50 Amazing and Interesting Facts about Bangladesh | Amazing Facts 4U
Land & Geography
- The official name of Bangladesh is the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The word Bangladesh means “Country of Bengal” in the local language.
- Historically, Bangladesh is prone to monsoon flooding and cyclones due to its unique geographic make up. The country is almost entirely flat and is dominated by the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta where the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers from the Himalayas converge.
- Bangla Desh is bordered by India on the North, East, and West and by the Bay of Bengal & Myanmar (Burma) on the South.
- The Bay of Bengal, which is bounded by India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, and Sri Lanka is the largest bay in the world-sized 2,172,000 square kilometers.
- The alluvial soil deposited by these rivers contribute to some of the most fertile delta lands in the world for farming.
- The highest peak in Bangladesh is Saka Haphong in the southeastern Mowdok Range at just 1,052 m (3,451 ft).
- Due to Bangladesh being so low lying and tropical, the ground has never frozen over with a record low of 4.5°C in Jessore during the winter of 2011.
- Bangladesh has a population of about 165 million people making it the world’s eighth most populated country.
- For such a large population, Bangladesh is a relatively small country, 147,570 km² making it one of the world’s most densely populated countries. It has a population density of almost 1100 people per square kilometer.
- Amazing fact is that population of Bangladesh is more than that of Russia which has a land area 115 time that of Bangladesh.
- The largest city and capital of Bangladesh is Dhaka founded in 1608 AD. The city has an estimated population of 17 million being the most densely populated city in the world. It is also known as the “City of Mosques”. The second largest city is Chittagong (population 4 million).
- Over 98% of Bangladeshis speak the official language of Bengali. English is spoken as a second language.
- If global warming brings about climatic change, sea levels could rise by up to a meter. It is estimated that by 2050, approximately 1/5 of the country could be under the sea.
Flora & Fauna
- The Royal Bengal Tiger is Bangladesh’s national animal. This majestic creature has a roar that can be heard up to 3 kilometers away. It is now an endangered species as only 400 are left in Bangladesh. Sundarbans is the natural habitat of this animal.
- The Magpie Robin (Doyel) is the national bird of Bangladesh.
- The national flower of Bangladesh is the white-flowered water lily, called Shapla.
- Jackfruit is the national fruit and the Mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh.
History
- In 1947 when India and Pakistan became independent, a Bengal area was divided off from India and became the East Pakistan.
- Before the Liberation War of 1971, Pakistan imposed law that Urdu must be spoken across the country which was rejected by Bangla-speaking people. In the parliamentary elections of 1970-71, East Pakistan’s separatist Awami League won every single seat.Talks between the two Pakistans failed.
- On March 27, 1971, Sheikh Mujibar Rahman declared Bangladeshi independence from Pakistan. The Pakistani Army committed atrocities on civilians to stop the secession, but Bangladesh became independent after a war aided by India. On January 11, 1972, Bangladesh became an independent parliamentary democracy.
- In 1991 a cyclonic tidal wave killed around 1,40,000 people in Bangladesh.
- In September 1998, torrential monsoon rains caused the Brahmaputra, Ganges, and Megha rivers to overflow causing severe flooding that swallowed up to 300,000 houses, 10,000 km of road, 30 million houses, and killing 135,000 cattle and over 1,000 people. Amazingly this flood submerged 2/3 rd of Bangladesh.
Places / Architecture
- Bangladesh’s oldest known city site is the city of Mahasthangarh.
- Bangladesh has one of the largest coastal mangrove forests in the world; it forms part of the Sundarbans National Park, a World Heritage site.
- The beach in Cox’s Bazar is an unbroken 125 km sandy sea beach with a gentle slope, the world’s longest.
- National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar, about 35 km north-west of Dhaka was built in memory of the martyrs of 1971 war composed of seven unique isosceles triangular planes, each varying in size in its height and base. The planes are folded at the middle and placed one after another. The highest point of the structure reaches 150 feet. Memorial is spread over 110 acres.
- In Sylhet, the hilly region of north east Bangladesh, there are a number of megalithic monuments, similar to those found in Europe. It also has number of archaeological and historical sites dating back as far as the 3 rd century BC, but the frequent floods and the damp climate have destroyed much of the country’s heritage.
- Bangladesh lacks rock for constructions and has hundreds of brick kilns with massive chimneys scattered all over the country.
- The National Parliament of Bangladesh is one of the largest legislative complexes in the world, comprising 200 acres (800,000 m²).
- A Bangladesh millionaire, Asanulla Muni has constructed replica of Taj Mahal in Bangladesh.
People Customs & Culture
- Amazing fact is that the farmers of the land compose almost 75% of the population of Bangladesh.
- Over 30% of Bangladesh’s population live below the poverty line.
- The predominant religion in Bangladesh is Islam with 88% followers.Among Bangladeshi Muslims, 96% are Sunni. Hindus are the largest minority religion in Bangladesh at 10.5% of the population.
- It is considered rude and unclean to use your left hand in Bangladesh. Always use your right hand to pass things or even shake hands with people.
- The people of Bangladesh seldom smile. In fact, too much smiling is considered a sign of immaturity.
- Amazingly Bangladesh has 2000 periodicals and daily newspapers published, despite the low literacy rate and the average readership at just 15%.
- Dhaka city can be proud for having two of the biggest shopping malls in South Asia , Boshundhora City Shopping Mall and Jamuna Future Park.
- Night life in Bangladesh is very rare. It is considered unusual to stay outside home past 10 PM. Most of the shopping malls and markets get closed by 8-8:30 PM.
- Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) is the largest non-profit organization in the developing world.
Politics/ Legal
- The Government is headed by the Prime Minister as the head of the Government and the President is the chief of state. The President is chosen through election and serves a term for 5 years, with the maximum 2 terms.
- There hasn’t been a single male Head of State since 1990.
- The national anthem of Bangladesh has been written by an Indian , Rabindranath Tagore.
- Bangladesh flag color is bottle Green with a bright red circle in the center. The bottle green color is the emblem of the widespread greenery of the country, and the reddish circle in the midst is the sun rising over the country also symbolizing bloodshed of the martyrs in 1971 liberation war.
Economy & Corporates
- The currency of Bangladesh is called the taka which means ‘currency’ in Bengali.
- It’s the 2nd largest readymade garment manufacturer in the whole world.
- Bangladesh is one of the largest ship breaking nations in the world along with India.
- In February 2016, hackers made 5 transactions worth $101 million and successfully withdrew from a Bangladesh Bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. $20 million was traced to Sri Lanka and recovered and but out of $81 million traced to the Philippines only about $18 million was recovered. Hackers had issued 30 further instructions to withdraw $850 million but these were blocked.
Sports
- The most popular sport in Bangladesh is cricket. The national cricket team first participated in the Cricket World Cup in 1999.
- Kabaddi is the national game of Bangladesh. It is the ‘game of rural Bengal’.
Inventions
- Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) which has saved millions of lives was developed in the Cholera Research Labs in Dhaka, now known as the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR).
A lovely insight. Find more at www.wisdomlovequotes.com
