TM
CultureGrams
Kids Edition
People's Republic of
2014
Bangladesh
Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh
Bangladesh has the fourth-largest Muslim population in the world.
The national flower of Bangladesh is the water lily.
Bangladesh declared independence from Pakistan on 26 December 1971.
Nearly two-thirds of Bangladesh was covered in water in 1998, the worst flooding the country has seen in modern
history.
Nearly 400,000 rickshaws (carts pulled by men) run in the capital city of Dhaka daily.
The Sundarban, in southern Bangladesh, is the world's largest mangrove (a variety of tropical tree that is able to
live in salt water) forest.
The national animal of Bangladesh is the Royal Bengal tiger.
The country name Bangladesh means "country of Bengal" in Bengla.
Flag
Bangladesh's national flag, adopted in 1972, is a red circle on a green background.
The circle symbolizes the sun rising over a newly independent country. It is colored red
to represent the blood of those who lost their lives in the struggle for independence.
The green symbolizes the greenness and vitality of the country.
National Image
The Bengal tiger, national animal of Bangladesh, is a large animal, standing over 3 feet
tall. Their orange backs and white underbellies are marked by black stripes. Although
orange tigers are most common, there are white tigers with black stripes as well. The
Sundarban, in southern Bangladesh, is home to the giant cat. Bangladesh has the
world's second-highest population of Bengal tigers, after India.
Land and Climate
Area (sq. mi.): 55,598
Area (sq. km.): 143,998
Bangladesh is just slightly smaller than Nepal or the state of Iowa, at 55,598 square
miles (143,998 sq km). It is bordered by India to the west and north and shares a short
border with Myanmar on the east. It is bordered on the south by the Bay of Bengal.
Water is a major feature of the country, and the average elevation across the country is
very low—only between 16 and 33 feet (5–10 m)! Bangladesh is crossed by three major
rivers—the Padma, Jamuna, and Meghna—all of which join together to empty into the
Bay of Bengal. Because of the low elevation of the country, major changes in water
levels in these rivers or the bay can cause devastating floods. A flood in 1998, caused
1
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
by unusually high rainfall as well as above-average runoff (snow melting into water)
from the Himalayan Mountains, covered more than two-thirds of Bangladesh in water.
Although there is always the danger of flooding, the plentiful water in Bangladesh
makes the country very green, and the alluvial deposits (silt and soil) from the three
major rivers contribute to very fertile soil.
Bangladesh has a tropical climate with a humid monsoon (wind- and rainstorm) season
that lasts from June to October and a hot and humid summer that lasts from March to
June. Winters are mild and last from October to March. The coldest month is January,
with average temperatures around 78°F (26°C), and the hottest month is April, with
average temperatures around 96°F (36°C).
Population
Population: 163,654,860
Bangladesh has a population of over 161 million people, but all these people live in a
pretty small country. By contrast, Russia, which has a smaller population, is almost 12
times bigger than Bangladesh. 98 percent of this population is Bengali, while the
remaining 2 percent is made up of tribal groups and other non-Bengali Muslims. Many
people live near the rivers in small huts made of whatever materials they can find.
Because flooding is a problem near the rivers, some houses are built on stilts so flood
water won't destroy the home. In the capital city of Dhaka, many people live in
apartment buildings. Dhaka has some buildings that are many hundreds of years old as
well as some that have very modern architectural designs.
Language
Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan starting in 1947, and the area—then called East
Pakistan—was ruled over by the Pakistani government. The Pakistani language Urdu
was the official language of Bangladesh, even though most people spoke Bangla, the
language of the largest ethnic tribe. In 1952, a number of demonstrations (gatherings of
people to show they feel strongly about an issue) took place in Dhaka where people
demanded that Bangla be recognized as a language with equal status with Urdu, the
national language of Pakistan. Known as the Language Movement, the demonstrations
resulted in the deaths of several protesters. Eventually, Bangla was given equal status
with Urdu as a national language, but the death of the protesters is marked by a
monument called Shaheed Minar (Martyr's Tower).
When Bangladesh became independent in 1971, Bangla was made the official
language of Bangladesh. The Bangla writing system is made of 50 characters, which
are read from left to right. Bangla has two major forms: a standard form used for poetry
and novels and an informal form used by people in their day-to-day lives. There are
several dialects of Bangla that are spoken across the country. Additionally, Muslims in
Bangladesh may use Arabic or Persian words.
2
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
Can You Say It in Bangla?
Hello
Kemon achen
(KE-mon ah-CHEN)
Good-bye
Abar dekha habe
(ah-BAR dah-kah Ho-bay)
Please
Anugroho kore
(ah-NUK-rah-ho KO-ray)
Thank you
Dhannabad
(TON-no-bad)
Yes
Haan
(ha)
No
Na
(naw)
Religion
Nearly 90 percent of the population in Bangladesh is Muslim, and the remaining 10 percent are Hindu, with less than 1
percent made up of other religions, including Christians and Buddhists. The dominant religion in Bangladesh has
changed several times throughout the history of the area; however, Islam is now the religion followed by most people.
Bangladesh's constitution defines Bangladesh as an Islamic nation but allows for freedom of religion for all citizens.
There are five basic pillars of the Islamic faith that Muslims live by. The first is shahada (testimony, or witness) that
there is no god but Allah (God) and Muhammad is the messenger of God. Second is sawm (fasting, or going without
food or water) from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Third is salat (prayer), which should be done
five times a day facing Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Fourth is zakat (almsgiving, or giving money to the poor). And finally, if
they can, Muslims should go on haj (pilgrimage, or making a trip to a holy place) to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, at least once
in their lifetime.
Time Line
7000 BC
7000s
First evidence of human occupation of the area that is now Bangladesh
1000
A Dravidian tribe called Bang arrives
400s
The Gangaridai Kingdom is established in the area that is now
Bangladesh
3
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
300s
Gupta rulers bring stability; under them, important advances in
astronomy and math are made; Bengal becomes an important trade
center
330
Alexander the Great withdraws from India in anticipation of a possible
counterattack by the Gangaridai
273–232
King Asoka rules; he helps spread the Buddhist faith
AD 200
200
The Gupta dynasty spreads across northern India and into Bengal
550
The Gupta dynasty falls
750
Buddhist king Gopala founds the Pala dynasty; Buddhism spreads
under his reign
1000
1095
Hemanta Sen takes the throne and establishes the Hindu dynasty
1205
The Turkish army conquers Bengal and many people convert to Islam,
giving them a higher position in society than under the Hindu faith, with
its strong caste system
1350s
The Sultan of Delhi recognizes independent Bengal
1500
1526
Mughal Empire is established in modern-day India, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, and Bangladesh
1534
Sher Shah Suri, a soldier in the Mughal army, invades Bengal; he
breaks the alliance with Delhi and declares independence
1539
Sher Shah Suri defeats Sultan Humayun, marches to Delhi, and starts
reorganizing the government; he reforms the military, builds a road
system, and establishes the rupee as the currency
1576
Mughal conquerors take over Bengal
1600
1608
Mughal capital established at Dhaka
4
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
1700
1757
The British East India Trading Company takes control of Bengal from
the Mughals
1800
1834
The East India Trading Company becomes part of the British
government
1900
1905
Great Britain divides the region into East and West Bengal
1912
In response to the growing desire for Bengal to become an
independent state, Great Britain ends the division of Bengal
1940
Muslim leaders adopt the Lahore Resolution, which calls for a separate
country for the Muslim majority areas, North West India and Bengal
(Pakistan and Bangladesh)
1947
India gets independence from Britain; Muslim majority areas become
Pakistan and East Bengal, which becomes known as East Pakistan
and later Bangladesh
1952
A language movement develops demanding recognition of Bangla as a
national language equal with Urdu
1970
A monsoon kills an estimated 500,000 people in one of the deadliest
natural disasters in recorded history
1971
Fueled in part by the poor reaction to the monsoon, East Pakistan
launches a war against Pakistan for independence, and with aid from
India, Bangladesh declares independence from Pakistan
1988
Floods cover roughly 60 percent of Bangladesh for 15–20 days
1998
A major flood covers 60 percent of Bangladesh
2000
5
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
2006
Bangladesh native Muhammad Yunus wins the Nobel Peace Prize
2012
Muslim rioters attack Buddhist villages and shrines in southeast
Bangladesh in response to an image posted on Facebook that appears
to show a burnt Qur’an (Muslim holy book)
PRESENT
Early Bengal
The area now known as Bangladesh was settled by a tribe of Dravidian-speaking
people called the Bang, who settled the area around 1000 BC. Over the next several
hundred years, different kingdoms grew and expanded. Around 300 BC the Gangaridai
Kingdom rose to power in Bengal. During this same time, Alexander the Great was
conquering kingdom after kingdom as he expanded his empire eastward from Greece.
After conquering the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great looked to attack the
kingdoms in India and Bengal. The strength of the armies of the Gangaridai was
legendary, and Alexander's troops were tired from years of fighting. Alexander was
advised not to fight the Gangaridai. He agreed, and his kingdom didn't extend any
further east.
The Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire came into power in AD 320. This empire stretched over most of
present-day India, including what is now Pakistan and Bangladesh. This period is
known as the Golden Age of India because of the peace and prosperity that were
prevalent throughout the Gupta Empire's reign. The peace enjoyed at this time allowed
the Gupta Empire to focus on developing knowledge of the sciences, math, astronomy,
and engineering. The Indian numeral system dates from this era. Other major
developments in math during this period of history are still being used today, such as
the concept of zero. The Gupta Empire also made major developments in astronomy.
The idea that the world is round and rotates on its own axis, that eclipses are the result
of the earth's shadow, and that the earth revolves around the sun are all developments
that came during this period. Chess is also said to have been developed during this
time.
Islam Comes to Bangladesh
The major religion during the Gupta Empire was Hinduism. Part of the Hindu faith is the
belief that there are classes, or divisions between people. This caste system allows
some people to have a more privileged life as religious leaders or merchants, while
others are limited to manual labor jobs. People were limited in their life choices based
on these systems. When Muslim missionaries and traders came to Bangladesh, Islam
was readily adopted by the people. The appeal of Islam was the lack of caste divisions.
The next five centuries after Islam came to Bangladesh are known as the Sultanate
period, after the many Muslim sultans (rulers) who controlled the land. Islam has
6
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
remained the most popular religion in Bangladesh since.
The British Empire
The Mughal Empire, which was founded in 1526, began to shrink and become less
powerful after the death of Shah Aurangzeb in 1707. Control over cities was sold off to
the British East India Trading Company. The trading company was interested in
controlling rivers and port cities so they could make money on the trade being done
there. Locals throughout the shrinking Mughal Empire rebelled and tried to fight off the
European presence in their land. After a particularly violent rebellion, the British
government stepped in and took over the cities that the East India Trading Company
had controlled. British leadership divided Bangladesh in 1905, but that decision was
met with great resistance and it was reunited in 1912. British control over the area
continued until 1947, when India, Pakistan, and (because it was then called East
Pakistan) Bangladesh achieved independence. It was not an easy transition to
independence, because Muslim leaders decided they wanted a separate country for the
Muslim majority areas of India. Pakistan and East Bengal were separated out from
India. Bangladesh remained part of Pakistan for the next 24 years.
The Language Movement
After the division of India in 1947, Pakistan controlled the area of Bangladesh, which
was called East Bengal and later, East Pakistan. Even though it was over 1,000 miles
away and most people in Bangladesh spoke Bangla, Pakistan declared that the
national language of Bangladesh would be Urdu. In 1952, people in Bangladesh held
protests to demand that Bangla (the language spoken by most Bangladeshis) be
recognized as an official language of their country. The protests resulted in the death of
several Bangladeshis, and a monument called Shaheed Minar (Martyrs' Tower) was
immediately erected to remember those who died that day. After this event, many
Bangladeshis grouped together and demanded their independence from Pakistan. The
Bangladeshi struggle for independence was realized in 1971, when with help from
India, Bangladesh was granted independence from Pakistan.
Since Independence
Although Bangladesh is now an independent nation, it still faces political problems.
Bangladeshi politics are marked by the rivalry of two major parties, the Awami League
(AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). These two parties are led by two
prominent families: the AL by the Hasina family and the BNP by the Zia family. Power in
Bangladesh has gone back and forth between these two parties several times since
Bangladesh's independence. The BNP wants to define Bangladesh as an Islamic
nation, while the AL wants a secular (non-religious) state. Recent attempts to build
coalitions (temporary agreements by competing parties to work together) between the
BNP, the AL, and other political parties haven't been very successful. Political
disagreements that result in protests greatly affect the daily lives of Bangladeshis.
During protests, many people stay in their homes to avoid the conflict, and as a result,
not much business is done on those days. Student protests also disrupt the education
of the youth in Bangladesh.
7
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
Games and Sports
The most popular sports in Bangladesh are cricket and soccer. Cricket is a game
similar to baseball, where a bowler (pitcher) throws a ball at wickets (upright sticks on
the ground), while a batter tries to hit the ball away from the wickets and score runs.
Bangladeshi children also play badminton, which is a game like tennis but with a higher
net and a piece of cork with bird feathers attached to it, called a shuttlecock, rather than
a ball.
The most popular boys' game, ka-baddi (also called hadudu), is played on a square
court with seven players and five substitutes. While continually saying
Kabaddi-kabaddi, one team's player (called the "raider") enters the other side's area
and tries to touch as many of the other players as possible. If he returns to his side
while still repeating the words without having taken a breath, the other team loses the
players he touched, and his team gains an equal number of its own players back (from
previous rounds). However, if he is trapped by the opposite team and is forced to take
another breath, he is out, and the opposing team gains one of its members back. The
first team to eliminate all players on the other side wins. Girls play a variety of games
including cricket, volleyball, and badminton. The Bangladesh national women's cricket
team won a silver medal in the 2010 Asian Games.
Holidays
Public holidays in Bangladesh are a mixture of Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and
secular (non-religious) holidays. Major Muslim holidays include Eid al-Adha (feast of
sacrifice), where Muslims commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his
son, and Eid al-Fitr (feast of fast-breaking), which celebrates the end of Ramadan
(Islamic holy month of fasting, or going without food and water). Islamic holidays are
celebrated according to the lunar calendar, and the date of their celebration changes
from year to year.
Christians celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian, or Western, calendar used
in the United States. Buddhists celebrate the birth of Buddha during Buddha Purnima,
and Hindus worship the goddess Durga during the festival of Durga Puja according to
the Bengali calendar. Buddha Purnima is an important holiday for Buddhists as it
commemorates the birth, the day of enlightenment, and the death of Buddha. Purnima
means "full moon," and the holiday is celebrated on a day where there is a full moon in
the sky. Buddhists gather in pagodas to pray to Buddha, and people celebrate by eating
traditional meals. Durga Puja is celebrated for four days as Hindus worship the goddess
Durga, who symbolizes strength. Hindus go to temples to pray, visit friends and
relatives, and exchange gifts. Traditional desserts such as naru (balls made of coconut,
milk, and sugar) and payesh (rice cooked in milk and sugar) are eaten with friends and
family. The Bengali calendar begins with the New Year's holiday of Pohela Boishakh in
the spring. Although Pohela Boishakh is a Hindu holiday celebrated according to the
Hindu calendar, it is really a celebration for all ethnic Bengalis. It is a time of year when
many people will get new clothes, give their houses a thorough cleaning, and welcome
guests to their homes for traditional meals.
8
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
Food
Because Bangladesh has so much available water from the rivers crossing the country,
rice and fish are major parts of the Bangladeshi diet. Rice is prepared either by frying it
in hot oil or boiling it in water. The national fish of Bangladesh is the hilsa, which is
cooked by steaming, frying, or boiling. Religion plays a factor in determining the food a
person eats. Muslims are forbidden from eating pork, and Hindus do not eat beef.
Mutton (lamb) is a very common food among Muslims.
A common breakfast in Bangladesh is panta vat, rice that has soaked in water
overnight and is seasoned with salt and onions or chili. Great varieties of spices are
used in Bangladesh and include garlic, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Using all these
spices means that Bangladeshi food is generally pretty spicy.
Schools
Adult Literacy: 56.8%
School in Bangladesh is free through eighth grade, but most children don't get past the
fifth grade. Poorer families are not able to afford the supplies their children need for
school, or they may need the children to work to help support the family. Schooling after
the eighth grade depends on how much money a family has. Bangladeshi children can
go to different types of schools. Private schools offer their classes in English (except for
religion courses, which are offered in Arabic and Bangla). The government also offers
schools with classes taught in Bangla. These schools are less expensive, but tuition
costs can still be too high for some families. For homeless children and very poor
families, children can receive religious education at madrasahs (Islamic schools). In a
madrasah, children memorize the Qurʾan (Muslim holy book), learn about Islam, and
may eventually become religious leaders. Islamic education is legally required to be
part of any school curriculum.
Life as a Kid
Life as a kid in Bangladesh is different for different classes of people. Most children in
Bangladesh start going to school at age five or six, but many children of poorer families
do not get the chance to complete school. Most children are needed in the labor force
to help support their family with their small earnings. However, parents with sufficient
incomes are able to fulfill the needs of their children. Kids enjoy listening to music,
dancing, and art classes, and boys love participating in sports. In cities, kids play more
computer games because they don't have access to playgrounds. Like kids around the
world, Bangladeshi kids love fast food, ice cream, chocolates, cold drinks, and fruit
juice. Village kids are very fond of sour fruits and pitha (cakes made with rice flour).
They also love watching cartoons, listening to music, and reading comic books and fairy
tales.
9
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
Government
Capital: Dhaka
Head of State: Pres. Abdul Hamid
Head of Government: PM Sheikh Hasina
Bangladesh achieved independence as a nation in 1971. Before this time, Bangladesh
was known as East Pakistan. The prime minister is the most powerful elected official in
the country, and the president is mostly a ceremonial role. Both the president and prime
minister serve five-year terms. The parliament determines the laws in Bangladesh and
has 350 seats, which are filled by representatives that are elected every five years. The
constitution of Bangladesh has 14 amendments (changes), one of which reserves a
certain number of parliamentary seats for women. The voting age is 18.
Money and Economy
Currency: Taka
Agriculture is the biggest industry in Bangladesh; nearly two-thirds of the workers in the
country work in agriculture. Farmers grow rice, which can be planted and harvested
three times a year, tea, jute (a plant used to make thread and fabric), wheat, potatoes,
and sugar cane. Historically, Bangladesh was known for the fine cloth they
manufactured. The textile industry is still a major part of the economy in Bangladesh.
Production of textiles–either manufacturing of cloth or assembly of finished
garments–accounts for 80 percent of the country's exports. Bangladesh is third in the
world for textile production, behind China and Turkey. Bangladesh also exports
significant quantities of leather and seafood, specifically shrimp. Bangladeshi currency
is called the taka (BDT).
Getting Around
People travel by train, car, rickshaw, and boat in Bangladesh. The most common mode
of transportation in the city is by rickshaw (a cart pulled by a man). Nearly 400,000
rickshaws run in the city daily. Rickshaws are often painted elaborately and may feature
portraits of famous actors. Boats are a common method of transportation as well, and in
some areas it is the only means of transportation. The Jamuna Bridge, which was
completed in 1998, crosses the Jamuna River and connects the cities of Sirajganj and
Tangali. It is one of the longest bridges in South Asia. The bridge has lanes for cars and
tracks for trains, and it also carries telecommunication cable and natural gas pipe.
Frequent flooding poses a problem for the road system, which can be damaged by a
major flood.
10
TM
CultureGrams
Bangladesh
Pohela Boishakh
Pohela Boishakh is an expression of the Bengali culture. This holiday celebrates the
first day of the Bengali calendar, and Bangladeshis celebrate in traditional ways. Pohela
Boishakh is celebrated by all Bangladeshis, regardless of their religious or ethnic
background. People clean their houses, wear colorful clothes, and attend various
cultural programs. Small fairs are arranged throughout the country, where foods like
panta ilish (rice soaked in water served with fish, lentils, chilies, and onions) and toys
and handicrafts are sold. The fairs also offer entertainment of singers, dancers, and
traditional plays. Children really enjoy this holiday. The country takes on a festive look.
Anyone can experience the food, festival, and color of Bangladesh on this day.
Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Bangladesh, 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 244-0183;
web site www.bdembassyusa.org.
© 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to
copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any
means without strict written permission from ProQuest.
11
CultureGrams
TM
ProQuest
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA
Toll Free: 1.800.521.3042
Fax: 1.800.864.0019
www.culturegrams.com
12