Tag Archives: Corruption

Case Niko: Ottawa’s corruption test case

. Canada, Corruption, Multinational . , , ,

Niko Resources: Ottawa’s corruption test case
- GREG MCARTHUR/ THE GLOBE AND MAIL

By Bangladeshi standards, the red-brick compound of A.K.M. Mosharraf Hossain is a country estate. A four-foot wall encircles the property in the capital city of Dhaka. The only way inside is past a guard booth and a metal gate that leads to the politician’s roundabout driveway. But there was no problem gaining admission on May 23, 2005, when two representatives from Niko Resources , a Canadian natural gas company, arrived at the gate. They were waved through with a brand-new, shiny gift—a black Toyota Land Cruiser. The two Niko officials, both Bangladeshi, stood by while the car keys were handed over to Hossain’s driver. Continue reading →

The Hazy Mirror of Bangladeshi cartoons

. Awami League, Politics, Satire . , ,

A cartoon in the Daily Star During Awami league regime.

The cartoon is nice. That is not the point. The point is that if any such cartoon was drawn by the Daily Star and it’s sister concern daily Prothom Alo’s Shishir Bhattacharya on similar issue during BNP government time, among the three bad guys looting the money, you would have seen a Tarique rahman look alike, a Jamaat look alike and Safari clad man with a dark glass and a briefcase. But in this cartoon the absence of a Mujib coat is very obvious.

Another cartoon at Daily Prothom Alo, done by leading cartoonist Shishir Bhattacharya. In this cartoon too, conspicuously absent is a Mujib coat figure. This trend raises serious questions about  the social responsibility of our cartoonists.

Continue reading →