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About Bangladesh
Official Name:
People's Republic of Bangladesh
Capital:
Dhaka
Ethnicity:
Bengali 98%; tribal groups and non-Bengali Muslims 2%
Population:
Approximately 140 million
Population Growth Rate:
1.7%
Life Expectancy:
62.4 years (male and female)
Religions:
Muslim 88%; Hindu 11%; Christian, Buddhist, others 1%
Official Language:
Bengali
Year of Independence:
1971 (from Pakistan)
Type of Government:
Parliamentary Democracy
GNP Per Capita:
$400
Geography
Bangladesh is a low-lying country located in South Asia. The country contains the confluence of the Ganges (Padma), Brahmaputra (Jamuna), and Meghna Rivers and their tributaries which empty into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is bordered by India to the east, north, and west and shares a short border with Myanmar (Burma) in the southeast. The country is mainly flat, with 90% of its landmass less than 10 meters above sea level.
Government
After a bloody struggle for liberation from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh was established as a parliamentary democracy. The country was under military rule for many years, but a democratically elected government was re-established in 1991. Parliamentary elections took place in 1996 and 2001, with a peaceful transfer of power. The major political parties are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the Awami League, the Jatiya Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami Party. The current government, elected in 2001, is made up of a coalition led by the BNP. The next elections are scheduled to occur in 2008 and are very important for the future of the democracy.
Economy
Bangladesh has experienced steady economic growth at a rate approximately 5% annually over the past decade. Manufacturing of ready-made garments provides employment for over 1.5 million people, many of them women, and generates earnings of the country. The discovery of substantial reserves of natural gas could significantly boost the country's economy nearly 75% and the people's well-being if the reserves are managed carefully.
Agriculture
In the agricultural sector, Bangladesh has made impressive gains in the production of wheat and rice. Bangladesh is one of the few countries that has the potential to grow three rice crops a year and is essentially self-sufficient in rice production.
Human Rights Remain a Concern
Human rights issues have figured prominently in the speeches of government leaders and in the Bangladesh press. There remains, however, a large gap between rhetoric and practice. Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of violence against women in the world. The trafficking of women and children for prostitution, forced labor, begging, and other purposes is increasingly recognized as a significant problem. Cases of abuse of police are occasionally cited in the media. Those responsible for torture or unlawful deaths are rarely convicted and punished.
In a democratic society, the rights and responsibilities related to governance are not exclusively the domain of the government. They extend to all citizens. The many human rights organizations operating in Bangladesh are a prime example of citizen-initiated efforts to influence public policies.
Food for Very Poor Even More Limited
The very poor in Bangladesh simply do not have enough money for food. Forty-eight percent fall below the poverty line. Twenty-eight percent survives on less than a dollar a day. Further compounding the problem is the fact that these groups frequently live in disaster-prone areas that face frequent flooding. During natural disasters, families often lose what few possessions they may own.
*(facts gathered from www.usaid.gov/bd/bangladesh)