Population crisis needs national plan

Last week the results of the fifth Population and Housing Census conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) were announced.

The country’s population as of 2011 stands at about 152 million.

Bangladesh has a growth rate of 1.37 percent annually and a population density of 1,015 people per square kilometer – in a country of just 147,570 square kilometers – making it one of the most densely populated places on the planet.

Preliminary results published by BBS in March showed a population of just over 140 million, which was roundly criticized by analysts who argued that the figure was too low.

In response, the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), an independent body, was assigned to review the census data and found that about four percent of the population had not been included in the count.

Such irregularities in official data are nothing new. It’s a strategy that no doubt works well in telling authorities what they want to hear and hiding institutional inefficiencies and keeping ordinary people in the dark on issues of national importance.

Moreover, there are at least 10 million expatriate workers not included in the census, as they were overseas during the data collection.

Even international agencies have come up with differing figures on Bangladesh’s population, with the UN Population Fund having to revise their count of 164.4 million in 2010 to 149 million the following year.

Such inaccuracies may seem forgivable in light of the difficulties of gathering such data, but maintaining reliable information on the population is vital for a country that must import millions of tons of food each year to feed its citizens.

Population growth in the country resembles nothing less than a galloping racehorse. In 1971 after independence from Pakistan, the population was estimated to be 70 million. Two decades later it had almost doubled.

The country ranks as the eighth most populated country in the world, but a stroll down traffic-choked streets and markets might well convince you that it merits a much higher ranking.

To put this in the necessary perspective, Russia is a country 120 times larger than Bangladesh but with a population of just over 140 million.

A quick glance at social science textbooks in the country will demonstrate that researchers characterize the issue of population growth as perhaps the country’s most pressing problem, but the issue does not seem to register as urgently with the government in the crafting of national policy.

Overpopulation has had disastrous effects on the country and contributes to increased poverty, illiteracy, food security, unemployment and corruption.

In the early 1990s, democracy was restored to the country but none of the successive governments made any notable efforts to control a rising population – something that had been tipped as the focus of all national planning.

In developed countries the population is a valuable resource, but in Bangladesh at least half is better described as a burden through a lack of education and job skills.

While some progress has been made in the areas of education and healthcare, little has been done to tackle the issue of overpopulation despite national campaigns to encourage fewer children for families.

The lack of a national strategy, particularly in rural areas where access to birth control and family planning services are minimal, is aggravating the problem despite some efforts by NGOs in the last four decades to conduct education programs.

But programs only have a minimal impact when mindsets about having children remain the same.

For example, a relative of mine often boasts about the fact that he has seven children, which work the family farm and remove the need for hiring additional workers.

Others explain their large families by saying that many of the children were the result of unplanned pregnancy. The result is that those who are least capable of affording to raise children have the largest families.

A more systematic approach to the issue of family planning is needed, one that takes into consideration not merely the needs of individual families but that sees the long-term needs of a nation struggling with limited resources and limited space to meet the needs of a growing population.

*This post originally appeared on UCAN website on July 23, 2012*

Bridge of dreams turns bridge of sighs



Padma Bridge will throw lifeline to millions of people and economy of Bangladesh (Photo: www.aecom.com)



Bangladesh has been abuzz with rumors and counter-rumors since last Friday, when the World Bank cancelled its US$ 1.2 billion funding of the country’s longest and most ambitious bridge project.

The Padma Multipurpose Bridge was intended to set up direct road and rail links between Dhaka, the capital, and the southwest. Crossing the mighty Padma River, which is fed by both the Ganges and the Jamuna on its way to the Bay of Bengal, the 6.15 km bridge would undoubtedly bring a host of advantages.

It would save literally millions of hours every year in travel time, cutting the length of a typical journey by as much as 100 km; it would save numerous lives, which are frequently lost in crossing the broad, fast-flowing river by boat and ferry; and it would open up the undeveloped southwest region. It has been estimated that, once operational, it would create a GDP increase of at least 1.2 percent.

This ‘bridge of dreams’ was a centerpiece in the list of pre-election pledges made by the ruling Awami League when it came to power in 2008. The party promised to open the bridge before the end of its five-year tenure in 2013.

Its successful completion could well be a decisive factor in the party winning a second term, for the first time in the history of this fledgling democracy. But we can only speculate on that because, so far, it has failed to start its construction, let alone its completion.

The World Bank has cut off the funds for reasons that are only too familiar in Bangladesh. Its fateful statement of June 29 said it had “credible evidence corroborated by a variety of sources” that some

Bangladeshi government officials, along with executives of the Canadian contractors SNC Lavalin and private individuals, were involved in a “high-level corruption conspiracy.”

Predictably, the government spluttered with indignation, describing the decision as “unacceptable, disgraceful and mysterious,” and demanded a review. This has proved fruitless, as the World Bank has now underlined its determination to pull out, with its new chief Dr. Jim Yong Kim reportedly saying that quitting is the right thing to do.

It would seem that the co-funding promised by the Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency is now also in jeopardy.

The government does have other options. The Islamic Development Bank has expressed an interest, and there is a strong possibility of investment from Malaysia. But analysts say the project will now be much more costly, to a point that may well make it prohibitive.

And in a country where corruption is endemic, the fact remains that no investigation has taken place. Former communications minister Abul Hossain was removed from his post to appease the World Bank. Apart from that, there has been an unsurprising reluctance from the government to take any stern action.

Corruption is a daily reality in Bangladesh, a country where half of its 160 million people earn little more than 50 cents per day, and almost half are illiterate. These are the very people who could benefit from the bridge, as it would bring opportunities, work and income by opening up the southwest’s undeveloped seaports, as well as much needed relief on the many occasions when the region is flooded.

Was the World Bank right to punish a whole, impoverished nation for the misdeeds of a few individuals? Will the government ever admit the existence of corruption in this project? Will it ever take a stand against it?

*This post was originally published on UCAN on July 4, 2012*

Violence, apathy imperil journalists

A sudden and sharp rise in attacks on journalists recently has raised several questions about press freedom in Bangladesh’s fledgling democracy.

Three attacks against journalists by police and others have been recorded since last week, showing how vulnerable the press is in the country.

Over the weekend police beat and badly injured three photojournalists from the Bengali daily Prothom Alo, allegedly for driving a motorbike on the wrong side of the road in Dhaka.
The photographers were on assignment to cover a protest by female students at a state-run polytechnic institute.

The incident made headlines across the country and the policemen involved were temporarily suspended.

But a statement by a state official reveals the depth of the problem. “It is better for journalists to keep away from the police during protest rallies to avoid clashes and violence,” said Shamsul Haq, state minister for home affairs, said at a press conference last week.

In a much more disturbing incident earlier this week, a gang of a dozen or more unidentified attackers wielding machetes stormed the head office of bdnews24.com, a bilingual national news agency.

At least nine reporters and other staff were injured, with three in critical condition.
Police arrested three suspects in connection with the attack, with one admitting he belonged to the Jubo League, the youth wing of the ruling Awami League.

In response to the bd24news.com attack, hundreds of angry journalists took to the streets and formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday to protest the attacks.

They demanded justice for the victims of the attack within the next six days, adding that they would submit a memorandum to parliament demanding the formulation of laws to better protect members of the media.

That same day, however, police assaulted three court reporters in Dhaka.

Local newspapers reported suggested that the police officers involved were enraged over the journalists’ work in exposing police harassment of a young girl and her parents.

These are only recent examples of the estimated hundreds of attacks against members of the press in Bangladesh.

According to statements by police, local media and hospital officials, at least 13 journalists have been killed and 150 more have been injured since 2008, when the Awami League-led coalition came to power. An additional 370 were allegedly tortured or abused by police in the same period.

The murder of journalists Sargar Sarwar and Meherun Runi at their home in Dhaka in February shocked the country and spurred nationwide protests.

Authorities have yet to make any arrests or identify suspects. And yet again, a public official – this time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – made a revealing and embarrassing statement.

“The government can’t guard anyone’s bedroom,” she said after the double murder.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranks Bangladesh as among the worst (at No 11) in combating deadly anti-press violence last year.

“Due to lax rules and no justice after violence, Bangladeshi journalists are embattled to reveal the truth. It continues to obstruct freedom of press in the country,” a CPJ report stated last year.

Data compiled by local rights group Odhikar shows that 117 journalists were tortured in the first quarter of this year, and 3,782 journalists were victims of violence since 2001.

The obvious lesson to be learned from this is that whether attackers are state or non-state actors, journalists are being abused, tortured or killed on a regular basis, and the fourth estate of a democratic government is under real threat.

This situation has remained consistent since the restoration of a nominal democracy in the 1990s.

Every government that has followed has been accused of suppressing or abusing the press.
If the government fails to ensure freedom of the press and security for journalists, while making public statements that prove their ambivalence to such things, then journalists will remain exposed and incidents of violence against them will continue to rise.

*This post was originally published at UCAN on May 31, 2012*

US 7th Fleet in Bangladesh: Rumor and Reality

On June 1 Bangladeshis and perhaps concerned Indians were surprised with a news from Time Now, a podcast service of leading Indian daily newspaper Times of India  claiming the US were on the process of stationing its naval base in Bay of Bengal.

It also claimed that the US 7th Fleet that is currently parked at Japan near Korean Peninsula was scheduled to move within maritime areas of Bangladesh and was likely to be based at Chittagong, Bangladesh’s largest sea port in the southeast.

Indian media even claimed that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Washington has formally placed the proposal for naval base in Bangladesh during Clinton’s recent visit to the country.

"Worried by increasing presence of Chinese naval bases in the South China Sea - America now eyes a counter strategy - as it wants an overall presence in Asia - right from Japan to its Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean,” it went on to say.

"This by parking its seventh fleet in a base in Chittagong giving it both an eye on taking on China and a strategic post in Asia as it pulls out of Afghanistan,” it further added.

"This move by America could put India on the back foot if the American fleet moves to Bangladesh, all of India's security installations will come under the American scanner. Bangladesh is not willing to comment on record even offering explanation to deny the developments. This Clinton visit was a more strategic one than just a friendly one- the Indian establishment caught unawares--as this base could cast a shadow on India's own strategic interests."

The news, true or baseless stirred every concerned citizen in Bangladesh immediately.

Even it had some timely coincidence that gives it some grounds as well.

It came just a day after Leon Panetta, US Defense Secretary told a gathering of Asian defense ministers, military officers and analysts that US was going to deploy to 60 percent of its navy forces into Asia-Pacific region.

Panetta added that it not meant to threaten China but rebalancing of US military is steady, deliberate and sustainable way.

However, the next day US State department and the following day Bangladesh Foreign ministry outright rejected the report terming it baseless, unfounded and fabricated.

“The Government wishes to state in categorical terms that such reports are baseless and unfounded, and that the assumptions and suggestions contained in the report are clearly fabricated,” said a Bangladesh Foreign ministry press release.

Quoted by leading English daily The Daily Star US embassy spokesperson Patricia A Hill said “I can tell you that this story is without foundation. The [US] Ambassador [to Dhaka] attended Secretary Clinton's meetings with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, and he confirms that there was no mention of building bases, moving the Seventh Fleet, or anything else of like nature.”

Now that both the US and Bangladesh government blowing up the news, it seems nothing more than a rumor.

Also the question hovers over that why should a leading Indian news service would run such sensitive but false news.

It was possibly intended to frustrate China, rising Asian power that India deem a strategic rival as well.

Two Asian powers India and China, who are neighbors but have never trusted each other, in fact they had been in a war in 1962 over border disputes.

As archrival Pakistan is struggling with enormous domestic problems and with its relationship with long-time ally the US is strained at the moment, for India the focus is slowly moving to China.

Strategic analysts say if US defense experts are wise enough they would rather select Myanmar for the navy base as it shares longer coastline along the sea.

As Myanmar opening up to democracy after decades of military rule, the US is also eyeing at developing the relationship with the country as well. Things will be difficult as the South East Asian country have maintained close relationship with China all these years.

What if the US starts pressing Bangladesh for a military base?

I would bet that it would be much more difficult for them too.

Even though the US and its home-made institutions like USAID, World Bank and IMF are big donors for Bangladesh, people would outright resist any such move.

There is no strong anti-US element in Bangladesh but the people old or young didn’t forget that the US sided with Pakistan during country’s 1971 liberation war.

People would never forget the US did nothing to stop Pakistan army brutality that left 3 million people killed, 200,000 women raped and forced around 10 million to take refuge in India.

It was an extraordinary war because it was between ordinary Bengali people and one of world’s best armies that time. The people came out victor in just nine months.

They also remember that US sent the Seventh Fleet to help Pakistan army that was on the verge of defeat by Bangladesh liberation forces, even though move came of no use because it was halted with counter threat from Russian navy and the war ended before it was able to reach.

The people will never forget that Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of Stare under President Nixon administration that time called Bangladesh ‘A bottomless basket’, in a manner to look down at mostly impoverished people here.

People also know that a US ally takes not time to make enemies around. Pakistan might be the biggest example.

Bangladesh, a land washed with bloods of millions would never tolerate anyone who put its sovereignty earned with one of the greatest sacrifices in the history of mankind under threat.

I admit that our political parties are full of corrupt leaders, but that doesn’t mean they would put security and sovereignty of the country at stake.

They know very well that people would resist any move and it will deem a fatal blow like chopping own foot.

The Mughal rulers throughout their time failed to fully control this land with their inconvincible army and said that ‘Bengal is a house of turbulence’, thus can’t be controlled.

The country even though battles with widespread poverty, corruption and illiteracy every day, yet today can resist any modern day Mughal.

I read a story when I was a child that might be great lesson in this regard

An elephant had a dispute with an ant. t used to threaten the ant every day and wanted to crush it. One day the elephant was sleeping and the any entered inside into one of its huge ears. Now the elephant was in real trouble, started jumping and crying.

No matter how big and or powerful, everyone has some sensitive and weak points.

Everyone needs to keep in mind one of the greatest sayings of Mahatma Gandhi, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS.”

*This post first appeared on a Facebook Page on June 12, 2012*

'Legendary Storyteller' passes away

Humayun Ahmed, the most popular Bangladeshi writer of his time has passed away yesterday at a hospital in New York while undergoing treatment for cancer that was diagnosed last year. He was 64.

His death news has sent shockwave across the nation as it arrived last night. President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition leader Khaleda Zia have deeply mourned the death of Ahmed.

In his condolence message the President said that Humayun Ahmed’s creative works would remain immortal in Bengali literature. He prayed for eternal peace of his departed and also conveyed sympathy the bereaved family, according to state-run Bangladesh News Agency (BSS).

“The nation will never forget Humayun Ahmed’s great contribution to Bengali literature, drama and films,” said Prime Minister Hasina.

Opposition chief Khaleda Zia said that death of Humayun Ahmed is an ‘unrepayable loss’ to the nation and the country.

“Death of Humayun Ahmed is like falling of a star. It is indeed a great loss,” said a prominent writer Anisul Haque.

Haque, also a journalist pointed out another great contribution of Ahmed. “Through his writings he has created overwhelming readership, something very promising for present-day writers who can reap this benefit.”


Ahmed began his career as professor of Chemistry at Dhaka University, country’s highest educational institution and also obtained doctorate degree on the subject from North Dakota State University in the US.

He later left teaching and became fulltime writer, dramatist and filmmaker. In 1972, while still a student at DU he wrote first novel, Nondito Noroke (The Acclaimed Hell) that brought him huge popularity and critical acclaim. His second novel, Shankhanil Karagar (The Conch-blue Prison) was equally successful.

Ahmed is one of the most prolific writers in Bengali literature authoring around 200 novels to his credit. He also wrote science fiction and created some fictitious characters like Himu and Misir Ali who became immensely popular like him.

His first TV drama was Ei Shob Din Ratri (Tale of our daily lives), followed by Bohubrihi (Tale of Family), Ayomoy (The man who would not die), Kothao Keu Nei (Nobody Anywhere), Nakshatrer Raat (The Night of the Stars), all because widely popular and successful.

His unique making made people perceive that if the characters were fictitious but real and they even protested when a popular character ‘Baker Bhai’ was executed in the drama.
Ahmed won the National Film Award in total eight categories, including Best Picture and Best Director, on his debut film, "Aguner Parashmoni" (The Touchstone of Fire), based on the liberation war 1971.


He often worked on liberation war and middle-class life crisis, largely because killing of his father by the Pakistani occupation force had a great impact on his works.

Ahmed received a number of awards home and abroad. Major literary awards include Bangladesh Academy Award 1981 and Ekushey Padak 1994. He also won three national film awards- best story 1993, Best Film 1994 and Best Script 1994. 


On Jan this year the government gave the writer a diplomatic position, Senior Special Adviser, at the country's Permanent Mission at the United Nations, allowing him certain privileges in the city where he was being treated and living with the family.


The writer is survived by two sons with second wife Shaon, and three daughters and a son with his former wife Gultekin.


*Click here or here to read more about Humayun Ahmed and his works*

In search of a homeland

I’ve just watched a classic Bengali film called Ontorjatra – Inner Journey.

It’s about the emigrants’ search for a homeland and a sense of place, so it resonates strongly in Bangladesh.

Many Bangladeshis leave the country every year, mostly heading for the US and Europe. Once settled there, they start calling themselves citizens of that particular country and enjoy all the benefits of being a Westerner. While the first generation of immigrants are alive, they will naturally call Bangladesh their homeland, but will the successive generations?

This applies to Bangladesh’s immigrants as well as its emigrants, as there are at least three communities here which are virtually stateless.

Around 500,000 tea workers in the northwest are tribespeople brought from various Indian states during British rule, lured by the British tea planters for a better life which never materialized.

Most of them are poor and landless, living a life that is segregated from the majority of native Bengali people, in allocated shanties called ‘worker lines’. Cut off from their roots after the partitioning of India, they are slowly forgetting their language and culture.

Then there are about 160,000 Muslims from the Indian state of Bihar who left their home for West Pakistan after partition. For over 40 years they have been forced to live as refugees in ill-equipped camps across the country. I’ve seen how they have to live; it’s an animal existence.

They call Pakistan their homeland, even though they were not born there and have never seen it. There have been a few repatriation initiatives but nothing concrete.

Finally, the Rohingya Muslim refugees in the southeast have always called Rakhine state in Myanmar their home. But they have been consistently denied citizenship, generally persecuted and are officially stateless.

Rohingyas can trace their roots in Myanmar since the 8^th century but the majority of people in Rakhine, who are Buddhists, consider them to be foreigners and deny them citizenship.

So what does patriotism mean? Is homeland just a fiction that exists only in someone’s imagination? I think it may well be.

Let’s be careful out there

Reckless driving, jaywalking, lax rules are blamed for recurring road accidents in Bangladesh

This weekend I met a close friend whom I hadn’t seen for months. As I waited for him, I wondered what was taking him so long. When I saw him coming I realized what it was. He was limping badly and had to use a walking stick, after being in a serious road accident.

He was on his way home one night in an auto-rickshaw and his right leg was slightly outside it. Another vehicle, which was travelling without headlights, crashed into him. His knee was so badly crushed, it was feared that he’d lose the use of that leg altogether. After some treatment and rest he has recovered, but he is likely to suffer from it for the rest of his life.

But at least the accident didn’t cost him his life, unlike a student from my alma mater, Notre Dame College. He was crossing the road, ignoring the traffic signals, when a speeding bus ran him over and killed him. And yesterday, yet another college student was killed by a bus.

Reckless driving, jaywalking and disregard for the road rules cost thousands of lives and injure thousands more every year in Bangladesh.

People are busier than ever these days, time is much more precious and everything is such rush. But nothing is so important that it’s worth dying in a road accident for the sake of it.
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Corruption knows no bounds

The people of Bangladesh have something to be slightly cheerful about. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, a worldwide survey by Transparency International, Bangladesh is ranked 120th.
It’s not great, but when you consider that Bangladesh was placed bottom of the survey for five years in a row – 2001 to 2005 – it’s clearly an improvement.
I used to be concerned about having anything to do with any government institution because of the bribery that was everywhere in them and often in the headlines. Now, like many citizens, I feel that things have changed a bit but there’s a long way to go.
We look at Sri Lanka and India and think we should be doing as much as them to curb corruption. But on my recent trips to both those countries, my perceptions were slightly battered.
I was in India last month on a very short trip. To cross the border, our bus had to wait two to three hours at the checkpoint. It took next to no time in the other direction.

Passing the immigration desk was easy but it was an awful experience to go through the customs check. The officers searched us and demanded money from every traveler. Being afraid of the consequences, we all gave what they asked for – 100 taka (US$ 1.2) in my case. It was my first trip to India and I was also cheated by some conmen who fooled me into giving them some money.

I thought my trip to Sri Lanka was going to be different and it was mostly excellent.

To get permission to enter and to pass through immigration took just five minutes and, when I got there, I was enthralled by this beautiful and orderly country. But my departure was unexpectedly upsetting.

After I’d collected my boarding pass, two Sri Lankan customs officers spotted me. They asked if I was an Indian and how much money I had on me. I had US$ 20, more than 300 Sri Lanka rupees and some Bangladesh money, all of which I declared. I’d kept some rupees to buy a snack before the flight.

They said, over and over, that I was not allowed to take the Sri Lanka money or the dollars out of the country. One of them even said that, as a tourist, I should make them happy by offering money so they could have a drink!

I refused to hand over the dollars but they forced me to give them the rupees, so there were no snacks for me.
We dream of a corruption-free world where we can live happily. Will it ever happen?

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A journey to the other half of myself

Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata

I’ve just been to India for the first time in my life, traveling round the Indian state of West Bengal for a couple of days. So it was just a short trip but it was very significant to me.

My destination was Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, the largest predominantly Bengali state in India and once the capital of all India during British colonial rule.

I’m an ethnic Bengali, a member of the largest ethnic group in South Asia, numbering more than 250 million. Sadly, Bengal is not a nation.

In 1947 the sub-continent was divided into India and Pakistan, based on religious grounds, and united Bengal was cut into two pieces: West Bengal with its Hindu majority was allocated to India, while East Bengal with its majority of Muslims was given to Pakistan and became East Pakistan.

This was a historic blunder of course. But more than that, many people deem it a political conspiracy, aimed at blocking the advancement of the largest and most progressive nation in India.

Suddenly the Bengali people, with their universal language, heritage and history, were divided. They now required visas simply to visit their loved and dear ones on the other side of the barbed wire fence. And that visa process is a tough and bitter experience, I can tell you.

So for me, this was a journey to the self, a journey to half of the soul of Bengali ethnicity, culture and nationalism.

Decades have passed since the division took place and but the solidarity of the Bengalis has never waned. Maybe one day will not need to go through such hassles to meet each other and our wish to be re-united in a single state us will be realized.

But I’m not sure how far away that day is.

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Easter? Never heard of it

Easter is approaching and, in Bangladesh, nearly all Christian organizations have closed by now as thousands of Christians start traveling home to celebrate the festival with near and dear ones.

I’m planning to head home tomorrow as I don’t want to miss the opportunity to be with my family, friends and relatives during this special occasion.

People like me, who work for Christian organizations, can consider themselves lucky because they get a holiday at Easter easily.

But people who aren’t in the same position have to apply for leave from their employers, government or non-government.

As in other Muslim countries, Sunday is not a weekend day in Bangladesh and Easter Sunday is not a compulsory public holiday, but an optional one.

All Christians know what Easter means to their life of faith and they prepare for it throughout Lent. It’s a very special feast.

But in Bangladesh, Easter means little to other religious denominations. Most of them assume that Christmas is the greatest feast for us and that’s why it is a public holiday.

Over the years some Christian groups have organized rallies and human chains to call for Easter Sunday as a public holiday, but it hasn’t worked so far.

There are roughly 600,000 Christians in Bangladesh with Catholics accounting for around 350,000. That’s less than half of one percent in a population of nearly 160 million. About 90% of people here are Muslim and the rest are Hindu. So it’s hard for Christians to make their voices heard on issues like this.

Besides, Bangladesh is a land of cultural festivities all round the year, with major religious festivals like Eid for Muslims and the Hindu Puja events that feature fairs and carnivals which attract people from all religions.

During Christmas we have very few events on anything like that scale and hardly anything at all at Easter.

Over the last couple of years Christmas has been getting more coverage in the media, mostly because of western influence. In general, media people understand the significance of Christmas.

But they don’t give Easter the same exposure and as a result, most people in Bangladesh aren’t even aware that it’s come and gone.

But the fact that Easter is not considered important doesn’t mean that the majority of people look down on Christians. On the contrary, Christians are widely respected for their great contribution to society.

Maybe things will change.

In the meantime, to everyone who understands the meaning of it, I wish you a very happy Easter!

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A double dose of sadness for Bangladesh

Bangladesh National Cricket Team

Last week my colleague Sumon Corraya wrote about the ferry boat crash near Dhaka; a tragedy that had the nation in tears.

In the same week there was another event that was, of course, infinitely less serious, yet it caused more than a few tears of its own. People nearly touched a dream that means so much, that came so close, but eventually flew away.

The Bangladesh national cricket team lost to Pakistan, in a nerve-wracking Asia Cup final in Dhaka, by a margin of just two runs.

Termed ‘minnows’ before the tournament, they reached the final for the first time in their history.

In the final, excruciating over, they needed nine runs, then four runs from the very last ball. But they only managed to get two.

The fans in the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium were struck dumb. The same thing happened to the millions watching on TV across the country.

The captain Mushfiqur Rahim started crying helplessly on the field. It made everyone emotional and sadness gripped the country.

Later, Bangladesh appealed, claiming that one of the batsmen was impeded as he tried to run. If this had been proven, Pakistan would have been penalized by five runs so we would have won after all. The video evidence certainly supports the claim but the authorities ruled that it was made too late.

Still, the performance sends a message to other cricket playing nations that Bangladesh are not minnows anymore. They are a mature team that can take on anyone on their day.

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In Bangladesh, don’t expect leadership from the leaders

I was at a postgraduate class yesterday, given by Dr. Syed Anwar Husain, professor of history at Dhaka University.

Right at the start of his ‘Introduction to Bangladesh’ he said, “what I am going to tell you is not intended to please or annoy anyone. I do have a political ideology but I’ve never been loyal to any party, because I think there is no party in Bangladesh – just groups of people who trade on politics.”

I agreed with him and I’m sure most of the other students did too. 

Most citizens think that both the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party care little about their interests.

On March 7 the Awami League staged a huge procession in Dhaka to mark the day in 1971 when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called on the nation to fight for freedom. But the rally was more a prestige-building exercise than an attempt to pay respects to the man who was the father of our nation.

Next Monday, the opposition will hold another big rally to protest against various government policies and actions. People are afraid that the ruling party will do everything to foil the event and violence will ensue. I’ve heard many people say they will be staying at home to avoid possible clashes.

The harsh reality is that the whole concept of benevolent politics was destroyed when some disgruntled army officers allied with political leaders to kill Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. I

It was just one in a series of assassinations that effectively wiped out all the sincere and progressive leaders.

After 40 years of independence, real democracy in Bangladesh is still a million miles away.

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The saint who means even more than just miracles

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A statue of St. Anthony of Padua at Panjora village in Gazipur, near Dhaka

I’ve just found time to write about the pilgrimage I went on at the start of February. Along with about 40,000 devotees, both Catholic and non-Catholic, I went to the shrine of St. Anthony of Padua at Nagari Church in Panjora, about 45 kms east of Dhaka.

I have been coming to it for longer than I can remember, ever since I was a small child.
Although St. Anthony’s feast day is June 13, this event is held in February when the weather is cooler and more comfortable for the pilgrims. In fact this year it was cold when we set out in the early morning.

Although the numbers were slightly down on other years – sometimes it has attracted more than 50,000 – this is still the largest Christian gathering in the country. I haven’t seen more than 5,000 Catholics at the Sacred Heart of Jesus celebration in June and the various Marian pilgrimages attract 10,000 people at most.

The devotion to St. Anthony is unique and incredible here. Many people in Bangladesh claim that their prayers were granted miraculously by the saint; he has helped them find lost valuables, conceive a child, get over an illness and more.

In fact, I remember one priest saying in jest, “it seems St. Anthony is more powerful than Jesus and Mary. They take a long time to fulfill people’s prayers but St. Anthony does it fast!”

This tradition of popular devotion to St. Anthony dates back over two centuries.

In the 1700s, the son of a wealthy Hindu was kidnapped by Mogh pirates. While in captivity he dreamed about St. Anthony. Then a Portuguese missioner priest came and rescued him.
Inspired by this, he converted to Christianity and the priest named him Dom (or ‘Prince’ in Portuguese) Anthony.

He started preaching in the Bhawal and Atharogram areas near Dhaka, which are still two of the oldest and largest Catholic settlements in the country. Dom Anthony also wrote various books and composed songs in praise of the saint. Those songs are still popular today.

Another local story from around the same time involves a statue of St. Anthony which miraculously disappeared and reappeared at a different place. A small chapel was built to commemorate it, not far from the existing church in Nagari.

On this year’s pilgrimage I was accompanied by foreign guest who said something that really made me think.

“This devotion is not inspired by miracles,” he said, “because I don’t believe that all the women who prayed to the saint for a child got pregnant. But still they come here and that means even more than a miracle.”

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A tribute to the Language Martyrs

Language Martyrs' Memorial in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Today, February 21 is a red letter day in the history of Bengali people, especially those whose roots are in Bangladesh.

After the state of Pakistan was formed in 1947, there was a move to make Urdu the only recognized state language. This sparked uproar in East Pakistan where the great majority were Bengali people with their own rich language, literature, culture and traditions. An activist group called the Bengali Language Movement was formed and it quickly started to attract recruits in numbers.

The government imposed a ban on rallies and meetings, to stop the protests from building. But students from Dhaka University took to the streets and on February 21 1952, a number of them were killed. This sparked widespread civil unrest led by students and the Awami League, the incumbent political party in Bangladesh today.

The protests ultimately forced the authorities to recognize Bangla as a state language in the 1956 constitution, which meant the language could be used in government affairs. Bangladesh could well be the only country in the world where people spilt blood in defense of their language.

In 2000 UNESCO declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day, in tribute to the Language Movement.

So after all that, it’s such a shame that many people here don’t speak Bangla correctly. A peculiar language, mixing Bangla and English, is creeping in. Then there are people who take pride in studying at an English-medium school and who insist on speaking English all the time.

Last week the High Court passed a rule to ensure that print and electronic media use Bangla correctly as misspellings and mispronunciations are proliferating.

Our native language is something we should all be fighting for!

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Final scene for the Bengali film business?

A wall pasted with Bengali cinema posters in Bangladesh

The last time I went to a cinema in Dhaka was more than three months ago. For a so-called film buff, that’s a long time indeed.

Eleven years ago, when I first came to live in the capital, I used to go every month, sometimes more.

As a seminary student from a lower middle-class rural family, it was tough to go to the cinema a lot, because my monthly stipend was limited.

Moreover, seminarians were not supposed to go every week. To our directors, too much attraction to films was a sign of a shaky religious vocation. It seems they were right, as I left after nine years of formation. But I was never caught sneaking to the cinema.

How strange that, after going through all that, it just doesn’t attract me any more. The same goes for millions of other Bangladeshis.

There are a few places in Dhaka that show Hollywood movies, often long after they’ve been released everywhere else and can be bought at the shops in DVD.

Meanwhile, the local cinema audience has grown in its maturity and discernment, but the local industry’s output – both in quantity and quality – has fallen drastically.

All the other major arts — theatre, music, painting, literature — have a national center, but film has none. Unlike other parts of the world where everyone wants to work in the movie business, it’s a profession here that no decent family would tolerate their children entering.

There are only around 500 cinemas still open and no more than 80 of them at the most offer a pleasant environment. Multiplexes? Yes, there is one – but it’s the only one in the country.

The reality of it hit home for me the other day when I went to visit my old school in a little town outside Dhaka. The little cinema there, which used to be full most nights and which nurtured my love of the genre, closed its doors two years ago.

Will the government try to revive this dying industry? Will it ever be taken seriously as a form of art and entertainment? Or is it…THE END

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In Bangladesh, every road is dangerous

A speeding government staff bus hit and killed a man in Dhaka last weekend. His colleagues were so incensed at yet another death caused by reckless driving, they took to the street in protest.

This sparked immediate action. The driver, who was apparently unlicensed, was promptly arrested and now awaits trial. The government has already agreed to offer compensation to the dead man’s family and even find employment for his wife.

In a country like Bangladesh, where road accidents are commonplace, a reaction like this is almost unheard of. The difference is, this man was a journalist and journalists are among the strongest professional groups in the country. No one wants to make them angry.

In virtually every other instance, indifference, ineffective laws and legal loopholes are the order of the day.

Last month a truck driver was sentenced by for his negligence that caused a one of the worst road accidents in country’s history. A horrific total of 44 children were in the truck that he was driving. He was talking on his mobile when he lost control of it. It turns out that he wasn’t even the nominated driver, he was only the assistant.

The incident made international headlines when it happened. Yet there were few headlines – just gasps of local outrage – when he received a sentence of five years, which seemed remarkably lenient.

Fatal road accidents are everyday reality in Bangladesh. Often road accidents are reported in media and make much talk over road safety and strict laws for negligence while driving. The deaths spark protest, call for action and change.
In another tragedy last year, a prominent film maker and journalist were killed when they were hit head-on by a bus. The driver of the bus was arrested but then given bail when his union threatened to strike.

Transport workers unions are very influential and often blamed for the government’s failure to pass stricter road laws. One minister, who is also the president of the largest transport union, even said his union members should be given a driving license without having to take a test.

It’s a farce, but no more farcical than the fact that anyone can get a no-test license through an agency for 10,000 taka (US$ 150). It’s said there are more than 500,000 vehicles plying across the country whose driver has either a phony license or no license at all.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that we live with this every day and the never ending fatal accidents don’t even make us sad any more. Until they happen to our loved ones.

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For tea workers, there’s no place to call home

I’ve just come back from northwestern Sylhet, a hilly and densely forested region famous for its tea plantations.

The poor souls who work on them could well be the ultimate definition of “displaced people.”

They were brought there from various Indian states after the British colonists set up the first tea gardens in the 1850’s. Almost all of them were landless tribespeople. They were told they would be taken to a beautiful place where they could find a home and be richly rewarded for shaking a lovely plant; a story not far from the yarn that many modern day traffickers spin.

In reality, their homes were – as they are now - unsanitary mud-walled homes called ‘worker lines.’

The daily wage is 48 taka (about 50 cents) plus a meager daily ration of food and a minimal amount of medical care. And the house is theirs only as long as one of the family has a job there. If that person dies, they face a very uncertainty future.

Some of them are Catholics and the Church has been battling constantly for the last 60 years to set up schools for them. The plantation owners positively discourage education, for fear that it will make the workers discontented.

And all the time, the business is declining. Tea, the second most popular beverage in the world after water, was once a major export of Bangladesh. But those days are gone. Out of a total annual production of 50 million kgs, only 10 million are exported. If for any reason a tea garden or factory is closed, the family has no option but to go begging.

They have no other vocational skills. And they no longer have roots. Since the partition of India in 1946 and Bangladesh liberation in 1971 most of them have forgotten their language and lost touch with their original culture.

It’s ironic that you often see photos and videos of women plucking tea leaves. They’re used in calendars and advertisements and they look colorful and charming. Very few people know what their everyday reality is.