Nepal's Foreign Affairs Minister Sujata Koirala's son-in-law from Bangladesh Rubel Chowdhury is suspected to have a dubious character

[The pictures posted here are from his NGO’s website, seen misusing United Nations (UN logo]

Over the last two days, a different side of Rubel Chowdhury has been revealed. Chowdhury who has lived in Nepal for four years on family visa has many business interests, yet authorities have turned a blind-eye on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala’s Bangladeshi son-in-law’s alleged involvement in illegal activities here.

Requesting anonymity, an official at the Home Ministry said no one wants to investigate Chowdhury’s suspicious activities given his link with Koirala.

A source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Chowdhury could be involved in obtaining illegal Nepali passports for Bangladeshi nationals, some of whom have landed in police net. Chowdhury has violated his terms of visa by engaging in profit-oriented businesses, an official at the Immigration Department said.

Rubel has also clearly misused the United Nations logo in his Bangladesh-based NGO’s website. He has identified himself as “Dr Rubel Chowdhury, Senior Vice-Chairman of the Bangladesh-based World Peace and Economic Development Organisation (WPEDO) and his mother-in-law as “Dr. Sujata Koirala, Executive Vice-President of WPEDO.”

Chowdhury is also suspected to be involved in the illegal business of International Telephone Call-Bypass through the use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology. Reports said the Police Headquarters traced a VOIP centre near the residence of DPM Koirala at Mandhikhatar and the centre was moved to a different location after Sujata’s sleuths informed that a raid was being carried out.

Police sources claim Chowdhury was the one who made one Nepali Sambhu Bharati a front man to supply logistics and Armed Personnel Carriers to Nepal Police deployed for Sudan-based UNAMID, and misappropriated millions belonging to the Nepal Police Welfare Fund when late Girija Prasad Koirala was the Prime Minister. Government Spokesperson Shankar Pokharel declined to comment on Chowdhury’s case.

Many faces
Rubel identifies himself as Sr. Vice President of WPEDO, a Dhaka-based NGO
Member of British Royal Old Pangbournian Society
Rubel's NGO found misusing UN logo
Only son of soothsayer father Sher-E-Khwaja

Anuradha Koirala is CNN Hero of the Year

KATHMANDU: Anuradha Koirala, a crusader known for her anti-human trafficking drive through

her non-profit making organisation Maiti Nepal, has been named the 2010 CNN Hero

of the Year. This is the first time that a Nepali has bagged the prestigious international award.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper announced the result at the conclusion of the fourth-annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, from the Shrine Auditorium amid a gala event in Los Angeles, California, before an audience of nearly 5,000 today.

Anuradha Koirala was chosen by the public in an online poll that ran for eight weeks on CNN.com. Koirala was introduced by actress Demi Moore, who along with her husband, Ashton Kutcher, created DNA, The Demi and Ashton Foundation, which aims to eliminate child sex slavery worldwide.

“Every day this woman confronts the worst of what humanity has to offer,” Moore said of Koirala.

Koirala’s Maiti Nepal is best known for its mission to curb women trafficking from Nepal to the sex industries abroad, and the rescue and rehabilitation of over 12,000 victims since 1993.

“This is the victory of every single Nepali and all those fighting for the cause. This award is something more than personal,” she told The Himalayan Times. “The honour has made us more responsible to overcome a shared concern of trafficking in humans. We should not wait for tomorrow what we can do today. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all who always supported me.”

Back home, premises of Maiti Nepal was lit up and fireworks were played. More than 150 women and children participated in the ceremony. Anita Syangtan (17), a ninth grader of Teresa Academy being run by Maiti Nepal, said, “We are all proud of you, Anuradha didi. Keep up the good work. Nepal needs more people like you so that children like me are not deprived of the privilege of education.” The girl, once a victim of domestic violence, was rescued by Maiti Nepal five years ago.

Manju Baniya (16) sheltering in Maiti Nepal was a bundle of joy on hearing the news. “But for Anuradha didi, we would have been compelled to live a life of misery. She did for us what our kin did not,” claimed Baniya.

A wave of euphoria swept through the country as Anuradha was named for the award. Bhuwan KC, a noted Nepali cine star who joined a promotional campaign to get his fans vote online for Anuradha, expressed a sense of happiness and relief with the announcement.

“She really deserves it. The award, I hope, will inspire her to do more in saving thousands of Nepali women and children from being trafficked to foreign soils,” remarked KC, who enjoys mass following. Jeevan Gurung, who voted for Anuradha 53 times, said,

“Anuradha is the right choice for the award, as she helped 12,000 girls.”

Sapana Pradhan Malla, a lawmaker and human rights lawyer, termed it as an international recognition to a Nepali-led drive against heinous crimes like trafficking in human.

Congratulatory notes also poured in for her via internet. Astha commented on cnn.com, “So proud of you being a Nepali! Thanks for your efforts and hard work to save the innocent souls.”

The top 10 CNN Heroes, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel from an initial pool of more than 10,000 nominations from more than 100 countries, were each honoured with a documentary tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter. The programme also featured performances by Grammy Award-winners Bon Jovi, John Legend and Sugarland.

Anuradha will receive $100,000 to continue her work with Maiti Nepal, in addition to the $25,000 awarded to each of the top 10 Heroes honoured.

Happy Dipawali 2067

शुभ दिपावली को आगमन सँगै, यहाँहरु को लागि भनेर केही देउसी भैलो को गितहरु अनलाइन राख्दैछौँ । आशा छ, यहाँहरु ले यी देउसी भैलो का गितहरु मन पराउनु हुनेछ ।


Download Tihar Songs: Bhailini/Bhailo - भैलो

Download Tihar Songs: Bhailini Aayin / भैलिनी आइन आँगन

Download Tihar Songs: deusi re / देउसी रे

Download Tihar Song: tiharai aayo lau jhilimili / तिहारै आयो लौ झिलिमिली

Download Tihar Songs: diyo baali sanjh ko / दियो बाली साँझ को

Download: Tihar Dhun (Deusi,Bhailo)/ तिहार धुन(देउसी भैलो)- सुरसुधा

नोट: यी अपलोड गरिएका गितसंगितहरु व्यावसायिक प्रायोजन को लागि प्रयोग नगर्न आग्रह गर्दछौँ । यी चाडपर्वहरु सँग सम्बन्धित गित संगित भएकोले यहाँहरु को लागि मात्रै यी गितहरु अपलोड गरिएको हो । फेरी एकपटक शुभ दिपावली को हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना व्यक्त गर्दछौँ ।

Ashish Kumar Shakya: An International Bike Rider

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Happy Vijaya Dashami

Teej Celebration at Pashupatinath (Photo Feature)

KATHMANDU: Thousands of women have thronged the Pashupatinath Area in the Capital on Saturday to mark the Teej festival.

Lining up in serpentine queues, many are waiting for their turn to enter the Temple and pay homage to Lord Shiva, while others are indulged in singing and dancing.

Water, water everywhere. But not a drop to drink!

A fainted woman being rescued.

A queue at Devapatan.

A medical team attending a fainted girl.

Let's dance!

Scouts volunteering at the main entrance of the Temple.

Red is the colour

A policewoman looks at the queue of devotees at Pashupati Aryaghat.

Dasdhunga: A handsome cinematic approach to reality

At Kumari Cinema Hall, it was a sight to see during the premiere of “Dasdhunga” on Thursday. For the first time in Nepali film history, people from all walks of life, including the political fraternity that included the likes of UCPN Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, vice chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai, CPN-UML’s chairman Jhalanath Khanal, and RPP’s chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana attended the premiere of Dasdhunga – a film based on a real life story of the tragic death of the CPN-UML’s senior leader Madan Bhandari and Jibaraj Ashrit.

However, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Defense Minister Bidya Bhandari canceled their presence.

Produced by Apil Bista Films and directed and written by Manoj Pandit, Dasdhunga is a two-hour-ten-minute docu-fiction. Somewhere close to a biopic, Dasdhunga finally got clear over all the censorship hassles after the production team agreed to cut a few sequences from the film. Some big profiled names like KP Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal were forced to be removed from the film for the Censor Board’s approval for screening.

Was Madan Bhandari and Jibaraj Ashrit’s death at Dasdhunga, Chitwan, an accident or was it conspired? Can we believe Amar Lama’s, Madan Bhandari’s driver at the time of the accident, take on the incident, or was he involved in the tragedy? If we are to go by all what Lama has said, he has always contradicted his statements during the investigations. But if we are not to agree with Lama, who is also no more, where can we find more evidences on this incident?



Director Pandit keeps dealing with such unanswered questions throughout the film through Anup Baral, who plays the role of an investigator. And the movie’s footages of Madan Bhandari’s speeches, his last rites and the sound bites of live witnesses of the Dasdhunga accident proves that the film crew has well-researched to make this docu-fiction a must-see.

Nimesh Shrestha’s editing and Purusottam Pradhan’s cinematography are something that Nepali silver screen has hardly explored before. The camera works are extremely neat and the sound editing compliments the plots and the screenplay. Actors Baral and Dayahang Rai (Amar Lama) do all justice to their characters while Sanchita Luitel and Saugat Malla have average performances.

The movie is beautifully documented as a historical story in the first half while progresses fictionally in the second. To shift the film from reality to a cinematic world, Pandit creatively introduces schizophrenia, a split-personality disease, and the dramatic elements that follow are highly captivating.

Though the movie repeats the same mysterious story of the incident and doesn’t draw a conclusion whether the accident of the two political leaders was a misfortune or a conspired plan, it definitely raises many unanswered questions and keeps the audiences intact with its screenplay.

“It’s not that this film is going to bring in some drastic change to Nepali film industry overnight. Nevertheless, this will certainly live up to its expectations – reminding the dark real story to the society, which chose to close its eyes since yesteryears,” actor Baral shared during the premiere. “Even if only two percent of the population of Nepal watches this cinema, it’s more than enough to make an impact.”

Source: http://theweek.myrepublica.com/details.php?news_id=22895

Sadichha Shrestha clinches Miss Nepal crown

Sadichha Shrestha from Kathmandu was crowned Miss Nepal 2010 in a glittering ceremony Rastriya Nach Ghar in Kathmandu on Wednesday evening.

There were 18 finalists in the beauty pageant.

Shrestha won three other titles--Miss Photogenic, Miss Smart Walk and Miss Personaltiy--also.

She will represent Nepal in the Miss World 2010 to be held in Sanya, China.

She bagged a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a Chery QQ3 Car.

Sahana Bajracharya became the first runner-up and Sanyukta Timsina wont the second runner-up title.

The first runner-up will receive Rs 35,000 and 125 CC Mahindra Scooter, while the second runner-up will get Rs 25,000.


1st Runner-up: Sahana Bajracharya

2nd Runner-up: Sanyukta Timsina



Title-------------------Winners

Miss Photogenic: Sadichha Shrestha


Miss Beautiful Smile: Anita Acharya


Miss Smart Walk: Sadichha Shrestha


Miss Personality: Sadichha Shrestha


Miss Beautiful Complexion: Priya Rani Lama


Miss Friendship: Chandani Dewaju


Miss Talent: Pushpanjali KC


Miss Public Choice: Sanyukta Timsina

Nepali girl makes history in UK school

KATHMANDU: A Nepali student has achieved an outstanding feat in GCSE exam with A star and A grade in all the 11 subjects becoming the highest performer among the EAL students.

Pratibha Paudyal, daughter of Jagannath Sharma and Laxmi Sharma, of Richmond School in North Yorkshire got A star in 6 subjects and A in 5 subjects in the GCSE exam of this year. She is the first non native speaker of English language achieving such result from that school.

She has achieved A stars in Science, Maths, Religious Studies, Additional Science, Additional Maths and Classical Civilisation subjects and A star in other five subjects.

“I believe that anyone can achieve their ambitions if they work hard and believe that nothing is impossible,” she said.

“With dedication and motivation I overcame the challenging moments during my GCSE’s and I not only succeeded but exceeded my expectations,” she added.

Shedding light on her future plan, she said: “For my A level I shall be studying Maths, Economics, Philosophy, Ethics and Chemistry.

“In the future my aspirations are to continue studying if I persist with my hard work I will be able to go to university where I can fulfil my dreams of studying Economics.

“I want to improve the deteriorating economy of Nepal after studying economics”, she said.

Real Worms in Real Juice

Last month, a consumer of Real Juice, Raju Adhikari, found suspicious material in a juice packet manufactured by Dabur Nepal in Kathmandu.

Sagarmatha TV was called and they took videos and photos of the juice.

The local people and journalists took the defective juice to the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC). The authorities at the government agency refused to do further investigation on it as the packet of the juice was already opened. DFTQC officials went to a nearby store, got a Real Juice packet, tested and gave clean-chit to Dabur. They didn’t care to go to the store, Raju bought the juice, and did the sampling.

These days, there are different reports about worms in the juice packets, from different parts of country. It is not known, if the government agency has taken any action to address the issue. (photos courtesy Nayapatrika)

Miss Nepal Contestants 2010

Ajita Singh

Anita Acharya

Ashmita Ghimire

Barsha Shrestha

Bindu KC

Binita Thapa

Chandani Dhewaju

Gongo Dangi

Isha Khadgi 

Jaswani Rana

Kusumanjali KC

Prina Maharjan

Priya Rani Lama

Rakshya Thapa

Sadichha Shrestha