ECHO'S PHILA HOUSE

This pages illustrate items that do not fit into any of the other categories listed in the Table of Contents. They are shown here so that if a collector happens to find a similar item, they will know a little about it.
1971

ABOVE: This Indian FORCES LETTER was issued on March 31, 1972 in commemoration of Air Force Day. Only 1,000 coopies were allegedly printed. Printed on the flap are extracts of Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s speech made in Parliament on the 17th of December, 1971. The writing is as follows:
THE PLEDGE REDEEMED
“On March 31, 1971, six days after the great upheaval in Bangla Desh, I had the honour to move a resolution in this House.
I said then that India’s permanemt interest in peace and our commitment to uphold and defend human rights demanded the immediate cessation of the use of force and of the massacre of the defenceless people of Bangla Desh. I had called upon all peoples and Governments to take urgent and constructive steps to prevail upon the Government of Pakistan to immediately end the systematic decimation of a people.
I had concluded my statemtnt by expressing the profound conviction of this House that the historic upsurge of the 75 million people of East Bengal would triumph. We also gave an assurance that their struggle and sacrifice would receive the wholehearted sympathy and support of the people of India.
Today the pledge we then made together in the House and in the country stands redeemed.”
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
In Parliament on December 17, 1971

15 November – From the 15th of November 1971, until the 31st of March 1973, India levied a 5 paise surcharge on all mails, except postal cards and newspapers. This surcharge was due to the influx of refugees to India from Bangladesh, the former East Pakistan, and was to help finance part of the relief efforts. The red, overprinted stamp on the left is to pay the surcharge.
1 December – “In Aid of Bangladesh Refugees”. Indian cover created for aid to the refugees fleeing the war in East Pakistan, before the creation of Bangladesh. This is a FDC of the red refugee stamp. Since it was to pay a surcharge to help the refugees, it needed a full rate postage stamp on the envelope as well.
1973
10 April – An Indian First Day cover honoring Bangladesh. The First Day cancellation portraying the Shapla (water lily) can be found with different cities in the postmark. The First Day Cover can also be found with regular cancellations from many cities.
1975
24 December 1975 – Pacquebot cover. The term “pacquebot” is French for Mail Boat. French is the common language of the UPU and the French term was adopted because of that. When a person is travelling at sea and wants to mail a letter, the letter must bear the postage of the country where the ship is next in port. The mail is handed over at a post office in that country and must bear their stamps. Because of such, paquebot covers from the same ship can be found with the stamps of the different countries it visits.
1979
25 – 31 December – INPHILEX 1979. The general opinion seems to be that while there was an exhibition, it is doubtful that it was an “international” event. It was organized by the Philatelic Association of Bangladesh, a group in Comilla, Bangladesh. What is interesting is that this cover had nothing to do with the event. While it is an envelope promoting the exhibition, it was used in 1982 only as an envelope. Until this cover was posted on the internet in 2015 few collectors were aware that such an event had occurred, demonstrating the need to document the postal history while those involved in the events are still alive and can remember them. Otherwise such history will be lost to future generations.
1980

15 September 1980 – “Coins of all Nations”.

28 September 1980 – United Nations First Day Covers. Hundreds of different cachets exist.

1986
1 – 3 July 1986 – State visit to Nepal by President Lt. General Hussain Muhammad Ershad and his wife to Nepal. Covers exist with the same cachet and cancelation (with the date changed) for all three days of the visit.

6 December 1986 – French First Day Covers honoring the UNESCO site, the Bagerhat Mosque.

6 December 1986 – French First Day Covers honoring the UNESCO site, the Bagerhat Mosque.

18 November 1986 – Vatican covers commemorating the visit of the Pope to Bangladesh.
Although the Pope’s visit took place in 1986, someone in Spain made this cover (No cancelation) around 2013/14. They also made the other similar items listed below – 1994 and 2006. The seller told me these were privately made. and they exist for events all over the world. Historically, such items have no value, and are just curiosities and were made to sell to collectors.
1987
These two items, while they have Bangladesh stamps on them, have a marking that is not a Post Office cancellation. They are privately made. The cover with the coin is correct but the bottom cover had the cancellation applied upside down on the cover. The cancellations state “Chittagong” and the date 1987.
1987
10 April – An Indian First Day cover honoring Bangladesh. The First Day cancellation portraying the Shapla (water lily) can be found with different cities in the postmark. The First Day Cover can also be found with regular cancellations from many cities.
1992
This cover was most likely made as part of a series, selling the coins of various nations to collectors, as it is dated 15 February 1992, eight years after the stamp was issued. The cover has two United Nations stamps on the reverse and the cancellation on the front is genuine.
1994
1994 – “Talisma Nusreen (Nasrin) Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thoughts from the European Parliament, 1994”. Spanish privately printed envelope. This is part of the series of envelopes printed to sell to collectors.
1998
1994 – “Talisma Nusreen (Nasrin) Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thoughts from the European Parliament, 1994”. Spanish privately printed envelope. This is part of the series of envelopes printed to sell to collectors.
1999
30 September 1999 – First Day Cover from Nepal for the 8th SAF Games, 25th September – 4th October, 1999. Bangladesh is written in the cancellation and the flag of Bangladesh is shown on the cover.
2000
5 August – “Nations of the World Coin Collection”. These numismatic covers generally have no appeal to stamp collectors as they do not commemorate any event. The producers of such generally use very small denomination coins for them to maximize their profit. This is the 1 poisha coin.
2002
15 August 2002 – “20th Anniversary of Salam’s first solo stamp expo “Bapex-’82”. This is a strange cover. It has a printed copy of the BAPEX-82 image on the left, and is printed on a large envelope and used for the First Day of Issue of the US Teddy Bear stamp. I believe it was created as the Salams were participating in a US stamp show, here in the States at the time and the Teddy Bear stamp was issued.
The exact year is not known at this time when Shaheen Salam made these two proposed designs for a Bangladesh stamp. These are copies of the images he sent me years ago. The designs incorporate the first U.S. Eid stamp issued in 2002.
2003
Unreadable Date – 25th Anniversary of Bangladaesh Philatelic Assocition with address rubber stamp at bottom left. The top rubber stamp is the logo used on the 17 July 2003 Registered envelope, issued by the Post Office.
2005
26 May 2005 – Cricket. British cover with Bangladesh mentioned in the cancellation and cachet.
Postal cards issued by the People’s Republic of China in 2005. At the top is the Barapurkuria coal mine undertaken by CMC, and at the bottom the Barapurkuria power station.
2006
2006 – Nobel prize winner Dr. Mohammed Yunis of Bangladesh. Spanish privately printed envelope. This is part of the series of envelopes printed to sell to collector
23 July 2006 – 28th Founding Anniversary of the Bangladesh National Philatelic Association, 1978 – 2006.
Unreadable Date – Cover advertising an auction by the Bangladesh National Philatelic Association. The red marking at the top reads, “1000 Free Gift” across the center and around it, “Collect 1000 Free Gift/Attend the Auction”. The green marking is the name and address of the Association. It is the same rubber stamp image as the cover illustrated above in 2003, also with an unreadable date. Fortunately, the cover illustrated above it has a date rubber stamped on it “02 Jun 2006”, enabling one to approximately date the cover below it. The two red images are the same size when seen together.
2008
ABOVE: A private postage stamp that was permitted by the U.S. Postal Department. It was possible to print private images on the stamps and they were valid for postal use. BELOW: the stamp applied to a cover, most likely made by, and sent to the same person, Dr. Muzammel Haq, who now lives in the United States. 10 April – An Indian First Day cover honoring Bangladesh. The First Day cancellation portraying the Shapla (water lily) can be found with different cities in the postmark. The First Day Cover can also be found with regular cancellations from many cities.
2009
30 July 2009 – “PHILA KOREA 2009” Advertising cover made by Kazi Nasrul Islam of Dhaka. Note the spelling of July – “Julay”.
2010
An unusual item cancelled at the Bangkok 2010 show, with the cancellation used on 5 May 2010 date. It is a well planned cover as the stamp, cancellation, cachet and currency all portray the Oriental Magpie-Robin bird.
30 July 2009 – “PHILA KOREA 2009” Advertising cover made by Kazi Nasrul Islam of Dhaka. Note the spelling of July – “Julay”.
2011
16 December 2011 – “International Seminar on Four Decades of Mukta Bangladesh – and Indo-Bangladesh Relations, Kolkata, India”.
2012
THIS IS NOT A POSTAGE STAMP - Privately Printed Label
28 September – This is not a First Day Cover as this is not a postage stamp, nor is the cancelation a post office cancelation. There is no value printed on the stamp. The “20” refers to the event. “BANGLADESH” is printed at the bottom of the label. This is known both perforated and imperforate.
2 November – Cachet on Spanish cover regarding the Bangladesh Cricket team. Cancelled at Torrevieja, Spain.
2014
14 March – ICC World Cup Twenty20, Bangladesh 2014.
2014
13 December 2014 – Spanish First Day Cover for Pope Paul II, using the same image on the cover as the one to commemorate the visit in 1986 that is illustrated above in the year 1986.
21 March – Pakistan Vs India.
22 March – South Africa Vs Sri Lanka.
27 March – Amazing Spectators.
28 March – Australia Vs West Indies.
2016
21 February – Jackson Heights, New York, USA. This cancellation was available from February 21, to April 21, 2016. It has been reported in red ink as well. The cachet is by Joshua McGhee, an artist living in California.
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