Bangladesh News and Discussion

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 21 Jan 2014 02:41

While there may be some scepticism about claims made by the VHP, very, very few people globally are going to disbelieve a refugee's story. But Bangladeshi Hindus seem hesitant or tentative about telling the world about their experiences. The same for the Pakistani Hindus. There was some sympathy for Afghan Hindus worldwide, when they were forced to wear distinctive badges under the Taliban. But Bangladesh and Pakistan are still very grey areas, when it comes to Hindu refugees fleeing some kind of persecution. It's very curious. The Hindus from those countries need to get their stories told in the NY Times, BBC, Washington Post, CBC, IHT and so forth.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 21 Jan 2014 02:56

SRoy wrote: The "equal" treatment, if it occured, would have its natural limits. All said and done the Indian Union is not just the leftover colonial framework representing outside interests, but also its own people. The outside interests do gain upper hand, but there are internal limits. Things are rolled back in totality. Sometimes things are made to appeared to be rolled back, because we do not have the intellectual stamina to pursue matters to the end.

BTW, Bengalis on both sides suffer from the same problems that the miniscule Kahsmiri Pandit community exhibit. Primacy of ethno-linguistic identity and failure/refusal to identify with larger civilizational commonality.

Should be discussed in Strategic thread.

No, my assessment is that GOI would enforce a harsher treatment on Hindu uprisings/militancy compared to Islamists. This would be true in J&K as well as Bengal. This would be based on transnational, remnant ideological (from colonial times) and possible continuing political links between UK and Europe based interest groups/ideological/political positions and self-proclaimed sole-secular groups in India. Also perhaps a regional transnational framework that fears and makes the Islamist strength as larger than life in political perception.

I don't think it is a matter of lack of intellectual stamina. It may seem strange if I say so - but my hunch is that what you hint at, comes from excess cultivation of intellectualism, and perhaps genuine intellect. Over-"intelligence" would seek to rationalize, and do so more successfully - any compromises, set-backs, opportunism, ityadi compared to "less intellectual" ones.

I agree with the sub-regional versus wider identity issue. I had proposed this before as the fault of the Bengali - much more significant than the KP because of the sheer numbers. However, I also showed that it probably also had equal contribution from other regional interests to keep the Bengali "out". It was a dual and mutually complementary exclusivity process, where each used the others exclusivity to drive the "other" further "out".

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 21 Jan 2014 03:30

SRoy wrote: That's funny.

The WB Bengalis of Che Guevara variety do not discuss strategic issues. And that class is restricted (Brihaspati will be offended if I point it out) to a small social group in Kolkata.

Why should I be offended? In fact the Che Guevaras were mostly shipped out by their dads to UK and USA and Germany in the late 60's and 70's, - at least those who had the means to do so - mostly before I was even born.

On a serious note...exchange of population will not happen just as you wish. You cannot ask for something on the negoting table, that you are incapable of winning in battle field. That's the harsh truth.
You cannot even have an independent nation with doubtful loyalties.

True. There can be reabsorption - but it means swallowing it whole, land and people all, including the bony and thorny bits and later digesting those bits.

So what are our options? What's our bargaining chip for a limited polulation exchange?
A secessionist movement can be a such a bargaining chip. Will our own domestic politics allow such moves? Are BD Hindus capable of running a decade long movement? Are BD Hindus evenly spread or are concentrated in certain areas? If former, then the plan will fail.

No, it has to be the whole land, as otherwise the problem in its essence still remains. Moreover, any exchange of population still does not give us the land. We want it all.

Realistically, only a hardline rightwing govt. in India can open viable options.
The plight of Hindus outside India is a outward symptom of our internal decay.

Or it is a weeding out process, and the intensification of the goading prod that is needed.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 21 Jan 2014 04:22

I think what VikasRaina ji and SRoy ji have between them listed as the "weaknesses" of Kashmiri and Bengali Hindu, applies to almost all "Hindus" on the subcontinent, but they appear as weaknesses only when we look at them on narrow snapshot of history.

The same weaknesses have been shown by the interior - by Punjab, in spite of its later martial Sikh movement, by western and eastern Uttar Pradesh, by the Marathas, by Kerala, and many parts of the south - even Karnataka and Aandhra - after all the latter's valiant resistance against the charms of the muslim.

But these "other" territories have got away with not being labeled "weak" because they happened geostrategically to be placed in the "rear", in the "interior". In fact historically once the eastern and western/northern land gates were breached - the interior of the northern arc capitulated rather quickly. It was Kashmir and Bengal which did stem the Islamic tide for at least by one-two centuries more compared to the roughly 25 years in which all the area from Punjab to Bengal-current-Bihar border was overrun. Kashmiri hindus resisted until Harsha-the "Turk", while Estern Bengal maintained its hindu-ness under the later Senas for at least 80 to possibly 130 years, and even after that, the main base of Sultanate power remained on the western fringes, between Gaur [current Malda] and Bihar/Munger [ancient Mudgagiri] - with the regional Hindu chiefs ruling practically independently.

The dogra rulers did maintain a "minority" Hindu rule, and that too was won and maintained by strength of arms. Bengalis did their best to subvert the murshidabad Nawabs, and there seems to have been a merry collaboration between non-Bengalis [no one thought so or discussed so at the time - as far as I know the Seths of Murshidabad] and Bengalis using the EIC to subvert Mughals. The Bengalis were at the forefront of resistance to both Islamic and British rule in the early days through a sequence of rebellions and uprisings, often led by regional chiefs, being also part of the militant religious orders so characteristic of Hindu resistance after the formal establishment of the sultanates.

Now to an alternate take on the lists provided by the two esteemed and much appreciated-by-me posters :

(1) revolutions or revolutionary confrontations are both good and bad : good in that they may sometimes do the necessary course correction to a nation and its polity that otherwise would never happen and simply sink it down further. Bad in that they also take away the best minds and hearts of the revolution through attrition because they are the first and foremost in the frontlines and the first targets while the preceding regime is still kicking and alive. So that the surviving population and society overall, has a higher proportion of opportunists and collaborators. Since Punjab, Sindhu, Kashmir, and Bengal resisted so much - it is natural to expect that the surviving polity will have many rationalizations of collaboration and opportunism.

(2) These regions were the frontiers of Hindu India. As such they would always be suspect in the eye sof the interior. Border people are thought of as potential "other" by those who are, ironically, themselves bask in the glory of being the interior - by virtue of being defined by the same "frontier". Once the gates fell, and these were rather prosperous gates because they were the land entreports for foreign trade - the interior at least in the northern arc capitulated rather quickly compared to the gates.

Society divided into three, the non-compromisers split into the usual stand-and-fight-and-die and the other into retreat+still-indpendent-remote-area strategists, while the compromisers compromised with their land, women and wealth. Thus these areas became the hotbed, and over-concentration of rationalizers of Hindu-Muslim bhai-bhai, all-religions-are-equal type of shenanigans.

These interior areas of Hindu-Islamist collaboration were exactly the centres from which the later collaboration+appeasement-of-Islam line again took over with generous facilitation from the Brits. Whatever had remained was again cleaned up in an exact repeat of the early Islamic stage in 1857 and and teh decade after. As such they would also be in the frontlines of "othering" the traditional gatekeepers. The hatred of the Bengali and the Punjabi-Sikh was started most prominently in that interior "hotbed" of UP-Bihar continuum forst by some Islamics in Bihar and then also taken up by "Hindus", some even associated with the INC.

The regionalism that we see today is reinforced by a mutual exclusivism, and not merely by the Bengali, the Kashmiri or the Sikh.

As much as I urge the Bengali Hindu to shed its regional exclusivism, and identify with the "interior" more, the attitudes from the interior has to change too. That cannot be done by being intellectually polite, but by being intellectually ruthless. So many apparently hate "brihaspati" on the forum for his vicious arguments, but he has become so after facing decades of immensely arrogant intellectual opportunism.

The padma-hilsa is a defensive identity mechanism, coming out of immense vulnerability of knowing that he/she is always going to be put into neatly "othered" labeled boxes and never accepted "inside". I have no family connections to Bangladesh, so no personal reasons to be nostalgic or defensive.

gpati · Post by **gpati** » 21 Jan 2014 08:10

Brishaspati ji, Is Emperor Ashoka's said remorse and yearning for peace after Kanlinga, a propaganda myth? From limited sources I read so far, he adopted Buddhism before the war and was very ruthless in crushing his enemies. In fact, his prison was called "Ashoka's Hell". He very well knew what war with Kalinga meant.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 22 Jan 2014 23:49

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia ... 10114.html

SPEAKING FREELY
India-US chasm opens over Bangladesh

By Hasan Mir

The 10th parliamentary election took place in Bangladesh on January 5 amid widespread boycotts, violence, vote rigging and without much fanfare. While the ruling Awami League claimed victory, it is hard to imagine a scenario where this election - where the fate of 154 parliament seats out of 300 were decided before a single vote was cast - could bring stability to this increasingly important country.

The Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, came to power in 2008 with a two-thirds majority. While opportunities abounded for the Awami League to start a new era of politics in Bangladesh, it willfully wasted every chance to do so. The Awami League's fall from grace over the past few years can be directly attributed to widespread corruption by cronies of Hasina, violence against opposition members and intolerance of any type of opposition views.

The Awami League promised to nurture a democratic society with a progressive attitude towards governance. Buoyed by a strong mandate, the Awami League started to do the exact opposite from the get go.

During the Awami League's reign, the stock market declined to a record low due to manipulation by corporate interests close to Hasina, leaving millions of people without their hard-earned money. High profile swindling cases by close associates of Hasina were much too common, and millions were squandered. While there are plenty of media outlets in Bangladesh, Hasina worked very hard to dismantle any exposing her government's failures. Numerous news outlets were shut down and journalists were thrown into jail.

The people of Bangladesh took note of the widespread corruption, and the Awami League candidates were handily beaten in local elections. Hasina saw the writing on the wall and realized she would not come back to power under any free and fair election. Consequently, she amended the constitution to kill her own idea of a non-party caretaker government during votes, and amended the constitution to hold general elections under an interim government. This allowed Hasina to hold the election under her watch with plenty of options to rig the poll.

The recently concluded election took place despite calls to boycott from opposition parties. As mentioned earlier, the fate of 154 out of the 300 seats of the parliament was already decided as these seats each had only one candidate. The election for the rest came with reports of widespread vote rigging and stuffing of ballot boxes. The Daily New Age reported turnout to be less than 25% and it witnessed "small groups of people moving from booth to booth casting votes indiscriminately". [1]

Geopolitical chess game

Now questions can be raised as to what helps the Awami League ignore public opinion, world opinion and the minimum standards necessary to organize a free and fair election.

Brutal suppression of opposition parties makes sure any credible opposition to Hasina's policies goes unprotested. Another very important factor behind the Awami League's undemocratic activities can be traced to India's undeniable support. India has always been an influential country in Bangladesh and it is using its cronies to make sure Bangladesh does not make a successful democratic transition.

Despite calls from the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, China, Japan and other allies, India has been acting as a spoiler in Bangladesh by supporting Hasina's government. India's interest in supporting a corrupt and inept regime is multifold. Since coming to power, Hasina's government has made sure every demand of the Indian establishment has been met with nothing given in return.

India has been granted access to Bangladeshi ports and road networks for easier access to northeastern states. The Bay of Bengal's lucrative gas blocks have been awarded to Indian companies without any due process and without the participation of other world-renowned companies. India's security establishment has been granted unparalleled access to Bangladesh. India's products have flooded the Bangladeshi market despite India's reluctance to allow Bangladeshi products into India. India maintains a trade surplus of over US3 billion due to the various trade barriers enacted against Bangladeshi business. [2]

Policies taken by Hasina's government have also had a detrimental affect on Bangladesh's trade relationship with other countries. Hasina's government, under pressure from India, crafted a tax policy that increased the tax and surcharges levied against Japanese cars while decreasing the tax for substandard Indian cars. This was despite the fact that Japan has been one of Bangladesh's most important development partners for over four decades. Japanese car companies are losing millions of dollars worth of sales in Bangladesh as a result of these actions.

EU nations also saw the negative impact of Hasina's irrational pro-Indian policies. India's Bharti Airtel has been granted unfair tax advantages over European counterparts such Telenor-owned Grameen phone. Under the support of Hasina's administration, Bharti has been pushing hard to take away the market share from the established telecom operators like Telenor. There are quite a few other examples of these kinds of unfair trade policies that not only hurt Bangladesh's important development partners, but also prevent Bangladesh from fulfilling her true potential.

While Hasina's government has been more than liberal in dishing out favors to the Indian government, India failed to reciprocate. Indian border security forces still kill hundreds of unarmed civilians along the border every year. Land exchange treaties signed between the two countries in 1974 are yet to be implemented and ratified by India.

India's unilateral move to build dams in upstream rivers will create horrific consequences in Bangladesh. India has far failed to pay heed to any of these unresolved legitimate concerns of Bangladesh. And as long as Hasina is in power, by hook or crook, India seems to be happy with the outcome. India does not seem to have any interest in supporting the democratic process in Bangladesh. Neither does it concern itself over blatant human-right violations in Bangladesh by Hasina's government.

To maintain this unnatural and one-sided balance of power between these two nations, India has been working overtime to prop up Hasina's unpopular government. The opposition parties in Bangladesh are not so inclined to bow down to Indian pressure and India's foreign policy establishment believes the end of Hasina's tenure would mean a termination of this one-sided relationship.

India's unprecedented interference in Bangladeshi internal affairs has soured the mood of the people in Bangladesh. Recently, Indian Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh visited Bangladesh to openly lobby political parties to join the sham election. These undemocratic activities go against the very fabric of a free society and need closer attention from the outside world.

Up until now, the US and other EU nations coordinated their Bangladesh policies with India. Over the past few years a chasm has grown between India and the US (and the EU to some extent). Other than India, all other countries would like to see a democratic transition in Bangladesh where elections reflect the true choice of the people of Bangladesh. India's unconditional support for a brutal undemocratic regime in Bangladesh is influencing Western countries, especially the US, to rethink their Bangladesh policy seen through the prism of India.

A recent diplomatic snafu over the arrest of an Indian diplomat and subsequent retaliation from Delhi illustrate that policymakers from the US and India do not always see eye to eye. And that is not uncommon among nations. The point is that India will always pursue her interest regardless of what that means for the US.

India has proven that over and over again by granting nuclear contracts to countries other than the US, not procuring fighter jets from US companies, trying to create Afghanistan as the battlefront against Pakistan and thus fostering instability (as Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has said). It would be foolish to think US policymakers are not seeing the same signs. It is high time the US pursued a foreign policy in South Asia that satisfies the needs of the US and Bangladesh, not India's.

Bangladesh has become a very strategically important nation in the region in recent years. Sitting between South and Southeast Asia, it can be a bridge between these two fast growing regions. Bangladesh plays a prominent role in both the US and China's version of the new Asian Super-highway/trade route that will connect Asian countries with an aim to boost trade and improve interconnectivity.

Bangladesh's access to the Bay of Bengal is another important factor for the US, and others. Access to the Bay of Bengal and consequently to the Indian ocean is of significant strategic importance.

Bangladesh already has a long standing strategic relationship with the US. Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors of UN peacekeeping forces. Bangladeshi non-government organizations like BRAC (formerly the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) and the Grameen Foundation are also using their expertise and coordinating with the US to improve the lives of women in Afghanistan.

BRAC now employs over 3,400 people across Afghanistan and operates under five programs covering microfinance, health, education, capacity building and training and solidarity. Bangladesh also showed great acumen in aligning with the US and her gulf allies in organizations such as the Organizations of Islamic Cooperation on various important matters.

{US is now part of OIC!}

As a result of these multifaceted strategic partnerships between the US and Bangladesh, the US wants to see a democratic Bangladesh where democratic institutions thrive and prosper. That pits US policies directly against India's policy of supporting the undemocratic regime of Hasina.

The people of Bangladesh already have a favorable opinion of the US when it comes to promoting economic development and supporting democracy in Bangladesh. The US is also the largest market for Bangladesh's main export vehicle - readymade garments.

From Bangladesh's perspective, a more intertwined strategic partnership between Bangladesh and the US can help both countries immensely. Under the current US administration, the US is pivoting towards Asia and as increasing involvement with various regional players. Bangladesh can play an important role in helping US policy by connecting South Asia with Myanmar and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Bangladesh can also gain significant advantage by letting US oil giants explore energy in the Bay of Bengal. In return, the US navy can help shore up naval security there.

Bangladesh also promises a very attractive market for the US market and the abundance of skilled labor in Bangladesh can be a boon for US businesses. Due to sustained growth over the past few years, Bangladesh has experienced a considerable boost in the size of the middle class.

Middle and upper income families in Bangladesh are now spending billions of dollars to accommodate their lifestyle and are buying products to maintain such way of life. An estimated $6 billion worth of trade took place during the month of Ramadan last year. That is not a paltry sum by any account.

In order to utilize the growing economic-strategic stature and keep India's negative destructive influence at bay, Bangladesh should promote a closer partnership with US and EU. While China can also be a potential partner, its unwillingness to voice concern against India's interference in Bangladesh is a significant barrier. Until India changes it course and foster a relationship with people of Bangladesh rather than just a segment of the society, Bangladesh should examine how the intensity of relationships between US and Bangladesh can be enhanced.

Bangladesh would benefit greatly from a deepening partnership, both strategically and economically. The US is already contributing greatly to the advancement of Bangladesh. Closer coordination and partnership between these two countries can cement the relationship even further and help navigate the challenges ahead.

Notes:
1. See here
2. See here

Hasan Mir is an American-Bangladeshi IT Professional from Minnesota

(Copyright 2014 Hasan Mir)

Looks like Khaleda Zia's supporters are live and well in US.
By any chance is that his full name or he left out the last part?

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 23 Jan 2014 03:26

gpati ji,
probably OT on this thread. Yes, I think it is about propaganda. I wrote once that I think Buddhism developed and grew in interaction with Magadhan imperialism, and just like Roman Christianity, shaped - and in turn was shaped by - imperial agenda. Buddhist sangha and monk-cover classical intellectual-but-power-seekers-by-proxy clergy used Asoka in his drive for legitimacy, and he used them.

It would be tactically typical of imperialists to insist on "peaceful values" on the "subjects" once the latter had been defeated by military coercion. I also see Asoka being bandied about so much - starting from European colonial reconstruction of Indian heritage, and their praise for the "emperor" who dropped expansive conquest from the Indian agenda [they explicitly emphasize this in their writings so much that I wonder why people failed to notice the colonialist agenda underneath] as well as who trained Indians to apparently glorify in passively giving it "all up".

Interestingly Buddhist past of India is sort of sympathetically treated in islamist literature, especially in BD. They consistently try to represent pre-Buddhist or post-Buddhist Hindu society of Bengal as "repressive". What Islamists like in an ideology, should make us immediately aware of what is wrong with that ideology. Then they quietly suppress any talk of as to why this non-repressive, pacifist Bengal Buddhist class had to be militarily pounced upon by such sword-wielding saintly Sufi adventurers from Yemen as Shah Jalal, who participated in battles on the local Srihatta [Sylhet] Buddhist ruler and who then coerced/abducted the ruler's daughter into marriage.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 27 Jan 2014 02:14

Good analysis why chacha was supporting BNP+Jamaat, and China signalled a departure from the past:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140126/j ... uV5wdLnZH1

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 27 Jan 2014 03:11

^^

There are Islamists and Pakistanis who shamelessly speak of the so called eradication of Buddhism from India at the hands of Hindus, without so much as saying a word about the greater role of Moslem invaders in that disappearance, and its extinction in West and Central Asia as well. Even the most fanatic anti-Hindu can't blame Hindus and Hinduism for Buddhism's removal from those regions.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 05 Feb 2014 20:48

hat tip to Stan/Pax-Indica

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/ulfas-paresh-barua-sentenced-to-death-in-bangladesh/article5634460.ece

A special court in Chittagong on Thursday awarded the death penalty to Paresh Barua, chief of the breakaway United Liberation Front of Asom faction, and 13 others, including two former Bangladesh Ministers, in connection with an arms haul in 2004.

The police had seized 10 trucks carrying weapons and ammunition from the state-owned Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Ltd. jetty while the arms were being offloaded from two fishing trawlers.

Investigations revealed that the weapons were manufactured in China and were being shipped to the ULFA.

Paresh Barua and the former Secretary of the Industries Ministry, Nurul Amin, have been absconding since the recovery, and the court sentenced them in absentia.

Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Huq hailed the judgment and said it would act as a deterrent. Assam Home Secretary G.D. Tripathi said the State government learnt of the sentence but he would not be able comment unless it got a copy of the verdict.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/bangladesh-arms-haul-case-jamaat-calls-nationwide-strike/article5642913.ece?ref=relatedNews

The Jamaat—e—Islami has called a nationwide general strike in Bangladesh on Monday to protest the death sentence given to its chief along with ULFA leader Paresh Barua in the 2004 arms smuggling case.
The fundamentalist Jamaat—e—Islami on Saturday called a nation-wide general strike in Bangladesh on Monday to protest the death sentence given to its chief along with ULFA leader Paresh Barua in an arms smuggling case.

“The government is conspiring to kill Jamaat—e—Islami’s Ameer (chief) Motiur Rahman Nizami in a planned way (and) to implement the plan, it arranged the farce of a trial with false and fabricated allegations,” Jamaat said in a statement.

A special tribunal in the southeastern port city of Chittagong handed down the death penalty on Thursday to Nizami, who was industries minister in a previous BNP—led coalition government, Barua and 12 others for involvement in Bangladesh’s biggest ever weapons haul in 2004.

The Jamaat’s announcement triggered fears of fresh political violence in the country, which witnessed a prolonged spell of strikes and blockades enforced by an opposition alliance of which the Jamaat is a member. The unrest had subsided after the January 2 polls, which was boycotted by the opposition.

Besides the Jamaat chief, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader and former minister Lutfozzaman Babar and two retired army generals who headed intelligence agencies were also sentenced to death.

The main opposition BNP described the tribunal’s verdict as a “deep conspiracy” to ruin it. Those who recovered the weapons during the tenure of the then BNP—led government were put on trial, it said.

“It’s a part of conspiracy to root out the party,” BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said.

Barua, a fugitive, was given the death sentence in absentia. He now leads a faction of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) opposed to talks with the Indian government. ULFA for long has had bases and business interests in the Chittagong area.

Around 1,500 boxes containing submachine guns, AK—47 assault rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, 840 rocket launchers, 27,000 grenades and 11.41 million bullets were seized from 10 trucks in the early hours of April 2, 2004.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 05 Feb 2014 20:51

We criticise Dr MMS and SSMenon.What about their strenuous efforts.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 05 Feb 2014 20:58

http://dharma-yuddham.blogspot.com/2011/06/know-your-chittagong-10-truck-arms-haul.html

Stans take on the case

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?postID=2063422856576758598&blogID=22619560&isPopup=false&page=3

What started with Lutfozzaman Babar cant stay there, the next stop is (clap clap) Tareq Rahman. Of course, TR is safely sitting in London like the other MQM oiseaule. Will that hit stretch to Arafat Rahman Coco and mama Zia also and how would the BNP react to that is gonna be more important than all this attendant drama on the US dhaaga. Are they gonna do more hartals cos its fricking boring and wont up the ante beyond status quo? Are the frauds from the SD gonna have an Operation Solomon cooked up to save their comrades?

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 06 Feb 2014 13:09

"Around 1,500 boxes containing submachine guns, AK—47 assault rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, 840 rocket launchers, 27,000 grenades and 11.41 million bullets were seized from 10 trucks in the early hours of April 2, 2004."

Refresh my mind, where and by whom were the armaments seized? If within Bangladesh itself, then doesn't that show, that there must have been some elements in the ruling BNP that were against the policy of support to separatists/terrorists in India? I'm not supporting the BNP by any means, either way, still..

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 07 Feb 2014 03:12

You can blame the RAAW agints. Yeevil Yindoo India [never Bharat among those in BD who criticize India] has its clandestine operatives, everyone from the smallest madrassah to top politicians know that in BD.

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 17 Feb 2014 21:33

Bangladesh inks exploration deals with Oil India, ONGC

DHAKA: Inviting Indian companies for the first time to explore hydrocarbon in its territory, Bangladesh today awarded state-run Oil India Ltd (OIL) and ONGC two offshore blocks in Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh's state-owned Petrobangla inked two production sharing contracts (PSCs) with the ONGC and OIL for two shallow water blocks called SS-04 and SS-09 at a ceremony joined by senior government leaders, including Finance Minister A M A Muhith and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's energy affairs adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.

"We needed to proceed quickly to explore our energy... I hope they (ONGC and OIL) will carryout an aggressive exploration campaign though we may not expect any production in the next five years," Chowdhury told the ceremony.

Under the contract, the Indian companies would also have rights to explore an already discovered offshore gas field near Kutubdia beyond their allocated blocks but the contract obligated them to complete the exploration works in eight years after the seismic surveys.

The ONGC Videsh and Oil are also obligated to spend USD 58 million for block 4 and carryout 2,700 km-long 2D seismic survey, 200 sq km 3D and drill two wells during the contract period.

For the other block they will have to spend USD 85 million and conduct at least 2,850 km-long 2D seismic survey, 300 sq km 3D and drill three wells during the contract period, of which five years will be treated as initial period and the three years for subsequent exploration.

Under the profit sharing arrangement, Petrobangla would get minimum 70 per cent and maximum 90 per cent in regard to oil and condensate and minimum 60 per cent and maximum 85 per cent in cases of extracted natural gas.

The contractors will be allowed to operate and sell oil and gas for 20 years from an oil field and 25 years from a gas field.

Wellhead gas prices in Bangladesh are pegged to high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) prices in the international market, while oil prices are determined on the basis of a 'fair market value'.

Under the contract the floor price for HSFO has been fixed at USD 100 per tonne and the ceiling price at USD 200/tonne.

According to the PSC are the exploration companies will have rights of full repatriation of profits without any signature bonus or royalty and need not to pay duty for equipment and machinery imported for operations during the exploration, development and production phases and will have 100 per cent cost recovery and production bonuses.

The ONGC and OIL could also sell gas independently to third parties instead of going through state-run Petrobangla and companies will be allowed to market the gas domestically as well, but Petrobangla will have the first right of refusal.

http://m.economictimes.com/news/news-by ... 573705.cms

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 28 Feb 2014 00:04

Bangladeshis Protest Bollywood Film ‘Gunday’ for Misrepresenting Liberation War

new Bollywood film, “Gunday“, has people outraged in Bangladesh against the movie's mischaracterizing their country's 1971 war for independence. The film begins with a scene of the 1971 India-Pakistan war and ignores the events of 1971 that led to the creation of Bangladesh. It highlights only the 13 day long India-Pakistan war which occurred at the fag end, ignoring the essential element of the nine month long Bangladesh's struggle for liberation from Pakistan, in which an estimated three million people died.Bangladeshis took to social media networks to express their anger and demand an apology from the production company behind the film, Yash Raj.
There have been offline protests as well. Several youth groups engaged in Street Protests in capital Dhaka. The government also officially protested.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/02/2 ... ation-war/

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 01 Mar 2014 19:41

Searching for the original source of this news...

Muslims Attack Hindu Temple and Leave a Bomb Threat Unless They ‘Convert to Islam’

vic · Post by **vic** » 06 Mar 2014 08:59

India should encourage Awami league to split up BNP, that's the only way to reduce the threat of BNP coming to power with even more extreme anti-India attitude.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 06 Mar 2014 10:31

Bangladesh should be our Belarus .....we need to control the events there rather then just be fence sitters and lets the event control us , that country is rich in gas and having a pipeline from Bangladesh is a far attractive option than any other option on the table.

member_28352 · Post by **member_28352** » 06 Mar 2014 10:42

Agree with what you say, Austin. There's no reason why a country that's surrounded on three sides by India should be under the influence of anyone else.

http://www.thedailystar.net/route-of-hope-beckons-14298

Route of hope beckons
Bangladesh expects business boom as 4 countries to build transnational highway

Also the above road link should be encouraged. This will bring development to NE India and general economic upliftment to Eastern India. Will also discourage the nefarious designs of the leukosphere in that part of India. Eventually will provide an alternate route that allows Chinese/Indian trade without going through the pacific and meddling by US and its lackeys like the Philippines.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 08 Mar 2014 09:53

Photo Khoobsurat Hai
American Apparel's Latest Controversial Ad Shows Topless Former-Muslim Model

American Apparel has done it again with their latest controversial advertisement, this one featuring a topless former-Muslim model from Bangladesh.Maks was born in Dhaka, but the 22-year-old has lived in California ever since she moved to the United States with her family at the age of 4. She is currently a merchandiser for the retail giant.The words "Made in Bangladesh" are printed across her chest and do little to cover up the model's breasts.The ad comes on the heels of American Apparel featuring a 62-year-old model for their underwear line.Earlier this month, a print campaign showing Jacky O'Shaughnessy was shown in ads proudly flaunting her bod in her skivvies.And while O'Shaughnessy has been modeling with the clothing company since 2011, it was only until just recently that she was shown not fully clothed.The Los Angeles-based chain also shook things up when they featured mannequins with pubic hair in their Lower East Side Manhattan store around Valentine's Day.Dee Myles, American Apparel's District Visual Manager, claimed that the mannequins "bring rawness and newness to a holiday thought of as a romantic Hallmark holiday...by exploiting the lust of Valentine's Day."

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 08 Mar 2014 12:06

^ Why is this ad Controversial I wonder...?

vic · Post by **vic** » 19 Mar 2014 07:44

What is the current situation in Bangladesh? Is Awami league in control now for next five years?

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 20 Mar 2014 05:01

Rs 150 is all it takes to enter India illegally.

The city police may well have to work overtime to nab the Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the city and send them back to their native country. But, a Bangladeshi national can get his or her entry to India by paying a mere Rs150-250 to the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. What's more, they can reach Mumbai or any other city in India by paying another Rs4,000-5,000 to some agents operating in West Bengal, a Bangladeshi national informed the police. "Almost 99% of the Bangladeshis we arrested in last one-and-a-half-year came to Mumbai through such agents. While many of them coordinated with these agents from Bangladesh itself, some paid them after reaching India. At times, these agents also take the responsibility of bringing them to India from their native places," said Gajanand Pawar, assistant police inspector from Navi Mumbai crime branch.

"These brokers are suspected to be hand-in-glove with the BSF personnels. They reportedly bring people from Bangladesh in groups at night and pay the BSF. Once these people reach West Bengal, they get railway tickets to send them to Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai or any other city of the country. We are investing the matter, but have not been able to arrest any of the agents so far, as they hardly come to the city," Pawar said.

According to Pawar, many Bangladeshi nationals also get Indian documents like PAN card, passport, among others, in the 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. "It is very difficult to take action against such Bangladeshis, if they manage to source Indian documents," he said.

If sources are to be believed, several Bangladeshis are still working at many places in the satellite city like Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Khandeshwar, Turbhe, Rabale, Taloja, and the interior areas of Panvel. The agents are providing these people to the private companies as these people are ready to work for a lower wages as compared to the Indian labourers. While the males work in private companies and the construction sites as labourers, women go to various families to work as domestic helps. "Many Bangladeshis are also involved in carrying fake currency notes to Mumbai from West Bengal. It is very difficult to find out from where they get these fake notes. We have arrested many people in connection with such crimes, but have not been able to recover any printing machine," said Nitin Patil, assistant police inspector, from crime branch.

KL Prasad, Navi Mumbai police commissioner said, "If media reports are to be believed, some of our neighbouring countries are helping these culprits in circulating fake currency notes in India. Bangladeshis are a bigger threat than Nigerians as it is difficult to identify the Bangladeshis because of their physical resemblance with our own citizens."

"There has been a demographic change in many places near the Indo-Bangla border because of this cross-country migration. These people are coming to Mumbai and Navi Mumbai as they are getting works in the construction sites. We will have to ensure that no foreign nationals get a chance to work and stay in the city without proper documents," he said.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 24 Mar 2014 04:19

US up to its dirty tricks again ...

America’s interventions in Bangladesh’s politics hurt the interests of India and
regional peace

...
US ambassador in Dhaka Dan Mozena has met Opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia
several times and told the media that the US supports the Bangladesh people in
their quest for democracy.

Mozena insisted on an immediate dialogue on
"how to hold elections fairly" to be followed by fresh polls that are "credible
and inclusive". Hasina's foreign policy adviser Gowher Rizvi has described these
calls for fresh elections as

destabilising the situation that the January 5 polls help
stabilise. Mozena's fusillade coincided with aSenate foreign relations hearing
on Bangladesh, on the day Mozena met Khaleda Zia. It was titled Prospects for
Democratic Reconciliation and Workers' Rights
in Bangladesh.

Senior US labour department officials told the committee
that Bangladesh has not done enough to improve labour rights and safety

standards — so Washington should hold back on resuming the
Generalised System of Preferences for 5,000 Bangladesh products that was cancelled
in June last year after 1,100 ready-made garment factory workers died in the
illfated Rana Plaza collapse.

Eric Biel, the acting associate deputy undersecretary at the US labour
department, admitted that there were indications of progress in some areas of
the US action plan for the Bangladesh garment industry — but much more needed to
be done, specially in allowing workers to form unions.
...
...

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 07 Apr 2014 23:28

Devout Bangladeshi Muslims make a fire offering at a Hindu temple as part of Islamic interfaith outreach:

Published: 12:00 am Thursday, April 03, 2014
Hindu temple in Bangladesh set on fire

Seven idols were burnt as criminals set a Hindu temple ablaze at Adhuna village in Gournadi upazila of the district early yesterday.

After worshipping, the priest left the tin-shed Durga-Kali temple at 10:30pm on Monday, said Satindranath Chakraborty, president of Senerhut Durga-Kali Mandir management committee.

In the morning, the worshippers found the burnt idols of Durga, Sarswati, Laxmi, Kartik, Ganesh, Ashur and Kali and informed the police.

A gang set the temple to fire by pouring petrol at midnight, said Satindranath Chakraborty.
A case was filed in connection with the incident, said Abul Kalam, officer in-charge of Gournadi police station.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 27 Apr 2014 10:50

Check this new book

MBI Munshi

Any Indian government is a potential threat to the South Asian neighborhood but whereas the Congress Party is a refined surgical instrument a BJP government under Modi will likely be a blunt object. While Muslims under Congress are relatively safer, minorities in general are only marginally better off. It is, however, in foreign policy that a BJP government could prove to be dangerous. The Congress and BJP share a great deal when it comes to foreign policy objectives such as seeking to achieve hegemony and domination over South Asia and the Indian Ocean region to the exclusion of external powers such as the USA and China. However, the BJP has the additional baggage of a Hindu chauvinist ideology combined with increased militarism. What liberal and progressive Indians fear most is that a BJP government will try to achieve the same foreign policy objectives as a Congress government but much more overtly and aggressively thus increasing the risk of the fracturing and eventual dismantling of the Indian Union. Please read more on these issues in my book
The India Doctrine - https://www.academia.edu/5690262/The_In ... 1947-2007_

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 27 Apr 2014 21:24

OK, IRFR of 2012 claims the Hindu population at 9.5-9.6% based on 2011 census. However, still nothing official on the BBS site. If true it would mean an addition of 2.5 million taking the total to 14.5 million. This would mean the population is stable and has shown healthy growth. Need other sources of confirmation. Meanwhile, Hasina has brought legislation to return confiscated Hindu land upon claim but window of application is small and majority of the population has fled to India. So not clear how much it will benefit the Hindu community. But those remaining may benefit.

anupmisra · Post by **anupmisra** » 28 Apr 2014 00:20

svinayak wrote:MBI Munshi

This inbred BD passes himself off as an armchair "economist" and longs for the good old days of pakjabi/pakhtooni overlordship when his ammi and khalas were providing special yeoman services in east bakistan. Apparently he has a hard on for everything Hindu/Indian, as demonstrated by his writings and belly aches on deaf and dumb website whose name can not be mentioned.

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 04 May 2014 09:03

According to this article - illegal migration is fully managed service provided by certain parties.

Economic migration from Bangladesh

A worker from Assam at a coffee plantation in Kodagu district, Karnataka tells his boss that he has to go back to his state and vote failing which he will be sent to Bangladesh. As shocking as this statement may sound, it does make one thing very clear that he is an economic migrant from Bangladesh who has been issued with a voter id card on the condition that he compulsorily shall vote for a particular party failing which he will be sent back to Bangladesh.

There are several million such illegal immigrants or economic migrants spread across India. They are Bangladeshis who are given valid Indian documents and they take up work in different parts of the country calling them either residents of Assam or West Bengal. If you think how do they manage to get these documents so easily, then one must date back to the case of the IC 814 hijacker who obtained a ration card from Bombay for Rs 200.

The BJP has always raised this issue of illegal immigrants in the past and the one time it was in power at the centre, it really did not manage to do much about it. It is not as easy as it may seem says C D Sahay, former Research and Analysis Wing chief. It is not the job of the Intelligence Bureau to sit down and ascertain who is an illegal immigrant. It is the job of the respective state and the civil administration to determine that. For any government at the centre to completely tackle the problem it needs the assistance of the respective state government and its civil administration, Sahay also points out.

The government may have given an official count of 1.5 lakh illegal immigrants, but the fact is that there are many more falling under this category who go unaccounted. These immigrants are known as economic migrants. The main reason for them to migrate into India is in search of a livelihood. Officials say that it is a sad situation as they have come here in search of livelihood. But the culprits are the political parties who have set up camps to issue them with a voter id card or even a drivers licence. These persons do not even have to bribe the officials for an identification as the administration particularly in West Bengal or Assam have been more than willing to give them documents for free.

The document which is given to them gives them an Indian status and after this they are free to go anywhere and work. A contractor takes care of a group of persons and he is the one responsible for their movement in the country. He allots places for them to work and what he needs to ensure that during the elections they have to return and vote. If they fail to do so, then they are threatened by these contractors who tell them they would be sent right back to Bangladesh.

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 04 May 2014 09:33

The security situation is so bad that all the Bangladeshis be send back to Bangladesh. Arrest them immediately and never ever allow any Bangladeshi ever to be in India. Else take the whole of Bangladesh after eliminating all Jihadis from there and merge it with India. Either one of it must take place.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 04 May 2014 10:27

This is why you need a dedicated immigration department with its dedicated workforce and police powers.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 04 May 2014 12:54

^^^
in the works. bureau of immigration is undergoing expansion.

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 05 May 2014 20:21

Hindu households, temple attacked in Bangladesh

DHAKA: A mob of nearly 3,000 attacked Hindu households and a temple in eastern Bangladesh after two youths from the community allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.

Earlier reports said culprits mobilized attackers mostly belonging to fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami and several other ultra-right groups who ransacked the temple and the nearby households and looted some valuables.

"The attack continued for some 20 minutes but during the time, the culprits preferred not to injure anyone ... our initial investigation found it was a pre-planned attack as they used loudspeakers and distributed leaflets to mobilize the attack," Shikdar said.

People at the neighbourhood said nearly 3,000 attackers, mostly from outside the locality, staged the attack as the village elders were set to hold a meeting to resolve the issue of the alleged defamation of the prophet.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 06 May 2014 03:50

Bangladeshi infiltrators must go back, refugees welcome: Narendra Modi.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday said Bangladeshi infiltrators who were allowed into the country for votebank politics would have to go back, while refugees who have been thrown out of Bangladesh on religious grounds would be greeted with open arms.

“BJP’s position is very clear, votebank politics has destroyed the country. Those who are Bangladeshi infiltrators, will have to go back,” Modi said. “Two types of people have come from Bangladesh—the refugees who have been thrown out in the name of religion and the infiltrators,” he said at an election rally here.

“In any country of the world if there are Indians in whose blood the colour of India runs, if they are ethnic Indians, whatever be the colour of their passport. Should not they come to India and be greeted with open arms? Those who are thrown out of Bangladesh, should they come to India or not? ... Those who are thrown out of Bangladesh, those who observe Durgastami and speak Bengali, they are all our Mother India’s children. They will get the same respect just as any Indian,” he said.

Hitting out at Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee for her “paper tiger” jibe against him, the BJP’s prime minister candidate said, “Didi is talking so much about tigers, but she is in the service of infiltrators.”
“Had she done (something) for the tigers of Sundarbans instead of doing so much for the infiltrators, then tourists from all over the world would have flocked Bengal,” he said.

Modi said that a real tiger is one who jails those involved in the Saradha chit fund scam and gets back money of the poor.Modi also said that Banerjee’s attack on him would not deter him in helping Bengal if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power at the Centre and a strong BJP government would also ensure that the West Bengal chief minister does her job seriously.

“A tiger is the one who sends those involved in Saradha chit fund scam to jail, investigate the matter and get back the money of the poor. I am surprised. Didi, why are you afraid of a paper tiger. If a paper tiger has proved this costly for her, then what will happen if a real tiger comes before you,” Modi said while addressing a rally here.The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate said the real tigers of Bengal were its youth. Three days back, Banerjee had taken swipe at Modi, saying there was a difference between a ‘paper tiger’ and a Royal Bengal Tiger.Modi said that “Didi’s” attack on him will not be an impediment for Bengal and its development, if BJP comes to power. The Gujarat chief minister said that he does not believe in politics of “revenge” (badla), but politics of “badlav” (change).

“Didi has bad-mouthed me, launched attacks and levelled false charges. But let me assure you that I will serve people of Bengal and work for them. I believe in politics of change and not revenge,” he said, adding that Bengal had suffered injustice for 60 years because of the central government.

The West Bengal chief minister and Modi have engaged in verbal slugfest over several issues and have launched vitrolic attacks on each other.Appealing to the voters, Modi said that if BJP is elected to power, it will be a double profit for the people of Bengal. “I am giving you a formula. If a strong BJP government comes to power at the Centre then Didi also has to stop her drama and show some seriousness in running the government. If I make 100 kms of roads, then she has to at least make 10 kms of road. If I build 1 lakh houses then she has to build 10,000 houses,” he said.

Alleging that neither the Left, Congress or TMC were concerned whether the youths of the country get jobs, he said “they, however, ensure that the Bangladeshi infiltrators get jobs so that their votes are cast in their favour.” “Our first responsibility is to give opportunities for income to our countrymen and not to infiltrators,” Modi said.

At an election rally in Srirampur last week, Modi had said that Bangladeshis would be pushed out with their bags and baggages after election results on 16 May.

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 07 May 2014 09:47

Interesting article on cracked.com, written by a Bangladeshi guy:
6 Horrors of Being an Atheist in a Fundamentalist Country

Yogi_G · Post by **Yogi_G** » 07 May 2014 12:04

How come the media has not made a big "Secular" issue on the "Durgashtami" thing? Wouldnt they be crying hoarse now that Modi is Hindu nationalist onleee by now?

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 11 May 2014 01:06

The sad thing is that the family of Sugata Bose (TMC candidate) actually think that the perpetrators of this massacre, the Pakistani soldiers, were the real heroes (read Sarmila Bose).

Jhathibhanga massacre day observed in Thakurgaon

On April 23 in 1971, thousands of people from Jagannathpur, Gorea, Shukanpokhori, and Balia unions under Sadar upazila left their home for India to save their lives from the Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators known as Razakars.

As the people, mostly belonging to minority Hindu community, gathered at Jhathibhanga village in Sadar upazila, Pakistani soldiers, informed by Razakars and Al Badars, rushed to the spot and killed about 3,000 people and buried them at a mass grave there.

...Even after 43 years of the Liberation War, the Razakars who were involved with the killing are moving freely and many of them have become the influential members of the society, speakers said at the programme.

"We decided to cross the border for refuge in India as it was not safe to live in the area," said eyewitness Dhani Charan.

"When we reached Jhathibhanga village, the sun was setting and we decided to stay for the night there and start next morning.

But the Razakars of the area came to know the matter and immediately informed the Pakistani army. A contingent of the Pakistani army rushed to the area and encircled the hapless innocent people.

Later the collaborators asked the male members of the minority community to stand in queues.

The Pakistani soldiers and their collaborators killed around 3,000 people that day, said Dhani.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 06 Jun 2014 10:03

http://newagebd.net/18264/defence-alloc ... Szee5.dpuf

Bangladesh’s defence and security budget increased to $3.58 billion

The government’s budget for fiscal 2014-15, beginning July 1, has proposed increasing defence spending to Tk 16,462 crore ($2.12 billion) up from outgoing fiscal’s Tk 14,458 crore ($1.86 billion).

Presenting the annual budget finance minister AMA Muhith on Thursday sought approval of Parliament, proposing 6.6 per cent of the total budget outlay of Tk 2,50,506 crore for defence.

The budget for the outgoing fiscal which ends on June 30, the finance minister had sought 6.5 per cent of the total budget outlay of Tk 2,22491 crore for defence.

The revised budget for the outgoing fiscal allocated Tk 15,180 crore for defence, according to the budget documents presented in Parliament.

‘We are committed to build a strong and efficient defence force capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century. We have already added modern war equipment to the armoury of our army, navy and air force and extended their training facilities,’ Muhith told Parliament in his budget speech.

He said that modernisation of the armed forces would continue.

‘I am delighted to inform this august House that for the first time we have added a home-made battle ship to our naval fleet. Our armed forces, apart from serving the country, are serving as members of the UN peace keeping force with distinction,’ said the finance minister.

The government had allocated Tk 12021 crore in the budget for 2012-13, said the budget document.

The budget excludes allocations made for Border Guard Bangladesh, Ansar/VDP, Fire Service & Civil Defence as they are under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which has been allocated another Tk. 11,357 crore ($1.46 billion). This means Bangladesh’s total defence and security budget is over $3.58 billion for fiscal 2014-15.

SRoy · Post by **SRoy** » 06 Jun 2014 13:12

Any inside info on BGB composition?
IIRC BDR had a certain amount of fundamentalist sympathizers. Hope they are gone in the reorg after the mutiny.