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Discussion on drama serial Batasher Ghar held
Cultural Correspondent
A discussion on the proposed mega drama serial 'Bataser Ghar' written by Mujtaba Ahmed Murshed and to be directed by Mijanur Rahman Labu was held at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the city on Monday.
Eminent actor Dilara Zaman, journalist Rezanur Rahman, poet and litterateur Mujtaba Ahmed Murshed, director Mijanur Rahman Labur and the officials of video production house Kasba International were present at the discussion.
Dilara Zaman said that story of the drama serial is very interesting and very timely. 'I hope the drama serial will attract the attention of the audience by presenting the socio-personal problems of a person with wit and humour. Story line of the drama is very strong and now we need strong directorial role to make the play a success,' she added.
Rezaur Rahman said, 'We should give space to the new comers. Now we need new force and talent in the field of video production.' He also hoped that the serial would be enjoyed by the audience.
About the story of the serial Mujtaba Ahmed Murshed said that he had tried to present the broken hope and aspiration of people by using the symbol of bataser ghar or house of wind. He added that story of the drama will be based on three elderly men who would create many interesting incidents to prove them younger.
Mijanur Rahman Labu said that he would try his best to depict the story of the play.
According to the producers, shooting of the serial will begin from May 9. Abul Hayat, Sirajul Islam Siraj, Dilara Zaman, Toukir Ahmed, Richi Solaiman, Tanvin Sweety, Anisur Rahman Milon, Challenger, Hasan Masud, Shams Sumon and Abir Khan, among others will perform in different roles of the play.
The drama will be produced by Kasba International.
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UNESCO hands over Bangladesh Journalism Award to journalist Hanif
Anisur Rahman
Dewan Hanif Mahmud, senior reporter of Bangla daily, Prothom Alo, has won the first 'UNESCO Bangladesh Journalism Award' for a report titled "Influential people illegally occupying forest land in Bhaluka', says a UNESCO press release.
Malama Meleisea, UNESCO representative to Bangladesh, handed over the award worth Tk 50,000 and a crest by arranging a ceremony held at the Press Institute of Bangladesh on Saturday.
The three-member Jury board included Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, head of news of ATN Bangla, Farid Hossain, bureau chief of AP in Bangladesh and Robaet Ferdous, associate and Professor of mass communication and journalism department of Dhaka University.
UNESCO Dhaka has introduced a journalism award in the investigative reporting category from 2008. Reports carried or telecast in any Bangladeshi media in 2007 were eligible for submission. From this year onwards UNESCO Dhaka will commemorate the World Press Freedom Day by honouring a journalist with the UNESCO Bangladesh Journalism Award.
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Awakening
Alice A. Islam
Did I hear someone say -
Behind every successful man lies a good woman?
Dear sisters, don't be fooled;
For that is their way of keeping us in the kitchen!
That is their way
So that we may not be schooled,
They prefer us to be blinded
Never knowing what it is to be independent,
To feel the fresh air,
Or to see the dazzling light of the day!
The chains with which we were bound,
The term "inferior sex" by which we were bound,
Are words of the long past
And not anymore accepted.
Dear sisters, we have awakened
From the deep slumber of being ignorant,
No longer will we be raped\violated, or robbed, disgraced,
Humiliated and betrayed -
For we have awakened
And will sleep no more!
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Ekjan Raisuddin premiered
Cultural Correspondent
Television drama 'Ekjan Raisuddin', written by Rawnak Hasan and directed by Mijanur Rahman Labu, was premiered at Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the city on Monday.
Popular actors Purnima and Hasan Masud performed in the roles of female and male heads. Mahiuddin Bahar, Kamal Bayajid, Abir Khan, Rayhan Chowdhury and Nirab performed in the other roles of the play.
Story of the play revolves around the life of an elderly bachelor, who works in a private office.
As all of the staff-members of the office are married, and only Raisuddin is a bachelor, they all expect to arrange his marriage with their new female staff Shayla.
They both pass some good time but one day when Raisuddin plans to tell Shayla about his love to her, prior to that Shayla tells Raisuddin about her engagement to another person.
This one-hour play, produced by Kasba International, will be aired on NTV soon.
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Swapnabhumi goes to Japan
Cultural Correspondent
Swapnabhumi, a 90-minute documentary film on the Biharis of Bangladesh by Tanvir Mokammel, has been selected to screen at the International Refugee Film Festival, scheduled to begin in Japan in June, said a release.
The film, produced by Kino-Eye Films, focused on the pathos of the Urdu-speaking people in Bangladesh by narrating the history of their migration from India and also their present condition.
The film features a large population of the Muslim community who have migrated from India to Pakistan to live after the creation of the country, as a safe land for the Indian Muslims after the independence from the British rule in August in 1947 and afterwards.
The film has been cinematographed by Anwar Hossain and edited by Mahadeb Shil while the background music has been done by Syed Shabab Ali Arzoo.
The festival will kick off on June 20 and will continue till June 27.
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Citadel presents cultural evening
Cultural Reporter
Citadel, a socio-cultural and literary organisation committed to altruistic activities, arranged on Monday a soiree with Adviser for Mass Education and Cultural Affairs Mrs Rasheda K. Chowdhury as Chief Guest. Held at Shilpakala Academy, the function was presided over by writer and media personality Khurshida Huq, President of Citadel.
A troupe performed a dance programme choreographed by Shamim Ara Nipa. Prominent singers Farida Parvin, Ferdous Ara, Shammi Akhtar, Munir Khan, Aditi Mohsin, Bulbul Mahalanabish, Abu Bakar Siddiq and others enthralled the audience. Kazi Arif recited two poems.
As part of its philanthropic activities Citadel bore the expenses of treatment of musician Rabindranath Sarker, a stroke victim. Moreover, Citadel donated Tk 50 thousand in aid of Sidr-affected people. Poet Arefin Shamsul Huq, general secretary, conducted the function attended by the elite.
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BOOK REVIEW
WTO, URAs, TAR and Indo-Bangla issues
Reviewed by M Anwar Hashim
Trade and Development by Syed Jamaluddin,
Secretary-General, FBCCI, price: Tk 250.
The book titled Trade and Development is a collection of sixty-eight articles by Syed Jamaluddin published in different national dailies in recent years. These articles cover numerous economic issues of national interest and concern. The author has especially focused on promotion of Bangladesh's economic relations with India and other neighbouring countries both bilaterally and within regional framework, inextricable link between trade and development, fallout of globalisation, implications of the Uruguay Round Agreements (URAs) on less prosperous nations, issues under the World Trade Organisation (WTO)'s purview and continued marginalisation of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) from the mainstream of the world economy. Other issues figuring prominently in the book include impacts of confrontational politics on economic development, national consensus for development, revival of the jute sector, management of the textile and readymade garment sector in the post-Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA) era, formulation of national budget and attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
As an officer of the Economic Cadre, Syed Jamaluddin worked for nearly three decades in the Planning Commission, ERD and Ministry of Commerce, and also as Economic Minister in the Bangladesh Mission to the UN Office in Geneva. Apart from participating in conferences held under the auspices of UNGA, UNCTAD, UNIDO, GATT, WTO etc as well as important bilateral meetings, he was actively involved in the Uruguay Round negotiations. The contents of his book are, therefore, based on his in-depth knowledge and extensive practical experience. He has reflected on different important issues on trade and development in the light of ground realities, analysed them objectively and come up with a number of concrete suggestions, some of which deserve to be touched upon.
The author has underlined the importance of development of Bangladesh's cooperation with India and other neighbouring countries on the basis of mutual benefit. He has called for negotiated settlement of outstanding Indo-Bangladesh issues, including reduction of' huge trade deficit suffered by Bangladesh, combating cross-border smuggling, demarcation of maritime boundary, killing Bangladeshis by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), access from and to the Enclaves, India's river linking project, South Talpatti and alleged presence of Indian outlaws in Bangladesh, for enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and thereby creating a stable basis for further development of bilateral cooperation.
Noting that Dhaka-Agartala bus service has hardly been beneficial to Bangladesh, he has expressed in favour of examining and responding to India's proposals in a manner that would be in harmony with our national interest. In this context, he has suggested that the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), in the event of its conclusion, should provide safeguards for Bangladesh's industries against unrestricted Indian exports.
On India's proposal for transit facilities to North-Eastern India through Bangladesh, the author feels that it would, if materialised, be advantageous to the former, and as such the latter may, in exchange, "ask for linking Nepal, Bhutan and even China . . ." with Bangladesh by allowing transit through Indian territory.
Syed Jamaluddin considers the lack of smooth transportation facilities as the major impediment to expansion of trade between Bangladesh and Nepal. In this connection, he has highlighted that the bureaucratic barriers created by India that holds a small but key transit corridor connecting the two countries have restricted the flow of goods despite the setting up of a land port at Banglabandha on the Bangladesh side.
Trans-Asian Railway
On Bangladesh-Myanmar cooperation, he envisions prospects for a significant increase if the two countries make concerted efforts. This, he believes, can be facilitated through the building of road link, Myanmar's leasing of patches of land to Bangladesh for farming, import of electricity from Myanmar, and cooperation in fisheries and tourism, apart from increased trade in consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and minerals. He has endorsed Bangladesh decisions in favour of joining the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) Network and against joining the Asian Highway project in keeping with her national interest.
As for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), he considers its achievements so far as being far less than its potentials. Nevertheless, he has positively evaluated the outcome of its 14th SAARC Summit held in New Delhi last year, particularly the decisions on implementation of commitments on SAFTA, expanding connectivity of ideas and knowledge, and combating poverty, disease, disaster and terrorism.
The author has expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of SAARC becoming more action-oriented in the foreseeable future. With this objective in mind, he has called for an early execution of the decisions adopted at the 14th SAA RC Summit.
He has made it unmistakably clear that the opportunities offered by the process of globalisation have been heavily outweighed by the challenges emanating from it so far as the developing countries, particularly the LDC's, are concerned. He has emphasised that the LDCs' obligations in terms of the URAs are undoubtedly very heavy compared with limited and time-bound concessions granted to them. With a view to minimising the LDCs 'trade and development related problems, he has suggested that the WTO should make earnest efforts to ensure, inter alia, speedy and effective implementation of preferential and differential treatment in their favour, and adoption of appropriate measures to meet their fair demands pertaining to duty and quota-free market access, subsidies, capacity building, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, and movement of persons.
Blaming Bangladesh's confrontational politics for underperformance of the economy, Jamaluddin has underlined the imperative need for non-politicisation of national issues, including those having relevance to socio-economic development, and forging a consensus on such issues across the board. He favours private sector-led growth with support from the government.
On revival of the ailing jute sector, he has strongly recommended relieving the government of a perennial liability through privatisation of public sector mills as well as adoption of a pragmatic and comprehensive policy to bring about a qualitative improvement of this sector and to enhance the export competitiveness of' raw jute and jute goods.
Indeed the publication of this book has been a worthwhile and commendable venture on the part of its author. The book's title fits in well with its contents. Written in simple and lucid language, the book is rich in substance and reflects the author's expertise and analytical mind. Given the fact that the issues dealt with in it have wide-ranging and far-reaching implications for Bangladesh, it provides a lot of food for thought.
[The reviewer is former Ambassador and retired Secretary to the Government.]
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