Bhai
@DarkPrince there
are differences, our history is different and so are our traditions.
There are a lot of 'Indian' things we have 'borrowed' from Indian culture over a few millennia - but that only speaks about our receptivity and open-ness to cultures other than our own.
To call us 'Indians' in the true sense would be inaccurate. Starting from our Deva, Sena dynasties and mostly Buddhist kings as well as the main source and birthplace of Pali-based Buddhist culture - as opposed to Hindu kingdoms/culture such as Maurya and Pala empires in mainland India, our traditions are as distinct as Assamese and Nepalese traditions. No one calls those traditions/cultures as 'Indian', there are important differences and distinctions.
Even as recently as the 12th to 15th centuries, our Elias Shahi dynasty fought the Moghuls and kept their distinct brand of Muslim culture and tradition in East Bengal.
I can get why Indians want to call us 'Indian', but if you were born in Bangladesh - then why would you do the same or have a sycophancy toward India? What has India ever done for us without selfish motives- which is even more blatant in Chaiwala's rule? Not many here in the Bangladesh would agree with you on that subject I'm afraid...
Well you ARE entitled to your opinion however keeping an open mind about tourism is not a bad thing. Countries a lot more featureless in geography and devoid of culture compared to Bangladesh get tourists because tourism is packaged a certain way. If you have ever been to places like Cancun, Yucatan or Costa Rica, there really isn't a heck of a lot more to see than Bangladesh....but they package it wayyy better.
We in Bangladesh have not done this tourism packaging bit - not even 10% of it....
Look at what is available in Cancun...we have not done any horse-rides, jungle tours, zip-lining, snorkeling, nothing....
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...c11952-zfg12022-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html
People on vacation want to go somewhere
different and want to experience
different things (like observe howling macaques, red crabs, mud skippers, parrots and fruit-bats, all of which we have in our jungles) which they don't get to see at home. They also want to do guided hikes in trails, Seqway tours, zipline tours, even helicopter tours (if well-heeled) to explore the area, to retain some memories which they can qualify as money-well-spent. Bangladesh has tons of eco-tour operators in the Sundarbans doing this already.
Bangladesh is near the tropical equator and we can play up the tropical tourism bit. Comfy, modern hotels are a bonus, some of which are already present in CXB and places like Kuakata.
From my American cultural exposure and point of view, I want to experience oddball things during the day on my vacation but want to come back to my a/c room and five star dinner and cocktails (or mocktails) at night. Snobby - yes. But who are you to argue if I plunk down the cash?
For those Bangladeshis (fifth columnists) who glorify India, (regardless of flag) you can admire good things about India - fine. But don't insult the country of your birth by likening it to India. Indians themselves will never do it - so why should you??
