Think positive about your country

From our very childhood we are familiarized with a concept that is, “Nothing in Bangladesh is good. To find anything better look something from abroad”. This concept has its root to the deepest possible track of our brain. In shopping we look for the ‘made in’ tag before looking for the quality and price. We are ready to pay double or triple if it has a made in usa or japan tag. Ya, product of Japan and USA are better in many cases. But there are cases where Bangladeshi product can be a better choice. Garments product is a bright example for this. In India people also look for the ‘made in’ tag. But it’s to make sure that it has a made in India tag. If they can omit the better choices to promote their country product, why we can’t?

Think deeply and you will find that, this concept is true in every aspect. Even we believe climate of Canada or UAE is better than Bangladesh, having no idea how cold or how hot those countries are. I feel so distressed when folks think that people of western countries have better character and morality than us. Though we have corrupted personnel in offices and police stations, they don’t represent the country as a whole. We should look behind to the villages, where the people are so simple and has moral characters.

Bangladesh is a corrupted poor country. That’s true, but it doesn’t imply that other countries are comparable to heaven. Every country has its own problem; it might not be visible from here. Actually it doesn’t matter what our country don’t have and how worse the situation is, in loving our country. We can’t hate our country because it is burdened with corruption, load shading, poverty etc. We should stop telling ill of our own country and love it as it is.

Courtesy- I got inspiration to write this post from the blog of Sameen. She wrote a very nice post about thoughts of teenagers of Bangladesh. Though the post is much larger than necessary and have some thoughts repeated, it has some points to ponder. Here is some quotable portion of that post-

Maybe the western world has its own materialistic comforts as well as an obvious incentive of social security...and maybe we all love that aspect of it. But if you think of it, the west has its cons too. Just like Bangladesh have its pros. Its just easier to see the pros of the west and the cons of the Desh. But you will only find peace when you look beyond all that.

Dress code

I found this sticker in the entrance of a renowned food shop “Coopers”. In Bangladesh this kind of dress code is very rare. Even in Sheraton I didn’t find such sticker. But a virtual dress code always exists there. Those prestigious restaurants don’t allow “Lungi”. But they might not find chances to prohibit somebody, because people don’t show courage of going there wearing Lungi. The question comes to mind is, “What’s so wrong with Lungi?”

Dealing with Cop (for the first time)

The other day, I and my sister went on shopping at a market opposite of Dhaka College. My sister’s car was parked beside the road and the driver was there. After some time I came close to the car and saw a policeman talking to the driver. The cop was looking for papers of the car. Unfortunately the papers were not on the car. He took the driver’s license and I started trying to convince him. He was a constable and was driving the patrol car, where the officer was sitting. From the beginning the cop was not intending to file a case against us. May be his objective was different. When I put my hand into pocket, he whispered, "don’t take out money in open road". After sometime he was convinced and gave a small book and said, "Take this book and give 200 tk inside this". I did so and the problem was solved.

Actually we scream against cops that they take bribe. Yes, they did. But its we who give them bribe. We did crimes (may be not so terrible) and to escape we give bribes. In many cases cops take the chance and force for it. But before blaming the police we should make the habit of following laws.

Talkative Thomas

Outgoing US Ambassador in Bangladesh Harry K Thomas seems to be very disappointed on the various facts of Bangladesh. On various farewell meetings and conferences he made some speeches, which are about internal matters of our country. On the meeting with Hasina he said that US will do everything to hold a peaceful election. About the killing case of Kibria he said that US is closely observing the progress of the case. Yes US always keep an eye on all the matters of almost all the countries to continue their headship on the world. But it’s awfully beater to hear this kind of poking speeches. Thomas didn’t stop here. He said

if the major political parties do not work together on issues of national interest people will look for an alternative which will not be good

May be he has telepathic power, by which he could know what people will look for.

Mr. Thomas can say anything because he is US ambassador to a poor country. We could do nothing, not even protest his speeches.

Joy of Victory

After consecutive losses in tests against England, win against Australia in ODI is more than a surprise. The TV room of the dormitory was packed up. I was standing over table tennis table and dancing with every boundary. But when the match finished and Bangladesh won, everyone just got crazy. All started dancing and shouting up to the last limit of their voice. All students came out at road and started dancing blocking the highway, with the music of drums and trumpet. The metal dishes and spoons were there to boost the sound. Congrates to Bangladesh cricket team for this great victory.

Creative equipments to make noice


Danicing in the road with drums

Sudden decision: Some adventure

Last Thursday we attended the last class of this semester and there was a grand viva called board viva. You know those classes are so boring and Rajshahi is being too hot and humid. But I was determined to stay there for the preparation of the exam, which is gonna start after a week. However, all the planning withered when I came out of the viva board at 5pm. Suddenly going to Dhaka was only thing in my mind. It thought captured me and I became bound to it. I got ready within 5 minutes and rushed to the bus counter. I caught the last bus to Dhaka that evening just by a minute. I was so lucky that I didn’t have to wait for the night coaches.

After getting into the bus I got a bit calm and started thinking what I did? May be that wasn’t a good decision to leave the books just before exam. But the thrill I felt on those minutes is simply amazing. Some sudden decision can bring much joy. Its different to think that even you don’t know what you gonna do on the next hour. There is a thrill of uncertainty and breaking the routine.

Islam’s true spirit: Read it

Do you have some time and patience? If you have that’s good. But if you don’t have, please manage some time to read this splendid article "Islam’s true spirit". This was published as editorial some days earlier on "The new nation", an English newspaper of Bangladesh.

On this article the editor pointed some very important points about Islam and practical life. He explained some reason why Islam is not harvesting the desired fruit to our life. What he commented about holly Quran is -

It is like a book of prescriptions. But the prescriptions will do no good if they are worn like a charm and not applied.

Why still being Muslim we are suffering? Read the article with patience and think about it. Just try to realize.

Courtesy – Bring your own Shisha

Desk jottings

The picture may seem to be a museum piece. But it’s simply a desk of our class room. Creative students flourished their thoughts on the table of class room. It is also being used to write critical formulas to have a hint in the exam. You may think that we are guilty students. May be we are. But in that case all educational institutions are on the same grade. Almost all desks of schools, colleges and varsities are loaded with those writings.

From my childhood I am experiencing various kinds of desk writing, at my kindergarten, high school, at college and even now at varsity. First there were only cartoons and toys, then folks became romantic. Table was full of writings like Kuddus + Sokhina. They were dreaming of love, cos they were not mature or brave enough to make it practical. The most complex writings may be found in colleges, as those are written by teenagers. But at university level, pupil diverted to various paths. Most of them leave the habit, but the rest goes on writing their creative ideas on tables. That’s how all tables of all institutions remain packed up by those scribbles.

There are many other types of scribbles. It’s not that, only students write those. Once I saw a gentleman (?!) calculating his expenses in bus seat. There are other types of writings; off them "Bathroom jottings" is worst one. I’ll write about it, may be another day.

My Photoblog: I see through lens

Though its been so late to inform you, I am feeling excitement that I have a photoblog now. I am posting selected pictures that I capture by my digital camera. There is also a strip at the right side of this site showing gist of the photoblog. You can visit that site from here or directly by the address www.flickr.com/photos/iurifat/. I was really amazed to find Flickr.com a so dedicated site for pictures. This site gives many options to load, send and view pictures.

Too Hot

Having rest
Originally uploaded by I see through lens.

It’s been too hot at Rajshahi for last few weeks. But the day before yesterday the temperature got highest within the country for this year. Actually this is more about feeling than the reading of the temperature. It became too tough to bear the heat. At night everything starts to radiate heat that has been absorbed all the day.


A poor woman having some rest with her little child at our field
All are waiting for rain. When rain will be dropped?