Just build the blumin road you slow coaches!

I just read a NewAge story about an ADB study over the costs and benefits of Bangladesh joining the Asian Highway. Here are some incomplete thoughts.

As if a linearly imprisoned, deterministic and economistic donor-driven study will ever do anything for national mojo? The BNP government sat on this and wasted it. The Awami league are going around with a begging bowl.

Lets talk about the 'wealthy and middle class bangladeshis' who stand to immediately and tangiably gain most from this.

Our national birthing occured in two steps, each one more parochialising and provincialising than the previous one. Appeals to Muslim and Bengal identity weren't really culturally productive, but political postures. Yet today with immigration, colonised curriculums and remittance, the Deshi wanna-bourgioise is better connecting to serving the technocratic interests of Anglosaxonia and the least interesting bits of Arabistan. It is also trapped by the Indian nation state and cowers to it on some important issues. Lets add some other countries to the mix. Let us have some partners.

Making it easy to reach other places by road would allow roots to grow into asia and broaden the outlook of this class of people. Perhaps.

The Real Iranian Question

Why has not Iran souped up its oil refining capacity in the many years that it has had to do so?

Given so many years of sanctions, the imbalance between overseas mojo projection and internal custodianship of key internal challenges is more stark than ever. It seems very irresponsible from my armchair. Semi-autonomous technological development in the majority world is difficult at the best of times, you need long term political support, financial allies and technical expertise. Will, skill and the ability to foot the bill. Yet look at the technological direction.

Though of course, I don't know even have a smidgeon of the full picture in front of me. Perhaps its easier to make longish range surface to surface missiles of questionable accuracy than the surface to air variety that might have protected Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps pre-existing sanctions, and nefarious skullduggery that has complemented them, have indeed thwarted Iranian refinery making attempts.

But come on guys. WILL. Who battled so hard against drugs coming in through Afghanistan for so long? Who united Islamic and Leftist Mojo? albeit so breifly. Who has resisted the economic patsy urge to sell out for so long?

There is another question that I have. Are the US and EU still powerful enough to bribe, convince and scare the rest of the world, the majority world, to make Iran suffer for the security of Israel?

Flashmob Iftaris erupting throughout the land this week

Wherever you are, share your iftar.

HERE is the website.

7 so far.

Not counting the others who have run with the idea as part of their own activities.

Neat. Fraternal. Good natured. Tawhesive

Neoliberalisation of Muslim reproduction

I pray for you
a fug smugly inclined
I'm feeling your juggling's
been stealing our time

Neoliberalised reproduction
of culture and race
May our Maker award us
good fortune and grace.

PVE has nothing
on this mad distraction,
from challenging falsehood
with revolutionary action

Litter the ummah
with exes declined
and see our new culture
run jilted and blind

bit on desh

Bangladesh has unfortunately been made a fool of this past week. Not sure why the western press has focussed on this week in particular though, and on certain kinds of foolishness. A Biman flight to London was delayed 10 hours for blocked toilets and national newspapers couldnt twig that the Onion was spoof news.

Meanwhile negotiations continue with the Global Climate Change nexus over the New Copenhagen Concensus and with India over Tipaimukh.

Stop moaning about a lack of power, just dont dress like europeans.
In news that was intepreted aboard as 'green', the prime minister of bangladesh orders government employees to not wear suits in summer and reduce aircon use. Nevermind the chronic inability to generate electricity.

Ex-FM killed in car accident
[Breaking News] The former Bangladesh Finance Minister Saifur Rahman is killed in a car accident on the Sylhet-Dhaka Highway. Innalillah... He had delivered 12 Annual Development Plans in his time, thats a big loss of national experience and a blow to the opposition to the BNP. Any fishiness and foul play aside, this, yet again, brings up questions of road safety in Bangladesh. Improving social discipline in Bangladesh is a very hard thing. Somebody please.

The World Bank don't know P1Gsh1t
‘Climate change is likely to deal severe blows to Bangladesh’s agriculture. We don’t know yet exactly what will be adverse effects, especially on livelihoods,’ said Khawaja M Minnatullah, a climate change expert at the World Bank Dhaka office. [NewAge 5th Sept]

HT Bangladesh get arrested commemorating the Battle of Badr
I do find the HT experience in Bangladesh interesting, even more so now that the Awami League have been promoted into incompetance (again) by the voters. Check the text of the report and its very revealing of the press-power nexus. Gone is the Z to J substitution, Tahrir, which means liberation, is not translated as such, and the issue about which they were raising awareness was secularly, or perhaps ignorantly, ommitted. Just 'Badar Day'.

The Battle of Badr is an important part of early Islamic History. nuff said really.