Hasina fears Arab Like Uprising?

An April 20th 2011 and interesting The Econimist reports:

WHEN the Arab spring was in its infancy something unusual happened in the world’s second-largest Muslim-majority democracy. Following violent protests, Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, scrapped plans for a new airport near the capital, a pet project to be named after her father, Sheikh Mujib Rahman. A former Bangladeshi diplomat said he could remember no occasion on which an elected leader had reversed an important decision so quickly. He attributed the change of mind to what was happening in Egypt.

Indeed, there are other issues besides naming- that the government and the top leader ship of AL and BNP should consider rethinking- which the article kept silent about. One is the introduction of genetic democracy- which indeed sparked the Egyptian uprising.

In western democracies it is not common for PM's family members to get involved in politics except ceremonial presence of the spouse. But, the current and past PMs both are grooming their sons to succeed them. They have already been made involved in many state affairs with blatant disregard to democratic norms. Much like Gamal Mubarak and Saif Ghaddafi. Read more about the similarities in RealTime blog.

NASA Funds Indiana University Geoloists To Study Impact of Climate Change on Sundarban

Two researchers, Faiz Rahman and Rinku Roy Chowdhury from Indiana University Bloomington are receiving a $637,000 grant from NASA to study mangrove forests in Bangladesh and their role in climate change. The project is a collaboration between scientists from IU and the U.S. Forest Service. The project is the only one this year that targets a mangrove ecosystem outside of the United States. Reports IU university news:

"This is the first time in NASA's Carbon Cycle Science Program that there is a social science aspect to ecosystem carbon studies," said Roy Chowdhury, who is involved with the human dimensions of the study. "We want to provide a complete picture of how nature and society interact to affect the mangroves, and how mangrove changes in turn impact local livelihoods."

Listen to Faiz Rahman.

Mujib Live: Video Footages

Here is a collection of eleven video footages of Mujib. I have organized them in chronological order. Listener can get a snapshot of Mujib’s philosophy and transformations. To my opinion most important are two- the Epic Speech of Race Course 7^th March, 1971 and the Last Public Speech of 1975, each a clarion call to a distinct new journey.  The first one is well read and heard. However, the second one is less read and less heard. Of course, he did not finish the later.

Video Quiz:

• Name the world leader Mujib revered most: Mandela, Mao, Nixon?
• Why Mujib thought absolute power would not corrupt him?
• Mujib's weeping moments.
• "I want to deal them a crushing blow- just like  I did to Pakistan"- to whom?

March Unrest, 1971

“Nobody should play with fire. Nobody should try to suppress the will of 70 million people.  When 70 million are determined to achieve something- no power on earth can suppress them. Today, tomorrow or day after tomorrow- victory is ours.”

Wars and Famines of Bangladesh

A Dead in the Famine of 1943. See more images here.

(Real Time Bangladesh, March 2011)
The earthquake in Japan has once again brought attention to natural disasters. In recent time we heard much about earthquake, tsunami, flood, cyclone etc. However, the most devastating of the disasters to hit Bangladesh are none of the above but famine.  The word ‘independence’ in the region has a strange connection with famines. Here are glimpses from our history.

Grameen Circus

Ms. Sufia Begum- who inspired the Grameen concept spinning her heirloom wheel

(A Real Time Bangladesh Blog Report, March 2011)

The recent dramatized ouster of Dr. Yunus from Grameen Bank- has stirred quite a bit of media storm about the Nobel Lauriat founder and the Bank. Many articles- naturally mix personal issues concerning the founder with the issues of microcredit. A key question is- Does microcredit help the poor of Bangladesh? Indeed, there are also assertions that it hurts!

Does Microcredit Reduce Poverty?

(A Real Time Bangladesh Blog Report, March 2011)

This blog summarize the finding of a seminal paper ‘Khandker Study’- possibly the most cited paper on the topic- titled Fighting Poverty With Microcredit : Experience in Bangladesh by Khandker and Shahidur Rahman, Publisher : World Bank, ISBN no : 019521121. This is a 100+ page paper. Here I will try to quote the highlights. The study indeed claims it works!

Massive Property Tax and Rent Hike at Your Doorstep!

Mad already from stock market crash? But how about an explosion of housing?

February Fireworks over Dhaka's Super Hot Real Estate Skyline!!
In the Eve of World Cup Cricket, Feb 2011

Bangladesh Government has planned a massive new property tax beginning July 2012. According to reports: any person having more than one house or a flat in metropolitan areas will have to pay the property tax.  Rate? It has not been officially disclosed yet but, the Daily Star reports:

“.. said an NBR high official adding that the property tax will be two to three percent of the value of a taxable property.”

If this is even close- this will create an unprecedented frenzy in the superhot real-estate market of Bangladesh, which has experienced double digit yearly increase in property valuation for many consecutive years.

A flat owner whose, flat has a valuation of TK 50 Lac (typical lower range in Dhaka) will have to pay TK 1-1.5 Lac yearly in property tax. If the flat is valued at 4 Crore (typical upscale), he will pay Tk 8-12 Lacs per year.(continued in next page...)