South Asia Blog Buzz

(Cross posted in the Global Voices Online)

The latest from the South Asian blogs:

Bangladesh:

- Rajputro writes a satirical piece on how the load shedding (power cuts to manage shortage in electricity supply) in Bangladesh can be counterproductive.

- Shafiur of imperfect|world|2006 is amused with the political dramas set out in Bangladesh as a form of protest.

- Drishtipat has an interesting prediction for the Bangladesh parliament election 2007.

India:

- Blogcamp, India’s biggest blogging conference has started today. There are about 50 active blogger volunteers. Catch up all the actions at Flickr, Technorati and YouTube by typing in the tag ‘blogcamp’.

- The recent 9/8 Malegaon bomb blasts are the continuation of the terror that gripped India with a goal to disrupt the communal harmony. This time the victims were Muslims and the general Indians stand disgraced by all this. Mayank Austen Soofi writes in Desicritics about the story behind the 8/9 terror attacks. Siddhartha of Sepia Mutiny provides more background of Malegaon.

- Preetam Rai of Betterdays reports that the Bollywood fever is taking on China.

Nepal:

- Samudaya.org reports that Nepal invents a new product, herbal wine.

- Blogdai comments that the Maoist ceasefire call is fake as it tries to document the ceasefire violations.

- Paramendra Bhagat of Democracy for Nepal welcomes the planned peaceful protests By the Maoists.

Pakistan:

- Eteraj informs that the women’s protection bill of Pakistan to reform the notorious rape laws of Pakistan is about to be passed this Monday. The laws from 1979 require that for a woman to make an allegation of rape she must produce four male witnesses. If she is unable to put forth the witnesses she herself is liable for adultery (and can be imprisoned or put to death for adultery).

- All things Pakistan reports that Mukhtaran Mai, a famous name against repression of women, has started a blog.

Sri Lanka:

- Rant and Raves discusses the brain drain problem in Sri Lanka.

- Lanka Libertarian analyses the situation after the return of the refugees in the coastal town Muttur, who fled the fierce battle in July.