The darkest side of online dating



Lifestyle Desk, barta24.com
Picture collected

Picture collected

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Dating apps were popular before the pandemic, but forced isolation caused them to boom.

Tinder, the most downloaded dating app in the world, hit three billion swipes in a single day during March 2020 – and it's broken that record more than 100 times since then.

Although these apps have helped many people connect with other singles for years, some daters have raised alarm bells about the environment they breed. This is especially the case for women, who experience a disproportionate amount of harassment and abuse on the platforms, most often from straight men.

“The toughest elements for me involved being treated much like I was being used for free sex work,” says Shani Silver. “It doesn't feel good. It hurts.”

Silver, a New York City-based writer and host of dating podcast A Single Serving, used dating apps for a decade. “I was often asked for a sexual favour before someone said hello, before someone told me their actual name. Most of what was happening in that world for me was dismissal – a lot of dismissal, a lot of being made to feel like I was of lesser value.”

These messages proliferate across platforms, and do affect both men and women. But women appear to be disproportionally affected. Data from a 2020 Pew Research Center study confirms that many women are experiencing some form of harassment on dating sites and apps.

Of woman online daters aged 18 to 34, 57% said they’d received sexually explicit messages or images they hadn’t asked for. This is even the case for teen girls aged 15 to 17, who report receiving these messages as well. A 2018 Australian study of dating-platform messages revealed that the sexist abuse and harassment does disproportionately affect women, targeted by straight men.

Some users also report psychological stress – and even more extreme experiences. A 2017 study from the Pew Research Center indicated 36% of online daters found their interactions “either extremely or very upsetting”. Woman daters 18 to 35 in the 2020 Pew study also reported high occurrences of threats of physical harm – 19% (as compared to 9% of men). And, generally, one study showed cisgender heterosexual and bisexual men seldom expressed concerns about their personal safety while using dating apps, while women had far higher concern.

Youth-culture writer Nancy Jo Sales was so rocked by her experience on these platforms that she wrote a memoir about it: Nothing Personal: My Secret Life in the Dating App Inferno.

“These things have become normalised so quickly – things that are not normal, and should never be normal, like the amount of abuse that happens, and the risk and the danger of it, not only physical but emotional,” she says, citing her experiences. She cautions that not everyone on dating apps is having negative experiences, but there are enough who are that “we need to talk about the harm coming to people”.

As this unnerving behaviour taints women’s experience on dating apps, why are interactions like these allowed to perpetuate? Part of the answer lies in the way these platforms are policed, both by the companies who make them as well as larger governmental structures. This means detrimental effects for their targeted users – and changing the situation may be an uphill battle.

Source: BBC 

   

'The Paris Premium Salon And Spa' Luxury Gent's Parlor On Panthapath



Lifestyle desk, Barta24.com
'The Paris Premium Salon And Spa' opening by hero niran and choriographer shohag

'The Paris Premium Salon And Spa' opening by hero niran and choriographer shohag

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the luxury gentlemen's parlor "The Paris Premium Salon And Spa" commenced its journey on the western Panthapath of the capital city (Adjacent to Square Hospital, Arabi Tower). Renowned actor Nirab Hossain and choreographer Ivan Shahriar Sohag inaugurated the new gentlemen's parlor by cutting a cake.

The chairman of the parlor, Mr. Mohammad Jashim Uddin was also present at the event. He said to the media, "We aimed to establish a state-of-the-art gentlemen's parlor. We have completed all the tasks in Paris before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr festival so that customers can avail of all our services. Now, we are just waiting for the customers."

'The Paris Premium Salon And Spa' Luxury Gent's Parlor Draws Star-Studded Attention

Actor Nirab expressed, "I am very impressed by Paris. I am satisfied with their service. I will tell my fans to come and receive services at this parlor near Dhanmondi 32. Hopefully, Paris Gentlemen's Parlor will become a trusted place for all fashionable youths."

Choreographer Sohag stated, "I am very pleased with the environment of Paris Gentlemen's Parlor. I believe it will win the hearts of the youths of advanced areas like Dhanmondi."

logo of 'The Paris Premium Salon And Spa' 

In relevance, at Paris Gentlemen's Parlor, services such as haircuts, beard trims, manicures, pedicures, facials, hair coloring, hair treatments, spa treatments, and all kinds of grooming services for men will be available.

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Silent warrior!



Feature Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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'Invest in women, accelerate progress' is the slogan for Women's Day 2024. March 8 is International Women's Day. The day is being celebrated in all the countries of the world. Many make special arrangements for their beloved women. However, many people may not know how the celebration of Women's Day started.

Women were once neglected and oppressed during the patriarchal era. Far from being equal to men, women did not get even some basic freedoms. Overcoming all those obstacles, women are now moving the world forward on an equal footing. But this change did not come overnight. Over the years, women's collective protests in different places paved the way for the current picture to emerge.

At one time women did not even have the right to vote or go outside to work. There were various restrictions on clothes, food, grooming and lifestyle. With the evolution of time and due to family needs, women started going outside to work. But still the discrimination between men and women in work is noticeable.

In 1908, women working in garments took to the streets of New York. Their main demands were shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. International Women's Day was celebrated for the first time on February 28, 1909, on the demand of this movement. Some people have different opinions on this matter. According to them, Women's Day was celebrated on March 19, 1911 in the United States and some European countries. But basically, there is information about celebrating Women's Day on March 8 for the first time in Russia.

The journey of women's movement was not easy. Their demands were not easily accepted, either. After many years of waiting, this women's day is recognized worldwide. In 1975, the United Nations declared March 8 as International Women's Day. Since then, Women's Day has been celebrated on this date.

Women are charming, women are compassionate, women are magical. Able to keep everything organized with care. As it knows how to fill with love, it also has the ability to shake the battlefield. A mother, a sister, a wife, a teacher, every woman walking on the street or sitting next to her on the bus is a silent warrior.

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A bird born in cage; dies in cage!



Raju Ahmed, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
photo: Barta24

photo: Barta24

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Hearing the word Bajrigar, one thinks of a hunter or a brave person or animal. Although the name has an obsession with speed, in reality the name of a small bird of calm and beauty is Bajrigar.

Crooked yellow lips, blue, white or mixed skin color. Sometimes people are born with all the colors of the rainbow. This bird has different names depending on the skin color. But whatever the color, the little bird is incomparable in intelligence. This bird has the unique quality of showing love by gently touching the partner sometimes by kissing the lips, sometimes by gently touching the partner's head as a responsible loved one.

With all these qualities and easy to pet, Bajrigar is at the top of the list of bird lovers. The millet bird is capable of grabbing people's attention even if they don't want to due to physical activity. That's why bird lovers are desperate to keep Bajrigor in a cage. Capitalizing on the needs of people, commercial farms have also been established in different parts of the country. But as the environment of the country is not favorable for the Bajrigar bird, it is not possible to keep this bird in the open air. So over time the current synopsis of the forest millet of the east and south-west coast regions of Australia is born in a cage, died in a cage.

Bajrigar bird is a well-known pet bird but it is known by different names depending on the place and region. In America the millet is known as Little Parakeet. This bird is also known as Baji or Shell Parakeet, Canary Parrot, Zebra Parrot, Common Pet Parakeet, Undulated Parakeet Bajrigor and Badri.

Typically wild millet is about 6.5–7 inches in length and about 7–8 inches in cage. Besides, wild millet is 25–35 gm and caged millet is up to 35–40 gm. Adult male millets have blue membranes around their nostrils. This membrane extends between the forehead and lips along with the nostrils. A mature female millet has a brown membrane surrounding its nostrils. This membrane extends between the forehead and lips along with the nostrils.

At the age of 8-9 months, millets become adults. Bajrigor birds are able to lay 8-13 eggs at a time. And at the time of laying eggs, millet birds also need a secluded place. It takes 18 days from egg to hatch. The average lifespan of millet birds is 4-5 years, but can live up to 10-12 years in cages.

This small species of bird is also popular for its intelligence. Hearing ability is also very good. It can remember big words or sentences very easily. As soon as millet hears a word from its owner, it remembers and repeats it. So the attraction of bird lovers is more in Bajrigor.

Although it is an exotic bird, it is found in different parts of the country. Besides, there is a fair of bajrigar birds in the university market of Kantaban area of the capital every day. Although coastal areas are the native habitat of these birds, one or more cage mates are sufficient for their survival. Keeping that in mind, traders have arranged a family of birds in cages at University Market. They have tried to match male and female millers and pair them according to age. The chirping and beauty of many miller birds together attracts the passers-by.

Manager of New Bird Paradise Noor Hossain said, due to its beauty and flexibility, Bajrigor is the top choice of bird lovers. Although we brought it from abroad earlier, now Bajrigar bird farms have been established in different parts of the country. Tk. 500-1000 birds with cages are available. Anyone can keep a bird very easily as we provide information on bird food and care.

Meanwhile, many people have become self-sufficient by building commercial bajrigar bird farms in different regions of the country. Among them is Imran Hossain of Syedpur Upazila of Nilphamari. He is now self-sufficient by building a commercial bird farm with only Tk. 13 thousand. Currently, his farm has birds worth about Tk. 3 lakh. And now Imran's monthly income is about Tk. 50 thousand by selling bajrigar birds. He has also gained a lot of experience in keeping millet birds for a long time.

Imran Hossain told Barta24.com that bajrigar cannot survive even five minutes in the open air in the environment of our country. It can't escape from attacks of other birds and snakes, frogs, rats and small animals on the ground. As a result, it is better to keep this bird in a cage or small house in the country.

Wild animals are beautiful in the forest, children in the mother's heart are proverbial but nature and environment sometimes wants an exception. And so, to keep the beauty alive, birth in the cage and death in the cage is now a big identity of the millet bird.

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Nayeem & Maliha : Two Iconic Culinary Artists got into wedlock



Masid Rono, Snr. Newsroom Editor, Barta24.com
chef couple nayeem-maliha

chef couple nayeem-maliha

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Nayeem Ashraf Rahmatullah & Fatema Tuzzohra Maliha, names of two very talented Culinary Stars of Bangladesh. Both completed their education in Culinary Sector from abroad, before they resumed their careers in homeland, Dhaka. Interestingly, Nayeem is specialized in Japanese Cuisine while Maliha in French Cuisine.

These duos happily got married last December 2023, their pre-wedding function “Haldi Night” took place at a popular Echo Resort in Chittagong called Matita and the “Wedding Ceremony” ended up at Hotel Agrabad Chittagong with fanfare, while their “Reception Ceremony” was organized at Capital’s “Shooting Club” in Gulshan.

chef couple nayeem-maliha

Reflecting on his recent wedding, Nayeem Ashraf shared his feelings to this correspondent that he came to know Fatema not too long ago. The brief interactions with the lady culminated into friendship leading to a more intimate relationship. “We got married with the positive consent of our guardian of both families and started our new conjugal life, do pray for us so that we can have a smooth sailing in our marital journey,” Nayeem added.

chef couple nayeem-maliha

Fatema has a rich experience of working in Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Maldives and India. After returning from the overseas, today’s “Hello Dhaka” of Gulshan made its debut with Fatema’s close supervision. Currently she is working in her capacity as “Executive Chef” at a popular food joint “MANZO” which is considered to be one of the top end restaurants in Gulshan Avenue. Sharing her experience, Fatema mentioned, I have been pursuing Culinary Arts as an undergrad from a renowned and one of the world’s oldest French Culinary School (Le Cordon Bleu) in Malaysia.

chef couple nayeem-maliha

Fatema’s skill & passion gave her the exposure to be a part in an “International Live Cooking Show” at Taj Hotel, Mumbai with many other renowned, senior chefs, where she had drawn attention & appreciation, being the youngest participant with great passion and skill in culinary arts. Recently, Fatema has been awarded “First Female Executive Chef of Bangladesh” plaque at hotel Le Meridian, Dhaka.

chef couple nayeem-maliha in work place

On the other hand, Nayeem Ashraf returned home after working with multiple world-renowned chefs in famous restaurants across the globe, and currently serving as the CEO & Culinary Instructor of his own Hospitality Integrated Education Epicenter called SHINEE at Badda, Gulshan. The institution has earned much reputation and popularity around the country which has a new branch that will be recently launched at Rajshahi and another new wing is about to be added in Port City, Chittagong soon.

chef couple nayeem-maliha

The dream of this couple is to float a standard, bench mark restaurant in Dhaka where they can give a life time experience to all food connoisseurs.

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