BANGLADESH

BRIEF HISTORY

Bangladesh is an old country with a new name. Historical records point out the existence of a territory named Banga or Bangla with a thriving trade and agriculture several thousand years ago. In the middle ages its fame spread throughout the region and to Europe as a land of fragrant rice. Muslin (a fine cotton so thin and light that yards of it could be rolled through a ring), fruits and spices. Turks, Mughals, Afghans, Armenians, Arabs, the portuguese-all come here attracted by her wealth. Finally came the English who established their rule over the territory in 1757.

During the British rule, Bengal - now Bangladesh-was delegated to a backwater provivce and suffered yaars of neglect. Isolated and underdeveloped Bengal failed to attract investors, bullders or tourists. It is only when the British left that the world began to take note of the beautiful land inhabited by a hospitable and friendly people with a rich and vibrant culture.

After the partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947, the geographical area that now forms Bangladesh became a province of Pakistan. But the same cycle of exploitation and cultural and political subjugation continued, since all economic, political and military poewer lay with west Pakistan. Finally, the people of Bangladesh rose in rebellion, and in 1971, through a nine month war of liberation, freed the country. A free and sovereign nation, Bangladesh, was born.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Bangladesh lies roughly between 20o 24' and 26038' north latitude and 88 o 1' and 92 o 41' east longitude. It has an area of 1,47,570 sq. km. (56,977 sq. milles). Bangladesh is bordered on the west by India (west Bengal) and on the east by India (Tripura and Mizoram) and Myanmar. On the north of Bangladesh lies India (Assam and Meghalaya). In the south lies the long coastline along the Bay of Bengal.

A web of rivers flows through the plains of Bangladesh. The important rivers are Padma, the Meghna, the Jamuna and the Brahmaputra. The hills of Sylhet and those in the hill districts of Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari are mostly low elevations covered with green forests.

CLIMATE

The climate of Bangladesh is tropical - hot and humid in summer and cool in winter. It rains heavily during the monsoon - the average rainfall being 138.16". The temperature in summer ranges between 21 o C (minimum) and 35 o C (maximum) while the minimum during the winter is 9 oC .

ECONOMY

The economy of Bangladesh is predominantly agro-based. The total cultivable area of the country is around 17.7 million acres tilled by over 17.8 million cultivators. The principal crops are jute , rice, wheat, tea and sugar cane.

POPULATION

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated areas of the world, with a population of about 130 million. The average density is about 2282 persons per square mile in the important areas of the country. The lowest density areas are the hill districts and the Sundarbans with 76 Persons per square mile. About 86.6 percent of the total population are Muslims. Hindus, Buddhists and the Christians, make up the rest of the population.

(running, see next day)