Spotlight
Moving to a New Home
A lot of men and
women consider moving to a new house as the most arduous task and
it's true indeed. As we begin to live in a place, we grow natural
bonding with every nook and corner of that place. We eventually fall
in love with the concrete floor, the faded wall paint, the not-so-wide
alley, the neighbourhood laundry house, the grocery store or even
the giant mango tree that can be seen through the living room window.
Although the idea of shifting to a more roomy flat in a posh area
carry a lot enthusiasm, fun and commotion, our hearts cry over the
thought of bidding a good-bye to the house we lived for so long. But
life goes on and we soon stop being sentimental…
But hey, most of the dilemmas associated with shifting can be solved
with a little sincere willpower. First of all, if you can afford then
hire professional movers. There are several local companies committed
to helping you with the hectic task of packing and unpacking. These
people have their own fleet of transport and boxes and cartons to
carry your belongings to the new place. But it would be rather unwise
if you rely 100 percent on these people and stop supervising. Monitor
them regularly as a little negligence on their part can spoil your
favourite furniture, electrical gadget or crockery forever. It's always
better to contact these people well ahead of time. If you give them
a call on the eleventh hour, they might fail to undertake the moving
tasks appropriately. Ask them to come over to your place a few days
before the final day to survey your furniture, gadgets and other household
stuff as it would help them to come fully prepared on the morning
of the shifting day. Keep in mind that the cost of hiring a moving
company might vary depending on the actual weight of the items and
any extra service.
Start the whole
preparation weeks ahead. Encourage your husband and kids to pack their
own stuff or at least assist during the packing sessions. Together
you can make this chaotic experience an exciting one.
Instead of depending
on the moving company, you can always shoulder the responsibilities.
Purchase cartons or cardboard boxes (you can buy cartons of any size
from the Govt New Market) and start putting your belongings. Be especially
careful about your crocks and books; ensure that careless handling
does not damage them. If possible, discard the furniture infected
by roaches and termites as an attempt to control pests from multiplying
in your new abode.
Remember that
shifting to a new place also involves a series of other tasks, for
instance, the need to collect clothes from the local laundry house
or pay the utility bills or cancel the newspaper. Ask the manager
or landlord of your old house to save your mail.
Unplug all electric
devices at least 24 hours before moving day. Make an emergency box
with essential items like brush, toilet paper, screwdriver etc., which
you would need upon arrival in your new home. Remember to carry fragile
electrical equipment with you rather than use the movers for it.
Finally, it's
your responsibility to check if goods are properly loaded on the pickup
van or truck. If you hire a moving company, then supervise them for
the sake of your belongings. Carry fragile items like TV, PC etc with
you and don't find a place for them in the truck.
Be present in
your new home to accept the goods being delivered. If you cannot be
there in person then appoint someone trustworthy to monitor the movers
or the hired labourers as they unload the goods. After all the goods
are unloaded, check if all the items have been transported. Inform
the moving company of any loss and damage; many of the moving companies
have compensation policies for their clients so be aware of the terms
and conditions.
Moving to a new
home is certainly a backbreaking job. But don't be too frenzied over
the whole thing. Once you settle down in your new home, take a deep
breath, relax, look around the sparkling new home and you would see
the pain of the past month melting away little by little.
By
Wara Karim
News
flash
Prabartana's
monsoon collection in green
The colour green
is a symbol of youth and vivacity, and it is Prabartana's colour of
choice this monsoon. Their line comprises of fatuas, kurtas, shalwar
kameez, dupattas, and gamchha saris, all in varying shades of green.
They have also introduced traditional brass, copper and silver ornaments.
Also a new line of coconut shell, and seashell ornament.
The price of shalwar-kameez
ranges between tk950 to tk1500 while prices of kurtas and fatuas begin
at tk250 and goes up to tk750. They are producing gamchha sari to
promote the tatis. A gamchha sari will cost tk375 and dupattas are
tk150 to tk600. Prices of ornaments range between tk65 to tk120. Prabartana
is situated at 2/8, Sir Syed Road, Mohammadpur.
-LS
Desk
TC's
BEST: The new ice cream shop!
For the last few
days the mercury has been shooting to new heights and that coupled
with the spectacular humidity has made malarkey of what was supposed
to be the monsoon season. However fear not, I come with glad tidings.
To rescue us from
this atrocious heat comes Mahin Group, who have just inaugurated a
new ice-cream parlour. Situated on the second floor of the Awal Center
(just beside Iqbal Tower) the new ice cream shop is entitled TC's
Best.
The Grand Opening
of TC's Best took place on the 7th of June at 4:28 pm. (yes that's
right, 4:28 pm). Most present there were more than a little surprised
at the curious choice of time, but the Managing Director explained
that this was in keeping with a Thai custom, which apparently signifies
good luck.
If you are wondering
why Thai, it is because TC's Best is a Thai brand and Mahin Group
has bought the rights for the franchise in Bangladesh. TC's Best is
originally a part of Key International Foods Ltd. and their Managing
Director, Jarunan Juruthien was also present at the press conference.
Amidst resounding
cheers from the near hundred strong crowds present, Abdullah Al Mahmud
launched TC's Best in Bangladesh. In the following press conference,
him among others related that they expected to become a firm competitor
in the ice cream market in the very near future.
All their ice
cream will be imported from Thailand and TC's Best also offers the
customers something which other ice-cream outlets do not -- frozen
yogurt. A supplement of ice-cream, the best part of frozen yogurt
is that it has ten times less calories than ice-cream with no perceptible
change in taste. I bet all of you are already licking your lips at
the prospect.
As for the shop,
the decor is simple yet elegant with lots of room and plenty of light
-- just right for an ice cream parlour. There is a plethora of choices
and most of them at very competitive prices.
So, if you are
nearby, do drop in for a visit and when you do, be sure to try out
the Nutella and Light Blue Sky, with the Twix toppings! I trust you
will not be disappointed!
By
Quazi Zulquarnain Islam
Chittagong
Chitchat
Sunset
Splendour at Bhatiary
Away from the
hustle and bustle of city life lies Bhatiary… the hidden green paradise
of Chittagong. It is situated near the Bangladesh Military Academy
near the Chittagong Golf Club. If you live in the city centre, it'll
take you approximately half an hour to reach Bhatiary via car.
The best time
to visit Bhatiary is undoubtedly in the afternoon, when the sun's
rays don't feel like your worst enemy in this summer heat, and there's
enough light to enable you to drink in the luxurious beauty of your
surroundings. Being a hilly area, it allows you an obstructed view
of the neighbouring areas. You get green flora and fauna surrounding
you from all sides, and can enjoy an incomparable view of the red,
setting sun in the midst of the hills.
There's also a
small shop there that offers refreshments. The best part about Bhatiary,
foliage aside, is the lake. A fascinating sight, it's also an enchanting
experience to rent one of the boats and go on a long ride the entire
length of the lake. Protected from overcrowding of boats and people,
they do an excellent job of preserving the animals in their natural
habitat. So, keep your eyes open for a few, unusual animals you might
encounter. But here's the best part: Bhatiary is still 'unexplored'
territory. It's clean, its safe (though I advise to return immediately
after sunset), and untainted by civilisation, at least till now!
So don't you think
it's a good idea to visit this part of paradise in Chittagong before
it inevitably vanishes with the invasion of civilisation?
By
Jennifer Ashraf
