Bomb Attacks in Sri Lanka: Who, How, Why

Sri Lankan police were on high alert for last two weeks, fearing that suicide bombers, supposedly from National Thowheeth Jama’ath, might strike prominent churches during the Easter. Two foreign intelligence agencies also reported in early April that radical Muslims those came back from Syria are planning to carry out suicide attacks at prominent churches and high commissions in Colombo.

The police increased security around important establishments including churches but could not prevent the deadliest attack in the history of the country since the end of the civil war in 2009.

Earlier this year, in January, the police seized a cache of explosives and detonators and arrested four members of National Thowheeth Jama’ath following an intelligent information. This time the perpetrators slipped through.
At least 208 people were killed and 450 were hurt in the explosions at churches and high-end hotels on Sunday, 21 April. Perpetrators were all Sri Lankan nationals. The founder of National Thowheeth Jama’ath, Zahran Hashim, reportedly was involved with the attack.

National Thowheeth Jama’ath is a home grown radical Muslim group. A number of Sri Lankan Muslims joined ISIS in Syria. Some of them came back and formed radical groups in Sri Lanka. National Thowheeth Jama’ath is one of them. The outfit was formed in Muslim-dominated town Kattankudy in 2014. Their connection with Islamic State is unclear but it in evident that the group is influenced by Islamic State's core objectives.

Security officials found a pattern similar to a series of blasts that occurred in Nigeria in 2011 and an attack in Pakistan, indicating involvement of international elements. Islamic State has a history of staging attacks against Christians on holy days, notably Christmas and Easter.

The defense ministry of Sri Lanka ordered a temporary ban on social media and a 12-hour curfew from 6pm to 6am across the country. Security at the airports was enhanced.

Majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhists (70.2% +). Hindus make up about 12.6% of the population while fewer than 10% are Muslims and about 7.5% are Christians. Since 2018, there have been several incidents of violence between Buddhists and Muslims.

Take away:
-Churches in Kochchikade, Negombo and Batticaloa cities, and Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand and Shangri La hotels in Colombo were targeted.

-The air force personnel later defused an improvised explosive near the Bandaranayake Airport in Colombo.

-The police arrested eight suspects in connection with the attacks.

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Dhaka in the 1950s and 1960s

In the mid 1950s, Dhaka, known as ‘Dacca’ at that time, was just a small provincial town with about 3,00,000 inhabitants. Dhanmondi at that time just started to grow; Maulvi Abdus Sobhan's family had some habitation in Sobhanbagh, Dhaka Stadium was being constructed to host cricket matches and New Market was starting to become a busy shopping area. Dhaka residents loved cinema since the time it was introduced. Baliadi Siddiki family owned Nishat Cinema Hall and held a mega event when the film ‘Aan’ by Mehboob Khan was released in 1952. Elephants were used by the hall owner to distribute leaflets and to spray colour water. There was another prominent hall named Britannia near Rex Restaurant at Gulistan but was closed down in the late 1950s. Gulistan Cinema Hall, city’s first modernity landmark, came up in 1952. Amber, started with Raj Kapoor and Nargis, was the first film the hall showed. Mukul which later became 'Azad 'used to show Bengali films from Kolkat

সুন্দর পশু-পাখি, সুন্দর গাছ আর সুন্দর সুন্দর জঙ্গল নিয়ে সুন্দরবন

...প্রাকৃতিক দুর্যোগের সময় এদেশের মানুষের পক্ষ হয়ে বর্ম হিসেবে দাড়িয়ে যাওয়া সুন্দরবনের সাথে বেশীর ভাগ মানুষের প্রথম পরিচয় হয় বাংলা ১ম পত্রের গদ্য বইয়ে অথবা বাংলা ২য় পত্রের রচনায়। সুন্দরবন - এর আক্ষরিক অর্থ 'সুন্দর জঙ্গল' অথবা 'সুন্দর বনভূমি' কিন্তু নামকরণ হয়েছিল 'সুন্দরী গাছ' থেকে যা এখানে প্রচুর পরিমানে জন্মে। তবে যেহেতু স্থানীয় আদিবাসীরা অনেক আগে থেকে বনটিকে ‘চন্দ্র-বান্ধে’ নামে ডাকতো তাই হতে পারে ‘চন্দ্র-বান্ধে’ নামটি কালের পরিক্রমায় ‘সুন্দরবন’ হয়ে গেছে। বঙ্গোপসাগরের কোল ঘেষে অবস্থিত এই বনের বাঘ ‘রয়েল বেঙ্গল টাইগার’ নামে পরিচিত যদিও সংখ্যায় এখন এ প্রাণী ক্রমনিম্নগামী। সুন্দরবন সমুদ্র উপকূলবর্তী এলাকায় অবস্থিত হবার কারনে এখানকার পানি নোনতা এবং এই লবণাক্ততার কারণে বাঘ অস্বস্তিকর অবস্থায় থাকে যা তাদের বেশ আগ্রাসী করে তোলে তাই মাছ ও মধু সংগ্রহকারী মানুষদের উপর সুযোগ পেলে তারা ঝাপিয়ে পরে। ১৭৫৭ সালে পুরো বাংলার ইজারা নেয় বৃটিশ ইস্ট ইন্ডিয়া কোম্পানি যার মধ্যে সুন্দরবনও ছিল। এই বনের গুরুত্ব বুঝতে পেরে ইস্ট ইন্ডিয়া কোম্পানি একটা মানচিত্র তৈরি করে সেইসময়

Comparing current Dhaka with its past

...In late 1950s, the Adamjee group of Industries, which was one of the most significant companies in the country of that time, built an extremely modern air conditioned office-complex in Motijheel - Dilkusha area and named it Adamji Court Building. It was the first building in the city with a lift installed. The US government rented a floor in the building and housed their consular office. Hotel Purbani, located at 1 Dilkusha Commercial Area, was build in 1964 and became the most prominent hotel of that time. S.A.Sobhan, the then Additional Chief Secretary of the government and a silent advisor of Awami League in the later years, initiated the venture. Shortly A Sattar, owner of a 7-up bottling factory, joined the project. Name of the hotel was given by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as owners were quite close to him. Elites of the city and foreigners found the hotel a good place to be. The buffet lunch at one of the restaurants of the hotel were offered at Rs. (Pakista

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