Bangladesh News and Discussion

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 06 Jun 2014 14:48

thog bachhte gaan ujar *

people with overt links have been removed but the recruitment pool is overwhelmingly full of people with islamist sympathies. the OR's come from rural BD with its ubiquitous saudi funded madrassas and in your face islamism & the officers from BD version of pakjabi gentry. the liberal buddhijibi class doesn't join army or BGB.
interestingly enough our folk have started overtures to BNP for sometime, sensing BAL was playing them. this is also the reason why SH is seen with islamist elements in recent days.

*
(for those who dont speak bangla "village is emptied in trying to weed out the thugs".)

arun · Post by **arun** » 27 Jun 2014 15:57

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is expected to provide arbitration award in the India vs Bangladesh Bay of Bengal Maritime Boundary dispute on July 2:

Sea boundary verdict July 2

Details when available should be up on this page of the PCA’s website:

Bay of Bengal Maritime Boundary Arbitration between Bangladesh and India

member_19686 · Post by **member_19686** » 28 Jun 2014 06:02

Bangladeshi American student arrested for conspiring jihad against Hindus
Posted on 5:34 pm, June 27, 2014 by WHN Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC: A young man of Bangladeshi origin has been arrested in Austin, Texas under allegations that he has been consorting with foreign terrorist networks to help plan attacks on US soil.

Rahatul Ashikim Khan (23), along with alleged co-conspirator Michael Todd Wolfe (23), was formally charged with conspiring to commit terroristic acts by a US District Court on Wednesday.

Khan, who is originally from Chittagong, Bangladesh, is currently a student at the University of Texas, was nabbed as part of an elaborate sting operation set up by the FBI, during which a multitude of evidence was apparently uncovered that linked Khan to several terrorist groups around the world.

Khan, under the guise of several different aliases, would use online chat rooms to speak with and recruit potential new “jihadis.” The people he recruited would be enlisted for specific tasks or for a skill set that they possessed, such as their willingness to kill in the name of Islam or their hatred for a certain ethnic group, like Hindus.

What Khan didn’t know is that one of the people he was talking to was a covert FBI informant, who would keep logs of the conversations between himself and Khan and then pass them onto the proper authorities. It was through this informant that the FBI was able to mount an investigation into Khan, which ultimately ended in his arrest.

This investigation took place over the course of several years, during which Khan was in regular correspondence with the covert FBI operative and a slew of other young potential jihadis. The Daily News reports that Khan often spoke about wanting to kill scores of other people, and that he wanted to participate in a jihad himself.

Khan has been linked to terror groups in Africa and Syria, whose members he is accused of having spoken with online in the name of jihad and other terroristic intents. One of the groups Khan allegedly was in touch with is al-Shabab, the terror cell that has been responsible for the recent violence that has afflicted Kenya.

He is also said to have spent a lot of time in chat rooms dedicated to followers of Brixton imam Sheikh Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Faisal, a former US resident and religious leader who was jailed for several years and later deported back to Jamaica for preaching violence against Jews, Christians, and Hindus.

Khan was finally arrested after the police were able to catch Wolfe, who also frequented Internet chat rooms under the alias “Faruq.” Wolfe was picked up by police as he tried to board a Toronto-bound flight from Houston’s George Bush International Airport, along with his wife. Reports indicate that Wolfe, who was also unknowingly in touch with an FBI operative, said that he wanted to join ISIS – the militant group currently laying siege to Iraq, and closing in on the capital city of Baghdad.

Both men now face up to 15 years behind bars if they are found guilty. A trial date has not yet been revealed.

http://worldhindunews.com/2014062726756 ... st-hindus/

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 29 Jun 2014 02:29

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 29 Jun 2014 19:16

A bitter pill is being given with some mithai. Millions will be status less in Assam and may be deported to Bdesh in the next decade. This is the mithai to bring some cheer over the coming bad news.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 29 Jun 2014 21:48

Supratik wrote:A bitter pill is being given with some mithai. Millions will be status less in Assam and may be deported to Bdesh in the next decade. This is the mithai to bring some cheer over the coming bad news.

this will be forgotten by that time.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 29 Jun 2014 22:10

Virupaksha wrote: this will be forgotten by that time.

I think Modi is going to send mithais from time to time as he continues to deliver the pills. Also GOI would like Hasina to continue. The Razakars need to be hanged and the Jamat defanged. Hasina has also modified the constitution (Bdesh is now a secular state with Islam as the state religion which is a bit confusing but progress nonetheless) and is also returning land to Hindus confiscated under VPA (remains to be seen how much of the 2.4 million acres is actually returned). So overall it is good diplomacy by Modi admin.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 01 Jul 2014 05:17

Interview: Khaleda Zia

member_23692 · Post by **member_23692** » 01 Jul 2014 05:59

"Does the Modi government’s stance on illegal immigration cause you concern?

We heard this mentioned many times during the election campaign. We also heard about in the past. Nobody has given any clear proof that there are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in India. Sushma Swaraj did not raise this issue. During elections, people say a lot of things to win — we too say a lot of things — but that does not mean everything will be implemented. And I don’t think many Bangladeshis go to India… they are all doing quite well here."

A quote from an interview with Khalida Zia. So, apparently Sushma Swaraj met Khalida Zia and did not raise the issue of illegal immigration of Bangla Deshis into India, thereby, giving her the excuse to say that "I dont think many Bangladeshis go to India....they are all doing quite well here".

So this whole issue is just the Indian conspiracy to slander Bangla Desh, its economy and its people. It is all a RAW plan to "dress up" Indians as Bangla Deshi migrants to defame Islam.

What was Sushma thinking ? Actually, what is Sushma thinking ? In fact, what does Sushma think ? Does Sushma think at all ? And if she does not think, what about all the "babus", hundreds of them, who act like entitled "Sahebs", who are supposed to guide her? What are they thinking ? Do they also not think ? Or are they too busy making money............to hell with India and everything else...

SanjayC · Post by **SanjayC** » 01 Jul 2014 07:21

^^^ Sushma Swaraj is very incompetent. She is more into bonhomie and good relations kind of thing, more like an aunty carrying gifts, than any kind of serious thought or strategy. She has no mass base either -- she survives by hanging on to the coat tails of Advani. It was a mistake to give her such a responsible position.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 01 Jul 2014 11:01

Could it be that Illegal immigrants is only for internal consumption and no Govt has full proof or even half proof means or ways to identify or deport Illegal BD's hence no raising of this issue with BD.
JMT...

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 01 Jul 2014 11:06

SanjayC wrote:^^^ Sushma Swaraj is very incompetent. She is more into bonhomie and good relations kind of thing, more like an aunty carrying gifts, than any kind of serious thought or strategy. She has no mass base either -- she survives by hanging on to the coat tails of Advani. It was a mistake to give her such a responsible position.

It seems to be a way of accommodating LKA without accommodating him

A disaster in either case, given his blooming jinnah love and relay race nobel ka daud anchored by ABV

Too bad that another unannounced entrant unceremoniously made him drop the baton for good.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 01 Jul 2014 20:01

Are you guys joking? Sushma cannot even pee w/o Modi's knowledge. In the past raising the issue of illegal immigrants has been met with a stern denial from Bdesh whether Hasina or Khaleda. So don't expect them to stand on the border with garlands welcoming illegal immigrants back home. If taken to its logical conclusion the illegal immigrants are going to go back exactly the same way they came - slither across the border. It is irrelevant whether Sushma discusses this with Hasina. It will only become an issue if the illegals are really pushed back and Bdesh makes it an issue. Till then it will be exchange of mithais.

SRoy · Post by **SRoy** » 01 Jul 2014 22:06

If this is the way of working of Modi's government (behind the scenes), then he should not have raised the immigrant issue in public to make it a poll talking point.
An impression will gain ground that illegal immigration is poll noise, but nothing in reality.

You unsheathe a sword when you are sure to draw blood.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 01 Jul 2014 22:12

As muraliravi has posted the process of updating the NPR has already started in Cachar. This is the first step. It is going to take 2-3 yrs to do it in Assam. Deportation is only the last step. Lets wait and watch. But bringing it up with Hasina serves no purpose as Bdesh denies any illegal Bdeshi in India.

member_23692 · Post by **member_23692** » 02 Jul 2014 01:40

Supratik wrote:But bringing it up with Hasina serves no purpose as Bdesh denies any illegal Bdeshi in India.

That's right. Because BD denies any illegals in India, we should stop bringing it up with them.

My instincts are exactly the opposite. Dont issue any concessions to them on boundary or water or border killings issue, until at least they start speaking the truth and stop making a fool of us or stop thinking that we are fools to be just trifled with.

I see nobody else stop bringing up issues with India, if India denies it or does not want to discuss it or even considers it their internal matters or even are bogus issues. People persist with it. How about the Pakis stop bringing up Kashmir with us because we deny that it is any of their business ?

We should stop portraying weakness or stupidity as Chakiyan or even smart policy, even if it is coming from this government.

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 02 Jul 2014 07:07

I do think Many of those Bangladeshis are now Hindus. The prosecuted Hindus of Bangladesh will never go back. We give humanitarian shelter to them.

Everyone else will.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 02 Jul 2014 13:36

@rsangram

I have already explained why GOI is backing the Hasina govt (see posts above).
Modi is doing the right thing. He has initiated the process of identifying illegals and also maintaining good relations with the Hasina govt.

sivab · Post by **sivab** » 08 Jul 2014 22:05

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/breakingnews.html

India accepts UN court verdict giving 25,000 sq miles to Bangladesh
India accepts UN Tribunal verdict that awarded 25,000 square miles to Bangladesh, MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin says 'we respect verdict of tribunal and are in process of studying award and implication'.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 09 Jul 2014 02:15

http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesi ... nid=242191

“[Enter] Commander East Pakistan General Niazi, wearing a pistol holster on his web belt. Niazi became abusive and started raving. Breaking into Urdu, he said: Main iss haramzadi qaum ki nasal badal doon ga. Yeh mujhe kiya samajhtey hain. He threatened that he would let his soldiers loose on their womenfolk. There was pin drop silence at these remarks. The next morning, we were given the sad news. A Bengali officer Major Mushtaq went into a bathroom at the Command Headquarters and shot himself in the head.”

muraliravi · Post by **muraliravi** » 09 Jul 2014 07:08

rsangram wrote:
Supratik wrote:But bringing it up with Hasina serves no purpose as Bdesh denies any illegal Bdeshi in India.
That's right. Because BD denies any illegals in India, we should stop bringing it up with them.

My instincts are exactly the opposite. Dont issue any concessions to them on boundary or water or border killings issue, until at least they start speaking the truth and stop making a fool of us or stop thinking that we are fools to be just trifled with.

I see nobody else stop bringing up issues with India, if India denies it or does not want to discuss it or even considers it their internal matters or even are bogus issues. People persist with it. How about the Pakis stop bringing up Kashmir with us because we deny that it is any of their business ?

We should stop portraying weakness or stupidity as Chakiyan or even smart policy, even if it is coming from this government.

Arey Yaar,

Every BSF-BDR meeting, this issue is beaten to death. Every secretary level meeting it is discussed. Just becos sushma aunty did not discuss it, it means nothing. Next, what is needed is real ground action than talk. The 1st and the best thing to do is give all residents an National Identity Card, with all citizens getting one colour and the non citizens getting a differnt colour. This is already proposed as part of the NPR/National ID project. District by district, door to door verification is being done as we speak. They are vetting the Aadhar database to verify who is citizen and who is non-citizen resident.

What more do you want? Just saying, yes we discussed with BD, or a few rhetorical statements or some real action whereby, real ctizens get all the right cards and illegals are disenfranchised by cleaning up NPR and linking it to voter rolls so that even if they have voter id card, they cannot vote in next election.

I prefer substance to noise

muraliravi · Post by **muraliravi** » 09 Jul 2014 07:12

sivab wrote:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/breakingnews.html
India accepts UN court verdict giving 25,000 sq miles to Bangladesh
India accepts UN Tribunal verdict that awarded 25,000 square miles to Bangladesh, MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin says 'we respect verdict of tribunal and are in process of studying award and implication'.

Its 25000 sq kms. Of the 25000 sq kms, BD gets 19000 and India gets 6000 sq kms.

India today should call its has tag as junk news, not breaking news.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 09 Jul 2014 17:59

This is the second legal maritime victory for BD. Earlier also they got a favorable judgement against Myanmar. Do anyone know profiles of the judges and how they are appointed ?

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 13 Jul 2014 08:48

UN panel verdict allows India access to Hariabhanga gas reserves, Dhaka gets 20 K sqkm EEZ

by Rajeev Sharma Jul 12, 2014

A historic development has taken place a few days ago regarding the 40-year-old India-Bangladesh maritime dispute, reported from the judicial precincts of The Hague in the Netherlands, which has not been as intensely reported and commented upon in Indian media as it deserved.
On 7 July a United Nations Tribunal awarded nearly four-fifth of the maritime territory to Bangladesh giving that country control of almost 20,000 square kilometers of the disputed area that expands to 25,000 square kilometers in the Bay of Bengal.
This is the second successive diplomatic victory for Bangladesh over its maritime concerns as in 2012 the UN tribunal had resolved the issue after Bangladesh had taken a similar matter with Myanmar to the tribunal.
Hariabhanga bonhomie. AFPHariabhanga bonhomie. AFP
For India too it is a matter of satisfaction and also a diplomatic victory for several reasons. One, the United Nations' Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague acknowledged India's sovereignty over New Moore Island and grants India concomitant access to the Hariabhanga river.
The disputed region was near the mouth of the Hariabhanga river, an area of huge strategic importance for India in the coming decades. In 2006, India had discovered 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in a creek about 50km to the south of the mouth of the Hariabhanga within the contested region. The Hariabhanga gas reserves are estimated to be almost twice what the entire Krishna-Godavari basin holds.
New Moore Island (called South Talpatti in Bangladesh) has been claimed by both India and Bangladesh ever since it came into being in Bay of Bengal following a cyclone in 1970. The uninhabited island disappeared in March 2010 due to climate change-related issues. Nonetheless, the UN tribunal’s acknowledgment of the Indian sovereignty in the area hands over considerable strategic leverage to India. That is because the region is said to be rich in oil and natural gas reserves. Now India can legally explore and exploit the natural resources in this area.
The second reason is equally important for India. While it is true that Bangladesh has ‘gained’ close to twenty thousand square kilometers in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), India has reasons to be happy as the award has split the area in question in favour of India which is significantly closer to India’s claim than to that of Bangladesh.
Thirdly, this is good news for millions of Indian fishermen in West Bengal and Odisha as well as Bangladeshi fishermen as the settlement opens up miles of unchallenged open sea that was not available to them in past four decades. This stretch of the sea has been used primarily for transit and both India and Bangladesh had been preventing each other from using it for any other purpose, particularly fishing. Fishermen from both sides would thus get a bounty at a time when fish near the coast had depleted considerably, forcing them to go further out to sea entailing more costs in terms of money and time.
Over and above these reasons there is a huge diplomatic take-away for both India and Bangladesh from the historic UN tribunal award.
The closure of this long-pending dispute, wherein both the sides fell short of their expectations and yet got many things to cheer about, paves the way for a more intense bilateral cooperation. It is a win-win situation for both the sides as articulated by their foreign ministries.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali described the tribunal's award as a "victory for both countries…and a win-win situation for the peoples of Bangladesh and India". Ali took care to laud India’s role in this episode at a press conference in Dhaka, saying thus: "We commend India for its willingness to resolve this matter peacefully by legal means and for its acceptance of the tribunal's judgment."
India too welcomed the development and MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin remarked: "The settlement of the maritime boundary will further enhance mutual understanding and goodwill between India and Bangladesh by bringing to closure a long-pending issue. This paves the way for the economic development of this part of the Bay of Bengal, which will be beneficial to both countries."
Now that both the sides have made substantial gains and ended a major bilateral dispute as per the international law, it should spur them on to go for an amicable settlement of two other major pending issues: land boundary agreement and Teesta water sharing.
The writer is Firstpost Consulting Editor and a strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha.

Samudragupta · Post by **Samudragupta** » 28 Sep 2014 20:09

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ask his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to be alert to threats she faces when they meet in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly later this month.

Indian intelligence says it has already secured details on attempts by a Western intelligence agency to "destabilise" Bangladesh by using elements of the army to bring down the elected government

http://articles.economictimes.indiatime ... gladesh-pm

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 28 Sep 2014 20:35

It is SeeEyeAee trying to establish a naval base there. The note about that agency playing a role in removal of left government in west Bengal is something of a concern. Looks like there is lot more than that meets the eye in ride of Didi and the Sarada scam.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 02 Oct 2014 09:46

Bangladesh minister sacked after criticism of Haj: Telecom minister Abdul Latif Siddique declared an apostate

Siddique said: “I am dead against Haj and Tablig Jamaat. Two million people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj. Haj is a waste of manpower. Those who perform Haj do not have any productivity. They deduct from the economy, spend a lot of money abroad.”

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 02 Oct 2014 11:09

Looks like Bangladesh is trying to up the stakes in the IT game.
Bangladesh may build world's fifth-biggest data centre in earthquake zone

The Bangladesh Ministry of Information is considering the establishment of a Tier 4 data centre in Kaliakair, in the Gazipur region, an ambitious build which would constitute the fifth largest data centre in the world, if completed.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 13 Oct 2014 20:25

Any comments on this book review of the 1971 war?
http://www.thedailystar.net/1971-bhitore-bahire-45353

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 24 Oct 2014 17:46

Jailed Bangladesh ex-Islamist leader dies

DHAKA, Bangladesh: A former Bangladeshi Islamist party leader, whose imprisonment on war crimes charges triggered violent protests last year, has died of a heart attack in a prison cell of a government hospital.

Ghulam Azam, 91, died late Thursday after life support was removed at the Bangabandhu Sehikh Mujib Medical University in the capital, Dhaka, said hospital spokesman Abdul Majid Bhuiyan.

A special tribunal last year sentenced Azam, a former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami party, to 90 years in prison on 61 charges of war crimes during the Bangladesh 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Bangladesh accuses the Pakistani army and local collaborators for the deaths of 3 million people and the rape of 200,000 women during the nine-month war. Azam led Jamaat-e-Islami in what was then East Pakistan. His party openly campaigned against independence and Azam toured the Middle East to mobilize support for Pakistan. The party has denied committing atrocities.

Azam led the party until 2000, and was still considered to be its spiritual leader. Jamaat-e-Islami claims his trial was politically motivated, which authorities deny.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 29 Oct 2014 04:45

In South Asia, Bangladesh is the most friendly to free-market capitalism: an American view:
http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2014/10/28/ba ... ist-haven/

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 29 Oct 2014 12:22

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 320_1.html

B'desh tribunal sentences Jamaat-e-Islami chief to death

Bangladesh's fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami was today sentenced to death by a special tribunal for the war crimes committed by him during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan.

"He shall be hanged by neck until he is dead," pronounced the chairman of the three-member panel of judges of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal Enayetur Rahim.

The bum factories in Bengal were in preparation to this event.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 29 Oct 2014 20:25

pankajs wrote:http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 320_1.html

B'desh tribunal sentences Jamaat-e-Islami chief to death
Bangladesh's fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami was today sentenced to death by a special tribunal for the war crimes committed by him during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan.

"He shall be hanged by neck until he is dead," pronounced the chairman of the three-member panel of judges of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal Enayetur Rahim.
The bum factories in Bengal were in preparation to this event.

At least now, no one can claim that there are no bangladeshis in India

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 30 Oct 2014 16:08

As reported in Pakistan: coup plot uncovered:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/region/30- ... ladeshi-pm

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 31 Oct 2014 20:28

@_chAyA_ @Rjrasva @AgentSaffron recent history too the chakmas voted to go with east pak. in the sylhet plebiscite. now refugges in India

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 31 Oct 2014 21:07

Chakmas are located in CHT. They backed the ML and opted to stay with Pak during partition. Otherwise CHT which was non-Muslim majority could have a better chance of being in India. They later got Bd love in terms of killings, rapes and ethnic cleansing and being turned into a minority. This led to insurgency under Shanti Bahini. Shanti Bahini opted for peace under pressure from IK Gujral govt which withdrew Indian support. This led to autonomy within Bd that was never fully implemented. Today many Chakmas who fled Bd reside in Tripura and other areas of NE.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 01 Nov 2014 13:54

There is a king from this area who is non muslim residing in Pindi. He must have moved after 71'.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 01 Nov 2014 13:57

Tridev Roy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raja Tridev Roy (Urdu: راجہ تری دیو راۓ‎), sometimes spelled Tridiv Roy, (14 May 1933 – 17 September 2012)[1] was a former 50th Raja of the Chakma tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of present-day Bangladesh from 2 May 1953, until his abdication in 1971 following the Bangladesh Liberation War.[2][3] He chose to remain a Pakistani when Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971. He became known as a writer, diplomat, Buddhist religious leader and politician in Pakistan.[2] Between 1981 and 1995, he served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Argentina with concurrent accreditation in Chile, Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador.[4] He was also a Minister-For-Life within the Pakistani government.[5] Tridev Roy died in September 2012.[5][6]

khan · Post by **khan** » 01 Nov 2014 20:10

From nyt

Blackout Hits Bangladesh as Line From India Fails
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NOVEMBER 1, 2014

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh was struggling to restore power late Saturday, hours after being hit with a nationwide blackout that started when a transmission line bringing electricity from neighboring India failed, officials said. The system was not expected to be fixed until at least early Sunday.

The blackout swept across the impoverished and energy-starved South Asian nation at around noon, after the transmission line experienced a "technical glitch" that led to a cascade of failures throughout the national power grid, with power plants and substations shutting down, said Masum-Al-Beruni, managing director of the state-run Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd.

The company restarted some power plants and restored electricity to some areas of the country for a few hours Saturday afternoon. But the plants were not operating as normal and had to be shut down again, two power company officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation with media.

They said they were investigating the problem, but that it would take at least 12 hours to repair the national grid and restore power to the capital, Dhaka, a city of more than 10 million people.

Dhaka's hospitals and the international airport were continuing to operate, with emergency generators supplying power. But many offices normally open on Saturdays had to send their employees home.

"This is terrible," said Mohammad Hasan, a resident of Dhaka's upscale Bashundhara neighborhood. "We had some confidence in the government over last few years that the power sector was improving slowly. But what is this?"

As night fell Saturday, most of Dhaka remained dark, though officials said they had restored some power to strategic buildings, including major government hospitals, the president's house and the prime minister's residence.

An aide to Beruni said technicians were working to restore the link with India. "Our work is progressing fast. We hope to restore the system to a great extent, if not entirely," said Mir Motahar Hossain.

Bangladesh is considered one of the most energy-poor nations, with one of the lowest per capita electricity consumption rates in the world. More than a third of Bangladesh's 166 million people still have no access to electricity, while the country often is able to produce only some of its 11,500-megawatt generation capacity.

Power outages blamed on inefficient and dated grid infrastructure, as well as poor management, are common in Bangladesh, though Saturday's blackout was the country's worst since 2007, when a powerful cyclone that killed about 3,500 people knocked out the national grid for several hours.

Bangladesh has tried to improve its energy situation, extending access to electricity to about 3.45 million more people since 2008. Last year, it started to import electricity from India through the 400-kilovolt transmission line, which runs from Baharampur in the Indian state of West Bengal to the town of Bheramara in southwestern Bangladesh.

It also has signed agreements with energy companies in Russia, Japan, China and the United States to build power plants and improve energy infrastructure.

arun · Post by **arun** » 02 Nov 2014 11:42

^^^ India has moved rapidly to squelch any talk by Islamist malcontents and Pakistani sympathisers that collapse of the Bangladesh electricity grid was caused by India. Electricity grid collapse was apparently due to some limitation of Bangladesh’s Bheramara sub-station which receives electricity supplied from India via a 400 KV transmission line:

Why the national power grid collapsed : The national grid collapse in Bangladesh was not a result of any flaw in the Indian side

Another article quoting official from our Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.:

Without power for 10 hours …………..

A senior official of the state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), which manages the electricity transmission line between the two countries, said there is absolutely no problem on their side.
Power Grid's Executive Director (Operations) RP Sasmal told reporters that a problem of the Bangladesh substation has caused non-drawl of power from India, reported our new Delhi correspondent. ………………..

Clicky