The 10th Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum for Regional Cooperation, a Track-II exercise along with government officials which aims to promote cooperation between Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar was held in Kolkata on 18 and 19 February, 2012. Writes Kakoli Sengupta

India and Bangladesh will jointly hold the International Mother Language Day at the no-man's land along the border here February 21 in an effort to enhance the people-to-people contact betweenthe two neighbours. A cultural programme will be performed at the zero point on the border with artistes from both the two countries.

India has said it will take proactive measures to reduce barriers in trade and services to ensure greater economic integration in the South Asian region and would substantially reduce tariff barriers for the countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka(as it has done for the least developed countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan).

Kite-flying and Basant were always an integral part of the identity of the Lahorias for a long time.Elsewhere too in Punjab kite-flying was a popular pastime but Lahore was the real “garh” or home of it.Writes Ishtiaq Ahmed