Gadling

Photo Of The Day: Bangladesh Street Scene

Alex Robertson Textor — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Bangladesh, Photo of the Day

This Bangladesh street scene, taken in 2008 by Flickr user m24instudio, jumped out at me on the Gadling Group Pool page on Flickr. Currently, next to it on the page are photos of flowers, animals, skylines, an island and snowy panoramas. None of these popped off the page quite so intensely as the above image. The colors, the signage, the handbills, the greenery in the background and the advertisements are all terribly vibrant.

Upload your favorite images of colorful street scenes (or absentminded cyclists, for that matter) to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. We choose our favorites from the pool to be Photos of the Day.

Photo Of The Day: Bangladesh Street Scene originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nat Geo announces People's Choice Adventurer of the Year

Kraig Becker — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Climbing, Paddling, Asia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Ecotourism, News

This past November, National Geographic announced their selection for the 2012 Adventurers of the Year, bestowing the honor on a group of 12 very worthy men and women from across the globe. That list included the likes of long distance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis, who set a new speed record on the Appalachian Trail, and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, the first woman to climb the highest mountain on the planet without the use of supplemental oxygen. At the time of the announcement, National Geographic also launched a website that allowed the general public to cast their votes for their favorite adventurer. Now, more than 72,000 votes later we have a winner in the People's Choice category.

The 2012 People's Choice Adventurers of the Year are Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa, who gained worldwide attention last May when they climbed to the top of Mt. Everest and paraglided off of the summit. Their 42-minute flight down the Khumbu Valley was simply the beginning of their adventure, however, as they continued their expedition on sea level. The duo rode bikes to the nearest navigable river, then kayaked across the border into India where they eventually paddled onto the Ganges River, leading them all the way to the Indian Ocean.

Along the way, the two men displayed a true sense of adventure. Not only was this a grassroots expedition that didn't have a sponsor, but also, the travelers were forced to borrow gear from friends just so they could set out on their journey. As if that wasn't enough, Lakpa had never even set foot in a kayak before and still doesn't know how to swim, while Babu had no experience as a climber. Not many people complete their first major ascent on the tallest mountain on the planet, yet he was still able to follow his friend to the summit.

You can read more about their amazing story as well as the other Adventurers of the Year by clicking here.

[Photo courtesy of Sano Babu Sunuwar]

Nat Geo announces People's Choice Adventurer of the Year originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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6 surf destinations you'd never think of

Kyle Ellison — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Surfing, Africa, Asia, South America, Ghana, Namibia, Bangladesh, Oman, Thailand, Uruguay, Middle East

Sure, we all know the world of surfing revolves around Hawaii's fabled North Shore. If you've ever owned a board, you can probably rattle off some of the other global hot spots: Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Fiji, California, Costa Rica...the list goes on and on.

Just because the same 20 places have some of the best waves on the planet, however, doesn't mean that the rest of the globe is forced to go without. Ever since the 1966 release of the timeless surf film Endless Summer, global surf travelers have been pushing the boundaries of scoring waves in increasingly obscure locations.

Lately, it seems as if the act of finding waves in remote locations is potentially more exhilarating than the act of riding the waves themselves. Here on Gadling we've reported before about surfers hunting down waves from Lake Erie to Iceland in search of some stoke, and Surfing magazine has hosted contests such as the Google Earth Challenge in a modern effort to scour the globe for unknown pointbreaks and barrels.

So, in the spirit of ever-expanding global surf travel, here is a list of 6 locations you might want to put on your surf radar.

Continue reading 6 surf destinations you'd never think of

6 surf destinations you'd never think of originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bengal Tigers to get special protection

Sean McLachlan — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Bangladesh, Ecotourism

The Royal Bengal Tiger and other animals are to get special protection from the government of Bangladesh.

The government is setting up a 300-member force to patrol the areas where the endangered tigers live. This is in reaction to recent poaching incidents targeting the tigers and well as other animals such as turtles and crocodiles. The poaching and smuggling of animals is a major international problem. There's a huge demand for rare animals as pets, decoration, food, and as ingredients in traditional medicine. Many of the animals most in demand, like tigers and rhinos, are endangered.

Most of the Bengal tigers in Bangladesh live in the Sundarbans, a huge mangrove forest straddling the India-Bangladesh border. It's designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its incredible variety of wildlife and is an important tourist draw for both countries.

[Photo courtesy Paul Mannix]

Bengal Tigers to get special protection originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Driving from Bangladesh to England in a classic Rolls Royce

Kraig Becker — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Asia, Europe, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Nepal, Turkey, United Kingdom, Transportation, News

Rupert Grey and his wife Jan are preparing to make an epic road trip this September. The kind of road trip that we all dream about during which we leave our normal, mundane, lives behind in favor of the open road and untold adventures. In this case, our two intrepid travelers will begin their journey in Bangladesh and eventually end up back in their native England, covering thousands of miles in between. But Rupert and Jan aren't content with just making that journey in just any old vehicle, which is why they'll be driving their classic 1936 Rolls Royce along the way.

While the start of their adventure is still a few months off, the couple are making preparations for what will likely be a fantastic journey. They will be shipping their car to Chittagong, Bangladesh, where they will set out to drive through Bhutan, Nepal, and India before arriving at the Arabian Sea. From there, they'll board a ship bound for Iran, where they'll once again hit the open road, crossing into Turkey and eventually Europe, before returning back to the U.K.

Intrigued by this unique road trip, an independent film company hopes to make a documentary of Rupert and Jan's journey. Rover Films is currently seeking funding for the project, and have already tentatively named their film A Sense of Adventure. You can check out the teaser trailer for it below.

Reading about this story left me to wondering. If you could take any road trip in any vehicle, where would you go and what would you drive? For me personally, I'd love to go from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa, in a classic Land Rover Defender. Say circa 1985 or so.

How about you?

[Photo credit: Rover Films]

A Sense Of Adventure OFFICIAL TEASER from Rover Films on Vimeo.

Driving from Bangladesh to England in a classic Rolls Royce originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 12 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Piracy reached record levels in 2010

Sean McLachlan — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Asia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Transportation, News

Pirate hijackings in the Red Sea and nearby waters reached their highest levels ever, the Associated Press reports.

Pirate hijackings worldwide claimed 1,181 hostages and 53 vessels, a rise of ten percent since 2009. Of these, 49 ships were taken by Somali gunmen in the Red Sea or nearby waters in the Indian Ocean. Somali piracy has been the biggest problem area despite an international fleet of warships trying to stop it. Somalis have taken four more ships so far in 2011 and currently hold 31 ships and 713 people captive.

Somali pirates generally use speedboats to come up alongside freighters, tankers, or smaller ships and then threaten to open fire if the captain doesn't stop. The pirates then board the vessel and radio in a ransom demand that can amount to millions of dollars. Prisoners are generally not hurt, although eight were killed last year. Usually the ransom is paid.

Because naval vessels have been able to stop some attacks near the Somali coast, pirates have moved operations further into the Indian Ocean where they're harder to catch. Other problem areas include Nigerian, Bangladeshi, and Indonesian waters.

Somali pirates claim they have been forced into piracy because their fishermen have been pushed out of work by illegal fishing by foreign vessels and illegal dumping of toxic waste by big corporations.

If you're worried about piracy, stay away from the Red Sea area, and check out our handy tips on what to do if pirates board your ship.

[Photo courtesy Mass communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky, U.S. Navy.]

Piracy reached record levels in 2010 originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New photography book on food and travel profiles meals around the world

Laurel Miller — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Food and Drink, Stories, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Kenya, Bangladesh, Latvia, Mexico, United States, Books, News

There are a few key things that unite mankind, one of which is the need to eat. Whether the act itself is one of indulgence or subsistence is largely a cultural and geographic, and not just economic, issue. It's this dichotomy that forms the theme for a fascinating new addition to the food and travel book genre.

What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets is the work of photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith d'Aluisio. The duo traveled to 30 countries to profile 80 vastly different people and the "food that fuels them over the course of a single day." Each profile features extreme examples of the subject's diet and caloric intake, rather than a daily average, and provides a window into world foods we might not otherwise be aware of.

The authors also note on their website, "While we have been diligent about providing cultural context and geographic relevance in each of our stories, the people profiled represent only themselves and no one person, or even five, can represent an entire country. Please use this work to further your exploration and understanding of the world."

Profiles include a Maasai herder in an extreme drought in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, a Bangladeshi seamstress, a Latvian beekeeper, a Minnesotan teen who works in a mall, a Mexican rancher, and a Tennessee man who is a candidate for obesity surgery.

You can see a slideshow of sixteen of the book's subjects on Time's website, here.

New photography book on food and travel profiles meals around the world originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bangladesh airport operator investigates terminal TV porn show

Scott Carmichael — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bangladesh, Airlines, Airports

Officials at Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh are investigating how a porno flick appeared on a large TV screen in the departure lounge of their airport. The screen is normally used to display documentaries about Bangladesh, explaining the geography and culture of this Muslim nation.

The movie had been broadcast for five minutes and seen by hundreds of passengers. Immediately after the screen was turned off, the AV operator was thrown in jail for two months. The owners of a local cable firm have been summoned to help explain whether any criminal intent was involved.

Shahjalal International airport is located 13 miles north of the capital Dhaka, it is serviced by 30 different airlines, including Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

At least this time, the porn didn't come from the airport security scanning machines...

[Photo from Flickr/Rainer Ebert]

Bangladesh airport operator investigates terminal TV porn show originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12 historic sites in danger of disappearing

Kraig Becker — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Hiking, Learning, Africa, Asia, Europe, Kenya, Bangladesh, Iraq, Pakistan, Philippines, Turkey, Ukraine, Guatemala, Haiti, Ecotourism, News, Middle East, Central America

The Global Heritage Fund has released a new report that lists 200 World Heritage Sites around the globe that are in danger from a variety of threats, turning the spotlight on 12 in particular that could disappear altogether due to a lack of funds, neglect, and mismanagement.

The 12 sites listed in the report include Palestine's Hisham's Palace, Turkey's Ani, and Iraq's Nineveh. Hisham's Palace, the remains of a royal winter retreat built in 747 AD and the ancient city of Nineveh are both under threat from encroaching urban development, while Ani, an 11th century city on Turkey's border with Armenia, finds many of it's ancient structures literally falling apart on their foundations.

Other Heritage Sites that make the list of "most threatened" include Mahansrhangarh, the oldest archeological site in all of Bangladesh and Mirador in Guatemala, which is a pre-Columbian Mayan ruin which sits in a remote jungle location. Haiti's Sans Souci Palace suffered damage during the recent earthquakes that hit the country, while the Maluti Temples in India suffer from years of neglect. Kenya's Lamu Village, Famagusta, located in Cyprus, Pakistan's Taxila, Intramuros and Fort Santiago in the Philippines, and Chersonesos in the Ukraine round out the list.

The GHF's report recommends that the countries in which these historic sites are located invest in restoring and preserving the ancient places. While those repairs could cost millions of dollars to complete, the sites could potentially generate that income back through tourist dollars, although UNESCO representatives say that caution should be taken when going down that road, as sustainable tourism is not always an easy thing to accomplish and there are a lot of factors to consider before proceeding.

One thing that everyone agrees on however is that these amazing sites need to be preserved for future generations to visit and explore. Just how that will be accomplished remains to be seen.

[Photo credit: Christian Koehn via WikiMedia]

12 historic sites in danger of disappearing originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trade Mocked

Andrew Evans — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Algeria, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Morocco, South Africa, Zambia, Bangladesh, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Turkey, United Arab, Emirates, Vietnam, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Jamaica, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Internet Tools, Middle East, Central America, Caribbean, French Polynesia

You were a cheerleader, you dated a cheerleader, or you hated the cheerleaders. As I recall, that's how high school worked.

Thanks to travel PR, that same primeval paradigm lives on long after graduation. That miniskirts-shouting-slogans thing still works, whether you're a used car salesman, Miley Cyrus on VH1 or the tourist board of a small Balkan nation. When it comes to selling your destination in today's busy world of busy people, a country's name just isn't enough--just like school spirit, you need colors, a pep band, a mascot, a brand and most important--a cheer.

It's tragic but true: tourist boards don't trust their country's name to inspire appropriate thoughts in your brain. Toponyms are too open-ended and too untrustworthy--also, way too obvious. For example, what's the first thing that pops into your head when I say . . . Monte Carlo? How about Australia? The Bahamas? Kuwait? The Gambia?

Whatever you're thinking, it's not enough. Tourist boards want you to choose their destination over all others, then allocate all of your vacation days to them and then come spend your money on very specific things--like miniature golf by the sea or hot air balloon rides across the prairie. In short, they want your school spirit so much they're churning out cheers to fill up all the Swiss cheese holes in your mental map of the world.

Like a good cheer, a good destination slogan is simple and so memorable it sticks in your head like two-sided tape. Sex sells, but then so does love: "Virginia is for Lovers", Hungary offers visitors "A Love for Life", Albania promises "A New Mediterranean Love", while the highlighted "I feel Slovenia" spells out sweetly "I Feel Love". Meanwhile, Bosnia & Herzegovina call themselves "the Heart Shaped Land" and Denmark's logo is a red heart with a white cross. Colombia and Dubai have red hearts in their logo. Everybody else uses sunshine.

Continue reading Trade Mocked

Trade Mocked originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tourist falls to his death in active volcano on Bali

Kraig Becker — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hiking, Oceania, Bangladesh

A Swedish tourist named Daniel Fetersen died today after he plunged over 490 feet into the crater of an active volcano on the island of Bali. The 25-year-old man reportedly leaned over the edge of the crater on Mt. Batur to get a better look, then slipped and fell onto the sharp rocks below. The accident occurred at 5 AM local time.

Fetersen, along with two of his friends, set out before dawn this morning to make a guided trek to the summit of the 5633 foot tall mountain. The hike is a popular one with tourists to Bali, who enjoy watching the sun rise over the volcanic crater, and while it can be physically challenging, it is non-technical in nature, and more accessible than some of the other volcanoes on the island.

Search and rescue teams are hoping to retrieve the body from the crater by using ropes, but the operation is still on going at this time.

RELATED: 7 of the craziest, most dangerous, most dizzying hikes in the world (VIDEOS)

[Image from Wikipedia commons used under GNU free license]

Tourist falls to his death in active volcano on Bali originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Men jailed for beating holy crocodile

Sean McLachlan — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Bangladesh

It's generally not smart to bother a crocodile. Heck, an Israeli tourist nearly got eaten just for trying to take a photo of one! Thus two men in Bangladesh should count themselves lucky that after beating a crocodile, they landed up in a jail cell rather than the reptile's stomach.

The men worked at the tomb of Khan Jahan Ali, a fifteenth-century Muslim saint whose resting place in Bagarhat is a pilgrimage site. In front of his tomb is a pool of water in which live about two dozen marsh crocodiles. Pilgrims offer chickens and goats to the crocs in the hopes of having their prayers answered, and donate money to their "caretakers". This group have been reported for cruelty before, often beating the crocs if they don't respond to their calls. When a pregnant female named Pipil didn't do what they wanted, they beat it so badly with bamboo sticks that the animal lost an eye.

It's illegal to mistreat crocodiles in Bangladesh, and now the pair face two years in jail with hard labor.

Men jailed for beating holy crocodile originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Farmer in Bangladesh kills more than 83,000 rats and wins a color TV

Jamie Rhein — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business, Bangladesh, News

I've seen a rat scurry across a New York City street at night. It looked like a small cat. Startling. Rats in New York are one of the city's long-standing jokes. The idea of the 83,450 rats that one farmer in Bangladesh killed over the last nine months, thanks to a government rat killing campaign, is astounding--seriously disgusting. Truly.

Pair those rats with the 37,450 that another Bangladeshi farmer caught and YOWZA! They are not the only two farmers who have been killing rats. Five hundred farmers showed up to the event this last week where the contest winner was named.

Continue reading Farmer in Bangladesh kills more than 83,000 rats and wins a color TV

Farmer in Bangladesh kills more than 83,000 rats and wins a color TV originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Passenger created" toilet clogs delay flight for 10 hours

Scott Carmichael — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Bangladesh, Airlines

Remember those signs in the airplane bathroom that politely request that passengers refrain from throwing anything into the bowl (other than the usual stuff)?

Well, apparently passengers on Biman Bangladesh airlines saw it, but either ignored it, or decided to see what would happen if you stuff it full of bottles, cups, paper and sanitary napkins. And they didn't do this to just one of the toilets, but all five of them.

The major clog in this airplane plumbing resulted in a 10 hour delay in taking off from Dhaka. The plane was London bound, and the plumbing job only took 2 hours, but by then they would have arrived at London past its nighttime curfew.

Wing Commander Asaduzzaman, who is in charge of engineering at the airline, blamed retuning Bangladeshis for clogging his toilets.

This crappy problem (pardon the pun) is just another blow for the airline, since the United Nations recently advised their own staff to avoid flying them because of safety concerns.

Continue reading "Passenger created" toilet clogs delay flight for 10 hours

"Passenger created" toilet clogs delay flight for 10 hours originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Destinations for Independent Travelers in 2009

Kraig Becker — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Senegal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Syria, Germany, Italy, Panama, Australia, Argentina, Colombia

BootsnAll, a great online resource for independent travelers, has put together their list of top 10 destinations for 2009. The locations on the list are lauded for the options they offer the experienced traveler who is looking to explore on his or her own.

Last year's list was compiled by the writers and staff from BootsnAll, but for the 2009 edition they opened it up for suggestions from their very well traveled community as well. The results are ten great suggesions for experinced, adventurous travelers hoping to go abroad this year.

Some of the places on the list are a bit more obvious than others. For instances, Tasmania comes in at number ten, as Australia has long been considered a great destination for independent travelers, and the remote island maintains helps to maintain that reputation. On the other hand, the number one spot is held down by Columbia, which has not always been a great destination for visitors, independent or otherwise. But in recent years, the country has undergone a bit of a resurgence, and has now become a favorite destination for savvy travelers everywhere.

The other eight locations on the list are quite ecclectic as well, and span the globe, offering a wide variety of experiences and settings. There is something for everyone, from the outdoor adventurer to the more relaxed traveler looking for a more quiet escape. If you're an independent traveler looking for a destination this year, you could do worse than starting with this list.

Top Destinations for Independent Travelers in 2009 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How safe is ferry travel? It depends on where you are.

Jamie Rhein — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Learning, Europe, Somalia, Bangladesh, Transportation, News

With the recent ferry accident in the Philippines still in the news, ferry safety comes to mind. According to this research study, Ferry Transport: The Realm of Responsibility, ferries are generally safe in Europe, the U.S. and other developed countries. In countries like Bangladesh, Somalia and Indonesia, it's another story.

In all, there were 4,000 ferry accidents world-wide from January 2000 to March 2004. The fatalities are counted by the bodies recovered, therefore, the numbers could be much higher. If you're curious about the statistics, look at the table on page 3 out of 15. It lists the countries where the accidents have happened, what caused them and how many people died in each one.

However, as the author points out, fatalities caused by car wrecks in the United States are at the same percentage as the ferry fatalities in Bangladesh where accidents are a big problem. (That's if you look at each country's population and the number of people who die in an accident. In the U.S. it's cars. In Bangladesh, it's ferries. That's my understanding of what I read.)

Because ferry accidents are a concern in Bangladesh and other emerging countries, a project was initiated by an organization called Interferry in 2006 to cut down on ferry accidents by 90%. The organization is focusing its efforts in Bangladesh first.

As Interferry points out, every time there is a ferry accident in a country, tourists begin to wonder about their safety when traveling there. That's not good news for an economy.

Of course, in the case of Somalia, ferry accidents probably aren't the biggest drawback to visiting. Bangladesh, I've heard, has lovely beaches.

How safe is ferry travel? It depends on where you are. originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top hell-holes on earth

Jamie Rhein — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Stories, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Burundi, Somalia, Bangladesh, China, Iraq, North Korea, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United States, Papua New Guinea, News, Travel Health

April Fool's Day, 2007, I wrote a post on Linfen, China. Although it was written as a joke, the premise is true. Linfen is a royal mess. Its mighty pollution problem has earned it the number 2 spot on the recent "Hells on Earth" list. The air quality in Linfen is so horrific that there is a perpetual feeling of dusk in this coal dust laden city.

Here's the rest of the ten places that have a hellish quality. Perhaps you know of others that should have made the cut.

Continue reading Top hell-holes on earth

Top hell-holes on earth originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saudi plane catches fire while landing in Bangladesh

Aaron Hotfelder — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Airlines, Transportation, Airports

If Saudi flights are anything like those in Pakistan, they probably begin with a prayer. Though it's, of course, always good to have Allah on your side, having the flight attendants lead a prayer before taking off does not inspire confidence. But maybe it helped in this case...

A Saudi airliner flying into Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, caught fire while landing yesterday, though none of the 307 passengers or crew on board were seriously injured.

Apparently one of the engines of the plane, a Boeing 747, caught fire as the plane touched down, but the fire thankfully did not spread to the fuel reservoirs. After landing, the pilot reportedly opened the emergency exit doors and the passengers left the plane via the big yellow playground slide. Fun!

More here.

What strange things have been found on planes?

Click the image to read the bizarre story...

Saudi plane catches fire while landing in Bangladesh originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When's Bangladesh going to disappear?

Jerry Guo — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bangladesh, Ecotourism

The country's the size of Iowa, but has half the population of the entire United States. Oh, and by the way, it could possibly be wiped out in the next century.

Here's the thing: Bangladesh happens to be situated at sea level in a region of the world where flooding and monsoons are already a problem. As it stands, each year roughly half the country is under water at one point or another. But because of possible rising sea levels in the next 20 years (even a 20-centimeter rise) could devastate 10-million Bangladeshis.

We've heard of small island nations like Tuvalu (most famous for their Internet TLD: .TV) that are doomed to extinction if global warming pans out. But if the same thing happens to Bangladesh, that's going to be more than a humanitarian disaster. They have a growing Islamic fundamentalist movement and a very weak government, which means the threat of less and less land (and more and more water) will undoubtedly destabilize the region.

As with many recent postings (a la Mt. Kilimanjaro), all this is to say visit Bangladesh soon, lest it be under water by the time you get around to it. Here's a great analysis piece about Bangladesh and global warming in this month's Atlantic.

When's Bangladesh going to disappear? originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Graft Busting Ruining the Party in Bangladesh

Martha Edwards — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:17:00 EST

Filed under: Stories, Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the lower classes rely on the wealthy Muslims to provide them with gifts of cash and clothes during Ramadan. But this year, anti-corruption agencies are vetoing public displays of wealth, which includes giving out generous gifts. So far, 170 members of the upper crust have actually been detained for being to giving. And the new restrictions are sure putting a damper on the celebrations for the peasants.

But a few brave wealthy people have braved the so-called graft busters and given out gifts regardless. And members of the lower class are getting up before dawn to join the line-up to receive one of these gifts. Sounds a lot like a new IKEA opening!

For more info on graft busting in Bangladesh, click here.

Graft Busting Ruining the Party in Bangladesh originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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