Volume IV, Issue IV
January, 2020
Spring XX
BUGMUN2020: “one of a kind MUN experience” General, BUGMUN2020. The speakers discussed the importance of teamwork and youth leadership in addressing and solving global issues.
Marzuq Mohammad Alam Journalist The fourth edition of the BRAC University Global Model United Nations 2020 (BUGMUN2020), the flagship event of IABC|BRAC University, was held between January 2nd and 6th at the Savar campus of Brac University with the theme, “United in the Search of Compounding Global Prosperity: Altruism in Practice.” BUGMUN, since its inception in 2014, has developed a reputation for being one of the finest Model United Nations (MUN) conferences in Bangladesh, offering a fully residential MUN experience with an equal priority towards committee sessions and social events.
The conference hosted around 250 national and international delegates who were divided into 12 committees consisting of UNSC, UNCSW, CCC, DISEC, UNHRC, UNHCR, WHO, WTO, SOCHUM, IP, NATO, and UNFCCC. Each committee was allocated a minimum of two agendas for discussion. Furthermore, an Executive Body (EB) of 16 members was formed to conduct the committee sessions while the Secretariat team ensured smooth proceedings. The conference witnessed competitive debates, late-night committee sessions, and real-time crisis simulations. Moreover, a live concert, bonfire, gala dinner, and several social events enabled the participants to rejuvenate themselves after their day-long diplomatic endeavours.
MUN conferences aim to provide a platform for its participants, addressed as ‘delegates’, and to enhance their skills in leadership, teamwork, and debate. This, coupled with the simulation of current The conference was concluded on the evening The Secretary General speaking at the opening ceremony world issues and crises, enables the participants to of day 4 with a closing and award-giving ceremony augment their critical thinking skills, diplomatic where the chief guests were Lady Syeda Sarwat skills, and international relations knowledge to collectively find solutions. Abed, Director of BIL; Professor Mohammad Mahboob Rahman, Acting Registrar, BUGMUN 2020 was inaugurated with an opening ceremony with the key BracU; and Dr. Md. Abdul Mohit, former director of NIMH. The delegation team speakers being Professor Mohammad Tamim, Pro-Vice Chancellor, BracU; Dilruba of BracU was successful in achieving the ‘Best Delegation’ award amongst all Haider, Programme Specialist, UN Women; and Jidni Mayukh Shachsa, Secretary other delegation teams.
FNF Bangladesh organises essay writing competition Ahsab Rahman Journalist Between August and September 2019, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) organised an essay writing competition where participants were assigned to write about “Individual Freedom as a Bangladeshi” within 2500 words. FNF is a BracU winners of FNF essay writing competition German liberal thinkPuja Sarkar and Israr Hasan tank that works to enhance the freedom of the individual, raise awareness regarding the rights of the minorities, and the development of democratic structures. Over the years, the foundation has spread its activity throughout South Asia, including Bangladesh. As a part of its activity in Bangladesh, FNF organised this essay competition to promote awareness regarding liberty and individual rights. The key objective of the competition was to provide a platform for everyone to share what it means to have individual freedom in Bangladesh. A total of 150 individuals took part in this competition, among which 20 were declared winners after a thorough evaluation by the expert judges. The winners were rewarded with Tk 10,000 in cash, a copy of the published book, and an invitation to an educational activity in Germany sponsored by the foundation. 2 students at Brac University took part in the competition and won. Israr Hasan (Senior, ESS) shared his thoughts regarding the competition by saying, “It helped me to hone my writing skills and to critically examine the nuances and paradoxes of everyday life. I am sure the experience will be beneficial for me in the long run.” Puja Sarkar ( Junior, ENH) also expressed how this competition helped her to open up about certain issues. She said, “It is rare to get a platform to be able to speak my mind. I think it was helpful for me as I feel like I at least told someone how I really feel about being so confined as an individual.”
Team Shurjomukhi wins Hult Prize Final 2020 Amal Chowdhury Journalist On December 14th, BRAC Business School organized the grand finale of the on-campus Hult Prize of Brac University at BRAC Centre Inn. 4 teams made it to this final round. Team Shurjomukhi Syed Afnan Hossain, Campus Director, commenced the grand finale with a welcome speech. Md Shamim Ahmed and Riyashad Ahmed, Hult Prize Coordinators from BRAC Business School, shared their experience and wished the competing teams good luck. The judging panel included Zara Mahbub, Country Director and CEO, KITC Ltd; Professor Mohammad Mahboob Rahman, Acting Registar, BracU; Dr. Sebastian Groh, Associate Professor, Brac Business School and Managing Director, SOLshare; Mustafizur Rahman Khan, Founder and CEO of Startup Dhaka and AZM Saifuddin, Managing Director, Paper Rhyme Advertising Ltd.
After the teams presented their ideas, the judges deliberated and announced Team Shurjomukhi the winner on the basis of a unanimous decision. Team Shurjomukhi, consisting of Rifa Tamanna (Senior, LL.B.), Aliya Fairuz ( Junior, BBS), Nayara Noor (Sophomore, MNS), and Salwa Rafi (Senior, CSE), earned their ticket to the Regional round of the Hult Prize with their start-up idea “Terra.” Their idea focused on tackling plastic pollution by producing biodegradable plastic out of seaweed, which could be used to replace conventional plastic sheets currently being used to wrap food. Team Quadfecta secured the position of the first runner up while Team Ignite became the second runner up followed by Team Axiom as the third runner up. The event concluded with a speech delivered by Professor Mohammad Mahboob Rahman, who thanked everyone for their efforts and congratulated the winners.
2 | BRACU Express
BRIEFS BracU receives 2019 Global Innovation Award Sadia Sultana The 2019 Global Innovation Award recognises institutions, administrators, and educators worldwide who demonstrate a passion for academic integrity. Hasina Afroz, Brac University librarian, received the award on behalf of the university. In 2014, BracU adopted the Turnitin application software. Since then, Hasina Afroz has been working tirelessly with the administration to implement the software in order to ensure good academic practice among students and faculty members. Moreover, the installation of the software allowed BracU to develop a comprehensive plagiarism policy and to establish an institutional repository for theses, dissertations, and publications.
International Workshop on CVIS 2019 Mahatajin Rumana Shuchi On December 26th, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems (CVIS) Research Lab of Brac University and IEEE BRACU Student Branch organised the International Workshop on CVIS 2019 (IWCVIS). The key focus of the workshop was to inform students about the emerging fields and sectors in CVIS, in addition to its rising influence in their lives. 3 keynote speakers gave a lecture during a session on emerging fields and sectors in CVIS. This was followed by a poster presentation segment and a panel session. Minhaz Us Salakeen Fahme, CEO of Battery Low Interactive, was a panelist of the panel discussion session. The workshop ended at 6 pm with a prize giving ceremony.
BracU at the Road Safety Champion Video Competition Anindita Bose From September 24th to December 17th, 2019, the World Bank, in collaboration with the United Nations, organised the World Bank-United Nations Road Safety Champion Video Competition. 2 teams from Brac University secured the Second and the Second Runner-Up position in the event, where participants were asked to create a short video on the topic, “What would you change to make the roads in Dhaka safer?”. The second Prize winners are Md.Fahmid-Ul-Alam Juboraj , Farnaz Fawad Hasan and Reshad Karim. The second Runnerups are Abrar Mahmud Chowdhury , Naweed Kabir and MD Fahad Wafiq.
January, 2020
CAMPUS NEWS
BracU’s first Bangla debate competition Nehrin Siddique Payel Journalist On January 17th, BRAC University Debate Club (BUDC) organised Brac Inter Club 1.0 at the Building 2 Indoor Auditorium. After the Massive success of BRAC Masters held in September, BUDC decided to focus on its Bangla wing for the very first time, hosting a one of a kind debate tournament. BRAC Inter Club 1.0 was first to host a Bangla Debate Tournament in British Parliamentary style (BP), a format of the debate not usually seen in the Bangla Debating Circuit. The tournament had 36 teams from all over Dhaka with a prestigious Core adjudication consisting of Sakib Bin Rashid, Adel Mostaque Ahmed, Tonmoy Ahammed, Nasir Uddin, Awfa Islam, Shihab Hasan Neyan, Riyad Hossain Khan and Shahreer Jamil Jishan. Fatema Hossen (LLB) was the convener of the event. This twoday event with relevant and curated motions managed to get a lot of attention. “BRAC managed to gather best teams of Bangla Circuit in this tournament, which made the tournament very competitive,” says Jubair Abdullah, the Tab Director for the Tournament. Despite tough competition, G.O.D-2 of Dhaka University, consisting of Sheikh Rafi Ahmed and AR Tanzil managed to get the champions trophy and the 6000 BDT prize money for the champions. G.O.D-1 of Dhaka University,
Bangla wing members of BUDC
consisting of Megh Mallar Bose and Amit Pramanit, managed to bag the Runners up the trophy with the 4000 BDT prize money. The Top 3 speakers also got 1200 BDT as prize money each. Md. Shamim Ahmed, Lecturer, BRAC Business School (BBS), was the chief guest of the event. The event was hosted by Aniruddha Chowdhury and Mesbah Uddin Hasib. BUDC wishes to host many more Bangla debate tournaments, and they have set a benchmark for the Circuit too.
Ushnota: a drive to aid the underprivileged Halima Hasin Tofa Journalist “What doesn’t spark joy in you may be the only hope for someone suffering this winter” - this quote was what motivated BUEC, along with the ESS department, to launch a campaign for the noble purpose of providing warmth, or Ushnota, which was the name of this initiative. They collected old or unused blankets, clothing items and money outside of UB04 from students, relatives, faculty and staff members from January 19th to 25th, and necessary steps were taken so as the donations reached people in need in areas like Rangpur by January 28th. BUEC took this admirable step towards sharing the warmth or Ushnota of love, and because they believe that a “simple act of kindness” can strengthen our bonds and bring out our power of empathy to battle this winter together. Thanks to the support and response from
Beneficiaries of Ushnota’s donation drive
everyone, they plan to organise similar campaigns every year, which will target not only the northern regions but also many other remote and affected areas.
BRACU Express | 3
January, 2020
OPINIONS & ACADEMICS
RS-52 students teach the underprivileged
Aysha Zaheen Journalist During RS-52, the last residential semester of 2019, the students took up an initiative to teach underprivileged school children. Whilst the majority of the underprivileged children of our country have access to free education, there is not much scope that could allow it to be effective. These kids are usually thwarted by familial poverty, inattentiveness in class due to lack of understanding, and constant fear of active class participation. The condition could be improved by being able to prevail a tutor at home or some coaching service. However, the choice for them is between education or one meal a day that keeps them alive. Thus, there remains no solution to these major problems that clearly obstruct these children’s right to proper education. This led to the students of RS-52 teaming up and initiating a teaching program for all the neighbouring underprivileged students who went to school from class 4 to class 10. The students took out two hours from their weekdays after the strenuous routine of classes and wholeheartedly taught the students the basics of English, Science, and Mathematics. The initiative has played a role in improving the students’ condition, as well as aiding them in becoming better communicators.
Fresh graduates claim the grey ribbon
Youth outreach program at RS 52
A love letter to Bottola
Jamiur Rahman Journalist Ever since Brac University started ranking around the top in local and international charts of best universities in Bangladesh, it has become a big dot in the radars of thousands of students who fail to secure a spot every year in the public universities and are looking for quality education. As a result, students come pouring into BracU every intake, every year. The first problem that comes along with more students is the need for more accommodation, most importantly, more faculties that are equally capable. The caliber of the faculties undoubtedly defines the quality of a university. In recent years BracU has come up with an innovative yet lazy solution to this problem. Fresh graduates of renowned universities with an exceptional academic record fancy the position of a faculty very highly, and apparently in the last few years the university is fancying them equally. With their strong grip on the curriculum of the university and high enthusiasm for teaching what they just finished studying, the fresh graduates are perfect on papers for the role. But the question remains - how well are they actually doing? The answer to this is not very clear, as good or bad completely depends on the perspective and philosophy of learning that a student holds. So, let’s lay out some commonly known traits about fresh graduates and try to distinguish between the good and bad. Firstly, the students who are super specific about their academic targets are always wary of new faculties as they often do not have the level of expertise that would enable a student to excel in their respective subjects. On the flipside, fresh graduates that become faculties are usually academicians. Therefore, they can provide students with easy to digest methods of study and techniques to pull off good grades without ripping their hair out before exams. Secondly, experienced teachers who hold PhDs or at least MSc’s in their respective fields tend to have a deeper perspective about their subject, which helps them to teach an idea from different angles to different disciples; fresh graduates, on the other hand, often fail to clarify the simplest of topics due to lack of teaching experience, as the best of students do not always make the best of teachers. Finally, faculties that are fresh graduates bring a youthful and more liberal approach to the concept of teaching, whereas the more experienced faculties are stricter and less interactive with students. From this we can conclude that fresh graduates contribute in achieving a contrast in the spectrum of faculties with respect to the variety of expertise. In the end however, it is just a matter of preference of the students.
A cup of comfort, away from home
Israr Hasan Journalist For many of us, each semester remains the last closing chapter to a storybook memory of being an undergraduate student here at BracU. The numerous ups and downs, stories of heartbreak and triumph, momentary victories and lasting losses all enmesh into molding us into better versions of ourselves. One of the places which lingers in my memory, between whole long-lasting stretches of constant ambivalence and anxiety of the looming uncertainty of numerous complexities of undergraduate life shifting from grades to tests to friendship, is a tiny place called Bottola. It remains a paragon of heartfelt reminiscence of my four long years here. Bottola to my understanding starts from the opposite side of Building 5 stretching beyond what we see. In fact, Bottola’s conspicuous whereabouts remains an imagination to many of us without any identifiable boundaries with numerous tongs set up in close proximity to one another, with others shifting places or shutting down. This tiny intimate area with changing demographics of students from undergraduate and graduate, who hover around mostly after dusk, has become hallowed ground. Friendships are nurtured, conversations are struck, and moments of solitude are sought after here. Interestingly, with all the noises and smells - saturated by the incense of cigarette smoke, cosmetics, coffee, cha, and everyone’s special delight of a plate of well spiced, balanced goat biryani - we along with our stories and memories are woven into this delightful place. Be it waiting for the lift in the newly opened buildings, spiking up a cigarette with some hot tea, or slavishly turning page after page for impending exam, Bottola remains a place of deep-seated comfort for many a student. In a university without a campus, this tiny strip of a road remains a gateway for many of us trying to eke out moments of cherished happiness in a bumpy road of multiple twists and turns as university life unfurls numerous challenges. For those with the benefit of photography, memories are embedded into pictures and for the majority lot of us; they linger into our mind as we go into the world of oblivion. For ex-students returning to BracU, Bottola will always serve as a place of warm memories and chills, a place to crack jokes and share laughs, a place of nostalgia.
4 | BRACU Express
January, 2020
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sir Fazle Hasan A Sadrina Afrin Mowna Journalist
January, 2020
SPECIAL FEATURE
BRACU Express | 5
Abed (1936-2019) Puja Sarkar Journalist
Illustration By: Saad Ahmed Baset
6 | BRACU Express
January, 2020
OFF CAMPUS
Down memory lane: a tale by Iqbal Hossain Sadman Hasan Journalist An individual driven by love of his work and whose passion for photography knows no bounds; so much so that in time he became a professional photographer and has bagged over fifteen awards in various photography contests over the last 4 years - Iqbal Hossain is a former graduate in Economics from BRAC University, and now serves as a Senior Photographer at the renowned photography firm, Memory Lane. BRACU Express recently got the chance to listen to the aspiring story he had to share with us all. be: Tell us a bit about how your journey at BracU began. Iqbal: I got enrolled at BracU in Summer 2015. I was initially enrolled in KUET for almost a year before I got in BRACU. My family wanted me to become an Engineer, but after having spent the better part of a year in KUET, I realised it just was not meant for me. I have always had my share of interests in the field of Economics; thus I made the call to pursue the subject of my interest here at BRACU. be: When exactly did you take up photography as a passion? Iqbal: I got my very own DSLR when I was in my second year of HSC. Back then, it was more like a hobby than a passion. I recognised my love for it once I got into university. At the end of my freshman year, I signed up for BRAC University Cultural Club (BUCuC ) as a photographer. It has been a journey to remember from there on out. be: How did you become a part of Memory Lane? Iqbal: Memory Lane sponsored an event organised by BUCuC back in 2017. That was the very first time I got to know about the firm itself along with its
Prokritir Bondhu: a green waste-collector
Nature’s Helpers all ready to go
Nairita Ahsan Faruqui Journalist Prokritir Bondhu, known as the car of nature, is an environmentfriendly waste-collecting vehicle introduced by the Narayanganj City Corporation on December 24, 2019 in an effort to upgrade the waste management system of the city. The vehicle was manufactured by the startup Trajectory Technology, under the ‘Startup Bangladesh’ programme initiated by the ICT division. Trajectory Technology was established by a group of university students with Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman as the team leader, who is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at BracU. This electric vehicle requires the use of a 60-volt battery to operate. It can travel at a maximum speed of 35 kilometers per hour and can also collect up to 800 kilograms of waste at a time. Following its environmentfriendly nature, the vehicle not only moves through narrow lanes, but also has an automated cover to prevent any stench from dispersing while it is in motion. Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman stated that the citizens may avail the services of the vehicle through “special calling bells” that will ring as the vehicle approaches in the particular areas. Furthermore, an Internetof-Things (IoT) based digital app is being developed which will allow the specific location of the vehicle to be traced. The city dwellers will be able to send in signals in order to hand over the waste to support the goal of a cleaner and greener Dhaka.
crew. Following the event, I got a proposal from a couple of founding members of Memory Lane to join the firm as a representative of BracU. be: Did joining a club help you find a platform in professional photography? Iqbal: Without a doubt. Clubbing certainly helped me reach a broader audience. Nothing teaches you like experience. I was fortunate to cover a lot of events through clubbing in my early days. The knowledge I acquired from all of them was priceless. be: What would you say to anyone who wants to take up photography as a profession? Iqbal: I think it is very important not to give up on Iqbal Hossain your dream. I had to face many push backs in my early days. The struggle was real as I had to face a lot of challenges. It is easy to get demotivated, give up and walk on a safe career path. However, pushing yourself out of your own comfort zone can be very rewarding, as I have found out in my short career.
Alluring hosts International Winter Art Festival’19
Shamin Ahmed at the exhibition’s prize giving ceremony
Shehreen Ferdous Journalist The International Winter Art Festival 2019 had kicked off at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy from December 28th to 30th. The carnival was hosted by Alluring Artwork, an online-based platform dedicated to showcase unique art works from independent artists around the globe. More than a 100 artists from 6 different countries gathered to portray their artworks in the event. BRAC University Art & Photography Society (BUAPS) took part as event partner. The exhibit’s goal was to demonstrate exclusive talents from all over the world and showcase extraordinary varieties of artworks including drawings, paintings, photobased artworks, calligraphy practices and many more. On its last day, a competition was organised, where 18 participating artists were awarded in 6 different categories. Chief Guest Hamiduzzaman Khan inaugurated the program and seemed very impressed stating, “Alluring Artwork has organised such a prestigious event within only ten days. I am impressed not only with their hard work but also with their motivation and dedication. I wish for their success and prosperity”. A few of BRACU’s faculty members were also present during the opening ceremony. Shorower Hossain Shakil, Alluring Artwork’s founding president, had later announced their donation of 20 percent of the total earnings from this exhibition to under-privileged children. Through this exhibition, Alluring Artwork hoped to inspire all the young and promising visionaries and artists. The organisation had also created the opportunity for artists to present their artworks directly to people and put it up for sale through their website (www.alluringartwork.com).
BRACU Express | 7
January, 2020
SPORTS NEWS Spring Badminton Tournament 2020: RS49 winning in style Sk.Shahiduzzaman Siam Journalist With winter comes the season of the most anticipated sport of the year: badminton. Keeping that in mind, some of the students of Brac University organised an underground badminton tournament called “RS Badminton Tournament 2020”, which took place RS49 wins Spring Badminton Tournament on January 24th at the Dhali Fitness Center. The stage was set for an amazing and exciting tournament. The format of the tournament was designed in order for each team to form from their respected RS batch. Each team will have to play upto 5 matches with their opponents which includes two singles, two doubles and a mixed doubles match. A total of 12 teams were divided into 4 groups from which the top 2 teams of the group made their way to the knockout stages. Many RS batches had more than one team, which clearly shows the abundance of badminton talents in BracU. In the quarterfinals, RS38 beat RS51 (Team A), while RS51 (Team B) lost to RS49. On the other hand, RS47 and RS48 defeated RS44 and RS43 respectively to qualify for the next round. In the semifinals, RS49 and RS48 faced off each other, with RS49 winning with a score of 3-1. In the other match, RS47 won against RS38 with a tally of 3-2, which turned out to be the most nerve-racking match of the tournament. The final ended with RS49 winning against RS47 with a score of 3-1, thus being adjudged the champion in this edition of the tournament. For their outstanding performance, Syed Imtiaz Javed (Spring ‘18) and Nishat Shama Promi (Spring ‘18) were awarded the best male player and the best female player of the tournament, respectively.
BUIGC hosts Intra-University Carrom and Table Tennis Tournament 2019 Tanvir Mahtab Journalist BRAC University Indoor Games Club (BUIGC) organized the IntraUniversity Carrom and Table Tennis Tournament 2019 from December 1st to 7th at the Indoor Games Room situated in UB6 of Brac University. The tournament was held to encourage students to participate The winners and runners-up pose together for a group photo in indoor sports and enrich their portfolio with co-curricular activities. The tournament will also help to scout players who have the potential to represent the university in future inter-university tournaments. A total of 56 students participated in the tournament. The categories included men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles. The tournament started off with the group stage from which 8 players proceeded towards the quarterfinals. The tournament ended on December 7th with both the semifinals and final match on that day. As the tournament came to a close, the most thrilling match everyone witnessed was the table tennis semifinal of the men’s doubles between Onez-Mashfiq and Shawon-Faisal. While Shawon and Faisal won the first two sets, Onez and Mashfiq bounced back and won the remaining sets to make their way to the finals. As the tournament ended, Tousif Snigdho (CSE) became the champion in the men’s singles, with Meraj Hasan Shawon (Law) being adjudged as the runnerup. In the men’s doubles table tennis, Onez Chowdhury (CSE) and Mashfiqul Islam Khan (EEE) clinched the title by beating Sowmitra Sharma (EEE) and Tousif Snigdho. In the mixed doubles, Meraj Hasan Shawon and Nazifa Tabassum(Law) were declared the champions while Sowmitra Sharma and Anu Prova Mandal (Architecture) came in as the runners-up. In the carrom segment, Abrar Salehin (CSE) and Tamim Hasan Turjo (EEE) were the champion and runner-up in the men’s singles, respectively. Md. Fairooz (CSE) and Shafayet Sejan (BBA) claimed the title in the men’s doubles by beating Tousif Snigdho and Tamim Hasan Turjo. In the mixed doubles, Abrar Salehin and Sadia Haque (BBA) became the champion with Tamim Hasan Turjo and Rafia Tasneem (CSE) being declared the runners-up.
Gamer “athletes”: the burden of a word Sheersho Zaman Journalist In recent times, the argument for competitive video games to be considered as a sport, or strictly speaking “e-sport”, is more than just plausible. Given that it is indeed considered a sport, would that mean that the people playing video games at a professional level might as well be considered athletes? Or would that be a little too far out? Since their very inception, video games have been seen, in the eyes of many, to serve a single purpose: (generally) for kids to enjoy and entertain themselves for a set period of time, i.e. as a time sink. Thus this notion of video games being just that- a time sink - has stuck even to this day. Though the topic of the legitimacy of those claims is a separate issue, what is important to note is that due to these false notions about games, there is also prejudice against the players. They are thought to be “wasting their time” in a seemingly “fruitless” endeavor. As such, society has not really held them up in the highest pedestals. Thus when you try to give onto a player of video games a title as revered as “athlete”, it becomes a point of contention, no matter how legitimate the claim is. The word “athlete” derives from the Greek word athletes that translates to “contestant in the games”. Anyone who competes in “sporting” completions, thus, can be considered an athlete, though the tag is usually for those who also maintain a high level of skill and dedication to their crafts. So, do these e-sport players meet this criteria? To check, let’s use the game League of Legends. It boasts about 80 million monthly players on its servers. However, a maximum of 100 to 150 have the
Team Liquid at the 2018 League of Legends World Championship
necessary skills to qualify as a professional. Those who make it to be a professional have to go through some rigorous training as well, playing 8-12 hours a day to prepare for upcoming tournaments, with 1 off day a week at most. With statistics like these, it is hard to deny the skill and dedication the individuals possess towards their respected pursuit. Taking all these points into consideration, it’s hard to not see these players as athletes. However, some would still consider it blasphemous to refer to “mere” gamers as athletes. Maybe it was the same back in the day during the inception of football. Perhaps people would mock you if you said that football will become a global phenomenon, selling out the biggest stadiums in the world. Maybe just like that, people find it hard to believe in e-sport. Time will tell. All we can do now is to sit back, and enjoy the show.
Header Designed By: Farhan Hasin Dipro
8 | BRACU Express
January, 2020
The Witcher: the beginning of the end Tiash Roy Journalist The 8 episode Netflix adaptation of the book series, The Witcher, proved to be a major hit with one of the biggest series openings in the history of Netflix. With an 8.4 on IMDB, it has been termed the next Game Of Thrones. The question remains, will the director, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, be able to deliver? With a confusing mix of being mutated and trained to kill mythical monsters, Witchers are usually hired to slay such creatures and Geralt of Rivia was no different. Although being portrayed as an emotionless being, it was seen that Geralt finds himself falling for one sorceress, Yennefer. Throughout the series we see how the lives and actions of Geralt and Ciri leads to their fates to be intertwined. We also get hints about The Law of Surprise, the reason why Princess Ciri was destined to be Geralt’s gift. Despite his initial denial, it becomes a gift that Geralt must accept. Despite some failings in the script and certain character portrayal, The Witcher is quite the fantasy drama, which fans of fantasy will find engaging. Action packed, but with some uplifting tunes interspersed throughout the episodes by the one and only Jaskier, the super hit show proves to be quite entertaining, especially if you have a bias towards Game Of Thrones.
Executive Panel Editor-in-Chief - Shahad Muktadir Managing Editor - Hiya Islam Creative Head - Sajid Hossain Administrative Director - Md Tawsif Ur Rashid Web Media Manager - Afra Antara Anjum
Editors News - Jahin Kaiissar Opinions and Academics - Farah Anjum Husain Features - Hiya Islam Off Campus - Zaria Amreen Sports - Samiu Mostafa Ishan Entertainment - Subyeta Binte Sarwar
Luckily for fans, season 2 is expected to be released by next year (2021). So what are you waiting for? Grab that bowl of popcorn and binge watch the show in a day!
@bracuexpress
fb.com/bracuexpress
Advisory Panel Anika Saba Masnoon Khair Roohi Huda Seema Nusrat Amin Shehzad M. Arifeen Correction Policy BRACU Express will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations, or factual errors for an article within the semester that it is printed. Contact us at - bracuexpress@gmail.com.
Parasite: A brutal portrayal of class division and more Ahsab Rahman Journalist Released on May 21st, 2019, Parasite is a South Korean comedy thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho. Exploring the theme of class division, the director goes well beyond to depict the landscape of injustice in our society while managing to keep a perfect balance between laughter and Hitchcockian suspense. While on the surface it may seem that the movie is simply portraying the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor, that is not exactly the case. Yes, sure, it showcases class discrimination like never seen before but the film’s brilliance lies more on the masterful execution of satire and thriller elements to deliver a brutal message. The story centres around two families who share a symbiotic relationship. The unemployed Kim family get jobs and access with the wealthy Park family by tricking them. Following their employment in the Park family, the Kim family do everything they can to stay there until an incident changes the fate of everyone. The uniqueness of the film is
that it is not your typical good versus evil movie, rather it is a commentary on the societal superstructure itself. When the film is over, you’ll be left with a question. Who is the real parasite, and more importantly, is there any hope left after this harsh display of reality? The closing shot of the movie finds the director subliminally indicating that this is real life, not some mere fantasy. The movie was a major hit in the box office, becoming the third highest-grossing film in South Korea. It was the first Korean film to win the prestigious Palme d’Or award. The film also won the Best Foreign Language Film award at the Golden Globes, and has the distinction of being the first non-English-language film to win an Oscar for best picture, which it won at the 29nd Academy Awards. With flawless pacing, spectacular cinematography, and a powerful message, Parasite proves itself to be a unique piece of modern art that everyone should watch.