Bangladesh,[a] officially thePeople's Republic of Bangladesh,[b] is a country inSouth Asia. It is theeighth-most populous country in the world and among themost densely populated with a population of over 171 million within an area of 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi). Bangladesh shares land borders withIndia to the north, west, and east, andMyanmar to the southeast. It has a coastline along theBay of Bengal to its south and is separated fromBhutan andNepal by theSiliguri Corridor, and from China by theIndian state ofSikkim to its north.Dhaka, the capital andlargest city, is the nation's political, financial, and cultural centre.Chittagong is the second-largest city and the busiest port of the country.
The territory of modern Bangladesh was a stronghold of manyBuddhist andHindu dynasties in ancient history. Following theMuslim conquest in 1204, the region sawSultanate andMughal rule. During theMughal period, particularly under theBengal Subah, the region emerged as one of the most prosperous and commercially active parts of the empire, known for its thriving textile industry and agricultural productivity. TheBattle of Plassey in 1757 marked the beginning of British colonial rule for the following two centuries. In the aftermath of thePartition of British India in 1947,East Bengal became the eastern and most populous wing of the newly formedDominion of Pakistan and was later renamed toEast Pakistan.
The etymology ofBangladesh ("Bengali country") can be traced to the early 20th century, when Bengali patriotic songs, such asAaji Bangladesher Hridoy byRabindranath Tagore andNamo Namo Namo Bangladesh Momo byKazi Nazrul Islam, used the term in 1905 and 1932 respectively.[15] Starting in the 1950s, Bengali nationalists used the term in political rallies inEast Pakistan.
The termBangla is a major name for both theBengal region and theBengali language. The origins of the termBangla are unclear, with theories pointing to aBronze Ageproto-Dravidian tribe,[16] and the Iron AgeVanga Kingdom.[17] The earliest known usage of the term is theNesari plate in 805 AD. The termVangala Desa is found in 11th-century South Indian records.[18][19] The term gained official status during theSultanate of Bengal in the 14th century.[20][21]Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah proclaimed himself as the first "Shah of Bangala" in 1342.[20] The wordBangāl became the most common name for the region during the Islamic period.[22] 16th-century historianAbu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak mentions in hisAin-i-Akbari that the addition of the suffix"al" came from the fact that the ancient rajahs of the land raised mounds of earth in lowlands at the foot of the hills which were called "al".[23] This is also mentioned inGhulam Husain Salim'sRiyaz-us-Salatin.[24]
The Indo-Aryan suffixDesh is derived from the Sanskrit worddeśha, which means "land" or "country". Hence, the nameBangladesh means "Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal".[19]
Bengal was then incorporated into theDelhi Sultanate (1206–1526 AD).[26] In 1341, the independentBengal Sultanate was established byFakhruddin Mubarak Shah.[26] Amidst geographic expansion and economic prosperity, it was regarded by European and Chinese visitors as the "richest country to trade with".[27]: 10 TheMughal Empire conquered Bengal in 1576.[26][28] By the 18th century, theBengal Subah emerged as the wealthiest province of the empire and was described as the "Paradise of Countries" and the "breadbasket of India".[26] Its citizens enjoyed some of the beststandards of living in the world, as the region was a major global exporter and producer of cotton textiles (muslin in particular), silk andshipbuilding.[29]: 174 Following the decline of the Mughal Empire in the early 1700s, the region became a semi-independent state under theNawabs of Bengal, founded byMurshid Quli Khan in 1717.
Ethnic, linguistic, and cultural discrimination was common in Pakistan's civil and military services, in which Bengalis were under-represented;[41] leading to East Pakistan forging a distinct political identity.[42] Authorities banned Bengali literature and music in the state media.[43] The Pakistani government practised extensiveeconomic discrimination against East Pakistan, including the refusal for foreign aid allocation.[44] Despite generating 70% of Pakistan's export revenue with jute and tea, East Pakistan received much less government spending. Notable economists from East Pakistan, includingRehman Sobhan andNurul Islam demanded a separate foreign exchange account for the eastern wing, also pointing to the existence of two different economies within Pakistan itself, dubbed the Two-Economies Theory.[45][46] The populist leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested for treason in theAgartala Conspiracy Case and was released during the1969 uprising in East Pakistan which resulted in Ayub Khan's resignation. GeneralYahya Khan assumed power, reintroducing martial law.
Acyclone devastated the coast of East Pakistan in 1970, killing an estimated 500,000 people,[47] and the central government was criticised for its poor response.[48] After the December 1970 elections, the Bengali-nationalist Awami League won 167 of 169 East Pakistani seats in the National Assembly. The League claimed the right to form a government and develop a new constitution but was strongly opposed by the Pakistani military and thePakistan Peoples Party (led byZulfikar Ali Bhutto).
Bangladesh is in South Asia on theBay of Bengal. It is surrounded almost entirely by neighbouring India, and shares a small border withMyanmar to its southeast, though it lies very close toNepal,Bhutan, and China. The country is divided into three regions. Most of the country is dominated by the fertileGanges Delta, the largest river delta in the world.[76] The northwest and central parts of the country are formed by theMadhupur and theBarind plateaus. The northeast and southeast are home toevergreen hill ranges.
The Ganges delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges (local namePadma orPôdda),Brahmaputra (Jamuna orJomuna), andMeghna rivers and their tributaries. The Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna, finally flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is called the "Land of Rivers",[77] as it is home to over 57trans-boundary rivers, the most of any nation-state. Water issues are politically complicated since Bangladesh is downstream of India.[78]
Bangladesh is predominantly rich fertile flat land. Most of it is less than 12 m (39 ft) above sea level, and it is estimated that about 10% of its land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 m (3.3 ft).[79] 12% of the country is covered by hill systems. The country'shaor wetlands are of significance to global environmental science. Thehighest point in Bangladesh is theSaka Haphong, located near the border with Myanmar, with an elevation of 1,064 m (3,491 ft).[80] Previously, eitherKeokradong orTazing Dong were considered the highest.
In Bangladeshforest cover is around 14% of the total land area, equivalent to 1,883,400 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 1,920,330 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 1,725,330 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 158,070 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to beprimary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 33% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be underpublic ownership.[81][82]
A photo from space showing off the pollution over Bangladesh
Straddling theTropic of Cancer, Bangladesh's climate is tropical, with a mild winter from October to March and a hot, humid summer from March to June. The country has never recorded an air temperature below 0 °C (32 °F), with a record low of 1.1 °C (34.0 °F) in the northwest city ofDinajpur on 3 February 1905.[83] A warm and humidmonsoon season lasts from June to October and supplies most of the country's rainfall. Natural calamities, such asfloods,tropical cyclones,tornadoes, andtidal bores occur almost every year,[84] combined with the effects ofdeforestation,soil degradation anderosion. Thecyclones of 1970 and 1991 were particularly devastating, thelatter killing approximately 140,000 people.[85]
In September 1998, Bangladesh saw themost severe flooding in modern history, after which two-thirds of the country went underwater, along with a death toll of 1,000.[86] As a result of various international and national level initiatives in disaster risk reduction, the human toll and economic damage from floods and cyclones have come down over the years.[87] The2007 South Asian floods ravaged areas across the country, leaving five million people displaced, with a death toll around 500.[88]
Bangladesh is recognised to be one of the countries mostvulnerable to climate change.[89][90] Over the course of a century, 508 cyclones have affected the Bay of Bengal region, 17 per cent of which are believed to have made landfall in Bangladesh.[91]Natural hazards that come from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones are expected to increase as the climate changes, each seriously affecting agriculture, water and food security, human health, and shelter.[92] It is estimated that by 2050, a three-foot rise in sea levels will inundate some 20 per cent of the land and displace more than 30 million people.[93] To address thesea level rise threat in Bangladesh, theBangladesh Delta Plan 2100 has been launched.[94][95]
Bangladesh is home to most of theSundarbans, the world's largestmangrove forest, covering an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) in the southwest littoral region. It is divided into three protected sanctuaries: theSouth,East, andWest zones. The forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The northeastern Sylhet region is home to haor wetlands, a unique ecosystem. It also includestropical and subtropical coniferous forests, afreshwater swamp forest, and mixed deciduous forests. The southeastern Chittagong region covers evergreen and semi-evergreen hilly jungles. Central Bangladesh includes the plainland Sal forest running along with the districts of Gazipur,Tangail, andMymensingh.St. Martin's Island is the onlycoral reef in the country.
Several animals became extinct in Bangladesh during the last century, including the one-horned and two-hornedrhinoceros and commonpeafowl. The human population is concentrated in urban areas, limiting deforestation to a certain extent. Rapid urban growth has threatened natural habitats. The country has widespread environmental issues; pollution of theDhaleshwari River by the textile industry and shrimp cultivation in Chakaria Sundarbans have both been described by academics asecocides.[104][105] Although many areas are protected under law, some Bangladeshi wildlife is threatened by this growth. TheBangladesh Environment Conservation Act was enacted in 1995. The government has designated several regions asEcologically Critical Areas, including wetlands, forests, and rivers. TheSundarbans tiger project and the Bangladesh Bear Project are among the key initiatives to strengthen conservation.[101] It ratified the RioConvention on Biological Diversity on 3 May 1994.[106] As of 2014[update], the country was set to revise itsNational Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.[106]
The first pillar of the government is the executive organ, which is entrusted with the total administration of the country.[107] Executive powers are largely vested in the Prime Minister, who is thehead of government, and oversees thecabinet.[107] The tenure of a parliamentary government is five years. Various ministers form the bulk of the executive organ, overseeing government departments and forming policies.[107] TheCivil Service assists the ministers in implementing the policies.[107] All authorities unite to formulate policies, manage public services, and implement national development plans.[107] ThePresident is the ceremonialhead of state, whose powers include signing bills passed by parliament into law and maintaining the government's stability and continuity;[107] as well as fulfilling their duties as the commander-in-chief of theArmed Forces[109] and thechancellor of all universities.[110]
The second pillar of the government is the legislative organ, also known as theJatiya Sangsad (House of the Nation).[111] Citizens across the country vote to elect the members of parliament (MPs).[107] Theunicameral parliament has 350 MPs, including 300 elected on thefirst past the post system and 50 appointed to reserved seats forwomen's empowerment.[111][112]Article 70 of the Constitution of Bangladesh forbids MPs from voting against their party.[113] The parliament is presided over by theSpeaker, who is second in line to the president as per the constitution.[114]
The third pillar of the government is the judiciary organ, which is in charge of interpreting the law, resolving conflicts, and maintaining justice across the nation.[107] TheSupreme Court is the highest court, separated into theAppellate Division and theHigh Court Division.[115][107] It is led by theChief Justice with the assistance of other justices.[115] The judiciary has the power to assess a law's constitutionality and offer legal remedies. Protecting citizens' rights, making sure the law is applied fairly, and preserving the balance of power within the government are all made possible by the court.[107] The courts have wide latitude injudicial review, and judicialprecedent is supported by Article 111 of the constitution.[116] The judiciary includes district and metropolitan courts divided into civil and criminal courts. Due to a shortage of judges, the judiciary has a large backlog.[117]
According toInternational IDEA’s Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices and Democracy Tracker, Bangladesh performs in the low range on overall democratic measures, with particular weaknesses in political representation, including credible elections, inclusive suffrage and elected government.[118][119][120]
Divisions are subdivided into districts (zila). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh, each further subdivided intoupazila (subdistricts) orthana. The area within each police station, except for those in metropolitan areas, is divided into severalunions, with each union consisting of multiple villages. In the metropolitan areas, police stations are divided into wards, further divided intomahallas.
There are no elected officials at the divisional or district levels, and the administration is composed only of government officials. Direct elections are held in each union (or ward) for a chairperson and several members. In 1997, a parliamentary act was passed to reserve three seats (out of 12) in every union for female candidates.[124]
Bangladesh is considered amiddle power inglobal politics.[127] It plays an important role in the geopolitical affairs of theIndo-Pacific,[128] due to its strategic location between South and Southeast Asia.[129] Bangladesh joined theCommonwealth of Nations in 1972 and the United Nations in 1974.[130][131] It relies on multilateral diplomacy on issues like climate change, nuclear non-proliferation, trade policy and non-traditional security issues.[132] Bangladesh pioneered the creation ofSAARC, which has been the preeminent forum for regional diplomacy among the countries of theIndian subcontinent.[133] It joined theOIC in 1974,[134] and is a founding member of theDeveloping-8.[135] In recent years, Bangladesh has focused on promoting regional trade and transport links with support from theWorld Bank.[136] Bangladesh is alsoattempting to joinASEAN as one of its top foreign policy goals, post Hasina's rule.[137][138][139] Dhaka hosts the headquarters ofBIMSTEC, an organisation that brings togethercountries dependent on the Bay of Bengal.
Relations with neighbouring Myanmar have been severely strained since 2016–2017, after over 700,000Rohingya refugees illegally entered Bangladesh.[140] The parliament, government, and civil society of Bangladesh have been at the forefront ofinternational criticism against Myanmar for military operations against the Rohingya, and have demanded theirright of return toArakan.[141][142]
Mig-29 and F-7, Fighter aircraft's of Bangladesh Air Force.
TheBangladesh Armed Forces have inherited the institutional framework of theBritish military and theBritish Indian Army.[156] In 2024, the active personnel strength of theBangladesh Armed Forces was around 230,000,[157] including the Air Force (21,000) and the Navy (27,000).[158] In addition to traditional defence roles, the military has supported civil authorities in disaster relief and provided internal security during periods of political unrest. For many years, Bangladesh has been the world's largest contributor toUN peacekeeping forces.[159] Themilitary budget of Bangladesh accounts for 1.3% of GDP, amounting to US$4.3 billion in 2021.[160][161]
TheBangladesh Navy, one of the largest in the Bay of Bengal, includes afleet of frigates, submarines, corvettes, and other vessels. TheBangladesh Air Force has asmall fleet of multi-role combat aircraft. Most of Bangladesh's military equipment comes from China.[162] In recent years, Bangladesh and India have increased joint military exercises, high-level visits of military leaders,counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing. Bangladesh is vital to ensuring stability and security innortheast India.[163][164]
Bangladesh's strategic importance in the eastern subcontinent hinges on its proximity to China, its frontier with Burma, the separation of mainland and northeast India, and its maritime territory in the Bay of Bengal.[165] In 2002, Bangladesh and China signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement.[166] The United States has pursued negotiations with Bangladesh on aStatus of forces agreement, anAcquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement and a General Security of Military Information Agreement.[167][168][169] In 2019, Bangladesh ratified the UNTreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[170]
LGBT rights are frowned upon among social conservatives.[189] Homosexuality is affected bySection 377 of thePenal Code of Bangladesh, which was originally enacted by the British colonial government.[190][191] The government only recognises thetransgender andintersex community known as theHijra.[192][193] According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index, an estimated 1.2 million people were enslaved in Bangladesh as of 2021[update], which is among the highest in the world.[194]
As of 2023[update], the large service sector accounts for about 51.5% of total GDP, followed by the industrial sector (34.6%), while theagriculture sector is by far the smallest, making up only 11% of total GDP;[8] despite being the largest employment sector, providing roughly half of the total workforce.[209] Over 84% of the export earnings come from thetextile industry.[210] Bangladesh is the second-leading garments exporter in the world, and plays a crucial role in the globalfast fashion industry, exporting to various Western fashion brands.[211] It is also a major producer ofjute,[212]rice,[213]fish,[214]tea,[215] and flowers.[216] Other major industries includeshipbuilding,pharmaceuticals,steel,electronics andleather goods.[217] China is thelargest trading partner of Bangladesh, accounting for 15% of the total trade, followed by India; which accounts for 8% of the total trade.[218]
Bangladesh, a country experiencing daily blackouts several times a day in 2009, achieved 100% electrification by 2022.[228][229] It is gradually transitioning to agreen economy and has the largest off-grid solar power programme in the world, benefiting 20 million people.[230] Anelectric car called thePalki is being developed for production in the country.[231]Biogas is being used to produce organic fertiliser.[232] The under-constructionRooppur Nuclear Power Plant, under-construction with assistance from the Russian companyRosatom, will be the first operationalnuclear power plant in the country. Its first unit, out of the two total units, is expected to go into operation in 2025.[233]
Bangladesh continues to have huge untapped reserves of natural gas, particularly in its maritime territory.[234][235] A lack of exploration and decreasing proven reserves have forced Bangladesh to importLNG from abroad.[236][237][238] Gas shortages were further exacerbated by theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[239] Bangladesh stopped buyingspot price LNG temporarily in July 2022, despite constant load-shedding, due to a steep price hike in the global market.[240] It restarted buying spot price LNG once again in February 2023 as prices eased.[241]
Whilegovernment-owned companies in Bangladesh generate nearly half of Bangladesh's electricity, privately owned companies like the Summit Group andOrion Group are playing an increasingly important role in both generating electricity, and supplying machinery, reactors, and equipment.[242] Bangladesh increased electricity production capacity from 5 gigawatts in 2009 to 25.5 gigawatts in 2022. It plans to further increase it to 50gigawatts by 2041. US companies likeChevron andGeneral Electric supply around 55% of Bangladesh's domestic natural gas production and are among the largest investors in power projects. 80% of Bangladesh's installed gas-fired power generation capacity comes from turbines manufactured in the United States.[243]
Thetourism industry is expanding, contributing some 3.02% of total GDP.[244] Bangladesh's international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $391 million.[245] The country hasthree UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Mosque City,the Buddhist Vihara and theSundarbans) and sevententative-list sites.[246] TheWorld Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported in 2019 that the travel and tourism industry in Bangladesh directly generated 1,180,500 jobs in 2018 or 1.9% of the country's total employment.[247] According to the same report, Bangladesh experiences around 125,000 international tourist arrivals per year.[247] Domestic spending generated 97.7 per cent of direct travel and tourism gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012.[248]
Bangladesh's capital Dhaka and the largest city and is overseen by two city corporations that manage between them the northern and southern parts of the city. There are 13city corporations which hold mayoral elections: Dhaka South, Dhaka North,Chittagong,Comilla,Khulna,Mymensingh,Sylhet,Rajshahi,Barisal,Rangpur,Gazipur,Bogura andNarayanganj. Mayors are elected for five-year terms. Altogether there are 506 urban centres in Bangladesh which 43 cities have a population of more than 100,000.
TheShaheed Minar, a national monument in Dhaka established to commemorate the martyrs of the 1952Bengali Language Movement, is a symbol of Bengali nationalism.
The official and predominant language of Bangladesh isBengali, which is spoken by more than 99% of the population as theirnative language.[258][259] Bengali is described as adialect continuum where there are variousdialects spoken throughout the country. There is adiglossia in which much of the population can understand or speak in Standard Colloquial Bengali, and in their regional dialect or language variety.[260] These includeChittagonian which is spoken in the southeastern region of Chittagong,[261]Noakhali spoken in the southern district ofNoakhali[262][263] andSylheti spoken in the northeastern region ofSylhet.[259]
English plays an important role in Bangladesh's judicial and educational affairs, due to the country's history as part of the British Empire. It is widely spoken and commonly understood, and is taught as a compulsory subject in allschools,colleges anduniversities, while the English-medium educational system is widely attended.[264]
Islam is thestate religion of Bangladesh.[268] However, theconstitution also upholds secularism and ensures equal rights for all religions.[269][268] Every citizen has the freedom to practice any religion.
Islam the largest religion across the country, being followed by about 91.1% of the population.[6] The vast majority of Bangladeshi citizens areBengali Muslims, adhering toSunni Islam.[270] The country is the third-most populous Muslim-majority state in the world and has the fourth-largest overall Muslim population.[271]
Buddhism is the third-most followed religion, adhered to by merely 0.6% of the population.[6] Bangladeshi Buddhists are concentrated among the tribal ethnic groups in theChittagong Hill Tracts and by theBengali Buddhist minority across coastal Chittagong, who mostly follow theTheravada school.[270]
The constitution states that all children shall receive free and compulsory education.[272] Education in Bangladesh is overseen by theMinistry of Education. TheMinistry of Primary and Mass Education is responsible for implementing policy for primary education and state-funded schools at a local level. Primary and secondary education iscompulsory, and is financed by the state and free of charge in public schools. Bangladesh has aliteracy rate of 76% as of 2021: 79% for males and 71.9% for females.[273][274][275] Its educational system is three-tiered and heavily subsidised, with the government operating many schools at the primary, secondary and higher secondary levels and subsidising many private schools. However, government expenditure in education remains among the lowest in the world, at only 1.8% of the total GDP.[276]
The education system is divided into five levels: primary (first to fifth grade), junior secondary (sixth to eighth grade), secondary (ninth and tenth grade), higher secondary (11th and 12th grade), and tertiary which is university level.[277] Primary level students have to pass thePrimary Education Completion (PEC) exam to proceed to junior secondary. The junior secondary students then give theJunior School Certificate (JSC) exam to get enrolled in ninth grade, while tenth-grade students have to pass theSecondary School Certificate (SSC) exam to proceed to eleventh grade. Lastly, students have to pass theHigher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam at grade twelve to apply for higher education or universities.[278]
Historical development oflife expectancy in Bangladesh, displaying significant strides since independence
Historical development ofchild mortality in Bangladesh since 1990, showing a significant decrease
A community health worker conducting a survey in a slum of the capital city, Dhaka
Bangladesh, by the constitution, guarantees healthcare services as a fundamental right to all of its citizens.[288] TheMinistry of Health and Family Welfare is the largest institutional healthcare provider in Bangladesh,[289] and contains two divisions:Health Service Division andMedical Education And Family Welfare Division.[290] However, healthcare facilities in Bangladesh are considered less than adequate, although they have improved as the economy has grown and poverty levels have decreased significantly.[289] Bangladesh faces a severe health workforce crisis, as formally trained providers make up a small percentage of the total health workforce.[291] Significant deficiencies in the treatment practices of village doctors persist, with widespread harmful and inappropriate drug prescribing.[292]
Bangladesh's poor healthcare system suffers from severe underfunding from the government.[289] As of 2021[update], some 2.36% of total GDP was attributed to healthcare,[293] and domestic general government spending on healthcare was 16.88% of the total budget,[294] while out-of-pocket expenditures made up the vast majority of the total budget, totalling roughly 73%.[295] Domestic private health expenditure was about 75.48% of the total healthcare expenditure.[296] There were only 5.3 doctors per 10,000 people, and about six physicians[297] and six nurses per 1,000 people,[298] while the number of hospital beds is 9 per 1,000.[299][300] The specialist surgical workforce was only 3 per 100,000 people,[301] and there were about 5 community health workers per 1,000 people.[302]
Roughly 60% of the population had access todrinking water in 2022.[303] In 2002, it was estimated that half of the drinking water was polluted witharsenic, exceeding levels of 10 micrograms per litre.[304] Bangladesh is crippled with one of the worst air qualities in the world, mostly concentrated in the densely populated urban areas, especially the capitalDhaka and itsmetropolitan area.[305] The World Bank estimated that roughly 80,000–90,000 deaths occurred in Bangladesh due to the drastic effects of air pollution in 2019. It was second-leading cause of death and disability, costing the country roughly 4–4.4% per cent of its total GDP.[306]
As of 2022[update], the overall life expectancy in Bangladesh at birth was 74 years (72 years for males and 76 years for females).[307] It has a comparably highinfant mortality rate (24 per 1,000 live births) andchild mortality rate (29 per 1,000 live births).[308][309] As of 2020[update],maternal mortality remains high, clocking at 123 per 100,000 live births.[310] Bangladesh is a key source market formedical tourism for various countries, mainlyIndia,[311] due to its citizens dissatisfaction and distrust over their own healthcare system.[312]
The main causes of death arecoronary artery disease, stroke, and chronicrespiratory disease; comprising 62% and 60% of all adult male and female deaths, respectively.[313]Malnutrition is a major and persistent problem in Bangladesh, mainly affecting the rural regions, more than half of the population suffers from it. Severe acute malnutrition affects 450,000 children, while nearly 2 million children have moderate acute malnutrition. For children under the age of five, 52% are affected byanaemia, 41% arestunted, 16% arewasted, and 36% areunderweight. A quarter of women are underweight and around 15% have short stature, while over half also suffer from anaemia.[314] Bangladesh was ranked 84th out of the 127 countries listed in the 2024Global Hunger Index.[315]
Traditional festivals includePahela Baishakh (Bengali New Year), which is the major festival of Bengali culture; with widespread festivities.[316]Pohela Falgun coincides withValentine's Day, and is celebrated with a display of music, dance and other cultural activities.[317] Other festivals includeNabonno and Poush Parbon, which celebrate new harvests of crops.[318]Shakrain is an annual celebration, observed by flyingkites, occurring at the end ofPoush, the ninth month of theBengali calendar. The festival coincides withMakar Sankranti celebrated in India and Nepal.[319]
Theatre in Bangladesh includes various forms with a history dating back to the 4th century CE.[392] It includes narrative forms, song and dance forms, supra-personae forms, performances with scroll paintings, puppet theatre and processional forms.[392] TheJatra is the most popular form of Bengali folk theatre.[393] Apart from the various forms ofIndian classical dances, including theKathakali,Bharatanatyam,Odissi[394] andManipuri dances–native dance traditions have formed across the country.[390]
Thecinema of Bangladesh dates back to a screening of abioscope in 1898.[416]: 129 [417] TheNawabs of Dhaka patronised the production of severalsilent films from the 1900s.[417] Picture House, the first permanent cinema in Dhaka, began its operation during the year between 1913 and 1914.[416]: 130 Sukumari (The Good Girl), released in 1929, was the first film produced in Bangladesh.[416]: 130 Last Kiss, the first full-length feature film, was released in 1931.[416]: 130 [417] By 1947, a total of 80 cinemas were listed.[416]: 130 The first Bengali-language film in East Pakistan,Mukh O Mukhosh (Face and Mask), was released in 1956.[416]: 130 [417]Akash ar Mati (Sky and Earth), released in 1959, was the second film as such.
Chickenpilaf (Morog Polao), a traditional dish fromOld Dhaka
Bangladeshi cuisine, formed by its geographic location and climate, is rich and diverse; sharing its culinary heritage with the neighbouring Indian state ofWest Bengal.[419]: 14 The staple dish iswhite rice, which along with fish, forms the culinary base. Varieties ofleaf vegetables, potatoes,gourds andlentils (dal) also play an important role.Curries of beef,mutton, chicken and duck are commonly consumed,[420] along with multiple types ofbhortas (mashed vegetables),[421]bhajis (stir fried vegetables) andtarkaris (curried vegetables).[419]: 8 Mughal-influenced dishes includekormas, kalias,biryanis,pulaos,teharis andkhichuris.[420]
Fish is the main source of protein, owing to the country's riverine geography, and it is often enjoyed with itsroe. Thehilsa is the national fish and is immensely popular; a famous dish isshorshe ilish. Other highly consumed fishes includerohu,pangas, andtilapia.[422]Lobsters,shrimps anddried fish (shutki) also play an important role, with thechingri malai curry being a famous shrimp dish.[419]: 8 In Chittagong, famous dishes includekala bhuna andmezban, the latter being a traditionally popular feast, featuring the serving ofmezbani gosht, a hot and spicy beef curry.[419]: 10 [420][423] In Sylhet, theshatkora lemons are used to marinate dishes, a notable one isbeef hatkora.[423] Among the tribal communities in theChittagong Hill Tracts, cooking withbamboo shoots is popular.[424] Khulna is renowned for usingchui jhal (piper chaba) in its meat-based dishes.[423][420]
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^Keay, John (2000).India: A History.Atlantic Monthly Press. p. 220.ISBN978-0-87113-800-2.In C1020 ... launched Rajendra's great northern escapade ... peoples he defeated have been tentatively identified ... 'Vangala-desa where the rain water never stopped' sounds like a fair description of Bengal in the monsoon.
^Bashar, Omar K M R; Khan, Habibullah (March 2009). "Liberalisation and Growth in Bangladesh: An Empirical Investigation".The Bangladesh Development Studies.32 (1).Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS):61–76.JSTOR40795710.
^Soraya Auer; Anika Hossain (7 July 2012)."Lost Wards of the State".The Daily Star.Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved14 February 2015.
^Ridwanul Hoque (5 August 2015)."Clashing ideologies". D+C, development and cooperation.Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved21 December 2015.
^Rashiduzzaman, M (1998). "Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord: Institutional Features and Strategic Concerns".Asian Survey.38 (7):653–70.doi:10.2307/2645754.JSTOR2645754.
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