News Flash

Draped in poetry 

4 March is the birthday of one of the most loved writers of Bangladesh, Anisul Haque. 4 March of this year also happened to be the day of inauguration of a line of Bibiana: a tribute to Anisul Haque, this clothing line is perhaps one of the best gifts an author can have.

Inspired by a poem from the writer, the fashion house has created a range of attires and household products, borrowing its verses and using them through letter-motifs. 

TUI KI AMAR DUKKHO HOBI?
The beautiful poem had touched the heart of Farhana Alam, a development practitioner, who also writes for Prothom Alo. And it was she who gave the idea to Bibiana to bring out attires using this poem. "I read it two or three years ago and absolutely fell in love with it," she said. "I love letter-motifs, and thought it would be nice to use its verses on clothes." 

A CHANGE FOR GOOD
This romantic poem is very popular – and an influential one too. There have been couples who had come together for this piece of work. For the poet, this is perhaps the best kind of reward. And the fact that this poem has now come up on clothes and home decor products is indeed very pleasing to him. It reminds the writer of the 1980s, when he was a student in BUET. "I remember that during those times, we longed for t-shirts with Bengali works printed on them. But there weren't any," Anisul Haque reminisced. "And so, at that time, we used to buy shirts from Bongo Bazaar and have Bengali words or poems written on them! Today, seeing that one of my poems has been used by a fashion brand indeed makes me joyous!"

FROM PAGES TO TEXTILES 
Lipi Khandker, the Managing Director and Designer of Bibiana, promptly agreed when Farhana suggested the idea; Lipi was familiar with the poem. 

The designer had in fact worked with letter- motifs before. But this particular wardrobe is still an exception for her. "I had previously borrowed words and verses for my designs, of poets like Rabindranath Tagore. But this is the first time that I actually got to meet the poet in person," she said. The words used in attires are usually of poets such as Rabindranath Tagore, Jibanananda Das, etc. But this particular line of Bibiana is featuring the work of a poet of our generation. 

On off-white coloured cotton and khadi fabrics, scribbles of the poem have been featured in black and red fonts. The line comprises of saris, bed sheets, pillow covers, curtains, etc. 

Currently, the line is available in Bashundhara City's Bibiana 
outlet at the Deshi Dosh pavilion.   

By M H Haider

Ladies' night out @ Le Meridien 

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Le Méridien Dhaka has a special event planned. The programme will run from 7pm to 11.30pm.

The hotel - at its rooftop Skyline Infinity Pool -is hosting an exclusive poolside dinner engagement for female guests. With the venue overlooking the last green expanse of Dhaka city, the event has been designed to allow women an opportunity to experience ladies' night out with lively music, great ambiance and hearty conversations. 

Guests are going to be welcomed with a special drink. The dinner is a buffet featuring live cooking stations.  

Every guest will also walk away with a gift voucher which they may use anytime in this month - to experience a special complimentary manicure-pedicure package  at the hotel's signature wellness centre, Explore Spa.

The event is open to guests at a price of Tk4000++ (7% service charge and 15% VAT will apply). Women joining the party in groups of four guests or more can enjoy 20% discount on the price. For reservations, call +8801990900900.

Women's Day celebrations at Six Seasons

To celebrate International Women's Day, Six Seasons Hotel'ssignature restaurant, Bunkais, is offering female guests 50% off on an all-you-can-order menu. Additionally, a 30% discount is now at offer on a-la-carte menus at all F&B outlets of the hotel. Women will also be able to enjoy 40% discount on spa services at its Saran Room Spa. 
These offers are valid for 8 March 2016 only and conditions apply. For further details, please call 01987009810.

InvisiBellas: Celebrating Women

The "InvisiBellas" is a street-art project that aims to shed light on the social position of women. A number of young, passionate Bangladeshi artists gathered earlier this week to address a number of pressing gender issues using public art as the chosen medium. 

Artists began painting from approximately 10 am-6pm on March 5th and 6th. 

Supported by Bengal Foundation, Edward M. Kennedy Center, and Tredexcel Graphics Ltd, this is one of the first mural arts projects in Dhaka city and the first ever public art project entirely dedicated to much-needed gender sensitisation for the social classes that are far-removed from global concepts of gender parity. The issues addressed included the neglect of household help; the unique role of female Garo beauticians in urban beauty parlours; the objectification and vulgar portrayal of women in the film industry; the enforced silence that women are expected to accept along with their passive role in society and family; child marriage; and the docile and unappreciated image of the mother. 

The InvisiBellas is a Global Shapers' initiative 

There will be a launch event on 19th March at the Bengal Art Lounge in Gulshan 2. 

By Dibarah Mahboob

Journeyman bags awards 
It had been the second time that Journeyman Books participated in Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela. This year, it received Bangla Academy's Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award, under the category, 'Nandonik Angoshojjai Shera Protisthan'. 

The stall of Journeyman was indeed praiseworthy. Its interior designer Nazneen Haque Mimi said, "I do not buy into the idea that not much thought needs to be put into stall design as their life is just for a month." Mimi had made intelligent use of light, and white was a dominant colour in her stall. "Too many bright colours divert the attention away from books," she reasoned. Thought was also put in the typography of the stall name. Unlike many other stalls, the brand name was not put in pretentious big font; rather, a more simplistic approach was taken. Moreover, the outlet housed an IT corner, featuring kiosks with internet connection, and headphones, so that people could listen to the audio version of the books. 

On the other hand, Muntassir Mamoon's book - 'Dhakar Khaal Pol O Nodir Chitrakar', which has been published by Journeyman - received Citi-Ananda Alo Literary Award 2016. The volume, which focuses on different old paintings and discusses canals, river et al of Dhaka, has also received a positive feedback from the public for its innovative design. The book comes with a folded 14 foot-long painting (made by an unknown artist in the nineteenth century, which is now in the UK). It has been designed by Tarik Sujat, who is the owner and publisher of Journeyman Books. 

The institution has been active in this trade for over two decades now. 

By M H Haider
Photo: Masuma Pia