Month: February 2017

The country I chose is South Korea, or, as it is officially named, Republic of Korea. Within Korea’s 99,720 square kilometers there is 50.9 million people. It only shares border with one country, North Korea, or, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as it is officially named. This border is known as the 38^th parallel, and for being the most militarized border in the world; it is 237 kilometers long. There is both Korean and American troops stationed at the parallel. It is possible to go there and “step” into North Korea in the room that usually the two country’s leaders have meetings.

The main language spoken in South Korea is Korean, which in some instances uses English phonetics to name technological tools like computer, cell phone, and television. Within the language there is different accents, but the one that is most heard on the news and TV shows is a Seoul accent. In the island of Jejudo the Korean spoken is distinctly different from that of mainland due to the isolation from it.

Unlike other East Asian countries Korea has a higher percentage of Christians than Buddhists. 19.7% of the reporting population is protestant, followed by 15.5% Korean/Zen Buddhist, and 7.9% Catholic. The rest of the population, that is 56.9%, has no formal religion association. These two instances with language and religion are due to intense influences from the United States during the Korean War, and other Western influences.

South Korea as we know it has not been around for very long. Before the Korean War the two Koreas were one, and before that they were invaded by Japan during World War 2. However, Korea had mostly been a different “kingdom” than China and Japan were in the 14^th century. Before the Joseon Dynasty was formed in 1392 Korea was divided into three Kingdoms that were in constant war with China, Manchuria, and Mongolia. The Joseon Dynasty lasted until the 20th century when the dynasty gave in to Japan before World War 1 because of its weakness compared to the modernizing powers surrounding it. was corrupt and weak. It was after World War 2 that Japan was revoked ownership of the land they had gained that Korea was freed from the colonization by the Japanese. However, South Korea was not fully South Korean until the northern part of the country, protected by the USSR, and the southern part, protected by the USA, were not able to agree on one government to rule fully.

Under the intention to unify Korea to rule under a communist regime Kim Il-Sung launched the Korean War in 1950, attempting to invade the South, only to set the border back where it initially was.  1.2 million people died.

In the South the April 19 revolution which was led by students and labor groups in 1960, overthrew the current leader and placed Park Chung Hee into power. He turned out to also be a military dictator so he was overthrown along with other leaders after him.  In 2000 under Kim Dae-jung there was attempt to work towards democracy and civil rights with the North and, although Kim was criticized for the lack of change in the countries relationship, he got a Nobel Peace Prize. Recently in 2012 the first female president was elected, Park Geun Hye, whom is the daughter of Park Chung Hee: she is the protagonist of basically every news article coming out today because of corruption.

Today South Korea is considered fully developed and holds great economic power, with many of its companies being international. Communication wise there is 4 main television and radio systems: KBS (Korea Broadcasting System), SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System), MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation), EBS (Educational Broadcasting System). There is additional private channels as well. On top of that there is three main newspapers in the nation Chosun Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, Hankyoreh. All of them are available in English, Chinese, and Japanese online, as well as Korean. From the three newspapers Hankyoreh has been the most trusted and most neutral newspapers voted nine consecutive years as the most trusted news organization by Korean journalists.

All of these outlets are focusing on the current presidential scandal. President Park Geun Hye seems to be corrupt as she alledgedly her friend (Choi Soon Sil) to interfere with government affairs and used her power to seek funds from Korean companies such as Samsung and Hyundai. Recently North Korea has launched a missile of their Eastern border allegedly to defy Trump’s policies on the country. North Korea always seems to be in the news somehow, with Hankyoreh having a whole section just for news about the northern neighbor.

Within New York the biggest communities are Flushing, and Korea Town. There is a lot of organizations to help immigrants such as a Korean Language Center and Korean Culture Center both in Korea Town, the Korean Community Services in Korea Town, Corona, and Flushing. As well as newspapers target towards Korean American individuals: The Korea Times and The Korea Herald.

Located in south-central Asia, Afghanistan sits landlocked between Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. With a population of well over 30 million, Afghanistan is measured to have an area of 252,072 mi2. Of those living in Afghanistan, 99% practice Islam. The official languages of Afghanistan are Pashto and Dari, which is often referred to as Farsi.

Officially establishing itself as a single country in 1747, Afghanistan has a long history of political unrest. Beginning in the 19th century was strife between Afghanistan and Britain, as Britain attempted to annex Afghanistan. However, in 1919 Afghanistan defeated Britain, and again had full-independence. Briefly established as a monarchy, between 1926-1973 Afghanistan becomes a democratic nation after the Prime Minister overthrew the King in a military coup. Mohammed Daoud Khan had deemed himself the president. Khan attempted to modernize what was becoming a communist nation, granting women rights and proposing a new constitution.
Unfortunately, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 in support of the growing communist regime. This war resulted in 6 million people fleeing Afghanistan to Pakistan and Iran, and the death of at least 1.5 million people. After the Soviet Union withdraws, the power of Afghanistan is undecided and civil war erupts. Kabul, the capital, fell to the Taliban in 1996. By the year 2000, 90% of Afghanistan was controlled by this group. The Taliban has holds a harsh interpretation of Islamic Law, and therefore leads a very oppressive rule over the people of Afghanistan.

Following the September 11th terrorist attack on NYC’s twin towers, America joined the Northern Alliance in attempting to eliminate the Taliban and liberate the people of Afghanistan. The Taliban were deposed in 2001 and so began political reconstruction. By 2004, Hamid Karzari was elected as Afghanistan’s first president. He served for 10 years and was then followed by Afghanistans current President, Ashram Ghani Ahmadzai. Afghanistan has taken considerable steps to becoming a stable united country under a central government but it still troubled by the oppressive and aggressive manner of the Taliban.

The most popular news outlets in Afghanistan are the Afghanistan Times Daily, Benawa, Pajhwok Afghan News, the Kabul Press, and the Daily Afghanistan. Facing repeated political unrest, many Afghans have flooded the globe as immigrants, beginning new lives. Within NYC, Fulshing, Queens holds the largest population of Afghan immigrants, it is often referred to as little-Afghanistan. I plan to frequent this area throughout my research. Most recently I spoke with a man not in this area, but the owner of a Halal food cart on 88th street and Central Park West who goes by Ronny. In 2000 Ronny, then 41, moved to New York with his family in an attempt to “leave the danger and fighting” in Afghanistan. Although Ronny does not remember much on how he viewed America before moving here, he remembers telling himself that it was “big, and safer than home.” Now 55, Ronny describes his life in America fondly by repeating the word good in between spurts of his daily routine (which was basically just work). In speaking to Ronny, I gathered that his favorite part of America is that he can live, work, and go about his day knowing his family is safe. I would like to dive further into the preconceived notions of life in America as compared to the reality as I continue interviews.

A potential source for information regarding Afghan life in New York City that I came across is a group called Women for Afghan Women. They are located in Fresh Meadows and have been labeled the “only culturally competent organization able to serve the specific needs of the New York Afghan population.”

 

Women for Afghan Women:

New York Office

158-24 73rd Ave.

Fresh Meadows, NY 11366
Tel: +(718) 591-2434

 

This semester I would like to focus on Palestine, both as a country and as a state. The Israeli- Palestine conflict is apparent on the news today especially with President Trump in office.
There is a very rich history and culture of Palestine, that many feel is diminishing as tensions rise between the two state solution, or lack there of, as well as cultures shifting as a result of years and years of war. I would like to focus on the Zionist movement and what it means for Palestinians, the flux of refugees in other Arab countries, like Lebanon, and the tension it causes those countries. The presence of France in Israel and Palestine. Finally the global reaction to the attempts to come to a decision.
The language that is predominantly spoken in Palestine is Arabic, the second language is Hebrew, in the West Bank, the languages often times intertwine with one another. Many Palestinians also know how to speak English and French. The religions that are practiced among the Palestinian community are mainly Islam and Christianity. In 1980 there was a great flux of Palestinian Christians seeking asylum in the states. There is a large Palestinian community in Paterson, New Jersey, Bayridge, Brooklyn, as well as Astoria, Queens.
Palestinian cuisine differs from the Gaza strip to the west bank, Gaza’s specialty is Maqluba, while the west bank is heavy on sea food, as they are on the coast.
Dabke is a Levantine folk dance, which means it originated from a region in the Middle East that includes the countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Legend says that people in that region during that era made the roofs of their houses with tree branches and mud. Anytime the weather would change, the mud would crack and members of their family or community would come and help patch it by forming a line and joining hands and stomping the mud into place. In colder months, they would sing to help keep their bodies warm. However, Dabke is widely used as a way to promote the Palestinian cause in a positive way through song and dance.

Official language: Ukrainian (67.5%)

Russian (29.6%)

Religions: Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic.

Ukraine’s population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority – up to two-thirds – identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch

Ukrainian News Outlets:

Kyiv Post

Tsnua

Interview:

Roksolana Florko

609-598-1837

Roksolana is a former boss of mine who is Ukrainian-American. I asked her about where the Ukrainian community is located in NYC, if there are any landmarks of Ukrainian culture here, and where she gets her Ukrainian news from.

Currently:

Ukrainian-Americans are concerned about Trump’s friendliness with Russian president Vladimir Putin, which could mean Ukraine could lose the US as its ally. The US has provided a lot of help and understanding in defending Ukraine from Russian separatists taking control. Since Trump has taken office, violence has begun again in eastern Ukraine where separatist groups have control.

Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 but yesterday (February 14) Trump announced that he fully expects Russia to return Crimea to Ukraine and de-escalate violence in Ukraine. However, at the same time, he stated he expects to get along with Russia.

Avdiivka is a strategically important city under Ukrainian control that was attacked by military grade missiles on January 28. Video surveillance reveals that the attack was carried out in militant controlled Donetsk (Ukraine). Russia tried to blame Ukraine for the attack, but Ukraine clearly does not have access to weapons of this caliber.

Where are Ukrainians?

“When they first moved here, they all lived in the East Village. But now that it has gotten more expensive there, they have moved out to Yonkers, Brooklyn (Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay) or New Jersey. But for holidays and church we still gather in the East Village,” –Roksolana Florko

Landmarks:

Ukrainian Museum (East Village)

St. George Academy (private, Ukrainian Catholic high school)

Soyuziuka–Ukrainian heritage center (upstate)

“I have friends that visit here every summer or send their kids here to learn Ukrainian or about Ukrainian culture,” –Roksolana Florko

After traveling to Italy for the first time as part of my international traveling debut during Christmas 2016, I was surprised to find that what people have told me about the country, its traditions and its culture were not just words, but there was some truth to what they said. The country is stunning. The roads were clear of pot holes, gum indentations, its people were classy and they respected their visitors. That’s not to say it is the happiest place on earth – this isn’t Walt Disney World, after all.

Part of the European Union, Italy is a country made up of nearly 60 million people, including clusters of Albanian, Greek, German, French and Slovene-Italians, according to infoplease.com. The population has grown steadily since the World Bank kept records of population growth per country dating back to 1960, when Italy had just over 50 million people. Italy became a nation-state in 1861, according to the CIA, during a time when regional states were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. Italy is member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Economic Community (EEC). While the country is known for its vast lands, religious prowess and proximity to much of the Eastern world (located in Southern Europe), the country is often finding itself in debt due to poor economic growth, high unemployment rates with young people and females, and a decent amount of organized crime and corruption. The median age of an Italian is 45.1 years, while population growth is estimated to be 0.23% for 2016.

The capital of Italy is Rome, where much of their religious identity stems. 80% of Italians are Christian with Muslims, atheist and agnostic individuals, among others, making up the remaining 20%.In Italy the pre-dominant language spoken by its people is Italian. Other languages spoken by people residing in the country, albeit not large numbers, include Albanian, Bavarian, Catalan, Cimbrian, Corsican, Croatian, Emiliano-Romagnolo, Franco-Provencal, French, Friulian, German, Greek, Italkian, Ladin, Ligurian, Lombard, Mocheno, Napotelano-Calabrese, Piemontese, Provencal, Romani, Sardinian, Sicilian, Slovenian, Venetian and Wasler.

For native English speakers, TheLocal.IT is a great resource of information on the happenings in Italy. Another resource for information is the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), which provides news coverage for many European countries, albeit not as tight as they cover the United Kingdom. The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The New York Times are just some of the news outlets that cover Italy in more intimate ways. However, for best coverage you’ll find them directly from such national news outlets such as broadcast media Radio 24, RAI News, TGCom.

The population of Bangladesh is 156,186,882. Bangla, also known as Bengali, is the official language of Bangladesh, with 98.8% of people who speak it. Another 1.2% speak other languages. 89.1% of people who live in the country are Muslim, 10% are Hindu and the other 0.9% includes Buddhists and Christians.

Bangladesh’s government is parliamentary republic and has a mixed legal system of mostly English common law and Islamic law. Bangladesh’s economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 1996 despite political instability, poor infrastructure, corruption, insufficient power supplies, slow implementation of economic reforms, and the 2008-2009 global financial crisis and recession. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the services sector, almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. The labor force consists of people in agriculture (47%), industry work (13%) and service work (40%). The unemployment rate sits at 4.9% but it is important to note that about 40% of the population is underemployed with many people who were counted as “employed” work only a few hours a week at low wages.

The Daily Prothom Alo, in terms of circulation, is the largest newspaper in Bangladesh. It is published in Bengali and read by half a million people every day. It was established in 1998, headquartered in the capital city of Dhaka. The paper has taken to the local culture and is a favorite of locals. The print media is private and consists of hundreds of weekly publications that present many viewpoints, though some outspoken papers have faced pressure in the past. Television is the biggest medium for news in Bangladesh. Radio is also important in the country. The prime role of community radio is to give voice to the voiceless people who do not have access to the mainstream media to express their ideas and views regarding community development. Promoting the right to communicate, speed up the process of informing the community, assist the free flow of information and therefore act as a catalyst of change are few major tasks are to be done by community radio.

There are an estimated 11.4 million internet users in Bangladesh. The use of internet is unrestricted by the government however; some journalist’s emails have been monitored in the past. There are huge online newspaper and news portals in Bangladesh. But all the news portals are not listed by Bangladesh government.

Update on Baruch journalism Facebook group

How to pitch a story

The purpose of a pitch is to sell your editor on your story. Convince them why it matters, why it’s a good fit for their publication, that you can get it, and that you’re the right person to do it.

A pitch should essentially look like the top of a story. By that I mean you should have a clear lede and nut graph. (Quick review: what is a lede and a nut graph?)

—

• Types of ledes: anecdotal, straightforward summary, funnel
• A nut graph puts the story in context and tells readers why the story matters
• “So what?” — it tells readers why they should care about the story
• It provides a transition from the lede to the rest of the story
• It often tells readers why the story is timely
• It contains the story’s angle

—

Moving on…

Your pitch should also demonstrate that you’ve already done at least some preliminary reporting: For instance, that you’ve already locked down at least one important source, or gotten some crucial access approved.

From there you can get into the broader vision for your story, and this will differ depending on the medium you’re working in. Who do you plan to interview/have you already interviewed? What kind of sounds or visuals can we expect? Also, if you’re pitching a radio editor, you’re going to want to write for the ear to convince them you know how to write a script.

It’s good to name drop a connection if you have one (“Hi Dustin, I’m a colleague of [person who’s freelanced for them before]” and to include a link to your portfolio website so they can easily see some of your previous work. (You should all build one if you don’t have one already!)

Here is an example of a pitch that was accepted:

subject: the refugee crisis that’s bigger than Greece—but far more humane

Hi Jennifer,

It’s been awhile! I hope you’re doing well. I recently returned from a reporting trip to Uganda with a story that I think is really important, and would be great for The World.

—

When most people think of the world’s biggest refugee crisis, they think of the people risking everything to reach Italy and Greece by sea—a crisis that is staggering in size. In all of 2016, there were over 360,000 boat arrivals in Europe.

They may be surprised to learn, however, that 445,000 refugees have crossed into northern Uganda just since July 2016 as they flee the brutal conflict in South Sudan.

“It has been unrelenting,” said Nasir Fernandes, UNHCR’s senior emergency coordinator overseeing the Uganda crisis. “It has been a massive scale emergency.”

Six months ago, the world’s second-largest refugee hosting site, Bidibidi settlement, was sparsely populated scrubland. After topping a quarter of a million people in December, it was closed to new arrivals. A second camp is already well on its way to being filled and UNHCR is preparing a third to accommodate the 2,000 people who are crossing the border every day, most of them on foot.

There has been very little coverage of this situation, which is hard to believe having just witnessed the scale of it. I spent a week reporting there at the end of January, and while the situation is desperate, there’s also cause for optimism. This is because of Uganda’s surprisingly humane refugee policy that relief workers are touting as a model for the rest of the world.

Refugees are given freedom of movement, the right to work, and plots of land to live on and to farm. And in this age of fear and suspicion toward migrants, Ugandans in the surrounding communities have been refreshingly welcoming toward the refugees. Many are former refugees themselves, and the ballooning population has created business opportunities.

This feature will be sound-rich. I visited the border and recorded refugees crossing into Uganda on a rickety wooden bridge as rebel soldiers watched from the other side. I went to Palorinya settlement area and recorded the sound of more than 3,000 people being herded onto buses and trucks and driven to a patch of desert where they will build their new homes. I also have tape of women singing and drumming at a women’s center, and of dozens of children playing at a playground—a full 68 percent of the refugees in this crisis are under the age of 18. I interviewed a number of recently-arrived refugees whose stories range from horrifying to hopeful.

I have images to accompany the story online; I’m attaching a handful to give you a sense of the visuals. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Best,
Emily

Assignment: Pitches due Wednesday 2/22 for story #1

If you choose to do a print story, it should be 800 words and there should be at least one photo. You don’t have to check out a DSLR camera for this; your phone is perfectly fine. You just need some sort of visual to run with it.

You may also choose to do a video. It should be a two- to three-minute video; whether narrated or non-narrated is up to you. You may also opt for a text “narration.” If you prefer to do something a little more broadcast (with a standup, for instance) and a little less web video, that’s fine. If you do a video, when you file the story, it will need to be accompanied by a brief (100 words or so) blog post that introduces the story.

If you choose to do a photography project, there should be 12-20 photos. This can be in slideshow form with strong, informative captions, or you can lay them out in a blog post where the photos are interspersed with text as you scroll down.

If you choose to do a radio story, it should be a three-to four-minute narrated package with at least two separate interviews and one natural sound (plus ambi). Give yourself a sign-off: “For Baruch College, this is ____ _____ in ______.” Your scripted host intro can serve as your intro paragraph for the blog, and you should also include at least one photo.

For those of you who have NOT taken my multimedia class before, one final thing: News Photography 101

 

Population-
142,355,415

Languages Spoken-
Russian (85.7%), Tatar (3.2%), Ukrainian (1.4%), Bashkir (1.1%), Chuvash (1%), Chechen (1%), Other (10.2%), Unspecified (3.9%)

Religions-
Russian Orthodox (15-20%), Muslim (10-15%), Other Christian (2%)
(Russia has a large amount of non-practicing believers and non-believers due to Soviet Rule)

History-
Russia has grown from Mongol rule to the Romanov dynasty, which dominated the country until a revolution in 1905. The imperial household was overthrown in 1917, following World War I, and Vladimir Lenin rose to power forming the USSR, a communist state. The USSR was a key U.S. ally in World War II, and communism ruled the country until December 1991, when the USSR collapsed into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Following Boris Yeltsin’s presidency, which span from 1991-99), President Vladimir Putin, former head of the KGB, took office and formed an authoritarian state. Putin remains Russia’s president and rules the country in a rather oppressive manner.

Notable News Outlets-
Rossiyskaya Gazeta (government-owned), Izvestia, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Trud, Argumenty i Fakty, Moskovskiye Novosti, Kommersant

Current Events-
The 2014 Ukrainian revolution caused Russian to annex Crimea, damaging East-West relations. The situation has intensified causing serious tension between Russia and the Western world, perhaps ushering in a second Cold War.

Russian Communities in NYC-
Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay (most notably)

Memo Sources-
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17839881

Contacts-
Irina Groushevaia (NYC-based, Moscow-born)
Kirill Bondar (Moscow)
Anastasia Stetsenko (Moscow)
Stephan Groushevoi (Moscow)
Elena Chadaeva (Prague-based, Moscow-born)
Anastasia Krapp (NY-based, Moscow-born)
Yulia Zakharchenko (Montreal-based, Moscow-born)

Population: 3,578,056 (July 2016 est.)

Languages Spoken: Spanish,English

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

History: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher Columbus second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self-government.

Notable Newspapers: El Nuevo Día, Primera Hora, El Vocero

Notable Television:  WKAQ-TV,WORA-TV,WAPA-TV,WLII-DT

Current Events: Puerto Rico is facing a major ongoing debt crisis which could cause the beautiful Caribbean island to sink. The amount of the fiscal crisis is still to be determined, due to the lack of communication between public agencies and Government. Overall, Puerto Rico is looking to restructure its nearly $72 billion in public debt, and the island has defaulted on millions of dollars worth of bond payments, leaving many creditors filing multiple lawsuits. The crisis has lead many citizens of Puerto Rico to flee to the United States.

 

“Unlike American cities such as Detroit, Puerto Rico isn’t allowed to file for a court-arranged bankruptcy reorganization. And unlike sovereign nations such as Greece, it can’t seek emergency assistance from the International Monetary Fund.”

– Mary Williams Walsh

Notable Puerto Rican Communities in New York: Sound view Bronx,  Sunset Park Brooklyn, Spanish Harlem Manhattan.

Throughout the semester I want to focus on the ongoing Puerto Rican debt crisis. I’m looking into many ways I want to go about this whether it be a written feature or some sort of video interview on the crisis.I am still in the process of looking relevant sources who can give a analytical or first hand approach to the debt crisis. Perhaps, I can locate individuals through social media who would be willing to discuss these issues.

Sources

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rq.html

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/17/official-puerto-rico-govt-could-collapse-if-no-steps-taken.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/business/dealbook/puerto-rico-debt-crisis-explained.html?_r=0

 

 

 

 

Brandon Alexander

Beat Memo– Bangladesh

 

Background info:

CIA Factbook is a good resource for obtaining large amounts of general info for countries. According to the site, the religious breakdown of Bangladesh’s population is: 89.1% Muslim, 10% Hindu, and the remaining 0.9% is composed of Buddhist and Christian. In terms of language, the majority of Bangladeshis speak Bangla/Bengali (a whopping 98.8%), while the rest of the population speak “other” languages, according to the CIA World Factbook.

 

A brief history of BD’s Government:

It was in the 10^th century that people living in what is now Bangladesh had begun settling and converting to Islam. These people were originally said to be Persian traders and preachers. By the 16^th century many trading posts were created in the area and the territory became absorbed into British India. However, as tensions between East and Western Pakistan began growing in 1947, the movement for Bangladesh to acquire its independence became gradually stronger. One of the two major political parties in Bangladesh, the Awami League, led the country’s movement towards independence. With India’s support, Bangladesh’s independence war was won in 1971, though it did not come easily- approximately 300,000 civilians died during the time of the movement.

Not even four years after Bangladesh acquired its independence, the Awami League-led government became overwhelmed with the challenge of running a country and was overthrown by the military in 1975. Several military coups followed this until the government became heavily backed by the military and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party was set in place in 1978.  However, yet again, the BNP was removed via a coup in 1981 and for a decade Bangladesh was governed with military-backed ruling. It wasn’t until 1991 that the country saw democratic elections and after several years of alternating power between the AL and BNP, BD officially turned over to a democracy in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina still holds the position of Prime Minister to this day, due to a landslide victory in Bangladesh’s national election in 2014 against the BNP. In recent times, Bangladesh boasts that with “international developmental assistance”, the country’s poverty rates decreased from what was previously half the entire population to one third. The government claims that it has reached goals in bettering maternal and child health, as well as food security.

 

Info on BD’s News Media:

Some of Bangladesh’s most viewed local news outlets are its newspapers and news websites. Of these, the Bangladesh-English daily newspaper, Prothom Alo is a major source of news in the country that is estimated to be read by 4.3 million people every day. Other prominent news outlets are the daily newspaper: Kaler Kantho, the 24-hour news channel: Ekattor TV, The Daily Star, NewAge.net, Daily Sun, and Betar-Radio Bangladesh. According to an article on BBC.com regarding Bangladesh’s media, the country’s media tends to be highly polarized. News agencies align themselves with the different main political groups and in 2014, the government issued a policy “banning all TV and radio shows from broadcasting material deemed to harm the image of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies impede state security” (BBC). This is an interesting find, because it correlates to the main topic I want to cover in this class, as well as what one of my interviewees has been telling me regarding censorship and corruption in Bangladesh.

 

Some of BD’s current news are clashes the Bangladesh police are having with protesters at an anti-coal protest, as well as the Court of Bangladesh sentencing 26 people (including three senior officers from the country’s elite security force) to death after they were convicted of murdering seven people. Additionally, a top story on several Bangladeshi news sites involves the country’s High Court ordering the government to explain why it “shouldn’t be directed to form an inquiry commission to identify the ‘culprits who made up false stories’ about corruption conspiracies involving the Padma bridge project” (Daily Star).

 

Demographics and Popular Neighborhoods for Bangladeshi Communities in NY:

My neighborhood of Ozone Park, Queens has a healthy amount of Bengali families. Additionally, according to data from the NY Time’s Region map, there has been a growth of Bangladeshi families in the Queens neighborhoods of; Jackson Heights, Woodside, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Sunset Park, and Bensonhurst. I hope to get interviews from families in these various neighborhoods.

 

Some quotes from interview with Rifat Hasnat, friend from previous college:

“I just feel like pretty much everything in BD works via bribing. I’m sure that happens in a lot of other countries, but it’s just so extreme in BD. You could be the best of the best and at the same time, you could end up getting little to no recognition for it, unless you know someone personally that can give you such a position.”

 

“It’s very hard to escape the class that you’re born in. And it’s common knowledge that the elites do shady things to maintain their position and wealth. But they don’t get in any trouble or face any consequences because of the law- specifically the police. They obey only those who have money, money truly is power over there.”

 

Contact Info:

Rifat Hasnat, 21. (646) 659-4325

I also have permission to interview Rifat’s parents who were born and raised in BD. They don’t speak much English, so Rifat will step in as my translator during their interviews. I also plan to get familial references from Rifat’s parents.

 

Sites used for info gathering:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bg.html

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12650946

 

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/23/nyregion/20110123-nyc-ethnic-neighborhoods-map.html?_r=1&

http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/hc-probe-find-falsifiers-1361980