Bangladesh

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Bangladesh:

In late 2007 a rumbling occurred deep in the tropical waters of the Bay of Bengal. Within hours of Cyclone Sidr smashing into southwest Bangladesh, the world’s media and aid organisations were on the move and Bangladesh was about to find herself wrenched back out of obscurity and once again presented to the global community as a nation in great need. The pictures and stories that emerged from Bangladesh at that time portrayed an entire nation on its knees, but this was only a half-truth for within hours of the storm hitting, the majority of the country was back on its feet and operational.

This wasn’t the first time that Bangladesh had been dismissed as a no-hope nation, and it probably won’t be the last. But no matter what the opinion of the wider world is, this dynamic country proudly considers itself to be an active participant in an increasingly global community. In defiance of its stuttering development and the weight of historical tragedy that it bears, it is a nation charged with perseverance and promise, and one from which we could all learn a thing or two. For the great irony is that while images of devastation were beamed nightly into Western living rooms and the talk was of an unfolding humanitarian disaster, nobody bothered to say that Bangladesh could make good news. In the years preceding Cyclone Sidr, the country had been quietly doing something considered nearly impossible in richer Western countries – banning all petrol and diesel vehicles from the major conurbations (and, if things go to plan, the entire nation) and replacing them with cleaner alternatives. If striving for cleaner air isn’t enough, they’ve also banned plastic bags and created a flurry of national parks and protected areas. The same holds true for the country’s tourism profile. The majority of the world considers Bangladesh to be a frying pan–flat country

Population 133,376,684 July 2002

Languages – Bangla (Official), English

People Groups – Bengali 98%, Biharis and Tribals

Division –Bangladeshhas six Divisions withDhakaas its capital.

Bangladesh is subdivided into 6 divisions, all named after their respective capitals

1. BarisalDivision
2. ChittagongDivision
3. DhakaDivision
4. Rajshahi Division
5. Sylhet Division
6. KhulnaDivision

Religions;

Muslims 88.3%, Hindus 10.5 %, Christians .3%, Others 1.2%

Official Languages Bangla and English