Dhaka Blog

Rana Plaza, an eight-storey commercial building, collapsed in Savar around 9:30 AM on 24th April 2013. Thousands of people were a victim of this man-made disaster including garment factory workers, women and children. At least 100 are found dead and several others still remain trapped underneath the debris. Death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.

Image Courtesy: CBSNews.com: 8-storey building in Savar collapses.

It is a matter of grave concern how garment factory workers are being treated in the country. They work endlessly everyday and even their survival in a factory isn't guaranteed. They work in very poor conditions, the buildings have barred windows so workers can't escape and they are heavily underpaid. There is no point in blaming foreign companies for the lack of their security concerns for the workers, when the actual problem lies among us. Companies like Primark, Monsoon, Benetton Group were associated with the factories that now lies in ruins. These companies are running a business and their first priority is obviously money. They will choose the cheapest alternative offering the better quality. Because Bangladesh offers cheap labour, they will invest their money on our factory workers. They have a demand they have to meet and for that they will demand more labour from our country. It's pure business.

There is no way one can miss the sight of Valentine's Day when in Dhaka city. The day makes itself evident because of the red decorations, crowded markets and lengthy waiting lines in front of restaurants. If you have a partner for yourself this day, it is understood that you would want to spend time with them somewhere and take them our for a romantic lunch/dinner. Here we remind you of certian things that may help you prepare :)






 

• If you want the day to go smoothly, plan in advance. Restaurant reservations are a must if you don't want to be standing in a lines for several minutes with your partner, or worse get embarrassed in front of them when the place won't be available at all. 
• It is always better to purchase gifts in advance (unless, they're flowers!). Some shops tend to hike up their prices knowing that they will definitely profit from the young crowd. Also, what you wanted to get for them, might be out of stock. 
• Be familiar with the taste of your partner. You don't want to get them/order something they're not fond of.
• Leave for your destination early. The roads are definitely going to be jam-packed this day. There will be little time to move around from one place to another if you have change of plans for whatever reason. 
• We know that you want to impress your date - but impressing is all about having a good time, more than spending a lot of money and then regretting later. You have to keep in mind that restaurants are very busy during this time so their services may not be up to their mark (delay in serving time, attending to all your needs, etc.) What we're saying is, you don't always have to spend your Valentine's day at expensive restaurants. Cheaper alternatives that you know serve great food is also a great choice. That way you'll have more money to spend on your partner for gifts or you can order more food than you could have in the expensive restaurant.
• Don't get depressed if you're single and all your other friends have plans. Utilize this time to catch up or get ahead with your work. Moreover, you're not the only single person out there on Valentine's day. Catch up with the ones who are in the same boat as you.
• You don't necessarily have to celebrate Valentine's day on 14th February either. We understand that a lot of you have tight schedules and are usually very busy. Here is an alternative idea: Do something thoughtful for your partner on the 14th to keep up the Valentine spirit but you could choose to actually take them out the next day. 15th February is a Friday this year, so the roads will be free and restauarants won't be as crowded as they would be on 14th. There would be no panicking or waiting - just a peaceful atmosphere where you can quietly spend your time together.
• Be informed about restaurant discount offers and coupons. These could help save your money a lot!
  

The protests that started in Shahbag to demand the execution of war criminals is going to an important part of history some day. It is a modern revolution like no other. Initiated by bloggers and online activists, there are thousands of supporters for this very cause irrespective of their political background. On 5 February 2013, the bloggers along with their supported started protesting at Shahbag which is now called 'Projonmo Chottor' (Generation Circle). More and more people join the protests as days pass by. Men, women, children - everyone is gathering and protesting day and night in order to receive justice. Justice will be served when the war criminals including Kader Mollah will be sentenced capital punishment for raping the women and children of the country, killing several people when the country was in turmoil and other heinous crimes.


This event is important because people are demonstrating their unity against the justice that will affect the entire country. It has been started by people from the younger generation, that not only constitute the majority of Bangladesh, but also are the future of this country. If they have decided to start this demonstration and have succeeded in at least being noticed, the country may be in good hands. But this is only possible if these student leaders and their groups start their own group against the political parties. They need a separate identity for themselves because otherwise, sooner or later, the current political parties will affect them. They will be sucked into the politics of Awami League and BNP that our country has been witnessing for years.

N.B.: The picture we have posted relating to this blog post do not belong to us and hence we do not take credit for the picture.

People passing by near the construction site of a building at Kamal Ataturk Avenue, Banani














A woman has difficulty in maneuvering through the footpath.








Workers at the construction site face difficulty because of the traffic and crowded environment.












Roads are being damaged as construction continues.