The New Nation - Internet Edition

Role of Bangladesh Navy in Disaster Management

Noor Islam Habib

Bangladesh is a deltaic land. It is surrounded by Bay of Bengal on one side. It is also within the reach of Himalayan range. Three big and mighty rivers such as the Padma, the Jamuna and the Meghna flow through this plain land. So its geographical location has made Bangladesh too much vulnerable to natural calamities like flood, cyclone, earthquake, drought, erosion, etc. Man cannot stop these natural disasters. What we can do is to minimize the loss and damage of lives and properties through early and improved warning system, capacity building, adaptation, search, rescue and relief operations and rehabilitation. Here Bangladesh Navy can play an important and significant role. Among the government organizations Bangladesh Navy is the most suited organization to undertake disaster management activities, specially in the coastal areas and offshore islands. Bangladesh Navy has different kinds of ships and crafts, equipment and well-trained and skilled manpower to combat natural disaster.

Since disasters also affect the ships and establishments of Navy, certain preventive measures have to be taken to safeguard lives and properties. When the safety of naval personnel and properties is ensured then ships and establishment coordinate with local authorities to prepare medical and relief teams and ships for dispatching to the affected areas. Sometimes if the local authorities cannot provide the necessary relief materials like medicines or foodstuffs in time, those are issued from the existing own stock. After the cyclone, Bangladesh Navy sends ships and personnel to sea to search for survivors and rescue them. Bangladesh Navy also sends ships and personnel to transport relief goods and medical and relief teams to offshore islands.

Most Naval ships and crafts are fitted with good communication equipment, therefore, Naval ships are used as a communication link between inaccessible islands and different organisations. During floods shallow draught Naval ships are used to rescue stranded people and transport relief goods to the affected areas. Besides the disasters, Bangladesh Navy always remains ready and quite frequently carries out search and rescue operations of distressed merchant ships, boats and crafts, survivors from capsized and sunken fishing boats, trawlers and coasters, etc.

Realising the gravity of disaster management and need of the nation, Navy remains prepared at all times to sharply and promptly respond to any call of disaster management activities and undertake any job within its capabilities, the nation may need.

During normal times Navy ships and establishments remain ready to undertake long-term relief operations at short notice. Navy keeps contact with Meteorological Department and Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief for receiving of warning signals and takes required preparedness in advance. Navy also undertakes trainings for all personnel on rescue and rehabilitation activities. It examines the strength and weakness of own disaster management contingency plan through annual exercise as per standing orders and takes step to improve the existing standard.

During alert stage Navy sends warning signals to all of its units after receiving from Meteorological Department and establishes disaster control cells at Naval Headquarters, Khulna and Chittagong areas. Navy also designates liaison officer for the Prime Ministers or Chief Adviser's Coordination cell and keeps contact with the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and control room of Army and Air Force.

During disaster stage Navy deploys required number of officers and men in control cells at NHQ in Dhaka and in Khulna and Chittagong areas. It also keeps all ships and Naval bases ready for immediate deployment. At the request of civil authority or following directives from the government Navy carries and distributes relief goods to the affected areas and provides medical assistance to the distressed people.

During rehabilitation stage Navy assesses the damage of the affected areas and arranges necessary relief and rehabilitation activities. Navy also assists civil administration in distributing relief goods and continues this assistance till the situation becomes normal.

The recent Cyclone Sidr and Bangladesh Navy: the cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh on 15 November 2007. Thousands of emergency officials including Armed Forces personnel were put on standby in advance of the storm's arrival. Massive evacuations of the residents of the low lying coastal areas also took place. A total of two million people were evacuated to emergency shelters. An emergency cabinet meeting decided to withdraw weekly leave for the government officials to join the evacuation process. Over 4 thousands Red Crescent volunteers were deployed to order residents in the 15 affected areas into special cyclone and flood shelters. The operation rooms were activated in Naval Headquarters and also in other Naval operation areas to monitor the cyclone Sidr from 14 November 2007.

The role of Bangladesh Navy in post-SIDR relief and rehabilitation operations in cyclone affected areas was to assist the local administration to bring working discipline immediately after the catastrophe and subsequently in restoring normalcy in social and economic life of the disarrayed community through gradual rehabilitation process.

Soon after forecasting signal No-10 by the Meteorological Department Bangladesh Navy contingent deployed in coastal areas of Dublar Char, Borguna sadar, Amtoli, Betagi, Patharghata, Bamna, Mongla, Bhola Sadar, Monpura, Borhanuddin, St. Martins, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, Charfesson Sandwip and Hatiya ; assisted civil administration for evacuation of residents to safer places. It is mentionable that Bangladesh Navy contingent at St. Martins moved all the tourists to a safer place in the island.

Immediately after the cyclone, eight BN ships sailed to different areas for search and rescue operations, port clearance and post-cyclone relief operations. Two BN ships reached Dublar Char area by afternoon of 16th November and provided dry and cooked food along with drinking water to the distressed people. Two ships deployed in Barisal area provided dry and cooked food and drinking water in Borguna district. BN ship sailed for the St. Martins reached at about midnight of 16 November and provided tourists and islanders with dry and cooked food along with drinking water. Consequently the ship arranged safe passage of the tourists to Teknaf on 17 November. Three other ships reached coastal areas by evening of 16 November for search and rescue operations.

Due to difficulties to monitor all the activities from Dhaka, government established a local coordination centre at Barisal for speedy distribution of relief materials. Bangladesh Navy contingent deployed in coastal areas were strengthened and two separate focal points were established at Barisal and Mongla to enhance the ongoing relief operations.

Five to six medium and smaller ships were deployed for transportation and distribution of relief materials to the remote places. Navy contingent also hired local boats for carrying relief materials to remote islands where BN ships cannot operate due to depth restrictions.

Considering the limited carrying capacity of hello and fixed wing aircraft and huge stockpile of relief materials Armed Force Division directed Bangladesh Navy to mobilise bulk cargoes through river routes. Accordingly, BN coordinated with all the concerned maritime agencies for transportation and motivated them to carry these huge cargoes to the different cyclone-affected areas free of cost. Navy arranged transportation of huge relief items through civil launch to Barisal, Borguna, Pathorghata, Amtoli, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Pirojpur.

So far BN ships and contingent distributed relief materials mainly 10,290 tonnes of rice, 203 tons of dry food, 233 litres of drinking water, 31,525 pieces of blanket, huge amount of winter clothes and few construction materials. BN medical teams still are providing medical support to the distressed people of affected areas.

Disaster management abroad: Bangladesh Navy sent two ships BNS SANGU and BNS TURAG to Sri Lanka and Maldives respectively after Tsunami hit these countries in 2005. BN ships and 105-member contingent worked in Sri Lanka and Maldives in relief and rescue operations and for medical assistance programme under operation "SAARC BONDHON" .

Immediately after the disaster, Bangladesh government dispatched two helicopters and huge relief materials by a C-130 aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force. Later, Bangladesh Navy ships with more relief goods joined them to further gear up their relief operations in the worst hit areas of both the countries.

Some difficulties Bangladesh Navy encountered while carrying out disaster relief operations in offshore islands and coastal areas in the past. These are lack of hydrographic surveys, lack of navigational aids, lack of means of communication, lack of suitable watercraft, etc. Most parts of Bangladesh coastline in the south and southwest areas were surveyed in 1930. Since then no full-scale survey has been carried out. So navigation in those areas is very difficult and risky. The most difficult part is that the silt in those areas shifts very frequently. Therefore, the depth of water is never known for sure. Besides there are many islands which are not even marked on the chart or maps. So, mere grounding of the ships could damage the underwater fittings and make it inoperative defeating the very purpose for which it was sent.

There are no navigational aids or marks in those areas. So BN ships have to carry out simultaneous survey and then proceed. This process is time consuming and it delays the badly needed supplies of relief materials.

In most of the small islands there are no means of communication except for physical inspection and reporting. This delays the whole process. At present there is no suitable craft with any agency of the government, except a few with the Bangladesh Navy, which can operate safely in shallow waters.

The government should take appropriate measures to overcome these difficulties as the natural disaster is a regular phenomenon in our country and we have to live with these calamities. Bangladesh Navy is always prepared to combat the natural disaster with its ships and watercrafts, equipment and skilled manpower.

(The writer is serving as Assistant Director, ISPR.)

IUB Convocation Speaker Prof. Charles Choguill’s sojourn to Bangladesh

Tanvir A. Khan

Professor-Emeritus Charles L. Choguill and his charming wife Dr. Marisa Choguill landed at the Zia International Airport on the morning of June 14, 2008.

Here is a personality who had joined the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom two weeks before Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971. From 1974, his stint at problem-solving in Bangladesh as a co-worker with Professor Jimmy James (former Chief Town Planner, UK) led him to take many challenges.

The BUET-Sheffield Joint degree program was their brain-child and it did successfully well in churning out thirty planners under the auspices of the United Nations Fellowship program. No less a person as Mr. Quamrul Islam Siddique (popularly known as the father of LGED), Dr. Tasleem Shakur, Dr. Abdul Mohit, Ms. Nilufer Matin, Mr. F. M. Aziz, Dr. Ahmeduzzaman, Ms. Laila Baque and a lot of other prodigies were his students. All of them are now in different places of the world contributing their acquired knowledge to the problems at home or abroad.

Prof. Choguill's last trip was 18 years ago when he visited the site at Mirpur to observe the latest progress. He visited Dhaka so that he could brush up his thesis with the current feedback and finally it was published as a book on Bhashantek at Mirpur captioned "New Communities for Urban squatters: Lessons from the Plan that failed in Dhaka, Bangladesh". This time also in 2008 he visited the site at Mirpur to observe that his conclusions remain unchanged.

He honestly confesses that this book was not a best-seller by any stretch of the imagination, although it received incredibly good reviews. His intention was to highlight the planning problems that had occurred on this project. He noted that they were not unique to Bangladesh, or even just housing projects, but had occurred in many projects in other countries at other times.

In his convocation speech delivered on June 15, 2008 he shared few lessons to be learned from this development project to the graduating members of the Class of 2008 of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).

The first lesson he would argue is not to become dependent upon others when one is working in their chosen fields. For the Mirpur project, expatriates were recruited to plan something in a country where they had limited local knowledge. They proposed technology that was not really appropriate for the situation. He reminded the graduates that Bangladesh is their country and they know it better than any outsider.

The second lesson was to base one's work on a solid foundation. He advised the graduates not to rush into things without adequate knowledge. He emphasized to think, think and think again. At Mirpur, a major conclusion was that many of the things that went wrong could have been anticipated had the planners merely thought about them. He reminded the graduates that hours of forethought are better than days of regret when things start to go wrong.

The third lesson he shared with the graduates was not to be afraid to talk with their colleagues and friends about what they are doing as this is likely to reduce the probability of failure. His assessment was that the Mirpur project was based on top-down communications. There was no consultation.

The fourth lesson he shared was not to give up. He advised that if things get difficult, revise and do it again. He opined that Mirpur seemed to have worked on the second try. The revised project was quite different from the original, yet it incorporated local knowledge and was successfully completed.

Finally, with his subtle sense of humour he stated that if the graduates decided to ignore all of this advise, and go ahead impulsively with the outsiders, inappropriate technology, skipping the logical steps that they know will reduce the chances that things will go wrong, then make certain that they are very, very tall, as that is the only way, once the dike breaks and the flood water rushes in, that they can keep their heads above the water.

A new chapter for Prof. Choguill is probably in the offing. He had not seen rural Bangladesh in the previous trips. This time around he was taken to a village named Agtarial in the Nagarpur Thana of Tangail as the Chief Guest in the inauguration of an 'Eye-camp' and 'Homes for the Destitute' held by the Rotary Club of Dhaka West, District 3280.

His student Quamrul Islam Siddique, the Chief Engineer of LGED in 1996 organized constructing the local road from Saturia to Pakutia, an 11 kms stretch on which he was travelling on that occasion and to this day this track has remained in one piece. The mentor Choguill felt proud that his protégé Quamrul had been involved in the highest seat of decision making and contributed enormously in the development of his country. There are so many local roads like this in Bangladesh which were constructed under Mr. Siddique's guidance and supervision.

Prof. Choguill and Dr. Marisa Choguill were delighted to observe the splendour of a degree college known as the Pakutia BCRG degree college in such a remote area. A 35 acre site could probably become a sprawling campus for a residential university, so they wondered. Why not? It is far from the madding crowd as it is 25 kms from the Dhaka-Aricha highway. It takes only one and a half hour to traverse 70 kms to reach Dhaka city (minus the traffic jam) from Pakutia and one hour to reach Tangail town on the other side.

Prof. Choguill is currently teaching as Professor of Urban Planning at the College of Architecture and Planning of King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The gentry, of this place he visited in Tangail, were happy to have him in their midst and were wondering whether, as an academic and someone who could be instrumental in taking the university concept forward could work in unison with the local people to make this place a university town.

Someone who remembers Bangladesh so fondly, as was stated by his wife, can surely find his way back to spend his future years in institution building in this lovely land. When he bid farewell to the IUB's graduating class of 2008, he stated "Good luck to each and every one of you. After this convocation, be sure to thank your parents for the support they have given you. Oh yes, and good luck to Bangladesh!"

May he and his wife bring luck by participating with them and making Bangladesh their second home?

Dr. Tanvir A. Khan is an Economist and is currently

the Registrar of Independent University, Bangladesh

Career: Losing your job

It wasn't so long ago, that men expected to have a job for life. That concept has more or less faded into obscurity, but the pain of living with a man who has lost his job is still very real. Women have been more used to a flexible working life, often taking breaks to have children or to support their husband's career. But as women become more career orientated, and households depend on two incomes, redundancy is a big issue for women as well. Nick Gendler of Workjoy, specialises in helping people find their perfect job, and here he explains how to survive redundancy, and even turn it into a positive experience.

Why did you leave your last job?

It's a question that, following redundancy, many job applicants stumble around hopelessly with as they attempt to convince the interviewer that they wanted to leave, when in fact they know that redundancy is more complicated than that.

It's true that many people in this situation are ready to leave at the time that redundancy hits them but the discomfort derives from knowing that given the choice, they would probably not be sitting in that room at that time. Even if true, many candidates still believe that redundancy equals failure in the eyes of many interviewers.

Sadly, this is almost always a long way from the truth. Redundancy does not visit the untalented. Indeed, it is often the more able who find themselves in this position, many times by design.

Redundancy is just one way by which people leave an employer. The world of work is changing rapidly and the human resource requirement is changing equally fast. The capabilities required by an organisation last year may differ significantly this year. There's no need to be ashamed if your employer can no longer use the skills you offer. The answer is to move on to an organisation where you can add value and to keep your skills up to date so that you are never caught with skills that are no longer required at all.

The changing nature of work

The job for life has gone. These days I work with people who are leaving high street banks and even the civil service following re-structuring. Many have been with their employers for upwards of twenty-five years and now find themselves entering the job market for the first time since leaving school. When they joined, these employees would have been fairly safe in the knowledge that if they'd wanted to spend their entire working life with the organisation, they could have done so.

Whatever the causes - technology, the demands of shareholders, global industrialisation - it is clear that organisational change happens now more quickly than ever. Change happens because organisations need to remain competitive and efficient and it therefore tends to be driven by operational need (cost reduction) or from a marketing imperative (increased revenue). If it is operational efficiency that is driving the change it may well be that whole layers of management or functional areas are removed, perhaps to be outsourced.

This inevitably leads to greater pressure on those that remain who often find themselves with an increased workload. Furthermore, morale is quite often on a downward slope during the period leading to redundancy announcements; performance is often poor and bonuses are reduced.

The first wave of redundancy may be characterised by the organisation inviting volunteers. Who would volunteer for redundancy? It's usually the more talented and confident; those who are not happy at work and believe they can find a better job outside. Many people in this category were going to leave anyway. Here's a chance to leave with a pay-off as well! Did you consider, while worrying about how you were to explain redundancy, that you might be amongst a group who consider themselves to be more capable than most?

Not everyone can volunteer for redundancy. However, it's rarely the case that individuals are singled out on the basis that they are performing poorly. For those that are made compulsorily redundant, it is important to remember that it's nothing personal and it's not about performance. If a whole department shuts down in order to cut costs, there is no consideration of the talent that will be lost. It's possible that some people will be re-deployed elsewhere, but not finding an alternative role does not equate to being unwanted. It all comes down to whether or not your capabilities are required by the re-designed organisation.

Note the important point there: it's your capabilities that are under scrutiny, not your talent. You may be the best PR manager the organisation has ever employed. You may have helped raise the profile of the organisation so that rarely does a week go by when your company is not mentioned on TV or in the national press. However, that won't guarantee that you keep your job if the decision has been made to outsource all PR activity to an agency.

The "flattening" of organisations also increases the desirability of redundancy. Knowing that where there might previously have been two or three people competing for the next job up the ladder, with flattened structures there may now be ten or more people reporting into a single line manager. All of a sudden the chances of promotion are greatly reduced and the desire to leave increases. Are you still uncomfortable about the idea of being made redundant?

So what are the new work arrangements?

Employers are no longer willing to invest so much in the development of their staff and there are few opportunities for promotion. In order to keep yourself challenged with new opportunities to learn and grow you may need to think about changing jobs every two or three years. Thus you will be building a portfolio of capabilities that you will offer subsequent employers.

The portfolio career puts the responsibility upon you to ensure that you make the right career choices. In effect, you are now a contractor. It may still be the case that you are employed on a permanent contract but the relationship is just as it would be if you were there for a short term project or interim position; you've been employed for the skills you have for as long as those skills are required.

What do you want from the next employer in terms of career development, lifestyle accommodation, experiences and training? It's up to you to identify what your requirements are and either look for a job that offers them or ask for them. You need to be able to look back over those two or three years and feel you have developed in some way. If you can, you'll have something up to date and valuable to offer the next employer.

Another interesting feature of the modern workplace is that vast numbers of people follow careers with a lateral or matrix path (a mixture of sideways and upward moves) rather than climbing a ladder. With fewer opportunities for promotion this is not surprising. It's not uncommon to see people move from a job where they managed a team to one where there is either a smaller team or none at all. In other cases, people move to jobs where they can do new things in order to widen their skills set. This may even be a downward step in terms of seniority.

Handling that question

In spite of these fundamental changes to the way we work and the massive increase in corporate change and therefore redundancy, many people still feel ashamed about being made redundant. The greatest fear is that they are seen as having failed. "If I was any good they'd have kept me in some capacity" is often the way the thinking goes. Not so. Granted, some large employers have room to re-deploy some staff, but not all have the capabilities required for the new roles. Where mergers have taken place and there are two candidates for one position it is often politics rather than talent that dictates who will be offered the new job or else it comes down to which personality is most likely to fit the new organisation. Again, this is no reflection on the quality of the individual who loses out. For the vast majority, however, redundancy is part of a cost cutting exercise in which roles and functions are considered to be an unnecessary burden on the organisation and are therefore removed.

It's true that some employers may have concerns and doubts about taking on people who have been made redundant, but these people are rare and above all, an apologetic response to questioning around the issue is only likely to reinforce whatever prejudice may be present.

Be prepared to answer the question "Why did you leave your last job?" Be up front and truthful about it. What were the reasons for redundancy? If it was corporate change or cost cutting, tell them that the organisation underwent a change programme and give the reason. Explain that as part of the programme a number of positions were identified as no longer being required including your own, and that redundancy was offered. If you lost your position after a merger, you can talk about how you were considered less suited to the new culture compared with your rival for the position. You might be asked to expand upon this so do prepare for this possibility: How has the culture changed? How do your values and those of the organisation differ?

Always be positive about your previous employer. Nobody wants to think that when you leave them there is a possibility that you might bad mouth their organisation. Explain that while you might have been disappointed you understand and accept the situation. You might say that you consider the outcome to be right for both parties and that you see it as an opportunity. Whatever you decide to say, be truthful and don't be ashamed - don't stop looking the interviewer in the eye, and don't go about it on too much! Treat the issue as if you have no problem with it and therefore you see no reason for why the other person should have a problem with it.

Remember, redundancy is just one of the ways that people leave organizations. Too many highly talented people leave by this route for anyone to consider that it is only the weak that are made redundant. It simply is not the case.

Computer zone: Five routes to computer composure

Your computer is an omnipresent part of your life: all your work is done on it, and then you book your holidays and buy your plane tickets using it -not to mention, all those on-line dating sites! But how many of us, can hand on heart say, that they do everything absolutely necessary to safeguard the data, whether it's having the latest anti-virus software to doing secure backups. We .give you five handy hints on what we should be doing. Ignore these at your peril.

We may all have computers in our homes but are we making sure we treat them with the best possible care? Certainly things can go wrong, but it's often a slippery slope from interrupted surfing to an unrecoverable crash.

And in the era of digital audio, video and pictures, a crash can result in much more than just a re-boot. It could mean the loss of your carefully collected music library or hundreds of holiday snaps and family photos. It could even mean an entire hard drive is corrupted and a new computer might have to be top of your wish listt

But there are a number of steps you can take to ensure fault-free computing from the comfort of your own home, without having to haul your beloved desktop or laptop down to a computer repair shop. Our tips range from protecting yourself while online, to getting your data recovered in case of a serious error.

Tip 1: Avoid a terminal illness

The biggest threats to home computing are viruses, worms, trojans and spyware - software applications, collectively called 'malware', that can infect your machine and get it to do things you don't know are happening.

A worm, for example, might install itself on your computer via an email from a friend unwittingly infecting your computer. Once installed, it could wreak havoc, including sending copies of itself to everyone in your address book (or just randomly deleting your data).

The best way to combat malware and ensure you still receive email newsletters and promotional offers from your favourite beauty brand is to have anti-virus software installed to catch anything suspicious. A personal firewall will also check the traffic in and out of your computer and flag any suspicious traffic.

Tip 2: Think without wires

Wireless computing is convenient, and means you don't need to rely on a phone or router connection - surfing from the comfort of your sofa or even in the garden is possible. In other words, no more trailing cables around the house. But wireless computing can be risky without the right security in place.

An unsecured wireless network in your house can be an invitation for bandwidth thieves to piggyback on your network and steal internet connectivity from right under your nose. More worryingly, a small number of people are capable of exploiting insecure wireless connections to view your internet traffic - such as reading your emails or instant messages - and even get access to your hard drive to see if there is any information stored such as bank account details.

The moral of the story? Make sure your router is protected with a password so only you - and people you know - can access your personal network.

Tip 3: Protect your identity

Identity theft continues to be a hot topic, but ID thieves don't need to rummage through your rubbish to find bank statements to be able to steal sensitive personal information. All they could need to sneak a look at your data or - even worse - spend your money for you, is an online password.

The most important way to protect your identity is to be suspicious. 'Phishing' emails - those that purport to be from a trusted source and ask for sensitive information, only to send it straight to an ID thief - are a common technique in online theft. Make sure you verify the source of any email you get that asks for personal information, even from high street stores where you regularly shop or your local gym, even if it looks legitimate.

And it may seem obvious… But don't tell anyone your online passwords or PIN numbers.

Tip 4: Call for backup

At the end of the day, there's no way you should lose any data at all if you're regularly backing your documents and work up. Back in the day, this meant hours of saving every file to disk, then storing them all in a cupboard to

gather dust.

Nowadays, there are online backup services that can save your precious work (and music, videos and images of friends and family) automatically online, without taking up valuable space on your computer, or in your house.

Tip 5: Maintain your composure

After all that, if something does go wrong, all is not lost - literally. Data recovery services are often extremely effective at getting back data that you think was lost forever (even if you've spilt a glass of coke on your laptop!).

There are also services to sign up to that will mean there's an IT expert on the end of the phone, seven days a week. And that doesn't mean calling up a technical expert who will pass your call around and spout jargon at you until you can't even remember how to work a mouse. Broadband internet speeds and always-on access mean experts can remotely take control of your PC and fix it there and then - right before your eyes.

But there is one critical piece of advice to remember should you suffer data loss, virus infection or fall foul of a phishing scam: Don't panic.

Travel: Enjoy pure luxury for your honeymoon

Taqdir Ahmed

Just married and want to make her feel the princess she is, with no care for such a thing as 'budget'? If you want a slice of high-life or simply are accustomed to it, and expect the pinnacle of service, quality, and style, and experiences that are out of reach for the ordinary - it's all possible in Singapore. Pamper yourself in a lavish spa, shop the world's finest boutiques, score great seats to a hot new show, or enjoy the Singapore skyline from your penthouse suite in the sky - make it count!

Stay at the ultimate in luxury hotels, the Ritz-Carlton, which has 32 floors of unobstructed harbor and city views as well as sculptures by Frank Stella and limited edition prints by David Hockney and Henry Moore. Check into a suite with floor to ceiling windows offering spectacular views of the Marina. Even the spacious marble-tiled bathroom have views, as the huge tubs are placed under four square metre octagonal picture windows so you can gaze as you bathe. Decadent!

For old-world opulence, Raffles is second to none. it has the trappings of modern luxury yet retains the unique charm of the colonial era. Over the years, it has welcomed many famous guests, attracted by the hotel's luxury and elegance including Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad and Charlie Chaplin. There are no standard rooms; it's a suite or nothing less, and at rates which far exceed those of other top hotels in Singapore. The 86 Raffles Hotel suites are charming showpieces of old-world opulence, while the 7 Grand suites offer luxurious indulgence. A stay at Raffles is more than a luxurious escape in the heart of a modern metropolis; it's a chance to tap in to Singapore's colonial spirit (and live out those Somerset Maugham fantasies).

Singapore is an indefatigable destination for its expertise in wellness treatments, luxurious or otherwise. Try out and treat yourself to a different spa everyday of your honeymoon here. The list of spas is second to none, but here are our top picks. Singapore's most celebrated Amrita Spa at Raffles City is the largest luxury spa in Asia spread over three levels of spa and fitness facilities. The second, smaller Amrita Spa in the Raffles Hotel has a more intimate quality. Since it is for the exclusive use of hotel guests, and as the hotel attracts affluent travelers from around the world, the atmosphere here is of quiet luxury. The facility has six treatment rooms, VIP suites for couples (complete with private Jacuzzi, aroma steam bath, shower facility, and a lounge area), a picture-postcard relaxation verandah, and a swimming pool with a pool bar.

Indulge yourself in one of the luxurious signature spa treatments such as Total Body Wellness, Elixir of Youth and the Amrita Spa "Total Indulgence", which includes a Thermal Mineral Body Scrub, a one-hour full body massage followed by a Deluxe Pedicure, a 2-course spa lunch, a Spa Manicure, and a Traditional European Facial.

At the Grand Plaza Park Royal Hotel's Saint Gregory Spa, even non-guests can make advance appointments to enjoy services in quiet and luxurious surroundings. Inspired by the Balinese-styled poolside, its resort-like atmosphere is reflected in the use of natural elements such as water, bamboo and rattan, and even in the pebbled flooring embedded with real seashells and handcrafted doors, all beautifully restored by native Balinese artists. Pools are snuggled amid lush green plants, with soothing sounds of waves lilting through the air. The focal treatments are the hydrotherapy baths, but you can also get jet showers, steam baths, facials, body treatments, and hand, foot, and body massage. There is also a couple room and rooms with garden patios where guests can relax over a cup of tea after their treatments.

Escape now to the sublime tranquility of The Asian Spa. Located at Singapore's finest heritage hotel, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, The Asian Spa boasts a perfect union of panoramic city views and tantalizing spa treatments. With its posh contemporary Asian décor, The Asian Spa represents luxury at its finest. Spreading over 20,000 square feet, facilities include private couple's spa suites, exquisite treatment rooms, steam baths, a gymnasium, as well as a roof-top swimming pool which offers a breathtaking view of the Singapore River. Experience sheer romance while luxuriating together in the private Jacuzzi with a Fragrant Bath of Flowers or a Dead Sea Salts Minerals Bath, a relaxing bath treatment rich in mineral salts and trace elements.

An enchanting experience awaits at The Retreat Spa & Thalasso with the golden face and body treatment. Let the Golden Scrub, Golden bath, Golden Wrap and a sculpting body massage gently revitalise you and moisturise your body with their minerals in floral essential oils. Sojourn to a romantic setting and bask in each other's love while you renew your body, mind and spirit. You'll have an unforgettable experience together with your loved one.

Discover the ultimate spa experience at one of Asia's best-kept secrets, Spa Botanica located at The Sentosa Resort & Spa on Singapore's Sentosa Island. This is a delightfully idyllic retreat for lovers honeymooning here, offering beautiful gardens, outdoor mud pools, pavilions and Galaxy Steam baths. Pamper yourselves with a tinge of modern and traditional health and beauty practices. The Royal Suite, a sensuously romantic escape for couples will revitalize and spoil both of you, with the reviving aroma of the seven jet shower and all time favourite - the King's Bath, a 450 kg bath hand-tooled meticulously from cast bronze to retain the warmth of sensuous milk, floral or herbal baths.

If you're looking to sign off this precious time in style, take a cruise. If the regular cruises are too common for you, book yourself in the Asian leg of Regent Seven Seas' world cruise that embarks from Hong Kong and ends in Singapore, with stops in Vietnam and Bangkok in between. The all-suite Seven Seas Mariner features balconies in every suite, and the Master Suite, which costs $90,949 for the two-week voyage, has 1,403 square feet of space, a nearly 200-square-foot balcony, two bedrooms and marble bathrooms. Butler service is included.

Indeed, Singapore provides the perfect setting for a honeymooning experience. Each moment spent in Singapore will create memories to last, woven together with wonderful experiences to cherish for a lifetime.

For more information, check

www.ritzcarlton.com

www.singapore-raffles.raffles.com

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www.stgregoryspa.com

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Education: KIS imparts balanced education

Sohel Mahmud Sagar

Kodaikanal International School (KIS), a multicultural school is situated down south in Tamil Nadu, a state in India. Unlike many other schools, KIS observes a wide range of events for students to show off their talents. It conducts a good number of interesting, competitive, cultural and exciting activities for the students. The school offers a huge opportunity for interaction of different cultures and traditions through its wide variety of students. Kodaikanal International School is located at 7,000 feet above the sea level and is situated in the Palani Hills of South India. Because of the altitude of these beautiful mountains the only way to reach this school is by either of the two "ghat" roads. One ghat road comes from Coimbatore, the other from either Madurai or Kodaikanal Road. KIS combines an ambitious academic programme and a rich range of extracurricular activities within a Christian values framework that draws on a variety of cultures and it disseminates balance education for global citizenship.

KIS is in a region renowned for its rugged beauty, cool climate and peaceful surroundings.

Established in 1901 KIS is an autonomous, Christian, multicultural, residential school with a co-educational programme for pre-school to Grade 12 students, coordinated in Elementary, Middle and High School programmes. Full boarding students are accepted from Grades 4-12.

KIS has run a strong outdoor and environmental education programme since 1987. In 1994 a wilderness campus was created for use during the extensive hiking and camping programmes being offered. All of its graduating students enter colleges and universities worldwide. As the first school in India to offer the IB, KIS has developed a high level of expertise, which is reflected in its examination results. KIS is a residential school with a broad college-oriented curriculum, serving young people from a wide diversity of cultures.

KIS graduates consistently achieve higher results than world mean scores in IB Diploma and SAT exams. 100% of KIS students who apply to colleges and universities worldwide gain entry. KIS High School Diploma is accredited by the US Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools and recognised by the Association of Indian Universities, Delhi, since 1981, allowing KIS students to enter Indian universities directly.

The extra-curricular activities offered at KIS include a music programme recognised as one of the leading programmes in India. Individual instruction is offered in both Western and Indian music. The music department arranges numerous concerts and recitals throughout the academic year at school and in national locations. KIS is a testing centre for the Royal School of Music (RSM) examinations and annually we are able to select some six students to attend the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) music festivals. AMIS is dedicated to the promotion of excellence at all levels of music education.

Service and community involvement are essential aspects of the KIS experience. KIS curriculum includes emphasis on the responsibility of all students and staff for the society in which they live. This emphasis is embodied in a strong social experience programme with classes targeted at social and environmental concerns, and the integration of field work and service opportunities. Out-of-station field trips are held once a year during which time students become involved in numerous projects ranging from observing life in a spice plantation to renovating daycare centers in rural communities.

The KIS hiking programme offers the best of Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills: the views, waterfalls, wildlife and jungles are all beyond the confines of the school campus and town thus providing students with a spectacular opportunity to take a break from class, have good exercise and enjoy a change of pace.

KIS has an international faculty represented by teachers from Australia, Bhutan, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Korea, Netherlands, Philippines, New Zealand, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tibet, UK and USA. Advanced degrees are held by a majority of the faculty. The overall student to teacher ratio is approximately 8 to 1.

In conclusion, it can be said that such a boarding school has a lot of facilities that make it unique. The interaction between cultures and traditions is one thing that is crucial for a child's growth and development. Their understanding and knowledge of the world is so much advanced from interacting with mates rather than sitting in a classroom. Children not only need education, but interaction between themselves so that they get to know about the lives of others are and how they deal with it. It gives them a chance to be practical and to put their education in good use.

KIS offers International Baccalaureate and American curricula to around 600 students from about 36 countries. There are about 12-15 students who are from Bangladesh. KIS needs more students, perhaps you should get this opportunity to be in such a wonderful school. KIS Admissions are currently accepting applications for the next academic year, July 2009.

The KIS recruitment team will be in Dhaka on Friday 7 November at 5:00PM in the Jalsha, Level 3, Hotel Sarina, 27 Banani CIA, Road 17. Being an invitee, I along with my family are going to attend the very special occasion and would like to draw attention of all prospective families and interested persons to attend this information reception. You can contact Mrs. Sylvia Faddegon, Admissions Coordinator, admissions@kis.in for further information.

Recipe: Taste of Brunch

Giant pancakes

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1/2-cup sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1-cup milk

1-tablespoon baking powder

1/4-teaspoon salt

Butter

Warm maple syrup

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°F. Whisk eggs, sugar and melted butter in medium bowl until blended. Add flour alternately with milk in 3 additions, whisking to blend after each addition. Whisk in baking powder and salt.

Melt enough butter in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium heat just to coat bottom. Ladle scants 3/4-cup batter into skillet, rotating skillet to spread batter to about 6-inch-diameter round. Cook pancake until bubbles form on surface and bottom is brown, about 1 minute. Turn over pancake and cook until bottom is brown and pancake is cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to large baking sheet. Place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter to form 5 more pancakes, adding more butter to skillet as necessary. Serve with syrup.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Basic Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

12 large eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons mustard

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Method

Place eggs in a saucepan with water to cover plus 1 inch. On medium-high heat, bring the eggs to a low boil. After 15 minutes from the time they start to boil, remove the pan from the stove and run cold water directly on the eggs for a few minutes. Peel under cold running water, also.

Halve the eggs lengthwise. Remove the yolks, place them in a small bowl, and mash them with a fork. Add mayonnaise and mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Spoon the mixture into the egg-white halves. Garnish each with a sprinkle of paprika, a parsley sprig, or as desired and voila! The Deviled Eggs Recipe come to life.

Tip: A bed of decorative lettuce leaves, parsley or alfalfa sprouts will keep the eggs from sliding around a platter or shallow bowl.

Try one of these options:

Substitute sour cream for the mayonnaise.

Substitute mustard with Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard.

Add one of the following to the filling:

2 finely chopped green onions,

2 tablespoons minced parsley,

1 tablespoon chopped chives,

1/2 cup chopped shrimp, crab, or salmon,

3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese,

1/2 cup chopped olives,

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Method

Reduce mayonnaise to 1/3 cup and add 3 teaspoons cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.

Low cholesterol deviled eggs: Discard all but 2 whole egg yolks. Chop 8 egg-white halves (4 whole egg-whites) and mash them with the remaining egg yolks. Cut the mayonnaise to 1/4 cup and the mustard to 2-3 teaspoons, according to taste. Prepare as directed above. Makes 16 appetizers.

Chocolate Brunch French Toast

Ingredients

* 1 cup chocolate milk

* 2 large eggs

* 2 teaspoons butter or margarine

* 8 slices white or French bread

* Powdered sugar (optional)

* Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

* Grated chocolate (optional)

Method

Whisk together chocolate milk and eggs in medium bowl.

Melt butter in large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip bread into milk and egg mixture to coat evenly. Cook bread on each side for about 3 minutes or until cooked through. Dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate and raspberries.

Vegetable samosa

Ingredients

Advertisement1 med size bag of frozen mixed vegetables (usually has carrots, peas, sweet corn, green beans)

2 med onions finely chopped (preferably in a blender)

½ clove garlic crushed

1½ inch length size of ginger - optional (this must be chopped in a blender)

Coriander finely chopped

1½ teaspoons salt

2/3 green chilies finely chopped

2 teaspoons garam malasa

1 heaped tablespoon of geera

Vegetable oil

Filo pastry sheets

Method

1. Cook the onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and salt until brown. Add mix veg and continue to cook on medium heat until till veg is cooked. Allow veg mix to cool.

2. Taste the veg mix and add red chilli powder if not spicy enough and salt. Not any sooner but before you begin to make the samosas add the garam masala, coriander and geera.

3. Roll filo pastry into 4 inch diameter circle, half, dampen the edges and make a cone shape, fill the cone with the mix, seal by dampening with water, once sealed, fry in vegtable oil, you will know when samosa is ready it will float to the top of the oil pot, drain the excess oil by placing on kitchen roll, and serve hot or cold.