It seems to me that the day of today is only for me

By Sherin Sultana

Today I am very happy. No sorrows are in my mind. I am flying in my dream. An unknown pleasure is touching my mind again and again. In this morning no body needed to make me wake up. I got up as my own. I was waiting for this morning for many days.

After many days I felt like walking on foot on the soft grass. Today the black crows are seemed very beautiful. It seems to me that the nature is appeared with all of its elegance and beauty just like as the first morning of Falgun (the first day of spring). The sky seems to me as cool as the autumn. It seems to me that the day of today is only for me. This day is only for my pleasure. How beautiful every thing is! Being wonder I observed all the arrangements of nature today. A deep feeling filled my mind.

From many days I don’t use ‘Tip’ when I used to make up my face. So I will make up my face today as my choice. I will take a trip by rickshaw all day long. I will forget about the time today. Today I will observe the sunset for the last time. I will enjoy the beautiful nature at the light of twilight.

Today I feel like to sing with loud voice and wish to tell all of my untold talking to all.

If you come today all the arrangements will be arranged only for you. Do you know --- I am waiting for you for how many times, how many days, how many years ………….

The best time to have Pitha is in the Winter Morning

Written &Video taken by Mohtarimun Nahar Bipa
Video edited by Tarun Falia

In our country Pitha [home made cake] is a traditional food item. Different types of Pitha are made in the whole year in Bangladesh. But the winter season is the best season for making and having Pitha. To me the best time to have Pitha is in the winter morning.

For making Pitha, we need powder of Atap rice, coconut, banana, oil etc. For making sweet Pitha we use Molasses of date-palm [Patali Gur] or Molasses of sugarcane or juice of date or sugar etc. It depends on the type of Pitha. Some Pitha are sweet, some are salty & some are soft and some are hard.

In the winter season different kinds of Pitha are made in different areas in Bangladesh. Some known Pitha are—Chitoi, Milk-Chitoi, Vapa-pitha, Bora-pitha, Patishapta-pitha, Puli-pitha, Malpoa, Andesha, Alokeshi, Milk-puli, Khir-puli etc.

Village people receive and treat hospitably to their guest by seasonal Pitha

Village girls and women make different shapes and designed Pitha. It calls ‘Nakshi Pitha’. The names of some Nakhi Pitha are—Hijal-pata, Kajol-lata, Shajni-bahar, Padma-dighi, Shagor-dighi etc. Generally different kinds of Nakshi Pitha are arranged in the marriage ceremony of village.

In the Bangladesh Pitha making is a common tradition of village areas. The city people also like Pitha. Now-a-day different kinds of Pitha are found in the food shop. I think all aged people and children like Pitha.

Some days ago I went to my village with my Mom and Dad in winter season. My village name is Digrirchor. It is in the Dewangonj Thana in the Jamalpur district. Our village is near the Bangladesh-India Border. I stayed in my village for 3 days. All of my relatives came to meet with us. My uncles and aunts were busy to receive and treat hospitably to us. My Mom and aunts made some winter Pitha for me. I took videos on Puli-pitha and Malpoa-pitha.

Ekushey Boi Mela-2008

By Firoza Begum Poly

Boi, Kitab, Postak, Book, any word we use, is comprised of some individual sounds or letters. These sorts of word make a sentence. So do some sentence with a language. Disciplined and well furnished sentences are represented as poem, story, novel, drama, essays, lyric etc in a book. We embrace new development, match our experience, deepen our thought, and enlightened our cherished dream by reading a book. If this book is written in Bangla, we feel much comfort while reading it than the book of any other language.

As a part of nursing and promoting Bangla, Bangla language and literature Bangla Academy arranges a month long book fair having slogan of “Read book and collect them for future use” this year in the month of February 2008 at the academy premises . The first Ekushey book fair was held in 1974. This year the 23rd Ekushey book fair is on going with necessary formalities including inauguration by Chief Advisor Dr. Fakuruddin Ahmed. Centering Bangla Academy as many as 374 stalls are offering different sorts of publications to the book lovers and visitors. People from all walks of life are rushing to the fair and standing in a long queue enters in the mela not even showing a bit of disturbance. Everyday thousand of visitors thorn the mela from 3 pm to 9 pm.

This year the environment of the mela is more neat and clean. More space is occupied with number of stalls. Rate of sale is also satisfactory. A leading essay writer Dr. Anisuzzaman calls for by saying that a pioneer publisher Chittaranjan Babu took the initiative to arrange Boi Mela at the academy primises and in response to his call almost every writer of Bangladesh took part in the mela and sold their own books by sitting on old newspapers. Dr. Zaman grieves that every year we are losing some good writers for ever.

Shamim Ahmed, a migrated writer, estimates that the woman writer is also coming forward with their creative writings. She herself has come to the fair from England to get her poetry “Giol Gakham” sold. She insists on the matter that we should not undermine the woman writer by indicating them as woman writer rather we should evaluate them as a writer not by gender. Without discriminating the writer we must think of the standard of the respective writes -up.

Chayanat, a publishing house, joins the book fair this year for the first time. Wahidul Haq, the owner of Chayanat, has published some creative books for the mela. Pathachari, Anushilan, Kanthashilan, Rabindra Sangith Sammellan etc. are mentionable of them.

Rehana Ashiqur Rahman, a radio & television artist, has written & published her own book Rajkumarir Ganmadin, Rajputra, Sindabad Er Galpa and Jolakannaya.

Bangladesh Computer Association has also joined the fair. Riki, a sales woman of BCA stall, who is also a student of Philosophy at Jagannath University, marks the changing learning trends of the child. BCA has come up with audio-visual learning materials for the children. Riki says that the main focus of the BCA is to free the children fear of traditional learning system and to replace audio-visual and animated learning materials.

Bangla is our mother tounge. We feel eternal peace in speaking Bangla. Though it was supposed to be spoken Bangla as our birth right, we had to acquire it by exchange of blood, which is not a floral achievement. We had to sacrifice a lot. So we are expected to do something more to develop the Bangla Language and Literature. Salam, Barakat, Rafiq, Jabber contributed to Bangla by embracing death in 1952. It is our great achievement that their supreme sacrifice on the 21st February 1952 receives international acknowledgement International Mother Language Day. I am sharing some photos of Ekushe Boimela, 2008.

Ekushe and my thought

By Kazi Rafiqul Islam

Thousands of books, articles and poems were written on Ekushe (21st February-International mother language day). And also we see many seminar, symposium on it. People can see/read what happened that day in the year 1952, how many people sacrificed their lives to establish their mother tongue through these books, articles, TV news, news papers, seminar, symposium etc.

I would like to say probably we have forgotten why they have sacrificed their lives. What we see everywhere? People have started to talk in English or Hindi or other languages where they could easily talk in Bengali. Talking in English has become a fashion of our young generation. If they practice talking in English that’s fine but sometimes it seems they are showing others that they can talk in English and also feeling proud and ignoring Bengali language (their attitude prove that). I think people should talk in English or other languages where necessary but not everywhere. I would never discourage people to learn English as it is international language. We must learn English to develop ourselves and it is also needed for our country’s development and at the same time we should not forget to learn our own language Bengali (Bangla). To develop our Bengali literature and establish Bengali language we need to translate many books, articles and journals in Bengali that are written in other languages.

To acquire more knowledge people can/should learn different language specially English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Arabic etc who have money and other opportunities. People also can learn culture, music, religion, politics etc of other countries. In these way people can compare with their own things, can add more what is good or omit what is not good.

Few months ago I went to visit one of my relatives house. They are very rich and also educated. Some of their family members live in England. One of their daughters came from England and for her honor they arranged a party where I was invited. Mother of that girl told me that her daughter can not speak in Bangla (Bengali) and she was talking like it is her pride. I just told, “Is that so?” I could not show how much I was surprised and shocked. Learning other languages is good but not forgetting own language. People can feel proud of learning many languages but what is it when people forget or stop learning his/her own language, forget own culture? I never heard about a boy or girl who has come from England or America and is living in Bangladesh or other countries but forgot his/her own language (English).

Finally I would like to say people should learn their own language first and maintain their own culture.

The Falgun Fair of Housewives

By Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]

Hello readers. I hope you are having a nice spring season. In our Bangladesh the spring season stays for two months [Falgun and Chaitra].

Yesterday when I was coming to The Nari Jibon Project then I found, a fair is held on Falgun. It is held near the Nari Jibon Project. I was very much attracted for one reason. I know that Bangladeshi people are fond of celebrating all the occasions. But the best part of this fair is --- it is arranged By ‘Dhaka Shatadal’ the organization of housewives. The word ‘Housewives’ attracted me a lot that I didn’t hear any organization like this.

In Bengali the name of this fair is ‘Griho Bodhu-der Falgun-er Mela’ [The Falgun Fair of Housewives].

All the sellers are housewives here. That’s why I went to visit the fair. The fair is arranged in a room. But there are many items to sell; those are: three-pieces, shawls, bed covers, skirt-tops, ornaments, Bengalese, sharees etc. Some dry foods and drinks are also sold in this fare.

I feel very happy that in this busy city Bangladeshi people try to celebrate some occasions. It can be arranged by locally or by the help of any organization or by personally. It may small but how many people try to celebrate and manage time to celebrate beside their official or other works. I feel very proud to be a Bangladeshi. Our people are very friendly and jolly minded.

I took permission of the Fair people to take some pictures. They were very happy. I would like to share some photos of this fair. Those are given below:

I went to Singapore with my family

By Farjana Hoque

In 1997, I went to Singapore with my family. That was not for the first time that I went to Singapore. In that year I spent the most beautiful time by visiting in Singapore. At that time I was in 14 years old. I remember every moment still now. I enjoyed very much in that year.

I am in Singapore

I enjoyed a lot by viewing many beautiful sceneries of Singapore. The most memorable sight seen was “Santosa, Jorong Bird Park and The Zoo”.

At First I would like to write something about Santosa. We went to Santosa by three ways. The ways were-- train, Cable Car and Ship. We used train and ship. The Cable Car was the most exciting way to go to Santosa. In Santosa there were many things that I saw and enjoyed. The most beautiful part was Water dancing. I watched water dancing in the evening in Santosa. There was a sea beach. I ate some food there.

On the next day we went to the Jorong Bird Park. It is the largest bird park of Asia. There were 8,000 birds of 600 Species from all over the world. The world largest collections are there in the park, like-- Toucans, Penguin etc. The Daily Shows are shown with these birds.

The Zoo was also exciting place for me. There were so many animals. I enjoyed the animals’ shows, like--- Elephant’s show, Bird’s show, Snake’s show etc. I enjoyed every show. I think Singapore is a very good place for traveling.

Out Against Abuse-New Blogsite Against Domestic Violence

From Kathryn B. Ward, USA and cross-posted from Bideshi Blue

As readers of this blog and Bideshi Blue know, I have been very interested in issues of violence against women, in particular, domestic violence in Bangladesh and where ever Bangladeshi women migrate as students, wives, and family members as well as in the USA. I have encouraged readers to learn more and reach out to one another and give support to organizations within their own communities. I'm very excited by a new website, Out Against Abuse, started in January 2008 to educate and organize the South Asian community in USA against gender abuse-domestic violence through information, interviews with activists, and comments-participation by readers. Please go to this blogsite, bookmark it, and read through the posts to date. The most recent post is a very informative interview with Dr. Nusrat Ameen, law professor, activist, and author of Wife Abuse in Bangladesh: An Unrecognized Offence, UPL, 2005.

The co-founders, Sabrin Chowdhury, executive director and Raj Gupta, technology director, provide their mission statement. They looking for more interviews with activists, commentary on gender abuse, information about events and resources. You can contact Out Against Abuse: info@outagainstabuse.org. Please contact them!

In the following from this blogsite, Sabrin Chowdhury writes about the purpose of Out Against Abuse:

Educating Our Community: Taking the First Step Against Gender Abuse

“Two out of five South Asian women have experienced partner violence, a rate disproportionately higher than that of other minority groups,” – www.dayahouston.org.

Domestic violence is defined as “a pattern of abusive behavior which keeps one partner in a position of power over the other partner through the use of fear, intimidation, and control*,” and is an ongoing problem that continues to plague women from all around the world. South Asian women tend to suffer from problems of gender abuse at a much more severe rate than other races; however, the topic of domestic violence is one that is rarely discussed in the South Asian community.

The problem stems from the fact that many of us do not realize how vast the effects of abuse can be and how instances of domestic violence have a grave impact on many other problems in our community. Unfortunately domestic violence is not an issue of the past and is not limited to just rural and economically disadvantaged women in South Asian countries. More and more we hear about incidents of violence committed against highly educated and independent women. In many instances these women feel forced to stay in abusive relationships due to the societal stigma that comes from failed marriages or relationships and the lack of awareness of how to deal with domestic violence in general. Many people also wrongly believe abuse to only refer to physical violence. However, domestic abuse includes physical, sexual, economic and emotional abuse, creating an atmosphere of fear and despair for the victim.

I believe that the first step in putting an end to gender abuse is educating ourselves and our community. Out Against Abuse is a blog based website devoted to discussing the issues surrounding domestic violence and gender based abuse in the South Asian community. The blog will be updated with articles discussing key women’s issues and also with interviews conducted with various activists working to combat domestic abuse. This forum was created to increase awareness and discussion in the South Asian community about gender based abuse. The more we become conscious and educated about the issue, the harder we can work at ending violence against women. But for that we need your thoughts, comments, and collaboration to spread the word in our community.

With that, I leave you with the question: What actions can we exactly take to educate our community and put a stop to violence against women? Whether the impact is great or small, how can we all do our part to end violence?

* http://www.apiahf.org/apidvinstitute/ResearchAndPolicy/factsheet.htm

First day of Spring

By Taslima Akter

13 February was the first day of spring. Spring is the most attractive season when nature wears new ornaments. As usual young people at Dhaka University campus had celebrated the first day of spring. Young women, dressed in red-bordered yellow saris, flowers in hairs to welcome the first day of spring. See more in the video......

I wait for you in every Falgun

Written and pictures by Sherin Sultana

The Falgun [Bengali Month] came again. The Spring Season starts from this month for two months. Everywhere it looks like a fair of colors of nature. In this time I feel that the nature plays and decorates her with many colors.

Many years ago, I met with you for the last time in the morning of 1st Falgun. After that many Falgun have passed. I used to remain so anxious to see you, to meet you and to talk with you just for a moment. But I never explained my feelings for my nervousness. That’s why I had to leave all of my dreams and feelings.

My all the dreams were died for many times. At that time I remained very upset. But now my condition has improved. A long gap was made between you and me by staying far from one another.

But still now I am waiting for you. I feel that you must come again in my life with the message of the colorful spring in any Falgun.

Young women dressed in yellow saris to welcome the first day of spring

So I wait for you in the every first morning of the Falgun by wearing Basanti (Deep Yellow) colored sharee. If you come again in my life I would find my heaven in you and discover my all the happiness.

Welcome the spring, the queen of seasons

Written and pictures by Taslima Akter

If there is flower or not, today is Basanta (spring)
If there is birds are singing or not today is Basanta

Yellow Marigolds

Spring is one of the pleasant seasons. Spring is symbol of the transition from winter into summer. Spring is the queen of all the seasons. In this season most flowers bloom. When warm air begins to flow from south with smell of flowers, birds start singing and then we appreciate that spring is coming.

Flowers of spring

In spring it is seen as a time of growth, renewal, of new life for people, plants. This season bringing color and festivities in the minds of people, lighting up the hearts of all age and life and living. Spring is the most attractive season when nature wears new ornaments/dress with trees having fresh leaves and people heaving a sigh of relief with the departure of winter.

My Best Friend

By Sifat Binte Quiyum

People cannot live alone. From the ancient time, they started to live in groups. For better socialization, better life we are to live in groups. Friends are very common & important part in these groups.

Friendship is the most important part of our life. At present, we cannot live without friends. When babies are born, then they live in families. When they are grown up then they are used to going to playgrounds, schools and make friends. They make their own friend’s group.
I think faith is the main pillar of friendship. To me friend is a person with whom we can share everything of our life. Friends can show us the right ways, can alert us if we do any wrong thing. We can pass a nice time with them; share our feelings, our problems.

I have many friends. Now I am writing about one of my best friends.

One evening I was very upset. At that time, I got a missed call on my cell phone. After sometimes, I called him back. He received the phone and said ‘sorry’ for giving me the missed call. After hearing his voice, I was confused because his voice was same as one of my school friend’s voice. When I talked to him, my mind became fresh; I do not know the reason. From that time our friendship had started.

Eight months ago, I saw him for the first time. Sometimes I used to like him so much because he is my best friend and sometimes I did not like him because I cannot remember even a single day that he talked to me without fighting.

He used to get angry in every single point. If I say to go to right side, he goes to the left side and influences me to go to left. I like ‘Fuchka’ very much but he says ‘Yeak’. I like ice-cream but he says it is cold and bad for health.

He walks so faster than I do. That is why I cannot catch him. He does not care that I am walking with him or not. Maybe I am very much caring for him. Therefore, we are so good friends. I like him because when I face any problem he tries to help me anyhow. Though we do not live in the same city, but when I need any kinds of advice and any help then I call him at first. He always alerts me not to do any fault.

Anyway, lastly he is a good person and a good friend of mine. Always he frankly helps me. Before I say him anything, he can understand my problems. He is my best friend forever. I wish he will be fine always and he will never forget me. I hope our friendship will stay forever.......

Need your vote for electing Cox’z Bazar and Sundar ban as Natural New Seven Wonders in the world

By M. G. Rabbany Sujan

We have heard the name of Seven Wonders of the World. These were made by men and these were not changed long days. After electing new seven wonders in last July 2007 new seven wonders foundation started to elect new natural seven wonders in the world.

To elect natural seven wonders our Cox’s Bazar sea beach (Bangladesh) and Sundar ban (Bangladesh & India) has created wonder to us at the starting time. 158 places in the world selected in the primary selection. In the evening of last 27th December 2007 Cox’s Bazar, the longest and dense sea beach in the world took first place and Sundar ban, the biggest mangrove forest in the world (Bangladesh &India) took second place.

Cox’s Bazar sea beach

Sundar ban

In the primary selection there are 158 places selected in the world. In this chart there are 51 places of America, 31 places of Europe, 27 places of North America, 30 places of Asia, 19 places of Africa and 10 places of Oceania.

At present voting through internet is going on and it will be continued up to 31st December 2008. Up to last 4th December 2008, Cox’s Bazar and Sundar ban were able take place first and second place. To capture of present status we everyone need participation in this election up to last time. We have to cast our vote for Cox’s Bazar and Sundar ban.

What you need for voting and what you have to do:

First you have to have an E-mail address. You have to go www.new7wonders.com/nature/ in this address. There you can see a map of the world in green color. There are several areas and you have to select Asia. Then you will found 30 places. Then you have to click on Cox’z Bazar and you will see the picture of Cox’s Bazar where below you can see its present status. Same to same you can select Sundar ban too. At the bottom you can see “Vote now for” and you can click for voting for this place.

Chorus song of some Bloggers

Some of English/Bangla bloggers are singing a song “We shall over come some day” in 2nd Blog workshop of Nari Jibon.

Last year I visited in The Ekushey Boi Mela

By Laily Jahan Meghla

In Bangladesh we celebrate many fairs. Such as: fair on Pohela Boishakh, Poush Mela, Trade fair, Ekushey Boi Mela etc. We celebrate these once in every year.

21st February is our Shahid Dibosh. We celebrate Ekushey Boi Mela in the whole month of February in every year. This fair is held in Bangla Academy. It starts on 1st February for one month in every year to remind us the struggle and sacrifice for the language of Bangla. Every year the fair is organized by Bangla Academy.

A book fair is an attractive fair, where different types of books are displayed and sold. Many new books of many writers are published in every year in this fair. Now a day it has become very popular.

Every year I try to visit this book fair. Last year I visited in this fair with some of my friends. When I entered through the main gate of the fair I found a different environment.

The fair was very crowded. Men, children and women of all ages and classes gathered there. We had to stand for a large line to get entry in the fair.

I found many small and big stalls and many sorts of books and CDs on dramas, children’s books, reference books, poetry books, novels etc in the fair. The stalls were occupied by different publishers.

We visited all the stalls. I bought some of my favorite writers’ books. In the evening poets, novelists, writers came to visit in the fair. Seminars and cultural programs were also held in the fair.

Book fair is very important because it upgrades our thoughts and expands our knowledge. I was very delighted visiting such a fair like this and gathered some new experiences.

My Nephew: Farhan Sidique

By Farjana Hoque

My name is Farjana Hoque. I am doing Honors under National University at Tejgaon College in Sociology. I am 23 years old.

I have a nephew, he is like my child. His name is Farhan Sidique. He is three and half years old. Recently he started to go to school. He reads in play group at Lake View International School.

Every body has a memorable day. In my life the most memorable day is that day, when Farhan was born. I can not explain that how much I was happy when he came in this world. On 4th January, 2004 he was born at 8.15 am. Every one was very happy to see him. He was so cute, still now he is very cute.

My Nephew

The next day I slept with my nephew in the hospital. He was so small. That time I felt that, I was living in the heaven. Then I could not felt any sorrow or any tension. Even now I do not know why I was feeling like that.

I always remember the first day when he started to speak. He used to make us understand his feelings by his unclear words and accent. It sounded very nice. Now he calls me “Tina Ma”. I feel very happy when he calls me by this name.

He is very intelligent boy. He can play video game on computer. Whole day he remains very busy in various works. Everyone of his family have to remain busy with him. He is the dearest little member of our family.

Me with my nephew

He likes to go out very much. So some times we go out. Some time we play computer games, watch TV, read books and draw pictures and do many other things. He likes to watch cartoon. None can change the TV channel when he watches cartoon. Sometime he tells us various kinds of stories.

He does not live with me. He lives with his family at Rampura. So I can not spend much time with him. But when I get time I go to their home and pass some nice time with him. Every day I talk to him on phone for a long time.

I always miss him and he also misses me. I would like to say that Farhan is my world. He is the cutest child in the world to me.