Happy New Year 2007

Wishing everyone Merry Christmas, Graceful Eid-ul-Adha and a Happy New Year 2007. Berlin did not have a white Christmas. But it snowed the following day of my arrival. Just for one day!We had some guests and guided them to the historic Dresden 200 km away from Berlin. Some parts of the highway were very foggy and I could not see more than 10 meters ahead even with fog lamps deployed. It was a very chilly day with temperature hovering around zero...

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Youtube video of the day

Bangladesh vs. Germany: Street Soccer Vol....

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Going Back

While a large part of Asia is experiencing disruption in internet, I am writing from 35000 feet (10668 meters) in the air somewhere above the Caspian See. Going back to Berlin in after meeting so many people. In this visit I have met many bloggers, from my country and from many parts of the world. I had nice time with my family too.While coming back I had a few hours break in Kolkata. Aparna came to airport to pick me up and we spent some wonderful time in the Peter Cat restaurant in Park Street, Kolkata. We had the famous Cello Kebab, an Iranian...

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Today's Links

* Yunus in Stockholm: the Secret of Grameen Bank.* What Clash of Civilizations? Why religious identity isn't destiny.* What’s the Best RSS Reader for Rich Media?* Global: Now spelt Blog...

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2006 in review: Bangladesh cricket

Year 2006 was a very successful year for Bangladesh Cricket as they won 18 one-day internationals, eight in a row, out of 28 games. They were just two wins behind from world champions Australia in this year's one-day success table. Bangladesh has already surpassed Zimbabwe in the ICC one day cricket rankings. It is their highest performance to-date.Bangladesh's opening batsman Shahriar Nafees has become the fifth in the world to score 1,000 runs...

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The world in a nutshell

Are bloggers shrinking the planet? Quinn Norton of Wired News cites the example of the Global Voices Online:Today, the Global Voices website has grown to a million visitors a month, and is rated on blog search and analysis company Technorati as the 207th most popular blog by inbound links, in a field of around 55 million. Geographically distributed editors spend their days rounding up the most important posts from their parts of the world and presenting them through the site, so visitors can easily zoom in on what's happening in places like Iraq,...

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In Dhaka

After a pretty disastrous experience in traveling with Indian domestic airways (delays, blinded by lack of info screens, considers laptop case as a separate cabin luggage) and watching crowded, corrupt and dirty airports (Delhi and Kolkata)I was pretty happy to see the Zia International Airport in Dhaka. Its new expanded portion was literary shining. The management was satisfactory considering many arrivals at the same time. The Air Sahara apologized...

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Babar and Babri Masjid

Muslim Emperor Babar was not interested in merely building a Masjid in place of the ruins of the birthplace of the Hindu Gods Ram and Lakhsman. "He was interested in respecting a place of any worship" - says Dilip D'Souza.He asks "if this explanation of a 500 year-old event is any less believable than the explanation that says a barbaric Babar tore down a temple? Is it more believable?"It is for all of you to deci...

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Remembering genocide and celebrating victory day

Some days are very special for a nation. 16th December is one such day for Bangladesh. Drishtipat Blog remembers the independence of Bangladesh 35 years ago. Time magazine December 20, 1971 named it "the bloody birth of Bangladesh". For those who do not know why it is called so, Mash of Or How I Learned to stop worrying blog shares the history of Bangladesh Liberation war and the Pakistani Armies atrocities: "In 1971, Bangladesh, then called...

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100 dollar laptop

Today I first held in my hand the first manufactured prototype of the 100 dollar laptop promoted by the "One Laptop Per Child Project". It has ears like a robot which are actually wi-fi antennas. It looks more like a toy than a real PC and its very thin and lig...

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At the Global Voices Summit 2006

The Global Voices Online summit 2006 is being held in the Habitat Center in Delhi. You can listen to the live webcast here or participate in the live chat. The internet connection is wavering but the conference is proceeding on with a lot of promise.Ethan and Rebecca started with the background of Global Voices and the mission of the summit. Two years ago a small gathering of bloggers from around the world took place in a Harvard Law...

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On the way to Delhi

I am at a altitude of 10668 meter in an Airbus 330-300 of Lufthansa flying at 925km/h ground speed towards Delhi. The in flight monitor says the outside temperature is -50 degree and the plane is somewhere over Tehran. I am going to attend the Global Voice Summit 2006. Looking forward to meet many talented and award winning bloggers.Its a nice thing to be able to use internet during a long flight. Only if you are in the economy class, your standard...

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Today's Links

* Pressure piles on Norway to cut GrameenPhone stake.* Microcredit or Macrowelfare: The myth of Grameen. * Blogging towards democracy: From China to Iran, web diarists are challenging censors. * Antisemitism at German Schools: Insults against Jews on the rise.* English tough? Try Globish.* Made in Bangladesh, for better or wor...

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Fighting terrorism with microcredit

2006 Nobel Peace prize winner Muhammad Yunus says guns are not the way to fight terrorism. In his view terrorism will prevail until the world addresses its root causes, like poverty and human rights. If poverty is alleviated peace will prevail in humans.Egyptian writer Dr. Alaa Al Aswany says that the recent fanaticism in Islam is not due to a clash of civilization but poverty. Fanaticism in Egypt starts in poor areas, because the poor are desperate. The current regime here is dealing with them in an inhuman way, arresting and torturing them. Religion...

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Blogging feat

Mezba of a bengali in TO has won the Brass Crescent Award -best post for this article - "Better Than A Thousand Months". Congrats to h...

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Failed States Index 2006

The fund for peace published the failed states index for 2006. Bangladesh ranks 19th, Pakistan 9th and India 93rd. Bangladesh improved 2 points from last year's ind...

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Today's Links

* In defense of religion!* GrameenPhone: a solution to rural connectivity* Finding Your Inner BLOG - The blog help desk* Who killed Litvinenko?* Workers in Bangladesh being "exploited" by UK firms - charity st...

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Apocalypse now?

Bangladesh politics has been taken down to the gutters once again. Another four good advisers bites the dust not getting the environment to be impartial and work for a change. Asif Saleh writes in the Daily Star how the good guys in Bangladesh politics are being beaten (literally) by the bad guys.Poet Humayun Azad said in a poem "And Everything Will Be in the Custody of the Damned". That is exactly what is happening in Bangladesh.If the general people of Bangladesh do not take side with the good guys irrespective of the parties or belief they represent,...

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Social Problem

Malaysia is having social problems with good looking Bangladeshi male students. The country's home affairs minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said that the Bangladeshi men looked like Indian movie stars and had been known to hassle women - both single and married (BBC).I don't think he is telling 100% truth as I have heard that Malaysian women crave for good looks and they would like to be hassled. (Via Yaw...

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Army in Bangladesh

I am watching pictures of tanks rolling in Dhaka. The President and Chief Adviser (CA) Iajuddin Ahmed has decided to deploy the army under civilian administration to keep the law and order in the country. But the unilateral decision has sparked rage among his advisers.He explained in a televised speech a couple of hours ago that he wants to take a tough stand against the political protests. The citizens will probably not react much as the protests...

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Social Business: The next economic phenomenon?

Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank have received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize valued at 10m Swedish kronor ($1.35m, £730,000) at a ceremony in the Norwegian capital Oslo today. The event was televised live in many Bangladeshi TV channels. Yunus has indeed become a pride for Bangladesh.There was an interesting thing in his speech. He mentioned a new term "social business" and according to him:"In future, Grameen will bring a new concept of business, which is social business. Today’s concept of business is to make profit, but this is a narrow...

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Costly Mistake

"How could you miss the flight?" asked the British Airways counter employee. I was asking that to myself for quite sometime as I could only arrive after five minute of the check in desk closing. It was a terrible miscalculation as it took more than 2.5 hours to reach Heathrow from the North-Eastern corner of London. I should have abandoned my journey in London tube midway and called a taxi instead as I could see it coming. Or I could have done the online check-in before I leave for the Airport. Above all I should have aimed to be there at least...

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In London

I am in London for a short visit. Had some wonderful time meeting lot of people including bloggers. The evening with Drishtipat London chapter in Kolapata restaurant was a memorable one. I cherished the presence of Asif Bhai, Faisal Bhai, Ahsan, Zubaer, Sohani, Farhad Bhai etc. A long adda with one of the best Bangla blogger was the highlight of my today's proceedings.I have walked through Brick Lane and had my dinner in a Brick Lane Restaurant.Pictures...

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From the Bangladesi Blogs

Politics: Blogs are said to be the mirror of a society. The recent political uncertainty in Bangladesh is troubling the citizens and taking much space in the blogosphere.The nation is divided in two streams of political ideologies and one cannot stand another. Naeem Mohaiemen discusses Bangladesh politics and warns about a third force cashing on the rivalry of the major political parties. ShahidulNews comments on the recent incident of intervention of the chief justice of the supreme court to prevent a judicial ruling going against a political...

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Its a start!

Take Back Bangladesh was launched yesterday thanks to the organization power of Nazim Farhan Chowdhury and others. He reports:"By some estimates about 13,000 people turned up (we had expected 500 or so) as did many of the last Caretaker Government Advisers, celebs and “civil” society leaders.Even if our message got through to a small portion of the crowd I think we’ve made a start. It is now up to us to take this spark and light a fire."More pictures...

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Google video of the day

History of Bangladesh Liberation War 1947-1971(Via Salam Dha...

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Ekushey TV is broadcasting again

After a long struggle Bangladesh's first private television station, ETV (Ekushey TV) is reopening their broadcasting from today. In an advertisement in today's Bengali daily Prothom Alo they have notified this. There is a press briefing scheduled today, which will disclose further information. Those who are Bangladesh can watch ETV in these frequencies:Satellite PAS - 10 , C- Band , Fequency 3716.5 MHz , Polarization H , FEC 2/3 , Symbol rate 4.600...

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Take back Bangladesh launched

Zafar Sobhan, assistant editor of the Daily Star introduces the new initiative Take Back Bangladesh. In an article in the Daily Star he writes:"Young people, especially, are fed up with the current (political) stalemate. Take Back Bangladesh would like to provide a platform for the millions of people in the country who are caught up in this no man's land, who can see clearly that the election is being set to be rigged, and are disgusted by this,...

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Is Bangladesh A Democracy or Autocracy?

The political impasse in Bangladesh is slowly turning worse. Today we have seen that the even the judiciary is being controlled by some force and the violent reactions of politically charged lawyers are criminal actions. It is clear now that the nation is divided in two streams and one cannot stand another. There is no mutual respect or common goal - serving the nation. The current politics of Bangladesh is simplified by Professor Mahfuz R. Chowdhury, who teaches Economics at C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, USA. He says:"...politics...

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Andrew Morris's Bangladesh Diary

If you are not reading the Bangladesh diaries of Andrew Morris then you are missing something. Welsh expat Andrew tries to see Bangladesh with his inner soul as he can go deep into the culture. Using his ability to assimilate and understand, he does not weigh a place or a person with a mindset built up from another culture and infrastructure. In his latest diary entry he hails the family bonds and hospitality of the Bangladeshis:"...how important people are here to each other - and who knows, perhaps this talent for humanity, the respect for family...

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A Budhdist Monk renounced earthly pleasure

.. by getting rid of the source of all proble...

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A gifted horse

A German Social Court has ruled that Euro 345 is the amount of rent and welfare payment with which one can live adequately in the country.The figure is really unbelievably scanty but I can simply say "do not look a gift horse in the mouth"! I think the people on social welfare should realize that living on aid cannot change peoples lives. On the other side, people become desperate to make a change when they are pushed down to the edge. I think the government is just trying to do it with the reforms in the social welfare system. Some Germans prefer...

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Development Strategy: More Business not Aid

We have heard from Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank, that aid breaks poor peoples morales and providing them chance to do business (with Microcredit) can dignify them and they can take the charge of their lives.The Co-founder of the Grameen Phone (where Yunus's Grameen Telecom has stakes) Iqbal Quadir says: Aid from western countries has mostly empowered governments, distancing them from their citizens who are left helpless. Historically, people rose from below through technological empowerment and then they participated in their governance,...

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Internet revolution

The Washington Post has published a report showing that after the Cellular phone revolution, internet has reached the villagers of Bangladesh. The country now has about 16 million cellphone subscribers (2 million new users each month) with network covering the remotest parts compared with just 1 million land-line phones (whose network covers mainly in urban areas) to serve a population of nearly 150 million people. After tapping those remote village...

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A cop in Germany

Reuters reports: German traffic police were shocked to see a California Highway Patrol car cruising along a motorway in Fulda, driven by a man dressed as an authentic American cop. But they recovered sufficiently to book the 35-year-old Goettingen resident, whose uniform badge read "T.J. Lazer", for possessing a replica Smith & Wesson revolver without a license and having out-of-date registration plates.He was sitting at the wheel with his elbow...

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Consult your laughing specialist

A new way to cure diseases. Say cheese.(Picture courtesy Reute...

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Youtube video of the day

Go Banglade...

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Breaking News: The Chief Election Commissioner agrees to leave

Another political deadlock crippling Bangladesh for the third day over the resignation of the Chief election Commissioner M A Aziz. Many political parties were opposing Aziz because of the clear evidence of bias by the election commission lead by him towards the then ruling party. The election commission is also accused of incompetence and lack of transparency in the whole process of creating the voter list and in addressing the complaints (More in Drishtipat). It may be noted that the government raised the retirement limit of the judge to place...

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Take back Bangladesh

In solidarity with the citizen movement in Bangladesh my blog is wearing the black badge. The mission statement is as follows:WEAR A BLACK BADGEWe all want free and fair elections.It is widely agreed that neutrality of the Caretaker Administration and Election Commission is a pre-requisite for free and fair elections.The Chief of the Caretaker Government, it appears is neither non-partisan nor neutral, and the conduct of the Election Commission has...

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South Asia Blog Buzz

The latest from different blogs about the following South Asian Countries:Bangladesh:Bangladesh is facing a political crisis. Unheard Voices: Drishtipat group blog informs about a citizens movement in Bangladesh in which people are urged to wear a black badge demanding a free and fair election and to bring an end to the ongoing political violence and people's sufferings. All the major religions in Bangladesh enjoy their equal share of religious holidays. Andrew Morris of Morris the Pen describes a baptism ceremony in Bangladesh.Bangladesh has...

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Youtube video of the day

Arbeitsgeld by Nachlader, which is appropriately termed as the Berlin Anthem by Metroblogging Berlin.Lyrics:"I do not have money, have no money, have no workHave no money, have no money, want much moneyWant much money, but want no work I find work, I find, I find working is stupid.Money without work now, work without money never,Money without work now, now now.Everyone give me one Euro, will cost you a smileThen I will be rich.Everyone give me one Euro, will cost you a smileAnd make me rich.Give me each and everyone only one Euro.I do not have...

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Today's Links

* The fine art of (b)logging. * 18 lessons I have learnt about blogging.* Ten tricks that make your Web pages load faster.* Muhammad Yunus, micro-credit innovator and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, was interviewed by "The Hour" with George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC Television, Canada.* What kind of American English do you speak?* Islamic Terrorism and the injustice myth: Part one & t...

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Cricket on ice

Now they are playing ice cricket in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The next thing we will hear that the bears are skiing on a beach.(via Desipund...

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Youtube video of the day

Dr. Muhammad Yunus interviewed in the 'daily show' by John Stua...

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Blogebrity list

I am a B-List blogger in the blogebrity list. The grouping is explained here.Take your test now.(Via Saks...

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Political Drama

Drama 1:Drama 2:"All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players" - Shakespe...

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Today's Links

* A new channel arrives.* Will you watch Al Jazeera English?* Silicon insider: A billion bloggers?* What is poverty?* How to give away a Million Dollars?* Islamic militancy in Bangladesh: Still in a cocoon or exposed?* My day in cou...

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Inside Germany

Germany is a great place to visit. Its a nice country to live in too. But if you are a colored person or speak any Semitic language and planning to live in certain parts of Germany for a longer period then you should know some facts and beware of certain things. A latest survey shows that one in every five Germans hates foreigners and one in every ten person in anti-Semitic. A shocking news also reveals that "Far-right views are not just the domain...

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The current state of Bangladesh (update)

Political protests continues for a third day. Yesterday's highlight was the heinous ramming of a police truck into fleeing activists, which killed one person instantly and injured others. Drishtipat has footages (warning: graphic scenes) and is blaming party biased police officers for the atrocities. Another video is available online depicting the past government's misrule and human rights violations.Reports say the army is still unwilling to get entangled with the mess.The president and the caretaker government chief Iajuddin Ahmed's actions...

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South Asia Blog Buzz

A compilation of individual voices from South Asia: Bangladesh:Asif of Unheard Voices: Drishtipat Group Blog analyzes the current political situation in Bangladesh and urges all the Bangladeshis to take a non-partisan moral stand to get out of the current crisis.Andrew Morris writes an essay in Desicritics about the historical faces of Dhaka city titled Bangladesh Diary: Time travel.Journalist Ahmede Hussain remembers Nur Hossain, who 19 years ago gave his live during a protest against the autocratic government paving away the road to democracy...

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The current state of Bangladesh

Continuing protests against the government paralyzed Dhaka and other major cities in the country on Sunday. Goods are piled up waiting for delivery. The main export sector ready-made garments industry faces much loss a day. For the umpteenth time we hear that the army is going to be deployed to restore law and order situation. However the military intervention is not likely to help the upcoming elections. The neutrality of the president and the chief adviser of the caretaker government is again questioned. Where do you stand as a Banglades...

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Today's Links

* Bangladesh Diary: What a Strange, Wonderful Place.* Death due to a technical failure.* How to become a really experienced developer overnight?* Why Grameen Bank and Yunus indeed deserve the Nobel.* Interview with Salah Choudhury (New York Sun).* Bangladesh the 'Golden Boy' of South As...

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The DW Best of Blogs Awards

Had I not read Hoder's blog today I would have definitely missed the Deutsche Welle Best of the Blogs awards 2006 ceremony held in Museum for Communication Berlin a few hours ago. I knew about the awards but I was unaware of the time and place and whether it was open to public.And there I was listening to 12 of the jurists (Manal from Egypt was absent) and a few more guests, who are blog legends in their parts of the world and also internationally...

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Youtube video of the day

The Beit Hanoun Massacre, Nov 8, 2006(Via Haitham Sabb...

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Today's Links

* Jumbo trouble.* Partition refugees targeted as Bangladeshi infiltrators.* Microloans expand online.* The net’s voice in the election.* The first "YouTube" election. Needless to say why Youtube is the TIME's best invention of 2006.* Arranged marriages: A bride's perspective.* Four reasons why ZiZou should relocate to Banglade...

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Exploding blogs

David Sifry's (Technorati) 'State of the Blogosphere' brings to us how the blogs are expanding in the world. More than 57 million weblogs were tracked to produce the statistics. Technorati has taken measures this time to keep Spam blogs or splogs out of the indexes to reduce the garbage. To summarize:The blogosphere is doubling in size approximately every 230 days.About 100,000 new weblogs were created each day.The globalization of the blogosphere continues. English and Spanish languages are a more universal blog language than the other two most...

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Minority and Majority

"Truth always rests with the minority, and the minority is always stronger than the majority, because the minority is generally formed by those who really have an opinion, while the strength of a majority is illusory, formed by the gangs who have no opinion."A century ago Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said the above. So there is no reason to ignore the power of minorities. But because of the fact that minorities represent a tiny obstacle between majority and totality or total purity, they are being pushed to the edge everywhere. Even in...

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Online demo against Internet censorship

Reporters without border (Reporters sans Frontières-RSF) are hosting a 24H online demonstration against Internet censorship."The goal of the demonstration is to draw attention to online censorship in the thirteen nations RSF terms "Internet black holes" - by clicking on a map of these nations, users register their protest against Internet censorship and for the release of over 60 cyber-dissidents currently under arrest for writings on their blogs."More...

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Zizou madness engrosses Bangladesh

French football legend and FIFA golden ball award winner Zinedine Zidane arrived in Dhaka late last night for a two days visit. He is here to unveil the non-profit Grameen Danone Food Factory, a joint venture between Grameen Bank and French food giant Danone which will produce cheap, nutritious food for the poor. Reports say he is here on the Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus's invitation (Grameen is his venture).Zidane has been offered a lot of...

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Bangladesh Blog Buzz

Here are the latest buzz from blogs on Bangladesh:* Diaspora: Zubaer in Drishtipat blog gives an insight into the Bangladeshi Diaspora worldwide and how their remittances are contributing to Bangladesh's economy.Ulysses at Back to Bangladesh, an NRB himself had decided to return to Bangladesh despite many apprehensions and discusses why Bangladesh needs them badly. However, Rajputro shares a story of disappointment where a talented NRB was refused a job in the Dhaka University.* Politics: Nazzina of a nikonian's blog dissects Nobel laureate Dr....

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