The Rich History and Culture of Lal Dighi in Chittagong
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Avro Keyboard is a widely popular, free, and open-source Bengali typing software. Developed by Mehdi Hasan Khanand further enhanced by the OmicronLabteam, it has become an essential tool for Bengali computing users across different platforms. Avro Keyboard continues to significantly impact the tech community, from its revolutionary phonetic typing features to the controversies surrounding its development.
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Development History
The journey of the Avro Keyboard began in 2003 when Mehdi Hasan Khan, a student from Mymensingh Medical College, initiated its development using Visual Basic. On 26 March 2003, it was first released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Initially developed for Windows, it was later rewritten in Delphi. Starting from version 5.0.5, the source code was made available under the MPL 1.1 license.
On 2 September 2009, the Linux version (v0.0.1) was written in C++ using SCIM and licensed under GPLv2. By 2012, it moved to iBus and JavaScript before porting to Go for its next major release. The macOS version, built with Objective-C, was released on 15 December 2013.
Avro Keyboard Development History on Wikipedia
Key Features of Avro Keyboard
- Phonetic Typing:The standout feature allows typing Bengali using Roman alphabets. For instance, typing "ami banglay gan gai" yields “আমি বাংলায় গান গাই.”
- Multiple Keyboard Layouts:This keyboard supports popular layouts such as Probhat, Jatiya, Bornona, Avro Easy, and Munir Optima.
- Unicode and ANSI Support:While Unicode is the default, ANSI compatibility is available though deprecated.
- Mouse-based Typing:Users can click Bengali characters using a virtual keyboard layout.
- Real-time Spell Checker:Offers suggestions for corrections during phonetic typing.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility:Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Bengali Dictionary Integration:Editable user dictionaries for advanced auto-correction.
- Macro Support:Allows shortcuts to frequently used phrases.
- Bijoy Converter:Converts Unicode Bengali text to the older ASCII Bijoy format.
Explore Avro Keyboard Features
Portable Edition
A portable edition of Avro Keyboard was released on 2 July 2007. It does not require installation and works without administrator privileges. The portable version is lightweight and features an automatic virtual font installer.
Portable Edition of Avro Keyboard
Recognition and Awards
- Mehdi Hasan Khan was awarded the prestigious Ekushey Padakin 2025 for inventing the Avro Keyboard.
- Recognized as spyware/adware/virus-free by Softpedia.
- Listed as a vital Bengali computing resource by the Unicode Consortium.
- Bangladesh Election Commission used it for internal purposes.
- Received the Special Contribution to IT Awardin 2011 from the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services.
Conflict with Bijoy Software
Beginning of the Controversy
On 4 April 2010, Mustafa Jabbar, the proprietor of the closed-source Bijoy software, accused Avro Keyboard developers of piracy and claimed they caused a significant financial loss in a national project involving the Bangladesh Election Commission.
Public Reaction
The accusation sparked outrage on social media and Bangla blogs. Support poured in for Avro developers as many appreciated their contribution to saving taxpayers’ money.
Legal Proceedings and Settlement
Jabbar filed a copyright violation case regarding Avro's UniBijoy layout. After extensive discussions, a settlement was reached on 16 June 2010, leading to the removal of the UniBijoy layout. Jabbar formally withdrew the complaint and expressed respect for Avro's developers
The Last
Avro Keyboard remains a testament to the innovation and dedication of Bangladeshi developers. It revolutionized Bengali computing, setting new standards in user convenience and language preservation. Despite challenges, it continues to evolve as a symbol of technological progress.
