Bangladesh News and Discussion

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 02 Nov 2014 12:22

The Associated Press ‏@AP 2h2 hours ago

Power restored in most of Bangladesh a day after grid failure causes nationwide blackout http://apne.ws/1wT1Pkv

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 02 Nov 2014 19:38

NDTV ‏@ndtv 1h1 hour ago

Bangladesh court orders Islamist tycoon to hang for war crimes http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/bangl ... mes-615208 …

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 08 Nov 2014 23:05

Bangladesh News ‏@BDnews 18m18 minutes ago

Bangladesh Islamist 'may hang in a week' - http://Aljazeera.com http://goo.gl/fb/3PWReb #Bangladesh

Mohammad Kamaruzzaman of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, the country's largest Islamic political group, would be the second senior Islamist to hang for crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence that resulted in secession of the former East Pakistan.

Law minister Anisul Huq told the AFP news agency on Thursday Kamaruzzaman could be hanged as early as next week unless he sought a presidential pardon.

The 62-year-old assistant secretary-general of Jamaat has seven days to petition the president for clemency, Huq said.

"On the expiry of seven days, if he does not apply for clemency, the sentence passed by the highest court of the country can be executed," he said.

I think the tussle between India and US was because the US wanted to protect the top leadership of JeI in Bangladesh. They knew if Hasina government came to power it would try these folks and hang them at the earliest.

Why was the US so hell bent on saving the JeI? Was the US objective to create a second pakistan on our eastern flank?

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 08 Nov 2014 23:17

Bangladesh News ‏@BDnews 28m28 minutes ago

Indian police arrest woman suspected of plotting to kill Bangladesh PM - The Guardian http://goo.gl/fb/Ci1Re8 #Bangladesh

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 30 Nov 2014 13:36

http://www.anandabazar.com/state/%E0%A6 ... A8-1.91574
বাংলাদেশে ফেরার দর বাড়াল ‘লাইনম্যান’
অরুণাক্ষ ভট্টাচার্য
বিস্ফোরণ বদলে দিল পারাপারের দর।
এতদিন চোরাপথে সীমান্ত পেরিয়ে এ দেশ থেকে বাংলাদেশে ঢুকতে মাথাপিছু লাগত প্রায় ৩ হাজার টাকা। আর বাংলাদেশ থেকে এ দেশে ঢুকতে লাগত প্রায় ৪ হাজার টাকা। কিন্তু ‘লাইনম্যান’-রা (যারা চোরাপথে মানুষ পারাপার করে) জানাচ্ছে, খাগড়াগড় কাণ্ডের পর নিয়মটা উল্টে গিয়েছে। এখন এ দেশ থেকে বাংলাদেশে ঢুকতে প্রায় এক হাজার টাকা বেশি লাগছে। কোথাও আরও বেশি।
আসা-যাওয়ার দরে ফারাক কেন? লাইনম্যানরা জানাচ্ছে, ভারত থেকে বাংলাদেশে লোকে বসবাস করতে যায় না, যায় বেড়াতে। তাগিদ কম বলে দরও কম। কিন্তু ‘অনুপ্রবেশ’, অর্থাৎ পাকাপাকি থাকার জন্য ভারতে থাকতে বহু লোক আসতেন বাংলাদেশ থেকে। তাই ভারতে ঢোকার দামটা ছিল বেশি। সিন্ডিকেটের মাধ্যমে সেই টাকা ভাগ হয়ে যেত দু’দেশের সীমান্তরক্ষী থেকে শুরু করে পুলিশ, দালাল, লাইন ম্যানদের মধ্যে।
লাইনম্যানদেরই কথায়, ভারত থেকে বাংলাদেশে যাওয়ার সংখ্যাটা হঠাৎ করেই বেড়ে গিয়েছে। সেই যাওয়াটা নিছক ঘুরতে নয়, বেশ কিছুদিনের জন্য পাকাপাকি ভাবে বাংলাদেশে বসবাসের উদ্দেশ্যে। পরিস্থিতি ঠিক হলে তবেই ফিরে আসবেন তাঁরা। এই চিত্র গোটা রাজ্যের সীমান্তবর্তী এলাকাতেই। উত্তর ২৪ পরগনা, নদিয়া, মূর্শিদাবাদ, মালদহ থেকে শুরু করে উত্তরবঙ্গের সীমান্ত এলাকাতেও দেখা যাচ্ছে এই চিত্র। বাংলাদেশ থেকে এ দেশে ঢোকার সংখ্যাটা কমেছে। আবার বাড়তি সতর্কতা পেরিয়ে বাংলাদেশে ঢোকার ক্ষেত্রেও জারি হয়েছে কড়াকড়ি। পেট্রাপোল শুল্ক দফতরের ক্লিয়ারিং এজেন্ট অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের সম্পাদক কার্তিক চক্রবর্তী বলেন, “তাই এই বাড়তি ঝক্কি পেরিয়ে বাংলাদেশে যাঁরা ফিরে যাচ্ছেন তাঁদের জন্য সুযোগ বুঝে দর বাড়িয়ে দিয়েছে চোরাপথের সিন্ডিকেটগুলিও।” যেন এটা পুনঃপ্রবেশ কিংবা প্রত্যাবর্তন।
কিন্তু কেন এই উল্টোপুরাণ?
আসলে খাগড়াগড় বিস্ফোরণ কান্ডের পরে প্রশাসন সূত্রে জানিয়ে দেওয়া হয়েছে, বাড়ি ভাড়া নিতে গেলে কিংবা যাঁরা ভাড়াটিয়া হিসেবে রয়েছেন, তাঁদের ভোটার কার্ড, জন্ম প্রমাণপত্র, প্যান কার্ড(আবশ্যিক নয়) এবং আগে যেখানে ভাড়া ছিলেন তার নথি নিয়ে দেখা করতে হবে সংশ্লিষ্ট থানায়। সেখান থেকে একটি ফরম নিতে হবে। তারপর সেটা ভর্তি করে তারসঙ্গে নথিপত্রের জেরক্স ফের জমা দিতে হবে থানায়। এর অন্যথা হলে বিপদে পড়বেন বাড়িওয়ালা স্বয়ং। বিপত্তির শুরু এখানেই। পুলিশ ও প্রশাসন সূত্রে খবর, এই প্রচারের পরপরই ভাড়াটিয়ারা সংশ্লিষ্ট থানায় গিয়ে পরিচয়পত্র জমা দিচ্ছেন। যাদের কোনও পরিচয়পত্র নেই, বাড়িওয়ালারাই চাপ দিয়ে সেইসব ভাড়াটিয়াদের তুলে দিচ্ছেন। বারাসত পুরসভার ১ নম্বর ওয়ার্ডের কাউন্সিলর তসলিমা খাতুন বলেন, “আমার ওয়ার্ডের মেঠোপাড়া এলাকা পুরো ফাঁকা হয়ে গিয়েছে। শ-খানেক বাংলাদেশি পরিবার ভাড়া ছেড়ে দিয়ে দেশে ফিরে গিয়েছে।” ওই এলাকারই বাসিন্দা ফজরুল হক বলেন, “কোনও বাড়িতে তিন-চারটি পরিবারও থাকত। পরিচয়পত্র না থাকায় ক’দিনের মধ্যে ফাঁকা হয়ে গিয়েছে।”......
The Bengali news paper Annada Bazar writes that there is a large amount of Bangladeshi migrant families that are returning back to Bangladesh as after the Khagragarh blast, the current landlords are asking for identity papers and depositing them with the Police. This situation is being reflected in the price taken by the agents who smuggle people across the India-Bangladesh border.
Gautam

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 30 Nov 2014 21:13

"Why was the US so hell bent on saving the JeI? Was the US objective to create a second pakistan on our eastern flank?"

The tools in US State Dept. have been trying to whitewash the 1971 genocide by the Pakis for the longest time -- remember Sarmila Bose and her "scholarship" on the topic doing exactly that, with the full backing of the William B Milan who was the US ambassador to Bangladesh, and even defended her being piled on by Indians for her damning lies on the 1971 genocide in BDesh. His letter to Sarmila Bose was leaked here on BRF as he asked her to tell the Indians to p1ss of and not call her an Indian because she was an american....the letter was only meant for sarmila's eyes but Milam hit "reply all" instead of just "reply" if I recall right.

This game plan is still alive and well, and another part of this State Dept. game is to create a islamist problem in Myanmar with the help of Qatar and other US-friendly ME states, which is why Obama came and farted in Myanmar during ASEAN about the Rohingya problem and why the US is keen on getting Suu Kyi to power in Myanmar.

(Bangladesh genocide was in 71 not 73 -- thanks for correction)

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 30 Nov 2014 22:51

^ Actually year was 1971. US propensity in white washing the Bangladesh genocide is due to the fact that it was the main backer of the Pakis who perpetrated the genocide of 3 million Bangladeshis, majority of them hindus.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 01 Dec 2014 10:33

PM Modi for India Bangladesh Land Swap

Can the experts weigh in on this? Since the area being swapped is small and fragmented and uninhabited (as part of the swap, India is giving up 17000 acres of land while Bangladesh is giving up 7000 acres of land resulting in a net loss of 10,000 acres or about 40 sq Kms for India), population swap is not possible. It seems we are giving away pockets with challenging grography to Bangladesh so that we can control illegal immigration and infiltration? Also a pre-req to get access to Chittagong port and rail access for NE. I am specifically interested in how this is going to help us in getting rail and road acess to NE through Bangladesh?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his government would go ahead with a land transfer deal with Bangladesh keeping illegal influx and Assam’s long-term security interests in mind.

Bangladesh stands to gain some 10,000 acres of land through this deal the UPA government had initiated in 2011 and placed as a bill for ratification in Rajya Sabha in December last year. The BJP in Assam had opposed this deal, as did the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/po ... tro01a.jpg

Addressing party workers in Guwahati on Sunday, Modi said, “The land swap deal will be beneficial. It might seem to be an immediate loss for Assam, but it will serve security interests in the long term and help solve the problem of Bangladeshi migrants.”

Infiltration from Bangladesh is a major issue in the Northeast. It is viewed as a demographic invasion designed to out-populate scores of indigenous communities in the region.

The Prime Minister said there would be no compromise with the security of the strategic Northeast. “The forces trying to destabilise Assam and the Northeast should know that Delhi has a new government and the law will not spare them now,” he said.

Insisting that the BJP brand of politics was not based on casteism, communalism or regionalism, Modi said his party believes in nationalism. “Our mantra of inclusive development has compelled all political parties to rework their agendas,” he said, adding that his government has special plans for the Northeast.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 01 Dec 2014 11:20

X-post

So BJP has done a U-turn on land swap. Thats good. As pointed out before these enclaves are a source of illegal immigration, trafficking and smuggling. All you have to do is hide in one of the enclaves and you are technically within Bdeshi jurisdiction.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 12 Dec 2014 09:22

An American view of the India-Bangladesh deal:
http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2014/12/11/in ... r-dispute/
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinio ... moment/99/

While resolving the border with Bangladesh may seem like a quiet regional development compared with the turmoil in Afghanistan or competition with China, it will in effect deliver a political hat-trick of historic proportions. By resolving this nearly 70-year-old border dispute, India will be able to advance its trade and security ties with Bangladesh. Doing so will position India and its Northeast as a gateway to Southeast Asia. Importantly, it would demonstrate that Modi’s government can overcome even the highest political hurdle and restore global confidence in India. - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/opinio ... uXg3G.dpuf

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 18 Dec 2014 06:12

Calcutta date for Bangla President

Hamid, the first Bangladeshi President to visit India since Abu Sayeed Chawdhary in 1972, is flying here at a time the Narendra Modi government is nudging Parliament to adopt a key pact New Delhi has long promised Dhaka.

But the Bangladesh President, who will spend Monday and Tuesday in Calcutta with a brief trip to Santiniketan in between, is - as of now - not expected to meet Mamata, senior Indian and Bangladesh officials independently confirmed.

Hamid's visit, a reciprocal trip almost two years after President Pranab Mukherjee flew to Dhaka in January 2013, reflects a fresh belief in Bangladesh that India under the Modi government may finally deliver on key promises New Delhi has so far reneged on.

"Had it not been for the significant forward movement on the land agreement, I don't think we would have seen the President of Bangladesh coming to India right now," an Indian official said. "It's definitely a gesture, one which is really good for our bilateral ties."

But Hamid's visit does not appear to represent any thaw in the taut ties between the Bengal government and the Sheikh Hasina regime in Dhaka.

The Mamata government's relations with Bangladesh -already rocky because of Trinamul's opposition to the land pact and the Teesta water accord - have strained further over the past two months after the October 2 blast in Burdwan.

Money from the Saradha scam, Dhaka is convinced, has been used to support terror groups in Bangladesh targeting the Hasina government. Bangladeshi foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has handed to national security adviser Ajit Doval details of suspected cross-border linkages between terror groups in Bangladesh and supporters in Bengal.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 06 Jan 2015 08:19

Bangladesh juggles Japan and China.
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/banglade ... -interest/

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 25 Jan 2015 22:01

Son dies in middle of Khaleda's battle

Dhaka, Jan. 24 (Agencies): Begum Khaleda Zia's self-exiled younger son Arafat Rahman Koko died today after a cardiac arrest, further convulsing Bangladesh where a stand-off between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Zia-led Opposition has led to the death of over 30 people.

Koko, 45, died in Malaysia, where he was living for the past several years, said the former Prime Minister's media secretary, Maruf Kamal Sohel. "He died on his way to a hospital following a heart attack," Sohel was quoted as saying by local media.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) sources said Zia earlier today met her younger brother and his wife at her office to "discuss Koko's health".

Zia's elder son and BNP senior vice-president Tarique Rahman is living in London in a bid to evade trials in a number of graft and criminal charges.

One case accuses Rahman of masterminding a grenade attack on a rally of Hasina's Awami League in which 24 people were killed in 2004.

Unlike his brother, Koko preferred to stay away from politics and maintain a low profile though he was known for his passion for sports.

Koko, however, was arrested on September 2007 on graft charges following an anti-graft campaign under emergency rules when an army-backed interim regime was in power. He was paroled for treatment abroad in July 2008.

Koko first went to Thailand and lived there until 2011 and then went to Malaysia. A Dhaka court sentenced him to six years of imprisonment in 2011 after trial in absentia. Zia met Koko last in Singapore in 2012.

It is not clear what impact the bereavement would have on the campaign Zia had spearheaded against the Hasina government by enforcing a violent nationwide blockade since January 6,

Zia, whose BNP boycotted the election on January 5 last year, has demanded that Hasina and her government step down for a new vote under a caretaker administration.

Hasina has refused, instead tightening her grip by arresting key Opposition leaders and clamping down on critical media as anti-government protests spread.

The violence has worsened sharply since January 5, the first anniversary of the vote.

At least 34 people have died in Bangladesh and scores have been injured, most of them in firebomb attacks, in the stand-off.

Khaleda called the blockade after she was prevented from holding a mass rally in Dhaka on the January 5 anniversary.

Legal action could be considered against Khaleda for ordering the killing of innocent people, said health minister Mohammed Nasim.

"They should immediately stop the killing of innocent people, children, woman, labourers," he told reporters today after visiting the burns victims. BNP leaders were not immediately available to comment on the threat of legal action.

The renewed political turmoil could cause a delay in shipments by the country's $24-billion garment industry, already under pressure after a string of fatal accidents. Police said at least 25 people have died in arson attacks, including two yesterday.

Eight more were killed in clashes with police, and one died following injuries from a crude bomb blast, they added.

At least 50 people were injured, some critically, after Opposition activists firebombed several vehicles in the capital, Dhaka, and surrounding districts, the police and witnesses said.

In Dhaka, at least 29 people suffered burns after attackers hurled petrol bombs at a bus, the police said.

"Nine are in a critical condition," said Mohammad Sajjat Khandakar, a doctor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which has been struggling to deal with growing numbers of the injured.

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A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 10 Feb 2015 20:42

http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/20 ... akes-shape

Vietnam is likely to overtake Bangladesh in the global apparel export market share in next 10 years once the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) takes shape, according to a new study.

The TPP is a proposed freed trade agreement, US-led trade pact involving 12 countries – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam that collectively account for 40% of the world GDP. It is currently under negotiation and is likely to take effect in 2015.

According to a research report by Standard Chartered Bank released last month, the agreement is likely to benefit Vietnam’s apparel industry, while hurting South Asian competitors like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

“Vietnam could overtake Bangladesh in global apparel export market share by 2024, raising its share to 11% from 4% currently. Bangladesh’s market share would increase only marginally in this scenario to 7% from current 5%, while Sri Lanka’s would decline from the current 1%.”

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 11 Feb 2015 20:39

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/saud ... 18227.html

A week after lifting a seven-year employment ban, Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum with Bangladesh to hire some 120,000 workers in a year from the latter.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 11 Feb 2015 20:40

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 820_1.html

A court in Bangladesh today handed down the death penalty to five operatives of a banned Islamist outfit allegedly linked to last year's Burdwan blast in West Bengal amid fears that the extremists were regrouping, taking advantage of the current political unrest in the country.

The five Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants were accused of killing a public prosecutor in 2007 who had argued the government's case in trying five top JMB leaders including its chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman, who were eventually hanged for the murder of two judges.

Additional district and sessions judge in southwestern Jhalakathi district, Abdul Halim pronounced the verdict as three of the five JMB convicts appeared in the dock while two others were tried in absentia, TV reports said.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 21 Feb 2015 18:42

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-ma ... ue-2062966

Visiting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday assured Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of a "positive role" in resolving the outstanding Teesta river issue to protect interests of both sides.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Hasina's media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said Banerjee herself raised the Teesta issue and also informed Hasina that she expected the Indian parliament to ratify the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) in its next session.

"Mamata Banerjee assured her (Hasina) of playing a positive role on the issue of water sharing (Teesta river) and protecting the interests of Bangladesh and India," he said.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 21 Feb 2015 18:44

Note: news via Pakistan
http://customstoday.com.pk/bangladesh-i ... operation/

DHAKA: Bangladesh and India agreed to enhance cooperation in border management in a recent two day joint meeting by increased joint patrolling for reducing the crimes being committed by criminals and smugglers on the border area of Bangladesh, particularly along the borders facing Tripura and Mizoram.

The Indian delegation appreciated the steps taken by the Bangladesh authorities in acting against the carriers of fake Indian currency notes, and action taken against the Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) taking shelter in the bordering areas of Bangladesh. Both countries also agreed to act against the criminals engaged in human trafficking from Bangladesh to India and other countries.

India and Bangladesh have also agreed to resolve the issues concerning fishermen drifting inadvertently across the maritime boundaries. In a gesture of goodwill, both countries have started sending back fishermen with their boats without losing time.

Both countries have expressed satisfaction over these meetings which have proved very fruitful in resolving local issues immediately without following the long process of referring the matters to the respective governments.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 21 Feb 2015 18:45

http://www.thedailystar.net/indian-nati ... desh-65879

Some criminals from India attacked a house of a Bangladeshi at Kisamot Chhatnai Char in Dimla on Thursday evening and injured five people and took away three cattle.

At least 18-20 men entered the village through Kisamoter Char border around 7:30pm from Cooch Behar of West Bengal, said Rabiul Islam Lithon, chairman of Khoga Kharibari union parishad.

They swooped on the house of Abu Taher, assaulted his family and ransacked the house. The criminals then snatched three cattle and went back to India, he added.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 23 Feb 2015 05:39

schinnas wrote:PM Modi for India Bangladesh Land Swap

Can the experts weigh in on this? Since the area being swapped is small and fragmented and uninhabited (as part of the swap, India is giving up 17000 acres of land while Bangladesh is giving up 7000 acres of land resulting in a net loss of 10,000 acres or about 40 sq Kms for India), population swap is not possible. It seems we are giving away pockets with challenging grography to Bangladesh so that we can control illegal immigration and infiltration? Also a pre-req to get access to Chittagong port and rail access for NE. I am specifically interested in how this is going to help us in getting rail and road acess to NE through Bangladesh?

Pure BS based on some total (has to be deliberate since this isnt UPA who could give the excuse of not understanding what Islam majority/sovereignty means) misrepresentation of BD drives, planning, long term strategic goals and steps undertaken consistently to achieve those goals.

No amount or degree of concessions will give any unharassed access to Chittagong port. GOI is overdoing certain aspects of UPA foreign policy that appeased Islamists or China. Hope that this is not by some simple charm offensive laid out by baboos of the services.

After UPA experience, any posing about silence/pussyfooting/peace-gestures/cooperation as an indicator of some deep Chanakyan kick in the gluteals for our enemies, lost in the depths of the future - is kind of unbelievable.

NM might be punishing and sending out iron fist in kid gloves signals to MB or Assam congressites - by this "gesture", but it is going to cost the BJP politically if carried through. Who the h*** are the advisers for the East? or Lutyens air makes who ever rises to its throne have the same let-the-eastern-rogues-go-to-the-dogs fever like JLN?

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 23 Feb 2015 05:48

Has any plans been given on what exact territories marked out on a map - being exchanged. Many of us here will have the expertise to immediately say whether or not the territory given out to BD is going to consolidate or create advantages for the Islamists.

Advantages are not just for peacetime - advantages must be thought of at various scaled aggression levels, which is coming from BD end in the near and mid term future. BD must be modeled as a society permanently in imbalance, now as its fundamentally Islamist base is asserting itself after long gestation. Its a society that will grow increasingly confused, decentralized and authoritarian at the same time - fusing all sorts of popular grievances into a religious banner where mullahs and islamists will increasingly come into control.

Its army, coercive wings of the state are almost classically into the ME secular/nationalist model with increasing and surprising attraction or sympathies for Islam.

BD will go full-fledged Islamist in a decade or two. When it comes it will be a surprise to many here. But it will. Giving out territories is like giving away excuses to go into their territories legally, under international shenanigans, or giving away vantage points. Whoever is advising this, is doing great harm. Doing it as a continuation of the deep seated policies that suit external interests on the subcontinent thats been going on since independence.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 24 Feb 2015 21:37

Bji,

The topic of Bangladesh came into discussion in a BRF jirga recently.

A participant posed a question to us. Would like to know what answer you would give. Thx!

The total cost of 1971 Bangladesh was was (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banglade ... ration_War)

- Nearly 3million civilian deaths. Let's assume 30% of them were Hindus so 1million Hindu deaths. Life is life irrespective of it is Hindu or Muslim but still
- Nearly 10million migrant population. Into India or within Bangladesh.
- Add the military & economic costs in addition to the price India paid internationally.

Assuming everyone accepted this loss in life, money & international positioning, then why couldn't/didn't Indian leadership bulldoze their way to
- Retaking Chittagang tract for India
- Facilitate Hindu Bangladeshis to migrate into that Chittagang tract while helping Muslims to move to Bangladesh proper

If we are prepared to accept the costs of (any) war irrespective who/when/where it is imposed by then why can't India, the nation, make best use of it?

suvod · Post by **suvod** » 25 Feb 2015 13:34

brihaspati wrote:Has any plans been given on what exact territories marked out on a map - being exchanged. Many of us here will have the expertise to immediately say whether or not the territory given out to BD is going to consolidate or create advantages for the Islamists.

Advantages are not just for peacetime - advantages must be thought of at various scaled aggression levels, which is coming from BD end in the near and mid term future. BD must be modeled as a society permanently in imbalance, now as its fundamentally Islamist base is asserting itself after long gestation. Its a society that will grow increasingly confused, decentralized and authoritarian at the same time - fusing all sorts of popular grievances into a religious banner where mullahs and islamists will increasingly come into control.

Its army, coercive wings of the state are almost classically into the ME secular/nationalist model with increasing and surprising attraction or sympathies for Islam.

BD will go full-fledged Islamist in a decade or two. When it comes it will be a surprise to many here. But it will. Giving out territories is like giving away excuses to go into their territories legally, under international shenanigans, or giving away vantage points. Whoever is advising this, is doing great harm. Doing it as a continuation of the deep seated policies that suit external interests on the subcontinent thats been going on since independence.

Sir, my understanding is that this is an exchange of the "Chhitmahal"s, or the enclaves, which are island like territories within each-other's landmasses. I don't possess a comprehensive list but Wikipedia says the following - "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Bangladesh_enclaves".

Do these enclaves give any strategic / even tactical advantage? They are completely enclosed within BD sovereign territory.

Added later: This is from Varun Gandhi where he makes a case for the land swap that the PM supports - "http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... zy-border/".

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 25 Feb 2015 19:14

@RamaY and others

What you and others said about Bd war occurred to me many moons ago. But my views changed. We should consider the circumstances of 1971. A third world country bisecting a large country under nuclear threat of a superpower. The primary aim was to divide Pak along the east-west axis. Those that you and others are saying and also occurred to me earlier are secondary objectives. Bisecting Pak would require the full co-operation of Bdeshis and their leaders. I don't think they would have agreed to demographic re-arrangement or taking of CHT. Regarding transit rights and others India may have thought lets first get Bdesh and then we will negotiate. Also the expectation was that Bdesh will become a truly secular country. None of these however happened. However, we cannot blame the 1971 leaders for what they did. I think giving back 13000 sq km of territory in the west was an even worse decision.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 26 Feb 2015 00:05

Bangladesh court issues arrest warrant for Khaleda Zia

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for opposition leader Khaleda Zia for failing to attend hearings on graft charges, amid fears the move will worsen weeks-long deadly political turmoil.Judge Abu Ahmed, from a special anti-corruption court, issued the warrant against her for failing to attend even though Zia has been “confined” to her office due to the turmoil since January, her lawyer Sanaullah Miah said.Zia is charged with embezzling $650,000 in two corruption cases dating back to her time as premier from 2001-2006. If she is found guilty, she could be jailed for life.The former two-time premier has been holed up in her office since early January, when she called on her supporters to enforce a nationwide transport blockade to try to topple the government of her bitter rival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.The protests have unleashed deadly violence across the country leaving more than 100 people dead, with opposition supporters firebombing hundreds of buses and trucks and police responding by firing live rounds.Over 10,000 opposition supporters and dozens of senior officials from Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have been arrested as part of a crackdown by Hasina to end the unrest.Lead prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain said the court “had no choice but to issue the arrest warrant” after Zia failed to attend on some 40 previous occasions in the cases.

arun · Post by **arun** » 27 Feb 2015 11:49

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Tall Fair Tight Assed (TFTA) Migrants from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan overtaken by Short Dark Rice Eating (SDRE) migrants from “Low, Lying” Bangladesh.

From the Economist Magazine:

Breaking out : In Britain, Bangladeshis have overtaken Pakistanis.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 27 Feb 2015 13:59

Horrible! Poor Roy and his family.

Atheist US blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh
Hardline Islamist groups have long demanded the public execution of atheist bloggers and sought new laws to combat writing critical of Islam

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... adesh.html

27 Feb 2015
A prominent American blogger of Bangladeshi origin was hacked to death with machetes by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on Thursday, police said, with the atheist writer's family claiming he had received numerous threats from Islamists.

The body of Avijit Roy, founder of Mukto-Mona (Free-mind) blog site which champions liberal secular writing in the Muslim-majority nation, was found covered in blood after the attack which also left his wife critically wounded.

"He died as he was brought to the hospital. His wife was also seriously wounded. She has lost a finger," local police chief Sirajul Islam said.

The couple were on a bicycle rickshaw, returning from a bookfair, when two assailants stopped then and dragged them onto a sidewalk before striking them with machetes, local media reported citing witnesses.

Roy, said to be around 40, is the second Bangladeshi blogger to have been murdered in two years and the fourth writer to have been attacked since 2004.

Hardline Islamist groups have long demanded the public execution of atheist bloggers and sought new laws to combat writing critical of Islam.

"Roy suffered fatal wounds in the head and died from bleeding... after being brought to the hospital," doctor Sohel Ahmed told reporters.

Police have launched a probe and recovered the machetes used in the attack but could not confirm whether Islamists were behind the incident.

But Roy's father said the writer, a US citizen, had received a number of "threatening" emails and messages on social media from hardliners unhappy with his writing.

"He was a secular humanist and has written about ten books" including his most famous "Biswasher Virus" (Virus of Faith), his father Ajoy Roy told AFP.

The Center for Inquiry, a US-based charity promoting free thought, said it was "shocked and heartbroken" by the brutal murder of Roy.

"Dr. Roy was a true ally, a courageous and eloquent defender of reason, science, and free expression, in a country where those values have been under heavy attack," it said in a statement.

Roy's killing also triggered strong condemnation from his fellow writers and publishers, who lamented the growing religious conservatism and intolerance in Bangladesh.

"The attack on Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed is outrageous. We strongly protest this attack and are deeply concerned about the safety of writers," Imran H. Sarker, head of an association for bloggers in Bangladesh, told AFP.

Pinaki Bhattacharya, a fellow blogger and friend of Roy, claimed one of the country's largest online book retailers was being openly threatened for selling Roy's books.

"In Bangladesh the easiest target is an atheist. An atheist can be attacked and murdered," he wrote on Facebook.

Atheist blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was hacked to death in 2013 by members of a little known Islamist militant group, triggering nationwide protests by tens of thousands of secular activists.

After Haider's death, Bangladesh's hardline Islamist groups started to protest against other campaigning bloggers, calling a series of nationwide strikes to demand their execution, accusing them of blasphemy.

The secular government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reacted by arresting some atheist bloggers.
The government also blocked about a dozen websites and blogs to stem the furore over blasphemy, as well as stepping up security for the bloggers.

Bangladesh is the world's fourth-largest Muslim majority nation with Muslims making up some 90 per cent of the country's 160 million people.

A tribunal has recently handed down a series of verdicts against leading Islamists and others for crimes committed during the war of independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The first salvoes of the next WW have been fired by ISIS and radical ,barbaric Islam all across the world where there are significant Islamic populations.Countries in S and SE.Asia are at great risk ,forget the MEast where the war is raging. Independent secular nations have to meet the challenge head on and take severest measures against this middle ages barbarism.The BBC today showed clips where priceless ancient Assyrian statues,figures,winged bulls at UNESCO heritage sites, were being hacked to pieces by the likes of ISIS in Iraq. The Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas.What will be left of the heritage of mankind,the civiliisations of millennia if we do not stop and exterminate ISIS and the islamist hordes?

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 27 Feb 2015 15:59

Philip wrote:Horrible! Poor Roy and his family.

Atheist US blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh
Hardline Islamist groups have long demanded the public execution of atheist bloggers and sought new laws to combat writing critical of Islam

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... adesh.html

27 Feb 2015
A prominent American blogger of Bangladeshi origin was hacked to death with machetes by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on Thursday, police said, with the atheist writer's family claiming he had received numerous threats from Islamists.

The body of Avijit Roy, founder of Mukto-Mona (Free-mind) blog site which champions liberal secular writing in the Muslim-majority nation, was found covered in blood after the attack which also left his wife critically wounded.

"He died as he was brought to the hospital. His wife was also seriously wounded. She has lost a finger," local police chief Sirajul Islam said.

The couple were on a bicycle rickshaw, returning from a bookfair, when two assailants stopped then and dragged them onto a sidewalk before striking them with machetes, local media reported citing witnesses.

Roy, said to be around 40, is the second Bangladeshi blogger to have been murdered in two years and the fourth writer to have been attacked since 2004.

Hardline Islamist groups have long demanded the public execution of atheist bloggers and sought new laws to combat writing critical of Islam.

"Roy suffered fatal wounds in the head and died from bleeding... after being brought to the hospital," doctor Sohel Ahmed told reporters.

Police have launched a probe and recovered the machetes used in the attack but could not confirm whether Islamists were behind the incident.

But Roy's father said the writer, a US citizen, had received a number of "threatening" emails and messages on social media from hardliners unhappy with his writing.

"He was a secular humanist and has written about ten books" including his most famous "Biswasher Virus" (Virus of Faith), his father Ajoy Roy told AFP.

The Center for Inquiry, a US-based charity promoting free thought, said it was "shocked and heartbroken" by the brutal murder of Roy.

"Dr. Roy was a true ally, a courageous and eloquent defender of reason, science, and free expression, in a country where those values have been under heavy attack," it said in a statement.

Roy's killing also triggered strong condemnation from his fellow writers and publishers, who lamented the growing religious conservatism and intolerance in Bangladesh.

"The attack on Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed is outrageous. We strongly protest this attack and are deeply concerned about the safety of writers," Imran H. Sarker, head of an association for bloggers in Bangladesh, told AFP.

Pinaki Bhattacharya, a fellow blogger and friend of Roy, claimed one of the country's largest online book retailers was being openly threatened for selling Roy's books.

"In Bangladesh the easiest target is an atheist. An atheist can be attacked and murdered," he wrote on Facebook.

Atheist blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was hacked to death in 2013 by members of a little known Islamist militant group, triggering nationwide protests by tens of thousands of secular activists.

After Haider's death, Bangladesh's hardline Islamist groups started to protest against other campaigning bloggers, calling a series of nationwide strikes to demand their execution, accusing them of blasphemy.

The secular government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reacted by arresting some atheist bloggers.
The government also blocked about a dozen websites and blogs to stem the furore over blasphemy, as well as stepping up security for the bloggers.

Bangladesh is the world's fourth-largest Muslim majority nation with Muslims making up some 90 per cent of the country's 160 million people.

A tribunal has recently handed down a series of verdicts against leading Islamists and others for crimes committed during the war of independence from Pakistan in 1971.
The first salvoes of the next WW have been fired by ISIS and radical ,barbaric Islam all across the world where there are significant Islamic populations.Countries in S and SE.Asia are at great risk ,forget the MEast where the war is raging. Independent secular nations have to meet the challenge head on and take severest measures against this middle ages barbarism.The BBC today showed clips where priceless ancient Assyrian statues,figures,winged bulls at UNESCO heritage sites, were being hacked to pieces by the likes of ISIS in Iraq. The Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas.What will be left of the heritage of mankind,the civiliisations of millennia if we do not stop and exterminate ISIS and the islamist hordes?

we await with bated breath, the compassionate comments from the POTUS and the ever vigilant clergy, both piously condemning such heinous acts and upholding religious freedom even though the victim (s) have hindu names.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 27 Feb 2015 23:05

There is a reason why Avijit Roy was picked for elimination. Apart from his bold criticism of Islam, he also married a Muslim woman. Jihadis are trained to see women as a "resource" of sex pleasure and reproduction. This kafir not only dared to criticize Islam, but even "stole" a "resource" to which Islam "had a right".

That should explain why he was targeted. The ideology of Jihad/Islam is sick in its perversion and genocidal intent.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 28 Feb 2015 02:27

A sad day... Abhijit Roy was hacked to death yesterday by the faithFOOLs.
I used to read his bold writing on "Mukto Mona" ("Open Mind").

arun · Post by **arun** » 28 Feb 2015 09:50

arun wrote:X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Tall Fair Tight Assed (TFTA) Migrants from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan overtaken by Short Dark Rice Eating (SDRE) migrants from “Low, Lying” Bangladesh.

From the Economist Magazine:

Breaking out : In Britain, Bangladeshis have overtaken Pakistanis.

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Meanwhile ………………

Looks like the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has been ripped off for LNG Regasification plant via use of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU).

Bangladesh’s Petrobangla has signed a FSRU based regasification deal for USD 0.474 per mmbtu with Excelerate Energy :

Petrobangla signs term sheet for LNG terminal deal

Meanwhile the same Excelerate Energy had entered in LNG Regasification plant deal via use of a FSRU with private sector Elengy Terminal Pakistan Limited, a special purpose entity owned by the Islamic Republic’s Engro Group to establish a Re-Gas unit at Karachi, at a price USD 0.66 per mmbtu:

LNG terminal report clarified

I wonder what explains the substantial higher price being paid by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan vis a vis Bangladesh. A case of kickbacks paid out being recovered by Excelerate/Elengy, price gouging by Excelerate/Elengy or reflection of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s financial weakness vis a vis its one time colony, Bangladesh?

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 07 Mar 2015 20:01

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina narrowly escapes blast

Looks like some of the made in waste bangal IEds under didi's watch have finally found their way into Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday narrowly escaped a bomb blast which occurred in a Dhaka neighbourhood minutes after her convoy passed the area, according to media reports.

Several crude bombs exploded in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area only 10 minutes after the Prime Minister’s convoy passed, bdnews24.com reported citing a police official.

The official added that one police personnel received minor injuries in the blasts, though he was “fine and is still on duty”.

Ms. Hasina crossed the area on her way to the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan to attend a rally organised by the ruling Awami League, which she leads.

The blasts occurred amid a transport blockade and shutdown across Bangladesh, enforced by the Khaleda Zia-led opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 07 Mar 2015 20:13

http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/b ... 2018-68124

Bangladesh is negotiating with India to get at least 2,000 megawatts more electricity by 2018.

It hopes to get at least 1,500MW -- half of Dhaka's demand -- from Rangia Raota of Assam and 500MW from Baharampur of West Bengal, said diplomatic and the Power Division sources.

The country is currently importing around 500MW of power from Baharampur through Bheramara. It is also set to get 100MW this year from the Palatana power plant in northeastern Indian state of Tripura. India was allowed free transit and transshipment facilities to build the Palatana plant.

Last year, Bangladesh agreed to allow India a transmission of 7,000MW of power from Rangia Raota of Assam to Borakpur in Bihar through Barapukuria in Dinajpur. For the transmission, India will pay wheeling charge.

Dhaka has proposed that Delhi sell it 2,000MW electricity from the Rangia Raota project. India has so far agreed to sell 1,000MW.

“We expect India will provide us with 1,500-2,000MW electricity from this single project if we allow them to transmit power through our territory,” says a senior foreign ministry official.

The proceeds from wheeling charge (the amount charged for using transmission lines) can be used for power purchase.

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Officials at the foreign ministry and the Power Division said Bangladesh will benefit if it allows India to transmit electricity through its territory, as it will get wheeling charge and can also buy 20-25% of the total power to be transmitted.

Diplomatic sources say India is setting up several more hydropower plants in its northeastern region and will need to use Bangladesh territory for transmission of electricity in future.

This has prompted Dhaka to plan on setting up a massive transmission line that will be able to transmit around 20,000MW of electricity. Dhaka believes that there can be such high-capacity interconnectors in Tripura-Comilla, Bongaigaon (Assam)-Jamalpur/Dinajpur-Purnea (Bihar), Shilchar (Assam) and Fenchuganj.

These interconnectors will also allow Bangladesh to import electricity from Bhutan and Nepal.

To strengthen transmission at home, the country is building a smart grid and upgrading its transmission lines to 400 kilovolt from existing 230 kilovolt in Ashuganj-Bhulta, Aminbazar-Maowa-Mongla, Anwara-Meghnaghat, and Matarbari-Anwara-Modhunaghat.

Bangladesh is looking forward to massive electricity exchanges in the region involving India, Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar.

More significantly:

Besides, the government is trying to import electricity under the Saarc Framework Agreement from Energy Cooperation (Electricity) and Bimstec Trans-Power Exchange and Development project.

The cabinet will soon ratify the Saarc electricity deal to pave the way for electricity exchanges among the Saarc countries by setting up common grid, using which excess power in one region can easily be used to meet deficit elsewhere.

Sources said New Delhi has made a move to facilitate integrated power grid for Saarc member states to begin cross-border trading on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX).

The move will initially enable short-term buying and selling of power with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan as these countries already have grid connectivity with India.

The IEX has sought consent from the Indian government for cross-border trading of 120MW with Bhutan and 50MW each with Bangladesh and Nepal.

A sub-regional strategic alliance of Nepal, India and Bangladesh have decided to jointly exploit their hydropower sector and use water resources management for mutual advantage, including jointly developing and financing projects in the Ganges river basin.

Similarly, Bhutan, India and Bangladesh have agreed to work in the Brahmaputra basin under a framework named Bhutan, India and Bangladesh (BIB) Initiative.

According to foreign ministry officials, Bimstec member states -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand -- are expected to ink a Memorandum of Understanding on Trans-power Exchange.

Seems to me we may want a India-SAARC thread, just like we have a India-ASEAN thread.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 09 Mar 2015 21:35

http://www.gulf-times.com/bangladesh/24 ... with-india

Bangladesh is building a second cross-border railway link with India through Akhaura-Agartala frontier in a bid to boost bilateral trade and businesses, officials said.

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has undertaken a 4.8bn taka project for laying nearly 10km Akhaura-Agartala dual-gauge railway track to connect with the India’s northeastern states, they said.

“If the cross-border railway link between Bangladesh and India is set up, it will be the second effective railway corridor of the two neighbouring countries,” said a senior railway ministry official.
He said they had already got assurance from India of necessary funds for the railway project. The Indian government is expected to provide nearly 4.23b taka as grant.

A senior Indian High Commission official in Dhaka said that they are considering funding of the Akhaura-Agartala railway project. “We have sought some information from the BR. We are discussing with our Bangladesh counterpart to finalise the financing,” the official said.

After five decades of discontinuation of the cross-border train service, the first railway link between Dhaka and Kolkata was reopened in April 2008 through Darshana point in Bangladesh and Gede in India.

Now passengers can easily move from Dhaka to Kolkata (375km) using the Maitree Express every week. The train has capacity to carry 650 passengers daily.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 15 Mar 2015 03:27

http://bdnews24.com/business/2015/03/14 ... nister-amu

Dhaka has reiterated its enthusiasm to do business with New Delhi.

Appreciating the steps taken by India’s Ministry for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), Bangladesh’s Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said on Saturday that his government is interested to do business with India.

“We are enthusiastic to do business with India,” he said in the Northeast Business Summit hosted by the DoNER ministry in collaboration with Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in New Delhi on Saturday.

Senior government representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar have also participated in the summit.

DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh said that in near future, not only the North-eastern region of India will succeed in attracting investors from other parts of country but would also provide tempting potential to its neighbouring countries for mutually beneficial joint business ventures.

Singh told the foreign representatives that, beginning from January this year, he has introduced the practice of holding a camp secretariat office by rotation every month in each of the eight states of Northeast.

He emphasised his government intention to implement the “Look East” policy.

Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative, Singh said, a concept paper titled “Make in Northeast” has been prepared and he is personally trying to reach out to industrial houses to promote organic farming and food processing which will generate revenue as well as employment in the region.

He appealed to leaders of the business community including Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to become active participants in this initiative and to inspire potential investors and entrepreneurs to supplement the DoNER ministry’s efforts in the region.

“This will not only help in promoting industry and business but will also bridge the psychological barriers and bring northeast closer to mainstream India’s brisk march on the road to development and growth, he observed,” Singh said.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 17 Mar 2015 00:50

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article- ... ernational
"The Indo Bangladesh border teems with life, aspirations and above all hope, as residents of both nations struggle for survival against all odds. Sandhya Ravishankar chronicles life along the border "

Agriculture and smuggling of goods are the main occupations in the villages lining the Indo-Bangladesh border. India’s border with Bangladesh is nothing like its border with Pakistan. Bangladesh is a friendly neighbour, while Pakistan is enemy territory, as viewed by the Armed forces. The Indian government views the border with Bangladesh with an almost indulgent eye.

“We are allowed to use only Pump Action Guns,” explains RP Singh, Additional Director General of the BSF, in charge of security along India’s eastern border. “These guns fire pellets, not bullets. Government of India’s policy is that the BSF can fire only in self defence along the eastern border since Bangladesh is a friendly neighbour,” he says.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 17 Mar 2015 22:25

http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/ ... 21161.html

Replying to another question, {Minister of State for Finance Jayant} Sinha said, the World Bank estimates that remittances to Bangladesh from its migrant workers in India in 2013 was USD 6.62 billion.

This is 0.36 percent of India's GDP, he added.

Remittance from one country to another is a normal economic activity, he said, adding that India is the world's largest recipient of remittances and was estimated to have received USD 71 billion in 2014, as per the World Bank database.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 18 Mar 2015 15:07

Editorial on Chittagong port:
http://en.prothom-alo.com/opinion/news/ ... agong-Port

Though Bangladesh has two seaports, most of the loading and unloading of cargo takes place at Chittagong port. However, the port limps along with no advancements or improvements over the years. There has been much talk about renovating and expanding the port, but its capacity is yet to be increased. This results in higher import costs and lower profits in export.

A port's productivity is measured by the number of containers handled. The more efficient a port is, the quicker the containers are handled. In 2013, China's Tianjin was the leading port, loading and unloading 130 containers per hour. In the first six months of 2014, Dubai's Jebel Ali port took first place, loading and unloading 138 containers per hour. India's Nhava Sheva port stands 18th, handling 91 containers per hour. So Chittagong port's loading and unloading 15 containers with gantry cranes in one hour, indicates sheer inefficiency.

It is not very surprising that Chittagong port lags far behind the ports of the developed world. But it cannot be accepted that the port is much slower in handling less containers per hour than neighbouring India or Malaysia. Concerned persons say that the reason behind this is lack of planning in the loading and unloading of containers, machinery out of order or lacking maintenance, management shortcomings, and lack of coordination. Proper planning and implementation is essential to enhance the capacity of any institution.

The government has decided to set up a third seaport on the mouth of river Paira in Patuakhali. But it is more important to first increase the efficiency and capacity of the two existing ports. Obstacles in the way to this progress must be removed.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 19 Mar 2015 05:30

http://echoofindia.com/kolkata-over-90- ... rder-80820

More than 90 rare species of 'black spotted' turtle, widely smuggled for their meat, were on Wednesday seized by the BSF when they were being illegally sneaked into West Bengal through Indo-Bangladesh border.

The seized consignment is estimated to be over Rs 58 lakh in the black market.

Border Security Force troops intercepted a smuggler carrying the turtles in a gunny bag, based on intelligence inputs in Kalanchi border post area in South Bengal sector manned by them in the noon today.
"On being challenged, the lone smuggler fled into the jungles. The turtles are smuggled for their meat across the border. The estimated value of the catch is about Rs 58.20 lakh," a senior officer said.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 21 Mar 2015 20:29

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-ba ... te-2070833

Bangladesh government has decided to add 4,00,000 new Bengali words to Google Translate on the Independence Day on March 26 in a bid to enrich the language on the Internet. The initiative, jointly organised by the state's Information and Communication Technology Division and Google Developer Group Bangla, has been christened 'Banglar Jonnyo Char Lakh' (400,000 for Bangla).

"The inclusion of so many words on the Internet in a single day would be a new record," Bangladesh Minister for Information and communications technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak was quoted as saying by bdnews24.com. "To put Bangla on top of everything, we're going to create history on the Independence Day," Palak said.

The minister said: "We'll take Bangla on top by adding 4,00,000 words to Google Translate on March 26 with participation from everyone from home and abroad." 65,000 Bengali words were added to Google Translate on February 21, the second highest after Spanish on that day, he said, adding about 4,000 people would directly work at more than 50 points across Bangladesh on March 26 to add Bengali words to Google Translate.

Not sure how to do this, but why not do this for all of the Indian languages?