Dragonfly

Image by Rezwan

Overcrowded passenger ferry capsized in the Padma River in Munshiganj, Bangladesh

The World Cup Goal-E Project

This street in Bangladesh has a colorful world cup celebration

New Chum Hill Ruins

Remnants of Kiandra gold mine at New Chum Hill, #nsw #australia

Showing posts with label Bangladeshi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bangladeshi. Show all posts

July 07, 2009

Bangladeshi Peacekeeper Wins The Heart Of The Liberians

Liberian blog 2tango informs that Lt.-Col. Ershad Hossain from Bangladesh voluntarily donated his blood to save Menemon Jarbo, a pregnant Liberian woman who later gave birth to a set of triplets. He is the team leader of MILOB (UNMIL Military Observer from Bangladesh) Team Eleven in southeastern Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County in Liberia.

The blogger writes:
This medical emergency was a case referred from River Gee County to the Martha Tubman Memorial Hospital in Zwedru. Relatives of Menemon Jarbo had tried to get a donor with the right blood type, to no avail. Then came this good “Samaritan”: Lt.-Col. Ershad, to their aid. The proud mother and her three babies are presently doing great.

The donor insisted on remaining anonymous, but his noble contribution to save four lives could not remain unheralded. Lt.-Col. Ershad has indeed made himself, the United Nations and his country, Bangladesh, very proud through this singular, voluntary gesture. It is indeed hoped that others would emulate his shining example.

Showering Lt.-Col. Ershad with deserving words of commendation, UNMIL Deputy Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Carl Modey, who is the Chief Military Observer, said: “I hereby salute you on behalf of the entire UNMIL Force and indeed the whole Mission. You really made us all proud and you deserve our special commendation”.

September 17, 2008

Directory of Bangladeshi Blogs

A cool new Bangladeshi Blog Directory was launched recently by Tanim. Check it out (click the image):

July 08, 2008

She sang in Bangla to create a sensation all over the world

Palbasha Siddique (17), a Bangladeshi student of Minneapolis' Southwest High School was contacted by the makers of the video "Dancing 2008" aka "Where the hell is Matt?" to sing for it. She sang a Bangla song titled Praan (life) and her angelic voice made the video an internet success.


Harding dances in a recording session with Siddique: Photo credit Palbasha Siddique via Minnpost

Minnpost reports:
The video was downloaded to the web on Saturday, June 20, 2008. By Sunday, it had 1 million hits. By Thursday, it was everywhere — embedded on Facebook and MySpace pages and flooding email inboxes and translating into millions of viewers, thousands of comments, and official "gone viral" status.
StarTribune.com reports:
"Dancing" has now been viewed 4 million times on YouTube and is being watched (and praised) by web-surfers from all over the world.
The video took 14 months to make, was shot in 42 countries with a cast of thousands. Its producer video game maker Harding writes about Matt (31) from Connecticut:
"In 2007 Matt went back to Stride with another idea. He realized his bad dancing wasn't actually all that interesting, and that other people were much better at being bad at it. He showed them his inbox, which, as a result of his semi-famousness, was overflowing with emails from all over the planet. He told them he wanted to travel around the world one more time and invite the people who'd written him to come out and dance too."
So if you feel like dancing why don't you join in!

May 20, 2008

List of Bangladeshi Blogs

I know it has been more than a year since I last compiled the list of notable Bangladeshi Blogs. Bangladeshi Bangla Blogs have been growing at a exponential pace. However the blogs written in English did not grow much. As usual some good blogs have ceased to exist and some excellent blogs have surfaced.

So I have done some house cleaning and here is the list (arranged in no particular order):

Blogs in English:

AMERICAS:

Active:
* Or how I learned to stop worrying -USA
* Shada Kalo - USA
* In the middle of nowhere - USA
* Dhakaশহর - USA
* Inspirations and creative thoughts - USA
* Abeer -USA
* Sajeeb Wajed Joy - USA
* Lungis.com - USA
* Ashiq's Blog - USA
* the chronicles of rabab-ia - USA
* Anthology -USA
* Green, How I Want You Green -USA
* Ajaira Pechaal - USA
* Amra Kojon Around The Clock - USA
* My thoughts - USA
* Blog Cabin - USA
* First we take Manhattan -USA
* Words & Bites -USA
* Bid Chronicles -USA
* Jagrook Bangalee -USA
* The Muse -USA
* Universe of Disturbance -USA
* Tacit -USA
* Xanthis -USA
* Mezba's blog -Canada
* A sunshine too brief -Canada
* The Bengali Fob says -Canada
* ..>Insert clever title here<.. -Canada
* Captain Chaos - Canada
* Bangladesh Watchdog -Canada
* Only Three Notes -Canada

Dormant:
* Naeem Mohaiemen/Shobak.org - USA
* Life in Champaign - Urbana - USA
* Ahsan's rant - USA
* Optically active - USA
* Mudphud chickness - USA
* Sajjad's weekly blogs -USA
* Beyond my mind - USA
* My Days - USA
* Blissful days of my life... - Canada
* Ipshita’s blog -Canada
* Faruq Faisel -Canada

AFRICA:

* Bangladeshi in Ivory Coast

EUROPE:

Active:
* E Bangladesh -UK
* imperfect|world|2008 -UK
* Addafication - USA & UK
* Serious golmal -UK
* Past Present and Future -UK
* BangladeshWebBlogs - UK
* Bangla in use globally - UK
* Fug's Blog - UK
* My Dear Bangladesh - UK
* No more shisha - UK
* The Thing About This Is... - UK
* Journal of a Disturbed Mind -Norway
* Easy come easy go, little high little low - Sweden
* Tasneem Khalil - Sweden
* Skakia's spot -Sweden
* Gagan (From My Lil Window) - Finland
* The 3rd world view-Germany

Dormant:
* Cathersis -UK
* The color of rain -UK
* Me, myself and Bangladesh - UK
* Thought, and thereafter -UK
* Bangladesh and our thoughts - Ireland

OCENIA:


* Mukti - Australia
* Ulta manush -Australia
* AuddieLand - Australia
* C'est la vie -Australia
* Tan Curve -Australia
* My World -Australia
* My Readings -Australia
* One Knowledge, One Work - Australia

EAST ASIA:
* A sneak peek into Yawar's mind - Malaysia
* Glittergirl -Singapore
* Journey2Infinitive -Singapore
* Nadine Update -Singapore

SOUTH ASIA:

Active:
* ShahidulNews - Bangladesh
* An Ordinary Citizen - Bangladesh
* Life in Eskaton - Bangladesh
* Bangladesh from our View - Bangladesh
* Tahmina's Weblog - Bangladesh
* Dhaka Dweller - Bangladesh
* Bangladesh Corporate Blog -Bangladesh
* Creating the Longest Marketing Idea Chain in the World -Bangladesh
* Bangladesh and Media -Bangladesh
* South Asia biz -Bangladesh
* Law Chronicles Online -Bangladesh
* The Bangladesh poet of impropriety -Bangladesh
* Shah Zaman Mazumder's Blog - Bangladesh
* Angelmorn - Bangladesh
* eLeCtRiKbLuEs - Bangladesh
* Dhumay Adda - Bangladesh
* The story teller -Bangladesh
* Bangladesh Blogger - Bangladesh
* Bangladesh Talk - Bangladesh
* Little dogs day -Bangladesh
* Scattered words -Bangladesh
* Himu's Window -Bangladesh
* Bitter sweet symphony -Bangladesh
* Black and grey - Bangladesh
* Conversations with an Optimist - Bangladesh
* Nothing to lose and Nothing to gain.. - Bangladesh
* Ideas for brighter Bangladesh - Bangladesh
* Why did Bangladesh cross the road? -Bangladesh
* BD Fact -Bangladesh
* Promethean Dreamer - Bangladesh
* Lifeless Ordinary -Bangladesh
* Dhaka (underground) -Bangladesh
* Ondhokar theke alor pothe -Bangladesh
* Khan is Khan - Bangladesh
* Cruel, crazy beautiful world - Bangladesh
* Of the world and boiled eggs - Bangladesh
* Monwar's Blog - Bangladesh
* Russel's cyber journal - Bangladesh
* Bunch of me - Bangladesh
* Abar Zigay - Bangladesh
* Desh calling -Bangladesh
* Life, dreams and reality -- Sohel's blog
* The crystal cave -Bangladesh
* Boolean Dreams -Bangladesh
* Hasan's blog -Bangladesh
* blog.sanjoykumar.com -Bangladesh
* Khorshed Khokon, MBA -Bangladesh
* The Urchin's Own - Bangladesh
* Ashraf's Column - Bangladesh
* Naz's Diary - Bangladesh
* Nawed - Fortunately Unfortunate or Unfortunately Fortunate -Bangladesh
* Shaon's Weblog -Bangladesh
* Hatti Matim Tim -Bangladesh
* Share the Magic -Bangladesh
* Maverick Tanvir's Journal -Bangladesh
* Back to Bangladesh -Bangladesh
* Global Experiences -Bangladesh
* pieces of me... -Bangladesh
* Shananaus -Bangladesh
* Nisshobdo Rati -Bangladesh
* Bangladesh: The Competent Land -Bangladesh
* Kapalicana - Bangladesh
* My Bangladesh - Bangladesh
* eduBangla.com, Education anywhere! - Bangladesh
* BanglaFootball.net - Bangladesh
* Joy Bangla Blog - Bangladesh
* Here I am… - Bangladesh
* EngineerRower in Bangladesh - Bangladesh
* Ahmad Ferdous Bin Alam - Bangladesh
* Arif's Blog -India
* Annabelle -India

Dormant:
* Adda - Bangladesh
* The song of my life - Bangladesh
* Close your eyes & try to see- Bangladesh
* Ahsan's Laboratory - Bangladesh
* Apache007 - Bangladesh
* Fun And Jokes with Morals - Bangladesh
* Ex Nihilo -Bangladesh
* Just another day -Bangladesh
* Spoony Writer -Bangladesh
* S Mehreen's digital portfolio -Bangladesh
* Mishuk’s Perspective© LIVE from Dhaka - Bangladesh
* Brainstorm - Bangladesh
* deshi Blog - Bangladesh
* Shawrav's Blog - Bangladesh
* Imran Hashim's Tech. Blog - Bangladesh
* Dak Bangla intelligence scan - Bangladesh

Organization Blogs, event blogs and journals on Bangladesh:

* Unheard Voices - A drishtipat group blog initiative -USA & UK
* Drishtipat Writers Collective
* The Progressive Bangladesh
* Joy Bangla: Events and Travel in Bangladesh
* BRAC Blog -USA
* Concern Worldwide, Bangladesh
* The Dhaka Project
* LiveJournal Bangladesh community blogs -Mostly USA
* Adhunika Blog -USA
* Shuchinta -USA
* Cehtona 71 -USA
* GUPSHUP -USA
* Onnesha.TK
* Disha Bangladesh -Bangladesh
* Free Sheikh Hasina
* Change Bangladesh - one step at a time -USA
* Bangladesh Military Forces Blog
* Somewhere in Dhaka
* Lamb School - Bangladesh
* BlueNote
* The Chobi Mela Files
* Global Voices Online on Bangladesh

Blogs by persons of Non Bangladesh Origin on their experiences in Bangladesh:

Active:
* The uncultured Project
* Morris the pen
* bideshi blue
* What's cooking abroad?
* Expanding Dr. Yunus’ Sphere of Influence…
* Haseen♥Mawa♥Views
* Akash and Nila
* Madame Boss
* MikeyLeung.ca
* The Dhaka diaries
* Window on my world
* Gabrielles Blog
* banglabravader
* Kristin Boekhoff
* Bangladesh Connections
* Wading Through Water

Archive:
* A Whisper from the heart
* Root: Adventure in Bangladesh
* Bangers and mash
* Bangladesh backchat
* Dhaka diary
* Sarah's boble
* Dana in Bangladesh
* The Yacoub ramblings v.2
* To Bangladesh and back
* Kelly in Bangladesh
* Bideshi blonde
* The world around
* Bdeshini
* Bangladesh Barta
* Lucy in Bangladesh
* OrangenSaftNotiz.de -In German
* Aumi in Bangladesh -In German
* Alex and Jake in Bangladesh
* A Blank Page
* Benji Braves Bangladesh
* Lyndsay Hersikorn
* Adventure in Bangladesh
* Roland's Journal

Some notable Bangladeshi photoblogs:

* Nazzina
* Desher Chobi - The face of my motherland
* Dhaka Daily Photo
* M A K Photo
* Andrew Biraj
* Palash Khan

Blogs in Bangla

Blogging Platform, directories and aggregators:
* বাঁধ ভাঙার আওয়াজ-The largest Bangla blogging platform with thousands of blogs in Bangla
* সচলায়তন-Online writers forum in Bangla
* আমার ব্লগBangla Blogging Platform
* এভারগ্রীন বাংলা ব্লগBangla Blogging Platform
* প্যাঁচালী - বাংলা ব্লগিং প্লাটফর্ম
* বাংলা ব্লগস্ - list of Blogs in Bangla script maintained by Debashish
* বাংলা ইউনিকোড ব্লগ Bangla Unicode Blog Aggregator
* গ্লোবাল ভয়েসেস অনলাইন: পৃথিবী কথা বলছে। আপনি কি শুনছেন? - Global Voices Online Bangla Version

Bangladeshi:
* না বলা কথা
* উত্স সন্ধানে
* …করি বাংলায় চিত্কার…
* ছেঁড়া পাতায় কথামালা
* আসিফ আহমেদ অনীকের বাংলা ব্লগ
* অমি আজাদ
* সসংকোচ প্রকাশের দুরন্ত সাহস
* আমি এবং আমার পৃথিবী
* পুড়ে ছাই ধ্বংসস্তুপ থেকে বেঁচে উঠি পুর্ণবার
* রয়েসয়ে
* নিরিখ বান্ধিলাম দুই নয়নে……
* বিবর্ণ আকাশ এবং আমি….
* ভয়েস অফ বাংলাদেশী ব্লগারস
* এইটা তোমার গান
* প্রাত্যহিক ভ্যাজর ভ্যাজর
* কবিয়াল
* অজ্ঞাতবাস
* ধৃসর গোধুলী
* সাধক শন্কু
* বলো গো
* মোকাবেলা
* খিচুড়ী ব্লগ
* আড্ডা
* ভালবাসা
* হাজার বর্ষা রাত………
* কাকশ্য পরিবেদনা!
* আধুলি জমানোর ম্যাচবক্স
* কীন ব্রীজে গোধুলি এল অন্তরালে কালান্তর ভোর
* দিল কা লাড্ডু
* অনন্ত ন্বপ্ন
* ..খেরোখাতা..
* যাপিত জীবন
* বাংলা ভাষী
* বাংলা ভাষা
* সুহ্রদ সরকার
* সম্ভাবনার মৃত্যু ঘটুক … নতুন সম্ভাবনার তাগিদে
* সীমাহীন সংলাপ
* যূথচারী
* আলী মাহমেদের ব্লগিং
* মাহবুব সুমন ও তার অগাবগা বচন
* শুভ্র প্রকাশ পালের ব্লগ
* অলস বিকেলের শেষ রোদ
* শেঁকড়ের সন্ধানে
* টকিজ
* খসড়া কবির খসড়া কবিতা
* আমার ভাঙা পথের রাঙা ধূলা
* স্বপ্নলোক
* হিডেন হার্ট
* ত্রসরেণু অরণ্যে
* গ্লোবাল মিডিয়া
* আমাদের কথা -নারী জীবন বাংলা ব্লগ
* New Gaul Order -USA
* Ontorjatra
* আলোকধেনু
* জিকোবাজি
* কাপালিকানা
* আবজাব
* মুক্তাঙ্গন: নির্মাণ ব্লগ

Indian:
* স্লোগান দিতে গিয়ে
* আমার কিছু বক্কা
* খোলা জানালা
* মনের পাতা
* ট্রিভিয়াল বাইটস
* ধূসর ফিনিক্স …এবং কোমল গান্ধার
* বিবর্ণ কবিতা
* জীবনানন্দ দাশের কবিতা

More Bangla online Links here

And finally some Bangladeshi Blog and news aggregators:

* Planet Bangla
* EIN News Bangladesh readers picks
* Bdblogs.com, Home of Bangladeshi blogs

Previous update: (For links of stale blogs which I have removed)

This is not an exhaustive list. Please let me know in the comment section if you want to include more blogs here.

Update: Now we have a comprehensive Bangladeshi bloggers Directory called BDBloggerz. Check it out:



Technocrati tags: ,

April 01, 2008

The kiasu behavior of some Bangladeshis

"If you think Singaporeans are kiasu, then I think BGLs are being kiasu-in-action." - read the rest.

October 29, 2007

Bangladesh finds a new cricket coach

BCB announced yesterday that the new Bangladesh cricket coach replacing Australian Dav Whatmore is his countryman Jamie Siddons. Bangladesh has opted for the "Thunder Down Under".

He was appointed as senior coach at the Centre of Excellence in 2005 and then became an assistant coach with the Australian national team.

Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh described Siddons as the “best Australian batsman not to have played Test cricket". He made 11,587 first-class runs at 44.91, playing for Victoria and South Australia between 1984-85 and 1999-2000, and played a solitary ODI in Lahore in 1988. (source Cricinfo)

Siddons was shortlisted in the middle of 2007 by the Bangladesh Cricket Board as a possible candidate. But last month it was reported that Siddons was ruled out because of non-agreement of terms and conditions.

(Image credit: The Daily Star)

August 04, 2007

Try a different view point

The most of the Bangladeshi bloggers come from the middle class-upper middle class family. The diaspora community has the upper-hand with faster internet connections more sense of freedom of expressions. For the local ones internet is still a costly affair. They try to keep in mind that there is a state of emergency in place and they should not try to say anything critical against Government.

Many of the approx. 140 million Bangladeshis are poor. Those who live in rural areas do not have the luxury to enjoy basic infrastructures like library, Television let alone Computers and Internet. But don't they have stories to tell for the wider global audience?

Rising Voices is one such revolutionary initiative from Global Voices which can let this happen. Their first five micro grantees include Nari Jibon of Bangladesh which is an NGO involved with providing training to disadvantaged women of Dhaka. With the help of the Rising Voices microgrant, they have introduces Bangladeshi girls and women to blogging, photography and video-blogging by incorporating blogging assignments into existing English, computer, and Bangla classes.

Nari Jibon organized its first blogging workshop with professional Bangladeshi blogger Razib Ahmed who heads both SouthAsiaBiz.com and IndiaRaj.com.

The result can be seen in their blog Bangladesh from our view which posts stories and interviews of these girls with the help of workers of Nari Jibon. While I communicated with Kathy Ward, ED of Nari Jibon earlier she said that soon all the girls will be typing their stories themselves. It also has a Bangla blog. Highly recommended are these posts to see Bangladesh from a different angle:

* A Tale of a Migrant Women in Bangladesh

* A tale of struggled women of Bangladesh - Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

* Begger problem in Bangladesh

* A Village, Besides the River Meghna


Related articles:
* Bangladesh, through different eyes - Ethan Zuckerman
* Rising Voices Outreach Projects get straight to work -David Sasaki

* Podcast: Intro to the Nari Jibon Project

August 02, 2007

Flood in South Asia

As I type now nearly 20 million people in South Asia are stranded due to massive floods. The main reason is the incessant rain across the region since mid-June had caused the snows in Himalaya region melt and the river banks were inundated with excess water. By now more than 1000 people have died in this region alone. Click here for pictures of floods in Asia.

Now it seems that this year flood will really take its toll in Bangladesh. Although suffering from water-log Dhaka city is surviving because of the circular dam built after the great 1988 flood. But it is surrounded by water and the flood water is looking for a breakthrough to cause larger disaster. Nearly five million people in more than 30 districts are effected by this flood. Al Jazeera says that half of the country has been submerged. (Picture courtesy the New Nation)

The main concern for this year's flood is the relief operation. This has been undertaken single handedly by the caretaker government which has put all of its resources including the army. But time and again we have seen that non governmental and political organizations efforts do make a lot of difference as they reach to masses. Its not about will its about lack of resources and shortage of manpower in governmental institutions. But as the politics is banned, there are no such initiatives in sight. And the NGOs seem in two minds about what to do.

Till today World Vision has joined Bangladesh Government in their relief efforts. United Kingdom is providing 2.5 million USD aid for Bangladesh flood victims. DFID's own chars livelihoods program will provide additional 1 million USD flood relief efforts in their operation areas in five districts in the northern region.

But we are getting reports that millions of affected people in remote areas are yet to received any relief. Simply biscuits and water are not enough. As the clean water sources are effected there is a dire need of water cleaning tablets to keep people away from waterborne diseases. There should be medical teams, make-shift shelters. There are a lot to be done to prevent an epidemic. Shada Kalo Blog terms it the Cartaker government's Katrina syndrome. The Daily Star says in an editorial:
While the government machinery has been trying to handle the situation, it is fairly obvious that the involvement of the wider community has now become necessary in order for succor to reach as many people as possible in the flood-hit areas.
Bangladesh has survived many great floods. Its stubborn people have lost everything and started again from the scratch (Tanvir portrays one of such characters). In this moment of truth let us all help these people survive. We know how to do it. Just we have do do it all together, in concert.

Update: Change Bangladesh has started a fund raising effort. Please donate if you can.

Related articles:

* No flood-relief work by Bangladeshi politicians this time.

* Is Dhaka prepared for the flood?

July 29, 2007

Bangladesh: The threat of floods and current politics

(Also posted in the Global Voices Online)

A flood on its way

Like many places in the world it has been raining incessantly in many parts of Bangladesh for a number of days. The rain water had waterlogged many places. Back to Bangladesh posts some pictures of some parts of the waterlogged Dhaka. He wonders whether there will be flood in Bangladesh this year.

Canadian Expat blogger Mikey Leung shares his experience of surviving a fall into a hole in the footpath and the generosity of the passersby who helped him get out instead of laughing at him. He says these holes may create a problem during flood:

Random gaping holes in roadways, back streets and footpaths, are a fact of life in Bangladesh. During the incredible downpours of Bangladesh’s monsoon season, they often become dangerously obscured to the inattentive visitor.

So watch out when you are walking in a waterlogged Dhaka street.

Expat Tom posts pictures of temporary water-logs near his house (Left: Photo of water-logged Dhaka by Tom). He also describes the ingenuity of a Taxi driver who drove in pouring rain with an out-of-order wiper:

He had attached a small wire to the right hand wiper which was hanging down against the side of the car. As we drove along he had his arm out of the window pulling the wire and thereby replicating a rudimentary windscreen wiper, allowing him a small patch to see out which enabled him to continue to drive like a lunatic, the common state in Dhaka come wind or shine.

E-Bangladesh is reporting that flooding in Bangladesh is turning towards a disaster as major rivers are flowing above danger levels.

Blogger Safayet of Nagarik [bn] blog urges bloggers to stand besides the flood affected people by creating a relief fund.

Bangladesh politics:

The Bangladesh Poet of Impropriety uses his verses to describe the current state of Bangladesh politics.

He signs off with a slogan:

there is no slogan worthy of our respect
than to DEMAND FREEDOM or
Be DAMMED..

Following a comment of Gen. Matin, the advisor and spokesman of National Coordination Committee on the current anti-corruption drive and the religious party Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Shahzaman Mazumder comments on Gen Matin’s statement “It just may be that Jamaat leaders were not involved in corruption”:

Jamaat is not free from corruption. However, the definition of corruption needs to be widened and should include abuse of power and violation of established laws and regulations of the country.

Shahzaman Mazumder also analyzes Jamaat’s ideologies and agendas and interprets:

In a sense, the current caretaker government is now implementing part of Jamaat’s plans by “recast(ing) economy, education system and administration, i.e., the total political system of this country.” The caretaker government is a blatant failure of the mainstream political parties. It shows that the mainstream political parties are incapable of resolving their disputes through the constitutional institutions of the country. The only way to combat Jamaat is to replace these aging and corrupt political structures with more potent and honest ones.

In the Middle of Nowhere lists seven instances where civil bureaucrats were replaced by military bureaucrats and asks a pertinent question:

Are military bureaucrats better, more efficient, more honest than civil bureaucrats?

The price of the essensial commodities in Bangladesh are increasing and have already crossed tolerable level. An Ordinary Citizen says:

Politics is also playing a part in the instability of the prices of essential commodities in the market.

July 07, 2007

A review of Banker to the Poor

Chandrahas did a great review in The Middle Stage and in The Mint on Dr. Muhammad Yunus's autobiography "Banker to the Poor". Don't forget to check it out.

July 06, 2007

Citizen Media and New Media projects in Bangladesh

I knew little about the citizen media and new media projects in Bangladesh when I amplified about the Rising Voices outreach project micro loan grants in the Bangladeshi Blogosphere.

A total of 142 project proposals from over 40 different countries were submitted with more than five from Bangladesh alone. I am pleased to inform you that out of the five successful projects with a grant upto $5000 two are Bangla speaking and one is from Bangladesh. From Global Voices:
Kazi Rafiq Islam and Kathryn Ward - Dhaka, Bangladesh:

Kazi Rafiq Islam and Kathy Ward are the Coordinator and Executive Director of the Nari Jibon Project in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As you can see from the website, the organization is already involved in outstanding work with young women in Dhaka. With the help of the Rising Voices microgrant, they will introduce Bangladeshi girls and women to blogging, photography and video-blogging by incorporating blogging assignments into existing English, computer, and Bangla classes. You can see some examples of what is to come at Bangladesh from our View.
The other Bangla speaking project is Kalam: Margins Write, a creative writing program for marginalized youth in India based in Kolkata.

You'll be amazed with these projects and the wonderful initiative 'Rising Voices' has taken for promoting the underprivileged people:
...to enable their communities to tell their own stories, to write their own first draft of history, to document their traditions and culture before they are washed away by the tides of globalization.
Great Job David and congratulations to all the grantees.

And we have more surprises. Narijibon is not the only NGO who ventured into the new media initiative in Bangladesh. Md. Arafatul Islam informs:
Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangshtha (SSS), an innovative organisation, is imparting education on information technology to the deprived and poor people in North Bengal over 12 boats equipped with computers with Internet service, mobile phones and libraries. The organisation has been carrying out such activities in North Bengal for the last two years.

SSS recently won the Access to Learning Award-2005 of Gates Foundation as recognition of their innovative work. They got prize money worth about US$ 1 million from the Gates Foundation.
Voice of South reports:
A school based internet enabled telecenter in a Bangladeshi village has recently turned to a digital photo studio. As per its sustainability plan, Relief International -School Online helped the school to plan for income generation through providing basic ICT services.
There are really lots of possibilities how the rural people of Bangladesh can benefit from blogging and other new media tools. Kowshik has some relevant suggestions(in Bengali) stating the benefits of using community internet. The community can get mileage on fields such as education, health, economics, disaster management, culture and politics.

Update: Mikey Leung did ICT development work with some Bangladesh NGOs and thinks that the blogging tool Wordpress can be used as a content-management system (CMS) for these organizations.

His latest work on Wordpress (the local staff can add the contents) are better navigable than some of the sites of the big organizations:

* Ashar Alo Society, Dhaka
* Gram Bikash Kendra, Dinajpur

July 04, 2007

This year America's Junior Miss is Nora Ali

Minnesota's Nora Ali (a high school senior at South St. Paul) won a $50,000 scholarship along with the America's Junior Miss medal this year. The seventeen years old's parents are Bangladeshi immigrants. She expressed that she wants to enlighten Bangladesh's image in America.

(Photo credit- the Daily Amader Shomoy)

This report shows that she's more than a beauty pageant:
Ali is a member of the National Honor Society, is ranked No. 1 in her graduating class, is captain of the Knowledge and Math Teams and still finds time to take Indian Dance classes. Nora has also performed as a solo violinist for the Minnesota Orchestra, and played the National Anthem for a Twins game with her sister.
Watch her talking in this video.

June 30, 2007

First or last solution?

Bangladesh blogger reports that First Solution, a London based finance company has been accused of unethical business standards by a wide section of the British Bangladeshi Community. It cashed on the half a million strong British Bangladeshi community, who relied on it for sending money home or credit solutions.
Accusations and speculations against this company suggest, it may have encountered huge-losses in speculative currency trading.
Hope the accused company does not turn out to be the last solution for many.

Update: Its official. The New Nation reports:
First Solution Money Transfer, a London-based firm, owned by Fazal Mahmud, former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia’s political secretary Mosaddak Ali Falu’s business partner, has misappropriated remittances worth Tk 123 crore recently.
Update II: First Solution has a press release saying they were intentionally lynched by their competitor Bangla TV. One must say Bangla TV's coverage of the news seem far from fair journalism as they published personal informations before any police investigation. Please check the interesting discussions and updates in Drishtipat blog. A commenter predicts what happened and it sounds realistic:
It is common knowledge that Dr. Fazal Mahmood, Mr. Mahi and Channel S had a close relationship with Falu and gang. Channel S has been representing NTV in the UK for quite sometime.

It is possible that Falu was using First solution to launder money from Bangladesh to the UK and was paying higher than official rates in Takas back home.

FS was depositing UK Sterlings into Falu nominated UK accounts and Falu was supplying takas in Bangladesh. Falu didn’t mind paying a premium as he had endless supply of takas.

But everything changed with Falu’s arrest. The taka supply dried up and FS was not able to deliver money at the higher rate which it promised to it’s customers.
Thrilling stuff!

Update III: First Solutions protester group has called a protest rally tomorrow Sunday 8th July 2007) at Altab Ali Park, White Chapel Road, opposite Brick Lane, London. Bangla TV airs protests against First Solutions by Bangladeshi diaspora in England and in Italy.

Update IV: Thanks to a commenter (AB) we have the link of Last Solution blog, which was started by a person who lost money on First Solution. This blog has the latest news, video and information on First Solution.

February 25, 2004

And finally, the Everest

Dalchhut, an adventure magazine arranged a countrywide competition to chose the team comprising of 3 students of Dhaka University, who will go on an expedition to Mount Everest. They will go to the Base camp-1 of the Everest in May after a mountaineering course at Uttar Kashi in India. The expedition is sponsored by Mountain Dew, a soft Drink of the beverage company, Pepsi. If they reach the mountain peak they will be the first ones to raise Bangladesh's flag there. Their team emerged as champions from 100 teams competed across the country.

January 27, 2004

EXPLOITING CHILDREN AS CAMEL JOCKEYS

I don't know much about camel racing, which is a traditional sport in the Arab countries. But I have heard plenty of it during recent times as many Bangladeshi children are being exploited by the camel racers. Jockeys being small and lightweight are a winning potential. Mounting camels three times their height, the children - some as young as six - face the risk of being thrown off or trampled. They are often starved to keep underweight. They are brought to Arab countries by child trafficking racket. One women was caught recently at the Dhaka Airport trying to smuggle 5 children declaring as her own.

Human right activities in Bangladesh as well as in other countries are vocal against these rackets and the use of child as jockey. Recent reports suggest that Gulf states aim to halt camel jockeys trafficking. There are strict laws in UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia banning exploitation of children as camel jockeys. In UAE the use of children aged under 15 and weighing less than 45 kilograms (100 pounds) as jockeys is prohibited. In Saudi Arabia the minimum age of a Jockey is 16. But I doubt whether the authorities are able to implement those laws in great effect.

It can be compared with the black people, who were used as slaves in western countries centuries ago as their masters were more powerful & rich. I wonder why there is no protest in the Arab countries by the Arabs against these inhumane exercises.

January 19, 2004

TASLIMA NASRIN'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Taslima's latest visit to Kolkata is creating much controversy. Take this and this for instance. She is always in the news.

Despite the clerics latest fatwa "a prize of 20000 Indian Rupee($440) for the person who smears tar on her face", she is valiant as ever.

Read the latest interview where she asserts:

I am not scared of anyone. I will write and publish my books. Why should people accept such a decision in a free state. It is for them to decide what is obscene. There cannot be a jury.

True indeed.

October 19, 2003

BENGALI OR BANGLADESHI

Faramin has a very thoughtful post "Why Persian and not Iranian". He asks there why many of his countrymen introduce themselves as "Persians" and not Iranians.

He explains his views in reply to one of the comments (quite rightly so):

What I mean is that for example over 35% of Iranians who are Azeri, are Aryan but not Persian. This is also true with Iranian Kurds. As long as there are devided countries and borders, then they must also have a name, and I believe considering IRAN instead of PERSIA is ONLY more representation of the ethnic people who live there.

These things are really confusing with some people. There was a controversial debate by the top intellectuals and newspapers of Bangladesh on our nationality "Whether we are bengali or Bangladeshi". The bengali race who speaks bangla live in Bangladesh and mostly in West Bengal, India. But in West Bengal, people's nationality is Indian. In Bangladesh there are many races: mostly bengalis, but there are many tribal people, biharis(from Bihar, India) etc. But some intellectuals are fighting for the naming of our nationality - Bengali instead of Bangladeshi. They built up their arguements with the points like we have a very old culture, rich language and heritage; we have been known as Bengalis since many centuries etc. I was
also consumed with the thought that why shouldn't our nationality be Bengali.

But I slowly realised that (like Faramin mentioned) what Bengali tribal people's identity would be? Bengali? No Bangladeshi. They are Chakmas, Khasias etc. and they are Bangladeshi. And we are Bengalis and Bangladeshi.

Now Faramin's post also confirms my thoughts. So no more confusion.