WHY CARETAKER GOVERNMENT IS A VITAL ISSUE
The caretaker system of governments has been effective to hold a free and fair election in the rigging prone Bangladesh elections since 1990. The main opposition has asked for a reform in the system and the ruling party is cautiously planning to keep the chief justice of their choice, who will take the helm the caretaker government raising the retirement age bar. Then there is the tradition of outburst of our defeated political parties of not accepting the results of any election citing irregularities...
November 29, 2004
POET TRIDIB DASTIDAR - RIP
It's too late for you to arrive now, love
It's too late for you to come now, life
It's too late, it's all too late…
I met him in person long ago. He was public relation officer of an insurance company and I went to him for an advertisement for one cultural organization. I knew that he was a famous poet but his behaviour did not reflect any showiness. He was just a calm and quiet human being and was very helpful to me. Now I read about him that he lived a very careless life. Its usual that to be creative, poets/painters...
November 28, 2004
GOOD NEWS FOR BANGLADESH ECONOMY
The central Bank says in an annual report that the GDP growth is likely to be 5.75% in 2004-2005, only a bit less than the projected 6%. It is remarkable that despite the country suffered from a devastating flood this year the country has managed to keep itself in the track of growth. There were other impacts like the oil price increase and political unrest but exports and remittances in FY05 has bettered the situation.
But millions in the garments industry sector, which earns more than 70% of the country's export...
November 21, 2004
KILLING OF AID WORKERS AND DOUBLE STANDARD
I am shocked and outraged too like Natasha hearing the news of the execution of Margaret Hassan. Attacks on aid workers have increased rapidly in recent times. The persons who sacrifice their secured lives to save others in distress end up as a target of hate by the persons who are supposed to fight for the distressed. This is a real heart breaking irony and these acts should be condemned by every sane human being.
But we see a glaring double standard by some people of the world, which does not follow...
November 20, 2004
RIANNA UPDATE IIHello there. I am almost 2 months old now. I can recognize the difference in people's faces. Ma is not sure whether I can remember faces but I can surely distinguish Ma & Baba from others. Life seems great when they are around. Now, my daily schedule includes exercizing by throwing my arms and legs around. Baba thinks I will be a good dancer. I do sometimes watch TV in Baba's lap. I can't tell you much about the programs, but...
November 18, 2004
TOILET REFLECTS CIVILIZATION
The word "Toilet" may be a taboo in discussion etiquette but they matter in a big way. The 4th World Toilet Summit 2004 was hosted in Beijing recently and Jack Sim, the founder of World Toilet Organization said:
"The construction and management of the toilets in a city reflects the civilization of a country and also reflect the comprehensive strength of a country and living standard of the society."
Delegates from 15 members, including China, US, Russia and Japan, attended the summit discuss how quality of life,...
BLOG NOTES
* Jeanne of "Body and Soul" is outraged over the desecration of mosque in Falluja by the American soldiers. She says: "I am not a Muslim, but the violence done to any holy place hurts."
* Dan is estimating civilian deaths in Falluja and comments: "Civilian casualties outnumbered insurgent casualties by three to one. Applying this ratio to the supposed 600 insurgents the Americans claim to have killed and you have a civilian casualty rate of 1,800 - in just five days. That's one innocent civilian killed every four minutes! It is a...
November 17, 2004
ON MUSLIM SOLIDARITY
Ugur of the Turkish Torque brings up this interesting question:
If the Muslim countries cannot agree on something as simple and elementary as the beginning date of a very important annual celebration, how can anyone expect them to agree on more serious matters like the future of Iraq, Cyprus or Kashmi...
WHAT IS LAWFUL AND UNLAWFUL IN WAR
I have lost the interest to track the news of the warfare in Falluja. It is the repeat of same old guerilla fighting, tragedy, sufferings of innocent people and accusation of human rights violations by the coalition forces. The bottom line is more people are dying and cities demolished. Daniel Brett looks at the US tactics of warfare in Falluja and concludes that "failure to engage in urban warfare tactics will have serious political repercussions for the Americans, if not at home then certainly in Iraq and...
UNFRIENDLY NEIGHBOUR
It seems the haters like Mr. Kamath are growing in number in the neighborhood. See the venoms in the same re-rolling tape, to make false accusations like "Bangladeshis occupy Indian land; Bangladeshis pour into India in millions and Delhi looks the other way" on the basis of some unrelated events. Well Mr. Kamath shouldn't undermine India's homeland security by his statement. It has defended well the threats of religious extremists. Even a child would know that the statement is vague. I am wondering whether these types of...
VACATION BLUES
I had a great vacation. I have not been fortunate like many of my colleagues to go to a holiday spot during the 6-days-long holidays. This year I mostly stayed at home and close to my daughter. This is her first Eid and we have began to take her out with us to shopping malls, groceries, to relatives houses etc. I should have used this vacation more wisely, reading from the thick Eid & Puja magazine volumes, preparing for the upcoming Java exam, do a bit of blogging or watch some Eid special programs in the TV. But I have spent...
November 14, 2004
AFTER ARAFAT
The burial of Arafat was a widely televised event. Many people of Bangladesh were glued to Television to watch his last rites and special prayers were offered in religious institutions. He was very popular in Bangladesh because of his love for Bangladesh. Whenever he would visit some country near Bangladesh, he would make a stop in Dhaka and he was proud to feel at home in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi people could understand his struggle for a free Palestine state, because they had to undergo also a long and bitter war of independence....
EID HOLIDAYS
We are in the middle of six days long Eid holidays. The moon was not cited in Bangladesh yesterday and that means we are having another day of Ramadan here. Eid will be celebrated tomorrow. It is rather strange where most of the Middle Eastern countries had Eid yesterday and Pakistan today. Usually Eid in Bangladesh follows the day after the Middle East celebrates Eid. If you are wondering how Eid is celebrated in Bangladesh, read my last year's post.
I wish every person in the world irrespective of race, color & religion that...
November 11, 2004
THE INVASION OF CHINESE CONSUMER GOODS -II
I wrote about it last year. Cheap Chinese products have flooded the Bangladeshi market resulting in a rise in Chinese imports by about 42 percent last year. Instead of giving protection of the local manufacturing industry, the government has nodded to let Chinese set up a large wholesale market of Chinese goods in Bangladesh. The government would describe it as a part of its go east policy at the expense of local manufacturing industry and millions of jo...
FREE SALAHUDDIN SHOAIB CHOUDHURY
I received an appeal from Dr. Richard L. Benkin (Who wrote Dear Bangladesh ) to demand release of a Bangladeshi journalist Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhury, who is apprehended by Bangladeshi police on false charges, while he was going to Israel to attend a seminar. The details are in this website http://freechoudhury.com.
The appeal goes as follows:
Last November, I wrote "Dear Bangladesh" lauding Bangladeshi tolerance and potential for bringing Mideast. Soon after, my Bangladeshi colleague and friend, Salah Uddin...
November 09, 2004
CONFUSED
I am confused by a couple of news. One says its "famine" another says its "totally baseless and a figment of imagination". I am wondering is free press helping propaganda & yellow journalism? Well don't worry the government is saying that nobody is dying and the riches in the capital are cherishing the millions of Taka road beautification program. The world is so crue...
November 08, 2004
AN APPEAL FOR THE RELEASE OF ABUL KASHEM FARUK, A BANGLADESHI KIDNAPPED IN IRAQ
We earnestly appeal to all Iraqi groups for the release of our compatriot, Mr. Abul Kashem Faruk. On behalf of the Bangladeshi people and ourselves, we urge and plead for the release of Mr. Faruk in the name of our common humanity and brotherly compassion.
We call upon various Iraqi groups to have mercy on Mr. Faruk and release him because he is a civilian who had neither any intention of nor had any part in harming the Iraqi people in any manner.
We believe that...
November 06, 2004
BANGLADESH ELECTION
The next election of Bangladesh is still two years ahead. But amidst strong opposition movement the ruling BNP has already started preparations for the battle. Expensive Iftaar parties are being hosted by the party for the leaders and activists of grassroots level, whereas there is an influx of destitute people in the capital from the famine infested Northern region probably in search of some Jakaat from the rich. The opposition are also preparing battle grounds for the oust government movement. They are as usual also ignoring...
JAMAAT CLEARS ITS POSITION ON AHMADIYA ISSUE
Its a bit of surprise by Jammat after keeping mum for long years regarding the issue of oppression against Ahmadiyas. The party chief Motiur Rahman Nizami tells press that his party does not support the application of force on any religious community. He also said that Islam does not prescribe force to repose faith on Allah, there is no scope for militancy and imposition of force in Islam. Islam also does not support taking up arms or the law into one's own hands.
I hope Jamaat means that and they...
November 04, 2004
QUOTES OF THE DAY
* It is precisely the purpose of the public opinion generated by the press to make the public incapable of judging, to insinuate into it the attitude of someone irresponsible, uninformed. - Walter Benjamin 1982-1940, German Critic, Philosopher* The press and politicians. A delicate relationship. Too close, and danger ensues. Too far apart and democracy itself cannot function without the essential exchange of information. Creative leaks, a discreet lunch, interchange in the Lobby, the art of the unattributable telephone...
PONDERING ON BUSH RE-ELECTION
Many Bangladeshis (and many in other Muslim countries) would be disheartened to see Bush winning the second term. But it doesn't matter to me as I had no personal grudge against Bush. Because I believe the countries decisions are not taken by the president himself, rather it depends upon the policies of his party, the advisers and the country. He can just influence some decisions. I thought Kerry was a good candidate and supported him because I wanted to see a change in US foreign policy and hoped that the sense of...
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