Know Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the largest delta in the world with the sacred river Ganges and Jamuna flowing into the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. The alluvial sediments that deposit here form some of the most fertile soil in the world.

Its 56,977 sq miles area makes it around the same size as the state of Wisconsin in the U.S. or 147,570 sq km, which is an area a little larger than Greece.

Over 90% of the country is composed of alluvial plains less than 10m above sea level which makes Bangladesh most prone to the effects of Global Warming.

10% of the country gets flooded with just 3ft rise in sea levels. We have already lost 2 of our islands in the forest of Sundarban (home of the tigers) permanently last year, because of the effects of Global Warming.

Bangladesh has the largest mangrove forests in the world that are home to the gorgeous endangered Royal Bengal Tigers.

Bangladesh is the 7th most densely populated country in the world. 154.7 million (2012) people live on this fertile land. This makes the Bangladeshi population slightly larger than that of Russia's. Dhaka, the capital city, is home to a whopping 16.2 million (in 2010) people. So brace yourself when you visit Dhaka.

Bangladesh educational statistic gradually growing up. Now the educated percentage is around 71 %. In Bangladesh we have different level of education.

In English, this means, if you are in Texas and its 12:00 pm (noon) on the 15th of Feb, its 12:00am (midnight) on the 16th of Feb in Bangladesh.

Country	GMT	USA Eastern	USA Central	USA Mountain	USA Pacific
Bangladesh	+ 6.0 H	+ 6.0 H	+ 12.0 H	+ 13.0 H	+ 14.0 H

The climate in Bangladesh is dramatic, to say the least. It is subtropical and tropical with temperatures ranging from as low as 3ºC overnight in the cold season to a daytime top of above 40ºC in the hot season. Annual rainfall varies from 1000mm in the west to 2500mm in the southeast, and up to 5000mm in the north, near the hills of Assam.

Three-quarters of the annual rainfall occurs between June and September. The 90% to 95% humidity in this season is almost unbearable.

In the cold season the weather is drier and fresh, with average daytime temperatures of 24ºC. Rainfall is negligible, although even in winter a brief shower may come along.

While early March can still be pleasant, by April, as the monsoon approaches, humidity increases and lethal hailstorms aren’t uncommon. The monsoon season usually starts between late May and mid-June. It doesn’t rain solidly all day – there tends to be an initial downpour, followed by clear skies. You should avoid visiting at this time of year!

Bangladesh has three main seasons: the monsoonal season (wet season) from late May to early October; the cool season from mid-October to the end of February; and the hot season from March to mid-May.

Between October and February is the best time to go: skies are blue, days are sunny and the weather is dry, with daytime temperatures averaging 24ºC. By April the temperature rises to around 40ºC, the humidity can be intolerable and hailstorms aren’t uncommon. On average, Bangladesh is hit by one major cyclone every three years. The worst times for these are May and June, and October and November.

The only festival that may really inconvenience you is Ramadan. During this month-long period of fasting, getting food (especially in small towns) can be difficult. Some budget hotels stop operating altogether.

Bangladesh is characterized by a unique coming together of many races, languages and religions. Her heritage is influenced by Jains, Buddhists, Hindus, Vaisnavas and most importantly the Muslims.

Up until the 13th century, Bengal was ruled by several different Hindu and Buddhist kings. When the Mughal emperors from Turkistan came afterwards, they established Islam as the main religion. In the 15th century, Bengal began trading with Europe and by the 18th century, Britain had considerable economic influence over the region. After defeating the Muslim rulers at the battle of Pallasey, Britain officially gained political rule of Bengal in 1757. However by the end of the Second World War, Britain had lost her control and in 1947, India and Pakistan were formed.

Bangladesh at that time was known as East Pakistan; the Muslim dominant regions had been divided into East and West Pakistan, on the two sides of Hindu dominated India. Within a few years, it was obvious that this arrangement was not working out, and rebellion began against the unfair political actions of West Pakistan.

A major part of this rebellion was the Language Movement of 1952 when thousands of students gathered to protest laws making Urdu the only official language throughout Pakistan. Eventually, the call for equality culminated into a call for liberation from West Pakistan.

Elections were held in 1970 that made Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the leader of East Pakistan. However when this result was not honored, Sheikh Mujib officially called for a fight for independence. On 26th March 1971, Bangladesh was declared an independent country and war broke out. The war ended on December 16th of that year when the Pakistan army surrendered.

The Government of Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ সরকার — Bānglādēś Sarkār ) is the central government of Bangladesh. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers. The Prime Minister and the other most senior Ministers belong to the supreme decision-making committee, known as the Cabinet.

The official language of Bangladesh is Modern Standard Bengali (Literary Bengali). It serves as the lingua franca of the nation, with 98% of Bangladeshis fluent in Standard Bengali or Bengali dialects as their first language. English, though not having official status, is prevalent across government, law, business, media and education, and can be regarded as the de-facto co-official language of Bangladesh.

The indigenous people of northern and southeastern Bangladesh speak a variety of native languages, notably Chakma and Shantali. Urdu is commonly spoken among Muslim migrants from India and Pakistan.

Islam is the largest Religion of Bangladesh; Muslims constitute 90.4% of the population, followed by Hindus, who constitute 8.2%, and Buddhists, Christians, those who practice other religions and those who do not are the remainders.[1] Religion has always been a strong part of identity, but this has varied at different times. A survey in late 2003 confirmed that religion is the first choice by a citizen for self-identification. According to a government-published article, atheism is extremely rare.

The economy of Bangladesh is a rapidly developing capitalist economy.[13] Its per capita income in 2012 was estimated to be US$2,800 (adjusted by purchasing power parity). According to the International Monetary Fund, Bangladesh ranked as the 37th largest economy in the world in 2013 in PPP terms and 36th largest in nominal terms with a gross domestic product of US$419 billion in PPP terms and US$173.8 billion in nominal terms http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2014/05/20/34963. The economy has grown at the rate of 6-7% per annum over the past few years. The growth potential of the economy has led to Bangladesh's inclusion in the Next Eleven (N-11) of Goldman Sachs and the Global Growth Generators countries. More than half of the GDP is generated by the service sector; while nearly half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector. Other goods produced are textiles, jute, fish, vegetables, fruit, leather and leather goods, ceramics, ready-made goods. Bangladesh is considered as the next Asian Tiger Economy.

The culture of Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশের সংস্কৃতি — Bānglādēśhēr Shongskr̥iti) refers to the way of life of the people of Bangladesh. The land, the rivers, and the lives of the Bengali people formed a rich heritage with marked differences from neighbouring regions. It has evolved over the centuries and encompasses the cultural diversity of several social groups of Bangladesh. The Bengal Renaissance of the 19th and early 20th centuries, noted Bengali writers, saints, authors, scientists, researchers, thinkers, music composers, painters, and film-makers have played a significant role in the development of Bengali culture. The Bengal Renaissance contained the seeds of a nascent political Indian nationalism and was the precursor in many ways to modern Indian artistic and cultural expression. The culture of Bangladesh is composite and over the centuries has assimilated influences of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. It is manifested in various forms, including music, dance, and drama; art and craft; folklore and folktale; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; as well as in a distinct cuisine and culinary tradition.

Handloom Village, Atia Mosque, Char Lifestyle, Mahastangar (3rd BC), Gokum Medth (6 AD), Paharpur Buddhist Monastery (UNESCO), Puthia Temple City, Kusumba Mosque, Silk City, Barendra research Museum, Padma River (Ganges), Gaur- Rajshahi, Lalon, Tagole Lodge, Brick factory Kantager Temple, Mithi School, Noyabad mosque, Otter Fishing, Flower Market

Fish Market, Sundarban Mangrove Forest, Rash Purnima festival in Sundarban 60 Dome Mosque, 09 Domed Mosque, Shrine of Khan Jahan, Kodla Math, Shrim farming, Saint Paul Church

Tea Garden, Khaisa Tribe, Monipuri Tribe, Jaflong, Tamabil, Ratargul swamp forest, Sunamgonj Wet Lands, Bird sanctuary, Lawarchara Rain Forest, Rema Kelaga Forest, Tea Procession, Rush Festival

Mainamoti - Museum, Salban Vihara, Kotila Mura, Shitakunda Ship Breaking, 2nd World war cemetery, Largest fish Market, CHT-Rangamati, CHT-Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar Beach, Saint Martin Island, Surfing Bangladesh

Barisal, Guava Garden, floating markets, Home Stay, Pottery Village, Kuakata, Nijomdim Island