Prabir De, a fellow with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, said the four countries can complement each other. India and China constitute 40 per cent of the world’s population and possess huge growth opportunities that can benefit the entire region, according to an article published by the Xinhua news agency on Tuesday.

China is India’s top trading partner; the goal is to bring India into China’s top five trading partners, officials said.

Trade has remained relatively flat between India and Bangladesh, but India is now expanding more into Burma as the country opens up its investment prospects.

Annisul Huq, the immediate past president of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Bangladesh’s export to China is 3.8 perccent while its import is 32.8 per cent. China’s import from Bangladesh accounts to 0.02 per cent. Bangladesh’s export to India is 0.01 per cent while its import is 14 per cent.

Kyaw Swe Tint, a consulate general, said that tourism is one of Burma’s most promising industries right now. Tourism is important because it can quickly generated higher employment, he said, but Burma sees ohter large investment opportunities as economic changes take hold this year and next.

“We are prepared to go to Dhaka to finalise the draft of the DTAA, but the host country has not yet finalised the dates,” said director general of Inland Revenue Department Tanka Mani Sharma, who will lead the Nepali team to Dhaka.

Though, Kathmandu has tried to finalise the draft and sign the DTAA with Dhaka during the SAARC Finance Ministers’ meet in Dhaka on January 30, the process to finalise the draft has delayed the signing of the agreement which is expected to help boost bilateral trade and exchange information of tax frauds between the two South Asian countries.

The cabinet has mandated Sharma to lead a team to Dhaka as soon as possible to finalise the DTAA draft. “But the Foreign Ministry has not received any dates from the Bangladeshi Finance Ministry,” he said, adding that after the draft is finalised, the signing ceremony could be held either in Dhaka or Kathmandu anytime soon. The DTAA with Bangladesh that was finalised some two years back was delayed due to a couple of issues like whether to accept the SAARC or the OECD model.

Nepal revised the DTAA with India in November 2011 on the basis of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) model that is thought to be practical and updated.

The OECD model of DTAA has incorporated the provision of exchange of information on banking and tax evasion which will facilitate effective tax collection and control fiscal evasion.

“Similarly, Kathmandu has received a DTAA draft from Bahrain, and has already exchanged a draft with Oman, according to the joint secretary of the Finance Ministry Shanta Raj Subedi.

“Last year, Nepal forwarded DTAA drafts to Canada and Brazil through the Foreign Ministry and is awaiting their response,” he said, adding that the Inland Revenue Department is also considering the benefits of signing DTAA with Japan, USA and Russia after request from Non-Resident Nepalis to enter into agreements with these countries to attract more investment for hydropower and infrastructure projects.

Nepal has already entered into DTAA with 10 countries including India and China. “The DTAAs with various trading partners will also help the country’s efforts to track and unearth black money,” according to finance secretary Krishnahari Baskota. The Detailed Action Plan of the Finance Ministry has vowed to enter into DTAA with all the SAARC countries to encourage intra-regional investment.

Their call comes after at least 25 Olive Ridleys were washed up dead over the last week near the beaches of Cox’s Bazaar and on Saint Martin Island.

Many of the turtles had been entangled in fishing lines.

From October to March, thousands of Olive Ridleys come ashore from the deep sea to lay their eggs.

“The Olive Ridley turtles play a crucial role in the marine eco-system. Only the female turtles come to the shores so if they are killed in large numbers then it will have an impact on their population,” Prof Mohammad Shah Alam of Chittagong University told the BBC.

While many turtles die after getting entangled in fishing nets, some are killed by fishermen who say the turtles damage their equipment.

“From our conversation with local fishermen we understand that more than a 100 turtles were killed in the last two months,” Mohammed Sharifuddin, a government official in the southern Teknaf area, told the BBC.

“We are trying to raise awareness among the locals not to kill these turtles.”

Conservationists say that there are five main species of turtle – Green Turtles, Olive Ridleys, Logger Heads, Hawksbills and Leatherbacks – and all are currently found within Bangladesh’s maritime boundaries.

According to campaign groups, the Olive Ridleys are endangered because of their relatively high mortality rates – they are particularly susceptible to industrial pollution in coastal areas and sometimes stray dogs attack them or eat their eggs.

Senior wildlife department officials say that plans are now afoot to declare beaches frequented by turtles as marine protected areas. They say that more guards will be deployed on these beaches.

Her family tries to live a low-impact life — no plastic bottles, lots of bicycling. She attends New Technology High School, which, among many sustainability features, collects rainwater for irrigation.

“I’m very avid about the environment,” said Yip, who returned last month from a month-long trip to Bangladesh sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in partnership with World Savvy, an organization that educates youth in community and world affairs.

Thirty students from all over the U.S. visited Bangladesh because it is facing some of the worst effects of climate change, Yip said. It is a low country in south Asia, with a high vulnerability to flooding. In a typhoon, as much as 70 percent of its land can be underwater, she said.

Global warming is expected to raise sea levels, increasing the flood risk while also contaminating fresh water supplies, Yip said. This can harm agriculture while reducing the availability of drinking water, she said.

It’s sadly ironic, Yip said, that the people of Bangladesh contribute relatively few greenhouse gases that cause global warming, yet their low-lying country is affected among the most.

Students spent a week on a boat in the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, where they learned about how rising salt levels are causing trees to die, Yip said.

Another week was spent working on a char (pronounced like “chore”), an island that gets completely washed away every five to 10 years. This forces the inhabitants to continually move and start their lives over, Yip said.

While there, the students helped raise the ground level around a local school and planted banana trees.

Yip said the Bangladeshi people are both hardworking and poor. Pedestrians would bang on the group’s car windows begging for money. She stayed with a host family most of the time. When the group toured, they were accompanied by security guards.

The month was packed with memorable experiences, Yip said. Christmas Day was spent on a boat cruising through the Sundarbans. She met Mohammad Yunis, who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for establishing a bank that makes small loans to people in the lowest economic stratum.

She met students from a madrasah, an Islamic school, and got to ask them about their religion and lives. “I have never met a sweeter group,” she said. “They know three languages and held conversations with us.”

Her most unforgettable memory was the welcome with flowers by students and local people when she first walked into the village on the char.

“All the children were dressed in their best clothing and with their hair slicked back and smiles. … I was blown away by all of the farm animals just scattered around, rice laying out to dry, the lack of electronics and the stares. We couldn’t go anywhere without a mob following us,” Yip said.

Students were cautioned to expect culture shock when they reached Bangladesh, a densely populated country of nearly 150 million people, but for her that didn’t happen until she returned to Napa, Yip said.

It was “the silence,” Yip said. “I did not go a single minute in Bangladesh with silence. It was impossible.”

Upon returning home, participants were expected to find projects to improve their communities and the world. For Yip, that means working with Napa Valley CanDo on the group’s mission to implement a plastic bag fee in Napa County. She expects to make presentations in local classrooms.

The daughter of Julie and Chino Yip, Yip is a junior at New Tech, where she is student body vice president. She is also the student representative on the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education.

Yip, who intends to pursue environmental studies in college, knows that many people deny man-made global warming is occurring.

“To accept the fact that climate change is happening is to accept that the human race has made a mistake,” Yip said. “It’s difficult for some to accept that.”

To ward off harmful environmental changes, she said humanity needs to mobilize.

“It comes down to people being willing to sacrifice and change for the benefit of others,” Yip said.

Situated in a prime location in the capital city, the hotel will feature large guest rooms, an all day dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants, a deli, bar and InterContinental Club Lounge. Business facilities will include a business centre, ballroom, convention centre and multiple meeting rooms. Guests will also be able to relax and enjoy the hotel’s health club, spa and pool.

Chris Moloney, Chief Operating Officer, South West Asia, IHG said,“Dhaka has all the right prospects to continue growing as a business and tourist destination, so we’ve invested a great deal of time and effort to bring the InterContinental brand back to Bangladesh. Following an extensive renovation, InterContinental Dhaka will once again take its place in the heart of the city, welcoming business and leisure travellers from around the world.”

With a population of around 15 million, Dhaka continues to be the primary growth engine for Bangladesh’s economy. The expanding middle class population and the city’s key financial and commercial centres have put Dhaka on the map as an emerging tourist destination.

There are 170 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in more than 60 countries around the world, with an additional 58 hotels in the global development pipeline.

IHG has 110 hotels across India, Middle East and Africa, operating under the InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites brands. The company has a further 96 hotels in the region’s development pipeline which are due to open over the next three to five years.

Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and Chairman of BSL Md Atharul Islam and Managing Director of BSL Air Commodore Lutfur Rahman and Chief Operating Officer of IHG South West Asia Christopher James Moloney signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

The hotel would undergo through extensive renovation and would be upgraded to the Intercontinental brand standard. It would take two years to complete the renovation work. After the renovation the IHG would manage and operate the hotel for thirty years.

The agreement could be extended for two times. Each time it would be extended for five years, if the two parties (BSL and IHG) agree to do so, as per the terms and conditions of the agreement.

After the renovation, the IHG would get two per cent of the hotel’s total income as management fee for the first three years.

It would get 2.5 per cent during the fourth and fifth years, and three per cent for the rest of the 30 years. The IHG would also get 8-10 per cent incentive on the net profit of the hotel.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan was present as the chief guest of the agreement signing ceremony. Mentioning the moment as historic, he said after renovation the hotel would fulfill the demands of the international tourists.

He said before the independence the hotel was known as Intercontinental. It testifies the history of our War of Liberation, as the staff of the hotel played a key role in 1971. The hotel received Gallantry award from the government for its role during the war.

The minister also said Bangladesh is getting priority on the list of choices of foreign investors and tourists. The government has taken various initiatives for modernisation of infrastructure to ensure international standard amenities and hospitalities for them.

The re-branding of the hotel would mark the IHG’s re-entry into Bangladesh. The group handed over the management and operation of the hotel in 1983 to the authorities concerned of the country.

The services of the hotel might not be shut down for its upgradation, an official of the hotel told the FE.

The Ruposhi Bangla Hotel earned Tk 992.5 million, and its net profit was Tk 160 million in 2010.

A special relationship with north east India and Bangladesh is very much needed for India in the context of Indian perspective. Last month, the Chief Minister of Assam said to me at his office that their visit was obviously a message from their part. He also told that, India wants a special relationship with Bangladesh and north east India, and that his government is doing in good turn of it.

When I was talking to hief Minister of Assam about the special relation of North East India and Bangladesh, he said that Assam government wants to restore all kinds of connectivity with Bangladesh, such as rail, road and water connectivity which were existing before 1947. Besides that, they want to use our Chittagong and Mongla port. Without the transit through Bangladesh and the port facility of Bangladesh, land locked north east cannot utilize their resource and potentiality.

As an example, electricity minister of Tripura government Mr. Manik Dey told me last month that, it was impossible to bring turbine in their Palatona electricity plant. Indian oil and natural gas Company (OGNC) set up this Platona power plant in Tripura in 2005 but they could not set up the turbine of the plant. They had no way to bring the two big turbines for this plant form Haldia port of West Bengal. They tried in many ways but they failed to bring it in Tripura. In 2011, the government of Bangladesh gave them Asuganj port facilities and road facilities from Asuganj to Tripura, and then they could bring the two big turbines in their plant. Now, this plant is going to produce electricity. This plant will produce 726 mw electricity from September 2012.

At the time of Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s visit in Tripura, Chief Minister of Tripura declared in a public meeting, that they have no objection to sell 100 MW electricity to Bangladesh. Manik Dey, electricity minister of Tripura told me that now the government of Bangladesh and the central government of India have to reach an agreement about the selling and purchasing of electricity. Their state government is ready to sell this one hundred mw electricity to Bangladesh. One of the editors and a minister of Tripura told me that; chief minister of Tripura has played a card of diplomacy with central government. He declared in a public meeting that, they agreed to sell 100 MW electricity to Bangladesh. After this declaration, it will be tough for the central to disagree about selling agreement of electricity with Bangladesh.

Besides that, I talked with their Electricity Minister Mr. Manik Dey about the joint venture in electricity in Tripura. He told that, Indian oil and Natural Gas Company(ONGC ) is going to explore more gas in Tripura. They have huge gas. He thinks that, ONGC will not sell the gas, because selling gas is not much profitable. So they will convert the gas in electricity. In that case, just like other foreign country Bangladesh can invest here in electricity sector. Tripura government will prefer Bangladesh always.

Their industry minister Mr. Jitendra Choudhury also said that, not only in gas sector Bangladeshi business men can do business in any sector in their state. He also gave the information that, last year total trade between Bangladesh and Tripura was three hundred cores. But its 98.5 percent was in favor of Bangladesh. Tripura exports to Bangladesh only one and a half percent.

On the other hand, when I was talking to the chief minister of Assam, he also told me, Bangladesh and the businessmen of Bangladesh can do business any sector in the Assam. I asked him, Assam has failed to maintain jute mill in large scale; is it possible to start jute business in a large scale in joint venture with Bangladesh and Assam? He answered, – if any one comes forward we will welcome him.

We can clearly see that North East Indian provinces like Assam, Tripura are ready to do business with Bangladesh jointly. That means they are finding a way how they will work together in economic sector with Bangladesh. But in reality a major portion of this work is depending on the transit facilities through Bangladesh. Our finance minister has said that, we are transit country so we have to give transit. It is true, but we also have to consider the fact that we are transit country and so transit facilities are our main resource. We have to earn more from transit facilities.

Transit is not a new idea. It has existed all over the world. Now it is increasing or extending because of globalization of economy. Therefore, earning from giving transit is nothing new, it has many examples. That is why; it cannot take more time to fix up the rate of transit fees. If two countries become rational they can easily fix up according to international standard.

We know that, our present government is in favor of transit. Main opposition tells many things in public but, in the meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia has said that transit is reality. So, two main political parties are in favor of transit. In spite of that, it is a mystery why two countries are still waiting for this. Two countries have to understand that time is going fast. The economical train is running fast. If Bangladesh and the North East India want to catch this train they have to run fast.

Bangladesh has to realize that in 2020, electricity consumption of this country will be at least 30,000 MW. Our gas, coal and solar is not sufficient for this. North East India has 60,000 MW hydroelectricity potentialities. Giving transit facilities, Bangladesh has to take share of it. If Bangladesh can get more than 10,000 to 15000 MW from the 60,000 MW, the economy of Bangladesh will be changed as we except in 2020. On the other hand after getting the transit facilities North East Indian economy will be changed. If Bangladesh and North East India is able to change their economy jointly, this area will be a new economical zone and then big economy China will be their close neighbor. Besides, World Bank is investing money in hydroelectric projects in north east. So it is time to look forward. It is time to make an economical sub regional cooperation with North East India and Bangladesh.

“Exports from Bangladesh to India were about USD 500 million in the last financial year (Bangladesh’s financial year ends June 30). This fiscal, because (Indian Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh has given duty-free access to Bangladesh, our exports are shooting up. Garment export to India is doubling,” chamber president Abdul Matlub Ahmad told reporters on the sidelines of a BCIM Business Forum programme here.

“We are expecting that exports from Bangladesh to India at the end of this fiscal will be USD 1 billion. Garment exports to India during this period will be USD 0.5 billion,” Ahmad said.

In the last fiscal, textile exports from Bangladesh to India were nominal.

A total of 46 Bangladeshi textile items have been given duty-free access to Indian markets since September 2011 after the Indian prime minister’s two-day visit to Dhaka.

Ahmad, who is also Nitol-Niloy Group chairman, is currently setting up two 100-acre industrial zones with SEZ status in Bangladesh – one for garment in Kishoregunj near Dhaka and another multi-product in Chattak (Sylhet).

Saying that the industrial zones were mainly targeting garment manufacturers from India, Ahmad said: “We are receiving positive feedback.”

He said Indian apparel manufacturers could now join Bangladeshi companies and use the country as its new, cheaper production base.

“The joint-venture companies in Bangladesh can export duty-free products to India and many parts of the world from their plants in Bangladesh,” Ahmad added.

When the state of Pakistan was formed in 1947, its two regions, East Pakistan (also called East Bengal) and West Pakistan, were split along cultural, geographical, and linguistic lines. In 1948, the Government of Pakistan ordained Urdu as the sole national language, sparking extensive protests among the Bengali-speaking majority of East Pakistan. Facing rising sectarian tensions and mass discontent with the new law, the government outlawed public meetings and rallies. The students of the University of Dhaka and other political activists defied the law and organised a protest on 21 February 1952. The movement reached its climax when police killed student demonstrators on that day. The deaths provoked widespread civil unrest led by the Awami Muslim League, later renamed the Awami League. After years of conflict, the central government relented and granted official status to the Bengali language in 1956. In 2000, UNESCO declared 21 February International Mother Language Day for the whole world to celebrate,[1] in tribute to the Language Movement and the ethno-linguistic rights of people around the world.

The Language Movement catalysed the assertion of Bengali national identity in Pakistan, and became a forerunner to Bengali nationalist movements, including the 6-point movement and subsequently the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In Bangladesh, 21 February is observed as Language Movement Day, a national holiday. The Shaheed Minar monument was constructed near Dhaka Medical College in memory of the movement and its victims.

Bangladesh is trying to establish Bangla as one of the official languages of the United Nations, Hasina said while inaugurating the first International Bangali Conference here.

Bangla, which is spoken by at least 300 million people on the Indian subcontinent, is the national language of Bangladesh as well as the main language in West Bengal. It is also widely spoken in Assam and Tripura.

At present, English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish are the six official languages at the UN.

Last year, in an address to the UN General Assembly in New York, she had said, “I earnestly appeal to you to back my proposal to declare Bangla as one of the official languages of the United Nations. Bangla is spoken by over 300 million people worldwide.”

Bangladesh parliament had passed a resolution endorsing the call in 2009, followed by West Bengal which also passed a similar resolution in the state legislature.

“Bangali, Bangla and Bangladesh are three pillars, and these are tied to a same string and complementary to each other,” she was quoted as saying by state news agency BSS.

Besides, Hasina urged the international community to extend massive support and solidarity to Bangladesh’s initiative for holding the trial of war criminals for establishing truth and justice.

The persons responsible for massacre, crimes against humanity and war crimes during the War of Liberation in 1971 have been put in the dock as the entire nation is obliged to three million martyrs and uncountable number of oppressed people for holding their trial, she said.

“Exports from Bangladesh to India were about $500 million in the last financial year (Bangladesh’s financial year ends June 30). This fiscal, because (Indian Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh has given duty-free access to Bangladesh, our exports are shooting up. Garment export to India is doubling,” chamber president Abdul Matlub Ahmad told reporters on the sidelines of a BCIM Business Forum programme here.

“We are expecting that exports from Bangladesh to India at the end of this fiscal will be $1 billion. Garment exports to India during this period will be $0.5 billion,” Ahmad said.

In the last fiscal, textile exports from Bangladesh to India were nominal.

A total of 46 Bangladeshi textile items have been given duty-free access to Indian markets since September 2011 after the Indian prime minister’s two-day visit to Dhaka.

Ahmad, who is also Nitol-Niloy Group chairman, is currently setting up two 100-acre industrial zones with SEZ status in Bangladesh – one for garment in Kishoregunj near Dhaka and another multi-product in Chattak (Sylhet).

Saying that the industrial zones were mainly targeting garment manufacturers from India, Ahmad said: “We are receiving positive feedback.”

He said Indian apparel manufacturers could now join Bangladeshi companies and use the country as its new, cheaper production base.

“The joint-venture companies in Bangladesh can export duty-free products to India and many parts of the world from their plants in Bangladesh,” Ahmad added.

“We plan to import up to 2,000 cars initially but the figure will be raised with increased demand in the country,” said Abdul Matlub Ahmed, chairman of Nitol-Niloy Group.

The Nano, one of the smallest as well as the cheapest cars in the world, was likely to cost around 500,000 taka in Bangladesh, Ahmed told Reuters. But the price may vary depending on the government’s decision on customs duty.

Used cars from Japan are most popular in Bangladesh for their high quality and reliability, but they are expensive.

Previously, Indian cars could not access the Bangladesh market, except for some “Ambassador” taxi cabs.

The Nano was scheduled to be launched in Bangladesh last October, but the pricing issue delayed it.

Ahmed said his group was eager to set up a Nano assembly unit in Bangladesh by the end of next year, if demand for the car soars.

Ahmed said he expected Nano sales in Bangladesh could reach 10,000 annually in the next couple of years.

TOI believes the time has come to take the next step in our journey of strengthening our relationships in the neighbourhood. We feel that as an emerging superpower, India has been so focused on securing a place at the high table on the world stage, we don’t seem to have woken up adequately to the potential for strong win-win relationships within South Asia. For instance, the intra-region trade in the sub-continent is a measly 5% of all trade undertaken by the member countries – while the corresponding figure stands at a quarter to two-thirds of all trade, for trading blocs like NAFTA, the Euro zone and ASEAN.

Emboldened by the success of Aman Ki Asha, we announce today our second major step in the goal of building a stronger and more united South Asia: Maitree Bandhan, a major initiative to forge stronger bonds of friendship with Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and India are brothers separated by the tumult of history. Six decades of independently carved destinies may have taken us on a slightly different path in terms of economics, politics and sociology; but the deep ties born of a common bloodline can’t be erased through a few decades of a man-made divide. Language is a great binder between our peoples across the border, as are commonalities in food, dress and custom.

Unfortunately the two nations don’t seem to have adequately recognized the innate strength of these genetic bonds, to build a strong, symbiotic and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship. Despite an over 4,000km land border and similar tastes (and therefore a fair demand for each other’s products), trade between Bangladesh and India stands at a modest $4 billion.

Similarly, the absence of well-developed platforms for cultural exchange has limited our appreciation of each other’s culture to well below its natural level.

While the governments of the two countries will do their bit — albeit in fits and starts — to foster closer ties, we felt it was time for our civil societies to directly come together to this end. We have found in our experience with Aman ki Asha that media can play a big role in representing civil society and are proud to announce that Pratham Alo, the leading newspaper of Bangladesh, will be joining us shoulder to shoulder in this important journey. Both newspapers will discuss the opportunities and bottlenecks that affect the bilateral relationship and will seek to develop new windows for our readers, into each other’s worlds.

Maitree Bandhan kicks off with an eclectic cultural festival that will feature the best of Bangladeshi and Indian artistes on a common stage, in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai from February 23 to 29. Over the next three months, we will work towards mounting the biggest bilateral trade meet in Dhaka, in partnership with CII and the apex trade bodies of Bangladesh. Besides, we will develop opportunities like student exchange programs and strategic summits for the peoples of the two countries to interact and develop a stronger Maitree Bandhan, a lasting bond of friendship.

Besides the United States, Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico and Sweden are the founding coalition partners of the new global initiative to seize the opportunity of realizing concrete benefits on climate, health, food and energy resulting from reducing short-lived climate pollutants. The coalition will focus efforts on reducing black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and methane.

The U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) is going to be acting as the secretariat for this coalition.

Delivering opening remarks, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the coalition – the first international effort of its kind – would conduct a targeted, practical, and highly energetic global campaign to spread solutions to the short-lived pollutants worldwide. It will mobilize resources, assemble political support, help countries develop and implement a national action plan, raise public awareness, and reach out to other countries, companies, NGOs and foundations, she added.

The foundation partners are committing more than $15 million for the operational cost of the initiative. The United States has pledged $12 million of new funding, while the rest will be contributed by Canada.

The first meeting of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition will be held in Stockholm in April coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Stockholm Conference on Environment, the first Global Earth Summit. Ahead of the meeting, the coalition will be working to expand the group of countries contributing to it.

Lisa Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; The environmental Ministers from Bangladesh, Canada, Mexico and Sweden; Ghana’s Ambassador to the U.S.; UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner; other Ambassadors and representatives from NGOs and the private sector attended the launching ceremony.

The focus is on reducing methane, black carbon and HFCs – hydrofluorocarbons. They are short-lived pollutants, which together account for more than a third of current global warming. They have significant impacts on public health, the environment and world food productivity.

It is estimated that fast action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants can have a direct impact on global warming, with the potential to reduce the warming expected by 2050 by as much as 0.5 Celsius degrees. At the same time, by 2030, such action can prevent millions of premature deaths, while also avoiding the annual loss of more than 30 million tons of crops. Moreover, many of these benefits can be achieved at low cost and with significant energy savings.

The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year annulled a 15-year-old policy of having a nonpartisan caretaker run the country during an election period, and rivals say her political party did so to rig the election.
Hasina says it was done because the Supreme Court called the policy contradictory to the constitution, and the polls could be fair if there is a strong election commission.

The political party of Hasina’s archrival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and its allies have threatened to boycott the elections without the caretaker policy in place.

Lawmakers from Zia’s party have been abstaining from Parliament, saying they would attend only if the government promises to restore the system. The opposition also has enforced several nationwide strikes to pressure the government in recent months.

The government says there is no way to restore the caretaker system and the opposition must come first to the parliament and place alternatives about holding the elections.

Visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake told a news conference in the capital, Dhaka, that the United States wants to see a solution.

“The two major political parties should reach an agreement to fix a mechanism for holding free, fair and credible election,” he said.

Bangladesh is a fragile parliamentary democracy with a history of political violence.

The nation of 150 million people has witnessed two presidents slain in military coups and 19 other failed coup attempts. The military said last month it had thwarted another attempt.

Separately on Thursday, Blake said the United States wants a Bangladeshi bank for the poor to have strong leadership.

Hasina’s administration ousted Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as managing director of Grameen Bank last year in a dispute over the retirement age, and the bank hasn’t decided on a fulltime new leader.

Grameen was a pioneer in issuing small loans to the poor as a way to overcome poverty, earning it and Yunus the 2006 peace award. The bank has about 9 million borrowers, mostly women.

Blake said his country wants to make sure there will be a new leadership capable of running the bank, the United News of Bangladesh agency reported. He spoke after visiting a scheme financed by Grameen outside the capital, Dhaka.

Yunus argued he was exempt from regulations that set the retirement age at 60, but he lost the court appeals.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

“We will be able to produce electricity by the end of July of 2013 with an investment of $275 million,” said Summit Chairman Muhammed Aziz Khan.

The plant to be built near the capital Dhaka is part of an aim by Bangladesh to cover chronic power shortages of around 1,500 MW daily that crimp industrial output.

But the policy is in some disarray as the country earlier this month banned the import of new oil-fired turn-key electricity generators.

The new plant will also be able to run on natural gas, which Bangladesh has ample sources of for now, though the government is worried about depleting supplies.

Khan said General Electric would supply gas turbines and be responsible for maintenance, while the Chinese firm would provide engineering, procurement and construction services.

Khan said Summit currently generates 10 percent of Bangladesh’s total electricity, and expects to double that figure.

“We are working hard to get to 20 percent by 2015 when Bangladesh is expected to generate 10,000 MW of electricity,” he said

But now a question mark hangs over the bridge again.

What is more curious is the way things unfolded. Since the current government came to power, the bridge concept moved quite fast. Multilateral and bilateral agencies started showing concrete interest in the project. And finally funds were firmed up.

From there everything fell apart. And various curious statements were made and actions taken, many of which raised serious concerns.

Construction of the bridge was supposed to start sometime around last October. But then the World Bank’s vice-president made a sudden trip to Dhaka and met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to convey that the bank has evidence of corruption in appointing a Canadian consulting firm. A month later the bank wrote to the government about corruption in selecting pre-qualified bidders for the bridge construction. Then former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain’s name came up in the scam.

After some initial defensive statements, the government asked the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) to probe the alleged corruption. The commission, not unexpectedly, gave a clean chit to Abul. Now the government has a paper to wave claiming its innocence. And in the middle of it, the Canadian connection was forgotten, or rather deliberately set aside.

Only from time to time, the bank has been saying its funding decision has been suspended pending an investigation by the Canadian police of the alleged corruption relating to the consulting agency.

And then a curious statement was made by the prime minister who said the government will not accept any fund from the World Bank if it cannot prove corruption in the bridge project. The statement is perplexing because it can only mean that we will accept fund from the bank only if corruption is proven. There lies the hilarity of the prime minister’s proposition. A pertinent question can be: will the bank provide fund if corruption is proven? Or more fundamentally, is the bank eager to give us the fund, and we are the ones who are being picky? Or is the government just setting the escape route in case the Canadian police unearth something fishy?

The other actions by the government also make the Padma Bridge case curious. While the government kept on denying foul play in the bridge affair, it looked for alternative sources of fund. And Malaysia came to the rescue, offering to build the bridge. The government touted the Malaysian offer as a triumph over the World Bank. Very curiously, it was propagated that the work of the bridge will begin in April although there was no clear cut idea where the money was coming from. And even plans for restaurants, shops and entertainment facilities were laid out. And now we know the Malaysian deal is not on track, and the work is not starting in April. So who the government is trying to fool? The government itself is losing face, again and again, by its own actions.

But even if the Malaysian deal could be pulled off, what would be the cost? The World Bank’s fund would come with an interest rate of 0.85 percent. And nobody knows how costly would the Malaysian fund be. It is now clear that Malaysian firms have no financial muscle (interestingly the firms which are supposed to do the job have not been selected yet). They want to raise funds from financiers in Dubai. So it would be a commercial loan at a high interest rate not less than 8 percent or may be even higher because of the high inflation regime. So for whose fault would we, the taxpayers, bear that huge extra cost for the bridge? Or rather why should we pay so much extra money for the actions of the government?

The whole Padma Bridge affair now needs transparency as public money is involved here. First we need to know from the World Bank what exactly its findings are. The bank itself is acting funny by keeping things under the rug. The government said there cannot be any corruption because contracts were not signed. True. Then what proof does the bank have? Abul Hossain’s alleged involvement in the alleged corruption has been well publicised. But what about the Canadian firm? Why so little has been said about it?

It is time we solve the curious case of the bridge.

Some Way to Better Brainpower………..
1. Breath deep. More air in means more oxygen in the blood and therefore in the brain. Breath through your nose and you’ll notice that you use your diaphragm more, drawing air deeper into your lungs. Several deep breaths can also help to relax you, which is conducive to clearer thinking.

2. Meditate. A simple meditation you can do right now is just closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath. Tensing up your muscles and then relaxing them to start may help. When your mind wanders, just bring your attention back to your breath. Five or ten minutes of this will usually relax you, clear your mind, and leave you more ready for any mental task.
3. Sit up straight. Posture affects your thinking process. Prove it to yourself by doing math in your head while slouching, looking at the floor and letting your mouth hang open. Then do the mental math while sitting up straight, keeping your mouth closed and looking forward or slightly upwards. You’ll notice that it’s easier to think with the latter posture.

4. Phosphotidyl Serine (PS). This supplement has been shown in clinical studies to increase lucidity and rate of learning. It activates cell-to-cell communication, helps regulate cell growth, improves the functioning of the special receptors found on cells, and prepares cells for activity. In other words, it can help your brain power. It’s also thought to reverse memory decline. Phosphatidylserine has no known adverse side effects.

5.Vinpocetine. This extract, derived from an alkaloid found in the Periwinkle plant, is used as a cerebral vasodilator. It increases blood flow to the brain, which improves its oxygenation and thereby increases mental alertness and acuity. Research suggests it may also be the most powerful memory enhancer available to date.

6. Gingko Biloba. The leaves of this tree have been proven to increase blood flow to the brain. The trees are often planted in parks. My friends and I used to eat a few leaves when we wanted a brain boost. It is also inexpensive, if you buy the capsules or tea at any health food store.

7. Saint John’s Wort. This is a common weed that may be growing in your yard. Although it’s brain enhancing qualities are less documented (studies do show it’s usefulness for treating long-term depression), many people swear by it’s temporary mood-elevating effect, and our brains tend to function better when we are happy. It is inexpensive, but I used to just collect it in the yard and make tea of it. (Hyperacum Perforatum, if you want to look it up by it’s botanical name.)

8. Good thinking habits. Just use a problem solving technique for several weeks and it will become a habit. Redesign everything you see for a while, and that will become a habit. You can develop many good thinking habits with some effort, and then be more resourceful effortlessly from that point on. Use the power of habit.

9. Use dead time. This is time that is otherwise wasted or just under-utilized. Driving time, time spent in waiting rooms, or even time spent raking your yard can be included in this. With a tape player and a trip to a public library, you can start to use this time to listen to books-on-tape. You may spend 200 hours a year in your car. What could you learn in that time?

10. Learn a language. Learning a new language has been shown to halt the age-related decline in brain function. It also introduces your mind to new concepts and new ways of looking at things (in English we are afraid, whereas in Spanish we have fear). It is one of the best brain exercises.

11. Rosemary. This common herb may have an effect on the brain when the scent is inhaled. We are waiting for the research, but some people swear that just sniffing rosemary wakes up their brain. It seems safe, so if you have rosemary in your spice rack, give it a try.

12. Mindfulness exercises. Concentration and clear thinking are more or less automatic once you remove distractions. Learn to stop and watch your busy mind. As you notice things that are subtly bothering you, deal with them. This might mean making a phone call you need to make, or putting things on a list so you can forget them for now. With practice, this becomes easier, and your thinking becomes more powerful.

13. Write. Writing is good for your mind in a number of ways. It is a way to tell your memory what is important, so you’ll recall things more easily in the future. It is a way to clarify your thinking. It is a way to exercise your creativity and analytical ability. Diaries, idea-journals, poetry, note-taking and story-writing are all ways to use writing to boost your brain power.

14. Listen to Mozart. In a study at the University of California, researchers found that children who studied piano and sang daily in chorus, were much better at solving puzzles, and when tested, scored 80% higher in spatial intelligence than the non-musical group. In another study, 36 students were given three spatial reasoning tests on a standard IQ test. Just before the first test, they listened to Mozart’s sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448 for ten minutes. Before the second test, they listened to a relaxation tape. Before the third, they sat in silence. The average scores for all 36 students: 1st test: 119. 2nd test: 111. 3rd test: 110. A nine-point boost from Mozart!

15. Develop your intuition. Intuition can be an important part of brainpower. Einstein and others have relied heavily on their intuitive hunches. See Chapter 25 for tips on how to develop your intuition.

16. Avoid foods that cause subtle allergies. These can include wheat, corn, peanuts and dairy products. Watch yourself to see if you have a problem with any of these. They cause digestive problems and brain fog in some people.

17. Sleep better. As long as you get a certain amount of sleep – probably a minimum of five hours – the quality seems to be more important than the quantity. Also, short naps in the afternoon seem to work well to recharge the brain for some people.

18. Caffeine. The research shows higher test scores for students who drink coffee before major exams. My chess game gets better. In other studies, it has been shown that too much caffeine leads to poorer quality decisions. Caffeine affects individuals differently, and has some nasty long-term side effects for some of us, but short-term – it works!

19. Avoid sugar. Any simple carbohydrates can give you “brain fog.” Sometimes called the “sugar blues” as well, this sluggish feeling makes it hard to think clearly. It results from the insulin rushing into the bloodstream to counteract the sugar rush. Avoid pasta, sugars, white bread and potato chips before any important mental tasks.

20. Hypnosis audios. The power of suggestion is real, and one way to use it is with hypnosis tapes, CD’s or downloads. This type of brain “programing” has more evidence for it than subliminals.

21. Speed reading. Contrary to what many believe, your comprehension of material often goes up when you learn to speed-read. You get to learn a lot more in less time, and it is definitely a good brain exercise.

22. Exercise. Long term exercise can boost brainpower, which isn’t surprising. Anything that affects physical health in a positive way probably helps the brain too. Recent research, though, shows that cognitive function is improved immediately after just ten minutes of aerobic exercise. If you need a brain recharge, you might want to walk up and down the stairs a few times.

23. Imaginary friends. Talking to and getting advice from characters in your mind can be a great way to access the information in your subconscious mind. Imagine a conversation with a person who has a lot of knowledge in the area you want advice in.

24. Develop your creativity. Creativity gives power to your thinking. Raw computation can be done by computers now, but humans provide the creative thought that shapes our world. See Chapter 24 for tips on developing your creativity.

25. Learn more efficiently. When you decide to learn something, take notes from the start. Leave each “learning session” with a question or two in mind, to create anticipation and curiosity. Take short breaks, so there will be more beginnings and endings to your studies (Things learned at the beginning or ending of a class or session are remembered better).

26. Use techniques for clear thinking. Cluttered rooms and offices can contribute to cluttered thinking. Organize a space for mental work. Sigh, stretch, and take a deep breath before you start on a tough mental job. Plan some distraction-free time for brainstorming.

27. Brain wave entrainment. The newest brain wave entrainment products are powerful tools for altering your brain function. Some will almost immediately relax you, while others will put your brain waves in a pattern that is most conducive to analytical thinking.

28. Creatine. This is a compound found in meat, used by athletes to help build muscle. Now the evidence is here to show that it helps your brain as well. Proceedings B , a journal published by the Royal Society reports that the research showed improvement in working memory and general intelligence resulting from creatine supplementation. The dose used in the study was 5 grams per day. This is about the level used to boost sports performance, and is as much as you’d normally get in four pounds of meat, according to lead researcher Dr. Caroline Rae.

29. Talk. Talking is only good for the brain if you are actually exercising it, of course. Try explaining something that you don’t understand very well to a friend, though, and you’ll notice that the process of explaining will help you clarify your understanding.

30. Do something you enjoy. This is a way to both lower stress and rev up your brain. The key is to do something active. Watching TV doesn’t count. Whether it is playing Scrabble or building birdhouses, when you are actively engaged in an activity that you enjoy, you worry less about things and you start to think better.

31. Adjust your beliefs. Believe you are smarter, and you’ll become smarter. For this, affirmations may work, but even better is evidence. Make a note of your successes. Tell yourself, “Hey, that was really creative,” when you do something creative. When you have a good idea, make a note of it. Gather the evidence for your own intelligence and you’ll start to experience more of it.

32. Brain exercises. Do math in your mind while driving. Think of a new use for everything you see. Regular use of the brain has been shown to generate new neuronal growth, and even halt the decline of mental function that often comes with age.

33. Learn new things. This is another way to exercise the brain. It can also be done with little time investment if you use books-on-tapes while driving.

34. Walk. Exercise has been shown to benefit the brain, and walking is one of the best exercises for many. It is low impact, and the rhythmic nature of it seems to put you in a state that is very conducive to clear thinking. In fact, carry a tape recorder with you to take notes, and a twenty minute walk can be a great way to solve problems.

35. Model others. Find others that are creative, intelligent, or very productive. Do what they do, and think what they think. This is a key principle of neuro-linguistic programming. Be careful about taking their advice, though. Successful people often don’t really understand why they are successful. Do what they do, not what they say.

36. Eat fish. Eating fish actually speeds up brain waves, and improves concentration. Researchers have also found an almost perfect correlation between intake of fish and lowered levels of depression in the various countries of the world. The U.S. has 24 times the incidence of depression as Japan, for example, where fish intake is much higher.

37. Avoid unnecessary arguments. When you defend a position too vigorously, especially when it is just to “win” the argument, you invest our ego into it. This is not conducive to the easy acceptance and use of new information. In other words, you put your mind in a rut, and you dig it deeper with each argument. Debate can be a valuable thing, but when the ego takes over, the mind closes a little. This is not a recipe for better thinking.

38. Laugh. The release of endorphins caused by laughter lowers stress levels, which is good for long term brain health. Laughter also tends to leave you more open to new ideas and thoughts.

39. Play. Stimulating the brain causes measurable changes in the structure of the brain. New connections are made and new brain cells are grown. Intellectual play, as well as any playing that involves hand-eye coordination stimulates the brain.

40. Do puzzles. Crossword puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles, and even good riddles are a great way to get brain exercise. You can work on them while waiting for a dentist appointment, or on the bus, if you are short on time.

41. Sing. When you are alone in your car, try singing about something you are working on. This taps into and exercises your right brain. Have you ever noticed how it is easier to rhyme when you sing than when you just speak or write? This is because the right brain is better at pattern recognition. By doing this brain exercise regularly you can train yourself to tap into the power of the right brain. This will make you a more effective problem-solver. If you doubt the distinction between the hemispheres of the brain, look at how stutterers can stop stuttering as soon as they start singing. Try it.

42. Nuts. University students in Brazil and other South American countries often eat several Brazil nuts before an exam, believing they are good for their mental power. The evidence is starting to confirm this. Other nuts that have minerals and amino acids that are beneficial to the brain include almonds and walnuts.

43. Olive oil. High in mono-unsaturated fat, olive oil has been shown to improve memory. A cheaper alternative is canola oil, but this hasn’t been studied much yet.

44. Vitamin supplements. In studies, children scored higher on tests when on a regimen of daily vitamin supplements. “Experts” will tell you that if you eat a balanced diet, you don’t need supplements, which, given the culture here, is really just a sales pitch for vitamins, isn’t it? Who eats a perfectly balanced diet?

45. Fiber. It isn’t just what goes in, but what comes out that is important to brain function. Toxic build-up in the body and brain can cause “brain fog.” People often report clearer thinking as one of the benefits of curing their constipation.

46. Self awareness. This may not seem important to brain power, but it is. When you know yourself better, you can avoid the usual effects of ego and emotion in your seemingly “rational” thinking. Or you can at least take it into account. Watch yourself, especially as you explain things or argue.

47. Motivate yourself. Motivation is as important to mental tasks as it is to any other. Learn a few simple techniques for self motivation. You can start with those in Chapter 8.

48. Avoid too much stress. Neuropsychiastrist Richard Restak, M.D., form the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services, sums up the research thus: “Stress causes brain damage.” Long term stress has repeated been shown to hurt the brain, not to mention the rest of the body. Learn a few stress reduction techniques if you get stressed out often.

49. Get educated. Scientists have known for a while that the less educated get alzheimer’s more frequently. Education in any area seems to make the brain stronger.

50. Avoid too much fat. In laboratory studies, animals consistently learn slower when they are on a diet high in fat. Type of fat may make a difference, so you may want to stick to using olive oil and other non-saturated fats. Saturated fats have been shown to actually stunt the growth of brain cells.

51. Eat less. Overeating has the immediate effect of redirecting more blood to the digestive process, leaving less for the brain. Long term, it can cause arterial obstructions that reduce blood flow to the brain permanently. In at least one study, rats on a restricted-calorie diet had more brainpower.

52. Avoid suspect foods. There is evidence that the following foods can be bad for your brain: Artificial food colorings, artificial sweeteners, colas, corn syrup, frostings, high-sugar drinks, hydrogenated fats, sugars, white bread, and any white-flour products.

53. Eat breakfast. When kids who didn’t eat breakfast started to eat it, researchers found that their math scores went up a whole grade on average.

54. Avoid diabetes. The development of diabetes coincides with a dropping of IQ scores. In other words, if you want to maintain your brain power, follow your doctors dietary recommendations for preventing or treating diabetes.

55. Eat foods high in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect all your cells, including brain cells. Some of the foods highest in antioxidants include: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, garlic, kale, cranberries, strawberries, spinach, and raspberries. In one test, rats had age-related mental decline reversed by eating the equivalent of a 1/2 cup of blueberries per day.

56. Drink wine. In moderation, red wine can be good for the brain, it seems. It is rich in antioxidants, which protect brain cells. One glass per day for women and two for men is usually considered a safe and moderate amount.

57. Use alcohol in moderation. In a study at the University of Indiana School of Medicine, elderly light drinkers (fewer than 4 drinks per week) scored higher on tests of thinking abilities than non-drinkers. Those who drank 10 or more drinks per week scored lower. It is known that alcohol can kill brain cells, so moderation seems to be the key.

58. Folic acid. According to one study, 200 micrograms of folic acid, the amount found in 3/4 cup of cooked spinach, alleviates depression and reverses memory loss.

59. Potential brain foods. Other foods that may be good for your brain include: Avocados, bananas, lean beef, brewer’s yeast. broccoli, brown rice, brussel sprouts, cantaloupe, cheese, chicken, collard greens, eggs, flaxseed oil, legumes, oatmeal, oranges, peanut butter, peas, potatoes, romaine lettuce, salmon, soybeans, spinach, tuna, turkey, wheat germ, and yogurt.

60. Vitamin E. Jean Carper, in researching her book, “Your Miracle Brain,” found that many brain researchers are taking 400 I.U.s of vitamin E daily. It is an antioxidant, and reduces the clogging of blood vessels, including those going in the brain.

61. Vitamin C. Taken in the form of orange juice in a study at the Texas Women’s University, vitamin C increased the IQ scores of children.

62. Selenium. 100 micrograms of selenium has been shown to be a mood-elevator. Your brain almost certainly functions better when you are in a better mood. Foods rich in selenium include Brazil nuts and garlic.

63. Alpha-lipoic acid. Alpha-lipoic acid (10 to 50 milligrams daily) improves memory and protects nerve cells.

64. Inositol. This is a safe and natural substance that is often grouped with the B-vitamins. It reduces stress and promotes clear thinking. It contributes to energy production, and so can “wake you up.” Animal studies show a measurable increase in physical activity for up to five hours after taking it.

65. Huperzine A. This is a compound extracted from the Chinese club moss. Researchers both in Israel and the U.S. have used it to treat alzheimer’s. It improves memory and learning an seems to be very safe.

66. Ask questions. This is a great way to keep your brain in shape. Just get in the habit of asking questions often, even if it is only in your own mind. Why are taller buildings better? what is the purpose of curbs? Ask anything that comes to mind, and ponder the possible answers.

67. Sniff basil. This another of the herbs that may be good for your brain. No studies yet, but many report a brain boost from smelling basil.

68. Temperature. Many people have noted that they think better at certain temperatures. In general, it seems that being slightly cool, but not uncomfortable, is most conducive to good thinking. Try experimenting on yourself to see what temperature works best for you.

69. Use systems. From the time I was ten years old, 12 x 49 was always (12 x 50) – 12. It’s easier to figure in your head this way (588, by the way). I didn’t get any credit for my personal algorithms then, but they are selling these shortcuts on late-night TV now, because they work. You can find your own easier ways to do mental math or other mental tasks, or read a good book on them.

70. Make a brainpower plan. It takes about twenty to thirty days of repetition to establish new habits, many psychologists will tell you. This means that when you create your plan for better brainpower, be sure you plan to use that new problem solving technique, or eat those new brain foods for at least three weeks. You can use many of the brain boosters here and get immediate results, but it is creating new habits that will give you the most brainpower.

Bangla typing is getting easier every day after it got enlisted to the Unicode- a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world’s writing systems.

Unicode combines more than 65,000 signs while ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange), a technique of translating human language into machine (computer) language, has only 256 signs, so all languages of the world and all of its symbols can be accommodated in Unicode (mapping).

With Unicode, Bangladeshi developers have broken the barriers for Bangla computing. Hence, we now can write our facebook statuses, blogs, tweets, e-mail and what not in Bangla and there are plenty of ways to doing these.

Avro Keyboard is probably the most popular at present. Using Unicode, the system supports different keyboard lay-outs as well as Unicode phonetics.

Avro was created by Omicorn Lab in March 26, 2003. Ever since, it is making Bangla typing easy for the users.

Its latest products include Avro Keyboard Standard Edition 5.1.0 with Bangla spell checker; Avro Keyboard Portable Edition, the first ever Bangla software with portability with all the necessary features of Avro Keyboard, but it doesn’t require any installation, any font, and any administrator access to the computer. You can carry it in portable devices such as an USB flash drives or iPods, its website reads.

The company is reportedly working on Bangla typing for Android and other OS driven devices.

Then there is Bijoy. Owned by Mustafa Jabbar, Ananda Computers marketed the Bijoy keyboard layout in 1988. This was the most popular keyboard layout in Bangladesh in the 90s. Bijoy was an ASCII based Bangla input software and required a licence to use on computers. Later, it introduced some free packs and included Unicode fonts in 2005.

There are some websites that provide tools to convert traditional Bangla to Unicode/simplified Bangla and vice versa. These sites help you type in Bangla even if you don’t have any typing software. However, if you can’t see Bangla fonts, you have to download those from the sites. These sites also have different Bangla fonts, keyboard lay-outs, tips on writing and more. You can copy your Bangla sentence from there and paste it to facebook or other sites.

ekushey.org, bnwebtools.sourceforge.net, bangla.org.bd, sadakhata.binhoster.com, bengali.changathi.com are few of those. You can try them or of course you have the liberty to search online for the stuff that suite your need most.

And there is Google, always there for you. The tech giant too offers you Bangla. If you go to google.com.bd, on the right side of the search field you will see a keyboard icon. Click on that and you will be able to write in Bangla and also get an onscreen (phonetic) keyboard. The search results will also be in Bangla.

With the advancement of technology, we want Bangla not only on our computers but also on our hand-held devices, such as smartphones or tablets.

You can now write Bangla on your iPhone or iPad. There are many free and paid apps at the appstore that let you type Bangla, such as Bangla Editor, Bangla Transliteration and Onscreen Keyboard, which allow you to type in phonetic, after that you can just copy paste the text.

Writing Bangla in Android devices is still a bit tricky. We heard of an android app that lets you type Bangla on the Android devices. Go to Android market and search for Mayabi Keyboard and give it a shot. May be you will be able to write Bangla on your android device.

Amid rising incidents of transformer theft, authorities of Palli Bidyutayan Board (Rural Electrification Board) have made it obligatory for its customers in the district to set iron chains and locks with electric transformers.

Sixty-three electric transformers of different categories have been stolen from Delduar and Nagarpur upazilas in Tangail and Chowhali upazila in Sirajganj under Delduar Palli Bidyut Samity since 2008, said sources of Palli Bidyut office at Delduar.

There are 3,508 electric transformers of different categories for 40,407 subscribers in the areas under Delduar Palli Bidyut Samity, said Tapan Kumar Das, deputy general manager of the office.
An electric transformer meant for subscribers of Palli Bidyut Samity (rural electrification association) in Delduar upazila headquarters under Tangail district gets chained and locked by the authorities amid rising incidents of transformer theft in the district. When transformers are stolen, subscribers face untold sufferings in addition to monetary losses as transformers cannot be set in time even after depositing money due to shortage of the equipment, palli bidyut officials said.

As per direction of Rural Electrification Board Chairman Brig Gen Moin Uddin, the organisation has already taken initiative to motivate its customers to put chains and locks on all electric transformers in the district within May 31 this year, they said.

“There are 15,700 electric transformers of different categories for 1,67,000 customers in eight upazilas under Tangail Palli Bidyut Samity. Over 2,000 transformers have been chained and locked so far and the rest will follow within the deadline,” Obaidur Rahman, general manager of Tangail Palli Bidyut Samity, said a few days ago.

Several customers of Palli Bidyut Samity said although it is not their responsibility to protect transformers from stealing, they are being forced to spend Tk 1,000 to Tk 2,800 for buying two 12-feet chains and two to six locks for the purpose.

Asked about the matter, Obaidur Rahman said, “Palli Bidyut Samity is a customer-oriented organisation and it runs with the money of its customers.