Bangladesh IT Roadmap: a report by a true patriot

I found an excellent report on Bangladesh IT published for the public. This excellent piece of work has been done by Mr. Shahzaman Mozumder, Bir Protik. Going through his marvelous write-up, I realized that this person is not a so called expert who is trying to ruin BD IT by his sheer ignorance. Rather, this guy is an intelligent one who knows what he is talking about. You will know the sorry but very expected story of a government bureaucrat not paying heed to his report and later spawning yet another failed government project ( i.e. waste of huge public money). Apart from that, the report, wealthy in statistics and analysis, suggests some very pragmatic moves which are necessary to keep our hope alive. Here is the link:

http://bengalit.blogspot.com

Thousands of protesters are dead in Myanmar

Here is the link:

http://www.gnn.tv/headlines/15563/Burma_Thousands_of_protesters_are_dead

A hilarious news: Donkey eats buyer's money!

A donkey at an Algerian market ate the money of a man who came to buy him, making the unfortunate buyer and the owner wonder who the animal belongs to, an Algerian newspaper reported. Full report here.

A beginning of a new era of telecommunication in Dhaka

Dhaka Phone, a private land phone company, launched its service in Dhaka zone. This ends the monopoly of the most corrupt institution in Bangladesh, BTTB. It is high time to take care of BTTB's hegemony and rescue the management of submarine cable from its evil grip. The full story can be found here:

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=5209

Power Situation Improves Significantly

Load shedding in Bangladesh dropped to 200MW from 1200MW in recent days. In my opinion, it is a miraculous achievement. It was unimaginable during last 5 years. According to this report of The Daily Star, this could be achieved due to proper distribution of responsibility and more authority to engineers and electricians to take instantaneous decisions. This proves that we can also do better with our limited resources and man power. The only thing needed is a corruption free environment which is now provided by current government. I respect for this current government grew more for this achievement. Now, we can only hope that the next democratic government will keep up the good work of this government, not harbor corruption and move the country forward. We need to get rid of corrupted political leaders and their associates in administration. I hope we will achieve that before the next election next year.

Water can be burnt!

This is an exciting discovery. If this can be used then the problem of fuel will be solved for good, the world will be at peace too as wars will not be needed to secure hydro-carbon fuel. The complete story is here:

http://green.yahoo.com/index.php?q=node/1570

Politics in Bangladesh - Comments made By an Expatriate in Bangladesh

I just came across this email in a mail group, thought I should share it with others. Here it goes:

Remarks regarding the former Prime Ministers, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina- Comments made By an Expatriate

Wednesday September 05 2007 20:28:58 PM BDT

Gregor, Bangladesh

As a foreigner I'm a guest in Bangladesh, living in Dhaka since February this year and will do so for a few more years to come. Politics has always interested me very much and so it was only natural that I would follow the development of my host country. What struck me from the very beginning was the hospitality of the people of Bangladesh. I was welcomed with open arms and never experienced anything that could be considered hostile.

The political situation in Bangladesh has an impact not only on the business community but also on the people. Unfortunately the responsibility is not with the caretaker government but with the previous governments, lead by said ladies. It was them who ran the country into turmoil and, to a large extent, destruction. They are responsible for the deteriorating relationship with our neighbors, the energy crisis which leaves millions of people without electricity for the better part of the day and many more ill developments, not to speak about paving the way for corruption, extortion and crime in a never experienced extent.

The same two ladies, who have nothing to their credit except one is the daughter of a famous father, founder of Bangladesh, the other wife of a famous husband, they are now concerned about all sorts of things. These are the same persons that catapulted family members and friends into the highest Government and party positions that deprived the people of Bangladesh of control about their constitutional rights, that lived a very glamorous life and there was nobody and nothing that would limit their lifestyle in any form or shape.

At the same time the overwhelming majority of people live of less then US $ 250 a year, have no air condition (and if they had, no electricity to run them), experience massive transportation problems, waste hours to get from A to B and would have a very limited choice when it comes to buying the needs for every day's life.

And here comes my point: Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have the chutzpa to speak on behalf of the people of Bangladesh.

They pretend to be concerned about the rice price, the catastrophic consequences of this years weather and the many people that died, the political development of the country, democracy, election and many other extremely important issues.

They don't hesitate to address the very basic instincts of the people of Bangladesh, pull every psychological trick in the book just to (mis)lead people to believe they would care, instrumentalize and manipulate the press for their games and to top all of this, make the people believe they'd be victims of a witch hunt.

Now remember, these are the same, identical persons, that had every imaginable comfort, no limits on money, police clearing their way when they needed to use the roads; they snipped the finger and it was done.

My question is: Did they care then? Do they care now? Where and what is their contribution to the flood victims? It is so cynical to misuse the press to fabricate a story, like they would want to go to the victims and console the poor guys. What precisely is it they want?

My answer: They're more worried about losing their privileges and wealth, power and influence than anything else. They're not the least interested in the average Joe's and Jill's on the streets, after all their expensive shoe could get dirty. They want to keep their hands on things and take over and retaliate as soon as emergency law has been lifted.

A simple example shows that no lesson has been learned. Yesterday Khaleda made a comment to the extent that she would appoint a kind of substitute in case she's unable to run the BNP party business. At the same time she complains about lack of democracy. In my understanding a democratic process would be to allow the party member to elect a person. But no, she will appoint someone. Welcome to the democratic new Bangladesh.

I am in no position to advise or lecture you people of Bangladesh. From the bottom of my heart, I feel with you and I'm contributing from my own, private money to make a difference. Although I can't change the country I'd like to remind you of your strength, pride, self confidence and all the other values. Many of you liberated the country and helped to make it independent. Many of you are proud of your language, the Nation and your achievements as individuals and a nation.

They're innocent until proven otherwise! But in every democracy in the world the accused steps down and focuses on the trial or her/his private life. Here they keep manipulating the people, hoping they would probably venture into the streets and cause some headache for the government and the media provides the platform for the spectacle.

Please, liberate yourself from these two ladies. Let justice take it's course and if they're found guilty they should get the same treatment every criminal gets once sentenced. If found not guilty send them into retirement. Bangladesh has many, many talented and strong you women and men, which could lead the country into a golden future.

Thanx for allowing me to express my view, which is very much democratic too.

Kind Regards from a Peoples Friend of Bangladesh

Gergor
Bangladesh
E mail : gregorbd@bol- online.com

DU incident: the true story

http://www.ittefaq.com/get.php?d=07/08/27/w/n_zmkxmq

DU incident: description from a friend's email

I am very busy these days and cannot visit Bangladeshi blogger sites regularly, let alone write one. But recent incidents in DU were inspiring me to write something. When I was thinking to start to write, I received the following group mail from a friend of mine. I think I cannot express my thoughts better than this mail. Here we go:

Day 1: koyekta gadhar baccha NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) DU r koyektar sathe hatahati korlo. As usual, DU r polapain gelo kheipa...army r upor raag to onek diner (otherwise DU te dine e dhoroner hatahati 2-3 ta hoi). Third world coutry te ja hoi, jhamelar shuru te police thengano start kore (obossoi authority order dei, tai). ekhane o holo tai.  polapain aro khepe gelo.

 

Day 2: ok...issue pawa gelo...army camp shoraite hobe. DU r teachers association er moha-manob , jara student derke kapurush howar shikkha dei nai, tarao bollo, army shoraiote hobe, sathe police o. government ki r korbe, jhamela baranor dorkar nai, army camp shorano start hobe raat 8 tar dike. er moddhe polapain r police er moddhe maramari cholse aro koyek dofa. but eto shohoje army camp shore gele hobe naki? amader chatro dol r chatro league er neta ra onekdin dhoirai angula chustese, polapain salam-talam o dei na. eijonno raat 8 tar dike ek group polapain jokhon anando kortese, arek group tokhon nilkhet area te massacre start korlo. Dhaka college er udiyoman protiva ra to ready. New market r nilkhet e open chadabaji bondho bohut din dhore. ektu tight dewa dorkar. Chance to protidin ashe na. ei faak e nilkhet kno, Dhanmondi area te dokan gula aro dami, kach r gari vangar chance 2008 er election er age abar kokhon ashbe, k jane? maximum medhabi rai i obosso chatro na.

 

Day 3: Day 2 raat e ja start hoise, Day 3 te continue hoilo. moja hoilo, DU te police camp thkabena r RU othoba JU te thkabe , eta hoitei parena. Campus hoilo medhabi chatro der jaiga, ekhane boka-choda police er ki dorkar . so, JU r RU r osshonkh komolmoti medhabi ra vangchur start korlo.  Boloto, campus e police er kno dorkar nai? hijack korata ektu shohoj hobe. Oporajeyo Bangla theke Doyel-chottor jaite koijon thek khabe next 1 year e , k jane?

 

Day 4: thanda.

 

Day 5: ekta valo kaj hoise. kisu chatro neta r 4 jon moha-manob re dhoira niya gese. oderke thengaile asha kora jai,kisu info ber hobe.

 

ei government beshi din thakbena, coz amra bangali rai bar bar chutia der kase fire jete chai. shei political baal er alap. asha kora jai, kisu din er moddhei amader sommanito buddhi-jibi shomaj r jagroto chatro jonota mohan netri ebong tader sango-pango der kase desh ke abaar ijara dewar bebostha kore felte parbe.

 

(law enforcement force jokhon petano start kore, tokhon 100 jon er moddhe 40 jon niriho lok mair khai. oi 40 er moddhe amio thakte pari. better oi 100 jon er moddhe jate ami na pori, tar bebostha kora)

At last RANGS building will be demolished

It is a great news to the country. As described by one adviser, this building was the symbol of power misuse in the country. Now that Supreme Court has ordered it to be demolished, the construction work for the road link should be started asap. The top 15 floors will be demolished from Friday but I do not know when the rest will be. I want to see the link road as soon as possible. It will ease the traffic congestion greatly. It is another great job being done by this government. During the last fifteen years, this building only kept growing taller.

Microsoft surface

It will be a great thing when it comes into being. The possibilities are endless. The promotional videos can be seen below:

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

A muslim marine

He originated from Bangladesh, here it the link to the full story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6755589.stm

The least expected from a national leader

This is not expected from a person whose father liberated this country:

From New Nation Online Edition

Front Page
Jt forces search Mokammel's house: Plot to rig polls uncovered
By Staff Reporter
Sat, 9 Jun 2007, 13:41:00

The Army-led Joint Forces have recovered documents on sensational designs to damage image of the country abroad and rig election from the residence of Awami League Advisory Council member Mokammel Haque recently.

Informed sources said the documents include copies of Sheikh Hasina's letter to US President George W Bush and the Embassy of the Netherlands, the party's election planning, including a design for polls tampering, and names of partisan bureaucrats in the administration as well as their party affiliations.

Sheikh Hasina sent her letter to the US President on January 9 this year. Mokammel Haque drafted the letter, which was fianlised by the AL President herself.

Contents of Sheikh Hasina's letter to the US President were full of elements damaging the country abroad. Contents of the letter were arranged in such a way that it could manoeuvre the Bush Administration in line with the AL.

The same letter was handed over to the Netherlands Embassy with a view to influencing its government to fuel anti-Bangladesh campaign in the Europe.

The documents recovered from Mokammel's residence also included names of persons, whom the Awami League (AL) wanted to appoint as Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commissioners and officials, whom the party wanted to occupy the civil and police administrations, including crucial Secretaries and the IGP, the DCs and SPs, during the January 22 stalled elections.

Besides, there were names of pro-BNP and pro-Jamaat bureaucrats, whom the AL wanted to purge from civil and police administrations before the elections.

The documents show that 80 per cent of the reshuffles carried out during the Caretaker Government headed by President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed were done on the basis of the AL design and as per its list of names.

In addition to that the papers recovered from Mokammel's residence includes names of 44 pro-BNP and pro-Jamaat officials, who attended the much-talked about meeting at the residence of former Chairman of the Board of Investment. The AL had sent this list to the higher level of the Caretaker government.

A file recovered from his residence, contains description of 22 government plots, which Mokammel Haque manoeuvred to allocate in favour of his family and relatives abusing his position when he was a Secretary.

Another file contains paper-cuttings of stories published in different newspapers about his corruption.

Intelligence agencies traced the existence of these documents on Sunday through tapping cell phone of Mokammel Haque, when he was asking his Private Secretary from London to shift those from his residence to one of his friend's house.

The Joint Forces immediately raided his residence at flat no 403, House no 20, Road no 62 at Gulshan-2 and recovered these documents.


© Copyright 2003 by ittefaq.com

http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/printer_36712.shtml

A timely remider

Editor Motiur Rahman wrote a good article on Tarek Zia. He must not be pardoned. Here is the link:

http://www.prothom-alo.org/index.news.details.php?nid=NzM5Ng==&PHPSESSID=c4dda7c6090ea871b38fbe89602aeba0

Shafi Sami & C.R.P.

http://www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/Arif-Jebtikblog/28712437

Joke of the year!

According to the Daily Janakantha, the joke of the year is - there is no existence of dynastic politics in BNP. This joke is made by Khaleda Zia. Either she seriously wanted to make fun or she still thinks people of Bangladesh are all fools. In the later case, the fool is no one but herself. The Daily Star news is here.

Radio Nakhojabad

From a friend of mine:

Citycell

Mobile phone operator CityCell is making about Tk 360 crore a year illegally, according to regulatory officials. A 12-hour raid on the company headquarters in the capital Wednesday produced evidence for the BTRC officials to claim CityCell, majority-owned by former foreign minister M Morshed Khan, was making at least one crore a day using illegal VoIP connections.

For more, visit http://media.bdnews24.com
Full contents on this site open to all at 2am (BdST) (8pm GMT)

Source: http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=4&id=7925#tp7925

Once, citycell was the only mobile company which was hundred percent owned by Bangladeshis. But I could never like this company because of its excessive greed. Former foreign minister M. Morshed Khan earned, I should rather say extorted, a lot of money when it was the only mobile company in Bangladesh. Each connection with a handset costed more than one lakh at that time. The coverage area was only gulshan and some part of its surrounding area. It was clearly a blackmail. Years after years they went on like this, they had no intention of enlarging their coverage area nor lowering the price. They were happy with what was going on. After GP, Aktel and Sheba telecom (now Banglalink) came, there monopoly was decimated. Though, as a Bangladeshi, I should have wanted the best for their business, because of their earlier nasty business practice and crooked owners I wanted the demise of this company. Today another dark chapter of this company is revealed which just validates my stance against them.

An example to follow

The education ministry adviser's wife, who is a government professor of economy, could not get a posting in Dhaka. The adviser did not abuse his power to do anything about it. How many times did it happen during BNP/AL (two sides of same coin) ruling in Bangladesh? I should better ask, how many times did it happen in the entire history of Bangladesh? I hope and pray that once an elected government comes to power, at least some of the people will follow this wonderful example.

http://www.shamokal.com/details.php?nid=60796

Biman

At last Biman is shaking up. The excessive manpower must be trimmed. The profitable flights like Dhaka-NY must be restarted. And to assert that Biman is not a place for easy corruption, Said Iskander must be caught by ACC.