Shop special

Probartana

Probartana is not a new name in the craft shop circle. But not many people are aware of its wonderful Taat, clay items, or the bamboo made crafts. The entrance has been made dramatic perpetually with a real taat to give an extra touch to the craft-rich ambiance of the three storied shop. The taati at the ground floor with his live performance will surprise you for an instant. Then take the stairs and the first floor is the cloth section. The new western-wear in deshi fabrics is a bright collection that Probortana offers to the consumers. It has well made fotuas, pajamas and also nice scarves. You can also get taat pieces and make things as you like. The sarees are also great. Small paar and taat jamin sarees are perfect for any Bangladeshi girl. They come in bright colours with matching paars. Blouse pieces are also found in reverse colours, which is the latest trendy way to wear them. Shalwar kameezes are also made of taat pieces in normal blocks and embroideries but very comfortable. One thing that should be remembered is that these pieces should be washed with proper care, says Probartana sources. For the guys they also have blocked Panjabis, shirts and summer fotuas along with colourful caps.

Prabartana also has a wide range of bedding items and tablecloths. The dominance of the craft look in all the products of Probartana is very high. The décor and products all come from "Ubinig" a craft village handled by Mr. Farhad Mazar and Ms. Farida Akhter. Their efforts are very appreciable on various occasions. Their desire to give people the very best of the Bangladeshi village is evident on the ground floor section, where they sell rice grains, pure ghee, mustard oil, all sorts of deshi spices and other cooking necessities. This is one place where you get food products guaranteed to be fresh from the village.

The Adda section is also famous for it's menu. They have delicious pithas, haleem, tea/drinks and deshi food items. You can have a nice time here with your friends while buying some real craft items at a low price. The products that Probartana stock is excellent to present on any occasion. Many of the decoration pieces, jewelry pieces and books are really of good taste. One thing it is important to mention is that fact that Probartana holds yearly festivals on special occasions such as the Bengali New Year, Baul festivals etc. They also organize many events such as fruit festivals or Bangladeshi drinks festivals. Probartana is indeed a versatile and unique craft shop that fulfills your needs for craft items.

By Bohemian Soul

Shop talk

Let there be light
When my black dog barks at night it takes several minutes to spot him from my second storey window even when he stands right below me. A good flashlight here helps. It also sometimes shuts him up when he's unnecessarily barking at a cat. You probably won't face the invisible dog scenario but there are other cases where a flashlight in the hand could come in handy. Excuse the pun. Little objects dropped behind heavy furniture, stairs during a load shedding and walking over puddles in the rain at night are just a few reasons. You need a penetrating beam here. Rechargeable flashlights with halogen bulbs for brighter glow are available at most electrical shops for about 800 taka depending on brand. Buy it at night and check to see if the beam is straight and narrow.

Hi-tech fishing rod
Fishing is a relaxing pastime but where do you fish in the city? There is a fishing club operating in Dhanmondi Lake but I wouldn't count on the fish available there. If you do know of any fishing spots Meena Bazaar is selling cool fishing rods with hooks, lures, line and sinker. The item comes equipped with a winch also a telescopic rod that can be extended and used to spank yourself when frustrated. It costs taka 1050.


Punching bags
Too many people drive around suffering from road rage. They drive like maniacs and anyone else driving sane is considered a maniac. They should go home and vent out their anger on a punching bag instead. All the sport shops in the Gulshan markets sell different version at high prices. Canvas bags about three feet high cost about taka 350 and leather ones start from 1400 taka. If you have the patience to go to the Stadium Market prices will drop by about a hundred for the canvas pieces.

Fox candies
These are hard crystalline candies that make perfect tabletop munchies. 200g jars cost about 110 to 125 depending on where you buy it from. Available at all the upscale grocery stores like Agora, Pick N' Pay etc. These make great gifts especially for someone with a sweet tooth lying in a hospital bed. Of course in such cases the visitors will end up finishing all the pieces as it happened with a friend of mine. You can get these in mixed or single flavors. In case of the mixed flavor people generally fight for the purple blackcurrant candies. You can get clear mint as well.


Lemony lime
Nike says 'Just Do It' while Pepsicos new drink Mountain Dew suggest "Do the Dew'. All this 'doing' may sound a bit silly but the drink is quite the contrary. It's like 7up with a twist of lemon and tastes best when chilled just below freezing point. It costs 10 taka per 250 ml bottle and is available at most food stores.

By Ehsanur Raza Ronny

 

 

Essentials

Twenty-four hour library
From now on, the Central Public Library will be open for 24 hours a day. We appreciate this step. However, it is a fact that many people visit the library everyday but only a few amongst them actually use the large resource of books. The inside and outside of the library are used as dating grounds by young couples. Many people simply sit around the library premises enjoying adda and peanuts. We would like to know what is being done in this regard. Moreover, the 24-hour library must need proper security arrangements, especially for women. Will there be a proper environment for women to study in the library late at night?

Notice how…
drug addiction among Bangladeshi teenagers is rising. Many teens spend most of their spare time chatting on the internet, hanging out at the mall and flirting or watching movies, which is quite similar to doing nothing. We should find out the reason why they can not do something more constructive with their time. The answer to this question should not be that hard to find. There is no infrastructure at all in Dhaka City where people can go to spend some quality time. There are almost no playgrounds or libraries for these young minds and there are no interesting activities going on either. A life like this can create frustration and spending time in illusion could be a get away for them.

Did you know…
that the result of the 22nd BCS exam was published recently after two and a half years? To begin with, the process of this exam is complicated and time consuming; add to this political interference, and things take even longer. Becoming a BCS cadre is a dream for thousands of students. Even before passing the Honours exam, they start preparing for it. Waiting for such a long time is obviously very disheartening for them. Moreover, the lengthy process increases the unemployment rate. Shattering peoples dreams like this is a crime. The authorities should be responsible and sensible about what they do with people's lives.

Immediate attention required
The streets of Dhaka City need repairing every year. Most of the time the main streets get the attention while alleys are ignored. Alleys inside the residential areas at different parts of city are in a very poor state. A ride through one of them can be a very bumpy one as they are full of potholes and open manholes. In some places these alleys are so narrow that two rickshaws can not even pass each other. They need immediate attention.

By Shahnaz Parveen