Bangladesh is a law-lying country with a total area of 55,598
square miles or 1, 47,570 square kilometers. It stretches latitudinally between
2034 and 2638 north and longitudinally between 8801 and 9241 east. It is mostly
surrounded by Indian Territory except for a small narrow piece in the southeast
by Myanmar. The Bay of Bengal lies on the south. Most of its area is comparatively
level lying in the deltaic plain of the Ganges-Brahmaputra – Meghna river
system. The only considerable uplands are in the northeast of the country with
average height of 244m and 610m respectively. The country is enclosed with a
network of rivers and canals forming a maze of interconnecting channels.
Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate obvious by
sweltering temperatures and high humidity. The country has mainly four seasons,
the winter (December – February), summer (March – May), monsoon (June –
September) and autumn (October) November). During summer and monsoon tropical
cyclones, storms and tidal bores are not uncommon.
The population of Bangladesh is about 135 million. greater
part of the population are Muslim, Hindus, Buddhist and Christians make up 13
percent of the entire population. Over 98 percent of the people speak Bengali,
English however, is widely used.
The lowest administrative element is the union run by an
elected union council. Each union comprises about 20,000 inhabitants and about
8-10 unions cluster into a upajila. Government services are concentrated at the
upajila level. There are about 472 upajila in Bangladesh. Several upajila form
a district. The total number of districts stands at 64. The whole country is
broadly divided into seven administrative divisions, namely- Dhaka, Chittagong,
Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur
Bangladesh has an agrarian economy, Agriculture accounts. for
nearly 46 percent of the GDP and provides employment to more than 61
percent of the workforce. Jute and rice
are most important cash crops. Other crops are tea, sugarcane, oilseeds,
fruits, vegetables, spices, wheat, potatoes, tobacco and cotton. The major
industry in Bangladesh is jute processing followed by cotton, steel, garments
and pharmaceutical.
As an emerging nation, Bangladesh places special priority on
economic and social growth. In order to accelerate the development process the
Government has recently decentralized the administration and has undertaken
massive development programs. A large number of non-government organizations (NGO)
are also involved in development tricks to benefit the rural poor.
Bangladesh: An over view
OFFICIAL NAME: THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH
CAPITAL: DHAKA
The country: The People’s Republic of
Bangladesh
Geographical position: In South
Asia between 20 degree 34 and 26 degree 38 north latitude and
between 88 degree 01 and 92 degree 41 east longitude.
Boundaries: North: India (West Bengal and Meghalaya)
West:
India (West Bengal)
East: India:
(Tripura and Assam) and Myanmar
South: Bay of Bengal
Area: 1, 47,570
Square Km.
Territorial waters: 12 nautical miles
Capital: Dhaka
Time: GMT plus 6
hours
Climate: Tropical and
moderate
Temperature: Winter: (Nov- Feb) Maximum 29
degree C. and Minimum 9 degree C.
Summer: (April- Sep): Maximum 34 degree
C. and Minimum 21 degree C.
Rainfall: 120-345 cm (47’’-
136’’) during monsoon
Humidity: Highest: 99 percent
(July)
Lowest: 36 percent (December)
Population: just about 135 million
Density: 798 persons per square/ km
Literacy: (7 years and above) 42 percent
Religious Groups: Muslims: (88.3 percent)
Hindus:
(10.5 percent)
Buddhist: (0.6 percent)
Christians: (0.3 percent)
Tribals: (0.1 percent)
Organizational
& other
Unites: Division: 07
District: 64
City
Corporation: 06
Municipality: 166
Upazila:
472
Union Parishad: 4,472
Village: 68,000
Satellite Station: 2 (Betbunia & Telibabad)
Language: 95 percent speak Bangla
and 5 percent other dialects. English is widely spoken.
Foods: Staple diet:
rice, vegetable, pulses and fish.
Principal crops: Rice, wheat, jute, Tea, Tobacco
and Sugarcane.
Principal Rivers: Padma, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Meghna,
Karnaphuli and Teesta.
Mineral possessions: Natural gas, limestone, hardrock, coal,
lignite, silica sand, white clay and
Radioactive
sand.
National Language: Bengali
National Flower: Shapla (Water Lily)
National Bird: Doel (Magpie Robin)
National Fish: Hilsa
National Fruit: Jackfruit
Places of Tourist
Concentration:
Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Kaptai, Rangamati,
Khagrachari, Bandarban, Kuakata,
Khulna, the Sundarban, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Dinajpur and Comilla.
Principal Industries:
Jute, Tea, Textile, garments, Paper, Newsprint, Fertilizer, Leather and
Leather
goods, Sugar, Cement, Fish
processing, Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals.
Traditional Exports: Raw jute, jute manufactures such as hessian,
sacking, carpet backing, carpets,
Tea,
leather and leather products.
Non-traditional Exports:
frozen shrimps, other fish products, Newsprint, Paper, Naphtha, Furnace,
Oil,
Urea, garments and Handicraft.
Principal Imports: Rice, Wheat, Oil seeds, Crude petroleum, raw
cotton, Edible oil, Petroleum
Products, Fertilizer, Cement, Staple fibres, Yarn and Capital goods.
