Small Fry, Big Catch
Bangladesh is one of the world’s biggest suppliers of shrimp, harvesting an estimated 20,000 tonnes each year. Half of that finds its way to Europe, and a quarter to American restaurants and supermarkets. It is a major industry – employing some 750,000 people and generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually, crucial revenue for an...
Cinema of Dreams
Kim Un Bom and Ri Yun Mi look like typical university students. They’re young, smart and driven. But unlike their peers elsewhere, they’ve been handpicked for a rare honour – to serve Featuring unprecedented access to the Pyongyang University of Cinematic and Dramatic Arts and rare footage from inside the world’s most isolated country, this...
Yong’s Story
At first it was just a name. Yong Vui Kong. We first heard it in 2009, at a forum on the death penalty in Singapore. Yong Vui Kong. We were told he was a convicted drug mule from East Malaysia. He had been caught with more than 15 grams of heroin. He would most likely...
Salvation House
For devout Hindus, dying in the holy city of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River is a way to gain direct entry to Heaven. Families travel for hundreds of miles with their fading relatives. Many check into Mukti Bhawan, or Salvation House, a hotel that caters to those waiting for death. Commissioned by...
Dowry Deaths
The case gripped Bangladesh in 2010. Tamanna Haque, a doctor with a young son, was found hanging from a beam in her bedroom. Her husband’s family said she had committed suicide. But Tamanna’s parents disagreed. They said instead that she had been killed because of a dispute over dowry. Tamanna’s case isn’t the first in...
Maestro’s Daughters
Ruba and Tungtang are gifted musicians and daughters of Bangladesh’s legendary sarod player, Afzalur Rahman. When their father passes away, the sisters attempt to pick up the pieces by keeping his legacy alive. But they live in a highly patriarchal society and it’s an uphill battle. The sisters though never lose hope, choosing instead to...
The Human Trade
One of Bangladesh’s biggest resources is its people. Each year, thousands of young men leave the country in search of jobs overseas. They remit millions of dollars home each year – money the workers hope, will help their families build better lives. But as demand for overseas employment grows, a disturbing phenomenon is emerging. Moving...
Not In My Backyard
The remote village of Lung Kwu Tan lies in an isolated corner of Hong Kong. A favourite of nature lovers, the surrounding countryside is home to a large variety of butterflies and for a time, the endangered pink dolphin was regularly seen off its coastline. But the sparsely populated area is fast being transformed, with...
Blind Cricket
Pawan Ghimire was a captain in the Nepali Army when he lost his vision in a Maoist ambush. For months, he thought his life was over and he sunk into deep depression. But then he started playing cricket. The game changed his life. Commissioned by Al Jazeera English for their flagship documentary strand, Witness.
