I have already read various discussions about the book 'Thar: The Language of the Gipsy People'. This book became an exceptional book of our time in terms of research, content, presentation, cover and outlook.    I would like to start with a quote from Professor Maggie Tallerman [author of Language Origins : Perspective and Evolution] of Newcastle University. She said, "Humans are the only species which has developed complex spoken and written language, because of the communicative languages we are different from other animals." There are thousands of languages in the world. Chinese Mandarin is spoken by 1 billion people. On the other hand, the number of language users of the Gipsy community is only about forty thousand. Author Habibur Rahman has worked on such a language which has no script. Again, the language does not belong to the Indo-European group, the world's largest language family.   This huge book of 368 pages has a total 22 chapters. The chapters are progressed according to the research methodology. At the very beginning, the author's fascination about the reputed linguist Chomsky emerges with certain clarity.  As the language of the Gipsy community is different, so is the language of the 'Rishi' or 'Mochi' community. However, the language of this scheduled class has nothing in common with the language of the Gipsy community. As the language has no script, some scholars have attempted to identify it as a sign language or 'uncivilized language'. However, linguist Sukumar Sen says, 'Specific words (adopted from one or more languages) are used in a special sense to convey confidential information or to make others unable to be comprehended but necessary dialogues naturalized in public for dishonest purposes. Such use of language is called uncivilized labguage or Apartha-Bhasha.'     Another study unfolds the fact that the 'Bede' community was identified as suspicious during the British rule. Even today they are leaving behind the example of being involved in any criminal activities for the sake of livelihood.    Author Habibur Rahman says in the introduction of the book, that 'Traditionally, the life of the 'Bedes' are centered on boats. In the last few decades, due to rapid improvement of the overall communication system in the country and the reduction of the navigability of rivers and canals, their lifestyle has also been changing. The so-called talisman mantras and herbal medicine profession of the ancestors of the community is declining alarmingly with the development of modern medical methods and the wide spread of technology. As a result, most of these people are involved in various criminal activities and deteriorating the law and order situation in various areas. In order to earn a living, they have been joining into the drug trade.  The leave for Teknaf with the boxes of the snakes, and comes back with the bundles of Yaba drugs.'   When the author was serving as the Superintendent of Police in Dhaka district, he first noticed the issue and decided to change their criminal mindset gradually.   Many writers in Bengali literature have tried to portray this vulnerable community. Pallikobi Jasimuddin wrote the play 'Beder Meye'. Poet Nazrul wrote some noteworthy songs on this tribe. Tarashankar Banerjee wrote short story 'Bedeni'. Tozammel Haque Bakul made a feature film 'Beder Meye Josna'. It is known as the most successful movie of all time in Bangladesh. Malkosh is one of the ragas in North Indian music genre. Some music researchers believe that this raga originated from the tunes of the Gipsy community.  We believe that the information included in the book of writer-researcher Habibur Rahman will play an extraordinary role in the study of this small ethnic group in the future. Not much work has been done in Bengali language on minority languages. Some work has been done on the Garos and Chakmas in the past. After reading the book, it seems that the author has given ideas and links to the future generations of scholars. The book has already received national and international recognitions. Like APJ Abdul Kalam Medal and International Mother Language Award-2023. The later award was presented by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.  Habibur Rahman's book is a proof that one can be engaged in basic research while performing government duties. Author Habibur Rahman is currently Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). He is associated with various creative and innovative works too. Thanks to Panjeri Publications for publishing such a unique book. The cover of the book has been designed by Rajeev Raju. He has dedicated the book to his physician wife Dr. Wazed Shamsunnahar Disha and son Aftan Afif Abdullah.     At the end I will be happy to quote from poet Kamal Choudhury about the book : 'Habibur Rahman wrote the book following the participation observation method of research. When a researcher start researching on a specific subject, he has to come out from the shell and dares to enter inside. Habibur Rahman is successful showing his courage through unplugging the facts and documents.' The writer of this article is a lawyer of Supreme Court. Former Banker and the first initiator of filing case against the killers of Bangabondhu

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (March 8) hoped that the women community will move forward in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution through the use of modern technology. The Prime Minister said this in a message given on Thursday (March 7) on the occasion of 'International Women's Day' on March 8. The PM said, "I am happy to know that 'International Women's Day' is being observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world. On the occasion of this day, I extend my heartiest greetings and congratulations to all the women of the world. The theme of this year's World Women's Day is  'Women's equal rights, equal opportunities; The Prime Minister also hoped that Women's community will advance modern technology with their innovation. She said Awami League has been working to ensure equal participation of men and women in every steps. Various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to advance women in the economic, social and political context of Bangladesh and to build a developed smart Bangladesh by 2041. Sheikh Hasina also said the mother and child support programme is being implemented to ensure mother and child health and make women self-reliant. Initiatives have been taken to market their products along with training programs at divisional, district and upazila levels so that every woman can prepare herself as an entrepreneur.

The Uyghur community in The Hague, Netherlands, held a demonstration against the atrocities being committed in East Turkistan by China. The illegal occupation and atrocities under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are instigating anger among the Uyghur people living abroad. In a social media post on X, prominent Uyghur activist and victim of the Uyghur genocide, Abdurehim Gheni Uyghur stated, "Today is 24 February 2024. We are protesting against Chinese New Year celebrations in front of The Hague government building to defend the UNIVERSAL VALUES." Another Uyghur activist, Abdur Rahman Mouhamad intervened in the Chinese New Year celebration at Hague City Hall by raising signs and chanting slogans. He also chanted, "East Turkestan has never been a part of China," at the celebration. The atrocities inflicted by China upon its occupied territories of Tibet and East Turkistan have now started gathering international attention. Previously, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) an international Uyghur rights advocacy organisation along with several other social and human rights organisations held a parliamentary breakfast in Berlin. The parliamentary breakfast was organised to raise awareness of the grave human rights situation of the affected communities, according to WUC. Organised at the German Bundestag (German parliament), the event was held to raise awareness over the human rights atrocities inflicted on Uyghurs, Tibetans, and other ethnic communities. The session was attended by several members of German parliamentarians, civil and social leaders, journalists, and human rights activists. Furthermore, the event was headed by German parliamentarians like Derya Turk-Nachbaur, Boris Mijatovic, Gyde Jensen, Peter Heidt, and Michael Brand. The event was also attended by the President of the World Uyghur Congress, Dolkun Isa, who thanked the organisers for the event. "Today, we were received by the Uyghur, Tibet, and Hong Kong Friendship Group jointly in the German Bundestag to give our post-UPR analysis. I thank @derya_tn, @GydeJ, @borismijatovic, MdB Michael Brand, and @PeterHeidtFDP for organising this breakfast event. I also thank @FrankSchwabe, and @theliberalfrank for their contribution as well," Isa stated. On the sidelines of the breakfast session, Dolkun Isa held talks with the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, and expressed his gratitude for ensuring the Uyghur rights are at the forefront of any bilateral relations with China. Source: Dailyhunt

Chinese authorities in the historically Tibetan region of Sichuan Province had arrested a Buddhist monk in Jun 2023 for having republished books from the exile Tibetan community and also for having contact with people outside the country, reported the Tibetan service of rfa.org Feb 5, citing belated information from two unnamed local Tibetan sources. It was not clear what books were republished and what the nature of the contacts were. The report said the whereabouts of the monk, named as Lobsang Thabkhey, 54, remained unknown. He was reported to have served as the librarian of Kirti Monastery in the province’s Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) county when he republished and disseminated the books in question. The witnesses have spoken on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. The Ngaba police station, on being contacted by Radio Free Asia, has claimed ignorance about the monk. This was despite the fact that he was stated to have been summoned several times by Chinese police before his eventual arrest. China maintains especially tight control on information and channels of communication in the Tibetan areas in the name of fighting separatism, making it all the more difficult even to people within the country to get timely and proper information on developing situation. Thabkhey is said to originally belong to the county’s Meruma township. Source: Tibetan Review

In a transformative collaboration, NSU Startups Next (NSUSN), the startup incubation wing of North South University (NSU) has solidified its partnership with Startup Grind, the world's largest startup community headquartered in Silicon Valley. With a presence in 600 cities across 125 countries, Startup Grind is uniquely positioned to elevate Bangladeshi startups onto the global stage, providing a gateway to international markets, mentors, accelerators, and investors beyond Bangladesh. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, held at NSUSN's offices, marks a significant milestone for both entities and the Bangladeshi startup ecosystem. This partnership is designed to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovation, fosters growth, and connects startups with a global network of mentors and investors. Key Features of the Global Collaboration: International Market Access: NSUSN incubatees gain exposure to international markets, fostering collaborations and facilitating business expansion beyond Bangladesh's borders. Global Mentorship Network: Incubatees will have access to seasoned mentors from Startup Grind Dhaka's global network, providing invaluable guidance and insights essential for their entrepreneurial journey. Accelerated Growth: Startups incubated by NSUSN can participate in accelerator programs organized by Startup Grind Dhaka, accelerating their growth trajectory and enhancing their potential for success. International Investor Connections: The partnership facilitates connections with potential investors outside Bangladesh, offering startups the opportunity to secure funding and support for their ventures. Special acknowledgment is extended to key figures instrumental in forging this collaboration, including Farihan F. Rahman (Chapter Director, Startup Grind Dhaka, Bangladesh) and Sayma Rahman (Co-director, Startup Grind Dhaka, Bangladesh). The MoU was spearheaded by Dr. Zulkarin Jahangir, Director of NSUSN and Samuel Mursalin, Coordinator of NSUSN. Representatives from both NSUSN and Startup Grind Dhaka express their excitement about the profound impact this collaboration can have on the Bangladeshi startup ecosystem. They extend a warm welcome to aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and stakeholders to join them in this exciting journey of exploration, growth, and global connectivity.       Contact Information:  Startup Grind Dhaka Contact Information: https://www.startupgrind.com/dhaka/  

First Lady of Bangladesh Dr. Rebeka Sultana led the 7- member Bangladesh delegation to the summit of the spouses of heads of states and governments  titled 'United for Peace in Palestine'' held today in Istanbul, Turkiye.  Chaired by Emine Erdogan, First Lady of Turkiye, the summit was attended by 16 delegates led by spouses of the heads of states/ governments from Muslim countries including Egypt, Qatar, UAE, Malaysia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Scotland and so on. The summit after exhaustive discussions, adopted a Joint Declaration.         The summit expressed deep concerns over the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine including deaths over 11,000 civilians, mostly children and women in Occupied Gaza and West Bank and underlined the need to take urgent actions to establish ceasefire and withdrawal of blockade and embargo imposed on Gaza in gross violations of international laws including HR accords. The Declaration also stated firm rejection of Israeli attempts to forcibly displace the civilian population by any quarter and called on the entire world to take immediate and collective action to stop the continued massacres in Gaza in addition to cessation of Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructures including hospitals, schools, refugee camps, UN facilities etc in Gaza.                      In her remarks, First Lady of Bangladesh briefed the summit about the initiatives taken by Bangladesh Government at the domestic and international fronts including adoption of a general resolution in Bangladesh National Parliament demanding ceasefire in Gaza war, it's efforts in the UNSC, the UNGA, OIC Conference in Jeddah and the latest OIC Summit in Riyadh  to de-escalate the conflict in addition to  repeated calls by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stop violence and atrocities in Palestine.      She also expressed Bangladesh Government's firm support for the Palestinian's inalienable 'rights to self- determination' and independence against Israeli aggression and illegal occupation. Rejecting the Israeli justification of violence in Gaza in self-defence, she termed this on-going massacre as a genocide against humanity and stressed the need to bring Israel's atrocities to accountability under relevant international frameworks. She reiterated the government's position on the Palestinian's rightful demand of an independent state based on the UNSC Resolutions on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.   The remarks by the First Lady were warmly welcomed by the dignitaries and audience present in the Summit. First lady of Brazil, Venizuela and Azarbaizan also joined the summit online to express solidarity with the people in Gaza.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reassured the Hindu community of the country that Bangladesh Awami League (AL) will always remain beside them as in the past on Saturday, October 22.   "We, Awami League was always beside you (Hindu community), and will remain beside you . . ," she said while addressing the Hindu devotees during her visit to the Durga Puja Mandop at the Dhakeshwari National Temple this afternoon. Reports BSS   PM said the Hindu community of the country has repeatedly been attacked, but Awami League always stood beside them.   In this regard, she referred to attack, repression and torture on the Hindu community in the country in 1992 and after 2001. She said Bangladesh was even pushed back from the spirit of secularism after the brutal killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.   The premier extended her greetings to Hindu community members at home and abroad on their sacred religious festival Sharadiya Durga Utsab and said, "Religion is for individuals, but festival is for all."

As the world celebrated the 12th Rabbi-ul-Awwal, or Eid-ul-Milad-un-Nabi as the birthday of Prophet Muhammed, the radical Muslims in Pakistan’s Punjab province chose to attack and demolish Ahmadiyya Baits (Ahmadiyya places of worship), an episode marking yet another way minorities are harassed in the country. They also carried out rallies against the Ahmadiyyas, threatening them with chants of violence and death. "Groups of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) members attacked (29.09.23) Baits located in Mahmoodabad (Jhelum district) and at Okara city (Okara district) and demolished their arches and mehrabs," sources told IBNS. Attacks/destruction/desecration of Ahmadiyya graveyard also continued unrestricted with incidents (02.10.2023) of two grave digging in Bhulair locality of Punjab’s Qasur district," the source said. An anti-Ahmadiyya rally was also taken out by the TLP in Perochakarea of Sialkot district while celebrating September 29, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. 

A day after some people attacked a place of worship of the Ahmadiya community in Karachi’s Martin Road area, the Jamshed Quarters police registered a case on Friday. However, no arrest has been made so far. The police have registered the FIR under sections 147, 148, 149, 427, 504, 506-b, 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 on the complaint of a person, namely Zaheer, belonging to the community. SHO Muhammad Sarfaraz said the police had initiated further investigations and were looking for the suspects involved in the incident. According to Ahmadiya community spokesman Amir Mahmood, at around 11:30am on Thursday, a group of eight to ten people entered the premises of the worship place while using a ladder. He said the attack resulted in damage to a window, glass doors, a wooden door, cameras, tables and chairs. Source: thenews.com.pk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded special honour by the Brown University as the United Nations recognised her brainchild community clinic model to reach healthcare services to the Bangladesh people's doorsteps. Dr. Mukesh K. Jain, Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences of The Warren Alpert Medical School of the Brown University handed over a citation to the prime minister at her palace of residence, The Lotte New York Hotel. "The Warren Alpert Medical School of the Brown has conferred a special honour on the premier in recognition of her community clinic model initiative by the United Nations," Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Md Noorelahi Mina told a news briefing. The citation conferred on Sheikh Hasina read: "Congratulations to her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on the recent recognition by the United Nations of the ‘Sheikh Hasina Initiative’."