Bangladesh News and Discussion

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 18 Apr 2011 14:05

India seeks transit facility through 15 routes in Bangladesh

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 20 Apr 2011 11:07

BriTurd rag Economissed reporting 'good news' abt India. Makes one wonder where's the catch.

Almost all quiet on the eastern front

Comments are interesting.

Ravi Karumanchiri · Post by **Ravi Karumanchiri** » 01 May 2011 22:46

Book, film greeted with fury among Bengalis
A new book and film recently released downplaying Pakistani atrocities in Bangladesh have caused outrage among Bengalis.
Subir Bhaumik Last Modified: 29 Apr 2011 19:48

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/fe ... 65122.html

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 01 May 2011 23:50

Hari Seldon wrote:BriTurd rag Economissed reporting 'good news' abt India. Makes one wonder where's the catch.

Almost all quiet on the eastern front

Comments are interesting.

HS garu,

Look at the opening statement

AT LAST, some good news from one of the world’s bloodiest international borders. Last month, the number of Bangladeshi nationals killed by India’s trigger-happy Border Security Forces (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh border dropped, like a stone. Down to zero.

No on to everyone's favorite topic - trade relations.

Sheikh Hasina has already agreed in principle to allow India to use its ports and roads for transit. The biggest difficulty for her party, the Awami League, will be to explain its new policy of engaging India to voters, in a country with a strong anti-Indian sentiment {for what one wonder. Is it because India helped BD partition from Pakis or India offer various trade incentives? or for India to remain a secular nation?}. Khaleda Zia, the leader of the main opposition group, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, likes to remind the electorate that under her leadership “no foreign vehicles” would be allowed to cross Bangladesh’s territory. {So much for developing economic and trade relationships; without solving the IEDeological nonsense}She declares that she will resist her rival’s “move to turn Bangladesh into a state of India”.

So who is against normalization of relations between BD and India?

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 18 May 2011 01:53

Anyone want to dismantle Sarmila Bose?
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/op ... 14219.html

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 18 May 2011 02:47

Need to read the book then. But somehow I have a sense that the "myth busting" at least of the "Bangladeshi victorious" side will walk along predictable lines - as atrocities carried out by the other side were "exaggerated" by the victorious side. At least 5 different such attempts exist to try to prove "exaggeration". Sarmila Bose would just be one addition to the list.

Second, she seems to place a great emphasis on "memories". Actually memories of "atrocities" either as perpetrator or as victim - are both problematic. They can both suppress, or repress, or construct memories more acceptable/comfortable for the person. But then real memories of real atrocities may actually remain unaccessible altogether to an author like her. Case "studies" of "trauma" or memories of trauma, cannot or should not be used in quantitative sense unless the collection of memories were done in a proper experimental design - which would be nearly impossible by the very nature of these "cases".

My own personal assessment of BD society about this has always been, and I have maintained this here, that BD society was almost equally divided between pro-Islamist and pro-"Bangali" sections with a very narrow overlap. [I am deliberately placing the religious identity against race/cultural identity]. The main reason the BD society joined in the Partition spoils was because the Muslim elite and their followers wanted to get rid of the Hindus and grab the land and the women - even if it was not openly admitted by the sophisticated and astute ML leadership like Suhrawardy - all the while the ground forces of ML carried on exactly this same agenda. That they succeeded, should indicate that the remnant BD society would overwhelmingly lean towards Islamism after the religious cleansing.

The split that came was because the Pakjab leaning section of the remnant Muslim leadership appeared an obstacle to the section which had hope to enjoy the spoils of cleansing entirely on their own as based in the East Pak. This is where they found the earlier Communist and Leftist initiated Language and other movements useful. So essentially this represents an internal struggle between two factions of an originally Islamist militant movement out for land and biological resources. As such both sides would be brutal - as has happened a million times in Islamist factional fights - because each of those atrocities/tactics/genocidic move and their counter-reprisals - all have solid precedence in the Islamist culture, in their narratives and histories.

BD society has remained split along this strongly Islamist identity [that hankers after Arab or ME] and the internal competition with "other Muslim" for local control of biological resources. The so-called "Bangali" culture is merely a tool on the local-dominance side. The electoral data sort of reflect the 50-50 split. Most of the confusion, and blurring that happens to outside observers of BD happens from teh failure to realize this persistent split.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 18 May 2011 04:15

But the fact remains, democracy, secularism and pluralism were given a boost by that war, even if only temporarily, since the military once again took over in a few years. The idea behind the war was to defeat the Islamist-militarist ideology of West Pakistan, and that was essentially done. Does this Sarmila feel that the Punjabis were representing a progressive ideology, one that leads to more freedom, democracy and pluralism? That would be impossible to fathom.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 23 May 2011 23:32

Akhaura-Agartala rail link gets GoI financing, last year's promise in the joint communique finally getting some akshun. Connectivity to Sabroom-Chittagong also in the works, but financing is not yet approved from what I remember.

BD is going to rent 20,000 acres of land each in Uganda and Tanzania to grow crops for BD use. Both countries will get a 20% cut of productivity, the land is for free to BD, and the rest is for BD's consumption. Did I mention that PM is in Tanzania and Ethiopia on a state visit and the issues he will be talking predominantly about are: terrorism and piracy? Seriously, Maldives and BD are far ahead in terms of planning for the long-term future than us. There is quite a bit to learn from BD just as India's leading agri-producer state, WB, will get to see the same geographical changes afflicting BD -- salinity, riverine course changes, new char territories, overexploitation, etc.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 23 May 2011 23:41

Stan ji,

India already got ~1M acres of land somewhere in Africa.

D Roy · Post by **D Roy** » 24 May 2011 00:23

Ethiopia. And farming has already started.

Most of east africa's arable land will in the future be under contract farms run by Indian companies employing african labour. there are some issues about wage rates as compared to chinese fdi factory units. but in the long run India's pragmatic approach to africa will win.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 24 May 2011 01:26

Much of Indian involvement is entrepreneurial in nature, with BD its govt involvement. They know the issues -- overpopulation in a fixed land area with a neighbor who is tightening the screws on illegal immigration + sea boundary disputes that are not getting settled anytime soon. So the govt is going after the solution. Same for Maldives buying land in India or SL or Oz. The govt recognizes the issues + puts its best efforts. The entrepreneurial class follows. The difference is best stated as: "India is one despite its politicians, not because of them."

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 24 May 2011 01:37

stan-saar, sometimes the "nanha rajan model" of getting things done works better.

Particularly in a sensitive place like Africa with a sad history. Unlike BD, we are not considered that bad off. Despite spins of "400% sub-saharan conditions in India

" by those sans borders, we are still perceived as better off. And if the gubmint gets involved, these sans-job wallahs will start inciting them a la against PRC in Sudan ("gingeeweed men with Norinco rifles"). So yeah, "GoI is inept and the biziness boys are good" is the right story.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 08 Jun 2011 10:25

Historic deals on the cards: Foreign secys tell press of Manmohan's visit

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 11 Jun 2011 16:32

hnair wrote: gingeeweed men with Norinco rifles

When you said Norinco, something buzzed deep inside. Something I had nt kept track of in a while. Now I have put the updates, so here is something for you...

Chittagong 10-truck arms haul case: A primer

Incident: Police seized 10 truckloads of weapons and ammunition from a jetty of the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) on the night of Apr 1, 2004, sparking speculation that the cache was destined for the Indian insurgent group, United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa). This has been the largest arms haul in Bangladesh's history bulky enough to equip an army brigade. Estimated at US $4.5-5.7 million, the seizure in the ten trucks included: rocket launchers (150), rockets (840), over a million rounds of ammunition, grenade launchers (2000), grenades (25,000), and over 1700 assorted assault weapons.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/04/03/d4040301011.htm

Brief summary of current status of the case:
Current state counsel/Public prosecutor -- Kamal Uddin Ahmed
Current investigating officer (IO) -- Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, also assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Chittagong circle

The following have been charge-sheeted as of today:
1) Former industries minister and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief -- Matiur Rahman Nizami
2) Former state minister for home -- Lutfozzaman Babar
3) Former director general of NSI -- Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim
4) Former director of DGFI who was later appointed as director general of NSI -- Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury
5) Former director of NSI -- Wing Cdr Shahabuddin Ahmed
6) Former deputy director (technical) of NSI -- Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain
7) Former field officer of NSI -- Akbar Hossain Khan

Former acting industries secretary -- Nurul Amin (absconding)
9) Former managing director of CUFL -- Mohsin Uddin Talukdar
10) Former general manager (admin) of CUFL -- Enamul Haque
11) ULFA leader -- Poresh Borua (absconding)

FAQs:
1) Who was the shipment intended for?: In its investigative story, the defence journal Jane’s Intelligence Review (JIR) had squarely held ULFA leader Paresh Barua and the NSCN-IM chief procurement officer Anthony Shimray (now arrested by NIA) responsible for this arms trafficking incident.

2) NSCN-IM and ULFA bonhomie?!: NSCN-IM had been talking with the Government of India from 1997-98 on ending the stalement of Naga "sovreignty." Peace talks with the GoI chief representative Padmanabaiah in Bangkok and Amsterdam had made virtually no progress at all, largely due to the NSCN-IM's insistence on the recognition by New Delhi of 'Nagalim' or a Greater Nagaland. Even a meeting with PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not sufficient to give further impetus to the talks. NSCN-IM had been fearing a return to war-like ways and thus wanted to bolster its capacity to sustain an armed onslaught.

Traditionally, ties between ULFA and the NSCN-IM have been strained, and ULFA has cultivated far better links with NSCN-IM's rival NSCN-K based in the remote border areas of Myanmar's Sagaing Division. However, following the severe setbacks suffered by ULFA as a result of Operation All Clear in Bhutan in December 2003, a new entente has developed. One intelligence official noted: "The NSCN and ULFA were working this jointly. The NSCN has better contracts in the arms trade while ULFA has the money and the foreign political connections."

3) It could nt have happened without any top involvement, no?!: The Bangladeshi media has drawn attention to the complicity of the BNP coalition government’s involvement in this incident. There were allegations of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, BNP leader as well as Jamaat-e-Islami leader, being largely responsible for overseeing the transfer at the CUFL jetty from two fishing trawlers (“MV Orient Freedom” and “QC Honour”) both vessels owned by his Queen Shipping Lanes. The arms shipments from Teknaf on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border was brought to Chittagong port.

The Sunday Guardian claims that based on Hafizur Rahman's confessional statement, in the BNP, the involvement goes all the way up to Tareque Rahman (Begum Khaleda Zia's eldest son). A part of the arms haul that managed to evade on Apr 1 was promptly seized on Apr 26, 2004 was taken to the Feni police station. It was, however, released following the
intervention of a retired army Major who also is a senior BNP leader. And under his instructions, the police escorted the bus with its cargo upto Chhagalnaiya from where the consignment was to be smuggled across the border into Tripura. Investigators identify the ‘leader’ as Syed Iskander, a brother of Begum Khaleda Zia.

The confessional statement of Hafizur also includes the names of Golam Faruq Obhi, a former Jatiya Party MP (who belonged to the Zia-led alliance) and Azmal Huda Mithu, a film director. Sahab Uddin in his confessional statement said that a foreign intelligence agency was involved in offloading the arms and ammunitions while an UAE-based firm was involved in supplying the arms. It is now clear that Abdul Razzak Yaqub, the Dubai-based ARY group owner financed the operation at the behest of ISI-D (Washington Post says the ARY group is associated with the ISI and al Qaeda and is involved in smuggling of gold and the greenback. ARY’s linkage with al Qaeda was confirmed in 1998 following the bombing of US mission in Nairobi.) whereas senior officials of the Pakistani High Commission (PHC) in Dhaka were able to mediate the logistics with DGFI and NSI. According to Wg Cdr (Retd) Sahabuddin's confession that was admitted (May 9-14, 2009), the involvement of Shahid Mahmood, a Counselor and Brig Gen Moghis Uddin, Defense Attaché was confirmed. According to him, four top functionaries: Brig Gen (Retd) Abdur Rahim, Brig Gen A. S Shaukat, Brig Gen Wasim, Sqn Ldr Didar and Maj Liaqat had held series of talks with the Mahmood and Uddin on planning and execution of arms delivery to ULFA and NSCN-IM.

The arms were procured from the Chinese state-run arms factory North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), according to a report published in a Bengali newspaper 'Prothom Alo' paraphrasing confidential files. Chinese arms shipment is not a new thing. B. Raman in his book "Kaoboys of Raw" mentions of contact between NE-based terrorist outfits and the Chinese establishment in the 60s and 70s.

4) Why Chittagong?: The original idea, according to JIR sources, was to transport the munitions to NE India via a route across northern Myanmar's Kachin State. However, this idea was eventually shelved owing to security concerns over moving so large a shipment across territory where local Kachins were seen as pro-Indian.

5) Hafizur Rahman's version of what happened:
Before the October 2001 Parliament election, film director Ajmal Huda Mithu invited him (Hafiz) to a private event at his residence in Dhaka, and introduced him to the former Jatiya Party MP, Golam Faruk Obhi, and another man named Zaman (Poresh Borua). Zaman kept contact with him over the phone since then.

Fifteen days later, Hafiz got a phone call from Zaman, and he met him and the MP in a fast food shop, Wimpy, in Dhaka. He agreed to help Zaman in receiving and transporting ‘imports’ the latter quite often used to get at the Chittagong port. After several months, Zaman called Hafiz over the phone again and met him on the third floor of Rapa Plaza in Dhaka some time in January 2002 and they talked business. Since then, Zaman was paying Hafiz taka 50,000 to 70,000 a month, the statement claimed. At one stage of the increasing intimacy, Zaman invited Hafiz to his residence in Dhanmondi of Dhaka. In his apartment, Zaman introduced Hafiz to his wife, two children, Babu and Aaksah, and an adopted son. He also gave Hafiz taka 80,000 at that time.

After paying some taka 18 lakh in this way, Zaman finally called Hafiz to Dhaka to reveal his real identity in February 2004. “As I met him in Rapa Plaza, Zaman this time around had with him a girl of about 10. He revealed himself as ULFA military wing chief, Paresh Barua, and the girl as the daughter of Anup Chetia,” said Hafiz in his confession. Anup Chetia, one of the top ULFA leaders, was arrested in Bangladesh in 1996 and is believed to be in prison since then. “Zaman or Paresh Barua also claimed that he looked after Anup’s family, while some people of intelligence agencies ensured their safety,” Hafiz said, the newspapers reported. “On March 23 or 24, Paresh called for me on an emergency basis. I immediately rushed to Dhaka and rented a room in Red Star Hotel opposite Rajarbagh Police Line, and met him at Wimpy again. Paresh asked me to help him to transport a delivery of some machinery from a ship anchored in the sea near the Myanmar border near Saint Martin's Island. He said the goods could not be brought to Chittagong port due to some technical problems. Asked about the required permission from the Bangladesh Navy, the Coast Guard, the customs authority, and the CUFL jetty authority, he said the NSI and DGFI chiefs had made all arrangements, and the jetty permission had also already been there, so nobody would ask me any question,” said Hafiz.

“I returned to the hotel and went to the same restaurant again early next morning. After some fifteen minutes, Paresh came with another person in a white car which had ‘on test’ written on the registration plate. The man with Paresh was introduced to me as Ashik. He gave me 50 lakh taka in four packets. Then Ashik and I went to Chittagong in the same car. Leaving Ashik in Golden Inn hotel in Chittagong I went to meet Hazi Sobhan, and rented two engine boats for around 13 lakh taka. Sobhan was to keep the engine boats ready near the Marine Academy pier. Around 10.30 that night a vessel came to our view. We approached the vessel and following directions given by Paresh, Ashik started talking to the captain in English. Following exchange of some codes which sounded like passwords, Ashik was allowed to anchor the boats next to the other vessel.” Three others, including Ashik and Jewel, took delivery of the arms cache from a ship near Saint Martin’s Island, loaded two engine boats with the weapons and guided them up to the jetty of the government-owned Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) across the Karnaphuli river.

6) Why CUFL jetty in Chittagong?: Paresh Baruah put pressure on Tarique Rahman to change the venue of the unloading of arms from the Chittagong harbour jetty to the CUFL jetty as he did not trust the port workers' chief bargaining agent, ABM Mohiuddin Choudhury, who was an Awami League leader and city mayor. CUFL was safe as it was under the industries ministry headed by BNP coalition partner Matiur Rahman Nizami.

7) How did the capture happen?: Former police sergeants Mohammad Alauddin and Helal Uddin were in-charge of coal depot under Karnaphuli Police Station at the time of arms seizure. They were the first ones to see the unloading of the arms and they also first informed the high police officials of the incident. Prothom Alo reported the interrogation of the Police Officials who actually caught the truck load of arms. They were subsequently thrown off their jobs and were threatened to be killed in “Crossfire”. The alleged people who issued the threats was Chief of RAB (Rapid Action Batalion) – 7.

Many theories are floating on who might have tipped off the police. One theory says that a "foreign" (read Indian) intelligence agency tipped off law enforcement. One other theory from CID officials says that infighting among NSI officials may have been responsible for the 'tip-off'. Another simplistic theory is that the operation for smuggling in 10 truckloads of arms was botched as policemen on duty, unaware of the orders from high authorities, challenged the consignment and upon finding arms, placed the seizure on record.

A case history: Note that
NSI = National Security Intelligence
DGFI = Directorate General of Forces Intelligence
CUFL = Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited

June 27, 2003: In an earlier, significant arms haul, in the northwestern Bogra district, the police recover 100,000 cartridges and about 200 kg of explosives from an abandoned truck. The truck owner - Jogesh Dev Barman, a top leader of the Tripura Cooperatives Association, a front organization of the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) - is arrested from the southeastern border district of Habibganj.

Apr 3, 2004: Two cases are filed with Karnaphuli Police Station under section-25/B of the Special Powers Act for arms smuggling and section-19 (ka) of the Arms Act in connection with the arms haul. The first IO of the case is Ahadur Rahman, also the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Karnaphuli Police Station. Police arrest five men engaged in unloading of the cache on the day. Later, they were taken to the arms warehouse at Dampara Police Lines in Chittagong in 10 trucks guarded by a huge contingent of police, coastguard and paramilitary BDR. 43 accused are named in the initial chargesheet.

Apr 26, 2004: CID starts probe into the case as Ahadur Rahman is dropped by the establishment fearing his investigation into the case. ASP AKM Kabir Uddin Ahmed of Chittagong zone is the second IO of the case.

Apr 26, 2004: Security agencies intercept a microbus with crates of small arms including pistols and SMGs and ammunition on the Feni-Belonia route, close to Tripura border. The cargo is camouflaged under cigarettes and watermelons. It is a part of the shipment that evaded detection in Chittagong on Apr 2, 2004. The shipment is released due to pressure from the top.

June 11, 2004: ASP Kabir Uddin and inspector Mohammad Shah Alam submit the charge sheet accusing 39 people in the arms-haul case to the court.

June 15, 2004: Metropolitan session judge Fazlul Karim, who conducted the hearing, finds huge discrepancies in the investigation process and observes differences in the mode of examination by the previous and present investigation officers.

The first IO Ahadur Rahman mentioned only five trucks in the seizure list though the huge amount of arms and ammunition were carried from CUFL jetty to Dampara police line by ten trucks. “The first IO found five trucks fully and two others partially loaded during the seizure but didn’t mention the whereabouts of the three missing trucks,” PP Advocate Abdus Sattar pleaded in the court. The judge wants to know from Kabiruddin as to why he failed to verify the missing of the three trucks and why he did not include the owner of Green Ways Transport Agency Habibur Rahman and his two accomplices in the chargesheet along with other accused or witnesses. Kabiruddin admitted in the court that due to time constraints he could not collect the addresses of the said trio, but he said that the names of those persons would be included in the supplementary chargesheet later on.
More at: http://www.bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=14627

Aug 21, 2004: A major grenade attack is carried out on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue to assassinate Sheikh Hasina. A total of 24 people were killed and over 300 were maimed in the attack.

Aug 28, 2004: Following more investigation into the cases, another CID ASP Nowsher Ali of Sylhet Zone (third IO) submits the supplementary charge sheet to the court.

Oct 24, 2004: The Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court frames charges.

Oct 26, 2005: Hafizur Rahman, the prime accused in the case, is arrested after he surrenders before the High Court.

Late 2005 - Late 2006: Begum Khaleda Zia-led coalition government appoints a five-member inquiry committee headed by Home Secretary Omar Farooque (other members include Brig Gen. Rezzakul Hyder Chowdhury (now charge-sheeted), Brig Gen Enamur Rahman Chowdhury, a former DG of NSI, Shamsul Islam, DIG Special Branch, and Faruque Ahmad, DIG of CID) to probe the incident. However, this committee did not make public any of its findings.

Jan 11, 2007: A military controlled caretaker government under Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed takes office on the pretext of stymying the chaos that preceded this date. It is without legislative authority as it continued to function after its scheduled tenure of 120 days ended on 12 May 2007.

Jan 29, 2007: Din Mohammad, another prime accused in the case, is arrested after he surrendered before a Chittagong court.

Out of the 43 accused in the initial charge-sheet, only Hafizur Rahman (a smuggler) and Din Mohammad, who were allegedly involved with the arms smuggling, were behind bars while 33 were on bail and eight others are on the run. Names of two accused were later dropped from the chargesheet as they died.

Hafizur Rahman, who is the principal accused in the case, told the court that he had given the same statement that was later used to charge-sheet 11 major people on different occasions since his surrender in 2005. But it was never recorded. Instead, the officials concerned warned him against making such statements and threatened him with death, a number of leading Bangladesh dailies reported quoting Hafiz’s statement.

Nov 19, 2007: Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Humayun Kabir Russell files an appeal saying it could not be ruled out that the weapons and ammunition came from a ship at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port and then loaded on vessels. It is important to know the names of all the vessels that were at the outer anchorage of the port at that time, their import manifests and Onward Customs Declaration they made in Singapore, the APP said. Logs of the vessels should have been looked into and the speed of the vessels should have been figured out to know how much time they took to reach the outer anchorage of Chittagong port from Singapore. A number of the hauled arms and ammunition went missing from the custody of the law enforcers. Two police sergeants were held in this connection and three of the missing firearms were recovered, said the APP in the appeal. The previous two IOs made no investigation into these things, he observed.

Feb 12, 2008: During the tenure of the army-backed caretaker government, Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge ANM Bashirullah directs for further inquiry and fresh (a second time) investigation into the cases in response to an appeal from the state counsel Ahsanul Haque Hena. The court observes that the previous two IOs did not investigate deep into the case or mention anything about who brought the firearms, the place of shipment and their destinations. The police authorities appoint CID's assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Ismail Hossain Khan of Gazipur zone as the IO of the cases. Six months time is given to submit the report.

Aug 18, 2008: First extension provided for 150 days. Report due Jan 18, 2009.

Dec 29, 2008: Fresh elections are held under the Caretaker government formed with Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed as the Chief Adviser. A record 80% turnout is observed.

Jan 5, 2009: AL wins the elections held on Dec 29, 2008 winning 263 of 300 seats in the Jotiyo Songsad and takes office.

Jan 18, 2009: Ismail Hossain Khan fails to submit report on the case even after six extensions. In response to an appeal of the state counsel, the court directs to change the IO on the basis of seven observations. This time Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, also assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Chittagong circle, is made the fifth IO of the case. Report due May 13, 2009.

Mar 4, 2009: Hafizur Rahman and Din Mohammad, in their confessional statement to the court clearly refer to the role of the chiefs of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence (NSI) in the shipment and handling of the arms cache. Rahman's confession before Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahabubur Rahman is recorded in 43 pages.

Mar 12, 2009: CUFL former MD Mohsin Talukder and GM (admn) Enamul Haq are shown arrested after CUFL former security officer Mobin Hossain Khan in a statement said that he duly informed the MD of the deadly consignment. But the MD did not give any instruction to check the offloading.

Mar 17, 2009: The CUFL former MD Mohsin Talukder and former GM (administration) Enamul Haq are placed on a three-day remand each. The former CUFL officials are reportedly not cooperating with the investigators during questioning. They are arrested after former CUFL assistant security officer made a statement before a magistrate on March 12.

Mar 31, 2009: CID filed a case against three of its former investigators in connection with intentionally misdirecting the probe into the August 21 grenade attack case on Sheikh Hasina. IO Fazlur Kabir said that they destroyed evidence and did not record the confessional statements of the culprits, including outlawed Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) leader Mufti Hannan, who admitted his involvement. Hannan confessed to his involvement in the grenade attack and disclosed names of 27 others who were directly and indirectly involved in the planning and execution of the attack on the Awami League (AL) rally. The names include former BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu. Through multiple investigations, the BNP-led alliance government tried to establish that the AL itself killed its own leaders and activists to tarnish the image of the BNP-led government. They also tried to prove that "foreign enemies" instigated the carnage and some listed criminals absconding in India had executed the attack.

Apr 12, 2009: Habibur Rahman and Taslim Mallick (owner and manager of Greenways Transport Agency whose truck was used in transporting the arms) give statements before the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate that NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan hired the 10 trucks that were supposed to carry the arms and ammunition seized at the CUFL jetty. They say that NSI field officer hired the trucks from them saying he would transport salt.

Apr 19, 2009: The CID arrest NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan for allegedly hiring the 10 trucks following the statements of Habibur Rahman and Taslim Mallick. He is also placed on a two-day remand after his arrest. Following the transport agency owners' statements the investigators interrogate Akbar Hossain as well as Assistant Director (AD) Mohammad Ali Chowdhury of NSI Gulshan circle (the then AD of NSI, Chittagong) at the CID Chittagong divisional headquarters in Dampara Police Lines. Since Akbar Hossain continues to deny his involvement in the matter Habibur Rahman is brought in to identify him as the person who hired the trucks. Sources say arrested NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, now serving as a field officer at NSI Gulshan circle, reportedly hired the 10 trucks under the fake name of NSI field officer 'Abul Hossain' to carry the deadly weapons.

On the same day, the investigators also produce former CUFL MD and GM before a Chittagong court with a prayer for five-day fresh remand for each in connection with the case. The court places Mohsin on two days' fresh remand and permits investigators to interrogate Enamul at the jail gate.

May 3, 2009: Former director (Security) NSI Sahab Uddin is arrested in the capital's Green Road, following the statement of Akbar Hossain, for his alleged involvement in arranging transport and equipment for carrying the illegal arms and ammunition. Sahab Uddin, a wing commander of Bangladesh Air Force who joined the NSI on deputation, went into voluntary retirement soon after the arms haul. Detained NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan in a confessional statement before a magistrate said he hired seven trucks and a crane from Greenways for carrying the arms and ammunition on orders of Sahab Uddin.

May 13, 2009: Third extension provided for 70 days. Report due July 22, 2009. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

May 16, 2009: The CID arrests two former director generals (DG) of the NSI-- Maj Gen (retd) Rezaqul Haider Chowdhury and Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim Chowdhury -- at their DOHS residences at Mohakhali in the capital in connection with the 10-truck arms haul case. The arrests are made following the confessional statements by former NSI director Sahab Uddin and arrested NSI Field Officer Akbar Hossain Khan. According to sources, during the arms haul in Chittagong Abdur Rahim was DG of the NSI while Rezaqul Haider was director of the DGFI. Rezaqul Haider also served as DG of NSI later.

July 23, 2009: Fourth extension provided for 75 days. Report due Oct 5, 2009. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

Oct 5, 2009: Fifth extension provided for 90 days. Report due Jan 4, 2010. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

Oct 26, 2009: Lutfozzaman Babar is accused in the grisly grenade attack case on AL on Aug 21, 2004.

Jan 4, 2010: Sixth extension provided for 75 days. Report due Mar 22, 2010. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

Mar 22, 2010: Seventh extension provided for 60 days. Report due May 22, 2010.

May 23, 2010: Eighth extension provided for 63 days. Report due July 26, 2010.

July 26, 2010: Ninth extension provided for 60 days. Report due Sept 26, 2010. Acting Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Inamul Haque Bhuiyan.

Sept 26, 2010: Tenth extension provided for 60 days. Report due Nov 25, 2010. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Inamul Haque Bhuiyan.

Oct 3, 2010: Former state minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar shown arrested in the case. Metropolitan Magistrate Fazlul Bari passes the order for showing Babar arrested in the cases following a prayer from IO.

Oct 5, 2010: Former chairman of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) Maj Gen Mohammad Imamuzzaman in a judicial statement before a Chittagong court states that Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami showed indifferent attitude to the seizure of 10-truck arms haul and ammunition. Nizami also asked the then BCIC chairman not to do anything since the home ministry was going to take steps regarding the incident.
Metropolitan magistrate Mahabubur Rahman records the testimony of 12 pages.

Nov 21, 2010: Eleventh extension provided for 90 days. Report due Feb 22, 2011. Acting Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Golam Sarwar.

Jan 27, 2011: A Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Shamsul Islam rejects the bail petition of detained former minister Lutfozzaman Babar.

Feb 22, 2011: IO seeks a 90 day extension which is denied by the Chittagong Sessions Judges' Court. However, later the same court granted a 35 day extension. Report due Mar 30, 2011.

Mar 30, 2011: Twelfth extension provided for 45 days. Report due May 15, 2011. Chittagong Metropolitan Session’s Judge -- AKM Shamsul Islam. IO submits a 409-page case docket in CD form.

May 4, 2011: Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Hussain Muhammad Fazlul Bari passes an order for showing Nizami arrested. Chargesheet says: Nizami was the then Industries Minister, he did not take any effective legal action in connection with the seizure of arms unloaded at the CUFL jetty, which was under the supervision of the ministry. As per the petition, Nizami's reluctance regarding the seizure of huge arms was also revealed in a statement given by Imamuzzaman.

May 15, 2011: Thirteenth extension provided for 45 days. Report due June 29, 2011. Chittagong Metropolitan Session’s Judge -- AKM Shamsul Islam.

June 4, 2011: CID claims to have solved six out of seven issues that a Chittagong court directed to solve during further investigation. The unsolved issue is identifying the vessel that transported the consignment.

June 29, 2011: CID report due

Unexplored connections:
1) ARY group -- al Qaeda -- smuggling of gold and greenback -- 1998 Nairobi bombings
2) ARY group -- World Memon Organisation -- ISI -- Government of Pakistan
3) ARY group -- ARY Bangladesh TV -- ISI -- Salauddin Qader Chowdhury -- BNP
4) Motiur Rahman Nizami -- CUFL
5) Salauddin Qader Chowdhury -- ISI -- Tareque Rahman -- BNP
6) ULFA -- NSCN-IM -- ISI -- NORINCO

Sources:
1) http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... ?nid=78893
2) http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... ?nid=78896
3) http://policyresearchgroup.com/regional ... stery.html
4) http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2110/st ... 206100.htm
5) http://www.sunday-guardian.com/news/kha ... into-india
6) http://ysiddaqui.com/?p=197
7) http://blogs.thehindu.com/delhi/?p=15889

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/l ... ?nid=16933

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 11 Jun 2011 16:38

Stan_Savljevic ji,

So when China talks about building a railroad from Myanmar to Chittagong and building a commercial port in Bangladesh, we could be talking about China trying to institutionalizing this arms traffic to the various secessionist groups in India's Northeast?!

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 11 Jun 2011 16:50

FYI, china has been funding terrorist groups in the Indian NE since the late 50s - early 60s. First, it was the then NNC which went to Yunnan for arms training. As an aside, the split between Thuingaleng Muivah (Isaac Swu Chwu is just a nominal leader from the Ao tribe, Muivah is from the more dominant Tangkhul tribe that dominates extended Naga domains in Manipur) and SS Khaplang was a two-fold division: 1) inter-tribal fistfight for dominance over Naga society -- Naga society as a uni-dimensional pipedream is just that, 2) placing Mao's red book over the Bible; Muivah chose the red book for short-term gains over Khaplang who chose to stick with the Bible. That is one reason why NSCN-IM is more dominant than NSCN-K. Given that NSCN-K runs its fiat over Tirap, Changlang and Burma and NSCN-IM over Chandel, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Senapati, it should have been ==. But it is not because of 2) as above.

Then, they started funding ULFA and NDFB. Now KLO, the various Manipuri groups of which one goes by the name PLA, not to mention Islamist groups such as MULTA, Huji, IM, etc. get funded by the ISI-D--PLA conglomerate. So when you say "institutionalize", if this is not institutionalization, nothing else is. It is not like the Indian intel agencies are unaware of chini funding of arms/training. God help you in finding out why Tibet, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Greater Thailand in china, etc. are as silent as they are.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 11 Jun 2011 16:57

Stan_Savljevic wrote:So when you say "institutionalize", if this is not institutionalization, nothing else is. It is not like the Indian intel agencies are unaware of chini funding of arms/training. God help you in finding out why Tibet, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Greater Thailand in china, etc. are as silent as they are.

I thought it was clear that when I said institutionalize, I was referring to using Chittagong as a route for arming the secessionists by bolstering the Chinese infrastructure in that area!

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 11 Jun 2011 21:58

BNP and jaamaat-i-islami are trying to get their acts together. Tomorrow they have called a 'Hartaal'
nationwide to create trouble and destabilize the country. pak is trying to outsource some of its trouble to BD. Already, on the eve of the hartaal the Islami Chhaatra Shibir hooligaans have burned four buses in different part of Dhaka. Police and mobile court units have apprehended 50 trouble makers and fined them. But this is too little and too late given the enormity of the problem BNP-JeI is trying to forment. hasina needs to make sure that essential services are not affected, and India should provide extra essential commodities so that the commoners are not affected. if the price-rise is not checked then common people will get angry with Hasina.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 20 Jun 2011 06:19

The enclave swap means Bengal will lose about 100,000 acres in Cooch Behar and must resettle the Indians from these villages. The Teesta plan similarly needs a nod from the state government, which must ensure Bengal gets enough water for its own irrigation plans at a time it’s planning a barrage on the river.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110620/j ... 135641.jsp
Enclave swap does not include swap or adjustment of adverse possessions in Meghalaya, WB, Tripura and elsewhere. There another ~100,000 acres are going to be lost even under the proviso that Jaintias and Khasis will protest. This is NOT the first time India will be bargaining territory in return for something like a gun to the head.

Delhi to gift Dhaka two cannons
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... nid=190686

The main opposition BNP in a meeting yesterday briefed foreign diplomats on the country's latest political situation, particularly BNP's stance on the non-party caretaker government system. High Commissioners of Australia and Pakistan, ambassadors of Iraq and European Union countries, representatives from the USA, the UK, Denmark, Netherlands and Palestine embassies in Dhaka were present in the meeting.

Joyanta · Post by **Joyanta** » 20 Jun 2011 22:20

Indian army chief VK Singh in city

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... nid=190710

Gen Singh to gift 3.7 inch howitzers which were part of the first artillery unit of the Bangladesh Army. A modern lab of 50 computers and a rock climbing wall will also be handed over to bd army for troops training...

While the two military is making efforts to boost military-to-military ties bnp as usual playing its anti-india card.

http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?o ... 2011-06-16

I heard in radio news today one of the bnp leader brig. m. a hannan shah(retired) saying ''AL trying to scare off Bangladeshi people by showing Indian army chief in the country"... And some new gen razakar's in the bd blogs and forums are jumping on the topic for a few days trying to make an issue why Indian army chief will attend the BMA passing out parade etc..

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 20 Jun 2011 22:25

blog er link paoa jabe ki ?

Samudragupta · Post by **Samudragupta** » 21 Jun 2011 07:59

A little late but interesting.....

Already, hints are emerging that the BDR mutiny enjoyed the secret backing of some Bangladesh army officers who had been sidelined by Army Chief Moeen Ahmed. Ahmed is widely seen as a secular officer who clamped down on the fundamentalist outfits that had been close to the previous civilian regime of Begum Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP).

During Begum Zia's second term in office (2001-2006), a large swathe of the Bangladesh army was infiltrated by JI and JMB elements to strengthen the permanent Islamist constituency in the country's most powerful institution. Many rank-and-file and non-commissioned officers of the Bangladesh military today have Islamist educational backgrounds because madrassa (Islamic school) graduates joined in large numbers and brought with them a fundamentalist fervor that coexisted uneasily with the more secular top echelons of the army led by Ahmed.

The BDR itself is staffed entirely by Bangladesh army officers, many of whom have distinctly anti-India and pro-Islamic leanings. In 2005, BDR's chief Jehangir Alam Chowdhary alleged that "some criminal elements from India had colluded with the Bangladeshi groups" to carry out the sensational 500-bomb serial attacks all over the country.

The assessment in India for the past two years has been that the caretaker government under Ahmed's supervision was cracking down on the "pro-Islam" juggernaut that had gone on the rampage during Begum Zia's rule

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KC03Df04.html

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 21 Jun 2011 20:53

Samudragupta, much water has flown down the Teesta with the Pilkhana carnage case. I had some running file on the chargesheets and counter-chargesheets somewhere, cant fish it right away.

Nasir Ahmed Pintu, a former BNP minister has been arrested for direct involvement. As I posted on the chittagong arms haul case, both seem to have had direct backing of the BNP/JeI (Lutfo Babar and Matiur Rahman Nizami vs Nasir Ahmed Pintu) combine. Nothing in BNP moves without BKZ or Tareq Rahman knowing and the ISI-D providing extra-territorial support. So yes, Pilkhana was an act of shaking the tenuous of BAL. The idea of a purge of Islamist elements is hogwash, BD is comfortable with its Islamist elements. It was a measure intended to send a sign that BAL can go only this far. For what its worth, BAL has taken up the challenge and is going hammer and tongs on the third important case for India: the 71 war crimes trial. I am waiting to see the day when Saka Chowdhury and his evil cohorts rot in hell. But I wont be surprised if he dies happily as an influential member of the government clique.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 21 Jun 2011 21:00

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 939372.cms
Bangladesh moves to retain Islam as state religion

Samudragupta · Post by **Samudragupta** » 21 Jun 2011 21:18

Stan_Savljevic wrote:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 939372.cms
Bangladesh moves to retain Islam as state religion

From the above link

Monday's Cabinet meeting chaired by Hasina also endorsed equal status and equal rights for practicing other religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, the minister said.

So does it mean that Bangladesh will have all the above formal religion.....Is Bangladesh moving towards Indonesia like situation.....

Joyanta · Post by **Joyanta** » 21 Jun 2011 21:59

Rahul da sorry for being so late. Actually a huge number of blogs and forums are active from Bd and most of them are not worth a second look. However just to get an idea how these new gen bd islamists are paranoid about Indian CAS visit you may check these links.
http://www.nagorikblog.com/node/5098
http://forum.projanmo.com/topic27209.html
http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/blog/Bastobora/46931
http://trivuz.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post.html
http://www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/SHATUAHAQ/29398972

If you find it hard to read bangla fonts you may use avro keyboard layout. Its free..
http://www.omicronlab.com/avro-keyboard-download.html
If it doesn't work install some bangla fonts like sutonny, solaimanlipi, ekushey etc.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 21 Jun 2011 22:44

“Like goddess Durga, this case has 10 hands which are very strong... very influential quarters of the then (BNP-led) government were involved in it who are to be brought to justice with caution,” chief prosecution lawyer Kamaluddin had told the court earlier while the investigations were under way.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110621/j ... 139100.jsp

Joyanta · Post by **Joyanta** » 21 Jun 2011 22:46

So does it mean that Bangladesh will have all the above formal religion.....Is Bangladesh moving towards Indonesia like situation.....

At-least for this AL regime. It's a political decision to keep the majority Islamic minded people calm and not to give the bnp-jammat nexus a chance they are dying for. So far AL hasn't done anything constructive to retain the bd power confidently. So Hasina is busy with backdoor policy. That's why AL now eliminated the constitutional provision of care-taker govt. ones for which they struggled hard. The secularist portion of BD society and even the new generation voters who opted for AL in the last election are mighty p!**ed with the decision to keep Islam as the state religion. They are feeling betrayed by hasina govt.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 21 Jun 2011 23:51

thanks a lot Joyanta, the forum was esp interesting. is there any representative blog that takes the middle ground ? where would you put BD psyche at the moment, in terms of identity, religion etc.

font install korai ache, article gulo porte kono osubidha nei tobe header bar er lekha khub choto asche.

Joyanta · Post by **Joyanta** » 26 Jun 2011 20:46

Rahulda are you hinting towards the secularists and moderate minders by the term middle ground or people who dn’t have particular inclination to the mainstream parties?

The sanest blog I found so far is the nagorikblog, but nagorik is relatively new and has a small community. Blogs like sachalayatan mukto-mona, amarblog etc has a very neutral, objective and well informed community where discussions tend to be very informative and is more or less influenced by any idealism.

The present day BD psyche is very complex in terms of identity. The majority of the people who were fed the Islamic and the so called Bangladeshi nationalistic view most of the times after independence are now confused with the present situation. The practice of democracy and a free media (mainstream) that holds a liberal view and insist on the nationalism (be it ethnic or political) and liberation war has served well to build a consciousness. Majority of urban young people are relatively indifferent they don’t tend to have a strong inclination towards any ideology or even religion. Though the media from the last decade is trying to portrait a nationalistic view and taking pride about events such ’52, ’71, ’91, important cricket match win, bd army’s success in un peace keeping mission , or any success bangladeshi origin people in the international level such as Md. Yunus . Deiberate attempts are being made to give the young generations some elements of pride. That’s why last few years extra attention on Rabinadranath Thakur and other Bengali litterateur are being paid. But still a large portion of the young and even grown up people in Bangladesh are suffering from identity crisis. A vast number of people still remain obsessed by the idea of islamic brotherhood where Bangladesh is a Islamic country and a part of the great ummah. The new generation bd people who grown-up in the late 80’s and 90’s era are now divided into several factions.

1. Unbiased people with patriotic view (they are the majority).
2. Strongly biased to Islamic identity and thereby supports Islamic theocracy.
3. Support the islamic identity but doesn’t holds a bigoted view.
4. Biased towards the ethnic Bangali nationalism and thereby wants a secular democratic state.
5. A small faction of Atheist and agnostic people very active in internet.(they are the enemy no 1 of islam in bd)

The small number of minority and indigenous people are becoming non practicing gradually as they dn’t get the environment. Especially hindus are being mocked everywhere, even in public for their beliefs. If hindus protest they are tagged as communal, narrow minded etc and compared with how bad muslims are in india.

But whatever anti-india and anti-west sense is prevailing in Bangladesh and it’s getting intense day by day. Even the secularist and the most neutral people now see the recent behavior of India unfriendly.

Header bar lekha choto asche keno bujhte parchi na. Tobe apnar browser jodi firefox hoye thake tahole eta try kore dekhte paren. tools- option- content- default font- any bangla font. mane default font ta change kore kono bangla font select korte paren.

Joyanta · Post by **Joyanta** » 26 Jun 2011 21:15

Two more important news...

Finally Arafat Rahman koko is punished.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/l ... ?nid=30475

Arafat Rahman Koko, youngest son of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, and Ismail Hossain Saimon were jailed for six years each in connection with siphoning off over Tk 20 crore bribe money to Singapore.

The court also fined each of the convicts Tk 38.83 crore.

Delivering the judgment, Judge Mohammad Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge's Court-3 asked the authorities concerned to take up measures to bring back Tk 20 crore that siphoned off to Singapore.

Punishment will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender, the judge said.
Koko had earlier gone abroad for his treatment while Saimon has been absconding since filing of the case.

Soon after the judgment, pro-BNP lawyers raised hue and cry at the courtroom. Later, they brought out a procession at the corridor of the court.

Babar, Nizami among 11 charge-sheeted in 10-truck arms case

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid ... 427&hb=top

The new suspects include Jamaat-e-Islami chief and former agriculture minister Matiur Rahman Nizami, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and two former National Security Intelligence (NSI) chiefs.

CID Chittagong senior assistant superintendent Monirujzzaman Chowdhury submitted the charge sheet around 5.30pm on Sunday in the prosecution division of Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.

Assistant prosecution commissioner 'Moinuddin' confirmed reporters the charge sheet had been submitted in the court.

With the new charge sheet, the number of suspects in the arms haul case stands at 50 and in the arms smuggling case 52.

now waiting for the tareq m**%c#** to be prosecuted.

vic · Post by **vic** » 26 Jun 2011 22:31

Stan_Savljevic wrote:FYI,Then, they started funding ULFA and NDFB. Now KLO, the various Manipuri groups of which one goes by the name PLA, not to mention Islamist groups such as MULTA, Huji, IM, etc. get funded by the ISI-D--PLA conglomerate. So when you say "institutionalize", if this is not institutionalization, nothing else is. It is not like the Indian intel agencies are unaware of chini funding of arms/training. God help you in finding out why Tibet, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Greater Thailand in china, etc. are as silent as they are.

I think that India feels that China can do worse to Indian then we can do to them, so perhaps waiting for Pakistan vs Pak Taliban like happy situation??????????

nithish · Post by **nithish** » 28 Jun 2011 03:43

Body heat to warn BSF of intruders

The BSF has introduced alarm system and thermal imagers to intensify vigil along the India-Bangladesh border under the north Bengal frontier of the force.

“We have introduced alarm system in most of the points of the border where smugglers approach with their cattle and other booty. The system was introduced about six months ago,” said Kamal Keswani, the inspector-general of the BSF (north Bengal frontier), today.

The BSF has set up wire fencing along the border. If the fence is touched, an alarm will go off immediately to alert guards at the nearest outpost.

Border guards patrolling at night can make use of the thermal imagers that can locate objects in the dark by sensing body heat.

Officials said the equipment is being used in the region for the first time. “The system will help to locate any image during night patrolling at least from a distance of around 4km,” Keswani said.

The north Bengal frontier comprises five sectors — Kishenganj, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Falakata and Cooch Behar — and covers around 885km of the India-Bangladesh border.

Smuggling, infiltration, transport of fake Indian currencies, narcotics, and human trafficking are common in border areas.

The BSF has seized 10,173 cattleheads, 142kg of ganja and counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs 2, 17, 300 till June 24 this year.

Officials said there are plans to set up more outposts to curb such illegal activities in the region.

“We have plans to introduce more BOPs across the border so that we can check the border related crimes with strict monitoring. Presently, we have 209 outposts in the five sectors. We are trying to reduce the distance between two posts, from the existing 5km to 3.5km, by setting up more of them. This will help to cover the border more closely,” Keswani said.

Of the 885km under the north Bengal frontier, 492km is fenced. Floodlights have been set up along a 237km stretch.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 28 Jun 2011 18:53

Bangladesh wins China pledges

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni received welcome assurances of support and development assistance from China's Vice President Xi Jinping during her eight-day visit to Beijing. She left with backing for her country's telecoms industry and hopes of cash to build a deep-sea port.

ajit_tr · Post by **ajit_tr** » 28 Jun 2011 19:51

Fortress India

Why is Delhi building a new Berlin Wall to keep out its Bangladeshi neighbors?
Felani wore her gold bridal jewelry as she crouched out of sight inside the squalid concrete building. The 15-year-old's father, Nurul Islam, peeked cautiously out the window and scanned the steel and barbed-wire fence that demarcates the border between India and Bangladesh. The fence was the last obstacle to Felani's wedding, arranged for a week later in her family's ancestral village just across the border in Bangladesh.

Hitesh · Post by **Hitesh** » 28 Jun 2011 20:32

That article is so one-sided and biased against India that it is not even worth mentioning. The article didn't even acknowledge the deaths of BSF and attempted killings against BSF in the past which prompted a stronger stance on the border.

Samudragupta · Post by **Samudragupta** » 28 Jun 2011 21:30

ajit_tr wrote:Fortress India

Why is Delhi building a new Berlin Wall to keep out its Bangladeshi neighbors?

So now Germany is imported into the Bengal equation.....but in this case Western part is not the bad guy....becaause the actions of the western part is a direct response to the steps taken by the Eastern part.....Anyway this FP article is just another of those Anglo-Saxon plots for modelling Asian preoblems based on the Westphalian models and whaich is going to fail....

If Linguistic and economic reasons be an important factors for migration of people then culture and terrorism are equally important factors for the other side to fend off itself....
BTW most of the facts in the article are doubtfull......and dramatisation of Felani did not stop SH to come to India and conclde a successful visit.....

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 30 Jun 2011 06:52

Bangladesh issues arrest warrant against Indian insurgent leader

Dhaka - A Bangladeshi court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant against an Indian separatist leader and several retired Bangladeshi officials wanted in connection with an arms smuggling case, officials said.

The arrest warrant was issued against Paresh Barua, military head of Indian separatist group United Liberation Front of Assam, and Nurul Amin, a retired senior official at Bangladesh's industries ministry, allegedly involved in smuggling 10 truckloads of arms in 2004.

Investigators have in total charged 52 people - including two former ministers, Matiur Rahman Nizami and Lutfozzaman Babar, and two former chiefs of National Security Intelligence (NSI) for smuggling of the arms meant for the Indian insurgent group.

All but the two accused were arrested by this time.

Police seized 10 truckloads of weapons and ammunition from a jetty near Chittagong port on April 1, 2004.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 30 Jun 2011 06:58

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid ... 9649[quote]

Sherpur, June 28 (bdnews24.com) — A madrasa student has kidnapped, raped a Hindu girl for three days, shaved her head and left her in front of her house in men's clothes.

But instead of the boy being on the defensive, it is the girl's family now in hiding because of repeated threats from him and his friends after they filed a case in connection with the incident. [/quote]

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Jun 2011 11:50

if this transit fee thing is signed, BD business elites would benefit handsomely from their trucking companies ferrying the containers and pallets to points within India . BD railway would also get a certain % of traffic if rail linkages are built to near our railhead in agartala and hopefully another in mizoram.
the business elites can make sure the govt also benefits, or in some cases they are in the govt already.

even with a transit fee, it will likely be a lot cheaper for most NE states to import and export products via chittagong than pay "octroi" in assam border, WB border and then run down to diamond harbour. a factory located in chennai or bangalore could potentially send stuff by ship container to chittagong for a short run into NE states than a month long odyssey across the country.

we could extend some loans and help to make the road infra suitable for large scale traffic.

I see it as a win-win for both parties if cards are played right.

barges on the brahmaputra could hopefully be used to transport bulk dry goods up and down the river as in the british days...atleast upto western part of assam. those days people moved by "steamer service" to dhaka and then on by bus or rail to kolkata.