The Bangladesh Journal Revisited

A while ago, I noted a website - The Bangladesh Journal - that I felt was a welcome addition to Bangladeshi media portals online, given, in my view, their rather anti-opposition bias. I also found it a good source of news that fell through the cracks of other online media outlets, which I'm sure is atleast partly because of its "nuanced" point of view.

That is, until about a little over a month ago, the the daily updates got replaced by weekly ones, and new content appreared at a rate at which I almost lost interest.

Today, on my weekly visit to this site, I noticed something new. Perhaps it was there for a while and I hadn't noticed it before, but nevertheless, I came upon the link to the "Photo Essays".

Its a good assortment at first glance. There's something about cricket, about the Royal Bengal Tigers, domestic and foreign dignataries, the Iztema, even Dr. Younus. A hodge-podge no doubt, but in the author's mind, I'm sure its a cross section of what represents the "true picture" of Bangladesh. (Portrayal of the "true picture" being the stated purpose of the website.)

There are a few things that I like about this collection, and a few that I don't.

I particularly dislike the hypocrisy surrounding this notion that they are upholding the "true picture". I am not sure the author(s) even realise this, but their blatant bias is obvious in the captions of the albums.

Three examples of this are:

1. While the pictures of Khaleda Zia are "historic", that of Sheikh Hasina are not, although both albums have pictures of pretty much the same nature. In particular, I'm not quite sure how the simulataneous visit of Nelson Mandela and Yasir Arafat is not "historic" but that of Khaleda Zia at some random rally or cabinet meeting is.

2. There is an album for Zia, but not for Mujib. Its a common practice for pro-BNP, anti-AL to address Zia as "Shaheed President" and then refuse to recognise that Mujib ever existed.

3. This one is my favourite - the album on the "Anarchy Created by Awami League Hartals". What I find particularly interesting is the fact that half te pictures are of police brutality on the activists who are participating in the hartal, which makes one wonder if the anarchy can be blamed on the AL alone.

One should not go away with the impression that this one-sided representation is an afflication that affects those who are pro-BNP only. In fact, the truth is, it's common practice on both sides. I will bet money on the fact that no pro-AL website will have anything positive to say about the BNP, will only have material that belittles or tries to play down the important role of Zia both in 1971 and then in the post-1975 regime, and probably not mention Khaleda Zia at all.

What I do really like about this collection though is that they have albums on both Ramadan and the Ijtema.

In terms of events, albums on Bangladesh tend to focus on Pahela Baishakh, 21st February, 26th March, and 16th December, which in their own right, are important events/dates to our national identity, but Ramadan, which has its own distinctive sights and sounds and is observed by most of Bangladesh's 120 million+ Muslims and the Ijtema, attended by 3-4 million pilgrims from home and abroad, are seldom given appropriate coverage. This is one part of Bangladesh that The Bangladesh Journal manages to portray a "true picture" of.