We cordially invite you to a unique dance performance by legendary performer Lubna Marium, along with some of the best performers of Bangladesh. If you are a dance enthusiast, this will be rare opportunity to be part of an enchanting evening, filled with creativity and passion.

Performers include the talented – Samina Husain Prema, Anisul Islam Hero, Mahbub Reza Mithun, Tahmina Anwar Anika, Mehraj Haque Tushar & Mehbooba Mahnoor Chandni.

Dance Performances will include: Manipuri, Rabindranritya, Lathikhela & Dhol Naach, Raibeshe, Folk Dance of Bengal, Fusion Dance, Kathak & Bharatnatyam.

To Purchase tickets visit: http://lifethroughdance.eventbrite.com/

LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE, PLEASE PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY.

Early Bird: $20 (by July13)

Regular Admission: $25

We look forward to seeing you there.

>>>

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS (in alphabetical order):

ANISUL ISLAM HERO: He is a disciple of Padmasree Leela Samson and one of the finest exponents of Bharatnatyam in Bangladesh. He runs his own dance organization ‘Srishti Cultural Center’ and has innumerable performances at home and abroad to his credit. Hero has studied Martha Graham and Horton techniques from Fabiana Pastorini (Argentine) and Ballet techniques from Klaous from Germany at International Summer Ballet Seminar in Austria in 1995. He has worked with noted German choreographer Suzzane Linke contemporary of Pina Baush.Learnt Modern dance and modern choreography at Bremar Tanz theater,Bremen in Germany in 1996. There Hero learnt ballet techniques as well. After that, Srishti brought Mr.Die Camp, choreographer from Berlin to conduct workshops. Since then Anisul Islam Hero has introduced Modern/Contemporary in Bangladesh. Besides Bharatnatyam, Hero has been teaching and performing modern dance at home and abroad.

LUBNA MARIUM: She is the General Secretary, ‘Shadhona – A Center for Advancement of Southasian Dance and Music’, is a dancer/researcher/writer. Though a dancer, Lubna’s artistic endeavors have taken a path beyond the rituals of artistic expression and entered the realms of a search for Creative Unity. She has traveled from her early training in an avant-garde style of dance taught at Bulbul Lalit Kala Academy of Dhaka, in the early sixties, to later train in Bharatnatyam and Manipuri; ultimately finding refuge in Robindro Nritto, a fusion of dance styles promulgated under the inspired guidance of the Poet Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. She has taken up the study of Sanskrit and has studied the Natyasastra under Dr. Radhavallabha Tripathi. For the last two decades she has also been working tirelessly in promoting music, dance and indigenous performing arts of Southasia through her organization ‘Shadhona’.

MAHBUB REZA MITHUN: He is a fourth year undergraduate student at the Department of Music in Dhaka University, Bangladesh. His educational focus is on folk music and theater. He has learned raibeshe and its percussion accompaniment during workshops with Tarun Pradhan. Mithun is also learning folk dance and Bharatanatyam under M.R. Wasek in Nandan Kala Kendra in Bangladesh. He has participated in several dance‐drama productions, and performs frequently as part of dance groups sent abroad by the Bangladeshi government. Besides playing South Asian percussion instruments such as the dhol, khol and tabla, he can also play the harmonium and harmonica.

MEHBOOBA MAHNOOR CHANDNIi: She has created a special place in the vibrant entertainment world of Bangladesh. She was trained in Bharatanatyam, modern and Bangladeshi dance under Hero, moved to doing plays in the TV and now is an acclaimed actress in the silver screen. But Chandni remains, as will be seen, an exquisite performer in all kinds of dance. She has widely travels abroad as a dancer and earned a good name.

MEHRAJ HAQUE TUSHAR: He received his early training in Kathak from Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibli Mohammad of Nrityanchal. He continues to perform for them but also does work for most of the major dance companies and schools of Bangladesh. Tushar, too, is the recepient of several awards. He has played Krishna in Shadhona’s production of Tagore’s ‘Bhanushingher Podaboli’ which was very well received during the inaugural of ICCR’s Rabindranath Tagore Center in Kolkata. Tushar excels in a fusion of styles which gives Bangladeshi dancing a contemporary edge.

SAMINA HUSAIN PREMA: She started her training in Manipuri dance in Bangladesh under Shantibala Sinha, Tamanna Rahman & Sharmila Banerjee at Chhayanaut Sangeet Vidyayatan. She has a master’s degree in Manipuri dance from Rabindra Bharati University of Kolkata, India, and trained under Guru Kalavati Devi. Prema participated in classes and workshops on various folk dances of Bengal. Significantly, she was part of a group of dancers, lead by Tarun Prodhan, who learned about raibeshe during a month‐long stay in Medinipur, in rural Bengal. Currently she is a Manipuri dance teacher at Chhayanaut, and performs frequently in Bangladesh and India. She is the founder and director of the dance group Bhabna, and made her directorial debut with a production of Tagore’s dance‐drama Bhanushingher Padaboli.

TAHMINA ANWAR ANIKA is the disciple of Munmun Ahmed. She is presently training under Pandit Kishan Mohan Misra of Delhi. Tahmina has received several awards. She is one of the brightest rising star of dance in Bangladesh. Anika’s performance in Delhi for an ICCR event in December 2009 was much appreciated by the media and art lovers of the city. Her performance in ‘Hey Ananta Punya’, a dance‐drama based on Tagore’s ‘Notir Puja’, produced by Shadhona received special mention by critics.

Join Adhunika to welcome the Bengali New Year, 1417. A festive evening   packed with entertainment, a fashion show, songs, dance and scrumptious food awaits you at Adhunika’s Pohela Boishakh benefit event.

Festivities will include:

• Featured performance by Shoma Rahman
• Band performances by Heights Collective, Ganjam, Notun & Tin Konya
• Dazzling dance performance
• A Tribute : Colorful fashion show featuring the exclusive Shahruk’s collection by renowned Bangladeshi designer late Shahruk Shahid
• Keynote speakers
• Authentic Bangladeshi food
• Raffle draw and much more!

When: Saturday 17th of April. 6:30 p.m. to 10:00p.m.

Where: PS 234.  30-15 29th St, Astoria, NY 11102

For tickets visit http://adhunika.eventbrite.com

or call 917-375-5481

Adults-$25, Students-$15, Children under 15 years of age-$10

Children under 10 years of age is FREE

The day started off with a few of us surveying diabetic and pre-diabetic patients to determine their baseline knowledge of the disease and their lifestyles with the hope of improving the former over the course of the intervention. Translating medical terms to Bengali and holding people’s attention for the entire span of the survey (about 30 minutes) were some of the challenges for me.

The DREAM team welcomed participants with an interactive name game. The presenters Mamnunul Haq and Gulnahar Alam, both Queens based community health workers trained by the DREAM team, gave us a glimpse of what was to come in the next 6 months.

Mamnunul used vivid powerpoint slides written in Bangla to explain how sugars are processed in our body and what goes wrong when we don’t have insulin in our body, using simple tools such as a bottle filled with red liquid to demonstrate the flow of blood in the presence or absence of insulin.

We then went on to discuss simple lifestyle changes that could be easily implemented in a Bangladeshi household. Amongst those was a set of exercises that Mamnunul and Gulnahar demonstrated for us. The participants seemed highly engaged and enthusiastic. Many of them admitted that their physicians had not taken the time to explain their condition is such detail; a language barrier might have been the primary cause.

Future sessions include a cooking session to share recipes that use ingredients familiar to the Bengali palate but with modifications to reduce carbohydrate and fat intake and an interactive session with a Bangla speaking physician.

Overall, it was an excellent learning experience for me and would encourage many more members of Adhunika to participate in the initiatives of DREAM.

Roshni Basu
PhD candidate (Cell/Molecular Biology)
Columbia University, NY

Photo Source: Krittika Ghosh

Adhunika organized Bijoy Dibosh (“victory day”) celebration to commemorate Bangladesh’s 38^th year of independence from Pakistan.  The remembrance took place in midtown New York on December 12^th from 3:00pm – 6:00pm.  This year’s celebration was mostly organized and performed by four gifted teenagers from New York, Bashma (10 th grader), Ditiya (9th^h grader), Proma (9th grader), and Rabiya (10th grader).  This was an extraordinary event for all the audiences because all these teenagers are actually Bangladeshi – American teenagers who have very little exposure to the Bangladeshi culture and history.  There is no doubt that they did a splendid job!

The festivity started with the performance of a song by Joan Baez delivered beautifully by Bashma Proma and Ditiya, followed by an introduction to the event by Sharzil, then a small slide presentation of history behind Bangladesh’s independence war. Then beautiful songs (Amar shonar Bangla and Ek shagor er rokter binimoye) by Bashma (vocalist and guitar), Ditiya (vocalist and violin) and Proma (vocalist) captivated all the audiences. Despite the difficult songs their Bangla pronunciations were perfect!

Later Rabiya presented a painful story of her grandmother who lost her son (Rabiya’s uncle) during the liberation war.  Rabiya hand drew about thirty slides to state her story.  The celebration ended with Mr. Hasan Ferdouse’s sad but beautiful story regarding liberation war which once again reminded us that we all Bangladeshies are one, and  WE are the winners at the end .

The Bijoy Dibosh celebration by Adhunika also had a surprise art competition for children.  Personally I loved all the drawings – they were all beautiful – and all the children were winners.  The entire program was conducted by Sharzil Rahman, who was born in bangadesh, but came to the US at a very young age. She is a recent graduate from Hofstra University, NY and a devoted friend of Adhunika.

Month of December despite the school work and exams all the performers did their research on liberation war of 1971 to reflect back to our history.  They put in extensive effort in learning the songs, composing music, and drawings slides and brochures. Of course we greatly appreciate the support of the performer’s families – behind the scene they worked as hard as performers to deliver such a successful event.

Adhunika, which includes all other volunteers of Adhunika did a marvelous job in putting everything together for our future generation.  I personally loved the event and I believe this will make a difference.  Shubho bijoy dibosh!!!!

Kyoko Mona, December 12, 2009

Exactly two years ago when I first published the following article in hope to find some answers, didn’t know I would still be searching for same answers.  This time I hope women will come forward and talk openly breast cancer & about the stigma that is attached to being a breast cancer survivor, and hope  in the process we can build a support network for ourselves. Please join in the discussion.

—–

(First published October 17, 2006)

This post is dedicated to Ms. Syeda Z. Noor – a daughter, a sister, a wife, a loving mother of three, a grandmother, and a role model for many in her community. She was the Principal of a Girl’s College in Dhaka, who retired in 2000, diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2003, and passed away in December 2005. For last couple years the Pink Ribbon has taken a shape of her whom I wish I met. ~ Shahnaz

During the month of October in US, it is hard not to notice the ˜Pink Ribbon” which symbolizes Breast Cancer every where we look. The campaign against breast cancer doesn’t stop only in advertising, the information about the disease and prevention is easily accessible at the hospitals, clinics and of course on the internet.

According to the American Cancer Society, over 215,000 women in USA are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. A person over the age of 50 accounts for 75% of breast cancer cases, the cancer is treatable and there is over a 96% five-year survival rate when breast cancer is caught before it spreads to other parts of the body.

So it seemed a little bleak when I was unsuccessful to find any information regards to Bangladeshi women on the same topic when I searched the net. Even my acquaintances at the medical field echoed the same feelings of despair, one physician responded’I searched all possible databases. We don’t have any published database on breast cancer. If there are some statistics compiled in last two years, those are not published yet. Absence of any database is itself is the worst possible statistics you can come up with.

Then I heard from my friend Pusha, who said, So far what I found only said that an estimated 17% of reported cancer cases among Bangladesh women are breast cancer patients. At the same time they say that the reason they cannot be absolutely certain is because there might be unreported cases as well specially in the villages for instance.

To say the least, my search for statistics, or to find names of hospitals, clinics or organizations which specializes on Breast Cancer in Bangladesh is not easily accessible on the internet.

Then I called my friend for whom the subject was very close to his heart, he lost his mother from breast cancer last year. Considering his recent ordeal, I wanted to make sure it was okay to discuss his loss with our readers, he said, Yes, of course, ˜awareness is the first step to conquer the disease, I want to share my experience, especially since in our culture we don’t talk about this, and we must

He told me, first few months when his mother discussed her pain with the doctors, they shrugged it off as a normal pain due to old age, they suggested her to take vitamins, or to walk off the pain. The retired Principal was anything but inactive in her life; yet, numerous trips to the doctors and complains about her pain didn’t alarmed anyone to recommend her to a mammogram test. By the time someone noticed the tumors on her body, it was too late; the cancer had spread through her body, Months of oversight of the local physicians prompted the family to take her to Singapore and then to Malaysia for treatment, she seemed to do better with chemotherapy, but, due to logistical concerns she was back in Bangladesh, and started her treatment all over again.  My friend wasn’t sure if it was the arrogance or ignorance on the part of the doctors who disregarded her previous treatment and started new medicine. Her health started deteriorating. Soon she was in coma, and in a month all her pain and suffering ended when silently bid final farewell to her loved ones.

I don’t know if it’s the oversight of our health professionals, or our hesitation to talk about the disease which prevents us from getting the information which we need to reduce our risk.  As my friend requested we must bring this topic to the open, we need talk to our physicians, especially if when we are over 40, or have a family history of breast cancer, we need to ask our physicians what steps we should take to reduce our risks. We need to learn and share with others. We need to take care of ourselves, take care of our family and our loved ones, because we all deserve it.

>>>

Dhaka, May 14 (bdnews24.com)—The High Court on Thursday laid down a set of guidelines to prevent sexual harassment on women and children at work places, educational institutions and on the streets.

It has defined the harassment and said the compliance of the guidelines was mandatory until those were passed into law in parliament.

The bench of justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Kamrul Islam Siddiqui gave the rulings on a petition filed in public interest by executive director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association Salma Ali.

The petition was filed on Aug 7 last year following an incident of sexual harassment against a teacher of drama and dramatics at Jahangirnagar University.

The court in the guidelines asked authorities to set up sexual harassment complaint centres at work places, educational institutions and constitute committees to investigate charges.

A woman will head such committee that will have no fewer than five members, mostly women .

Sexually suggestive remarks directly or on the phone, indecent email, giving indecent looks and calling someone ‘Sundori’ in a bad sense will be admitted as sexual harassment in court.

“This revolutionary verdict will work as an amulet in preventing sexual harassment,” said Ali told reporters after the ruling.

The guidelines say names of the complainants and defendants will not be made public before one is proved guilty.

Lawyers can lodge complaint on behalf of the complainant and the security of the complainant must be ensured, the ruling said. Female complainants will be able to lodge complaint separately. The accused will be handed over to the police after he is proved guilty, says the guideline.

Hostile environment at work and educational institutions should be prevented. Divisional action should be taken against those responsible for sexual harassment at workplace, teh court said.

The punishment for sexual abuse can be both fine and imprisonment, said Fawzia Karim, lawyer for the petitioner.

After the petition was filed, the High Court asked the government and others concerned to explain why guidelines on sexual harassment will not be given.

The cabinet secretary, law secretary, women and children affairs secretary, labour secretary, chairman of Dhaka University Grant Commission and vice chancellors of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar universities were asked to reply.

SOURCE: http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=84234&cid=2

According to the American Breast Cancer Society in US this year one woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In addition, 1,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 400 will die this year. If detected early, the five-year survival rate exceeds 95%.

But do you know how many Bangladeshi women and men will develop breast cancer this year? If the answer is no, you are not alone. We nor the journals published by the health professionals serving community in Bangladesh is aware of the statistics that is creeping up every year. In October 2006, when we first published our article on Breast Cancer among Bangladeshi Women, it was alarming to find out the lack of information on Bangladeshi women and men who are diagnosed with the cancer. We started to hear shocking stories from our friends about how the loved ones were left feeling helpless once they were diagnosed with the cancer. They were completely unprepared feeling hopeless and helpless not knowing where to turn for support when they were diagnosed. This year we want to change that hopeless and helpless feeling of those individuals who are either diagnosed or at the risk of developing breast cancer. We want to empower our loved ones with coping skills and show that we care and that we will stand by them as they fight this difficult phase of their lives. And we are asking your help to show the support by taking simple steps: You can learn about the cancer Tell your loved ones who are over forty to do a mammogram Tell your doctor to guide you if you are at risk of developing cancer We want to hear from you, and share your thoughts with us: If you are a breast cancer survivor If your family member or friends been diagnosed with breast cancer If you have lost someone from breast cancer If you have ideas on how to create a support network for breast cancer survivor, share with us. Resources related topic: The ABCs of Breast Cancer Guide

We at Adhunika thought of opening the floor for discussion with the article itself my Ms. Mahboob 1^st, but I proposed to write something as a respond to her article with a link to it. I was thrilled to read one response to the article under discussion on the following issue of Lifestyle by Quazi Zulquarnain Islam named “Desh on a Dish”. I am putting both the links up so that the readers have an idea of both the pieces.

                            Â

“Am I a Bad Bangladeshi?”
htthedailystar.net/lifestyle/2007/08/04/page04.htmtp://www.

Â

“Desh on a Dish”
http://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/2007/09/01/page03.htm

Â

The 1^st article questions the ability of Bangladesh to provide its citizens with the basic needs of SAFETY, WELFARE & FREEDOM and expresses the notion of today’s globalized world where “I” comes before “WE” & “US”, trying to justify one’s desire of choosing a SAFER, FREEER & better WELFARE providing country over Bangladesh.

Â

The response to the article by Mr. Islam went to the core factor which seems to be lacking in most Bangladeshis, that we have become so individualistic that we want our country to provide us with everything that we desire for us to show patriotism. We no longer want to devote our lives to help Bangladesh achieve those qualities which we want from the country, but want others to make sure the country attains those and then want to return only to enjoy the amenities!

Â

Being in the academia, it is interesting to notice how such mentality was expected to be the outcome of the Modernization Theory launched in the 1950’s which said all traditional countries must follow the footsteps of the west to become modern and satisfy all its citizen’s needs. A simpler explanation would be that once an individual from a developing county used to having water as their only drink tastes western Coke and Pepsi, they will not want to go back to the tasteless water. Although the theory has been disputed by many scholars around the world, from the 1^st article it is obvious that many Bangladeshis are following the over 50 year old theory in the 21^st century. Again failing to use it in a constructive way, trying to produce better lifestyles in the country instead of going to a country already providing a better lifestyle.

Â

Expressions, such as considering one’s country to be a “chart topper” for its problems, and lacking the security of another country is prevalent among many Bangladeshis. But instead of trying to find solutions to the problems and constantly comparing relatively newly independent Bangladesh with countries which does not have historical background of colonization, and such a recent independence war only shows how narrow our thought processes have become in today’s day and age. I cannot blame anyone else but ourselves to have failed to grow patriotic and constructive thoughts among the adolescents of the country.

Â

In our society everyone who has built a life abroad is considered to be someone to look up to, no matter what kind of a lifestyle they are leading abroad. Most our good students want to go abroad and stay back, leaving the country in the hands of the mediocre to do whatever they think is best for it, yet never give up the chance to victimize them for all the negatives that occur in the country and ignore the constructive. If you are not going to contribute in making your country a better place, then you should not have any right to criticize it either. If you have chosen to take your expertise in a certain sector and sell to a different country who already has a solid base just for a larger paycheck and certain superficial securities then live your selfish life and stop trying to put down your country at every instance. We would rather forget about your lot and invest in and appreciate the larger share of the mediocre ones who are left here with a stronger sense of belonging and devotion.

Â

I must also mention, not all who leave the country refuse to come back, nor everyone who is living abroad are ignorant about their country’s development. Many I see around me has been abroad for a higher degree and are back in Dhaka working here full time. Also many who live abroad are contributing is many ways to make Bangladesh’s social structure better than before.

Â

Let’s have some constructive and committed solutions to the problems of Bangladesh through this blog, and prove that most of the new generation is still eager to see their country develop and flourish while and make a positive mark in the world order. Lets not just keep going on and on about the problems but also mention some of the strengths of Bangladesh.