152-503: Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation ( BJMC ) is a public corporation that manages all government-owned jute factories and industries in Bangladesh . The corporation is located in Dhaka , the capital city of Bangladesh. In addition to the jute mills, it also owns several public entities in other fields for the purposes of funding and revenue collection. The BJMC corporation was formed in 1972 when
304-669: A Status of Forces Agreement , an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement and a General Security of Military Information Agreement. In 2019, Bangladesh ratified the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Since the colonial period, Bangladesh has had a prominent civil society . There are various special interest groups, including non-governmental organisations , human rights organisations, professional associations, chambers of commerce , employers' associations, and trade unions. The National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh
456-410: A considerable role in rousing the people's emotions during the movement. Since the events of February 1952, poems, songs, novels, plays, films, cartoons, and paintings were created to capture the movement from the varied point of views. Notable artistic depictions include the poems Bornomala, Amar Dukhini Bornomala and February 1969 by Shamsur Rahman , the film Jibon Theke Neya by Zahir Raihan ,
608-564: A critical role in addressing regional issues, including the Rohingya refugee crisis , which has strained its resources and highlighted its humanitarian commitments. The poverty rate went down from 80% in 1971 to 44% in 1991 to 13% in 2021. Bangladesh emerged as the second-largest economy in South Asia, surpassing the per capita income levels of both India and Pakistan. As part of the green transition , Bangladesh's industrial sector emerged as
760-592: A democratic state with fundamental rights, an independent judiciary, and an elected parliament called the Jatiya Sangsad . Since gaining independence, Bangladesh has faced issues of political instability, economic reconstruction, and social transformation. The country experienced one party socialism under Sheikh Mujib in 1975, followed by military coups and military rule, notably under General Ziaur Rahman and General Hussain Muhammad Ershad . Between 1972 and 1975,
912-590: A general strike began. At the assembly, six legislators including Manoranjan Dhar , Boshontokumar Das, Shamsuddin Ahmed and Dhirendranath Datta requested that chief minister Nurul Amin visit wounded students in hospital and that the assembly be adjourned as a sign of mourning. This motion was supported by some treasury bench members including Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish , Shorfuddin Ahmed, Shamsuddin Ahmed Khondokar and Mosihuddin Ahmed. However, Nurul Amin refused
1064-534: A habitat for many aquatic plants. Water lilies and lotuses grow vividly during the monsoon season. The country has 50 wildlife sanctuaries . Bangladesh is home to most of the Sundarbans , the world's largest mangrove forest , covering an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) in the southwest littoral region. It is divided into three protected sanctuaries: the South , East , and West zones. The forest
1216-559: A leader in building green factories, with the country having the largest number of certified green factories in the world in 2023. In January 2024, Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a fourth straight term in Bangladesh's general election . Following nationwide protests against the Awami League government, on 5 August 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee to India. An interim government
1368-810: A long circular (No. 10) titled 'Rashtra Bhashar Andolan' was promoted to the Secretariat of the Bengali Provincial Organizing Committee before the Communist Party of Pakistan '. In this circular, the Communist Party's statement, line, and organizational duties regarding the language movement are clearly indicated. In accordance with the principles and lines of the State Language Movement laid down in Party Circular No. 10 of
1520-600: A long sea coastline, numerous rivers and tributaries , lakes, wetlands , evergreen forests, semi evergreen forests, hill forests, moist deciduous forests , freshwater swamp forests and flat land with tall grass. The Bangladesh Plain is famous for its fertile alluvial soil which supports extensive cultivation. The country is dominated by lush vegetation, with villages often buried in groves of mango , jackfruit , bamboo , betel nut , coconut , and date palm . The country has up to 6000 species of plant life, including 5000 flowering plants. Water bodies and wetland systems provide
1672-592: A mainly ethnic Bengali population. In 1948, the Government of the Dominion of Pakistan ordained as part of Islamization of East Pakistan or East Bengal that Urdu will be the sole federal language, alternately Bengali writing in the Perso-Arabic script or Roman script ( Romanisation of Bengali ) or Arabic as the state language of the whole of Pakistan was also proposed, sparking extensive protests among
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#17328590821071824-501: A memorandum and sent it to Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. The Prime Minister did not respond to this either. In the height of civic unrest, Governor-General of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah arrived in Dhaka on 19 March 1948. On 21 March, at a civic reception at Racecourse Ground , he claimed that the language issue was designed by a " fifth column " to divide Pakistani Muslims. Jinnah further declared that "Urdu, and only Urdu" embodied
1976-454: A parliamentary act was passed to reserve three seats (out of 12) in every union for female candidates. Bangladesh is the second largest economy in South Asia after India. The country has outpaced India and Pakistan in terms of per capita income. According to the World Bank , "when the newly independent country of Bangladesh was born on December 16, 1971, it was the second poorest country in
2128-714: A part of the Mughal Empire . By the 18th century, Mughal Bengal emerged as the wealthiest province of the empire. Following the decline of the Mughal Empire in the early 1700s, Bengal became a semi-independent state under the Nawabs of Bengal , founded by Murshid Quli Khan in 1717 and ultimately led by Siraj-ud-Daulah who was defeated by the British East India Company in the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and thus Bengal
2280-518: A population of 173,562,364 in an area of 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi). Bangladesh shares land borders with India to the north, west, and east, and Myanmar to the southeast. To the south, it has a coastline along the Bay of Bengal . To the north, it is separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the Siliguri Corridor , and from China by the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim . Dhaka ,
2432-625: A professional football team called Team BJMC . About 78 jute mills were nationalised following the independence of Bangladesh and later they became subsidiaries of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation. The list is given below: Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh , is a country in South Asia . It is the eighth-most populous country in the world and seventh most densely populated with
2584-416: A public meeting held in Dhaka, where community leaders called for the immediate release of Maulana Bhashani and other political prisoners. However, Pakistani politicians such as Fazlur Rahman aggravated sectional tensions by declaring that anyone who wanted Bengali to become an official language would be considered an "enemy of the state". Bengali students and civilians disobeyed the restrictions to celebrate
2736-435: A single language, one that was not indigenous to Pakistan, should serve as the national language. This kind of thinking also provoked considerable opposition in the western wing, wherein there existed several linguistic groups. As late as in 1967, military dictator Ayub Khan said, "East Bengal is ... still under considerable Hindu culture and influence." The Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod , with support from
2888-620: A state language was formed towards the end of December 1947. Professor Nurul Huq Bhuiyan of the Tamaddun Majlish convened the committee. Later, Parliament member Shamsul Huq convened a new committee to push for Bengali as a state language. Assembly member Dhirendranath Datta proposed legislation in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to allow members to speak in Bengali and authorise its use for official purposes. Datta's proposal
3040-609: A survey among teachers, intellectuals, high civil servants, members of the Legislative Council, according to which, out of 301 respondents, 96 favoured the introduction of the Arabic script, 18 the Roman script and 187 gave opinion in favour of the retention of the Bengali script. Besides, many people did not give any answer. The committee produced its report by 6 December 1950; but it was not published before 1958. Here an effective measure
3192-596: Is Bangladesh's largest economic aid provider, and the two maintain a strategic and economic partnership . Political relations with Middle Eastern countries are robust. Bangladesh receives 59% of its remittances from the Middle East, despite poor working conditions affecting over four million Bangladeshi workers . Bangladesh plays a major role in global climate diplomacy as a leader of the Climate Vulnerable Forum . The Bangladesh Armed Forces have inherited
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#17328590821073344-465: Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The northeastern Sylhet region is home to haor wetlands, a unique ecosystem. It also includes tropical and subtropical coniferous forests , a freshwater swamp forest , and mixed deciduous forests. The southeastern Chittagong region covers evergreen and semi-evergreen hilly jungles. Central Bangladesh includes the plainland Sal forest running along with the districts of Gazipur, Tangail , and Mymensingh . St. Martin's Island
3496-601: Is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Commonwealth of Nations . The etymology of Bangladesh ("Bengali country") can be traced to the early 20th century, when Bengali patriotic songs, such as Aaji Bangladesher Hridoy by Rabindranath Tagore and Namo Namo Namo Bangladesh Momo by Kazi Nazrul Islam , used
3648-482: Is a major national holiday in Bangladesh. A month-long event called the Ekushey Book Fair is held every year to commemorate the movement. Ekushey Padak , one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh, is awarded annually in memory of the sacrifices of the movement. Songs such as Abdul Gaffar Choudhury 's Ekusher Gaan , set to music by Shaheed Altaf Mahmud , as well as plays, works of art and poetry played
3800-584: Is being developed for production in the country. Biogas is being used to produce organic fertilizer. Bangladesh continues to have huge untapped reserves of natural gas, particularly in its maritime territory. A lack of exploration and decreasing proven reserves have forced Bangladesh to import LNG from abroad. Gas shortages were further exasperated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine . While government-owned companies in Bangladesh generate nearly half of Bangladesh's electricity, privately owned companies like
3952-418: Is divided into several unions , with each union consisting of multiple villages. In the metropolitan areas, police stations are divided into wards, further divided into mahallas . There are no elected officials at the divisional or district levels, and the administration is composed only of government officials. Direct elections are held in each union (or ward) for a chairperson and several members. In 1997,
4104-510: Is estimated that about 10% of its land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 m (3.3 ft). 12% of the country is covered by hill systems. The country's haor wetlands are of significance to global environmental science. The highest point in Bangladesh is the Saka Haphong , located near the border with Myanmar, with an elevation of 1,064 m (3,491 ft). Previously, either Keokradong or Tazing Dong were considered
4256-699: Is home to the Asian elephant , hoolock gibbon , Asian black bear and oriental pied hornbill . The chital deer are widely seen in southwestern woodlands. Other animals include the black giant squirrel , capped langur , Bengal fox , sambar deer , jungle cat , king cobra , wild boar , mongooses , pangolins , pythons and water monitors . Bangladesh has one of the largest populations of Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins . The country has numerous species of amphibians (53), reptiles (139), marine reptiles (19) and marine mammals (5). It also has 628 species of birds . Several animals became extinct in Bangladesh during
4408-488: Is observed as Language Movement Day , a national holiday. The Shaheed Minar monument was constructed near Dhaka Medical College in memory of the movement and its victims. On 17 September 1999, UNESCO declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day , in tribute to the Language Movement and the ethnolinguistic rights of people around the world. The present-day nations of Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of
4560-498: Is often strained by water politics of the Ganges and the Teesta , and the border killings of Bangladeshi civilians . Post-independent Bangladesh has continued to have a problematic relationship with Pakistan, mainly due to its denial of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. It maintains a warm relationship with China, which is its largest trading partner, and the largest arms supplier. Japan
4712-493: Is overseen by a cabinet headed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh . The tenure of a parliamentary government is five years. The Bangladesh Civil Service assists the cabinet in running the government. Recruitment for the civil service is based on a public examination. In theory, the civil service should be a meritocracy. But a disputed quota system coupled with politicisation and preference for seniority have allegedly affected
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4864-804: Is presided over by the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad , who is second in line to the president as per the constitution. Bangladesh is considered a middle power in global politics . It plays an important role in the geopolitical affairs of the Indo-Pacific , due to its strategic location between South and Southeast Asia. Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1972 and the United Nations in 1974. It relies on multilateral diplomacy on issues like climate change, nuclear nonproliferation, trade policy and non-traditional security issues. Bangladesh pioneered
5016-486: Is the unicameral parliament. It has 350 members of parliament (MPs), including 300 MPs elected on the first past the post system and 50 MPs appointed to reserved seats for women's empowerment . Article 70 of the Constitution of Bangladesh forbids MPs from voting against their party. However, several laws proposed independently by MPs have been transformed into legislation, including the anti-torture law. The parliament
5168-471: Is the only coral reef in the country. Bangladesh has an abundance of wildlife in its forests, marshes, woodlands, and hills. The vast majority of animals dwell within a habitat of 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi). The Bengal tiger , clouded leopard , saltwater crocodile , black panther and fishing cat are among the chief predators in the Sundarbans. Northern and eastern Bangladesh
5320-548: Is threatened by this growth. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act was enacted in 1995. The government has designated several regions as Ecologically Critical Areas , including wetlands, forests, and rivers. The Sundarbans tiger project and the Bangladesh Bear Project are among the key initiatives to strengthen conservation. It ratified the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 3 May 1994. As of 2014 ,
5472-467: Is vital to ensuring stability and security in northeast India . Bangladesh's strategic importance in the eastern subcontinent hinges on its proximity to China, its frontier with Burma, the separation of mainland and northeast India, and its maritime territory in the Bay of Bengal. In 2002, Bangladesh and China signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement. The United States has pursued negotiations with Bangladesh on
5624-634: The Awami League was the dominant party. Between 1975 and 1991, the country was placed under martial law twice (1975-1979 and 1982-1986) while a semi-presidential system existed in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and National Party (JP) were dominant. The BNP and National Party promoted gradual economic liberalization and free market reforms, while Islam was declared the state religion in 1988. The restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991 saw power alternate between
5776-477: The Awami Muslim League , decided to commemorate 21 February as Shohid Dibosh . On the first anniversary of the protests, people across East Bengal wore black badges in solidarity with the victims. Most offices, banks and educational institutions were closed to observe the occasion. Student groups made agreements with college and police officials to preserve law and order. More than 100,000 people assembled at
5928-571: The Bengali-speaking majority of East Bengal . Facing rising sectarian tensions and mass discontent with the new law, the government outlawed public meetings and rallies. The students of the University of Dhaka and other political activists defied the law and organised a protest on 21 February 1952. The movement reached its climax when police killed student demonstrators on that day. The deaths provoked widespread civil unrest. After years of conflict,
6080-757: The British Indian Empire . From the mid-19th century, the Urdu language had been promoted as the lingua franca of Indian Muslims by political and religious leaders, such as Sir Khwaja Salimullah , Sir Syed Ahmed Khan , Nawab Viqar-ul-Mulk and Maulvi Abdul Haq . Urdu is a Central Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-Iranian branch , closely related to Hindi and belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. It developed under Persian , Arabic and Turkic influence on apabhramshas (last linguistic stage of
6232-517: The Chalcolithic period. The region's early history was characterized by a succession of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms and empires that fought for control over the Bengal region . Islam arrived in the 8th century and gradually became dominant from the early 13th century with the conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1204 and the activities of Sunni missionaries like Shah Jalal . Muslim rulers promoted
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6384-486: The Dhaka High Court . The rally changed its direction and moved in the direction of the Secretariat building. Police attacked the procession injuring several students and leaders, including A. K. Fazlul Huq . Continuing strikes were observed the following four days. Under such circumstances, the chief minister Nazimuddin signed an accord with the student leaders agreeing to some terms and conditions, without complying to
6536-491: The Dominion of Pakistan . The country came into existence in 1971 after declaring independence from Pakistan at the start of a bloody war . The country has a Bengali Muslim majority. Ancient Bengal was known as Gangaridai and was a stronghold of pre-Islamic kingdoms. The Muslim conquest after 1204 led to the sultanate and Mughal periods, during which an independent Bengal Sultanate and wealthy Mughal Bengal transformed
6688-540: The fifth-most spoken native language , the third-largest Muslim-majority population , and the second-largest economy in South Asia. It maintains the third-largest military in the region and is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh is a unitary parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system . Bengalis make up almost 99% of the population. The country consists of eight divisions , 64 districts , and 495 subdistricts , and includes
6840-419: The garments industry . Other major industries include shipbuilding , pharmaceuticals , steel , ceramics , electronics , and leather goods . Muhammad Aziz Khan became the first person from Bangladesh to be listed as a billionaire by Forbes . Since 2009, Bangladesh has embarked on a series of megaprojects . For instance, the 6.15 km long Padma Bridge was built for US$ 3.86 billion. The bridge
6992-399: The latter killing approximately 140,000 people. In September 1998, Bangladesh saw the most severe flooding in modern history, after which two-thirds of the country went underwater, along with a death toll of 1,000. As a result of various international and national level initiatives in disaster risk reduction, the human toll and economic damage from floods and cyclones have come down over
7144-472: The world's largest mangrove forest . Bangladesh has one of the largest refugee populations in the world due to the Rohingya genocide in neighboring Myanmar. Bangladesh faces challenges like corruption , political instability , overpopulation , and the effects of climate change . Bangladesh has twice chaired the Climate Vulnerable Forum and hosts the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) headquarters. It
7296-411: The "Urdu-only" policy was seen as a contravention of the Perso-Arabic culture of Muslims and the founding ideology of Pakistan, the two-nation theory . Some of the most powerful politicians from the western wing of Pakistan considered Urdu a product of Indian Islamic culture, but saw Bengali as a part of "Hinduized" Bengali culture. Most stood by the "Urdu only" policy because they believed that only
7448-571: The 1950s and 1960s. Although the question of official languages was settled by 1956, the military regime of Ayub Khan promoted the interests of West Pakistan at the expense of East Pakistan . Despite forming the majority of the national population, the East Pakistani population continued to be under-represented in the civil and military services, and received a minority of state funding and other government help. Due to regional economic, social, and political imbalances, sectional divisions grew, and
7600-525: The Awami League and BNP. In recent decades, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth, emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing economies, driven by its garment industry , remittances, and infrastructure development. However, it continues to grapple with political instability, human rights issues, and the impact of climate change. The return of the Awami League to power on 6 January 2009 under Sheikh Hasina 's leadership saw economic progress but criticisms of authoritarianism . Bangladesh has played
7752-572: The Bay of Bengal . Relations with neighbouring Myanmar have been severely strained since 2016–2017, after over 700,000 Rohingya refugees illegally entered Bangladesh. The parliament, government, and civil society of Bangladesh have been at the forefront of international criticism against Myanmar for military operations against the Rohingya, and have demanded their right of return to Arakan . Bangladesh shares an important bilateral and economic relationship with its largest neighbour India, which
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#17328590821077904-573: The Bengali ethnic nationalist Awami League invoked the 6-point movement for greater provincial autonomy. One demand was that East Pakistan be called Bangladesh (Land/Country of Bengal), which subsequently led to the Bangladesh Liberation War . The Language Movement had a major cultural impact on Bengali society. It has inspired the development and celebration of the Bengali language, literature and culture. 21 February, celebrated as Language Movement Day or Shohid Dibosh (Martyrs' Day),
8056-543: The Dominion of Pakistan and as a medium of education in East Bengal. However, the Pakistan Public Service Commission removed Bengali from the list of approved subjects, as well as from currency notes and stamps. The central education minister Fazlur Rahman made extensive preparations to make Urdu the only state language of the Dominion of Pakistan. Public outrage spread, and many Bengali students met on
8208-415: The Dominion of Pakistan. Political leaders such as Shamsul Huq, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , Shawkat Ali , M Sirajul Islam , Kazi Golam Mahboob , Oli Ahad , Abdul Wahed and others were arrested during the rallies. In the afternoon of 11 March, a meeting was held to protest police brutality and arrests. A group of students marching towards the chief minister Khawaja Nazimuddin 's house was stopped in front of
8360-616: The East Bengal Organizing Committee of the Communist Party of Pakistan dated February 11, they circulated a cyclostyled manifesto on February 20, which read, "Respond to the call of the All-Union State Language Working Committee. Do strike, hartal, meeting and march across the province on 21st February to demand Bengali as one of the national languages with equal status for all languages.” This brief manifesto calls for, “English shall no longer be
8512-596: The Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna, finally flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is called the "Land of Rivers", as it is home to over 57 trans-boundary rivers , the most of any nation-state. Water issues are politically complicated since Bangladesh is downstream of India. Bangladesh is predominantly rich fertile flat land. Most of it is less than 12 m (39 ft) above sea level, and it
8664-454: The Language Movement is considered to have laid the foundations for ethnic nationalism in many of the Bengalis of East Bengal and later East Pakistan, it also heightened the cultural animosity between the authorities of the two wings of Pakistan. In the western wing of the Dominion of Pakistan, the movement was seen as a sectional uprising against Pakistani national interests. The rejection of
8816-561: The Mosque City , the Paharpur Buddhist Ruins and the Sundarbans ) and five tentative-list sites. Activities for tourists include angling , water skiing , river cruising, hiking, rowing , yachting , and beachgoing . The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported in 2019 that the travel and tourism industry in Bangladesh directly generated 1,180,500 jobs in 2018 or 1.9% of the country's total employment. According to
8968-666: The Muslims of the Arab world, North Africa and Indonesia. On February 10, 1951, the Secretary of the Pakistan Buddhist League, Rabindranath Burmi, issued a statement opposing these proposals in favour of Urdu instead of Arabic as state language. These proposals to make Arabic the state language did not gain much support in any part of Pakistan. However, according to Badruddin Umar, as this demand
9120-469: The Pacific has observed the fastest Human Development Index (HDI) progress in the world—with Bangladesh being one of the best performers, moving from an HDI of 0.397 in 1990, the fourth lowest in the region, to a HDI of 0.661 in 2021. Only China had greater improvements in the region over this period". In 2022, Bangladesh had the second largest foreign-exchange reserves in South Asia. The reserves have boosted
9272-520: The Pakistani military junta to transfer power to the Awami League , led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , triggered the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The Mukti Bahini , aided by India, waged a successful armed revolution ; the conflict saw the Bangladeshi genocide . After the war, Sheikh Mujib became the leader of the country. Mujib's assassination in 1975 led to the rise of Ziaur Rahman , who himself
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#17328590821079424-599: The Roman alphabet in his article entitled "Bangla Bornomalar Poribortton" (বাংলা বর্ণমালার পরিবর্ত্তন, Changes in the Bengali Alphabet) published in Daily Azad on 18 April 1949. The romanisation proposal continued on even after 1952. In 1957, the East Pakistan Education Commission recommended the use of the revised Roman script in adult education. Around 1957–1958, there was a significant demand for
9576-433: The Summit Group and Orion Group are playing an increasingly important role in both generating electricity, and supplying machinery, reactors, and equipment. Bangladesh increased electricity production from 5 gigawatts in 2009 to 25.5 gigawatts in 2022. It plans to produce 50 gigawatts by 2041. U.S. companies like Chevron and General Electric supply around 55% of Bangladesh's domestic natural gas production and are among
9728-411: The United Front ministry, and was approved by a planning committee chaired by University of Dhaka Vice-Chancellor Mahmud Husain and College of Fine Arts principal Zainul Abedin . Hamidur Rahman's model consisted of a large complex in the yard of the Dhaka Medical College Hostel. The design included a half-circular column symbolising a mother with her martyred sons standing at the dais in the centre of
9880-575: The University of Dhaka campus on 8 December 1947 to formally demand that Bengali be made an official language. To promote their cause, Bengali students organised processions and rallies in Dhaka. Leading Bengali scholars argued why Urdu should not be the only state language. The writer Abul Mansur Ahmed said if Urdu became the state language, the educated society of East Bengal would become 'illiterate' and 'ineligible' for government positions. The first Rastrabhasa Sangram Parishad (National Language Action Committee), an organisation in favour of Bengali as
10032-427: The University of Dhaka premises in defiance of Section 144. The university vice-chancellor and other officials were present as armed police surrounded the campus. By a quarter past eleven, students gathered at the university gate and attempted to break the police line. Police fired tear gas shells towards the gate to warn the students. A section of students ran into the Dhaka Medical College while others rallied towards
10184-493: The addition of the suffix "al" came from the fact that the ancient rajahs of the land raised mounds of earth in lowlands at the foot of the hills which were called "al". This is also mentioned in Ghulam Husain Salim 's Riyaz-us-Salatin . The Indo-Aryan suffix Desh is derived from the Sanskrit word deśha , which means "land" or "country". Hence, the name Bangladesh means "Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal". The history of Bangladesh dates back over four millennia to
10336-665: The anniversary of the protests. Demonstrations broke out on the night of 21 February 1954 with various halls of the University of Dhaka raising black flags in mourning. Political tensions came to a held as elections to the provincial assembly of East Bengal were held in 1954. The ruling Muslim League denounced the opposition United Front coalition, which—led by A. K. Fazlul Huq and the Awami League—wanted greater provincial autonomy. Several United Front leaders and activists were arrested. A meeting of parliament's Muslim League members, chaired by prime minister Muhammad Ali Bogra , resolved to give official recognition to Bengali. This decision
10488-408: The assembly. When a group of students sought to storm into the building, police opened fire and killed a number of students, including Abdus Salam , Rafiq Uddin Ahmed , Shafiur Rahman , Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar . The Government reported that 29 people died in that day. As the news of the killings spread, disorder erupted across the city. Shops, offices and public transport were shut down and
10640-413: The capital and largest city , is the nation's political, financial, and cultural centre. Chittagong is the second-largest city and the busiest port. The official language is Bengali , with Bangladeshi English also used in government. Bangladesh is part of the historic and ethnolinguistic region of Bengal , which was divided during the Partition of British India in 1947 as the eastern enclave of
10792-450: The central government relented and granted official status to the Bengali language in 1956. The Language Movement catalysed the assertion of Bengali national identity in East Bengal and later East Pakistan, and became a forerunner to Bengali nationalist movements, including the 6-Point Movement and subsequently the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Bengali Language Implementation Act, 1987 . In Bangladesh, 21 February ( Ekushey February )
10944-584: The civil service's meritocracy. The President of Bangladesh is the ceremonial head of state whose powers include signing bills passed by parliament into law. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Bangladesh Armed Forces and the chancellor of all universities. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh is the highest court of the land, followed by the High Court and Appellate Divisions. The head of
11096-486: The clauses, Bengali language was given equal recognition as state language like Urdu. In Parliament and the Legislative Assembly, besides Urdu and English, there was an opportunity to speak in Bengali. The constitution also provided opportunities for higher education in Bengali. However, the military government formed by Ayub Khan made attempts to re-establish Urdu as the sole national language. On 6 January 1959,
11248-755: The climate changes, each seriously affecting agriculture, water and food security, human health, and shelter. It is estimated that by 2050, a three-foot rise in sea levels will inundate some 20 percent of the land and displace more than 30 million people. To address the sea level rise threat in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 has been launched. Bangladesh is located in the Indomalayan realm , and lies within four terrestrial ecoregions: Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests , Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests , Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests , and Sundarbans mangroves . Its ecology includes
11400-572: The construction of a Shaheed Smritistombho , or Monument of Martyrs. Completed at dawn on 24 February, the monument had a handwritten note attached to it with the words "Shaheed Smritistombho" . Inaugurated by the father of the slain activist Sofiur Rahman, the monument was destroyed on 26 February by police. On 25 February, industrial workers in the town of Narayanganj observed a general strike. A protest followed on 29 February whose participants faced severe police beating. The government censored news reports and withheld exact casualty figures during
11552-562: The continuation of its use as a medium of education, its use in media, currency and stamps, and to maintain its writing in the Bengali alphabet / Bengali script When the Dominion of Pakistan was formed after the separation of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, when the British left, it was composed of various ethnic and linguistic groups, with the geographically non-contiguous East Bengal province having
11704-499: The country is now setting the stage for further economic growth and job creation by ramping up investments in energy, inland connectivity, urban projects, and transport infrastructure, as well as focusing on climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness on its path toward sustainable growth." Bangladesh has made one of the greatest leaps on the Human Development Index among Asian countries. According to UNDP , "Asia and
11856-521: The country was set to revise its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan . Bangladesh is a de jure representative democracy under its constitution , with a Westminster -style parliamentary republic that has universal suffrage . The head of government is the Prime Minister, who forms a government every five years. The President invites the leader of the largest party in parliament to become prime minister. The Government of Bangladesh
12008-589: The crackdown on the opposition, mass media, and civil society through politicized enforcement. Bangladesh is ranked "partly free" in Freedom House's Freedom in the World report, but its press freedom has deteriorated from "free" to "not free" in recent years due to increasing pressure from the government. According to the British Economist Intelligence Unit , the country has a hybrid regime :
12160-638: The creation of SAARC , which has been the preeminent forum for regional diplomacy among the countries of the Indian subcontinent . It joined the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 1974, and is a founding member of the Developing 8 Countries . In recent years, Bangladesh has focused on promoting regional trade and transport links with support from the World Bank . Dhaka hosts the headquarters of BIMSTEC , an organisation that brings together countries dependent on
12312-522: The decision. On 7 May 1954, the constituent assembly resolved, with the Muslim League's support, to grant official status to Bengali. Bengali was adopted as an official language of Pakistan along with Urdu in the article 214(1) when the first constitution of Pakistan was enacted on 29 February 1956. Mohammad Ali Bogra raised the language related clauses of the constitution in Parliament. According to
12464-565: The demand for Bengali language in the certificate issued by the Dhaka University Central Student Union was again raised, but he refrained from making any comments. In a meeting of the National Language Working Council held under the chairmanship of Ataur Rahman Khan on November 17, Aziz Ahmad , Abul Kashem , Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , Kamruddin Ahmed , Abdul Mannan , Tajuddin Ahmed and others drafted
12616-478: The demand that Bengali be made a state language. On 6 April 1948, in East Bengal Assembly resolution was passed making Bengali an official language of the province by Nazimuddin led Muslim League government. On November 18, 1948, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan visited East Pakistan. On November 27, he addressed a student meeting at the playground of Dhaka University. In that meeting,
12768-454: The demonstration, the government imposed Section 144 in Dhaka, thereby banning any gathering. According to the earlier decision, students of Dhaka University and other educational institutions gathered at Dhaka University premises on February 4. The rally protested the proposal to write Bengali in Arabic script and demanded Bengali as the state language. The students took out a huge demonstration after their assembly. On February 11, 1952,
12920-490: The driving force behind the creation of Pakistan as a Muslim state separate from British India. After the partition of India in 1947, Bengali-speaking people in East Bengal , the non-contiguous eastern part of the Dominion of Pakistan , made up 44 million of the newly formed Dominion of Pakistan's 69 million people. The Dominion of Pakistan's government, civil services, and military, however, were dominated by personnel from
13072-643: The eastern part of the British Indian sub-continent) primarily used the Bengali language. Bengali is an Eastern Indo-Aryan language that arose from the eastern Middle Indic languages around 1000 CE and developed considerably with a rich literature, history and cultural identity. Unlike many other Indic Languages, Bengali got patronage from the States and Empires in the Middle Ages. During the Bengal Renaissance ,
13224-616: The effort to introduce the Arabic alphabet in Bengal. Both Karim Fazli and Fazlur Rahman established a society called 'Hurful Qur'an Samity' with a Maulana named Zulfikar Ali of Chittagong and tried to form a movement to introduce Arabic letters in Bengal through him. Abdul Hakim, the former director of the East-Bengal Education Department said; "Some funny legends are heard in Dhaka about a Bengali Wazir Sahib's own knowledge of Urdu. He wanted to fulfill his ardent desire to beautify
13376-431: The following demands: Disorder spread across the province as large processions ignored section 144 and condemned the actions of the police. More than 30,000 people congregated at Curzon Hall in Dhaka. During the continued protests, police actions led to the death of four more people. This prompted officers and clerks from different organisations, including colleges, banks and the radio station, to boycott offices and join
13528-474: The forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership . Straddling the Tropic of Cancer , Bangladesh's climate is tropical, with a mild winter from October to March and a hot, humid summer from March to June. The country has never recorded an air temperature below 0 °C (32 °F), with a record low of 1.1 °C (34.0 °F) in
13680-411: The government of Bangladesh nationalised all the jute mills in the country as part of an effort to institute new socialist policies. The corporation is currently responsible for managing nine state-run jute mills in Bangladesh, including Adamjee Jute Mills . In 2016, the government announced plans to upgrade the jute mills by spending $ 340 million USD with Chinese assistance. The corporation also has
13832-665: The government's spending capacity despite tax revenues forming only 7.7% of government revenue. A big chunk of investments have gone into the power sector. In 2009, Bangladesh was experiencing daily blackouts several times a day. In 2022, the country achieved 100% electrification. One of the major anti-poverty schemes of the Bangladeshi government is the Ashrayan Project which aims to eradicate homelessness by providing free housing. The poverty rate has gone down from 80% in 1971, to 44.2% in 1991, to 12.9% in 2021. The literacy rate
13984-486: The highest. In Bangladesh forest cover is around 14% of the total land area, equivalent to 1,883,400 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 1,920,330 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 1,725,330 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 158,070 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 33% of
14136-521: The implementation of Bengali language written in Arabic script (Bengali language with the "Hurful Qur'an"). At the Nikhil Pakistan Teachers' Conference held in Karachi on 29 December 1948, Fazlur Rahman proposed to write Bengali in Arabic script for the sake of Islamization of the language. East Bengal Provincial Education Department Secretary Fazle Ahmad Karim Fazli was one of the main initiators of
14288-472: The in order to be admired by the all-powerful Urdu Mahal of the Centre. For this purpose, a sum of Rs. 35,000 per annum for the publication of books was arranged to hand over the central sanction to the aforesaid Provincial Education Secretary.” In response, Muhammad Shahidullah opposed the proposal, fearing further complications, and advocated making Bengali unchanged as the state language of East Bengal and one of
14440-693: The institutional framework of the British military and the British Indian Army . In 2022, the active personnel strength of the Bangladesh Army was around 250,000, excluding the Air Force and the Navy (24,000). In addition to traditional defence roles, the military has supported civil authorities in disaster relief and provided internal security during periods of political unrest. For many years, Bangladesh has been
14592-527: The judiciary is the Chief Justice of Bangladesh , who sits on the Supreme Court. The courts have wide latitude in judicial review , and judicial precedent is supported by Article 111 of the constitution. The judiciary includes district and metropolitan courts divided into civil and criminal courts. Due to a shortage of judges, the judiciary has a large backlog. The Jatiya Sangshad (National Parliament)
14744-524: The largest investors in power projects. 80% of Bangladesh's installed gas-fired power generation capacity comes from turbines manufactured in the United States. Bengali Language Movement Collective leadership The Bengali language movement was a political movement in former East Bengal in 1952, advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as a co- lingua franca of the then- Dominion of Pakistan to allow its use in government affairs,
14896-615: The largest publicly traded companies in Bangladesh include Beximco , BRAC Bank , BSRM , GPH Ispat , Grameenphone , Summit Group , and Square Pharmaceuticals . Capital markets include the Dhaka Stock Exchange and the Chittagong Stock Exchange . Its telecommunications industry is one of the world's fastest-growing, with 172 million cellphone subscribers in January 2021. Over 80% of Bangladesh's export earnings come from
15048-551: The largest river delta in the world. The northwest and central parts of the country are formed by the Madhupur and the Barind plateaus. The northeast and southeast are home to evergreen hill ranges. The Ganges delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges (local name Padma or Pôdda ), Brahmaputra ( Jamuna or Jomuna ), and Meghna rivers and their tributaries. The Ganges unites with
15200-644: The last century, including the one-horned and two-horned rhinoceros and common peafowl . The human population is concentrated in urban areas, limiting deforestation to a certain extent. Rapid urban growth has threatened natural habitats. The country has widespread environmental issues; pollution of the Dhaleshwari River by the textile industry and shrimp cultivation in Chakaria Sundarbans have both been described by academics as ecocides . Although many areas are protected under law, some Bangladeshi wildlife
15352-404: The longstanding Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA). The Bangladeshi taka is the national currency. The service sector accounts for about 51.3% of total GDP and employs 39% of the workforce. The industrial sector accounts for 35.1% of GDP and employs 20.4% of the workforce. The agriculture sector makes up 13.6% of the economy but is the biggest employment sector, with 40.6% of
15504-587: The medieval Indian Aryan language Pali – Prakrit ) in South Asia during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire . With its Perso-Arabic script , the language was considered a vital element of the Islamic culture for Indian Muslims; Hindi and the Devanagari script were seen as fundamentals of Hindu culture . While, the use of Urdu grew common with Muslims in northern India, the Muslims of Bengal (a province in
15656-400: The military regime issued an official statement and reinstated the official stance of supporting the 1956 constitution's policy of two state languages. The Bengali language movement and the banning of Rabindranath Tagore 's works by the central government of Pakistan led to a movement by the intellectuals of Dhaka that led to an increase in the use of Central Standard Bengali in the city in
15808-497: The ministry on 6 June 1955 after the governor's regime ended. The Awami League did not participate in this ministry though. Following the return of the United Front to power, the anniversary on 21 February 1956 was observed for the first time in a peaceful atmosphere. The Government supported a major project to construct a new Shaheed Minar. The session of the constituent assembly was stopped for five minutes to express condolence for
15960-467: The modern Bengali literature developed its stronghold. Bengalis irrespective of religious identity used Bengali language. Supporters of Bengali opposed Urdu even before the partition of India , when delegates from Bengal rejected the idea of making Urdu the lingua franca of Muslim India in the 1937 Lucknow session of the Muslim League . The Muslim League was a British Indian political party that became
16112-490: The monument. Although the imposition of martial law in 1958 interrupted the work, the monument was completed and inaugurated on 21 February 1963 by Abul Barkat 's mother, Hasina Begum. Pakistani forces demolished the monument during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, but the Bangladeshi government reconstructed it in 1973. Ekushey Television , one of the oldest privately owned television channels in Bangladesh,
16264-418: The northwest city of Dinajpur on 3 February 1905. A warm and humid monsoon season lasts from June to October and supplies most of the country's rainfall. Natural calamities, such as floods , tropical cyclones , tornadoes , and tidal bores occur almost every year, combined with the effects of deforestation , soil degradation and erosion . The cyclones of 1970 and 1991 were particularly devastating,
16416-405: The official language; Want equality of all languages of Pakistan; Bengalis , Punjabis , Pathans , Sindhis , Balochs , Urdu speakers etc. have to be given the right to get education in their own mother tongue and conduct government affairs; We want to make Bengali language one of the national languages. Instead of English, Urdu, Bengali - the movement to give equal status to all languages in
16568-417: The population. Like many developing countries, institutional corruption is an issue of concern for Bangladesh. Bangladesh was ranked 146th among 180 countries on Transparency International 's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index . Land administration was the sector with the most bribery in 2015, followed by education, police and water supply. The Anti Corruption Commission was formed in 2004, and it
16720-556: The presidency of the East Pakistan Arabic Language Association, approved a draft memorandum to be submitted to the Assembly, where it was requested to government for Arabic to be made the state language of Pakistan and for the provision of 'Darse Koran' or Quran teaching in various centers and mosques of the city. On January 18, 1950, some students of Rajshahi College called a meeting to demand that Arabic be made
16872-533: The procession. Protesters burned the offices of two leading pro-government news agencies, the Jubilee Press and the Morning News . Police fired on a major janaza , or mourning rally, as it was passing through Nawabpur Road . The shooting killed several people including activist Sofiur Rahman and a nine-year-old boy named Ohiullah. Through the night of 23 February, students of Dhaka Medical College worked on
17024-406: The protests. Most pro-government media held Hindus and communists responsible for encouraging the disorder and student unrest. The families of Abul Barkat and Rafiq Uddin Ahmed tried to charge the police with murder, but the charges were dismissed by the police. On 8 April government report on the incidents failed to show any particular justification for police firings on the students. Although
17176-481: The region became East Pakistan as part of the newly formed State of Pakistan following the end of the British rule in the region . The Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence on 26 March 1971 by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led to the nine-month-long Bangladesh Liberation War , which culminated in the emergence of the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh after victory was achieved on 16 December 1971. The Constitution of Bangladesh , enacted in 1972, established
17328-453: The region into an important centre of regional affairs, trade, and diplomacy. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked the beginning of British rule. The creation of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905 set a precedent for the emergence of Bangladesh. The All-India Muslim League was founded in Dhaka in 1906. The Lahore Resolution in 1940 was supported by A. K. Fazlul Huq , the first Prime Minister of Bengal . The present-day territorial boundary
17480-466: The representation of the Muslim League was reduced to a historic low. The United Front ministry ordered the creation of the Bangla Academy to promote, develop, and preserve Bengali language, literature, and heritage. However, the United Front rule was temporary, as Governor General Ghulam Muhammad cancelled the government and started Governor's rule on 30 May 1954. The United Front again formed
17632-519: The requests. On the same day, the East Bengal Organizing Committee of the East Pakistan Communist Party circulated a cyclostyled manifesto entitled "To build a united East Bengal Tumdal United Movement against the barbaric killings of the tyrant Nurul Amin Sarkar", calling on all institutions and the multi-lingual public of Pakistan, regardless of party affiliation. Support is invited for
17784-445: The same report, Bangladesh experiences around 125,000 international tourist arrivals per year. Domestic spending generated 97.7 percent of direct travel and tourism gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012. Bangladesh is gradually transitioning to a green economy . It has the largest off-grid solar power programme in the world, benefiting 20 million people. An electric car called the Palki
17936-785: The shrinking space for independent civil society in recent years. Torture is banned by the Constitution of Bangladesh , but is rampantly used by Bangladesh's security forces. Bangladesh joined the Convention against Torture in 1998 and it enacted its first anti-torture law, the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act , in 2013. The first conviction under this law was announced in 2020. Amnesty International Prisoners of Conscience from Bangladesh have included Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Shahidul Alam . The widely criticized Digital Security Act
18088-463: The spirit of Muslim nations and would remain as the state language, labelling those who disagreed with his views as "Enemies of Pakistan". Jinnah delivered a similar speech at Curzon Hall of the University of Dhaka on 24 March. At both meetings, Jinnah was interrupted by large segments of the audience. He later called a meeting of a state language committee of action, and overruled the contract that
18240-556: The spread of Islam by building mosques across the region. In 1338 Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah established independent sultanate in Bengal, establishing the capital at Sonargaon and founded an individual currency. The Bengal Sultanate expanded under rulers like Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah , leading to economic prosperity and military dominance, with Bengal being referred to by Europeans as the richest country to trade with. The region later became
18392-403: The stage play Kobor by Munier Chowdhury and the novels Ekushey February by Raihan and Artonaad by Shawkat Osman . Two years after the first monument was destroyed by the police, a new Shaheed Minar (Monument of Martyrs) was constructed in 1954 to commemorate the protesters who died. Work on a larger monument designed by the architect Hamidur Rahman began in 1957 with the support of
18544-594: The state language. 3 State Bank Governor Zahid Hussain proposed to make Arabic the state language and this proposal was then supported by Syed Akbar Shah, member of Sindh Legislative Council and Vice-Chancellor of Sindh Arabic University . On 1 February 1951 at the session of the World Muslim Conference in Karachi, the leader of the Ismaili community Aga Khan said, if Arabic is made the state language of Pakistan, common communication will be established between
18696-503: The state languages of Pakistan. During that time, romanisation of Bengali was also proposed along with other proposals regarding the determination of the state language of Pakistan. After 1947, many other East Pakistani academics, including Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda and Nazirul Islam Mohammad Sufian, supported the idea of writing Bengali in Roman script. In 1948, Mohammad Ferdous Khan opposed it in his pamphlet "The language problem of today". Abul Fazl Muhammad Akhtar-ud-Din supported
18848-399: The state. English made English as the state language in order to continue the imperialist and feudal system of exploitation while keeping the various linguistic communities of Pak-India backward. The League government also adopted English as the state language for the same purpose; has kept and wants to make the only child the state language. Making one language the state language will leave
19000-485: The students slain in the police shootings. Major rallies were organised by Bengali leaders and all public offices and businesses remained closed. With the defeat of the Muslim League in the East Bengal assembly elections, the central government became flexible in recognising Bengali as the state language of Pakistan along with Urdu. At least a few thousand people protested in the National Assembly on April 22 against
19152-529: The term in 1905 and 1932 respectively. Starting in the 1950s, Bengali nationalists used the term in political rallies in East Pakistan . The term Bangla is a major name for both the Bengal region and the Bengali language . The origins of the term Bangla are unclear, with theories pointing to a Bronze Age proto-Dravidian tribe, and the Iron Age Vanga Kingdom . The earliest known usage of
19304-567: The term is the Nesari plate in 805 AD. The term Vangala Desa is found in 11th-century South Indian records. The term gained official status during the Sultanate of Bengal in the 14th century. Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah proclaimed himself as the first " Shah of Bangala" in 1342. The word Bangāl became the most common name for the region during the Islamic period. 16th-century historian Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak mentions in his Ain-i-Akbari that
19456-463: The third of four rankings in its Democracy Index . Bangladesh was ranked 96th among 163 countries in the 2022 Global Peace Index . According to National Human Rights Commission, 70% of alleged human-rights violations are committed by law-enforcement agencies. LGBT rights are frowned upon among social conservatives. Homosexuality is affected by Section 377 of the Penal Code of Bangladesh , which
19608-477: The university premises cordoned by the police. The vice-chancellor asked police to stop firing and ordered the students to leave the area. However, the police arrested several students for violating section 144 as they attempted to leave. Enraged by the arrests, the students met around the East Bengal Legislative Assembly and blocked the legislators' way, asking them to present their insistence at
19760-427: The use of Roman letters again. At that time Muhammad Abdul Hai and Muhammad Enamul Haque opposed it. Students of the University of Dhaka and other colleges of the city organised a general strike on 11 March 1948 to protest the omission of Bengali language from official use, including coins, stamps and recruitment tests for the navy. The movement restated the demand that Bengali be declared an official language of
19912-399: The various linguistic communities of Pakistan backward and will hinder the overall development of Pakistan. Therefore, all the Bengali, Punjabi, Pathan, Siddhi, Belche, Urdu speaking nations of Pakistan should come together in the movement to give equal status to the different languages of Pakistan and make them the state language." At nine o'clock in the morning, students began gathering on
20064-477: The western wing of the Dominion of Pakistan. In November 1947, a key resolution at a national education summit in Karachi advocated Urdu and English as the sole state languages. Opposition and protests arose immediately. Students from Dhaka rallied under the leadership of Abul Kashem , the secretary of Tamaddun Majlish , a Bengali Islamic cultural organisation. The meeting stipulated Bengali as an official language of
20216-416: The workforce. In agriculture, the country is a major producer of rice , fish , tea , fruits, vegetables, flowers, and jute. Lobsters and shrimps are some of Bangladesh's well-known exports. The private sector accounts for 80% of GDP compared to the dwindling role of state-owned companies. Bangladesh's economy is dominated by family-owned conglomerates and small and medium-sized businesses. Some of
20368-625: The world's largest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces . The military budget of Bangladesh accounts for 1.3% of GDP, amounting to US$ 4.3 billion in 2021. The Bangladesh Navy , one of the largest in the Bay of Bengal, includes a fleet of frigates, submarines, corvettes, and other vessels. The Bangladesh Air Force has a small fleet of multi-role combat aircraft. Most of Bangladesh's military equipment comes from China. In recent years, Bangladesh and India have increased joint military exercises, high-level visits of military leaders, counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing. Bangladesh
20520-600: The world—making the country's transformation over the next 50 years one of the great development stories. Since then, poverty has been cut in half at record speed. Enrollment in primary school is now nearly universal. Hundreds of thousands of women have entered the workforce. Steady progress has been made on maternal and child health. And the country is better buttressed against the destructive forces posed by climate change and natural disasters. Bangladesh's success comprises many moving parts—from investing in human capital to establishing macroeconomic stability. Building on this success,
20672-514: The years. The 2007 South Asian floods ravaged areas across the country, leaving five million people displaced, with a death toll around 500. Bangladesh is recognised to be one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change . Over the course of a century, 508 cyclones have affected the Bay of Bengal region, 17 percent of which are believed to have made landfall in Bangladesh. Natural hazards that come from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones are expected to increase as
20824-499: Was assassinated in 1981. The 1980s was dominated by the presidency of H M Ershad . After 1990, the Battle of the Begums between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina defined Bangladesh's politics for next 35 years. In 2024, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took power after the fall of Sheikh Hasina . A middle power in the Indo-Pacific , Bangladesh is home to
20976-565: Was 74.66% in 2022. Bangladesh has a labor force of roughly 70 million, which is the world's seventh-largest ; with an unemployment rate of 5.2% as of 2021 . The government is setting up 100 special economic zones to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and generate 10 million jobs. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) have been established to help investors in setting up factories; and to complement
21128-638: Was active during the 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis , indicting many leading politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen for graft . Bangladesh is divided into eight administrative divisions, each named after their respective divisional headquarters: Barisal (officially Barishal ), Chittagong (officially Chattogram ), Dhaka , Khulna , Mymensingh , Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet. Divisions are subdivided into districts ( zila ). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh, each further subdivided into upazila (subdistricts) or thana . The area within each police station, except for those in metropolitan areas,
21280-656: Was conquered by the British. Bengal played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, but also faced significant deindustrialization . The Great Bengal famine of 1770 resulted in millions of deaths. The Bengal Presidency was established during British rule. The borders of modern Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal between India and Pakistan during the Partition of India in August 1947, when
21432-472: Was established with the announcement of the Radcliffe Line . In 1947, East Bengal became the most populous province in the Dominion of Pakistan and was renamed East Pakistan , with Dhaka as the legislative capital. The Bengali Language Movement in 1952, the 1958 Pakistani coup d'état , and the 1970 Pakistani general election spurred Bengali nationalism and pro-democracy movements. The refusal of
21584-423: Was followed by a major wave of unrest as other ethnic groups sought recognition of other regional languages. Proponents of Urdu such as Maulvi Abdul Haq condemned any proposal to grant official status to Bengali. He led a rally of 100,000 people to protest against the Muslim League's decision. Consequently, the implementation failed and the United Front won a vast majority of seats in the legislative assembly, while
21736-518: Was formed in a meeting at the Bar Library Hall of the University of Dhaka, chaired by Maulana Bhashani . The central government's proposal of writing the Bengali language in Arabic script by East Pakistan's education secretary Fazlur Rahman was vehemently opposed at the meeting. The action committee called for an all out protest on 21 February, including strikes and rallies. In an attempt to prevent
21888-480: Was formed on 8 August 2024, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Advisor . Bangladesh is in South Asia on the Bay of Bengal . It is surrounded almost entirely by neighbouring India, and shares a small border with Myanmar to its southeast, though it lies very close to Nepal , Bhutan , and China. The country is divided into three regions. Most of the country is dominated by the fertile Ganges Delta ,
22040-475: Was originally enacted by the British colonial government. An underground LGBT scene is flourishing across the country. However, Bangladesh only recognises the local transgender and intersex community known as the Hijra , which is the most widely accepted LGBT group among poorer sections of society. According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index, an estimated 1,531,300 people are enslaved in Bangladesh, or roughly 1% of
22192-527: Was proposed by the government to solve the language problem, where they recommended writing Bengali through Arabic characters. The Urdu-Bengali controversy was reignited when Liaqat Ali Khan's successor, Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin , staunchly defended the "Urdu-only" policy in a speech on 27 January 1952. On 31 January, the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod (All-Party Central Language Action Committee)
22344-573: Was related to the question of development of Islamic culture, it indirectly supported the demand of the introduction of Arabic script in Bengali language to some extent in some groups. Shortly thereafter, the East Bengal Language Committee, presided by Maulana Akram Khan , was formed by the East Bengal government to prepare a report on the language problem. At 1949, Language Committee of the East-Bengal Government conducted
22496-801: Was repealed and replaced by the Cyber Security Act in 2023. The repeal was welcomed by the International Press Institute . On International Human Rights Day in December 2021, the United States Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on commanders of the Rapid Action Battalion for extrajudicial killings, torture, and other human rights abuses. Freedom House has criticised the government for human rights abuses,
22648-427: Was set up in 2007. Notable human rights organisations and initiatives include the Centre for Law and Mediation , Odhikar , the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety , the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association , the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the War Crimes Fact Finding Committee . The world's largest international NGO BRAC is based in Bangladesh. There have been concerns regarding
22800-444: Was signed by Khawaja Nazimuddin with the student leaders. Before Jinnah left Dhaka on 28 March, he delivered a speech on radio reasserting his "Urdu-only" policy. Muhammad Shahidullah believed that Bengalis could learn Urdu at the same time as learning English, he also believed that: "When Arabic becomes the state language of Pakistan, the creation of the state of Pakistan will be justified." Therefore, in December 1949, he assumed
22952-444: Was supported by legislators Prem Hari Burman, Bhupendra Kumar Datta and Sris Chandra Chattaopadhyaya of East Bengal, as well as the people from the region. Prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan and the Muslim League denounced the proposal as an attempt to divide the Pakistani people, thus the legislation was defeated. Since the partition of the country in 1947, the Union Minister representing East Pakistan Fazlur Rahman campaigned for
23104-575: Was the first self-financed megaproject in the country's history. Other megaprojects include the Dhaka Metro , a mass rapid-transit system in the capital; Karnaphuli Tunnel , an underwater expressway in Chittagong ; Dhaka Elevated Expressway ; Chittagong Elevated Expressway ; and the Bangladesh Delta Plan , designed to mitigate the impact of climate change. The tourism industry is expanding, contributing some 3.02% of total GDP. Bangladesh's international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $ 391 million. The country has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites (
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