It looks like beer, it tastes like beer, but....

[amo_l_oman]

....but in law at least it is a malt beverage.

A company in Bangladesh believes it has found a legal loophole to get around the Islamic country's ban on alcoholic drinks. But their discovery has created a furore among Islamic parties and the threat of legal action from at least one leading international brewer.

"A friend at the Department of Narcotics Control gave us the idea," said Shameem Islam, the managing director of Crown Beverages.
"We would never have thought of this without them. We make it in a similar way to beer, but it is definitely not beer because it contains less than 5% alcohol."

But religious groups are protesting against the flouting of Islam's strict prohibition on alcohol.
Fazlul Huq Amini MP is chairman of Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jote, an Islamic party which is part of the ruling coalition.
"We always stand against all kinds of alcoholic drinks in Bangladesh," he said, "so we will ask the government to test it.
"If there is any alcohol we strongly advise the government to ban this product immediately. We will be watching their progress."


In a country where Islamic laws are supposed to be strictly followed, what would be the reason for a company to lie about such a big issue and why this party is making all this crap?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3496771.stm

[Wanderer]

What does it matter if they make a alcoholic beverage if no one will buy it ?

[amo_l_oman]

Originally posted by Wanderer
BTW - what does it matter if they make a alcoholic beverage if no one will buy it ?

They buy, they buy, black market

[MoonChild]

Then the country is not truly islamic.
Perhaps the government WANTS them to be, but the people don't seem interested...

Legislating morality never works!

[amo_l_oman]

Duno about Bangladesh but as i saw in Oman and Bahrein, also government closes one eye when something brings tourists, business and money, be it alcohol, prostitutes, anything.

[Wanderer]

It is very common for religious leaders to want something banned by the government when they find that they cannot frighten their followers away from it on their own.

It happens in the US too (where it shouldn't work).

True moral strength is when something is perfectly legal, but you choose not to participate. Not that you don't do something out of fear.

[Orion]

Less than 5% alcoholic? So you need to drink like 1.5 litres of this sucker before you get a proper buzz ...

Not exactly Smirnoff Export is it?

[sanwin25]

Most regular beers are 5% alcohol.

What is meant is probably less than .5% alcohol.

Which is already freely available in the supermakets in Oman.

[amo_l_oman]

Not really, bars apart which are legal, alcohol black market in Oman is under Indians control.

[sanwin25]

I was talking about the .5% non alcoholic beer which is Freely available in the local supermarket.

How .5% can be called non alcoholic is beyond me anyway.

[noSy]

Isn’t that quite similar to those chocolates containing a small amount of wine? You won’t get tipsy by having one small piece. The whole point of forbidding alcohol is to always stay sober. Does that still make those chocloates Islamically forbidden?

[sanwin25]

Gasp.

would you be referring to the individual taking responsibility for his own behaviour ? Drink, but not to excess ?

[Orion]

Originally posted by sanwin25
Gasp.

would you be referring to the individual taking responsibility for his own behaviour ? Drink, but not to excess ?

One and half litres is hardly three pints ... are you a lightweight Sanwin?

Anyway ... speaking about governmental control of not drinking to excess:

http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,62359,00.html

Excerpt:

"Timothy Hallford, CEO of Santa Fe's Adobe Interlock, which installs interlock-ignition devices, described the provisions of HB126 as "wishful thinking." He blames the judicial system for New Mexico's drunken-driving epidemic. His research indicated that only 2,000 of the nearly 14,000 drunken-driving convictions in 2003 resulted in the installation of interlocks, despite laws requiring them. "

[Arabian Princess]

Nosy, those choclates are also Haram according to my knowledge ..
They refer to that by the saying that whats much is haram its littile is haram ãÇ ßËíÑå ÍÑÇã Þáíáå ÍÑÇã
sorry f my translation is weak :p

[Orion]

Originally posted by Arabian Princess
Nosy, those choclates are also Haram according to my knowledge ..
They refer to that by the saying that whats much is haram its littile is haram ãÇ ßËíÑå ÍÑÇã Þáíáå ÍÑÇã
sorry f my translation is weak :p

So you've never eaten choclate, cakes, or multitudes of other foods?

[Scorpio27]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39871000/jpg/_39871277_banglabeer2032.jpg
I tasted the both Crown and Hunter. The crown seems non-alcoholic. But the hunter is alcoholic I am sure about it. The print on the can of hunter is erased and reprinted with non-alcoholic quote. I just scrambled the writing with my nails. It’s really embarrassing.

I am familiar with beers. But it's not open in Bangladesh. Now ...

[amo_l_oman]

Oh i was waiting for your post here.
I wanted this to be more political rather than alcoholic or religious, can you tell me more about this crappy situation there Hasnain, thanks.

[Arabian Princess]

Originally posted by Pretender
So you've never eaten choclate, cakes, or multitudes of other foods?

we always check if it contains alchol or not

[Orion]

Originally posted by Arabian Princess
we always check if it contains alchol or not

At Starbucks/Costa? At every restaurant?

On the Airplane ... Business lunches?

Formal parties?

Your extended families parities?

The list goes on ...

[Arabian Princess]

When I am in Oman, I trust that it is an Islamic country and if Alchol is in a cake or something it should be written in it.
When I am out of Oman, or any Islamic country, I ask.

In Airplanes, I take muslim meal :)

[MoonChild]

Originally posted by amo_l_oman
...alcohol black market in Oman is under Indians control.

And this is relevent in what way?

Very racist statement, for shame!

[amo_l_oman]

Originally posted by MoonChild
Very racist statement, for shame!

No you right, not relevant cause we're talking about non alcoholic drinks as San made me notice; just a note to show that drinks are available any time any place even in muslim country, that's what i saw: didn't mean to be racist, sorry.

[MoonChild]

Originally posted by amo_l_oman
drinks are available any time any place even in muslim country,

... and the blame lies squarely on the "demand" side, not the "supply" side. It's not like drug (or alcohol) dealers are out there forcing it on people, they are giving them what they want!

I'll bite my tongue on the prohibition/mafia comment I was going to make :wink:

[Wanderer]

Originally posted by MoonChild
... and the blame lies squarely on the "demand" side, not the "supply" side. It's not like drug (or alcohol) dealers are out there forcing it on people, they are giving them what they want!


Indeed, otherwise we'd hear about you complaining about all of the curry and onion flavored soft drinks being forced on the Omani people.

There ought to be a law !!!

[Orion]

I like indians ... from what other race could I hire a team of IT consultant for the price of a twinkie ...