Essay on "About Bangladesh"

Bangladesh is low-lying with a total area of 57,320 square miles or 148,460 square kilometers. It stretches latitudinally between 20’34’ and 26’38’ north longitudinally between 88’1’ and 92’41’ east. It is mostly surrounded by Indian Territory except for a small strip in the southeast by Myanmar. The Bay of Bengal lies on the south. Most of its area is relatively flat-lying in the deltaic plain of the Ganges Brahmaputra-Meghna river system. The only significant uplands are in the northeast and southeast of the country with an average elevation of 244 in and 61 ohms respectively. The country is covered with a network of rivers and canals forming a maze of interconnecting channels.

Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate marked by sweltering temperature and the winter (Dec-Feb), summer high humidity. The country has mainly four seasons, (Mar-May), monsoon (Jun-Sep), and autumn (Oct-Nov). During summer and monsoon tropical cyclones, storms and tidal bores are not uncommon.

The population of Bangladesh is above 16.5 million. The majority of the population are Muslim, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians makeup, 13 percent of the entire population. Over 98 percent of the people speak Bengali, English however, is widely used.

The lowest administrative unit is the union run by an elected union council. Each union comprises about 20000 inhabitants and about 8-10 unions cluster into an Upazila. Government services are concentrated at the Upazila level. There are about 492 Upazila in Bangladesh. Several Upazila forms a district. The total number of districts stands at 64. The entire country is broadly divided into eight administrative divisions namely, Dhaka, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, and Sylhet.

Bangladesh has an agrarian economy. Agriculture accounts for nearly 12.68 percent of the GDP and provides employment to more than 38 percent of the workforce Jute and rice are the main cash crops are tea, sugarcane, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, spices, wheat, potatoes, tobacco, and cotton. The major industry in Bangladesh is jute processing followed by cotton, steel, garments, and pharmaceutical.

As an emerging nation, Bangladesh places special priority on economic and social development, in order to accelerate the development process, the government has recently decentralized the administration and has undertaken massive development programs. A large number of non-government organizations (N G O) are also involved in development activities to benefit the rural poor.

The Country

The People’s Republic of Bangladesh geographical location

In south Asia between 20̊ 34` and 26̊ 38`north latitude and between 88̊ 01` and 92̊ 41` east.

Latitude

Boundaries north: India (W. Bengal and Meghalaya
West: India (W. Bengal)
East: India ( Tripura –Assam ) and Mayanmar .
South: Bay of Bengal
Area: 1, 47,570 sq. km.
Territorial waters: 12 nautical miles
Capital: Dhaka
Time: GMT +6 hours
Climate: Sub-tropical monsoon

Temperature:

Nov. – Feb.: Maximum 29̊ C,
Minimum: 9̊ C
Apr.-Sep. : Maximum 34̊ C,
Minimum: 21̊ C
Rainfall: 120`-345` cm (47`-136`) During monsoon

Humidity

Highest: 99 %(July)
Lowest: 36% (December)
Population: 16.5 million
Density: 798 persons per sq./km.
Literacy: (7 yrs and above)42%

Religious Groups

Muslim:88.3%
Hindus:10.5%
Buddhists:0.6%
Christians : 0.3%
Tribals :0.1%

Administrative & Other Units

Division: 08
District: 64
City corporation: 12
Municipality: 330
Thana: 491
Union Parishad: 4,562
Village: 68,038
Satellite station: 03 (Betbunia, Sahibabad, Bangabandhu Satellite-1 )

Language

95% speak Bengali and 5% other dialects.
English is widely spoken.

Staple sid

Rice, Vegetables, Pulses, and Fish

Principal Crops

Rice, Wheat, Jute, Tea, Tobacco, and Sugarcane.

Principal Rivers

Padma, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Meghna, Karnaphuli, and Teesta, Total rivers including
Tributaries: 230

Mineral Resources

Natural gas, Limestone, Hard Rock, Coal, Lignite, Silica Sand, White clay, and radioactive sand.

National Symbols

Language: Bengali
Flower: Water Lily
Bird: Magpie Robin
National Fish: Hilsa
National Fruit: Jackfruit
National tree: The mango

Technical Institutions

Polytechnic: 19
Graphic Arts: 01
Textile: 01
Ceramic: 01
Leather: 01
Commercial: 01
Agricultural: 01
Survey institute: 01
Another vocational institute: 35

Principal Industries

Jute, Tea, Textile, Garments, Paper, Newsprint, Fertilizer, Leather and leather goods, Sugar, Cement, Fish processing, Pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

Traditional Export

Raw jute, Jute manufactures such as Hessian, Sacking, Carpet Packing, Carpet, Tea, Leather and Leather Product.

Non-Traditional Export

Frozen shrimps, Other fish products, Newsprint, Paper, Naphtha, Furnace Oil, Urea, Garments, and Handicraft.

Principal import

Rice, Wheat, Oil Seeds, Crude Petroleum, Raw Cotton, Edible Oil, Petroleum Products, Fertilizer, Cement, Staple Fibers, Yarn and Capital Goods.

Essay on “About Bangladesh”