Bangladesh Studies

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Salient Features
 Country Profile  Cultural Festivals
 Geography  Clothing and
 Society
Paintings
 Education  Music
 Economy  Dance and Drama
 Government and  Archaeological &
Politics Tourist Sites
 Bangladesh in Global
Arena
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 Country Profile

 Formal Name: People's Republic of Bangladesh

 Short Form: Bangladesh
 Term for Citizens: Bangladeshi(s)
 Father of the Nation: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
 Capital: Dhaka
 Currency: Taka
 Date of Independence: March 26, 1971
 8th largest populous country in the world
 Small country with huge HR: More than 61 million labor force
 Geography

 Area: 1,47,570 sq. km.

 Boundary: West Bengal (India) on the west; West Bengal, Assam and
Meghalaya (all the Indian states) on the north; Indian states of Assam,
Tripura and Mizoram together with Myanmar on the east; and Bay of
Bengal on the south.
Total International Border: 4,246 km
Border countries: India 4,053 km,
Myanmar 193 km
Coastline: 580 km
 Territorial water: 12 + 200 nautical miles (From March 2012)
 Bangladesh reclaimed 19,467square kilometres out of 25,602 sq km
disputed area in the Bay of Bengal. (March 2012)
 Topography: Broad deltaic plain. Chittagong Hills in southeast, Low
Hills in northeast and modest-elevation highlands in north and
northwest. ‘Tajingdong’ is the highest peak and called as Bijoy.
 Climate: It is the area of Sub-tropical monsoon. Mild winter (October to
March); hot, humid & summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy
monsoon (June to October).

Source: (i) Banglapeadia, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh.

(ii) BBS.. Statistical Pocket Book. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Government of Bangladesh.
Geographical Position of Bangladesh
 Society
Total Population: 15,99,00000 (2015-16)
Population Growth Rate: 1.37%
Population density: 1,035 persons per sq km (2015)
Ethnic Group: Over 98% Bengalis.
Languages: Bangla (official language); English widely used by educated elite. Arabic used in many
Muslim homes. Various tribal languages.
Religion: More than 89.7% Muslim, 9.2% Hindu, less than 1 percent Buddhist, Christian, and tribal
religions.
Health: Life expectancy almost equal for males and females, averaging 70.7 years in 2015 (male-
69.9 & female 71.5). For every 2129 people there is one doctor.
Labor Force: Total labor force (15 years+): 61 million (Male:43m, Female: 18m)

Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS),

Bangladesh Economic Review Report-2016
 Education

 Total literacy rate (7 years+) 57.9 percent

 Female 54.8 percent
 Male 61.1 percent
 Total primary school enrollment rate: 97.9% (49.14% male & 50.86% female)
 Primary school dropout rate: 20.4%
 Number of years of compulsory schooling: 5 years

 Number of students per teacher, primary school: 56 student per teacher

 Primary Schools 1,22,176

 Public Universities 38
 Private Universities 91
 Govt. Medical colleges 36
 Private Medical & Dental colleges 68
 General Colleges 3197
 Economy
Per Capita Income: US$1466 , GDP Growth rate: 7.05 (2015-16) [Base year: 2005-06]

Per capita purchasing power is now $3,136. Agriculture contributed 15.33 percent,
industries 31.28 percent and the service sector 53.39 percent to the total growth of 7.05
percent. Poverty rate stood at 24.8% whereas acute poverty rate is 12.8% (2015-16).
Annual inflation rate 6.01% (2015-16)

Agriculture: Large-scale subsistence farming, labor intensive, heavily dependent on

monsoon rains. Main crops rice, jute, wheat, tea, and forestry products. Fisheries of
increasing importance.
Industry: Ready-made garments, ship-building, cotton textiles, seafood
processing, and pharmaceuticals.
Services: Substantial exported labor, primarily to Persian Gulf nations. As many as 6.8
millions Bangladeshis abroad in 2012; important source of foreign currency remittances.
Resources: Sufficient natural gas for country's nitrogenous fertilizer needs. Abundant
proven coal reserves. Offshore and onshore reserves of petroleum. Hydroelectric power
and thermal power sources. Bio-fuels widely used in rural areas.
Exchange Rate: 78.48 taka=US $1 (January 2016).
Fiscal Year: July 1 to June 30.

Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Bangladesh Economic Review Report-2016

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 Export -Import Scenario
Bangladesh is exporting 705 products to the global market. Share of major export
products are -
01 RMG and knit wear 81.4%
02 Jute goods 2.3%
03 Frozen Foods 2.3%
04 Footwear 1.9%

05
Leather & Leather 1.7% 7 Items
Products
06 Engineering goods 1.2
07 Agricultural goods 1.1
Total 90.70%

 Only 7 commodities are contributing 90.70% to our total export earning where
as 698 items have share of 9.30% in our total export.
Source: Economic Review Report
 Export -Import Partners

Export: Import:

 USA  China
 EU  India
 Canada  Singapore
 Japan  Japan
 Australia  Malaysia
 South Korea  South Korea
 India  Germany
 China  Middle-east
 Turkey etc.  Uzbekistan etc.
 Government & Politics

 Government: Bangladesh is a unitary state and parliamentary democracy. Direct

elections in which all citizens, aged 18 or over, can vote are held every five years for
the unicameral parliament known as the Jatiyo Sangshad. Currently it has 350
members (including 50 reserved seats for women) elected from single-member
constituencies.

 Justice: Supreme Court headed by chief justice. Two Supreme Court divisions: High
Court Division with seven regional benches, and Appellate Division in Dhaka. Grass-
roots judicial system at village level. British-style criminal codes, amended in
Pakistan and Bangladesh eras.

 Administrative Divisions: Divided into seven administration divisions headed by

commissioners. Divisions further subdivided into sixty-four districts (zilas).
Division

District

Upazila

Union
 Cultural Festivals

 Festivals have always played a significant role in the life of the

people of Bangladesh. Muslim peoples are observed Eid-e-
Miladunnabi, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Muharram etc.
Hindus observe Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Kali Puja and
many other pujas. Christmas (popularly called Baradin in
Bangla) is observed by Christians.
Mongal Suba Jatra

 There are some common festivities, which are observed

countrywide by people like Pahela Baisakh (the first day of
Bangla year), Independence Day (26th March), 21st
February (the National Mourning Day and World Mother
Language Day), The Victory Day (16th December), Rabindra
& Nazrul Jayanti etc.

Shaheed Miner (21st February)

Source: (i) http://www.google.com.bd/imgres?imgur

(ii) Banglapeadia 2003, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
 Clothing and Painting

 Bangladeshi women habitually wear Sarees. Jamdani was once world famous for it's most artistic and
expensive ornamental fabric. Moslin, a fine and artistic type of cloth was well-known worldwide.
Naksi Kantha, produced by the village women, is still familiar in villages and towns simultaneously.
Traditionally males wear Panjabis, Fatuas and Pajamas. Hindus wear Dhuty for religious purposes.
Now-a-days common dresses of males are shirts, t-shirts and pants.

Naksi Kantha Moslin Fabric Famine 1943, sketch by Zainul Abedin

 There is a rich tradition of modern painting which was pioneered by Zainul Abedin, Kamrul
Hassan, Anwarul Haque, Shafiuddin Ahmed and S. M. Sultan. Zainul Abedin earned international fame
for his sketches on famine of 1943 in Bangladesh.

Source: (i) http://www.google.com.bd/imgres?imgur

(ii) Banglapeadia 2003, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
 Music
 The traditional music in Bangladesh shares the perspectives of that of the Indian sub-continent. Music in
Bangladesh can be divided into three distinct categories -classical, folk and modern.
 Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayet Ali Khan are two names in classical instrumental music who are
internationally known.
 The store of folk song abounds in spiritual lyrics of Lalan Shah, Hasan Raja, and Romesh Shill. Bangla
music arena is enriched with Jari, Shari, Bhatiali, Murshidi and other types of folk songs. Rabindra
Sangeet and Nazrul Sangeet are Bangalees’ precious heritage.Pop song and band groups are also
practiced widely in Bangladesh as modern music.

 Bangladesh has a good number of musical instruments originally of her own like Banshi (bamboo flute),
Dhole (wooden drums), Ektara (a single stringed instrument), Dotara (a four stringed instrument),
Mandira (a pair of metal bawls used as rhythm instrument), Khanjani, Sharinda etc.

Source: (i) https://www.google.com.bd

(ii) Banglapeadia 2003, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
Dance and Drama

 Classical forms of the sub-continent predominate in Bangladeshi

dance. The folk, tribal and Middle Eastern traits are also common.
Among the tribal dances, particularly popular are Monipuri and
Santal. Rural girls are in the habit of dancing that does not require
any grammar or regulations. Bangla songs like jari and shari are
presented accompanied with dance of both male and female
performers.
Monipuri and Santal

 Drama in Bangladesh has an old tradition and is very popular.

Theatre groups are Dhaka Theatre, Nagarik Nattya Sampraday
and Theatre. In Dhaka, Baily Road area is known as 'Natak Para'
where drama shows are regularly held. Public Library Auditorium
and Museum Auditorium are famous for holding cultural shows.
Dhaka University area is a pivotal part of cultural activities.
Dhaka Theatre

Source: (i) http://www.google.com.bd/imgres?imgur

(ii) https://www.google.com.bd/search?
(ii) Banglapeadia 2003, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
Archaeological & Tourist Sites

 Paharpur (Naogaon district) and Halud Vihara (about 14.5 km

west-south-west of Paharpur), Bhasu Vihara & Mahasthangarh
(Bogra district), Mainamoti, Lalmai Pahar, and Ananda Vihara
(Comilla district), Sitakot Vihara and Kantaji Temple (Dinajpur
district), Wari-Bateshwar (Narsingdi).

 Cox’s Bazar (The 120-km long sea beach is considered to be the

longest in the world), Sylhet, Sreemangal ( Maulvibazar)
Rangamati, Chittagong, Kuakata (It is a unique beach for
viewing sunrise as well as sun-setting), Sundarbans (Khulna).

Source: (i) http://www.google.com.bd/imgres?imgur

(ii) Banglapeadia 2003, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
 Bangladesh in Global Arena
 Bangla is among the top 10 most spoken languages in the world.

 Celebrating 21st February as “International Mother Language Day” declared by UNESCO.

 The Nobel Peace Prize 2006 was awarded jointly to Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank "for their
efforts to create economic and social development from below“.

 Achievement of Millennium Development Goals: Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health (Reduce by three-
quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio). Bangladesh and Cambodia
performed best among the 49 LDCs in achieving Millennium Developed Goals.

 Bangladesh’s contribution to UN peacekeeping mission is the largest in the world with over 10,000
peacekeepers now engaged in the missions.

 Rajshahi has outperformed every other city in the world in reducing air pollution (WHO, 2016).

 Bangladesh has outperformed its neighboring countries in social development e.g. reducing child
maternal mortality, ensuring safe water, better sanitation, higher primary school enrolment etc.
 Bangladesh has been ranked the third most peaceful country in South Asia, faring better than India
and Pakistan (Global Peace Index, 2015)

Source: (i) http://www.21stfebruary.org/un_declaration.htm

(ii) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goals
(iii) http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/jun/01/4-bangladeshi-peacekeepers-awarded
(iv) http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/bangladesh-top-achiever-along-with-cambodia/
Thank You