Where is Bangladesh located? Bangladesh country description Bangladesh country characteristics.
Bangladesh on the world map
To find a little one country Bangladesh, take a map and find southeast Asia. This country from all sides surrounded by India and has only border with Myanmar (Burma). What are the characteristic features of the country:
- the main part of the territory is flat;
- Three rivers flow through Bangladesh: Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna;
- in the north spread out Himalaya mountains;
- the country has access to the Indian Ocean;
And also Bangladesh, together with the Indian state of West Bengal, form an ethno-linguistic Bengal region.
The country has enough extreme natural conditions. It is not only incredibly hot here, but also very high humidity. Therefore, tourists are recommended to visit this country in winter.
A little history
Very often tourists believe that Bangladesh is a part of India. But that's not true. "Country of Bengalis" is a separate state, although it was in Middle Ages under Indian rulers. Bangladesh fought for independence for many years until 1765 didn't make him yours colony. IN 1947 when she became independent, Bangladesh entered composition of Pakistan on a religious basis - the majority of the population professed Islam. And only in 1976, with the help of weapons, Bangladesh after all won its long-awaited independence.
Safety first
Although Bangladesh has a huge number of ancient monuments that are interesting for tourists, one must remember that there are enough difficult political situation and there is a high probability of terrorist attacks. Terrorists often attack places, Where foreigners are resting. So in 2016, there was an attack on a restaurant, which resulted in the death of 20 people. And in 2017, a suicide bomber attacked the airport. Happens frequently in Bangladesh political demonstrations that end in violence.
What NOT worth doing for tourists in Bangladesh:
- visit crowded places;
- participate in protests;
- use local public transport;
- move around the city at night.
And in Bangladesh there is enough high seismic activity. Therefore, weather conditions should also be taken into account.
BANGLADESH
People's Republic of Bangladesh, a state in South Asia. Formed on the site of the former Pakistani province of East Pakistan. Its political leaders on March 20, 1971 announced the creation of an independent state called Bangladesh, which means "Bengali people." It actually arose on December 16, 1971, when Pakistani troops surrendered to the joint command of the East Bengal and supporting Indian armed forces. The country is located mainly within the deltaic plains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra and the mountainous region bordering Myanmar and northeast India. Bangladesh borders India and, for a very short distance, Myanmar, and is washed in the south by the waters of the Bay of Bengal. Area 144 thousand square meters. km. The population, according to a 1998 estimate, is 127.4 million. Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world: population density is 885 people per 1 sq. km. The capital and largest city is Dhaka.
Bangladesh. The capital is Dhaka. Population - 127.4 million people (1998). Population density: 885 people per 1 sq. km. Ratio of urban and rural population: 14% and 86%. Area: 144 thousand sq. km. The most high point: Mount Reng Tlang (957 m). Official language: Bengali. Main religion: Islam. Administrative division: 64 districts. Currency: taka. National holiday: Independence Day - March 26. National Anthem: My Golden Bengal, I Love You.
NATURE
Surface structure. Alluvial deposits of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna and their tributaries determined the main features of the relief of Bangladesh. Along the banks of the rivers forming a multi-branch delta, there are riverbed levees, the outer sides of which gently descend to the swampy and moisture-saturated floodplain lowlands. Although hollow water emerges from the riverine spaces enclosed by these levees only at the peak of floods, it can remain in depressions of the relief all year round. The Ganges flows mainly to the southeast. After merging with the Brahmaputra (locally called Jamuna), their united stream Padma also follows in a southeast direction until it receives the waters of Meghna. Already under this name the river flows into the Bay of Bengal, like the Ganga-Padma channels flowing directly to the south: Kabadak, Garay, Madhumati, Burishwar. Spills on large rivers last for several weeks. Rivers overcome the barrier of riverbed levees and flood vast areas with their muddy waters. Large areas of Dhaka and Faridpur districts in central Bangladesh are regularly inundated during floods. Here alluvial soils, enriched with silt during floods, are characterized by high natural fertility. During floods, the Ganges, Brahmaputra and other rivers often change their courses. This often leads to the erosion of agricultural land and the formation of new sandy islands in the wide channels of migrating watercourses. In the northeast of the country, floods of the Meghna tributaries are more stable. Along the base of the Shillong plateau in the Indian state of Assam lies a trough that extends further south into the Bangladeshi district of Sylhet called the Meghna depression. Part of this territory, located 320 km from the coast, is raised no more than 3 m above sea level. Hollow waters fill depressions, forming lakes that exist from May to October. The lowland northwestern regions have high absolute heights, but their maximum elevations barely exceed 90 m. They represent a fragment of a belt of gently sloping alluvial fans formed by sandy alluvium, which are confined to the southern foothills of the Himalayas. In this area, catastrophic floods and channel shifts occur on the Tista River. The eastern part of Bangladesh has the highest surface elevations. Deeply dissected ridges separate Sylhet district to the east. The ridges of the same system extend parallel to each other in a meridional direction across the southeast of the Chittagong Hill Tracts district. The peaks reach elevations of more than 900 m. The strong dissection of the terrain with parallel valleys makes it difficult to pass. Karnaphuli, the main river of Chittagong Hill Tracts, is dammed.
Climate. Bangladesh has a typical monsoon climate. Winters are mild, dry and sunny. Average daily temperatures range from 10° to 27° C. During the dry season, from November to February or March, the eastern half of the country usually receives less than 180 mm of precipitation, while in the northwest it falls less than 75 mm. From April to May is the season of “small rains,” so necessary for peasants preparing to plow for the early sowing of autumn ausa rice. During these months, the amount of precipitation in eastern Bangladesh exceeds 380 mm. This season is the hottest. Average daily minimum temperatures are 21-26° C, maximum reach 32° C. The rainy period itself lasts from June to October, when the monsoon air flow invades from the Bay of Bengal and brings more than 1270 mm. The thermal regime is very stable: the air, as a rule, does not warm up above 31° C. At night there can be noticeable cooling down to 6° C. Precipitation in April and September - October is of decisive importance for agriculture. Without the April rains to soften the soil, the planting of ausa rice and the main market crop, jute, have had to be postponed. “Small rains” are unstable in time and in the amount of moisture they bring, which affects the sustainability of agricultural production. With weak and delayed monsoon rains, a serious shortage of Amon rice, the main (winter) harvest, is possible. The coastal districts of Bangladesh, especially those adjacent to the Meghna Estuary, are severely affected by tropical cyclones, causing massive loss of life and property. Several hundred people were killed by high tides in November 1970 during the passage of one of these cyclones. Floods cause major damage, as happened in 1998, when 1/3 of the country was flooded (which also led to the outbreak of epidemics). Less damage is caused by hail storms, which occur most often in March - April, and hurricanes.
Soils. In steep mountainous areas in the east of the country, colluvial soils have formed on coarse rocky sediments and fine earth at the foot of the mountains. The rest of Bangladesh has a variety of alluvial soils. Within the heights of Barind (Ravjshakht region) and Madhupur (Tangail district), clayey lateritic soils, the so-called, were formed on ancient Pleistocene alluvium. red khyar, which become very dense during the dry season. In deltaic areas, within the influence of sea tides, saline, clayey, heavy soils are common. On the Bay of Bengal side they are bordered by a strip of light sandy soils. In relatively large depressions, heavy soils dominate. Alluvial soils everywhere have a sandy loam and sandy composition if sediments are deposited by the Brahmaputra, Meghna and Teesta, and clayey in the Ganges basin. Floodplain soils in the active delta have a high silt content.
Vegetation. The indigenous vegetation of Bangladesh survives mainly in a few forested areas, such as the mangroves of the Sundarbans, the vicinity of Madhupur and the hills near Chittagong. In the latter case, a fairly extensive array of evergreen semi-deciduous and deciduous plants has been preserved. tropical forests. In the hill zone, where agriculture is based on rotational cultivation of short-term fallow lands, primary forests are replaced by derived bamboo jungles. In other parts of the country, the territory has long been cleared for crops.
Animal world. There are still tigers in the forests. The hill area is home to elephants, rhinoceroses, leopards, civets, jackals, munjtak and sambar deer, and wild boars. Crocodiles are common in the intertidal channels of the Sundarbans. Bangladesh has many monkeys, bats, mice, otters, mongooses, shrews, rats, and birds, among which peacocks, pheasants, partridges, ducks and bank roosters deserve mention. Common reptiles include snakes, including cobras and kraits, and lizards, including geckos. Amphibians include salamanders, frogs and toads.
POPULATION
Demography. In 1951, 44,957 thousand people lived in Bangladesh, then the province of East Pakistan, and in 1961 - 54,353 thousand people. During the period between censuses, the annual demographic growth rate was approx. 2%. In the next decade they rose to 2.7%. The family planning program did not bring significant results. Despite heavy human losses in l970 due to a catastrophic cyclone and the civil war of 1971, the population continued to increase rapidly in the 1970s. According to the 1974 and 1981 censuses, the country had 76,398 thousand and 89,940 thousand inhabitants, respectively, which meant an increase of 2.4% per year. During the period from 1981 to 1995, the population growth rate decreased to 1.6% per year.
Population density and distribution. Bangladesh belongs to the category of the most densely populated countries in the world (average population density is 885 people per 1 sq. km). The highest density was observed in the Dhaka and Chittagong regions (1017 people per 1 sq. km). In the suburban areas of Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chittagong and Khulna, this figure exceeds 1,550 people per 1 sq. km. Low population density is in the mountains (in the Chittagong Hill District there were 78 people per 1 sq. km in 1991), as well as in the coastal areas of Khulna and Patuakhali districts (300-350 people per 1 sq. km). In the districts of Dinajpur in the northwest and Sylhet in the northeast of the country in 1991 there were less than 400 people per square meter. km.
National composition of the population, religion and languages. The clear majority of the population of Bangladesh are Bengalis. Their ethnic basis consisted mainly of Indo-Aryan tribes. Mongoloid peoples are concentrated in some eastern districts. The Bengali language, part of the Indo-Aryan language group, arose on the basis of Sanskrit, Prakrit and Pali and was subsequently influenced by Arabic, Persian and English. Replaced English as the official language and is used for official purposes, but the latter remains in use in government agencies, business circles and educational institutions. In 1947, the majority of the population in the territory of modern Bangladesh were Muslims, about 1/5 were Hindus, according to the 1991 census - 88.3 and 10.5%, respectively. The main language for members of both faiths was Bengali. After 1947, almost 700 thousand Muslims from areas that became part of independent India, mainly from West Bengal, Bihar and Assam, flocked to the borders of East Pakistan, carved out of the regions of the colonial provinces of West Bengal and Assam. Most of the new arrivals from West Bengal and Assam, but not the Urdu-speaking migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were of Bengali ethnicity. However, all immigrants from the last two provinces often began to be united under the collective name “Bihari”. Already from the end of the 19th century. Many non-Muslims, mainly representatives of small nations, came from Orissa and other parts of British India to work on the tea plantations of Sylhet. The 1961 census showed that more than 6 million people in Bangladesh were born outside its borders. Bihari, whose number exceeded 600 thousand people in 1971, worked primarily in industrial enterprises in cities. Since many Biharis took a pro-Pakistan stance during the 1971 civil war, they provoked hostility from the Bengalis. The war forced several million people, mostly non-Muslim Bengalis, into India, although many refugees later returned to Bangladesh. Of the national minorities, the ancient population of the country is considered to be the peoples living in the mountains, who together number approx. 500 thousand people Culturally and in some cases anthropologically, they are associated with those ethnic groups, partly of Mongoloid roots, who live in the neighboring elevated regions of India and Myanmar. The chief of these minorities are the Chakma, Maghi and Tippera or Tripura, the others being the Mru, Kuki, Lushei and Khyang. Most of them profess Buddhism, although some, such as Tippera, are Hindu. The Santals are settled in small groups in western Bangladesh. The population of the Chittagong hillocks was protected by law during the colonial period from the expansion of inhabitants from the lowlands. After 1947, the migration flow to higher areas increased noticeably. This gave rise to demands from the mountaineers to protect their interests and provide them with real autonomy. In this regard, unrest often arose, followed by negotiations. In December 1997, an agreement was reached to limit resettlement to the district, which received autonomy in resolving local affairs.
Cities. Urbanization was slow until the 1960s. In 1961, only 5% of the total population was concentrated in centers where 5 thousand people lived. Only three of them - Dhaka, Chittagong and Narayanganj, which grew more actively than others - exceeded the 100,000 mark. But in the 1960s and 1970s, the process of urbanization accelerated, so that in the mid-1990s almost 18% of the country's inhabitants were urban residents. The population of Dhaka grew by 64% during 1951-1961 (up to 362 thousand people), and during 1961-1991 by another 411% (up to 1850 thousand people). In 1991, it amounted to 3,839 thousand people within the official city boundaries (without neighboring Narayanganj). Chittagong has become the main industrial center of the country. Its population increased during 1961-1991 from 364 thousand to 2,407 thousand people. In the 17th century The Portuguese established their commercial outpost here, the most important in the Bay of Bengal. In later times, the city's well-being depended on the Assam-Bengal Railway, which did not directly lead to Assam, but provided access there through a highway built in the mountains. Narayanganj is a leading center for the production of jute goods. Its population in 1961 reached 6 thousand, and in 1991 - 96 thousand people. Khulna also stands out for its jute industry, and its Chalna anchorage has developed into the country's second most important port. The number of residents in 1961-1991 increased from 81 thousand to 731 thousand people, i.e. more than 9 times.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
From 1947 to 1971, modern Bangladesh was one of the provinces of Pakistan, a country created entirely on religious grounds and consisting of two predominantly Muslim regions of British India. They were separated by approximately 1,600 km of Indian territory. Both parts of the new state differed in national composition: Bengalis are clearly dominant in the east, while other ethnic groups are settled in the west. The eastern province was much poorer than the rest, and the Bengalis felt themselves to be economically exploited by West Pakistan. In addition, despite the large population, the eastern part of the country did not have the corresponding political weight and only equal representation in the country's parliament. The mass discontent of the Bengalis was expressed in the fact that they voted primarily for the Awami League (People's League), founded in 1949 in Dhaka. In 1970, the Awami League, which advocated broad autonomy for East Pakistan, won elections to the country's National Assembly thanks to the introduced principle of “one person, one vote.” This party gained a majority in parliament, winning almost all the seats allocated to the province of East Pakistan. When the Assembly session was adjourned in March 1971, the Bengalis, led by the Awami League, responded with a campaign of defiance. The repressive actions of the Pakistani armed forces began on March 25, and the next day, March 26, the Awami League declared the independence of East Pakistan, renamed Bangladesh. Although Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Mujib) was arrested, other leaders took refuge in India, where they formed a government in exile. India provided assistance in logistically equipping the liberation army units, the Bukti Makhini, who began guerrilla operations against Pakistani troops. On December 3, 1971, India joined the hostilities. Pakistani army units in the eastern province surrendered on December 16, which determined the political independence of Bangladesh.
Political system. The temporary constitution established a parliamentary form of government. The president was entrusted with the nominal functions of the head of state. The prime minister, accountable to parliament, became the key figure in the country's public administration system. Due to his popularity, the first Bangladeshi Prime Minister Mujib gained enormous power. The new constitution, adopted in January 1975, proclaimed Bangladesh a presidential republic. Leadership of the executive branch passed to the president. The President does not report to the legislature - the Jatiya Sangsad, unlike the Prime Minister. Theoretically, parliament could remove the president with 3/4 of the parliamentary votes, but the latter received the right to create a one-party political system and relieve any parliamentarian who refuses to become a member of this single party from his duties. Serious economic difficulties and rampant corruption undermined President Mujib's position. On August 15, 1975, he was killed during a military coup. Presidential functions were assumed by Khondakar Mushtaq Ahmad, who created a military government, which included mainly high-ranking officials of the previous regime. In November there was another coup, after which parliament was dissolved. The new military cabinet was headed by Army Chief General Ziaur Rahman (Zia). He assumed the presidency in 1977, won the presidential election in 1978 and led his party to success in the 1979 parliamentary elections. General Zia was killed in a failed mutiny on May 30, 1981. He was succeeded by Vice President Abdus Sattar, who won the November presidential elections. Already on March 24, 1982, Sattar was removed in a bloodless coup, a martial law law was passed, and General Hussein Muhammad Ershad became the chief military administrator. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury became the nominal president, while Ershad retained real power. In December 1983, Chowdhury resigned, giving way to Ershad. Ershad's regime was not popular, and as a result of the 1986 elections, the Awami League, which took part in them, led by Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Mujib's daughter, became the leading opposition force in parliament. However, Ershad soon dissolved parliament due to protests by the population, dissatisfied with the past election campaign. The next elections, scheduled for 1988, were boycotted by the main opposition parties, and at the end of 1990 Ershad was forced to resign. A provisional government took over the country, promising to hold fair elections in February 1991. With the help of an amendment to the Constitution, the presidential system initiated by Mujib in 1975 was replaced by a return to a parliamentary system. Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (founded by her murdered husband), became prime minister.
Local administrative-territorial structure. Bangladesh has 6 administrative regions: Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Chittagong, which broadly coincide with the main physiographic divisions. The next step is the sub-regions that became the 20 former districts: Dhaka, Mymensingh, Tangail, Barisal, Patuakhali, Jamalpur, Faridpur, Sylhet, Chittagong, Khulna, Noakhali, Jessore, Pabna, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Comilla, Dinajpur, Bogra, Kushtia and Gorny Chittagong. In return, 64 new districts (zillas) were formed, and it is significant that real government bodies were never created in the subregions. The districts, in turn, are divided into administrative regions (upazillas) and then into the smallest units - “unions”. The final lower level is the villages. During the period of independence, a number of changes occurred in local government. As of 1998, the only representative body active at the local level is the Union Parishad (a “union” committee whose members are selected from groups of villages and decide issues relating to roads, bazaars, dispensaries, etc.). The National Committee on Local Government proposes to establish a four-tier management system, for which it is recommended to have “councils” or committees in districts, administrative areas, “unions” and villages. A final decision on this issue has not yet been made. The country's leading cities - Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi - have municipalities with elected mayors and city councils. The main local government official is the deputy commissioner, who controls the state of affairs in the district. This position is a legacy of the British Raj in India and is held by professional administrators reporting to the area commissioner and the central government.
Political parties and organizations. There are three main political parties in Bangladesh: the Awami League, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jatiya (People's) Party. As an alternative to the Muslim League, the Awami League party (until 1971 - All Pakistan People's League) was founded in 1949 by Hussein Shahid Suhrawardy (1893-1963). Those who did not adhere to the Islamic faith began to be accepted into its ranks. This was an important development in a country where approximately 20% of the population was Hindu. After Suhrawardy's death, the Awami League became the organization of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh to independence in 1971. Although the Awami League, which faced little opposition in the country's first parliament, initially maintained unity, it was not strong. In 1975, when Mujib created a one-party state, the Awami League was renamed the Bangladesh Workers' and Peasants' People's Party. That same year, Mujib was assassinated, and the Awami League, which restored its former name, went into opposition. Despite the split, the leading faction of the Awami League became the main anti-government force after the 1979 parliamentary elections. She supported one of the candidates in the presidential elections in 1978 and put forward her own challenger in 1981, but in both cases the representatives of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) won. In the mid-1980s, leadership in this faction passed to Mujibur Rahman's daughter, Hasina Wazed. Successful participation in the 1986 parliamentary elections appointed by Ershad gave the faction the status of the official opposition, but then the Awami League refused to participate in the work of the country's legislative body. This forced Ershad to hold new elections in 1988, which the Awami League boycotted. Together with the BNP, she opposed the Ershad regime, although the two parties rarely took joint action. However, in 1990 they joined forces to organize mass demonstrations, as a result of which the president was forced to resign. In the next parliamentary elections of 1991, the Awami League lost only to the BNP, but Hasina had to return to the role of leader of the opposition, which demanded a return to the parliamentary system of government. In 1991, another election was held under the auspices of a non-party caretaker government, but the Awami League, in alliance with the Jatiya Party and the Jamaat-e Islami, insisted that a similar government control the 1996 elections. The BNP initially refused, but due to the outbreak of demonstrations it was forced make concessions. In new elections in June 1996, the Awami League won a majority of seats in parliament and, with the support of the Jatiya Party, formed a government led by Hasina. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party was founded in 1978 as the political organization of President Ziaur Rahman. After his assassination, she remained in the ruling position for another year, until Abdus Sattar was overthrown from his post in 1982, after which the BNP went into opposition. The line of opposition to the Ershad regime, expressed, in particular, in the refusal to participate in the elections, was clearly manifested when Khaleda Zia, the widow of Ziaur Rahman, became the leading figure in 1984. In the 1991 elections, the BNP defended the presidential system of government, but then, together with the Awami League, ensured the return of the country to a parliamentary system. In the June 1996 elections, the BNP became the second party in terms of the number of parliamentary seats. The Jatiya Party emerged in 1983 as a political instrument of Ershad's military government. Its program calls for being guided by the principles of Islam. In economics, the emphasis is on the development of a market economy and the denationalization of industries that still remain state property, which is close to the position of the BNP. Since Jatiya was the ruling party, many experienced politicians defected to it in the mid-1980s. Although Ershad was under arrest during the 1991 parliamentary elections, the party managed to obtain a number of mandates, including for Ershad. In 1996, she took third place in terms of the number received. Several parties are in favor of turning Bangladesh into an Islamic state. The largest of these is the Jamaat-i Islami, which was successful in parliamentary elections in 1991, but was able to win only three deputies in the June 1996 elections. Other opposition parties include two far-left factions that spun off from the National People's Party, the Bangladesh Muslim League and other extremely small or purely regional groups. A number of political forces in Bangladesh have not been formally consolidated into party structures. Each party has its own groups among the highly politicized student population. In the early 1970s it supported Mujib's government, but then the Students' League split into supporters and opponents of the changing regimes.
Judicial and legal system. Civil law in Bangladesh has a British basis, although in some matters, such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and wills, the laws of different religious groups are used. Criminal law is also based on practice in the UK. However, when a state of emergency is declared in a country, authorities are allowed to detain citizens without obtaining legal authorization. During this period, no government decree can be the subject of legal proceedings. The Supreme Court accepts important cases of various nature and incoming appeals. The members of the court are appointed by the president.
Foreign policy. During the first 10 months after the declaration of independence, Bangladesh was recognized by more than 70 countries of the world, including the USA and the USSR. Of the great powers, China, which supported Pakistan, was not on this list. In addition to Iraq, Muslim countries of the Middle East and Africa also spoke in favor of recognizing the new state. In February 1974, Bangladesh recognized Pakistan. In 1974, Bangladesh was admitted to the UN. Bangladesh under Ziaur Rahman took an active part in organizing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, although the final agreement on its creation was signed after the death of the president. The new association covered Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The issue of turning the Association into a free trade zone was discussed. Indian assistance to the Bengali rebels played a very important role in the success of the struggle for independence of Bangladesh. Shortly after December 1971, the two countries entered into a 25-year treaty of mutual friendship, a trade agreement, and a number of economic and cultural cooperation programs. However, the pro-Indian foreign policy quickly declined, especially after the removal of the cabinet of ministers Mujibur Rahman from power in 1975. The dispute over the division of the Ganges waters also had an impact. The bilateral friendship treaty was not renewed in 1997. India erected a barrage on the Ganges in order to replenish the flow of the Gangetic branch of the Hooghly River, which flows through Calcutta. As a result, during the dry period, the Ganges downstream became noticeably less full of water than before, which negatively affected the irrigation capabilities of southwestern Bangladesh and created the threat of land salinization. In 1997, an agreement was concluded between the countries on the division of the Ganges flow during the low-water season (March - May). There were also disagreements over the border issue, which were resolved in 1992. The Awami League's position is often characterized by its opponents as pro-India, in contrast to the position of the BNP. India's proposal to grant it the right to transit traffic to the northeastern states through Bangladesh caused a negative reaction from this party. The USSR supported the creation of Bangladesh. Relations with the United States were not easy for the young state due to their support for Pakistan during the Bengali struggle for independence. The US later assisted Bangladesh in rebuilding its shattered economy. The USSR's position weakened throughout the 1970s, and the government of Bangladesh criticized the decision to send Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979.
Armed forces. Bangladesh maintains a small army. In 1997 it numbered approx. 117 thousand military personnel, and 80 thousand people were in paramilitary formations.
ECONOMY
Bangladesh is a poor country with a large and rapidly growing population. In the mid-1990s, 2/3 of the workforce was employed in agriculture, and approx. 30% of the gross domestic product was created in agriculture. However, the country suffers chronically from food shortages. Important resources on which the national economy can rely include tea from the plantations of Sylhet, natural gas fields and hydropower reserves in the Chittagong zone. In this city, as in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Khulna, the bulk of the manufacturing enterprises are concentrated. In 1998, Bangladesh approved a large-scale program to attract foreign capital to develop gas deposits, with which certain hopes are pinned on organizing its export to India. One of the primary goals is to achieve food self-sufficiency. Rice harvests increased from 12 million tons in 1979-1980 to 18 million tons in 1993-1994, but despite this growth, the country remains chronically dependent on imports. Another important goal was to expand the production of jute for export, either as raw material or finished product, which in the 1980s provided the country with about 60% of foreign exchange earnings from foreign trade. In the mid-1990s, 75% of the value of Bangladesh's total exports came from clothing and textiles. Tea and seafood are also supplied to foreign markets in large quantities.
Transport. The natural conditions in the delta region of Bangladesh make transportation difficult. There is a single bridge across the Ganges - north of Kushtia, which carries a broad-gauge railway, and a combined railway and road bridge over the Jamuna, which was commissioned in 1998. There are no bridges at all on Padma. Therefore, transportation of people and goods across most rivers is carried out by ferries. Additional problems are created by the different width of the railway gauge on the banks of the Jamuna and Padma. To the east of these rivers, the former Assam-Bengal Railway and others are meter gauge. In the west of the country, almost all railways are broad gauge; they connect the northwestern regions of Bangladesh with Kushtia, Jessore and Khulna, and also lead to India. The right bank rail tracks from one of the crossings over the Jamuna to Santahar, Rangpur and Dinajpur are also meter gauge. Total length railways in the country approx. 2900 km. The road network was denser in those areas where it was easier to build bridges, especially in the western districts, in the lands north of Dhaka and in the territory between Chittagong and Sylhet. In the lower reaches of the rivers, vehicular traffic is slow due to the need to frequently resort to ferries, and many roads become impassable during the rainy season. In the mid-1990s, the length of major highways in Bangladesh was approximately 6,240 km. Transportation on rivers occurs at low speed, but their economic importance is extremely high. Airplanes connect the centers of a number of districts with passenger flights. Bangladeshi airline Biman was founded in 1972. In addition to serving domestic routes, it provides flights to many countries in Asia, Europe and the USA.
Energy. This industry is very poorly developed: its capacity is approximately 2,608 thousand kW. Of these, approximately 1/10 is accounted for by the hydroelectric station on the Karnaphuli River, from where the power line stretches to Chittagong and further to Dhaka. The new bridge over the Jamuna was used, in addition to organizing rail and road traffic, also for transporting gas and electricity to the western regions of the country. The remaining power plants run on natural gas and oil.
Agriculture. The Bangladeshi village is characterized by consumer production in small peasant households. A focus on cash crop cultivation is becoming increasingly important. The main one, jute, was grown on an area of 0.5 million hectares in 1993-1994 (in 1985-1986 the crops reached 1 million hectares). The crop is grown mainly in the floodplain lowlands of the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma and Meghna, where the fertility of the local alluvial soils is maintained by the annual floods of the rivers. In the early 1990s, jute production was approx. 900 thousand tons per year. Rice is grown throughout the lowlands, but significant surpluses are available for domestic sale only in Sylhet and the western districts. Harvests in the early 1990s averaged 18.3 million tons. Harvests are distributed over three agro-climatic seasons, and therefore many varieties are grown. Aus is cultivated mainly to meet their own food needs, since the harvest occurs during the rainy season and the grain is poorly stored. There is competition between Aus and Jute for land. Amon (aman) rice is planted in the field, usually as seedlings. They are harvested at the beginning of the dry season, obtaining the best quality grain for sale. Boro, also cultivated using seedlings, produces a higher yield than amon, but its cultivation is possible due to natural limitations only on a small area. Tea grows successfully on the profitable plantations of Sylhet, with an annual production of approx. 50 thousand tons. Other important crops include sugarcane, potatoes, wheat and sweet potatoes. To better prepare the soil for sowing, the fields are repeatedly plowed with a light wooden plow and harrowed. The draft force is a team of undersized oxen; weeding and harvesting are carried out using hand tools. Threshing of rice and other grains is carried out by driving cattle along a current, or by hand; the jute is cut with a sickle, thoroughly soaked and then peeled, also by hand, separating the fiber from the stem. In order to more intensively use arable land (including in the dry season) and to make early sowing possible before the main rains fall, irrigated agriculture is being widely introduced. Irrigation and heavy rains make it possible to obtain two or even three harvests per year from the plot, thereby turning 7.6 million hectares of arable land into 13.6 million hectares of gross sown area.
Fisheries and forestry. Fish is an important component of the Bengali diet and one of its export items. The most important commercially are hilsa and several types of shrimp. The country's main forest resources are concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Hills. The most valuable is garjan from the dipterocarp family - a native mahogany species of Bangladesh, which has high-quality hardwood. The establishment of teak plantations continues successfully. Hardwood logs are floated down the Karnaphuli River to sawmills and plywood factories, and bamboo is used in the paper industry. The sal tree groves with durable timber associated with the Madhupur hills are being cut down for the purpose of using the tree as fuel and building material.
Mining industry. Only natural gas is extracted from the depths on a large scale and consumed at power plants and mineral fertilizer plants. Its resources in 1994 were estimated at 600 billion cubic meters. m. The main deposits are located in the east of the country - in the districts of Comilla and Sylhet. In 1997-1998, Bangladesh showed great interest in attracting foreign direct investment to explore and organize the exploitation of new gas basins. Poor quality coal deposits, estimated at 1 billion tons, have been identified in the Bogra district. Limestone is mined in this district for the needs of the cement industry. There is an acute shortage of building stone and gravel in Bangladesh. The manufacturing industry is heavily dependent on imported raw materials. This applies to the cotton mills that have sprung up in many cities - Dhaka, Narayanganj, Khulna, Chittagong, Kushtia and Pabna. There is an oil refinery and a steel plant in Chittagong, which produces round rods, mild steel sheets, and galvanized sheets. In Khulna and Chittagong, ships are built and repaired, and engines are also manufactured. Only industries related to the processing of jute, sugar cane and tea, as well as the pulp and paper industry and mineral fertilizer factories, rely on domestic resources. Jute mills are located near Dhaka and in Khulna, Chittagong, Chandpur and Sirajganj. Sugar mills are located in the northern and eastern districts of the country, as well as in the districts of Mymansingh, Habiganj and Dhaka. Tea factories are located in Sylhet and Chittagong districts. The paper is manufactured by units in Chandraghona and Pabna, while the hardboard is manufactured in Khulna. In Sylhet, the production of paper pulp from bamboo, reeds and jute processing waste has been established. Mineral fertilizers based on natural gas are produced in Fenchuganj (Sylhet district), in Ghorasal and in Ashuganj, near Dhaka. The ready-made garment industry is progressing rapidly, having a serious impact on employment, imports and especially on the structure of the country's exports, in which it has gained a leading position. In 1947-1971, many industries in East Pakistan emerged thanks to the activities of the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation of Pakistan. The constructed enterprises were sold mainly to businessmen from the western part of the country. In 1972, the government of Bangladesh nationalized a number of industries (jute, sugar, cotton industries), banks, insurance companies and some firms that owned river and maritime fleets. Most of those affected by this process were West Pakistani entrepreneurs who had previously dominated industry in the eastern province. After 1975, the leadership of Bangladesh encouraged the private sector, pursued a policy of attracting foreign investors and privatizing state-owned enterprises, primarily in the jute and other textile industries.
Money circulation and public finances. The main currency in Bangladesh is the taka, which replaced the Pakistani rupee in 1972. The issue is handled by the Bangladesh Bank, which acts as the country's central bank. Current revenues are formed primarily on the basis of different types of taxation: customs duties, excise taxes, and sales tax. In the early 1990s, a value added tax was introduced. The main items of current government expenditure consist of allocations for defense, civil administration, education, health care, family planning activities and the payment of government debt obligations. Capital expenditures were financed through a separate budget, mostly through external sources.
Foreign trade and foreign exchange payments. The leading export items are clothing, jute and jute products, additional items are leather goods, tea and sea shellfish. Imports are dominated by industrial equipment and vehicles, food, especially rice and wheat, ferrous metals, cotton and its derivatives, petroleum products, mineral fertilizers and vegetable oils. Imports of food account for the cost of 1/8 to 1/6 of total imports and entail the expenditure of 1/3 to 1/2 of the foreign currency received by the country from exports. In 1995, goods worth $4.3 billion were exported, while imports amounted to $6.7 billion. This obvious imbalance in foreign trade is compensated by foreign loans and credits and remittances into the country from citizens working abroad. These transfers, which increased sharply in the late 1970s and early 1980s, reached $1.09 billion in 1993–1994, and non-repayable loans received from abroad in 1993–1994 amounted to $463 million. In the same year, external loans were received in the amount of $1.9 billion.
SOCIETY
Social structure. It is estimated that 88.8% of the population of Bangladesh in 1998 were Muslim. Most of them are Sunnis, but some are Shiites: “esna Ashariyya” (“followers of 12 imams”) and the Ismaili sect, whose spiritual head has the title of Aga Khan. The country does not take into account the number of Muslims belonging to one or another branch of Islam. Although Islam does not recognize official church institutions, in rural areas the opinions of the heads of local religious communities - the pirs - are usually listened to. Hindus form approx. 10% of the population. They are socially stratified according to the traditional caste system and belong predominantly to the lower castes. Members of high castes tended to migrate to India after the 1947 partition, religious clashes in the early 1950s and the 1971 war. Muslims and Hindus living in Bangladesh have much in common in customs, behavior and lifestyle. Buddhists (approx. 0.6%) and Christians (approx. 0.5%) are also represented in the country. The main lower unit is the extended family. Its head often shares shelter and daily chores with his married sons and their families, as well as with his unmarried children. Support for impoverished close relatives is widespread. If a father goes bankrupt and is left without funds, his eldest son must take care of the education and upbringing of his brothers and sisters. In urban and industrial areas this traditional family structure is not always maintained. Educated and independently earning family members increasingly leave their father's home and become isolated even when their father is alive, although they may still give money to their parents. However, as the desire to raise one's standard of living intensifies, this assistance to relatives becomes less stable. The Bangladeshi diet consists primarily of rice and fish.
The status of women. In Bangladesh, most women perform the traditional role of housewives. In rural areas, they lead a reclusive lifestyle: in the house they live in the women’s quarters, and when going outside, they put on a veil. In cities, women are more emancipated. More and more girls are studying in schools, colleges and universities. The number of women working outside the home is increasing. The National Women's Aid Administration was founded in 1972. It covered many members of those families where all the men died in wartime. Grameen Bank, founded by Mohammad Yunus in 1976, helps women by providing them with small loans for small businesses.
The youth. The educated part of the youth is well organized and actively involved in politics; almost all student communities in the country belong to associations associated with leading parties. The students made significant contributions to the independence movement of Bangladesh and earned the respect of society. The main problem is the divergence within the student body on many social and economic issues, which gives rise to frequent unrest among them and leads to the temporary closure of educational institutions.
Health and Social Security. Malaria and tuberculosis are among the endemic diseases in Bangladesh. Radical improvements in public health are difficult to achieve due to poor nutrition and cyclone-related natural disasters leading to outbreaks of gastric diseases. Unemployment causes additional difficulties. Government efforts to improve the social security system have little effect due to lack of funds.
CULTURE
Public education. Adult literacy is estimated at 37%. Primary education is provided with public funds, but is not compulsory. It is believed that 95% of children attend school, but this figure is exaggerated because it most likely covers everyone who looked into classrooms during the school year. High schools are mostly private. There are 9 government colleges in Bangladesh. New trends in the field higher education led to the opening of approximately 20 private universities.
Literature and art. During the period of British colonial rule, modern Bengali literature began to develop successfully primarily in Calcutta, and more by Hindus than Muslims. Poetry reached a particularly high level in Bengal, the most outstanding representative of which was the Hindu Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). It was his poetic works that became the national anthems in both Bangladesh and India. Tagore received the Nobel Prize in 1913 for his collection of poems by Gitanjali. The first widely known writer among Bengali Muslims is Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976). The popular poet Jasimuddin Abul Fazl (1903-1976) composed colorful folk ballads that reflected the life of the local village. Major Bengali prose writers included Tagore's contemporaries: Sarat Chatterjee, Bibuti Bhushan Banerjee and Irabhat Kumar Mukherjee. After 1947, a group of Bengali writers emerged and gained a high reputation in East Pakistan. Some of them wrote historical novels, others focused on romantic fiction, others depicted class conflicts and clashes of personalities, including Shoed Waliullah, Shookot Isman, Abdul Ghaffar Chaudhuri and Alauddin Al-Azad. The Bengali literary tradition also included the plays of Munir Chowdhury and the vivid prose of Muhammad Shahidullah, Mufazzal Haidar Chowdhury, Enamul Hoka, Sirajal Islam Chowdhury and Badruddin Omar. Some Bengali artists have also earned great fame. Zeinul Abedin represents the modern realistic movement in painting. Among other prominent Bengali masters visual arts- Kamrul Hassan, Rashid Chowdhury, Hashim Khan and Murtaza Bashir. The country has a rich tradition in music, dancing, singing and theater arts. In rural areas, dances and music have long been associated with folk festivals dedicated to sowing and harvesting, the upcoming New Year, and the change of seasons. In the cities, numerous private troupes perform plays and organize song and dance evenings. Bengali artisans created the famous Dhaka muslin, and Dhaka saris were famous for their fine workmanship. Many organizations and institutions are involved in the promotion and development of various types of arts in Bangladesh. Among them is the Academy. Bulbul ("Nightingale"), named after the famous performer of folklore works, the Music Academy, the Society for the Development of Arts and Letters, etc. The Bangladesh School of Painting and Artistic Crafts makes a particularly significant contribution to the training of personnel.
Libraries, museums and scientific institutions. The University of Dhaka has the largest book collection in the country. Other universities also have their own book collections. The Central Public Library in Dhaka has a good selection of publications from recent decades. There are government-funded public libraries in every district center. The Dhaka Museum has a rich collection of images of Hindu gods and goddesses. Valuable exhibits are kept in private museums in Rajshahi and Dhaka, controlled by government agencies. Mahastangarh in Bogra district and Mainamati in Comilla district are known as promising archaeological sites. Scientific research is conducted primarily at universities and a number of government research institutions. Among them are the Atomic Energy Commission, the Scientific and Technical Research Council, and the Agricultural Research Council. Medical Research Council, Family Planning Institute, Forest Laboratory, Center for Medical Excellence, Met Office and National Institute of Statecraft. The Asia Society of Bangladesh, whose origins date back to the 18th century, is the largest private research organization.
Mass media. Publishing activity is almost entirely concentrated in private hands. In 1996, there were 142 daily newspapers, predominantly in Bengali; a number of major national newspapers are published in English. Control over the activities of radio and television is carried out by the relevant National Directorate. Television stations operate in Dhaka and 9 provincial cities. Radio Bangladesh broadcasts from Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur and Sylhet. There are numerous cinemas in the country showing films mainly in Bengali and English languages, Hindi and Urdu. No film is released without prior approval from official censors. But the development of television through outer space, in particular the ability to receive television broadcasts using satellites launched by India, makes censorship an ineffective tool of control. The Cinematography Development Corporation was created to encourage commercial film production.
Sports and holidays. The most popular sports are football, cricket, field hockey, tennis, shooting and swimming. Bangladesh celebrates its Independence Day on March 26th. Other civil holidays include: Day of Remembrance of the Victims - February 21, when in 1952 students who came out demanding the recognition of Bengali as the official language in Pakistan were killed; Victory Day is December 16, when the surrender of Pakistani troops took place in 1971, and Boxing Day is December 26. Christians (for example, Christmas), Buddhists (Buddha Purnima), Hindus (Durga Punja) and, naturally, Muslims celebrate their own religious holidays.
STORY
The decisive factor in the history of Bangladesh is the extreme poverty of the population. As part of British India, the lands of modern Bangladesh (then the eastern part of the province of Bengal) became the world's leading jute export region. Its fiber was processed in factories in and around Calcutta and exported to foreign markets through the Calcutta port. When British rule in the region ended in 1947, there was a division into predominantly Hindu India and predominantly Muslim Pakistan. East Bengal became part of Pakistan, being separated from its western part by 1600 km of Indian territory, where Calcutta remained. This deprived the new province of its former economic center. Between 1947 and 1961, the economy of East Pakistan stagnated. The Bengalis were not fully represented in the Pakistani army, parliament and central government apparatus, and the government invested most of its resources in the economic development of the western provinces. Apart from the construction of jute mills, mainly financed by investors from the western part of the country, it was difficult to detect other positive developments in the industry of East Pakistan. The population of the province grew faster than rice production increased, so it was necessary to expand food imports. Although jute served as the main source of foreign currency for the entire country, the eastern province became increasingly poorer compared to West Pakistan. The national liberation movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s was led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Mujib), leader of the Awami League party, which issued a declaration on March 26, 1971 on the creation of an independent state of Bangladesh. After a civil war in which India supported the rebels, Pakistani government troops surrendered on December 16, 1971, which was a decisive victory in the formation of a new state. In January 1972, Mujib returned from exile to take over as prime minister. Mujib put forward four fundamental principles that the young state had to adhere to: nationalism, socialism, secularism and democracy. He began to disarm the fighting rebel groups and invited foreign economists to develop a development program along the socialist path. In 1972, many industrial enterprises were nationalized, including jute and cotton mills and sugar refineries, as well as banks, insurance companies and tea plantations. At the end of 1972 parliamentary democracy was introduced. The general elections held in March 1973 brought victory to Mujib's Avanti League party. In the summer of 1974, severe floods caused severe damage to rice crops and caused widespread famine. Food shortages coupled with soaring oil prices caused a significant increase in inflation. The prestige of the country's leadership fell, which, combined with accusations of nepotism and corruption by the regime, undermined the authority of Mujib himself. In December 1974, the government introduced martial law. Amendments to the constitution led in January 1975 to the replacement of the democratic parliamentary system with presidential rule and the transition to a one-party system. Mujib became president and announced the need for a “second revolution” that would end corruption and terrorism. In June, all independent newspapers were closed. Mujib's desire for an authoritarian regime deepened discontent in the army, and on August 15, 1975, a group of officers carried out a coup, killing Mujib and most of his family members (his daughter Hasina, the future prime minister, was outside the country at the time). After two failed coups in early November 1975, Army Chief Major General Ziaur Rahman (Zia) emerged as a leading figure in the new regime and successively served as Chief Military Administrator in November 1976 and President in April 1977. Zia made vigorous efforts to achieve growth in food production, with an emphasis on irrigation, and at the same time introducing the “family planning” program to the masses, under the new president there was a significant shift in the country’s foreign policy. Mujibur Rahman led Bangladesh to independence with strong Indian help and therefore followed a pro-Indian line. Zia was more critical of India, especially due to the conflict situation regarding the distribution of Ganges waters that arose after the construction of the Farakka barrage on Indian territory. Zia won the presidential election in June 1978. In September, he founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which achieved a major victory in the parliamentary elections in February 1979. At the same time, Zia repealed the emergency law. On May 30, 1981, Zia was killed during a failed mutiny. Vice President Abdus Sattar, as the highest civilian, assumed the presidency, to which he was officially elected in November. However, he did not have the support of the military, and the situation began to slip out of his control. On March 24, 1982, the commander of the army's armed forces, Lieutenant General Hussein Muhammad Ershad, carried out a bloodless coup and, introducing martial law, took over the duties of the chief military administrator. In June, Ershad announced changes in government economic policy to bring key industries, especially jute and pulp and paper, back into the private sector. In November 1983, Ershad initiated the formation of the Jatiya Party and the following month declared himself president. However, his government faced strong opposition from the BNP, led by Ziaur Rahman's widow Khalida Zia, and the Awami League, led by Majibur Rahman's daughter Sheikh Hasina Wazed. Strikes and anti-government protests led to the president's dissolution of parliament in 1987, in which the Awami League acted as the official opposition. Both the BNP and the Awami League opposed the holding of new elections scheduled by Ershad for 1988. In November 1990, both parties came to a common position on the issue of Ershad's resignation from his post, which happened in December 1990. The interim president agreed that his main task was to conduct democratic (“free and fair”) elections. Elections were held in February 1991. Khaleda Zia took the post of Prime Minister. The Awami League called for the restoration of a parliamentary system of government in the country, while the BNP advocated maintaining a presidential republic. The BNP then changed its position and agreed to the Awami League's proposed constitutional amendment aimed at restoring parliamentary democracy. On November 24, 1995, the Prime Minister dissolved parliament and called elections for February 15, 1996, which were boycotted by these three parties. The new parliament, dominated by deputies from the BNP, approved constitutional amendments that took into account the insistence of the opposition, and decided to dissolve itself. Elections held by a "non-party caretaker government" in June 1996 once again promoted the Awami League to the role of ruling party. With the assistance of the Jamia Awami League party, which took its side, it formed a government headed by Sheikh Hasina Wazed.
LITERATURE
People's Republic of Bangladesh. Directory. M., 1974 Trinich F.A. Bangladesh. Economic-geographical essay. M., 1974 Puchkov V.P. Political development of Bangladesh: 1971-1985. M., 1986
Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .
- a state in southern Asia. It borders on India in the west, north and east, and on Myanmar in the southeast. In the south it is washed by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
In the Bengali language, the name of the country means “the country of Bengal”.
Official name: People's Republic of Bangladesh
Capital: Dhaka
The area of the land: 144 thousand sq. km
Total Population: 154 million people
Administrative division: The country is divided into 4 regions.
Form of government: Republic.
Head of State: President, elected for a term of 5 years.
Population composition: 98% are Bengalis, 2% are Chakma, Mogh, Santal, Bihari.
Official language: Bengali (Bengali), in the service sector and in government institutions they speak English, Urdu, Chakma, Mag, etc. are widely used.
Religion: 83% are Sunni, 16% are Hindu.
Internet domain: .bd
Mains voltage: ~220 V, 50 Hz
Country dialing code: +880
Climate
Bangladesh has a typical monsoon climate. Winters are mild, dry and sunny. Average daily temperatures in January range from 12° to 25° C. Summer is hot and rainy, the average temperature of the hottest month, April, is 23–34° C.
Average annual precipitation is 2000–3000 mm. During the dry season, from November to February or March, the eastern regions of the country usually receive less than 180 mm of precipitation, while the north-west receives less than 75 mm. From April to May is the season of “small rains”, so necessary for peasants preparing for plowing for the early sowing of autumn rice. During this hottest season, the amount of precipitation in eastern Bangladesh exceeds 380 mm, the average daily minimum temperatures are 21–26 ° C, and the maximum is 32 ° C.
The actual rainy period lasts from June to October, when the monsoon air flow invades from the Bay of Bengal and brings more than 1270 mm. The thermal regime is very stable: the air, as a rule, does not warm up above 31° C. At night there can be noticeable cold snaps down to 6° C.
Geography
A state in South Asia, in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent, bordered by the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. It borders on India in the west, north and east, and on Burma (Myanmar) in the southeast.
Most of the country's territory is lowland on alluvial plains with heights less than 10 m above sea level within the common delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (Jamuna), which is flooded almost every year. The relatively elevated territory - the Chittagong Hills (the highest point of the country - Modok Mual, 1003 m) - occupies less than a tenth of the country's area.
Along the eastern and northern border with India lie the low Madhpur Hills, whose height does not exceed 30 m. In the southwest of the country there are extensive mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans. The area of the country is about 144 thousand square meters. km.
Flora and fauna
Vegetable world
Bangladesh is dominated by cultural landscapes. Natural vegetation remains only in a few areas. For example, mangrove forests are common in the Sundarbans in the southwest of the country. They are dominated by the sundri tree.
The Lushai and Chittagong mountains contain moist tropical evergreen and monsoon forests that shed their leaves during the dry season. Valuable species such as teak and sal trees are common in the forests. In the lowlands, where shifting agriculture is practiced, primary forests are replaced by bamboo jungle. In most of the country, forests have long been cleared, and their place is dominated by agricultural land.
Animal world
The Bengal, or royal, tiger is sometimes found in the forests. Wild elephants live in the southeast. Rhinoceroses, leopards, civets, jackals, muntjac and Indian sambar deer, and wild boar are not uncommon. Crocodiles are common in the coastal waters of the Sundarbans.
In Bangladesh there are many monkeys, bats, otters, mongooses, shrews, rats and ordinary mice, as well as many species of birds (peacocks, pheasants, partridges, ducks, parrots, Bengal vulture, etc.). Reptiles include snakes, including cobras and kraits, as well as lizards, including geckos. Amphibians include salamanders, frogs and toads.
Attractions
Bangladesh is one of the most unusual countries in the region, although little known to foreign tourists. Although this young republic has a strong reputation for poverty, mosquitoes, cyclones and floods, the reality is not quite that complicated.
In fact, this is a beautiful land with a rich history and diverse culture, a land of interesting traditions and peoples, famous for its amazing nature and amazing tolerance local residents. And in terms of the number of rivers, channels, canals and reservoirs, this small territory can easily be compared with much larger states.
Banks and currency
Taka is equal to 100 paise.
Credit cards(especially American Express) and traveler's checks in US dollars are accepted by major banks in the country on par with British pounds sterling and are quite easily used in most hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in Dhaka and Chittagong, but outside major cities their use is virtually impossible.
A tip (or "baksheesh") to the clerk is likely to be required on almost every exchange except in more isolated rural areas. Outside Dhaka and Chittagong, exchanging pounds or other currencies is already problematic.
Useful information for tourists
Tourism in Bangladesh is poorly developed: the country lies far from established tourist routes; unstable internal situation (hostilities between government troops and rebels in the Chittagong Hill Hills have only recently ceased). Marine tourism is promising - cruises along the country's coast.
Bangladesh or People's Republic of Bangladesh- a state in South Asia, located mainly within the delta plains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra. In the west, north and east, for 4 thousand km, it borders with India, in the southeast (193 km) with Myanmar, in the south it is washed by the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean.
Bangladesh occupies the eastern part of the ancient region of Bengal. The name of the state means "Country of Bengal".
The country's area is 144,000 km². The country stretches for 820 kilometers from north to south and 600 kilometers from east to west. Length coastline- about 580 km.
The topography of Bangladesh in most of the country is flat. The highest point in the country is Keokradong (1,230 m). In the southeast of Bangladesh stretch the deeply dissected western ranges of the Lushai Mountains and the Chittagong Mountains.
Climate
The climate in Bangladesh is tropical monsoon.
Conventionally, there are three main seasons - a relatively cool winter (from October to February-March), a hot and humid summer (from March to May-June) and a warm, rainy monsoon period (from June to October). Moreover, this division is quite arbitrary, since the air temperature fluctuates quite weakly throughout the year - in January +18...+25°C, in April (the hottest month) - +23...+34°C.
Annual precipitation is 2000-3000 mm, in the northeast of the country - up to 5000 mm (one of the wettest places in the world). Moreover, about 80% of the moisture falls from May to mid-October, when rains falling over the entire Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys lead to river flooding and flooding of vast areas. During the period of tropical cyclones, the country is hit by heavy downpours, accompanied by powerful sea winds that can cause storms and waves that rise up the rivers inland.
Best time The cool season for visiting Bangladesh is from October to February, when the weather is relatively dry and quite comfortable for a European. It is not recommended to visit in April-May, when humidity and high air temperatures make staying in the country unbearable.
Last changes: 03/07/2013Population
- one of the poorest overpopulated countries in the world. The population is more than 162 million people (2010). Urban population - 27% (in 2008).
Average life expectancy is 60 years (58 years for men, 63 years for women).
Ethnic composition- Bengalis 98%, the rest are from the northern regions of India (the so-called “Biharis”), as well as small tribal peoples: Chakma, Santals, Marmas, Tripura, Garo, Tanchangya, Mrong, etc.
Religions – Islam (state religion) 89.5%, Hinduism - 9.6%, others - 0.9%.
The official language is Bengali (Bengali).
Last changes: 03/07/2013Currency
Taka (BDT)- monetary unit of Bangladesh. One taka is equal to 100 paise. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 500 taka, 100 taka, 50 taka, 20 taka, 10 taka, 5 taka, 2 taka and 1 taka, as well as coins in 500, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 paise.
Banks are open from Sunday to Wednesday from 09.00 to 15.00, on Thursday - from 09.00 to 13.00. Some are also open on Saturday mornings.
It is recommended to exchange currency at banks and exchange offices. Fees vary greatly from location to location, so you should always check with us beforehand. It is not recommended to change currency on the street, as cases of fraud are common.
Outside Dhaka and Chittagong, exchanging currency (with the exception of US dollars, pounds sterling and Indian rupees) is quite problematic, although it is quite possible to pay with it at small retail outlets. However, many upscale hotels accept payment for their services only in convertible currency or travel checks.
Credit cards are accepted to a limited extent in some hotels and restaurants in Dhaka and Chittagong, but in other cases their use is almost impossible. In large cities it is not a problem to find ATMs, but in the provinces it is difficult.
Travel checks can be cashed at the capital's airport and at the offices of some large banks. To avoid additional costs associated with exchange rate fluctuations, it is recommended that you bring checks in US dollars or pounds sterling.
Last changes: 03/07/2013Communications
Calling code: 880
Internet domain: .bd
Telephone city codes
Dhaka - 2, Barisal - 431, Khulna - 41
How to call
To call from Russia to Bangladesh you need to dial: 8 - 10 - 880 - area code - subscriber number.
To call from Bangladesh to Russia you need to dial: 00 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.
Landline communications
Public telephones are rare in Bangladesh and can be found in major shopping areas, some shops and post offices in major cities. In all other cases, you will have to look for them, and many of them are located in some public organizations and institutions, so there is simply no access to them outside of working hours.
mobile connection
The cellular communication system is well developed in comparison with landline communications. At the same time, coverage is limited only to the main cities and tourist centers of the country; stable communication in the provinces is problematic. Communication standards - GSM 900/1800. However, many small operators and an extremely confusing tariff system make it very difficult for a foreigner to use SIM cards from local operators, although prices are generally very low.
Local mobile operators:
Last changes: 03/07/2013Shopping
Bangladesh is one of the largest ready-made garment producers in the world (many famous brands such as Nike, Adidas and Levis make their clothes here). Although these products are not intended for sale in local markets, they can be found in abundance in many shopping areas of the capital.
Popular souvenirs from Bangladesh: products made of pink pearls, hand-woven fabrics, silk, masks made of coconut shells, bamboo products, leather, wood, reed weaving and original traditional dolls. There are many workshops in Dhamrai where you can, by selecting from a catalog, order an intricate piece of jewelry or a bronze figurine and have it delivered to any hotel in Dhaka.
Trade is an integral part of the buying and selling process, so you almost always need to bargain, especially in markets (you can even bargain in stores where there are price tags on goods). With proper bargaining, you can reduce the price by 2-3 times.
Shops are usually open from Sunday to Thursday, from 09.00 to 20.00, on Fridays from 09.00 to 12.30 and from 14.00 to 20.00. Markets are open on weekday mornings (usually from 6.00), small private shops operate on individual schedules, and numerous hawkers work almost all daylight hours.
During the holy month of Ramadan, most shops are closed throughout the day, opening only at sunset.
Last changes: 03/07/2013Where to stay
Bangladesh has a fairly limited selection of good hotels - in the capital there are only 4 5* hotels, but some of them clearly do not reach 4*, and the situation is no better in other cities. Only in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar are the hotels a little more modern and, most importantly, there are many more fairly decent mid-level hotels.
The national tourism organization Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation operates the most modern hotels throughout the country, and in its offices you can get information about all hotels or private boarding houses suitable for foreigners.
Last changes: 03/07/2013Sea and beaches
Main and only beach resort Bangladesh. The beaches here are flat and wide, with golden-silver sand.
Last changes: 03/07/2013Story
The first state formations in Bangladesh arose in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. One of them was the state of Vanga, from which the modern name of the country comes.
At the end of the 1st millennium BC. e. this territory was included in the Indian Mauryan Empire, and in the first centuries AD. e. - to the Gupta Empire. After its collapse, the areas of present-day Bangladesh and the territories lying to the west constituted the early feudal state of Bengal, where the Gauda, Palov and Sen dynasties ruled successively for seven centuries.
At the end of the 12th century, the Sen state split into several small feudal principalities, which facilitated their conquest by the troops of the Delhi Sultanate. This conquest was also accompanied by the conversion of a large part of the population to Islam.
In the middle of the 14th century, the governors of the Delhi sultans who ruled in Bengal turned into virtually independent sovereigns who ruled the country until 1567, when it was conquered by the Great Mogul Akbar.
At the beginning of the 18th century, Bengal briefly became an independent state. However, a period of widespread territorial expansion by the British soon began, who, after the Battle of Plassey (1757), established their control over Bengal.
Until 1947, Bangladesh was a British colony within India.
With India achieving independence and dividing it into two states in 1947, it became part of Pakistan under the name East Pakistan.
The territorial isolation from West Pakistan (about 1,600 km), as well as political, economic, linguistic and ethnic differences between the two parts of the state led to the rise of the national liberation movement.
In December 1970, the Freedom League, which advocated autonomy, won the elections in East Pakistan. But the Pakistani government refused to hand over power to the Awami League in East Pakistan. In response to the general strike and mass civil disobedience, the Pakistani government dissolved the Freedom League on March 25, 1971 and imposed martial law in East Pakistan.
The independence of the territory of East Pakistan was declared on March 26, 1971, which led to the war of liberation. However, the armed struggle for independence against the Pakistani army with help from India lasted until December 16, 1971 and ended in the defeat of the central authorities of Pakistan. On the same day, December 16, 1971, the formation of a state called Bangladesh was proclaimed. Now the dates March 26 (called Independence Day) and December 16 (Victory Day) are national holidays of the state.
On August 15, 1975, a military coup took place in the country, as a result of which the “founding father” of Bangladesh, Mujibur Rahman, died, and after that a whole series of coups, the constitution was abolished in the country and martial law was introduced.
The hero of the War of Independence, General Ziaur Rahman, was able to secure power in his hands, whose reign was marked by economic growth and relative political stability. In 1980, he was killed in a failed military coup attempt, after which General Ershad came to power after a short period of civilian rule. He ruled under martial law, parliamentary elections took place only in May 1986, the opposition refused to recognize his rule as legitimate and repeatedly staged major protests, against which repressive tactics were often used.
In the early 1990s, a multi-party parliamentary system was restored in the country, but subsequent years were marked by severe political instability caused by a fierce struggle for power between the two largest parties. Before the 2007 elections, when the country was in a state of deep political crisis, the military took power into its own hands and for two years carried out measures aimed at combating corruption and improving political life under a state of emergency.
In accordance with the previously established schedule for normalizing the political situation, new parliamentary elections were held on December 30, 2008. They were decisively won by the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina.
In February 2009, the Border Guard Riot took place in Bangladesh.
Last changes: 03/07/2013In Bangladesh, there are severe penalties for carrying and trafficking drugs, and the possession of large (more than 4 grams) quantities of narcotic drugs is punishable by death. Therefore, the presence of any medications that may fall under the category of drugs must be accompanied by a notarized doctor’s prescription, in which a clear translation of the name of the medication into Latin is desirable - this will eliminate many questions from the police.
When visiting inland areas, you should carefully choose a guide or conductor, and preference should be given to employees of large specialized firms.
Due to the local climate, many synthetic fabrics are completely unsuitable for wearing, so you should choose clothes only from light natural fabrics.
Nightlife there is almost no existence in Bangladesh, so there is nothing for nightlife lovers to do here.
As in other Muslim countries, the left hand is considered unclean and is used for toilet duties, removing shoes, etc. Takeaway: Always use your right hand to offer or receive something and also when eating.
Humidity and outright unsanitary conditions in cities are often noticeable, forcing tourists to intuitively pay increased attention to hygiene:
All water should be assessed as potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth, or making ice should be thoroughly boiled first. It is highly recommended to use only bottled water.
Any product purchased on the market should be carefully processed. Milk and dairy products are not pasteurized and require preliminary heat treatment. Meat and fish must undergo mandatory heat treatment. Vegetables should be thoroughly washed, and fruits and fruits should be pre-washed, scalded with boiling water and, preferably, peeled (this should be done yourself - purchasing already peeled fruits is strictly not recommended).
The food in most expensive cafes and restaurants is harmless to health, but many small, inexpensive private cafes, to put it mildly, do not carefully observe hygiene standards.
Last changes: 03/07/2013How to get to Bangladesh
There are no direct flights from Russia to Bangladesh. A number of European, Middle Eastern and Asian airlines offer flights to Dhaka with connections in other countries.
The most convenient way to get to Bangladesh from Russia is with airlines from the Middle East - Qatar Airways(Doha), Emirates(Dubai) and Etihad Airways(Abu Dhabi).
You can also get from Russia to Bangladesh via Bangkok (Thailand) with the airline Thai Airways .
Flights from Asian countries to Bangladesh: Dragonair(Hong Kong), AirAsia(Kuala Lumpur) Jet Airways(Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai), Singapore Airlines(Singapore) and other airlines.
Last changes: 03/19/2017The People's Republic of Bangladesh is located in southern Asia and is surrounded on all sides by India, with the exception of a small area bordering Myanmar, as well as a very small area with the Bay of Bengal.
It is interesting that this state is very overpopulated, which is typical for southern Asia: India, Pakistan, as well as China.
The population of the Republic in 2010 was more than 142 million people, taking an honorable 8th place after countries such as China, India, the USA and Brazil.
But if the above countries have more or less large areas, but Bangladesh occupies only 144 thousand square kilometers, which is only 92nd in the world.
For comparison, Russia ranks 1st in terms of territory in the world with indicators of more than 17 million square kilometers, while the inhabitants are only 146 million people.
If you look at the Republic of Bangladesh and the territory of Russia, you simply don’t understand where they all fit.
The country is truly overpopulated with over 1,100 people per square kilometer.
The capital and the most big city The Republic is the city of Dhaka.
The city's population is more than 10 million people; if we take into account the suburbs, the figure reaches 16 million people.
Quite an average European Republic.
Information for travelers
In order to visit the country, you must first come to China, namely Beijing. After staying in Beijing for more than 1 day, you have the opportunity to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Bangladesh, which is located in Beijing, with a request for an urgent temporary tourist visa.
on video: the life of ordinary people.
The cost of such a visa is about 400 Yuan
In terms of Russian rubles, this is about 3660 rubles
The amount of 3660 rubles will be the only significant investment during your trip to Bangladesh.
Since prices in the country are really low, especially for food.
The cost of a full meal, mainly national food consisting of rice with meat, always with spices, will average about 50-70 BDT.
In order to understand how much it is, then 100 Russian rubles are equal to 137 BDT.
In other words, you can have a full meal for 40-50 rubles.
A state with a very low level of human development and life, while mortality is also at a fairly high level. Which countries have the highest mortality rates can be read. The information will be useful for understanding the situation in the world.
It should be noted that the country is a Muslim Republic and alcohol is not officially sold in the country. At the same time, the most drinking country in the world in 2015 there was a European Republic
Interesting: The country has the longest beach in the world with a length of 140 kilometers
Many travelers may ask the question of which country is Bangladesh the capital of? Indeed, very little is known about this part of the world.
This most likely does not attract many tourists.
How to get there
You can get to Bangladesh by plane, boarding it in Kunming, a Chinese city located not far from Tibet, quite high in the mountains. And it is from here that you can fly to Dhaka. To the only airport in the country.
And finally, this state is not suitable for tourism beach holiday, although there are white beaches.
Here it will be impossible to find comfort and convenience for yourself, as for example in India.
Accordingly, when going on a trip, you need to weigh the pros and cons of such an event.