tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85740868478449287632024-03-14T12:04:35.258+05:30Promote Banglaবাংলা ভাষার প্রচার ও বাংলাভাষী অঞ্চলের সামগ্রিক উন্নয়নের প্রয়োজন – এই সব বিষয় নিয়ে আমার খুদ্র প্রচেষ্টা...
Discussing the need and suggesting few ways to Promote Bangla and Bangla Language.sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-77686632351811026742014-01-17T13:55:00.000+05:302014-07-23T21:29:06.858+05:30Timeless Suchitra Sen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="fb-root">
</div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
<div class="fb-like" data-action="like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.in/2014/01/timeless-suchitra-sen.html" data-layout="standard" data-share="true" data-show-faces="true">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfR-oeRsP7Q/U8_bhFaldlI/AAAAAAAAEyU/pDkasfDv5FQ/s1600/Suchitra+Sen+courtesy+Hindustan+Times.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfR-oeRsP7Q/U8_bhFaldlI/AAAAAAAAEyU/pDkasfDv5FQ/s1600/Suchitra+Sen+courtesy+Hindustan+Times.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>'MohaNayika'</i> Suchitra Sen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bengali beauty Suchitra Sen passed away in the morning today January 17, 2014. An incomparable loss to the Bangla film industry. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, in the morning a news popped up in my cellphone - "চলে গেলেন মহানায়িকা সুচিত্রা সেন" (Legendary actress Suchitra Sen passed away) . I instantly read it out aloud. My mother looked so devastated on hearing the news, she tried hiding her tears but failed. This reminds me of how a generation loved her. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Suchitra sen had chosen a life of recluse, we always wondered why did she do that? And, now this "Why?" will yield no answers. Though at times we felt irritated by the fact that she remained so secluded from the society, from her fans but then we always loved her. She has been the only actress who never played any role other than being the lead. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She has passed away but she will always be remembered as the " Maha-Nayika" of Bangla cinema. Rest In Peace Suchitra Sen. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
এই পথ শেষ হবে না....</blockquote>
</div>
sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com0Pune, Maharashtra, India18.234568732871686 74.26757812518.234568732871686 74.267578125 18.234568732871686 74.267578125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-9197289677267172222012-02-20T03:39:00.004+05:302012-02-22T01:10:59.739+05:30International Mother Language Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.in/2012/02/international-mother-language-day.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="500"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RQv-f7YtXpw/T0FFRj0PIFI/AAAAAAAAA3c/OqlCywbNqms/s1600/omor+ekushe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RQv-f7YtXpw/T0FFRj0PIFI/AAAAAAAAA3c/OqlCywbNqms/s320/omor+ekushe.jpg" title="অমর একুশে | Amar Ekushey" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>21<sup>st</sup> February</b> (Bangla:</span><span lang="BN-BD" style="line-height: 18px;">একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারী </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">| <i>Ekushe February</i>) was declared as the <b>International Mother Language Day </b>(Bangla:</span><span lang="BN-BD" style="line-height: 18px;">আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবস </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">| <i>Antorjatik Matribhasha Dibos</i>) </span><span lang="BN-BD" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">by the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/motherlanguageday/" target="_blank">UNESCO</a> on 17<sup>th</sup> November,1999 to uphold the significance of Mother Language in the life of an individual and to promote unity in diversity- respect all languages alike.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></div><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">2012 International Mother Language Day theme: “Mother tongue instruction and inclusive education”</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. It emphasizes on imparting basic education to children in their mother languages for better understanding. It further shows the importance of mother tongue and multilingual education to reduce discrimination.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 18px;">"<span style="color: #073763;">The mother language, in which the first words are uttered and individual thought expressed, is the foundation for the history and culture of each individual.</span></span><span style="color: #073763;"> Moreover, it has been proven that children learn the best when they are instructed in their mother language during their first years at school</span>" UNESCO says.</i><span style="font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></div><b style="line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Significance of 21<sup>st</sup> February:</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The date, 21<sup>st</sup> February was chosen as the International Mother Language Day to commemorate the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to uphold the dignity of their Mother Language Bangla on this very day in 1952. This was one of the rare instances in world history where people fearlessly gave up their lives for the sake of their mother language.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Background of 21<sup>st</sup> February, 1952 in brief:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Partition of British India in August 1947 led to the formation of two independent states: The Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The Dominion of Pakistan consisted of two far-flung territories i.e. East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) & West Pakistan (Now Pakistan). East and West Pakistan were separated by 1600 Kilometers (approx: 1000 Miles) of Indian Territory but the key factor that made the separation even more prominent is Language and Culture.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Acr5S2M0y6Q/T0Fu6mKWX2I/AAAAAAAAA30/P9akIBZYyk8/s1600/21+February+Dhaka+Rally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="21 February- Dhaka Protest rally" border="0" height="165" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Acr5S2M0y6Q/T0Fu6mKWX2I/AAAAAAAAA30/P9akIBZYyk8/s200/21+February+Dhaka+Rally.jpg" title="21 February- Dhaka Protest rally" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protest Rally on 21/2/1952,Dhaka</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The Mother language of the all the people of the then East Pakistan was Bengali (almost 99% Bengali speakers). The </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Bengalis</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> were deeply </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">attached to their language. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">On 27</span><sup style="line-height: 14px;">th</sup><span style="line-height: 18px;"> January, 1952 the oppressive rulers of West Pakistan declared that “Urdu and Urdu alone would be the state language of Pakistan”. This hurt the sentiments of the Bengali people, the people demanded the recognition of Bangla also as the state language of Pakistan but all their pleas fell on deaf ears of arrogant West Pakistani rulers. There were widespread protest across the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), people from all walks of life united to defend Bangla. The West Pakistani Government tried to curb the protests by force. On </span> <span style="line-height: 18px;">21</span><sup style="line-height: 18px;">st</sup><span style="line-height: 18px;"> February, 1952 in Dhaka the police opened fire on unarmed peaceful protesters, killing several of them. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">This laid the foundation for Bengali Language Movement, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Since then 21</span><sup style="line-height: 14px;">st</sup><span style="line-height: 18px;"> February has been annually observed as Mother Language Day or Language Martyrs Day in the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as well as in West Bengal state of India and in other nations with </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">sizable</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> Bengali speaking Population. </span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9IMXxQ_qqk/T0FXQIFZH1I/AAAAAAAAA3k/tIDVWJbx-B4/s1600/Shaheed_minar+at+Dhaka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Shaheed Minar at Dhaka" border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9IMXxQ_qqk/T0FXQIFZH1I/AAAAAAAAA3k/tIDVWJbx-B4/s320/Shaheed_minar+at+Dhaka.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Shaheed Minar at Dhaka.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaheed_Minar" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Shaheed Minar</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> (Martyr Monument) was built in Dhaka, to commemorate the Bengali language martyrs. Several permanent replicas of the Shaheed Minar of Bangladesh have been built in different nations across the world to commemorate the martyrs of Bengali language movement and it has become the symbol of International Mother Language Day.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Replicas of the Shaheed Minar in other Nations:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDKYKi3JYIQ/T0OfpLXcAnI/AAAAAAAAA4M/Ah51h-KS6gE/s1600/Shaheed_Minar_Altab_Ali_Park,+East+London.jpg">Altab Ali Park in East London, UK.</a></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ashfield Park, Sydney, Australia.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MK4WY4Zo0CQ/T0OePQ6khAI/AAAAAAAAA4E/nJAIhy_UYw0/s1600/Replica_of_the_Shaheed_Minar_at_Ikebukuro_West_Exit_Park_in_Tokyo.jpg">Ikebukuro Park, Tokyo, Japan.</a></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Planned for Toronto.</span></span></li>
</ul><b style="color: #0b5394; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why should we celebrate?</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is the day that emphasizes the importance of our mother language and reminds us that mother language is the only language that is dearest to our heart, the language of our thoughts and emotions and the language that represents an individual to the core. It reminds us that every individual should have the right to speak their mother tongue and we should pass it on to our next generation no-matter where we live.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Speaking ones mother language freely is the fundamental right of every individual. Apart from knowing the mother language it is always beneficial to learn other languages i.e. being bilingual or multilingual. Bilingualism and multilingualism has its own benefits as it empowers the person to easily connect with people of different linguistic and cultural background.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">If you are among the ones who feel ashamed to speak your mother language fearing that you would be looked down upon or be discriminated or mocked upon; then, this is the day to celebrate your identity- be Proud of your Mother Language! If you speak your mother language with confidence, you are bound to gain respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Observance:</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">21</span><sup style="line-height: 14px;">st</sup><span style="line-height: 18px;"> February is a public holiday in Bangladesh where as its observed globally but its not a public holiday elsewhere.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The observance of this day is significant among the Bengali community all across the world especially in the Bengal region (Bangladesh and West Bengal). Cultural Programs, Book Fairs and various other events are organized on this day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pashtoonkhwa.com/?page=news&id=856" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CBUoObJ3pZ8/T0FoIZ84IwI/AAAAAAAAA3s/QiafW64LWgE/s200/DrHamidAchakzai.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Rally demanding recognition of<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Pashto Language in Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ironically International Mother Language is also observed in present day Pakistan. The demands of the Punjabi, Balochi, Pashto and Sindhi people to declare Punjabi, Balochi, Pashto and Sindhi languages as the national Languages of Pakistan are totally unheard and they are deprived from their fundamental right to use their respective mother languages for official, educational and business purposes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">A language without official recognition is destined to die in the course of time. Thus, for a language to flourish and develop substantially it is necessary that the language is officially recognized and is used in day-to-day life.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Peace and coexistence is possible only by respecting the enormous linguistic and cultural diversity and encouraging multilingualism.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-47088179518099158882012-01-16T23:25:00.001+05:302012-01-16T23:29:47.817+05:30Why turn Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-turn-indira-bhavan-into-nazrul.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://post.jagran.com/Congress-turns-heat-on-TMC-over-renaming-Indira-Bhavan-1325415230" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Indira Bhavan- Nazrul Bhavan" border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sM2GgP8Nl20/TxReRCiUPNI/AAAAAAAAA24/pohV37_nfXg/s320/INDIRA+BHAVAN.jpg" title="Indira Bhavan to be renamed Nazrul Bhavan" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indira Bhavan, Kolkata</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The decision of the West Bengal state Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee to turn Indira Bhavan into "Nazrul Bhawan" needs to be reconsidered. I loved her earlier decision to setup Kazi Nazrul Research Centre because previous governments had not done enough to commemorate Nazrul, whose literary works, partiotic spirits and lyrical compositions were praised throughout the country. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ongoing controversy on the renaming issue had raised everyone's eyebrows and made us thing that why was it necessary to rename Indira Bhavan and house the Nazrul Academy and museum in it and whether this is a right decision to do so. We know that West Bengal doesn't have a permanent Chief Ministers house which hampers the image of "Brand Bengal", so Indira Bhavan could have been turned into the chief ministers residence instead avoiding all the unnecessary controversy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The question now arises is that: </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Why turn Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is undoubtedly an unwanted and unnecessary move to turn Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan. The building has its own history intact and it's totally unfair to play with it. How can the present government change the name of a Historical Building? Its's nothing more than political game-play.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the other hand, its shameful that the government wants to dedicate an old and used building for Kavi Nazrul. Its disgraceful to house the Nazrul Research Centre in this old two storey building. Its a matter of shame for us, the Bengali community of West Bengal that- our leaders are now more interested in playing politics instead of doing something constructive. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Why not construct a brand new modern building dedicated to our beloved rebel poet Kavi Nazrul Islam?</b> It would be a matter of pride for the entire Bengali community. We can boast of having a modern structure equipped with all modern amenities and have an architectural design that will suit the purpose of the building. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the midst of this name change controversy, Nazrul kin- Misti Kazi expressed her grief saying,"Thre is no reason for such controversies. It pains us to see such debates over Kazi Nazrul Islam who is a world poet." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Peace and Development of Bengal is all we need.</span></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-24972330643030243722012-01-16T02:22:00.002+05:302012-01-16T02:41:22.946+05:30Poush Parbon & Pitha's Delight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2012/01/poush-parbon-pithas-delight.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jA1ZMVg_hBE/TxMnIxfKIZI/AAAAAAAAA2c/6bci_u09kp8/s1600/Poush+pitha_polaroid.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Poush Parbon Pitha- পিঠা" border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jA1ZMVg_hBE/TxMnIxfKIZI/AAAAAAAAA2c/6bci_u09kp8/s320/Poush+pitha_polaroid.png" title="Pitha - পিঠা" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RbszcaUnCQU/TxM6lTBgkII/AAAAAAAAA2s/yZvnlyT_53s/s1600/Pitha+for+Wedding-PakanC_PatishaptaC_Bharandash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RbszcaUnCQU/TxM6lTBgkII/AAAAAAAAA2s/yZvnlyT_53s/s320/Pitha+for+Wedding-PakanC_PatishaptaC_Bharandash.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pitha | Image Courtesy: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitha#In_Bangladesh_and_West_Bengal">Wikipedia</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Bengali month of </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Poush</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the winter month brings different opportunities for the Bengalis to hog on to their favourite sweet delicacies. The last day of </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Poush</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is celebrated as </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Poush Sankranti</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in West Bengal and Bangladesh. This day is considered auspicious among the Hindus and pilgrims from different parts of the country gather at Gangasagar, the point where Ganga river meets the Bay of Bengal. Pilgrims come here with the belief that- an early morning dip in the river will wash away their earthly sins, this fair is knows as "<a href="http://www.travel-westbengal.com/fes_ganga.htm">Gangasagar Mela</a>". </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This last day of <i>Poush</i> is celebrated as "<i>Poush Parbon</i>" (Bengali: পৌষপার্বণ |Meaning: The Poush Festival) or "<i>Pithe Parbon</i>" (পিঠেপারবন) - this is the most awaited day for all the bengali sweet lovers as various sweet delicacies are prepared. Since olden times, mothers, grandmothers used to make <a href="http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=poush%20sankranti&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CF8QFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bongcookbook.com%2F2007%2F01%2Fpoush-parbon-er-pati-shapta.html&ei=3TwTT_7VG8yrrAeC67DZAw&usg=AFQjCNHaNi0n3mHzHmY3fNCbSjHK0xf_8g&sig2=ssA71Wi_bOu_9QGzvyQEvA">Patishapta Pithas</a>, Puli pithas, Malpuas and various other types of pithas and these pithas are to be coupled with <i>Nolen Gur </i>(a exclusive jaggery that is produced by date trees or palm trees only in winter months and only in Bengal). This can be said as the festival that is purely based on the Pleasure of eating and tickling the taste buds with delightful Pithas. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xYrXs0SQerw/TxMr-ff3jYI/AAAAAAAAA2k/NPeryQchSkU/s1600/Pitha_PULI_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="Poush Parbon - Pitha Puli" border="0" height="308" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xYrXs0SQerw/TxMr-ff3jYI/AAAAAAAAA2k/NPeryQchSkU/s320/Pitha_PULI_small.jpg" title="Poush Parbon- Pitha" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pithas, supposed to be home made sweets though now they are commercially available during Pitha Parbon, generally it has its outer layer composed of rice or wheat flour and has inner stuffing with different saviouries like grated coconut mixed with <i>nolen gur </i>etc. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are various other types of Pithas which are made in the households. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mothers and grandmothers take charge of pithe parbon, and preparations for pitha making starts about a week before the Poush Parbon. Truely i need to mention that, technology has made preparation methods much easier and faster compared to early days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In today's fast paced life it is not possible for every mother to prepare pithas specially if she's a working woman. Thus, keeping this into consideration "Poush Parbon" events are organized in various localities in Bengal where we get to taste not just <i>pithas</i> but also mouth watering <i>Malpuas </i>&<i> Nolen Gurer payesh. </i>If a person wants to enjoy the true essence of "Poush Parbon" its not the cities but the villages of Bengal that takes away all the credit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy Poush Parbon, stuff yourself with loads of sweets but don't forget to hit the gym the next morning !</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com0Bengal, South Asia23.235510207265715 88.78137546874995722.578053707265717 88.397884968749963 23.892966707265714 89.16486596874995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-26759248059594340872012-01-03T17:12:00.004+05:302019-04-06T13:35:25.558+05:30District status for Siliguri<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2012/01/district-status-for-siliguri.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland (to be carved out of West Bengal) has risen once again in the Darjeeling hills in-spite of the recent administrative setup of the <a href="http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/images/stories/news_images/2011/jul11/jul15/finalmos.pdf">Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA)</a>. This calls for fresh trouble in the hills and reminds me of the politics played by some Gorkha leaders in creating differences between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorkha">Gorkhas</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_people">Bengalis</a> in the past. Though i firmly believe that the demand for separate Gorkhaland state cannot be totally ruled out; I also strongly believe Siliguri has nothing to do with Gorkhaland or the recent GTA setup and that Siliguri subdivision should be made a separate district.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mw_-mxZT8dA/TwQGZnhGYsI/AAAAAAAAA1E/cmrvTyFjq-E/s1600/Siliguri+City+Centre+Mall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="City Centre Siliguri" border="0" height="248" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mw_-mxZT8dA/TwQGZnhGYsI/AAAAAAAAA1E/cmrvTyFjq-E/s400/Siliguri+City+Centre+Mall.jpg" title="City Centre Mall, Siliguri" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Developing Siliguri: City Centre Mall </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Siliguri (শিলিগুড়ি) is the 32nd metropolitan city of India according to the 2011 census data. Its a thriving city and bustling business center which should not be halted by strikes or protests and in no sense the development of the city should be hampered. Prevalence of peace and unity among the residents is of utmost importance. The only solution to maintain peace and harmony in Siliguri is by the formation of a separate <b>Siliguri District (শিলিগুড়ি জেলা).</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOCtst5_4-8/TwQGXz1qrrI/AAAAAAAAA0s/bAY64SWKixk/s1600/Siliguri+District-+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Siliguri District" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOCtst5_4-8/TwQGXz1qrrI/AAAAAAAAA0s/bAY64SWKixk/s320/Siliguri+District-+Map.jpg" title="Siliguri District Map" width="241" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The new </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Siliguri District (শিলিগুড়ি জেলা) </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">should comprise of the complete </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siliguri_subdivision" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Siliguri Subdivision</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (শিলিগুড়ি মহকুমা) which consists of Siliguri Municipal Corporation and four community development blocks namely: Matigara, Naxalbari, Phasidewa and Kharibari. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The formation of this new Siliguri District will accelerate the rate of development and bring about peace in the region. Thus, it will no more be a political playground for the political outfits such as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and the Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee (BOBBC). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Like it or not- </b>the fact today is pretty clear: <i>Signs of Bengal has been erased from the Gorkha dominated Darjeeling district over the years</i>. Thus, the separation of the Bengali dominated Siliguri Subdivision from the present <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darjeeling_district">Darjeeling district</a> would provide more homogeneity to the remaining Darjeeling Disctrict- which would comprise of the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseoung and Kalimpong. Thus, Siliguri will be off limits for the Gorkha Agitations, which will bring the much awaited peace back in the region and the city corporation will therefore be able to focus on the developmental issue which is for the benefit of all.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com0Siliguri, West Bengal, India26.7083818 88.42687409999996426.6659258 88.393979599999966 26.750837800000003 88.459768599999961tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-81038111717220195022011-12-20T21:34:00.003+05:302012-01-04T13:51:31.207+05:30West Bengal needs 51% FDI in retail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/12/west-bengal-needs-51-fdi-in-retail.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail is the need of the hour in India and particularly in West Bengal. Presently FDI is not allowed in Multi-Brand Retailing in India. Whereas it should not only be permitted but also highly encouraged because it will surely benefit the producers (farmers) and the consumers. I’ll discuss it further in this article.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Another Historical Blunder in the making!</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Mamata Bannerjee’s strong opposition to 51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail is like the opposition to computerization by the Communists in the 1960’s- 1970’s and that’s why this opposition is really hard to digest. Opposing the central government just for the sake of opposing is not-at-all a constructive movement for the future of West Bengal. West Bengal is lagging decades behind the progressive states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka in almost every aspect – Apart from Kolkata there’s no other city which was developed in the past 60 years. We the people of West Bengal have unanimously voted Mamata didi into Power to get rid of the tyrannical communists and their ideologies thus, it’s high time that the state “Opens up” for new ideas and new investments wiping out words like “Cholche na- Cholbe na!” out of our dictionary!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>Quick-look at the Present Retail scenario:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; line-height: 115%;">Crumbling Infrastructure: </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">The logistics of the retail chain is still lying in the medieval age leading to inefficient supply of goods. The lack of cold storages in the country and the pathetic Public Distribution system leads to an annual wastage of about </span><a href="http://www.rediff.com/business/report/india-wastes-59-tonnes-of-fruits-vegetables/20101221.htm" style="line-height: 115%;">30% fruitsand vegetables produced in India</a><span style="line-height: 115%;">.</span></span></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ku5kmdX84z4/TvOGqqxRMEI/AAAAAAAAAzg/IEtNI5OUetM/s1600/Food+supply+chart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Food Supply Chain Chart" border="0" height="242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ku5kmdX84z4/TvOGqqxRMEI/AAAAAAAAAzg/IEtNI5OUetM/s400/Food+supply+chart.JPG" title="Food Supply Chain Chart" width="400" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; line-height: 115%;">Middlemen’s Domination: </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">The middlemen buy produce from the farmers mostly on credit at slashed down prices. Then the produce passes through a series of an average five to six middlemen until it reaches the retailer. In this whole process profit margins of these middlemen plus the profit margin of the retailer hikes the price of the product up to three to four times the actual price. Ultimately the Farmers and the Consumers are the ones who are losing out the bargain. Many a times the middlemen and intermediary traders create false shortage of goods to shoot-up prices.</span></span></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ku5kmdX84z4/TvOGqqxRMEI/AAAAAAAAAzg/IEtNI5OUetM/s1600/Food+supply+chart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></a></div><b style="color: #073763; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b style="color: #073763; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">51% FDI in Multi-Brand retail is for the betterment of “Ma-Mati-Manush”:</span></b><br />
<span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FDI in retail sector will be very beneficial to the farmers. The farmers will earn profits directly and will get rid of the middlemen and thus they can modernize their farming techniques for better production. Thus, if the farmers benefit, they will sell the product at lower prices in the market this will further create a win-win situation for the farmers and the consumers by wiping out middlemen menace.</span></span></span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Organized retailing is at a nascent stage in India whereas 97% of retailing business is run by the unorganized retailers. The entry of retail giants like Wal-Mart, Tesco etc in Indian retail market would create lakhs of jobs within five to six years. </span></span></span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Another effect of allowing FDI in retail trade would be improvement in quality standards and consumer expectations as inflow of FDI will surely </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">emphasize quality control and bring about competitive pricing.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></li>
</ul><ul><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5WYkKtMiO3g/TwQGV8U7k7I/AAAAAAAAA0k/k9MQYc9_ZUs/s1600/Global+Retail+Giants.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Global Retail Giants" border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5WYkKtMiO3g/TwQGV8U7k7I/AAAAAAAAA0k/k9MQYc9_ZUs/s400/Global+Retail+Giants.JPG" title="Global Retail Giants" width="360" /></a>
<li><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Opening up the doors for global retail giants will not only pump in the competition in the retail sector but will also help to establish a direct link between the farmers and the consumers thus, benefitting both. They would surely be interested to develop their own logistics which will be far better than the existing system thus reducing the amount of wastage. Thus, the end consumers will no longer have </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">shell-out extra money</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> for </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">wastage</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> and shortage of products.</span></span></span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Development of organized retail chain will boost the economy, greater GDP, greater tax collection and more employment and that too better paying employment. It will bring about advancement in agricultural techniques, supply chain improvement, tourism, greater sourcing from India. Thus, FDI should not be just allowed but encouraged.</span></span></li>
</ul><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Undoubtedly West Bengal is in a mess. We need better infrastructure which can be achieved by opening up routes for Foreign Direct Investment. FDI in retail is must for the benefit of the Farmers , the consumers and the Government. </span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> </span></div></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com0West Bengal, India22.9867569 87.85497550000002320.1430324 85.821052000000023 25.8304814 89.888899000000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-77101927124982007192011-12-06T20:28:00.009+05:302012-01-13T09:15:35.971+05:30Victory Day | The 16th of December<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/12/victory-day-16th-of-december.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://atiqurrahman.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/38th-victory-day/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59zzW7GuS-Y/Tt4aTbMLWSI/AAAAAAAAAy4/vjTvLCyD7NY/s640/Victory+day+by+Atiqur+Rahman.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div style="text-align: center;">Victory Day Celebrations at Dhaka University. Picture By: <a href="http://atiqurrahman.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/38th-victory-day/">Atiqur Rahman</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The nine month long Bangladesh's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh_Liberation_War">Liberation War</a> (<a href="http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDMQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbn.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F%25E0%25A6%25AE%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25AF%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%25A6%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A7_%25E0%25A6%259C%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25A6%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%2598%25E0%25A6%25B0&ei=r93dTuTcIYjQrQftmcnZCA&usg=AFQjCNHVEwGmcOWEB0QpsqCQ1QAGdl_rDg&cad=rja">মুক্তিযুদ্ধ</a>) was won on the eve of the 16<sup>th</sup> of December. The Bangla Nation- Bangladesh was freed from the clutches of Pakistan. This day is Celebrated as the <b>Victory Day</b> (বিজয় দিবস) allover Bangladesh and among Bangladeshis living abroad to uphold the spirit of liberation and to pay tribute to the three million martyrs; who laid down their lives protesting against the tyrannical and racist Pakistani Rule.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">On 16</span><sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> of December, 1971 not just the Bangladeshis but also the Bengalis on the Indian side celebrated the Birth of "Bangladesh". </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">I remember my grandmother describing the situation in West-Bengal and other parts of India when the Great News of Liberation of Bangladesh was heard over the radio; the entire Bengali community as well as the non-Bengalis were overjoyed. Newspapers and periodicals featured news of the numerous lives lost and the bravery of the Bengali people in Bangladesh. The cries of “JOY BANGLA” & “JOY BONGOBONDHU” filled the air. Bongobondhu <a href="http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=sheikh+mujibur+rahman+&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSheikh_Mujibur_Rahman&ei=o87gTvajA8aRiQe-kNimBQ&usg=AFQjCNF48LBy8m9FJwOLmr610YWezP6HfQ">Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</a> had then become the Bengali icon- the Father of the Bengali Nation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://backtobangladesh.blogspot.com/2011/12/balloon.html" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUiFlNDRlOA/TwwH3qJhyZI/AAAAAAAAA14/sdYOETnuI4w/s400/Baloon+at+Shurarwardy+Udyan-+by+Ihtisham+Kabir-Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot air balloon at Shurarwardy Udyan on Victory Day.<br />
Photo Courtesy: Ihtisham Kabir's blog <a href="http://backtobangladesh.blogspot.com/2011/12/balloon.html">Back to Bangladesh</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: right; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nurus_salam_aupi/3116150191/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KqqwjjBzhgA/Tt3-aq0j1tI/AAAAAAAAAyw/kBhP951SpeY/s320/Bijoy+16th+December.jpg" width="211" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: justify;">Courtesy: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nurus_salam_aupi/3116150191/">Flickr- Nurus Salam</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The 16</span><sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> of December was indeed the Victory Day, the victory of the righteous over evil. It forever erased the disgrace of being ruled by others and revived the Bengali Pride among all Bengalis.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;">“JAI BANGLA! Jai Bangla! – From the banks of the great Ganges and the broad Brahmaputra, from emerald rice fields and mustard- colored hills of the countryside, from the countless squares of countless villages came the cry.” - This was the first line of the article titled- “<b>Bangladesh: Out of War, a Nation is Born</b>” published by the TIME MAGAZING dated 20<sup>th</sup> December, 1971.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;">This was the victory of the Bengali spirit – a nation of Bengalis ruled by Bengalis. This joy was short-lived as revelation of the cold blooded “Killing of Bengali Intellectuals”– About 300 Bengali Intellectuals among which were several teachers, doctors, engineers, journalists, artists, poets, scientists and litterateur were captured by the traitor forces (i.e. </span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shams_%28Bangladesh%29" title="Al-Shams (Bangladesh)">Al-Shams</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Badr_%28East_Pakistan%29" title="Al-Badr (East Pakistan)">Al-Badr</a> ) & <span style="line-height: 115%;"> and were ruthlessly killed. The reason behind this cold blooded murder was that the traitors had known that Pakistan was being erased from the Bangla soil and Bangladesh was marking its place in the World Map with the status of a Free & Independent nation; they wanted to ensure that even if Bangladesh emerges as an independent nation- it should never be self-sustainable and remain undeveloped. On </span>1<sup>4th</sup> of December large number of intellectuals were targeted by the Pakistani army with the help of the information provided by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razakars_%28Pakistan%29">Razakars</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shams_%28Bangladesh%29" title="Al-Shams (Bangladesh)">Al-Shams</a> & <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Badr_%28East_Pakistan%29" title="Al-Badr (East Pakistan)">Al-Badr</a>. </div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mCoD70ixGqg/Tt396jb9h2I/AAAAAAAAAyo/i04-qX8VEeM/s1600/BD_Rails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mCoD70ixGqg/Tt396jb9h2I/AAAAAAAAAyo/i04-qX8VEeM/s320/BD_Rails.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy: <a href="http://riyadhsharif.blogspot.com/2009/12/16-december.html">A Walk Through My Life</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Bangladesh, as a sovereign and independent nation was hard to digest for USA and CHINA- who were strong allies of Pakistan. Thus, USA and CHINA were among the last countries to recognize independent Bangladesh. </span>This<span style="font-size: small;"> 16<sup>th</sup> of December, Bangladesh will celebrate the 40</span><span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> Victory day and it feels miserable that till today the prominent war criminals (traitors) are not punished, instead some of the war criminals are leaders of mainstream political parties. These traitors should be punished and they should be strictly kept away from politics because their aim is to play with the minds of innocent people and continue their dirty-politics. Progress and Development is the need of the hour in Bangladesh.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Concluding this post with the first few lines of this beautiful song written by Dwijendra Lal Roy - dedicated to the glory and magnificence of Bangladesh:</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #0b5394; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"ধনধান্য পুষ্প ভরা আমাদের এই বসুন্ধরা</span></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: #0b5394; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">তাহার মাঝে আছে দেশ এক সকল দেশের সেরা</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #0b5394; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">ও সে স্বপ্ন দিয়ে তৈরি সে যে স্মৃতি দিয়ে ঘেরা</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #0b5394; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">এমন দেশটি কোথাও খুঁজে পাবে নাকো তুমি</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #0b5394; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">সকল দেশের রাণী সে যে আমার জন্মভূমি</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">সে</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">যে</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">আমার</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">জন্মভূমি</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">, </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">সে</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">যে</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">আমার</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">জন্মভূমি</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">।।"</span></span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> -দ্বিজেন্দ্রলাল রায়</span></span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
</div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com15Bangladesh23.684994 90.35633099999995520.675348 88.032488499999957 26.69464 92.680173499999952tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-3067809695531867052011-11-24T22:08:00.001+05:302011-11-24T22:09:27.260+05:30Thumbs up for Anti-Maoist Drive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/11/thumbs-up-for-anti-maoist-drive.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">A Step towards Peace in Jungle Mahal or a Call for fierce & Violent attacks but </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">definitely a huge setback for the Maoists. The 58-year-old top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kishenji </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was encountered by joint operational forces in a forest in West Midnapore district of Poschim Bongo (West Bengal).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z950pgwAC28" width="480"></iframe></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The CRPF has confirmed that 207 Cobra Battalion, 184 CRPF battalion along with Bengal state police killed the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">top </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Maoist leader in a joint operation.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Union Home Secretary RK Singh said, "Our officers have told us that Kishenji has been killed. It's a huge setback for Maoists."</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Maoists & Terrorists - Aren't they all same?</b></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Now its time people should give a second thought about these Maoists - Are they any different from the Terrorists? </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The answer is straightaway "NO!".</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The Maoists are the home-grown terror outfits formed to fight back against the callous handling of the tribals by the Government of India.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">They took up arms for their rights in the mid 1960's. I believe the Government was and still is primarily responsible for their formation but the situation today is totally opposite.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">They (Naxals) have killed and terrorized numerous of innocent people. </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">They should return to mainstream... yes! but how long should we wait?</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The train schedules passing through Naxal Affected areas have been changed since long.. but till date the Indian Railway is not confident about providing total security to these trains thus the train schedules have been yet unchanged - Causing great inconvenience for the passengers.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">There are reports that the Maoists are being funded by External Sorces (Other Nations) - This cannot be tolerated at any cost.</span></span></li>
</ul><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Yes, We stand for Human Rights ! We want the Naxals (Maoists) to get back into the mainstream; but there's a limit for everything and they cannot go on killing and creating trouble for common people. If they do then they are no less than Terrorists. |Peace|</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-79515074381884733402011-11-07T10:41:00.006+05:302013-04-11T07:50:31.981+05:30Pohela Boishakh | Bengali New Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="fb-root">
</div>
<script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/11/pohela-boishakh-bengali-new-year.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI7awSzUx4M/TaIb2nIBVbI/AAAAAAAAAV4/eQXOHD4fxMA/s1600/Poila+Boishakh.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
<img alt="Shubho Pohela Boishakh" border="0" height="160" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI7awSzUx4M/TaIb2nIBVbI/AAAAAAAAAV4/eQXOHD4fxMA/s200/Poila+Boishakh.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bangla New Year</span></b><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_language" title="Bengali language"><span style="color: #003366;">Bangla</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">:</span><span lang="BN"> বাংলা নববর্ষ </span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bangla Nôbobôrsho</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">]</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Pohela/Poyela Boishakh</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>[</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda;">পহেলা বৈশাখ</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pôhela Boishakh</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">or </span><span lang="BN">পয়লা বৈশাখ</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pôhela Boishakh</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">] marks the first day of the <b><i>Bangla Calendar</i></b>. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Poyela Boishakh is celebrated with great fervor in the South Asian region of Bengal (</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh"><span style="color: #003366;">Bangladesh</span></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bengal"><span style="color: #003366;">Indian/West Bengal</span></a>) and among Bengali communities living in the Indian states of Tripura and Assam (specially in </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Barak Valley [</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_language" title="Bengali language"><span style="color: #003366;">Bangla</span></a></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">:</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN">বরাক উপত্যকা</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">]</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">)</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">. Poyela Boishakh</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> coincides with the New Years in many other</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Asia" title="Southern Asia"><span style="color: #003366;">Southern Asian</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">calendars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qdeZ7F4jg30/TaQ2LAqkFdI/AAAAAAAAAWA/WNIBh3wEqwc/s1600/Noboo+Meaning.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="meaning of pohela boishakh" border="0" height="244" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qdeZ7F4jg30/TaQ2LAqkFdI/AAAAAAAAAWA/WNIBh3wEqwc/s640/Noboo+Meaning.png" width="640" /></a><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bangla New Year or Pohela Boishakh connects all <b>Ethnic Bengalis </b>irrespective of religious and regional differences. Ethnic Bengalis across the world and from all walks of life unite to celebrate the <b>Public or Universal Festival of Bengalis i.e. Pohela Boishakh</b>; it’s the occasion to welcome the New-Year with a new hope of peace, prosperity and goodwill. Poyela Boishakh generally falls on 14<sup>th</sup> or 15<sup>th</sup> of April of the Georgian calendar.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> In<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh"><b><span style="color: #003366;">Bangladesh</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">, it is a <i>national holiday</i> celebrated around <b>14<sup>th</sup> April</b> according to the official amended calendar designed by the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangla_Academy"><span style="color: #003366;">Bangla Academy</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">. In India, in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bengal"><b><span style="color: #003366;">Indian/West Bengal</span></b></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">&<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam"><b><span style="color: #003366;">Assam</span></b></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">it is a <i>public (state) holiday</i> and is publicly celebrated on <b>15<sup>th</sup> of April</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">History of Pohela Boishakh | পহেলা বৈশাখের ইতিহাস</span></span></h3>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pohela Boishakh celebration dates back to Mughal Emperor <b>Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar</b>’s [</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">জালাল উদ্দিন মোহাম্মদ আকবর</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">reign. Akbar the Great, the renowned grandson of Zahiruddin Muhammad Babar [</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">জহিরুদ্দিন মুহম্মদ বাবর</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> was the 3<sup>rd</sup> Mughal Emperor. In order to ease tax collection, Akbar-e-Azam</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">changed the tradition of agricultural tax collection according to Hijri calendar </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">হিজরী সন</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and ordered a reform of the calendar because the Hijri calendar, being a lunar calendar- did not coincide with the harvest sessions and thus the farmers faced severe difficulties in paying taxes out of season.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Royal Astrologer of Emperor Akbar's court, <b>Aamir Fatehullah Siraji </b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">আমির ফাতেউল্লাহ সিরাজী</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, was the one who actually devised this calendar, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">after performing a research on the lunar Hijri and Solar calendar[</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">সৌর সন</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">].</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The unique characteristic of the Bengali year was that, rather than being a lunar calendar, it was based on an amalgamation of the solar and lunar year. This was indeed a great development, as the solar and lunar years were formulated in very different methods.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Initially this calendar was named as “<b>Fasli San</b>” </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">ফসলি সন</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] (agricultural year) and then <b>B</b></span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ô</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">nggabdo </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">বঙ্গাব্দ</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] or Bangla Year was introduced on 10/11 March 1584, but was dated from 5<sup>th</sup> November 1556 or 963 Hijri. This was the day that Akbar defeated Himu in the second Battle of Panipat to ascend the throne. This not only glorified his victory but also streamlined revenue collection into an orderly process.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Akbar-e-Azam</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">’s directive to settle all </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">dues on the last day of <i>Choitro</i>. The next day was the first day of the New Year (Poyela Boishakh), the day for a new beginning; landlords would distribute sweets among their tenants, and Businessmen would open a “<b>HalKhata</b>” [</span><span lang="BN" style="color: windowtext; font-size: 12pt;">হালখাতা</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(new accounts book) and close their old ones. Businessmen used to invite their customers to share sweets and renew their business relationship with them. There were fairs and festivities allover and gradually Poyela Boishakh became a day of celebration.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another study shows that , King Shoshangko who ruled ancient Bengal might have actually started the Bengali era. Which means the Bangla calendar started from value one, the starting point is estimated to be on Monday, 14th April 594 in proleptic Gregorian calendar and Monday, 12th April 594 in the Julian Calendar.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Celebration of Pohela Boishakh | পহেলা বৈশাখ উজ্জাপন</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pohela Boishakh is a Public festival [</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">সার্বজনীন উৎসব</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] of the Bengalis; it is celebrated among all Bengalis- irrespective of religious and regional differences. As discussed earlier; the celebrations started from Akbar’s reign. But the Public celebration of Poyela Boishakh and the large-scale organizations of cultural events have started more recently.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GGGKBy_YPs8/Tadprw8lNpI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/Sc0kaqO9VxU/s1600/Pohela_Boishakh_celebrations_in_Dhaka_Tanvir_Ayon_pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pohela Boishakh Bengal Dhaka" border="0" height="337" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GGGKBy_YPs8/Tadprw8lNpI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/Sc0kaqO9VxU/s640/Pohela_Boishakh_celebrations_in_Dhaka_Tanvir_Ayon_pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebration of Pohela Boishakh, Dhaka [My Sincere Thanks to S.M. Tanvir Ayon for this Magnificent Snapshot. ]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rabindranath Tagore had said,<span style="color: #632423;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">'</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 12pt;">প্রতিদিন মানুষ ক্ষুদ্র</span><span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span lang="BN" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 12pt;">দীন</span><span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span lang="BN" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 12pt;">একাকী কিন্তু উৎসবের দিনে মানুষ বৃহৎ</span><span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span lang="BN" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 12pt;">সে সমস্ত মানুষের সঙ্গে একত্র হইয়া বৃহৎ</span><span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span lang="BN" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 12pt;">সেদিন সমস্ত মনুষ্যত্বের শক্তি অনুভব করিয়া মহৎ</span><span lang="HI" style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Mangal, serif; font-size: 12pt;">।</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">'</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[“</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pr</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">tidin m</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">nush khudr</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, deen, ek</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ki. Kintu Uts</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ber dine m</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">nush brih</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">t, se s</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">m</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">st</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> m</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">nusher s</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">nge </span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ek</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">tr</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> h</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">iy</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> brih</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">t, sedin s</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">m</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">st</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō mōnushōtver shōkti ōnubhōv kōriyā mōhōt</span></i><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">”].</span></i><i><span style="color: #632423; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The summary of the statement is that, a person feels stronger, complete & united when he’s among other fellow mates on the occasion of a festival as compared to daily life. Truly, socializing brings a lot of change in the personality of a person; it actually changes his outlook towards the world and makes him broad minded, well-mannered and a better person indeed. Nowadays it’s seen that, due to our busy schedule and hectic life we tend to forget the <i>purpose</i> of the festivals after they are over; people come together during festivals, forget their differences but as soon as the festival is over the differences are highlighted once again!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Poyela Boishakh celebrations and festivities reflect the life in rural Bengal. Usually on this day everything is washed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">and dress in fine clothes and then go to visit relatives and friends. Special food items are prepared for the guests. Starting as a rural festival, Poyela Boishakh has now become an integral part of Bengali culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BPUgdyHzalU/TskameYYnjI/AAAAAAAAAyg/UmJmZ55nffo/s1600/Elish+%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hilsa- Elish Mach" border="0" height="155" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BPUgdyHzalU/TskameYYnjI/AAAAAAAAAyg/UmJmZ55nffo/s200/Elish+%2521.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elish Mach | Hisla Fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">People from all walks of life dress-up in traditional Bengali attire: Men wear <i>dhuti </i>/ <i>payejama</i> / <i>lungi </i>and <i>kurta </i>/<i>Panjabi.</i> Young women wear white saris with red borders, and adorn themselves with <i>tip </i>(bindis), <i>churi </i>(bangles) and <i>f</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ū</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">l </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(flowers). Its like a custom to start the day with the traditional breakfast of <i>Pant</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ā</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Bh</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">āt </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(leftover rice soaked in water), onion, <i>Shōbuj Lōnkā </i>(green chillies),<i> Āchār </i>(pickles), <i>dāl </i>(lentils) & <i>Bhāja Elish Māch </i>(fried Hilsa fish).</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 15pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Boishakhi Fairs are organized in many parts of Bengal. The lifestyle of rural Bengal is showcased in almost all these fairs. Various traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">agricultural products, as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold at these fairs. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging jatra (traditional plays), pala gan, kobigan, jarigan, gambhira gan, gazir gan and alkap gan. They present folk songs as well as baul, marfati, murshidi and bhatiali songs. Narrative plays like Laila-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other attractions of these fairs are puppet shows, merry-go-round and Giant wheels are also installed and are enjoyed by the children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">Historical Importance of Poyela Boishakh in Bangladesh | বাংলাদেশে পহেলা বৈশাখের ঐতিহাসিক গুরুত্ব</span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">In an attempt to suppress Bengali culture, the Pakistani Government had banned poems written by Rabindranath Tagore, the most famous poet and writer in Bengali literature. Protesting this move, Chhayanat opened their Poyela Boishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore's song welcoming the month in 1965. The day continued to be celebrated in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as a symbol of Bengali culture. After 1972 it became a national festival, a symbol of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and an integral part of the people's cultural heritage.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Later, in the mid- 1980s the Institute of Fine Arts added color to the day by initiating the Boishakhi parade, which is much like a carnival parade.</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In the big metropolitans like Dhaka and Chittagong this day is marked by mass crowd flocking to hundreds of open air concerts and cultural programs, mask rallies etc.</span></span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 24px;">DHAKA, Bangladesh | ঢাকা, বাংলাদেশ</span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Chhayanat at Ramna Park" border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SvCzE8VjCEE/T1i8ZZblIfI/AAAAAAAAA4o/XZYSkFpRsGk/s320/Songs+Rendered+by+-Chhayanat+at+Ramna+Batmul.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Songs Rendered by Chhayanat at Ramna Batmul<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy:Ershad Ahmed's Blog-<a href="http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com/">Dhaka Daily Photo</a></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Dhaka, large numbers of people pour out of their houses and gather</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> early in the morning under the banyan tree at <b>Ramna Park</b> [</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">রমনা বটমুল</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]. Along with the rising sun, the <b><i>Chhayanat</i> </b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">ছায়ানট</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] artists sing the famous song of Tagore in chorus, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #943634; font-size: 12pt;">এসো</span><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #943634; font-size: 12pt;"> হে বৈশাখ</span><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #943634; font-size: 12pt;"> এসো এসো</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">”</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come), welcoming Boishakh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dhaka’s Poyela Boishakh celebration is incomplete without the <b>“<i>Mangal Shobhajatra</i>”.</b> Students and teachers of the Dhaka University’s Institute of Fine Arts </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%A2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC" title="ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়"><span lang="BN" style="color: #003366; font-family: 'Siyam Rupali';">ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">চারুকলা ইনস্টিটিউট</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">take out a colorful procession (known as “Mangal Shobhajatra”) and parade on different streets and finally returns to the Fine arts Institute. This procession mainly consists of Arts & crafts like (cutouts of tigers, owls, dragon-fly etc. and different types of masks) these colorful pieces of art display the elements of Bengali culture and resemble lifestyle of rural and modern Bengal. People of all ages and irrespective of class and profession take part in this procession. Since 1989 this Procession <i>(Shobhajatra)</i> has become an important event and also a major tourist attraction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7bYRf7s-od0/TadL0J5EDII/AAAAAAAAAZY/T-uDFRF9Uxo/s1600/PORI_Cute_Angel_Pohela_Boishakh-By-Tanvir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Pohela Boishakh Festivity" border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7bYRf7s-od0/TadL0J5EDII/AAAAAAAAAZY/T-uDFRF9Uxo/s400/PORI_Cute_Angel_Pohela_Boishakh-By-Tanvir.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dhakar Rastay Nemeche Sundor Pori!<br />
[Image Click by: S.M. Tanvir Ayon]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vE9J28u57M4/TaH6LDUcmmI/AAAAAAAAAVw/u7gDeFtREWA/s1600/Colourful+Celebration+of+Poyla+Boishakh-Dhaka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pohela Boishakh celebration" border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vE9J28u57M4/TaH6LDUcmmI/AAAAAAAAAVw/u7gDeFtREWA/s400/Colourful+Celebration+of+Poyla+Boishakh-Dhaka.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful Processions on Pohela Boishakh, Dhaka<br />
[My Sincere Thanks to S.M. Tanvir Ayon for this Image]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apart from these, various cultural programs are organized by social and cultural organizations all over Dhaka. Newspapers and magazines bring out special supplements. Targeting the Poyela Boishakh event, various movies, music albums, books etc. are released and special programs are also telecasted on television and radio.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many old festivals connected with New Year's Day have disappeared, while new festivals have been added. With the abolition of the zamindari system, the punya connected with the closing of land revenue accounts has disappeared. Kite flying in Dhaka and bull racing in Munshiganj used to be very colourful events. Other popular village games and sports were horse races, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, and boat racing. Some festivals, however, continue to be observed; for example, bali (wrestling) in Chittagong and gambhira in Rajshahi are still popular events.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pohela Boishakh celebration has also hit the dancefloor of the pubs and clubs in the major cities, as an increasing number of parties are being organized nowadays for the youth. Thus, giving the celebration a western touch but keeping the indigenous feel intact.</span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 24px;">CHOTTOGRAM, Bangladesh | চট্টগ্রাম, বাংলাদেশ</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The centre of attraction of the Poyela Boishakh celebrations in the port city Chottogram is the DC Hill Park [</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">ডিসি পাহাড় পার্ক</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]. <i>Sammilit</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ō</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Sanskritik Jot</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> [</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">সম্মিলিত</span><b><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span></b><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">সাংস্কৃতিক জোটে</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] organizes a two day festival to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the New Year. Various cultural events are organized here including plays etc. Public celebration of Poyela Boishakh in Chottogram was started in 1973; the initiative was taken by the politicians to promote Bengali culture.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; text-indent: -24px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chottogram Hill Tracts | </span></b><b><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">চট্টগ্রামের পার্বত্য জেলা </span></b></span><b style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">: </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">In the Hill tracts of Chottogram three different ethnic minority groups have their individual New Year celebrations.</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Boisuk [</span></span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">বৈশুখ</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tripura People, Sangrai [</span></span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">সাংগ্রাই</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Marma people</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">and Biju [</span></span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">বিজু</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">] of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chakma people</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">; presently they </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">have come together to celebrate it commonly as Boi-Sa-Bi [</span></span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">বৈ</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">-</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">সা</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">-</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">বি</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">], a day of a wide variety of festivities; specially need to mention the water festival</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[</span></span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">জল উৎসব</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of the Marma people.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 24px;">KHULNA, Bangladesh | খুলনা, বাংলাদেশ</span></h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shokhamoyukh.blogspot.in/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pohela Boishakh Rally Khulna" border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7YAXa3YxdEk/T1jJQ9bARKI/AAAAAAAAA4w/3KzDfjrEYGM/s320/Pohela+Boishakh+1416+at+the+campus+of+Govt.+B+L+College,+Khulna+-+SHOKHA+MOIUKH.jpg" title="Pohela Boishakh Rally organized by Shokha Moyukh, Khulna" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pohela Boishakh Rally organized by <a href="http://shokhamoyukh.blogspot.in/">Shokha Moyukh</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in Khulna with enormous joy and enthusiasm. People from all walks of life take part in the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Borshoboron Rall</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">y (বর্ষবরণ পদযাত্রা) organized by</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Khulna Sonskriti Kendro</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(খুলনা সংস্কৃতিকেন্দ্র).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">College students take great effort in designing festoons, banners, colourful masks for this event. A newly formed non-governmental cultural organization </span><a href="http://shokhamoyukh.blogspot.in/" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Shokha Moyukh</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> celebrated Pohela Boishakh at the campus of Govt. B L College, Khulna. The rally was followed by a cultural function at the campus. The event was organized by the students with support from the college faculty.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">Kolkata and West Bengal | </span><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">কলকাতা</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"> </span><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">এবং পশ্চিম বঙ্গ</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Kolkata, the sovereign of Bengalis in India; witnesses some of the grand celebrations of Poyela Boishakh. In Kolkata and rest of Indian/West Bengal, Poyela Boishakh and indeed the entire month of Boishakh is considered auspicious time for marriages, opening of new business ventures etc. <i>Choitro</i><span style="font-size: small;"> is the Last month of the Bangla year; the garment traders give special discounts throughout the month. The last day of </span><i>Choitro, </i><span style="font-size: small;">is celebrated as </span><i>Choitro Sankranti </i><span style="font-size: small;">among the Hindu community, and </span><a href="http://www.bharatonline.com/west-bengal/fairs-and-festivals/charak-puja.html"><i>Charak Pujo</i></a><i> </i><span style="font-size: small;"> is held on this day. On this very same day </span><i>Charak Mela/</i><span style="font-size: small;">fair</span><i> </i><span style="font-size: small;">is organized in various parts of rural Bengal;</span></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">some really miraculous acrobatics are performed by the members and these stunts are quite risky indeed.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fLkvPcoEgdI/TwvtyxY4ufI/AAAAAAAAA1c/rkJ5ZYuI9Mk/s1600/Boishakhi+Yatra_Under+the+AJC+Rd+fly+over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fLkvPcoEgdI/TwvtyxY4ufI/AAAAAAAAA1c/rkJ5ZYuI9Mk/s320/Boishakhi+Yatra_Under+the+AJC+Rd+fly+over.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B<span style="font-size: x-small;">oishakhi Jatra, AJC Bose Road, Kolkata<br />
Courtesy: <a href="http://newyearphotogallery.blogspot.com/2009/04/bangla-sangeet-mela-starts.html">New Year Photo Gallery Blog</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The day of Poyela Boishakh is a day of cultural events. Like Bangladesh, here also people wake up & bathe early in the morning and dress up in traditional Bengali attire. Many go for <b><i>Probhat Pheri</i></b><i> (a parade similar to “Shobhajatra” in Bangladesh, but it’s not as colorful as that) </i>to welcome the first day of the New Year singing Rabindra Sangeet, here also the song </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #943634; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">এসো</span><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">,</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #943634; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> হে বৈশাখ</span><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">,</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #943634; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> এসো এসো</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">”</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><i><span style="color: #943634; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">is very popular.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pohela Boishakh is also the occasion when the whole family comes for a get together; youngsters touch feet of elders seeking benediction</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">আশীর্বাদ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">)</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, and peers greet each other </span></span><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Suvo Nôbobôrsho</span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> with a hug (Kolakuli </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">কলাকুলি</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">). The celebration remains incomplete without “<i>mishit mukh</i>” exchanging sweets with the near and dear ones.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Businessmen open new accounting books (<i>HalKhata</i>) on this day; for the Bengali Hindu businessmen </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HalKhata begins only after performing puja,<span class="apple-style-span"> “Swastik” sign is drawn on the <i>HalKhata </i>by the priests. </span>Devotees are seen in front of the Kalighat temple (</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">কালীঘাট মন্দির</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">), in long queues, from late night. Devotees offer Puja to receive the blessings of the almighty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Government of West Bengal organizes various fairs and cultural events in different parts of the state. The most famous of these is Bangla Sangit Mela, held at Nandan-Rabindra Sadan ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Other Nations | অন্যান্য দেশ </span><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Apart from Bengal, Poyela Boishakh is also celebrated by the Bengali community living in United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia etc.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.siliconeer.com/past_issues/2008/may2008/may08-culture-boishakhi-mela.html" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxUHOtJQYHY/Twvz474qZ5I/AAAAAAAAA1o/vJ0-TyOrFVg/s400/Pohela+Boishakh+Cultural+event+in+Sacramento.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Boishakhi Mela: Bengalis (both Bangladeshis and Indian Bengalis) welcoming <br />
Pohela Boishakh in Sacramento, California. Courtesy:</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <b><a href="http://www.siliconeer.com/past_issues/2008/may2008/may08-culture-boishakhi-mela.html">Siliconeer</a></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Today, Pohela Boishakh celebrations also mark a day of cultural unity without distinction between class and religious affiliations. Of the major holidays celebrated in Bangladesh and West Bengal, only Pôhela Boishakh comes without any preexisting expectations (specific religious identity, culture of gift-giving, etc). Unlike holidays like Eid ul-Fitr & Durga Pujo, where dressing up in lavish clothes has become a norm, or Christmas where exchanging gifts has become an integral part of the holiday, Pôhela Boishakh is really about celebrating the simpler, rural roots of the Bengal. As a result, more people can participate in the festivities together without the burden of having to reveal one's class, religion, or financial capacity.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com36Bengal, South Asia25.037640000000025 88.40943370000002210.515411500000024 73.766506200000023 39.559868500000022 103.05236120000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-19520781645699485932011-10-15T14:55:00.002+05:302011-10-15T15:11:32.982+05:30Pledge to Celebrate Cracker-free Diwali<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/bn_IN/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/10/pledge-to-celebrate-cracker-free-diwali.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="550"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1765017722"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ha69GRhtIKI/Tpk5rvHDdDI/AAAAAAAAAvg/Wh67OIVevlU/s320/Diwali.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating Green Diwali | Image courtesy: <a href="http://rangdecor.blogspot.com/2007/11/diwali-ki-shubhkamnayen-5112007.html">Rang-Decor</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Diwali</b> which is the contraction of the word Deepawali (</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 12pt;">দীপাবলি</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">is known as the “Festival of Light”; today we are at a stage when a section of our society is all set to change the meaning of Deepawali, i.e. to transform Diwali from being the “<b>Festival of Light</b>” into “<b>Festival of Bombs</b>”. In Bengal Deepavali signifies "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_Puja"><b>Kali Puja</b></a>" and it is a one day festival. Traditionally in Bengal nothing new is worn or bought as well as no new ventures are started on Diwali.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every year when Diwali comes environmentalists, medical experts and some social activists raise their voice and warn us of the ill effects of firecrackers, and majority of the people just ignore these warnings and go around bursting crackers!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s time for us to make a difference; it’s time for all of us to unite and shun firecrackers. It’s time for us to show “We Care”! Care for our environment, our elderly citizens and babies, our unwell fellow-humans, our pets, the numerous poor-people who can’t afford a onetime meal and more precisely for our own health and our future generations. Let’s all pledge to celebrate “Green Diwali”!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s time that we completely stop this fire Cracker menace…! Yes, you read it right Completely stop... No ‘<i>Fuljharis</i>’ or ‘Fountain’ or ‘<i>Charkhis</i>’ also as they cause the maximum air pollution moreover every year several kids end up in burning their hand due to the misuse of these crackers. The only cracker that can be advocated for is the “Rocket” as it beautifies the Diwali Skyline.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you hate the words- “<b>Terrorists</b>” and “<b>Bombs</b>” and the two very well resemble each other; then why do you start loving the “Bombs” during Diwali? We all know it’s so difficult to walk freely or drive a car or ride a bike peacefully on Diwali night because there are kids, adults and everyone bursting crackers on the Roads and the fear remains that the bombs can blast under your car or bike; Yes, this is sort of terrorism to the people who are driving! It’s their life at stake, and practically numerous such accidents are reported every year during Diwali. <i>If you hate Terrorists and their Bomb-blasts then Stop Bombing Diwali from now !</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIckVa6UtmU/TplCUxGsBRI/AAAAAAAAAvo/1fnNhQvgRPQ/s1600/Say+No+to+Crackers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIckVa6UtmU/TplCUxGsBRI/AAAAAAAAAvo/1fnNhQvgRPQ/s320/Say+No+to+Crackers.png" width="276" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The noisy crackers sledgehammer our ear drums which may result in temporary or complete hearing loss or even injure the nervous system! It’s a terrible time for aged people, babies and patients because the noise affects them the most.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Diwali is the only festival that scares the shit out of the four legged inhabitants; you might have seen your tuffy-tommy-jimmy running under the bed, chair or sofa for sure! It’s an extreme torture for them because of their high sensitive hearing ability, the deafening sound of crackers hurt their little brains and they stop eating-drinking and totally freak out for few days.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The celebration of Diwali can be done peacefully by lighting our houses with “<i>Deeps</i>” or “<i>Dias</i>”. Instead of literally Burning Money by bursting Firecrackers; it’s better to spend this money on noble causes. Let’s redefine Diwali celebration and celebrate cracker-free Diwali, after all any celebration can’t be at the cost of the environment and general health!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">General awareness among the people about the ill effects of firecrackers is of utmost importance and simultaneously All Fire-Crackers should be Banned and this ban should be implemented stictly. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">We the youth, have the power to bring the change- the Change for a Better Tomorrow.</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">We are fortunate that West Bengal (Poschim Bongo) is the only state in India to have a Noisy(</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">more than 90 dB measured at a distance of 5m from the point of bursting</span>) Crackers Ban. But, its shameful that organizations like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080811/jsp/nation/story_9676415.jsp">The International Marwari Association </a>are protesting against the Cracker Ban!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">So on this Diwali Say "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">NO</span>" to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Fire Crackers</span> and Say "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Yes</span>" to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Life</span> ! Be a responsible citizen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Green Diwali"</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com5Bengal, South Asia24.401866197031744 88.49074904999997721.392220197031744 86.166906549999979 27.411512197031744 90.814591549999975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-60670317524838290532011-10-12T15:33:00.005+05:302011-10-15T15:42:35.081+05:30Bangladesh Unveils Cheapest $130 Android Laptops<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/10/bangladesh-unveils-cheapest-130-android.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="550"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.priyo.com/files/image/2011/09/10/20110910-doel-300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://static.priyo.com/files/image/2011/09/10/20110910-doel-300.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">'DOEL' Laptop | Made in Bangladesh</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">The dream of <b><a href="http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/">Digital Bangladesh</a></b> in realization! Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has unveiled the worlds cheapest and also the first domestically manufactured laptop named '<b>DOEL</b>' today at the Bongobondhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.25pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.25pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The laptop will be produced by the State owned <b>Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS) (টেলিফোনে শিল্প সংস্থা)</b> in collaboration with 2M Corporation Ltd., Dhaka and TFT Technology, Penang, Malaysia. The primary device <span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;">will be priced at 10,000 BDT (</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">6,490 INR |</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">US$132.3</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;">) and</span> will run on <b>Google’s Android OS.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.25pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.25pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>TSS</b><b> </b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;">is set to launch three more models by the end of this week which</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;"> </span>would<span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;">run on</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;"> </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.7pt;">Intel Processors</span></b> are are priced at:</span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">13,500 BDT (8759 INR | US$178.6) - Basic model <span class="Apple-style-span">with Intel Atom Processor,</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">22,000 BDT (14272.67 INR | US$291.1) -Standard model with Intel Atom Processor and,<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">26,000 BDT (16868 INR | US$344) - Advanced model with Intel Pentium Processor.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is indeed a great step towards the realization of the dream of Digital Bangladesh and bringing about e-governance; it would undoubtedly boost the connectivity across the nation and will drive digital connectivity in villages.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, the government needs to do a lot more to improve the internet connectivity across the nation else the distribution of laptops wouldn’t be of great benefit in terms of digitally connectivity. But, for sure this affordable laptop will cut the digital-divide among the citizens and will be very helpful especially for students.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An important feature would be the presence of <b>Phonotic Bangla Keyboard </b>along with English in all the four laptop models. This would surely make it easy for the people who are not well acquainted with english and would increase the reach of digitization by making a larger portion of people computer literate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">People need to have realistic expectations from this affordable laptop because they are aimed to cater the basic needs and not to deliver high end services but its surely a '</span><b>value for money</b>' deal. </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Configurations: </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">DOEL Primary</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 9.5pt;">Price: 10,000 Taka<br />
</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">10.0″ LCD Panel </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(1024*600)</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">VIA 8650 800MHz</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">512 MB RAM</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Integrated 0.3 MP</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Webcam</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">WiFi 802.11b/g</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">10/100M Ethernet LAN </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(RJ-45)</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">2 USB 2.0</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">SD Slot for Max 32 GB</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Google Android Integrated</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">DOEL Basic</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 9.5pt;">Price: 13,500 Taka<br />
</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">10.1″ (1024*600) WXGA</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">LED Backlit</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel® ATOM Processor 455 1.66GHz</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel NM 10 Express </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Chipset.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel ® GMA 3150 </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(Integrated) Graphics.</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">1GB DDR3</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">HITACHI/TOSHIBA SATA</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">250 GB HDD</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Integrated 1.3 MP</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Webcam</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">802.11 bg/n</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">10/100M Ethernet LAN </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(RJ-45)</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">3 USB 2.0</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
Linux Based OS</span></span></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">DOEL Standard</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 9.5pt;">Price: 22,000 Taka<br />
</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">12.1″ (1360*768) WXGA </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">LED Backlight</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel® ATOM Processor</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">N470 1.83GHz</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel NM 10 Express </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Chipset.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel ® GMA 3150 </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(Integrated) Graphic</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">2GB DDR3</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">SATA 320GB HDD</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Integrated 1.3 MP </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Webcam</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">802.11 bg/n</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">10/100M Ethernet LAN </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(RJ-45)</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">3 USB 2.0</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Linux Based OS</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">DOEL Advanced</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 9.5pt;">Price: 26,000 Taka<br />
</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">14″ (1366*768) WXGA </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">LED Backlight</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel® Pentium P6200 </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">2.13 GHZ Processor</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Intel HM55 Chipset</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">2GB DDR3</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">SATA 320GB HDD</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">DVD Writer ( Samsung )</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Integrated 1.3 MP </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Webcam</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">802.11 bg/n</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">10/100M Ethernet LAN </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">(RJ-45)</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">3 USB 2.0</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;">Linux Based OS</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">To get more information </span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;">click on</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.tss.com.bd/doel_laptop.htm"><span style="color: blue;">TSS | Doel Laptops</span></a>.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Naming of this Laptop: </b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This laptop is named after the National Bird of Bangladesh i.e. <i>Doel </i><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2">দোয়েল</a> (English: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Magpie_Robin">Magpie Robin</a>). So this should clear the doubts of all the people who think that its named to 'sound' like 'Dell'. </span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;">It’s a matter of pride for all of us today…! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;">জয় বাংলা !</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com0Bangladesh23.684994 90.35633099999995520.675348 88.032488499999957 26.69464 92.680173499999952tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-65052236650026245602011-10-11T14:13:00.003+05:302011-10-16T09:38:33.474+05:30Injustice Revived! Eight Bangladeshis Beheaded in Saudi Arabia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-action="recommend" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/10/injustice-revived-eight-bangladeshis.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="line-height: 12.9pt; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://images.sodahead.com/profiles/0/0/0/9/6/7/4/6/8/beheading-10922437456.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://images.sodahead.com/profiles/0/0/0/9/6/7/4/6/8/beheading-10922437456.jpeg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Eight Bangladeshi migrants were beheaded (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">শিরশ্ছেদ</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">) in public in Riyadh after they were convicted of killing an Egyptian security guard four years ago, a media report said.They were charged with robbing a warehouse and killing a security guard, Egyptian national Hussein Saeed Mohammed Abdulkhaleq, in April 2007, <a href="http://bdnews24.com/">bdnews24.com</a> reported on Saturday. </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.9pt; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Mamun Abdul Mannan, Faruq Jamal, Sumon Miah, Mohammed Sumon, Shafiq al-Islam, Masud Shamsul Haque, Abu al-Hussain Ahmed and Mutir al-Rahman</span> were executed Friday in Riyadh. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Three other accused were given jail terms. </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.9pt; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The beheadings bring the number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year to 58, more than double than the 2010 figures. Twenty of those executed this year were foreign nationals.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">"</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.9pt; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Click >> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><a href="http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=208261&hb=1"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Saudis behead</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>8 Bangladeshis | | bdnews24.com</a></span></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">for detailed report.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.9pt; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Everyone deserves a fair trial in this world. Today, Saudi Arabia stands odd against the worldwide trend against the Capital Punishment. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Laws (Sharia or Constitutional) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">are made for the benefit of humanity, but what the Saudi's did; is undoubtedly Inhumane and Barbaric. Its very sad and shocking; Its high time that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia get on track with the international judicial and Human right standards. What assistance did these migrant workers have from the Bangladesh Government ?</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">This is injustice and clear violation of Human Rights. Why there is no hue and cry against this brutal regime? Why are the western countries who 'care' a lot about human rights mum against this brutality- Everyone keeps quite- its a tough <b>NO INTERFERENCE</b> in Saudi Internal Affairs !</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">There is another side of this story, the case would have been different if they were US or UK citizens, as in this case they were poor Bangladeshi migrant workers, they were treated like worthless creatures - denied justice and were unheard!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Saudi Arabia is one of the worst place to live on earth at this moment, they completely RACIST- If you are a non-Saudi you cannot file a case against a Saudi person. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I believe Saudi’s are not powerful than “Allah”, so “Allah” is enough for them to punish.</span></span></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com3Riyadh Saudi Arabia24.7116667 46.72416670000006924.4236477 46.47027970000007 24.999685699999997 46.978053700000068tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-13360710064361082862011-09-26T20:03:00.006+05:302014-09-22T20:03:20.823+05:30Mahalaya | মহালয়া<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="fb-root">
</div>
<script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/09/mahalaya.html" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mahalaya (Bn: </span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">মহালয়া</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> M</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">hal</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ya) marks the end of the “Pitri P</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">kkho (</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">পিতৃ পক্ষ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">)”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">and the commencement of “Devi P</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">kkho (</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">দেবী পক্ষ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">)” and its significance in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal">Bengal</a> is that it sets the six days countdown for the “MahaSaptami” of Durga Puj</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. The preparations for the Durga Puja reaches its final state during the Mahalaya. It's the day when the whole Bengal wakes up to the reverberating chants of Chandi mantras by Birendra Krishna Bhadra.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Aewfd1MQj4/ToFW_A-cbCI/AAAAAAAAArA/7UUMqRNI-SU/s1600/Mahalaya+Babughat_by_Amal+Biswas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Aewfd1MQj4/ToFW_A-cbCI/AAAAAAAAArA/7UUMqRNI-SU/s320/Mahalaya+Babughat_by_Amal+Biswas.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">Babughat, Kolkata<br />
Photo from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amalbiswas/5059346712/">Flickr by Amal Biswas</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">The Rituals:</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s a ritual among the devotees to fast since dawn and offer prayers (“<a href="http://www.obitsindia.com/info-obituary/shraddh.html">tarpan</a> </span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">তর্পণ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">”) at the river banks of Ganga as a remembrance of their forefathers and take a holy dip in the sacred river. Several priests can be seen at the Ganga Ghats performing Tarpan for different groups of devotees, this ritual starts early at dawn and continues till mid day. Babughat in Kolkata and Bagerhat in Khulna,Bangladesh are to be mentioned specially. It’s only after performing this ritual the devotees end their fast.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Radio and TV Telecasts:</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yyos4b_eTnA/ToCA0FVNmYI/AAAAAAAAAq8/ranr2Fd_k6k/s1600/Birendra_Krishna_Bhadra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yyos4b_eTnA/ToCA0FVNmYI/AAAAAAAAAq8/ranr2Fd_k6k/s200/Birendra_Krishna_Bhadra.jpg" height="200" width="166" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Birendra Krishna Bhadra</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">(1905–1991)</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was in the year 1930, that the <a href="http://www.allindiaradio.org/">All India Radio</a> (AIR) (আকাশবাণী) broadcasted the first live Mahalaya programme. Since then, it has been aired every year at 4:00am on this auspicious day and thus, Mahalaya has been deeply associated with the impeccable voice of late Birendra Krishna Bhadra whose enthralling chants of “Chandi Path” filled every house in Bengal. In spite of his absence, his voice is still aired and has marked its presence on the World Wide Web!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Almost since two decades, Doordarshan has been telecasting an <i>Agamoni Mahlaya Programme</i>, generally a two hour programme which starts around 4:00. It comprises of a dance drama with the evergreen chants by Birendra Krishna Bhadra. This progarmme is telecasted all over India and is presented by Doordarshan Kolkata.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">Today, it’s not only the Government broadcasters but the private channels like </span></span><a href="http://www.starjalsha.com/" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Star Jalsha</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">, </span></span><a href="http://www.etv.co.in/e-tv-5/index1.php?channelname=Bangla&fromhome=index1" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ETV Bangla</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">, </span></span><a href="http://www.aakaash-bangla.com/" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Akash Bangla</a>, Zee Bangla<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;"> and leading radio channel </span></span><a href="http://www.radiomirchi.com/kolkata" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Radio Mirchi</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;"> etc. have joined the league to present Mahalaya programme with better graphics and advanced special effects. But, the enchanting recital of “Mahishasur Mardini” by Bhadra will always remain close to our heart; i</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">t’s a welcome move that the private channels have come forward to promote the cultural importance of Mahalaya and also to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">improvise the quality of the programme.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-uwjlI82yzk" width="480"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Mahalaya By Birendra Krishna Bhadra</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu, sakti rupena sanksthita Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namo namaha.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="AR-SA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">যা দেবী সর্বভূতেষু শক্তিরূপেন সংস্থিতা</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="AR-SA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="AR-SA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">নমস্তস্যৈ নমস্তস্যৈ নমস্তস্যৈ নমঃ নমঃ।</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Wishing everyone <b>Shubh</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">ō</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">M</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">hal</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">ō</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><b>ya. | </b>সকলকে যানাই <b>মহালয়ার শুভেচ্ছা।</b></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com0Bengal, South Asia23.64474409937775 88.5985184999999550.65474959937774813 70.159240999999952 46.634738599377755 107.03779599999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-2388903648523035132011-09-04T15:17:00.010+05:302011-10-15T15:41:59.323+05:30Poschim Bongo!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#appId=212702898786572&xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like font="" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/09/paschim-banga-is-new-name-why-not.html" send="true" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MBT-CSS3"></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4KhcTQM3osQ/TmNG5ZHkbrI/AAAAAAAAAhc/8T17T__9VSE/s1600/West+Bengal_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4KhcTQM3osQ/TmNG5ZHkbrI/AAAAAAAAAhc/8T17T__9VSE/s200/West+Bengal_map.jpg" width="145" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 25px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The West Bengal state is the only state in India to have its name in ENGLISH!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> Moreover the name is totally insignificant as discussed in my earlier post “</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/08/only-bengal-not-west-bengal.html"><b>Only BENGAL, not West Bengal!</b></a></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">“. Almost everyone was taken aback by the West Bengal Government’s decision to rename the state as “Paschimbanga (read: Poschimbongo)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">পশ্চিমবঙ্গ</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">”. <span class="apple-style-span">Why were the people displeased?</span></span> Because, West Bengal has been always referred as “Paschim Banga (read: Poschim Bongo)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span lang="AR-SA" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">পশ্চিমবঙ্গ</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">”</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">in Bangla, whereas it was known as “Paschim Bangal” in Hindi and several other languages and all of these meant “The western half of Bengal province”. So the question arises, what was the need to rename? When the meaning has remained the same?</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The inhabitants of West Bengal expressed their desire to get rid of the “West or Poschim (</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">পশ্চিম</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">)” prefix but the politicians ignored it and unanimously decided to officially use the Bangla version of the state’s name i.e. <b>Paschim Banga</b>. This is absolutely a disagreeable name change; actually it’s not even a change!<u1:p></u1:p></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Why don’t we support this change? Because,</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It’s a cosmetic change, the meaning of the state’s name still remains unchanged i.e. it doesn’t satisfy the </span><b style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;">trivial purpose</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> behind the demand for renaming. </span>Apparently<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> it seems like they changed the name just for the heck of it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The renaming procedure will not be “free”, so when the government is ready to invest time and money in this name change procedure- it’s expected that this change is welcomed and accepted by the inhabitants of the state firstly! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We don’t want the taxpayer’s money to be wasted if the renaming process if it is merely being translated!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There were better options like “Bongo Pradesh (</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">বঙ্গ প্রদেশ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)” or “Bangla Prodesh</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">বাংলা প্রদেশ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” or “Bharatia Bongo</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">ভারতীও বঙ্গ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)” or “Bongo Bhumi</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (</span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">বঙ্গ ভুমি</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and people were ready to adopt any of these names but all they wanted is to shun the defunct “West </span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">পশ্চিম</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” prefix. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We want the name of our state to be in Bangla, but the translation of the existing “West Bengal” is unacceptable! <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Why is it taking so much time to provide our state a meaningful name ? There are several developmental issues that need immediate attention, so the Government should approve the public choice and start working for overall development of our state!</span> </span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVQQnc5BUxI/TmM14XGNQVI/AAAAAAAAAg8/VMPtHwQPK_s/s1600/Bongo+Prodesh+position.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVQQnc5BUxI/TmM14XGNQVI/AAAAAAAAAg8/VMPtHwQPK_s/s640/Bongo+Prodesh+position.png" width="209" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E4uyGMuF27Y/TmM14Xf1n0I/AAAAAAAAAhA/M48OKeNS-Gk/s1600/WestBengal+Position.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E4uyGMuF27Y/TmM14Xf1n0I/AAAAAAAAAhA/M48OKeNS-Gk/s640/WestBengal+Position.png" width="201" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vc8HP7-Jq7Y/TmM133pWu9I/AAAAAAAAAg4/KqHYbigfIKc/s1600/Paschimbanga+Position.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vc8HP7-Jq7Y/TmM133pWu9I/AAAAAAAAAg4/KqHYbigfIKc/s400/Paschimbanga+Position.png" width="126" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">The positioning of the state's name among the list of Indian States in the three cases : West Bengal (left), PaschimBanga (centre) and Bongo Prodesh (right).</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Why did they do it? These could be the possible reasons: </b></span></div><div><br />
<ul style="line-height: 18px;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In order to standardize the name in all languages i.e. be it in English or Hindi or any other language, everyone is bound to use only “<b>Paschim Banga</b>”.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">They wanted to keep the ghost of partition alive! They wanted that the state’s name should reflect that another half of Bengal lies across the border. But this issue could be resolved by naming the state “Bharatia Banga” or “Indian Bengal” this would have meant a change in reality..!<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They might be showing us the hope for the futuristic “Greater Bengal </span><span lang="BN" style="font-size: 12pt;">বৃহৎ বাংলা</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” that is to form an United Bengal with Bangladesh </span>J<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and free from Indian dominium.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Another concern was to bring the state position alphabetically higher in the list of Indian states for administrative reasons. Even then, by renaming as “Bongo Prodesh” or “Bangla Pradesh” or “Bharatia Banga” , the state would have featured in the 5<sup>th</sup> position in the list of Indian states; but “Paschim Banga” merely raises the state’s position to 22 on the list from being at the last position i.e. 28.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If they rename it Paschimbanga it will be nothing less than a waste of public money, waste of time, waste of resources, and most important undermining the sentiments of the residents of the state! </span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">জয় বাংলা ! Joy Bangla !</span></div></div></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com6West Bengal, India22.9867569 87.85497550000002320.1430249 85.821052000000023 25.8304889 89.888899000000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-58109281666157133612011-08-31T00:02:00.007+05:302011-10-15T15:43:42.461+05:30Eid Mubarak | ঈদ মোবারক<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#appId=212702898786572&xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like font="" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/08/eid-mubarak.html" send="true" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AO484iccLcM/Tl0p43AaHaI/AAAAAAAAAgw/URrieaQbV-8/s1600/Eid+Mubarak_Bangla.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AO484iccLcM/Tl0p43AaHaI/AAAAAAAAAgw/URrieaQbV-8/s400/Eid+Mubarak_Bangla.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">The new crescent moon of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawwal">Shawwal</a> (the tenth month of Hijri Calendar) has been sighted in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal">Bengal</a>, thus marking the end of the Islamic Holy month of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan">Ramadan</a>- the month of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting">fasting</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Fitr">Eid ul-Fitr</a> (</span><span lang="BN" style="color: black;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%88%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2_%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E2%80%8C%E0%A6%B0">ঈদুল ফিত্র</a></span><span style="color: black;">) is to be observed today on 31<sup>st</sup> of August, 2011.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">With the sighting of the new crescent, every Bengali’s heart fills with the tune of the famous song </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">"</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">Ō</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> m</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ō</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">n r</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ō</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">maj</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">n</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">r ai r</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ō</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">j</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ra </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">śē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ṣ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">l</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ō</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> khu</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">śī</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">r </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ī</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">d</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">।</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> Tu'i </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">pan</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">k</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">āa</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">j bili</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ẏ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> d</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ē</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">śō</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">n</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">sm</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">n</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ī</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;"> t</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">ā</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">gid</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="BN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #777777;">।।</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">”<span style="color: #777777;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black;">by beloved rebel poet – Kazi Nazrul Islam:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Levenim MT'; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Levenim MT'; font-size: 12pt;">"</span><span lang="BN" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 12pt;">ও মন রমজানের ঐ রোজার শেষে এলো খুশীর ঈদ।</span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px;">তুই আপনাকে আজ বিলিয়ে দে শোন্ আসমানী তাগিদ।।</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">তোর সোনা-দানা বালাখানা সব রাহে ইলিল্লাহ্।</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px;">দে জাকাত মুর্দ্দা মুসলিমের আজ ভাঙাইতে নিদ্।।</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">আজ পড়বি ঈদের নামাজরে মন সেই সে ঈদ গাহে।</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px;">যে ময়দানে সব গাজী মুসলিম হয়েছে শহীদ।।</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">আজ ভুলে যা তোর দোস্ত ও দুশমন হাত মিলাও হাতে।</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px;">তোর প্রেম দিয়ে কর বিশ্ব নিখিল ইসলামে মুরীদ।।</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">ঢাল হৃদয়ের তোর তশতরীতে শির্নী তৌহিদের।</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 16px;">তোর দাওয়াতে কবুল করবে হজরত হয় মনে উম্মীদ।। "</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Vrinda;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; font-size: 12pt;">-</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda; font-size: 12pt;">বিদ্রোহী কবি কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IRrQg9LS_r4/Tl0PB9hCmuI/AAAAAAAAAgY/1KLhGu3Oygk/s1600/Eid+Mobarak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="52" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IRrQg9LS_r4/Tl0PB9hCmuI/AAAAAAAAAgY/1KLhGu3Oygk/s320/Eid+Mobarak.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Levenim MT'; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Eid means the day of joy and thanksgiving. Eid ul-Fitr, the first Eid of the year is celebrated allover Bengal with great enthusiasm. It is <i>haram</i> or forbidden to fast on the day of Eid, so it is recommended to have a small breakfast as a sign of not fasting. Muslim from all walks of life can be seen adorned in new or best available clothes, visiting Masjid’s to attend <i>Salaatul</i> <i>Eid</i>. It is a <i>Sunnah</i> (Prophetic tradition) that the <i>Sadaqat-ul-fitr</i>, an obligatory charity, is paid to the poor and the needy before performing the ‘Eid prayer by all those adult Muslims who are required to pay <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakat" title="Zakat"><span style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;">Zakat</span></a></i>. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Greetings of “Eid Mobarak /</span> </span><span lang="BN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">ঈদ মোবারক</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">” are</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">exchanged.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Eid prayers are organized in Masjids and in open spaces called “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eidgah"><span style="color: blue;">Eidgah</span></a>’s”.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sholakia"><span style="color: blue;">Sholakia</span></a></span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">(</span></span><span lang="BN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">শোলাকিয়া</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">)</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Eidgah is the place where the largest congregation of Eid prayer of Bangladesh is held on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. In</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Indian Bengal</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">(PoschimBongo) special Eid prayer is held on Red Road of</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata"><span style="color: blue;">Kolkata</span></a>.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Eid is the time for “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Edi</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">” for children, the time to forget old grudges and ill feelings towards other fellow men, it is also the time to visit graveyards to remember the departed family members, and how can we forget special “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Shemai</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> (</span><span lang="BN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">সেমাই)</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">” of Eid…! </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Eid Mubarak to everyone | </span></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">বিশ্বজুড়ে সবাইকে জানাই ঈদের শুভেচ্ছা</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #57a7d9; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Levenim MT'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
</div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com2Bengal, South Asia23.64474409937775 88.55457318749995520.801012099377751 86.520649687499954 26.488476099377749 90.588496687499955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-57018529499383995142011-08-10T01:54:00.009+05:302011-10-15T15:43:40.847+05:30Only BENGAL, not West Bengal !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#appId=218475871537212&xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like font="" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/08/only-bengal-not-west-bengal.html" send="true" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since India's Independence in 1947, Western half of Bengal was integrated with India and was named as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bengal">West Bengal</a> though it had no Eastern half within the country's border ! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Bengal">East Bengal</a> had then become a separate nation - which later proudly came to be known as the "<a href="http://www.bangladesh.gov.bd/">Bangladesh</a>" ("The Bengali Nation") in 1971. But, the Indian portion of Bengal was and is still being called "West Bengal". But why ???</span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf3jBP2bLlU/TkGBsmM-nII/AAAAAAAAAgE/ADxs6aGjuAY/s1600/Bharotio+Bongo_JPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf3jBP2bLlU/TkGBsmM-nII/AAAAAAAAAgE/ADxs6aGjuAY/s400/Bharotio+Bongo_JPEG.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why refer it as "West Bengal"? when there's no existing "East Bengal" in India?. Sounds completely illogical.... right?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">To cut it short and make it simple- "West Bengal" doesn't make any sense today.... Think over it! its completely Irrational and illogical. We can never be "East Bengalis" or "West Bengalis" We'r all just "Bengalis" no matter we'r from East or West - Its as simple as that ! The mere term "West" reminds us of the grim past and the sad memories of Partition of United Bengal. It also brings the debate of "Epar Bangalee and Opar Bangalee" Today the youth wants to be United and we have grown out of the <o:p></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">"Epar Bangalee and Opar Bangalee" mindset, we want one identity that's being "Bengali".</span></span></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-36cH_g839vw/TkGBxHP7qvI/AAAAAAAAAgI/X5nirpUHa2o/s1600/Indian+Bengal_JPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-36cH_g839vw/TkGBxHP7qvI/AAAAAAAAAgI/X5nirpUHa2o/s640/Indian+Bengal_JPEG.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In "</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jana Gana Mana</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">", India's national anthem, Rabindranath Tagore calls the land "</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%99%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97">Bongo</a> (</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span lang="BN" style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">বঙ্গ</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> )</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">". In protest against the partition of Bengal in 1905, he had composed "</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amar Shonar Bangla</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">", thus referring to the land as "</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bangla</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">". The newly created country of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bangladesh adopted this song as its national anthem in 1972</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, but</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">India and the Indian part of Bengal have failed to honor the spirit of his composition</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #505050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. It's high time we gave the state a name it deserves.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/o0uJpV59WTA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The time has arrived for giving a more meaningful and logical name to our state and to drop the prefix "West". But we also have to keep in mind that, by naming our state as just "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal">Bengal</a></b>"("<b><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%99%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97">Bongo</a></b>" "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="BN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%99%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97">বঙ্গ</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="BN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">") </span></span> we would create a great conflict in our History and we cant afford to play with the heritage and history of Bengal! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal">BENGAL</a> is the Region of Bengali speaking people comprising of present West Bengal & Bangladesh, so Bengal is incomplete without Bangladesh and thus, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">we cannot name our state as Bengal</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are several other meaningful names:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Indian Bengal ("Bharatio Bongo" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">ভারতীও বঙ্গ</span>)</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Bongo Prodesh (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">বঙ্গ প্রদেশ</span>)</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Bangla Prodesh (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">বাংলা প্রদেশ</span>)</b> </span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #090909; font-size: 12pt;">Time of India has also joined the hands and started a campaign in Kolkata which they are calling Only "Bengal”.</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><i><b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #090909; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span></b></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #090909; font-size: 12pt;">You also can join the movement by just registering your vote at</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #090909; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></b></i><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #090909; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.onlybengal.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c60000;"><i><b>www.onlybengal.com</b></i></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">-<span lang="BN">জয় বাংলা</span></span><span lang="BN" style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">| Joy Bangla</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div></div><div id="fb-root"></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com5Indian Bengal | West Bengal22.9867569 87.85497550000002320.1430249 85.821052000000023 25.8304889 89.888899000000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-20864524057298650172011-06-18T11:57:00.006+05:302011-10-15T15:46:01.919+05:30Kalighat: A life lesson learnt!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#appId=180420472015150&xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like font="" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/06/kalighat-life-lesson-learnt.html" send="true" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It was 2<sup>nd</sup> February 2010; I was in Kolkata with my friends Albin & Naveen, I was the only Bengali guy- my friends were from Pune (Maharashtra) and didn’t know Bangla. All of us new to the city, ventured out to see different places of attraction. We took a lovely tram ride from Dharmot</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">ō</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">la (Esplanade) to the Beautiful Nakhoda Masjid (</span>নাখোদা মসজিদ<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">). Nakhoda Masjid, the biggest Masjid of Kolkata and was built in 1926. I loved the onion shaped dome and the architecture of the Masjid. The thing I didn’t like is the congestion in the area, shops are attached to beautiful red stone walls of the Masjid, and this surely bites into the beauty of the structure.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtKK7Ux9UDk/TfxCr2xNhUI/AAAAAAAAAbA/A1cfv7BQuh8/s1600/Kalighat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtKK7Ux9UDk/TfxCr2xNhUI/AAAAAAAAAbA/A1cfv7BQuh8/s400/Kalighat.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kalighat Temple, Kolkata | কালীঘাট মন্দির, কোলকাতা</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then we moved towards our next destination, the famous <b>Kalighat Mandir</b> (কালীঘাট মন্দির). We were little tired by now and the time was approaching 4pm. We were walking towards the temple glancing at the stalls selling pottery, <i>shankha- pola, shankh</i> etc. As we neared the entrance of Kalighat, a pundit rushed to us and informed that temple would be closed for <i>darshan</i> soon, and we saw the long queue darshan. We decided to come back the next day; we made up our mind and were moving ahead towards Mother Teresa’s Home for Sick and the Dying Destitutes (Nirmal Hriday) which is a part of the Kalighat Building. Suddenly this Pundit called us back and said,” <i>Amar sathe cholun, ami apnader darshan korie debo 5 minute-e.</i>” (Come along with me, I’l take u to the temple directly for <i>darshan.</i>) We ignored him, but he was determined! And continuously kept insisting us.. so finally we decided to go with him & this was ‘The Biggest Mistake’!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">We moved along with him, he took us to a place where we kept our shoes- then he insisted that we should buy some Prasad from his friends shop- we did so. Then he took us through some not-so-clean ways, we passed through the <i>darshan</i> queue, crossed everything in a minute and then entered the main temple through a passage where another man was standing and each of us had to pay Rs.10. We thought “Eh that was CHEAP!”. Then finally he rushed us though the “<i>darshan area” </i>of the main temple, we felt like a Merry-go-round and after this <i>darshan</i>, we thought we would pay him at most Rs.300 for three of us. But wait we were not over yet! Now we on the flip side of the temple. He told us to sit, and he got another pundit who was supposed to perform the puja. I refused, I told,”Amra Pujo Korate chai Na” , we had sensed some thing is surely fishy! But he was adamant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Now we three were sitting in the temple, the pundit told us- he’l perform puja individually for us. So first he took my friend Naveen, he kept his hand on Naveen’s head and chanted some <i>mantra </i>(with 4G speed!), then he gave him a one rupee coin dipped in <i>sindoor – </i>as a sign of good luck! Then finally, asked him for <i>Dakshina </i>by saying<i> “Ja Icche tai deen” –U can give whatever u want. </i>Naveen took out a Rs. 50 but the greedy pundit was not satisfied with it and demanded more; Naveen was worried, firstly he didn’t understand Bangla and secondly, he was unaware of the fact that people of different religions visit Kalighat, so he handed over a Rs. 500 note to the Pundit! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then, Naveen came and sat next to me and the pundit took Albin for puja. Naveen told me about the incident.. I was totally taken aback by this kind of cheating at a Holy place like Kalighat! The Same thing happened with Albin too.. and he ended up paying Rs.300 as <i>Dakshina</i>. Now it was my turn, he took me near the pillar of the temple, asked my name and birth date and chanted some <i>mantras</i> and asked for <i>dakshina, </i>I handed him a Rs.10 note; He was furious but didn’t express it- maintaining a smile on his face, he told Rs. 10 is too less.. I thought “<i>Oh! Yeah boi, I know Rs.10 is too less for you, you might be making thousands in a day by cheating in the name Goddess Kali! “. </i>Finally I gave him the same 10 rupees note.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Now came the first pundit, and asked for his share <i>dakshina</i> we didn’t have much money left wit us we offered him 100 Rupees but he refused by saying, <i>“ This is too less, I have saved your time etc…”</i> But, We said, <i>“Newar hoile naw- nahole Chere Daw!”</i> (Take it or leave it!). Finally, we came out of temple premises, took our shoes and left for home.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">We’ve learnt a very important lesson from this episode. Never take shortcuts at Holy places or Places of Worship! If you have come for <i>Darshan or Offering Prayer</i> don’t ever try to jump the queue by unfair means; this will only land you in trouble. The sheer existence of these <i>Fraud Pundits</i> at Holy places shows that there are quite a lot of people who intend to take shortcuts at Holy Places! Concluding with the statement, “Remember, you’re always being watched by the <i>Divine power</i>! So make sure that you do not fall into traps of the <i>Shaitan</i> and always be true to yourself!”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><br />
<div id="fb-root"></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com5Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal, India22.52 88.34199999999998522.5108835 88.327661499999991 22.5291165 88.356338499999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-57755936952989131912011-04-18T17:50:00.006+05:302012-01-20T00:13:58.711+05:30Stop Wall Writings !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like action="recommend" font="tahoma" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/04/stop-wall-writings.html" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghjNTK_7KRA/Tavm0A3BtHI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/s21hEDfieWU/s1600/wall+writing++Graffiti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Wall Writing: Graffiti" border="0" height="321" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghjNTK_7KRA/Tavm0A3BtHI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/s21hEDfieWU/s640/wall+writing++Graffiti.jpg" title="Defacing walls with Dirty political graffiti" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graffiti on a wall near Kolkata Station | কলকাতা রেল স্থানকের কাছে দেওয়াল লেখন</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WT3WA2Ar-Gc/Tavm7xXbY7I/AAAAAAAAAaU/FUfu6ENY-sw/s1600/WALL+WRITING+Strand+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WT3WA2Ar-Gc/Tavm7xXbY7I/AAAAAAAAAaU/FUfu6ENY-sw/s400/WALL+WRITING+Strand+road.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one on Strand Road reads, " <i>Brigade Cholun</i>" | স্ট্রান্ড রাস্তা</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Wall writing or graffiti in West Bengal is mainly done by all the political parties to promote their candidates and for other political issues like "<a href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/01/ban-bandhs-in-bengal.html">call for strikes (<i>bandhs/hartals</i>)</a>" etc. Wall writing is like a <i>nightmare</i> to the people of Bengal. All the political parties in Indian/West Bengal are insensitive towards this defacement of private and public property. Suppose you get your house painted with plush colors today, there are very good chances that tomorrow you'l see the sentence reading </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="BN" style="line-height: 115%;">এই চিনহে ভোট দিন</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">” (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ei Chinhe Vote Din</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Vote For this Symbol/Political Party on your newly painted wall. Moreover you realize that no one took your permission to do so- but you can’t complain either else you will be subjected to Harassment! This is the harsh reality in West Bengal today!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">We can bring a change if we are united, a single person raising voice against this would get him into trouble but if all the residents decide to oppose it then they (Political Parties) are bound to stop this shit!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/toasterhead/433780084" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hyxSMg_OvlA/TawRjHpbh-I/AAAAAAAAAac/JoFK9EBr7fA/s400/Bengali+Graffiti+Flickr+-toasterhead.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Dirty Wall! [courtesy Flickr photosream of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/toasterhead/433780084">toasterhead</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Look at our Bengal, such disgraceful & filthy wall writing/graffiti has brought shame to our state…! Its not that wall graffiti is seen only in Bengal; but its 500 times more than any other Indian state. Tourists visiting West Bengal are stunned by the dirty graffiti-plastered walls, forget about the creepy hoardings including the "latest FLEX banners" they are a menace too, they (tourists) carry this image of Bengal; what a shame! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxap_vrZjvA/TavnYBEK0II/AAAAAAAAAaY/c2dMzHCfPfY/s1600/Against+Wall+Writing_ABP.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Against Graffiti" border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxap_vrZjvA/TavnYBEK0II/AAAAAAAAAaY/c2dMzHCfPfY/s400/Against+Wall+Writing_ABP.png" title="দেওয়াল 'নিষ্কলঙ্ক' রাখার হ্যাট্রিক করলেন বাসিন্দারা" width="355" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Recently, I came across an article by Amartya Mukhopadhya in the Ananda Bazar Patrika news daily named:"</span>দেওয়াল 'নিষ্কলঙ্ক' রাখার হ্যাট্রিক করলেন বাসিন্দারা" ("Residents successful in maintaining dignity of walls") in</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> which shows how the residents of <i>Orient Row, Talbagan lane</i> in Park Circus area of Kolkata have united against the wall graffiti and have been successful in keeping their walls free from graffiti! They have won against the hooliganism of the political parties by clearly stating that </span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Wall writing in this area will not at all be tolerated; Whoever fails to follow this dictat (</span></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="BN" style="line-height: 115%;">ফতোয়া</span></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">) wil not be voted at all! “</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">We, the common people of Bengal, do not like graffiti and we will not tolerate any attempt to deface our walls. We want our Bengal to be clean. Let’s send this bold message to All the Political Parties in Bengal- </span></span><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">“If you want our votes - Stay Away From Our Walls!”</span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDAQQ5BL0lg/TawnUPVhUcI/AAAAAAAAAa0/6GfYwuF2xrE/s1600/Stop+Wall+Writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDAQQ5BL0lg/TawnUPVhUcI/AAAAAAAAAa0/6GfYwuF2xrE/s640/Stop+Wall+Writing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-58708753158224010532011-03-22T18:46:00.013+05:302012-03-06T09:27:33.340+05:30Save Ganga<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table><tbody>
<tr><td><div id="fb-root"></div><script>
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script><br />
<div class="fb-send" data-href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/03/save-ganga.html"></div></td><td><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like font="segoe ui" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/03/save-ganga.html" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TGxbMJh3oBA/TYNUqlfqoLI/AAAAAAAAAN8/dnjr01e56OM/s1600/100_4310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TGxbMJh3oBA/TYNUqlfqoLI/AAAAAAAAAN8/dnjr01e56OM/s320/100_4310.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ganga River | গঙ্গা নদি</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganges">Ganga</a></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">গঙ্গা</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">), the National River of India (Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4" title="ভারত"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ভারতীয়</span><span style="color: windowtext;"> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">প্রজাতন্ত্রের</span></a> </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">জাতীয়</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">নদী</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) originates from the Gangotri glacier of the Himalayas</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Bangla:</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">হিমালয়ের</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">গঙ্গোত্রী</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">হিমবাহ</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) in Uttarakhand, India, down the mountains, and across the one of the world’s densely populated plains to the Bay of Bengal (Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">বঙ্গপ</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">মহাসাগর</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">), the Ganges River is one of the world’s greatest rivers supporting millions of people with water and fertile soil for agriculture in India (Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">ভারত</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) and Bangladesh</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">বাংলাদেশ</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vimabxDEBNo/TZLKQr8EHnI/AAAAAAAAAUE/2IF8_8bX6Gw/s1600/Diamond+Harbour-Ganga_wide_beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></a> </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TGxbMJh3oBA/TYNUqlfqoLI/AAAAAAAAAN8/dnjr01e56OM/s1600/100_4310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vimabxDEBNo/TZLKQr8EHnI/AAAAAAAAAUE/2IF8_8bX6Gw/s1600/Diamond+Harbour-Ganga_wide_beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vimabxDEBNo/TZLKQr8EHnI/AAAAAAAAAUE/2IF8_8bX6Gw/s320/Diamond+Harbour-Ganga_wide_beautiful.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ganga River at its BEST ! Diamond Harbor</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even after being the National river of India and one of the most important river of Bangladesh, Ganga River is one of the dirtiest rivers in the world and on the verge of extinction. The river starts getting polluted as soon as it enters the densely populated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangetic_plains"><span style="color: windowtext;">Gangetic plains. </span></a>The main branch of the Ganga passes through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farakka_Barrage"><span style="color: windowtext;">Farraka Barrage</span></a> (Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%81%E0%A6%A7"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ফারাক্কা</span><span style="color: windowtext;"> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">বাঁধ</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) into Bangladesh and is known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padma_River"><span style="color: windowtext;">Padma</span></a> (Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%80"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পদ্দা</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">); this massive barrier diverts the water of the Ganga into the Hoogly</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">হুগলী</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) branch which flows through <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_bengal">Indian Bengal</a> / West Bengal</span></span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Bangla: </span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%99%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ভারতীয়</span><span style="color: windowtext;"> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">বঙ্গ</span></a> / পশ্চিমবঙ্গ</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ganga in Indian Bengal<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wbOde32h2fA/TYRRZFbYBOI/AAAAAAAAAOI/DM7GZIx44Tw/s320/Ganga-Howra+Station+view+across.JPG" width="320" /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pW1cZ5rfpBM/TYNh0i0X_jI/AAAAAAAAAOE/zf_PgnTSEIs/s1600/save+ganga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pW1cZ5rfpBM/TYNh0i0X_jI/AAAAAAAAAOE/zf_PgnTSEIs/s320/save+ganga.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">The Ganga River’s water which reaches <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal">Bengal</a></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> has already been polluted during its flow through the northern states of India and it gets further polluted in Bengal before opening up into the Bay of Bengal.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 27pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">I. The Factors Polluting Ganga:</span></b><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Industrial Effluents</span></b></li>
<ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HZNoJrxPN_M/TYbUyirvx0I/AAAAAAAAAOk/AQKtqogIBFw/s1600/Toxic+waste+into+Ganga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HZNoJrxPN_M/TYbUyirvx0I/AAAAAAAAAOk/AQKtqogIBFw/s320/Toxic+waste+into+Ganga.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Polluted waste water flows into the Ganges river</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">The branch of Ganga River has numerous paper, pulp, jute and other industries lined along its banks. These industries discharge effluent into the river. This hazardous waste includes dark brown, oxygen-craving slurry of bark and wood fiber, hydrochloric acid, mercury and other heavy metals, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls highly toxic compounds which accumulate in fish tissues, and chemical toxins like bleaches and dyes, which produce dioxin and other persistent compounds.</span></li>
</ul></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://hello.news352.lu/edito-13387-indians-keep-faith-with-ganges-despite-pollution.html" style="clear: right; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sewage Discharge</span></b></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">One of the primary causes of pollution i.e. domestic sewage from cities and towns, treated or untreated should not be discharged into the Ganges.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Today Conservative estimates put the sewage flowing into Ganga at approximately 1 billion litres per day, of mostly untreated raw sewage.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Due to this, Fecal coliform measurements of the river have been recorded as high as 6,000 times the safe level for humans. (Fecal coliform is a bacterium found in the intestinal system of warm-blooded animals; their presence in large numbers indicates pollution by sewage contamination.)</span></li>
</ul></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Religion Vs Ganga’s Water Pollution</span></b></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"></div><ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Immersion of Idols in Ganga | </span></b><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">গঙ্গাএ</span></b><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">মূর্তি</span></b><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span lang="BN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">বিসর্জন</span></b></li>
</ul></ul><ul style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; text-align: center;">The annual ritual of immersion of Idols of Hindu deities like Durga during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja"><span style="color: windowtext;">Durga Puja</span></a> (</span><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">দুর্গা</span><span style="color: windowtext;"> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পুজো</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; text-align: center;">), which is the main festival of Indian Bengal and several others idols during the course of the year, increases the pollution in the already polluted river, and also causes the deposition of silt .</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Immersion of Idols has also threatened the survival of the </span><a href="http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/enablers/traffic/cites_update/species_in_focus/species_in_focus_dolphin/" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Gangetic Dolphin</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> and other aquatic creatures.</span></li>
</ul></ul></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://cms.mumbaimirror.com/portalfiles/19/35/200909/Image/durgapuja17.jpg" style="line-height: 13.5pt;" width="320" /><span style="line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.durga-puja.org/gifs/dp6.jpg"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.durga-puja.org/gifs/dp6.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;">Immersion of Idols in Ganga | গঙ্গায় মূর্তি বিসর্জন</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Humans ritually bathe themselves in the waters adding to the pollution. <i>[Maximum in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasi"><span style="color: windowtext;">Varanasi </span></a>(</i></span><i><span lang="BN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B8"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">বেনারস</span></a></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">) approx 60,000 devotees ritually bathe every morning!]</span></i></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Sacred practice of depositing human remains, scattering of the ashes after cremation in the Ganga also poses serious threat to the ecosystem because of the dumping of partially cremated corpses, and there are people who can't afford to cremate their loved ones - so they simply throw the dead body directly into the river.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hundreds of corpses burn on the wooden pyres on the bank of the river, then at times these still-glowing ashes, garlands etc are swept into the river.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In addition to this, the dead bodies and remains of several animals which are sacred to the Hindus are also dumped in the Ganges.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">People come to the banks and throw away bags full of “Pooja Flowers” into the river, making the river a “Sewage Canal”!</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then these ashes, mixed with flowers/garlands, polythene bags, empty cans and foam resurfaces and floats atop the waves.</span></li>
</ul></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Irrigation & Agriculture</span></b></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Agricultural runoffs in the Ganga basin, which is mixed with chemical fertilizers, harmful pesticides like </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;">DDT</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (BANNED IN UNITED STATES) etc directly into the river causing threat to the aquatic creatures and contaminating the underground water.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Captivating the river water by creation of Dams or diverting the river water, mainly for irrigation purposes also causes pollution.</span></li>
</ul></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pollution, directly by citizens :</span></b></li>
</ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gkRGUcBuE3c/TYNV-FEC_FI/AAAAAAAAAOA/kL-o5Dzzdes/s1600/Dakhineshwar+ganga+%252C+washing+clothes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gkRGUcBuE3c/TYNV-FEC_FI/AAAAAAAAAOA/kL-o5Dzzdes/s400/Dakhineshwar+ganga+%252C+washing+clothes.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People washing clothes & bathing at Dakhineshwar ghat</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Washing of Clothes & Bathing of cattle</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">:-</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thousands of people wash clothes, with detergents etc directly on the river banks adding to the pollution. Apart from humans bathing, you can also see people bathe their cattle in the river!</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Its not an uncommon sight to see a passerby jus throwing a Polythene Bag full of Garbage into the River.</span></li>
</ul></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">All the above mentioned factors as well as <b>deforestation, unplanned urbanization as</b> well as several other factors have rendered the water of Ganga <b>unfit </b>for<b> bathing </b>or<b> drinking</b>!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">II. Effects of Pollution in Ganga</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><u1:p></u1:p> <br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">People are facing health problems and diseases like:</span></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Typhoid</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">E-coli</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Tuberculosis</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Gastrointestinal bleeding and other water borne diseases.</span></li>
</ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">They are getting infected by:</span></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Bathing</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Drinking</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Cooking</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 12pt;">Washing clothes and due to staying in direct contact wit the polluted river water.</span></li>
</ul></ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Contamination of the Underground Water- due to presence of chemical fertilizers, harmful pesticides and other toxins in the river water. Presence of high levels of Arsenic has been detected in the ground water in several areas along the Ganga basin.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The </span><a href="http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/enablers/traffic/cites_update/species_in_focus/species_in_focus_dolphin/" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Gangetic Dolphin</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">, with an approximate population of 2000 has become an endangered species.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The fishes in the Ganga River are striving hard for survival; toxins are entering their tissues which are then consumed by humans and thus, indirectly the toxins are entering our bodies.</span></li>
</ul><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QIxeDO2X3qo/TYhdS6W-auI/AAAAAAAAARo/HXA9a9hFXV4/s1600/DRY+GANGA+%2528Padma%2529+in+Rajshahi-BanglaDesh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QIxeDO2X3qo/TYhdS6W-auI/AAAAAAAAARo/HXA9a9hFXV4/s320/DRY+GANGA+%2528Padma%2529+in+Rajshahi-BanglaDesh.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">River Ganga (Padma) dried up & reduced to a 6ft<br />
wide shallow stream during summer season in Rajshahi,<br />
Bangladesh.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Levenim MT'; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farakka_Barrage">Farraka Barrage</a> effect !</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>[Picture by: Donald Katz <a href="http://donnybangla.blogspot.com/">http://donnybangla.blogspot.com</a>]</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r5wG1jTBcbw/TZLVeEai41I/AAAAAAAAAUM/Pk5ACvVeLfo/s1600/Diamond+harbour_GANGA_ship_AMLAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r5wG1jTBcbw/TZLVeEai41I/AAAAAAAAAUM/Pk5ACvVeLfo/s320/Diamond+harbour_GANGA_ship_AMLAN.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><div><div style="text-align: center;">A stabilized river bank near Diamond Harbor,Kolkata.</div><div style="text-align: center;">But,Still the port remains unnavigable for Large Ships due to silting.</div><div><br />
</div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">III. What can be done to SAVE Ganga?</span></span></b><br />
<u1:p></u1:p> <br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The First and foremost thing is Awareness among the people about the ill effects of polluting the Ganga!</span></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">General public should </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">refrain </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">from :-</span></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bathing,</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Washing clothes,</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Cleaning vehicles,</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Open defecation (Shitting) in the river banks!</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Throwing garbage, polythene bags, pooja flowers in the Ganga.</span></li>
</ul></ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Dumping of sewage and industrial effluents should be completely banned and strictly implemented. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Sewage treatment plants </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(STP’s) are must along the river bank.</span></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Sewage treatment through the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stabilization_pond" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pond system</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Advanced integrated wastewater oxidization pond system]</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> should be preferred over the electricity- dependent method.</span></li>
</ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Improvisation of Solid Waste Management System</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">required for </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">preventing dumping of solid wastes in the river.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Artificial Water-bodies (Tanks) should be constructed for immersion of idols,</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> else a day will come when there will be absolutely no water in the Ganga! Then where will they immerse idols???</span></li>
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The Kolkata High Court on October 5, 2010 directed that the guideline framed by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) will have to be followed for cleaning up the river Ganga after immersion of idols. The court also said that it was the duty of Kolkata Port Trust (KPT) and concerned municipalities to clean the river after idols immersion.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">কলকাতা</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">হাইকোর্ট</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">এবং</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">দূষণ</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">নিয়ন্ত্রণ</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পরিষদের</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">নির্দেশিকা</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">অনুযায়ী</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পুজোর</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ফুল</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">চালচিত্র</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ঘট</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ইত্যাদি</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">এবার</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">গঙ্গায়</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">বিসর্জন</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">দেওয়া</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">যাবে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">না।</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ঘাটের</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পাশেই</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">তৈরি</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">হয়েছে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">আলাদা</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ভ্যাট</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">সেখানেই</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ফেলে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">দিতে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">হবে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পুজোর</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">উপাচার।</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">গঙ্গাদূষণ</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">রোধে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">পুরসভা</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">চেষ্টা</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">করবে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">বিসর্জনের</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">২৪</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ঘন্টার</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">মধ্যে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">জল</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">থেকে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">কাঠামোগুলি</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">তুলে</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">ফেলা</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif;">যায়</span><span style="font-family: Mangal, serif;">।</span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">But this is not going to serve any good! We have to consider other alternatives and strictly stop immersing idols in Ganga!</span></b></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This is a very sensitive issue and people should try to understand it logically, the ill effects of immersing idols in the Ganga.</span></li>
</ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Use of Bio-gas/Electrical crematoriums should be promoted and cremating in open air and on the banks of the river should be avoided. </span></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZrUEFjRViM/T1IT66Xo3EI/AAAAAAAAA4c/f6gF-oBNMpg/s1600/River+Banks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZrUEFjRViM/T1IT66Xo3EI/AAAAAAAAA4c/f6gF-oBNMpg/s320/River+Banks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cFG5kgm8CkA/TYRU8942ywI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/F745e_728QE/s1600/Howra+stn+dirty+ganga+ghat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cFG5kgm8CkA/TYRU8942ywI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/F745e_728QE/s320/Howra+stn+dirty+ganga+ghat.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Left: </b>An improvised river bank in Europe, with green pasture and a walkway.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Right: </b>Ganga river bank in pathetic condition.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;">River banks should be improvised to reduce erosion by construction of </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levee">Levee</a></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"> and </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;">Revetments.</b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;">Afforestation, by creating avenues/green pastures along the river banks.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;">The use of highly dangerous and non-biodegradable chemical fertilizers and pesticides like DDT etc should be strictly banned. Use of bio-fertilizers should be promoted.</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: justify;">It is said that </span><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Georgia, serif;">“The character of a city is best judged by how well it maintains its sea or river front.”</span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><u1:p></u1:p> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xkeVy0TLJxQ/TZLnsbuOGzI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/9gz64D1Hb5Y/s1600/Diamond+Harbour-Ganga_wide_clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xkeVy0TLJxQ/TZLnsbuOGzI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/9gz64D1Hb5Y/s320/Diamond+Harbour-Ganga_wide_clean.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">One of the Cleanest patches of the Ganga River.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our national river, Ganga is dying. What will happen when the river begins to dry up? If Ganga becomes a stream of sewage and toxins, Bangladesh along with India will suffer, as Ganga will no longer be able to support neither the economy nor the people of the two nations. If we do not succeed in a determined effort to save Ganga, we are risking the right of our future generations to a healthy, life-enhancing environment.</span></span><span style="font-family: Vrinda, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><u1:p></u1:p> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-21584877316107999552011-01-16T21:23:00.003+05:302012-01-20T00:29:20.885+05:30Ban Bandhs in Bengal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/01/ban-bandhs-in-bengal.html" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YkLF53-KRIU/TVPYx1N_SqI/AAAAAAAAALg/b-yaubhTUJs/s1600/Bangla+Bondh+Nishiddho+kor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="81" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YkLF53-KRIU/TVPYx1N_SqI/AAAAAAAAALg/b-yaubhTUJs/s400/Bangla+Bondh+Nishiddho+kor.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s been almost 64 years since <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> got it’s independence from the British and the western part of <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> province took its shape as <st1:place w:st="on">West Bengal</st1:place> state of Indian Union. Since then it wasn’t a smooth way for <st1:place w:st="on">West Bengal</st1:place>, as it had lost all the jute growing areas to <st1:place w:st="on">East Bengal</st1:place> and was left with only the jute mills which had no raw materials! Still then <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> picked up pace and <st1:place w:st="on">West Bengal</st1:place> was <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s pre-eminent industrial state, with highest per capital real GDP among other states in the 1950’s.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then shutting down of factories/jute mills etc led to frequent strikes (Bandhs) in <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal (Bn: </st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;">বাংলা বন্ধ)</span><st1:place w:st="on"> </st1:place>. Bandhs were called by all the political parties to show their power. As a result it was the general public who were suffering due to these Bandhs and the State’s image was severely hampered internationally as well as nationally. It had somewhat become a synonym i.e. B for <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> and B for Bandhs!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TTMI_CrrCvI/AAAAAAAAALE/B9jNNC_K-Uw/s1600/road+block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TTMI_CrrCvI/AAAAAAAAALE/B9jNNC_K-Uw/s400/road+block.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Road blockage during a Bandh [courtesy: <a href="http://bengalnewz.blogspot.com/">Bengalnewz</a>]- </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Bandhs disrupt normal public life by forcefully shutting down all business establishments like shops, malls, multiplexes, Offices causing huge losses to the business. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Due to forcefully disrupting transport services (busses, trams, rickshaws, taxis etc they not <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">only led to a tangible loss of hundreds of crores of rupees a day, but an equally massive intangible loss by way of a damage to the state’s image and negative signals to potential investors..!</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> is the state with maximum bandhs in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region></b>,<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"> where the average number of bandhs per year is 40-50 (ranging from a couple of hours to a maximum of 2 days per bandh). This is one of the main reasons why people from other states and other countries have a negative image about state of affairs in <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place>. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The political parties in <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> need to realize:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What message they are sending to the International and the Indian business community by intimidating and forcing people to stop their work...!<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bandhs are not solution to any problem it only cripples the state and leads to deterioration of the prevailing conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Instead, the state should make more efforts to attract investors as <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> suffers from poor infrastructure thus they need investment in infrastructure —- multilane highways, overpasses, bridges and additional ports. They can achieve this if and only if they SCRAP the “BANGLA BANDH” CULTURE!<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The government should stress on the Tourism industry too! <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> has a large number places with historic importance and is also a treat for nature lovers. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some of the Eminent Personalities of India INC criticizing Bangla Bandhs:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">(Source- <i><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/WB_takes_the_cake_when_it_comes_to_bandhs/articleshow/842652.cms">Economic Times</a> </i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 45.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span">Birla group of companies chairman B K Birla warned: “It’s very unfortunate to have strikes and lockouts. It doesn’t help anyone in the long run. On the contrary, it will have an impact on the state’s economy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 45.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span">RPG vice chairman Sanjiv Goenka virtually seconded the Birla patriarch’s emotions. “Anything that disrupts normal life and activity should not be encoraged. I personally don’t subscribe to the bandh as a means of protest,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 45.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span">Leading academics in the city seemed equally dis-enchanted by the latest turn of events and minced no words. For instance, Prof Anindya Sen, Dean, programme initiatives at IIM (C) said: “I’m utterly shocked and dismayed. Whatever the reason, we simply cannot afford to go on having bandhs every other day. It’s disastrous for the whole economy. At one level, it’s like the whole situation has been reduced to a game of one-upmanship. So, if somebody calls a 24-hour bandh one day, another goes a step further and calls a 48-hour bandh. What’s next? An indefinite bandh? Elaborating, the IIMC Dean said: “People are getting fed up now, which is why many are braving these bandhs and going to work. Besides, the ruling party has now called for a dialogue, and even third-party intervention. There’s no point in such frequent attempts to shut down the city. The atmosphere is just not conducive for work. People can’t go on functioning like this.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 45.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span">S.K. Khullar, president, HRAEI (Hotel & Restaurant Association of <st1:place w:st="on">Eastern India</st1:place>) said: “There have already so many bandhs in a row: one total and two partial recently, and things really can’t go on this way. For one, the hotel and restaurant industry suffers great losses, anything between Rs 30-40 crore for a total bandh. And even for the partial ones, sales are only half of a regular day’s. What’s more, it’s not just restaurants which suffer, but also the little street side stalls, which are deprived of a day’s earnings.”</span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TTUoR7NpETI/AAAAAAAAALM/uqqGAPZzhrg/s1600/BANGLA+BANDH+TRUE+TEST.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TTUoR7NpETI/AAAAAAAAALM/uqqGAPZzhrg/s400/BANGLA+BANDH+TRUE+TEST.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Telegraph's Truth Test about The Bandhs on the People at Power !</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s also the responsibility of common public living in <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> to demonstrate against these “Bangla Bandhs” and irrespective of the political party calling the Bandh!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The youth should also understand the ill effects of these Bandhs on their future and criticize Bandhs instead of playing Street Soccer / Cricket! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We want development, and we want a progressive change in <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> – we want a progressive & Bandh free <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have a lot of hope from the new Government, we want to see the change in the attitude of the people in power. Work for more.. say no to Strikes.!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">আমরা বন্ধ মুক্ত বাংলা চাই , আমরা প্রগতি চাই !</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">We HATE BANDHS!</span><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script><fb:like href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2011/01/ban-bandhs-in-bengal.html" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574086847844928763.post-80023833068178585182010-12-10T15:25:00.012+05:302011-10-25T10:50:18.783+05:30Promote Bangla<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="fb-root"></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script><fb:send font="" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com/2010/12/promote-bangla.html"></fb:send><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><fb:like font="verdana" href="http://promotebangla.blogspot.com" show_faces="true" width="450"></fb:like> </span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9ZidZIuq6Ng/TXHzckIp76I/AAAAAAAAAMI/c6JKbVDe8Rg/s1600/Promote+Bangla+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nFaswKqfA-Y/Tmd-xAX7qAI/AAAAAAAAAho/o0kzjnfv4YQ/s1600/Bengali+Speaking+Region.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nFaswKqfA-Y/Tmd-xAX7qAI/AAAAAAAAAho/o0kzjnfv4YQ/s320/Bengali+Speaking+Region.JPG" width="280" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Bengali Speaking Region</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Courtesy: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_language">Wikipedia</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_language#cite_note-huq_sarkar-0">Bangla</a><span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span>(En:Bengali, Bn:<a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE">বাংলা</a>), the language of nearly 300 million(as of the year 2008) people in the world and ranking at 6<sup>th</sup> position among the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers">most spoken languages</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of the world. Bangla is native to the region of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal"><st1:place>Bengal</st1:place></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(comprising of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bengal">West Bengal</a>, parts of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam"><st1:country-region><st1:place>Assam</st1:place></st1:country-region></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripura">Tripura</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>state of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India"><st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh"><st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region></a>).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now the question arises, “<b>Do we need to promote Bangla?</b>”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The answer is undoubtedly “<b>YES!</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>“.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And that is the reason why there are the institutions like<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_457861031"><st1:place><st1:placename>Bangla</st1:placename></st1:place></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_457861031"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangla_academy"><st1:placetype>Academy</st1:placetype></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(<st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>) and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschimbanga_Bangla_Akademi"><st1:place><st1:placename>Paschimbanga</st1:placename></st1:place></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_457861041"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_457861041"><st1:placename>Bangla</st1:placename></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_457861041"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschimbanga_Bangla_Akademi"><st1:placetype>Academy</st1:placetype></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(West Bengal, India) are striving hard to promote Bangla.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TQEK4amv7aI/AAAAAAAAAIw/7otOJzBWgY0/s1600/800px-Official-logo-bangla-akademi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="43" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TQEK4amv7aI/AAAAAAAAAIw/7otOJzBWgY0/s320/800px-Official-logo-bangla-akademi.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Official logo of "Poschim Bongo Bangla Academy".</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;"><b>The need to promote Bangla arises from the following facts:</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Losing of the “Bengali Pride”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A large number of the new-generation Bengalis especially in West Bengal state feels ashamed of speaking in their mother tongue in public, business establishments like offices, shops etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><ol start="2" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lesser Affinity towards Bangla language.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bengali youth (new generation), is losing affinity towards Bangla. They are influenced by the Western Culture to a great extent. Most of them cannot read or write Bangla, though they can manage to speak. This is a major problem among Bengalis in India and abroad, though the situation is much better in Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><ol start="3" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The invasion of “Hindi & English”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Undoubtedly the young Bengalis have greater affinity towards <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English">English</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindustani_language">Hindustani language</a> (Hindi and its various forms), be it in West Bengal or Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindustani_language">Hindustani</a> being the major language of India has deeply penetrated in every nooks and corners of West Bengal. Moreover, as West Bengal shares borders with Hindustani (Hindi speaking) states of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar">Bihar</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jharkhand">Jharkhand</a>, there is a large influx of Hindustanis in West Bengal. This has somehow changed the demographics of major cities like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata">Kolkata</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howrah">Howrah</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siliguri">Siliguri</a> etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Bangladesh, till date exists a minority of Bihari population and the influence of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi_media">Indian Hindi media</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollywood">Bollywood</a> has freshly introduced Hindustani language to the Bangladeshis.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;"><b>What can be done?</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are various ways to promote Bangla. It needs support from the Government as well as the Common people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">We have to revive the “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_nationalism">Bengali Pride</a>”! Bengalis across the globe should take pride speaking in Bangla and “Being a Bengali”!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhuko_rmO9Y/TnbHtuJ8TKI/AAAAAAAAAqM/YNej7Efq88M/s1600/Rabi+Thakur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhuko_rmO9Y/TnbHtuJ8TKI/AAAAAAAAAqM/YNej7Efq88M/s200/Rabi+Thakur.jpg" width="143" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Rabindranath Tagore<br />
রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph-O6YBi2po/TnbJtQxGGdI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/_fUS1oxtFpg/s1600/Bengali+Rebel+Poet-+Kazi+Nazrul+Islam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph-O6YBi2po/TnbJtQxGGdI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/_fUS1oxtFpg/s200/Bengali+Rebel+Poet-+Kazi+Nazrul+Islam.jpg" width="166" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam<br />
কবি নজরুল ইসলাম</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -21.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">Promotion has to start from the basic level i.e. the family. Regardless of the nation or state you are residing in, every Bengali parent should teach their children to read, write and fluently speak in Bangla, and they should encourage their children to get acquainted with the works of our Great writers/poets like</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Mohan_Roy">Raja Ram Mohan Roy</a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">(1772-1833),</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabindranath_Tagore">Rabindranath Tagore</a>(1861-1941),</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazi_Nazrul_Islam">Kazi Nazrul Islam</a>(1899-1976), and our modern day writers like Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humayun_Ahmed">Humayun Ahmed</a>,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyajit_Ray">Satyajit Roy</a>,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibhutibhushan_Bandopadhyay">Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay</a>, Md. Jaffar Iqbal,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taslima_Nasreen">Taslima Nasreen</a>,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunil_Gangopadhyay">Sunil Gongopadhyay</a>, Mrunal Chakraborty,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahir_Raihan"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span>Jahir Raihan</a>,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jahanara_Imam">Jahanara Imam</a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">etc.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span dir="LTR"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The Government of West Bengal needs to take a major step towards promotion of Bangla in public life in the state.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">· An order should be passed to make all communications of Government Offices only in Bangla.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">· Govt. needs to be more enthusiastic in promotion of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_literature">Bangla Literature</a>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangla_theatre">Bangla Theatre</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Natok),<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_West_Bengal">Bangla Cinema</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>etc. By conducting and promoting more number of book-fairs, socio-cultural events related to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_culture">Bengali culture</a>, in order to develop interests among the youth towards their culture and language.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">· Govt. needs to Open world class Bangla medium schools to impart education not just in Bangla but also to make the students well acquainted with the world language i.e. English.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">· Govt. should pass an order to put up name-plates / Sign-boards of all establishments (Shops, Buildings, Multiplexes etc.) compulsorily in Bangla and then it may be SUBTITLED in other Languages, Which means Bangla texts should appear clearly and boldly as the Major text on the name plate and in no way Bangla to be written in one corner just for the formality ! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Generally when I’m in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place>Bengal</st1:place>, I usually speak only in Bangla. Be it the Hindustani (Bihari) taxi driver, the Marwari Businessmen, North-Indian crowd- I use Bangla with everyone. "They won’t understand- so I shouldn’t speak in Bangla!"-this excuse or theory somehow doesn’t appeal to me. I feel, they do understand the language but its us, the Bengalis- who don’t give them the chance to understand or speak in Bangla!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Every language in this world has its own charm and beauty, but a language cannot be neglected in its own provinces, and thus Bangla should be given the first priority in Bengal rather than English, Hindi, Urdu. Bangla is the state language and should be respected.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TQHDNBmeN4I/AAAAAAAAAJc/Wo4huilZYh8/s1600/100_4330+%25C2%25A9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TQHDNBmeN4I/AAAAAAAAAJc/Wo4huilZYh8/s200/100_4330+%25C2%25A9.jpg" width="176" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Nandan | নন্দন</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">(Poschim Bongo Film Center)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TQHmMXpeotI/AAAAAAAAAJg/cD-qaN8FYCQ/s1600/100_4615%25C2%25A9%25C2%25A9%25C2%25A9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iqfVsIegOOI/TQHmMXpeotI/AAAAAAAAAJg/cD-qaN8FYCQ/s400/100_4615%25C2%25A9%25C2%25A9%25C2%25A9.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Establishments in Kolkata Ignoring Bangla wherever possible!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you are of the opinion that speaking in Bangla would hamper your reputation, it’s false! Instead people would look high upon you and respect you even more. If you don’t love yourself then you can''t expect others to love you, similarly if you don’t love your own language then how can others even think of loving your language, adopting your language and culture ? Think about it!<o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span lang="BN" style="color: black;">জয়</span><span lang="BN" style="color: black;"> </span><span lang="BN" style="color: black;">বাংলা</span></b><span style="color: black;"><b>!</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Rupee Foradian';"><br />
</span></div></div></div></div></div>sauravhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846941246922380257noreply@blogger.com13Bengal24.398943729464467 88.9367774500000221.408949229464465 70.497499950000019 47.388938229464472 107.37605495000003