spectator

Curfew causes people immense sufferings, journalists assaulted

2007-08-23T10:14:00.000-11:00

Law enforcement agency personnel assaulted a number of journalists including The Daily Star's Dhaka University (DU) correspondent since the curfew was imposed on Wednesday night.

Thousands of people who had to crash at places other than theirs for the curfew clamped on the capital and five other divisional headquarters Wednesday night hurried to go home after the government relaxed the restriction for three hours from 4:00pm yesterday.

Desperate for the safety back home, they however suffered badly due to severe transport crisis.

Patients faced tremendous sufferings, as no vehicles plied the city streets, medical employees failed to attend their duties and the pharmacists, with or without the knowledge of the curfew, kept their stores closed.

Emergency patients from districts outside Dhaka who had no knowledge of the city were stuck at various entry points for hours, while patients from within the metropolis either were forced to pay a few times high fares for transports or had to wait for many hours.

Meanwhile, the city dwellers flocked to the markets to make sure they have enough provisions for the days to come, but found most of the malls, department stores, and kitchen markets shuttered.

Buses, auto-rickshaws and other vehicles including rickshaws charged more than twice the usual fare. Still, people moved in thousands towards the bus terminals, railway stations and launch terminals in whatever way they could. Many set off on foot, shouldering the luggage.

Since the curfew was imposed on Wednesday night, fourteen journalists from the daily Samakal were also reportedly beaten up, arrested and taken to Mohammadpur and Mirpur police stations.

Mirpur police filed a case against one of the journalists and sent him to court yesterday.

Two journalists from Ajker Kagoj, two from Jai Jai Din, two from Bangladesh Today, daily Amar Desh reporter Nesar Ahmed, daily Korotoa reporter Sabbir Mahmud, Jahangir Alam of UNB, Dinkal photographer Babul Talukder, and reporters Wahiduzzaman and Fariduddin Ahmed were allegedly assaulted yesterday by the law enforcers while covering the curfew.

On Wednesday night, several journalists were reportedly beaten up and a number of them arrested while they were headed for home during the curfew.

Anis Alamgir, news chief of Bashakhi TV, was among many of the injured senior journalists who were beaten up.

Twelve of the arrested journalists have been released, according to the police.Anis Alamgir, head of news at private TV station Baishakhi, was arrested while returning home on Wednesday night. He was taken to Mohammadpur Police Station where he was severely beaten up by law enforcers.

Alamgir received multiple injuries to his legs and arms.

Three bdnews24.com reporters -- Liton Haider, Biplob Rahman and Rommo -- were arrested by the law enforcers as they were returning home from work, despite showing their press identity cards.

Expressing deep concern over harassment of journalists, Bangladesh journalists associations requested the authorities to take steps so that no journalists are subjected to any harassment in discharging their professional duties.

It may be mentioned that Information Advisor had assured the editors that press ID would be recognized as curfew passes which was repeatedly confirmed by Press Information Department last night.

The Daily Star photo: (top) People scramble to board a train at Airport Railway Station Thursday as curfew was relaxed for three hours from 4:00pm, (middle) A sick woman being taken to hospital on a rickshaw as her attendant holds the saline bag. The photo was taken from Malibagh during curfew hours, (bottom) Farmgate, one of the busiest spots in Dhaka, gave a deserted look during curfew hours.

Bangladesh govt imposes curfew to quell chaos

2007-08-22T10:06:00.000-11:00

Bangladesh's military-backed government on Wednesday imposed an indefinite curfew in six major cities, clearing the streets and shutting down cell phones in the wake of worsening violence between students and police.
At least one person died and 100 others were hurt as riots spread across the country since erupting on Monday some soldiers manhandled some students at Dhaka University during a football match.
The government shut down all universities in the country and colleges in the metropolitan cities sine die, asking students to vacate halls and appealed for calm.
"This is a temporary measure. The curfew will be lifted as soon as the situation improves," Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of Bangladesh's interim government, said in an address to the nation over state-owned radio and television.
"Showing utmost patience in the evolving situation, the government has taken measures, including the imposition of curfew, to protect public life and property and to stop illegal activities," he said.
Prior to ordering the curfew, the caretaker government appealed to all concerned to maintain peace and discipline in public life and refrain from disorderly acts and cautioned stern action against the perpetrators in order to bring back normalcy and protect life and property of the citizens.
It also warned tough action against trouble makers and asked the media to play “responsible role” in projecting news so the government does not require to impose censorship under the emergency rules.
"We don't like to impose censorship, but that does not mean we will not do it if necessary… We've confidence in the press and seek cooperation from them," he told newsmen yesterday.

Students now demand an end to emergency rule, imposed on January 11 following weeks of street violence by major political parties.
Police with loudspeakers urged people to stay home as the curfew came into effect at 8 p.m. Security forces were seen patrolling the deserted streets.
The curfew order came after students took their protests from university campuses to the streets of the capital, burning cars and buses and battling with security forces.
Clashes were also reported elsewhere in the country, including Sylhet in the north and the port of Chittagong in the south.
Students also clashed with police in three other cities.
Huge public and private properties were destroyed.
Wednesday saw the first death in three days of mayhem during day-long clashes between police and thousands of students in and around northeastern Rajshahi University (RU) when around 200 including police and journalists were injured.
The violence poses the most serious challenge to the emergency government since it took power six months ago.

Read The Daily Star reports:

Curfew imposed to quell chaos

Curfew temporary step against violence: Chief Adviser

1 killed, chaos outside the capital

Media asked to act responsibly

Violent student protest erupts after army, police beat up university students mercilessly

2007-08-21T00:44:00.000-11:00

over 100 students wounded, violence spills out 2nd day on Dhaka University campus, protest at other varsities and colleges halt academic activities

Students across Bangladesh fought with riot police yesterday and today in what is the most serious challenge yet to the military-backed government. (Read The Daily Star article)
To protest the attack on students and to demand withdrawal of army camp from Dhaka University where the clash took place , students of seven universities and many colleges in and outside the capital burst into protest yesterday, bringing academic activities to an abrupt halt.
More than 150 students and four police were injured in the confrontations in which police fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters as well as using water cannons and repeated baton charges.
Students pelted police with stones and bricks. Police beat up Dhaka University's Acting Vice-chancellor Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, Proctor AKA Firoz Ahmed, the acting VC's personal assistant, and other DU employees in the Central Shaheed Minar area.
Five on-duty journalists of different dailies were also injured during the clashes.
The untoward incident erupted yesterday at around 3:30pm (BDT) when army personnel mercilessly beat three DU students and humiliated a teacher over a petty dispute concerning comments passed by spectators watching a soccer match on the university gymnasium ground where an army camp is situated. Violence erupted on the second day today on the DU campus when hundreds of students confronted police at different points on the university premises.
The angry students are fighting running battles with police as the riot police charged dozens of tear gas shells on the students following yesterday's clash that left more than 150 students and four policemen injured.
The DU Teachers' Association has backed the protesting students and threw an ultimatum to the university authorities to pullout the army camp from the campus by tomorrow noon.
Thousands of students at DU fought running battles with police last night demanding removal of an army camp from the campus and an apology from the army for beating up three students earlier in the afternoon.
Taking positions in took positions inside their dormitories, students pelted police with stones and brickbats. They put tires and other things on fire at places to save themselves from the tear gas.
The demonstrators burnt effigies of the army chief and other flammable items like chairs and tables. They put up barricades on the road in front of some two dormitories with big branches of trees.
Today, at least two police personnel were injured today when students and police confronted amid an indefinite student strike at DU protesting yesterday's police and army brutality. The strike is being observed by boycotting classes.
The disgruntled students also vandalised nearly 100 vehicles at Shahbagh intersection and Aziz Super Market as the overnight battle raged on. They also set fire to an army jeep and beat up an army personnel in front of Aziz Super Market.
Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), Mall Chattar and Register Building areas virtually became battleground as chase and counter-chase took place between police and students.
Students of different other universities and colleges brought out processions chanting slogans against the army, wore black badges, vandalised vehicles and blocked vehicular movement on roads protesting the incident.
Due to the protest, academic activities came to a halt at at different major educational institutions including Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Kustia University, Jagannath University, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Carmichael University College in Rangpur and Barisal Govt Brajo Mohan College.
Photo: BBC News

Bangladesh calls for aid to flood victims

2007-08-19T13:27:00.000-11:00

Death toll 587, millions marooned, crops damaged, diseases spread fast, fresh flooding apprehended

"When I spoke to her from the deck of the small motor launch we had hired for a trip up the Jamuna River, Panu Begum was sitting on the roof her house.
"She had been living on the small strip of corrugated tin for five days. The water below was too deep to stand in," BBC reporter John Sudworth writes about a Bangladesh flood victim. (Read full BBC article Disease stalks Bangladesh flood victims)
Badly devasted by the fury of the second phase flooding, the country struggles to feed millions of hungry marooned people who are also catching waterborne diseases.
Bangladeshi newspapers reported 587 deaths due to flood-related incidents like drowning, waterborne diseases and snakebites.
Experts apprehend more death due to scarcity of drinking water and fast spread of waterborne diseases across the flood-ravaged country.
Bangladesh government today asked the donors for $150 million additional budgetary support and food aid to cope with the emergency caused by the devastating floods that have blighted millions of lives across the country.
The floods over the past few weeks have damaged crops worth about Tk 2,000 crore in 262 upazilas of the 39 flood-hit districts. The flood-affected people, who were preparing to return home following the devastating floods, are now trapped again as many areas were freshly inundated by rain-fed rivers.
Rise of the three major rivers -- Padma, Jamuna and Meghna -- water at many points and several rivers in the northeastern region following heavy rains in the upstream is threatening another fresh flooding in the country.
Vigorously active monsoon over the eastern part of Bihar, West Bengal and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and the Ganges and Brahmaputra and Meghna basins, both in India and Bangladesh, have caused the fresh rise of water levels in rivers.
The Daily Star Photo: (top) A woman watches in despair her flood-ravaged vegetable field in Narsingdi. Most of the farmers lost all their produces on hundreds of acres in the district; (bottom) Five children of a family sleep on the pavement as their parents left them in search of food. The family recently took refuge in the capital after flood washed away their home in Mymensingh.

Days of former bigwigs in Dhaka jail

2007-08-17T09:45:00.000-11:00

Gone are the days when they had to take the trouble of just saying what they needed and very few in the world had the heart to stop them from getting it. Now it is they who cannot defy what they are told to do.
Had the seemingly untouchable former bigwigs who ruled Bangladesh like kings had even thought for once they might face such treatment? I have doubt. Had they thought about it, they would definitely had a limit.
The Daily Star has an update what they are doing now behind the bars.

My Lord, we beg to differ

2007-08-15T01:47:00.000-11:00

Yes, there are many grand examples of the Supreme Court serving the nation in times of crises. However, there are just as many examples of when it did not, Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam writes as he opposes Bangladesh chief justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin's Saturday's statement: "The Supreme Court played a role in the past at critical junctures of the nation. It is doing so at the present and will also do so in the future to pull the nation out of mire."
"May we suggest with all due respect your high office demands and deserves, that if the Supreme Court had played such a role in the recent past then we would not be where we are today. Why after 15 years of democracy, however flawed, we needed an emergency to bring about the reforms that the nation needs so badly, which regrettably are becoming increasingly doubtful?" Mahfuz Anam asks.
"Permit us to recall the writ petition challenging the legality of President Iajuddin Ahmed assuming the post of the chief adviser, clearly violating the constitution that specified the steps necessary to be taken before the president may assume that crucial post. Unquestionably the subject of the writ petition was one of the most important there could be before the higher courts. Not only as an interpretation of the constitution but also as a crucial matter facing the nation at that moment in time, the writ petition merited a hearing. The hearing on the writ petition was proceeding and the honourable judges of the High Court Bench had announced that they would pronounce their ruling the following day. But just when they were about to do so, a note from the then chief justice, hand carried by the attorney general, informed the judges concerned that the whole proceeding had been stayed. It is indeed very rare that a CJ stays a hearing while it is in progress. Rarer still is the staying of the case when the bench was about to pronounce its ruling on it. We all recall the chaos that the stay order led to, including the converging on the chief justice's chamber, vandalism, burning of cars on the court premises, and the arrest warrants against eminent lawyers. All of that left the judiciary tainted and the image of the CJ tarnished.
"Tell us My Lord, was that an example of saving the nation from a crisis or throwing it into a deeper one. A proper judgment on that writ petition could have saved our democracy from entering the current emergency phase with its concomitant dangers."
Read full commentary

Diary: Week Nineteen

2007-08-14T08:19:00.000-11:00

"Let's go home, let's go home," I hear someone singing inside me the happy tune over the last few days. More and more the thought of seeing my loved ones are getting stronger.
And as I near the ending of the fellowship, I started getting excellent story ideas but, alas, it's too late to do all of them. I have less than two weeks and several other things to do, like buying gifts, packing up my personal stuff and those at my apartment, seeing all the friends I have here, settling bills, and above all, doing official things like diaries, essays etc.
One of the fellows told me it's time now to stop working since we've such short time for doing all these, and I agree. But, my wife would say it's still a long time.
I also have other things to do: preparation for workshops in Bangladesh. As my mentor and I are planning for it, we decided to talk with the leaders of some departments in the Post-Gazette to know about PG strategies in running the departments.
We started it last week when we held meetings with the PG Advertising Director Randall Brant and New Media Manager Mary Ann Brown.
This week, we held meetings with marketing director Tracey D'Angelo and circulation marketing manager Tom O'Boyle.
When I was thinking about a primary outline for what would be my role and what Greg's in our workshop, the points I noted down for discussion includes, other than the reporting, writing, revision, internet use etc skill, newspaper industry in the U.S., it's development, role in the society, state of it's freedom, overall operation, gradual slide in print edition circulation and strategies to cope with it, and digital convergence.
Greg will have to speak about most of these. Greg will also talk about his own side, the OpEd/Forum page.
But he also has other things to do: talking about newspaper management that includes editorial policy, new media development, marketing, advertisement and circulation.
As I am also interested about these, we planned to hold meetings with the leaders of the departments who won't share their strategies with anyone from other newspapers in the U.S. And that's the reason I also don't want to put these here.
But is is very interesting to see changes in all their strategies after newspaper circulation started falling down.
I did not write any new story this week, and my editor gave me two story ideas on the last day of the week. I'm going to write a story on abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Bangladesh's Refugees Dream of Pakistan

2007-08-14T08:04:00.000-11:00

They call themselves the forgotten refugees, dreaming of a land many have never seen - Pakistan.
Crowded into impoverished shanty camps across Bangladesh, they are remnants of the mass migration that accompanied the break-up of the Indian subcontinent along religious lines at independence from Britain in 1947, Associated Press Writer Julhas Alam writes.
Bangladesh is often the forgotten third country of partition. The departing British lumped what is now Bangladesh together with Pakistan because of their shared Islamic religion. But the two regions are more than 1,600 miles apart on either side of India and have a different languages, cultures and histories.
Read full article

One in four consumers victim of cybercrime

2007-08-07T04:54:00.000-11:00

U.S. consumers lost more than $7 billion over the last two years to malicious software and e-mail phishing schemes unleashed by cybercrooks, according to a study by Consumer Reports magazine.
One of the most surprising findings of the study was the percentage of people who continue to be duped by phishing scams, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes quoting Jeff Fox, technology editor for the magazine.
Phishing schemes trick people into divulging personal data using phoney e-mails designed to look as if they are coming from a company the person does business with, such e-Bay or a bank. Full Post-Gazette article
Read related articles: Nothing 'cool' about this eBay 'cat'
Gumshoe chases Internet villains in Eastern Europe
To catch crooks in cyberspace, FBI goes global

Diary: Week Eighteen

2007-08-07T04:53:00.001-11:00

When the copy editor throws your story saying why the newspaper needs to publish it and it comes out as the cover story later, you definitely have reasons to believe that you had not done that bad. You get back your confidence, shattered for the copy editor's yelling.

That's what happened last week. I also received a good number of emails and phone calls after my story on Attention Deficit Disorder was published in the Health and Science section on August 1.
And with a 'high' mood I worked on the Bangladeshi chemist's invention of arsenic removing filter. It took me more than a week to complete because Prof. Abul Hussam was traveling and did not have all the papers and documents I needed with him.
I at last got him Tuesday over phone and interviewed him for a long time about his present works. It's quite interesting that George Mason University, where he is working as an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has launched a foundation, named Abul Foundation after him, to assist the research for clean water. It is also going to launch a Center for Clean Water and Sustainable Technologies soon.
When I started writing, I came across several other things and had to go back to Dr. Hussam several times. And every time I made it sure that I do not forget to tell him that I would call him again.
When I submitted the story on Thursday, my editor was happy with it. To give it a better look, I collected a drawing of the arsenic filter. With two photographs, a drawing and a fair content, I hope the story will have a good display.
I don't want to say more about it because it's coming out Wednesday.
I was on a hurry to finish it by Thursday because my sister-in-law from Indianapolis were coming to my place that afternoon. I was waiting for them eagerly because we would go to Niagara Falls on Friday.
And everything happened as planned and it's simply mesmerizing. I felt I can stare at the water falling down for hours. I just kept on pressing the shutter button of my camera the whole time I was there. I saw Niagara through the view finder of my camera.
We took a boat ride and I took the risk of taking photographs braving the splashes that made us wet.
And I couldn't help going up the stairs to touch the water falling down from the U.S. side. I've never been to heaven (!) but had a heavenly feeling there.
Nature hugs you there, takes you to her bosom, makes you hers.
We came back to Pittsburgh the same day.
We drove to Washington, D.C. Saturday because My nephews -- Rio and Ilham -- and their mom want to see Capitol Hill and White House. One of our Bangladeshi friend working with University of Maryland was very sincere to entertain us as best as he could at his house.
Although we were exhausted, we didn't have lack of enthu to go to Ocean City in Delaware the next morning. Three other Bangladeshi families joined us.
Once we were there, I was a little bit frustrated because I didn't think it to be so small. But I enjoyed the waves there -- strong and can be dangerous if you are not alert. Several of our team members had bruises in their whole body as the strong current threw them to the sea-bed and rolled them.
Atlantic is always tricking the humans there. You need to know the character of the waves. They are your friend if you can read them and act accordingly. You can easily go to their top and slide down on their back smoothly if you know swimming and have good timing sense.
But you should also have respect for this giant mighty innocent force. A tall and handsome African American man who appeared to be a good swimmer was showing tricks to his friends, most of who are women. The ocean didn't like it much maybe because he was doing it for a long time. And the Atlantic sent a strong wave to pull his shorts to his feet. Tons of water also brought as much laughter.

From hay day to doomsday

2007-08-01T03:35:00.000-11:00

As trucks lined up yesterday at Banglabandh land port to carry jute goods to Nepal for its growing carpet industry, an opposite development took place in Bangladesh. The curtain finally fell on the four state-owned jute mills marked to be closed down by the caretaker government.
This latest move, sudden and widely debated, has once again brought to the fore discussions about the future of jute, globally and in Bangladesh, Inam Ahmed writes in The Daily Star.
"And at the centre of the debate lies a number of critical issues -- slow productivity in the jute industry complicated by even slower to come technological improvement, lack of domestic support for jute and rather incentive for discarding jute farming, the immediate global jute trade pattern that shows an uncertain situation but somewhat rosier picture in the long term, the diversification of products and so on."
Read article

Once bigwigs now face poll exclusion

2007-08-01T03:33:00.000-11:00

A good number of former ministers and lawmakers including some bigwigs who have been detained on corruption charges will not be able to contest the next parliamentary election if they fail to free themselves from conviction before the polls.
Detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will be disqualified from contesting the polls, if she is punished on charge of corruption under the Emergency Power Ordinance rules. The authorities are also preparing to file corruption cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
One will be disqualified from contesting any polls including the parliamentary election if he or she is convicted by the trial court.
Read The Daily Star story

Diary: Week Seventeen

2007-07-30T14:14:00.000-11:00

I was very frustrated with a senior copy editor who was doing the page-make-up of Health and Science page for last Wednesday's issue.
As I said in my last diary, I took a long time to finish the story on Attention Deficit Disorder as the patients, parents and doctors responded very lately. But I was happy when I filed a comprehensive story.
After starting editing, the copy editor, who was given the task as my editor was out of town on vacation, came to my desk and said he did not find why should we run a story on ADD now, what's new there in the story.
I also had the same problem when I started writing the story because it is not a new disease or the book I focused on is also not new. The book was first published in 1989 and the second edition came out in September last year. However, while giving me the assignment, my editor told me it was a new book and the focus would be writing on the book and a little bit about the author who is from Pittsburgh. In fact, my editor didn't know it was an old book.
With all these well in my mind, I tried to make the story interesting by turning it into a story on ADD with latest information available on it, parents, patients and physicians' comment about the treatment method of the Pittsburgh physician, Dr. Craig B. Liden, comments about the book and Dr. Liden's story about people with ADD.
It doesn't matter how many stories have so far been written about ADD, the readers may need one more story that would give them good insight about the problem, I thought. It is because I, like many people, did not find very good easily-to-read and -understand materials for lay persons about the whole thing. The write-ups available on Websites are either vague or too overwhelming to get what you want to know straight.
So I tried to blend it with whatever I found to make it interesting, but failed to convince the copy editor that there may be one more story on ADD in my newspaper which would 'really' inform people about it.
He held the story for my editor to decide it's fate, and I was also happy thinking that my editor would get my point.
And I was right. My editor appreciated my effort and just added a clause with my intro about starting of new school year. She also called one of the parents to convince her to use her full name in the story but for no result.
I was sure that she was going to cut the story drastically because it was longer than average major stories, but she didn't do so. She also agreed that people would love to read such a story. Bingo!
I started working on the Bangladeshi scientist who received $1 million Grainger Award in February for developing filter that removes arsenic from drinking water. The filter is working very well in Bangladesh which is facing crisis for arsenic in groundwater a lot since the 1990s. Abul Hussam also has a connection with Pittsburgh: he earned doctoral degree in analytical chemistry at Pittsburgh University in 1982. I sent him an email requesting him to send me materials on his works and whether he has any plan to work in the United States because some parts of the U.S. also have the same problem. In reply, he sent me some scientific reports on his work. But these are academic stuff, people won't love to read these "hard" things. I wrote him that I need to know his follow up works, what he is doing now. I got information from Bangladesh that his team is working to make filters for use at community and industrial level. If that's true, it would make a good story. Although I wrote him last week, he is yet to respond as he was busy preparing his presentation which he was going to make at a scientists' seminar in New York.
Though I didn't get any story published this week, I had a good weekend with Bangladeshi people living in Pittsburgh.
I attended a dinner at the house of one of their house Saturday. The party soon turned into a place for political discussion and took a bad turn when three of them got emotional at one stage. One of them shouted at the top to the two others as they told something about the political party he supports, and stormed out of the house.
But I had a diversion there as I was singing in the living room. Since I was the singer of the day, I had to sing as long as I could. We also had some chorus on folk songs.
Although it's not winter, I had a great time visiting mountain resort Seven Springs. Located approximately one hour's drive southeast of Pittsburgh, it's a year-round resort and convention center offering skiing/snowboarding, snow tubing, sleigh rides, golf, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
Bangladeshi cardiologist Dr. Shamsher Bakth took me there and I'm grateful to him for showing me such a beautiful place. It's stretched over a huge area and has houses near the top from where the skiers start. Dr. Bakth has a beautiful house there with a great view (photo 1 taken from his house).
And the day ended with happy tunes: facing the mountain, we sat at the Seven Springs hotel where a singer with great "bass" performed several beautiful numbers.

former minister jailed for patronising islamist militants

2007-07-26T07:13:00.000-11:00

A former Bangladeshi minister has been jailed for 31 years and six months today for aiding Islamic militants responsible for nationwide terror campaign to impose Sharia law.
Aminul Huq, telecommunications minister in the emergency-ruled country's most recent elected government, and 24 others were convicted and sentenced by a court in the northwestern town of Rajshahi in the first-ever judgment of a case for patronising Islamist militants.
They were found guilty of aiding and abetting the militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in extorting and torturing people in Bagmara upazila of the district in 2004.
The JMB, that banged to the fore by blating 400 bombs in all but one of the impoverished country's 64 districts on August 17, 2005, has been believed to be the brainchild of some ministers on the cabinet of the immediate past elected government headed by Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

About 30 people were killed and hundreds wounded later in powerful bomb attacks, many of which were carried out by suicide bombers in first such kind in the country.
The militants said their campaign was aimed at forcing Bangladesh to replace its Muslim but secular legal system, which dates back to the British colonial period, with traditional Islamic law.

Although it was open secret to Bangladesh people thanks to the brave investigations of the media, top government leaders denied outright any presence of the Islamist militants anywhere in the country and blamed the media for running 'imaginary stories'.

The government, a coalition of four political parties two of which are religion-based, had denied that senior members of the government had turned a blind eye to the activities of the extremists for political gain.

The government leaders, however, later said they had underestimated the threat from Islamists, and an ensuing crackdown saw some 1,000 JMB members arrested.

Top six leaders of the militant outfit, Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), were executed on March 31 for murdering two judges.

"Incidents of lynching people were almost open and common during the tenure of the previous [BNP-led four-party] alliance government and through such incidents the JMB militants not only took the law in their hands, but they expressed their no-confidence on the law of the land," judge Rezaul Islam said while delivering the verdict today.

Aminul not only blatantly patronised Islamist militants using the police and administration during the previous government's tenure but also barred local authorities to take action against the militants in 2004-05.
Since the open rise of Bangla Bhai-led militant organisation Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in northern Rajshahi in 2004, The Daily Star in its continuous investigation in the past few years has revealed Aminul's role from the forefront as one of the key patrons of the militants.
Aminul, also former lawmaker of Rjshahi-1 constituency, and Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, former lawmaker of Natore-2 and former deputy minister for land, jointly patronised the JMB in the region.

Related The Daily Star articles

JMB patron Aminul jailed

JMB ruled supreme with their blessings

The deadly terror outfit, rise of its kingpins

Trail of terror attacks

Execution says it all

Bangladesh ex-PM formally charged for extortion

2007-07-24T11:31:00.000-11:00

Bangladesh police today filed formal extortion charges against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now in a special jail, along with her sister and a former cabinet colleague who is also her cousin.
Hasina's younger sister, Sheikh Rahana, lives in London, while her cousin, Sheikh Selim, is also now in jail.
Hasina, leader of the Awami League, was arrested at her home in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on July 16 and sent to a house converted into a prison inside the parliament compound.
Selim, former health minister who was arrested in late April, confessed to extorting ($435,000) from a businessman and sharing it with Hasina.

Read The Daily Star article

Muslim Support For Suicide Attacks Down Sharply

2007-07-24T11:20:00.000-11:00

Popular support for suicide bombings has dropped sharply across the Muslim world in what could suggest a rejection of Islamist militant tactics among Muslims, Reuters reports quoting a global survey released today.
The 2007 Pew Global Attitudes survey, based on polling data from 47 countries, also showed waning confidence in al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden among Muslims but said the United States is viewed as the biggest threat by a majority of people in Muslim countries.
Read article published in New York Times.

Buddha's hair a sign of friendship

2007-07-22T18:25:00.000-11:00

Marking a historic moment of sharing an invaluable possession as a token of fraternity between the two countries, Bangladesh on Wednesday presented Sri Lanka with a few strands of hair said to have belonged to Buddha.
A pagoda-shaped metal urn containing Guatam Buddha's hair was given to a Sri Lankan delegation by custodians of an ancient Buddhist monastery at a festive ceremony at Chittagong Buddhist Monastery as monks in saffron robes chanted religious texts.
"This is a sacred relic of Lord Buddha. We will carry it with high veneration," Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said after receiving the invaluable relic Bangladesh Foreign Affairs adviser Iftekhar A. Chowdhury.
In return for the relic, called Kesho Dhatu -- which will be kept at a monastery in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, for Buddhist pilgrims to pay homage -- Sri Lanka presented a stone slab imprinted with Buddha's footprint and a statue to the monastery.
Ajit Ranjan Barua, chairman of the Bangladesh Buddhist Association, said a Tibetan monk brought the hair to Chittagong in 1930. The relic was preserved in a glass box at the monastery, about 135 miles southeast of the capital, Dhaka.
The barely visible strands of hair can be viewed by devotees only once a year, during a festival commemorating Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. In the past, parts of the relic have been given to Buddhist monasteries in Japan, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Buddha, born as a Hindu prince named Siddhartha Gautama, founded the Buddhist religion more than 2,500 years ago in what is now parts of Nepal and India.
Buddhists now make up less than 2 percent of Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 145 million people.

Diary: Week Sixteen

2007-07-22T17:14:00.000-11:00

It was quite a dull week for me, and I did not at all had any luck. Not only that I could not produce any new story, I had to abandon my New York visit plan for something that apparently turned failure.
I was trying deliberately to reach some ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) patients, physicians, psychologists and teachers as I started the week to finish my story on ADD, which I began by the end of last week. I had a good list of patients and doctors.
Since it's a complex issue and there are myths and misconceptions about ADD, which is also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, I was trying to write a comprehensive story and present it in an interesting way.
Although I tried my best to reach them, I called each on the list several times and left messages, no-one of them responded till last Wednesday. And, above all, I did not find their information that much interesting.
I luckily came in touch with the mother of a child patient who turned out to be very helpful and useful.
When I submitted it Friday, I think I submitted a good story.
My wife's sister, who live in INdianapolis, was supposed to come to my place and her family and pick me up this weekend. We're supposed to go to Niagara Falls. And this is the reason I had to cancel my plan to go to NY with Aresu and Yi Lou.
I was looking for such an opportunity to go to NY and could not catch it when it reached my door. When everything was set, my relatives told me they can't come this week, we needed to defer the tour.
And I lost both.

Bangladesh arrests former PM Hasina

2007-07-16T15:42:00.000-11:00

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina was arrested in the capital on Monday and sent to jail to face extortion charges in a move that sparked protests by her supporters in several parts of the country, with police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators in Dhaka.
As there was a huge outcry across the country against the arrest, head of Bangladesh's army-backed interim government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, said no-one in the country was above law.
"Anyone involved in corruption will be tracked down and prosecuted," he said yesterday after the arrest.
Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's assassinated Liberation Was hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is facing graft cases besides corruption allegations revealed by her top party leaders which say she misused power during her stint as prime minister while her party Awami League was in power (1996-2001).
"She has been arrested on ... charges of extortion and the law will take its own course," Mainul Husein, an adviser to the interim government and head of the law and information ministries, told reporters.
Hasina, who has been leading the party since 1981, has denied the charges and found reasons to consider the arrest as a conspiracy.
"It's a sheer conspiracy to expel me from politics. Neither myself nor my family were ever involved in any sort of corruption," a lawyer quoted Hasina as telling the court.
While Hasina was on a U.S. tour, the government, on April 18, banned her return to Bangladesh. They however withdrew the an in face of local and international pressure and Hasina returned to the country in May.
When Hasina a day before Hasina was supposed to fly to the U.S. to see her expecting daughter, the government put restriction on her flying out of the country, and she was virtually remaining under house-arrest.
After her arrest, police searched Hasina's home, seized her bullet-proof vehicle, two computers and various documents relating to her bank accounts and party publications.
Hasina supporters clashed with police in the capital and tried to stop a motorcade taking her to jail.
Read The Daily Star story

Diary: Week Fifteen

2007-07-16T15:41:00.000-11:00

I rediscovered the amazing hospitality of Bangalee people, and I regret doing it very lately. My stay here might be much more interesting had I come to know these nice people just after I came to Pittsburgh. Now when I found it, I had only six weeks to stay.
I began the week in North Side of the city. I went to interview a local ward commissioner, Peter Ferraro, in Ross Township Monday. One of the nine commissioners of the township, Ferraro has been elected the president of state ward commissioners' association this year.
"I was a democrat just before I became a commissioner," Ferraro said as he was describing his joining Republicans to win in the commissioner election in 1989. While he was protesting against the then local commissioner's move to construct a huge building, the commissioner asked him to settle the matter after emerging out winner against him, and Ferraro took the challenge. And he joined Republican bloc as the man was a democrat and came out successful. Since 1989, Ferraro is the commissioner of Ward No. 8.
Our (Post-Gazette's north zone reporter Len Barcousky and I) focus of interview was to about the commissioner's future plan about the area and what he wants to do as the president of the state commissioners' association. We were excited that one from our locality became president of the state association. We, however, found out later that another one from Pittsburgh was elected president a few years ago.
I went to a meeting of Ross township in the night to see how the local units of government work here in the U.S. I was literally amazed to see the decision-making process in the local government level. Most of the agendas were related to housing: construction of garage, splitting a land into two, getting building plans approved, use of certain land for business purpose etc.
Besides the parties whose matters were to be discussed and their neighbors who may be affected for the projects were there ordinary people. After presentation by the parties, the neighbors can have their floor if they want to make any point.
Then the township, chaired by one of the commissioners who has been elected to chair the meetings for one year, would discuss whether the projects need more works or can be approved. A member of local planning commission, who is an expert about legal aspects and has a very good knowledge about planning, is always there.
If anyone thinks it can be approved, he proposes a motion while another commissioner seconds it. The 'house' then take decision through voting.
You will not find this practice in Bangladesh. The parties do not have access to such meetings let alone their neighbor or ordinary people. And the decisions come, in many cases, through under-table dealings.
I was also taking photographs for the assignment.
I started working for another story -- this is for the health section -- the next day. This time I was working on Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), a very common biological difference that makes people distracted, has contribution in lack of focusing, hyperactivity etc.
In fact, I got the idea when I found a newly published book on ADD, Pay Attention, by Dr Craig B, Liden, a Pittsburgh-based doctor who has been dealing such patients for more than 25 years.
"I've seen over 9,000 patients with attention deficit disorder problem and say it that people do not have clear idea about the problem," Dr Liden said Wednesday as I was interviewing him at the office of Translation, Dr Liden's publishing house dedicated to work on ADD.
The interesting thing is people have misperception that it is found only among the children and can be understood when they cannot focus in their classes.
"But the fact is, it is found among people of all ages, though it can be noticed easily among the children," Liden said, adding that 40 percent of his patients are adult.
Although it is a pervasive problem, little literature is available on it. And often times people mistake it for 'Bipolar Disorder'.
ADD cannot be totally cured and if it is not treated during the childhood, it can create further health hazards. Obesity, bad food habit, lifestyle, alcoholism are associated with ADD and worsen it.
Saying that only medication is not enough for ADD treatment, Dr Liden is advocating a three-pronged treatment that also includes counseling and involving the family, caregivers and colleagues in the process of treatment.
I had surprise waiting for me by the end of the week. A Bangladeshi cardiologist called me Thursday over my cellphone to invite me to a music evening at his house in Oakmont the next day. They Bangladeshi community has brought in an Indian Bangalee singer, Shantanu Roy Choudhury, from Kolkata to perform at the program. When I went there, I found myself surrounded by all the Bangladeshi people. They had a lot of questions about current political situation in Bangladesh and I had to answer it because I 'know it better as a journalist.'
However, most of them know about me before I went there by reading my article in Post-Gazette about eBay fraud story. Some of them called me at my office and one of them wrote me email. It was interesting. It was a good evening.
The next evening, I attended Gharoa, a monthly program of Bangalee people from Kolkata where the sing songs, eat dinner together and then again sing songs most of which are chorus in the second part.
As some of them knew beforehand that I sing Lalongeeti, I had to sing two. My audience was very pleased listening to my songs, although I think it was not that good because I didn't sing in last five months at all. These people's sincerity and love for Bangalee culture touched me greatly. They are nice people.
And most important thing is this kind of function or get together strengthens the bond between people of this community. As if they were hugging each other lovingly.

child revolution!

2007-07-12T14:37:00.000-11:00

When no parent or adult person came forward to stop marriage of a 13-year-old girl, her classmates thought it's their duty to rescue her. And the tiny soldiers accomplished in their mission.
The class eight student, who was being forced to marry against her will, was finally saved from marrying off at the tender age.
It was a unique sight for the people of the small town, when some 50 schoolgirls took to the street yesterday demanding that the wedding of their classmate Habiba Sultana, be called off.
Next, they submitted a memorandum to the officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station urging him to take action to stop the child marriage.
Read The Daily Star story

More Britons travelling to Bangladesh to train in terror: The Guardian

2007-07-09T15:47:00.000-11:00

Significant numbers of Britons are travelling to Bangladesh to train in terrorist techniques amid rising concern among security and intelligence officials about the increasing appeal of al-Qaida's message throughout the Middle East and south-east Asia, Richard Norton-Taylor reports in The Guardian Monday.
"Their concern is compounded by a realisation among al-Qaida leaders of the value of individuals who can enter western countries easily. All eight people arrested in Britain over the failed bomb attacks in London were doctors or medical students and all entered the country legally.
"The arrest in Australia of an Indian-born doctor related to two brothers arrested in Britain show how far links between potentially dangerous individuals are spreading, Whitehall officials say.
"British counter-terrorist officials recently visited Bangladesh to brief their counterparts there, the Guardian has been told. Officials say the number of Britons of Bangladeshi descent apparently prepared to consider carrying out terrorist acts marks a new and worrying development.
"It coincides with the increasing number of young Britons travelling to Pakistan via South Africa in an effort to avoid being noticed by British security officials. Recent terrorist trials have shown how the Britain-Pakistan link has been crucial, with many convicted terrorists having trained in camps in Pakistan.
"The advantage, say intelligence analysts, is that British citizens do not require visas to enter South Africa. Furthermore, the country is regarded as a good market for identity and travel documents. South Africa's intelligence chiefs have played down the country's role as a potential transit route for British-born al-Qaida sympathisers travelling to Pakistan.
"However, Kurt Shillinger, of South Africa's Institute of International Affairs, warned that the country's passport is "one of the world's most abused, available on the streets for as little as £10". In an article titled South Africa: Transit Point for International Jihadists? for Britain's Royal United Services Institute Mr Shillinger warns that intelligence officials privately admit they cannot monitor accurately a swelling immigrant community and the smuggling of people to Pakistan.
"In north Africa Ayman al-Zawahari, Osama bin Laden's deputy, has announced the setting up of al-Qaida of the Islamic Maghreb with the idea of embracing other extreme groups, including Algeria's Salafist movement. In an internet video this week al-Zawahari urged fighters to "hurry to Afghanistan, hurry to Iraq, hurry to Somalia, hurry to Palestine".
"However, Pakistan remains the country posing the greatest threat to Britain's security, Whitehall officials say. One of the problems is the sheer number of Britons of Pakistani descent who visit the country every year - more than 30,000 between the ages of 18 to 35, the group most likely to be influenced by al-Qaida ideology, according to intelligence officials. Another problem is the pressure on the Inter Services Institute, whose priority is to keep the country together and President Musharraf alive rather than monitor British-born Pakistanis."

Read article

Diary: Week Fourteen

2007-07-08T14:26:00.001-11:00

I had an exceptional birthday this year, the only celebration was e-wish from my friends. However, it was global.
I felt some a kind of hesitation to tell anybody that my birthday was on Friday and thought let it be a different one. The day began with a sweet tune. When I was reading poems of WB Yeats Thursday evening, I fell asleep. And I had a dream where I saw all my childhood characters some of whom have started fading a little bit from my memory. I woke up happy, still holding Yeat's books, and saw the 15 minutes of the new day, my birthday, has passed.
I got two of my story cleared that day. One was my piece on eBay fraudulent seller which I wrote for Saturday Diary page. It came out Saturday. My mentor Greg Victor, who is in-charge of the page, is a good editor.
I worked half day and watched movie rest of the day, chatted with my wife and some other friends in Bangladesh and one each in Ivory Coast and Switzerland.
As the week began, I continued my work for the story on Pittsburgh-based charity organization Brother's Brother Foundation which has so far sent donations medicine, medical supplies, seeds and books to 121 countries. I was writing a feature on this organization's recent receipt of a huge consignment of surgical instruments worth about $4.8 million. They have already sent the instruments to 28 countries. They are starting distributing Crocs shoes this year among people in need in 30 countries.
When I began working for for the story, my editor told me not to make it a big one. But when I submitted a 730-word story to her Thursday morning, she told me to explain several points, write more about the volunteer doctors and the president of the organization. As I reminded her of her instruction to keep it small, she said it's not going to be that big! And when I added the info, it stood 980 words. It was not still that big!
If I submit a story of this size to my bosses in my home newspaper, they'll yell on my face and throw it away. We have instruction not to write more than 500 words if the story is a major one. Otherwise it won't be more than 350 words.
After submitting my story that day, I asked my editor to let me know when she would edit it. I've decided that I would observe editing of my stories closely to find my mistakes. It's more effective and useful for a writer than reading the story after it comes out. The editors explain to you what they want, what not and what they avoid. Besides, you'll also learn about the newspaper policy.
When I sat with her for editing Friday morning, I realized once again that I can't overcome the British tone in my writing. I told her that I have tried all my life to learn and write in British style. In fact, I always have to struggle to forget it when I am writing for my newspaper here. At the same time I have to beware that I don't forget it because I'll have to follow British style when I am back to Bangladesh.
My editor made some changes to make it more like conversation. I love this writing style of U.S. newspapers although there is little scope, unless it's a soft story, to do it in Bangladesh newsrooms. The editors will yell at you: "Can't you say anything straight? Get to the point directly." And you'll have to be economic in terms of using words. You are always and strongly instructed to keep it as small as you can.
However, the story is coming out in the Health and Science page this Wednesday.
With my interest for photography growing, I took another online photojournalism course , again one offered by News University. It's Best of Photojournalism, a course that uses the photos and interviews and video of judges for the Best of Photojournalism 2006 contest, held every year by National Press Photographers Association.
I found the course to be very useful because it lets you know what judges look for to find excellence in the field.
As the judges put their heads together to select a few images from among hundred of photos from across the globe on 25 contest categories including general news, disaster news, domestic, celebrity, environment, international, sports and photo illustration to find the winners and finalists, they make it clear what they look for.
"Every photo must do something to the audience. It would either make you laugh or cry or make you unhappy, make you question what’s going on. It'll speak to u, crawl down your throat," said James Colton, photography editor of Sports Illustrated who is one of the nine judges.
"I would say content, composition and lighting," said another judge, Ricardo Ferro, director of photography EFE News Service while talking about the three most important thing judges look for in each photo.
"Before taking the shot, every photographer needs planing which lens to use. Which angle would be best, which corner to stand and how he would use the shadow. Although sometimes it is reactive, a photographer needs to have planning," he said.
On lighting, he said the photographers have to create volume with light, so that "the photo jumps out of the page."
The best thing is the judges' comment on the outstanding aspects of some of the best photos. Besides the scrutiny, the huge collection -- more than 1200 world's best images -- is a rich library you get for free!
I feel good and more confident after finishing the course. I think I would take it several times more.

Deja vu, Bangladesh?

2007-07-04T17:12:00.000-11:00

Two countries and many common problems, the major one being lack of democracy. It may be a quirk of fate that the journey Musharraf set Pakistan onto could not be fulfilled in eight years but may well be completed by Bangladesh in two, provided the Bangladesh Army stays the course and does not deviate from the "selection and maintenance of aim", writes Pakistani defence and political analyst Ikram Sehgal.
These are still early days, except for a few political hiccups which may be excusable given the political naivety of any military brass in any country, favourable signs point to the "Bangladesh model" becoming a third world success story, an achievement the military can be proud of.
Lessons certainly have been learnt from the Pakistan experience, they have till now generally avoided the mistakes committed. Genuine democracy can only be achieved if the military aims for impartial accountability across the board, the spine of justice duly stiffened by its unobtrusive supportive presence. Secondly, an impartial election commission must carry every eligible voter on the electoral rolls, he (or she) getting the opportunity to vote without any external influence guiding his (or her) choice. Thirdly, an absolute majority of votes cast in any constituency must elect a candidate, the first two candidates having the most votes going head to head with the outright winner getting more than 50 per cent of the votes cast. Lastly and most importantly, the army should stay away from politics. If you are a professional soldier, you may be a brilliant A or B, you will still not know anything of politics.
Accountability being carried out in Bangladesh is not selective but across the board. And it is being done intelligently! A very credible election commission is engaged in an emergent but pragmatic exercise to correct the electoral rolls i.e. add the voters left out in each constituency and remove 'ghosts' who managed to populate those rolls in the thousands. An interaction with Mr Shamshul Huda, the chief election commissioner, and two members of the EC, was extremely informative; one was struck by their sincere commitment and pragmatic approach. When you bring integrity to intellect, you get positive results.
On January 11, 2007 (or 1/11 as it is known) the country was paralysed and close to anarchy. With no hope of reconciliation between the two major political parties, the army reluctantly moved to restore the ultimate authority of the constitution. The BNP-appointed president was "encouraged" to be "born again". Some of the major crooks in the country are behind bars, facing investigation, prosecution and incarceration, the rest of the crooks are in limbo, a doomsday clock ticking away relentlessly. December 2008 is the target date for cleansing the country and for the electoral rolls to be ready, a pragmatic time-table to which both the intelligentsia and the masses agree to, most of them happily, some purists reluctantly. Freed from political dictatorship, the political parties are themselves talking party reform. Only those who want to escape accountability disagree, not enough to have any nuisance value.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Pakistan did excellent work in the beginning. Overly staffed by serving and retired military officers, it ran into difficulties about one year or so into its inception, rumours of corruption became rife. NAB faced a credibility problem because the armed forces and the superior judiciary were kept out of its purview; the "plea-bargaining" concept further eroded its credibility. The final shred of respectability was lost with "selective accountability" targeting only recalcitrant politicians or those businessmen/bureaucrats without good contacts in the regime. Amjad, a brilliant professional of known honesty and integrity, opted out instead of compromising his principles. Despite such discrepancies and a limited horizon, NAB continues to do excellent work.
In a PROBE magazine-sponsored seminar "Fighting Corruption" in the Dhaka Press Club on June 30, one had a chance to "share the Pakistan experience". While Professor Mahbullah gave a sound theoretical analysis, Professor Shamsher Ali made practical suggestions for implementation. Professor Hossain Zillur Rahman eloquently focused on the real issues, his lucid analysis closely approximating the successes and failures of any anti-corruption drive. Major General (Retd) Ibrahim gave an emotion-packed appeal for success of the accountability process. As the Coordinator of the National Coordination Committee for Combating Crime and Corruption (or NCC as the mouthful is known), Lt General Masud Uddin is the point-person designated by the army to lead the extremely successful anti-corruption drive in Bangladesh. Someone once said, "Read between the lines, it tires the eyes less!" Unlike the previous speakers who chose to speak extempore, Masud read out an 18-page statement that seemed to signal an intention to remain engaged over the long-term.
Bangladesh has gone after white-collar criminals without looking at their antecedents, or being impressed by their connections. While General Masud clarified that his task forces (TFs) included specialists from different civilian departments, his insistence on TFs being led by army officers was extremely disappointing. The army has to keep its rank and file from getting involved in civilian functions. The army is inadvertently playing into the hands of criminals who want the streets to react. The mention about "monitoring units" was scary because that is exactly how everything started to go wrong in Pakistan, the army creeping into every conceivable post that a specialist civilian could do far better.
One got unfortunate vibes that Masud, at the cutting edge of one of the most successful accountability in the third world history, represents a school of thought in the army who see themselves as "avenging angels" with a long-term mandate. With limited resources (and limited knowledge) the army has to conserve and concentrate rather than disperse its potential. The "Bangladesh model" will remain successful by focusing only on major criminals, 5000-6000 core individuals involved in the governance or benefiting from it during the last 15 years. The army should also target those in the police, income tax, customs etc who have corrupted the process. Deterrent effect should be the major force! Let us not forget those who have given bribes unless they come forth with evidence, also perjury needs to be targeted. The concerted attack that the army's recalcitrants can make will not be political but economic, the streets reacting to food shortages and rising prices. Hardened white-collar criminals will go scot-free if the army is unfortunately diverted from its primary focus as it tries to cope.
One gets apprehensive if the real intention of the army is different from what has been publicly stated by its COAS General Moeen Ahmed, a man of great professionalism and commitment, and a person one admires for being steadfast in his resolve to keep the army out of politics. Even the present step forward by the army needs a strategy for safe exit. The "Bangladesh model" will make history if the army remains focused and not get inextricably involved.
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Bangladesh economy strong, rates should rise: IMF

2007-06-30T13:35:00.000-11:00

The IMF Friday said Bangladesh's economy is set to remain healthy due to buoyant exports, strong remittance flows and reform measures, reports Reuters.
"The recent pickup in inflation could become entrenched in the absence of corrective policies," the IMF said in its annual health check of Bangladesh's economy, also suggesting the authorities raise rates in the wake of higher inflation.
Inflation has picked up to over 7 percent reflecting increases in both food and non-food prices, the fund said.
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ex-dictator Ershad quits as party chief

2007-06-30T12:44:00.001-11:00

Former military ruler HM Ershad yesterday quitted as the Jatiya Party (JP) chairman, tasking presidium member Anisul Islam Mahmud with deputizing for him till the council elects a new chief.
A former military chief, Ershad assumed power in a bloodless coup in March 1982 and ran the country nine years before he was forced to step down on December 6, 1990.
While announcing his decision at a press briefing in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka yesterday, the former dictator also declared that he would not contest for the apex post, which he occupied since he launched the party in 1986, in the next council.
The announcement came hot in the heels of his wife Rawshan Ershad's Tuesday's declaration that she had taken control of the party.
"Lately, the political trends have changed and my initiative is the acknowledgement of the new current of thoughts," he observed.
Ershad said he has taken the decision because his leadership has been called into question and some people think his being there might get in the way of reforms.
Read The Daily Star story

Diary: Week Thirteen

2007-06-30T12:44:00.000-11:00

Parting with the Fellows definitely did not a bring a good feeling for me. This is the lone occasion, since my coming to the U.S., when I felt: "How fast time does fly!" I deliberately tried to shove the thought of beginning my works again.
I had several ideas for reporting for the health section. I had discussed, before I went to the Midterm Seminar, with my editor about two ideas. And I had thought I would not waste a single moment after I come back. But I just felt the opposite.
I don't why I started feeling that I am falling behind my colleagues in my home newsroom and others in Bangladesh. And I went to the website of different Bangladeshi newspaper and started reading their stories, both new and old. I know my root is there and I sometimes wonder how I can stay outside my country for such a long time. Now I feel how many days make six months. It's too long.
I was so homesick that I was truly not feeling very well. It's funny but I felt I would go home if Susan and Katie ask me by any chance. And for the first time, I saw my two youngest brothers in my dream. Poor little kids, I miss you. I miss my beloved wife, my family, my friends there.
It's ridiculous, but it comes from my heart.
My mentor Greg Victor saved me on Sunday. He called me in the morning to say whether I am interested to go rowing in Allegheny river. I immediately agreed.
Greg, his sons Nik and Peter picked me up from my apartment. And it was a very nice experience. It's totally different from rowing in my river, Karatoa, which passes half a kilometer off my village home in Bangladesh, which always carry my childhood with her. Karatoa is small river but beautiful, passes through our villages to meet our one of the biggest river Jamuna.
You'll have a great view when you row in Allegheny river. The city looks far more beautiful from the river. I was especially amazed when I neared the fountain at the Golden Triangle where the Allegheny and Monongahela meet to create Ohio river. And the fountain was 'live' after a long time that day. I've never seen it trying to throw water to the sky before.
Happy moments always vanish quickly. When they left, I felt lonely and sad.
However, I started writing my analysis on Bangladesh the next day. It's for Greg's page Forum, which comes out every Sunday. I worked Monday and Tuesday to finish it.
On Thursday, I started working for my story on Brother's Brother Foundation, a charity organization that collects medicine, medical supplies, surgical instruments, books and seeds from donors in the U.S. and distribute those among people of 121 countries in the world who are truly in need of those. An anesthesia specialist Dr. Robert Hingson founded it in 1958 with some of like-minded doctors and his students.
The volunteer surgeons of the Foundation could not give me time before Friday. I visited their office Friday afternoon, interviewed them and took photographs. They have a big , 25,000 square feet, warehouse in North Side of Pittsburgh.
I've started taking photographs at the events I cover. Although my editor asked me to take photos, I'll show these to the photo section chief to know his comments and suggestion.
Let me see whether I can find the job of a photographer when I am back to my country.

Dhaka world's fastest growing big city

2007-06-29T10:39:00.000-11:00

Bangladesh's capital Dhaka is the world's fastest growing major city, drawing 300,000 to 400,000 mostly poor migrants annually, Reuters reports quoting a World Bank study.
These migrants provide critical manpower for the city's industries and services, but also put pressure on the city's infrastructure, public services, and habitable land, said the report which was distributed on Friday.
The study entitled "Dhaka: Improving living conditions for the urban poor" said urgent measures were required to address the vital needs of the rapidly growing urban poor.
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many big rivers to cross

2007-06-27T07:26:00.000-11:00

The Bangladesh experiment is entering a crucial phase. Probably the next 6 months will determine whether it is one of the few (perhaps the only) country apart from Turkey to return to full and unfettered democracy within two years of a military intervention, writes former US ambassador to Bangladesh William Milam.
"I found no quarrel across civil society with the view that the army had no alternative but to intervene on January 11, if civil strife, bloodshed, martial law were to be avoided," Milam, currently at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC, writes in Pakistan newspaper Daily Times.
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India seals itself off from Bangladesh

2007-06-26T06:07:00.000-11:00

In a construction project that will eventually reach across 2,050 miles, hundreds of rivers and long stretches of forests and fields, India has been quietly sealing itself off from Bangladesh, its much poorer neighbor. Sections totaling about 1,550 miles have been built the past seven years, writes Associated Press Writer Tim Sullivan.
Read arrticle

Trading in death under shadow of govt

2007-06-22T16:43:00.000-11:00

Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman and several ex-BNP ministers directly patronised the outrageous operations of the JMB (Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh) in Bangladesh's northern district Rajshahi with the full knowledge of the then PM, Julfikar Ali Manik of The Daily Star finds in his investigation.
Then at the helm of home ministry, Lutfozzaman Babar also joined the bandwagon of JMB leader Bangla Bhai, pouring cold water on feeble attempts by a part of the civil and police administration to resist the terrorist activities.
Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad, who had the memories of being a helpless deputy inspector general of Rajshahi then, only could endorse the The Daily Star finds gleaned from strenuous research and interviews with a number of officials, numerous socio-political workers and people, who witnessed the rise of dreadful Bangla bhai under cover of outlaw cleansing campaign that left at least 24 persons killed and 300 others repressed or injured between April 2004-January 2005.
Read The Daily Star special story

Diary: Week Eleven

2007-06-14T06:47:00.000-11:00

Did I know beforehand it's gonna be my 'most glamorous' (according to some of my friends) week? No.
I was feeling, as usual, a little bit tension while preparing for my presentation before the Greater Reading World Affairs Council in Reading, Pennsylvania. Scheduled for June 13, my presentation on current political situation was quite a challenge as I knew that I would have to answer questions on broad range of issues. From my presentation in Indianapolis (April 18), I knew I cannot stop the audience ask any kind of questions. So, I returned to my apartment early on Monday to do some background study.
Surprise was awaiting me, and I had no way to minimize it. Although I knew I would attend a TV program with some other guest speakers Tuesday night at BCTV (Berks Community Television), the information that the program is a short one was wrong.
"It's a one-hour program," John Hoskyns-Abrahall told me as I reached the TV station few minutes before 9pm when the program was scheduled to begin.
"It's a live program and you're tonight's speaker," he gave me no time to surprise.
"I didn't know it, I'm not prepared for it," I told him in vain.
On a hurry to go to the studio, he just said: "I would ask you some questions about background of Bangladesh and gradually shift to current situation."
"And people will call during the program," another blow to shake me further.
So far I've asked people questions and the arrow comes back to me, like boomerang! I thought.
But I am damn of a speaker, I didn't feel how one hour passed!
"Cool!" I said to myself, as we finished the program.
John is also damn of a interviewer, he asked me everything which can be asked about Bangladesh, from issues dating back to 1757 to current situations, even what might happen in coming days.
The audience at my presentation the next day had written on their faces how it was. I also felt as I was answering the questions.
I've noted down the points for presentation, but at neither of the two presentations I could see those. Audiences' face writing always guided me through the presentations.
I was overwhelmed when president of the Council Mike McCarthy presented me a large box of Tom Sturgis Pretzels.
Dan Kelly, a staff writer/columnist of main local newspaper Reading Eagle showed me the whole city before taking me to their office. I talked with the editor, news editor and some reporters.
Talking with crime reporter Jason Kahl, I learned that there are many incidents of shooting in the city, which lost many of its residents over the last decades due to fall of industries, especially textile industries.
Tom McMahon, Reading Mayor, has undertaken several projects to give the city new look to attract people. Law and order improvement is one of the his key strategies and challenge too. They're constructing a large theater building to house several theaters with IMAX. I am sure the city will become full of life again soon.
The newspaper published an article on my presentation the next day.
After dinner at a retired people's community, Keith and Carol Orts, a very lively and happy nice couple who are actively involved with the world affairs council, they drove me to Harrisburg where I passed the night to catch my flight back to Pittsburgh next morning.
"Have I seen you earlier?" an elderly woman asked me as I was coming out of community building after dinner.
"No way, I'm here for the first time in my life," I said.
"Have you been to the TV station?" she asked.
You see, how famous I've become!
Coming back Thursday, I took preparation for midterm seminar. I was very excited and impatient to meet the other fellows, Susan and Katie, my only kins in this land thousand miles away from home.
I didn't know how and when they have come so close to my heart.

welcome to the past

2007-06-09T17:18:00.000-11:00

Don Barnes would give several options for those looking for a journey back to the past and would also take a ride with them. Guessing from the external look of his Harlansburg Station that it is just a railway station would be a mistake because the visitors can also embark on a voyage by planes, riverboats or automobiles, though virtually, there in small town of Harlansburg.
"I've tried to put things in a way that those seem still operational," the retired US Air pilot, now 70, said as he was talking about his venture of presenting how people of past days lived through.
His love for collecting antiques, which he felt in his childhood, now provides the new generations an opportunity to get idea not only about old day trains, planes, riverboats and automobiles but also about old teletype machine, cumbersome phones and even present day police motorcycle. "We are more than just trains."
In his museum, past does not grow old. You will hear the sound of steam engine, hear train whistle, get old garage smell, find age old automobiles, now-no-more railcars, riverboats, Second World War pilots' uniform. Just make sure you don’t stop seeing the red light after entering the museum. Don welcomes visitors to share his joy and take a dip into history.

Diary: Week Ten

2007-06-09T16:23:00.000-11:00

My week in North Side did not really began Monday as Len Barcousky, who was supposed to take me out with him, came to office 3:00 p.m. and told me we would work on Thursday and Friday on a story.
With Katie's visit still two days away, I decided to use the time writing a piece for the Saturday Diary as Greg said he had place for it. In fact, I got the idea of writing a piece for the page when I met Greg to know who I could talk with about writing a story about fraud on eBay, to be specific, about fraud sellers who use eBay page to deceive innocent buyers.
I myself have the experience of meeting some fraud sellers one of whom was about to trap me had I not be cautious. He was trying to reach a deal with me outside eBay to sell a Nikon D200 camera with 4GB memory for $600 and sent me a fake eBay invoice using an eBay email address. As I was suspicious about this seller and aware about fraudulence, I verified the email with eBay and came to know it had not come from eBay.
While sniffing for some more such case, I came in contact with some other fraud sellers who are very eager to sell item through private auction and would always ask buyers to use the payment method which are not covered by eBay buyer protection policy.
Pretending that I could not understand any of their motives, I continued exchanging emails with some of them to know about their 'mode of operation'.
Hearing the incident, Greg asked me to write for his page, and I was more than happy. It's Greg! I submitted him the story Tuesday.
I had a great time Wednesday when Katie visited me. After she reached her hotel, which is very close to my office, I asked her yo wait there and got out to take her to my office. I was very happy to see Katie after this long time.
And the lunch was great, for its mountaintop location of the restaurant, if not only for the food. You'll have a great view o Golden Triangle and the downtown as well as both North and South sides. Definitely I couldn't help pressing the shutter of my camera to capture city view through the glass wall. Another attraction there was the sculpture of George Washington talking with an Indian leader. Greg, Katie, our city editor Lillian Thomas and my cricket team partner and Editorial staff Reg Henry lined up as I asked them to go near the sculpture.
Karie and I walked by the Allegheny river before I showed her my apartment. We went out in the evening to watch "Poseidon" at Schenley Park in Oakland. We, however, could not finish the movie due to chilling cold.
Thursday morning, Len Barcousky picked me up from in front of my place and we went to small town Harlansburg to visit a transportation museum which a retired U.S. Air pilot built himself. His collection of transportation memorabilia including airplanes, riverboats, automobiles, railcars, old age telephone , teletype machine, telephone booth, airmail pick up, traffic signals, two-person balloon etc shows how much enthusiasm and love a person can have for antiques, which stemmed from his love for history and an urge to transport his knowledge to next generation.
As Len did this most of the interviewing part, I learned how to get every detail about one's personal life. During the interview, I also learned a little bit about the history of American rail and automobiles.
It was easy for us to get information about his collection, which he started in his childhood, as Don Barnes loves to tell story.
Len later took me to North Side office.
The weather was very bad Friday which we spent for writing the story.

Friend of ex-PM's son jailed for 3yrs

2007-06-08T15:01:00.000-11:00

A controversial businessman and close friend of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman was awarded three-years imprisonment yesterday for not submitting wealth statement to the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Giasuddin Al Mamun extorted many businessmen and was behind many corruption in the country between 2001-2006 using the influence of Tarique, and amassed a huge wealth.
Read The Daily Star story.

Diary: Week Nine

2007-06-02T16:24:00.000-11:00

I really enjoyed the week as I worked in the photography section to learn the basics of photojournalism.
It was a coincidence that the started on Memorial Day. Although it was holiday, I chose to work that day to hang out with our senior photographer Darell Sapp who took me McKeesport to photograph Memorial Day parade. It was for the first time in my life that I, while shadowing Darell, was taking photographs like a professional photographer going to different corners as the formal salute was in proceed. We took photos of the war veterans, salute and then the parade.
A good photographer keeps his eyes open to other things taking place around: it's a lesson. We took photos of people sitting and standing on both sides of the road the parade was scheduled to march by. I also noted down details of people who I photographed.
I learned and practiced was paying attention to individuals while en event is on.
"A good photographer never concentrates only on his assignment, he always searches for something more on his way," he said as he took me to a bike trail near Boston Park area. Parking our car, we walked a little bit along the trail, photographed several bikers and talked with an elderly man who was riding a bike with a hood which he made himself.
Darell would use the photos for feature.
Then Darell took me to Homestead to show me a closed Carnegie steel mill, which has been turned as a museum, with a history of the steelworkers' movement. An address to the public by the advisory committee, the Knights of Labor and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steelworkers is put up right there.
On Tuesday, we went to McAnnulty Elementary School to photograph Debbie Simeone, who served 24 years Baldwin Whiteball School District and started program to recognize students for good manners three years ago.
We went to photograph her because she is retiring. The school board will continue the program and name it after her and the next year's certificate will bear her name. I learnt how to do portrait photography in an working environment. Like Darell, I took her photos with the kids taking their lunch behind.
It was another good day when I went to the Market Square at the PPG to photograph book reading for kids as part of "Fridays! KidsPlay Market Square" program.
I learned how to take photographs of kids without spoiling letting them do what they're doing. "You do not go very close to them, it may draw their attention too much," Darell said. He was using a pretty tele lens.
Here also I learned to pay attention to get individual details while I also take photos of the entire event. Kids are always good subject and you'll always find some of them brighter, smarter, more curious and brave than others and that's the moment you wait for. "Let them do it unhindered and press the shutter timely," Darell told me.
Shadowing Darell, I also went to Southside to photograph geese in the Monongahela river as a reporter was writing a story on geese's laying eggs in the river.
As photography always remained a subject of much interest to me, I was eager to work in the photo section. It made me confident to shoot any event as I learned the basic rules. Before starting the week, I did a short online course on language of the image.
While working with Darell, I also learned when to use the zoom, when tele lens, when to take a close-up and when not to use flash.

AL chief used to receive money from magnates

2007-06-02T15:45:00.000-11:00

Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil, who was arrested during anti-corruption crackdown on May 28, told interrogators that his party chief Hasina regularly received money from several industrialists and businessmen, usually Tk 50 lakh to Tk 1 crore from each ofthem before launching any political programme or a movement.
"Jalil also confessed that before the recently stalled general election, established businessmen and other wealthy people competed for AL tickets, and it was not a problem for people with illegally earned money to win party nominations," The Daily Star reports quoting sources.
Meantime, Abdul Awal Mintoo, a former president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries who was also arrested on March 28, told investigators that Korean company Daewoo bribed the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina Tk 10m to close a deal for a frigate. Daewoo handed over the frigate on May 2, 2001.
The Tk 10m was deposited to an account which she supposedly has been using for the purposes of her party politics on her own discretion, said Mintoo, who was the local representative of Daewoo.

home minister received $2.85m in bribe for absolving businessman's son from murder charge

2007-05-30T14:55:00.000-11:00

The immediate past state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, who was at the helm of the ministry for about three years, reached a $2.85m deal with the owner of a top business conglomerate of Bangladesh of not going after his son who was the main accused in the killing of a director of the conglomerate, Bashundhara Group, according to law enforcers.
Bangladesh security forces recovered the money Wednesday. Both the men who were tasked with depositing and safekeeping the money admitted the whole incident.
Zayadul Ahsan, one of Bangladesh's top investigative reporters and chief reporter of The Daily Star, details in his special report.
Security forces arrested Babar in an anti-graft crackdown on May 28 and he is now being quizzed under a four-day police remand.
Investigators said Babar, during his stint as the home boss, used the police force as a lackey of his party and played a significant role to divert the major investigations and to torture opposition political activists.
Read The Daily Star report on Babar's 'mischiefs'.

Diary: Week Eight

2007-05-30T12:41:00.000-11:00

I worked last week in feature section. For the first time I was writing a book review, though I wrote some 'non-professional' reviews of drama during my stint as a university correspondent. This time, it's a baby book, "Cheep! Cheep!", written by a former Pittsburgher and illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee, a resident of a neighborhood named Mt. Lebanon. It has been written for parents and caregivers to read it out before the toddlers ages birth to 18 months so that they have an easier time learning to read. It has been chosen as one of the best 10 books written for toddlers and published in past one year.
While writing the story, the editor of lifestyle section taught me different aspects of writing children book reviews. I also had some sort of understanding of literature meant for children. I would like to work on this later when I find time.
Besides also writing an obituary, I was also working on two other stories last week. One of this would go to health and science page while one to food section. I don't want to disclose the topics before those come out.
As I have mentioned in my fellowship goals, I want to learn feature writing, and enjoyed my time there. It is the reason I came back to feature last week. I'm learning writing features on different topics.
Although I am scheduled to begin my weeks in health section, where I intend to work last two months of my fellowship, on June 25, I got an idea and has started working on a story. It'll be a major story. I want to develop expertise to work as a health reporter.

Previous weeks: Seven, Six, Five

A memorable Memorial Day

2007-05-29T15:32:00.000-11:00

As I was pressing the shutter pointing my camera at the war veterans yesterday, a sort of deep reverence and respect, which you feel while standing before a great sculpture or personality, was working inside me. When I was standing beside Frank W. Peterson Jr. of McKeesport, an army sergeant who served as a radio operator during World War II, I was, as if, feeling the heat. The 94-year-old, who was wounded in advance into Nazi Germany, had some problem with hearing but is still an epitome of steely resolve and patriotism.
Among all the veterans who went to pay tribute to the war heroes prior to the parade at McKeesport, my eyes were glued on this person. Salute thee!
And it was a welcome coincidence that I started my week in photography section on Memorial Day. I went out with our senior photographer Darell Sapp for McKeesport, and had a great day. People sitting and standing on both sides of the road the parade was scheduled to march by had in their gestures how much respect and love they have for the war heroes. They were waving to the passing marchers, many of them had brought garlands and flowers.
Darell took me to some beautiful places including Waterfront and Boston Park and showed me the bike trail.

Photo: Frank W. Peterson Jr. (L) pledges his allegiance to the U.S. flag.

Awami League secretary, three ministers, two MPs detained

2007-05-28T13:33:00.000-11:00

In a major anti-graft crackdown today, Bangladesh security forces detained the second man of Awami League, one of two biggest political parties, former home minister and his deputy, three more former MPs and a city mayor.
Reacting strongly for the party's general secretary Abdul Jalil's arrest, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina said the government's ongoing drive seems to be against politics, not corruption.
Jalil, who was speaking for reform in the political party, was recently vocal demanding the caretaker government and the Election Commission (EC) specify the time for holding the next election and lift the ban on indoor politics without delay.
Read The Daily Star story

legacy of vested property act in Bangladesh

2007-05-28T13:21:00.001-11:00

Retired additional secretary Rabindranath Trivedi notes the Vested Property Act of Bangladesh has violated the fundamental rights of a class of people guaranteed in the Constitution and is a law against the spirit of the country's constitution.
He details his view in an article published in Asian Tribune today "The legacy of enemy turned vested property act in Bangladesh".

"Failure in building from collapsed democracy would be a setback in whole Islamic world"

2007-05-27T16:07:00.000-11:00

Former US Ambassador to Bangladesh William B Milam thinks if democracy were to fail in Bangladesh, the world’s fourth largest Muslim country, it would be a setback everywhere in the Islamic world.
"I fear that Bangladesh might revert to its pre-1991 condition in which even the peaceful transfer of power after credible elections was not possible," Mr. Milam, ambassador to Bangladesh between 1990-1993, wrote in a commentary published in Pakistani newspaper Daily News on January 10.
"Though Bangladesh has been often cited at the forefront of democratic growth in the Islamic world, it has seemed to me for some time that its democratic development stalled in midstream after the hopeful breakthrough of 1991," Milam, who went to Bangladesh to be an observer for January 22 parliamentary elections, which was stalled after weeks of street violence, is currently a senior policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington D.C. (Read commentary)
He sees there is an attempt to build a solid foundation and better form of democratic system. "You are building from a collapsed structure," he said while speaking at a seminar in Bangladesh capital Dhaka today, noting that Bangladesh people are witnessing a very interesting experiment, which, he hoped, would work.
It is uncertain whether Bangladesh will follow a Turkish model where the military helps the government return to democracy or the Pakistani model, where historically, the military has come to power and remained there for a number of years, he said.
He said if the caretaker government is successful, "It would be unique because the history of military intervention in any form is almost always bad."
"It is noticeable in Washington that there has been a chorus of concern, especially from think tanks, whether (in Bangladesh) there has been a military takeover in disguise or it is a military rule in disguise," said Milam, who also served as U.S. ambassador to Pakistan adding, " There have been reports of human rights violations and abuse of civil rights."

No dynasty in BNP!

2007-05-26T16:48:00.000-11:00

Khaleda Zia, in the wake of growing demand from inside her party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to put an end to dynastic politics and slice the power of party chief, which Khaleda has been adorning for years, recently claimed she earned the party chief's rank by her merit, in an attempt to refute that she did not inherit it.
People of Bangladesh don't need anyone to explain how little truth the claim has. Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta termed it 'joke of the year'.
The Daily Star also sees facts do not support Khaleda's claim and says so in an editorial, No dynastic politics in BNP?

sycophancy eaten up democracy in both main political parties

2007-05-26T11:41:00.001-11:00

Echoing political analysts and several other politicians of Bangladesh, leaders from two main political parties -- Awami League and BNP -- yesterday said sycophancy over the years destroyed democratic practice in the parties.
As the military-backed caretaker government moves ahead with its political reform agenda, more and more politicians voice their opinion against party chief's supreme power and abuse of that, which, they are saying now, blocked the path of democratic practice inside the party.
It seems two 'Begums', who ruled the years without facing any threat to their position and power, are going to experience something different.
The political parties were so critical about the civil society, when the latter launched a campaign for 'clean candidates' for parliamentary elections which came along with a set of political reform proposal, that they did not fell short of discovering the civil society leaders' ill-motive to go to power themselves. Most of the parties, maybe for the first time, had same tone while castigating the civil society.
Interestingly, people of Bangladesh came to know recently, after the military-backed government cracked down on corrupt politicians, that the political parties also want the reforms.
Read The Daily Star story

"Phantom of the Opera"

2007-05-26T05:14:00.000-11:00

Journalist Julfikar Ali Manik sees a steely resolve behind Bangladesh army chief Moeen U. Ahmed's quiet anonymity to put Bangladesh back on track. "When Bangladesh president Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency and appointed Fakhruddin Ahmed to head the caretaker government in January, his seemingly precipitous actions kicked up a swirl of speculations. Was the military scripting the cataclysmic changes? Or was the upheaval even a prelude to direct army rule? Bangladeshis pondered over these questions, expressed their views in whispers," Julfikar writes in Outlook India." (Read article)
Weeks later, on February 8, that speculative swirl evanesced because of the speech Bangladesh army chief Lt Gen Moeen U. Ahmed delivered at the Bandarban cantonment in the southeastern hills. He confirmed the army's support to the caretaker government. But, he also added, "the army has no intention to take over. We are not even running the government. But we would like to see this government succeed as we want to put the country on the right track through concerted efforts of all". "The general's speech was telecast on most TV channels, providing people a glimpse of the man whose hand now rocks the political cradle of Bangladesh, the swish of whose baton conducts the symphony of tunes emanating from the caretaker government—about eradicating corruption, introducing electoral reforms, punishing those who have looted public money or indulged in terrorism. The immense popular interest in the telecast was as much testimony to the power he wields as to the anonymity he has courted in the nearly two years he has spent as army chief."

"Dhaka's Messy Surgery"

2007-05-26T04:26:00.000-11:00

Himal Southasian magazine fell foul of Bangladesh authorities for carrying an editorial, which said the country was under a military regime, and also for an analysis of the caretaker government actions written by an anonymous writer, both published in the May issue.
And Dhaka ordered the distributors of the publication to remove the report, “The Dhaka Regime’s Messy Surgery" and the editorial, “Khaki politics in Dhaka,” which hold the Bangladesh army responsible for derailing the democratic process and criticise the manoeuvres to send former prime ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina into exile as having longterm effects on democracy, reports Gulf Times.
The Asia Media Forum, with permission from Himal Southasian, published both the article and the editorial.

"Pakistan should apologise to Bangladesh for ‘war crimes’"

2007-05-25T05:20:00.000-11:00

Chairman of Pakistan's Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed demanded that Pakistan comes up with an apology for “the crimes committed against the Bangladeshi brethrens” before and after 1971.
"There is nothing to hide on what happened in 1971. What Pakistan did against Bangalis in 1971 can be well dubbed as a crime instead of mistakes. The world is changing over. Japan apologised to China. Pakistan should also come up with an apology," he said during a joint Pak-Bangladesh media seminar in Islamabad on Monday.
Read The News story

"quashing dissent"

2007-05-25T05:06:00.000-11:00

"The leader of Bangladesh's military coup says he is happy to learn from media criticism, but critics are silenced," writes Timothy Sowula, a volunteer for an indigenous community rights NGO in Bangladesh. "General Moeen U Ahmed, who led Bangladesh's military coup in January and is widely seen to be pulling the strings of the interim government, told journalists earlier this week that he had no wish to enter politics formally, and did not intend to implement martial law.
He also admitted that there had been cases of media intimidation, but called them an "aberration", adding that "the government can learn from its mistakes, if there is any, from media criticism". The paradox is that there is no strong media criticism (because the military have blocked or banned it) so it would appear that the government is not making any mistakes. And so the state of emergency continues, and we all remain none the wiser.
"Bangladesh benefits from an intelligent media, and everyone has an opinion on current affairs. There has been plenty of comment on the proposed mechanisms for holding elections and the internal struggles of the political parties, but criticism of the current military leadership now exists almost solely on the internet. And while there is a passionate and highly dedicated network of blogs, these are nearly all maintained by expatriates, hosted on foreign servers and safe from intimidation but largely ineffectual in terms of proactively influencing debate in their home country. As so few Bangladeshis have access to the internet other than the urban elite, it can not be used as a tool for grass-roots political mobilisation." (Read full commentary)

no chance of military involvement in politics

2007-05-24T06:37:00.000-11:00

As longtime whispers of army's take over or military involvement in politics in Bangladesh go on, army chief Lt. Gen. Moeen U Ahmed Wednesday rejected outright the possibilities, saying the army is not the proper institution to run the government. (Read The Daily Star story)
Menatime, in a major uplift to the hierarchies of the armed forces today, Bangladesh government elevated Moeen U Ahmed to four-star general as it also elevated Navy chief rear admiral Sarwar Zahan Nizam to vice-admiral, air chief vice-marshal SM Ziaur Rahman to air marshal.
Three major generals have also been promoted to lieutenant general while three brigadier generals to major general in the significant move that came 133 days after the military put in position a civilian government when the country was standing on the brink of an abyss.

ex-Bangladesh PM's political secretary jailed

2007-05-21T16:49:00.001-11:00

In the first judgment by any of the special courts set up for quick disposal of corruption cases, Harris Chowdhury, absconding political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was awarded three-year imprisonment for not submitting wealth statement to the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Known for his key role in setting stage for the biggest corruptions, Harris is the first of top
officials of the previous government whom the military-backed Bangladesh government is trying to punish for gross corruptions and plundering public wealth over the years, especially between 2001 and 2006.
Unlike the top politicians from both major political parties -- BNP and Awami League, Harris was smart enough to go into hiding before Bangladesh law enforcement agents could capture him.
Read The Daily Star story
Harris' Rise

Diary: Week Seven

2007-05-21T16:35:00.000-11:00

I joined business section Wednesday (May 16) and went out with a business reporter to cover the annual meeting of Wabtec at Duquesne Club. It did not turned out to be a good story but I had an idea of business farms, although it is not that much big one. I talked with the CEO who said they also supply Bangladesh brake-shoes for trains.
We also talked with a number of traders at Market Square near the famous PPG building to know about business drop as shooting of a movie was going on blocking the streets.
As I was interviewing, I got a sense about trade here.
And I am learning gradually how to interview people from different walks of the American society, which is giving me an insight into American society.
I met an Bangalee businessman, Akhil Mishra from Kolkata, there who, with his wife, runs a shop named 'Giggles'. He came to Pittsburgh 40 years ago.
However, rest two days of the week did not turned out to be very productive as the person who was supposed to assign me my task did not find anyone to tag with or anything to do. I just read business stories these two days.
I was sick Tuesday.

ex-Bangladesh PM's son admits involvement in wholesale corruptions

2007-05-21T15:33:00.000-11:00

Tarique Rahman, eldest son of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia and slain former president Ziaur Rahman, finally admitted to his involvement in large-scale corruption which he blamed largely upon his close friend and business associate Giasuddin Al Mamun.
Reporting this, a vernacular Bangladeshi newspaper, The Manabjamin, printed a signed statement of Tarique given to intelligence agencies on March 12, four days after his arrest on March 8.
Known as 'Mr. 10 percent' for extorting the percentage of money from winners of big work tenders and almost all big trade deals, Tarique, who is also the senior joint secretary general of BNP, one of the Bangladesh's main two political parties which is being headed over the years by his mother, blamed Giasuddin for most of the corruption during the regime of the immediate past BNP-led government. He admitted to having the knowledge of and consent to Mamun's acts and said Mamun had given him a supplementary debit card which he (Tarique) occasionally used to withdraw money from Mamun's overseas bank accounts.
Mamun, who is also in jail awaiting trial and already have admitted to extorting some top businessmen over $1.5m, donated large sums of money towards Tarique's political campaigns after his arrest, Tarique also admitted.
Read The Daily Star story

89 killed in law enforcers' operations in 120 days of emergency!

2007-05-21T04:27:00.000-11:00

Eighty nine people were allegedly killed during operations by law enforcement personnel and 1,75,435 were reported arrested in 120 days since declaration of emergency in Bangladesh (Jan 11), according to rights watchdog Odhikar. Of the 89 killed, 49 were victims of activities (47 in so-called crossfire and two later in hospital after Rab arrest) by the Rab (Rapid Action Battalion ), 23 by police, seven by joint forces, six by the army, three by the navy and one by Department of Narcotics Control personnel. Twelve were police 'crossfire' victims, five allegedly died due to police torture, three shot dead, one died in police custody while two died in hospital after arrest by police. Four were reportedly killed allegedly due to torture by army, one died while trying to escape from the army van while another one died in hospital after arrest by the army. Of the 89, eight were from BNP, four from Awami League, six from Jonojuddho, four from Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP), three from PBCP (Red Flag), two from Biplobi Communist Party, one from New Biplobi Communist Party, two from Gono Mukti Fouz, one from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), three from Sromojibi Mukti Andolon, four from Sarbahara Party, one was a freedom fighter, one an indigenous leader while one was reported as an 'extremist'. Among others were three from Gangchil Bahini, one each from Masim Bahini, Hazi Bahini and Salam Bahini, three suspected firearm smugglers, two alleged muggers, one an alleged gambler, two alleged drug peddlers, 10 alleged dacoits and 17 alleged criminals.

Diary: Week Six

2007-05-12T15:44:00.000-11:00

I had a good week, full of events. Firstly, I was working for the biggest story so far, a feature on Indian mango in the U.S. The government gave importers green signal to import Indian mangoes 18 years after it the passage was blocked due to the authorities worries about pesticide. However, I enjoyed working on this story. As I worked on it through the week, I talked with some top Indian businessmen and got an idea about Indian business community, chain shops here in the U.S. who are mainly involved in mostly Indian products.
The story will come out next Thursday. I went to Duquesne Club with my mentor Greg Victor Thursday to attend the lecture by Ambassador Christopher Hill, head of US delegation to the six-party talks and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Those who went there enjoyed the lecture very much because we cannot not know about
the inside story of the talks otherwise.
I'll be looking for more such programs because, I think, it'll help me get an idea about U.S. foreign policy.
Tonight, I had a good time with Greg, Nik, Peter and Rekha. We went to watch Pittsburgh Pirates' game with Atlanta Braves. The local team lost again, this time 2-9.
It's a total poor performance, they could not establish any sort of dominance over the Braves.
However, it was a very nice weather and we were sitting with other residents of Mt. Lebanon. The kids enjoyed the time very much. The Mt. Lebanon residents came and sat together at one side of the PNC stadium. A portion of the ticket money would go for treatment of two students.
Also this week, I watched Spider 3 at Destinta in Bridgeville with Greg, Rekha, Nik and Peter.

going cricket

2007-05-12T07:15:00.000-11:00

Bangladesh flag is going to fly for the first time in a Pittsburgh cricket ground if everything goes fine till tomorrow. I am going to play in the 2007 cricket league in Pittsburgh which, in fact, begins today. I am not sure, but if I am among the first 12, I'll see my flag flying there at the stadium. "We couldn't fly your flag here as we didn't find any cricketer from Bangladesh. But we hope to do it this time," Shailesh Bokil, captain of our team, Strikers, told me before we began practice Wednesday. I liked this tall Indian man, who is also the chief of Pittsburgh Cricket Association and his deputy Mahesh Nanda not only because they know cricket very well but also because they are nice as human being.
I am joining the team as a medium pace bowler, although there are several very good bowlers. That's the reason I am afraid whether I would find place in the team. haha. Although most of our players are Indians, we have players from Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Scotland. However, I am happy to find Reg Henry, my newspaper's editorial staff and reputed columnist who is the gentleman personification in our team, as a teammate. This Aussie batsman have no lack of enthu even in his late fifties and it is he who helped me feel like home here in Pittsburgh by enrolling me in the team.

North Korea stubborn, negotiators also breached conditions

2007-05-12T05:56:00.000-11:00

It was in the best interest of North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions but the poor country seems unable to realize it, said Ambassador Christopher Hill, head of US delegation to the six-party talks and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Although it was reached upon in an agreement that the negotiators would release $25m from a North Korean bank, which was allegedly allowing money laundering, and provide the country certain quantity of fuel oil, they did not do so. And the country also did not comply with the agreement to stop its nuclear program, Ambassador Hill said on May 10 during the John T. Ryan, Jr. Memorial Lecture at The Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh.
"The country has become a threat to the region, and it is for the interest of the whole world that North Korea abandons the nuclear program...We've assured them of security, which they identified as a major issue," Mr. Hill said as he was giving his presentation on 'North Korea: Behind the Scenes of the Six-Party Talks'.
Founded in 1873, the Duquesne Club, located on Sixth Avenue , has evolved from a fraternity of prominent industrialists into the finest city club in the country.
Surrounded by elegant furnishings and works of art, Benjamin Lombard, a student of Franklin Regional High School, received the 2007 Donald E. Farr Award while Linda Vete, a teacher of North Allegheny Senior High School, received the 2007 George C. Oehmler Award.

the hero in every human being

2007-05-10T13:39:00.000-11:00

Crawling out around you always some seductive spirit to derail you, don't get caught in the web of evil -- cautions Spiderman 3, the dazzling and brilliantly utilized the absolute latest in state-of-the art technology production.
It was a nice bright Saturday when Greg called me out to watch the newly released third part of Spiderman. It was my first dayout to a theater in the U.S.
The rock breaks open, out crawls some cognizant inky-black ooze-thing which eventually creeps onto Peter (Toby Maguire), bringing out the dark, vengeful side of his personality that he is struggling to control. Under the influence of the black suit, he becomes overconfident and starts neglecting people who care for him most. While choosing between the seductive power of the new suit and the compassionate hero he used to be, Peter must overcome the demon in him trying to subdue the goodman in him. The theater, Destinta at Bridgeville, was great with a sound system that perfectly took the sound with its brilliantly composed effects to the audience.
With Peter's good side ending up win over the evil, I, like other audiences, stepped out of the hall more confident. Haha. LET GOOD ALWAYS SUBDUE EVIL.

Diary: Week Five

2007-05-06T17:31:00.000-11:00

Continuing from the preious week, I sat with the online section on the first two days of last week to observe how they opearte during the busy hours, after the afternoon. Sitting beside the man who put to live all the sections on the home page and ensure that all the sections are put to live appropriately: the story, the audios, videos are there and the links and interactive maps working appropriately. He also gives headines and adds one para, to some, stories on the the home page.
As I've mentioned in my training plans, I'm very much interested to learn the whole operation. I learned some techniques of writing headlines, cutting short the ledes, and above all , working under stress.
However, let me make it clear that I didn't going to try to learn the technical things, it's too complex.
Then I started at my base, feature section where my desk is. I was told that I'll be made to remain very busy and I got a story to write which would go on the next magazine issue. It is on Mars Weekend celebration at Carnegie Science Center. You know, I felt home when I started working in the section. The following day, I write an obituary. I don't know why I am growing my interest in writing obituary, I am really getting interested in people more and more. As I am interviewing people, I'm also learning interviewing techniques.

Pirates Jubilation

2007-04-29T11:46:00.000-11:00

It was Pirates’ day, and mine too. It was their third consecutive victory and my first ever experience to watch a baseball game, and at a place not less than the Home of Pirates, PNC Park. It’s surely good luck for a new Pirates supporter, who is learning to love the city, to see the home team finish 3-1. The Pittsburgh Pirates were not ready to let any space to Cincinnati Reds, and simply kept the spectators dancing.
Mascots of the Pirates and the green bird added to audiences' amusement by dancing and shooting hot-dog and T-shirts to different corners. I was simply amazed to see people’s love for the game.
It reminded me how mad people of my country for cricket. Thanks Greg for taking me to the stadium. The fireworks after the match would make the match more memorable. It seemed the whole sky would catch fire any moment.
Watch my videos: * Home of Pirates celebration
* Pirates' victory
Photo: (L) My mentor, Greg Victor, and I posing as the Pirates were preparing to pitch, (R) a Pirates batter -- wearing Jackie Robinson's No. 42 in a show of respect to the baseball great -- hitting a Reds delivery.

being online

2007-04-29T07:28:00.000-11:00

I sat with the breaking news section of our online section whole day Thursday to see how the how it functions in terms of collecting reports from reporters and wire services and uploading those. It is because one of my main goals is to learn how the online section functions because I think digital convergence of newspapers has no alternative.
Prior to sitting with the online section, I attended its morning meetings where the plan about days works to have an idea how the plans are implemented. I was very curious especially about uploading audio clips and blogs on the web page.
Besides observing how he receives inputs from reporters, edits and uploads their items, I also wrote two small stories Thursday and saw those being uploaded. I was amazed to see how fast he edits stories besides sorting dispatches from wire services and PR agencies. The news treatment is also a matter of great curiosity because a number of stories and dispatches are coming.
Another online staff was updating the home page continuously with the uploading of new stories; it’s a totally technical matter. Without understanding that much, I just saw her updating the page in moments and posting photographs as required.
I also saw the online function Friday. I sat beside Mike to see how he uploads interactive map to the web page.
It is very interesting to see how the whole section operates – coordinating with reporters covering different events to get their stories, photo slides, audios and blog inputs at the earliest and uploading those.
The online section is hell of team!
The whole operation is aimed at better serving the readers, the effort is tireless and always seeking innovative and interesting ways. That's why I am so much interested in it.

at the court, first time

2007-04-29T06:28:00.000-11:00

For the first time in my life, I witnessed a jury trial Monday and Tuesday (Apr 23-24). Accused by a 25-year-old mother of two children of rape in August 2005, an around 55-year-old bartender appeared before the Allegheny County Courthouse with his wife and two children. Although I have seen earlier in movies, the expression of the 14-member jury during the testimony of the complainant and the accused as well as of other witnesses amazed me as they sat without making any reaction the whole time.
The testimony of the complainant, who, I think, failed to provide enough evidence for her claim that the man raped her, and the accused, who was quite furious to the investigating police officer and the prosecutor, was very interesting. Saying that they were mutually making advancement to have sex, the man said both of them, when either of them pointed out about his wife’s possible reaction to the matter, refrained from doing so.
Although the complainant was not consistent in her description and time, the man, for the first time, gave a detail description. He termed inexplicable why praised the woman that night, which ultimately led to the advancement, and repeatedly apologized for his betrayal with his wife. This was, definitely, a strong blow for his teenaged son and daughter sitting in the courtroom. Stepping down from the dock, the man apologized before his children, who were crying silently, repeatedly.
On Apr 25, I went to another court where a homicide case for the murder of 16-year-old Carrick High School student Keith Watts, Jr., on March 16, 2005 in which Howard Kelley, 22, and Jheri L. Matthews, 21, of Mount Oliver, and Shawn Wilmer, 24, of Beltzhoover, have been charged for homicide and conspiracy. It is also a jury trial and the jury comprised 14 members
As Mr. Watts was seated in a car with two others about a block from the school, a passenger in a passing vehicle took aim with a semi-automatic assault rifle, killing him and injuring one of his friends, in a hail of gunfire.

county sheriff candidate interview

2007-04-24T04:06:00.000-11:00

Acting Sheriff Bill Mullen, 60, of Banksville and Damon J. Brown, 44, of Greenfield turned up to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette with their own visions to run the office of Sheriff Pete DeFazio, who was first elected in 1997 and resigned on Halloween before pleading guilty to shaking down employees for campaign contributions.
Mullen, who has been serving as acting sheriff since November 2006 reorganized the duties of supervisors and reduced annual budget by $500,000, mostly by cutting overtime besides introducing "Most Wanted" web sites featuring deadbeat parents and violent offenders.
Brown, a trainer of civilian police abroad countries for U.S. State Department, is for more specialized training for deputies, including for hostage, bomb and armed criminal situations. Besides reviewing and revamping emergency contingency plans, he hopes to improve police relations with youngsters through a police athletic league.
After democratic voters in the May 15 primary select from Mullen, Brown, and Anthony Costa, 55, of Swissvale, the winner will square off against lone Republican, Edward J. Kress, 35, of Shaler, in the November general election.

indiana jungle beauties

2007-04-23T14:39:00.000-11:00

I had a great time with jungle beauties at Indianapolis Zoo on Apr 21, kept on clicking, especially of the dolphin show.

to speed and to strive

2007-04-23T04:07:00.000-11:00

Minutes into my coming out of the Indianapolis airport Wednesday (Apr 18), Matt Fox of Indiana Council on World Affairs simply made me happy. “Let’s go to the speedtrack,” deserves no refusal, and I found myself gazing, mesmerized, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This is the track where the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as 'The 500,' is held annually over the Memorial Day weekend. 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' is one of the oldest and richest motorsport events in existence, having the largest attendance and one of the largest radio and television audiences of any single-day sporting event worldwide.
I had more to be surprised. never before we entered the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, he had told me that about 75 vehicles including many which won the race through years are on display. I just kept on clicking my camera as I encountered the beauty of the bygone ages. The museum is recognized as one of the most highly visible museums in the world devoted to automobiles and auto racing.

With my thirst to know more growing, we got on a bus that took us around the the track.
I felt the track, gasoline stations, media station, drivers and visitors' parkway, and even the grasses of the speedway, as if, had something to tell us, as I was listening to a recorded description of the track and the events -- three of separate kind taking place around the year.
Besides there are pre- and post-race traditions that also attract a huge spectators from acorss the globe.

Photos: (L) Cover of Speed Age magazine, showing start of first Indianapolis 500; (R) the media complex

international presentation

2007-04-20T07:25:00.000-11:00

For even a single moment I could not feel how one hour passed by as I was talking on the misdeeds of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats of my country. Mostly elderly persons, the audience at my presentation at Indiana Council on World Affairs wednesday took cues from my speech.
As i was attending their questions, I felt I did not fail to hold my audience's attention throughout the whole presentation. Besides asking about corruption, people's reaction to the rule of a military-backed interim government, the audience was also curious about women empowerment, natural calamities, environmental degradation, religious fanaticism and role of journalists.
While replying, I rediscovered the confidence that spurred me in my worst days to stride ahead. Didn't I bleed inside too when an elderly lady asked me where I got the leadership spirit that made me stand up for my fellow countrymen and clasp to an optimism to dream even under such a darkened sky? Yes, I am rediscovering how much I miss my country, and learning to love it more. I don't know why I get my eyes wet.

studying newspaper

2007-04-16T03:56:00.000-11:00

Last week made me confident: the kind of hesitation and lack of confidence in talking with American people, interviewing them over phone and writing stories after verifying the information are not that hard task to me any more as I first feared and felt. I did not write any major story, only wrote obituaries, made stories from press releases and covered a hearing on Food Stamp program. But these were not at all insignificant.
I thank my mentor and editors here in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette very much because they did not ask me first to come up with big ideas and write major stories. It helped me a lot to get used to talking with people and learn how the newsroom works as they asked me to do these stories. In fact, it was a kickstart that I needed, and my office did not let me worry a little bit about it. I found the stage was already set for me.
I am now quite comfortable with the software the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette uses, and reading our stylebook and getting to learn the newspaper policy. I had to struggle and literally run to escape the chill of cold as there was snowfall and rain last week. I've bought an umbrella but it's certainly of little help to save you from the chill -- either of cold or rain -- when you walk on the bridge and it takes about 10 minutes to cross the river.
Although I had earlier shared with my colleagues my experience as a journalist in Bangladesh and what are going on in Bangladesh now, I had a brown bag lunch Wednesday at my office where i made a presentation on the same topics and took questions from my colleagues. While I am abroad, I am learning more and more about my country.
As the weekend was approaching, i truly felt very good at the thought that I’ll not need to go out in the cold. And my mentor Greg was simply great. Half an hour before I would leave office Friday, he invited me to dinner with his family, and there was no reason for me to miss the chance. Greg, his wife Rekha are very nice me.
Although I had an invitation to newspaper guild dinner Saturday, I didn't feel like attending it as it was very cold. But Greg, his sons Nik and Peter would not let me stay alone. I had a very good time Sunday. Although it was raining, we drove to the downtown, had lunch out there, visited Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning, the largest roman catholic church in Pittsburgh and several beautiful places.
I was otherwise bogged down Saturday and Sunday preparing for my April 18 presentation at Indiana Council on World Affairs. Hope everything will be fine there; I feel a little bit tension because it is my first such presentation.

here i am

2007-04-06T12:29:00.000-11:00

it's my city, it's my home

got my first story published

2007-04-05T05:00:00.000-11:00

I had a sigh of relief when i saw my first story in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It was the first task I was given and I made no mistake. Although it was just an obituary, you know, it is the first impression thing. The city editor just said we do not need to write anything about profession of the dead person's sons and daughters. Bingo, hail Rafael!

first dayout

2007-04-03T09:50:00.000-11:00

Shadowing a senior reporter, I went to Regent Square in the city at 3:30 p.m. today to cover the launch of an overhead pedestrian flasher. It may mean a little to many, but it's the first instance in Pittsburgh that private citizens offered to pay for a traffic safety improvement. And it has a tragic story. Evelyn Wei, 26-year-old scientific researcher at UPMC, was struck and killed by a car when she was crossing Braddock Avenue in the area in January 2004. Her parents, Donald and Yuling Wei represented by Pittsburgh attorney John P. Gismondi, filed a civil suit against city and had rule in their favor in September 2005. The parents and the attorney have even share in the donation of $20,000 for installing the overhead flasher, which the parents along with the city officials activated at 3:35 p.m. it will be dark until activated by a pedestrian wishing to cross the road.
And I feel a bit frustrated that I don't have any part in writing such a 'first ever incident' story. I saw the parents' choked eyes as they were crossing the road after activating the signal. No doubt they'll fail to hold the tears when they are home.

welcome misfortune

2007-04-03T07:38:00.000-11:00

down i fly for the iron city

It’ll definitely be over two hours that my mentor and I had to observe what other people in front of us were doing as we were standing in the cue for getting our boarding passes. And we had our luggage checked before we found a space to let our legs have a refuge. We were, however, happy that we finally were going to get on board the aircraft scheduled to take off at 11:39 a.m. but why would it be so smooth? There was an announcement minutes before we were hoping to be in the air: "US Airways Flight 4635 has been cancelled." I truly felt I would fall on the ground anytime, but my mentor would not let me do so. He is smart enough to work out an alternative quickly, and succeeded: we decided to hire a car and drive all the way to Pittsburgh. After getting our luggages back half an hour later, we started for Pittsburgh, and had dinner with Greg's family in the downtown of the steel city. All the way to Pittsburgh, I just felt it is a beautiful country, and was never tired to mention it. I am sure you're not thinking that I forgot to click a few hundred times. It’s fun.

orientation fun

2007-03-31T06:40:00.000-11:00

isn't it exciting that you see a birth of your self?