BANGLADESH

Alexis CarrionAP HUG

Country Case StudyGovernment Seal

National Emblem

Part 3: Economy Of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s economy is mainly agricultural. Since 1990, the country has been able to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. About 62 percent of the rural population of the country is directly involved in a wide range of agricultural activities.(1)Profit made from exporting textiles,clothing,and ready-made garments is the single source of economic growth in Bangladesh. 29 percent of the country’s GDP comes from agriculture, and employs about 63 percent of the labor force.

The currency of Bangladesh is the Taka (BDT). One BDT is made up of 100 paisa. Credit cards are not typically accepted outside of the capital, Dhaka, although there are numerous Standard Chartered Bank ATMs located there. Traveler's checks can be used and should be made out in US Dollars or GBP. (4)Natural Resources in Bangladesh include rice, jute, tea, wheat ,sugar cane, and various other agricultural crops. Being that the country has great access to a variety of rivers, water is one of the main natural resources in Bangladesh. (11)

Part 4:Physical Geography of

Bangladesh

PROS/CONS: Bangladesh lies in the Ganges Delta, between the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna Rivers.

+ All of these rivers are subjected to flooding, which could leave enormous amounts of silt deposited in the region. This is a plus for farmers because they will be left with fertile agricultural land.

- The country experience heavy rainfall, approximately 60-100 inches a year. This could either be god or bad for Bangladesh’s economy, seeing as that it is mainly agricultural. However, this coastal country experiences tropical cyclones that cause devastating floods, destroying farmer’s crops. (7)

Bangladesh can be broken down into three different regions: Floodplains, Terraces, and Hills. (8)Due to the country’s high exposure to flooding, the cost of development and maintenance of roads and railways are high, however inland water transport has been an environmentally friendly and cost effective means of transport in Bangladesh.(8)The banks of Bangladesh's rivers has birthed almost of its big cities, towns, and commercial centers. (8)

Continued. . .

Inland river ports were developed at the main commercial and urban centers such as Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chandpur, Barisal, and Khulna. (8) These inland ports are responsible for moving cargo between

other ports but they also handle the transportation of about 40% of the country’s imports and exports.

Water transportation is overall cheaper, safer, and environmentally friendly and therefore will continue to be the backbone of the economy in Bangladesh.

Architecture: In the country’s capital, Dhaka, you will find many skyscrapers and “sprawling suburbia” in this growing city. (4) Buddhist monastery architecture such as the Buddhist Vihara

which stands at 900 feet tall can be found in the city of Paharpur. The Satgambuz mosque of Bagerhat is also located in this city.

In Hathazari, tourists can find the mausoleum of Shah Ali Bagdadi and the mosque of Rasti Khan.

Left: Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur.Right: Mausoleum of Shah Ali Bagdadi

Flooding in Bangladesh-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRwAMjeTgYQ

BANGLADESH’S PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND ITS EFFECTS

PART 5:Culture of bangladesh

FOOD: Bangladesh is known for its rich, spicy dishes. Desserts are sweet and milky, such as the popular Bengali dessert “Mishti”. (4)

RELIGION: The official religion of Bangladesh is Islam and is practiced by 88 percent of the country’s citizens. There are many other active religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Animism, and tribal belief systems. (4) The majority of Islam followers in the country are Sunni. Bangladesh has one of the largest Muslim communities in the world.

MARRIAGE PRACTICES: Adan Pradan is the pre-engagement ritual in which the bride and groom’s ancestral lines are

examined by a priest to make sure they are not of the same lineage. Then, engagement or “aashirwad” is done to confirm marriage. The family of the bride visits the groom to bless him before the priest and vice versa.

Vridhi are the pre-wedding rituals, which take place the day before the wedding. All members of the families attend this ritual. The bride and groom will offer Puja to their ancestors. *Puja: The act of showing reverence to a god, spirit, or another aspect of the divine through invocations, prayers, songs, and rituals.

ROLE OF WOMEN: Although women make up over half the population in Bangladesh, many of them are poor, underprivileged, and illiterate. (9) Women face two conflicting realities: stay true to their culture and take care of the children and

household, and being forced into wage employment in order to battle poverty. Today, women in Bangladesh contribute to a greater portion of the country’s economy.

WORK ETHICS: Bangladesh’s economy is based largely on agriculture and the textile industry, so many of the country’s citizens work as farmers or in factories making textiles and garments. 77% of the female labor force and 53% of the male labor force are involved in agriculture. It is not uncommon for married women to work in a country like Bangladesh because its average citizen lives in poverty and they must contribute to the household’s earnings. (9)

SOCIAL STRUCTURE; Like many countries around the world, Bangladesh’s social classes are divided up between the workers and the professionals. Workers are those who work in industrial and agricultural fields, and typically live at or below the poverty line. Professionals are shopkeepers, cooperative farmers, land-owning farmers, agronomists, businessmen, police, etc. (10)

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES: The capital, Dhaka, has many fine art galleries such as the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts and the Tivoli Art Gallery. There are also many national parks and botanical gardens that work to protect Bangladesh’s indigenous and endangered species. Calbagh Fort, which was constructed in 1678 by Prince Muhammad Azam is located here in Bangladesh.

HOLIDAYS: (4) Shahid Dibash (Language Martyr’s Day) Feb. 21th- Gives citizens the opportunity

to reflect on sacrifices made in effort to protect Bangla as the national language. Shadhinota Dibosh (Independence Day) Mar. 26th- Day to commemorate the

declaration of Independence in 1971. Pohela Boishakh (New Year’s Day) April 14th- Activities include visiting relatives,

neighborhoods, and friends with special foods being prepared. New Year’s fairs are held including entertainment, traditional performances, and market stalls selling handicrafts.

Me Dibosh (May Day) May 1st- Labor Day Vesak/Wesak/Vesakha (Buddha Day) May 23rd- Refferred to as “Buddha Pumima”,

is a Buddhist holiday to celebrate the birth, life, enlightment, and passing of Buddha.

Eid ul-Fitr August 8th- Marks the end of Ramadan Sri Krishmo Jonmashtomi August 28th- Marks the birth of Krishna, an incarnation of

the Hindu god Vishnu. Durga Puja Oct. 14th- Hindu celebration lasting five days to commemorate Lord

Rama’s victory over evil demon Ravana. Eid ul-Adha Oct. 15th- A festival to remind people of Ibrahim’s willingness to

sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to God’s command. Bijoe Dibosh (Victory Day) Dec. 16th- Commemorates the Pakistani Army’s

surrender to the Indo-Bangladeshi High Command in Dhaka in 1971.

Works Cited1. Bangladesh. Prime Minister's Office. National Web Portal of Bangladesh. Access

to Information Programme, n.d. Web. 19 May 2013.2. "News." C C I & E Office of the Chief Controller of Imports & Exports. N.p., n.d.

Web. 19 May 2013.3. "Bangladeshi Textile Industry, Profitable Industry, Ready-Made Garments,

Fibre2fashion."Bangladeshi Textile Industry, Profitable Industry, Ready-Made Garments, Fibre2fashion. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2013.

4. "Discover the Diverse Culture of Bangladesh." Culture in Bangladesh. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2013.

5. "Virtual Bangladesh : History : Overview." Virtual Bangladesh : History : Overview. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2013

6. "Military." Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2013.7. "Geography of Asia." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2013.8. "BANGLAPEDIA: Physiography." BANGLAPEDIA: Physiography. N.p., n.d. Web. 19

May 2013.9. Nawaz, Faraha, Role of Women in Bangladesh Economy: Do Women in

Bangladesh Play a Part in Making its Economy Stronger? (March 5, 2013). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2228584 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2228584

10. "Official Website of Serajul Alam Khan - Dada." Official Website of Serajul Alam Khan - Dada. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2013.

11. "Resource of Bangladesh." Resource of Bangladesh. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2013