The 80+1: Journey Around the World project brought the everyday life of Dhaka to a global audience through live video streaming, multimedia storytelling, and blogging. Inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, the international initiative connected 20 locations worldwide over an 81-day journey from 17 June to 5 September 2009.
Representing Bangladesh, we produced LiveBits broadcasts from more than 80 streets, markets, and public spaces across Dhaka. Using wireless internet, live video was streamed directly to audiences in Linz, Austria, while photo stories, blogs, and short documentaries were published online as FreshBits. The project concluded with an 81-minute documentary and an e-book documenting the experience.
Our research categorized Dhaka into spiritual, civic, and commercial markets, highlighting the city’s rich culture and diversity. From traditional bazaars, tea stalls, and rickshaw stands to shopping malls and neighborhood streets, the project presented an authentic picture of Bangladesh’s urban life beyond common stereotypes.
Despite the limitations of slow GPRS mobile internet, the project successfully demonstrated the innovative use of wireless streaming, multimedia journalism, photography, blogging, and documentary filmmaking. It became one of the earliest examples of live mobile broadcasting from Bangladesh and showcased the power of new media to connect people across cultures.
The 80+1 experience helped build international understanding of Bangladesh by presenting its people, culture, and everyday life in real time. It demonstrated how digital storytelling can bridge geographical and cultural divides while promoting dialogue, understanding, and global connection.
