Editor's Note

Inspiration, Perspiration

It is hard to predict who will be interested in what, or who will eventually achieve what. Take, for example, Ongthui Khoy, the subject of our cover story this issue. Chances are, you haven't heard of him. After all, he has had no formal education and lives in a somewhat inaccessible part of Bandarban. But looking at this man's drive and intelligence, he comes off as a bit of a Thomas Edison; he devised a way to bring electrical lighting to his village. He did this without much funding, through sheer ingenuity and effort, and continues to struggle for financial support. There is, of course, no real “magic” involved, but from the perspective of someone whose world has just been illuminated through electric lighting, what's the difference?

We only hear of stories that materialize into something that is worth it: the true achievements. However, for every success there are a thousand failures and the stories of most of these get crammed into the margins. For every spectacular monument there are many unspectacular sights that may nevertheless be bursting with stories to tell. Insight generally does bring you many such marginal stories, and “Notibibi's Mosque” inside this issue is such a good example of an interesting failure.

Finally, 21st February is in a few days. We wish everyone good luck and hope you find some peace of mind despite the many problems facing us.

Abak Hussain
From the Insight Desk

"And people say I'm pulling their leg!"                    

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