Bastobota without reality chara

Pohela Boishakh. Start of a New Year.

Every New Year brings new inspiration to mind; muche jak glani- lets hope for a progressive new year which will dissolve all melancholy, misery, confusion and uncertainty from our social and political affiliations. To join in the party, not only the Bengolies celebrate a New Year on 14^th April; Cambodian people on the same day rejoice their own Khmer New Year - a common event by the two Asian culturally enriched nations.

 

Ki ache kopale?

As always, the coming year holds answers to some key questions. Will Bangladesh Cricket Team provide us any more joy in the world cup? Will the Army Jomidars head towards a democratic rule or end up like their predecessors? Will Dynamite prize winner Dr. Younus show any new magic? Will Khaleda Apa and Hassina Apa shape together to fight the interim government? Will Jamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh carry out new attacks (they already shot dead the prosecutor who carried out the case against six hanged militants)? Will Barrister Maudid change his platform again and join Dr. Younus? By the end of the year, most of these questions will find a shape.

 

Ekhon ki r she e din ase? Din Bodlai se na!

Bangladeshis have been fortunate enough to observe two autocratic regimes and two democratic ones; not to forget interim governments in-between. None were good enough so search begun for a new one. I hope the coming year gives us the pleasure of having a new political system or a major political party. It is however too early to judge the current government and its style of getting things done. They must be given some time to show, what they are made of, what their intentions are and how they are different from other rulers (starting from Shashanko). People who try to judge them now, are doing it for the sake of doing it or they are directly or indirectly got some hammering.

 

A proposition-

Eid-ul Azha and Eid-ul fitar are the two major occasions in Bangladesh, I guess. Hindus have their own pujas, so does Christens and Boddas. As Pohela Boishakh is the common platform; Bangladeshis should celebrate this one as THE MAJOR occasion. We can have three days national holidays here and cut down all the religious holidays to just one day.

 

Ayman Faruq Choudhury-

My son Ayman is celebrating his second Pohela Boishakh. He was just five days old on 14^th April 2006. This year, he got his first Fotuwa, first lungi. He was having dress rehearsal last night. He tries to cope up with the complex dimensions of lungi without much luck. Lungi drops down; he gives a bashful smile; his mother rushes to the spot, puts it back; Ayman runs to his Dadi; in the meantime, Lungi drops down again!         

 

Eat it if you deserve it-

Many resulting matters are linked with the Pohela Bouishakh. Some of those have become obsolete while some still exist in certain special regions only. One heritage that has been limited in the town boundary now-a-days is the ‘Panta with hilsha fish and green chili’ eating events. Well, only for the wealthy and semi wealthy people can effort it now. Enjoy. Rest, enjoy it on the national TV.

 

Shubho Noba-Borsho to all. 

 

Bangladesh's number one air time service provider Grameenphone is at the centre of a row between Norway's Telenor and ‘Dynamite prize’ winning academic Muhammad Yunus bhai. Telenor wants to float some Grameen shares on the Bangladeshi stock market, rejecting calls to sell part of its 62% stake to its partner, Mr Yunus. Yunus bhai wants to take control of the firm, saying this will ensure that the firm works as a social enterprise.

Grameen Phone recently changed its logo and the overall outlook from 'red-green' to more Telenor based blue. Gram gram bhab ar nai er modhe. More over, 'the women with a goat at her lap' image is no more. 

Grameenphone employs 5,000 staff while 12 million people use its phones. Its success however has been clouded by an increasingly bitter dispute between Telenor and Mr Yunus, whose efforts to help lift Bangladeshi families out of poverty earnt him the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Mr Yunus, whose Grameen Bank offers small loans known as "micro finance" for community projects, wants to increase its subsidiary Grameen Telecom's 38% stake in Grameenphone. The company has offered $427m to buy an additional 13% stake from Telenor, which would in effect give it control of the business.

Mr Yunus, the 'would-be President' of Bangladesh accused Telenor of reneging on a 1996 agreement which he says required it to give up control of the business in 2002. Speaking recently in Oslo, Mr Yunus said he was "disappointed" by Telenor's attitude, suggesting its efforts should be directed towards entrenching the social and cultural benefits that mobiles bring, not merely extending phone ownership. Younus Bhai feels the need of Bangladeshis very well and wants the best deal for the poor / semi poor / slylish poor people of Bangladesh.

But Telenor has insisted there was no legal agreement on the future ownership of the business. "The demand for the company's conversion into a social enterprise has no basis in reality," said Telenor's deputy chief executive Arve Johansen.

It has also argued that Grameenphone's strong growth would not have happened if Telenor had not invested significantly in its development between 2001 and 2003. By floating its shares on the stock market, Telenor believes more Bangladeshis will be able to have a stake in the firm's success. It says the move will also fund valuable new services for the poorest people, such as medical and financial information delivered via mobile phones.

Younus bhai to etodin grame'r manusher bhalo dekse, now he is fighting a corporate battle. Different approach is required. I am sure he has that. Mukh dekhe to ar uni ‘Dynamite prize’ pai nai.