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World Book Day: Discovering the pleasure of reading
Book enthusiasts around the globe marked World Book Day on Friday, which falls on April 23 every year, without any festivity amid the pandemic.
Book lovers celebrated the day with their favourite paperbacks or digital editions.
Since its inception, it has been observed in different countries to raise public awareness about reading books, printing books, circulations, preserving copyrights of the writers-publishers and other aspects.
Read Develop the habit of reading: PM Hasina
Regarding this special day, UNESCO’s official statement says: “23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.”
“It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those, who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.
“With this in mind, UNESCO created World Book and Copyright Day. The Day is celebrated by a growing number of partners and since its launch has shown itself to be a great opportunity for reflection and information on a significant theme,” the official statement stated.
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Each year, UNESCO and international organisations representing publishers, booksellers, and libraries select the World Book Capital for a one-year period. Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, has been selected as the World Book Capital for 2021.
Pandemic hits book industry
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Bangladesh - like the rest of the world - has experienced a dramatic drop in terms of garnering revenue from printed books, and the most unfortunate victim of the situation has been the recently concluded traditional Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2021.
Despite the odds, the number of online consumers has increased in recent times, just like the other e-commerce businesses. In addition to that, a large number of readers are also being attracted to e-books and audiobooks, both of which are seeing growing popularity in the western world.
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From online-based book-selling platforms like Rokomari to well-reputed bookstores such as Bengal Boi, Batighar, Anyaprokash and more have been consistently utilising this opportunity to remain the bridge between the authors and the readers through online marketplace.
In terms of readers, although the general idea is that the number of readers has decreased over the years - there is still a good number of readers passionately continuing the practice and habit of reading.
This readership is not only being evaluated based on the number of readers of paperback editions, but the e-book phenomena too, which is now a more convenient option for many readers.
Read Best Online Book Selling Websites in Bangladesh in 2021
The best companion
"Books are the lifelong guardians, partners and friends that can have a positive effect on many things in our lives. A good book is also a great companion in times of our loneliness. During last year's pandemic and lockdown, people opted to pursue many positive and creative ways to battle against anxiety and depression, which, in my case, were my books," Masud Parvez Ove, debate facilitator and college teacher at South Point School and College told UNB.
Echoing the love of books and the importance of World Book Day, Tanisha Ahmed, a teacher at Lakehead Grammar School, Dhaka and an English literature graduate from East West University, said: "Marquee occasions like World Book Day remind us about the significance of reading as a lifehack.
“During my undergraduate years as a student of English literature, I came across reading some of the incredible literary creations which not only enlightened and delighted me as a reader, but also broaden my vision and perspective towards life.
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“Carrying those learnings forward, now I teach my students to be in love with books, which is undoubtedly the best companion to anyone."
Terrace Gardening: Tips, Tricks, and Guidelines for Beginners
Gardening is a great way to keep our body and mind fresh. Besides, it is also a popular way to pass our lazy time. But, for urban people, gardening might be a dream as there is not enough space. Still, some enthusiasts started to make a garden on their roof whether it has large or small space. Rooftop gardening is an old concept, but beginners may find it difficult to make a garden on the rooftop. So, understanding the idea and process is necessary before making up your mind to start a rooftop garden. Hence, we have focused on rooftop gardening tips, tricks, and guidelines for Beginners.
Benefits of Gardening
Gardening is not just about giving your home a good look. It is beneficial for your own physical and mental well-being. A good amount of physical exercise can keep your body fit. However, gardening can contribute to your physical exercise, which can eventually improve your mental health. And it is more useful during this COVID -19 pandemic.
You may need to spend hours to take care of your garden; hence it can burn your calories, and gardening is comparable to some sort of intense exercise. One hour of active gardening can burn about 330 calories from your body, and it increases your body’s metabolism. Therefore, your body’s immunity system gets boosted.
Gardening is correlated with stress reduction and ultimately fights against depression and anxiety. In other words, it can be said that your body and mind will stay fresh. It is evident that we may face stress due to the current coronavirus pandemic; even the healthy person can get stressed too. So, gardening can help you out to divert your mind and get you to relieve yourself from stress.
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Basic Guidelines of Terrace gardening for the Beginners
Want to start rooftop gardening, but not sure how to start? Here we will provide you some basic guidelines for your ultimate rooftop gardening. Let’s go through the basic preparation first.
Check the drainage system
Although most of the roof has a good drainage system, some roof may block the water or does not have enough slope to pass the water. Since the rooftop garden requires more water than the regular garden, you may expect an overflow of the water. So, it is mandatory to check out the roof’s drainage system. If there is any problem with that, you will need to fix it before starting the garden.
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Soil
The important thing is to grow your garden. For the novice gardener buying a balanced soil consisting of fertilizer is recommended. You can get by that from the nearby nursery. But the amount of needed soil depends on your garden size. So, it is necessary to know the pot or container you will use to plant your trees.
Equipment
Before starting the gardening process, you should collect some basic equipment such as gloves, hoses, water cans, rakes, trowels, and other tools. Apart from these, you may choose your own relevant tools too.
Temperature
Checking out your rooftop’s temperature is highly essential because, depending on that, you will need to buy plants. You will also need to check the roof’s position measuring the sun. And you cannot grow any kind of plant on your roof due to Bangladesh’s humid weather. In high humidity or tropical areas, plants need extra care. So, it would be better if you educate yourself about the sunlight on your roof.
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Water
Though the water necessity depends on the plant, you are planning to grow. However, it is always better to have easy access to water on your roof so that you can water your garden whenever you need it. On the other hand, overwatering can hinder your plants. Educating yourself about the plants is highly recommended to know the needs of water.
Grow you plant
Now that you have everything ready, you are ready to grow your plants. Whether you want to grow the plants from seed or put want to grow flower trees, the raised beds or pots are necessary. So, get your required pot or raised beds and then fill the half portion with soil and then rope your desired tree and then fill the rest of the part. And then continue this step for other pots too. Gradually you will see your garden growing.
Read IFAD supports smallholder farmers with nutritious homestead vegetable gardening kits
Tips and Tricks for Rooftop Gardening
Gardening is fun, but sometimes it can be difficult to manage if you don’t plan properly. Some tips and tricks can make your gardening life easier.
Firstly, put your pots or raised bed in the appropriate places, depending on the plant’s characteristics. For example, you should put sun-loving plants in the open space, where they can get enough rays. And keep other plants under the shades.
Secondly, watering the plants carefully. As we have mentioned earlier, overwatering can damage the root. As a result, your plant may die. However, there are some plants that need more water than others. So, make sure you know your plants well. Do not grow some plants that have a deep and aggressive root system.
Thirdly, for the better growth of your plant, try to feed liquid fertilizer that contains high potassium and low nitrogen. The appropriate amount of potassium can increase the growth of flowers and fruits.
For the rooftop garden, balancing while planting can ensure the overall growth of the plants. Make sure you maintain diversity when selecting the plants. A combination of large plants, small trees, shrubs, ground cover can balance your garden. Besides, it can be eye-soothing too.
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Where to Buy Terrace Gardening Supplies Online?
If you want to buy all the gardening stuffs such as seeds, fertilizers, plants, tools, etc., online, there are many websites that can get your job done. For example, Daraz, garder.com.bd, mygardenbd.com, bonayon.com, and aci-bd.com.
Online Courses to Learn Gardening
If you have no idea about gardening and want to get practical experience in gardening, you can take some online courses. If you have an international credit card, you can visit udemy.com, skillshare.com, or masterclass.com and enroll in some world-class gardening courses. For example, you can try Ron Finley’s gardening class on masterclass.com and Gardening 101 on skillshare.com.
Although there are not enough online courses available in Bangladesh for gardeners, you can try different channels to learn gardening. You can search on YouTube about gardening in Bangladesh. Besides, you may also visit oregonbd.org/online-course to get a complete idea of gardening.
Read Rooftop Gardening: Way to Release Stress and Promote Health during Pandemic
Best Baishakhi Offers in Bangladesh 2021
The first day of the Bengali New Year is known as Pahela Baishakh.It's also known as a Bengali folk festival that takes place across the country.Every year on April 14th, the first day of Pahela Baishakh is celebrated.Baishakhi fairs are organized all over the country on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh.The day also celebrates the merchants' traditional accounting new year (Haal Khata). Traders at all levels consider the day as an opportunity to start fresh and they offer a variety of discounts during this festive time.This article discussed the best Baishakhi offers in Bangladesh 2021.
Five places where you can get the best Pahela Baishakh deals and offers
Here are the stores offering some of the best Baishakhi deals for 2021: Daraz, Diamond World Ltd, Sailor, HungryNaki, and Akash DTH.
The perfect time to shop for Baishakh is at the last minute like it is every year. That's when retailers will be desperate to get rid of their stocks. If you can't wait, here's where and shop to save the most money.
1) Daraz Bangladesh
Online super shop daraz seems to have some fantastic gift ideas for the Pahela Baishakh festival. They have a wide variety of products, including clothing, watches, luggage, mobile phones, kitchen pieces, sofa sets, etc. You can order them for yourself or even as a gift for someone you care about. With Baishakhi discounts on daraz, you can save up to 9% on selected products in all categories. To avail the Baishakhi offer, you must first obtain a voucher from the products page.
Also read: Daraz brings 'Baishakhi Mela 1428' campaign
Visit the website: https://www.daraz.com.bd/
2) Diamond World Ltd
If you want to present beautiful jewelry items to your loved ones, you should know that Diamond World Ltd offers discounts of up to 27% on their products. Diamond World, one of the leading jewelry design firms in Bangladesh, has launched a special deal for Pahela Baishakh. If you want to impress someone with a special gift, this will be an excellent option!
Visit the website: https://www.diamondworldltd.com/
3) Sailor
Are you looking for the most stylish Baishakhi Panjabi with an affordable price range? Get the lucrative closet within your budget and enjoy amazing deals and coupons. Sailor is offering a super Baishakhi sale with up to 30% off Just for men's and boy's Panjabi items. If you're searching for a colorful and diverse selection of Punjabi products, you should check out a few of the choices here...
Visit the website: https://www.sailor.clothing/
Also read: Daraz organises roadshow to celebrate 50 years of Bangladesh's Independence
4) HungryNaki
When you cook delicious food for the whole family at once, HungryNaki will also bring the best food deals straight to your doorstep. Pick it because it will allow you to spend more time with your family.In the midst of the covid-19 epidemic, HungryNaki and Nagad have come up with a fantastic cashback deal for those who enjoy eating outdoors.You will get a 10% Instant Cashback if you buy food from HungryNaki and pay with ‘Nagad'. The offer is effective from April 1st to April 14th, 2021. During this time, you can take advantage of the offer twice.
Visit the website: https://nagad.com.bd/en/offer/hungrynaki-2/
5) Akash DTH
Do you have a cable tv connection at home? Or maybe you'd like to upgrade the current one. Whatever the issue may be,the Akash DTH has offered you an attractive Baishakhi package that will surely make you happy. Customers who purchase an AKASH connection from the AKASH website during the “Boishakhi Campaign” will get a BDT 800 cashback.This amazing offer will end on 16 April 2021.
Visit the website: https://akashdth.com/
Bottom Line
The Bengali nation's traditional New Year's Day is Pahela Baishakh and the Bengali New Year greeting is "Shubho Noboborsho".Mass people tend to do a variety of shopping for the family to celebrate the Pahela Baishakh festival. Shopkeepers develop attractive promotions in order to increase sales. There are multiple types of offers, and customers buy the things of their choice from the deals. Going shopping in the midst of the covid-19 is unsafe, therefore you should consider online platforms to buy your favorite products. The above-mentioned best Baishakhi offers in Bangladesh 2021 might be just what you're looking for.
Best Interior Designer Companies in Bangladesh
Interior design is the ultimate way to decorate a house utilizing the maximum space. A proper interior is an essential part of our everyday lives, which eventually affects our daily activities. Usually, an interior designer crafts the available spaces according to our needs and integrates our emotions while pulling out technical skills and knowledge. If we look at the world interior designing industry, we can see that interior designing got its popularity in the early 20th century. That being said, Bangladesh also has developed the interior design industry over the past decade. Here we have listed the best interior designer companies in Bangladesh.
Top Bangladeshi Interior Designer Companies
iNEXTerior
iNEXTerior is one of the top interior design companies in Bangladesh; it started operation in 2009. They aim to provide service for the office and home interior. However, they have already done some stunning designs for residential buildings as well as different businesses such as hotels, food & beverage, commercial buildings, offices, and more. They are also experts in exterior services. iNEXTerior normally researches critically to provide a unique design to its clients. The prices may vary according to the size of the place, and you will get an estimation before ordering the service.
Increation Design & Development
Increation started its operation in 2010 with the intention to conceptualize the interiors. Their working procedure is very simple and delivered through six steps. Firstly, you can consult with them if you are unsure about your project. Then Increation will offer you a proposal, and after that, they will submit the first draft upon approval of the proposal. Next, they will deliver the task through implementation and quotation. They work for multiple places such as living, dining, hallway, commercial and more.
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Imagine Interiors
Imagine normally delivers the design through a turnkey approach, which means designing and implementing from their end. It offers a tension-free interior service to the clients. Therefore, clients don’t need to worry about the order. Besides, they have enough global experience to provide cutting-edge and timeless service while satisfying the client’s demand. On top of that, practicing the latest mobile design also gives them extra advantages over the competitors.
Interior Studio Ace
Interior Ace is one of the leading Interior designers’ companies in Bangladesh which offer a creative, fresh and unique design regardless of the size of the proposed area. However, they are in a cost-effective manner yet innovative. It is a globally recognized company that is equally capable of delivering both interior and exterior service. Besides, they aim to offer a smart place for the clients. Some of the notable works are office design of Maliha Group, Siemens Office, Office Interior design of Pepsico, and so on.
Bengal Interiors
Bengal Interiors is a full-fledged dynamic interior design company in Bangladesh. It was established in 2012 and is still shining via its top-notch services. Bengal Interiors has five different service categories including apartment interior, architectural design, commercial interior, furniture design, and landscape design. In their portfolio, they have a wide range company that has taken Bengal Interior’s service over the years. Bengal Interiors aims to provide the highest possible amount of integration with the job so that they provide standardized service to all types of customers. They have mentioned that Bengal Interiors is strict about the time. Therefore, as a client, you don’t need to worry about the delivery.
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Studio Triangle
Studio Triangle claimed itself as one of the top architectural and creative interior firms in Bangladesh. They strive to offer creative, fresh, and unique services as per the client’s requirements. Besides, they are highly skilled in creating a colorful design that turns out to be significant. When it comes to the design techniques, they focus on the client’s visualization and try to understand the client and focus them accordingly. After the design is final, they use the top-notch material to show their excellence.
InterioR Concepts BD
InterioR Concepts offer a vast range of interior service as per client’s taste and demand. Besides, the combination of talent and hard-working, as well as technology, helps the service to move flawlessly. They also have enough designers so that they can handle any uncertain pressure. InterioR’s service area includes exterior, interior, workstations, wooden floor, etc. However, their service has reached major cities in Bangladesh, and they are pretty good at satisfying the client’s needs.
ICD Interior BD
ICD Interior BD always looks for client satisfaction through their top-quality service. They are a kind of one-stop solution for any kind of interior as they offer everything from design to products. When it comes to the design, they try to connect the user with the environment. As a result, ICD can bring out excellence in their design output. Some of their notable interior clients are bikroy.com, Mirpur-2 thana, Bangladesh Cotton Association, and more. So far, they have done more than 45 projects all over the country.
Bottom Line
Though interior design is a recent trend in Bangladesh, many people already did this years ago. Nowadays, almost all people go for the interior. If you are looking for the best interior design companies in Bangladesh, you can choose any of the eight companies we have mentioned in this article. You can simply search their name on google to get all the details about those companies.
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Dhaka’s sky lit up with Shakrain kites, lights, fireworks
Shakrain – a celebration of kites and lights – is one of the oldest festivals of Bangladesh. It starts with kite flying and ends with unity and friendship.
With brooms in hand, artistes sweep Central Shaheed Minar area
It was a visual delight when several renowned theatre personalities and artists launched a day-long cleanliness campaign in Dhaka on Wednesday by sweeping the Central Shaheed Minar area with a broom in hand.
3 Hobbies to Pick Up During Quarantine
It’s 2021 and the epidemic doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. Despite heightened security and prompt responses in many parts of the world, the future remains uncertain and another lockdown could be imminent at any time. Unlike the first wave, everyone is better prepared; which means that picking up a new hobby during prolonged isolation could be the perfect opportunity to turn a grim situation into a productive one that we’d never have the time for otherwise. Here are a few hobbies to pick up if you find yourself back into quarantine.