While the above is a most common expression, the quality of learning depends on what your source of information is. Diganta of 'India speaks' depicts in his splendid analysis of how history in text books are being manipulated all across the world. A brilliant lie about the independence of Bangladesh is in the Pakistani text books:After 1965 war India conspired with the Hindus of Bengal and succeeded in spreading hate among the Bengalis about West Pakistan and finally attacked on East Pakistan in December 71, thus causing the breakup of East and...
January 30, 2007
Today's Links
* Nobody's born a bigot.* How Akbar Ganji helps buildup for military action against Iran.* Bangladeshis lack faith in elections.* Back from the brink or in the drink?* YouTube to share revenue with creato...
January 26, 2007
Quote of the day
"We cover up so much, yet we are so indecent.We know, yet we are uneducated.Islam wants us to learn,Yet the Muslims want to be ignorant."- Mezba of a Bengali in Toronto on the issue of sex education practiced in some Muslim countr...
Globalization of internet: The next billion users are coming with a challenge
Ethan Zuckerman is a big name when it comes to Information Technology. He started in 1994 when he co-founded Tripod, the personal homepage site (in which I hosted my first personal website in 1999). He has come a long way since and this is how the world recognizes him now:Fortune Magazine named him as one of the top 10 innovators under the age of 40. The World Economic Forum named him a Global Leader for Tomorrow in 2003 and a Young Global Leader in 2005. Recently he was interviewed in New Scientist. An excerpt from the interview:The internet recently...
Global warming and the land ethic
"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."The above is the basic philosophy of Aldo Leopold's land ethic. Leopold argues that our ethical systems must evolve to take into account the entire community of life, not just other individuals or human society in general.This is the argument Brudaimonia is trying to establish in the Daily KOS about the effects of the global warming:For global warming, we have to fight our subconscious tendency to only pay...
January 25, 2007
Today's Links
* How would you know whether your PC is ready for Windows Vista?* The revolution will be YouTubed.* Freedom of information, the Wiki way.* Bangladesh-Myanmar border sealed to prevent Rohingya Muslim refugee influx.* Bangladesh Military accused of stalling on elections.* Bangladesh: Tarique Rahman’s sleepless nights.* Legacy of chasing the shadow politics in Banglade...
The ULFA Connection
The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is a separatist armed outfit from Assam in India. According to its website its main objective is to liberate Assam through 'Armed national liberation struggle' from the clutches of illegal occupation of India. From 1979 it was involved in many terrorist attacks in India. It is claimed that it gets ammunitions from China, gets training from Pakistan and have secret camps inside Bangladesh to use the porous border to get in and out of India.Last year, when Bangladeshi security forces were on a large manhunt...
The story behind the story
Dr. Abdul Momen, a professor of Economics and Business Management from Boston, USA was instrumental in getting the Army involved in UN peacekeeping forces. He tells the story behind the recent state of emergency (read 'bloodless diplomatic coup') in Bangladesh."In this city of rumors, the story that emanates from the Dhaka cantonment goes like this. The Army Chief Lt. Gen. Moeen Ahmed of greater Noakhali, the home district of former Prime Minister Begum Zia was not still convinced to move. However, his 9th Division Commanding Officer, Major General...
January 20, 2007
Winter is coming at last!
If you are wondering when Berlin will finally welcome winter this season check the graphic!In 2006 January the minimum temperature of Berlin was -17 degrees celsius and the maximum was 5 degrees celsius. (source)For the first 20 days of January, 2007 the minimum temperature of Berlin was zero degree celsius and the maximum was 14 degrees celsius.(Via Bowleris...
Satire at its best
Although there is a state of emergency in place, the presses in Bangladesh are in no short of freedom. The Daily Star Magazine has published a piece called "Drama in reel life" which contains satire of the players including the president behind the recent dramatic political events of Bangladesh. Check it o...
Today's Links
* The coup that dare not speak its name.* Bangladesh: Give me back my country. * Future of Bangladesh is bright.* Week one of the new caretaker government of Bangladesh.* Atlas of World Religions: Origins of Islam, Islam , Judaism, Asian Religio...
January 17, 2007
Update on Bangladesh (III)
There have been some positive developments in Bangladesh. People are finally finding peace at home with the actions of the new caretaker government. The most important step taken is separating the judiciary, which was the prime requirement to re-stabilize Bangladesh. It is termed as one of the best things to happen to Bangladesh after independence. The question of reform process of the judiciary to eradicate the partisan elements in the court comes after that. The government is keen to refresh the voter list and determined towards holding a free...
January 15, 2007
On self
I have become a victim of Oso in the 5 things meme. The idea is to get to know the other side of the people we spend so much time interacting with online. Well I have my limitations and can't be much eloquent like his other victims, Jen and Nicholas. However, I have decided to prove the statement 'one can only speak of another' wrong (sigh). Here are my five things:1) People thought I was a very smart kid because I was well advanced with my first lessons. I was sent very early at school and by age four I completed class one. But this had taken...
Today's Links
* Bangladesh is at war with itself.* Bangladesh: A republic, if you can keep it.* Bangladesh's national security chief ousted.* Interim chief cements control of Bangladesh.* Analysis-pitfalls remain in Bangladesh's path to stabil...
January 14, 2007
Who is controlling the judiciary?
Bangladesh High Court Sunday ordered the government in a ruling not to arrest or harass businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun and his wife Shahina Yasmin in defiance of the criminal procedure code. Giasuddin Al Mamun was being hunted by the police since 11th of January as a part of their crackdown against corrupt businessmen and politicians.A HC bench comprising Justice Syed Mohammad Dastgir Hossain and Justice Mamunur Rahman also asked the home secretary and three others to explain why searching his office and home and arresting him without warrant would...
Death of a blogger
"Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion"Mithila Talukdar was a 18 year old girl from Sylhet, Bangladesh. She had a grave disease and was flown to New York to her brother last month. She had a new love who wanted to be with her but was refused US Visa. She was a blogger and blogged (in Bengali) about her life, her love and her despair. She wrote this poem a few days ago before going to hospital:"On any beautiful morningIf you hear the news of my deathThen please do not mournPlease do not shed tearsLook for meInside...
Update on Bangladesh II
Bangladesh is calm after the Thursday night turnaround. Five new advisers were sworn in. Not much controversies were there with the selection. Two of them are from the business community.The general people have expressed their satisfaction over the state of emergency. Because it got rid of the fear people had a few days ago.But two disturbing developments are worrying me. First the drive against the corrupt Godfathers, politicians and businessmen has been suspended. While some question this as arbitrary harassment as who is deciding who are guilty...
January 12, 2007
Press embargo goes
The private TV channels in Dhaka have started broadcasting News again. It seems that the embargo on press was done by the controversial Mokhles Rahman Chowdhury, BNP leaned adviser to the President. The Daily Star has details:"Soon after the declaration of a state of emergency Thursday night, Mokhles unilaterally called all private television channels and radio stations and issued a verbal order to immediately stop broadcasting of all news bulletins and political talk shows.He also slapped a ban on newspapers from publishing news or cartoons criticising...
Bangladesh political crisis in the eyes of the bloggers
Mark Oliver of the Guardian News Blog writes an informative report featuring Bangladeshi Bloggers:Blogs provide light in Bangladesh's political nightSome excerpts:Amid the chaos, the government has been cracking down on media freedoms - but some Bangladeshi bloggers have not been cowed. They have been commenting on events, such as the state of emergency that was declared yesterday and the postponement of the planned January 22 election.Read the rest.This recognition shows that at the time of crisis bloggers can be a source of information to many....
Today's Links
* Thursday video: Growing violence in Bangladesh.* Army plays key role in Bangladesh.* Bangladesh president delays elections.* Bangladeshi people praise declaration of emergency.* Gagging the media is not the answer.* Emergency restrictions eased in Bangladesh.* New head of Bangladesh government sworn in.* Suspected corrupt individuals under surveillan...
Update on Bangladesh
BDNews24 reports that Fakhruddin Ahmed, a renowned economist, the former governor of Bangladesh Bank and ex VP of the World Bank has been named the chief adviser of the caretaker government by president Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed. He has a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from Williams College, USA and Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from Princeton University. He will be sworn in on 7PM Bangladesh Time (2PM GMT) today. The Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad...
January 11, 2007
Separation of judiciary: The prime requirement
From the latest whirlwind dismantling of the status quo in Bangladesh politics, one this has become certain that there is an international pressure and no one is ready to accept any illegitimate government taking power. I often wonder if there were some partisan executives in the government, how come the whole system is backing them up. Today in his speech Iajuddin tried to break free from his partisan cocoon. He slammed all politicians for bringing the country to this position. His advisers resigned protesting his decision. The army did not want...
Iajuddin resigns as CTG chief: Breakthrough in political stalemate in Bangladesh
President Iajuddin Ahmed has decided to quit as the caretaker (interim) government chief, which was the number one demand of the opposition grand alliance. In addition their second demand was fulfilled; no election is going to happen on the 22nd of January. Iajuddin Ahmed will remain to be the president. The following crucial decision were made by him:1. He will appoint a new advisory council within a couple of days. (the present one is of no effect)2. Till then the senior most member of the current Advisory Council (justice Fazlul Haque) will...
Bangladesh in a state of emergency!
Worrying news are coming from Bangladesh. President and the chief of caretaker government Iajuddin Ahmed has declared a state of emergency. Curfew has been imposed for capital Dhaka and more than 60 other cities and towns from late Thursday night. The curfew will remain in force each night for six hours starting from 11 p.m. (17:00 GMT). Bangladesh's upcoming parliament election has become uncertain after the opposition grand alliance had decided...
January 10, 2007
Today's Links
* Is Bangladesh heading towards disaster?* How many bloggers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?* Saddam execution video re-ignites death penalty debates worldwide.* Gibson Guitars -- from Kalamazoo To China and beyond.* A 2007 warning: the world's twelve worst ide...
Dhaka in 24 hours
Canadian blogger Mikey Leung has some suggestions about where to go and what to do in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh if you have only one day to spa...
January 09, 2007
January 05, 2007
Today's Links
* The problem with Israel.* The Eid festival around the world - Graphic photos.* Fencing the porous Bangladesh border.* $100 laptop project launches in 2007.* 13 photographs that changed the Wor...
Christmas trees
If you are wondering where the Christmas trees have gone after Christmas, in Berlin, they fed them to the Elephants.(Via Squi...
January 03, 2007
A dark cloud
If you had been following Bangladesh politics then you should be frustrated by now. Nobody knows what will happen on the next day. A few days ago Awami League and its allies decided to run for the January 22 Poll. Today Awami League and the grand alliance decided not to do so. A few weeks ago Ershad and his Jatiyo Party was scheduled to join BNP and its four party alliance. Then with a 180 degree swing he joined Awami League and its 14 party alliance. Probably he got the best deal there. In Bangladesh what the politicians say is good for that moment,...
Flawed Justice
The hanging of Saddam Hossain, and the timing of the event (on the Eid day) was not well taken by many in the world. Only a few might have thought that the butcher of the Kurds should have awarded any other justice than this, but even the most open minded ones raised questions about the whole trial process and the way Iraq is heading today.Shahidul Alam, an award winning photo-journalist from Bangladesh wrote an elegy:I can kill any MuslimAny day I chooseIt’s all for the cause of freedomI can kill any MuslimWherever I chooseIt is cause we’re a...
Today's Links
* Lured by the beach side of a beleaguered land in Bangladesh.* Bloggers and independent journalists are the only reliable sources for Western media news (before they are censored).* The birth of AJAX - an amazing story.* Events that shaped Asia in 2006.* Stray Dogs, Muslims and Non-Vegetarians barr...
January 02, 2007
Fang of fanatics
The above is the title of a booklet published by the News and Views Publications in 2001 during the end of Awami Leagues 5 year long tenure. Bangladesh was battered by religious (Islamic) terrorists, who with their politics inside the mosques tried to establish a reign of terror with gruesome killings, and bombings in public gatherings.The booklet, with graphic photographs portrays the atrocities and the politics of BNP in sheltering the alliance...
January 01, 2007
Strangling freedom of speech
This is not new. We have seen it in places like China and Bahrain. Hossein Derakhshan reports that the Ministry of Culture in Iran has announced that all Iranians who hold a blog or a website should register them within two month. He cites that this action of trying to regulate freedom of expression is contrary to Iran's constitution and calls to disrupt the initiative by the concept of hacktivism. This is one war which should be fought prior to any other. Freedom of expression is more precious than anything and is the identity of a free human...
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