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BICN 4 - 17 May 2000

Volume 3 Number 16

IN THIS ISSUE

+News & Announcements 

-- String Quartet of the Calcutta Foundation Orchestra Plays Dhaka -- 

-- The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Living in a Borderland - New Book -- 

-- Expatriate Games - New Book -- 

-- Bangladesh Sociological Association conference "South Asia in the New Millennium: Towards a New Social Order" -- 

-- An Item for Londonis & Those Who Phone Them: New Phone Codes for London --

+This Issue's Sponsors

-- Apartment To Let, Large Luxury Four Bedrooms in Gulshan -- 

-- Expats & Bangladeshis, Plan for a Sound Financial Future Now with Sovereign -- 

-- Badhon, The Largest Matchmaking Agency in Bangladesh --

+Events Calendar, Dhaka & Beyond

+Webby! 

-- You Don't Have Mail: Dhaka ISP bdmail.com Email Service Hacked -- 

-- PovertyNews: New discussion group on poverty alleviation & development -- 

-- Just What We Need (?): Talking Email --

+Non-Commercial Advertisements 

-- PERSON WANTED: With A Sense of Humor & Visa for India -- 

-- HELP WANTED: Teachers for Grace International School -- 

-- AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT: Cook/bearer & Ayah/bearer -- 

-- FOR SALE: Exercise Bicycle For Sale -- 

-- FOR SALE: Personal Household Articles -- 

-- ITEM WANTED: 2nd Hand Computer Monitor --


BICN is published first & third Wednesdays September to May from Dhaka Bangladesh by Sara Bennett. To SUBSCRIBE, email subscribe@bicn.com 

BICN welcomes your community event announcements, personal classified ads, letters to the editor, short articles - all appear FREE. Commercial advertisements appear for a small fee.

Next issue submission deadline Tue 16 May 2000. Email items to  news@bicn.com


NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

-- String Quartet of the Calcutta Foundation Orchestra Plays Dhaka --

The Calcutta Foundation Orchestra is a socio-cultural organization set up to reach out to the under-privileged and weaker sections of Calcutta's society. Its objectives are to help the needy, to search for talent amongst the young and the not-so-fortunate and to nurture these talents in the field of orchestral music.

The CFO string quartet played a concert on 29 April 99 at American International School/Dhaka, followed by class visits the following day. Financial support was provided by the AIS/D Parent-Teacher Association.

The CFO-Dhaka connection originated with an Internet search by Dhaka expat parent Theresa DelNinno for a string instructor to teach her family's cellists. Now, CFO alumni Philip Hazra is well-established in Dhaka teaching violin and cello to a growing number of students.

Next year, CFO plans to send a string ensemble to Dhaka three times, in the fall, winter, and spring. The dates of these visits will be finalized within a few days and the process will begin of booking concerts, recitals, demonstrations, classes, etc. In keeping with CFO's practice in Calcutta, these will include free tickets and special performances for slum school students, street kids, etc.

Please drop a line to news@bicn.com if you might be interested in a CFO string ensemble at your school, public event, hotel, restaurant, or private function during the upcoming 2000-1 concert season. There will also be opportunities for Dhaka musicians and other performers to appear with the CFO. There will be a need for event volunteers and sponsors as well - please email news@bicn.com if you would like to be kept informed about any of these activities.

-- The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Living in a Borderland – New Book --

By Willem van Schendel, Wolfgang Mey and Aditya Kumar Dewan. Bangkok: White Lotus, 2000. 325 pp; 418 photographs; ISBN 974-8434-98-2. List price USD50.

>From the publisher: "The Chittagong Hill Tracts - the borderland between Burma, India and Bangladesh - are inhabited by twelve distinct ethnic groups with strong cultural and linguistic links with Southeast Asia. The three specialist authors of this unique book assembled more than 400 mostly unpublished photographs, many in colour, from over 50 private collections.

" 'The Chittagong Hill Tracts: Living in a Borderland' introduces the reader to the remarkable cultural variety and modern transformations of this little known region bridging Southeast Asia and South Asia. At the same time it explores how, from the 1860s to the late twentieth century, photographers have portrayed the Chittagong Hill Tracts and their inhabitants. These photographers were both outsiders (travellers, officials, missionaries, anthropologists, development workers) and local people capturing their own world as they saw it.

"The 20 chapters include: Creating a Colonial Aristocracy, The Public Display of Power, Images of Nature and Destruction, Religions of the Hills, Bodies and Costumes, Developing the Hills, and Lifestyles. "

To order online, visit http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/9748434982/o/qid=957370980/sr=2-1/0  02-8137184-1532266

Bangladesh edition: University Press Ltd. Dhaka. ( URL http://www.uplbooks.com ) will be publishing Bangladesh editions of this book in English and Bengali. Email books@bicn.com to request a copy for local delivery by Mr Kashem when they become available.

-- Expatriate Games – New Book --

>From Mark Trenowden ( trenbren@aol.com ): "I was posted in Dhaka May 1995 to April 1997. I have written a book about my experiences which is due to be published in May 2000. Details of my book can be found at http://www.btintenet.com/~cricketboy/expat.htm . "

"A true story of the hardships, frustrations and fun experienced by a foreigner setting up home in Bangladesh, where making a simple telephone call is a ten-act drama and, blighted by a lethargic, bureaucratic environment, every day has its stresses. Whether you are a seasoned expat, soon to be posted abroad or just an armchair explorer, there will be plenty to entertain, terrify, and amuse you here. 270pp. 198x129mm. Paperback."  Expatriate Games,' Trenowden M, GBP12.99, ISBN: 0754111016

[If you read this book and feel so inclined, please send your comments or a review to news@bicn.com . - Ed.]

-- Bangladesh Sociological Association conference "South Asia in the New Millennium: Towards a New Social Order", Dhaka 15-17 June --

This will be BSA's second international conference and biennial meeting in Dhaka. Papers in English or Bangla are invited in sociology and allied disciplines including anthropology, economics, politics and history. The following major themes are preferred: social order and change; cultural change and modernity; state, politics, governance and corruption; gender, population, health and sustainable development; globalisation and its impact; poverty and social exclusion; state of sociology in South Asia and its future role. Abstracts of <250 words are due 30 Apr [I realize this is past but if you are quick maybe they would still accept - Ed.], and completed papers 7 June. BSA may be able to reimburse travel from other South Asian countries in a few cases. Email inquiries to S. Aminul Islam at aminuls@citechco.net  .

-- An Item for Londonis & Those Who Phone Them: New London Phone Codes --

As of midnight 22 April, area codes for (some?) London phones changed, for example:

0171 became (020)7 followed by the current seven digit number 0181 became (020)8 followed by the current seven digit number

The first "0" is (still) not dialled when calling from overseas.

Beyond these two examples, you're on your own – the above is the extent of my information on this topic!

THIS ISSUE'S SPONSORS

-- Apartment To Let, Large Luxury Four Bedrooms in Gulshan --

Luxury apartment, four bedrooms and four bathrooms, 3300 square feet, on the third floor of the Concord Panorama Apartments, 51/54 Gulshan Road, Apt. 305. Unit features include:

-All foreign fittings -Central gas geyser -Attached maid's room and toilet. -Underground parking space -Available now

The complex has 24-hour security and lift service.

For more information, please email hzaman@worldbank.org or phone owner Mrs Zaman in Dhaka at +880(2)8616576 between 9am and 10pm.

-- Attention Expats & Bangladeshis - Plan for a Sound Financial Future Now --

Your time abroad represents the perfect opportunity to

1. Utilize your tax status 

2. Maximize your returns on your savings & investments 

3. Plan for a sound financial future

Sovereign is an international financial consultancy firm represented in Bangladesh by Peter Doran, senior consultant and portfolio manager based in Bangkok. He will be visiting Dhaka the last week of April, and he can meet privately with you to provide free confidential advice on such matters as:

-Pension planning 

-Education fee planning 

-Multi-currency mortgages 

-Regular contribution saving plans 

-Lump sum investments 

-Offshore banking 

-Portfolio management 

-Financial planning 

-Offshore companies and trusts

For a no-cost appointment with Mr. Doran in Dhaka last week of April, email sovereign@bicn.com or contact Mr. Doran by fax or telephone as follows:

Before Fri 21 April: Bangkok fax +66(2)631-1556, tel +66(2)631-2047

>From Fri 21 April to Sat 29 April: Dhaka tel/fax +880(2)882-2148

Sovereign also has offices in Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo - email sovereign@bicn.com for more information or to make an appointment.

-- Badhon, The Largest Matchmaking Agency in Bangladesh --

Now you can find your match through the Badhon on-line database! If you are fed up with the tiresome process of 'arrangements' for finding a match, try Badhon. We have been offering matchmaking services in Bangladesh for the last five years. For more information, check out www.badhon.com , email us at badhon@bdonline.com , or call us at 8916966, 8918851 (Uttara branch), 9331198, or 9342254 (Dilu Road branch).

EVENTS CALENDAR, DHAKA & BEYOND

All events are in Dhaka unless otherwise noted. Entry to some events is restricted eg to members - contact the organizers for information.  Have an event for the Calendar?  Email it to news@bicn.com by Tues 16 May 2000.

-- Early May Events

Thu 4 May: SAARC Fashion Pageant. 730pm Hotel Sonargaon, organized by the SAARC Women's Association. Dinner & dance follow the show.

Fri 28 Apr-4 May: "Mandi - Dying Rituals", a photography exhibition by Shameem Hasan at Alliance Francaise. 9am-noon & 5-8p Sunday-Friday, closed Saturday. Email alliance@vasdigital.com .

29 Apr-8 May: Solo Exhibit, Abdus Shakoor, DD Art Gallery, House CEN(B)20, Road 99, Gulshan. 10am-8pm daily.

30 Apr - 7 May, London: Week Long " Bangladesh Film Festival" organised by Rainbow Film Society at Genesis Cinema, Mile End Road, London-E1. For ticket/invitation & more information email MK0301@aol.com  or RainbowFS@aol.com  Films to be screened: Suprovat by Kabir Anwar, Onna Jbon by Sheikh Niamot Ali, Abdar by Shuvash Datta, Golapi Ekhon Traine by Amjad Hussain, Chitra Nadir Pare by Tanvir Mokammel, Ekhoni Shomoy by Abdullah Al Mamun, Banglar Bodhu by A.J.Mintu, Siphahi by Kazi Hayat, Emiler Goenda Bahini by Badal Rahman, Dipu Number Two (Sub-Title) by Murshedul Islam, Muktir Gan by Tareq / Kathrine Masud

Fri-Sun 5-7 May: "Do You Believe in Fairy Tales?" Adult musical comedy At the BHC Club, 8:00pm snacks & punch, show at 8:30pm. Tickets Tk500 at the BHC, all proceeds to CSKS (NGO working with street children).

Fri-Sun 5-7 May: Bengal Studies Conference, 34th Meeting, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. See http://www.uwosh.edu/bengal/  , email khan@uwosh.edu  .

5-18 May: 2nd Solo Painting Exhibition of Pintu Islam. Open daily 9am-12 noon and 5-8pm at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, 26 Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi. Email alliance@vasdigital.com 

Sat 6 May: United Nations Women's Association (UNWA) meeting. All full members invited to vote on a revised constitution. 10am Haveli Restaurant, Gulshan Ave. Proxy voting forms available if unable to attend. Email unwa@bicn.com .

Sun 7 May: Dhaka American Women's Club annual spring farewell member's tea and Board elections. Email dawc@bicn.com .

Wed 10 May: United Nations Women's Association (UNWA) general meeting. 7.30pm British High Commission Club. Talk on "25 years of travel in Bangladesh with Sue Headlam." Coffee and dessert. Chandraghona fabrics and goods on sale. Email unwa@bicn.com .

Sun-Tue 14-16 May, Oslo: European Network of Bangladesh Studies Sixth Workshop, "Bangladesh - Changing Identities and Economic Transformation". Website http://www.bath.ac.uk/Centres/CDS/enbs.htm  .

Mon 15 May: United Nations Women's Association (UNWA) newcomers' tea. 3.30pm. Email unwa@bicn.com  .

Tue 16 May: Deadline to submit items for next issue of BICN. Email news@bicn.com  . **NB Next issue will be the last before summer break. Publication resumes Weds 6 Sep 00.**

Tue-Fri 16-19 May: Dhaka Stage presents Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water", AIS/D auditorium 7:30 pm. Tickets will be Tk 350, available soon at AIS/D, American Embassy, BHC, Bagha Club, and the International Club. Don't miss this hilarious comedy about embassy life. Email arussell@ais-dhaka  .

Wed 17 May: National holiday, Buddha Purnima.

-- A Little Later On

Sat 20 May: United Nations Women's Association (UNWA) outing to a garment factory. 10am. Email unwa@bicn.com  

Fri 26 May: Dhaka American Women's Club Cabaret Night. Dinner, show, and disco Tk750 adult, Tk400 child under 12, disco only Tk300. Tickets availability about 2 weeks prior at the American Club and possibly other venues. Email dawc@bicn.com .

27-28 May, Chicago USA: 5th North America Bangla Literature & Culture Convention. Assembly Hall Auditorium, Illinois State Building, 9am to midnight. Admission, both days $20, one day $15. Dance, drama, music, video clips, seminars and workshops. Email ektara_2000@yahoo.com or call 847-490-0036 / 847-673-6353.

Mon 29 May: United Nations Women's Association (UNWA) monthly lunch at Young Bin Kwan. 12.30pm. Email unwa@bicn.com .

5-7 Jan 2001, New Orleans LA: "Efficiency vs. Equity: Emerging Issues in Capital and Labor Markets in Bangladesh", Association for Economic and Development Studies on Bangladesh (AEDSB) conference. AEDSB invites authors in all disciplines to submit papers; submission deadline 1 June 2000. For more info, email khan@uwp.edu  or mkhef@uno.edu

WEBBY!

-- You Don't Have Mail: Dhaka ISP bdmail.com Email Service Hacked --

If you have been sending email recently to anyone with an email address "@bdmail.net" at the Dhaka ISP bdmail.net, you may want to check if they are receiving your messages. Apparently bdmail.net's email service was severely hacked within the last week or so, and as of Monday at least the problem was not yet solved.

-- PovertyNews: New discussion group on poverty alleviation & development --

PovertyNews is a discussion group about poverty and development projects in developing countries. The list will accept all kinds of news, information and materials about the poverty situation in Third World countries. PovertyNews is intended for people who are interested in international development and poverty alleviation issues.

PovertyNews themes will include the following:

o general poverty issues 

o economic development in Third World countries 

o social and political development of Third World countries 

o gender and women empowerment 

o agriculture and natural resource management 

o food security 

o healthcare and family planning 

o education, especially girls education in Third World countries 

o governance and capacity development o corruption issues in governments of poor countries 

o capacity building of local NGOs, cooperatives and grassroots organizations 

o development projects in third world countries in the above fields 

o news of research studies and projects on any of the above.

PovertyNews will be useful to people/professionals involved in poverty alleviation, community development, gender, health, food security, natural resource management, agriculture, education, governance and institution capacity building, poverty research, project consulting, etc.

To join, send an email to povertynews-subscribe@egroups.com  

-- Just What We Need (?): Talking Email --

Now you can send a talking email - strangely this involves talking into a phone, not your computer. Here's how it works: go to

http://vsnetcall.vstream.com/index2.asp [no longer online]

and sign up. Then provide the email address of the person to whom you want to send a talking email. You will be provided with a telephone number (free 800 number if you are in the US or Canada, a US area code 303 number otherwise) and a code. Call the number, enter the code, speak your message, and away your talk goes to the email address you provided.

If you are in the US or Canada and want to try this out on me ( news@bicn.com ), go ahead. [If you want a reply, do you have to include your email address in the spoken message? Beats me.]

NON-COMMERCIAL CLASSIFIED ADS

-- PERSON WANTED: Person With A Sense of Humor & Visa for India --

Companion/Co-Driver for overland mini-expedition to Sikkim by Land Rover between 11 - 18 May 2000. The aim is to go north to Phodang, and beyond if possible to the hot springs of the Yumthang valley. If interested, please contact Gareth Derrick on 8829674 (after 28th April) or e-mail derrick@citechco.net 

-- HELP WANTED: Teachers for Grace International School --

Grace International School is a multi-cultural Christian School teaching English National Curriculum to expatriate children from 32 countries.

The school is seeking applications for a Reception Teacher and two Primary School Teachers. The candidates sought are enthusiastic, committed Christians who have appropriate qualifications and preferably two years' teaching experience, for posts in 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. Package includes ....

· 2 year contract 

· Airfare 

· Accommodation 

· Living Allowance

For further details of the teacher package and an Application Form contact Andrew Gordon, Principal, phone/fax: +880(2)881-0088 email gisdhaka@citechco.net  .

-- AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT, Cook/bearer & Ayah/bearer --

Our cook/bearer Nickil is looking for a new family to spoil now that we are leaving Bangladesh. He cooks American, European and Asian dishes and is always willing to try new recipes. He is aware of hygiene and attentive to household needs - the cookie jar is always full, the kid's special lunch treat, seasonal fresh fruit on the table. He is trustworthy and reliable (never late or missed a day during his time with us) and always stays until work is done. He works Monday through Saturday, does the ironing, and helps out with housework when needed. He is very kind, great with kids and pets, and works as an excellent team with Martina. He lives nearby to the Baridhara/Gulshan/Banani area with his wife and son. Available early June.

Our ayah/bearer Martina takes care of all our housework and looks after our 10 year old. She does all washing and cleaning, takes care of the pets (dog and cats), and works as part of a team with Nickil. She is reliable, trustworthy, and discreet. Martina needs a live-in situation, and has all her own furnishings for her room. She works Monday through Saturday, is pleasant and has never missed a day. Available early June.

Further information, email whittles@bangla.net 

-- FOR SALE: Exercise Bicycle For Sale --

Tunturi Executive Ergometer, for Tk. 9,000/- only. Hardly used. Available for inspection. Email amenali@bangla.net  .

-- FOR SALE: Personal Household Articles --

Leaving the country soon. Passbook items available: like new Kawai Pian; two air conditioners (General A/C 24,000 and BT18,000 BTU); Kelvinator Gas Cooker. Non-passbook items: washing machine (National, like new); refrigerator (Samsung like new); five ceiling fans; automatic gas water heater (Tropica 40 Gal) ; one exercise machine (treadmill plus); two-piece China cabinet (like new); two wooden bookshelves ( one with glass front); dining table with six chairs; two coffee tables; two wooden desks ( with drawers); dressers/mirror; one sofa set (3 piece ) with side tables; cane furniture ( one sofa set, eight chairs, two beds with side tables); two satellite dishes with a tuner. We are located in Baridhara. Email gounderp@citechco.net 

-- ITEM WANTED: 2nd Hand Computer Monitor --

Looking for a second-hand monitor for PC desktop. If you have such an item to sell or give away, please contact Armand Rousselot at e-mail Arousselot@iom or tel 011 868801.


+Visitors to BICN website since inception (Apr 98): 26,022 (2447 in the last month). BICN ezine subscribers: 660 (+38 in the last month)

+Personal classified ads and community organization and event announcements appear FREE. Advertising rates apply to other items. Discounts available for small businesses, advertising packages, etc. Contact news@bicn.com .

BICN Fans - support BICN by using these links for your online shopping:

Barnes&Noble (books, magazines, music, software) http://bn.bfast.com/booklink/click?sourceid=32390&categoryid=homepage 

TravelNow (discount worldwide car/plan/hotel/train bookings) http://www.travelnow.com/index.html?cid=2341 

EthnicGrocer (ethnic groceries, cookbooks, etc.) http://bicn.com/fwd/fwd2ethnicgrocer.htm 

Click to recommend BICN to your friends: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=470603