BICN 22 Feb - 7 Mar 2001
Volume 4 Number 12
From the Editor
Late, Late, Late
What IS Going to Happen in 2004?
Letters to the Editor
Feature Article
Formation of a Bangladesh Caucus (USA): How You
Can Help
This
Issue's Sponsors (Commercial Ads)
Effective Bangla Language Center (EBLC)
Community Announcements
Roundtable at Columbia University
NY: Bangladesh: Promise and Performance, Tue 6 Mar
Wanted for Street Children's Party,
Sun 18 Mar BAGHA Club
Looking for Photos of Ricksha Art Showing Foreign
Elements
Events Calendar, Dhaka & Beyond
Webby!
WSO.NET: What A Great Bunch of Guys (Guy? Girl?)
Non-Commercial Advertisements
Subscription, Advertising, & Other Details
Next issue submission deadline Tue 6
Mar 2001.
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/ news@bicn.com )."
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From the Editor
Late, Late, Late
Sorry to be so late with this issue.
Just procrastinatin' I guess. That plus the exTREMELY slow Internet access,
since that cable in the Pacific got cut (???????) I guess.
Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I like to do the
newsletter late at night, but the mosquitoes have made my office a no-go zone???
If you live in Dhaka, you know what I'm talking about.
But seriously:
What *IS* Going to Happen in 2004?
It's common knowledge and in the news of late that as of 2004, Bangladesh
will face a serious economic challenge, with the end of the current trading
regime for ready made garments (ie expiry of the "Multifibre
Agreement" or MFA). RMG earns 70 per cent of BGD's export income, and
employs in >2500 factories over 1.5 million persons, of which 90% are women.
The employment of so many young women in this sector has had profound social
impacts.
I have yet to read the authoritative analysis of the implications of 2004 for
Bangladesh (if there is such a reference and you can direct us to it, please do;
if it is on the WWW, it has so far eluded me; and that's saying something).
Call me an ex-Rust Belt Girl: born and bred in Cleveland Ohio, which boomed
in the 1960s and 1970s and then in the early 1980's recession saw most of the
automotive and related factories padlock their gates, leading to a net outflux
of 25% of the metropolitan area population (that's a LOT of empty houses,
folks).
So. Whatever experts are thinking about the economic and financial
implications for Bangladesh of the end of the MFA regime, I feel this kind of
queasy concern when I think about the potential social impacts of 2004 will be.
In plain English: what will happen to all those young girls and their
dependents, if there is sudden massive termination of employment in RMG? If
indeed that is what is going to happen: I'd like to hear the arguments for and
against that scenario. In this brave new world of free markets, is any sort of
social adjustment assistance on the cards for displaced workers and their
families?
Yikes ... or not?
Letters to the Editor
Date: 14 Feb 01
Subject: The Angkor Wat
It might be of interest to readers to know that the Paharpur monastery in
northern Bangladesh is believed to have been the prototype for later Buddhist
structures in other parts of Asia, including the Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Sylvia Mortoza
Date: 14 Feb 01
Subject: Hartals
Hi Sara,
Last four days we are suffering hartal. Couldn't move around. Winter is our
high season but can not run business at all for such economical suicide. We are
really loosing. What happened to our people? I think our politicians are
responsible for this. They are cheat, cunning. Strange country, Strange people.
What do you think? I am very very upset. . . .
Both govt & opposition are equally responsible and they are just playing
with us. Hartal represents a cruel punishment of regular working people who are
trying to make a living and build a prosperous Bangladesh. The politicians who
are involved do not have the country's best interests at heart.
Didar
Chittagong
Feature Article
Formation of a Bangladesh Caucus (USA): How You Can Help From The
Bangladeshi-American Foundation, Inc.
Dear Friends of Bangladesh,
We request your help in encouraging your Congressional Representative and the
two Senators to support the establishment of The Bangladesh Caucus. The Caucus
will deepen bilateral relations between the two countries, help to promote trade
and investment, and also increase your representation in the United States
Congress as a taxpayer.
You can help directly by contacting your elected officials and by encouraging
others to do likewise. To help you in your effort, we describe below how you can
contact your Representative and Senators. Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY07) is
taking the initiative to form a Congressional Bangladesh Caucus. We will work
with Senators also to have a similar Senate Bangladesh Caucus.
Please send an e-mail, make a call or send a letter urging your
Congressperson/Senators to take action. We are also including a draft letter
that you may edit and mail.
We thank you most sincerely for your effort.
Office of Communications The Bangladeshi-American Foundation, Inc.
WWW.Bangladeshi-American.Org
More info: email Rashad Chowdhury at Probashiusa98@hotmail.com
]
To get the e-mail and phone particulars of your House Representative and your
two Senators:
Step 1: Open Internet Explorer or Netscape and go to http://Congress.org
Step 2: Place the cursor and fill in your zipcode under "Elected
Officials" and click "Search".
Step 3: The photographs of the President, your two Senators and your House
Representative are displayed. Click on each picture in turn to get the phone
numbers and/or email address
Please copy your email to Probashiusa98@hotmail.com
so we can also monitor
the level of public support.
Draft Email :(This is a sample, you can edit the content to express your
views)
Dear Honorable ___,
As a member of you Constituency, I request you to support the establishment
of the Bangladesh Caucus to recognize and deepen the long established friendship
between the United States and Bangladesh. Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY07) is
taking the initiative to establish this Caucus.
Bangladesh, with United States support, has made excellent progress in
poverty alleviation through micro credit and population control that has been an
example to other developing countries. Increasingly, the relationship has grown
into one based on trade and investment. Moreover, as the largest Muslim country
with a working democracy, Bangladesh needs our support through increased trade
and investment to sustain and deepen democratic practices and principles.
As a community, Bangladeshi-Americans are relatively new but our number is
increasing rapidly. We are professionally and financially well established, and
we are making significant contributions to the wider society. As of end-2000, we
numbered about 230,000. Census office data show that our community is mostly
concentrated in medicine and university-level teaching. We are significantly
above average in terms of educational and professional achievements and
household incomes. Detailed statistical information is available at www.Bangladeshi-American.org
[no longer online].
Bangladeshi-Americans are very well organized too, because of our historical
experiences -- in 1952, Bangladeshis had to organize to defend the right to use
our mother tongue and, in 1971, they had to organize to fight for their
Independence from Pakistan. Reflecting these experiences, we have about 250
organizations throughout the USA serving the cultural, social and professional
needs of our community.
With our high professional and financial achievements, and organizational
strength, we are increasingly rallying for strengthening and deepening trade,
investment and friendship between the United States and Bangladesh.
I request you to join the Bangladesh Caucus. It will help to foster
friendship, bilateral investment and trade between the two countries.
Respectfully yours,
[your name]
This
Issue's Sponsors (Commercial Ads)
Effective Bangla Language Center (EBLC)
A new Bangla language center in Banani with a grop of the most experienced
instructors. We promist to make your life easier in Bangladesh. Courses are
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+Course 1, Survival Bangla - 20 2-hour sessions focusing on speaking and
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and religious aspects
+Special course for diplomats
+Crash course in spoken Bangla specially designed for Western children
+Intensive course & individual instruction tailored to students' needs
All instructors are former senior staff of HEED Language Center, each with
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Email bangla@bicn.com,
include your name & telephone number.
School Opening Hours: 8:30am to
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Address: House 16/A, Road 25/A,
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Hotline: 017678547
Evenings after 7pm: 802, 8129299,
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Fees: One-time registration Tk1000.
One month course fee Tk5500. Hourly rate Tk350. Book Tk200.
Community Announcements
Roundtable at Columbia University NY: Bangladesh: Promise and Performance,
Tue 6 Mar
Please join us in the round table discussion and book party on the 6 Mar
where you will be able to meet others interested in Bangladesh studies.
Regards,
Rounaq
southasia@columbia.edu
Tuesday March 6
Round table 3-5pm, followed by a
reception 5-6pm
Room 1501, School of International
and Public Affairs, 420 West 118 St., New York, NY
The Southern Asian Institute, Columbia University, The Society For
International Law And Politics In International Affairs (Silpia), Columbia
University, and Palgrave/St. Martin's Press, invite you to a round table
discussion and reception to celebrate the publication of, "Bangladesh:
Promise and Performance," edited by Rounaq Jahan, (London: Zed Books and
Dhaka: University Press Ltd, 2000).
Selected authors and others will participate in the discussion using the book
as a point of departure to highlight some of the key challenges facing
Bangladesh today:
- Democratic governance
- Civil society participation and accountability
- Human security
- Women's rights
- Sustainable development
Round table speakers will be:
- Professor Rehman Sobhan, Chairperson, Center for Policy Dialogue,
Bangladesh: Democratic Governance
- Professor Harry W. Blair, Rutgers University: Civil Society Participation
and Accountability
- Ms Adrienne Germain, President, International Women's Health Coalition:
Human Security/Women's Rights
- H.E. Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Permanent Representative of
Bangladesh to the United Nations: Sustainable Development
- Professor Rounaq Jahan, Columbia University (Moderator)
Please contact Ezra Kover for more information by phone at 854-5514 or email
at ek527@columbia.edu
Wanted for Street Children Party, Sun 18 Mar BAGHA Club, 9:30a-4:30 p
Wanted:
- Old towels for the children to dry themselves after their swim
- Clothes for 5-15 year olds to change into after their swim
These can be delivered to the BAGHA club at any time marked for the attention
of the Manager.
Companies and individuals have been extremely generous in their donations
towards the cost of this party. Now others can help in the following way:
- Landrover UK have sent 5.5 inch models of their "Defender"
landrovers in a presentation box which can be purchased for Tk 250. Great
for gifts to car-mad relatives and friends! The money will go towards the
party.
- Beautiful children's high-quality backpacks are also on sale for Tk 250
each.
Helpers are also wanted for some part of the day to supervise over 300
children having the best day of their year. There will be dancing to a live
band, riding on a train, bouncing on a castle, watching a magician, swimming and
eating a wonderful breakfast and lunch.
Please contact bwa@bicn.com if you wish to
purchase the Landrover or backpack or wish to volunteer to help for the day.
Many thanks,
Nancy Benham
Looking for Photos of Ricksha Art Showing Foreign Elements
I am looking for photos of rickshas that feature foreign elements. I've seen
for example on the backs of baby taxis (1998) pictures of the Concorde airship,
and the golden pagoda somewhere--Japan probably; Sydney Harbor--- If anyone has
any such they would share with me, please can scan and email jpg images, size
around 480 x 640, at around 600dpi if possible. (Please, I don't want
advertisements.) Thanks. jkirk@micron.net
J. Kirkpatrick USA
Events Calendar, Dhaka & Beyond
To have your Bangladesh-related event - in Dhaka or anywhere else in the
world - included in the next Event Calendar, please email the time, date, place,
description, and email contact address to news@bicn.com by Tues 6 Mar 01.
All events are in Dhaka unless otherwise noted. Entry to some events is
restricted, eg to members - contact event organizers for more information.
Late February / Early March
Mon 26 Feb - BAGHA Quiz Night.
Fri 2 Mar - Waitangi Day celebration. For more info, email denison@bol-online.com
.
Fri 2 Mar - Annual Fund Raising Ball, The United Kingdom Association of
Bangladesh is having its at the Dhaka Sheraton. Tickets and details from Ian
Maitland on maitland@bangla.net .
Tue-Thu 6-8 Mar - Eid ul Azha (Government holiday, subject to moon)
Tue 6 Mar, New York - Round table discussion and reception to celebrate the
publication of, "Bangladesh: Promise and Performance," edited by
Rounaq Jahan, Round table 3-5pm, followed by a reception 5-6pm. Room 1501,
School of International and Public Affairs, 420 West 118 St., New York, NY. [See
Community Announcements for more info]
Wed 14 Mar [NOTE CHANGED DATE] - BWA Monthly Meeting, 3:30pm. Talk on
earthquake preparedness by Dr. Sara Bennett, or a talk on the Gujarat earthquake
by Bob McGurty (who went there and whose organization is involved in helping
villages rebuild). Email bwa@bicn.com for
venue.
Wed-Fri 7-9 Mar - AIS/D High School presents the musical, "The Little
Shop of Horrors," 7pm. Adults Tk200, students Tk150.
Tue 6 Mar - Deadline to submit items for next edition of BICN.
Mid/Late March & Beyond
Mon 12 Mar - BAGHA Quiz Night.
Sat 17 Mar - Bangabandhu's Birthday (Government holiday)
Mon 19 Mar - BWA Committee Meeting, 7:30pm. Email bwa@bicn.com
for venue.
Mon 26 Mar - BAGHA Quiz Night.
Mon 26 Mar - Independence Day (Government holiday)
Mon 9 Apr - BAGHA Quiz Night.
Mon 23 Apr - BAGHA Quiz Night.
5-7 May - BUET- UNU International Workshop On Technologies For Arsenic
Removal From Drinking Water. Pre-registration is required but there is no fee.
For more information and registration form, contact Professor M. Feroze Ahmed,
Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, tel 9663693, email itn@dhaka.agni.com
; or Dr. M. Ashraf Ali, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, tel 8614640/7625,
email ashraf@bdcom.com
Webby!
WSO.NET: What A Great Bunch of Guys (Guy? Girl?)
From the Editor: I just wanted to put in a word of thanks to WSO.NET, the ISP
that hosts the bicn.com website. For a mere USD38 a month (or something of that
order), WSO.NET has provided rock-solid, fully-featured hosting of the bicn.com
virtual domain.
WSO.NET has a number of packages, from inexpensive FrontPage-only hosting,
right up to full-on e-commerce packages. If you are looking for webhosting, I
can't really recommend them highly enough. [And, no, there is nothing in this
for me or BICN, no referral fee or anything.]
The best thing about WSO.NET, though, has been Chris (or Super Chris, as I
think of him, or her...), who answers the technical support mail. Somehow s/he
always my questions, day or night, within a few hours. I have been debating for
years whether (1) s/he never sleeps, (2) tech support happens to have multiple
Chris-es, or (3) "Chris" is the fictive identity of the whole tech
support department. S/he has always had intelligent useful suggestions, *even*
when answering questions that are really nothing to do with WSO.NET's services.
This has been a real lifesaver especially since I don't really have any fellow
nerds to commune with here in Dhaka.
Check them out at:
http://wso.net/
Non-Commercial Advertisements
Always free in BICN - personal classified ads, this means ads to buy or sell
personal household items, to hire or place household staff. For security/privacy
reasons, ads contain only names and email addresses - residential addresses and
phone numbers are not normally published.
CAT/KITTEN WANTED: "Eleven year old boy is looking for a cat to be his
special friend. As his parents are doctors and worry about rabies, the cat will
always stay inside. Does anyone out there in Bangladesh cyberspace have an
indoor companion cat, neutered/spayed, that they love, but need to give up for
some reason? Or if you know of some pretty kittens, let us know that too!
Contact Stewart at clmorgan@citechco.net."
DRIVER AVAILABLE: Haque is available for immediate employment. Kindly contact
tullyxxx@yahoo.com for further information.
WANTED TO BUY: Used Vehicle (Passbook) Have taken off an old car from our
personal passbook and would like to purchase a newer, more reliable vehicle for
use around Gulshan. Would prefer a larger 4WD Pajero-type but a good sedan would
also be acceptable. Will be able to negotiate time of sale, depending on a
person's departure date. If you have a vehicle for sale within the next few
months, contact Sharlene Meisner at smeisner@ais-dhaka.net
and we might be able
to purchase and put on our passbook easily.
WANTED TO BUY - New or used girl's or boy's bicycle. 24-inch wheel size
desired. Single gear or multi-gear. Hand brakes or pedal brakes. Does not have
to be in good shape. Will provide it with a good home. Don Schroeder dmsetal@citichco.net
ITEMS FOR SALE: End of March beginning of April, 2001. 1. Car Toyota
Sprinter, 1981 Engine 6 months guaranty. No passbook needed. Tk 75,000. 2. Air
Conditioner General. Compressor guaranty: 20.05.2001. Service guarantee
20.05.2005. Tk 31,000. 3. Air Conditioner Carrier. Guaranty: 20.06.2002. Tk
28,500. 4. Automatic Washing Machine Samsung. Guaranty: 28.06.2001. Tk 18,000 5.
Refrigerator Samsung. Guaranty: 14.05.2002. Red colour. Tk 15,000. 6. TV set
Daewoo, 14'' Tube guaranty: 31.05.2001. Tk 12,500. 7. Gas stove General
Electric. Spark ignition. Two burns.No oven. Tk 2,500. 8. Book shelf Medium
size. Tk 1,000. 9. Corner sofa set 5 pieces. Deep blue. Tk 5,000. 10. Iron
table. Tk 300. 11. Curtains. Two types. For 5 windows. Tk 3,500. 12. Mattresses
(2+2) and Pillows (4) For double beds. Tk 1,500. 13. Plates and cups 6 pieces.
Tk 1,500. All prices are negotiable. Please contact Eugene Bourlakov at eugene@sdnbd.org
or office tel (9 a.m. 6 p.m.) 8126204 ..
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Contact Info - Email all inquiries & items to news@bicn.com
. BGD tel +880(2)988-1708, USA fax +1(978)418-8132, mail H28 R4 Blk C, Banani
Dhaka.
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