Bangladesh Travel Guide

Bangladesh is a country their is lots of natural beauty but people and govt are not utilize this wealth.
Bangladesh is one of the few countries in South Asia, which remains to be explored. Bangladesh has a delicate and distinctive attraction of its own to offer and it is definitely not a tourist haunt like Nepal or India. Bangladesh is like a painter's dream come true with a rich tapestry of colors and texture. The traditional emphasis of the tourist trade has always been on the material facilities offered by a country rather than on its actual charms. This may be a reason why Bangladesh has seldom been highlighted in the World's tourist maps.

It's a land of enormous beauty, hundreds of serpentine rivers, crystal clear water lakes surrounded by ever green hills, luxuriant tropical rain forests, beautiful cascades of green tea gardens, world's largest mangrove forest preserved as World Heritage, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger and the wild lives, warbling of birds in green trees, wind in the paddy fields, abundance of sunshine, world's longest natural sea beach, rich cultural heritage, relics of ancient Buddhist civilizations and colorful tribal lives, - Bangladesh creates an unforgettable impression of a land of peace.

You'll appreciate our culture and the environment. These are not simply sight-seeing excursions, but real-time learning experiences. Enjoy an ideal blend of adventure and exploration with comfort and relaxation. Here you find that you are not alone. With us, any place in Bangladesh is a home away from home.its a global home.
source:www.discoverybangladesh.com

Bangladesh Hotels

Need to find hotel accommodations in Bangladesh? No problem... the discoverybangladesh.com hotel guide provides a good selection of Bangladeshi hotels to choose from.

Just select the city and hotel below to get started. Whether you are looking for a Bangladeshi luxury hotel or a cheap city hotels, you'll be able to find and book suitable hotels / accommodations in Bangladesh at great price.

* Dhaka Hotels * Chittagong Hotels * Cox's Bazar Hotels * Khulna Hotels
* Sylhet Hotels * Rajshahi Hotels & * Barisal Hotels



Hotels in Dhaka
The Westin Dhaka
Radisson Water Garden Hotel Dhaka
Pan Pacific Sonargaon
Dhaka Sheraton Hotel
Lake Shore Hotel & Apt
Washington Hotel
Hotel Sarina
Asia Pacific Hotel
Hotel Sweet Dream Royal Park Residence
Best Western La Vinci Hotel
Rose Wood Residence
Sundarban Hotel
Pacific Garnet Hotel
Traveller Inn
Hotel de Crystal Crown
Hotels in Chittagong
Hotel Seagull
Hotel Shaibal
Hotel Agrabad
Asian SR Hotel
Grand Park Hotel
Hotel Golden Inn Hotel Tower Inn International
Hotel Miskha
Hotel Park Residential
Meridian Hotel
Peninsula Chittagong
Silver Inn Hotel
Hotels in Cox's Bazar
Nitol Bay Resort
Hotel Media International
Hotel New United International
Hotel Panowa
Hotel Coral Reef
Sea Palace Hotel
Hotels in Khulna
Hotel Royal International
Western Inn International
Khulna Hotel
Society Hotel
Hotel Arcadia
Hotel Babla
Hotel Castle Salam Hotel Jalico
Banchte Shekha, Jessore
Grand Hotel, Jessore
Hotel Hasan International, Jessore
Hotel Magpie, Jessore
Hotel Mid-Town, Jessore
Hotels in Sylhet
Hotel Dallas
Hotel Fortune Garden
Rose View Hotel
Surma Valley Rest House
Nirvana Inn
Bangladesh Tea Research Institute Guesthouse, Srimangal Hotel Taj Mahal, Srimangal
Hotel Tea Town, Srimangal
Hotel United, Srimangal
Nishorgo Eco-resort, Srimangal
Tea Resort, Srimangal
Hotels in Barisal
Hotel Ababil
Hotel Ali International

Hotel Athena International
Paradise Hotel
Hotels in Rajshahi
Hotel Sukarna
Hotel Dalas International
Hotel Mukta
Hotel Nice International
Hotel Rajmahal
Parjatan Hotel
Haq's Inn
Hotel Midtown
Hotel Naz Garden, B

source:bangladesh-hotels.discoverybangladesh.com

Introducing Bangladesh

Show mapClose map
Travel Alert: The Chittagong Hill Tracts are experiencing high levels of politically motivated violence and kidnappings. Tourists should avoid all non-essential travel in this area. Check Safe Travel for current government warnings.


Advertisement
In late 2007 a rumbling occurred deep in the tropical waters of the Bay of Bengal. Within hours of Cyclone Sidr smashing into southwest Bangladesh, the world’s media and aid organisations were on the move and Bangladesh was about to find herself wrenched back out of obscurity and once again presented to the global community as a classic ‘basket case’ (as Henry Kissinger once described the country) of disaster. The pictures and stories that emerged from Bangladesh at that time portrayed an entire nation on its knees, but this was only a half-truth for within hours of the storm hitting, the majority of the country was back on its feet and operational.

This wasn’t the first time that Bangladesh had been dismissed as a no-hope nation, and it probably won’t be the last. But no matter what the opinion of the wider world is, this dynamic country proudly considers itself to be an active participant in an increasingly global community. In defiance of its stuttering development and the weight of historical tragedy that it bears, it is a nation charged with perseverance and promise, and one from which we could all learn a thing or two. For the great irony is that while images of devastation were beamed nightly into Western living rooms and the talk was of an unfolding humanitarian disaster, nobody bothered to say that Bangladesh could make good news. In the years preceding Cyclone Sidr, the country had been quietly doing something considered nearly impossible in richer Western countries – banning all petrol and diesel vehicles from the major conurbations (and, if things go to plan, the entire nation) and replacing them with cleaner alternatives. If striving for cleaner air isn’t enough, they’ve also banned plastic bags and created a flurry of national parks and protected areas. The same holds true for the country’s tourism profile. The majority of the world considers Bangladesh to be a frying pan–flat country. Yet within this flat framework are primeval swamps in tiger-filled Sundarbans National Park, the unseen relics of long-forgotten Buddhist kingdoms in Rangamati, lush and lurid tea plantations around Srimangal, tribal groups with Burmese faces, glorious beaches at Cox's Bazar that stretch for eternity, freshwater dolphins and deep-water whales, and some of the most open-hearted people you will ever have the honour to meet. This is a country where genuine adventure is not just a possibility but a certainty. You can chug down mile-wide, slug-brown rivers on a 19th-century riverboat, fish with otters, and hunt for the world’s deadliest honey. All this in a country whose loftiest peak is as tall as the highest mountain in Scotland.

It just goes to show how much the world has to learn about the trendsetting, breathtaking and hard-working country that is Bangladesh.
source:www.lonelyplanet.com

Last updated: Apr 15, 2009

More about Bangladesh
Places in Bangladesh When to go & weather Getting there & around Practical information History Work & study Tips & articles Hotels

Poverty and wealth of Bangladesh

Bangladesh belongs to the poorest group of countries in the world; during the last 3 decades its GDP per capita income barely increased from US$203 in 1975 to US$348 per capita in 1998. The World Bank's World Development Indicators puts Bangladesh in 170th place (out of 207 countries) in the global ranking of gross national income per capita. Despite considerable international assistance, Bangladesh has been unable to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger. There is a huge disparity between standards of living in urban and rural areas of the country. The urban areas, especially the capital Dhaka, and major industrial cities such as Chittagong, Khulna, and Rajshahi, enjoy a better quality of living, with electricity, gas, and clean water supplies. Still, even in the major cities a significant proportion of Bangladeshis live in squalor in dwellings that fall apart during the monsoon season and have no regular electricity. These Bang-ladeshis have limited access to health care and to clean drinking water. The rural population, meanwhile, often lives in traditional houses in villages with no facilities associated with even the most modest standards of living.

Disparities encompass 3 dimensions that define considerable differences: geographic, educational, and gender. There is still considerable inequality in the distribution of income between rural and urban populations. In general, the urban population, in the areas around Dhaka, Chittagong, and other large cities, has long been involved in small- and medium-sized businesses or employed in various industries. They benefited from the recent growth and have higher incomes. Meanwhile, the rural population experience chronic shortages of land and regular floods and cyclones, which often a within matter of hours sweep away the results of months of hard work. The 1998 flood, for example, affected two-thirds of the country, wiping out the entire winter crop and displacing millions of people.

Education is another problem, as the adult literacy rate reached just 60 percent in 2000, despite the fact that primary education is universal, compulsory and free. The illiterate section of the population is generally much



GDP per Capita (US$)
Country 1975 1980 1985 1990 1998
Bangladesh 203 220 253 274 348
United States 19,364 21,529 23,200 25,363 29,683
India 222 231 270 331 444
Burma N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
SOURCE: United Nations. Human Development Report 2000; Trends in human development and per capita income.



Distribution of Income or Consumption by Percentage Share: Bangladesh
Lowest 10% 3.9
Lowest 20% 8.7
Second 20% 12.0
Third 20% 15.7
Fourth 20% 20.8
Highest 20% 42.8
Highest 10% 28.6
Survey year: 1995-96
Note: This information refers to expenditure shares by percentiles of the population and is ranked by per capita expenditure.
SOURCE: 2000 World Development Indicators [CD-ROM].

poorer as they are missing employment opportunities in the industrial sector as well as government and international assistance in form of micro-credits, and awareness of better cultivation methods and other market skills. Also, women in Bangladesh, especially those with large families, have heavier workloads and often fewer skills than the male population; the illiteracy rate is much higher among women than men. These differences may be seen in the statistical data. The wealthiest 20 percent of Bangladeshis control 42.8 percent of the wealth. The poorest 20 percent of the population control only 3.9 percent of the wealth. In fact, the poorest 40 percent of the population controls just 20.7 percent of the wealth.

Since the 1970s, the Bangladeshi government has implemented a social policy aimed at the elimination of poverty and social inequality, and largely funded by international organizations and individual donors. This policy aims at increasing the literacy rate, providing access to safe drinking water, family planning, and micro-crediting the poorest and most disadvantaged groups of society.

Throughout the 1990s the Bangladeshi government achieved some positive results, although the 1998 floods put pressure on scarce government resources, brought hunger to some areas of the country, and made food prices higher. These difficulties particularly affected the most vulnerable social groups of society, both in rural areas and in major urban centers. The chronic poverty, under-employment and unemployment forced large numbers of people to migrate from the country, using all possible legal and illegal channels. Bangladesh's quality of life remains much lower than in neighboring India, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka. According to the CIA World Factbook, in 1996 around 35.6 percent of the population lived below the poverty line, most of them in rural areas of the country.



Read more: Bangladesh Poverty and wealth, Information about Poverty and wealth in Bangladesh http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Bangladesh-POVERTY-AND-WEALTH.html#ixzz0odTjuZIz
source:www.nationsencyclopedia.com

Significant Severe Cyclones Striking Bangladesh

Home | Welcome | What's New | Site Map | Glossary | Weather Doctor Amazon Store | Book Store | Accolades | Email Us

Weather Events
Significant Severe Cyclones
Striking Bangladesh

The region now known as Bangladesh (previously Bengal and East Pakistan) has been struck by severe tropical cyclones many times over the centuries. Many of the world's most deadly weather events have been attributed to these storms. During the period 1980-2000, nearly 60 percent of the world's total death toll due to tropical storms occurred in Bangladesh, including the single most deadly event: a severe cyclone striking on November 1970 which took 300,000 to 500,000 lives. Of the ten deadliest tropical storms in world history, eight have occurred in the Bay of Bengal, and all have over 100,000 fatalities attributed to them. Fourteen of the deadliest twenty storms also arose in the Bay.

A combination of geographical and social conditions contribute to the high death toll. The roughly triangular shape of the Bay of Bengal has its apex along its northern shoreline which includes the full coast of Bangladesh. This shape funnels the storm surge pushed by the severe tropical storms (known as cyclones or cyclonic storms in the region) onto the Bangladesh coast. The shape is accentuated by the shallow waters which allow the build-up of high storm surges. The devastation caused by these surges can be especially destructive, and deadly, when they occur at astronomical high tide. Bangladesh is a very low country, particularly in its southern coastal regions where the elevation of the land does not exceed 10-15 metres (33-50 ft) above sea level in height. Much of it sits on the delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghn Rivers and is very susceptible to flooding.

Composite of Cyclone Tracks Crossing
the Bay of Bengal (1970 to 2005)
Click Here for larger image.
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Added to the geographical factors is the fact that Bangladesh is a poor, mostly agricultural nation whose residents generally live in homes made from local materials unable to withstand the onslaught of hurricane-force winds and storm surge. The fertile soil of the delta makes it a prime location for subsistence farms but a deadly location when severe cyclones hit.
Deadly Cyclones Striking Bangladesh

The accounts of deadly cyclones striking the region that is now Bangladesh stretch back over four centuries. The earliest on record struck the Bakerganj (presently Barisal) and Patuakhali regions, reportedly killing 200,000 in 1582. (According to Banglapedia, 2 million "living creatures" died, but it is not known if this represents only people, includes livestock, or is a typographical error). A cyclone crossed the Sunderban coast in 1699 and reportedly killed 50,000 people. The third cyclone with a high number of reported casualties (>10,000) to strike the region prior to 1800 did so in 1767, crossing the Backerganj (Barisal) coast with surge height estimated at 13 m (43 ft). This storm reportedly took 30,000 lives. Cyclones in 1760, 1765 and 1797 were reported to have caused great destruction of homes, but no estimates of the number of dead are available, though the toll was likely high.

A storm that struck the coast in October 1737 caused widespread damage in Calcutta and British and French reports from the region (Bilham, 1994 ) gave the loss of life at 300,000 (ten times the "official" estimates). The deaths initially were attributed to an earthquake, but Bilham found no evidence for a quake and suggests the death toll, which included fatalities from further east along the shore in present-day Bangladesh, was due to a very severe cyclone. That a storm surge can hit the coast with such force as to resemble an earthquake is not without precedent (the surge that hit Long Island New York in 1938 was recorded on seismographs as far away as Alaska).

Fourteen major cyclones struck the region during the 1800s. Most of the information on these storms have been extracted by Wikipedia from the publication by F. Henderson. Disastrous storms in the Bay of Bengal, A Listing of Cyclonic Storms by Month Through 1979 (prepared for the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance Agency for International Development, Washington DC). Among the deadliest (where estimates are known) occurred in 1822, 50,000 dead; 1831, 22,000; 1876, 200,000; and 1897, 175,000.

The last of these is known as The Great Backerganj Cyclone of 1876. The cyclone formed over the southeastern Bay of Bengal on 27 October and moved northward toward the Backerganj coast over the next few days while intensifying to a full severe cyclonic storm. It struck the coast near the Meghna River estuary at present-day Barisal on 31 October. The storm winds have been estimated at 220 km/h (119 knots) with a storm surge height of 3.0 to 13.6 m (10–45 ft). Reports indicate that half the dead were killed by the storm surge, and the remainder died of disease and famine resulting from the storm's devastation.



Cyclones Tracking Over Bangladesh During the Twentieth Century
Click Here for larger image.
Source: Banglapedia

In the last century, the deadliest storm in the region was the Great Bhola Cyclone of November 1970 for which the estimated death toll ranged from 350,000 to 550,000. Cyclone 02BB struck the Chittagong region a few months later on 29 April 1991 and claimed 138,000 lives. Other high death tolls (>10,000) during the 1900s occurred in 1960, 10,000 deaths; 1961, 11,468 deaths; 1963, 11,520 deaths; 1965, 19,279 deaths; 1985, 11,069 deaths.

Since 2000, the deadliest storm to hit Bangladesh was Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Sidr. The official death toll has been given at 3,447 deaths. However, Save the Children estimated shortly after the storm that the number of deaths could be between 5,000 and 10,000, while the Red Crescent Society reported the number could reach 10,000.
The 1970 Bhola Cyclone

This cyclone formed over the central Bay of Bengal on the morning of 8 November 1970, likely from the remnants of a tropical storm which arose in the South China Sea then moved west over the Malay Peninsula on 5 November into the Bay of Bengal. The system headed northward as it intensified. The India Meteorological Department upgraded it to a cyclonic storm on the 9th and a severe cyclonic storm on the 11th. As it approached the East Pakistan (Bangladesh) coast, the storm had a central pressure as low as 950 mb, and its sustained winds blew at 185 km/h (115 mph), making it a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

Track for Bhola Cyclone, November 1970
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Image of the Bhola cyclone taken on 11 November 1970.
Courtesy US NOAA

The cyclone made landfall near Chittagong during the evening of 12 November about the same time as the day's high tide. The Chittagong meteorological station, located 95 km (59 mi) to the east of landfall, recorded sustained winds of 144 km/h (89 mph) before losing its anemometer at about 2200 UTC. A ship in the port reported a gust of 222 km/h (138 mph) shortly thereafter. The storm pushed a 10-metre (33 ft) high surge across the Ganges Delta and a 4 m (13 ft) storm tide into Chittagong, 1.2 m (3.9 ft) of which was the due to storm surge.

The surge and winds killed all those living on 13 islands near Chittagong and nearly 18 percent of those resident in the directly affected region. The southern half of Bhola Island was completely devastated as were the rice crops on that island, Hatia Island and the nearby mainland coastline. Survivors claimed that 85 percent of the area homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Approximately 9000 marine fishing boats were lost and 60 percent of the 77,000 onshore fishermen died. Fish supply the major source of protein to the local inhabitants, and the loss of nearly two thirds of the fishing industry was a severe blow to this impoverished region. Agricultural production sustained similar damage due to loss of crops and 280,000 head of cattle.

Once over land, the storm began to weaken but was still considered a cyclonic storm on 13 November when it sat about 100 km (65 miles) south-southeast of Agartala. Then it rapidly weakened into a remnant low over southern Assam that evening.

The storm's damage estimate came to $86.4 million US dollars (1970), the equivalent of $450 million 2006 US dollars. The death toll ranged from 300,000 to 550,000 with more than half the dead being children under ten who formed a third of the pre-cyclone population. The true figure will never be known as many bodies were washed to sea or buried in the delta and, it is suggested, that the deaths of migrant workers were not included in the fatality estimates.

Post-storm studies concluded that warnings about the impending storm were not fully issued, and thus a large part of the population were caught unaware. Of those that heard the warnings, only about one percent reportedly sought refuge in fortified structures.

East Pakistani political leaders were very critical of the Pakistan government's response to the storm and relief efforts following it, charging the government with "gross neglect, callous indifference and utter indifference." In the aftermath, the split between East and West Pakistan grew and soon deteriorated into the Bangladesh Liberation War in March 1971. This conflict would widen into the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in December and concluded with the creation of an independent Bangladesh.

An offshoot of the storm and consequent political situation was the formation of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme in 1972 under the World Meteorological Organization and run today by the government of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society. The programme's objectives are to raise public awareness of the risks of cyclones and to provide training to emergency personnel in the coastal regions of Bangladesh. Since the cyclone, over 200 cyclone shelters have been built throughout the coastal regions of the country.
The 1991 Bangladesh Cyclone

On the list of the world's deadliest tropical storms, the 1991 cyclone ranks ninth, taking nearly 140,000 lives. The storm struck on the night of 29 April 1991 in the Chittagong district of southeastern Bangladesh.


Track of 1991 Bangladesh Cyclone
April 1991
Source: Wikimedia Commons

1991 Bangladesh Cyclone near peak
intensity on April 29 at 0623 UTC.
Courtesy US NOAA / Satellite and Information Service

The storm's birth was first noticed a week earlier when an area of cloud developed into a tropical depression. Over the next two days, its size increased to cover nearly the entire Bay of Bengal, and its wind speed increased so that it became Tropical Storm 02B. As the tropical storm moved northwestward, it strengthened into a full cyclonic storm on the 27th. Intensifying to a very severe cyclonic storm on the 28th, it took a turn to the northeast, a heading that would take it to southeastern Bangladesh.

Over the next two days, Cyclone 02B rapidly grew to the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of over 255 km/h (160 mph), its estimated minimum pressure falling to 898 mb. When it struck the coast south of Chittagong late on the 29th, its winds had diminished slightly to around 250 km/h (155 mph), a strong Category 4 storm. Cyclone 02B pushed a wall of water 6 metre (20 ft) high inland over a wide swath of shoreline.

The deadly combination of high storm winds and high storm surge hammered the coastline. A concrete levee erected near the mouth of the Karnaphuli River in Patenga to protect against storm surge washed away under the storm's onslaught. The winds lifted a 100-ton crane located in the Port of Chittagong and dashed it into the Karnaphuli River Bridge, breaking the bridge in two. The storm destroyed approximately 1 million homes and many boats and small ships in Chittagong harbor, leaving about 10 million people homeless. The storm also struck a hard blow on the Bangladesh military, severely damaging the Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force bases there. The storm caused an estimated $US 1.5 billion ($US 2.28 billion in 2007 dollars) in damage.

Flooded villages and fields around a river in Bangladesh
the day after the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone
Courtesy US Air Force Defense Visual Information Center
Photo by Staff Sergeant Val Gempis

The official death estimate set the figure at 138,000 with the highest mortality among children and the elderly (greatest among under-10-year-olds (26%) and women older than 40 years (31%)). Most of the deaths in the Chittagong district were due to drowning. Despite the construction of many storm shelters since the Bhola cyclone, many residents received the storm warnings only a few hours before it hit. Some who did not seek the shelters reported that they did not know where to go, and others refused to believe the storm would be as bad as forecast. On the bright side of the deadly leger, over 2 million people reportedly did make it to the shelters, even though only 2 of 5 shelters were usable due to flooding. Over twenty percent of those who did not reach a concrete or brick structure died, whereas all persons taking refuge in such structures survived.

As it moved over land, the storm rapidly weakened and dissipated the following day over southeast Asia.
Cyclone Sidr

Cyclone Sidr, aka Cyclone 06B, rates low on the list of deadly Bangladesh/Bay of Bengal tropical storms, but its death toll was still pegged at about 3500 individuals. Initial estimates by Save the Children and the Red Crescent Society suggested the number of deaths might be between 5,000 and 10,000. Even with the conservative official figure, the storm count is nearly double that attributed to Hurricane Katrina, considered a major killer storm in the US.

Track of Cyclone Sidr
November 2007
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Tropical Cyclone Sidr (06B) in the Bay of Bengal,
as seen by the MODIS instrument aboard
NASA's Terra satellite on November 14 at 0445 UTC.
Courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Cyclone Sidr is also noteworthy for its peak winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) on 15 November 2007, making it the second strongest tropical storm to hit Bangladesh since reliable record keeping began in 1877, exceeded only by the 1991 storm. Such winds rate the storm as Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, or a Super Cyclonic Storm using the local storm designation.

Sidr began as an area of cloud organized southeast of the Andaman Islands on 9 November. It officially became Tropical Cyclone 06B on 11 November, and early the next day, the India Meteorological Department upgraded the storm to Cyclonic Storm Sidr. The storm headed slowly northwestward, gaining strength as it intensified and reached very severe cyclonic storm status on the 13th. By the morning of 15 November, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center best track estimated that the storm winds had reached 260 km/h (160 mph) with minimum central pressure at 944 mb.

Cyclone Sidr made landfall along the northern Bay of Bengal coast near the border between the Indian State of Tamil Nadu and Bangladesh, a region known as the Sunderbans, late on 15 November with sustained winds at 215 km/h (135 mph), a Category 4 storm, and measured storm surge of 3 metres (9.8 ft) at Chennai in Tamil Nadu and over 5 meters (16 ft) in the Patuakhali, Barguna and Jhalokati Districts of Bangladesh. Calculations suggest the highest surge may have reached 6.1 to 7.6 metres (20-25 ft) along the Sunderbans coast to the right of the storm's eye.

Map showing affected districts of Bangladesh due to Cyclone Sidr, November 2007.
Courtesy Humanitarian Information Unit, US Department of State

The surge flattened tin shacks and the wind blew away houses and schools. Local agricultural took a severe blow as most of the rice crop, due to be harvested in December, was devastated. Estimated loss of crops reached 95 percent in eleven coastal districts with high additional loses to the cattle and shrimp farming industry. The shrimp hatcheries in Satkhira, Khulna and Cox's Bazar were badly affected. Further inland, much of the capital city of Dhaka reported significant damage due to winds and flooding with electricity and water service cut for most residents. Over 3,000 fishermen were reported missing on over 500 fishing boats. Total damages came close to $US 1.7 billion (2007 dollars).

Coastal Damage due to Cyclone Sidr.
Courtesy U.S. Navy, photo taken by
Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Christopher Lange

At least 3,447 deaths have been reported but these do not include the missing fishermen. The death toll may have been much higher had not the storm struck directly on the Sunderbans, a nearly uninhabited portion of the coast. The City of Barguna suffered the most fatalities, 423 according to local officials. Patuakhali was also hard-hit with 385 deaths reported. Most of these deaths were blamed on the strong winds. An estimated two million people in Bangladesh evacuated to emergency shelters, an evacuation prompted by predictions of storm surge by a numerical model developed by Dr. Hassan Mashriqui of Louisiana State University. The Indian Meteorological Department also issued a cyclone alert for Orissa and West Bengal.

In addition to the destruction delivered to the human population and infrastructure along the storm's path, Sidr severely damaged about a quarter of the Sunderbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Sunderbans is the world's largest mangrove forest and its unique ecosystem is home for the famed and endangered Bengal tiger. Located in the estuary of the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems, the Sunderbans provides extensive habitats for wildlife including many endangered species.

Sidr hit the eastern parts of the forest including Kochikhali, Kotka, Hiron Point, and Dublarchar, plowing a path of severe devastation. Experts on the unique region feared many animal species including tigers, crocodiles, king cobras, monkeys, wild boars and deer were swept away by the storm surge or perished under the weight of uprooted trees. UNESCO reported at least 40 percent of the forest had been seriously damaged. Some researchers estimated the Sunderban's mangrove forest will take at least 40 years to recover.
Return to Part I: The Deadly Cyclones of Bangladesh
For an album of images: Cyclones of Bangladesh: Images

Map of northern Bay of Bengal coastline
showing Bangladesh and surrounding nations.
Learn More From These Relevant Books
Chosen by The Weather Doctor

* Burt, Christopher C.: Extreme Weather: A Guide and Record Book, 2004 (pb), W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 039333015X.
* Heidorn, Keith C.:And Now...The Weather, 2005, Fifth House, ISBN 1894856651
* Williams, Jack: The Weather Book, 1997, Vintage Books, ISBN 0-679-77665-6.

Written by
Keith C. Heidorn, PhD, THE WEATHER DOCTOR,
November 1, 2008
Significant Severe Cyclones Striking Bangladesh ©2008, Keith C. Heidorn, PhD. All Rights Reserved.
Correspondence may be sent via email to: see@islandnet.com.
For More Weather Doctor articles, go to our Site Map.



I have recently added many of my lifetime collection of photographs and art works to an on-line shop where you can purchase notecards, posters, and greeting cards, etc. of my best images.

To Purchase Notecard,
Greeting Cards and Posters
featuring my images, visit
The Weather Doctor's
Nature Gallery

In association with Zazzle.com

Now Available! Order Today!

NEW! Now Available in the US!
And Now...The Weather
by Keith C. Heidorn
To Order in Canada:
And Now...The Weather
by Keith C. Heidorn

The BC Weather Book:
From the Sunshine Coast to Storm Mountain
by Keith C. Heidorn

source:www.islandnet.co

Prospect of IT in Bangladesh

At present Information Technology (IT) is a subject of widespread interest in Bangladesh. There are around 100 software houses, 35 data entry centres, thousands of formal and informal IT training centres and numerous computer shops. The Government has declared IT as a thrust sector and that computer training centre will be set up in each divisional and district headquarters of Bangladesh. Import of computer hardware and software is now duty free, VSAT is deregulated, high speed DDN (Digital Data Network) has been introduced. One fourth of the 45 recommendations of JRC report on software export has already been implemented; rest is in the process of implementation. A tremendous activity is going on in every sector including e-commerce, e-governance, computer networking, Internet, web browsing, web applications, multimedia product development etc. Some active steps and initiatives are already there, as described below for an exposure of the present and future prospects of IT in Bangladesh.

Telecommunication: Bangladesh has one of the lowest tele-density in Asia, with a mere 0.6 (in India 1.5) lines per 100 people. In terms of phone connectivity, the charge of Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB) is one of the highest in the world, approximately US$500.00 (in India US$60) for normal single telephone line connection. However, there has been significant improvement in services of telecommunication within last few years. Present government is also trying to get additional telephone lines from a Canadian firm. If these telephone lines are available in Bangladesh, most of the PC users will be able to use internet and find a scope to build up international career.

Associations and professional bodies: The associations and professional bodies who are playing vital role to develop the IT sector in Bangladesh are as follows:

* Bangladesh Computer Society (BCS) was formed in 1979. This is an association of the IT Professionals.

* Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) was formed in 1987. This is basically an association of Computer Vendors.

* Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) was formed in 1998 to promote the interest of IT business, especially for software development and related IT services.

* Bangladesh Software Marketing and Promotions (BSMP), a private organisation, has been formed with the view to helping the local computer programmers and promote their software.

* Bangladesh Computer Writers Association has been formed to promote the writers activities in the country.

* Bangladesh Association for Information Technology Education (BAITE) has been formed to promote the activities toward standardising informal IT education in the country.

Banks support: Well-trained Bangladeshi IT professionals can start their business like Data entry, Web development, Multimedia, ISP and Medical Data Transcription services, Cybercafe and IT Training Centre. They can easily get financial help from bank. A number of government banks have already started credit programmes to encourage the entrepreneurs in software industry. Some private banks are using our locally developed software too. However, due to some constraints the outcome is not up to the expectation.

Government initiatives: The Government of Bangladesh has taken some important initiatives to develop our IT sector. Still we are waiting to see a fruitful change in our Information Technology. However, some remarkable steps of government are highlighted for information.

* IT has been declared as a thrust sector.

* Quick implementation of the recommendations of JRC report (a high powered committee for software export).

* Waiving all taxes and duties from import of computer hardware and software.

* Hundred percent remittances of profit and capital gains for foreign investors without any approval.

* BTTB's implementation of DDN service.

* Decision to link Bangladesh to global highway through submarine cable link by next two years.

Bangladesh Computer Council: Bangladesh Computer Council is the apex body of the government dealing with Information Technology. BCC is running according to BCC Act, 1990 as an autonomous organisation under the administrative control of the Ministry of Science & Technology. BCC is playing various types of roles regarding the IT booming over the country.

Human resource: Human resource is the most important component for IT industry. Bangladesh has a huge educated, unemployed youth force with the ability to read and write English. The country can take advantage of its immense manpower to train and prepare programmers and IT professionals. Government has already started a project to develop Computer Programmers in Bangladesh. All the universities are offering one year post-graduate Diploma course for the graduates. Our unemployed educated persons can take this opportunity to build their career as IT professionals.

IT awareness: Young generation in Bangladesh is very enthusiastic and has correctly identified IT as the future of the country. There are numerous computer clubs, computer festivals, programming contests, web design contests, IT related seminars and discussions in many cities of the country. There are about 16 magazines and four digital IT magazines are being published monthly and some daily newspapers publish IT pages once/twice a week. A few of the magazines are in collaboration with other international magazines, however, most of these are Bangladeshi origin. There are a few interactive sites and forums. A number of business centres and cybercafes have started up recently. Most of these business centres provide e-mail; e-mail to fax, phonefax services and cyber cafes offer Internet browsing.

E-commerce: Recently there has been a surge in E-commerce activities in Bangladesh. There are E-commerce related seminars and symposiums in the country almost everyday and all the major training centres are offering courses on E-commerce. Government is now formulating laws for e-commerce to enhance the business rapidly and smoothly.

IT park and international market: Some private organisations have already started to work for setting up IT park and IT villages in the country. Some investors are foreigners and they are very much interested to build Bangladeshi students as IT professionals. They have already started to commission their views. Our Bangladeshi students can take this chance and hit the international job market in the IT field. There are lot of scopes of working and entering into the international market. Just we have to take proper initiatives. Bangladeshi IT professionals have a good demand in international IT job market, which has been proved by some of our BUET students.

Conclusion: Our Bangladeshi students should be more aware about Information Technology and they should take proper decision to build their career. Indians have changed their whole financial position by IT. Their government also is very much serious about IT. Any way, Bangladesh has a long way to go in a very short time to enjoy the fruits of information age. It will be only possible when there will be political commitment with better IT infrastructure, internal network, country domain and above all a high speed fibre optic link to the Information Superhighway.

ASM Nazrul Islam is Database Developer, AIDS/STD Programme, UNDP and Faculty, The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh. source: www.sdnbd.org

Banglalion Packages & Pricing

Banglalion is one of the best internet provider of bangladesh.
Banglalion Packages & Pricing:

No Package Speeds Monthly Subscription (Tk) Monthly Usage
Lion infinity*

1 Lion Starter 128 Kbps 600 Unlimited
2 Lion Value 256 Kbps 1000 Unlimited
3 Lion Value Plus 512 Kbps 2150 Unlimited
Lion Regular
4 Lion Gold 1 Mbps 4750 20 GB
5 Lion Mega 2 Mbps 7000 25 GB
6 Lion Jumbo 5 Mbps 15000 30 GB
Lion student
7 Lion Student 256 Kbps 800 5 GB

* Only applicable for students with valid ID card.
source:banglalionwimax.com

WIMAX in Bangladesh: Two license holder fail to pay

Dhaka, Oct 19 —Two of the three WiMAX licensees have failed to pay the required fees in time, forcing the regulators to extend the deadline by a month.

BTRC Sunday cited the global financial crisis as the reason when it announced the extension of the deadline from Oct 16 to Nov 15.

Brac BDMail Network and M/s BanglaLion Communications will now get this extra time to pay up half the Tk 215 crore fee.

“Considering the global crisis, and taking into account the petitions from the winning bidders, the 10-working day time for depositing half the license fee has been extended to Nov 15,” BTRC chairman Manzurul Alam told bdnews24.com.

Losing bidders, however, began complaining.

“If we knew such an opportunity would come, many of us would have offered more money for license,” said Syed Masud Kabir, managing director of Mango Teleservices.

The guideline, he said, spoke of 10 working days and no scope for an extension. But, he admitted, the commission reserved the right to amend the guideline.

The BTRC chairman disagreed.

“This is not right. The entire license fee will have to be deposited in 90 days.

“If they fail, other companies in line will get the licenses.

“The global crisis struck immediately after the bidding (on Sept 24),” he said.

The BTRC chief said India too suspended the 3-G licensing process because of the crisis.

The other winning company, Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd, was handed the license Sunday by the BTRC chairman following its payment of the required fee in time, a BTRC statement said.
source:/broadbandinbangladesh.wordpress.com

Bangladesh - the Most Vulnerable Country to Global Climate Change

Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country to climate change impact. Being the largest delta in the world located at the downstream of the second largest river system, the country is subject to a series of climatic events. The probable impacts of global climate change (GCC), particularly sea-level rise and the associated impact on ecosystems and economic loss, adds to the already daunting array of environmental issues. Climate change will change the physiography and demography of Bangladesh. By 2050, 70 million people could be affected annually by floods; 8 million by drought; up to 8% of the low-lying lands may become permanently inundated. In addition to direct inundation of a large population, the sea level rise will certainly result in increased frequency and severity of flooding along the major estuarine rivers. Saltwater intrusion problems will also be exacerbated in coastal aquifers. Some impacts manifesting in erratic weather patterns and unexpected extreme climatic events have already been evident. The most recent cyclone, Cyclone Sidr, hit Bangladesh on November 15, 2007 with an enormous intensity. Winds of 220-240 km/hr and the cyclone’s width of 600 kilometers caused over 3,000 deaths and projected costs of $2.3 billion dollars due to widespread devastation to houses, infrastructure, and livelihoods. Climate change will change the physiography and demography of Bangladesh. By 2050, 70 million people could be affected annually by floods; 8 million by drought; up to 8% of the low-lying lands may become permanently inundated. Climate Change is no longer only an environmental issue; it is a development issue. Bangladesh has prepared through a participatory process the “Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan” (BCCSAP). About US$500 million will be needed immediately, and about $5 billion will be needed within the next 5-10 years. The government has earmarked US$ 45 million. The donors are in the process of setting up a US$ 150 million Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF).
In Bangladesh, Poverty and Natural Resource Dependence are Strongly Linked

A little village in the Chittagong Hill TractsSeventy-percent of Bangladeshis depends on natural resources (wetlands and forests) for their livelihoods. Poverty is mainly rural (53% rural headcount poverty, 37% urban). Seventy-seven percent of rural households say they are at break-even or deficit status. Within this bracket, 18% comprise the hardcore poor who are always in deficit. The rural poor are traditionally the most natural resource dependent and landless communities whose lives are totally dependent on natural capital.

Degradation of natural capital and biodiversity has a serious and direct impact on the food security, nutrition and income of the poor. The people of Bangladesh have a historical dependency on the floodplain system for their livelihood security. An estimated 70 million rural households rely on food and income from the wetlands to survive in one of the world’s poorest countries. Around one million people are estimated to fish full time, and 11 million are involved part time – and four out of every five rural dwellers are dependent to some extent on aquatic resources. These resources are estimated to supply between 60% and 80% of the animal protein needs of the country, as well as being a key source of essential minerals, vitamins and fatty acids which are vital factors in child development and adult health. Between 1995 and 2000, freshwater fish consumption fell by 38% among poor wetlands inhabitants. Open water fish that used to supply 80% of the animal protein consumed, in particular by the rural poor, now supply less than 60%. Sustainable management of the bio-diverse natural capital is, therefore, central to poverty reduction in the Bangladesh context
source:/www.usaid.gov

Jobs are Currently Offered at Banglalink

About Banglalink

Welcome to the e-Recruitment System of Banglalink, an ORASCOM TELECOM Company. To apply online, you have to fill up the online Application/Resume Form and then submit it online.

If you are applying against any particular advertised position, please go through the job requirements before applying.

Please note that, you will be provided a tracking no. after successful submission of your application/CV form. Using the tracking no. and password (provided by you at the time of form submission), you can update/edit your CV at any future time or apply to Banglalink against any position advertised at this e-Recruitment system.



Following Jobs are Currently Offered at Banglalink:
Job Title Deadline Job Detail
1. Administration Facility Manager June 02, 2010 View Job Detail
2. Business Development Senior Executive May 26, 2010 View Job Detail
3. Internal Audit Director May 26, 2010 View Job Detail
4. Helpdesk Officer May 25, 2010 View Job Detail
5. Mobile Services Engineer (Level: Executive) May 25, 2010 View Job Detail
6. Product Development Junior Engineer (Level: Junior Executive) May 25, 2010 View Job Detail
7. Mobile Services Junior Engineer (Level: Junior Executive) May 25, 2010 View Job Detail


Edit CV/Apply Online
Tracking No.:

Password:
Edit CV
Apply to a position



Forgot Password? | New User Sign up
Banglalink reserve rights to remove your CV/Resume from Banglalink e-Recruitment System any time without showing any reason.

If you encounter any problem in using this website, please call at 9117179, 9140345, 8124366 or e-mail to banglalink@bdjobs.com Please do not send any cv / resume in any form in e-mail. Powered by Bdjobs.com

source:banglalink.bdjobs

Merger Talks Emerge in Bangladesh Mobile Market

Two of Bangladesh's mobile operators may merge to try and stem ongoing losses in the market. Banglalink, owned by Egypt's Orascom Teleco, and Telekom Malaysia/DoCoMo joint venture, AKTEL are the two firms rumoured to be in talks, who between them would control just over 42% of the market.

"Except for the market leader, others are continually posting losses. In order to sustain in this fiercely competitive market, and in line with our growth ambitions, we are considering many strategies of which consolidation is an option," said Ahmed Abou Doma, chief executive officer of Banglalink, in a statement.

His statement came following media reports about the merger issue, which was disclosed by Orascom Telecom Holdings' Chairman Naguib Sawiris recently.

Doma also dismissed concerns about job losses saying that the merged company would gain market share and hence require more staff, not fewer.

Ahmed Abou Doma took up the top job at Banglalink last December after spending several years as Marketing Director of Egypt's Mobinil.

According to figures from the Mobile World analysts, Banglalink ended last year with 10.4 million customers, while AKTEL had 8.7 million customers. Market leader Grameenphone ended the year with just under 21 million customers.
Source/reference : cellular-news.com/

ORASCOM Telecom Bangladesh Ltd loses Banglalink.com

ORASCOM Telecom Bangladesh Ltd has lost a domain name dispute to get the domain name banglalink.com.

ORASCOM Telecom Bangladesh Ltd filed the complaint with National Arbitration Forum to get the domain name from Anwar shahjahan, which publishes Online newspaper from 2002

The Complainant submitted a Complaint deemed to be deficient and did not make corrections within the time period required under Rule 4(b) of ICANN’s Rules for Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. Because corrections were not made as required by Rule 4(b), this matter is dismissed without prejudice.

Source/reference : banglalink.com