Everything you need to know about Bangladesh: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more
Bangladesh: Islamic State with Rich History
The present Bangladesh country came in to existence following a lot of political upheaval and turmoil. Historically, it was considered the wealthiest part of the subcontinent till 16th century, until foreign forces such as Mughals, Europeans, Britishers and others conquered it. Dharampala king was known as the most efficient ruler of the state as he had extended its territorial areas. Moreover, it has been opined by the historians that the Pala Empire can be considered as the golden era of this state. And then it was segregated from India following the partition in 1947 and came to be known as East Pakistan until its Independence from Pakistan in 1971 when it was renamed as Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Facts:This country faces tropical monsoon climate mostly throughout the year. High humidity temperatures along with heavy seasonal rainfall characterize this. The hot summer months vary from March to June, while from June to November it receives heavy rainfall. Relatively, January is its coolest month having the temperature range of 16-20 degree Celsius.
Culture and Cuisine of Bangladesh:
Bangladesh has a variety of races and also it reflects the cultural influence of other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. Though Islam has the most pervading impact in terms of architecture, music, literature and historical monuments. Some of the Islamic rites observed by Bengalis are Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Eid-ul-Azha, Muharram and others. While a small number of Hindus celebrate their own ceremonial Pujas.
Bengalis are known for their ardent love for music and dance. The native people love the classical and modern categories of music along with folk songs. Rabindra and Nazrul Sangeet form an important part of their musical tradition. Among the tribal dances, Monipuri and Santal are the popular forms along with the local traditional songs of Jari and Shari.
A typical Bangladeshi dish consists of staple foods like Rice, Dal (lentil) and fish. Beef is yet anther food forming an integral part of the cuisine. The Bengalis are also known for their spicy taste, as they use numerous spices such as turmeric, chilly, cinnamon, garlic and cardamom in their cuisines.
Tourist Attractions in Bangladesh:
Bangladesh offers a plethora of tourist sites. Pertaining to its long colonial history, this country incorporates some of the finest relics of the Buddhist monastic architecture. At Paharpur, there stands a quadrangle shaped Buddhist vihara, which measures more than 900 ft., besides this Cox’s Bazaar is considered as the center of tourist attractions in Bangladesh. It contains the world’s longest beach of about 120 km falling into the Bay of Bengal along with a backdrop of lush green forests.
Wellington, June 19 (ANI): New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has admitted concern over injured veteran Daniel Vettori and said there were some serious medical discussions to be had over his future.
Shillong, June 18 (IANS) Two Bangladeshi linkmen of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were arrested in Meghalaya's South West Garo Hills district while attempting to cross over back into their country, an official said Tuesday.
Dhaka, June 18 (ANI): Bangladesh factory workers have been reportedly hit by 'mass psychogenic illness' and have not fallen sick due to contaminated water.
Agartala, June 18 (IANS) To make the country polio-free, the central government has asked all the border states to step up thier vaccination efforts to cover all the children entering the country, a Tripura minister said Tuesday.
Dhaka, June 16 (IANS) It is time for Mohammed Qader of Bahuka village in Sirajganj district to move again. For the seventh time in the last 20 years that he has been residing in Bahuka, Qader will be forced to rebuild his life from scratch as the mighty Jamuna river continues to erode its banks and destroy everything in its wake - all thanks to global warming.
Sydney, June 15 (ANI): Cricket Australia (CA) is reportedly seeking professional advice on controversial opener David Warner's relationship with alcohol, following his punching England batsman Joe Root under the influence of alcohol after Australia's loss to England in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.
Sydney, June 15 (ANI): The Australian media has called for the necessity of Cricket Australia (CA) to take a strong stand against controversial opener David Warner, who was suspended and fined for punching England batsman Joe Root after Australia's loss to England in the tournament.
Agartala, June 14 (ANI): In a move that will strengthen bilateral ties between Bangladesh and India, the Bangladesh Government has granted permission to Tripura to transport foodgrains through its territory.
Dubai, June 12 (IANS) As part of the Saudi Arabian government's crackdown on people making unauthorised cheap calls on the internet, five Indians have been arrested in that country for selling internet telephone cards, Arab News reported Wednesday.
Dhaka, June 11 (IANS) Bangladesh's income per capita leaped to $923 in the outgoing 2012-13 fiscal year ending this month though remained far beyond reach with respect to the country's goal of graduating to a middle-income status by 2021, officials said Tuesday.
Washington, June 10 (ANI): An Islamist group that demands the death penalty for 'atheist' bloggers insulting Islam is gaining support in Bangladesh.
Dhaka, June 9 (IANS) Police Sunday morning prevented fans from holding their scheduled human-chain programme demanding "symbolic punishment" only for ex-Bangladesh cricket captain Mohammad Ashraful who last week confessed to his role in match-fixing.
Agartala, June 9 (IANS) Transporting food grains for the mountainous northeastern states of India via Bangladesh has begun, and the first consignment is expected to reach Tripura within 10 to 15 days, officials said Sunday.
Agartala, June 9 (IANS) Transporting food grains for the mountainous northeastern states of India via Bangladesh began Sunday, and the first consignment is expected to reach Tripura within 10 to 15 days, officials said.
Sydney, June 8 (ANI): Australian retailers, Kmart and Target, have signed onto an accord to improve safety at Bangladesh factories, following the collapse of a factory that killed more than 1100 workers in April.
Beijing, June 7 (Xinhua-ANI): Australian retailers Kmart and Target on Friday joined other global brands to protect thousands of garment-makers in Bangladesh by signing a major health and safety accord.
Kolkata, June 7 (IANS) Kolkata is all set to host a web magazine fair Saturday that will bring together 40 online portals from India and abroad.
London, June 7 (ANI): A teenage girl, who survived a factory collapse in Bangladesh after being trapped under the rubble for 17 days, has been given a new job at a five-star hotel.
Dhaka, June 6 (IANS) The Bangladeshi government Thursday unveiled a record 2.22 trillion taka (about $28.50 billion) proposed national budget targeting an economic growth of 7.2 percent for the next 2013-14 fiscal year starting in July.
Islamabad, June 6 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly taken steps to minimise the risk of corruption during the Champions Trophy, which starts in the United Kingdom on Thursday, in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Wednesday expressed concern over the influx of people with "doubtful citizenship" in Meghalaya.
New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) India's northeast region was under serious threat as several militant outfits had come together on a common platform called the United Forum, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said in the internal security meet here Wednesday.
London, June 5 (ANI): The UK government has declared that it will donate 18 million pounds as aid for the safety and skills training of low-skilled Bangladeshi factory workers.
New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Wednesday voiced concern over Sikh militancy being fanned by the ISI in Pakistan as well as the high quality of counterfeit Indian currency being pushed inside India from across the border.
Dhaka, June 4 (IANS) Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful admitted to his role in match-fixing and said he was ashamed of his involvement in corruption during the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Dhaka, June 4 (ANI): Former cricket skipper Mohammad Ashraful, who has been suspended from all forms of the game on the suspicion of fixing matches during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), clarifying his stand on the issue today said that he has revealed all details to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Dhaka, June 4 (IANS) Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Tuesday suspended former national captain Mohammad Ashraful from all forms of cricket after he confessed to his role in match fixing during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Dhaka, June 4 (IANS) The Bangladeshi government Tuesday lifted restriction on political rallies and meetings but reiterated commitment to continuing a life ban for terrorists and extremists to holding any such events.
London, June 4 (ANI): A majority of garment factories in Bangladesh are in danger of collapse, according to a survey by engineers in the country.
Dhaka, June 4 (ANI): The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) suspended ex-cricket captain Mohammad Ashraful after he confessed to fixing matches in the Bangladesh Premier League.
northeast India and Bangladesh Monday, an official said here.
Cardiff, June 3 (IANS) India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Monday received the prestigious ICC ODI Championship Shield and a cheque of $175,000 for leading his side to the top of the ICC ODI Championship table on the annual April 1 cut-off date.
Agartala, June 3 (IANS) A secret agent of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) of Bangladesh was arrested in Tripura, while a local court here sentenced a Pakistani spy to four years in jail, officials said Monday.
Cardiff (United Kingdom), June 3 (ANI): India cricket skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday received the prestigious Reliance ICC ODI championship shield and a cheque of US$175,000 for leading his side to the top of the Reliance ICC ODI championship table on the annual April 1 cut-off date.
Washington, June 3 (ANI): The Rohingya community in Myanmar who are being held in squalid camps and even beaten up, have been told that there is only one way out - by identifying themselves as Bengalis.
Dhaka, June 3 (IANS) With India and Bangladesh bearing the brunt of floods
Dhaka, June 2 (IANS) A court in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka Sunday gave the go-ahead for the trial of four bloggers in two cases filed for posting "derogatory comments" about Islam and its holy prophet on the internet.
Washington, May 31 (ANI): Labor advocates have stepped up pressure on the Obama administration, calling it to revoke Bangladesh's special trade status.
London, May 31 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into allegations about suspicious events in the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Europe will "emerge even stronger" from the current economic crisis, said German Ambassador Michael Steiner here.
London, May 29 (IANS) Around 100,000 Christians are killed every year around the world because of their faith, a top Vatican official has said.
Bangkok, May 28 (ANI): Burma's government should publicly revoke a discriminatory population control regulation that restricts Rohingya Muslims to having two children, Human Rights Watch said today.
Beijing, May 28 (Xinhua-ANI): The highest economic policy-making body of Bangladesh on Tuesday approved a 739.84-billion-taka (9.49 billion U.S. dollars) annual development program for the 2013-14 fiscal year beginning in July, with priority given to power and communications sectors.
Bangkok, May 28 (IANS) Myanmar should publicly revoke a discriminatory population control regulation that restricts Rohingya Muslims to having two children, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
London, May 28 (ANI): Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has condemned a decision by local officials in Rakhine state to enforce a "two-child policy" on Rohingya Muslims.
Agartala, May 25 (IANS) In a major policy change, Bangladesh will allow India ferry foodgrains for the mountainous northeastern states via its territory, a Tripura minister said here.
Dhaka, May 24 (ANI): Bangladesh educationist Azad Chowdhury called for the banning of the country's biggest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and blamed the organisation for misusing Islam and committing the wartime atrocities during the 1971 liberation war.
London, May 24 (ANI): A Bangladesh Government report into the collapse of a multi-storied factory building has uncovered a series of violations.
Being in the travel trade sucks. You won't BELIEVE the fuss passengers make, just because some tiny mistake has been made which has led to them being taken to, say, the wrong country. Why quibble? Countries are countries.
Chennai, May 23 (IANS) German automobile major Daimler AG will start exports of FUSO range of trucks - belonging to Japanese Mitsubishi FUSO Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) - to Sri Lanka out of its plant near here from June, said a senior official near here Thursday.
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Former Ranji cricket player Baburao Yadav, arrested in the IPL spot fixing scandal, had planned to play in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with the help of one of the arrested bookies, police said Wednesday.
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Former Ranji cricket player Baburao Yadav, arrested in the IPL spot fixing scandal, had planned to play in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with the help of one of the arrested bookies, police said Wednesday.
Kolkata, May 22 (ANI): Kolkata recently hosted a meeting on Tuesday to discuss measures that needs to be taken to increase cross border trade with Bangladesh.
Stockholm, May 22 (IANS) More than 40 Indian families in densely populated Stockholm suburbs are worried over explosive protests in the past week, which one Indian immigrant described as "unusually fearome".
Dhaka, May 22 (IANS) Directed at channeling the "patriotic spirit" of youngsters in Bangladesh to create a "secular youth force", the Shahbag movement, that peaked in February and March with tens of thousands of protesters and torchlight processions, is "not dead" and "lives on" sans the noise and the fury, its leaders and participating activists claim.
Agartala, May 21 (IANS) Three militants who had fled from their hideout in Bangladesh along with two CPI-M leaders, who were kidnapped April 1 from Tripura, have surrendered to the security forces, officials said Tuesday.
Agartala, May 21 (IANS) A dawn-to-dusk strike called by the opposition Congress Tuesday to protest the killing of three newspaper employees paralysed this capital of Left-ruled Tripura.
Beijing, May 21 (IANS) Premier Li Keqiang's visit to India will contribute to regional economic development and integration, a Chinese daily said Tuesday.
Dhaka, May 20 (ANI): Bangladesh online activist and spokesperson of the Shahbagh's Ganajagaran Mancha, Imran H Sarkar, has called for the banning of country's biggest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, while blaming it for wartime atrocities committed during the 1971 liberation war.
Dhaka, May 19 (IANS) The Bangladesh government Sunday banned political rallies for one month, a step the opposition described as an attempt to mute dissenting voices.
Washington, May 18 (ANI): A Microsoft security expert said that computer viruses are on a rise worldwide once again after years of being less popular amongst computer attackers.
Asia will one day be filled with 'millions of men desperate for women', researchers warned last week.
London, May 16 (ANI): Walmart has planned to conduct safety investigations at its Bangladesh factories by its own and not join accord with other retailers.
New York, May 16, (IANS) Authorities in India and Bangladesh should take all necessary steps to protect Shukhoranjan Bali, a long-missing witness in the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch said Thursday.
Dhaka, May 16 (IANS) A cyclone packing a wind speed of 100 km per hour made landfall in Bangladesh Thursday, ravaging the southeastern Patuakhali district.
Dhaka, May 16 (IANS) Around 200 cyclone centres have been set up across Bangladesh and thousands of residents in coastal areas evacuated following forecast of cyclone Mahasen hitting the country Thursday at 4 p.m.
Dhaka, May 15 (IANS) Bangladesh Wednesday ordered the evacuation of about one million people from its coastline as the cyclonic storm "Mahasen" in the Bay of Bengal was poised to cross the country's southern coast early Thursday.
Bangkok, May 15 (IANS) Enhanced Thai-Bangladeshi cooperation will double their trading volume to $1.7 billion in the next three years, the Thai commerce minister said Wednesday.
Bhubaneswar, May 15 (IANS) The Met Office Wednesday issued a fresh warning for fishermen in Odisha asking them not to venture into the sea as gusty winds triggered by cyclonic storm 'Mahasen' would prevail along the coast.
Lahore, May 15 (ANI): US President Barack Obama has congratulated Pakistan's prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif on his recent victory in the polls, through a phone call, and has also expressed his wish to meet Sharif soon.
New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) The Bengal chit-fund scam, which hit Kolkata's I-League clubs hard finacially, has now robbed the Indian football team of a chance of improving its FIFA rankings by playing friendlies against Pakistan and Bangladesh in London. The organisers of the trip backed off citing "unforeseen reasons".
Bangkok, May 14 (IANS) Myanmar should take immediate action to evacuate to higher ground tens of thousands of Muslims displaced by ethnic cleansing in Arakan State in advance of a tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
London, May 14 (ANI): Fashion chains in Bangladesh have agreed to sign up to a legally binding agreement to help finance fire safety and building improvements in the factories, following an order by the Bangladesh Government to allow the country's four million garment workers to form trade unions without permission from factory owners.
Washington, May 14 (ANI): Walmart has called on the Bangladesh Government to stop production at the Stitch Tone Apparels factory and to order a probe on structural conditions of a neighbouring factory.
Dubai, May 13 (IANS) Nearly half of over $61 billion sent by expatriates in the Gulf countries in 2012 went to India, according to new data.
Dhaka, May 13(ANI): Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus has appealed to foreign firms in Bangladesh to fix a common minimum wage for garment industry workers.
Dhaka, May 13 (ANI): After the world's worst garment industry disaster, the Bangladesh Government has decided to raise the income of garment factory workers.
Dhaka, May 12 (IANS) Maritime ports in Bangladesh were Sunday advised to take adequate precautionary measures as cyclone Mahasen originating in the southeast Bay of Bengal, moved slightly towards the northwest.
Dhaka, May 12 (IANS) More than two weeks after an eight-storey building collapsed in the Bangladesh capital, the death toll approached 1,200 Sunday, officials said.
Dhaka, May 12 (IANS) A top leader of an Islamist party in Bangladesh was Sunday arrested for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the country's war of liberation in 1971.
London, May 11 (ANI): An American student is attempting to make a record as the youngest person in history to fly solo around the world, and will be making his first stop in the UK after setting off from California on May 2.
Beijing, May 11 (Xinhua-ANI): Rescuers on Friday evening worked miracles when they pulled alive a woman garment worker named Reshmi from piles of rubble of the collapsed eight-story building 17 days after the country's worst industrial disaster at Savar on the outskirts of capital Dhaka.
Dhaka, May 10 (IANS) A woman was Friday found alive, trapped in the rubble of the collapsed eight-storey building on the outskirts of this Bangladesh capital, 16 days after the disaster that has claimed over 1,000 lives.
Dhaka, May 10 (IANS) Sixteen days into one of Bangladesh's worst tragedies that has so far left over 1,000 people dead, rescuers Friday found a young woman clinging to life beneath the sandwiched floors of the collapsed eight-storey building in Dhaka.
Islamabad, May 10 (ANI): The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan has pledged to get to the bottom of the sudden decision of captain Mushfiqur Rahim's resignation, hinting that there were other contributing factors behind the decision.
New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Parliamentarians from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be in London next week to understand legislative options and challenges in the areas of renewable energy, climate change, energy security and low carbon growth.
Today, we're going to answer the much-asked question: How can adults communicate with young people? The answer is: They can't. So we'll move right along to another question of global importance, received from a reader named Suchin: "My dad said he once ate a curry so hot it burned through his body and set his chair on fire. Could this really happen?"
Dhaka, May 9 (IANS) At least eight people, including a senior police officer, were killed and 10 others injured in a fire Thursday at an 11-storeyed garment factory here in the Bangladeshi capital, officials said.
Dhaka, May 9 (IANS) The death toll in the collapse of an eight-storey building here in the Bangladesh capital approached 1,000 Thursday, after 55 more bodies were pulled out from the rubble, officials said.
Dhaka, May 9 (IANS) At least eight people were killed and 10 others injured in a fire Thursday at an 11-storeyed garment factory here in the Bangladeshi capital, officials said.
Dhaka, May 9 (ANI): A Bangladesh war crimes tribunal sentenced an Islamist party leader to death on Thursday, on charges of genocide and torture of unarmed civilians during the 1971 war for independence.
Dhaka, May 9 (ANI): The death toll in the collapse of an eight storey building in Bangladesh's Savar area rose to 931 on Thursday, after rescuers pulled out 97 more decomposed bodies from its sandwiched floors overnight.
New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) A total of 13 short films, based on of litterateur, composer and artist Rabindranath Tagore's poems, were released here Thursday to commemorate his 152nd birth anniversary.
Johannesburg, May 9 (ANI): Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim will reportedly step down from his post after playing two Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe this weekend.
New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday paid tribute to litterateur, composer and artist Rabindranath Tagore on the ocassion of his 152nd birth anniversary.
Dhaka, May 9 (IANS) Around 800 bodies had been retrieved in Bangladesh's building collapse till Wednesday evening as the grim recovery work continued a fortnight after the country's worst industrial tragedy which occurred on the outskirts of Dhaka.
New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) A delegation of the Northeast Students' Organisation (NESO) Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here and expressed opposition to the proposed land swap deal between India and Bangladesh.
New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) As part of the observances of the 152nd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) is organizing an international conference on Rabindranath Tagore - Envoy of India: His Vision of India and the World.
New Delhi, May 7 (ANI): President Pranab Mukherjee will receive the first copy of the book 'Contemporarising Tagore and the World' at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here tomorrow.
New Delhi, May 7 (ANI): The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday said that militancy in the northeastern region is losing its grip and influence among the people due to consistent efforts made by the Centre and state governments to counter and eliminate various ultra outfits.
