A stimulative tour to Myanmar

As a member of Bangladesh delegation, I visited Myanmar during 19 Feb-1 March 2009. The 4 member working group on banking affairs was led by the Deputy Governor of the central bank of Bangladesh. Main purpose of the visit was to suggest a mechanism for opening direct L/C system with Myanmar and also to see by ourselves the border market operations at China- Myanmar border area.

At Yangon airport, we're given a warm reception by our embassy people in Myanmar. Then while staying for 3 days at the Traders Hotel in Yangon, we're invited for dinner by our ambassador, defence attache, commercial counsellors and many others in several occassions. We also met business leaders, bankers in MFTB and MICB. On 23 morning we flew to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar's new administrative capital. There we stayed at the Gloden Gate Hotel, a superb suite type apartment. We met the central bank governor, fisheries and livestock minister, commerce ministry officials, some ambassadors of Myanmar and many others.

On 24 noon, we the 3 people (me, Commercial Counsellor & GM of Sonali Bank) headed by road towards Mandalya, the second largest city of Myanmar. It took more than 5 hours to reach there. It was picturesque with many hills on the way. We had to stay the night at Mandalay Hill Resort Hotel & next morning headed towards Muse, the border town near China. It was around 450 miles and took almost 11 hours by the Pajero jeep (hilly, uneven & curved roads) to reach Muse. On the way we saw lorries carrying goods to and from China.

On 26 a very warm reception by the border trade department & others was accorded to us at Muse (105) border trade zone. We experienced a highly efficient one stop service and facilities for customs/immigration/inspection and policing tasks. It's an example of how the real time trade facilitation is possible with modern equipments (X-ray of the whole truck!, warehousing facilities) & proper planning (everyday auctioning, border pass system and many others). We're informed that with esatblishment of such zone, Myanmar's trade with China more than doubled reaching to around US$ 1.2 billion last year.

At noon, Muse Namkham Chamber of Commerce accorded us a huge welcome reception followed by lunch and exchange of views in a very formal setting. In that exchange of views meeting, as the head of the visiting delegation, BD side was led by me while the Myanmar side was led by the chamber president. I spoke in English which was translated by Asadullah vhai who accompanied us from Mandalaya. Aftabuzzaman, our commercial counsellor also played a vital role in the meeting. As a whole it proved very enjoyable and touching. We're able to convey a very positive message about BD. I should never forget the experience. Thanks to Muse chamber related business people for such hospitality.

Stock Market - a risky dream

Over the last two years, Bangladesh stock market has been a dream avenue to make fortunes for the millions of small investors. So many people is now involved in the share market directly or indirectly. This is particularly visible in the long lines in front of the banks for depositing IPO (Initial Public Offering) share money on scheduled dates. Some companies are being oversubscribed by even 40-50 times. Also many people, not quite aware about the market nitty-gritty, have been involved in the secondary market. As a consequence, with the recent burst (actually market corrections?), almost everybody already lost a sizeable portion of their capital.

After my return from USA two months back, I came to know that one of my good friend, who serves in a utility department and had no clear idea or even interest before about the share market, invested a good amount of his savings in the stocks last year. Being advised by someone he knew, my friend purchased stocks of mainly banking sector at the high rates of 2007. I became surprised to know that most stocks bought by him are of low quality banks. Result-the current market value of his shares are almost half of his costs. He confessed his ignorance about the financial health of the companies he bought. What a dangerous step to lose the hard earned savings! It's like an attempt to swim in river before learing how to swim.

Time to go - thanks to the Humphrey Program

Having spent almost a year in USA for the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program, it's time now to go back home. Tomorrow (27 June) I'm to fly for DC from Amarillo, Texas and then next day (28 June) for Bangladesh (DC- Newark- HongKong - Dhaka route).
During the last one year I had the opportunity to study what I liked, attend seminars/ workshops in connection with my interests and professional skill requirements, visit many places in USA, participate in the global leadership forum in DC and year-end-retreat, present my country and profession in different occassions and also able to engage in many other activities. More importantly, we all developed friendship with so many people from USA and other parts of the globe. The program has given me a lot.
So prior to my departure I convey my gratitude and thanks to the program policymakers, IIE people, campus coordinator and staff and of course fellow colleagues from different countries. As a global citizen we should work together in the coming days for peace, prosperity and development of all nations.

Goodbye!

Texas, so different a state

We've been to my sister-in-law's house at Amarillo, Texas. We had the opportunity to hover around the city. Also to canyon state park nearby. What we noticed is the landscape and culture a little different. Mostly white people live here- not many African-Americans or immigrants. Also roads and houses are bigger - no land shortages! Weather very hot and windy, but not much humidity and thus no sweating. Not much rain and the area looks drought-like all the time.

Canyon park is so gorgeous, looks like the little sister of Garnd Canyon of Arizona which is about 12 hours drive from Amarillo.

Amarillo is my last point of exploring American countryside. My wife had already left for BD. From here I'll fly for DC on 27 June and hopefully for BD from there on June 28. I feel previledged to see many great cities across America.

To further West (Texas)

Having spent some good days with Pabitra, we headed for Amarillo, Texas - again by Greyhound bus. It's about 30 hour bus journey. Starting was good, we're crossing so many cities (Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis in Tennesse state, Little Rock in Arkansas state, Russelville, many others and Oklohama city in OKlohama state). Landscapes were being changed gradually as we proceeded further towards west. In Arkansas we saw a lot of farmland, and farmers using private planes in spraying their crops in the fields.

Upto Okohama city the journey was good. Then problem started. As the scheduled bus' airconditioning was not working, the driver didn't reload. All passenegers were stuck up for long 9 hours. But surprisingly, all passengers kept very calm & quiet. If that incident happened in our country, passengers might be very agitated towards the bus people.

By 11.30 pm, an aletrnate bus came from Dallas & our journey restarted towards Los Angels. But by then we're very exhausted. When we reached Amarillo at 5 am in the next morning, we're on buses for 2 nights & 2 days altogether.

Despite long distances and all hassles on the way, the bus journey provided us a good opportunity to see various mid-American cities and states (also observe peoples' behaviours and culture to some extent). In Oklohama city the normal day wind was so strong that I feared to be blown away while walking a small distance from the bus station.

I'll never forget those experiences.

Kinsport/Gatlinburg so cool places!

We stayed about 5 days to my school friend Pabitra's (a cardiologist) house at Kingsport. His house so big! Also the neghbourhood and city very green, because Kingsport is just on the valley of great American Appalachian. So weather very mild and moderate. On sunday, 1 June Pabitra took us to Gatlinburg, about 100 miles from Kingsport. Gatlinburg, situated on a very high altitude of the Appalachian is a good tourist spot in Tennessee. There we noticed a lot of fun and enjoyement facilities (specially for kids). You have to buy tickets for entry- expensive though. We just rode on a skyway travel. Very scenic indeed!

We're taken to a new house Pabitra going to buy. It's like a palace, 4 storied building including basement, so many rooms, beatiful backyard and very rural setting. Mostly medical doctors live in that neighbourhood. Medical profession in USA is so rewarding!

One good thing we could achieve at Kingsport was that my wife was able to have biopsy test done. In Boston, doctors found calcification in her left breast and suspected malignancy (breast cancer). To be sure, they suggested to do her biopsy asap. We couldn't do it from Boston due to time constraint. But we're lucky that Pabitra did help to get an appointment even on a very short notice. Hospital was awesome, and fortunately report was good- no malignancy. We're relieved at last.

On the wheels

Once we left Boston on 19 May, we're on travel. Our first stoppage was in Buffalo where we stayed at Ripon's house. Ripon is my friend K A Sattar's youngest brother-in-law. He took us to the Niagra falls. There we enjoyed Maid in the Mist (having the light spray of falling water, hearing the rumble of water and huge forces therein). My wife was so excited, her dream to see Niagra became realized.
Staying just two days in Bufffalo we came to DC and I started the rest of my professional affiliation with the World Bank. First two nights we spent at L'enfant Plaza Hotel by utilizing the free gift voucher which the hotel authorities gave to all fellows during the global leadership forum last year. The rest of the period we spent in Alexandria. The nearest metro was Van Dorn station, one before the last towards Springfield Franconia (blue line).
Our next destination was to go Kingsport, Tennesse. We started by greyhound at 2.30 am. After about 12 hours bus journey, we had to change bus at Richmond Virginia. Then by another bus reached Kingsport in east Tennessee at around 2.15 pm. On the way we saw many small towns in 3 states (Virginia, North Carolina & Tennessee).