It was a small but an important event. There were only 30-35 people – some second generation Bangladeshi young, some first generation adults, some men, some women – all living in New York City. They get together to remember a boy who was not known to them even few weeks ago. The boy, 13-year-old Samiul Alam Rajon, was killed brutally by a group of men in Bangladesh on July 8, 2015.
These second generation of Bangladeshis – some are as young as Rajon, met in Brooklyn to hold a vigil, demanded justice and asked to stop nonsensical death of so many innocent kids in Bangladesh and across the world.
They said what others have already said. But what was new is their presence as a second generation Bangladeshi community. They poised as a voice of the community. They did not make huge banner, bought newspaper and TV ad but the effort itself was a good and right step toward.
Violence in Bangladesh is common. As mythical as it may sound, as a tolerant country, Bangladesh also condone tremendous amount of violence. Mixed with despair and disability, fate and faith, history and heritage, police and politics, life of Bangladeshi people just go on with varieties of violence. On the other hand, people routinely protest of violence, demand justice, government make task force, sometimes take action, few are punished but most of them are forgotten from the public mind as this routine never changes.
The first generation Bangladeshi immigrants abroad know all these too well. For them Rajon’s are killed, protests are done, promises are made, steps are taken – right or wrong. Time passes by and life goes on. The second generation Bangladeshis, some know about this trend, most not. Some can make sense, most not. Some understand, most not. But none wants to be part of their prior generation’s mundane cyclical state of mind that goes on and on and on like an endless bad dream.
Not bad but as part of a bold dream, they organized a ‘Vigil for Rajon’ in Brooklyn.
Again, what they did was more important than what they said. They created an event on Facebook, invited others, communicated with their peers, asked non-Bangladeshi friends to join in and brought few first generation Bangladeshis who care. Not much was said, indeed. Everyone decently took their turn to say something – short, sharp and to the point – a rarity among Bangladeshi society.
They circled the Church-McDonald Avenue crossing – where many of the Bangladeshis meet, mingle, gossip, chitchat, live and work in Brooklyn – with vigil and slogan. It was not just to say that they gathered only for Rajon’s in Bangladesh – indeed, they were there to tell that they care for the community they belong to and the country their parents came from. That they want to act with resilience and responsibility.
This second generation Bangladeshi initiative seemed like kind of isolated as there was less enthusiasm among the local Bangladeshi people. They reacted with cautious curiosity, passed by as evasive onlookers. From a nearby mosque, more Bangladeshis Muslims came out after prayer – none stopped by to ask about the event or to attend the Vigil for Rajon!
In a sense, outside of Bangladesh, first and second generation Bangladeshis have a cultural gap. They are connected but understand each other less. How come when Rajon’s are dying in Bangladesh, first generation Bangladeshis gave wordy statements, but none came out to support this event of young Bangladeshis! On the contrary, any establishment coming from Bangladesh got kind of ‘mini-humongous’ reception at airports, hotels, houses, restaurants, streets and even in picnics. Seems like for the first generation, the first event has little clear goal, the second events have specific ‘aim’.
Again, it is what it is. Child violence happen, people protest, leaders give statements, committees are formed, investigations are ordered, recommendations are submitted, and outcome remains obscure! Violence happens, people protest, leaders…the cycle goes on and on until it [does not end]. This is what most Bangladeshis living abroad saw and take it for granted. These are part of the payment for being a Bangladeshi. For the first generation of Bangladeshis abroad, it is still that reality here.
They can show that a better alternative is possible.
What the second generation Bangladeshis can do? Nothing much or very little, perhaps. They can show that a better alternative is possible. Less talk, more work; less division, more unity; less shout, more think, less newspaper, more book; less drama, more diversity; less popularity, more responsibility. To do this little, second generation of Bangladeshis do not need any confrontation or even conversation with the prior generation. Remember Nike?
Bangladesh will not get back Rajon and many others, but if the sad demise of Rajon can give birth some spark among the new generation of Bangladeshis to be deeply dedicated, highly motivated and create a new breed of Bangladeshis in distant lands, then the nation might not have to ask for endless forgiveness from the Rajons who are facing violence and being killed everyday.
Hope those tiny little lights of vigil were meant not to remember Rajon only but also to welcome a new generations of young Bangladeshis activists who are living abroad – across the world.
Violence in Bangladesh is not new. In fact, violence is one of the many reasons Bangladesh gets some media attention around the world. Recently, a 13-year-old boy, Rajon, was beaten to death by a group of men in Bangladesh who accused him of trying to steal a bicycle. The incident was video recorded and posted on Facebook. In Bangladesh and other countries, this savagely cruel act made people very angry, heartbroken, and upset. The accused were arrested – one from Saudi Arabia after he fled there. Many people in Bangladesh called for the death penalty for the accused.
Violence in Bangladesh against children is not new either. Bangladesh is one of the top-ranking countries in violence against children in peaceful times. What was new in this incident was that the torture was posted online. The people of Bangladesh are rightly outraged at this act of brutal torture and demanding justice. But here are some questions to consider – who really killed Rajon? Why are people angry? Angry against whom? It seems everyone knows the answer (after all, it was posted online! The accused confessed the crime!).
Therefore, the real questions are, if the beating of Rajon was not posted online if it did not go viral, and more importantly if Rajon was not dead, how significant is the event in the Bangladeshi context? Was Rajon protected when he was not beaten?
Most Bangladeshis understand violence in terms of physical, visual, and exposed shape. If the violence is structural violence, psychological and private violence, then that kind of cruelty is almost incomprehensible in Bangladesh. Violence is so cleverly hidden, silently active, subtly present, carefully nurtured, and culturally blended into the social fabric of Bangladesh that it feels like second nature.
So, who killed Rajon? Perhaps he was killed by society as a whole with the initiative taken by the killers!
Rajon was beaten to death by his killers because they thought they knew better than the authorities (the police, the political leader, the judge, etc.). They caught Rajon, accused him, tied him, interrogated him, beat him, broke him, and at last killed him. Did they do anything wrong? If it were bad, this kind of attitude would be the norm in Bangladesh. They took the initiative to correct an issue that they (in their sick mind) thought needed to be taken care of. In Bangladesh, these kinds of behaviors are expressed in many ways. Here are a few examples from this year:
These incidents are all wrong, but they are also part of the norm in Bangladesh. In every case, from the police to political parties, to interest groups, to private citizens, all took law and order into their hands. So, what did Rajon’s killers do differently? Rajon’s killers even made an agreement with the local police to set them free – again, wrong but a norm in Bangladesh.
Bangladeshis are victims of violence in a real sense as well as offenders of violence in a metaphysical sense. Therefore, any cause of violence is everybody’s responsibility. When the presence of violence becomes intensely internal, then it is hard to understand that we are also offenders! When animated and undetected violence takes forms of accepted ideas in general, that is a very dangerous situation. For example,
Political violence is the political dialog of Bangladeshi society!
Two-thirds of Bangladeshi children are beaten as the name of child discipline!
Husbands beat wives as part of conjugal discipline!
Police take bribes to expedite criminal investigations!
Organizations are broken into pieces to accommodate personality and practice democracy!
Fast, repeated, senseless, and too many words are used to express ideas in meetings! Etc.
No one likes to take responsibility for the crimes committed by others. Criminals must be punished for a safe, sound, and successful society. But to create that kind of society, the people of Bangladesh need to address the underlying causes of violence, identify connecting nods of violence and societal values associated with violence, and think outside the box to reduce violence. Until then, many Rajons will be beaten to death, and so-called ‘we’ will be angry and demand justice. To save Rajons, the people of Bangladesh have to act together soon!
Fictional film industry in Bangladesh is dominant, dramatic, distorted and surreal but still profitable. Therefore, non-fiction films or documentaries are neglected. Also the genre is not popular. Documentaries made by Bangladeshi filmmakers are rare, however, some new generation of independent filmmakers are trying to change the scenario. We will cover that story in another post.
This list of documentary films on Bangladesh are all made by non-Bangladeshi documentary makers. Some are feature-length, some are shorts, some are old, some new. The list is in random order. Previous lists can be found here – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4,Part 5 and Part 6.
The True Cost
Director: Andrew Morgan
2015 • 92 Min • USA
The True Cost is a documentary film exploring the impact of fashion on people and the planet. This is a story about the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the industry is having on our world. The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing? Filmed in countries all over the world, from the brightest runways to the darkest slums, and featuring interviews with the world’s leading influencers including Stella McCartney, Livia Firth and Vandana Shiva, The True Cost is an unprecedented project that invites us on an eye opening journey around the world and into the lives of the many people and places behind our clothes.
John Pilger travels to Bangladesh to report on the horrors of the famine in the country, its causes and tragedies, circa 1975. With people passing away on the street on a daily basis from starvation and US foreign policy continually ignored, An Unfashionable Tragedy documents the plight that continues to this day, showing that food is a powerful weapon, more powerful than oil.
Threads
Director: Cathy Stevulak
2014 • 30 Min • Canada
Thread is a documentary about an unconventional Bangladeshi woman liberates herself and hundreds of others from social and economic hardships by creating timeless works of art. World leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II and Kim Il-Sung were given her art, yet she is virtually unknown in her own country. Surayia Rahman, one of the first women artists of Bangladesh, looked to her own inspiration and ancient kantha quiltwork to support her bedridden husband and her children. But she never expected that destitute young mothers would come searching for her, nor that the elaborate art that they created together would find its way to royalty, museums and private collections around the world.
Paddy Field Still Green
Director: Camile Raillon
2015 • 15 Min • Spain/France
Communities, societies and individuals all have the capacity to thrive no matter what the circumstances are. This is the message of our latest documentary “Paddy Field Still Green” showing the impact of cyclones on the local communities but also their ability to counter adverse affects and turn the situation around. This documentary tells the story of adaptation to the impact of the cyclones in Bangladesh. The film explores how local communities and NGOs have tackled the impact of these natural disasters and how the beauty of the region is emerging once again.
Gum for My Boat
Director: Russell Brownley
2009 • 33 Min • USA
An alluring documentary that touches on the redemptive power of surfing in Bangladesh. This short feature tells the story of how a group of more than 30 boys and girls, many of whom are poverty-stricken street kids, are making a difference in their community and how the surf club they started is the catalyst for this change. Due to a fearful, conservative culture, the ocean was once deemed off limits to these children, who now see surfing as a source of fun, escape, and even a way to make a living. The film follows professional surfer Kahana Kalama (A guest on Fuel TVs series On Safari) as he works with Hawaii-based nonprofit Surfing The Nations and learns that sometimes surfing involves more than catching waves.
A lot of our clothes bear the label ‘Made in Bangladesh’. But before the deadly collapse of a garment factory there last April, most of us never thought about the people who make them. After clothes bound for Canada were found in the rubble of Rana Plaza, Canadian companies reacted with surprise – how could such a tragedy happen? The Fifth Estate’s Mark Kelley went to Bangladesh and tracked down workers who say they are still forced to make clothes for Canada in dangerous conditions. And Kelley goes behind bars for an exclusive interview with the jailed owner of one of the biggest factories inside Rana Plaza, who details his long-standing, multimillion dollar connections to Canada.
CBC’s the fifth estate won International Emmy for ‘Made in Bangladesh’ documentary. A similar short documentary was broadcasted on Al Jazeera – Fault Lines with same name in 2013 which won a Peabody Award.
Bangladesh: A Climate Trap
Director: Ami Vitale
2011 • 27 Min • USA
In Dhaka, climate change refugees are moving from the countryside and into squalid slums due to environmental degradation. Like millions of others, Alam Mia has been forced to make the teeming capital of Dhaka his home. We follow his journey as he leaves his homestead in search of a livelihood in the city. Dhaka feels more like a foreign country than home. For the family, it is a struggle for survival. Alam Mia is trapped. His move to the city is not a beginning full of possibilities. Korial, Dhaka’s largest slum signifies the bitter culmination of his dreams.
Bangladesh: A Climate Trap was selected for official selection at Portland Maine Film Festival 2012 and at New Filmmakers, New York 2013.
Are We So Different
Director: Lok Prakash
2011 • 37 Min • India
‘Amra Ki Etoi Bhinno… Are we so different‘ is a documentary film on Bangladeshi Hijra, Gay and Bisexual community. It was awarded the ‘The Best Documentary Short Film 2012′ at “Kashish 2012– 3rd Mumbai International Queer Film Festival”, India’s (and South Asia’s) biggest Queer Film Festival. Kashish 2012 was held from May 23 to May 27, 2012 in Mumbai, India, and featured 120 films from 30 countries
The film talks about a range of masculinities and its impact on people’s lives, and about how different people have unique experiences of coping and surviving in Bangladesh, often ruled by strict masculinist and patriarchist ideals. The stories of those who challenge these strictures and notions are told in this film in their own words.
A Boat For Bangladesh
Producer: David G. Conover
2013 • 16 Min • USA
In northern Bangladesh exists an ephemeral group of islands that are locally known as ‘chars.’ For an estimated 3 million people without room to settle on the mainland, the chars are home. Everything here is transitory and difficult in a land challenged by climate change. Agricultural land appears, then disappears. The average char islander moves 12 to as many as 40 times in a life. Ten years ago, an NGO named Friendship began to provide health, education and community infrastructure using boats. The NGO is led by a Bengali woman named Runa Khan. A Boat for Bangladesh was triggered by the arrival of a new boat in the Friendship fleet -Greenpeace’s iconic RAINBOW WARRIOR 2, which extends Friendship’s reach to the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA) celebrated a colorful, joyous, participatory, and cross-cultural ‘Pohela Boishakh‘ (Bangla New Year) in New York. Bangladeshi community participated in a block parade and enjoyed a cultural event afterward to taste ‘Bangla Noboborsho‘ in New York. Hundreds of children, young, and adults marched several blocks of Astoria/Long Island City with flags, banners, festoons, ‘dhol,’ ‘kashor‘, ‘palki,’ and lots of jingles.
BIPA Bangla New Year Parade Route
The parade was noticed and welcomed by many ethnic communities, from real-life delivery man to poster-size Run DMC! New York City Council Member Daniel Dromm lead the parade with Bangladeshi community leaders. Not a moment Annie Ferdous failed to motivate the marching trope with her chorus of exhilarating slogans. The whole marching party was something to do on a beautiful sunny Sunday. Even without the NYPD escort, the parade was safe, peaceful, and disciplined. BIPA planned a day-long Bangla New Year festival with a street fair, youth singing competition, children’s entertainment, dance, music, recitation, awards, etc. It was packed with attendees, filled with excitement, and grabbed with attention.
Practicing Bangladeshi culture abroad is accessible to the Bangladeshi community; however, persistently practicing it in their adopted country is a different ballgame. Bangladeshis love their own culture. They need a gathering place, a few friends/family, food, and appreciation to indulge themselves with Bangla songs and poetry. However, it is hard if someone dares to do it for a longer time, with increasing audiences, in an inclusive way, and with reputation. Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA) has been at the forefront of keeping Bangladeshi culture alive in the USA since 1993. The organization has been promoting and spreading Bangla culture by teaching the new generation of Bangladeshi kids, organizing events, reaching out to elected officials, and embracing multicultural aspects of American cultural life.
To care for Bangladeshi culture in the USA, BIPA has set forth several aims: First, teach the Bangla language to the new generation of Bangladeshi Americans; Second, patronage local Bangladeshi artists and act as a platform to showcase their talents; Third, build a bridge between Bangladeshi and other ethnic communities of USA through cultural exchanges.
Among all the aims, cross-cultural exchange among communities seems to be the most essential activity of BIPA in a larger context. At the event, this characteristic of BIPA was in full display when BatalaNYC, an Afro-Brazilian Samba Reggae group, was invited to perform some heart-pounding drumming! Colors of the Wind, a Chinese folk dance group of full-time mothers, performed popular oriental fan dance. Kathak Ensemble presented classical Indian Kathak dance, and Sri Lankan Dance Academy of New York showed their traditional Sri Lankan dance. Cross-cultural exchange through active participation is very important both for the Bangladeshi community and other communities. Indeed, it seemed like the audience was more attentive and intrigued by their performances!
The new generation of Bangladeshi Americans – Jersey Wave and The Feringhees – played band music. Students of BIPA performed several theme-based dances and music. Enough ice creams were licked. Hungry folks enjoyed Bangladeshi food. Shoppers purchased their favorite clothes and jewelry. The audience was interested. Children were laughing, running, and playing hide and seek everywhere. An excellent Bangladeshi Mela!
So what was absent? Only two things were missing at the event – a Bangladeshi river and some good clapping from the audience. Bringing a river to the audience may be nearly impossible, but supporting and motivating Bangladeshi kids and non-Bangladeshi guest performers with vigorous clapping should not be so difficult for the viewers.
Now, please, ladies and gentlemen, thank the Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts for successfully organizing another delightful Bangla New Year in New York and for their excellent work around the year.
To draw a map of Bangladesh is not easy. It is nearly impossible for anyone to draw an accurate and complete map of Bangladesh if all the enclaves are included in the account. No geography books in Bangladeshi schools have them drawn! These enclaves are also unseen, forgotten, and neglected because they are difficult to visit, communication is controlled, daily life activities are limited, and developments are unworkable.
What is an enclave? Enclaves (Chitmahal in Bangla) are defined as a fragment of one country surrounded by another. They are not uncommon – many enclaves in many parts of the world were created due to historical, political, or geographical reasons. However, Bangladesh-India enclaves represent 80% of the total number of enclaves in the world since the 1950s.
A British Lawyer, Cyril Radcliffe, was given 37 days to draw a border between so-called ‘Hindu’ India and ‘Muslim’ Pakistan in 1947. And he did it – without visiting the area, without knowledge of culture, in complete secrecy, and destroyed all his papers before he left India. The border affected people, culture, geography, history, and politics. The last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten, thought a hundred thousand deaths as “an acceptable level of violence” – indeed, millions died.
The number of existing enclaves in Bangladesh and India varies from source to source. The partition of the Indian subcontinent left 111 Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves inside Indian territory, according to one source. Other estimates count 130 Indian Chitmahals in Bangladesh and 95 Bangladesh Chitmahals in Indian territory or 102 Indian exclaves inside Bangladesh and 71 Bangladeshi ones inside India. [Source] Whatever the accurate number of enclaves, the combined population in these areas is between 50,000 to 100,000.
All these enclaves are different in shape, size, and characteristics. In fact, Indo-Bangladesh enclaves are perhaps the most interesting, enigmatic, strange, complicated, and ‘Swiss cheese’ kind of map that exists today. Some enclaves are inside another enclave! Dahala Khagrabari is the world’s only third-order enclave, being Indian territory inside a Bangladeshi territory inside an exclave of India in Bangladesh. Suppose a resident of Dahala Khagrabari, India, wishes to reach Delhi. In that case, he/she must cross four international borders: first over into Bangladesh, then into India, back into Bangladesh again, and then, finally, into India.
Enough introduction. Let’s look into some of the enclaves via Google Maps! Some enclave maps have direct links for further exploration.
Forty-five documentary films on Bangladesh were previously listed in five parts – Part 1, Part 2,Part 3 and Part 4, and Part 5. Here are a few more. They are in random order. Bangladesh was part of a documentary or an episode in a document series.
‘Call Me Salma‘ is a documentary film about love and loss. Salma enters the mysterious and rich world of transsexuality in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s crowded back alleys. Salma, a 16-year-old Hijra, abruptly left her village and family to enter the effervescent city life in search of a clear identity, a new family, and a sense of acceptance. Emotionally torn between her youth and her desire to be a woman, Salma decides to return to her village and face events that force her to question the preconceived notions of gender, family, and love.
The documentary was broadcast on ARTE (Europe), EBS (South Korea), and Direct 8 (France). Official Selection of Artivist Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2010; Festival des Films du Monde de Montréal, 2010; Warsaw Film Festival, 2010, Poland; EBS International Documentary Film Festival, 2010, South Korea; Bangladesh Documentary Film Festival, 2010; Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, 2011 and Vancouver Queer Film Festival, 2011. The doc is made by Bideshi Films.
To Catch a Dollar: Muhammad Yunus Banks on America is a powerful documentary by Gayle Ferraro. Her film follows Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Yunus as he establishes his unique and revolutionary microfinance program in the US. Witness the birth of Grameen America and the compelling stories of the first micro-entrepreneurs, from their challenges to their successes. These inspiring women learn to rise from poverty by starting and growing their sustainable businesses with the education, peer support, and non-collateral microloans they receive from this innovative and successful system of not-for-profit banking.
Directors: Mary Ann Jolley, Sarah Ferguson
2013 • 42 Min • Australia
Fashion Victims looks at the actual cost of cheap clothes based on the conditions of sweatshops in Bangladesh. On 24th April 2013, more than a thousand people were killed when an eight-story building collapsed in the heart of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. The collapse of Rana Plaza turned the world’s attention to the shocking conditions workers in the country’s clothing industry are forced to endure. In recent years, Australian companies have flooded into Bangladesh to take advantage of lax labor laws and the lowest wages in the world, paid to the predominantly young female workers in the factories.
Desert Riders
Director: Vic Sarin
2011 • 78 Min • Canada
Human traffickers use children to race camels in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other countries. Camel racing is a popular sport in the Middle East. In past years, thousands of young boys have been trafficked from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mauritania, and other countries to work as jockeys in the UAE under excruciating conditions. Over the last ten years, some governments have tried to put an end to the use of child jockeys. Desert Riders will examine the situation before and since these government policies were enacted, as well as the arduous journey to retrieve and recuperate these children.
Millions of tea workers struggle every day to survive in the beautiful, lush tea gardens in Kenya, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. They are plucking tea for multinational companies such as Lipton and Finlay’s. The companies promise the consumers that they will act as responsible members of the global society, protecting the environment and ensuring good working and living conditions for the workers. Nothing could be more wrong. Western consumers have turned to Fairtrade because Fairtrade/Max Havelaar guarantees that the workers in the Fairtrade-certified tea estates get a little extra money every time they buy their tea. This film tells the true story of how Fairtrade is not at all fair.
The Bitter Taste of Tea is the 3rd documentary of Flip the Coin series. The other two docs in this series, ‘The Micro Debt’ and ‘A Tower of Promises,’ also discussed issues related to Bangladesh. The film is sold for distribution in 10 countries and has won ‘The Al Jazeera Film Festival’ and the FAO ‘OSIRIS’ award.
Indian Ocean – Sri Lanka to Bangladesh
Director: Olly Bootle
2012 • 59 Min • UK
This is a six-part nature and travel documentary hosted by Simon Reeve. In 5th episode, Simon reaches Sri Lanka, whose strategic location and tropical spices made it a target for invaders and colonizers for centuries. In the north, he visits the scenes of vicious battles between the Tamil minority and the Sri Lankan army, traumatic events from which the population is still recovering. On his way to Bangladesh, he hitches a ride on a trawler, highlighting one of the Indian Ocean’s fastest-growing industries – providing prawns for the West. But as he reveals, it comes at a price for the environment.
Tropic of Cancer – Bangladesh to Burma
Director: Olly Bootle
2010 • 59 Min • UK
A sociopolitical and travel documentary presented by Simon Reeve and made by BBC, the series has six episodes. The fifth episode takes Simon through Bangladesh and on a difficult covert journey into Burma, where Western journalists are banned. In Bangladesh, Simon sails down the mighty Padma River and visits fishermen who use trained otters to drive fish into their nets. Further, he sees the river banks crumbling before his eyes – increased river erosion is thought to be caused by global climate change – and in the capital, Dhaka, he meets some of the millions of child workers. From North East India, Simon treks through jungles and across rivers into Burma to meet the Chin people – an ethnic group who are brutalized and oppressed by the Burmese government.
Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) occasionally organizes events to inform, educate, and seek support from non-resident Bangladeshis living abroad to preserve the environment of Bangladesh. On Sunday, March 22nd, BEN organized a special event to welcome Mr. Abdul Matin, General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) – (Bangladesh Environmental Movement), who has been visiting the USA. BEN works closely with BAPA on environmental issues in Bangladesh. So close is the relationship that they are sometimes called BAPA-BEN. The event took place in Jackson Heights, New York. More or less 30 people attended the event.
The General Secretary briefly discussed BAPA and the different aspects of Bangladesh’s environmental problems and prospects.
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) was launched in 2000 to create a nationwide movement to protect Bangladesh’s environment. Since then, it has been working with reputation, so much so that some people use the good name of BAPA to support their local environmental activities.
BAPA has to fend off requests for membership from corrupt government officials who want to use BAPA’s name and activity for their personal benefit. Due to resource constraints, BAPA has been expanding slowly at local levels. Some associates work independently with BAPA, following their model of community activism.
BAPA has about 500 members after cutting down almost 350 inactive members over the years. It has a central committee, an executive committee, 18 program committees based on various environmental issues, and 14 sub-committees to help those program committees. BAPA leadership is elected via a ‘controlled democracy’ for the organization’s smooth operation.
Many reputable personalities in Bangladesh, like lawyers, environmental experts, and teachers, provide their services for BAPA as a labor of love, and they are an essential lifeline for BAPA. Volunteers help them to carry out many of their field-level activities.
BAPA tries to maintain transparency by allowing anyone to see their financial statements by visiting their Dhaka Office.
When asked about BAPA’s organizational challenges, Mr. Matin said none! The main difficulties are convincing and motivating people and the government to care for the environment.
Even after many efforts and some improvements, the environment is an ever-neglected area for the Bangladesh government. As an example, he cited that Bangladesh has no national river policy. Therefore, rivers are facing ‘extinction.’ Many rivers are dying out, getting polluted, becoming narrower, and illegally used for personal and commercial benefits. It is a constant battle to save them.
As an anecdote, he told the audience how local officials in Sundarbans – a world heritage site, killed two deers to pleasingly feed the Prime Minister of Bangladesh when she was visiting the area! The PM was not happy, and the officials were suspended! The anecdote depicts the level of awareness among the local level Bangladeshi government/political authorities about environmental issues!
Many thanks to BAPA-BEN for organizing an informal and informative event. It is very commendable that BAPA is actively working to protect Bangladesh’s environment by providing information, generating public opinion, formulating policies, and persuading public officials. Without the presence of the General Secretary, basic information about BAPA was hard to find. BAPA’s website does not provide almost any information the GS supplied at the event. For example, what are the 18 program committees, what are their activities, what are the achievements of BAPA so far, what are their future plans, how are volunteers involved in the process, how can non-resident Bangladeshis and others help or raise concern or provide support? Can anyone see BAPA’s annual reports online? Etc.
BAPA’s website provides some minimal, formal, static information. The blog contains no entry! The list of activities is from March 14, 2012, although the organization was founded in 2000. The last activity was posted on May 22, 2013! Research papers/publications are not available either for free or for sale. There is nothing on the ‘Associates’ link! The General Secretary mentioned that volunteers help BAPA, but the website is empty! There are no social links of any kind.
Disseminating information, keeping it online, and regular updates are fundamental aspects of today’s environmental movement. BAPA can easily connect with outside communities and organizations through its online campaign.
Even though Bangladesh is nowhere close to being responsible for climate change due to carbon emissions compared to developed countries, Bangladesh will be one of the most affected countries. Many experts rightly and reasonably have mentioned that very little Bangladesh can do to ‘stop’ global warming. Whatever little Bangladesh can do, are they doing it to the furthest extent? While Bangladesh’s industrial contribution to global warming has been small, its contribution through deforestation has been significant. Between 1986-7 and 1996-7, the number of cars, trucks, and jeeps doubled in Bangladesh, etc. Bangladesh has to address these kinds of issues.
Although Bangladeshis living abroad can advocate, lobby, organize, and actively participate in civic forums to get attention about the effects of climate change in Bangladesh, most non-resident Bangladeshis seem to be least concerned about it now. Only a handful of Bangladeshis joined last year’s climate march in New York. BAPA-BEN can think of some innovative initiatives to motivate/engage them.
Before ending, two points to make in a positive spirit:
The speaker was forced to stop in the middle of his talk because the organizer forgot to welcome him with flowers! Therefore, he was interrupted, the flower was given, photos were taken, the audience waited, and then he went back to talking again. Flowers could have been given before or after the talk – not in the middle by interrupting the most essential part of the event. The incident was somehow connected with the Bangladesh environment movement – culturally. Bangladeshis need to rethink their cultural practices if they want to save the environment. Changing culture is hard, but it is sometimes essential and possible.
The projector at the event ran for more than two hours with just one slide! It’s caused some light pollution and made it difficult to take pictures of whoever wanted! Here is a different kind of example of how every small act counts!
Thanks again, Bangladesh Environment Network and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, for the event.
Documentary Films on Bangladesh by non-Bangladeshi Film Makers
A list of documentary films on Bangladesh was published in Part 1, Part 2,Part 3, and Part 4. This is the fifth installment. All documentaries in this list were made by non-Bangladeshi directors, producers, and production companies. It is not a review or not a critique of the documentaries – a mere list. This list is incomplete, so we will write on them as they come to our attention. The list here is in random order.
This group of documentary films is not entirely on Bangladesh. In a single documentary, Bangladesh was mentioned in a documentary as part of the issue presented. Bangladesh was presented in one of the episodes of a series of documentaries.
The Human Scale
Director: Andreas Dalsgaard
2012 • 83 Min • Denmark
Half of the human population lives in urban areas. By 2050, this will increase to 80%. Life in a megacity is both enchanting and problematic. Today, we face peak oil, climate change, loneliness, and severe health issues due to our way of life. But why? The Danish architect and professor Jan Gehl has studied human behavior in cities for four decades. He has documented how modern cities repel human interaction and argues that we can build cities in a way that considers human needs for inclusion and intimacy. ‘The Human Scale‘ meets thinkers, architects, and urban planners across the globe. It questions our assumptions about modernity, exploring what happens when we put people at the center of our planning.
Poverty, Inc.
Director: Michael Matheson Miller
2014 • 94 Min • USA
The West has positioned itself as the protagonist of the development narrative. However, the results have been mixed, sometimes even catastrophic, and developing world leaders have become increasingly vocal in calling for change. Drawing on perspectives gathered from over 150 interviews shot over four years in 20 countries, Poverty, Inc. explores the hidden side of doing good. From disaster relief to TOMs Shoes, from adoptions to agricultural subsidies, Poverty, Inc. follows the butterfly effect of our most well-intentioned efforts and pulls back the curtain on the poverty industrial complex – the multi-billion dollar market of NGOs, multilateral agencies, and for-profit aid contractors. Are we catalyzing development or propagating a system where the poor stay poor while the rich get hipper?
Plan B
Director: Hal Weiner
2010 • 84 Min • USA
Narrated by Matt Damon, Plan B is a 90-minute documentary based on the book by environmental visionary Lester Brown. Shot on location around the world, the film’s message is clear and unflinching — either confront the realities of climate change or suffer the consequences of lost civilizations and failed states. Ultimately, Plan B provides audiences with a glimpse into a new and emerging economy based on renewable resources and strategies to avoid the growing threat of global warming. Appearing with Lester Brown are Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Friedman, former Governor and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, along with other scholars and scientists. Locations include China, Japan, South Korea, India, Italy, Turkey, Bangladesh, Zambia, Haiti, and the U.S.
Whores’ Glory
Director: Michael Glawogger
2011 • 110 Min • Germany & Austria
Whores’ Glory is an examination of the lives, needs, troubles, and hopes of prostitutes in Bangkok (Thailand), Faridpur (Bangladesh) and Reynosa (Mexico). The first part deals with the everyday work of prostitutes in Bangkok in a brothel called the Fish Tank. The prostitutes sit in a brightly lit glass room and are chosen by clients by the number used to identify them. The second part concerns a vast brothel called the City of Joy in Faridpur, Bangladesh. There, 600 to 800 women work in a confined space. In one scene, a madame buying a prostitute from another madame haggles over the price of the girl. The third part takes place in Reynosa, near the Texas border. There, it is expected, as in other Mexican cities, to designate the legal areas for prostitution as zonas de tolerancia (tolerance zones). The entrance to the Zona is secured with barriers and is constantly monitored by the police.
Let Them Eat Cake
Director: Alexis Krasilovsky
2014 • 81 Min • USA
Six years in the making, filmed in a dozen countries, ‘Let Them Eat Cake‘ is a poetic film essay that runs the full range from the pleasures and perils of overeating to the tragedies of world hunger.
Let Them Eat Cake is not your typical documentary. It is a poetic essay that takes you through twelve countries, exploring the contrast between pastry making and consumption in various parts of the world. While in some parts of the world, those who farm the ingredients for pastries can’t even afford them, in Paris, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, lavish pastries adorn the shelves of pastry shops along the streets. Written and directed by award-winning director Alexis Krasilovsky, Let Them Eat Cake addresses the planetary emergency of too little food while seducing the viewer with the lavish traditions and beauty of pastry and cake-making that call us back to our childhood roots.
ManIslam – Islam and Masculinity
Director: Nefise Özkal Lorentzen
2014 • 58 Min • Norway
‘ManIslam – Islam and Masculinity‘ is a voyage into understanding the masculinities of Islam. Why does a man in Kuwait inspired by the 99 names of Allah and the Quranic stories create comics about superheroes called the 99? Why does a man in Bangladesh travel from one village to another and teach the community how to play a board game? Why does a man in Indonesia encourage other men to wear mini shirts in a demonstration? They all have the same target. They will change the dark side of the masculinities in their cultures by playing games.
Years of Living Dangerously
Directors: Joel Bach and David Gelber
2014 • 58 Min/episode • USA
Years of Living Dangerously is a documentary in 9 episodes about worldwide climate change and global warming. Bangladesh was extensively covered in episode 8 (A Dangerous Future) and episode 9 (Moving a Mountain). From the damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy to the upheaval caused by drought in the Middle East, this groundbreaking documentary event series provides first-hand reports on those affected by and seeking solutions to climate change.
In episode 8, Michael C. Hall travels to Bangladesh to see how climate change will impact workers and the poor in developing countries in the coming decades, when a projected 150 million people will be forced to leave their homes to escape sea level rise and increased drought, insect-borne disease, and flooding. In episode 9, Hall concludes his journey to Bangladesh, where rising seas are expected to submerge 17% of the country.
Don’t Tell My Mother
2008 • 58 Min • USA and France
Producer: Diego Buñuel
Don’t Tell My Mother is a television program hosted by Diego Buñuel and shown on the National Geographic Adventure channel. In this documentary’s episode of season 2, Dhaka was presented as a destination. Dhaka is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Amidst the busy streets, energetic creativity bubbles up in the most unlikely places. Diego begins his adventure in Dhaka, where the term urban jungle is given new meaning. In this area, Macaque monkeys have taken control.
Toughest Place To Be A…
Producer: Simon Davies
2012 • 58 Min • UK
Toughest Place To Be A… is a BBC Two television documentary that offered various working or retired professionals in the United Kingdom a different and more challenging working environment in the same profession they worked in.
Bangladesh was presented in Series 3, episode 2. 57-year-old Colin Window, the bridge officer of the Woolwich Ferry, travels to Dhaka, Bangladesh, to train and work as a ferryman on the Buriganga River. Hosted by 70-year-old Muhammed Loteef in one of the city’s slums, Colin is introduced to his new vessel, a small wooden rowboat known as a Sampan. In temperatures of up to 40 degrees, Sampan operators row passengers and goods across the quarter-mile stretch of river every day, dodging the huge barges and passenger ships that dominate the Buriganga. As Mr Loteef shows Colin how to master the sampan, he meets the other people who live and work on the river and have seen it transformed by sewage, rubbish, and industrial waste. Once the lifeblood of a traditional fishing community, the Buriganga is now officially a dead river.
However, the changes to Buriganga are just a glimpse of the transformations disrupting life in Bangladesh. Every day, some 2000 people leave their villages and travel to Dhaka, desperate for work, as traditional professions such as farming are threatened by climate change. Yet even in Dhaka, over a quarter of a million children live rough on the city streets.
After ten training days, Colin faces his final challenge: operating the Sampan alone during rush hour, taking passengers, and dodging huge ships.
Bangladesh embassies, consulates, high commissions, permanent missions in different countries, and international organizations represent Bangladesh and its people. These missions are controlled by the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). According to MOFA’s website, 65 embassies, consulates, high commissions, deputy high commissions, and permanent missions are stationed in 51 countries. (List below. However, this list may not be updated!) All these foreign missions have physical locations (buildings, offices), and many have online presence (websites). Through their physical and virtual locations, these foreign offices provide various services to people.
This article, in general, will review the state and effectiveness of the websites of Bangladesh embassies and consulates. It will touch upon the language, social engagement, quality of information, and related issues. At the end, it will attempt to provide some suggestions.
The Bangladesh government has 48 embassies, consulates, high commissions, deputy high commissions, and permanent missions, which can be found online (Sources: MOFA website and internet search). A gallery of screenshots of Bangladesh Embassies and Consulates can be found here.
Due to a lack of information regarding the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) ‘s website policy, this article has to rely on the WYSIWYG method to describe website conditions.
First, apart from James Bond 007, Mr. Daniel Craig’s visit to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, the online presence of Bangladesh foreign missions is not admirable. Many missions have no web presence. Those who have are plugged with difficulties – dead links, no links, outdated information, slow speed, hacked domain, expired domain, disorganized information structure, no public engagement, and security concern are a few to mention. Following are some more prominent problems:
Naming Principles of Bangladesh Embassies and Consulates
Nomenclature? Bangladesh embassies and consulates have adopted various names for different missions—for example, bdembassy, bangladeshembassy, bangladoot, bangladesh, bdembassyuae, cgbdubai etc.
Moreover, when a domain name was expired or hacked, another name was taken, and a website was launched. For example:
Bangladesh High Commission in India, New Delhi
www.bhcdelhi.org >> www.bdhcdelhi.org
Consulate General of Bangladesh in LA, USA
www.bdcgla.org >> www.bangladeshconsulatela.com
Embassy of Bangladesh in Japan
www.bdembjp.com >> www.bdembassy.jp
Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata, India
www.bdhckolkata.org >> www.bdhc-kolkata.org
Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in Geneva, Switzerland
Domain Policy of Bangladesh Embassies and Consulates
Acquiring and implementing a systematic, well-organized, appropriate top-level domain (TLD) policy is vital to any website. At the government level, it is also a question of public trust, national security, and standardization. Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not secured and implemented any consistent domain name plan for its foreign mission websites.
Bangladesh MOFA seems to use every top-level domain name available for missions abroad. Here are some samples of top-level domain names in use for MOFA foreign missions today:
Name (Entity)
Name (Entity)
.com (commercial)
.org (organization)
.bh (Bahrain)
.be (Belgium)
.bt (Bhutan)
.bn (Brunei Darussalam)
.ca (Canada)
.cn (China)
.de (Germany)
.lk (Sri Lanka)
.np (Nepal)
.nl (Netherlands)
.ru (Russia)
.sa (South Africa)
.sg (Singapore)
.se (Sweden)
.ch (Switzerland)
.tr (Turkey)
.uk (United Kingdom)
.uz (Uzbekistan)
.vn (Vietnam)
Language Support
All Bangladesh embassies’ and consulates’ websites are in English. Except for the Bangladesh Embassy in Nepal, none have Bangla language support. Other missions sometimes post government circulars, notices, press releases, directives, etc., in Bangla. However, they are all in jpeg or pdf format.
Considering its international importance, English is the right choice. However, the Bangla language is a big issue in Bangladesh, and possibly most visitors are Bangladeshi (an unscientific assumption!). It is the national language of Bangladesh, so the Bangla language could have been used to support all websites. And if possible, all websites can provide local language support as well. For example, the Bangladesh Embassy in Japan can be in Japanese, English, or Bangla.
Ironically, the Bangladesh MOFA website is entirely in English, but they have attempted to provide Bangla language support!
Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Bangla Help
Social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, etc., are powerful tools for connecting and staying in touch with clients or fans of any service organization. Almost no Bangladesh embassies and consulates have social media connections except Kenya (Facebook) and Nepal (Facebook, Twitter, Google+). Interestingly, the Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait has no website but only a Facebook page!
Information and Website Structure
All MOFA websites have serious consistency problems regarding information and website structure.
Information
The information provided on various websites of Bangladeshi missions abroad is widely varied. Basic details on Bangladesh’s economy, culture, and tradition are not uniform, and in some instances, they are missing.
Structure
Like information, website structures are widely different, confusing, and have no harmony. Let’s take one example – contact is one of the most critical links/menus in the navigational structure of any website. One can see a wild ride of the link; here are a few examples:
Bangladesh Embassy in Sweden and Turkey: ‘Contact Us‘ on top right horizontal level. Good.
Bangladesh Embassy in UAE: ‘Contact Us‘ is on the footer only!!
Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia: There is no ‘Contact Us’, and if they have, it is HARD to find.
Bangladesh Embassy in Sri Lanka: ‘Contact Us’ is not on the navigation menu; it is just pasted on the front page, making it easy to lose.
Website structures can differ, but all must pass usability tests and be user-friendly. Navigation must not be the same or similar, but it must be intuitive. The ‘Keep looking until you find’ policy is not a great idea.
Control and Management
Who controls the Bangladesh embassy and consulate websites? According to the MOFA website, Kuwait, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have no websites. However, they have websites and can be found online. Is Bangladesh MOFA in control of these websites? Or is this simply an issue of a lack of update?
There is no information about the Bangladesh Consulate in Milan, Italy, on the MOFA website. However, one website of the Consulate Milan was found online! The website works and seems legitimate, but the question remains: why is there no information about this consulate on the MOFA website?
Management of the websites can be delegated to other entities, but who controls and owns these domain names and websites is unclear. Many websites are created, credited, sponsored, and donated by other entities. No copyright, disclaimer, terms and conditions, or privacy policy are posted on many websites, including the MOFA’s.
If Bangladesh MOFA owns and controls these websites, that information should be mentioned as a rule of thumb. Allowing a person’s or organization’s name to appear on a government website is unprofessional.
When writing this article, at least 19 MOFA foreign mission websites—including some foreign web developers—had the name of a person or organization printed at the footer. Even the footer of MOFA’s website has the personal seal of a creator! Nothing is wrong with mentioning who the website designer or developer is; however, it is very unconventional for a government website.
Proper control and maintenance of Bangladesh’s foreign mission websites are a national security issue.
Other Observations:
Many issues can be mentioned that are affecting good web experience for visitors, such as
Websites have many dead links, lousy request links,
Websites are almost static,
There are no interactive options on any websites,
There are many kinds of platforms in use,
No cookie policy compliance regarding EU countries,
Sites are not secured (https) to do any data transaction, if necessary.
Ways to Improve Websites of Bangladesh Embassies and Consulates
There are many ways to improve the websites of Bangladesh embassies and consulates. Consult with some industry experts can be one way to go. Below are some obvious suggestions:
The naming principle can be made uniform and consistent. For example, using mofa.gov.bd as a top-level domain, all foreign missions can be named with the city they are stationed in. Here are a few examples:
Abu Dhabi
https://www.abudhabi.mofa.gov.bd
Karachi
https://www.karachi.mofa.gov.bd
London
https://www.london.mofa.gov.bd
Los Angeles
https://www.losangeles.mofa.gov.bd
New York
https://www.newyork.mofa.gov.bd
Nairobi
https://www.nairobi.mofa.gov.bd
Washington D. C.
https://www.washingtondc.mofa.gov.bd
Bangladesh MOFA can furnish general information about Bangladesh’s history, politics, geography, culture, tradition, literature, government structure, investment policy, etc.. This information can be data-rich, synchronized, and well-researched. The rest can be given to each mission to add information according to their needs. The website structure can be professional, user-friendly, modern, and, if possible, aesthetically appealing!
Websites can be made in English with Bangla and local language support. Bangla language will help Bangladeshis in need, and the local language may assist foreign investors, tourists, and information seekers. For example:
Embassy
Language 1
Language 2
Language 3
USA
English
Bangla
UAE
English
Bangla
Arabic
Sweden
English
Bangla
Swedish
Tajikistan
English
Bangla
Russian
Malaysia
English
Bangla
Malay/Chinese
A rating system, FAQ, QA, and social media sections can be added to better serve the clients.
All websites should be responsive and mobile-friendly as more people access the web via cell phones and tablets.
According to industry experts, appropriate measurements can be implemented to make websites fast, secure, and hacker-proof. (like https, CDN, etc.)
Copyright, terms and conditions, disclaimer, etc., should be clearly stated on all Bangladesh MOFA foreign mission websites.
All foreign missions can have a web presence. At present, 17 embassies and consulates have no websites.
The online presence of a nation like Bangladesh is significant as more people seek information online. For many investors, tourists, researchers, expatriates, and businessmen, a website is the first and prime source of information. Therefore, it will be wise for Bangladesh MOFA to create fast, secure, accurate, comprehensive, and working websites for all of its embassies and consulates as soon as possible, including its own.
