Rizvi in Tiger Airlines Roadshow

Rasel's company Rectangle Communications organized the Tiger Airlines roadshow today. Rizvi (left most) participated in that roadshow. Picture taken from Daily Star 20th January 2012.

Looking for My Friend Aarif

বন্ধুর জন্য বিজ্ঞাপন ( আরিফ এর জন্য ; জন্ম ২৭/০১/১৯৭৬, মৃত্যু ১৯/০৮/১৯৯৯) by Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 9:00am

“মনে পড়ে সেই যে রাখাল আর ঘরে ফেরে নাই
সেই যে ব্যথিত কবি বলে গেলো
আবার আসিব আমি চুলে মেখে কুয়াশার দাগ
তারপর কতো ঝরলো শিশির, কতো শিউলির শোক.....”

বাইরে টিপ্ টিপ্ বৃষ্টির শব্দ। প্রতি বছর এ সময় বৃষ্টি পড়ে । ভিজে এই শহর, মাদারটেক, তালতলা, টি এস সি, ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় , মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জাদুঘর,মিরপুর। তোর কবর টাও হয়ত ভিজে। আচ্ছা মিরপুর থেকে মাদারটেক কতো দূর? এখন ও তুই কি শুনতে পাস্ বৃষ্টির শব্দ? বৃষ্টিতে কি তোর শীত লাগে ? শীত লাগলে কি কাউকে ডাকতে ইচ্ছা করে ?কিছুদিন পর শিউলি ফুটবে । তুই কি শিউলির গন্ধ পাস্ । আমরা এখন আর শিউলির গন্ধ পাই না । তোর এখন শীত লাগলেও আমাদের করার কিছুই নেই । আমাদের কারোর ই আর কাউকে উষ্ণ করার মত সাহস বা শক্তি নাই । আমাদের রক্ত এখন ব্যাঙ এর মতও নয় , সারা বছর ই ঠাণ্ডা থাকে । ১২ বছর আগে তুই যখন আমাদের মায়া ছেড়ে চলে যাস, তখন আমরা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় গণ্ডি ছাড়ি নাই। এক যুগ পরে আমাদের কারো চুলের রঙ বদলে গেছে, আর কারো চুলের রঙ বদলানোর সুযোগ নেই। জীবন এখন দ্রুত দিগন্তের পানে ছুটে চলেছে । আমরা এখন অনেক অনেক টাকা আয় করি, শনৈঃ শনৈঃ উপরে উঠি । আমরা এখন বেঁচে থাকার দায় নিয়ে ক্লান্ত, পরিশ্রান্ত । মাদারটেকে “আদর্শপাড়ার” যাদের জীবন কে শুদ্ধ করতে চেয়েছিলি, তাদের আর কোনই আদর্শ নেই। নিজের বিষয় “ অর্থনীতি” এখন তোর খাতার উপর লেখা বিষয় “ব্যর্থনীতি” তে পরিণত। আমাদের “মুক্তির গান” আর গাওয়া হবে না। অগাস্ট মাসে আমাদের শোকের মিছিল শুধু বাড়তেই থাকে । আমাদের যাদের যাদের প্রয়োজন , তারাই শুধু পালায়। নাজিম হিকমত বলেছিলেন “ বিংশ শতাব্দীতে মানুষের শোকের আয়ু বড়জোর এক বছর” । কিন্তু ভালবাসার আয়ু কত বছর? আমার জানা নেই। শুধু জানি

“এখানে ,সেখানে, শহরের পরিচিত অঞ্চলগুলিতে আমি সেই সরল সাঙাতটিকে
খুঁজি , আমি শুধু সারা জীবন একটি বন্ধুর জন্য প্রত্যহ বিজ্ঞাপন দিই
কিন্তু হায়, আমার ব্লাডগ্রুপের সাথে
কারো রক্ত মেলে না কখনো । ”

Played US National G60 and G/30 Tournaments in Santa Clara Hyatt

Last weekend I played US National G/60 and G/30 championship at October 1st and 2nd respectively at Santa Clara Hyatt hotel. Bay Area Chess arranged these as usual in different sections. I made 50% scores in both of those at 1800+ (Open) section to my relief. My last month's tournament performance was disappointing (1 win and 3 loss) while this time in G/60 it was 2 loss, 2 win and in G/30 it was 2 loss, 1 draw and 2 win. With this performance now I am a bit relaxed and I think I can still carry on playing competitive tournaments for a few more years even if I don't hit the prize lists.

Here is my G/60 result - https://bayareachess.com/events/11/usg60.php

And here is my G/30 result -https://bayareachess.com/events/11/usg30.php

With this, now I am inspired enough to teach chess to my son and other children from next week.

Quick trip to Lake Tahoe

Last month just before Eid, we went to a quick weekend trip to Lake Tahoe to have some breathe out of my busy office works. And know what, we enjoyed the short trip! We stayed in the beautiful David Walley's Resort few miles from South Lake Tahoe. The second day we spent time in South Lake Tahoe, specially on Gondola Ride. Here is a video and some pictures of that beautiful ride which goes more that 9000 feet above sea level.

Just after coming back and just before the Eid day, Ahyan started his first day at public school.



Saiful visited us from Atlanta in Eid night and spent a few days playing around Ahyan and Suhaila. I took him for a sight seeing to Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. He bought an XBox Kinect for Ahyan.

The Last Question by Isaac Asimov (1956) - The Best Short Story I Have Ever Read

Last week I finished Nine Tomorrows by Isaac Asimov which I bought along with a bunch of other books recently from Half Price Books, Fremont. One of the short stories there is The Last Question which Asimov wrote in 1956 and rates it as one of his most favorites. The story is such a master piece by the grand master of science fiction writer that I find my vocabulary falling short to praise it! It shows Asimov's depth and breadth of ideas and his love for twists! I took the whole weekend to get out of the aura of this story and yet haven't succeeded completely (the proof is that I am writing this blog post early in the morning while late for my son's school and my office)! I can't help but share with you the story here in case you wish to read it but forget because everyday life will keep you distracted from reading such a novelty and brilliance! Here is an HTML version of it -

http://reviewsonly.blogspot.com/2011/08/last-question-by-isaac-asimov-1956.html

Let me know if you read it and if you liked it. As of now, I am reading his another short story - The Last Answer.

Shakil Became IM, Liza WIM and Zia Moves For World Chess Championship

Great news! My playing partner and gentle younger brother-like chess friend Abu Sufian Shakil has become International Master. Liza also became Women International Master, second only after WIM Rani Hamid. Moreover, Ziaur Rahman winning the 3.2 Zonal tournament will play the next cycle for World Chess Championship representing this zone.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=179668

Shamima Akhter Liza became country's second Women International Master (WIM) after Rani Hamid, who won it in 1985, as she earned seven points from nine games in Asian Chess Zone 3.2 Championship in Sri Lanka yesterday.

Liza and Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka earned equal seven points but the latter finished top by virue of a tie breaker. Liza had earned her first WIM norm last year during Six Seasons Women's International Rating Chess in Cox's Bazar.

Apart from Liza, FIDE master Abu Sufian Shakil also earned his third and final norm of International Master from the championship as Shakil secured 6.5 points from nine matches to finish third in the men's section where GM Ziaur Rahman finished top to qualify for the World Chess Championship.

Shakil had earned his first IM norm back in 2009 from the National Chess Championship and then secured the second one from a competition in Indian state Orissa last year, according to information provided by Bangladesh Chess Federation.

http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-03-30/news/142789

বাংলাদেশের দাবায় একটা ভালো দিন গেল পরশু। এশিয়ান জোনাল চ্যাম্পিয়নশিপের ৩.২ অঞ্চলের খেলায় চ্যাম্পিয়ন হয়ে আগেই বিশ্বকাপ দাবায় খেলার সুযোগ মিলেছে গ্র্যান্ডমাস্টার জিয়াউর রহমান ও শামীমা আক্তারের (লিজা)। কাল পাওয়া গেল আরও একটি সুসংবাদ।
এশিয়ান জোনাল চ্যাম্পিয়নশিপে তৃতীয় হওয়া আবু সুফিয়ান (শাকিল) পেলেন আন্তর্জাতিক মাস্টারের খেতাব। এর আগে দুটো নর্ম পূরণ করা আবু সুফিয়ানের তৃতীয় নর্ম পূরণ হয়েছে শ্রীলঙ্কায়। সুফিয়ানের সঙ্গে শামীমা আক্তার হয়েছেন মহিলা আন্তর্জাতিক মাস্টার। রানী হামিদের পর দ্বিতীয় মহিলা দাবাড়ু হিসেবে এমন অর্জন শামীমার।

37th People's Chess Tournament In Long Weekend

Last weekend I was quite busy with the 37th People's Chess Tournament in Fremont Marriott. As it was a long weekend, I registered it online through www.bayareachess.com after renewing my US Chess Membership.

After a successful World Cup Cricket 2011 opening ceremony in Dhaka where Bryan Adams, Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, Runa Laila, Sabina Yasmin et al perfomred in the midst of mind blowing fireworks, we gathered in Shahriar's house for the India vs Bangladesh opening match of the world cup in 19th February. He arranged lots of people and we had a nice time gossiping together (Ezaz, Amin, Dhanad, Sayeem, Wali Bhai, Sumit Bhai, Mamun Bhai, Dipu Bhai and some others). Although we lost due to a huge score from Sehwag (175) that took India's total to 370/4 in 50 overs, we gave it a fight by scoring 283/9 without being all out.

That meant I didn't get much sleep for the next morning's chess game in the tournament at 11:30 AM. 

I won the first game nicely, drew a lost game against Kevin, got a win by forfeit in third round, won playing well in fourth game, drew a completely won game in fifth and finally lost a drawn Rook ending in the final (sixth) round. Despite this, I was in the prize list for my group (AB - 1700 to 1899) winning $66. I was jointly 6th-7th-8th for 4.0 out of 6 games. Look at the link below and check the AB section for my name in red in the prize list! I also gained 30 US Chess rating and my new rating now is 1797. I am planning to participate in short tournaments in future as well. This tournament was a 5 hour each game tournament for 6 rounds (move 30/90 + 60 each) spanning 3 days. My colleague Ganesh came twice during the tournament to watch my games and the final evening Amin, Shusmita, Ahyan and Suhaila came. Ahyan was very happy to see this vast gathering of chess players in Fremont Marriott (200+ participants in several groups).

http://bayareachess.com/events/11/221sp.php

In case you are interested for my games, please check my chess blog for the game notations to replay yourself at - http://chess4you.blogspot.com. I am showing you one game here out of those whichI was very happy to win due to it's attack and counter-attacking nature where I kept my head cool under time pressure.

Finally I purchased Shusmita, Ahyan and Suhaila's Bangladesh return trip air tickets calling Cathay Pacific Airways. They will start at 11th March early morning (5 minutes after midnight) and will come back at 6th May. I purchaseed Suhaila's full ticket instead of saving the money so that Shusmita can go comfortably with Ahyan and her. It will be quite difficult for her to handle such a big trip without me while going from San Francisco to Dhaka with a stop over of 10 hours 40 minutes in. Hing Kong. It will purchase my ticket later next month which will be April 9th to May 6th as I could manage 4 weeks leave from office. I received Ahyan and Suhaila's No Visa Required seal in their passports yesterday from Bangladesh Consulate of Los Angeles.