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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Picture of the day

Guess who is ...

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