Machizo | machizo.com
Changing Image, Changing Society
Riding on a rickshaw, Dhaka, Bangladesh
 Riding on a rickshaw, Dhaka, Bangladesh Rickshaw, the traditional eco-friendly, non-motorized vehicle in Bangladesh . Japanese word rickshaw refers to Jin-rickshaw. It is a popular transportation in West Bengal and around Bangladesh since 1938. First time it was a vehicle of the high society but now has becomes common transportation of middle class.
Bangladeshi rickshaw is artistic decorated by plastic flower, ornaments and rickshaw art. These arts are done by enamel colors, usually bold and vivid. At the back of rickshaw there are beautiful paintings of grameen scenarios and Bangladeshi movie stars. After independence, we witnessed the paintings portraying the Liberation War. The forms of art changes with time. By emerging of the digital technology, the rickshaw art now facing the struggle of existence The rickshaw artists are illiterate and have no formal art education. However this high motif art is not well recognized by the schools of art.
EARNINGS:
By doing a whole days of hard work a rickshaw puller still can not earn proper money for quality existence. The average income to a rickshaw puller is 200 taka but it is higher than the garments. But rickshaw pullers can not lead a good life due to illiteracy and superstitions. They generally take unhygienic food in the roadside restaurants. However the rickshaw pullers are not socially well recognized. They live in slums, generally don't have family planning and can not send children to school, thus thing then into street children. Bachelor rickshaw pullers live like homeless people whereas they are actually NOT homeless.
Rickshaw pullers comes from the villages, mostly are economically marginalized but a huge chunk of the money is being redistributed back to the villages.
PROBLEMS AND SETBACKS:
The crude reality, Bangladesh government is now evicting the rickshaw from Dhaka with the help of World Bank. Already the rickshaw has been banned in the major roads to reduce traffic congestion. This policy is hampering the income of the rickshaw pullers without ensuring alternatives jobs. If complete eviction takes place, not only we will lose a heritage, but it will increase the crime by marginalized community as they will loose their income. Furthermore the rickshaw pullers live in a high risk of HIV/AIDS as they live far away from their families and sometimes get involved with unprotected prostitution.
Riding on the rickshaw is not mere commuting for the Bangladeshis, but is also a pleasure ride for the foreigners. As there are a lot of commotions about pollution worldwide, so this eco-friendly vehicle is certainly a sustainable mode of transportation.
Direction: Prof. Brian Shoesmith , Coordination: Shahjahan Siraj
Voiceover: G.S.Don; Script: Md. Nabil
Photography: Asafudollah Raju, Faiz-un-Nessa, Sharmin Aktar, Ahamed Rakib, Sjovon
A production of MSJ students in ULAB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnikkuey8m0 0 0
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 Victory day, Bangladesh | বিজয় দিবস, বাংলাদেশ 16th December is the National Victory Day of Bangladesh. In this day Bangladesh has wined independence after loss the million of lives in the independence war on 1971. To celebrate victory day, every year thousands people gather in the Savar national monument with patriotic heart and spirit. All ages people showed their thanks to 'Shahid' who sacrificed the lives for Bangladesh.
The video is portraying some scene of celebration on 2007. The specialty of 2007 celebration were huge participation and pledging for judgement of war criminal. The people were so emotional as that year the war criminals were defeated in election. The mass people got hope and confidence about the judgement!
Film: Shahjahan Siraj | Edit: J. Alam | Associates: Kamrul Hasan
Production: Machizo Multimedia/ 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We-zt8w8vnU 0 0
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 Jarmashtami | জন্মাষ্টমী Janmashtami is a Hindu religious festival based to celebrate birth day of Lord Krishna. During the celebration, across the country amid festivity and religious ritual have been arranged by Hindus believers. Hindu religious and community organisations organize various event and activities including prayers, sermons, puja, discussion, padabali kritan, Geeta Jaggyam, praise of Krishna, drama and cultural performance in Hindu temples.
In the capital Dhaka, thousands of men, women and children join the historical Janmashtami rally. The big procession generally brought out from the Dhakeshwari Temple to Bahadur Shah Park after parading in different roads.
Hindu faith, 5,500 years ago Lord Krishna, (the incarnation of God) was descended in this world as human being to establish the realm of love, truth and justice.
Film: J. Alam/ 2008. Direction and edit: Shahjahan Siraj
Production: Machizo Multimedia http://youtu.be/DtcL8ASHMQ4 0 0
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 Ekushey Book Fair| বই মেলা বই মেলা, প্রাণের মেলা । বাংলা একাডেমী প্রাঙ্গণে অনুষ্ঠিত এ মেলায় হাজার হাজার পাঠক ও সংস্কৃতি সেবী মানুষের সামাগম ঘটে সারা ফেব্রুয়ারী মাসব্যাপী । বাংলাদেশের প্রায় সব প্রকাশক ও লেখকগণ এ মেলা উপলক্ষ্যে বই প্রকাশ করে থাকে। ২০০৮ সালের বই মেলায় ২ হাজারেরও বেশী বই প্রকাশিত হয়েছে। শুধু বই প্রকাশ নয়, অমর একুশে গ্রন্থমেলা আজ পরিণত হয়েছে বাংলা সাহিত্য ও সংস্কৃতির গুরুত্বপূর্ন কেন্দ্র। বই বিক্রয়ের পাশাপাশি এই মেলায় বাংলা একাডেমী ধারাবাহিক ভাবে সমকালীন বাংলা সাহিত্য ও সংকৃতির উপর সেমিনার, আলোচনা অনুষ্ঠান আয়োজন করে থাকে।
আজকের এই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ মেলা প্রথম শরু হয়েছিল ১৯৭৩ সালে, মুক্তধারার প্রথিতযশা প্রকাশক চিত্তরজ্ঞন সাহার মুক্তিযুদ্ধের উপর প্রকাশিত বই প্রদশনীর মাধ্যমে। ১৯৭৪ সালে মুক্তধারা ও খান ব্রাদার্স যৌথভাবে অমর একুশে উপলক্ষ্যে সাতদিন ব্যাপী এ মেলা আয়োজন করে। এরপর থেকে বাংলাদেশ সরকার ও বাংলা একাডেমীর পৃষ্টপোষকতায় সারা ফেব্রুয়ারী মাসব্যাপী এ মেলা আয়োজিত হয়ে আসছে। এ মেলা আজ শুধু মেলাই নয়, বাংলা সাহিত্য চর্চার প্রাণকেন্দ্র।
Ekushey book fair is one of the important event in Bangladesh on literature and culture. Everyday thousands people come in this month-long event. Prominent publishers and writers of Bangladesh publish books on the eve of the Ekushey Book Fair. In this year more than 2000 books has been published.
The fair was initiated by famous publisher "Chittoronjon Saha" at 1973 by displaying his books on Bangladesh, published in Calcutta during liberation war. In 1974 Muktadhara and Khan brothers jointly organized the event for 7 days. Since 1975 it has been organizing with the patronization of Bangla Academy and Bangladesh Government as a month-long event. In this event Bangla academy regularly organized seminar and discussion on contemporary Bangla literature and issues. Nowadays the event is playing important role in the development of Bangla literature and culture.
Film: J. Alam, Shahjahan Siraj. Edit: Shahjahan Siraj
Production: Machizo Multimedia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF552rQ9Ufw 0 0
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 South Asia Media Forum | দক্ষিণ এশিয়া মিডিয়া েফারাম The video portrays the events on South Asia Media Forum 2008 in which theme was
Harnessing the Media to enhance South Asian Cooperation
May 02, 2008. Dhaka, Bangladesh
Organised by: AMIC, PIB, ULAB, UNB, UNESCO
Direction & Editing: Shahjahan Siraj
Videography: J. Alam
Photography: Kamrul Hasan
Thanks to: Brian Shoesmith, Kalinga Senevirantne
Production: Machizo ( www.machizo.com )
Copyrigh: AMIC ( www.amic.org.sg ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLKfuBLR1dA 0 0
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 Climate Refugee, Climate Migration | জলবায়ূ উদ্ভাস্তুু, জলবায়ূ মাইগ্রেশন The video portrays the open talk by Afsan Chowdury, Senior Adviser and Professor of BRAC University on climate change focus to refugee and migration issues . Afsan Chowdhury says the global and Bangladesh reality, vulnerability, negotiation and role of government, international community and media well.
The interview was taken by Alice Baillat of Sciences Po Paris/ CERI and video by Shahjahan Siraj of Machizo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAs9skHh5fQ 0 0
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 Hello Dhaka Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh is the city of rickshaws and mosques, located on the bank of Buriganga River. This metropolitan city is the most densely populated city of the world, with a population estimated at over 14 million citizens making it the biggest city of the country.
During the Mughal period it was called Jahangirnagar, and was renowned for producing the world's finest muslin cloth. The city was established on 7th century during the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa and the Pala Empire. A feature of the city is that most streets and avenues of Dhaka have markets, as wells as shops on both sides of the road. Dhaka itself is a market. From small street tea stalls to modern coffee shops, from bazaars to parks, from slums to megamalls, everywhere is touched by products and marketing. Old Dhaka has a history and tradition of community spirit, but new Dhaka is modernized and tends to lack this attractive dimension of the old city. Life in new Dhaka, shaped by the availability of international luxury products, parallels global culture with its emphasis on individualism. Above all Dhaka is a city that loves the life, traditions and culture of the Bangla society it has inherited.
With the spirit of Jules Verne, the virtual journey "80+1 days around the Dhaka" would be arranged. Every day one market will be Live bits web cast through the Internet connectivity. During the Livebits broadcast global internet users and citizen of Linz will get to live the experience of a Dhaka Tour by overcoming time and space limitations. In a way the audience will be travelers in Dhaka via the Live Bits journey. In this way, surely it will prove again that we are all citizen of One World; we are members of same Global Family.
In the Dhaka journey, along with market spot clips based on the goods sold and the popularity, the diversity of Dhaka life styles will be shown. Besides the markets, we will also show, via web castes the traditional entertainments found in the market places, such as live performance and practices. We will show, as a Livebits event, rickshaw riding in new Dhaka and from old Dhaka, traditional horse-car rides.
Along with everyday Live Bits, same day Fresh bit video clip will be uploaded to the Net. Moreover, with the videos collected since 80+1 day's coverage, a complete video documentary will be that will be (80+1 =) 81 minutes long. The video, photographs with caption story would be available both in online as FLV streaming clip, DVD Rom, digital catalog and blogs. To do Live Bits high-speed wireless internet connectivity with portable devices, mobile phone and laptop will be used.
Shahjahan Siraj
Dhaka, Bangladesh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBMCCK5UUek 0 0
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 Shohor Banu | শহর বানু Documentary on the life, view and activities of a grassroots activist on agriculture movement in Bangladesh
Shohor Banu is a conscious farmer, a responsible mother and a social worker. Agriculture is her working tools for changing life and society. She is a natural that is organic and regenerative practitioner. Along with natural cultivation she promote local seed. Centering on pure agriculture livelihood, life style and philosophical views has been changed.
Shohor Banu does not allow any violence. She does not use any poison and insecticide in her crop field. To control insect she used mixed crop cultivation. In serous case sometime used powder of jute seed.
She made organic fertilizer by herself. Without any formal education on agriculture, she becomes scholar on agriculture
Along with own life, she wants to change of cultivation system however live view and practices suited with natural balance. The story of this grassroots farmer, may not be recognized by the policy makers but followed widely in villages by villagers.
To save local food, local life and local seed are he favorites. To save local seed she established seed bank in named "Bejar Akhra". The don't buy seed but cultivate with seed exchange and knowledge sharing method.
Shohor Banu first time was inspired by the "Naya Krishi Andolon" of UBINEG. Nowadays she made he own mission and realms.
She is happy and inspired by leading a community based life with non violence practices.
By singing songs, Shohor Banu and her team spreads the information on saving seed and organic cultivation. After whole day work she regularly arrange 'Ghanar Ashor' ( song meeting ) particularly in full moon night where all his team members perform songs and enjoy local food in year yard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7LPKgdfOlA 0 0
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