BNP rally raises tension in Bangladesh capital

 

A deserted street of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka ahead of opposition rally

A rally by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) today has locked down the capital, with city transportation limited or shut down and security forces out in force. 

The Dhaka Cholo, or March to Dhaka, was announced late last year by BNP chairman Khaleda Zia, in an effort to galvanize opposition forces throughout Dhaka to oppose the policies of the ruling Awami League and call for a non-party caretaker government ahead of national polls in 2014. 

Opposition leaders have said that the rally, to be conducted at locations throughout the city, would be the largest in the country’s history. Fear of violence has left most businesses and public transportation shut. 

Habibur Biswas, an office worker, said the disruption of transportation services had created difficulties for workers and students but stressed that political parties should reach a peaceful resolution to their disputes. 

“If the political parties are tolerant and patient, the people won’t need to suffer and [will] live in peace,” he said. 

Holy Cross Sister Shikha Gomes, principal of the Holy Cross College for Girls, said the rally had kept many students at home. 

“Only 5 or 6 students dared to come for class today out of a total of 2,390 [students]. We have not declared a holiday but parents have called us, saying they won’t send their children today over fears of violence.” 

The head of a government-run school said no students turned up today. 

“Our teachers have come but none of the more than 2,200 students,” said the principal, who asked not to be named. 

Awami League leaders have criticized the opposition for creating public suffering by calling for the rally. Local media reports have said that Awami activists have blocked highways and waterways in response to the rally. 

Home Minister Sahara Khatun at a press conference yesterday denied that party members or government officials had closed roads or businesses. 

“We have beefed up security to avoid anarchy. The government has not restricted vehicles and hotels [from operating]. Police are just observing regular duties.” 

BNP acting secretary Mirza Fakrul Islam said today that the opposition was upset over the “undemocratic attitude” of the government and hoped the rally would be a success amid restrictions. 

The government has launched an undeclared war against people and cut the capital off from the rest of the country. We have never seen such a situation in the past and such oppression by the government,” he said yesterday. 

END

Original Article:

BNP rally raises tension in Bangladesh capital

Bangladesh Church 'needs more support'

 

Father Andrew Small, OMI with a child in Sylhet of Bangladesh

The Catholic Church in Bangladesh needs more prayers and support from the Universal Church to carry out its missionary activities, according to Father Andrew Small, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. 

Fr Small, a confrere from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation, was speaking yesterday at the end of a week-long tour of the country. Fr Small’s tour included visiting parishes and tea estate villages in the newly erected Sylhet diocese in northeastern Bangladesh. 

He also made a courtesy call on most of the local bishops at the Apostolic Nunciature in Dhaka, visited the country’s only Holy Spirit National Major Seminary and saw a remote mission center in Shimulia in Gazipur district. 

Appointed last year Fr Small praised the local Church saying it is making a significant difference in the lives of the poor and powerless in spite of the limited resources and influence at its disposal. 

“I was surprised to see the extreme poverty here, it was not known to me,” he said. “The world and the Church need to know this story,” he observed, adding: “People have lot of love and respect and joy with the little support they have from us, but they need to have more of our prayers and support.” 

He said the world needs to learn more from the Church in Bangladesh about how it has found a very good way to coexist in a Muslim majority country. 

Oblate Bishop Bejoy D’Cruze of Sylhet said Fr Andrew’s visit has brought renewed hope for the local Church. 

“The Church has lot to do for the poor and needy but lacks resources. Poor Catholics have strong faith amid numerous challenges they face every day and they do need more support from us,” he said.

END

Original Article:

Church 'needs more support'  

Bandura Holy Cross High School marks centenary

Illuminated front view of Bandura Holy Cross High School. Photo: Rock Ronald Rozario

Bandura Holy Cross High School, a pioneering Church-run school in Dhaka archdiocese has celebrated the centenary of foundation with three day festival over the weekend.
About 14,000 alumni and current students attended the program along with families including several hundred flying home from abroad on Jan. 12-14 at Bandura in Nababgonj sub-district, 44 kms south of Dhaka.

Among the dignitaries present were Holy Cross Archbishop Patrick D’Rozario of Dhaka, three bishops, information and cultural affairs minister Abul Kalam Azad, Catholic state minister for cultural affairs advocate Promod Mankin, local parliamentarian and state minister for housing and public works advocate Abdul Mannan Khan and former minister barrister Nazmul Huda.

The school has been lauded often locally and nationally several times for academic and extra-curricular excellence. In 2001, the school was awarded ‘The Best Educational Institution’ in the country by Education Ministry.

Among the famous alumni include Servant of God Holy Cross Archbishop T.A. Ganguly of Dhaka and almost all Catholic bishops of the country and Catholic state minister Promod Mankin.

The centennial celebration was marked with a grand rally, discussion meeting, sharing of memoirs by alumni, cultural function with national and internal artistes, memorabilia including shirts, key ring, court pins, flags and a magazine and fraternity meals.

Set up by Holy Cross Congregation and particularly by American Holy Cross missioner Father John Jack Hennessy on Jan. 8, 1912 with just 157 students, at present Bandura Holy Cross High School has 1,550 students.

Over the years the school enlightened tens of thousands of students from the area and other parts of the country. Many of its students became prominent social, political, religious and business leaders.

One of the greatest contributions of the school is helping local Catholic Church grow.

More than a hundred diocesan and religious priests completed their high school education from the school given pioneering Little Flower Seminary located just beside it.

In his speech information and cultural affairs minister thanked the Church and school authority for the great contribution in country’s education sector over the years.

“On behalf of the government I thank the Church and the school for laying cornerstone of success for thousands of students in last hundred years. This school is not only considered model in education but also extra-curriculum. I congratulate the authority, alumni and current students for marking hundred years of success,” said the minister Azad.

He also assured that his government will assist Church authorities who are in a venture to set up first Church-run University in the country.

A number of alumni shared that how this school helped them succeeding in life.
“I’ve flown all the way from USA to attend the centenary of my alma mater. This school has helped me to establish in life, I’m grateful to my teachers. Today I’m happier to be here because I have met many of my old friends,” said Catholic Khokon Stanley Gomes.

Shyamlal Paul, 52, a Hindu and government official recalled, “I’ve studied in the school for ten years. I’ve learned good English, hand writing, discipline and co-curricular activities. Whenever I pass beside the school I stop for while and relish my school days.”

Present headmaster Holy Cross Brother Chandan Benedict Gomes reiterated the motto of the school saying, “Come for education and go for mission- has always been our motto. I thank everyone for making the historic event for the school so successful.”

The headmaster added that with donation collected from the alumni and benefactors the school will set up a modern auditorium to mark the centennial celebration.

Victory but no freedom for Bangladesh

A child wears a headband of Bangladesh National Flag during victory day celebrations in Dhaka. File Photo: www.technewssource.com) 

People in Bangladesh celebrated their 40^th Victory Day last Friday. It’s a red letter day in the history of Bengali people who snatched independence from West Pakistan in 1971.

The misery people went through is little known to the world, even to many in South Asian countries. There has been little effort to let the world know what actually happened in 1971.

The war began with one of the worst genocides in the history of mankind. The West Pakistan army killed three million people and ravaged more than 300,000 women in a matter of weeks and at least 10 million people took shelter in India.

The Bengali people are not by nature warriors, but they couldn’t help turning into a brave nation amid that massacre. After nine months bloody struggle they defeated the army to claim victory.

The independence of Bangladesh was, in a sense, a global war with the USA and China assisting Pakistan and Bangladesh getting support from India and Russia. It was also a war between moderate and extreme forces in Islam. This time the moderate force was victorious.

Yet after 40 years, we still have not achieved freedom.

The disparity between rich and poor has not changed. A few rich and influential people enjoy all the amenities of life while 80 percent languish in poverty.

Politics are entirely election-oriented and political leaders see it as nothing more than a rich vein to be mined. They have no hesitation in colluding with their former enemies if it suits them.

The war we fought and won was against a vulture who tried to grab our heart. There are many more evils to defeat and many more wars to win. One day the people will rise, throw away all injustice and freedom will be ours, truly.

View original post @ Give Us This Day

Lying politicians are costing us our greatness

In my high school and college life I studied a bit of politics. In my mother tongue Bengali, politics is translated as Raajniti which literally means ‘King’s rule’. Our teachers sometimes made fun by saying: “politics is the rule that governs all other rules as the King rules his subjects.”

I didn’t get it, but I do now, after finishing my formal studies of politics long ago.

Seeing its misuse and abuse in our country over the years, it strikes me that politics is purely and simply a power-grabbing and money-making tool. I’ve witnessed power transitions and change in political backdrop throughout my life. I’ve read the history books. There has never been a time when this country’s politics was not overshadowed by falsehood, conspiracy, betrayal and self-interest.

Few people outside Bangladesh can realize how much the politicians have stopped this country from realizing its vast potential and developing its prosperity. In a very powerful commentary published late last week in Bangladesh’s leading English daily, The Daily Star, editor Mahfuz Anam strikes down heavily on the political leaders for their all consuming bad practices.

Referring to the current political games between parties, he says our leaders lie so easily because they think we, the people, are idiots. Well, people here are not fools – but we are tired of it. We know that without leaders like Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founder and the greatest Bengali leader of all time, Bangladesh will continue to lag behind the world.

View original post @ Give Us This Day

A talismanic victory



Bangladesh Cricket team

The Bangladesh cricket team have just beaten the famous West Indies by three wickets in a truly nerve wracking match at the home of Bangladesh cricket in Mirpur, Dhaka.

At one point it looked likely to be another nightmare for the Tigers. But the new captain played a real captain’s innings to save the day. When he smashed the last ball for a huge six, millions of Bangladeshis rejoiced.
Why do we go so mad when our team wins? To people outside, it’s nothing much. But to us it’s not just a win, it’s also a bit of good news amid the endless bad news and sufferings that haunt people in this impoverished country.
We have so many reasons to be unhappy – overpopulation, corruption, political chicanery, power crises, price hikes, traffic jams, stock market failures and so on…..but a talismanic cricket victory puts it all aside.

The win not only boosts the confidence of the team (and it has been shaken recently, on and off the field) but also public morale.

Over the last decade, cricket has turned into the most popular game in the country. Even the heads of our government and the opposition – both of them female – joined the general public to congratulate the Tigers for sealing the victory. Apparently, both of them also support my favorite football team, Brazil. But these are the only conditions or situations I have known where they agree about something.
Thanks Tigers, for making us happy at least for a while!
View original post @ Give Us this Day

Feeling the earthquake

The newspapers in Bangladesh today are all headlining the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal, northwestern parts of India, Tibet and Bhutan.

It also affected Bangladesh although there are no reported casualties so far – just two buildings have been tilted slightly. But it was the first time I’ve ever felt an earthquake.

I was in Dhaka, attending my class at the British Council on Seven Mosque Road in the capital’s posh area, Dhanmondi, when suddenly the building started trembling. It felt like some giant force was either passing under the earth surface or a giant was pushing the building slowly. All the objects, including 13 humans in the room, were shaking.

It lasted about half a minute and phone calls started coming to our mobile phones though none of them rang, because we’d all put them onto vibrate mode. Some of the older people looked pale, possibly through concern for their families.

Our teacher was trying to make light of the tremor. “Don’t worry, this building will not fall,” he said. “If it does fall I’ll die with you!”

I wasn’t scared but I was worried about the country. As I’ve written in an earlier blog, it’s thought that the next great earthquake after Haiti and Japan is lurking beneath Bangladesh.

While reading today’s papers, more bad news caught my eye. The United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security has released its World Risk Report for 2011, which ranks Bangladesh as the sixth most disaster prone country in the world, second in Asia after the Philippines.

I don’t know what is in store for Bangladesh in the near future, but any disaster is bound to be magnified many times over, because the country has hardly any resources or facilities to sustain itself against a blow.

View Original Post @ Give Us This Day

Gathering urges youth to be strong

 

Catholic youth attend special mass during National Youth Day in Bangladesh

Young Catholics were urged to strengthen their faith in Christ to counter challenges of life at the largest annual Catholic youth gathering that ended today. 

“God planted seeds of faith in silence during Youth Day and we’re called to receive it in silence. It is a fountain of light that enlightens us, a networking of faith that connects us all and helps us realize we’re not alone in our life of faith in Christ,” said Holy Cross Bishop Moses Costa of Chittagong, addressing hundreds of young participants and youth activists at the 26th National Youth Day festivities that started on October 3. 

Bishop Costa, chairman of the Episcopal Commission for Youth that organized the program, added: “Youth Day is also a great opportunity to find friends. But our friendship won’t be real or last long if we don’t make Jesus our friend first.” 

Dhaka's archdiocesan youth commission hosted the event at St Augustine Church in Kewachala, Gazipur district. It drew 300 participants and youth activists including clergy, religious and laypeople from all seven Catholic dioceses in the county. 

Throughout the program participants went through creative liturgy, catechism classes, presentations, group discussions and film show to get them into the message of Holy Father. 

They also found friends collecting and joining Biblical verses distributed among them. A colorful rally, heritage corner with traditional local clothes, household tools, delicacies, musical instruments, and historic documents and a cultural function added another dimension to the gathering, making it a pilgrimage of faith and joyful festival at the same time.

END

Original Article:

Gathering urges youth to be strong

Bangladesh's new diocese gets first prelate

 

Thousands of Catholics attended the installation ceremony today of Oblate Bishop Bejoy Nicephorus D’Cruze, as the first prelate of newly created Sylhet diocese in the northeast of the country. The installation Mass was held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Lokhipur, in Moulvibazar district. 

Nine bishops, including Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Joseph Marino and Archbishop Paulinus Costa of Dhaka, as well as several hundred priests, nuns, and brothers joined about 3,000 Catholics who attended what was a historic event for the local Church. 

Archbishop Marino read out the Apostolic Letter from the Holy Father that canonically erected Sylhet as the country’s 7th diocese on July 8 this year. Bishop D’Cruze had served as Bishop of Khulna before his appointment to the new diocese. 

Sylhet, which covers four civil districts -- Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar was carved out of Dhaka archdiocese, making it a suffragan of the same metropolitan Church. 

“The Catholic Church in Lokhipur shall be the temporary cathedral under the patronage of the Divine Mercy,” the apostolic letter said. 

The new diocese has seven parishes and 11 mission centers with about 17,000 mostly tribal Catholics, served by 21 priests and 33 Religious. 

“The faithful in Sylhet have waited for autonomy for so long, and today their dream has come true,” Archbishop Paulinus Costa said in his homily. 

“I would like to call upon Bishop Bejoy to look upon education, financial independence, participation in social activities and evangelization, as well as promoting religious vocations as the major challenges for Catholics in the diocese,” he added.

END

Original Article:

Bangladesh's new diocese gets first prelate

My Sunday

Holy Rosary Church at Tejgaon, Dhaka (Photo: Chandan Robert Rebeiro)

For nearly everyone in Bangladesh, Sunday is not a weekend day. I’m one the few ‘privileged’ guys to have a weekly holiday on the Holy Day for Christians. In an earlier post I wrote why the custom of having a day off on Sunday was changed.

Sunday has always been a special day to me especially in my seminary years from 1999 to 2007. For the first two of those years, when I was studying in grade 9 and 10 Sunday was a half day school holiday. We used to have good meals –the best of the week – from breakfast to dinner at Little Flower Seminary at Bandura. Then we could take a long siesta after lunch. From the minor seminary to intermediate then degree level seminaries, both in Dhaka. Sunday was a very welcome, blissful day for me and all the boys.

But since those times it has become less of a special day. My roommate, a bachelor like me, has his weekend on Friday and Saturday, so Saturday is the common holiday for us both and we enjoy it together. Sometimes we go to the park, or the theater or cinema, or to some other cultural function in Dhaka. But then Sunday can be a tough day as I’m alone at home, so now it’s just a rest day to me.

When in Dhaka I usually sleep late, then make breakfast, do some chores and cook lunch. The routine is often interrupted as gas, water and electricity outages are frequent. Sometimes it gets to 4 o’clock before I can have lunch, so I often opt to go out for it.

In Dhaka I try to get to 6 o’clock Mass at the Holy Rosary Church in Tejgaon, about 30 minutes walk from where I live. Five priests serve here – it’s the largest Catholic Church in the country, right in the heart of the city. Not all the priests offer Mass well and they can’t all deliver a good sermon. They often just repeat the Gospel, or they speak too much on theological matters. I feel sorry for those devoted souls who come to Mass direct from their workplace. They keep coming even though they might not be inspired by some of the priests’ sermons.

Every time I’m on my way to Mass I wonder if the priest will be one that I don’t like. Unfortunately, most times, it is. Nowadays I’ve become an irregular Sunday Massgoer, not because I have such a busy life, but because I’m afraid of Mass being boring. I’m a good listener but I lose interest in boring things.

I go to my village home, 45 kms northeast of Dhaka, about once a month. Sunday is good there as my dad and mom do everything. All I need to do is get up early and get to Mass. Then, after Mass, it’s nice to meet lots of friends. Sometimes we spend some time together and go for something to eat and drink. That makes my Sunday a little bit special.

View Original Post @ UCAN Blogs on Aug. 29, 2011

Here comes weekend- or does it?

Unlike most Bangladeshi people, Sunday is a special day for me. I’m one of the few folks who have the weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Government offices and most NGOs follow the Friday-Saturday custom.

Sunday was traditionally the weekend until 1984, when the military ruler HM Ershad changed it to Friday. This was an attempt to win the hearts of pious Muslims for whom Friday is the holy day of prayer. It didn’t do him much good as he was ousted in 1991.

But even though he was booted out, Sunday was never reintroduced as the weekend holiday. None of the democratic governments that followed have dared to reverse it. Why? Because they’re afraid an opponent will one day use it as a ‘religious trump card’ in a general election.

In Bangladesh, it hasn’t just been about which days; it’s also been about how many days.

The government led by the Awami League first introduced a two-day weekend in 1997. It was reduced to Friday only by the BNP-led government in 2001. But then they were forced to restore a two-day weekend in 2005, as an austerity measure to reduce pressure on the national economy when fuel prices and the dollar exchange rate rose.

Officially, the two-day weekend still holds in Bangladesh though in many places, especially rural areas and private sector industries like garments factories, only Friday is the weekend.

The demand to be in step with most countries and include Sunday as part of the weekend still looms large among various section of society. It’s certainly my preference. As Friday is weekend for most people, all kinds of family, social, Church or national programs are arranged on that day. I’ve been missing most of them since 2008, when I started my career as a journalist which meant work on Friday. When I was in the seminary for nine years I also missed a lot of family and social programs such as weddings and anniversaries, because seminary directors were reluctant to allow extra holidays.

Wouldn’t it be great if we all had the same time off?

**This post was originally published on UCAN Blog on August 23, 2011

Remembering an ever-smiling face



Kishore Cruze

In another tragic recurrence of road accidents that are unabated in Bangladesh at the moment, a highway bus overturned at central Bangladesh’s Tangail district, 92 kilometers away from the capital, on August 4.

The Dhaka-bound bus lost control when its driver hit the brakes of the speeding vehicle for unknown reasons.

Three passengers were killed and others were badly injured and rushed to a local hospital for emergency care.

It was a shocking blow to learn that one of the passengers killed was a second-year seminarian from Holy Spirit National Major Seminary in Dhaka.

Kishore Cruze, 25, was traveling back to the seminary after spending a month’s summer vacation at home.

His colleague Mintu Rozario, 26, injured his leg in the crash.

Surprisingly, the tragedy was not covered by the mainstream media in Bangladesh, though it appeared here on ucanews.com on August 5.

The tragic news came to us by phone from one of our local reporters in Tangail.

I was stunned and remained motionless for a moment because I simply could not believe the news. I called the reporter again to verify, and he confirmed that the tragedy was true.

When I got home, I sent SMS messages to all our reporters and almost all of my former seminary friends who knew Kishore Cruze.

Most of them responded quickly with phone calls, including one friend in the United States. Like me, they were all disheartened.

Kishore (which means “adolescent” in Bengali) was not a close friend but he has a face to remember always. He will always remain young in our memories.

He was one of the best seminarians I’ve ever met during my 1999-2007 seminary life. He was simple, honest and hard-working.

I had known him since 2004 when he came to attend a Special Study Program at St. Joseph’s Seminary at the archbishop’s house in Dhaka after intermediate exams.

One thing I hope all my friends will never forget is Kishore’s all-conquering smile. Every time anyone talked to him, he used to smile – a rare thing among people these days.

He was a very meek and humble boy and very respectful to senior seminarians. I hardly ever saw him show any signs of annoyance or anger at anything or anyone.

I still recall his large smile when I last met him on May 14 this year, when 10 of my former classmates received Cassock after completing three years at the major seminary.

It is really painful for anyone who knew Kishore to believe he had to depart so untimely and tragically. The Church should never have to bear the loss of such a good future priest.

Yet today, I cannot accept the fact that the ever-smiling face is no more. Why are good people taken away too soon?

We’ll miss you, Kishore, today and always. We hope you keep on smiling from heaven until, if we deserve it, we will meet you again.

Published on UCAN Blog on August 9, 2011

The hope ride gets a rough ride

Internationally acclaimed weekly magazine The Economist has aimed a foul blow at ongoing developments in Bangladesh-India bilateral relationships in a recent article.

The intro says, “not much noticed by outsiders, long-troubled ties between two neighbours sharing a long border have taken a substantial lurch for the better. Ever since 2008, when the Awami League, helped by bags of Indian cash and advice, triumphed in general elections in Bangladesh, relations with India have blossomed.”

“To Indian delight, Bangladesh has cracked down on extremists with ties to Pakistan or India’s home-grown terrorist group, the Indian Mujahideen, as well as on vociferous Islamist (and anti-Indian) politicians in the country. India feels that bit safer.” .

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Bangladesh foreign minister Dr. Dipu Moni slammed the report as ‘baseless and a pack of lies.’

“The report is disgraceful for an internationally reputed publication like The Economist,” she said. “We’ll send a rejoinder, probably tomorrow (Thursday). It seems to me there is a smear campaign going against Bangladesh.”

I have to agree. Though the report does point out some important and strategic issues that Bangladeshis should be concerned about, I think many points in it seemed biased or were simply incorrect.

In a blog that I posted on the ‘hope ride’ between Bangladesh and India, I wrote a posthumous tribute to the late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for her contribution to Bangladesh liberation in 1971. Even the award was termed as 'a golden gong' in a malice manner.

This report and the alleged ‘smear campaign’ behind it is surely a snub to that hope ride.

A version of the post was first published at UCAN Blog- Give Us This Day on August 4, 2011

Bangladesh: God’s own country or God forsaken land?



The red circle shows central part of Bangladesh is most vulnerable for earthquake (Photo: www.priyo.com)

If the environmentalists and seismologists are right, Bangladesh could turn into the definitive God forsaken land any time now.

A recent report by the Earth Institute of Columbia University in the United States says the next great earthquake, after the ones in Haiti and Japan, is lurking beneath Bangladesh and likely to jolt the land imminently.

Bangladesh is the most crowded place in the world with over 160 million people squeezed into just 147,570 sq kms of land.

If the disaster takes place near the capital, Dhaka, where the population is over 15 million, it will undoubtedly be the gravest human tragedy of all time. Not just because it happens in such a crowded country but also because people here have no safety net to face such a calamity.

But that’s not the only dire prediction. A couple of years back, a group of environmentalists warned that the sea level will rise by nearly 10 cm in the next 50 years. That will be enough to completely submerge the Maldives islands and wash away about 20 costal communities in Bangladesh, turning millions of inhabitants into climate refugees with no possibility of a return.

All the signs say that Mother Nature has been enormously violated worldwide and Bangladesh is no exception.

Now the world is repaying the cost. But isn’t Bangladesh paying too much?

Published on UCAN Blog- Give Us This Day on August 1, 2011

Beautiful Bangladesh: School of Life

Bangladesh is mostly known around the world for unhappy reasons.

It struggles with a massive population of over 160 million, which makes it the most densely populated place under the sky. About half of its inhabitants rank among the world’s most impoverished and vulnerable.

It’s also a soft target for natural disasters including floods, droughts, tropical cyclones and tidal waves. Every time a natural calamity strikes, many perish and many more go from poor to poorest.

Unsurprisingly Bangladesh is also beset by illiteracy, unemployment, corruption, political instability and a slack law and order system.

But a renewed sense of patriotism has been engendered by a three and half minute advertisement called ‘Beautiful Bangladesh: School of Life.’ First shown at the opening ceremony of the World Cup Cricket Tournament, the ad has made Bangladeshis look at their own land with a fresh perspective and made an eye-opening message for people outside the country.

Its creator, Gausul Azam Shaon, says he tried to express the real beauty of Bangladesh, which lies with its people and the way they live with nature. “It’s simple, it’s pure and we tried to show that a visit to Bangladesh will teach people to love the simplicity of life.”


*First published on UCAN Blog- Give Us This Day on July 27, 2011

Detalis on the commercial: The Independent on Feb. 20, 2011

The hope ride gets boost



Indira Gandhi: The Iron Lady of India
Photo Courtesy: www.thefamouspeople.com

Bangladesh conferred a long overdue honor to former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi yesterday.

The leader, often called ‘The Iron Lady of India,’ was posthumously awarded Swadhinata Sommanona, the Bangladesh Freedom Honor, for her ‘multi-faceted’ and crucial role during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

Sonia Gandhi, her daughter-in-law and current president of India’s ruling National Congress party, received the highest civilian honor for a foreign national on her behalf from Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman.

“Her role was so seminal, so singular and so comprehensive that she is in a category by herself,” said Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni to an audience including the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, cabinet members, senior government officials and quite a few distinguished guests.

She added that Indira also drew the attention of the world to a problem that was not just an issue for Pakistan but also the world community.

“If Indira Gandhi could have been with us, I know she would have been overwhelmed by the high honor you have bestowed on her,” Sonia said in acceptance. “There can be no honor higher than one conferred for the freedom of an oppressed people and the birth of a great nation.”

Of course, many Bangladeshis, like me, were born since then so our knowledge of liberation comes from books, films, documentaries and media. But we see the independence war as the most significant event in the history of Bangladesh and still the most influential force in every aspect of life here.

Every time any Bangladeshi speaks about independence, they must hail Indira Gandhi and express gratitude for what she did. Not only did she take some 1o million Bangladeshi refugees under her wing in 1971, but she also mobilized global support — firmly withstanding US, Chinese and Arab pressure at the time — which was crucial for our country’s struggle for freedom.

I think this honor should have been conferred earlier, but better late than never. It’s certainly significant at this crucial time when Bangladesh and India are strengthening a multi-dimensional relationship that is widely being called ‘the hope ride’ in local media.

The Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh is due in the country in September to sign major deals and talk over long standing issues including transit, electricity imports, water sharing and management, border demarcation and killings, the exchange of enclaves and the trade deficit.

No doubt Sonia Gandhi’s visit and the honor for Indira will have a political impact, I hope for a good cause.

Published on July 26, 2011 @ Give Us This Day

Bangladesh’s fatal aggression



Frustration to justice and law systems is a fatal burning flame among many people in Bangladesh. Who will put down the fire? (Photo Credit: www.highopesgardens.com)


Our office was closed on Monday as Muslims in the country observed their religious festival Shab-e-Barat (Night of Freedom) on Sunday night and the following day is a national holiday.

No newspapers were printed but, as always, the TV channels were on. From early morning they were broadcasting the news that villagers on the outskirts of Dhaka had beaten six suspected robbers to death.

This happened in the riverbank village of Amin Bazar, in an area which is a hot spot for illegal drugs. In the afternoon, to my utter dismay, I saw an update: all but one of the victims, who were bludgeoned to death by a mob of several hundred, were students.

They came from different parts of Dhaka and it is unclear why they went to the death spot. The villagers and even the police insist they were robbers, but their weeping relatives told reporters that they had no criminal records and were just ordinary, fun loving boys. It has also been denied that they were interested in drugs.

Following a wave of robberies and kidnappings, the villagers had organized teams to patrol at night. One of them said they had identified the young men as robbers.

“We suspected they were robbers so we passed the message to other teams and eventually it was announced through loudspeakers all over the village,” he said. The patrol teams let the suspects enter deep into the village, then hundreds of people attacked them with sticks and sharp weapons.

There were many more people than usual up and about that night because of the Shab-e-Barat prayer meetings. What an irony that these young men were killed and one more was badly injured on a holy night.

Such an incident is very rare in a civilized society in developed or modern countries, but very common here. Ain O Salish Kendra, a human rights body, reports 72 deaths from mob beatings in just the last six months.

A tragic culture of extra-judicial killings in mob attacks is developing in the country, because in most such cases, the responsible people go unpunished.

Why such a horrifying trend?

It is as evident to commoners like me as it is to the experts. There is an erosion of trust in the justice system and law enforcement agencies, which is leading people to violence and taking the law into their own hands. People in the past often handed over a criminal or a suspect to the police, only to see them walk away through some legal loophole.

It makes people feel frustrated and insecure. And it’s that frustration that leads to an aggression that is literally deadly.

If this is not tackled with a much stronger justice system and the curbing of extra-judicial killings by law enforcers, I’m afraid this frustrated nation could be driven to total lawlessness.

Published on ucanews.com blogs 0n July 19, 2011

The death ride



Thousands of people gather around the spot where the tragic accident occurred on July 11, 2011 (Photo: Focus Bangla News)



July 11 was a long, hot and tiring day. After a full day’s work, I had a long meeting at the National Youth Commission, where I’m a volunteer. It was 9 o’clock when I got home, exhausted, hungry and badly needing a shower. But there was no electricity, so not only was there no hot water, there wasn’t even water in the tank.

The power came back after an hour. I turned on the TV and suddenly, my little problems didn’t matter any more. They were updating the news; a road accident had killed 44 schoolboys near Chittagong.

Between 60 and 70 were packed into the back of a mini-truck, coming home after winning an inter-school football match at a local stadium. The truck driver was allegedly the driver’s assistant and was unlawfully talking on a mobile phone. He lost control while giving way to an oncoming vehicle, crashed and flipped into a pond.

Many were trapped, even though the pond was not deep. People rushed to the rescue before the emergency services came. But it was too late. Most of the kids died on the spot.

The incident was the lead story on ucanews.com and made headlines all over the world. And every time I read about it, it hurts.

I picture myself as one of the kids who succumbed to death after trying to survive beneath the overturned truck, or as one of the people at the school, the families and the villages, overcome with unfathomable grief.

Who can bear a tragedy like this?

I remember those days when I was at school. I too enjoyed it when our village or school team had won a football match. Coming back in the truck, we used to joke and make up funny football chants. Those kids were probably doing the same. They were only 1.5 kms away from their school. But they didn’t make it.

Now the question is being asked: who can escape blame for this? The driver, the school authorities, the law makers, the rescue services? I say no one. Whatever is being promised to the bereaved families, no condolence can be enough.

Published at UCAN Blogs on July 14, 2011

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