lee, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed from BBS, along with industry talks from Mr M. Anis Ud Dowla, and Mr A. S. M. Mainuddin Monem, Deputy Managing Director, Abdul Monem Limited. The three parallel sessions saw presentations from the participants and some of the invited guests on various topics, including finance & banking, economics, marketing, technology management, human resource management and so on. The highlight of the day, however, was the Academia-Industry discussion session which brought academics from home and abroad as well as some of the most renowned business personalities and industrialists of our country, including top level representatives from ACI Group, BRAC Bank Ltd, IPDC Finance, RUNNER Automobiles, Abdul Monem Ltd, bKash, Mutual Trust Bank Ltd, A.H. Khan & Co. and The Westin, Dhaka. The session was moderated by Dr Rahman as the two groups discussed the need for industry involvement in academia, as well as academic involvement in industry. Day 3 The final day also featured two keynote presentations and three parallel sessions. Keynote and industry-related presentations were delivered by Professor Dr Hui-Ming Wee, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan, Mr Hafizur Rahman Khan, Chairman, Runner Automobiles Limited, Professor Dr Mirza Azizul Islam, BBS, Mr Mominul Islam, Managing Director & CEO, IPDC Finance Limited, Mr Anis A. Khan, Managing Director & CEO, Mutual Trust Bank Limited, Professor Dr Akbar Ali Khan, BBS, and Mr Sanjeev Gathani, CEO, BBG, Singapore. One of the more unique sessions of the day was the “Meet the Editors” session. The speakers of this session were Professor Dr Hui-Ming Wee and Professor Dr TzongRu Lee, and the session was chaired by Dr Md. Mamun Habib, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of a Scopus Indexed Journal. The conference was brought to a close with the distribution of certificates for the top four papers of ICBM 2019. Mr. K M Khalid, MP, State Minister, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was the Chief Guest on the final day and handed out the certificates to the best authors and crests to the conference organising committee. Finally, Dr Habib closed the event with a vote of thanks to the event sponsors. ICBM 2019 was a huge success, because of the relentless efforts of its Conference Secretariat, organising committee and volunteers. The event also received tremendous support from several high-profiled sponsors, including: ACI Limited – Platinum Sponsor BRAC Bank, RUNNER Group, IPDC Finance and Abdul Monem LTD. – Gold Sponsors Mutual Trust Bank Ltd. And bKash – Silver Sponsors A.H. Khan & Co. and Better Business Governance (BBG), Singapore – Supporting Sponsors.
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22nd May, 2019
CAMPUS NEWS
BRIEFS
Brac University goes Green
Mourning the death of Fahmida Haque BRACU Express mourns the tragic demise of Fahmida Haque Labannya ( Junior, CSE) who lost her life in a road accident on the 25th of April. Fahmida, 21, was killed after falling off a motorcycle and being hit by a speeding covered van. The incident took place in front of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area around 11AM. The bike she was on was of the ride-sharing platform, Uber, which she had hired for her commute. The Daily Star reports that police arrested rider Sumon from Mohammadpur on April 26, and van driver Anisur Rahman from Ashulia the next day. Upon completing primary investigations, law enforcers have found that both the biker and the van driver were driving recklessly on that day,resulting in Fahmida’s tragic death. Brac University stands together with her loved ones and hopes that the guilty are brought to justice. Public Speaking Competition 2019 The grand finale of the “Public Speaking Competition 2019” was held at the Brac University Auditorium on April 8th. Organised by the Brac University Communication and Language Club (BUCLC), the competition focuses on developing students as exemplary speakers and leaders, with the ability to portray their ideas in public. The journey began with the auditions, where 34 participants were selected for the second round, out of a total of 135. Among 10 brilliant speakers who competed in the final round, Shahniz Chowdhury, Saraf Akhond and Taiyeba Abedin Wafa were chosen as the winner, first and second runners up respectively.
These streets have never looked cleaner
Farhin Husain Journalist BRAC University Community Service Club (BUCSC) took the initiative of cleaning up the streets in and around the Mohakhali campus, on April 3rd. The event started with the setting up of about 25 trash cans, generously provided by the event partners, Gazi Group of Industries, around the academic buildings of Brac University. The event titled, “Go Green, Help Clean” gathered about 55 organisers and 38 student volunteers in total. The event kicked off at about 11am, when all the students could be seen with brooms in their hands, wearing masks and gloves, prepared to go all in. The cleaning went on until 3pm, and members of the club could be seen with posters in their hands, apologising for causing any disturbance, while others handed out flyers to help spread awareness. At the end of the event, the streets were visibly cleaner and people had already started to use the bins. Littering has been a prevalent problem for a while now, especially on the streets around our campus, where there were little to no garbage bins available. This was a very beneficial initiative for everyone at Brac University. BRACU Express is proud to have been a part of this wonderful event as the media partner. Eveneer was the social media partner for the event.
ICEPE 2019 - Power for Progress
Young Talent on the Rise Tasnuva Orin (Senior,ENH) received Prothom Alo’s “Jibonanada Das Pandulipi” award for her first manuscript named “Trikaldarsi Belpata” containing a collection of 52 poems. Clinton B. Selly (author of “The Poet Apart: A Literary Biography of the Bengali Poet Jibanananda Das, 1899-1954”) and Prothom Alo jointly give this award to young and aspiring writers. Tasnuva sent her manuscript to the publication company out of curiosity, and to take a shot at being a writer. Her hard work paid off when she was announced the winner of the prestigious award. Hopefully, Tasnuva’s story will inspire many young writers to send their work to publishers. While not everyone will be as lucky as Tasnuva to receive an award, the experience would surely provide them with the wisdom and determination they need to try and find a place in the world as a writer.
Prof. Saifur addressing the audience at ICEPE 2019
Maisha Farzana Journalist Spanning over 3 days from 14-16 March, the International Conference on Energy and Power Engineering (ICEPE 2019) was held at BRAC CDM in Savar with the theme “Power for Progress,” to provide a stage for leading researchers, scientists and engineers in the fields of power and energy engineering. The conference, organised for the first time by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), was sponsored by IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES). The conference was inaugurated by the chief guest, Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bir Bikram and energy Advisor to the Prime Minister. He spoke on how the
growth of energy in Bangladesh has been of immense significance over the last 10 years, as the number of people with access to electricity has jumped from 45% to 90%. Dr Tawfiq also shared his hopes for greater collaboration with IEEE Power and Energy Society and others for finding solutions to problems in the power sector. Professor Shahidul Islam Khan, Chairperson, EEE, Brac University, gave the welcome speech. Professor Vincent Chang, Vice Chancellor BracU, stated that energy was playing a critical role in the economic development of Bangladesh, and that historically technologies related to energy have propelled development. He also mentioned that Dhaka is “a growing city of transformation,” and hopefully in the next 5 years the city will develop by quite a few notches. Professor Saifur Rahman, President of IEEE Power and Energy Society, Bangladesh, informed everyone that there have been 3 million downloads of papers out of the 5 million in the IEEE Power and Energy Society database. He also said that an Energy, Power and Research Center has been set up by IEEE Power and Energy Society that encourages government and top officials to utilise the ongoing economic growth for making a better future. 36 papers were presented at ICEPE 2019. Students with the three best papers and two projects were honoured with certificates recognizing their achievements. Panel sessions and talks on topics related to power and energy were held by renowned professors, experts and academics from various countries, including USA, UK, China, India, Australia and Bangladesh.
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22nd May, 2019
OPINION & ACADEMICS
Round-table discussion among pharmacists
The roundtable discussion at GDLN center
Shahad Muktadir Journalist On March 21st, the Department of Pharmacy, Brac University, hosted a round-table discussion as part of its continuing seminar series on “How to Prepare Competent, Future-Ready Pharmacy Graduates” at the GDLN center. The session revolved around the topic “Importance of Future Readiness in Employability.” Distinguished members of the Bangladeshi pharmaceutical industry as well as faculty and students of the BracU Pharmacy department participated in the discussion. Dr Riad Mamun Prodhani, Managing Director & Country President of Novartis (Bangladesh) Limited, Mahbubul Karim, COO of Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Jahangir Hyder, Head of Business Development of The ACME Laboratories Ltd, and SK Abdul Gani, Head of Patient Access & KAM of Novartis (Bangladesh) Ltd were some of the esteemed guests who contributed to the discussion. The session was inaugurated by Professor Dr. Eva Rahman Kabir, Chairperson of the Department of Pharmacy, BracU. She also forwarded a message from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Vincent Chang, who expressed his appreciation to all the guests and hoped the discussion would be constructive. The speakers at the session acknowledged the role of pharmacists in the continued success of the pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh and motivated new and to-be graduates to be ethical and to maintain personal and professional integrity.
The melancholic millennial Syeda Tasnim Islam Journalist Let’s talk about 90s babies- no, not the obviously awesome parts of being born in probably one of the best decades, but rather how 90s kids are dealing with being 2019’s adults. Being an adult is confusing for the most part; it’s like a second, more awkward, more intense, and overall confusing kick of puberty - because this time, you are hit with the stress of succeeding academically, being employed, having a stable family and social life, all the while documenting all of it on Instagram. To sum it up, being in your 20s is like dealing with the “elakar boro bhai” of puberty- his name is Rocky and he is here to get you. Growing up can be best described by the classic “Expectations Vs. Reality” phenomenon. We could not wait to be adults and have exciting experiences, but it is only when we finally became an adult that we realized that “exciting experiences” also cost a lot of money and time- both of which, we do not have. We got thrown head-first into adulthood while not really knowing how emotionally and mentally draining it can be. It is a constant battle of climbing to the top, without the parameters of “bottom to top” being defined. Life has become one big chase, and we do not even know what we are chasing. In the midst of the busy schedules of our lives, it gets increasingly difficult to look after, and perhaps be kinder to ourselves in general. The stress of juggling academics and our own personal lives is not an effortless task. However, we must remember to take care of the most important person in our lives- our own self. It does not have to be grand; self-care can be approached through easy and small acts. Simple things like making sure to stay hydrated, having a good sleeping schedule, not creating unnecessary pressure on ourselves by letting deadlines build up can work wonders in making our lives easier. The world can be incredibly unkind to us at times, but it’s high time we realize we do not have to keep on adding to it as well. There is always someone we can talk to whether it be a friend or a professional counsellor. Help, in most, cases, if required, is just a call away.
The art of scientific writing Hiya Islam Journalist IEEE BracU Student Branch organized a seminar termed, "Publishing a Paper: The Art of Scientific Paper Writing" on 24th March, 2019. The seminar witnessed a packed audience at the Indoor Games Room of University Building 06 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. The seminar was open for all students to attend. It was designed with the purpose of helping students, primarily STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students, write the perfect research paper for their thesis. The thesis is said to be the highlight of a student's degree and most of the senior year cohort face quite a challenge in trying to figure out how to write a decent paper. The central elements covered included the process of writing an original paper and the path to getting it published successfully. Having published papers in reputed journals under the belt is of utmost importance if one is to pursue the life of an academic. The seminar hence focused on each and every aspect of writing a paper; from crafting the title of the paper to adding data to concluding the findings, the seminar had it all covered. The key speaker was Professor Md. Mossadequr Rahman of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) , who has written and published over 120 papers. He has completed his Bachelor's from Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (BUET) and his post-graduation and honorary PhD from Nagoya University in Japan. Professor Shahidul Islam Khan, honorable chairperson of the Department of EEE also joined the seminar briefly. The IEEE Student branch of Brac University hopes to host more insightful seminars of a similar nature that will undoubtedly benefit students in every field of study.
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22nd May, 2019
SPECIAL FEATURE
The Fire Hazard Kashfia Hassan Journalists Only five months into 2019, and the number of deaths in this city solely from fire is frightening. Digging into the records and inspections of these fire outbreaks reveal that a staggering 3,772 establishments out of 3,855 inspected buildings in the city are at risk of fire hazards. The first reported incident this year was the devastating fire at Chawkbazaar on February 20th. It had a death toll of 70. This was closely followed by more incidents on March 2nd: once again in Chawkbazaar and another in a slum in the Tejgaon industrial area. Three days later, another fire broke out in Nawabpor, Old Dhaka, which was followed by another breakout in Nakhalpara. The series of unfortunate events for the month was concluded by the traumatic FR Tower tragedy on March 28th, which resulted in the loss of 26 lives. Although we are no stranger to these incidents that dominated the front pages of newspapers and filled up our newsfeeds, little do we know that what seems like an unusually large number of fire-related incidents actually represents only a very small percentage of the real number: there is an average of 43 fire-related accidents every day, only one percent of which is covered by the media. These incidents led the city authorities, along with the fire service, to crack down on establishments with no or insufficient fire safety measures. These establishments include shopping malls, offices, banks, educational institutes and shockingly, hospitals as well. Even though the fire service and city safety authorities are doing their jobs, it is difficult to get the owners of these establishments to hold up their end of the bargain. AKM Shakil Newaz, the Fire Service Director, stated, “We carried out the surveys in 2017 and gave them two warnings, but they did not give any importance to it.” Debashish Bardhan, Deputy Director of Fire Service added “We told the institutions to ramp up their fire security, but they paid no heed to our warnings.” In order to ensure that the owners of the buildings make the necessary changes, cases will be filed against the owners in the future if necessary. Most of the inspected buildings lack basic firefighting equipment, and even when they are present, they are usually manual fire alarm systems rather than automatic ones, which makes it difficult for the news of the fire to spread throughout the building, placing everyone at risk. In the rare case that there are fire exits available, the doors are almost always locked, which is pretty much the same as not having them. There is also an absence of automatic sprinkler systems in most of them. It is high time that these buildings are redesigned, with fire exits, alarms and extinguishers on every floor. Considering the staggering statistics of such occurrences, it is also important for the fire service to increase their manpower and resources. Besides a lack of resources, lack of knowledge and training are other major issues in this city. Most of the city dwellers do not know how to use a fire extinguisher or even how to save themselves from injury. Many are unaware that deaths from smoke inhalation are more common than deaths from the fire itself. This became obvious as people took desperate measures to save themselves by climbing off the ablaze FR Tower on the 28th of March.
What can you do? In order to bring about any changes to this situation, workshops and fire drills need to be conducted in all major establishments. Employees need to be trained and be familiarised with the dos and don’ts. We all need to change our attitudes instead of simply holding the authorities accountable and moving on. We need to participate in the fire drills and workshops seriously when they are held. Small steps such as reading the fire safety signs plastered outside your classroom walls and noticing where the fire exits are located will make a big difference. In case the owners of an establishment are refusing to cooperate, employees and students must take matters into their own hands. An anonymous tip to the Fire Service authorities will ensure that the owners are kept under surveillance. Keeping the following points in mind will also help you survive in case of a fire emergency: ● This point is said too much, however it is rarely implemented in such cases - remain calm and do not act rashly ● Activate the fire alarm to notify those around you of the fire ● Cover your mouth, preferably with a wet cloth, to prevent smoke inhalation ● Do not stay in a closed room or bathrooms as smoke can enter the room and lead to smoke inhalation ● However, if you are trapped in a room with nowhere to go, place wet cloths under the door to stop smoke from entering the room till you wait for help ● Before entering a room, feel the door - a hot door or door knob indicates that the room is on fire ● Standing up during a fire increases risk of smoke inhalation ● Use the stairs instead of elevators ● If your clothes catch fire, drop down and roll on the floor to put it out ● Avoid jumping out of windows - stay calm and wait for help to reach you ● In case of a cooking fire, do not use water to put it out - use a lid to smother it or an extinguisher specific for putting out cooking fires.
BRACU Express | 5
22nd May, 2019
SPECIAL FEATURE
Towards Safer Roads Syeda Tasnim Islam Journalist The issue of road safety in Bangladesh has always been a topic of concern. The prospect of never returning home every time we step out, is not something one should expect, neither consider. Lives and futures destroyed just in the span of seconds because of reckless driving and poor traffic regulations has become a common occurrence. According to the estimation of the World Health Organization, there were around 21,000 fatalities due to road accidents in Bangladesh in 2015 alone. In a recent article, The Daily Star reported that according to police investigations, the death toll in 2018 reached 2,635 people being killed in 2,609 road accidents. However, it is important to remember that these are only estimates, since a lot of accidents go unreported.
The road safety movement led by students in protest of reckless driving that killed two school students especially shone light on the issue. It goes without saying that the lack of road safety is the result of a broken and corrupted system, that cannot be dismantled until the government intervenes and actually makes changes on multiples levels to protect the citizens. The biggest issue right now remains the number of unlicensed, and untrained drivers that are allowed to be on the road, without any repercussion whatsoever. The lack of accountability in drivers has only lasted for so long because the poor traffic laws have enabled them so. In order to truly have a long-term and impactful change there needs to be a complete reformation in how traffic regulations are carried out in the country. The Secretary of Road Transport and Highway Division, Nazrul Islam, inaugurated the United Nations (UN) Global Road Safety Week on May 6th, which was observed country-wide until May 12th. This is a first for Bangladesh, with the theme being “Leadership for Road Safety.” The main purpose of this initiative was to raise awareness about road safety and thus raise the public demand for safer and better roads. This was achieved through various educational institutions and NGOs participating and holding programs that educated people on the matter. Furthermore, there are more measures being taken to increase awareness and have discussions around the changes to be made. Dhaka Tribune and Democracy International recently organized a roundtable with the title “Road Safety in Bangladesh: Causes and Remedies,” in which various speakers discussed and spoke about the enforcement of strict traffic laws, providing adequate training, and emphasizing and checking the competency of drivers. The need and demand for road safety is unanimous - a point that speaker and Chief of Party for Democracy International made. She said, “Road Safety is not a political issue. Everyone wants safe roads. Following the massive student protest in August, we have conducted research across Bangladesh that showed road safety is on of the top priorities on voters’ minds.”
What can you do? Road safety works both ways. It is not only essential to be responsible drivers, but also responsible pedestrians. It is important that we, as individuals, acknowledge the steps we can take to have safer roads. Jaywalking through busy roads, not taking the sidewalk or the foot-over bridge despite having access to them is just few of the many examples of irresponsible behavior. Prioritising being faster over being safer is often the reason pedestrians get into accidents. While there may be solid reasons for a person to rush, the current state of the streets should be kept in mind by all travellers- those in cars and those on foot as well. Travelling safer and smarter should be a conscious effort that we all collectively strive towards making every time we are out on the road. It is important to always have awareness of our surroundings, and travel in a way that is not only safe for us, but also for the people around us on the road. In order to achieve this, it is important to keep in mind a few important and simple points the next time we go out: ● Obey traffic rules - do not drive on the wrong side of the road, or condone it regardless of how much of a rush you are in ● Be calm, yet alert at all times. Look out for approaching vehicles and wait for the correct signal to cross the road ● Use the sidewalk and do not crowd/walk in the middle of the street ● Do not let the stress of being in a hurry make you drive recklessly; maintain the speed limit ● Do not chase after a running bus or even get down from it until it is completely still and safe ● Do not use your phone on the road, as a driver or a pedestrian ● Carry an ID These steps may seem miniscule compared to what is needed to bring about any substantial changes, but they are essential in maintaining individual safety. It is also important to not only live by these rules on our own but also to pass on the knowledge to the people around us, and make sure we all abide by them and create a safer environment for the entire community. Every little effort counts.
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22nd May, 2019
OFF CAMPUS &
BracU teams in Hult Prize 2019
Jahin Kaiissar Journalist In April 2019, three teams from BracU got the opportunity to attend the 2019 Hult Prize Southeast Asia Regional Summit, with Team “Elpida” in Shanghai, China, Team “Shobai” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Team “Pothorekha” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. All three teams reinvented youth entrepreneurship in Bangladesh in different ways. The On-Campus winner, Team Elpida, created their own social enterprise called Elpida, “training and connecting platform for youth to obtain the skills needed for jobs and business opportunities in the renewable energy sector.” Team leader Nafisa Faruque (Senior, ESS) added that winning the On-Campus round “was undoubtedly an exhilarating and surreal moment for all four of us after the enormous amount of effort and the countless sleepless nights we had invested on shaping and realizing our idea.” The team is currently working on their pilot project and trying to get through the Wildcard Round of Hult Prize 2019 to win a spot for the 3-month startup incubation at Ashridge, UK. Team Shobai created the Shobai Enterprise, “a Bangladesh based social enterprise providing rural female entrepreneurs to establish their microenterprises with the help of our product/service business.” Team leader Maisha Rafa Khan (Senior, BBS) shared that “HULT Prize is growing bigger day by day and is allowing more young entrepreneurs to come together and build a tribe and this is by far the greatest experience I ever had. It's a business competition but with a great cause, so why not?” Team Pothorekha created Pothorekha, a “Training and connecting platform that creates entrepreneurship and employment in the sustainable fashion industry.” According to team leader Lubaba Ferdous Alim (Senior, ESS), they focus on “trendy handcrafted footwear and accessories made from natural Bangladeshi fabrics such as khadi, jute, cotton, etc. and upcycled materials like used tyres and inner tubes.” Lubaba shared that “the event was an invaluable experience for us, where we connected and shared our idea with people from all over the world and received immense appreciation and support.”
Through Tahseen’s Eyes
Tahseen Nur infront of his wall art at Cheez
Afia Yeasmin Journalist Tahseen Nur (Senior, ECE) is an aspiring artist and a natural at his work who has never taken art lightly. He developed a passion for drawing and painting from a very young age and used it as an outlet to colors his thoughts. Through his teenage
years he has depended on art to give a tangible form to his feelings and emotions. The world of an artist lies beyond human sight and each one of Tahseen’s paintings defines intricate details of life that we tend to oversee. In the year 2015, Tahseen opened up a Facebook page under the name “Mr. Pencilist” and gradually built a large platform to share his work and display his versatile talents in sketching, painting, digital and wall art. His page shows different styles of art, ranging from astral art and pop art to acrylic paintings and much more. Often when Tahseen gets bored of the existing styles of art, he experiments with some and creates his very own masterpieces. Soon after the creation of the page, he got massive recognition from regular students, influential artists and people from the creative industries. Their critiques and compliments encouraged Tahseen to see art as more than just a passion. He started taking up commission work during his free time. Quite recently he did wall arts for two renowned restaurants- Cheez Banani, the famous cheesy pizza wings which you have probably seen on someone’s Instagram story if not at Cheez itself. His second work was for The Bhoj Company Dhaka, a Kolkata-based Bengali cuisine restaurant that has now opened branches throughout Dhaka. He covered over 15 feet of wall space with rustic views of Dhaka, painting rivers, bridges and the ways they coexist. Tahseen’s work as an artist is the result of what happens when creativity meets a hardworking and persistent soul. His upcoming works are in the making, and judging by his previous work, we can be sure that it will be a box full of surprises.
Flavour Tahia Tabassum Junior, CSE I am an addict. I can still remember the day I tasted my first delicious bite of heaven. To be honest, at first it was the smell that drew me in – rich and decadent, like all of Earth’s richest spices had been distilled into one heavenly smell. Trancelike, I drifted into the store. A waiter was by my side instantly. He guided me to a seat and waited patiently. “Madam,” he said uncertainly, after a minute of staring at me with a confused expression. “Would you like to order?” My mind felt muddled. Burger, steak, pizza, barbecue, pulao, pasta… no, no, no. What on Earth was that smell?? “I’d like… that smell,” I mumbled out. The waiter’s expression cleared. A sly smile clung to his lips as he gave a quick nod and went off to bring my order. Twenty minutes later, I saw the dish that would change my life forever. Billows of steam wafted off a bed of golden rice. Huge chunks of soft meat slowly fell from the bone. Golden potatoes lay majestically all over the dish. I almost fainted. From that day on, Kacchi became my reason to live. A day without its flavor sent me into tremors. I craved the smell constantly. Soon, the walls of my room became plastered with photos of biryani, beautiful enough to tempt even the strongest dieter. They call me a “food critic” now. Only I know what I really am. And now, so do you.
BRACU Express | 7
22nd May, 2019
SPORTS NEWS
Quarter-final heartbreak for BRAC University at Wings Uni Futsal Shaikat Majumder Journalist
Team Brac University at Wings Uni Futsal
The long awaited inter-university futsal tournament, Wings Uni Futsal, started on the 31st of March, 2019, at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Stadium in Mirpur. The opening ceremony took place with the presence of Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, State Minister, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Md. Mozibur Rahman (PS to the State Minister, Ministry of Youth and Sports), Dr Md. Jafar Uddin (Secretary in Charge, Ministry of Youth and Sports); Naima Chowdhury (Chairman, Datasys Limited) and Aminul Islam (Chairman, Media Committee, Bangladesh Football Federation) were also present as special guests. The tournament focused on bringing young football enthusiasts to the limelight. 32 university football teams from all over the country took part in this Futsal challenge. The five-day tournament was definitely a treat to the eyes as the teams fought for supremacy. 32 teams competed for a grand total prize money of BDT 500,000. Brac University was grouped with the Army Institute of Business Administration (AIBA), Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology (BAUET), and Southeast University in Group H. The end of the group stage saw Southeast University come out as champions in the group, with BracU becoming runners up. They were pitted against the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in the round of 16, comfortably breezing past them with a 2-0 victory, with both goals coming from Rayan Mahbub Chowdhury. Next came the quarter final matchup against North South University (NSU). BracU fought hard against NSU, but lost painstakingly in a penalty shootout. NSU went on to lift the Wings Uni Futsal trophy. Rayan Mahbub Chowdhury (BBS) was the top scorer from Brac University. Kazi Ibrahim Ahamed Mridul from North South University was named as the MVP. The tournament was organized by Wings Clear Lemon, in association with Hero Motorcycle. Supporting partners included Med Sef, Fantasy Kingdom, Data Seis, MAK Lubricants, Igloo Ice Cream, and Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort.
Rise of the Queens Hiya Islam Journalist BRAC University Chess Club (BUCHC) had successfully organized an allfemale intra- university chess tournament, “Rise of the Queens� at the BRAC University auditorium on 30th March, Saturday. The tournament was held from 10:30 to 4:00 PM and was open to all female students, staff and alumni. The response from the students was outstanding. In order to register, participants were required to pay a fee of only BDT 50. Registration booths were set up at Prangon and at the ground floor of University Building 06. The tournament was held over 5 rounds following the standard international rules and regulations. Each player was allotted 10 minutes with a 10 second increment per move. Winners were awarded with crests and all players were given certificates of participation. The title of champion was won by Tabassum Sadia Shahjahan (Department of Computer Science and Engineering). The first, second and third runnersup were Suzana Islam (Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences), Rifah Nanziba Ibnat (Department of Computer Science and Engineering) and Noshita Nowrin (alumni) respectively. Noshita Nowrin is a former member of the chess club, and also the winning champion of the first season in 2017.
From the left - Noshita Nowrin (3rd runner up), Tabassum Sadia Shahjahan (champion), Suzana Islam(1st runner up) and Rifah Nanziba Ibnat (2nd runner up)
Despite the event being a great success, BUCHC is looking forward to having more female players in the future. The club is striving to make chess more popular among the student community and hopes that competitions and tournaments such as this will motivate the students. To achieve their mission, the club has been actively involved in projects like the BRAC School Chess Project. Here, underprivileged students in various primary schools of Bangladesh are taught lessons on chess and encouraged to play. The club also provides weekly practice sessions for the players at Prangon from 2:00 to 5:00 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays. However, any student is welcome to join the game. Often, the honorable Grand Master, Niaz Murshed takes classes on the game to improve the skills and moves of players. Earlier this semester, the club had organized a similar tournament, Intra-University Chess Tournament on 15th February. This event was open for all students of the university.
8 | BRACU Express
22nd May, 2019
ENTERTAINMENT Executive Panel Editor-in-Chief -Subah Shaheen Managing Editor - Roshni Shamim Creative Head - Md Rezwanur Rahman Administrative Director - Saadman Saif Web Media Manager - Tashfia Zaman
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Maisha Farzana Journalist Packed with hype, enthusiasm and lots of action, Marvel’s first female-led superhero film needs no introduction. Based on the Marvel Comics character Carol Danvers, the film follows the journey of the main lead from struggling with her scattered past to becoming Captain Marvel. Accompanied by a younger Nick Fury, the story takes place in a simpler 1995 world when ‘aliens’ were still considered fiction on Earth and pagers were cool. However, do not let the flashy, entertaining, buddy cop film fool you. Captain Marvel, in its deepest core, highlights the empowerment, strength and determination women are capable of while still battling their own vulnerabilities. Although the movie takes a little time to pick up pace, the rest is an adrenaline rush enjoyable to the last post-credits scene. Even if the CGI is subpar, this movie is a definite must watch before Endgame.
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