The Chinese Threat to Lower Brahmaputra Riparians India and Bangladesh

[Joe Shearer]

I'd suggest Chittagong rather than out in the sticks where it may be cheap but has other problems.

Chittagong is a rather laid back metropolis and nestled among low level hillocks. The air is a lot cleaner than Dhaka and traffic is nowhere as bad as Dhaka.

But you can ask business associates or colleagues and decide yourself.

You are tempting me!
My father was posted in the later stages of WWII at Cox's Bazaar, and used to tell me stories about his days there and at Chittagong.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Kulokathi seems to be your paternal land. But, there are anti-Hindu feelings under the surface everywhere. When the land grabbers see you back, they may hatch a conspiracy against you.

Mamabari, my paternal land was Dhaka, we lived in very middle-class housing in Ganderia, near Sadhana Ausadhalaya, from where my grandfather could go to lecture at Jagannath College.

I have no intention of claiming anything. My maternal grandfather's brothers and elders had burnt up any wealth and left him, the youngest brother, impoverished and dependent on the goodwill of others to get an education. He finished with Master's degrees from Syracuse and then from Pembroke College, in 1919; his schooling was paid for by a brother-in-law, but he had to do housework. All the ancestral lands were finished off much earlier. I might try to buy some land on as elevated a spot as can be found, to build a simple dwelling. Others have suggested an attractive alternative. Let us see what fate brings, but thank you for your kind words.

Perhaps, you know that there are laws in BD that the descendants of those who left BD can claim their legal lands back.

I only want citizenship. Nothing else.

Communal harmony is more maintained when BAL is in power. By the way, you will not get the correct people in your old town in BD with whom you can be cordial. It will be another foreign land.

I realise that. For that reason, Chittagong sounds better.

Chittagong area may be a better place as @Bilal9 said. There are many works there also. There are companies that may employ you if you do not establish your own company.

Yes, it sounds like a good idea.

Anyway, life is not that enjoyful after a certain age wherever you go, especially when you are accustomed to Kolkata life. But, as far as I know, many of the Hindu descendants are coming back to BD.

I left Kolkata in 2012, for the third time, after 1981 and 1986, and doubt very much that I will return.

Some cousins of mine have been increasingly active in business activities in Bangladesh, and they have told me about the possibilities, not hiding the difficulties. It is so tempting.

I think I have already shared the shock on stepping out onto the tarmac at Dhaka and hearing an entire city speak my dialect of Bengali, after growing up used to it being mocked by ghotis as a peasant's way of speaking. Bangladeshis can have no idea of how strong these pulls are, to those who have lived elsewhere. I hope you have happy and settled lives and never, ever have these feelings.

 

[Bilal9]

You are tempting me!
My father was posted in the later stages of WWII at Cox's Bazaar, and used to tell me stories about his days there and at Chittagong.

Cox's Bazaar (CXB) is beautiful, but of late has become too much of a "Bazaar". There are massive power stations and ports being built North of CXB - which will also have a very large export zone, all good for business and jobs.

Farther South - the town of Teknaf can be an interesting (much quieter) destination to settle.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Cox's Bazaar (CXB) is beautiful, but of late has become too much of a "Bazaar". There are massive power stations and ports being built North of CXB - which will also have a very large export zone, all good for business and jobs.

Farther South - the town of Teknaf can be an interesting (much quieter) destination to settle.

These names take me back sixty years.

That posting was where the old man got caught late at night far from home, spotted a military camp, and went up to the young Captain in charge and asked for shelter. He was given pajamas and a warm bed, and went off the next morning after a hearty breakfast.

He met that Captain again, in initially grim circumstances, a quarter century later, as leader of the Mukti Bahini. I will try to send you a photograph taken on a cheerful occasion soon afterwards. You may recognise many in that picture; you are unlikely to recognise me. Oops! No direct mail allowed! Sorry.

 

[bluesky]

Mamabari, my paternal land was Dhaka, we lived in very middle-class housing in Ganderia, near Sadhana Ausadhalaya, from where my grandfather could go to lecture at Jagannath College.

I have no intention of claiming anything. My maternal grandfather's brothers and elders had burnt up any wealth and left him, the youngest brother, impoverished and dependent on the goodwill of others to get an education. He finished with Master's degrees from Syracuse and then from Pembroke College, in 1919; his schooling was paid for by a brother-in-law, but he had to do housework. All the ancestral lands were finished off much earlier. I might try to buy some land on as elevated a spot as can be found, to build a simple dwelling. Others have suggested an attractive alternative. Let us see what fate brings, but thank you for your kind words.

I only want citizenship. Nothing else.

I realise that. For that reason, Chittagong sounds better.

Yes, it sounds like a good idea.

I left Kolkata in 2012, for the third time, after 1981 and 1986, and doubt very much that I will return.

Some cousins of mine have been increasingly active in business activities in Bangladesh, and they have told me about the possibilities, not hiding the difficulties. It is so tempting.

I think I have already shared the shock on stepping out onto the tarmac at Dhaka and hearing an entire city speak my dialect of Bengali, after growing up used to it being mocked by ghotis as a peasant's way of speaking. Bangladeshis can have no idea of how strong these pulls are, to those who have lived elsewhere. I hope you have happy and settled lives and never, ever have these feelings.

Good. Now, enjoy Sare Chuattor, the Bangla movie with Bhanu Bannerji.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Good. Now, enjoy Sare Chuattor, the Bangla movie with Bhanu Bannerji.

LOL.

Shamyamoy Kaka was a school friend of my father, and regularly turned up home to rant about whatever was annoying him. I miss him.


কি আশ্চর্য। এই ছবিটা কোনো দিন দেখি নি। এতো অল্প বয়সে! যাক, পরে ধীরে সুস্থে দেখবো । বহু ধন্যবাদ ।

 

[xuxu1457]

When will China take vacations

When will China take vacations

The competition bill between the United States and China of US will add an additional $500 million a year to the media, accusing China of playing games that will not stop.

such as, man made snow,Even in the past seven Olympic Games, artificial snow was used on a large scale. In a relocated steel plant industrial park, the ski resort described the cooling tower as a nuclear power plant and the Chinese wind power pedestal as a nuclear missile base.
This kind of thing is reported every day, and it is almost impossible to hear positive news from China.

 

[bluesky]

LOL.

Shamyamoy Kaka was a school friend of my father, and regularly turned up home to rant about whatever was annoying him. I miss him.


কি আশ্চর্য। এই ছবিটা কোনো দিন দেখি নি। এতো অল্প বয়সে! যাক, পরে ধীরে সুস্থে দেখবো । বহু ধন্যবাদ ।

It is nice to watch Bhanu Bannerji talking in our style of Bangla and others talking Ghoti style. Suchitra tries to speak ours but being a lady not that successful. Even our girls in BD try to speak in proper Bengali but boys don't.

LOL.

Shamyamoy Kaka was a school friend of my father, and regularly turned up home to rant about whatever was annoying him. I miss him.


কি আশ্চর্য। এই ছবিটা কোনো দিন দেখি নি। এতো অল্প বয়সে! যাক, পরে ধীরে সুস্থে দেখবো । বহু ধন্যবাদ ।

Actually, I wanted to upload the movie below (ওরা থাকে ওধারে). But, you may enjoy both. Both are nice.

 

[Joe Shearer]

It is nice to watch Bhanu Bannerji talking in our style of Bangla and others talking Ghoti style. Suchitra tries to speak ours but being a lady not that successful. Even our girls in BD try to speak in proper Bengali but boys don't.


Actually, I wanted to upload the movie below (ওরা থাকে ওধারে). But, you may enjoy both. Both are nice.

I gave you a 'like', but your post really disturbed me

What is 'proper Bengali'? I will explain my reaction later; this is for you to ponder for now.

 

[bluesky]

I gave you a 'like', but your post really disturbed me

What is 'proper Bengali'? I will explain my reaction later; this is for you to ponder for now.

We can see a few local/ regional dialects in any language. But, there is a standard form that the speakers try to speak in, however, with variations from a person to person.

When the speakers talk, they use the colloquial form instead of the written form seen in the school texts.

I was meaning the standard form when I wrote the term proper Bengali. Our Kushtia dialect is normally followed by our educated girls. Boys try but without success.

 

[meghdut]

Bhai amar,

You are right, what is going on is a poisonous ethno-nationalism, and it hates not only supposedly Bangladeshi Muslims, but Bengalis of every description. You will remember the unrest of the mid-50s, when West Bengal Hindus were fair game, and were driven out.

There was a friend on this forum named @meghdut but he has decided to take a break from social media, and we cannot draw him into this discussion.


Ever since my cousin, who seems to spend at least one-third of his time in 'desh, told me that I am entitled to outright Bangali citizenship due to my descent, I have been tempted to apply for citizenship and make a permanent move.

Certainly, India under the present regime has become increasingly removed from any sane person's thoughts.

Who knows? Perhaps I might spend the rest of my few remaining days in a simple house in Kulokathi. Dhaka is too expensive for me.

Joe that fellow is not quite off the mark, but that’s the viewpoint of the extremists. But I agree there is a slight undercurrent of anti- Bengali sentiment running but that’s not unnatural. Human beings are just like that, it’s something you see in every state, just the degree varies. In Assam the reason it’s a bit stronger than others is due to the insecurity felt by the indigenous people, who are almost outnumbered and due to their complacency has been out-competed in economic sphere. There is also the grudge as the Bengalis held most of the administrative positions during the Raj, and their greater financial acumen.

However the sentiment of Axom Andolon is mostly gone, people are a lot more pragmatic now. Still there are forces which stir up trouble time and again for short term gains. But a Bengali party (as BJP has usually been perceived previously) dominating the politics here should point to the shift of Assamese’s priorities.

 

[arjunk]

China is going to collapse on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,
China is a threat on Tuesday ,Thursday and Saturday,
and Sunday is a rest day.

China imprisons 90 billion xinjiang punditz on Sunday.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Joe that fellow is not quite off the mark, but that’s the viewpoint of the extremists. But I agree there is a slight undercurrent of anti- Bengali sentiment running but that’s not unnatural. Human beings are just like that, it’s something you see in every state, just the degree varies. In Assam the reason it’s a bit stronger than others is due to the insecurity felt by the indigenous people, who are almost outnumbered and due to their complacency has been out-competed in economic sphere. There is also the grudge as the Bengalis held most of the administrative positions during the Raj, and their greater financial acumen.

However the sentiment of Axom Andolon is mostly gone, people are a lot more pragmatic now. Still there are forces which stir up trouble time and again for short term gains. But a Bengali party (as BJP has usually been perceived previously) dominating the politics here should point to the shift of Assamese’s priorities.

Your usual measured reply.

You were missed.