I am from Dhaka, Bangladesh and I have been blogging at The 3rd world view since 2003. I have been bridge-blogging the Bangladeshi and South Asian Blogosphere in Global Voices since 2005. As the translator coordinator for the Global Voices Bangla Lingua, I love translating selected Global Voices posts into my mother tongue Bangla. Follow me at @rezwan.
Latest posts by Rezwan from June, 2014
Attacks Against Muslims Continue In Sri Lanka
It has been two weeks since the violent riots against Muslims in the Sri Lankan coastal cities of Aluthgama and Beruwala. Although the situation has died down after widespread condemnation, sporadic violence against Muslims continues in different parts of Sri Lanka. Blogger Abdul Khaleq tweets about one such recent incident in...
Srinagar-Leh Highway: An Adventurous Road Trip
The 434-kilometer-long Srinagar-Leh Highway is a spectacular and often scary highway in the Kashmir Valley. This road, which is open for traffic from June to November, is generally muddy, gravely and non-existent at best. The Zoji La mountain pass at 3,528 meters is particularly dangerous with only enough clearance for...
What Would Buddha Do? Not Attack Sri Lankan Muslims, Buddhists Say
Hardline Buddhist organization Bodu Bala Sena's anti-Muslim rhetoric has fueled deadly riots in Sri Lanka. The group is vocal, but Buddhists are speaking out against them on and offline.
This Street in Bangladesh Has a Colorful World Cup Celebration to Rival Brazil
Bangladesh didn't qualify to play in the tournament, but the country's football fans have caught World Cup fever nonetheless.
Jonbeel, a Barter Market in the 21st Century
The centuries old Jonbeel Mela, a community fair in the northeast Indian state of Assam, has a unique ritual. Around 10,000 indigenous people from tribes like the Karbi, Khasi, Tiwa, and Jayantia of the northeast come down from the hills to the Jonbeel wetlands with their produce or catch and...
Urban Pakistani Musicians Jam With a Rural Folk Singer and Create Something Beautiful for the Internet
The video for "Sarak Sarak" was published on Facebook, SoundCloud and Vimeo, but not YouTube - that remains blocked in Pakistan.
Why Quality of Internet Service Is Needed in Nepal
Internet penetration in Nepal has increased to 29.78 percent in recent times mainly due to about 8 million mobile Internet users. But the quality of Internet service by the providers, lack of standards and bad customer service makes the user experience so unpleasant that many users feel that their time,...
Do You Know About the Deadly Violence Against Muslims in Sri Lanka? Not If You're Reading Local Media
Clashes between extremist Buddhists and Muslims have left at least four people dead, but Sri Lanka's mainstream media isn't giving the situation much coverage.
The Unintended Consequences of Pakistan's Operation Zarb-e-Azb
On June 15, 2014, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a joint-military operation involving Pakistan against armed insurgent groups such as the Taliban (TTP), al–Qaeda, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). The operation started exactly a week after the terrorist attack on the...
Neighbor Bhutan Rolls Out the Welcome Mat for India's Prime Minister Modi
It is newly elected Narendra Modi's first foreign visit as India's prime minister. Some aren't convinced that it's the best choice.
How to Stop the Dhivehi Language From Dying
Dhivehi, the national language of Maldives, is a pidgin language spoken primarily by the Maldivians. However, practically every Maldivian speaks English, the unofficial second language, because it’s the language used in Maldivian school curricula. Lack of proper language standards is impeding the growth of Dhivehi. Aishath Khashia at Work of...
Are Bangladesh's “Men In Black” Fighting Crime or Killing for Money
Bangladesh's elite crime-combat force, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is under intense scrutiny for alleged cases of abductions, torture and extra judicial killings.
Homosexual Asylum Seekers from The Maldives Face Prosecution Upon Return
Same-sex relationships, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are illegal in the Maldives under Sharia law and there are several cases of prosecution against persons of same-sex orientation. Ibrahim Muaz, a spokesman at the President’s Office recently said that Maldivians seeking asylum abroad on grounds of religion or sexuality can be...
University Student Posts Suicide Note In Facebook, Friends Fail To Save Him
Suicide is a long term social issue of Bangladesh and of all the people reported dead due to suicide worldwide every year, 2.06% are Bangladeshis. Mahbub Shaheen, a student of Dhaka University, posted a suicide note in Facebook at 7:08PM on 2nd of June, 2014. He wrote: I am lying...
Farewell Hindustan Ambassador
Hindustan Motors has recently suspended production of India's iconic Hindustan Ambassador car which was first rolled out in 1958. Soumyadip Choudhury at Cutting The Chai posts a tribute to the classic car creating an unofficial (and animated) Google doodle. The car still remains popular with taxi drivers, some politicians and...