The beginning of anything is always exciting. Be it a new relationship, a new job or be it a new class. A new year is no different. People all over the world come together and usher in the 1st of January with hope and delight. In celebration everyone bids farewell to a year’s worth of memories and wishes for a happier, more successful one ahead.
ICE Today greets 2015 with similar expectations. After a myriad of eventful weeks, a weary Bangladesh prepares herself to start anew. The year that was saw our nation host the ICC World Cup and the annual Bengal Classical Music Festival; welcome A R Rahman; meet Akram Khan and experience his theatre production, DESH. Last year we also suffered some significant losses. Some lost a family member, some lost a friend and some, a colleague. Eminent artist Qayyum Chowdhury took his final bow, with forty thousand witnesses to his
extraordinary exit from this world. The end of 2014 also saw tragedy strike the Sundarbans when an accident there cause a massive oil spill. Nevertheless, resilient as we are, the country is ready to move forward in hopes of a better tomorrow.
As usual, ICE begins the year with a ‘green’ welcome. The first issue of the year contains plenty of things that can keep one healthy and help one become more environmentally cautious. For instance, Invents gives you some fantastic tips on indoor gardening while we have a specially designed eco-friendly set of resolutions for you to try out this year in Green Resolutions. A feature on fresh, organic produce is bound to catch your attention as it points out the places to avail them here in Dhaka. Cover Focus is dedicated to our threatened mangrove forest where we desperately plead authorities to immediately stop any commercial development in the Sundarbans region. On the other hand, in Must Knows you’ll find a preview of the upcoming Sufi festival so be sure to catch up on the details before you head to the venue to revel in some more soul-stirring music.
The prospect of a new year is exciting. It’s a fresh start; a chance to do the things you didn’t have time for last year, an opportunity to try out those new resolutions. So, don’t second guess yourself and take the leap you’ve always wanted to. We hope that 2015 proves to be a terrific year for you.