AN OVERVIEW OF BANGLADESH

General

Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country in 1971 following a nine month war of liberation. It is one of the largest deltas of the world with a total area of 147,570 sq. km. With a unique communal harmony, Bangladesh has a population of about 142 million, making it one of the densely populated countries of the world. The majority (about 88%) of the people are Muslim. Over 98% of the people speak in Bangla. English, however, is widely spoken. The country is covered with a network of rivers and canals forming a maze of interconnecting channels. Being an active partner, Bangladesh plays vital role in the international and regional forum, particularly in the UN, Commonwealth and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

History

Bangladesh has a glorious history and rich heritage. Once it was known as ‘Sonar Bangla’ or the Golden Bengal. The territory now constituting Bangladesh was under the Muslim rule for over five and a half centuries from 1201 to 1757 AD. Subsequently, it came under the British rule following the defeat of the sovereign ruler, Nawab Sirajuddaula, at the battle of Palassey on 23 June, 1757. The British ruled over the Indian sub-continent including this territory for nearly 190 years from 1757 to 1947. During that period, Bangladesh was a part of the British Indian provinces of Bengal and Assam. With the termination of British rule in August 1947, the sub-continent was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Bangladesh formed a part of Pakistan and was called ‘East Pakistan’. It remained so for about 24 years from August 14, 1947 to March 25, 1971. Bangladesh liberated on December 16, 1971 following the victory of the War of Liberation and appeared on the world map as an independent and sovereign country. In Bangladesh there is an elected single-house Parliament, known as the House of the Nation (Bangladesh Jatiya Sangshad), in which the legislative powers of the Republic vested in. The Speaker presides over the Parliament. The Prime Minister is the leader of the House, who is also the Head of the Government, while the President is the Head of the State. Bangladesh has a general election every five years under Non-Party Care-taker Government. Foreign affairs policy of the country has been marked by participation in multilateral interventions and peacekeeping missions, particularly as part of UN forces. The country is the pioneer in micro-credit concept for poverty reduction, which brought the Nobel Prize in Peace for the country in 2006. The founder of world reputed Grameen Bank Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus is the Nobel laureate.

Culture

Bangladesh is heir to a rich cultural legacy. In two thousand or more years of its chequered history, many illustrious dynasties of kings and Sultans ruled the country and have left their mark in the shape of magnificent cities and monuments. Apart from this, the century old cultural traditions can be viewed in innumerable tangible and intangible heritages –in archaeological sites, in sculptures, in stones and terracotta, in architectures, museums, archives, libraries, classical music, songs and dance, paintings, dramas, folk arts, festivals, games as well as ethnic cultural activities. The people of Bangladesh are very simple and friendly. A beautiful communal harmony among the different religions has ensured a very congenial atmosphere. More than 75% of the population lives in rural areas. Urbanization has, however, been rapid in the last few decades. Economy Bangladesh has an agrarian economy, although the share of agriculture to GDP has been decreasing over the last few years. Yet it dominates the economy accommodating major rural labor force. From marketing point of view, Bangladesh has been following a mixed economy that operates on free market principles.

SELECTED BASIC FACTS ABOUT BANGLADESH

Source: GOB Web Site.