It isn’t easy to see how Kier Starmer will become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But, based on my observations and understanding, I think it will be impossible for him to win the election. He is like an authoritarian father who strictly disciplines some of his children to please someone else. It […]
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The New Bangladeshi themed mural in Brick Lane is a welcome addition to the gigantic art gallery that is Brick Lane
The New Bangladeshi themed mural in Brick Lane is a necessary and welcome addition to the gigantic art gallery that Brick Lane and its surrounds are becoming. The new Bangladeshi themed mural in Brick Lane is generating some controversies. For example, ‘Cynical councils are using ‘artwashing’ as a tactic – and we’re all falling for […]
Understanding and evaluating the big power games in Ukraine
I have been thinking about the Russian invasion of Ukraine a lot, just like most other people, I suppose. I am also trying to understand how things got to where we are now and how things are likely to proceed and end up, whether soon or after a much larger tragedy and more human sufferings. […]
Minangkabau: a highly conservative Muslim ethnic group where, in theory, women own all the family properties
8 March 2022 – an International Women’s Day contribution On International Women’s Day, 8 March 2022, I want to introduce, to my Facebook friends, the matrilineal Minangkabau system: a highly conservative Muslim society, where women, in theory, own all the family properties. In January 2018, I visited Padang city in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The local […]
Putin’s brutal war was inevitable, given Russian history
Russia has unleashed a brutally destructive war in Ukraine and the impacts on civilians – deaths, injuries, displacement, separation and mental stress – are incredibly distressing to watch. This war is likely to continue for a long time. Many areas in Ukraine will, for a long time, be blighted by bomb-damaged/destroyed buildings, roads and places […]
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Does Putin have any justification for starting the war? He may have some genuine grievances at how NATO was slowly moving towards Russia; how the direction that Ukraine was taking was helping the West to reach all the European borders of Russia. However, can there be any justification for invading Ukraine and causing the inevitable, […]
If Russia invades Ukraine, it will be totally mad and without any justification whatsoever
If Russia invades Ukraine, it will be a total mad thing to do and without any justification whatsoever. But the hypocritical American and British governments don’t have any moral authority to lecture Russia on invasions. Any invasion of Ukraine by Russia would be counterproductive and see the loss of thousands of innocent lives, colossal destruction, […]
Urdu is also a Bangladeshi Language
A few years ago, I stated that the Urdu language was also a Bangladeshi language. This attracted some dismay, surprise and hostility towards me. Some couldn’t understand how I could say something like this when Bangladeshi Bengalis fought against the imposition of the Urdu language as the only state language in Pakistan. One person asked […]
Russia would face a deadly existential predicament if it were to invade Ukraine
Russia is not a normal country where people are free to express themselves and have a say in its politics. It does not have a properly functioning diversified economy, and the country has been under the grip of Putin’s authoritarian rule for several decades. Any invasion of Ukraine by Russia will be disastrous for all […]
Beautiful regional languages of Bangladesh
Human languages are something incredible. They enable us to communicate with each other, understand what others say or write, theories about the world, introspect to go deeper into things, transmit knowledge through generations, express feelings towards others and do thousands of other things. Languages evolve and change through internal dynamics within a linguistic group and […]