Wara Karim

A joy shared is a joy doubled! Eid-ul-Fitr is around the corner, and there are so many little ways by which we can share the joy of Eid and live up to the true spirit of the festival. 

Growing up, we were taught that wasting food was a sin. Every bite of food was valued in our culture, so we always heard our elders say that not even a grain of rice should go to waste. However, various factors have changed the way we once thought and behaved, resulting in a Bangladeshi society where a large number of people struggle to make ends meet while some citizens have access to more food than they can consume.

Zakat or almsgiving, which is the third pillar of Islam, refers to a Muslim’s annual obligatory donation to charitable causes if they have or own certain types of wealth. One may wonder why one must share their wealth with others. The straightforward answer to that is, Zakat is the right of the poor. As a wealthy Muslim, if you want to ‘purify’ your wealth, paying Zakat is the way.

In addition to all the cognitive benefits associated with reading, reading in your first language has plenty of other benefits, including knowing about your country and countrymen in the language of the land.

Most schools are closed because of the winter vacation, and this is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with your children. There are plenty of things that you and your family can do within the country, the city, and even in the comfort of your home without breaking the bank!

December, although freezing, is a festive month in this part of the world and there are things to look forward to. Christmas lights and displays, holiday merchandise at shops, and holiday desserts at eateries and grocery shops add joy and warmth to a cold December.

Shailan Probeen Nibash (SPN), which is located about 45 km from Dhaka off the Dhaka-Aricha highway, in an idyllic village called Shailan in Dhamrai upazila. At first sight, the old age home’s newly built exposed red brick four-storey building with its long balconies and a courtyard garden might make you mistake it for a vacation resort. The home has a capacity to house 80 men and women free of charge.

Making a gathering successful-memorable does not fall squarely on the hosts, the guests have an important role to play, too. It is useful to remember a few things when you are visiting someone, whether it is for a few hours or a few days. Being a good guest starts from the time you are given an invitation, so take some time to check your schedule and then give a definitive answer; yes or no. Do not say, maybe.

The weather is changing. The dipping temperature demands a change in what we wear, be it clothes or shoes. If you have been wearing sandals and open-toed shoes during the warmer months, now is the time to wear footwear that cover your feet a little more.

In the crowd of burgers, pizza, and fried chicken, are we slowly forgetting our traditional Bengali comfort snacks? Let’s bring them back in our lives, no matter what part of the world you live in. After all, Bengali comfort snacks are the most appetizing, most flavourful hands down! We have drawn up a list of the most beloved Bengali comfort snacks. While these snacks are available on the street and in restaurants, they can be quite easily prepared at home, too.

We live in a world where instant or immediate gratification is taken for granted. We do not want to wait for anything, even when waiting means more benefits or better products. Online shops and ease of making payments have enabled us to get what we want with just a few clicks. If we like something, we want it right now, especially when it does not cost us much. A result of all this is a world full of cheap and inferior quality products and also, substandard food items containing hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, preservatives, and artificial colours and flavours. Like consumers, producers do not want to wait either. They want to produce, sell, and reap profits right now.

I smell the fragrance of fall in the air. The morning air is crisp, the leaves are turning, the days are getting shorter, and the temperature is dipping. The quilts are out, the comforters are in. Summer dresses are out, sweaters and light jackets are in. While the aforementioned changes are easier to adjust to, it is my garden and its changing appearance that asks me of my patience, for it is going to be a long wait before my garden dresses up in a myriad of colours afresh.

A name given to a group of three waterfalls, the Niagara Falls runs along the international border between the United States and Canada. The largest, most beautiful, most featured, and most visited of the three waterfalls is the Horseshoe Falls. If you want to enjoy a full view of this natural wonder, you need to journey to Canada, which we did. The other two of the waterfalls, the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, lie within the United States.

Inflation is pinching our wallet. No matter how much you earn every month, the effect of high inflation is squeezing your purchasing power. People around the globe are now saving less than before, because it is becoming difficult for so many of us to just meet the necessary expenses; prices of gasoline, food, and housing are all soaring high. During this time of economic crisis, try becoming a smart shopper to mitigate the negative impact of inflation on your quality of life.

Between two slices of bread, a great number of ingredients can be mixed and matched to create a class favourite, a food that we know by the name sandwich. Sandwiches are insanely easy to prepare and delicious sandwiches can be prepared from simple and readily available ingredients. If you are a fan of sandwich like me, you can put together different kinds of sandwiches throughout the year to treat yourself, and your friends and family. The days right now are hot and humid, so here are 5 simple but scrumptious sandwich recipes that you can use when you are looking to eat something fresh and light. These sandwiches are also quick, healthy, and budget-friendly.

A lot of us women love to be adorned in jewellery, but wearing too many and too big pieces can make an outfit perplexing. People who love simple and clean style, believe in dainty, versatile, and effortless jewellery, which enhances a woman’s overall look by adding subtle details. In short, you can never go wrong with minimalist jewellery, where the design focus is on the concept of “less is more.”

When you reduce or limit your energy use, you limit your impact on the environment. Remember, most of the electricity we consume comes from burning fossil fuels like natural gas, petroleum (oil), and coal, all of which are non-renewable resources. The world is in an energy crisis. However, every cloud has a silver lining; perhaps, this is a good time for us to start changing our lifestyles, habits, and energy use for a better, cleaner, and greener future.

Does a feeling of dread and anxiety drown you the afternoon before a new work week begins? If not, consider yourself lucky, for a lot of people do feel anxious, irritable, fearful, and restless on Saturday/ Sunday evening, depending upon the day work week begins where you live. Here are a few things that you can consider doing to beat this sinking feeling that overwhelms you before your work day starts.

Budgeting is perhaps the single most important tool that helps us manage our money wisely during volatile economic times.

Have you ever tried to work out the value of your investment in clothing, shoes, and accessories? Do you know if the money you spend on a dress, a pair of shoes, or a piece of costume jewellery is really worth it?