Farakka, a lost battle for Bangladesh?

The Farakka barrage still remains as a thorn in India Bangladesh relation. Farakka Barrage is located in India 11 miles from the borders of Bangladesh. Construction of the Farakka Barrage was started by India in 1960 unilaterally violating the international norms of any construction for diversion of water on any international river. It was completed in 1974 to divert Ganges River water into the Bhagirati-Hooghly River in order to flush out the accumulating...

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Today I am a Sri Lankan

After seven weeks and fifty matches the Cricket World Cup 2007 is ending today. Australia and Sri Lanka will meet their second final clash (first in 1996 which Sri Lanka had own). Today I will be supporting Sri Lanka, one of the powerful cricketing nations in South Asia. I will be watching the game via internet.Related links:* Cricket World Cup 2007 TV, Radio and Internet Broadcasts: Live and highlights. * Cricket Blogs and portals from South Asia.* Cricket World Cup 2007, Live Li...

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The state of the leadership

Ahmede Hussain interviews Sajeeb Wajed Joy, Sheikh Hasina's son. He says:"I believe that the Awami League is going to come to power. The party is far stronger now than it has ever been. My mother is within the party and so even while she is outside the country, the party will follow her leadership. I believe the people of our country will oppose this regime just as they opposed the attempted rigged elections."However, the reality might be different as the law adviser Mainul Hosein says about the failed exile attempt of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda...

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Picture of the day

The Goat's windmill and the top of the holy spirit church beckoning in Werder upon Havel. Werder means water surrounded country (Official website). In its river island I saw the first cherry blossom of this seas...

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Biman needs to be saved

This is an welcome news that Bangladesh Biman will become a public limited company. Can you just believe where the Bangladeshi diaspora have created a demand for private airlines like Air Sylhet and Royal Bengal Airlines Biman has closed down its flights to Frankfurt and New York. The aviation industry in the neighboring India is booming and Bangladesh Biman is left stranded with corrupted politicized management and an yearly loss of $700 million. It has only 15 aircraft for domestic and international operations many of which need replaceme...

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Breaking News: Bangladesh Government scraps exile plan: Lifts ban on Hasina, Spares Khaleda Zia

BDNews24 reports:The military-backed government Wednesday lifted the ban on Sheikh Hasina's homecoming and said there were no restrictions on Khaleda Zia's movement. In a statement, the home ministry said the ban on Hasina's return was temporary and the authorities have decided to lift it because of "views from the media and other quarters". The other quarter meant includes, I presume, the US department of State. Sean McCormack, spokesman for the US Department of State said Tuesday at a news briefing in Washington.:"If the caretaker government...

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The drama continues

British Airways has clarified why they have denied Sheikh Hasina from boarding the flight bound for Dhaka. The statement says:"Our right to refuse carriage is contained within our general conditions of carriage for passengers and baggage. This action was necessary as on April 18, 2007 we received written notification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh that Sheikh Hasina had been barred from entering Bangladesh."This statement was made after Sheikh Hasina threatened to sue BA. Tomorrow a writ petition will be filed in the Bangladesh...

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Quote of the day

"Dont you just love what internet has done to our lives, not only convertered writting into typing, papers into laptops but also personal thoughts into blogspots, this truely is amazing."- A Bangladeshi girl who authors the blog 'Just ...

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Hasina denied boarding pass

The Bangladesh Government is trying its best to keep Sheikh Hasina from entering the country.BDNews24 reports: Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was denied a boarding pass Sunday by British Airways to fly to Dhaka from London. The AL president reached Heathrow Airport at 7:00pm Bangladesh time to board the aircraft, but airline officials told her that British Airways was not in a position to carry her as Bangladesh government requested the carrier not to take her to Dhaka.Meanwhile news from earlier this day:A Dhaka court Sunday ordered the police...

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Cricket: change in one day rankings

From Zimbabwe Cricket Blog:The ICC have updated the LG ODI rankings table, now that Ireland have qualified - and the bad news for Zimbabwe is that Ireland have entered the table ahead of them, coming in at 10th place with a rating of 29, ahead of Zimbabwe who are on 22. The bottom end of the table currently looks like this: Pl Pts Rnk9 Bangladesh 42 1892 4510 Ireland 11 317 2911 Zimbabwe 36 779 2212 Kenya 11 0 0Hope Ireland can keep this rank and will not wither away like Ken...

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Now its Khaleda's turn

BDNews24 reports:As many as 200 reporters and TV crew Saturday night flocked to Zia International Airport to cover the rumored departure of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. The rumour spread hours after Khaleda met son Tarique Rahman somewhere in the cantonment. The meeting was part of the reported deal reached between Khaleda and the authorities to exile her to Saudi Arabia.Tarique Zia had been transfered to a jail outside Dhaka and the prison van briefly stopped at the Combined military hospital in Dhaka Cantonment for his check-up. Khaleda...

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Can Sheikh Hasina return to Bangladesh?

AP is reporting:"We've ticket in our hands with confirmation," Abdus Sobhan Golap, Hasina's close aide, told The Associated Press by phone from London. Hasina is scheduled to board a British Airways flight at Heathrow airport on Sunday to arrive in Bangladesh on Monday.Her son Sajeeb Wajed urges the Bangladeshis to raise their voices against this unlawful ban of the Caretaker Government.Now the question is can Hasina defy the ban?I have got another email alert which prescribes how to block Hasina's return:Phase 1 Two BAF F-7BG AC will escort out...

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Picture of the day

Church at Europa Center, Ber...

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An Updated List of Bangladeshi Blogs

Here is another updated list of Bangladeshi Blogs after adding some new blogs and removing dead blogs (arranged in no particular order):Blogs in English:* The 3rd world view-Germany* Unheard Voices - A drishtipat group blog initiative -USA* imperfect|world|2007 -UK* Mezba's blog -Canada* Serious golmal -UK* Sajeeb Wajed Joy - USA* Or how I learned to stop worrying -USA* Addafication - USA & UK* Shada Kalo - Bangladesh* ShahidulNews - Bangladesh* South Asia biz -Bangladesh* The Bangladesh poet of impropriety -Bangladesh* Abeer -Bangladesh* Salam...

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World Cup Cricket 2007 - Bangladesh vs West Indies super eight match: Live Blogging

Bangladesh plays their last match today with West Indies. The both are playing for pride and for the sixth position. It is important for Bangladesh to win this game or lose marginally or else they will hit the bottom with lower net run rate than Ireland.They have won the toss and chosen to field. I expected them to bat first as in this pacy and bouncy pitches of Caribbean if your strength is your spinners you can expect the ball to turn more in the second innings.Bangladesh has brought Javed Omar in place of Shahriar Nafees, who had a terrible...

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Sheikh Hasina reacts

In a radio interview with Deutsche Welle Sheikh Hasina vowed that she will return in spite of Government. She is hopeful that she can go home soon.Background: The Government issues warnings against Hasina's return:Now it seems that the warning we received a few days ago is true.Salam Dhaka reports on an Embargo on Hasina's reactions in Bangladeshi press (via the Daily Star).The government through its Press Information Department and other agencies...

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Mileage on dynasty

In a recent Statement Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru and son of Sonia & Rajib Gandhi) credited his family with the independence of India and break-up of Pakistan. Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi defended him:The spirit of Rahul Gandhi's statement was to remind and underline Indira Gandhi's remarkable victory over Pakistan in 1971 war which made India proud.But hey something is missing from the picture. They have wiped out the context of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the tremendous struggle of the Bangladeshis...

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Picture of the day

Potsdamer Platz, Ber...

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Tech guide

* Bangla script display and input system for different OS.* Bangla input system as Wordpress Bangla plugin.* Murshed's Bangla unicode writer and converter.* How to install Internet Explorer 7.0 bypassing genuine Windows validation.* How to install Windows Media Player 11.0 bypassing genuine Windows validation.* Installing ttf fonts on Debian or Ubuntu Linux.* Autopatcher - all the Windows updates in an easy installer packa...

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The latest happenings in Bangladesh

Bangladesh got some media attention recently because of controversies surrounding alleged exile deal of Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, chief of the main political parties with the people supported, military backed interim government (cartoon courtesy Shada Kalo). Some are comparing the issue with the exile of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. A lot of contradictory things are happening to authenticate/negate the rumors. Drishtipat Blog...

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World Cup Cricket 2007 - Bangladesh vs Ireland super eight match: Live Blogging

Although the headlines say that Bangladesh and Ireland will be playing for pride only, I think the match has importance for Bangladesh. Bangladesh now eyes for the sixth position in the World Cup. To reach that Bangladesh needs to beat Ireland and West Indies. According to recent performances Bangladesh is favorite for today's match. Today I watched the first half of the game in an Irish Pub in Berlin Rosa-Luxemburg Strasse with 15-20 Bangladeshis....

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A journey to the world's smallest Kingdom

After hearing that the world's smallest Kingdom is hear in Germany we had to go there. Its Located in Okertal, a narrow valley surrounded by high mountains within the Harz Mountains. Its our second journey to the Harz mountains which produces some great landscapes and there are scores of tourist attractions like wellness centers, a national park and many waterfalls.Lurking there is the Hotel Königreich Romkerhall which boasts to be the center of...

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BENGALI NEW YEAR (1414) GREETINGS

Shuvo Nobobarsha!Today is Nobo Barsha, Bangla for New Year, also known as "Pahela Baishakh". This marks the beginning of Baisakh, the first month of Bengali calendar. It is usually marked by the tradition of "Halkhata", opening of books of accounts for the new year by the village traders. The celebration of Pahela Baishakh by broad masses in the Bangladesh context may be dated from the observance of the day by "Chhayanat", a cultural organization...

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Understanding human sympathy

Why is it that people really feel for one person's accidental death and feel nothing about thousands of death in Darfur? A research finds:"We go all out to save a single identified victim, be it a person or an animal, but as the numbers increase, we level off. We don't feel any different to say 88 people dying than we do to 87. This is a disturbing model, because it means that lives are not equal, and that as problems become bigger we become insensitive to the prospect of additional deaths."Amit Varma adds:There is a lesson in this for journalists....

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Today's Links

* Blogs turn 10.* The state of Technorati, April 2007.* Research your news before publishing.* A call for manners in the world of nasty blogs. * Blog and be damn...

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Tell me this is not a joke!

I have received this email alert from the Bangladesh Military Forces Online Forum:We have receieved an emergency email notice from intelligence/national security specialists concerning Hasina & Khaleda. Please read and forward to others:"AIRCRAFT CARRYING HASINA MUST NOT ENTER BANGLADESHI AIRSPACE: CODE RED"AUTHORITIES MUST DENY ENTRY OF THE AIRCRAFT CARRYING HASINA TO ENTER BANGLADESHI AIRSPACE. AT LEAST LANDING MUST BE DENIED. IT IS A MATTER OF CLEAR AND PRESENT NATIONAL SECURUTY THREAT. SHE IS PLANNING MASSIVE CIVIL UNREST IN BANGLADESH...

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Politicians are being framed

The Daily Star reports:"Police yesterday charged Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, Jammat Chief Matiur Rahman Nizami and more than 50 top level leaders and workers with murder and other serious offences committed during street demonstrations on October 28 last year.In a case brought by Jamaat immediately after the incident, Hasina was not mentioned. However, her name has now been added by the police.Other than Hasina, 45 leaders and workers of her party and 14-party have been charged. They include AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, former home minister...

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World Cup Cricket 2007 - Bangladesh vs England super eight match: Live blogging

The match is being played at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. England won the toss and put Bangladesh to bat first. "We'll put Bangladesh under pressure and restrict them," said Michael Vaughan, the England captain. The Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar admits he would have bowled first.3 Overs: Bangladesh 12/1: lost Tamim who struck two boundaries in the first over but could not cope with a bounce from Mahmood. 15.2 Overs: Bangladesh 65/6: The pace and bounce of the pitch and the supplementary English bowling is failing Bangladesh. They...

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YouTube video of the day

Smooth, edgy, sophisticated and soothing music from BlueNote. Piano and Vocals Saad Chowdhury and on Soprano Sax our good old blogger Andrew Morris. Together they are playing the music from the great American songbo...

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Peacock Island

What is there to see in the Peacock Island near Berlin? Silly question really. Some free range peacocks roaming around in the 76 hectare picturesque landscape, gardens and architectural work of art. There are some more exotic ones including a white peacock and many other species of birds in the captivity.And you get a bonus."Like something out of a fairy-tale, the white wooden facade of artificial castle ruins shines through the treetops of a centuries-old...

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More drama unfolds

The Daily Star reports that Sheikh Hasina will return to Bangladesh on April 14th and deal with the extortion case against her personally. Meanwhile the caretaker Government has convened a special task force to proceed with the case.In another news Begum Khaleda Zia has flipped her mind from finally deciding to go on exile abroad and now decides to stay in Bangladesh. I was reading an interesting statement by Khaleda in the Daily Amader Shomoy where...

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Khaleda heading for same fate as Hasina

Many people believe that the case against ex-PM Sheikh Hasina is a ploy to keep her out of the country. Kazi Tajul Islam Faruque, who filed the suit seems a complicated guy who had good connections with both the government and used them for his business advantages. The local news papers are reporting that ex PM Khaleda Zia is under a house arrest. Sada Kalo has details:According to Prothom Alo, only the domestic servants were allowed into Mrs. Zia's personal residence; all BNP members were refused entry. The security guards of the house told the...

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More cricket links

* Some background to India, Pakistan, and corruption.* Cricket bridges ethnic divide in Lanka.* Mandira hurts Tigers sentiments.* Hunger and the weight.* Tamim fronts new generation on the rise.* Bangladesh cricket videos.Tags: Cricket, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri La...

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The case against former PM Sheikh Hasina Wazed

You just cannot keep Bangladesh out of the headlines. After a few dull days we have another breaking news. The Awami League chief and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed was sued by Mr. Kazi Tajul Islam Faruque, Chairman of Westmont Power Company. The Daily Star has details:"Tajul brought allegations against Hasina of extortion and abuse of power in 1998 when she was the prime minister. The case was filed under sections 385, 386, 387 and 109 of the penal code. In accordance with the sections, a person can be sentenced to five years to life...

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Picture of the day

Ber...

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Bangladesh Bop

All hail the Tiger Tango or Bangladesh Bop (termed by the Atheist). This dance features the rhythmic pumping of arms, and the stamping of feet.Tags: Cricket, Banglad...

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