BICN 17 February - 1 March 2000

Volume 3 Number 12

IN THIS ISSUE

+Feature Article 

Towards Real 'Safe Custody' in Bangladesh, Salma Ali and the Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association

+Commercial Advertisements

Attention Expats & Bangladeshis - Plan for a Sound Financial Future Now

Contemporary Bengali Instruction

+Webby!

Can Anyone Hear Us? World Bank "Consultations With the Poor" Now Available Online

New Scientist Arsenic Crisis Article Online

Asia Region News from Radio Australia

New Rickshaw Art Website

+News & Announcements

Network of Bangladeshi Entrepreneurs (NBE) First Seminar, Boston 11 Mar 2000

Volunteers Wanted to Develop High Achiever Identification Framework for BAFI

ANDOLAN - Organizing South Asian Workers

Former Bangladesh Expat Janet Sanderson To Be Nominated US Ambassador to Algeria

+Books from Mr Kashem

Acinpakhi, Indigenous Theatre of Bangladesh, by Syed Jamil Ahmed

+Late February Events 

+A Little Later On 

+New Ongoing And Regular Events 

+Personal Classified Ads

 BICN is published first & third Wednesdays September to May from Dhaka Bangladesh by Sara Bennett. To SUBSCRIBE, email subscribe@bicn.com 

BICN welcomes your community event announcements, personal classified ads, letters to the editor, short articles - all appear FREE. Commercial advertisements appear for a small fee.

Next issue submission deadline Tue 29 Feb 2000. Email items to news@bicn.com Text only, no attachments. 

FEATURE ARTICLE

-- Towards Real 'Safe Custody' in Bangladesh --

By Amala Reddy [Reprinted from Alochona & News From Bangladesh, with BICN editing. Amala Reddy develops environmental education materials for children in Bangladesh, where she is a research fellow at the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies. Dr. Reddy has been published in various American scientific journals and has also written for English-language Bangladeshi newspapers and The Hindu.]

Advocate Salma Ali was driving in Old Dhaka when she saw a rickshaw at the side of the road. She saw two women under the brightly-decorated hood, the younger one looking "very confused." Then she saw two men coming towards them in a vehicle.

She sensed something was wrong. The men looked like a dalal (pimp) and his client. "I thought, 'I have to do something!' I looked at the young girl and said, 'Do you want to come? Come.' And she jumped out and came with me!" The young girl had been abducted and was about to be sold into prostitution, but Salma Ali effected another rescue - just in time.

It is with this kind of personal risk and relentlessness that Salma Ali carries out her work as Executive Director of the Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association (BNWLA). The Association provides free legal aid to women in need and currently has 200 members, with 40 active lawyers working part or full time. BNWLA runs 24 legal aid clinics countrywide for women.

Ms. Ali joined BNWLA in 1986. In 1989 during a routine jail visit, she first became aware of the large numbers of minor girls imprisoned - many for years. Most had been remanded to 'safe custody' by the courts. The paradox is that, "there are no specific laws regarding safe custody. Police can arrest people for suspected movement, without a warrant. It often happens near Dhaka railway station. A young woman comes to Dhaka for a job. She looks confused when the police question her and she cannot give a local address. She is taken into protective custody. The magistrate gives the order for safe custody, and she is put in jail!"

Ms. Ali was shocked at the situation, and that year became the first lawyer in Bangladesh to obtain the release of such a runaway. Through persistence, she managed to locate the teenager's family after her four months 'safe custody' in Dhaka jail. The girl's father was overjoyed when contacted and rushed to Dhaka the same night. The poor man thought she had been kidnapped, and had filed the proper papers with the local police authorities. "Meanwhile, there was no communication between the different police stations, or the prison authorities, and different agencies", says Salma Ali in disgust.

Ms. Ali estimates there are 80-100 wrongfully imprisoned women among the total female population of 500-600 in Dhaka jail. Girls as young as 8-15 years old can be remanded to safe custody, and remain in jail for as long as 2-4 years. In jail their living conditions are miserable, with no work or education programs.

Police arrest women for indecent behavior; they also arrest minors found during brothel raids. During natural disasters such as cyclones and floods, hundreds of people lose their homes; inevitably illiterate women and children get lost and end up in "safe custody." Other women are survivors of rape, brothels, or broken homes. The social structure is such that when a man rapes a young girl, often she is the one who becomes the outcaste - a "useless" girl, who cannot marry, someone who brings "shame" to the family. Dowry abuse contributes to mistreatment and discarding of wives, ultimately leaving many women and children homeless. They go to the cities looking for jobs, but end up in "safe" custody.

Once a woman is arrested, the police have 24 before they must produce her in court. Many girls become victims of police brutality and sexual abuse in this interim period.

When a woman appears in court, the magistrate has "undefined discretionary powers" to dispose of her until her case is resolved. And there is a real question as to where to keep temporarily a women alone and "unprotected" by family members, or a minor girl released from a brothel, or an illiterate woman unable to give a home address. Magistrates typically put such women in prison - alongside convicted women criminals. There they remain, with no effort made to contact their families, or provide them legal due process. Even for a concerned magistrate, there are only six Government shelters in the country - the one in Dhaka has space for about 35 women. These shelters are usually full beyond capacity, with inadequate facilities. In addition other organizations run a few homes with limited space.

Due care for persons in safe custody is not well articulated in Bangladesh law. "In the jail code there is no place for safe custody", says Ms. Ali. "There is no provision or funds to give anything to these girls. They have to get their saris, plates, and other things, from the criminal inmates." Ms. Ali has noticed the girls they release from prison suffer from skin diseases. "You know that indicates a lack of space and hygiene, because there are no proper facilities in jail."

There are many instances of sexual abuse of safe custody women in prison. Salma Ali filed a case on behalf of a minor girl she released, who was two months pregnant, although she had been in jail for two years. A male prison warden was supposed to escort her to the hospital, but took her to a local hotel and raped her instead.

Since her first case, Ms. Ali has secured the release of 500-600 women and children. As permission to enter jails specifically to look for wrongful prisoners is difficult to obtain, her lawyers look for cases during other legal investigations and jail visits, at police stations, contacts with other lawyers, and also in the press. When an unfairly imprisoned woman or child is found, Ms. Ali petitions the court and files the necessary legal papers to secure her release into the custody of BNWLA, or her family whenever possible.

Trafficking in women from Bangladesh also contributes to the custody problem. An estimated 200,000 women have been smuggled out illegally in the last ten years. Poor families are lured into sending their women and children abroad with promises of fancy jobs, or victims are abducted and sent to India, Pakistan or the Middle East, for purposes of prostitution or forced labor. When the agents, "traffickers", are apprehended, they are arrested - and their victims are put into "protective custody."

To date, Ms. Ali has helped to rescue hundreds of children from traffickers, at times travelling to neighboring countries. In India alone about 100 child victims have been located and repatriated. She has initiated training programs for "high-risk groups" in the border villages to alert them to the dangers.

To combat the woeful situation of safe custody and wrongful imprisonment in Bangladesh, Ms. Ali has initiated discussion forums with all those involved in the criminal justice and social system - police, lawyers, judges, journalists, politicians, and religious leaders - to make them aware of the issues. These forums are either small round-table workshops or larger symposia at which concerned scholars and citizens groups participate.

Salma Ali also started a shelter - she still ruefully recalls the 1991 incident that led to this. She had gained the release of a woman prisoner, but could find nowhere for her to stay, so she took the woman to her home. While she was having a bath, the woman disappeared - along with all her gold jewellery!

BNLWA now runs a 50-bed shelter home named "Proshanthi" (Profound Peace), in a spacious, two-story house in Dhaka City. Women and children rescued from trafficking are taken there upon release. Efforts are made to reconnect them with their families, which can take a few weeks. Unfortunately, social attitudes prevent many from returning, and, if a legal case is still in process, the released prisoner needs to stay until its resolution. Hence residents can remain at the shelter for as long as 6 months to a year. During their stay, rehabilitation consists of programs to help residents gain skills to earn a living and "find a place in society." The shelter provides a psychiatric counsellor and a doctor. Children and young girls go to a local school, while tutors teach the older women. Vocational training is provided in tailoring, knitting, block printing and batik; products are sold informally to raise money. The house is sparsely furnished, but there is a TV for entertainment and toys for the children - but no yard.

Salma Ali is disappointed with the local citizenry for their lack of financial support for Proshanthi. She says "the rich and influential people of Dhaka would not give even their zakaat (charity) money to these 'bad girls.' They said they would rather give to an orphanage."

Unfortunately, as Salma Ali herself admits, the shelter is like another jail. The Lawyers Association has to undertake a bond for released prisoners with cases pending, and take them for court appearances. Therefore, the shelter has locked gates, and these women are not allowed out alone. Others have jobs at local garment factories and do go out daily. On the whole, the residents look happy and healthy, in spite of their isolation. Some local feminists express concern about the way women's shelters are run in Bangladesh, saying, "It is a matter of attitude, not a financial problem." They worry about the "saving those poor girls" approach, and the implicit hierarchical attitude.

Salma Ali is straightforward about her rationale, and is led by the heart, rather than being "politically correct." She says that most of the children rescued from trafficking do return to their families. Of those for whom there is no other provision, she manages "to settle" at least 10 girls every year into secure work and living conditions, in spite of social prejudice against them. "When I see they are happy, reintegrated, that is very good success. They come regularly, visit. Our family - I like that."

Salma Ali has many future plans, including measures emphasizing prevention. Her main quest, however, is to establish a large shelter complex on the outskirts of Dhaka. She envisions a system where women are first brought to a reception center in Dhaka. After initial counselling and legal procedures are complete, they would transfer to the shelter. Outside Dhaka they would be able to enjoy freedom of movement. The shelter would include buildings for safe custody women, rehabilitation and counselling services, vocational training, and a separate hostel for working women. She hopes to run it self-sufficiently with money generated through income-generating schemes for the women. At present she is involved in trying to obtain donor funding and a land grant from the Government.

---

In 1993, Salma Ali was awarded the Ashoka Fellowship for her pioneer work in releasing and rehabilitating women who are wrongfully imprisoned - victims of circumstance, rape, or trafficking.

BNWLA needs additional funding, equipment, and resources for shelter homes; income-generating ideas for the women; and information and training for staff and lawyers on working with distressed women. Visits to shelters in other countries to learn about their experiences would be very helpful.

Contact: Salma Ali, Executive Director, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, 36/2 Mirpur Road, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh, telephone 880-2-9665163, fax 880-2-9663295, email BNWLA@bdonline.com .

COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENTS

-- Attention Expats & Bangladeshis - Plan for a Sound Financial Future Now --

Your time abroad represents the perfect opportunity to

1. Utilize your tax status 2. Maximize your returns on your savings & investments 3. Plan for a sound financial future

Sovereign is an international financial consultancy firm represented in Bangladesh by Peter Doran, senior consultant and portfolio manager based in Bangkok. He will be visiting Dhaka the first week of March, and he can meet privately with you to provide free confidential advice on such matters as:

-Pension planning -Education fee planning -Multi-currency mortgages -Regular contribution saving plans -Lump sum investments -Offshore banking -Portfolio management -Financial planning -Offshore companies and trusts

For a no-cost appointment with Mr. Doran in Dhaka first week of March, email sovereign@bicn.com or contact Mr. Doran by fax or telephone as follows:

Before Wed 1 March: Bangkok fax +66(2) 631 1556, tel +66(2)631 2047

From Wed 1 March to Tue 7 March: Dhaka tel/fax +880(2)8822148

Sovereign also has offices in Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo - email sovereign@bicn.com for more information or to make an appointment.

-- Contemporary Bengali Instruction --

Nondita Chowdhury offers Bengali instruction to individuals and groups:

+Course 1, Survival Bangla - 20 2-hour sessions focusing on speaking and understanding +Course 2, Basic Bangla - 20 2-hour sessions with the introduction of reading and writing +Individual instruction - tailored to students needs

Ms Chowdhury was principal of Heed Language Centre (1991-97), and has over 20 years experience in Bengali instruction. Lessons given at her school in Gulshan or learner's home or office. Courses cost Tk6000 per person for groups of two to seven, or Tk7500 for one person, includes all materials. For more information, email bangla@bicn.com, include your name & telephone number.

WEBBY!

-- Can Anyone Hear Us? World Bank "Consultations With the Poor" -- -- Now Available Online --

[From Syed A. Mahmood, The World Bank ( smahmood@worldbank ) via Alochona discussion group at www.egroups.com]

There has been much study of poverty in developing countries. But what do the poor themselves think about poverty?

The World Bank's "Consultations with the Poor" is an attempt to find out, in preparation for the upcoming WB 2000/1 World Development Report focusing on poverty. The consultation was a qualitative research initiative bringing together the voices of 60,000 poor men and women from 60 countries. The experiences, priorities, and recommendations articulated by the poor are presented in the online publication "Can Anyone Hear Us?" at

http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/wdrpoverty/conspoor/index.htm.

Bangladesh was one of the country case studies; it is available online at

http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/wdrpoverty/conspoor/national.htm.

-- New Scientist Arsenic Crisis Article --

Fred Pearce's latest article on the arsenic crisis has appeared in the New Scientist and can be found online at:

http://www.newscientist.com/news/newsns222529.html

-- Asia Region News from Radio Australia --

For good coverage of Asia region news, try the Radio Australia web site:

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newsdaily/

-- New Rickshaw Art Website --

There's a new website on "The Ricksha Arts of Bangladesh," at:

http://netnow.micron.net/~ricksha

Joanna Kirkpatrick writes: "I've been doing this research off and on for more than 20 years. Thus, I have been an off and on expat in Bangladesh. In 1987 I was there on a USIS Fulbright research award. I used to enjoy going to swim at the American Club in Gulshan. My most recent visit was in October 1998, in Dhaka for two weeks to shoot video for my CD-ROM. There's more about that on the website."

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

-- Network of Bangladeshi Entrepreneurs (NBE) -- -- First Seminar, Boston 11 Mar 2000 --

NBE's mission is to bring together resident and non-resident Bangladeshis who are technology entrepreneurs, professionals, researchers and students, to cultivate technology entrepreneurship by sharing ideas, case studies and resources.

The first NBE seminar will take place 2-7pm, Sat 11 Mar 2000, at the School of Management, Boston University, 595 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (next to the Kenmore Square Howard Johnson's).

Speakers will include Hassan Alam, CEO, BCL Computers on Non-Equity Financing; Muhit Rahman, former Managing Director, Triumph Capital on Venture Capital; and Rashed Hasan, founder NeoSoftUSA, LLC on Entrepreneurship.

Topics will include: Financing Start-Ups; What is Venture Capital?; Financing Options for Start-Ups; Concerns Regarding Raising Money; Non-Equity Funding; Why Entrepreneurship?; Bangladeshi Success Stories; and Business Ideas.

Pre-registration is required and seating is limited to first 100 registrants. Registration fee is USD10, USD5 for students, make checks payable to EB2000 and mail to POB 833, Annandale, VA 22003. E-mail nbe@eb2000 , website: www.eb2000.org/nbe, contact person Yarad Ahmed, tel +1(617)8679919.

NBE's first year plan includes a series of regional seminars hosted in different cities of North America. Following the Boston seminar sponsored by EB2000, a second seminar will occur at TechBangla's Technology Transfer 2000 Convention, April 2000 in Atlantic City, NJ (see http://www.techbangla.org for more information), and third seminar is tentatively planned for Washington DC later in 2000.

-- Volunteers Wanted to Develop High Achiever -- -- Identification Framework for BAFI --

The Bangladeshi-American Foundation, Inc. is looking for volunteers to help appropriately identify high achievers in the Bangladeshi-American community. There are many Bangladeshi-Americans who are making outstanding contributions in their fields, and one goal of the Foundation is to acknowledge, recognize and maintain information on such achievers.

BAFI seeks the help of individuals familiar with criteria used in different professions to acknowledge outstanding achievements to help us develop a framework for identifying such persons in our community. If you are interested in helping in this endeavor, please contact Probashiusa98@hotmail.com . For more information on the Foundation, visit http://www.angelfire.com/ab/bfoundation/main.html

-- ANDOLAN - Organizing South Asian Workers --

ANDOLAN is a New York-based advocacy organization for South Asian workers. They are currently advocating on behalf of a Bangladeshi domestic allegedly abused by her Bahraini diplomat employer in New York. Telephone 212-358-5985, email andolanorg@hotmail.com .

-- Former Bangladesh Expat Janet Sanderson To Be Nominated US Ambassador to Algeria --

President Clinton announced February 2 his intent to nominate Janet A. Sanderson to be U.S. Ambassador to Algeria. Among other previous postings, Ms. Sanderson was Vice Consul/Economic Officer in Dhaka.

BOOKS FROM MR KASHEM

Email books@bicn.com for more info or to order. Free delivery service in Dhaka. Overseas customers, use the links provided below to visit each book's entry at barnesandnoble.com.

Acinpakhi - Indigenous Theatre of Bangladesh, by Syed Jamil Ahmed. University Press Ltd., 375pp. Tk900. This book combines a wide range of theoretical learning and understanding of the indigenous theatre in Bangladesh and describes fully the way in which the tradition lives in Bangladesh today. It studies over eighty genres, which are related to various religions and cults, as well as secular performances. The methodology adopted for the major part of the study is based on fieldwork which includes witnessing performances in actual conditions, interviewing the performers and the spectators, and studying written texts, audio recording and photographs of performances. Excepting minor cases, most genres have been studies in terms of background information, performance space, text, and performance structure. Plans of performance space and photographs of performance have also been provided. S. J. Ahmed is a director and designer in theatre and Associate Professor at the Department of Theatre and Music, University of Dhaka.

LATE FEBRUARY EVENTS

All events are in Dhaka unless otherwise noted. Entry to some events is restricted eg to members - contact the organizers for information.

11-21 Feb - Art Exhibit at Divine Gallery, Sonargaon, "The Cantos, acrylic on canvas, of Murtaja Baseer."

Thu 17 Feb - HARTAL (day 3 of 3).

Thu&Fri 17&18 Feb - British film at the British Council. "Another Time, Another Place" on 18 Feb at 5pm. "The Dressmaker" on 17 Feb and 18 Feb at 5pm. Free entry, passes at BC reception while they last.

Thu 17 Feb - An Evening with the S T A R S, Acid Survivor´s Foundation Benefit. 8-9 pm Street Party - food, snake charming, fortune telling, musicians, novelty performers, raffle (big prizes); 9-10 pm Music Programme - top stars; 10-11 pm International Buffet, 11- : Dance With Renaissance & Pentagon. Tickets Tk 1500 each at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

Fri 18 Feb - ICDDR,B Hospital Endowment Fund Ball ("Diarrhoea Ball"), 7:30pm Sonargoan Hotel ballroom. Tickets are Tk1500 from ICDDR,B External Relations Office in Mohakhali. For more info email vbrooks@icddrb .

18 Feb to 2 Mar - Exhibition by Indian photographer Raghu Rai at Drik Gallery, 3-8pm. Jointly organized by Pathshala South Asian Institute of Photography and the High Commission of India in Dhaka. Photographer Amanul Haque has kindly agreed to open the exhibition at 4:30pm 18 Feb. Free admission. Email mayeen@drik

Sat 19 Feb - Washington, DC, Annual General Meeting and Cultural Show, American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers and Architects. 4pm-9pm Guy Mason Recreation Center, 3600 Calvert Street, N.W. Washington, DC. Adults & children over 7 years USD7, children under 7 free. For more info, email BRokonuddi@aol.com or manzur_elahi@hotmail.com

Sat Feb 19 - UNWA Monthly Activity, visit the Institute Of Fine Arts at Dhaka University. Departure from the American Club at 10.30am sharp. To sign up and for more info, email unwa@bicn.com .

Mon 21 Feb - National Holiday, Shaheed Day / International Mother Language Day

Tues 22 Feb - Meeting for all those interested in lending a hand with the 60s/70s/80s Dance Party. 6 pm US Mission Club poolside. Email dawc@bicn.com

22 Feb to 15 Mar - Meghna Interclub Tennis Tourney at the Gulshan Club.

Thu 24 Feb - African Night BBQ Party. BAGHA Club. Tickets Tk500 at the BAGHA bar, advance purchase only. African BBQ. Dance the night away to the real Sounds of Africa!!

Thu 24 Feb - BWA Outing, to silk shop in Mirpur. Meet at BAGHA Club at 9am. Email bwa@bicn.com .

Sat 26 Feb - BWA Monthly Lunch at the Thai House, 1230pm. Email bwa@bicn.com

Sat 26 Feb - DAWC "Borders East" Book and Bake Sale, 11am-1pm in the AIS/D Canteen. Come stock up on your leisure reading and enjoy some good coffee, tea and/or goodies with us! As always, all profits go to worthwhile charities. Email dawc@bicn.com .

Mon 28 Feb - UNWA Monthly Lunch, 12:30am, BHC Club. Sign up and payment for the luncheon at the General Meeting. Cost Tk 300. Email unwa@bicn.com .

29 Feb, 1&2 Mar - AIS/D Players present the adult comedy RUMORS by Neil Simon at 7pm. Tickets Tk200 adults, Tk150 high school students, available at AIS/D reception and at the door.

A LITTLE LATER ON

Wed 1 Mar - BWA Monthly General Meeting, BAGHA Club 3pm. There will be a talk about leprosy in Bangladesh by Derek Lobo. Email bwa@bicn.com .

3&4 Mar - JOI in Concert, Osmani Memorial Hall, 7pm. "London East End Bangladeshi 'Joi Bangla' sound." JOI was recognized in 1999 with the BBC Asia Music Award.

Fri 3 Mar - United Nations Women's Association Silver Jubilee Celebration, Sonargaon Hotel Poolside, 7:30pm. Celebrating 25 Years in Bangladesh with an international night. Dinner and entertainment from around the world. National dress. Tickets Tk 1250, available from unwa@bicn.com.

6 Mar - JOI in Concert, Chittagong, 7pm. Additional info above.

Tues 7 Mar - UNWA visit to the Mother Theresa Home for Abandoned Children. The Home is one of a number of organizations/projects supported by UNWA. Email unwa@bicn.com for more information.

Wed 8 Mar - BWA Newcomers Coffee Morning, 10am. Email bwa@bicn.com .

Sat 11 Mar - UNWA Annual General Meeting, 10am. Email unwa@bicn.com.

Wed 15 Mar - Glitter Party at the Australian Club. Tickets on sale to Oz Club members 2-4pm starting 22 Feb, to members of other clubs from 23 Feb.

16-18 Mar - Eid-ul-Azha (subject to moon)

17 Mar - National holiday, Bangabandhu's Birthday

Sat 25 Mar - Scheduled visit of US President Clinton to Bangladesh

Sun 26 Mar - National holiday, Independence Day

Tue 28 Mar - BWA Monthly Lunch at Spaghetti Jazz, 12:30pm. Email bwa@bicn.com .

Fri 31 Mar: DAWC 60s/70s/80s Dance Party, US Mission club 8pm. Tickets Tk500, on sale in March from the USMC office for expat club card holders. Ticket includes snacks and floorshow at 10pm. Cash bar. Be sure to wear a costume from your favorite decade. Sponsorship to this charity event welcome. Email dawc@bicn.com .

28-30 Apr, Atlantic City NJ: "Tech Transfer-2000: North America" (TT2000:NA) convention. "This conference will bring together potential and actual actors in Technology Transfer to Bangladesh. The most important group, who can contribute directly to the transfer of technology to Bangladesh, are Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRB) who are Technologists, Scientists, Engineers, Investors, or Entrepreneurs. They are the strongest link of Bangladesh to modern technology and industry. TT2000:NA is being organized and hosted by TechBangla and enthusiastically co-sponsored by AABEA, BCBSNA, EB2000, BSCDI, ComputerNet and other NRB organizations. For more information see http://www.TechBangla.org or contact: in Bangladesh, Tanvir Chowdhury, Editor http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news, tel +880(2)8827413, email Tech2000@bangladesh-web.com ; in USA, Shaikh Mizan, Coordinator, TechTransfer-2000:NA, email srahman@calc.vet.uga, tel +1(706)613-7808, fax +1(706)542-5771.

Sun - Tues 14-16 May, Oslo: European Network of Bangladesh Studies Sixth Workshop, "Bangladesh - Changing Identities and Economic Transformation," hosted by the Department of Sociology at the University of Oslo, with NORAD funding. For more information, see the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/Centres/CDS/enbs.htm

NEW ONGOING / REGULAR EVENTS

Horse Riding - at Trotover "the first horse riding club & school" in Bangladesh. In Tongi (it's 10 miles from the US Embassy and up past the airport). Riding hours are 7-1130am and 3-5pm in winter (September-May) and 6am-1030am and 530-7pm in summer (June-August). Individual lessons with a professional instructor are Tk300 per half hour, or ride on your own for Tk250 per half hour. Appointments are necessary. The facility is still being developed, at present there are three horses but more are on the way. For appointments or more info, tel 017-526469, 9131953, and 8811726.

Improvisation League - develop your dramatic skills and have fun. At the Canadian Club Monday evenings 6:30-8pm, starting 21 Feb.

PERSONAL CLASSIFIED ADS

HOUSING wanted urgently in Dhaka by a US Citizen working for a private organization. Duration 6 months minimum to 1 year maximum, location Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara. Preference is for shared accommodation in a family home - private bedroom with attached bath, meals, and basic cleaning/laundry services. Email mirzasayyeda@hotmail.com

DRIVER available: Kamrul, excellent, careful driver, very responsible & honest, takes complete care of vehicle, incl repairs & registration, punctual, enjoys work, always cheerful. Also does deliveries, marketing and pays all bills. Available in March after 2 years with us. Email tschaetzel@hotmail.com

COOK/BEARER/AYAH: Kajol, punctual, hard-working, cooks delicious Bangla food & variety of Western dishes, incl Italian & Chinese. Also good with marketing, cleaning & laundry. She was cook/bearer 1 yr for us, but also good with children. Available in March after 1 year with us. Email tschaetzel@hotmail.com

AYAH/BEARER available: Martha English-speaking Christian, has worked for 11 years in Dhaka for British, Australian, American, Canadian and Danish families. She looked after both my children from the age of 6 weeks and is extremely capable. Duties included cleaning, washing ironing plus child care. Very honest, hard working. I have left Dhaka now, for more info, please contact me, Terry van Kalken, at tvk@dhi-uk.com

+Visitors to BICN website since inception (Apr 98): 20,908 (582 in the last two weeks). BICN ezine subscribers: 576 (+9 in the last two weeks)

+Personal classified ads and community organization and event announcements appear FREE. Advertising rates apply to other items. Discounts available for small businesses, advertising packages, etc. Contact news@bicn.com  .

+BICN Fans - support BICN by using these links for your online shopping:

Barnes&Noble (books, magazines, music, software)

http://bn.bfast.com/booklink/click?sourceid=32390&categoryid=homepage

TravelNow (discount worldwide car/plan/hotel/train bookings) 

http://www.travelnow.com/index.html?cid=2341

EthnicGrocer (ethnic groceries, cookbooks, etc.) 

http://bicn.com/fwd/fwd2ethnicgrocer.htm

Click to recommend BICN to your friends

http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=470603

+Mr Kashem's Roving Rickshaw Bookstore ordering information - Email your inquiry or order to books@bicn.com .  Special orders most welcome.  Mr Kashem provides FREE personal book and magazine delivery service to your home or office in Dhaka. For overseas orders:

1. We ship at cost from Bangladesh via FEDEX courier or airmail. Tell us what books you want plus the ship-to country, and we'll send you a quote for these two options.

2. BICN handling charge is USD3 for each order plus USD1 for each item.

3. Once your order is finalized, prepayment will required by USD or CAD check on a US or Canadian bank, or an international money order / bank draft, made out to Sara Bennett, and snail mailed to Sara Bennett, c/o nhc, 4823-99th St., Edmonton AB Canada T6E 4Y1.]