Overview of Bangladesh

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Overview of Bangladesh

Official Name
The People's Republic Of
Bangladesh
Capital
Dhaka (Area 414 sq. km.
Master plan 777 sq.km.)
Currency
Currency unit is Taka.
Notes are of
1,2,5,10,20,50,100 and
500 Taka. Coins are of
1,5,10,25,50 and 100
Poisha (100 Poisha = 1
Taka)
Language
Bangla is the state
language. English is also
widely spoken and
understood. Arabic is read
and spoken for religious
purposes
Population
Total estimated population
130 million.
Religions
Muslim 88.3%, Hindu
10.5%, others 1.2%
Area
Total: 144,000 sq km
Land: 133,910 sq km
Water: 10,090 sq km
Location
Latitude from 20 degree
34' to 26 degree 38' north.
Longitude from 88 degree
01' to 92 degree 41' east.
Boundary
Bounded by India from
the north, east and west,
Burma from the south-
east and the Bay of Bengal
from the south .
Climate
Tropical; cool, dry winter
(October to March); hot,
humid summer (March to
June); cool, rainy
monsoon (June to
October)
Rainfall
Lowest 47" and highest
136"
National Days
National Martyrs Day
( February 21)
Independence Day
( March 26 )
Victory Day ( December
16)
Principal Rivers
Padma, Meghna, Jamuna,
Brahmaputra, Madhumati,
Surma and Kushiara
Principal Crops
Rice, jute, tobacco, tea,
sugarcane, vegetables,
potato, pulses, etc.
Fruits
Mango, banana,
pineapple, jack-fruit,
water-melon, green
coconut, guava, lichis, etc.
Major Industries
Jute, sugar, paper, textiles,
fertilizers, cigarette,
cement, steel, natural gas,
oil-refinery, newsprint,
power generation, rayon,
matches, fishing and food
processing, leather, soap,
carpet, timber, ship-
building, telephone, etc.
Airports
Zia International Airport,
Dhaka,
Chittagong International
Airport,
Sylhet International
Airport
and domestic airports at
Jessore, Sylhet, Cox's
Bazar, Rajshahi and
Saidpur
Sea Ports
Chittagong
Mongla
Tourist Interests
Longest sea beach,
colorful tribal life,
centuries' old
archeological sites, the
Sundarbans (home of the
Royal Bengal Tigers and
spotted deer), largest tea
gardens, interesting
riverine life, etc.

Geography of Bangladesh

Physical Overview

Most of the areas of
Bangladesh lies within the
broad delta formed by the
Ganges and Brahmaputra
rivers. Lands are
exceedingly flat, low-lying,
and subject to annual
flooding. Much fertile,
alluvial soil is deposited by
the floodwaters. The only
significant area of hilly
terrain, constituting less
than one-tenth of the
nation's territory, is the
Chittagong Hill Tracts in
the narrow southeastern
panhandle of the country.
There, on the border with
Burma, is Mowdok Mual
(1003 m/3292 ft), the
country's highest peak.
Small, scattered hills lie
along or near the eastern
and northern borders
with India. The eroded
remnants of two old
alluvial terraces-the
Madhupur Tract, in the
north central part of the
country, and The Barind,
straddling the
northwestern boundary
with India- attain
elevations of about 30 m
(about 100 ft). The soil
here is much less fertile
than the annually
replenished alluvium of
the surrounding
floodplain.
Land
Total area: 144,000 square
kilometers;
Land area: 133,910 square
kilometers
Land boundaries: 4,246
km total; 193 km with
Myanmar, 4,053 km with
India, Coastline: 580 km.
Land distribution:
arable land 67%
forest and woodland 16%
permanent crops 2%
meadows and pastures
4%
others 11%

Independence of war in Bangladesh

A Long Way to
Freedom
The people of Bangladesh
discovered their identity
through the Language
Movement in 1952. The
struggle to establish their
identity and national spirit
began soon after 1947
when they realized that
under Pakistan created on
the two nation theory
they was little scope for
the distance culture of
Banglees to flourish . The
refusal of the central
government to grant
status to Bangla
language became the focal
point of struggle, because
language was the most
important vehicle of the
cultural expression of the
people of this land.
The contradiction of the
two Pakistans , the racial
oppression and the
exploitation of the West
over the East was
gradually unveiled. The
struggle for the
consciousness of identity
and cultural freedom
which began with the
advent of the student
movements of the 60's
gained momentum in the
mass movement of 1969.
Though it brought about
the fall of a mighty
military ruler like Ayub
Khan, the ultimate goal
was not achieved. After
this, came the election of
1970 with absolute
victory of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahaman.
In the elections of
December 7, 1970 the
Awami League won 160
out of 162 seats in East
Pakistan, all but two, and
would have had a clear
majority in the new
assembly had it been
convened. Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman became the
majority party leader of
the Pakistan National
Assembly .
The military rules of
Pakistan refused to allow
the Awami League to
form a government.
Major General Ziaur
Rahman on behalf of
Mujib declared
independence. A full scale
movement of non-
cooperation with the
military government
began on the 26th of
March, 1971 which is
celebrated as the
Independence Day every
year. Thus Bangladesh
plunged into a civil war.
The Pakistan Army
began their genocide by
attacking the innocent
Bangalees of Dhaka city.
The dwellers of Dhaka
city never confronted
such intolerable days.
The Pakistani army
massacred 35,000 Bengali
intellectuals and unleashed
a brutal war against the
Bangalees of East Pakistan
to prevent their
secession. But no one
let the dream encircled
flag fall down to dust .
During the nine month
struggle which ensued an
estimated three million
Bengalis died and and ten
million refuges fled into
India Sheikh Mujib was
imprisoned in west
Pakistan. A Bangladesh
Government in exile was
established. The actual
military campaign took
place in December and
lasted only ten days. The
Indian Army launched a
massive offensive against
the Pakistani forces to
support the Bangladesh
movement . On
December 16, 1971, the
Pakistan army
surrendered.