“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” – Samuel Johnson
If it is introduced in the Parliament, the proposed legislation to ban criticism of the Liberation War, the martyrs, etc., will be yet another sign that democracy is marching towards slow death in Bangladesh. Both issues are of great emotional interest to most people in […]
After the multiple terrorist attacks in Paris on last Friday, people have started discussions on all possible issues, viz: (i) why France, (ii) how a recent Muslim refugee in France was one of the terrorists, (iii) what were the motives of IS, (iv) how Western world was responsible for all these terrorist attacks, (v) how […]
I wonder at the speed with which Bangladesh is becoming an Islamic country. I wonder at the increasing number of Bangladeshi males who put on kurta of elder brothers and paijama of younger brothers. The women folks are not legging behind. They are […]
Ashraful Alam
Once upon a time in a small suburban town centre called Sunshine, I was in desparate search of Sunshine every morning. That was my first winter down under, in this Terra Australis Incognita, thousands of miles away from where I spent 30 winters of my life hitherto. The gloomy days and chilling nights of […]
Vadodara and Ahmedabad (India) recently faced two tragic incidences of immense social implications. These incidences may be isolated in nature but give insights in to the prevailing social milieu.
In the first incidence, one 22 years old woman bludgeoned her husband to death with a hammer. The woman delivered a baby just 10 days ago. […]
Bangalee Muslims are all simple and straight people. They are not communal (the commonly used word for “religious-sectarian” in the Indian subcontinent), do not care for fundamentalism, and are not religiously blind. Whatever (bad) things happen (to them), they happen due to the American conspiracies or the British divide-and-rule policy. They (the Americans and the […]
The world of Islam is in a state of turmoil. Radicalised Muslims and their misdemeanours are rarely out of media spotlight these days and rightly so. From the earth shattering event of 9/11 in New York in 2001 and the London Underground bombing in 2005 to al-Qaeda activities in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and in many […]
