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On a recent visit to Philadelphia, I was driving in to Center City from the south side when I suddenly saw a street sign with a name that made me jump a little. It read: MOYAMENSING AVE.
And I’m thinking…how and when did Bangladeshis in South Philly succeed in getting a large avenue named after Mymensingh, Bangladesh (with a slight distortion in spelling)?
After my initial intrigue, a couple weeks later I was bored and googling and came across some information…
Apparently Moyamensing was one of the earliest townships created after the settlement of Pennsylvania. The name dates back at least as early as 1684 (around the time of William Penn’s arrival), when the tract of land was handed over by the Dutch to the British. It was officially incorporated as Moyamensing Township of Philadelphia in 1812, and today remains a neighborhood in South Philadelphia.
Just as interesting is the meaning of “moyamensing.” It is said to be the original Native American name for the area, and actually means……pigeon droppings! How tragic.
I found this description on a website:
“Moyamensing signifies an unclean place, a dung-heap. At one time great flocks of pigeons had their roost in the forest and made the place unclean for the Indians, from whom it received its name.”
So I was finding this thing really interesting. Was it possible that there was a misunderstanding about the Native American word, and that really it came from Bengal? (This would be pretty exciting).
Or was the opposite possible? That Mymensingh in Bangladesh was actually named after this place in Philadephia? That some Dutch or British trader from Pennsylvania traveled to Bengal and in a moment of annoying humor named the place after a dung heap?
After doing a little research on the naming history of Mymensingh in Bangladesh, I found an article in a 1964 issue of The Oriental Geographer published in Dhaka. It said that “Mymensingh” is actually a distortion of the name “Momenshahi,” a place named after Momen Shah, who was zamindar of the biggest pergana in the district during Akbar’s time.
I guess it’s just a big coincidence…
It’s more than a little disappointing that a government headed by an economist should shut down VoIP operators in Bangladesh with the lame excuse of losses to the exchequer. New Age has a good dissection and appropriate criticism in its op-ed section. Not to be sentimental about it our anything - I haven’t been able to call my grandmother in the last couple of weeks because of this! And I know - from personal interactions - that for many low-income laborers in the Gulf that phone call on Friday, made affordable by the wonders of the IT revolution, is one of the few things that makes the backbreaking work and soul-piercing insults of the week bearable. The ad hocness and unthinking cruelty of the SOE government’s actions has been criticized here and elsewhere (see for example, Zafar Sobhan’s complaint in his Daily Star op-ed, reprinted on Drishtipat Blog.) But taking action against VoIP operators - when the VoIP laws themselves were never very clear (from what I understand) and when the previous government could never really come to any kind of real decision on this matter - is just, not to mince any words, idiotic.
The huge fire in Kawran Bazar has revealed once again the ineptitude of the public sector. (For a powerful account from the ground, see Naeem’s posting on this on Drishtipat Blog.) No doubt there will be a lot of name-calling, blame-tolling and conspiracy-trawling mixed in with the smoke and the ashes. But the juxtaposition of the two - the undeniable evidence of the failure of our state machinery to provide public services to any degree of competence, and the shutting down of private operators that did provide at least some services cheaply and reliably - should be some food for thought.
Not yet a decade old as a Test playing nation, the weight of expectation should not yet come to rest too heavily on the shoulders of the Bangladesh cricket team. Although exhibiting steady improvement, we are still some way off the calibre that should draw this often crippling, often reinvigorating burden as well. Such measures of proportionality however, are chucked out the window when you are representing the nation in a sport akin to its religion. So naturally, as we count down the days to the 2007 World Cup, there is much deliberation on our fate in the competition decorating that age-old passion of Bengal, adda, wherever and whenever it is taking place. Millions of predictions have already been made I’m sure, and no less hopes expressed, dreams manufactured or expectations declared. This is one not unlike any of those, in three parts.
March 17,
Bangladesh v
India Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
We all know giants are at their most vulnerable when they have only just gotten on their feet. India have come into the tournament on the back of some pretty good form, but form counts for nothing on match-day. The breeze is light, the sun is a roar, and the pitch is a road. We radiate positive attitude right from the start, picking four seamers and choosing to bat on winning the toss. For affirmation, Shahriar cuts Pathan behind point for two consecutive boundaries as the first over yields eleven. If often we suffer from confidence crises as a result of poor starts, this was certainly not going to be one of those occasions. The openers are separated in the eleventh over, but not before they have put on 54. Certainly solid, with much potential for being the foundation of a good total. The middle-order, featuring Ashraful promoted to number 4, manages to build on that such that we enter the slog overs with six wickets in hand and 188 on the board. Ashraful is set, batting on 46.The last ten overs go for 81 as Mashrafee
Naeem Mohaimen at Drishtipat Blog has an op-ed in Daily Star today that’s very interesting, and quite well-written. I agree with Naeem that the issues that he raises need a much more serious and substantive discussion and debate in our political space than we have seen so far. And Naeem rightly puts blame on the rank dishonesty, open greed and short-sighted lust for power of our political elite and the emptiness of the platitudes put forward by their partners and dupes in the intelligentsia for the rise of Jamaat. I am, however, concerned about the casualness with which Naeem throws around key terms in the debate. I actually stopped reading and scratched my head in puzzlement when he conflated Arabist and Islamist. Naeem bhai, they really are very different things…
I don’t bring this up to be a pedant about it, or anal. The casualness with which terms of import are thrown around creates some doubt about how seriously Naeem - and others like him - wish to engage in debate and discussion on these issues, whether they mean to convince, or impose. The unquestioning and wholesale adopting of terms such as “Islamist” from the post-9/11 North American discourse is troubling, particularly as one realizes how unsophisticated the discussion of Islam among the media punditocracy here has been. And if Naeem wants to successfully confront the problem he raises, the debate has to be sophisticated and learned. Further, secularism is the proverbial elephant described by the blind men, and yet secularism gets casually thrown into the mix as well, as though the terms of reference are manifest. What exactly does Naeem mean by secular Islam? Are we talking about secularism of the American variety, Indian, French, or Turkish?
Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.- Robert Frost, Mending Wall
“That’s what history is: the story of everything that needn’t have been like that. “
I am rereading Benedict Anderson’s classic account of nationalism, Imagined Communities which I had leafed through somewhere along the line. Today I came across some choice passages on Japanese nationalism which suddenly made me remember Oshin. Actually, it’s impossible for me to think about Japan without thinking about Oshin in some way. Oshin was, after all, the first woman I ever fell in love with.
Further to the Dr. Yunus’ second letter, a key indicator that will be interesting to keep an eye out for is how many committees are created in the next few weeks, and how many people join these committees. The thing is that these statistics will likely not be reported on very well unless the response is either overwhelming or underwhelming. We will likely thus not have a very good grasp on the strength (and potential) of the new party for some time…
Letters asking Dr. Yunus to join are of course easy to send. And it is easy to come out on the streets celebrating the Nobel. Joining a committee is a more proactive step. I wonder if the enthusiastic reaction to the first letter will translate to action.
On a related note, I wonder who Dr. Yunus has working with him to do the actual work of organizing and coordinating the actions of the commitees. This too will be a key factor in the success of the new party - but again one that will be underreported.
Of course Rupali Bank will be renamed. New name: Rubali Bank, of course. J/k.
The privatization of the Nationalized Commercial Banks is a good thing at a general level. The fear that has been expressed is that privatization will lead to the shutting down of bank branches around the country. My own sources tell me that this is unlikely the case - as the real strength of the NCB’s is in their hundreds of branches spread out all over the country and in prime locations around the major cities. A buyer would basically be buying existing networks at a discount. Such networks would take a private bank years and lots of $$$ to build. And such networks give the NCB’s a leg-up in channeling remittances…
The efficacy of a well-run privatization process can be seen in the vastly improved risk-management and reporting processes at Agrani Bank that was placed under private management (with a PWC advisory team) in a World Bank project in 2004. There was a quick turnaround there from huge losses (not always reported) to consistent (and audited) profits the last few years. This in spite of much government interference, particularly during the dollar/fuel crisis in late-2005/early-2006. The contrast in performance with the other NCB’s in this period was tremendous.
I do not have any information to comment upon the Rupali-buyers. An internet search for information about the buyer yields very little information (what’s there is connected with the Rupali Bank purchase itself). Lexis also tells us very little. It would be foolhardy to speculate whether they’ll be able to improve the sorry state of affairs at Rupali.
The key concern though in any privatization scheme - one that I continue to stress - is process, process and process…
It’s official. He’s in the ring…
Who will you be? Cincinnatus to our Republic, or power-hungry Caesar? I want to believe. I want to believe so badly…
Over at Drishtipat Blog, Naeem has a great summary of the present state of affairs in Bangladeshi politics, with some speculation thrown in as well for the prospects for the coming weeks to make things even more fun and interesting…
February 22 is George Washington’s birthday. Commemorating his birthday, Scott Horton, an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School, has a moving post on Balkinization. The post, entitled “A Tale of Two Georges” mourns the mockery of George Washington’s legacy made by the current George Bush Administration. Choice paragraphs:
Conspicuous by its absence from all of Dr.Yunus’ pronouncements thus far, ever since he started closing the gap between himself and political engagement till now that he can be all but said to be a politician, has been his ideological standpoint. Before he left for Calcutta having just floated the idea of floating a party, he spoke of the rather obvious. The shambolic state our political process is in; the need for new faces to rejuvenate it. On his return, he has sprouted visions of considerable grandeur. Mega ports; mega highways; mega museum exhibitions. Somewhere in between, it dawned on him staying apolitical would not do. Somewhere in this protracted process that constitutes taking a stand, I hope he didn’t manage to lose what he stands for.
What he has said thus far is not indicative in any way of how he plans to lead our nation. He has only spoken of what he wants for our country, and admirable as they are, that is not enough. More importantly, none of it is original. It is all very well to speak of lofty ideals, it is a very different matter to translate them into practise. Indeed, Dr. Yunus has never, even before his proximity to politics became so narrow, taken any clear stand on the ideological spectrum. Nobody is quite sure whether he is standing to its left or right. His rhetoric in the past few weeks has betrayed only populist or neo-populist tendencies. Even the name he has suggested Read the rest of this entry »
There is an enviable constituency for Africa in the United States. One that is designed to mobilize attention and resources to be directed towards every major issue that plagues the continent. Whether it be the AIDS epidemic, food crisis or human rights violations, NGOs, interest groups, movie-stars and policymakers are leading the fight against them head-on.
Indeed, Africa needs all the attention and help it can get. Whereas a few African countries have made progress in the past 15 years on economic growth, debt reduction and governance, progress in others is still severely inadequate, and the West should help.
What is regrettable though is that when it comes to foreign assistance and/or policy, the U.S. focus on Africa serves to sideline some other very poor countries. Of the 50 UN-designated Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 33 are in sub-Saharan Africa. The rest are largely Asian countries, some of them small island states. Of these, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Cambodia are the more populous states with pretty incredible development challenges.
The per capita incomes in one or both of these countries are smaller Read the rest of this entry »
It is a rising sun!
Prothom Alo/Daily Star have an interesting interview with AHM Nurul Islam, Khaleda Zia’s former private secretary. It is chock-full of interesting insights into the workings of the Bangladeshi government in the last five years. To be fair, Nurul Islam may have his own axes to grind (see the last paragraph of the interview). But on the other hand, the accusations seem consistent with what’s been rumored and complained about in many circles for some time. Check it out and decide for yourself…
The headlines, exposes and interviews in the various newspapers remind me of the kinds of headlines after the fall of Ershad back in the day. I was a wee-child then, but I still remember how uncles and cousins would bring back the daily newspapers and read aloud with incredulity and glee the latest findings. It’s ironic, and a shame really, how Begum Zia’s zenith 15 years ago and her nadir today see similar headlines appearing…
Hai re manush, rongin fanush, dom furaile thush…
My co-blogger, Jajabor, had a fascinating post last week asking if the history of Pakistan/Bangladesh would have turned out differently if Radcliffe’s pen had swayed a bit. Jajabor speculates that if Calcutta had been included in Pakistan:
…administration of new Pakistan would have been far more colorful and complex. Bengali Hindu Bhadraloks, were prominent in the early years of the Congress in the early days of India.
If Pakistan had absorbed these Calcutta-based civil servants, bureaucrats and intellectuals, their presence would have greatly changed the character of Pakistan. We would have had on our hands, a far more composite, pluralistic and diverse Pakistan in the upper echelons of civil-bureaucratic-military administrations
But would it really have turned out this way? Instead migration to Calcutta (as a good segment of the Bengali Hindu business community, intelligentsia and middle class in East Pakistan did between the 50’s and 70’s), the migration would likely have been to Patna, various UP towns and Delhi. There would likely have been the emergence of a Bengali-speaking mohajir-type class from Calcutta in these areas, just as there was a Urdu-speaking mohajir class from UP and elsewhere in North India in Karachi. Of course, Pakistan itself would have had larger minority communities in both its Eastern and Western wings, but given that existing leadership of these communities would likely have migrated, would there have been much of a difference in political outcomes? (I admit that this does not take into account the possibilities for coalition building. The constitutional debates in the 50’s and 60’s in Pakistan could very well have turned out differently if the East Pakistani politicians had been able to find more allies to form coalitions with in West Pakistan.)
Alternative histories are fun to construct. (And how can we ever really know, if a butterfly flapping it’s wings in Beijing can create a storm in San Francisco…) I think I am going to keep at it. The next installment: Suppose what Jajabor says would happen did, and there was no migration of the Calcutta elite, then what would it have meant for what became Bangladesh?
[Disclaimer: In considering alternative histories to Partition, I do not mean to, in any way, disrespect or detract from the tremendous human suffering that did take place during Partition, or devalue its proportions and costs. It is too often, in discussions about South Asian history, that this suffering is ignored, or swept under the rug, or reasoned away as historical necessity. One's views are about a Partition and its need and efficacy should not come in the way of recognizing and mourning this suffering.]
I will steer clear of commenting upon empty theological debates about celebrating Valentine’s Day. I will also try not taking any potshots at the yearly windfall generated for the gift-card industry, which estimates that 1 billion valentines are sent world-wide. Of course, the various Archie’s and Hallmark shops in Dhaka (including the Archie’s at New Market - how long before there’s one even at Gausia/Ga-chhuwa!) are probably doing crisp business as well…
The Economist’s blog (yes, even the Economist has a blog these days!) says everything I would want to say, in a post aptly entitled the Cost of Love:
“Demand on Valentine’s Day is what economists call highly price inelastic, meaning that large increases in the price have only a small dampening effect on demand. Very few men will dare show up without the requisite red roses merely because a dozen of them now cost three or four times what they do on an ordinary day—not if they want to keep their sweetheart, that is. Likewise, the drive-thru is not a very good substitute for candles, wine, and filet mignon, so restaurants charge accordingly. Even so, they don’t charge a market clearing price; in New York, it is thought well to book at least a few months in advance if you want a decent restaurant, longer for a really good one.
Is there any hope? “
I like the ending:
“And, of course, remember that money isn’t everything. The most romantic thing I’ve ever heard of was the broadway producer who, when he was poor and starting out, gave his future wife a bowl of peanuts, which was all he could afford. “I wish they were emeralds,” he told her. Thirty years later, when they were rich, he gave her a bowl of emeralds.
“I wish they were peanuts,” he said. “
OK, I’m officially a sap…
The World Bank’s Doing Business in South Asia Report 2007 Report was just launched yesterday. Get your PDF hot from the presses here! [Hat tip: WB/IFC's Private Sector Development Blog for the link]
Lot’s of interesting data and topics. A sample: It takes 425 days to register property in Bangladesh. Four Bangladeshi cities are covered: Dhaka, Chittagong, Bogra and Khulna. Check it out!
One of the hot news items in the last couple of days has beenAL’s scrapping of the MOU with Khelafat-e-Majlis. Defending the MOU required AL to twist itself into pretzels/jilapis (the most prominent recent example, of course, being Sajeeb Joy Wazed’s blog post on this matter, which numerous commenters, such as many on Drishtipat blog, justly critiqued). Now the MOU has been scrapped.
Mr. Wazed writes (at the end of an otherwise good post that has some interesting thoughts about corruption that I hope to reflect some time) about the scrapping of the MOU today (see bottom of that post):
“Finally, I hope the cancellation of our much maligned MOU demonstrates that the AL is willing to listen and respond to criticism and suggestions. As I said, welcome to the 21st century Awami League!”
BUT if you look at the newspaper reports, the actual scrapping has exactly NOTHING to do with listening to and responding to criticism. NOTHING!
Daily Star quotes AL Acting Secretary Obaidul Quader:
“We had made some deals and agreements with some parties as part of our election strategy centring the January 22 poll. Since the election was cancelled, those deals and agreements have automatically been cancelled…. ”
Daily Star continues:
Quader, who spoke as an AL spokesman yesterday, however said the political
unity among the components of the grand alliance will continue.“But all the written deals or agreements and seat sharing with all the parties have been cancelled,” said the AL leader adding that they will think afresh about signing deals or reaching agreements with the grand alliance partners in a new situation when a fresh schedule for the upcoming parliamentary polls will be announced.
Asked whether they will sign the MoU again with BKM, the AL leader brushed aside the possibility and said they have not thought of it yet. As the election was cancelled, their strategies will change in the new situation, he said.
And New Age gives us some more quotes
AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim also said, “Since there is no election, there is no agreement or MoU with any party.”
So if the newspaper reports are to be believed, then the rationale for there being no MoU is not because AL has necessarily changed its mind about the matter (and Mr. Quader leaves the possibility of the MoU tantalizingly open), but because since there are no elections up ahead and the MoU was about the elections, the MoU is ipso facto null and void. If Mr. Quader and Mr. Selim are to be believed, this is not about “listening and responding to criticism” at all!
Yet, Mr. Wazed tells us that it is about listening and responding to criticism. As J. Caesar pleaded, “Et tu Brute?” Or should it be, “Welcome to the 21st Century Awami League indeed! Just as confusing as it has been for some time to even those who would give it the benefit of the doubt. And, perhaps, just as confused as it has been as well…”
Yes, welcome to the 21st century AL indeed… Say it isn’t so, Sajeeb bhai! I really want this new transparency thing to work for you, and for all of us.
[Another quibble, to round off this post. I am a little disturbed by Daily Star's headline about the scrapping of the MoU. "AL Scraps MoU with Bigots". Now, it is likely the case that Khilafat-e-Majlis (KM) are bigots, but that's a normative term rather than a objective, descriptive one of the type one expects on the reporting pages of Bangladesh's largest English newspaper run by a sophisticated and experienced team. It's entirely appropriate to have KM be described as bigots in the op-ed or editorial pages. But to have a news account be headlined that way seems to me to be a breach of journalistic standards. Contrast again with the more objective language of the young'uns at New Age. Zafar Sobhan, e chithi pabe kina jani na, but seriously, you guys can do better...]
Here is something I wrote on Bangladeshi urban youth and values a while ago. I beleive its still relevant. Read it, let me know what you think, and let’s see if there is a solution.
Here’s the punch line of the piece: The struggle will be to inspire the young to take up this challenge, and ally their dreams of individual success to those of the nation. We must give them a sense of place and belonging, teach them that freedom is not to move away and start a new life, but to stay here and build a better life. We must give them the freedom to think freely, to define themselves, their aspirations and their future in a way that reshapes Bangladesh, and takes it to a better place. Those of us in a position to do so must think long and hard about how we can inculcate the youth with a sense of purpose, a sense of identity, a sense of tomorrow…
The rest is at: http://www.newagebd.com/store/anni05/transitions.html#1
I have nothing against Dr.Yunus joining politics per se. I believe in the aftermath of the current ‘cleansing’ operation that is being carried out back home, there will be a place for smart, qualified individuals to take the places vacated by possibly the worst generation of politicians witnessed by any country in any period in history. Dr.Yunus is certainly a very capable man. He is one of Bangladesh’s most accomplished sons, much loved and respected both home and abroad. Naturally, we would always want our leaders to be drawn from that pool. But Dr.Yunus is not the only one in that pool, and it isn’t a must that everyone from that pool should be in politics.
Every nation’s success necessarily depends on a wide variety of forces coming together from different fields to form a coherent whole. This includes not just political parties, but also civil society, NGOs, businesses, educational institutions, media organizations, etc. Each has its own role to fulfill and it is a precondition of any successfully operating democracy that each does fulfill its role to its full capacity, or nearly enough as possible.
Dr.Yunus’ merits as a politician is ofcourse an unknown quantity. What we do know is that he has played a role in reducing poverty from the fabric of civil society, not as part of the government at any stage. NGOs have played a very, very important role in the development of our rural areas, and Grameen is of-course at the very forefront of that. We must be aware of the potential consequences of Dr.Yunus entering the field of politics on the work of Grameen. The man himself has said that entering politics equates to becoming controversial. His becoming controversial will also mean his brainchild turning controversial. As it is, there are criticisms starting to surface about the Grameen Bank model. The intense trauma faced by members of groups who cannot repay their debt(and hence let down others in their group) has resulted in even suicide, and the loans-scheme is said to perpetuate the debt-trap for already poor communities. And it is true that the Grameen model is not perfect, that it can be improved. But I fear a Dr. Yunus in the realm of politics will not be able to lead the improvement process as only he can.
I firmly believe Dr.Yunus has an important role to play in Bangladesh society. But it is not in politics. His role is best fulfilled as part of the civil society, to strengthen it in lieu with politics which has to be strengthened by politicians, not civilians merely because they might be bigger achievers. No country is led simply by its most prolific achiever. We dont have to be too. And no country’s problems can be solved by one man’s initiative, or even two or three. It is the institutions that have to be cleansed. If that is done, as the current CG is taking steps toward(for example the seperation of the executive from the judiciary), there will be no need for Dr.Yunus to leave Grameen for Parliament. And that is what we must aspire to. Not to be dependant on any person(as some of the general public’s crying out for Dr.Yunus to enter politics would suggest), but to be dependant on our system.
Young Shameran Abed at the New Age has an insightful op-ed about the SOE Corruption Drive that meshes quite well with my thinking on this subject. He correctly notes that the SOE government needs to look beyond catching a few big fish, and highlights the need for institutional reform. He writes, in the key paragraph:
“Similarly, corruption in these institutions cannot be adequately reduced unless certain institutional reforms are carried out. The business community has time and again said that there needs to be less government, pointing out that the fewer offices that one needs to go to in order to get a plan or a project approved, the fewer times that a bribe will have to be paid. Inefficient systems and administrative bottlenecks only create opportunities for corruption, and a streamlining of the civil service to make it more service-oriented can significantly reduce the scope for corruption. At the same time, procurement, both in the civil service and in the military, must be made simpler and much more transparent in order to stop the huge amount of corruption that takes place through it. Unless these changes are brought about, the simple detention and punishment of the corrupt is unlikely to affect the levels of corruption in this country.”
He hits on the the right notes, in my humble opinion: the need for less government, rationalization of administrative systems, transparent procurement systems, the need for a long term view of containing corruption rather than the ad hoc approach that seems to be in the offing. Read the whole thing before it goes offline. I do hope the New Age folks are keeping a good archive of the stuff that they’ve been writing recently. Good stuff.
UPDATE: Here’s the permanent link to the op-ed. And they do have an archive, right where it says… Archive!
ASA’s M Enamul Hoque has an interesting op-ed on microfinance in the Daily Star. He starts off:
Often there raised an allegation from among those who tend to think over utility
and effectiveness of microcredit that microcredit providers extend more of it
towards non productive i.e. non-farm activities than to productive schemes. This
is half wrong or half right.
The rest of the article is an informative description of ASA’s own activities in the agricultural sector. Mr. Hoque is right to of course point these activities out. But it’s problematic how he cedes the ground over the description of non-agricultural activity as “non-productive” so easily as “half wrong or half right”. Actually it’s all wrong. And ceding the ground so easily is a bit of a disservice to the work that ASA’s own borrowers are doing, and ASA’s own positive contribution.
There’s no reason to think that the borrower making embroidery isn’t doing something productive. There’s no reason to think that the borrower stocking soap, biscuit and thread in her small village morer dokan thereby saving her customers the time and effort of running to the nearest haat isn’t doing something productive. Or the borrower raising poultry and cattle.
The rationale for greater investment in agriculture, Mr. Hoque notes is that “[t]he basis and driving force of its economy still is agriculture.” But given the absolute dependence of rural Bangladesh on the ebbs and flows of agriculture, it would seem that the very diversification of risk of exposure to agricultural risk is a valuable service that the microfinance sector provides. Besides, one has not even gone into the rates of returns from agriculture as opposed to other types of activity…
Over at marginalrevolution.com, a blog I read daily almost religiously, there’s an interesting post up about how Indonesia has stopped sending samples of the avian flu virus to the World Health Organization because it’s negotiating some kind of contract with a pharmaceutical company. Tyler concludes, “If this entire episode does not convince you that IP law is out of control, I don’t know what would.” Which is really saying something, since he’s got a pretty libertarian take on things… As they say, read the whole thing.
I myself was totally convinced that IP law, at least in the US, is out of control when I saw this a few months ago. Read it, laugh a bit, and may be weep.
In other news, BBC reports an Egyptian teenager just died with avian flu…
There’s been a little bit of a buzz recently on the Bangladeshi blogosphere regarding Sajib Joy Wazed’s entry to the blogosphere. [See here, and here, for example, for a sample of reactions] But I have a question: How do we really know this really is Sajib Joy Wazed who’s posting?
It’s true ‘cos I read it on the internets. But seriously though, reading it on the internet should add to rather than subtract from skepticism. Some more reasons for skepticism: Inconsistencies in the spellings of names - Sajib/Sajeeb (granted, you see both spellings though in even the YGL citation), Christine/Kristine (Kristine really is NOT the normal way to spell the name, though to be fair, it can be spelt that way), the absence of any traditional AL colors in the blog, and just the general tone of the posts.
I really hope it’s not a fake though. The entry of a Bangladeshi politician into the blogosphere is a positive thing. But I would like to see some bona fides…
UPDATE: So Asif tells us, in Drishtipat’s comments, that he believes Salam Dhaka is a credible source. That gives me more confidence in the blog as real. And Sajeeb Joy Wazed himself acknowledes the doubt and writes:
“Someone asked if I was the real Sajeeb Wazed. Yes, I am. I have not asked
one of our people to put up a link on AL’s website, but check there in a few
days. It’ll be up. Thanks for the idea.”
I guess we’ll know for sure when the link is up. Recognize, Sajeeb bhai, this age of being able to talk directly with our politicians is also an age where we WILL NOT take for granted or as truth every claim that you make. We WILL ask for bona fides, for it is our right to do so.
Over at Drishtipat blog, ZaFa and Asif have commented glowingly about some recent developments on the anti-corruption front, namely, the face-life (as ZaFa calls it) in the ACC personnel, and Bangladesh’s signing on to the UN Convention Against Corruption. Nai mama-r cheye kana mama bhalo (a blind uncle’s better than no uncle), I suppose. And definitely, there will likely be some short term impact. But unlike ZaFa, I do not see the long-run possibility of “cleans[ing] the institution from the webs of corruption”. And unlike Asif, I do not see there being “pretty huge and … far reaching implication” to the signing of the treaty.
First, the treaty. Notwithstanding any discomfort with the ability of an unelected government being able to sign on to international obligations, and notwithstanding the fact that UN itself is going through its own issues with regard to corruption (with various structural weaknesses revealed in the Iraq oil for food scandal that are not really being addressed very well) I do not think that the problem ever was about lack of laws or obligations on the books against corruption. Rather the problem was one of execution. I think we all recognize that we have plenty of good laws on the books, but not a lot of proper execution of them. Treaties are not self-executing devices (unless someone from the outside is pressing really strongly.) Some time last year I went to a very interesting seminar in Dhaka on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as it pertains to juvenile children. It was signed by Bangladesh in 1974. It’s never been executed.
Second, the ACC face-lift: Now I share ZaFa’s hope that the new kids on the block will be able to clean house. But again, I reiterate my point that the issue is not one of personnel, but one of institutional structures and checks and balances. Sure, we may have a clean house at the ACC for the next few months (or we may appear to have a clean house at the ACC for the next few months) but really, can we, given our historical experience, expect the situation to hold?
Structural changes in the way that the ACC does things need to be put forward. The one’s that have been put forward do not give me much hope that the SOE really has thought through this issue in anything but an ad hoc manner. More on this in a later post…
Metril (which I think is called imodium here, but I might be wrong about this) is probably one of the most popular medicines in Bangladesh, ranking somewhere after Orsaline, Panadol (in its various forms: Napa, Paracetamol, Panacitin) and the delightful Civit citrus chewable tablet… Metril has saved me from quite a few embarassing situations in my time - unsoiled train rides, flights that otherwise would have been spent away from my seat, exams that I did not have to miss… But Metril should really not be taken if it can be avoided. The way it’s been explained to me, basically all it does is stop the outflow without really doing anything about the cause of the diarrhoea itself, and might actually allow the underlying causes to fester and increase in severity, and may be lead to really bad problems in the long-run that could have been avoided if short-term fixes were declined. Disclaimer to the wise: I haven’t taken any biology in many years - so, check with your doctor before throwing out your metril. What do I know about these things?
But I do know that the way that the State of Emergency government’s been doing things , particularly the way that the current anti-corruption drive is being conducted, troubles me. (The much-criticized misguided removal of the hawkers last week is not, as has been claimed, a mistake per se, but really a highly probable and natural result of the tendencies of ad hoc decision-making that the SOE government seems to be resorting to.) And it also troubles me that even liberal elements of the press are basically cheering them on unreservedly today.
[I am also quite troubled by the ideas put forward for forced time limits at ACC trials - they seem highly problematic for institutionally achieving the ends that need to be - but I will post on this later.] Read the rest of this entry »
“Where are you frrrom??” is a common question asked of me by taxi drivers in the city. The next question that often follows: “Are you Muslim??” For some reason, this usually sends my eyes darting searchingly for their IDs, which are on display above them. This lets me know that they are Muslim.
Although by now I should be accustomed to this sort of interrogation, both the direct verbal form by cab drivers, and occasionally by restaurant waiters, as well as the indirect, visual form by airport officials when they see my last name (and right before X-tra screening), the question still jolts my senses.
Some of us, who relish living in a society organized around liberal principles do not enjoy being queried in this manner by utter strangers. Coming from acquaintances, it may be a different matter. For a while I assumed that the source of my discomfort was in the fact that there is a certain tone of judgement in the way the query is conducted. It may be relevant to note here that I don’t wear hijab.
But my unease is wrapped in some other feelings that, for a while, I couldn’t quite get to.
In his recent book about identity politics, Amartya Sen remarkably arrived at the root of these feelings. He explained how the “solitarist approach” to human identity, where individuals are seen as members of only one group, can often lead to bewilderment.
“Bewildered.” The word that most accurately describes my status in these situations.
Sen’s view is that we are happiest when the myriad identities within us are recognized. (He also goes on wonderfully about how the narrow perception and manipulation of identity can be used to instigate violence etc etc etc, but this is not a book review.)
Sen was in Washington last October. I sat in awe as he spoke about how communitarian notions of identity have sometimes corrupted policy, and diminished the scope for individual freedom. Each of his words rang true to me. They reminded me of scenes from my daily life, where at different times I wanted to be different things, but was assigned…some other identity.
Last week, in a cab somewhere between McPherson Square and Dupont Circle I found myself being pointedly asked again by the driver: “Are you Muslim?” I glanced at his dubious-looking brows in the rearview mirror for a second before replying: “Yes.”
He continued for a little while….something about our relationship with Allah and our “deen”. At that time I went from being “The Muslim Woman” to “The Woman Looking for Change in her Wallet” so I was only half-listening. When we reached our destination he turned around in his seat, looked me squarely in the eyes and concluded: “Also, please make sure you marry a Muslim man.”
One of my favourite things in the world. Admittedly less.. accessible in this era of revolution(you know the one I’m on about) , but still such an integral part of the whole package. I was just listening to The Verve’s first record, A Storm in Heaven,and having a look through the sleeve and came across some ‘too good’ pictures, and kind of got lost in there. So I’m going to try to remember some of my favourite album packages, and list them. And post pictures. I hope its not gonna be too much of a mission. Its definitely not gonna be in order of preference.
1.Right, first one to roll in this list has got to be Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. I’m sorry, but that’s legendary. First album cover that I loved. Possibly the first one I ever saw. First one I remember anyway. Contrary to what those three might add up to, that wasn’t the first song I heard as well. It is just that one of my sisters had decided that would appeal to 
me most when the time came for me to own my first tape. I of-course had no say in the matter, even though I accompanied her to that shop around the corner at Elephant Road, Geetanjoli. I was handed that tape and the moment my eyes met Michael’s coming out of that totally unnecessary attempt at resembling a Boa Constrictor, I redeemed its value to my heart. This was not going anywhere. I have to say, I liked Give in to me (ok ,and Keep the faith too) and even though I last listened to it like fifteen years ago, you can’t take anything away from the ones that come first.
They were showing Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth truth on campus. Highly recommended.
Bangladesh, of course, comes up as one of the countries that will be most badly affected by global warming. Given that the country is, on average, only about 10 m above sea level, and large areas on the coast are at sea level, a rise in sea level will obviously lead to incredible devastation and displacement. A well-reported figure is that a 1m increase in sea levels will result in Bangladesh losing about 17.5% of its land area. Not only will land be inundated, but there will be an increase in flooding, erosion, and salt-water intrusion (leading to spoilage of agricultural land). [A quick summary of scare scenarios here at the New Scientist. A good blog-post on Bangladesh and Global Warming by Brudaimonia on the Daily Kos (hat-tip to Rezwanul and 3rd World View for the pointer from his post a week or so ago..UPDATE: I see Rezwanul just posted on global warming again a few minutes ago...) Read an accessible paper, and a useful list of sources, on the impact of global warming on land use here - it's from the Environmental Protection Agency in the US (It's worth mentioning here the Bush administration's long-standing denial of global warming as a problem, and sudden about-face on this issue the last few days. However, it's likely that the about-face has more to do with energy policy and security, which will be a HUGE issue in the next elections than with any actual change of heart about the seriousness of the issue. Real Climate notes:
"First off, there are some curious patterns in the whitehouse.gov search engine. It turns out that it has been blocked from returning most results if the search phrase
includes "global warming" - even if it's from the President himself. For
instance, searching for "issue of global" gives as top result the President's Rose
Garden speech in June 2001 on Global Climate Change, but searching for "issue
of global warming" (which of course is the full phrase used) returns
nothing. Hmmm....."
This is a good site to read about climate change issues, btw)]
The problem, I find, when I read about global warming is that it’s hard to visualize how the scary scenarios will unfold. True, there will likely be an sharp increase in storms and floods and other sudden catastrophes, but the large impact will take place over an extended period of time, slowly, surely, lethally. But this video makes it all very, very real and very very immediate. It seems that the people of Bhola already have to deal with the encroaching, eroding effects of global warming - apparently in the last decade Bhola has lost nearly 50% of its land to river and sea erosion. Apparently the process will be like the river bhangon process that has been the source of countless tears, countless cries - except it will all be at an unimaginable, unmanageable scale.
And Abdul Alim’s songs will continue to give voice to the wounded souls and broken dreams of millions:
Meghna’r koolay ghor bandhilam
Boro asha kore
She ghor amar bhanga gelo
Shorbonasha jhore - Meghnar - shorbonasha jhore!
What are we doing? Our problems are so big, and yet our politics so petty and small!
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