Profile of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a small country in the world. It has a large population . The Bangladesh full name is People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

  • Full name: People’s Republic of Bangladesh
  • Population: 164.4 million (UN, 2010)
  • Capital and largest city: Dhaka
  • Area: 147,570 sq km (91,695 sq miles)
  • Major language: Bengali
  • Major religions: Islam, Hinduism
  • Life expectancy: 67 years (men), 69 years (women) (UN)
  • Monetary unit: 1 taka = 100 paisa
  • Main exports: Garments, fish, jute goods, leather products
  • GNI per capital: US $590 (World Bank, 2009)
  • Internet domain: .bd
  • International dialing code: 00880

Bangladesh is located in the easternmost periphery of the Indian Subcontinent . The people of Bangladesh can be proud of a civilization that dates back to almost two millennium . For centuries, the lush and fertile plains of Bengal have attracted traders , travelers and conquerors alike . The Bengali culture has assimilated the influences left by these contacts but at the same time has retained its distinctive features . Buddhism; Hinduism and Islam have also left their own signatures in the life and society and in the process have helped to make Bengal a tolerant and secular society with a liberal outlook. Bengal is also the home to almost 45 different ethnic tribes , each with their distinct language and culture .

Bangladesh carries a rich tradition of folklore and folk music , heavily influenced by mystic traditions , which in a large measure has given Bengal its characteristic of humanism and tolerance . The spread of modern education , the influence of the European Renaissance brought by the British , the literary excellence of Rabindranath Tagore , Kazi Nazrul Islam and others have deeply influenced the Bengalee society . There have been great social reformers like Rammohan Roy , Ishwar Chandra Gupta who have helped to modernize the society and its social customs . Begum Rokeya has pioneered education among conservative Muslim women .

During the Pakistani period , the struggle for a Bengali cultural identity began with the language movement of 1952 . The cultural struggle has always been an integral part of the national struggle .