My Charming Childhood

By Asia Afrin Anni


My childhood is the best pastime of my life. This was the time when I could do anything at my sweet will. Nobody scolds me then. I got everything whatever I wanted. I like this time very much in my whole life.

In my childhood, I had done some surprising deeds that made people happy. When I was four months, I began to walk. Once my mother was cooking big Hilsha fishes in the kitchen, I went there and ate a fish among them without informing her. She searched the fish but could not find. After sometime she realized that I ate the fish. At the age of fourteen months, I started talking. Then I called the people ‘Gariwala’ who hawk goods in the streets and called ‘Bariwala’ who drive cars.

One day my mother put clothes in the strings on the roof of our house. I was along with my mother. Suddenly I heard the music of a song in a building. Then the commissioner of the area was going along the road. Therefore, the people of the area arranged the music on the roof of that building to make him happy. I went there alone without informing my mother and started dancing. Every people were seeing my dancing and became amazed. The condition of that place became quite. Seeing this, I stopped and started looking around. All on a sudden, all people gave clapped on my dancing and everybody was happy there. After a while, my mother took me from there.

On the other day, my mother put money of the rooms where we lived on the table for the housekeeper. The notes consist of 500. I took one note from there and ate it. When my mother started searching for the note, I told her everything and she began laughing.

Another day, I concealed under the bed and was eating dried rice because I was fond of eating dried rice. My mother tried hard to find me. Suddenly she heard some sounds coming from under the bed. She looked under the bed. When I saw her, I threw all rice of my mouth on her face.

I did these things in my childhood. I keep them stored in my memory. When I get some time, I remember them and share with everybody. These memories are very valuable for me.

Bird of the baby girl

Translated by Kazi Rafiqul Islam
Written in Bengali: Bithi Rahman

The baby girl says – O cowboy, playing flute
Under the banyan tree
Have you seen my bird
That flew away?

The cowboy says – Playing flute at a lonely place
I have not seen your bird
Where it fled from the cage.

Baby says – All the noon I looked for it
Roaming around the wood
Has my bird fled for ever?
Will it never come back?

Cowboy says – The bird comes from the wood
Does it look good in the cage?
Bird of the wood has flown to the wood
Let her fly away.

Baby says – This cannot happen
If she is not with me
How shall I spend my time?
I loved her, fed her
Keeping in the cage
Wanted to teach her my words.
Leaving everything, where has she fled
All alone I am looking for her.

Cowboy says- Men will live with men
The bird has its wings
Will fly far away
Go back home, baby
Leave her in the woods.

Two Days at Cox’s Bazar

By Nilufa Parvin

A few months ago I visited Cox’s Bazar with my friends and two teachers on purpose of study tour. Our bus entered at Cox’s Bazar in afternoon. There were rows of tamarisk tree on both sides of the road. Suddenly mass of water attracted our eyes from far and it seems to that the sea was greeting us with its vastness and solemnity. We also responded with shouting and joy. After a moment we went down from bus and reached at seashore through sandy-bank. Besides sea-breeze, ocean currents were touching us. After seeing the amazing view of sunset at sea-level we returned in our bus and following then we reached at hotel “Holiday In”

Picture: Sunset at sea-level.

After refreshing we had delicious dinner with rice and rupchada fish. Then we went Burmese market for shopping. We fussed noisily here and there of the market till night. We got up early in the morning and went to sea-beach for taking sea-bath. We overwhelmed to cast in the sea. We have also collected many sea-borne cockles there.

Picture: We are at sea

Later than we had our breakfast and went to “Radar Station” to collect information to serve the main purpose of study tour. After visiting Radar station we took our lunch and started our journey to Inani sea beach. What a fantastic path! There are hills on one side and sea on the other side of the road. After one hour we reached at Inani sea beach. Its elegance, astonishing sight fascinated us. Again we returned back to Holiday In.

Picture: Peak of Radar Station from far

Picture: We are at Radar Station

After refreshing and having dinner we went to seaside for camp fire. We passed our time with humor and fun, sing-song. Roar of sea waves and glitters of stars were remarkable companion for us.

Picture: Inani sea-beach

At last we said goodbye sea-girt but my secret thought was I would come back here again and again.

Some results of Nari Jibon’s activities

By Golam Rabbany Sujon

Nari Jibon provides computer, English, Bengali, and Tailoring skills with its developed curricula where students attended classes, practice their skills in a woman only cyber café, compile a portfolio of their work, and finish through an internship. Students develop their skills through using women cyber café and contributing posts to on-line blogs. Blogging improves students’ knowledge, internet use, writing and computer knowledge. Students keep their blogs in the Nari Jibon two blog sites and some their own blogs. Some students already have started working in the several sectors. After sometime in work or away from education, some students have re-started their computer and English studies as they have understood the necessity of education. Some students have engaged in income generating activities. Being skilled and developed, some students changed their thoughts and decided to pursue higher education even after getting job too.

I also posted some successful stories in the Nari Jibon blog site before like as “When Nari Jibon acts as an alternative skill provider, Mafia- A successful student of Nari Jibon Organization, Ruby Rahman- A Successful Business Woman, Two Students of Nari Jibon have Started a Business, A bit success of Nari Jibon- Asma Akter, My life –Nila Sultana, etc

Anjuman Ara Ali

Anjuman ara ali is about 31 years old. She joined in a famous multinational company named “Flora Limited” as Assistant Accountant Officer. She joined there in last September 2007. At the beginning time her salary was held 5500 taka per month excluding other facilities. She completed her masters in Economics from Bodrunnesa under national university. She took skill from Nari Jibon in English and Computer. She completed courses in English-2, Ms Office Program, Hardware Trouble shooting and Maintenance from Nari Jibon. Now she is passing her time happily and she is grateful to Nari Jibon.

Afsana Parveen

Afsana Parveen (aged 30) joined in an established private school named Genius School and College as Computer operator & documentation officer. She joined there in last January 2007. At the beginning time her salary was held 4000 taka. Afsana studied up to class-12 (H.S.C). After getting married she was working as a housewife. In the meantime she also gave birth to children. Once she came at Nari Jibon with her sister in law to learn English and Computer. She completed taking course at Nari Jibon English-1 and English-1.5 course and Computer Ms Office Program (Ms Word, Ms Excel, Access, Power point and Publisher). She was also learning Graphic design and Hardware Trouble shooting maintenance Program but she could not complete these programs due being busy with her job and household. Now she is happy with her job as she can contribute to her family financially.

Samsun Naher

Samsun Naher aged 28 joined in an international marketing company named “Ceragem-Bangladesh Ltd” as a Computer operator & Customer Care. She studied up to class-16 (M.A.). She was married and she was working as housewife before coming at Nari Jibon. Learning about Nari Jibon from one of her relative she took admission at Nari Jibon dated 14th August 2006. She learned Computer Ms Office Program Course and English-2.0 (Spoken English). At the end of her taking course she got this job. Then she used to come at Nari Jibon two days in a week. At the beginning time her salary was held 7700 taka per month excluding other facilities. She is happy with her job and she is grateful to Nari Jibon.

Tahmina

Tahmina is 17 years old. She studied up to class-8. She joined in a tailoring shop named ‘Shapla Tailors’ at Mouchak market as an ‘Assistant Sewing and Cutting Master’. She joined there in March 2007. She could not study due to poverty. Her father is a small businessman (vegetable seller) and mother is a housewife. She learned Tailoring Cutting and Sewing Master from Nari Jibon successfully. She learned 34 tailoring items from Nari Jibon. After completing her course she started home based tailoring business. Later she took job. At present she can earn more than 1500 taka per month and she can also earn some money running her home based tailoring business during her weekly off day and early in the morning.

Hazera took some dresses at Nari Jibon which she made at her home based tailoring business centre in a week

Hazera Akter is about 18 years old. She studied up to class-10. Hazera could not study due to scarcity of money. Her father is living separately getting second married from long days. Being failure to appear S.S.C. examination Hazera was working as a home worker. She was informed about Nari Jibon by one of Nari Jibon staff. Then she took admission at Nari Jibon dated 21 August 2007 to learn Tailoring Sewing and Cutting course as she was thinking to earn money for helping her mother to maintain their family. Before completing her course duration she learned 34 tailoring items as a result she was able to have more practice on her learning items.

She has joined in a tailoring shop as Tailoring Sewing and Cutting Master that is situated same area of her residence. She gets commission of her income in this shop. Thus she can earn more than 1200 taka per month from this shop. She joined there in the month of January 2008. Besides she also runs home based tailoring business. She works here at night and early in the morning. She can also earn some money running her business. She can earn more than 500 taka per month running her home based tailoring business. Now she is happy with her income and she is also grateful to Nari Jibon.

Beauty Akter took some dresses at Nari Jibon from her home based tailoring business.

Beauty Akter is about 14/15 years old. She is working in a tailoring shop named ‘Lovely Tailors’ as Assistant Tailoring Sewing and Cutting Master. She gets commission working with this shop. Beside this she is running home based tailoring business at her house. Her elder sister named Sweety is also learning tailoring course at Nari Jibon who helps her to run her home based tailoring business. Last month June 2008 Beauty received more than 1200 taka from her job and she earned more than 800 taka from her home based tailoring business.

Beauty learned Tailoring Cutting and Sewing Master from course Nari Jibon in 2007. She learned 34 tailoring items from Nari Jibon. After completing her course successfully she started to run home based tailoring business.

She was born in a poor family. After passing class-5 she could not continue her study due to poverty. Her father is a daily labor and mother is garment worker. She has three sisters and she is second of them. Now she is happy as she can earn some money and she can help her parents to maintain their family

Rahima Akter Hira

Hira is about 23. She joined in a Buying house as a computer operator. She is a student of Eden Mohila College in class-14 and she was also taking skill on computer and English from Nari Jibon. When she joined to her job she was bonded that she would work 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and she would pass one day half and one day full time off in a week. She wanted to prosecute her job beside her academic study and taking skill from Nari Jibon. But she did not get that opportunity. After joining there she had to work up to 8.00 pm and she did not get weekly off day too. She was also told that she would work up to 10.00 pm that she was not possible to her. It also made a problem to prosecute her education. On the other hand, she changed her future plan. That’s why she resigned from her job last month. Now her future plan is after completing academic study up to masters and taking skills on computer and English she will take a good job in any reputed private organization where she can use her knowledge properly.

Hira is learning Ms Office Program, Graphic design and Hardware from Nari Jibon. She is also regular blogger of Nari Jibon. After getting training on blogging from Nari Jibon she is putting her blogs on her own blog site named http://ahona-hira.blogspot.com/

Rifat Akter

Rifat Akter joined in Grameen Phone Telecom Company as Customer Manager. At the beginning time her salary was held 6000 taka per month excluding some other facilities. But very few months she worked there because it was making obstacle to continue her study. And she also changed her future plan. Now she is thinking that she would comple her academic study up to masters and she would also complete her computer skill from Nari Jibon. Then she will try to get a job in Banking/Investment sector. She is reading Accounting honors at Govt. Titumir College. Now she is reading in second year.

Rifat Akter completed English-2 course from Nari Jibon. She has also completed Ms Office Program course from Nari Jibon. Now she is learning Computer Hardware Trouble Shooting and Maintenance Program and Graphic Design course from Nari Jibon. She is also a blogger of Nari Jibon and recently she has opened her own address named http://rifat.akter.blogspot.com where she is putting her blogs regularly.

Behind the screen

Translated by Kazi Rafiqul Islam
Written in Bengali: Afiya Akter

Why are the men born
Why do they die,
Why these games and funs
Why destruction?

Why do men hope and aspire
Why do they destroy?
O, the sky weeps
In the name of rains.

Why does the mountain pour water falls?
In heartless pains,
Why is a man alone
In a crowd of kins?

The Lalbagh Fort

By Zannat Ara Amzad

Though a small country, Bangladesh has many world Heritage sites: The historic Lalbagh Fort of Dhaka, The Shatgombuj Mosque of Bagerhat, the ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur, Ahsan Manzil and The Sundarbans etc.

The Lalbagh Fort is an important Moghul monument of 16th century. It is a fine architectural achievement. It is an enormous Moghal architectural site by covering a very large area. Recently I visited this Moghal monument of the Lalbagh Fort with my mom and my cousin.

The Lalbagh fort is a Moghal monument. The Fort didn’t build directly by Moghal. It was built by provincial governor. In 1678 Moghal Emperor Aowrangojeb’s son Shahjada Ajam drew architecture of The Fort. In 1680 came to provincial governor Shaeysta Khan and he instantly started to construct The Fort. Suddenly in 1684 addition stopped The Fort construction. People thought that accidentally Shaeysta Khan’s elder daughter Pary bibi died, so they thought it is an inauspicious sign to build the Fort. Then The Lalbagh Fort remained uncompleted. Beside this, some people thought that, the construction of the Fort was stopped for the war in southern country. The Fort’s area was surrounded by a wall of 18 acre. The Fort has many monuments. Such as: there are three dome conspicuousness, mosque, pari biby’s shrine, audience-hall, soldier-barrack, main gate, gutter extraction to drainage and have an underground system etc.

Tiffani with her husband

When I went there then I saw many foreigners came to visit The Lalbagh Fort. Then I talked with them. At first I talked with Tiffani and her husband. Her husband is Bangladeshi, but he lives in UK. Tiffani felt very proud to visit The Fort. She is very funny and very nice.

After that I talked to Susana. She is so sweet-honey. She is very frank. She came with her friend. And her friend is Bangladeshi. She visited The Lalbagh Fort and she also enjoyed this place. Then I saw they were very happy to visit our country’s historical places. So, I feel glory for my country.

Really this Fort is wonderful. The Moghal Emperor’s architectural achievement was so good. I was so amazed to visit this place. The Moghal architecture is mind blowing. Really the scenery of Lalbagh Fort is very charming.

Such as:

Audience-Hall: The Lalbagh Fort’s audience-hall is two-storied superior. The Moghal administration-works were done in this audience-hall. Sometimes people used to live there for short time.

Now this audience-hall is used as a museum. This museum’s first’s floor has materials of war, made of iron net’s war-dresses, have a soldier dress, Humbam Khana (Royal bath), bath-tab, have a furnace and a toilet or a dress changes room etc. There is a royal bath. There was a system of steam bath. It is amazing.

And this museum’s second floor has some items on their many useful things. Such as: metal vessels, wall-hanging, many poetical-books ( these books’ languages are -- Urdu, Farsi, Arabian etc), many Holly Quran, many coins of silver, gold , copper coin, carving a character letter etc.

This museum is very nice and charming. When I saw this museum’s every side then I sometime I felt afraid that I went back in the Moghal period.

Pool: There is a charming pool in front of the audience-hall. The pool makes a reflection to glow the audience-hall.

Mosque: The three dome superior mosques are very wonderful artistry embedded.

Pari Bibi’s Shrine: Pari bibi’s shrine is made in a faint appearance to Agra’s Tajmahal. This shrine has 9 rooms. The Pari biby’s grave is in the middle of the shrine. Pari biby’s nick name is Irandut.

Soldier-barrack: The soldier-barrack is situated in front of the Pari biby’s shrine. At thes back side there is an underground visiting room.

Drainage: The drainage used to clean The Fort’s gutter.

Garden: The Lalbagh Fort’s has a very nice and big garden. This garden was built by following-up the style of Pakistan Shalimar garden. This Moghal garden is amazing. This garden’s every place is very wide. The garden has graceful and seasonal flowers. We can see the ixora in the rainy season. Muslea, petunia, Alamunda and many varieties flowers are here in this garden. The garden’s green grasses get a grown-up stage by the touch of rain. Really I feel charming to see the beauty of this garden.

At last I want to say that The Lalbagh Fort will be praised to era to era.

Blog workshop on Flickr

By Kazi Rafiqul Islam

Nari jibon blogdol arranged blog workshop on Friday (20.06.08). Venezuelan journalist and photo blogger Ms. Kira Kariakar, Mr. Shawn Ahmed of Uncultured project, Prof. Dr. Kathryn B. Ward (Executive Director Nari Jibon Project), Ms. Shaina Haider (Visiting English teacher/researcher (Nari Jibon) and under graduate student Florida State University USA) were present in the meeting. 40 students and 13 staff attended the workshop. In the workshop Ms Kira told the staff/students/bloggers about the importance of photo blogging, flickr account etc.

In discussion on Flickr she told us that Flickr is a photo management and sharing application. We can use flickr to store pictures for our personal private use, to share them with our friends/family, to aid us blogging, to establish communities with friends and family and to pursue an interest through communities. She informed that in order to join flickr we need a yahoo account and no other email account can be used.

She told that image is worth a thousand words. Sometimes a unique image can express what we want to say. Other time an image can bring strength, emphasis to what we want to say. She also told that blogs that have posts with pictures often get more visitors than post without. Readers get interested on the pictures of the bloggers and his/her “eye of world” so they’ll mean likely come back. She told pictures get listed in search engine like google and they attract visits referred by the search. And photo blog use pictures as their mean of expression instead of writing.

Ms. Kira told us the way of uploading pictures. She told in this respect that there are many ways to upload pictures and videos to flickr. We can do it through the website with third part application and plug-ins by email and with our mobiles. On the website we click on the link to upload pictures on the welcome page. We can use the basic upload photos and videos page. Ms Kira told us that we can send also pictures by email with an email address given to us for that purpose by flickr.

Ms Kira told us that we can organize our picture by set and collection (only for paid account). For free accounts there is another way to organize the pictures is by tagging. She also informed us how we can post a picture in our blogs from a flickr. In this respect she told that we can integrate our account with blogger. We can choose the pictures we want to blog even if it is not ours. And flickr account copyright permits. We select the size we need for our blog and insert the code of the image in our post. The email will be retrieved and displayed in our blog. Ms Kira also told about safety and copyright. She told that in general we can set our levels of safety for searching and for what kind of content we have. We have to establish in our setting if our content is searchable and if it’s safe. We can keep all our rights of authorship or select any of the licenses of creative commons.

At the end of her speeches she told that she needs a small group of students/bloggers so that she can teach them clearly and easily about flickr accounts etc.

At the end of the workshop Kathryn B. Ward announced the name of the best bloggers of Nari Jibon blog. They are Nurunnahar Islam Munni (Dowry system in Bangladesh), Jannatul Ferdoush Nargis (Garments Workers), Sufia Khatun (Ogradhikar- Priority) and Shahida Islam Mony (Nari—Woman).

Profile of Nari Jibon bloggers

Nilufa Parvin

"There is a nice village called Naihati at the side of river Rupsha in Khulna. I have grown up there. My name is Nilufa Parvin. Everyone called me Anne. My birth date is 23th November. I passed my childhood in this village with it’s natural beauty, my wayward behavior, mother’s angry speech, father’s love, grandmother’s worship and also with my friends.

I have completed B.Sc in Computer Science & Engineering from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) in 2008. Recently I have joined at Nari jibon and now I am serving as computer teacher here.

My father’s name is Ali Akbor Moral. He was a businessman. He has become star in the sky because of heart failure in the year 2001. My mother’s name is Mrs. Raushon Ara. She is a housewife. We are three sisters and I am youngest of them. Both of my elder sisters are school teacher.

I enjoy my leisure time by playing computer games, reading novels and listening song. My favorite books are “Ispat” by Nicoli Astrovosky and “Jotsna o Jononir golpo” by Humayan Ahmed. I am fond of Rabindra songit and Back Street Boy’s songs. I also like reciting poem and drawing picture. My favorite colors are black and white. I like to have chocolate and ice cream. My favorite person is Dr. Md. Jafar Iqbal sir. I prefer autumn and rainy seasons to others. Especially autumn’s evening amuse me so much. "

The village bride

Translated by Kazi Rafiqul Islam
Written in Bengali: Bithi Rahman

The new bride in her veils moves to bring water,
Looks on the path with her lovely black eyes.
Sweet smile on the shy lips
The palace of dream seems to be within reach.
With a flower in her lock of cloudy hair
She walks along the village path on her golden feet.
No gold ornament in her body, still she shines.
The mother-in-law is like her mother; so she says
Let not the sun spoil your golden body.
Still she has to go to the pond to take bath
She is proceeding with a pitcher on her lap.
Also she will cook the items of her choice.

Bloggers profile (Students)

Farhana Rashid







"My name is Farhana Rashid. I come from 191/3 Malibagh Dhaka. My home district is Khulna. My date of birth is 5-7-1975. My father’s name is Abdur Rashid. He is a retired person. My mother’s name is Mahmuda Rashid. She is a housewife. I have three sisters and no brother. I am married. My husband’s name is Kamrul Hasan. He is a business man. I have two children, a son and a daughter. My son is 12 years old. He reads in class 6. My daughter is 2 years old.

My favorite song is Rabindra Shongeet. My favorite game is cricket. My favorite TV program is TV drama. I like romantic drama. My favorite book is the novel of Humayun Ahmed. My favorite dishes are chicken and rice."


Farzana Akter Bithi

"My name is Farzana Akter Bithi. I am a student of Nari Jibon in computer and English sections. My birth place is Dhaka. I was born in 29th January in 1985.

My mother is a house wife and my father is a Government service holder. I have four sisters. My family members are-- my father, mother and 4 sisters. I am studying in Accounting (honors) in “Siddashari Girls’ College”. My favorite hobbies are gardening and reading.

I knew about Nari Jibon from a relative of my friend. Their names are Shikha and Meghla. This project helps in many ways. It provides alternative skills to the girls and women. I knew about Blog from Nari Jibon for the first time. I think we will be able to develop our writing skills through this blog."

Asia Afrin Anni

"I am Asia Afrin Anni. I am fifteen years old. I was born in 19 December, 1993 at Khilgaon, Dhaka. I have no brother and sister. I live with my parents at Malibag Chowdhury Para. My father is a service holder and my mother is a housewife. Our family consists of three members. I studied at Siddheswari Girl’s High School from class 6 to 10 and also gave S.S.C examination from that School. Now I am taking courses at “Nari Jibon Project” on English and Computer.

My favorite hobbies are-- coin collection, stamp collection, reading books and watching cricket on Television. My favorite color is red and favorite book is “Shanta Paribar” written by Md. Jafar Iqbal.

I heard about “Nari Jibon Project” from advertisement. Nari Jibon Project” is an appropriate place which provides many facilities for the girls’. This project also gives training on Blog. Girls can express their gratitude, knowledge and ability to people, all over the world through Blog. I am a new student at “Nari Jibon Project”. Now I have a little knowledge on Blog."

A Great Woman –Dr. Kathryn B. Ward

Cross posted from Bangladeshi Women

Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and many others human being was famous for their sacrifice of valuable time, image, strength of mind and money. The woman awakening of bangle was thinking first time our admirable begum Rokeya Sakhawath Hossain. Just like that a great woman-- mother of Nari Jibon Dr. B. Ward thinks that the woman of Bangladesh should efficient to go away in advance to the long way. Besides that they need to be educated alternatively. We give her cordial respect and love.

She is an American, professionally professor and researcher. She had come in Bangladesh purpose on woman research. She came in Bangladesh and observed the weakness of Bengali women. She built up woman welfare basis organization`Nari Jibon project’ in 2005 with some kind hearted people of Bangladesh.

Welfare basis this organization cooperates to increase the skill and constructive work, such as-- computer, graphics design, photography, hardware, Bengali, tailoring and English Spoken etc. Such kinds of activities help a woman and never break off her progress to go front. So that they don’t need to depend on others. She could live as highly regarded person in society with lofty head and honour.

Nari Jibon helps the female to over come from defenseless and lead to move and stroll with proficiency. By dint of Nari Jibon, today I can browse Internet in spite of as a simple housewife. When I think that, I am a student of Nari Jibon and I feel proud. Here every teachers and students are female. So no gathering happens of male and female. This type of Nari Jibon office environment is very comfortable for women. I have no idea about the same type of organization is there in any other places.

As a good wisher, I strongly oppeal and demand from my core heart –should more expended the branches of Nari Jibon in other places, especially women who lives in villages. They could do better if they would get opportunity. Welfare related organization slighthy think for those type of woman as a result in spite of merit they are confined in a narrow area.

In the end, again I wish good luck to Madam and May Nari Jibon lives long, and it extends in all districts even villages in the whole country. Through her core helping every women of Bangladesh can be expert, active and self-confident. Dr. Kathryn B. Ward may live by the heart of skillful and successful women.

Good and bad of summer season

Cross posted from Bangladeshi Women

The summer season is the first season of Bangladesh. It is very hot in this season. It is getting hot day by day. Men become tired because of excessive heat. So in this season educational institutions announce summer vacation. In this time electricity goes out often and does unkind behave. Then older and children’s are suffer no bounds. We can’t use cyber cafe for the load shedding.

In the summer season- ponds, canals even the rivers get dried. For that we don’t get pure drinking water. Excess heat and impure drinking water cause of different kinds of diseases, like-- diarrhea, cholera and allergy etc. For this, many people dislike this season. In this time we wait for heavy rain. I like Rainy season.

Though, it is very hot in summer but many kinds of fruits are available in this time, like-Mango, black-berry, jack-fruits, litchi, water melon, palm, wood-apple, pine-apple etc.

So, this month is called of honey-month. Though all people stay in impatient in the summer, but all tolerate it for the juicy and delicious fruits. But the summer season does not suit me.

bloggers meet face to face in Dhaka, Bangladesh!

Cross posted from bideshi blue


Shaina, Shawn, Kathy y Kira @ Nari Jibon Project, Dhaka, June 2008

First, Rezwan (Berlin) linked to Shawn (Bangladesh). Kathy (USA-Dhaka) linked to Shawn and gave him some of her expat advise and in turn he gave a video workshop at Nari Jibon. David (todo del mundo y Rising Voices blogging grants) linked Kathy to Kira (Bangladesh, Africa, Venezuela) who gave a blogging workshop at Nari Jibon. Shaina’s dad (Florida-USA) sent Shawn’s link to Shaina (Sociology undergraduate, Florida State USA) who read about Nari Jibon in Shawn’s blog. Shaina sent an email to Kathy about volunteering at Nari Jibon in summer 2008, where she has been teaching English2 since May.

Second, in June 2008, Shaina, Shawn, Kathy, and Kira all sat together at Nari Jibon. Kira gave a Flickr workshop. You can read Shawn's thoughts and Kira's photos and thoughts on our gathering(s). Such are the intersectionalities of blogging and Dhaka.

Some Day poem

Some day

Zannat Ara Amzad

Her poem translated by Kazi Rafiqul Islam from Bangla in Amader Kotha blog.

Zannat is one of our award winning bloggers and students. You can see more of her english writing in her own blog, Zannat's World.

If some day

A stranger becomes known to me

If you and I spread our wings

When the sky is blue.

Eyes on eyes

All the untold words

Will turn into our love

On that day.

Whatever the day is

No matter what the time is

I will remove all barriers

Do play the flute of love.

Poem on 21st February

The morning of 21^st February

Sufiya Khatun

Her poem has been translated from Bangla--Amader Kotha blog--by Kazi Rafiqul Islam.

Sufiya is one of our award winning poets-essay writers-bloggers in Bangla and Rising Voices, International Women's Day Poetry Jam for her poem, "Priority" originally in Bangla, in Amader Kotha (Our Stories), first poem in this link or in this blog.

You can read more of Sufiya's blogging in Bangla on her Bangla blog, Moner Janala (Window of Mind)

Do not cry, o mother

Thousands of your sons are coming

Wake up to receive them.

This morning everyone is weaving

Garlands with flowers of their heart

Let the scene pacify, o mother

The pains for the lost son.

Prepare the bouquet of flowers

The morning star has risen

Souls of our brothers have come from the heaven

We have to receive them.

The red ‘Palash’ has bloomed

Also ‘Shimul’ on the branches.

Look o mother, my brothers

Are calling me.

Rafiq with a bouquet of flowers

Shafiq with a smile on the face

Salam and Jabbar in a happy mood

Are coming together.

Barkat is at the front

“O mother” he utters.

All of them have come to you, mother

Then what makes you cry?