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The idea of exhibiting art pieces or photographs in a café may seem unconventional to most people in Bangladesh, but in reality this tradition is widely seen around in Europe. Currently, an interesting exhibition titled ‘From N on the streets, 2 words Café Mango’ is taking place at one of the hottest café joints in Dhaka.
   The photographs displayed at this café are taken by a young photographer named Khademul Insan and this is his second solo exhibition. A total of eleven photos are on display, each narrating a different story but under two themes- Simplicity of a Complex Mind and Odyssey of Self-discovery.
   Under the first theme, Insan captured some brilliant photos relating to the café. One will see exhibits portraying the surroundings and interior of the place. For those who are familiar with Café Mango, it will not be difficult to comprehend Insan’s pieces.
   The second theme deals with the outer world that we all live in. Insan worked with this theme for several years but yet he is still not satisfied and is thinking of carrying on more. photos on this theme relating to elements of intimacy and human characters.
   Coming back to the title, one may ponder about the meaning of it but according to Insan, it’s quite simple. Most pictures reflect his journey towards the café. And the words ‘2 words’ are subtly used to denote the name of the café. If one looks at the photos, one can immediately say the name of the place in two words, i.e Café Mango.
   Insan mentioned that he did not use any enhancement in his photos and one can see the clear connection between the exhibits and his inner thoughts. ‘These are nothing but my inner expression’, he commented.
   For those who have not yet been to the café yet, this writer will suggest going there, having a sip of your espresso and seeing the colours of Insan’s world and you will not be disappointed. The exhibition will continue till June 16.

A new film will examine a centuries-old tradition among some underprivileged Indian communities where girls in the family become prostitutes, with their brothers and fathers acting as pimps.
   Mostly restricted to a few male-dominated ethnic groups in central and southern India, this custom means women sell themselves to support the family while the men drink and gamble in between soliciting clients for their daughters and sisters.
   One such community is the Banjaras, living on the arid plains of central India, where the eldest daughter of the family is introduced into prostitution — often when she turns 12 — with bizarre fanfare.
   The mother dresses up the daughter for her first client while the father negotiates the best price for her virginity.
   ‘Rivaaz,’ or tradition, tells the story of a teenage girl who is to follow the age-old custom and become a prostitute. But her mother protests, triggering anger in a community living off their womenfolk.
   ‘Family-based prostitution exists in more than 300 districts in India,’ Ashok Nanda, the director of the Hindi-language film, said.
   While certain communities like the Banjaras see family-based prostitution as ‘god’s will,’ other groups coerce their women into the flesh trade as a form of bonded labor to pay off debts taken from moneylenders.
   In this system, the prostitute generally works without pay for a year or longer in order to repay a debt.
   Since Indian law prohibits prostitution, the bizarre tradition is unregulated by authorities, and more than 90 percent of these pre-teen prostitutes become pregnant. Many others are infected with sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
   In ‘Rivaaz,’ one of the girls, played by Bollywood actress Meghna Naidu, is ugly and hated by her family. The film also stars well-known Indian art-house actress Deepti Naval as the protesting mother.
   The film will be screened at the New York film festival next month and will open in India in September.

The preparatory committee of the observance of Henrik Ibsen’s 101st death anniversary will arrange a discussion programme on the world renowned dramatist Henrik Ibsen at 6:30pm today at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the city.
   The Norwegian ambassador Ingebjørg Støfring will be present as chief guest. The event will be chaired by Professor Khan Sarwar Murshid.
   Dr Sonia Nishat Amin and Dr Kajal Bandyopadhyay will be present as discussants and noted novelist Selina Hossain will deliver her address of welcome at the function.
   The organisers will also arrange readings and recitations from Ibsen’s works by Khondakar Ashraf Hossain and Bhaswar Bandyopashyay.
   The recitation will be followed by a staging of the play titled Resurrection, based on Ibsen’s life and works. The play written and directed by Kamaluddin Nilu will be presented by Centre for Asian Theatre.

Cultural organisation Magic Adda will arrange its 150th gathering today at 4:00pm at Natmandal on Dhaka University campus.
   The organisers will accord a reception to poet Al Mahmud while poet Ratan mahmud will preside over the function.
   Poet Rezauddin Stalin and poet Raju Alim will deliver speeches at the programme.

Barbara Walters, a familiar face in US television news since the 1960s and one of the top interviewers in the country, got a Hollywood ‘Walk of Fame’ star Thursday, making her the 2,340th person to receive the honour.
   The ceremony took place outside Oscar-famed Kodak Theater in the presence of Robert Iger, chief executive of Walt Disney Co, the parent company of ABC television, where Walters, 77, is employed.
   ‘To me this award is an Emmy and an Oscar and a Tony all in one, and I will walk taller and prouder from this day on,’ Walters said during the ceremony.
   Her major coup, however, came in November 1977, when she arranged the first joint interview between then Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.
   The list of heads of state and government she has spoken one-on-one with include Russia’s Boris Yeltsin, China’s Jiang Zemin, Britain’s Margaret Thatcher, India’s Indira Gandhi, the Czech Republic’s Vaclav Havel, Libya’s Moamer Kadhafi and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the former shah of Iran.