রবিবার, ১৩ মার্চ, ২০১১



People's Republic of Bangladesh
গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ
Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh
Amar Shonar Bangla instrumental.ogg

Amar Shonar Bangla
My Golden Bangla
(and largest city)
23°42′N 90°21′E
Official language(s)Bangla de jure & de facto, English de facto
GovernmentUnitary state andparliamentary democracy[1]
 - PresidentZillur Rahman
 - Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina Wazed
 - SpeakerAd.Abdul Hamid
Independencefrom Pakistan 
 - DeclaredMarch 26, 1971 
 - Victory DayDecember 16, 1971 
 - Total147,570 km2 (94th)
sq mi 
 - Water (%)6.9
 - 2009 estimate164.4 million[2] (8th)
 - Density1,099.3/km2 (9th)
2,917.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)2010 estimate
 - Total$257.545 billion[3] 
 - Per capita$1,566[3] 
GDP (nominal)2010 estimate
 - Total$105.402 billion[3] 
 - Per capita$641[3] 
Gini (2005)33.2[4] (medium
HDI (2007)increase0.543[5] (medium) (146th)
CurrencyTaka (BDT)
Time zoneBST (UTC+6)
Drives on theleft
ISO 3166 codeBD
Internet TLD.bd
Calling code880
1Adjusted population, p.4,
Bangladesh (Listeni /ˈbɑːŋɡlədɛʃ/ or Listeni /bæŋɡləˈdɛʃ/Bengaliবাংলাদেশ), officially thePeople's Republic of Bangladesh (Bangla: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh) is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma (Myanmar) to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south. Together with the Indian state of West Bengal, it makes up the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. The name Bangladesh means "Country of Bengal" in the officialBengali language.
The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengaland India in 1947, when the region became East Pakistan, part of the newly formed nation of Pakistan. However, it was separated from the western wing by 1,600 km (994 mi) of Indian territory. Due to political exclusion, ethnic and linguistic discrimination, and economic neglect by the politically-dominant West Pakistan, popular agitation grew against West Pakistan and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, which the Bengali people won with the support of India. After independence, the new state endured famines, natural disasters and widespread poverty, as well as political turmoil and military coups. The restoration of democracy in 1991 has been followed by relative calm and economic progress. Today, Bangladesh is a seculardemocratic republic.[6][7]
Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country and is among the most densely populated countries in the world. The country also has a high poverty rate. However, per-capita (inflation-adjusted) GDP has more than doubled since 1975, and the poverty rate has fallen by 20% since the early 1990s. The country is listed among the "Next Eleven" economies. Dhaka, the capital, and other urban centers have been the driving force behind this growth.[8] After many years Goldman Sachs stated Bangladesh as Next Eleven countries there are no other analyst stated Bangladesh as Emerging marketscountries until February 2011 when Citigroup categorized Bangladesh as one of Global Growth Generators countries.[9] Geographically, the country straddles the fertileGanges-Brahmaputra Delta and is subject to annual monsoon floods and cyclones. Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy with an elected parliament called the Jatiyo Sangshad. The country is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the OIC,SAARCBIMSTEC, and the D-8. As the World Bank notes in its July 2005 Country Brief, the country has made significant progress in human development in the areas ofliteracy, gender parity in schooling and reduction of population growth.[10] However, Bangladesh continues to face a number of major challenges, including widespread political and bureaucratic corruption, economic competition relative to the world, seriousoverpopulation, widespread poverty, and an increasing danger of hydrologic shocks brought on by ecological vulnerability to climate change.

Main articles: 
History of Bangladesh and History of Bengal[edit]

Somapura Mahavihara inPaharpur, Bangladesh, is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent, built by Dharmapala of Bengal.
Remnants of civilization in the greater Bengal region date back four thousand years,[11] when the region was settled by DravidianTibeto-Burman, and Austro-Asiatic peoples. The exact origin of the word "Bangla" or "Bengal" is not known, though it is believed to be derived from Bang, the Dravidian-speaking tribe that settled in the area around the year 1000 BC.[12]
The kingdom of Gangaridai was formed from at least the 7th century BC, which later united with Biharunder the MagadhaNandaMauryan and Sunga Empires. Bengal was later part of the Gupta Empire andHarsha Empire from the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE. Following its collapse, a dynamic Bengali namedShashanka founded an impressive short-lived kingdom. After a period of anarchy, the bengali BuddhistPala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years, followed by a shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty. Medieval European geographers located paradise at the mouth of the Ganges and although this was overhopeful, Bengal was probably the wealthiest part of the subcontinent up until the 16th century. The area's early history featured a succession of Indian empires, internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance.
Islam was introduced to Bengal in the 12th century by Arab Muslim merchants; Sufi missionaries and subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout the region.[13] Bakhtiar Khilji, a Turkic general, defeated Lakshman Sen of the Sena dynasty and conquered large parts of Bengal in the year 1204. The region was ruled by dynasties of Sultans and land lords Bhuiyan for the next few hundred years. By the 16th century, the Mughal Empire controlled Bengal, and Dhaka became an important provincial centre of Mughal administration.
Sixty Dome Mosque inMosque city of Bagerhat was built in the 15th century and is the largest historical mosque in Bangladesh, as well as a World Heritage site.
European traders arrived late in the 15th century, and their influence grew until the British East India Company gained control of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey in 1757.[14] The bloody rebellion of 1857 – known as the Sepoy Mutiny – resulted in transfer of authority to the crown with a British viceroyrunning the administration.[15] During colonial rule, famine racked the Indian subcontinent many times, including the Great Bengal famine of 1943 that claimed 3 million lives.[16]
Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones, with Dhaka being the capital of the eastern zone.[17] When India was partitioned in 1947, Bengal waspartitioned along religious lines, with the western part going to India and the eastern part (Muslims majority) joining Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan), with its capital at Dhaka.[18]
In 1950, land reform was accomplished in East Bengal with the abolishment of the feudal zamindarisystem.[19] Despite the economic and demographic weight of the east, however, Pakistan's government and military were largely dominated by the upper classes from the west. The Bengali Language Movement of 1952 was the first sign of friction between the two wings of Pakistan.[20] Dissatisfaction with the central government over economic and cultural issues continued to rise through the next decade, during which theAwami League emerged as the political voice of the Bengali-speaking population. It agitated for autonomy in the 1960s, and in 1966, its president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Mujib), was jailed; he was released in 1969 after an unprecedented popular uprising. In 1970, a massive cyclone devastated the coast of East Pakistan, killing up to half a million people,[21] and the central government responded poorly. The Bengali population's anger was compounded when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose Awami League won a majority in Parliament in the 1970 elections,[22] was blocked from taking office.
After staging compromise talks with Mujib, President Yahya Khan arrested him in the early hours of 26 March 1971, and launched Operation Searchlight,[23] a sustained military assault on East Pakistan. Yahya's methods were extremely bloody, and the violence of the war resulted in many civilian deaths .[24] Chief targets includedintellectuals and Hindus, and about ten million refugees fled to neighbouring India.[25] Estimates of those massacred throughout the war range from three hundred thousand to 3 million.[26]
The Bangladesh Liberation War lasted for nine months. The Bangladesh Forces formed within 11 sectors led by General M.A.G. Osmani consisting of Bengali Regulars, and Mukti Bahini conducted a massive guerilla war against the Pakistan Forces with all out support from the Indian Armed Forces. Jointly, the Mitro Bahini achieved a decisive victory over Pakistan on 16 December 1971, with Indian Armed Forces taking over 90,000 prisoners of war.

[edit]Government and politics

Jatiyo Sangshad Bhabanhouses the Parliament of Bangladesh.
National symbols of Bangladesh
AnthemAmar Shonar Bangla
AnimalRoyal Bengal Tiger
BirdOriental Magpie Robin
FlowerWhite Water Lily
FruitJack fruit
TreeMango Tree
CalendarBengali calendar
The two major parties in Bangladesh are the Bangladesh Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). BNP is led by Khaleda Zia and has traditionally been allied with Islamist parties like Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jot,[35] while Sheikh Hasina's Awami League aligns with leftist and secularist parties. Hasina and Zia are bitter rivals who have dominated politics for over 15 years; each is related to one of the leaders of the independence movement. Another important player is the Jatiya Party, headed by former military dictator Ershad. The Awami League-BNP rivalry has been bitter and punctuated by protests, violence and murder. Student politics is particularly strong in Bangladesh, a legacy from the liberation movement era. Almost all parties have highly active student wings, and student leaders have been elected to the Parliament.
The January 22, 2007 election was postponed indefinitely and emergency law declared on January 11, 2007 as the Army backed caretaker government of Fakhruddin Ahmed aimed to prepare a new voter list and crack down on corruption. They also assisted the interim Government of Bangladesh in a drive against corruption, which resulted in Bangladesh's position in Transparency International'sCorruption Perceptions Index changed from the very bottom, where they had been for 3 years in a row, to 147th in just 1 year.[36] A large alliance led by the Bangladesh Awami League won the December 29, 2008 poll, in a landslide victory. They got 230 seats among 300 seats in the parliament.[37]

[edit]Foreign policy and military

Bangladeshi Air Force MiG-29 lands at a BAF Base.
Bangladesh's most important and complex foreign relationship is with India. This relationship is informed by historical and cultural ties and forms an important part of the domestic political discourse. Bangladesh's relationship with India began on a positive note because of India's assistance in theindependence war and reconstruction. Throughout the years, relations between both countries have fluctuated for a number of reasons.
A major source of tension between Bangladesh and India is the Farakka Dam.[38] In 1975, India constructed a dam on the Ganges River 11 miles (18 km) from the Bangladeshi border. Bangladesh alleges that the dam diverts much needed water from Bangladesh and adds a man-made disaster to the country already plagued by natural disasters. The dam also has terrible ecological consequences.[38] On the other hand, India has voiced concerns about anti-Indian separatists and Islamic militants allegedly being harboured across their 2,500-mile (4,000 km) border, as well as the flow of illegal migrants, and is building a fence along most of it.[39] But at the 2007 SAARC meeting both nations pledged to work cooperatively on security, economic and border issues.[40]
The current strength of the army is around 200,000 including reservists,[41] the air force 22,000,[41] and navy 14,950.[42] In addition to traditional defense roles, the military has been called on to provide support to civil authorities for disaster relief and internal security during periods of political unrest. Bangladesh is not currently active in any ongoing war, but it did contribute 2,300 troops to the coalition that fought in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Bangladesh is consistently a top contributor to UN peacekeeping forces around the world. As of May 2007, Bangladesh had major deployments in Democratic Republic of CongoLiberiaSudanTimor-Leste and Côte d'Ivoire.[43] Presently Bangladesh is the largest troop contributor country to the UN.[44]

[edit]Divisions, districts and upazilas

Administrative divisions of Bangladesh. This map shows the highest level unit called a Division.
Bangladesh is divided into seven administrative divisions,[45][46] each named after their respective divisional headquarters: Barisal (বরিশাল), Chittagong (চট্টগ্রাম), Dhaka (ঢাকা), Khulna (খুলনা), Rajshahi(রাজশাহী), Sylhet (সিলেট), and Rangpur (রংপুর).
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. Other major cities include ChittagongKhulna,RajshahiSylhetBarisalBograComillaMymensingh and Rangpur. These cities have mayoral elections, while other municipalities elect a chairperson. Mayors and chairpersons are elected for a span of five years.
City↓City population (2008 estimate)[48]↓Metro population (2008 estimate)[48]↓

[edit]Geography and climate

Satellite image presenting physical features of Bangladesh
The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 m (3,451 ft) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to the southeast of the country.[52]Cox's Bazar, south of the city of Chittagong, has a beach that stretches uninterrupted over 120 kilometres (75 mi).
Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, Bangladeshi climate is tropical with a mild winter from October to March, a hot, humid summer from March to June. A warm and humid monsoon season lasts from June to October and supplies most of the country's rainfall. Natural calamities, such as floodstropical cyclonestornadoes, and tidal bores occur almost every year,[53] combined with the effects ofdeforestationsoil degradation and erosion. The cyclones of 1970 and 1991 were particularly devastating. A cyclone that struck Bangladesh in 1991 killed some 140,000 people.[54]
Bangladesh is now widely recognized to be one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Natural hazards that come from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones are expected to increase as climate change, each seriously affecting agriculture, water & food security, human health and shelter.[56] It is believed that in the coming decades the rising sea level alone will create more than 20 million[57] climate refugees.[58] Bangladeshi water is contaminated with arsenic frequently because of the high arsenic contents in the soil. Up to 77 million people are exposed to toxic arsenic from drinking water.[59][60] Bangladesh is among the countries most prone to natural floodstornados and cyclones.[61][62]

[edit]Flora and fauna

Royal Bengal Tiger


A prepared field for sowing paddy plants.
At April 2010, USA - based ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) awarded Bangladesh a BB- for a long term in credit rating which is below India and well over Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia.[65] And, despite continuous domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a developing nation.[66] However, Bangladesh gradually decreased its dependency on foreign grant and loan from 85% (In 1988)[67] to 2% (In 2010) [68] for its annual development budget. Its per capita income in 2010 was US$641 compared to the world average of $8,985.[69] But, ifpurchasing power parity (PPP) is taken into account, Bangladesh's economy is the 44th largest in the world at US$257 billion according to the IMF.
Jute was once the economic engine of the country. Its share of the world export market peaked in theSecond World War and the late 1940s at 80%[70] and even in the early 1970s accounted for 70% of its export earnings. However, polypropylene products began to substitute for jute products worldwide and the jute industry started to decline. Bangladesh grows very significant quantities of rice, tea, potato, mango, onion and mustard. According to FAOSTAT, Bangladesh is one of world's largest producers of:[71] Rice (4th), Potato (11th), Mango (9th), Pineapple (16th), Fruit, Tropical (5th), Onion (16th), Banana(17th), Jute (2nd), Tea (11th).
Although two-thirds of Bangladeshis are farmers, more than three quarters of Bangladesh’s export earnings come from the garment industry,[72] which began attracting foreign investors in the 1980s due to cheap labour and low conversion cost. In 2009-10 fiscal year the industry exported US$ 12.6 billion[73]worth of products where in 2002 the exported amount was US$ 5 billion. Recently Bangladesh has been ranked as the 4th[74] largest clothing exporter by the WTO (The World Trade Organization) .[75] The industry now employs more than 3 million workers, 90% of whom are women.[76] A large part of foreign currency earnings also comes from the remittances sent by expatriates living in other countries.
Jamuna Bridge: one of the longest bridges in the world
Bangladesh has seen expansion of its middle class (world's Fifty Forth largest, just below of Singapore & Vietnam), and its consumer industry has also grown. In December 2005, four years after its report on the emerging "BRIC" economies (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), Goldman Sachs named Bangladesh one of the "Next Eleven",[77] along with EgyptIndonesiaVietnam and seven other countries.
Bangladesh has seen a dramatic increase in foreign direct investment. A number of multinational corporations and local big business houses such as BeximcoSquareAkij GroupIspahaniNavana GroupTranscom GroupHabib GroupKDS GroupDragon Group and multinationals such as Unocal Corporation and Chevron, have made major investments, with the natural gas sector being a priority. In December 2005, the Central Bank of Bangladesh projected GDP growth around 6.5%.[78] In order to enhance economic growth, the government set up several export processing zones to attract foreign investment. These are managed by the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority.


Languages of Bangladesh map.svg
Recent (2007–2010) estimates of Bangladesh's population range from 150 to 164 million and it is the8th most populous nation in the world. In 1951, the population was 44 million.[80] It is also the most densely populated large country in the world, and it ranks 11th in population density, when very small countries and city-states are included.[81] A striking contrast is offered by Russia which has a slightly smaller population spread over a land area that is 120 times larger than Bangladesh. Bangladesh's population growth was among the highest in the world in the 1960s and 1970s, when the country swelled from 50 to 90 million. With the promotion of birth control in the 1980s, the growth rate has slowed. The population is relatively young, with 60% being 25 or younger and 3% being 63 or older.Life expectancy is 63 years for both males and females.[82]
The overwhelming majority of Bangladeshis are ethnic Bengalis, comprising 98% of the population.[83] The remainder are mostly Biharis and indigenous tribal groups. There is also a small but growing population of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar around Cox's Bazaar, which Bangladesh seeks to repatriate to Myanmar. The indigenous tribal peoples are concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the southeast. There are thirteen tribal groups located in this region, the largest being the Chakma. The Hill Tracts region has been a source of unrest and separatism since and before the inception of Bangladesh.[84] Outside the Hill Tracts, the largest tribal groups are the Santhals andGaros (Achiks), while smaller groups include the KaibarttaMeiteiMundasOraons, and Zomi.
Nearly all Bangladeshis speak Bangla as their mother tongue and it is the official language.[85] It is an Indo-Aryan language of Sanskritorigin with its own scriptEnglish is used as a second language among the middle and upper classes.[86] English is also widely used in higher education and the legal system. Historically, laws were written in English and translated into Bengali until 1987 when the procedure was reversed.[87] The Bihari population speaks Urdu, which was also the language associated with the government prior to separation from Pakistan.
Health and education levels remain relatively low, although they have improved recently as poverty levels have decreased. Most Bangladeshis continue to live on subsistence farming in rural villages. Health problems abound, springing from poor water quality and prevalence of infectious diseases. The water crisis is acute, with widespread bacterial contamination of surface water and arsenic contamination of groundwater.[88] Common diseases include malarialeptospirosis and dengue. The literacy rate in Bangladesh rose to 53.5% in 2007.[89] There is gender disparity, though, as literacy rates are 50% among men and 31% among women, according to a 2004 UNICEF estimate.[89] Among the most successful literacy programs are the Food for education (FFE) introduced in 1993,[90] and a stipend program for women at the primary and secondary levels.[91]
The main religion practiced in Bangladesh is Islam (89.7%), but a significant percentage of the population adheres to Hinduism(9.2%).[92] The majority of Muslims are Sunni. There is a small Shia and an even smaller Ahmadiyya community. Ethnic Biharis are predominantly Shia Muslims. Sufi influences in the region go back many centuries.[93] Other religious groups include Buddhists (0.7%, mostly Theravada), Christians (0.3%, mostly of the Roman Catholic denomination), and Animists (0.1%). Bangladesh has the fourth largest Muslim population after IndonesiaPakistan, and India, with over 130 million. Bangladesh was founded as a secular state, but Islam was briefly made the state religion, before returning by decree of the High Court to the principles of its 1972 constitution.[94] The High Court also strengthened its stance against punishments by Islamic edict (fatwa), following complaints of brutal sentences carried out against women by extra-legal village courts.[95]


Celebrations of the Pohela Baishakh at Dhaka.
Reflecting the long history of the region, Bangladesh has a culture that encompasses elements both old and new. The Bengali language boasts a rich literary heritage, which Bangladesh shares with the Indian state of West Bengal. The earliest literary text in Bengali is the 8th century Charyapada. Medieval Bengali literature was often either religious (e.g. Chandidas), or adapted from other languages (e.g. Alaol). Bengali literature reached its full expression in the nineteenth century, with its greatest icons being poetsRabindranath TagoreMichael Madhusudan Dutt and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Bangladesh also has a long tradition in folk literature, for example Maimansingha GitikaThakurmar Jhuli and stories related toGopal BharBirbal and Molla Nasiruddin.
The musical tradition of Bangladesh is lyrics-based (Baniprodhan), with minimal instrumental accompaniment. The Baul tradition is a distinctive element of Bengali folk music. Numerous other musical traditions exist includingGombhiraBhatiali and Bhawaiya, varying from one region to the next. Folk music is often accompanied by the ektara, an instrument with only one string. Other instruments include the dotaradholflute and tabla. Bangladesh also has an active heritage in North Indian classical music. Similarly, Bangladeshi dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal groups, as well as the broader Indian dance tradition.[96]
Bangladesh produces about 80 films a year.[97] Mainstream Hindi films are also quite popular.[98] Around 200 daily newspapers are published in Bangladesh, along with more than 500 periodicals. However, regular readership is low at just under 15% of the population.[99] Bangladeshis listen to a variety of local and national radio programs like Bangladesh Betar. Four private FM radio stations named (Radio FoortiABC RadioRadio TodayRadio Amar) are popular among urban youths. International Bengali language broadcasts include BBC Bangla and Voice of America. The dominant television channel is the state-owned Bangladesh Television, but in the last few years, privately owned channels have developed considerably.
Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, being the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar, are the subject of major festivals. The day before Eid ul-Fitr is called Chãd Rat (the night of the moon) and is often celebrated with firecrackers. Eid ul-Adha is celebrated in the memory of great sacrifice of Prophet Abraham. Major Hindu festivals are Durga PujaKali Puja and Saraswati PujaBuddha Purnima, which marks the birth of Gautama Buddha, and Christmas, called Bôŗodin (Great day), are both national holidays. The most important secular festival is Pohela Baishakh or Bengali New Year, the beginning of the Bengali calendar. Other festivities include NobannoPoush parbon (festival of Poush) and observance of national days like Shohid Dibosh and Victory Day.


Primary (from grades 1 to 5), Secondary (from grades 6 to 10), Higher Secondary (from grades 11 to 12) and tertiary.[100] The five years of lower secondary education concludes with a Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Examination. Students who pass this examination proceed to two years of Higher Secondary or intermediate training, which culminate in a Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination.[100] Education is mainly offered in Bangla, but English is also commonly taught and used. A large number of Muslim families send their children to attend part-time courses or even to pursue full-time religious education, which is imparted in Bangla andArabic in madrasahs.[100]
Bangladesh has 30 public universities where National University is the Largest one and University of Dhaka, established in 1921, is the oldest university of the country. Bangladeshi universities are affiliated with the University Grants Commission (UGC), a commission created according to the Presidential Order (P.O. No 10 of 1973) of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.[101]


Bangladesh team returning to the dressing room at theSher-e-Bangla Cricket StadiumDhaka
Cricket enjoys a passionate following in Bangladesh and it is the most popular sport followed by football (soccer). The national cricket team participated in their first World Cup in 1999, and the following year was granted elite Test cricket status. But they have struggled to date, recording only three Test matchvictories,one against Zimbabwe in 2005 and the other two in a series win of 2-0 against the West Indiesin 2009.[102] In July, 2010, they celebrated their first ever win over England in any form of match. Later in 2010,they managed to whitewash New Zealand for the first time in history. In 2011, Bangladesh is going to host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 jointly with India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh often upsets big teams in ICC World Cup. The famous wins are in 1999 against Pakistan.In 2007 against India and South Africa,while defeating England in 2011.
In Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou they defeated Afghanistan to claim Gold Medal in the first ever cricket tournament held in Asian Games.
Hadudu (Kabaddi) is the national sport of Bangladesh. Other popular sports include field hockeytennisbadmintonhandball,basketballvolleyballchessshootingangling and carrom. The Bangladesh Sports Control Board regulates twenty-nine different sporting federations.