Montag, 15. August 2011
Freitag, 12. August 2011
Sonntag, 7. August 2011
Picard since 1928
Before coming to Bangladesh, I didn't know the brand Picard from Germany. Apparently, my interests were in other fields than leather bags, which cost up to 200 Euros. As Picard is a member of the chamber I intern at, I decided to go on a trip and visit them.
Taking along my fellow intern Matteo and our counterparts from the German Embassy, we went on to see, how those high quality (and high valued) bags were manufactured in a factory about an hour drive north of Dhaka.
As I was told, about 70% of all Picard items are manufactured in Savar. Walking around the premises, we were able to see how little wallets to large executive bags were made. Skilled workers sit in groups at workstations and are headed by a group leader. From coloring cutting edges to the quality control of ladies purses, we got an insight on what different stages a bag needs to go through until it is ready for shipment.
Besides the regular training the employees get, the company has a medical station and provides day care for babies and young children for free.
Too bad though, that there wasn’t a company sale going on, since all items were shipped to Germany for the next Christmas season...
Taking along my fellow intern Matteo and our counterparts from the German Embassy, we went on to see, how those high quality (and high valued) bags were manufactured in a factory about an hour drive north of Dhaka.
As I was told, about 70% of all Picard items are manufactured in Savar. Walking around the premises, we were able to see how little wallets to large executive bags were made. Skilled workers sit in groups at workstations and are headed by a group leader. From coloring cutting edges to the quality control of ladies purses, we got an insight on what different stages a bag needs to go through until it is ready for shipment.
Besides the regular training the employees get, the company has a medical station and provides day care for babies and young children for free.
Too bad though, that there wasn’t a company sale going on, since all items were shipped to Germany for the next Christmas season...
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| A couple of hundred Euros? |
 |
| exclusively made for the Japanese market |
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| Can I have all of these, please? |
Mittwoch, 3. August 2011
Wake up everybody, no more sleeping in bed
I have a new friend. I have never seen his face. I have never talked to him. But he talks to me everyday.
Today is the second day of Ramadan, considered the holy month in the islamic calendar. During this month, the Quran was revealed by Allah. Muslims fast during the day and eat and drink after the sun has set. To get through the day, people get up for Sehri, the last meal before dawn. In Bangladesh from about 4 am to 6.45 pm all Muslims, except eldery, children, pregnant women, the ill and invalid, are not supposed to eat and drink. Everyone should avoid sinning in genral and good deeds are rewarded by Allah a lot more than during the rest of the year.
But coming back to my new friend. Every morning before dawn he calls me at about 3 am. To be more precise, microphone announcements are being made all over the city to remind people to get up for Sehri.
My friend from my local mosque repeats "Get up! Eat Sehri! Fast! ... Everyone get up!" all over. He then recites the exact time when to stop eating and repeats everything again. But now comes the fun part: He sings it! No joke! My friend sings to me at 3 am in the morning which makes it hard for anyone to stay asleep.
Good service, which shall be rewarded, friend!
Today is the second day of Ramadan, considered the holy month in the islamic calendar. During this month, the Quran was revealed by Allah. Muslims fast during the day and eat and drink after the sun has set. To get through the day, people get up for Sehri, the last meal before dawn. In Bangladesh from about 4 am to 6.45 pm all Muslims, except eldery, children, pregnant women, the ill and invalid, are not supposed to eat and drink. Everyone should avoid sinning in genral and good deeds are rewarded by Allah a lot more than during the rest of the year.
But coming back to my new friend. Every morning before dawn he calls me at about 3 am. To be more precise, microphone announcements are being made all over the city to remind people to get up for Sehri.
My friend from my local mosque repeats "Get up! Eat Sehri! Fast! ... Everyone get up!" all over. He then recites the exact time when to stop eating and repeats everything again. But now comes the fun part: He sings it! No joke! My friend sings to me at 3 am in the morning which makes it hard for anyone to stay asleep.
Good service, which shall be rewarded, friend!
Dienstag, 2. August 2011
The Coca-Cola Company
More than 140 million people live in Bangladesh but more than 300 million people speak Bangla, which makes it one of the most spoken languages in the world.
Historically, Bangla not being officially recognized as one of Pakistan's languages back when East and West Pakistan existed led to the Bengali Language Movement. Bangladeshis, mostly students, fought for the recognition of their own language in February of 1952 and protested the "Urdu-only" policy. Years later the UNESCO declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day.
Many people speaking Bangla means also many people reading and writing in this language. This is reason enough for multinational companies, like Coca-Cola, to present their products in both English and Bangla.
Samstag, 30. Juli 2011
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