Difference, Religion9 Comments

Is this the Bangladesh we wanted? Analyzing the Hindu Population Gap (2001-2011)

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Is this the Bangladesh we wanted?
Analyzing the Hindu Population Gap (2001-2011)

In October 2012, Prothom Alo published a frightening report that stated, in plain words, that over the last decade (which spans BNP,  AL, and Military “CTG” government), the Hindu population of Bangladesh has dropped dramatically and continuously. Continue reading “Is this the Bangladesh we wanted? Analyzing the Hindu Population Gap (2001-2011)”

Neighbors1 Comment

Stars, planets, black-holes – West Bengal’s glamorous turn

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Stars, planets, black-holes – West Bengal’s glamorous turn
By Pratik Deb for AlalODulal.org

The recent announcement of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary election by Trinamul Congress supremo and the current chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee created unprecedented uproar and commotion in the state as she chose a large number of candidates belonging outside of the political arena. Continue reading “Stars, planets, black-holes – West Bengal’s glamorous turn”

History, Image1 Comment

Liberation through the Gunday lens

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Liberation through the Gunday lens
By Fahima Durrat for AlalODulal.org

Factual errors made in a fictitious storyline may seem like a trivial matter, but they can hide icebergs. The iceberg that showed its tip in the film Gunday seems to have reappeared again in the headlines of Indian newspapers. Bangladesh protests against “distortion” of history, they report. Those inverted commas reveal a deeper source of offence.

Continue reading “Liberation through the Gunday lens”

Garments1 Comment

American Apparel, gain cheap popularity, but do not act as the grand savior

nusratchowdhury

American_Apparel_logo
“more than three million women have been guaranteed jobs through the RMG sector, thus uplifting their status within the family, the society, and the state. If anyone has demolished the wall of repression, these are the millions of women workers of Bangladesh. If anybody has tasted freedom in whatever sense, it is these women. American Apparel, gain cheap popularity with your tantalizing ad all you want, but do not act as the grand savior…”

Continue reading “American Apparel, gain cheap popularity, but do not act as the grand savior”

History, Migration7 Comments

Left Behind By the Nation: ‘Stranded Pakistanis’ in Bangladesh

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AlalODulal Editorial Board condemns in the strongest terms the violence that left at least 11 Urdu Speaking people (“Biharis”) dead. Anthropologist Dina Siddiqi’s research on the conditions of “stranded Pakistanis” (inaccurately called “Biharis,” but more accurately “Urdu speakers”) after 1971 is newly relevant. In the current discourse around the 1971 war, the fate of the Urdu speakers at war’s end is elided. It is one of the zones of silence because it does not fit with the Bangladeshi discourse around the war. Nor does it fit Pakistan’s convenient discourse, especially after a 2008 high court decision granted them Bangladeshi citizenship. We at AlalODulal feel it is crucial to highlight those left behind in multiple nation projects.

Continue reading “Left Behind By the Nation: ‘Stranded Pakistanis’ in Bangladesh”

EconomyLeave a comment

আনু মুহাম্মদ: আরেকটি সর্বনাশা চুক্তি

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আরেকটি সর্বনাশা চুক্তি
আনু মুহাম্মদ for Alal O Dulal

দেশের ভবিষ্যৎকে বিপদাপন্ন করে আরেকটি সর্বনাশা চুক্তি করলো সরকার। যুক্তরাষ্ট্র, ভারত, চীন খুশি, কিন্তু বিপদাপন্ন বাংলাদেশ। গত ১৭ ফেব্রুয়ারি সংশোধিত ‘পিএসসি ২০১২’ অনুযায়ি সরকার ভারতের অয়েল এ্যান্ড ন্যাচারাল গ্যাস কর্পোরেশন (ওএনজিসি বিদেশ) এবং অয়েল ইন্ডিয়ার সাথে বঙ্গোপসাগরের এস এস ৪ ও এসএস ৯ নামে চিহ্নিত ২টি গ্যাসব্লকের চুক্তি সম্পাদন করেছে। Continue reading “আনু মুহাম্মদ: আরেকটি সর্বনাশা চুক্তি”

IndigenousLeave a comment

আদিবাসী শিশু পড়বে নিজ ভাষাতেই

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একুশের সংবাদ: আদিবাসী শিশু পড়বে নিজ ভাষাতেই
by Biplob Rahaman for AlalODulal.org

কিছুদিন আগে বিশিষ্ট আদিবাসী গবেষক, চাকমা রাজা দেবাশীষ রায়ের সঙ্গে আলাপ-চারিতা হচ্ছিল আদিবাসী শিশুর মাতৃভাষায় লেখাপড়ার বিষয়ে। Continue reading “আদিবাসী শিশু পড়বে নিজ ভাষাতেই”

Indigenous3 Comments

সুপ্রিয় তালুকদার: মায়ানমারে চম্পকনগরের পথে

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মায়ানমারে চম্পকনগরের পথে
সুপ্রিয় তালুকদার for alaodulal.org

[ বংশানুক্রমে জানা যায় যে চাকমারা চম্পকনগর নামক স্থান থেকে পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম ও তৎসংলগ্ন অঞ্চলে এসেছে। কোন চম্পকনগর থেকে এসেছে তা নিয়ে মতভেদ থাকলেও নৃবিজ্ঞান, বিখ্যাত গবেষকদের মন্তব্য, প্রাপ্ত নির্ভরযোগ্য তথ্য এবং মায়ানমারের ইতিহাস বিশ্লেষণে আমি নিশ্চিত ছিলাম যে চাকমারা মায়ানমারের চম্পকনগর থেকে এসেছে। Continue reading “সুপ্রিয় তালুকদার: মায়ানমারে চম্পকনগরের পথে”

History, Nationalism, PoliticsLeave a comment

Placing the Voices of Shahbag in Modern Narratives of Transnational Youth Protest – Part 2

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If trolling through history reveals involvement of youth in political or socioeconomic upheavals, in case of Bangladesh their raison d’etre has been simple and straightforward: to bring about (political) change. Continue reading “Placing the Voices of Shahbag in Modern Narratives of Transnational Youth Protest – Part 2”

History, Neighbors3 Comments

The Glorious and Bloody History of Tamil Language Movement

Shafiq

The Glorious and Bloody History of Tamil Language Movement

By Shafiqur Rahman for AlaloDulal

There is a widespread misinformation in our country that we, Bengalis, are the only nation to shed blood for establishment of language rights. Anyone with familiarity with history and rise of nationalism in the last three centuries would know that language rights have been forefront in many struggles of national self-determination in Europe and Asia. Continue reading “The Glorious and Bloody History of Tamil Language Movement”

History, Nationalism, Politics1 Comment

Placing the Voices of Shahbag in Modern Narratives of Transnational Youth Protest – Part 1

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If trolling through history reveals involvement of youth in political or socioeconomic upheavals, in case of Bangladesh their raison d’etre has been simple and straightforward: to bring about (political) change. Continue reading “Placing the Voices of Shahbag in Modern Narratives of Transnational Youth Protest – Part 1”

Difference, MediaLeave a comment

Eternal Othering and Presentation of Communalism on the World Stage

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by Nasrin Khandoker, translated by Hana Shams Ahmed for Alal O Dulal

“We need to get a grasp of which edge of the crater in the global imperialist politico-economic map we are situated, how and in what name we exist there. Who is constructed and presented in what role in the world theatre of Islamophobia. Continue reading “Eternal Othering and Presentation of Communalism on the World Stage”

Gender, ImageLeave a comment

Publishing the images of teen sex workers is nothing but a showcase of poverty

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টিনেজ যৌনকর্মীদের ছবি প্রকাশ, দারিদ্র্যতা শো করা ছাড়া অন্য কিছু না  – মৃদুল শাওন

ফেসবুকে কয়েকজনরে দেখলাম একটা লিঙ্ক শেয়ার দিতাছে। ‘BuzzFeed’ নামের একটা আমেরিকান ওয়েবসাইটে বাংলাদেশের টিনেজ-যৌনকর্মীদের তিরিশটা ছবি। শিরোনাম- “30 Tragic, Beautiful Photos Of Teenage Prostitutes In Bangladesh”। Continue reading “Publishing the images of teen sex workers is nothing but a showcase of poverty”

Nationalism, Politics1 Comment

Perils of Bollywood-Dhallywood copying Amadmi to Am Janata Party of Bangladesh

Zia Hassan

by Zia Hassan, translated by AlalODulal.org

Those who want to float a party for the common people, who dream of rescuing Bangladesh from the two predators, must not only take away the name of Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party. They must also learn from their 20 year-old activism. Continue reading “Perils of Bollywood-Dhallywood copying Amadmi to Am Janata Party of Bangladesh”

Difference, Religion1 Comment

Partha Sarker: Communalism – Perceptions, Experiences, and Lessons Learned

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সাম্প্রদায়িকতা সমাচার: আমার জানা, বোঝা আর শেখার গল্প

by Partha Sarker for Alalodulal

আলোচনার জটিলতা

সাম্প্রদায়িকতা’র বিষয়গুলো নিয়ে আলোচনা একটু জটিল। দুটো কারণে:

এক: এই বিষয় নিয়ে একটা নির্মোহ আলোচনা করার জন্য যে দূরত্বের দরকার হয়, সেটা আমার মতো একজন মানুষের পক্ষে অর্জন করা সব-সময় খুব সহজ হয় না।   Continue reading “Partha Sarker: Communalism – Perceptions, Experiences, and Lessons Learned”

Neighbors4 Comments

Anu Muhammad: What India wants in Bangladesh

anumuhammad

ভারত বাংলাদেশে কী চায়?
আনু মুহাম্মদ 

এরকম ধারণা সমাজে এখন বেশ জোরদার যে, ভারত বাংলাদেশের বর্তমান সরকারকে ক্ষমতায় টিকিয়ে রাখতে সকল সমর্থন প্রদান করেছে, তারা তাদের গোয়েন্দা সংস্থাসহ সবধরনের প্রতিষ্ঠানকে এই কাজে আগের চাইতে অনেক বিস্তৃতভাবে নিয়োজিত করেছে। Continue reading “Anu Muhammad: What India wants in Bangladesh”

PoliticsLeave a comment

Volunteerism after Rana Plaza

alaldulal

In 2013 Bangladesh experienced violence on a regular basis. We were forced to witness horrific deaths that perhaps normalized the atrocities that we witnessed. In the middle of the chaos that often follows violence and disasters,  we also witnessed citizens unite for a cause, without any support from political parties; we witnessed volunteerism that emerged after the Rana Plaza collapse. Continue reading “Volunteerism after Rana Plaza”

ObituaryLeave a comment

Justice Habibur Rahman (1928-2014)

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Justice Habibur Rahman (1928-2014)
by Faruk Wasif, translated by Nadine Murshid for AlalODulal.org

Let people judge Justice Habibur Rahman. They have his writings to judge him by. I can only think of the last time I saw him. It was December 23, 2013 at his residence. When he saw me he cried ‘Ki hain’ (What’s up!), as he paced his roof. That’s how he was. Continue reading “Justice Habibur Rahman (1928-2014)”

DifferenceLeave a comment

Bleeding Badly

tokai
Members of the Hindu community returning to Obhoynagar, Jessore. Many of their homes were gutted and looted by Jamaat-Shibir activists right after the national polls. Photo source: Dhaka Tribune.
Members of the Hindu community returning to Obhoynagar, Jessore. Photo source: Dhaka Tribune.

“But given recent violent incidents – in Ramu, in Sathiya, in Thakurgaon, in Gaibundah, in Dinajpur, in Rangpur, in Bogra, in Lalmonirhat, in Rajshahi, in Jessore, in Chittagong and in the Chittagong Hill Tracts – the AL government and state law enforcement agencies cannot palm-off responsibilities to the opposition for failing to protect minority citizens (just as they cannot merely shift responsibilities, for the ongoing violence and loss of lives, to opposition activities alone, specially when that is exactly how they reacted during their term in opposition).”
Continue reading “Bleeding Badly”

Literature, Neighbors2 Comments

Taslima Nasreen, ‘Duhsahobas,’ and a TV cancellation

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“Taslima’s misery somehow leads us to the crossroad where an imminent change of path is indispensable. The consolidation of secular liberal voices in the subcontinent who would vociferate not against the chauvinism of religious majority of a nation but against all the extreme elements of any religion across the border and battle for the absolute separation of ‘church and state’ is the demand of the hour. Are we up for it?”
Continue reading “Taslima Nasreen, ‘Duhsahobas,’ and a TV cancellation”

Difference, Religion8 Comments

The Statistical Future of Bangladeshi Hindus

Dipen Bhattacharya


The Statistical Future of Bangladeshi Hindus

by Dipen Bhattacharya for AlalODulal.org

In 2051, the Hindu population could fall to the level of 1974.

One thing that every Bangladeshi possibly knows is that the Hindu population as a percentage of the total is shrinking monotonically. This is the legacy of the partition of India in 1947 and then the failure of the state apparatus to safeguard the rights of the religious minorities. Continue reading “The Statistical Future of Bangladeshi Hindus”

History1 Comment

1971, Neither the Beginning nor the End

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 1971:  Neither the Beginning nor the End of the Liberation War

by Anu Muhammad

Translated by Emon Sarwar for AlalODulal.org

1971 was neither the beginning of the war of liberation for the people of Bangladesh nor was it the end of it. 1971, the War of Independence, is a very important episode in the struggle for the liberation of the people of Bangladesh, or for that matter, the people of this region. Continue reading “1971, Neither the Beginning nor the End”

Difference, Religion1 Comment

Timothy Khyang: What about my right to celebrate Christmas?

Trimita

Timothy Khyang: What about my right to celebrate Christmas?

Translated by Trimita Chakma for AlalODual.org

Three years ago from today in 2010, the 47th batch of MBA was sitting for the final exams at UITS’s (University of Information Technology and Sciences) campus in Chittagong. Out of the 45 students two of us were Christians, Alex Leo Kraolie and I. The exam schedule was published one week before the exams and I noticed that there was an exam on 25th December, on Christmas Day. Continue reading “Timothy Khyang: What about my right to celebrate Christmas?”

Economy, Garments2 Comments

The state of the Bangladesh economy

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by Abdullah Shibli for AlaloDulal.org

Bangladesh, the country and its economy, is full of contradictions. To list a couple, while it is one of the world’s fastest growing nations, it has pockets of extreme poverty and malnutrition in urban and rural areas. Another paradox: for the last two decades it has been ruled by two political parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by two head-strong leaders, who never can seem to agree on anything, but ran the gauntlet and survived many potentially dangerous threats, including religious fundamentalism, military takeovers, and internal revolt, to its fledgling democracy. Continue reading “The state of the Bangladesh economy”

NeighborsLeave a comment

West Bengal : a post-Poriborton analysis

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by Pratik Deb for AlaloDulal.org

My first political procession was in the wake of arrival of George W. Bush in India. It was the beginning of March, 2006 and thus Iraq war was on its third year. I cannot exactly recall the stated purpose of his visit, but like all over the world the students of Kolkata did not hesitate to demonstrate their dissent against ‘western imperialism’. Communist Party of India (Marxist) led left front was still in the helms of affair in West Bengal Continue reading “West Bengal : a post-Poriborton analysis”

Indigenous1 Comment

The Quest for Indigenous Identity in Bangladesh, 1993-2013

Prashanta Tripura

“Historically, the so called ‘tribal’, non-Bengali ethnic groups – i.e. those who wish to be known as indigenous peoples (IPs) – of Bangladesh have been at the forefront of various struggles against feudal and colonial forms of subjugation, oppression and exploitation.  However, the emergence of the post-colonial nation-states – first Pakistan, and then Bangladesh – did not necessarily lead to the emancipation of the IPs.” Continue reading “The Quest for Indigenous Identity in Bangladesh, 1993-2013”

History1 Comment

Our old freedom fighter wanders the streets

farukwasif2

“So our old freedom fighter wanders the streets. He will go to the wrong meeting, the wrong gathering, the endless newspaper offices. Suddenly he will fly into a rage at a tea shop and start screaming…The more you travel downwards in our classist society, the more this hate [for war criminals], this obstinate rage. And in the upper echelons, only honey and unity.” Continue reading “Our old freedom fighter wanders the streets”

Culture, Environment3 Comments

Reingkhyong Lake: The Forgotten Frontier of Bangladesh

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By Devasish Roy-Wangza for AlalOdulal

About thirty-five of us – including six women and about ten local men porters – took a seven-day trek from Farua village within Farua Union (“For-ua” in Tanchangya), Bileisori sub-district of Rangamati hill district to Bethuni Para, Ruma sub-district, Bandarban hill district, all within the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in southeastern Bangladesh, from 22 to 28 December, 2011.The team included former Farua Union Parishad (UP) member, Jacob Tripura,

Continue reading “Reingkhyong Lake: The Forgotten Frontier of Bangladesh”

Music, Neighbors, Politics2 Comments

Burning Sensation and the Case of ‘Classical Music Festival’

seutysabur

Burning Sensation and the Case of ‘Classical Music Festival’
by Seuty Sabur for Alal O Dulal

I have never been a fan of ‘Prothom Alo’ but I do admire their power to master the wind and change their palates accordingly. Oh! How beautifully they manage to stir  up the sentiments of both agony and ecstasy simultaneously. Continue reading “Burning Sensation and the Case of ‘Classical Music Festival’”

Politics2 Comments

A Never Ending Duel On Course To Take More Lives

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A Never Ending Duel On Course To Take More Lives

by Zahur Ahmad for Alal O Dulal

This platform does not provide coverage of breaking news. We are a volunteer-run platform and do not have the resources to verify information in real-time. Thus our focus has been to produce long form analytical pieces. Yet, there emerge situations that demand “breaking news” coverage. The ongoing nationwide protests and blockades which have been reported to have taken many lives, we consider, is one such exceptional instance. Continue reading “A Never Ending Duel On Course To Take More Lives”

Difference, Religion7 Comments

Ahmed Shamim & Faruk Wasif: Debating “The Hindu Question” through Marx and Bauer

alaldulal
Debating “The Hindu Question” through Karl Marx’s “On The Jewish Question”
Ahmed Shamim debates Faruk Wasif, translated by Irfan Chowdhury for Alal O Dulal
Nipu Sheel wails sitting on the debris of her house that was set ablaze by Jamaat-Shibir men at Banshkhali in Chittagong. The religious fanatics looted and torched houses and temples of the Hindus in the district on Thursday, following the death sentence to Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das
Nipu Sheel at Banshkhali. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

PART 1: Ahmed Shamim “On the Hindu Question” (after Karl Marx)
Islam is encircled in peace. Its three core phonemes are: seen, laam, meem – which mean peace. Aslam means to surrender (oneself) to peace – Continue reading “Ahmed Shamim & Faruk Wasif: Debating “The Hindu Question” through Marx and Bauer”

Indigenous4 Comments

Prashanta Tripura: Open letter to Prof. Anisuzzaman (‘nrigoshthi’ debate)

Prashanta Tripura


‘Even you, sir?’: On my open letter to Professor Anisuzzaman
by Prashanta Tripura for AlalODulal.org

I. Background: A Seminar

‘The Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University urges increased intercommunication’ would be an English translation of part of the headline of a Banglanews24.com report on a seminar held at the premises of DU on October 26, 2013. Continue reading “Prashanta Tripura: Open letter to Prof. Anisuzzaman (‘nrigoshthi’ debate)”

Religion5 Comments

Where is the Antidote to Communalism?

farukwasif2


Where is the Antidote to Communalism?
by Faruk Wasif, translated by Prof Farida Khan for AlalODulal

As a Muslim nation, the state of Bangladesh can never grant freedom to Hindus. Neither can it give full citizenship rights to Muslims. The latter can marry four times in the country but they cannot receive what we could call autonomy of citizenship. In this nation, Hindus will be subject to Hindu Inheritance laws but they will be shunned from the benefits of Secular Law. This type of nation does not recognize a citizen of Bangladesh; it only recognizes Hindus and Muslims. Continue reading “Where is the Antidote to Communalism?”

Environment, Neighbors1 Comment

Anu Muhammad: Their money-choked eyes refuse to see

anumuhammad

 Their money-choked eyes and brains refuse to see
by Anu Muhammad, Translated by Nusrat Chowdhury for AlalODulal.org

The Sundarbans are alive. It is home to a diverse wildlife. Some are seen; others exist out of our sight. It is like a grand life itself that includes the big and the small, the mobile and the sedentary.  Those dedicated to saving this grand life are also, no doubt, very alive. Continue reading “Anu Muhammad: Their money-choked eyes refuse to see”

ObituaryLeave a comment

Bipul Bhattacharya (1955-2013): Last Song Of Freedom

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Bipul Bhattacharya graphic created by Sachalayatan (http://http://www.sachalayatan.com)
Bipul Bhattacharya graphic created by Sachalayatan (http://http://www.sachalayatan.com)

“Bipul did not get his due respect. His contribution to the music arena and also as a ‘shabda shainik’ in the Liberation War is immense. But the new generation hardly knows him. His songs were not been archived in an organised manner and did not get due coverage in the TV and radio media.” – Indramahon Rajbansh
 Continue reading “Bipul Bhattacharya (1955-2013): Last Song Of Freedom”

Environment1 Comment

Beyond the Politics of Climate Change

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Beyond the Politics of Climate Change
by Farhad Mahmud for AlalODulal.org

Now is probably a watershed moment for the climate change debate. A concise summary of a section of IPCC’s long awaited 5th Assessment Report came out end September of this year, asserting that scientists are 95% convinced humans are the ‘dominant cause’ of global warming since the 1950s. The Report makes that claim despite observing an inexplicable ‘pause’ in warming since 1998, which it conspicuously downplays. This has brought the pitched battle between the climate skeptics and the climate evangelists to a new crescendo. Continue reading “Beyond the Politics of Climate Change”

PoliticsLeave a comment

Introduction to Mahmud Hasan’s The Utopia of Student Movement

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Introduction to Mahmud Hasan’s The Utopia of Student Movement

by Nazmul Sultan for AlalODulal.org

A poet by vocation, Mahmud Hasan lived in and through politics. That Mahmud Hasan did poetry under the condition of politics is not a historical anomaly. Sharing each other’s orbit, modern Bengali poetry and politics grounded themselves in an intersected domain. Continue reading “Introduction to Mahmud Hasan’s The Utopia of Student Movement”

Environment2 Comments

সহি রামপাল নামা – পার্ট ২ | সালফার কথন, আমাদের কার্বন গিল্ট এবং জলীয় দূষণের অভিযোগ বিশ্লেষণ

Zia Hassan

সহি রামপাল নামা – পার্ট ২ | সালফার কথন, আমাদের কার্বন গিল্ট এবং  জলীয় দূষণের অভিযোগ বিশ্লেষণ

সালফার কথন

সালফার ডাই অক্সায়িড এবং  নাইট্রোজেন ডাই অক্সাইড   কয়লা প্লান্ট এর সব চেয়ে ভয়ঙ্কর দুইটা একটা দূষণ| এদের মধ্যে সব চেয়ে ভয়ঙ্কর হলো সালফার  | কারণ, এর পরিমান টাও বেশি | এবং সালফার এর পরিমান এবং নিয়ন্ত্রণ কয়লা ভিত্তিক থার্মাল প্লান্ট এর অত্যনত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ডিজাইন এবং অপেরাসনাল কন্সিডারেশান| কয়লার মধ্যে যে সালফার টা থাকে, তা অক্সিজেন এর সাথে বিক্রিয়া করে সালফার ডাই অক্সাইড প্রস্তুত করে যা বায়ু মন্ডলে ছড়িয়ে মানুষ এবং অন্যান্য প্রাণীর ফুসফুসে ঢুকে রক্তে ছড়িয়ে পরে| সালফার ডাই  অক্সাইড এর আর একটা ভয়ঙ্কর প্রভাব হলো সালফার বায়ু মন্ডলে মিশে এসিড বৃষ্টিপাত ঘটাতে পারে, যার ফলে একটা এলাকার গাছ পালা এবং পরিবেশ এর ভয়ঙ্কর ক্ষতি সাধন হতে পারে|

Continue reading “সহি রামপাল নামা – পার্ট ২ | সালফার কথন, আমাদের কার্বন গিল্ট এবং জলীয় দূষণের অভিযোগ বিশ্লেষণ”

Literature1 Comment

Legal Matters

ôrūpirfan

By Ikhtisad Ahmed for AlalODulal.org

Joya was far from comfortable. The metallic desk-chair had gaping holes in its plastic upholstery. The sharp edges of these gaps protruded outwards and mischievously jabbed the unfortunate occupier. She had positioned herself on the brink, which had no tears, but the rusty metal frame pressed against her thigh coldly. The cup of tea that rattled against the matching saucer in her shaking hands had long gone cold. The drying bag of PG Tips poised delicately on the lip of the plate muffled the sound in parts.

Continue reading “Legal Matters”

Politics3 Comments

The curious case of the Surjapuri people

hajarduar

The curious case of the Surjapuri people
Guest post by Adil Hossain for AlalODulal.org

For the first time I properly encountered the Surjapuri identity was at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) during its Students’ Union (SU) elections. Apart from the dominant regional student lobbies of Azamgarhi, Ghazipuri, Bihari, Kashmiri, Saharanpuri and many others, Surjapuri students were also reckoned as a distinct community who need to be cajoled for votes separately. Continue reading “The curious case of the Surjapuri people”

LiteratureLeave a comment

Memories of her Father

Nayma Qayum

Memories of her father

Lisa had always envisioned Bengal as a land of unsurpassable warmth and beauty.  Now that she was here, she thought of all those moments when her mind had done a scene-by-scene play of how she would feel when her flight touched down in Dhaka.  Would her first aerial view be of trees lining the airport road, or water bodies caressing the city’s eastern borders? Would the aircraft make a rough landing during a pre-monsoon boishakhi thunderstorm or smooth sail on a crisp, sunny, winter day? Perhaps she would arrive during the monsoons, so that the rain could rejuvenate the tree-lined streets by her grandparents’ house, to their greenest, in anticipation of her arrival.

Continue reading “Memories of her Father”

Indigenous2 Comments

তন্দ্রা চাকমা: তাইন্দং মাটিরাঙ্গা, সাবা এবং কিছু অনূভুতি

Trimita

তাইন্দং মাটিরাঙ্গা, সাবা এবং কিছু অনূভুতি

তন্দ্রা চাকমা

ঘটনাটা ঘটেছিল ৩রা আগষ্ট ২০১৩ তে। প্রথম জেনেছিলাম ফেসবুকের মাধ্যমে। কি ঘটেছিল?  বিডি নিউজ ২৪ এর মাধ্যমে জানা যায়: গত ৩ অগাস্ট মাটিরাঙ্গা উপজেলার তাইন্দং এর ক্রসিং এলাকায় কামাল নামে এক বাঙালিকে  অপহরণরের  গুজব ছড়িয়ে পড়ার ঘণ্টা-দুয়কেরে মধ্যে একদল বাঙালি সংঘবদ্ধ হয়ে কয়কেটি গ্রামে হামলা চালায়। ওই হামলায় ৩৫টি বাড়ি ও একটি বৌদ্ধ মন্দির পুড়িয়ে দেয়া হয়। ভাংচুর করা হয় আরো প্রায় তিন শতাধিক বাড়ি, লুটপাট করা হয় মূল্যবান সামগ্রী ও টাকা।

Continue reading “তন্দ্রা চাকমা: তাইন্দং মাটিরাঙ্গা, সাবা এবং কিছু অনূভুতি”

PoliticsLeave a comment

A Harder Path

tokai

by irfan chowdhury for Alal O Dulal

In a land where many still live in rural areas, paths through the paddy fields delight our hearts. Children smile and play about on dirt roads oblivious of the hard future they face; low-earning teachers, vendors, traders, farmers, fishermen, labourers and women go quietly about their business to make ends meet – determined to have a better future, if not for themselves, for their children.

Continue reading “A Harder Path”

Environment11 Comments

সহি রামপাল নামা – পর্ব ১

Zia Hassan
Source: https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/p480x480/1379908_10201467830511623_1559543007_n.jpg

By Zia Hassan for AlaloDulal

রামপাল বিদ্যুত  কেন্দ্র স্হাপন নিয়ে পক্ষে বিপক্ষে অনেক আর্গুমেন্ট  আসছে |  আর্গুমেন্ট  গুলো আলাদা আলাদা ভাবে বোঝা যেমন ইম্পর্টান্ট তেমনি এক সাথে হোলিস্টিকলি দেখাটাও জরুরি|  কারণ এই ধরনের একটা জটিল ইস্যুতে দেখা যায় যে ,  আলাদা আলাদা ভাবে আমরা যেই সব উত্তর পাই, এক সাথে দেখতে গেলে অনেক ক্ষেত্রে ভিন্য উত্তর আসে | Continue reading “সহি রামপাল নামা – পর্ব ১”

Migration, Neighbors5 Comments

Afsan Chowdhury: Do we really care about Felani?

tibraali

Do we really care about Felani?

By Afsan Chowdhury for AlalODulal.org

Do you have to be shot by the Indian security forces and lie hanging on the border fence before anyone notices you?

There are millions of such desperately poor girls who live out a terrible life and die but nobody pays any attention. But we notice Felani’s because it’s violent, involves our so-called sovereignty and also India, whom we dislike for many reasons. Continue reading “Afsan Chowdhury: Do we really care about Felani?”

Environment, NeighborsLeave a comment

Kallol Mustafa: Dissenting voices within the Bangladesh Government on Rampal

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Kallol Mustafa: Dissenting voices within GoB on Rampal

Editor’s Note: This is a translation of a Facebook post published by Kallol Mustafa on the 23rd of June, 2013. The text of the original note, which is in Bengali, follows the translation.

A letter from the secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was sent to the Department of Environment and Forests of Bangladesh on the 22nd of June 2011. In that letter the Ramsar secretariat wanted to know more about the following three matters from the Ministry of Environment and Forests: Continue reading “Kallol Mustafa: Dissenting voices within the Bangladesh Government on Rampal”

Economy, Garments5 Comments

Where have all the negotiating tables gone?

Nadine Shaanta Murshid

By Nadine S Murshid and Awrup Sanyal for AlalODulal.org

 “Economic growth cannot sensibly be treated as an end in itself. Development has to be more concerned with enhancing lives we lead and the freedoms we enjoy,” posits Amartya Sen in his book Development as Freedom (1999). Yet, Bangladesh has grown – developed at a decent rate of 6.7% over the last year – without enhancing the lives of workers, without the freedoms that Sen would like workers to enjoy, as exemplified, perhaps, by the recurrent protests by garment factory workers in Dhaka, protests that have a history of turning violent.

Continue reading “Where have all the negotiating tables gone?”

Environment, Neighbors2 Comments

The Sundarbans and our guiltless sleep

tibraali

The Sundarbans and our guiltless sleep

by Tibra Ali for AlalODulal.org

In the south-west of Bangladesh stand the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world. The Sundarbans are home to countless unique species and varieties of animal and plant life, the most famous of which is the Royal Bengal Tiger that graces all the official emblems of Bangladesh. The Sundarbans are criss-crossed by rivers and tributaries, and because of their proximity to the Bay of Bengal, this is where the saline water of the Bay mingles with the fresh-water coming down from the Ganges. Continue reading “The Sundarbans and our guiltless sleep”

Politics14 Comments

Death and Justice: What Might Have Been

Shafiq

Death and Justice: What Might Have Been
By Shafiqur Rahman for AlaloDulal

There was an eerie predictability about the verdict and also about the aftermath. Even the domestic and international reactions could also be foreseen given all that have transpired in the last year. At home fires burned, people died and the two nations screamed past each other. At abroad, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other rights groups criticized the process. News and opinion centers like the Economist, New York Times duly noted the controversies about the trial and the reactions in Bangladesh and pontificated few lines. Continue reading “Death and Justice: What Might Have Been”

Environment, NeighborsLeave a comment

The Indian Inter-river Linking Project and Bangladesh’s Looming Water Crisis

alaldulal

A.K.M Wahiduzzaman

ভূমিকা

বাংলাদেশকে বলা হয় নদীমাতৃক দেশ। আক্ষরিক অর্থেই এই দেশটির জন্মদাত্রী মা হচ্ছে নদী। গঙ্গা,  ব্রহ্মপুত্র, মেঘনাসহ প্রায় ৭০০টি নদী-উপনদীর বয়ে আনা পলি লক্ষাধিক বছর ধরে জমে জমে এই দেশটির জন্ম হয়েছে। মাত্র ১,৪৭,৫৭০ বর্গ কিলোমিটার আয়তনের এই দেশে নদীর দৈর্ঘ্য প্রায় ২৪,১৪০ কিলোমিটার। Continue reading “The Indian Inter-river Linking Project and Bangladesh’s Looming Water Crisis”

Neighbors2 Comments

Mamata and the state of “democracy”

hajarduar

The hurricane that had started from Singur and Nandigram made landfall on May 2011, when the 34-year-old rule of the CPI(M)-led Left Front came to a sordid end. The storm in village, victory in city- indeed, the surrounding of cities with the villages thing has been the stuff of dreams for quasi-romantic set-piece revolutions that some minds used to conjure at some point. A macabre version of that vision has come to haunt Paschimbanga (West Bengal), particularly the megalopolis of Goddess Kali, with a certain vengeance. Continue reading “Mamata and the state of “democracy””

Politics2 Comments

Felani and ‘Progressive’ Youth

Zia Hassan

The so called modern, progressive, couch potato, urban middle class/generation has again disappointed.

To avenge injustice done to Felani, out of rage when they should have taken personal responsibility to stop using all Indian products and call for a collective on field activism to go shop to shop to encourage them to stop selling all Indian products or carry out any other on field real impact activism – they rather choose to participate in a facebook like hunting exercise to name Indian high commission road as Felani road and are contented with their meek effort. Continue reading “Felani and ‘Progressive’ Youth”

HealthLeave a comment

The Drug Triangle: The Poor as Collateral Damage

alaldulal

The Drug Triangle: The Poor as Collateral Damage
by Shaher Zaidi for AlalODulal.org, reprinted in Dhaka Tribune, Sep 10, 2013

Afsan Chowdhury recently posed this question: At the Bdnews roundtable on the Oishee incident and the role of media and police, some people said that addiction was much more in the English medium schools… How much of this is perceptional and how much real ? Continue reading “The Drug Triangle: The Poor as Collateral Damage”

GarmentsLeave a comment

Simulacra…of the fumes

seemaamin

Simulacra… of the fumes

by Seema Amin for AlalOdulal.org

On September 2nd the Prime Minister visited Ashulia to lay the foundation for the ‘first’ women’s dormitory in the RMG hub. In her speech to the garments workers, she spoke, among other things, about being vigilant of those who conspire against the industry.

‘The odd numbers indicate illegal streets.’

(or, avenues of illegality).

Lacking such discernment…

Singapore, somehow, I ended up on Street 19. A discreet odd numbered street address. Continue reading “Simulacra…of the fumes”

Economy, PoliticsLeave a comment

India sneezes, will we catch the cold?

jrahman

India sneezes, will we catch the cold?

By Jyoti Rahman   for AlaloDulal.org

Just a year or so ago, the Indian economy was expected to be growing at a 8-9% pace, and people were talking about double digit growth into the 2020s.  Within a year, growth has slowed to 4.4%, without there being any major shock —no financial crisis, no balance of payments crisis, no major natural disaster, nor any particular political tension.  India just slowed, sharply.  It’s now expected to grow only at around 4-5% a year, at least in the near term.  Reflecting the slowdown, and the changed perception of India, the Indian rupee has taken a beating in recent weeks.

Continue reading “India sneezes, will we catch the cold?”

Economy24 Comments

Making Dhaka Livable

Humayun

Making Dhaka Livable 

by Humayun Kabir for AlalODulal.org

Dhaka has been once again deemed by the Economist as the second least livable city in the world.  Damascus came in last only because of the civil war that is tearing the city apart.  If the civil war were to stop today, Damascus would become imminently more livable than Dhaka tomorrow.  Regardless of our opinion of the Economist or its survey, I don’t think any of us would disagree that living conditions of Dhaka are horrid and are in dire need of improvement.  In this article I will try to suggest a few ways to improve Dhaka’s livability.  However, before doing so let me say a few words in defense of Dhaka and about the dangers of drawing up schemes for improvement. Continue reading “Making Dhaka Livable”

Gender8 Comments

Let’s talk about Rape (in Bangladesh)

Nadine Shaanta Murshid

Let’s talk about Rape (in Bangladesh)

By Nadine S. Murshid for AlalODulal.org

There is something fundamentally wrong with men (and women) who rape. It is a maladaptation of sex, a manifestation of psychopathology, a sign of being a sociopath or a psychopath, a tool to garner control, and an outward expression of deep internal anger and resentment.  In the context of Bangladesh (as elsewhere), it is also a response to sexual repression, lack of education about sex and appropriate sexual behaviors, and patriarchal values that give men (or those with power) the right to dominate and control women and their bodies (or, whichever party is deemed to be powerless).

Continue reading “Let’s talk about Rape (in Bangladesh)”

IndigenousLeave a comment

The Step-children of Bangladesh

hanashams

The Step-children of Bangladesh
by Hana Shams Ahmed for AlalODulal.org

Taindong union in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh has recently come under attack by ruthless land-grabbers, the Government-cum-military sponsored settlers in this hilly region of the country. With this attack it has become clear for the nth time that the ‘Peace’ Accord in 1997 signed between the government and the Shanti Bahini (peace force) rebels has failed to bring peace for the Jumma people of the three hill districts. Continue reading “The Step-children of Bangladesh”

Politics1 Comment

Prashanta Tripura: The Matbar and the Bus

alaldulal

The Matbar and the Bus
by Prashanta Tripura for AlalODulal.org

রাঙামাটি থেকে ঢাকা ফিরছিলাম গত রাতে, বিআরটিসির বাসে। যাত্রা শুরুর পর এক পর্যায়ে আমার আশেপাশের সহযাত্রীদের মধ্যে দেশোদ্ধারমূলক একটা উন্মুক্ত আলোচনা চলল কিছুক্ষণ, যাতে আমিও অংশ নিয়েছিলাম কিছুটা। Continue reading “Prashanta Tripura: The Matbar and the Bus”

Environment, Neighbors18 Comments

Rampal Electricity Plant and our Environmental Consciousness

alaldulal

Rampal Electricity Plant and our Environmental Consciousness
A.K.M Wahiduzzaman and Mohammed Tawsif Salam  for AlaloDulal

Introduction
There is a rising energy demand in Bangladesh in proportion with the growth of its population. Given the near exponential growth of demand due to other factors like industrialization, we are now forced to explore non-government sources of energy from being reliant on government run power stations only. Continue reading “Rampal Electricity Plant and our Environmental Consciousness”

Politics3 Comments

In Praise of Lord Macaulay – 1

Shafiq

If there is one figure from Indian Sub-continental history who is uniformly hated by Hindu nationalists, Hindu fundamentalists, Muslim nationalists and Muslim fundamentalists alike, that would be Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay, famous British historian and politician of 19th century. Macaulay embodies in person all the insecurities the various Indian cultures and traditions harbors vis-à-vis the western civilization. Continue reading “In Praise of Lord Macaulay – 1”

Difference14 Comments

Acceptance of Lesbian Love: Too Much to Expect?

samaramortada

Acceptance of Lesbian Love: Too Much to Expect?
By Syeda Samara Mortada for AlalODulal.org

Seema is a twenty something year old girl who is not sexually attracted to the opposite sex. When she finally understood this “problem” patent in her, she decided to keep it to herself. Since then, Seema has found many like-minded people around her, but whatever happens between them remains behind shut doors. ‘Living in Bangladesh as a lesbian is like living in hell’, says Seema.

Continue reading “Acceptance of Lesbian Love: Too Much to Expect?”

Economy, Garments, MediaLeave a comment

The Road to Court 21

seemaamin

The Road to Court 21
by Seema Amin for AlalODulal.org

“O bleating without wool! O Wound!” Lorca
Prologue: the incidental messenger
‘Now you say the income of the Adamjis, Dauds and Isphanis have increased by 40 % and the income of the s have decreased by 5 %, then you make an average and you get Per Capita Income and you say Honey and Money and Milk is Flowing in the Economy. What happens to Coliuddin, Soliuddin and Rohiuddin?‘ Continue reading “The Road to Court 21”

Literature1 Comment

Humayun Ahmed: Personal Reflections on the Anniversary

Shafiq

Humayun Ahmed: Personal Reflections on the Anniversary
Shafiqur Rahman

In the week following the tragic death of Princess Diana of Britain in 1997, the reputedly “stiff upper-lip” British showed emotional outpouring on a mass scale such as the world has never seen before. The aftermath of Diana’s death is now recognized as a watershed moment in modernity. Continue reading “Humayun Ahmed: Personal Reflections on the Anniversary”

Media6 Comments

Nadine Murshid: Beauty, Contest and Context

Nadine Shaanta Murshid

“[The beauty] industry affects us all… It affects us in the workplace. It affects us as students, workers, mothers, and daughters. And that is why we expect a certain degree of responsibility from that industry, because they are well positioned to make a positive difference with the influence they wield; as they have the ‘power of capital’ to create “false needs”; as Marcuse said, “totalitarianism can be imposed without terror.”
Continue reading “Nadine Murshid: Beauty, Contest and Context”

Economy2 Comments

Anu Muhammad: Who’s prospering on whose labor?

anumuhammad

“Cutting hills, building brick kilns or shrimp hatcheries by destroying agricultural land, and high rises by filling in water bodies, setting up business by filling up rivers, making furniture at the cost of forests and hills as well as the commodification of education and medical services, and the price hike of electricity and gas can all point to an increase in the growth of the GDP.” – Anu Muhammad

Continue reading “Anu Muhammad: Who’s prospering on whose labor?”

Garments, GenderLeave a comment

Dina Siddiqi: Do Bangladeshi factory workers need saving? Sisterhood in the post-sweatshop era

dmsiddiqi

This 2009 article revisits the figure of the ‘third world sweatshop worker’, long iconic of the excesses of the global expansion of flexible accumulation in late twentieth-century capitalism. I am interested in how feminist activists concerned with the uneven impact of neo-liberal policies can engage in progressive political interventions without participating in the ‘culture of global moralism’ that continues to surround conventional representations of third world workers. Continue reading “Dina Siddiqi: Do Bangladeshi factory workers need saving? Sisterhood in the post-sweatshop era”

Economy, Migration5 Comments

Faruk Wasif: The Sahibs of Begum Para and the turtles that sell the country

farukwasif2


“’Second Home’: The Sahibs of Begam Para and the Turtles that Sell the Country”
by Faruk Wasif for Prothom Alo, translated for AlalODulal.org by Nusrat Chowdhury [please do not reproduce w/o permission]

If one asked which animal carries its own home on its back, the answers would be, 1. a turtle; 2. a Chinese farmer; and, 3. a few thousand wealthy Bangladeshis. Continue reading “Faruk Wasif: The Sahibs of Begum Para and the turtles that sell the country”

Image, Obituary1 Comment

Rituparno Ghosh (1963-2013): “Mathura Nagar Pati Kahe Tum Gokul Jao”

seutysabur

Rituparno Ghosh (1963-2013): “Mathura Nagar Pati Kahe Tum Gokul Jao”
by Seuty Sabur, for AlalODulal.org

I am not able to concentrate for the past two days. It has been pouring since Thursday. The rain nor sun affects my mood that much, wind does… and there were gusts of wind coming in circles…potted plants at my office windowpane committed suicide twice; they were too fragile to withstand the wind. Continue reading “Rituparno Ghosh (1963-2013): “Mathura Nagar Pati Kahe Tum Gokul Jao””

Image, Obituary3 Comments

Rituparno Ghosh (1963-2013): The king of all seasons, despite seasons

alaldulal

ঋতুরাজ, ঋতু নির্বিশেষে (The King of all seasons, despite seasons)
by Gargi  Bhattacharya for AlalODulal.org

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.  Continue reading “Rituparno Ghosh (1963-2013): The king of all seasons, despite seasons”

Gender12 Comments

Seuty Sabur: Did “NGOization” deradicalize the women’s movement?

seutysabur

Did “NGOization” deradicalize the women’s movement?
by Seuty Sabur for AlalODulal.org [please do not reprint without permission]

I thought of writing this essay on 11thMay itself, after attending the Women’s Grand Rally. But we had to finish cataloging the missing persons’ photos from the Rana Plaza collapse, and tabulate their data for the archives. We, meaning the Chobbishe April (April 24) collective – activist anthropologists, sociologist, journalists and photographers – had to continue to count the bodies. Continue reading “Seuty Sabur: Did “NGOization” deradicalize the women’s movement?”

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Kimberly Ann Elliott: Better work for Bangladesh

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In the wake of Savar and Tazreen, debate rages in garments business about whether to deepen trade ties, or take punitive measures (“39 per cent said they would probably buy fewer products produced in Bangladesh, according to a survey by Harris Poll“).  Kimberly Ann Elliott (co-author of Can Labor Standards Improve Under Globalization?) argues for deeper ties, and better safety measures. Continue reading “Kimberly Ann Elliott: Better work for Bangladesh”
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Pavel Hoq: We Need a Fundamental Shift in Mind-set

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Savar Tragedy: We Need a Fundamental Shift in Mind-set
by Pavel Hoq for AlalODulal.org

The Savar building collapse last month was a catastrophic event, but it was not the first of such tragedies for us and probably won’t be the last either. Before the nation could recover from the Tazreen Fashion fire incident a few months ago in November 2012, the Rana Plaza collapse shook the country again. And by the time this piece was written, there were already more such news in the media including a Sea-Truck sinking with 100 on board on May 5th, leaving 8 dead and a garments factory fire in Mirpur, Dhaka on May 8th that killed 8 more people. Continue reading “Pavel Hoq: We Need a Fundamental Shift in Mind-set”

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Siddhartha Mitter: The Cartography of Bullshit

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“This week, Fisher proposed to his readers what he titled “A fascinating map of the world’s most and least racially tolerant countries.” The deepest-red, or most racially intolerant, countries were India, Bangladesh and Jordan. Russia and China fell in the middle; much of Africa was left out for lack of data, but South Africa came out light blue (highly tolerant), and Nigeria light red (highly intolerant). Other highly tolerant countries included Pakistan and Belarus.” Continue reading “Siddhartha Mitter: The Cartography of Bullshit”

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Farhad Mahmud: Bangladeshi garments should not play poverty to outsiders

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Bangladeshi garments should not play poverty to outsiders
by Farhad Mahmud

A colleague said: “If we force the issue (double the minimum wage) and it is firmly imposed, there is a danger that costs will increase too rapidly and business will be lost. The strategy is to shame the foreign buyers to reduce their profits (by paying a higher price for the products to support higher wages).  Will it work?”

My short answer to your question will be it won’t. This is from my experience as a businessman who had been involved in a similar trade for many years. Continue reading “Farhad Mahmud: Bangladeshi garments should not play poverty to outsiders”

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Michael Guerriero: Ten Cents

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It’s often reported that the recession turned Americans into frugal shoppers. Well, here’s a bargain: spending about ten cents more on a piece of clothing produced in Bangladesh could prevent disasters like the horrific collapse, last month, of the Rana Plaza factory, which killed over a thousand people, the deadliest accident in history of the garment industry. Continue reading “Michael Guerriero: Ten Cents”
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Canada’s Tristan Style withdraws anti-Bangladesh ad after protests

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Canada’s Tristan Style has now withdrawn the anti-Bangladesh ad and posted an apology on their public Facebook page. Below is the apology they posted and the comments on the public Facebook page. Please add your comments as well.

Tristan: We recently posted a sign in one of our stores and want to apologize for the miscommunication of our message, which was removed the minute we realized the idea behind it may have been misinterpreted by some. The true intent of our message was to promote awareness of the importance of ethical manufacturing practices, something we remain committed to. Our thoughts are with the families suffering for their losses in Bangladesh. Continue reading “Canada’s Tristan Style withdraws anti-Bangladesh ad after protests”
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Pramila Das: Even when they mourn, they mourn from the margin

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Her husband, Shomlal Das quietly preparing for her cremation. They forgot to bring sindhoor. She is a married dead. She must wear sindhoor, someone from the small crowd whispered. They opened the bodybag. Part of her face was smashed, there was barely any hairline. Shomlal sprinkled sindhoor on her face... He pauses and sighs, “the government officer just treat every dead as muslim.”
Continue reading “Pramila Das: Even when they mourn, they mourn from the margin”

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Seema Amin: The art of dehumanization

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The art of dehumanization
by Seema Amin

‘A door marked enemy and no one home.’ Tom Engelhardt.
‘If you repeat a lie enough times, it becomes the truth.’ Electra, my love (1974 Hungarian film).

It will not be too overcast to say the 21st century (Anno Domini, whose 12 years and some hundred days have passed) has thus far been the century of the “enemy-industrial complex”. Continue reading “Seema Amin: The art of dehumanization”