Jul 18, 2008 | The Opinion
The video portraits the summery of the presentation “Extending Borders, Opening Minds: Building Capacity through E-Learning strategies and methodologies in Bangladesh” in the event “Changing Media, Changing Society: Media and the Millennium Development Goals”organised by AMIC and PACE, July 14-17, 2008 at Manila Hotel.
The session was chaired by Ms. Lem Van Eupen, Radio Netherlands Training Centre and Prof. Brian Shoesmith, University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh.
Jul 14, 2008 | The Opinion
Greetings from 17th AMIC annual conference. The theme of this year conference is “Changing Media, Changing Societies: Media and the Millennium Development Goals”. I was attended in the event ( Manila Hotel 14-17 July, 2008 )
From the beginning the huge coverage of “Media and Development” issues centering on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were impressive. In the active participation of educators, professors, media professional, civil society members and students were inspirational for me. I got clear ideas and understanding on ‘power of media’ and people’s participation for Millennium Development Goals achievements.
I was involved with two presentations. I presented a paper on, “ Newmedia leadership and youth participation – Reality and practices in Bangladesh” and contributed to the joint presentation “ Extending Borders, Opening Minds: Building Capacity through E-Learning strategies and methodologies in Bangladesh” of ULAB, RNTC
Furthermore I have captured the video of sessions, important presentations and programs to make web documentaries on the events which will publish soon in the ULAB, UnnayanTV and AMIC’s websites.
More info at: http://www.amic.org.sg/conf2008/conf2008.htm
Jun 10, 2008 | The Opinion
DHAKA, Apr 16 (OneWorld) – Although illiterate Bangladeshi villagers don’t know the climate change lingo, many have shown an awareness of the situation, using local knowledge to innovate and adapt to the natural changes.
Constant fighting with poverty and floods are a common reality of grassroots Bangladesh. Along with development challenges, preparing for and adapting to climate changes has been added to the burden of the rural poor.
The people of Vobodaho and Kashoppur in the Jessore district of southwest Bangladesh are continuously striving to deal with changes to their surroundings. Since 1960, the region’s nature has been affected by aggressive man-made changes, which have led to high salinity levels and arsenic pollution in waterways, and water logging of much of the land.
“Even my forefathers can’t remember flooding on this scale. That’s why we set up home here. If I’d known growing up that there was such a risk of flooding I would never have built a house here.” – Samsur Rahman ShaqBut unusual flooding patterns are now adding tremendous suffering in three parts of the district. Because of water logging, most of the crop land in this rural area is now underwater. Farmers can not cultivate as they normally would.
Samsur Rahman Shaq, one affected farmer, is going forward with incessant efforts. He and his family welcome new farming systems. Dap chas (floating gardens), duck rearing, fishing, and other alternative farming methods are now popular in his area.
Rahman Shaq has become an expert on making floating gardens, and his wife on duck rearing. Rahman Shaq explains his experiences: “In this Chatga village, catastrophic flooding has been happening since 2000. Before, we never faced such serious flood. The first time flood came here, we enjoyed huge catches of fish in flooded water. We never thought the water would be logged here permanently. As the water did not return back, huge water hyacinth started sprouting up in this Kopotakho River.”
Hyacinth covered the whole water surface. Boats could not run and the water became fully useless — even for fishing.
One day the villagers from neighboring Gupalgong showed Rahman Shaq and the others in Chatga how to cultivate on the floating hyacinth dap (bed).
At first we did not believe it was possible. First year we were surprised to see excellent harvesting — particularly different type of vegetables without any pesticide and fertilizer on the floating garden. And the vegetables grown on the dap were tastier than normal vegetables.
“After this experience, floating cultivation becomes popular in this area. Now we don’t have hostility with hyacinth.”
But because Rahman Shaq’s regular crop fields were now all underwater, he didn’t have sufficient income. His wife, Anowara Begam, helped them break through the suffering. She is now rearing ducks confidently with a small investment.
Anowara Begam says: “Our family has been rearing ducks on a large scale since 2003. Samadan NGO (nongovernmental organization) taught us how we could properly rear ducks. They gave us good species of ducklings. Before this flood we had 75 ducks but now [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][we] only have 35. Forty ducks were washed away during the flood. Now my husband doesn’t have specific income, but by the income from duck rearing we are now running well our family.”
The story of Rahman Shaq’s family creates inspiration to the villages and relatives whose cropland have become water land. Before 2000 this family was economically solvent. Over the first three years of flooding they became poor to poorer; even their house and assets were washed away. There was no hope. But the floating garden and duck rearing nowadays increases their confidence for sustainability.
How is the climate changing in this part of Bangladesh? Rahman Shaq answers: “[Over the] last ten years the climate has abruptly changed here. Before, we could not understand the changes, but now [we are] facing so many difficulties, [and] many new diseases also.”
While visiting his water logged land by boat, Rahman Shaq explains the climate changes. “Even my forefathers can’t remember flooding on this scale. That’s why we set up home here. If I’d known growing up that there was such a risk of flooding I would never have built a house here. Now half of the year [there’s] nothing [we] can do — we can not cultivate; but before we did three times per year.
Each year the water level is rising, [and the] duration of water logging also is increasing. In 2000, our homes were flooded for 14 days. In 2003 it was a month. I fear this year the flood waters will stay for six months. It is now expected in [the] near future, we may be flooded for [the] whole year.”
In this way the inhabitants on the bank of the Kopotakho River are living with and adapting to climate change. And they are using local knowledge in other ways to prepare for more disruptions.
To protect from storms like Cyclone Sidr, which killed thousands of Bangladeshis in November, house structures have been reinforced with the help of local NGOs. Within limited abilities, rural dwellers are making preparations and adapting spontaneously to face flooding each year. They try to make their homes as water-tight as possible. They put wood for cooking up in the roof or somewhere dry. They store dried foods to eat during floods.
Rahman Shaq’s desire? “If we could make [a] fish farm in logged water, [that] would be [a] good income source.”
*Shahjahan Siraj is an online journalist and multimedia designer. He is founder of Machizo, a Dhaka-based multimedia and development organization. This article was the winning entry in OneWorld’s Citizen Journalism Awards on the topic: “How developing countries are adapting or preparing to adapt to the impacts of global climate change.” The contest was run in conjunction with the citizen journalism Web site Helium.com.
This article was written for One World and published in the April 16, 2008.
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Oct 2, 2007 | The Opinion
Happiness and joy is the purpose of life and works through loving and serving other. My research finding, there is only one way to get happiness by implementation of subjective desire to object partners. However, it is difficult to get and or make the ideal object partner for executing the plans, visions as well as desires. Most people, particularly the privileged youth, are confused by huge information to get the true joy as they discover self identity. A lot of devotion therefore needs be made by the youths as well the great men.
As a multimedia designer, along with the numerous opportunity to interact with the professional world, I got the idea of “web and multimedia” as alternative platform for implementing my visions that give me enormous joy and happiness. My media work, plans and messages effectively spread worldwide through internet within the shortest time possible. This usually makes me happy and inspired to go forward. The latest multimedia technology that is web based became my great mentor and working canvas to the extent that life without multimedia does not bring life to my spirit. This led me to become a multiple personality which included being a producer, a publisher, an advocate and a writer all at the same time. In multimedia technology, I have vision for a violence free, harmonious peaceful information society where all citizens will get equal opportunity to be monar-maus (true man).
On 17th August 2005, there were 459 blasts in 63 districts within 30 minutes countrywide which made the day a black memory of Bangladesh history. The most alarming thing with this terrorism was that it mostly involved marginalized and misguided grassroots youths, the militants and innocent believers, with no clear concept about the modern world and culture, faith and life style.
General findings indicate that, these incidences were not cause of the problem but rather because we could not educate and train up the fallen as universal minded, and at the same time did not give them opportunity for encountering the fanaticism, hate, prejudices and ignorance. The crude reality in the Bangladesh is that majority of people don’t have at least minimum access to basic life information and opportunity. The youth and children are growing here without having any way of informing themselves and therefore living in high risk of hidden conflict, insecurity, prejudice, as well in degradation of human values. This is time to involve, inspire and unite the youth by initiating national youth movement with possible slogans such as, “saving youth, saving nation”.
With all these in mind, it has been my strongest feelings that I need to make steps for change. It has always been my wish to contribute to rooting out the misunderstandings and anti-development forces by media education, through proper information, news and opportunity dissemination. With this marvelous vision, I have had the opportunity to initiate “Unnayan News” which can be accessed through this link; http://www.unnayannews.net, and is the first South Asian Multimedia and Development webzine.
It is my belief that only one thing can make an unprecedented development by making revelation in heart and encouraging the people in participation. After realizing the importance of visual media, I recently launched Bangladesh first online TV called, Unnayan TV (http://www.unnayantv.com ). The Unnayan TV will feature the unreported Bangladesh issues and will create space for marginalized community particularly grassroots poor to express their voice, experience and stories. It is my vision to make Bangladeshi people at the grassroots level the “internet hero”.
Youths have a character defined wanting to make everything new and fresh. Most don’t want to be failed, always insist on success and development. With the desire to change, Bangladeshi youth also nowadays widely use the modern technology. This is a good sign. My observation is that there is lack of spirit and ethics in the ICT sector. There is need to ensure democratization of ICT and introduction “New Media Ethics” for majority people’s benefit along with individual’s uses.
From the beginning, I have always tried to follow and formulate “new media ethics” in my visions and works. The base of my working ethos is the “Core Values” that is “living for the sake of the others” and “dream big with courageous challenge, confidence and patriotic spirit”. I think, if we use and think the technology with social commitment, we shall get more good result in all spheres of life. Regarding this erythematic good team work, common vision centering on higher purpose like a dance and music band is necessary. However there is always need for the ownership responsibility.
In conclusion I would like to say that multimedia such internet technology is playing parental role in my life. It serves me, teaches me and recognizes me wholly just as my parents would. It makes me a “Global Citizen” and “Active Member” of one world global family. Now I do professional work in many countries from Dhaka. I can interact any time, any place and with connected individuals. I feel and love the world as I would love my family. My desire is that, you will be inspired by my testimony and become more active and successful by uniting and contributing to this lovely world and country.
Note: Published in Panorama | TakingITGlobal | 10 Oct, 2007
Apr 27, 2007 | The Opinion
Koinobori are fish shaped flags traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate Children’s Day. ( 5th May ). Traditionally, the flags are used to encourage children as the carp can swim upstream. The flags are made by colorful decorated paper, cloth, non-woven fabric etc .The sizes of ‘koi flags’ generally one feet to a few meters long. However, it is flown generally in front of house, school where the children gather.
Apr 25, 2007 | The Opinion
Sakura is flowers not leaves. It is the only one example nature flowers before leaves. It makes the Japan as a garden in March- April with different types flowers. However it makes a cultures. Hanami ( nature observation ), festival, event even the food and perfume widely used in this time based on the beauty of Sakura and its mode. As my experience, its make an excellent unity between nature and human heart.
