PREVIEW OF THE BANGLADESH AUSTRALIA TEST SERIES

Bangladesh is ready to greet Australia for a home series against the cricket champions. There will be two tests and three one dayers. The first test will begin on the next Sunday (9th of April). Australia is satisfied with the venues and the security arrangements. Bangladesh has retained most of its winning combination, which have whitewashed Kenya (4-0 series) late last month. The Australian team also has an almost unchanged squad, which performed well in the recent series against South Africa.

The aussies are in top form. Bangladeshis are also in good touch. The Aussies struggles a bit in the subcontinent due to the heat and humidity and slow pitch. Bangladesh has the home advantage. But it would not be realistic to ask a performance from Bangladesh every time like their upset win against the Aussies last year. The Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore reminds us: "The number one-ranked team is playing the number 10-ranked team. That's the reality."

Bangladeshi blogger Furqaan has a detailed preview of the series with player-by-player status. BanglaCricket is an exciting forum formed by Bangladeshi cricket fans which will heat up during the series.

For the good of cricket, this series requires to be competitive, not one sided matches, which will drive away the interest of the spectators. Let us hope for the best.

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REBIRTH OF A NATION: BANGLADESH

The above is the title of the cover story of the TIME magazine's latest edition. With poster perfect pictures of the Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia it praises the government's crackdown on militancy.

This story interestingly labels Zia's most popular initiative as forming the R.A.B., a police force that draws support in part for its willingness to kill. It falls for Zia's statement that the government's inaction against the militants till August 17, 2005 bomb attack was merely due to a lack of information. The Home Minister Babar also says about the earlier days: "Bangla Bhai was fighting criminals. It wasn't jihad then." - mind blowing.

The report also contains the usual masala you expect, the mentions of flood and cyclones and the Kissinger's historical 'bottomless basket' quote. Of course the usual boastings are also there; the microcredit, for which the government did little and the 100% enrolment of children in primary school (any proofs?).

The one thing has come true from the article is from the mouth of the World Bank chief Christina Wallich:

"The political hatred between BNP & Awami League is the single biggest issue holding back development."

And read the expected conclusion:

Bangladesh may never truly leave behind this legacy of bloodshed, corruption and distrust. But in what was once one of the sorriest places on earth, there is new hope. Quoting a professor of Dhaka University "All we need is five years of good governance, and we'd be away."

Long before the militants issue TIME once nailed Bangladesh as dysfunctional quoting violence, corruption and political turmoil. There are seldom any progress on these aspects. In this report capture of the JMB militants issue has come as the heroic deed. But in reality it was digging own grave first then filling it up. A totally unproductive episode.

The article did not touch anything on the plutocracy of the members of parliament, not to mention Khaleda Zia's son. First we need good leaders, then the question of good governance comes. Until then the world will continue to be fed by these types of reports that pleases some people but never really portray the true state of Bangladesh. It was never one of the sorriest places on earth, but a place hold ransom by some opportunist leaders. And we don't need TIME's fabricated certificates, thank you!

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BOOTY CALL

With the advent of 3G technology in cellphones and its rapid proliferation, the younger generation has found a new way to break the taboo. Sharing sex and violence videos via MMS (Multimedia messaging) has become a cult in many countries say it is in Germany or in the USA. Younger generation watches porn and pictures of human beings mutilated, raped, beheaded, and even having sex with animal in their cell phones. The peril is that these people are underaged and they watch these in school, on subways, buses, and in other public areas. Everywhere there are open advertisements for downloading sex videos to you phone; say in TV or in magazines. Its a growing business in countries like Germany.

This month Police has raided some German schools and arrested some teens for sharing videos containing sex and violence. At the hauptschule in Immenstadt (Bavaria) more than 200 students cell phones were confiscated, and in 17 telephones they had found porn and violence videos. Although there are laws against distributing porn to teens but authorities have more to think how to apply them. The students are not aware of the law. Many parents have no idea about the new technology and its perils. Some schools are resorting to mobile phone bans in schools which the students are protesting. The issue has become so complicated that it would require concerted efforts from all quarters to reduce the misuse of this new technology.

Avari.Nameh discusses this issue in light of the US and shows that there is another menace in mobile porn that is the DVD players in the car. He thinks that this is not only disgusting, but sad.

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DEVALUATION

In economic terms "devaluation" is a reduction in the value of a currency. Why it is done is a complicated matter. A country may resort to devaluation to decrease import and to increase export (exporters can offer lower price and be more competitive) and thus increase foreign currency earnings.

There is a rumor that fresh devaluation of Taka will be made in Bangladesh soon. I guess as election is coming, the government is keen to make a show of a healthy foreign currency reserve. For a country that is depended on a lot of imports, it means price increase and decrease of purchasing power. More ironically, this means decrease of salary of government officials deputed abroad as their BDT salary is converted into USD and paid accordingly.

This move is non-benevolent to general people. So why nobody is bothering?

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TODAY'S LINKS

* YouTube - the web at its best.

* Science: Tracing Islam's innovations - exhibition held in the UK.

* A fish called Allah.

* Justice the Saudi style.

* Why do they hate us so much?

* 25Peeps: Who said bloggers aren't beautiful?

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DOCUMENTARY ON BLOG

A new video 'Many to Many: Public Media and the Blogosphere' directed by the documentry maker Marty Lucas is now available on the Center for Social Media website (Quicktime required).

It takes a look at the emerging world of Internet self-publishers and citizen journalists also known as bloggers and its implications for the larger world of public media. It also asks what public broadcasters in the US and the UK are doing to use new media tools to interact with their viewers and listeners in innovative ways.

The 12 minute video features Dina Mehta and Neha Viswanathan of the Global Voices network talking about their Tsunami Blog initiative at the December 2005 Global Voices conference in London, as well as a look behind the microphone at Radio Open Source with Blogger-in-Chief Brendan Greeley and host Chris Lydon.

Its a great video and must see for everyone.

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SLAP THE BLOCK PROXY

The creative minds of a few Pakistanis Yasir Memon & Naveed have created this nifty utility for those individuals in Pakistan who are stuck behind the Government supported censorship on Internet in Pakistan. The way this service works is that you can simply go to
http://www.pkblogs.com/blogname
where blogname is “blogname.blogspot.com”
Alternatively head on over to www.pkblogs.com - you get no ads or any annoying pop-up to disturb your surfing experience. The service converts all inside and outside links.

Sign the Petetion - No Internet Censorship in Pakistan

DIGG the story at Digg.com - Blogspot.com Censored in Pakistan

Related: More about Internet censorship in Pakistan.

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