5 Facts of Bangladesh

The capital of Bangladesh is Dhaka

Located in South Asia, Bangladesh is bordered by India, Burma and the Bay of Bengal. The center for religious, political and cultural affairs is in the city of Dhaka, its capital. Prior to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Bangladesh suffered from political exclusion and economic poverty under the rule of West Pakistan. Since its independence and restoration of democracy, Bangladesh has experienced less political turmoil and moderate economic progress. The following is a list of facts about Bangladesh:

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

Artifacts have been discovered in the Bengal region that date civilization in Bangladesh back to 4,000 years. Until the 16th century, Bengal was the wealthiest region of Bangladesh. Its earlier history was prominent with the rule under Indian empires. The political climate was tenuous and struggles existed between Buddhism and Hinduism for dominance.

2

Bangladesh is one of the most populous and poorest countries in the world. More than half of the population live on less than $1 a day and are subsistence farmers. However, their close ties to China are beginning to improve economic conditions. Agreements were made to increase trade between the two nations in 2007. Many Bangladeshi commodities are exempt from tariffs in the Chinese market.

3

The Meghna, Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers replenish the fields of Bangladesh with rich nutrients. The delta plain that the rivers form allow for this. However, Bangladesh is very flat and is regularly flooded by the rivers, tidal bores and tropical cyclones.

4

Over 80 percent of Bangladeshis are of the Islam faith. Among the Bangladeshi Muslims, approximately 95 percent are Sunni. Christians, Buddhists and animists make up less then 1 percent of the population.

5

The government of Pakistan has a strong anti-terrorism philosophy. In 2005, two radical groups were suspected of bomb attacks, and the government swiftly tracked down the masterminds. The masterminds were executed, and the two radical organizations were banned from Bangladesh. In 1991, Bangladesh contributed 2,300 troops to fight the war in Operation Desert Storm. Currently, Bangladesh contributes over 10,000 troops to the United Nations peacekeeping forces throughout the world.