Chill Bangladesh Thread

[VikingRaider]

কি সুন্দর (!?) উপস্থাপনা আমাদের লোটাস কামালের!

 

[Bilal9]

Mustafa Sarwar Farooki Leads ‘Ministry of Love’ 12-Film Anthology for Bangladesh Streamer Chorki (EXCLUSIVE)​

Chorki

Auteur Mostofa Sarwar Farooki is spearheading “Ministry of Love,” a 12-film anthology by the leading lights of the Bangladesh film industry for streamer Chorki.

The broad theme of the films will be love. Farooki, a celebrated filmmaker whose work including “Television,” “Saturday Afternoon” and “No Land’s Man,” has travelled to festivals worldwide, will co-produce the project on behalf of Chorki. He will also direct two of the 12 films.

“Something Like an Autobiography,” which Variety understands is heavily inspired from Farooki and his actor wife Nusrat Imrose Tisha’s personal life, is co-written by Tisha and Farooki and is co-produced by Anna Katchko, former Film Bazaar chief Nina Lath and Tisha. Farooki will also direct a project titled “Last Defenders of Monogamy.”
https://variety.com/lists/best-movies-streaming-august-2023/
Couple Raka Noshin Nower (“Laugh Lines”) and Shangkha Dasgupta (“Guti”) will direct “50/50.” Redoan Rony (“Behind the Puppy”), filmmaker and CEO of Chorki, directs “Uki.” Abu Shahed Emon (Busan title “Jalal’s Story”) directs “Oboni,” Shihab Shaheen (“Myself Allen Shawpan”) “Kacher Manush Dure Thuiya” and Ashfaque Nipun (“Mohanagar”) “We Need to Talk.”

Robiul Alam Robi (“Unoloukik”) directs “Forget Me Not.”

Raihan Rafi (“Shurongo”) directs “Muhabbat,” Anam Biswas (“Dui Diner Duniya”) “Shoulder Man,” Rezaur Rahman (“Internsheep”) “36-24-36” and Arifur Rahman (“Scooty”) “Jui.”

Three films are already in production, one film is in post and the rest are being developed. Films are expected to release from October.

Rony said: “‘Ministry of Love’ is an unprecedented collaboration of Bangladesh’s brilliant directorial minds which weaves tales of diverse love. The buzz is electrifying, and the anticipation is intense. We have constantly been giving diverse content to the audience. This 12-film project is surely going to give the audience a breath of fresh air.“

Farooki added: “The reason behind initiating the project was to provide a variety to the streaming climate which has of late started to depend heavily on thriller, murder-mystery and violence. There is a perception that audiences are a little impatient and want to be hooked and thrilled immediately. However, we felt this has probably been making the streaming space a bit repetitive. We thought people still have the urge to watch great dramas, human relationships and empathetic characters.”

Read More About:​

• Abu Shahed Emon,
• Chorki
• Mostofa Sarwar Farooki,
• Nusrat Imrose Tisha

 

[Bilal9]

Tacos of Dhaka: Tradition, fusion and innovation​

This week we bring in three of Dhaka’s hot favorites when it comes to tacos in a review battle​

Hand Crafted Tacos at BBQ Express. Photo: Shovy

Hand Crafted Tacos at BBQ Express. Photo: Shovy

Nestled in the vibrant area of Gulshan and Banani, Dhaka, three culinary contenders have been luring food enthusiasts with their Mexican delights - El Toro, a timeless and traditional Mexican restaurant, Taltibaaz, a relatively new and adventurous eatery with a desi-style twist and BBQ Express - though technically not a Mexican eatery - a restaurant that puts creativity at the forefront. Each boasting a unique approach to this Mexican staple, they offer a captivating range of flavors and innovation with their tacos.

The Old Guard
El Toro, an enduring presence since 1995, stands tall as one of Dhaka's oldest Mexican restaurants. The brainchild of an ambitious owner who once resided in the USA, he turned the concept of a traditional Mexican eatery in the heart of Dhaka into a reality.

Stepping inside, we were warmly greeted by Mohiuddin Ahmed, the manager, who shared the intriguing history of El Toro with infectious enthusiasm.

Tacos, the pride and joy of any Mexican restaurant, were the star of our culinary journey at El Toro. We savored three tantalizing variations - Chicken Tacos, Beef Tacos, and Vegetarian Tacos.

Adorned with hard-shell crafted in-house, the tacos boasted a flavorsome crunch that awakened long-dormant taste buds. The crispiness of the shell, a perfect fusion of textures, seemed custom-made to appeal to the discerning Bangladeshi palate.

As Mohiuddin proudly revealed, "Most of our ingredients are imported," we marveled at the sheer size of a massive Mexican avocado, akin to one a Brazilian friend once brought from Sao Paulo.

Traditional to the core, El Toro upheld the sanctity of their recipes, preserving the essence of Mexican cuisine since its inception. Simplicity and authenticity were the cornerstones of their menu.

The Vegetarian Taco showcased a delightful kidney bean filling, while the meat-filled ones left us in awe with their perfectly cooked and thoughtfully spiced ingredients.

Remaining true to the tradition, tacos were served in pairs, but our quest for exploration led us to sample a single piece of each variant, a decision we did not regret as each bite was a symphony of flavors.

New kids on the block

Crossing the culinary frontier to Taltibaaz, a young and vibrant Mexican joint, housed within Naveed's Comedy Club, we entered a world where innovation danced harmoniously with tradition.

Relatively new, with its doors opened in 2018, Taltibaaz aims to redefine the taco experience by presenting a fresher, more adventurous desi-style twist.

Navigating through the diverse menu at Taltibaaz, we embarked on a gastronomic adventure with three Chicken Tacos and two Beef Tacos. The selection offered diverse flavours - Tinga, Carne, Jhalfry, Birria, and Carnitas tacos.

The Birria, enclosed in a toasted corn-shell tortilla, was an instant hit for its authentic allure. The tingling flavours of Tinga and Carne, with slight variations in meat toppings, exuded a sense of familiarity.

However, it was in the Jhalfry and Carnitas tacos that Taltibaaz flaunted its creative prowess. The marinated chicken and battered chicken cubes in the Jhalfry presented an exquisite infusion of spices, seemingly tailored for Dhaka's spice-loving hearts.

Despite initial confusion from our Europeanised taste buds, the flavour-packed concoction left us delightfully satisfied. Carnitas, a burst of refreshing tastes coupled with fresh jalapenos, further demonstrated Taltibaaz's quest for culinary innovation.

A salsa dance with Kashundi

We've seen the traditional, we've experienced the new age fusion and now for our wildcard pick, we went to BBQ Express Banani. I have always been a big fan of Chef Arpon Changma's take on the food he puts on the menu. Having had the chance to see him elevating "Mungdi" to the next level, I was very keen on trying their tacos for this article.

BBQ Express has three tacos on its menu. Chicken, beef and lamb. We ordered only chicken and beef as they're the two we've reviewed from the other restaurants.

First up, the chicken taco. The chicken was seasoned simply but appropriately with only salt and pepper. Disha, who made our tacos, said the spice that had left me surprised was a mix of their in-house five spices.

Next was the Beef taco. Now out of all the tacos I had tasted for this review, this particular one was my favourite by a nautical mile.

They used brisket as their protein. The brisket is what BBQ Express is known for, and they've certainly mastered the art of cooking their brisket. Personally, I haven't tasted any brisket in Dhaka that comes remotely close to theirs.

The most exciting and unique aspect of the tacos was the salsa, which had a 'Kashundi- spread' over it. Having had the privilege of tasting a variety of 'unique' tacos across multiple continents, I have to acknowledge the innovation of combining Kashundi with a Western dish, which left an unforgettable taste on my palate. No wonder this dish was my wild pick.

All my life, I thought Kashundi was something that people only consumed with green mangoes. Never in a million years did I think I'd be left stunned by Kashundi in a South American dish. Who said food couldn't bridge the gap between cultures?

Dhaka has definitely come a long way when it comes to tacos. There are plenty of restaurants that are looking to showcase their creativity in every way possible. Now, when it comes to picking a winner of this taco battle, I must admit it is a very difficult task.

Even though all three are serving exceptionally good tacos, my winner would be BBQ Express. It's the Kashundi twist that really won my heart. Why don't you go out there and see if these tacos give you the taste of Mexico?

 

[Bilal9]

@VikingRaider and @saif bhais, this is for you.

Another gem from Pianki revived!

পুরা বঙ্গ পোগতিশিলেরা আমার পিছে লাগছে। কোমড় বাইন্ধ্যা লাগছে। মনে হইতেছে ওদের পুচ্ছে আমি আগুন ধরায়ে দিছি। যাই হোক আপনারা তো দেখছেন কে কে লাগছে কীভাবে লাগছে আমি তাদের পরিচয় করায়ে না দিয়ে তাদের কমন আলাপগুলা তুল্যা ধরতেছি।তাগোরে মুল আর্গুমেন্ট কী জানেন? মজার বিষয়। তাগোরে মুল আর্গুমেন্ট হইতেছে আমরা বাংলাদেশীরা হিন্দুত্ববাদের বিরুদ্ধে কিছু কইতে পারবো না। কেন পারবো না, কারণ তাইলে তারা মানে ইন্ডিয়ান দাদাবাবুরা এইটারে হিন্দুদের বিরুদ্ধে মুসলমানের জেহাদ বইল্যা ধইর‍্যা নিবে। এই কাম করতে যাইয়া ফিলিস্তিন এখনো স্বাধীন হইতে পারে নাই। তাই আমরা হিন্দুত্ববাদ কথাটা কইতে পারবো না। আমাদের বুক ফাটবে তাও মুখ ফুটবে না। তো সমাধান কী সমাধান হইতেছে আমাদের সার্বভৌমত্বের আর অধিকারের ধারণা নিয়া লড়াই করা। আমি এইটা আগেই বলে রাখলাম এখন এইটা নিয়াই আমরা আলাপ করবো। উনাদের বুঝানোর জন্য না। উনাদের কেউই বুঝাইতে পারবে না কারণ উনারা সবাত্তে বেশী বুঝেন। আমি আলাপ করবো আমার পাঠক আর দর্শকদের জন্য। আসেন আল্লাহর নামে শুরু করি।

 

[Bilal9]

Tongue in cheek comments

Dhaka is the third largest city in South Asia by Nominal GDP (in Billion US$) - video shows timeline

 

[Bilal9]

 

[ghazi52]

.,.,.,

 

[Bilal9]

 

[Bilal9]

"Denial" thy name is a river in Egypt....

And of course last word is from Pinaki....

 

[Bilal9]

Here is analysis from Dr. Ali Reaz, he has been a distinguished Professor at Illinois State University where he has been teaching since 2002. He is a very neutral observer of political events in South Asia. Discussion in Bengali.

 

[Bilal9]

Car import using Mongla Port. Padma Bridge made a huge difference - Container exports went up 10% and this is not going to stop as CTG is overburdened despite two new terminals coming online.

Mostly JDM cars, and the amount of Hybrid cars are increasing in number as everyone knows.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladeshi woman explores Antarctica

 

[Bilal9]

 

[Bilal9]

Australian Govt. raises sanction proposal for Bangladesh govt. movers and shakers per Magnitsky Act. It seems Indian Modi administration is also acting against Hasina's rule. Discussion by Rumeen Farhana.

 

[Bilal9]