Editor's note

Public Property

For most of us, your average, everyman, Bangladeshi, the concept of public property can be somewhat tricky. By definition, it is that which belong to everybody, but by practise, it would seem as if it is that which belongs to nobody. Of course, we are always only too happy to use and oft-times abuse these communal assets, but when it comes to claiming ownership, and the personal responsibility that follows, our enthusiasm dies down a little. Take our pavements for instance, we use, and very unsavourily abuse them, but that is the extent of our relationship with these pavements; anything beyond that is frankly unimaginable. Whether the root cause of this problem lies on the individual level - of taking responsibility of that which is ours, or more on the general - of a people that feels disenfranchised, excluded, and part of no greater whole, is a matter of debate; but that there is a problem is not.

This week's cover story takes us to Tanguar haor, one of the largest sources of fresh-water fish in Bangladesh, for a look at a community that is facing problems of a similar theme, but is trying to come up with some answers of their own. The story of the pineapple girl continues, and is steadily building up to its finale. Our Journey Through Bangladesh takes us to Pabna, where after 38 years of petitioning, they have finally managed to build a memorial on the site of one of the most gruesome acts of Bangladesh's liberation war.

Saba El Kabir
From the Insight Desk

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