DEMISE OF PDB

The monthly loss of Power Development Board (PDB) will increase from Tk 70 crore to Tk. 112 crore when it starts to purchasing 300MW power from eight rental power plants.

Recently, PDB submitted a proposal to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) last month to enhance the present power tariff by 41 percent, which, if done, will help it reach a break—even point.

The board is seeking subsidy from the finance ministry through the power ministry to offset the loss caused by the government—controlled low power sales tariff over a higher production rate.

Around Tk. 50 crore loans is given to PDB monthly from finance ministry to minimize the impact of its losses.

The PDB earned Tk. 5,200 crore during the last fiscal year, which is 19 percent higher that that of the pervious fiscal year.

But PDB’s average billing is Tk. 2.37 per kilowatt—hour (or an unit) against an average supply cost of Tk 2.82 a unit, which forces it to incur a loss of 45 paisa per unit. The loss totals up to Tk. 70 crore a month now.

When the eight rental power plants to come into operation, the PDB will incur a further loss of Tk. 42 crore because of these plants’ high cost of per unit electricity.

The best suggestion government can take is to just increase the rate per unit or urge these eight rental power plants to decrease their cost of production per unit.

Failure Police / RAB

A man, who wants to hide his identity for security reasons, was once caught by police. He was taken to the police station and for particular reason he was beaten by the police.
There was no allegation against him. Even before he could realize the police attacked him all of a sudden. He told that he, is not the only one who the victim, there are others too.
This was his real story. He was walking down the streets one evening when a gang of three men approached him and wanted all his belongings.
When he refused to give them they started beating him. He fought back and in the meantime the police arrived.
Without hearing the real incident they told him to get up to the pick up van.
He is not the only one who suffers from police atrocities.
These incidents continue to happen all the time, everywhere.
Police capture innocent people and make them suffer and harass while the criminals continue to roam around in front of the law enforcers. The law enforcers have horribly failed to give protection to the citizens. They are corrupted and almost most of them have links with criminals.

Torturing of police and RAB are a daily news. Something must be done to change the attitudes of the law enforcers so that they become protector of the people rather than sufferers.

History : Scenes from March

Scenes from the heady days in March before the Pakistani Army crackdown on March 25, 1971 and the subsequent war of independence.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declaring "this struggle is our struggle for freedom" on March 7, 1971 in a historic speech.

People protesting against the ruling Pakistani Junta against police killing of students.

Barricades on the streets, March 19, 1971.

Sheikh Mujib leaving the unsuccessful meeting with Yahyah Khan on March 19, 1971.

Sheikh Mujib speaking to reporters after the meeting.

History : Scenes from March 25

On March 25, 1971 the Pakistani army started a genocidal crackdown on Bangladeshis to root out all national aspirations. Here are some scenes from the night of March 25 and the next day.

More images can be seen at The Online Genocide Museum.

History : Scenes from War

After the 9 month long struggle for independence, Bangladesh finally achieved victory on December 16, 1971 with the help of Indian troops who joined the god fight on the Bangladesh side on December 3, 1971. More information and pictures can be found in the section about the surrender.

Bangladesh officer leading surrendering Pakistani forces to the surrender ceremony.

Pakistani Army Commander in the Eastern Command, Lt. General A. A. K. Niazi, signing the Instrument of Surrender in front of General of Officer Commanding in Chief of India and Bangladesh Forces in the Eastern Theatre, Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora. 16th December, 1971

The victory wasn't without pain. Just few days before the final victory many Bangladeshi intellectuals and educators were picked up by the Pakistani army and collaborators. Nobody knew what happened to them until their bodies were discovered just outside the city a few days later.

The Mamas and Pichis of Tong..

The Mamas and Picchis are very famous among the TONG PEOPLE

The Mamas and Picchis seem to be an integral part of the “Tong Culture.”

The Picchis are the little assistants of the Mamas and they mostly are very exuberant little people

“Tongs”- the tea stalls that are so near and dear to us is the theme of this blog. Bangladesh at the moment seems to have into a “Tong Culture”… the culture which is absolutely free from any form of discrimination and bigotry. I say this as we more than frequently witness people from all class of the society spending time in a Tong- from a sweaty rickshaw-puller to a New Generation KID in a BMW 7 series…. These small tea stalls that we see all around the streets of Bangladesh are one of the major reflection of the emergent “TONG CULTURE” of Bangladesh. The tong people are always united with no racial barriers. These people share the among each other from petty jokes to important political affairs to their family life tales sipping a cup of tong tea and puffing at a occasional smoke… These tongs are the greatest witnesses of the lives of the people of Bangladesh from every class of the society… So lets share these tales of joy and happiness, of melancholy and sadness, of trust and respect, and of kinship that we feel for each other among ourselves…. SO PEOPLE OF THE TONG CULTURE, TELL THE TALES OF OUR LIFES…………………..

Increasing child labors in Dhaka city. Bangladesh

Almost every month I go to wholesale fish market one or two times in a month that is situated Merul Badda. This wholesale fish market is 10 minutes walking distance from my residence. There are several reasons why I go to buy fish from this market. I can buy fresh fish in cheap prices than the retail kitchen market and I can not go to kitchen market everyday or every week. It also helps me to walk early in the morning. So I like to buy fish from this market.
Two years ago I saw few children used to come to this market. Some of them used to collect wasted fish or small fish that are fallen from the shop or dish. And that’s why they are called “Mas Chur” (thief of fish). Some of them used to help whole seller or retail fish businessmen and earned some money. But recently I am observing that more children are coming to work in this market and day by day their number is increasing.
One wholesale fish businessman informed that they number will be more than 100 hundred and rapidly their number is increasing.
I had also asked him why this number is increasing rapidly and he replied that you know that the living cost of Dhaka increasing rapidly day by day and recent high prices of food items make poor people more vulnerable. So every member of a poor family is trying hard to earn some money.

These children come to this market at about 5.00 am (one hour ago before sunrise) because business starts from 5.30 am to 8.00 am in the morning. During these periods they remain so busy that they have no scope to talk with me. One boy named Khokon about seven years informed that he comes before sunrise in this market. He helps wholesaler and retailer who come to buy fish. Retailer gives him 2 to 5 taka for bearing one basket fish (10 to 20 kg fish). He bears from wholesale shop to retailer spot that is out side of wholesale market near roadside and receive money. Thus he can earn 30 to 60 taka per day. He returns home at about 9.00 am in the morning. He went to school two years in a NGO school but at present he does not go to any school. He has been coming in this market for about last six months.

They are very busy to collect one trip. Two children were waiting to take this trip but one slight aged and (shishu mastan) muscle child took that trip avoiding other two children. They need one basket that's made of bamboo.
After slight raining and at the end of market time I have taken this picture. “Mama (maternal uncle) everyone call us ‘mas chur’(thief of fish) but we don’t steal any fish” said they children. Only three children studied two years to the school but now none of them go to school.

These three girls are searching small or wasted fish beside shops. They informed me that at the end of market time and collecting fish they would sell their collecting fish. Thus they can earn 10 taka to 20 taka per day. But often they are scolded by the fish businessmen and sometimes slight beaten.

There is also heavy competition among the tokai (street children). They also get up early in the morning (at the time of sunrise) and go out to collect wasted papers, packets, plastic bottles and other trashes from the street and dustbin. They can earn 100 to 200 taka per week collecting these. I saw these children in the street at about 6.30 when they were going to collect their goods.
This child is also trying to help her mothers to add slight more earning.
We can also observing that children are working as at railway station as Kuli (labor), small car workshops, factories and small tea shops. These numbers are also increasing but in this age they need to study. But they are struggling to live.