People's Republic of Bangladesh

People's Republic of Bangladesh
Conventional long name	People's Republic of Bangladesh
Common name	Bangladesh
Native name	গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ
Capital	Dhaka
Largest city	Dhaka
Official languages	Bengali language
Ethnic groups	Bengali people; Chakma people; Garo people; Santals
Religions	Islam; Hinduism; Buddhism; Christianity
Area km2	147570
Population estimate	170 million
Currency	Bangladeshi taka
Time zone	UTC+06:00
Calling code	+880

People's Republic of Bangladesh Bangladesh is a South Asian nation situated on the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, bordered by India, Myanmar, and the Bay of Bengal. Established in 1971 after the Bangladesh Liberation War, Bangladesh has evolved into a populous state with significant urbanization around Dhaka, industrial zones in Chittagong, and agricultural basins along the Ganges–Brahmaputra Delta. Its national life is shaped by figures and institutions such as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, Ziaur Rahman, Bangladesh Awami League, and Jatiya Sangsad.

Etymology and National Identity

The name "Bangladesh" derives from Bengal and the Bengali language term for country; debates over identity reference movements like the Bengali Language Movement and political actors including A. K. Fazlul Huq, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy. National symbols such as the Flag of Bangladesh, the "Amar Shonar Bangla", and the Shaheed Minar memorial link to events like the Language Movement of 1952 and personalities like Abul Mansur Ahmed and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Competing civic narratives reference the Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict, indigenous communities such as the Rohingya people and Chakma people, and constitutional articles framed during the presidencies of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the return to parliamentary rule under Sheikh Hasina.

History

Territorial histories trace to polities like the Pala Empire, the Sena dynasty, and the Bengal Sultanate, later integrated into the Mughal Empire and affected by the Battle of Plassey and the British Raj. Colonial administration under the East India Company and later the British Empire set the stage for partition at the Partition of India creating East Pakistan. Political movements including the Two-Nation Theory, protests led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, and crises surrounding the 1970 Bhola cyclone culminated in the Bangladesh Liberation War with intervention by the Indian Armed Forces and diplomatic outcomes influenced by the Simla Agreement and global actors like the Soviet Union and United States. Post-independence eras saw coups involving figures such as Ziaur Rahman and Hussain Muhammad Ershad, mass uprisings including the 1990 Mass Uprising in Bangladesh, and democratic contests between Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Awami League leaders, amid judicial rulings by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Geography and Environment

Bangladesh occupies the Ganges Delta, fed by rivers like the Ganges, Brahmaputra River, and Meghna River, creating fertile plains and seasonal floods. Coastal and marine environments along the Bay of Bengal include the Sundarbans mangrove forest, home to the Bengal tiger and protected under listings like UNESCO World Heritage Site. Environmental challenges involve cyclones such as Cyclone Sidr and Cyclone Aila, riverine erosion, and climate impacts referenced in reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and initiatives like the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. Biodiversity includes species catalogued by the IUCN and conservation programs managed by agencies including the Forest Department (Bangladesh).

Government and Politics

Bangladesh operates a parliamentary system seated at Jatiya Sangsad in Dhaka, featuring parties such as the Bangladesh Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Key constitutional periods reference the Constitution of Bangladesh, emergency measures like the State of Emergency (2007), and commissions such as the Election Commission of Bangladesh. Political processes involve leaders including Sheikh Hasina, Khaleda Zia, and institutions like the Bangladesh Police and Armed Forces Division. International relations engage organizations such as the United Nations, SAARC, BOBPICAP and bilateral ties with India–Bangladesh relations, Myanmar–Bangladesh relations, United States–Bangladesh relations, China–Bangladesh relations, and Japan–Bangladesh relations.

Economy and Infrastructure

Economic transformation features sectors tied to Ready-made garment industry, export hubs in Chittagong Port, and enterprises like Grameen Bank and BRAC. National finance references the Bangladesh Bank, the Bangladeshi taka, development projects with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and investments from China Communications Construction Company. Infrastructure highlights include the Padma Bridge, the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and energy projects such as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and pipelines linked to Petrobangla. Trade partners include the European Union, United States, and India. Social programs run by the Department of Social Services target poverty measured by World Bank indicators and human development reports from the United Nations Development Programme.

Demographics and Society

Population data from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics show dense urban centers like Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna with rural communities in regions like Sylhet Division. Ethnolinguistic groups include Bengali people and indigenous groups such as Garo people, Santal people, and Chakma people with religious communities following Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Public health milestones involve programs with World Health Organization and vaccination initiatives inspired by figures like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman policy legacies and contemporary ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Social issues reference migration patterns including Rohingya refugee crisis, labor movements in Bangladeshi garment workers, and legal cases adjudicated by the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Culture and Education

Cultural life draws on literary traditions from Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Jasimuddin, music from Lalon Shah and modern artists, and visual arts exhibited at institutions like the Bangladesh National Museum and Liberation War Museum. Festivals include Pohela Boishakh, Eid al-Fitr, and Durga Puja with culinary staples such as Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha). Education systems encompass universities like the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and Jahangirnagar University with regulatory roles by the University Grants Commission (Bangladesh). Media outlets include The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and broadcasters like Bangladesh Television; sports are represented by teams in Bangladesh national cricket team and events at venues like the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Category:Countries of Asia