Stories about Bangladesh from May, 2014
Creating Biogas from Water Hyacinth
Water hyacinth (water weed) is a menace in Bangladesh which restricts water flow and blocks sunlight in rivers and ponds contributing to contamination and killing of fish. Instead of spending much in removing or eradicating them they can be used for a good cause. Kristin Boekhoff at Panigram blog informs...
Bangladesh's Economy Remains Stable, Analysis Finds
Equity analyst and blogger Asif Khan posts a brief economic update of Bangladesh in his blog. According to the analysis, despite political uncertainties the economy looks stable and inflation remains under control: The chances of an interim election in the next 12 months look slim. Current account surpluses continue, currency...
Meet Khadija, a Motorcycle Repairwoman Breaking Boundaries in Bangladesh
BRAC blog profiles how girls in Bangladesh are learning lucrative yet unconventional trades for women. Khadija, for example, was forced to drop out of school before finishing fifth grade to help support her family. Not so strange, given that only 55 percent of children in Bangladesh complete their primary education. But now,...
The Rise and Fall of Bengal’s Textile Empire
Bengal was once known as the richest province of the Indian subcontinent mainly due to its famous and varied agricultural and textiles products including the Muslin, world renowned finely-woven breathable fabric. M Ahmedullah posts in Alochonaa.com a two part series (Part 1, Part 2) discussing the history of the Bengal's...
Alternative Voices Speaking For A Secular Bangladesh
Bangladeshi liberal humanist, free-thinker and award winning blogger Asif Mohiuddin has been invited to speak at the World Humanist Congress 2014 in Oxford, UK. He was arrested multiple times for his alleged ‘anti-state’ and ‘anti-religious’ writings, attacked by fundamentalists, and is living with death threats. Here is an excerpt from...
Bangladesh's LGBT Community Steps Out in Rainbow Colors for New Year's
In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, homosexuality is considered to be unacceptable socially and religiously, and gay sex is illegal.
The Bengali Tradition of Halkhata, New Accounts Ledger
The centuries old Bengali new years celebrations include an important tradition, opening the Halkhata, a new ledger book for the year for the businesses. Blog Amader Kotha explains what Halkhata is. The traditional red color ledger book signifies the marking of a new beginning and the festivities, rituals, hopes and...