Machizo showcase

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Dhaka - the bustling capital of Bangladesh where thousands of rickshaws, those jauntily decorated three wheelers, jostle for space with cars, pedestrians, trucks, tempos and bicycles. Yet the migrant population that man these vehicles around the city often remain faceless, swelling the ranks of Dhaka?s urban poor. We also hear Mostafa Kamal Majumder, a Dhaka-based journalist, speak about the migration and marginalization of rickshaw wallahs ? the men who keep Dhaka on the move. (15:00)

Detail at : http://www.panosradiosouthasia.org/prsa/prsaarchives.php?id=27

‘ The Optimists: A Hope for the Bangladeshi Children’, a documentary film based on the activities of The Optimists, will be screened at 6:30 pm on Sunday, March 2, 2008 at PS 234 Auditorium(30-15 29th Street) in Astoria, NY.

The Optimists has been working with a program named ‘Child Sponsorship Program’ (CSP) to help the helpless and distressed children of Bangladesh since the year 2000. Director Shahjahan Siraj visited the CSP project areas and interviewed the sponsored children, their families, and the Optimists’ doctors, officers and volunteers. He also used the statistical data, information and pictures of the Bangladeshi distressed children. These children are in a very neglected and miserable condition, without proper education, nutrition, healthcare, and are often forced to be engaged in child labor.

The film ‘Optimists: A Hope for the Bangladeshi Children’ will help you understand how helpful the CSP is in the lives of the sponsored children.

There will be a Q&A session at the end and light refreshments will be served.

Please attend the show and witness the Optimists’ effort with support from expatriate Bangladeshis and others.

Minhaz Ahmed

21st February, the International Languages day is celebrating with highest honor and dignity nationwide. The millions of people gathers in Shahid Minir ( language monument) to honor the language martyr heroes. 1952 of this day, the lover of mother language sacrifice the lives to protect the Bangla from the grasps of non-democratic Pakistani rulers, who wanted to declare the Urdu as state language instead of Bangala, the language of majority peoples. At last it was settled Bangla as state language after the sacrifice of patriotic spirits & movement. The launages movement is the basement of Bangali nationalism from which Bangladeshi peoples inherited sprit to win in all democratic and rights movement includeing the independence of Bangladesh.

On November 17, 1999, the Unesco declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day, is celebrating worldwide. From President to general people of Bangladesh celebrate this day, offer the flowers in Shahid Minar with bare foot, however expressed the heart and devotion for national prosperity. The day is a public holiday. The national flag will be hoisted at half-mast atop all government, autonomous and private buildings. The government and different socio-political and cultural organisations have taken up separate programmes to observe the Language Martyrs' Day.It is an inspirational event to save the language and culture of thousand minority tribe of the world.

Videography: J. Alam
Concept & editing: Shahjahan Siraj
Production& Copyright: Machizo Multimedia

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