001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page AFGHANISTAN ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA BAHRAIN BANGLADESH BERMUDA BOLIVIA BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BRAZIL CANADA CHILE CHINA COSTA RICA CROATIA CUBA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO EGYPT ENGLAND ETHIOPIA FRANCE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA GERMANY GHANA GREECE GUATEMALA ICELAND INDIA INDONESIA IRAN IRAQ IRELAND ISRAEL ITALY JAMAICA JAPAN KAZAKHSTAN KENYA KUWAIT MEXICO THE NETHERLANDS NEW ZEALAND NIGERIA NORTH KOREA NORWAY PAKISTAN PERU THE PHILIPPINES PORTUGAL PUERTO RICO RUSSIA SAUDI ARABIA SCOTLAND SENEGAL SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH KOREA SPAIN SWEDEN TAIWAN THAILAND TURKEY UKRAINE UZBEKISTAN VENEZUELA VIETNAM 001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page 001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page Bangladesh Douglas A Phillips and Charles F Gritzner Series Editor Charles F Gritzner South Dakota State University 001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page Frontispiece: Flag of Bangladesh Cover: Boat traffic along the Buriganga River, Bangladesh Bangladesh Copyright © 2007 by Infobase Publishing All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher For information contact: Chelsea House An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 ISBN-10: 0-7910-9251-8 ISBN-13: 978-0-7910-9251-4 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Phillips, Douglas A Bangladesh / Douglas A Phillips and Charles F Gritzner p cm.—(Modern world nations) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 0-7910-9251-8 (hardcover) Bangladesh I Gritzner, Charles F II Title III Series DS393.4.P45 2007 954.92—dc22 2006032006 Chelsea House books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755 You can find Chelsea House on the World Wide Web at http://www.chelseahouse.com Series and Cover design by Takeshi Takahashi Printed in the United States of America Bang Hermitage 10 This book is printed on acid-free paper All links, Web addresses, and Internet search terms were checked and verified to be correct at the time of publication Because of the dynamic nature of the Web, some addresses and links may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid 001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page Table of Contents Introducing Bangladesh Physical Landscapes 16 Bangladesh Through Time 28 The Rise of Bangladesh 42 People and Culture 51 Government and Politics 64 Bangladesh’s Economy 75 Bangladesh Looks Ahead 87 Facts at a Glance History at a Glance Bibliography Further Reading Index 93 96 99 100 101 001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page 001-007_MWN-BANG_fm 1/26/07 3:39 PM Page Bangladesh 008-015_MWN-BANG_01 1/26/07 3:40 PM Page Introducing Bangladesh I n exploring the world, people often talk about places they would like to travel Countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand often appear at the top of such lists Few people, however, would ever include the fascinating country of Bangladesh on such a list! Why? Often, people’s feelings about a country are tainted with negative images from the past that aren’t necessarily representative of the present This may be part of the case with Bangladesh Many images of the country are negative The country’s brutal war for liberation in 1972 may linger in the memory of some For others, visions of the devastation, famine, and death caused by the hurricane in 1974 may come to mind (The term cyclone is also used for a hurricane in this part of the world and will be used throughout the book.) Grinding poverty and spiraling overpopulation combine to create a negative image that keeps most people from thinking of Bangladesh as a dream vacation destination 008-015_MWN-BANG_01 1/26/07 3:40 PM Page Introducing Bangladesh Who, after all, would want to spend a holiday in a country that ranks near the very bottom of the Human Development Index and dead last among the world’s countries in terms of rampant corruption? And if the foregoing deterrents were not enough, more than half of the country’s total land area frequently disappears beneath churning floodwaters! The foregoing description presents only one side of this fascinating country’s personality To a geographer, few places on Earth hold more interest A contrasting view of Bangladesh sees the country as a land celebrating the early stages of democracy, with people and a culture that are extremely interesting and welcoming Contrasting views of Bangladesh can even be found in music A local view is presented by the words of the national anthem of Bangladesh: My Bengal of gold (Precious), I love you Forever your skies, Your air set my heart in tune As if it were a flute In spring, Oh mother mine, The fragrance from your mango groves Makes me wild with joy, Ah, what a thrill! In autumn, Oh mother mine, In the full blossomed paddy fields, I have seen spread all over sweet smiles! Ah, what a beauty, what shades, What an affection and what a tenderness! What a quilt have you spread At the feet of banyan trees And along the banks of rivers! 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 93 Facts at a Glance Physical Geography Location Area Climate Terrain Water Features Elevation Extremes Land Use Irrigated Land Natural Hazards Environmental Issues Subcontinent of (South) Asia; bordered on three sides by India (2,518 miles, 4,053 kilometers) and by Myanmar in the southeast (120 miles, 193 kilometers); borders the Bay of Bengal to the south (360 miles, 580 kilometers) Total: 55,599 square miles (144,000 square kilometers); land: 51,703 miles (133,910 square kilometers); water: 3,896 miles (10,090 square kilometers); slightly smaller than Iowa Monsoon tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) Mostly flat, low-lying alluvial plain; hilly in southeast Most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal Lowest point is the Indian Ocean (sea level); highest point is Keokradong, 4,035 feet (1,230 meters) Arable land, 55.39%; permanent crops, 3.08%; other, 41.53% (2005) 18,244 square miles (47,250 square kilometers) (2003) Floodwater covers much of the country during the summer months, resulting in river flooding, coastal stormsurge flooding from Bay of Bengal during storms, and high water resulting from heavy monsoon precipitation; droughts during eight-month dry season; cyclones Many people live on and cultivate flood-prone land; widespread disease related to pollution and insects; widespread air- and water (coastal, fresh surface, and ground) pollution; soil erosion and degradation; deforestation; threat of rising global sea level People Population 147,365,352 (July 2006 est.); males, 75,552,349 (2006 est.); females, 71,813,003 (2006 est.) 93 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 Population Density Population Growth Rate Net Migration Rate Fertility Rate Life Expectancy at Birth Median Age Ethnic Groups Religions Languages Literacy 3:37 PM Page 94 2,600 per square mile (1,004 per square kilometer) 2.0% (2006 est.) -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.) Total population: 62.5 years; male, 62.47 years; female, 62.45 years (2006 est.) 22.2 years; male, 22.2 years; female, 22.2 years (2006 est.) Bengali, 98%, tribal groups and others, percent Muslim, 83%, Hindu, 16%, other, 1% Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English (age 15 and over can read and write) Total population: Estimated to be 43% (male, 54%; female, 32%) (2003 est.) Economy Currency GDP Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP Per Capita (PPP) Labor Force Unemployment Labor Force by Occupation Agricultural products Industries Exports Imports Leading Trade Partners Export Commodities Import Commodities Taka; 69.7 taka per U.S dollar (August 2006) $304 billion (2005 est.) $2,100 (2005 est.) 67 million N/A Agriculture, 63%; industry, 26%; services, 11% Rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit, beef, milk, poultry Cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar $9.372 billion (2004 est.) $12.97 billion (2004 est.) Exports: U.S., 24.2%; Germany, 13.2%; U.K., 10.6%; France, 6% (2004) Imports: China, 18.7% (including Hong Kong); India, 14.7%; Kuwait, 8%; Singapore, 6%; Japan, 4.4% (2004) Garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and other seafood Machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement 94 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 95 Transportation Roadways: 148,648 miles (239,226 kilometers), of which 14,121 miles (22,726 kilometers) are paved (2003); Airports: 16—15 are paved runways (2006); Waterways: 5,202 miles (8,372 kilometers), with distance reduced by about one-third during dry season Government Conventional long form: People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Conventional short form: Bangladesh; Local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh; Local short form: Banladesh; Former: East Bengal, East Pakistan Capital City Dhaka Type of Government Parliamentary democracy Head of Government Prime Minister Khaleda Zia (since October 10, 2001) Independence March 26, 1971 (from West Pakistan); December 16, 1971 (creation of the official state of Bangladesh) Administrative Divisions Six divisions: Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet Country Name Communications TV stations Phones Internet Users 15 (1999) (Line) 1,007,000; (cell) 9,000,000 300,000 (2005) * Source: CIA-The World Factbook (2006) 95 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 96 History at a Glance 1,000 B.C 321 296 273 232 180 A.D 319 335 380 413 480 500 670 750 1097 1150 1202 1227 1341 1537 1556 1576 1600 1605 Dravidians arrive in the area of Bengal now called Bangladesh Mauryan Empire begins with Chandragupta Maurya Chandragupta Maurya dies Ashoka Maurya is born Ashoka dies End of Mauryan Empire Beginning of Gupta and Samatata empires Chandragupta I dies and Samudragupta becomes the king of Gupta Empire Samudragupta dies and Chandragupta II becomes king of Gupta Empire, which reaches its golden age during the rule of Samudragupta Chandragupta II dies White Huns (Hephthalites) invade Gupta Empire from Central Asia Hephthalites control most of the Gupta Empire Shashanka, Bengal’s first independent king, dies Gopala becomes king of Bengal region, start of the Pala Dynasty Senas begin their rise to power End of the Pala Dynasty Turks arrive from Turkmenistan to take control of Bengal region Turk leadership in Bengal forced to accept Delhi Sultanate’s authority Bengal becomes independent of Delhi’s authority Portuguese establish a colony in Hughli in Bengal region Akbar the Great comes to power in Delhi, greatly expanding the Mughal Empire, which had been established in 1526 Akbar the Great conquers Dhaka British East India Company established in a charter by Queen Elizabeth I Akbar dies 96 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 97 1625 Dutch establish a settlement in Chinsura 1658 British take control of Portuguese colony in Hughli 1675 French establish a settlement in Chandernagar; Danes establish a settlement in Serampore 1690 British establish a settlement in Calcutta 1698 East India Company chartered to compete with the British East India Company 1699 Fort William built in Calcutta by British East India Company 1702 British East India Company and East India Company merge 1756 Forces of Siraj Ud Daulah attack Fort William 1757 British retake Fort William and kill Siraj Ud Daulah; end of the Mughal Empire 1784 British Parliament passes the East India Company Act 1813 Charter Act passed by British Parliament, further asserting the authority of the British government 1905 British divide Bengal into East and West administrative regions; East Bengal capital established in Dhaka 1906 All-India Muslim League meets for first time in Dhaka 1912 East and West Bengal brought back together under British administration 1930 Muhammad Iqbal states the need for a separate Muslim state 1933 Pakistan is suggested as a name for the new Muslim state 1947 British pass the India Independence Act; Pakistan becomes independent; India becomes independent; thousands die as millions migrate 1966 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Mujib) issues a six-point program for East Pakistan 1968 Mujib arrested in Dhaka by Pakistan government 1969 Demonstrations, strikes, and violence cause political problems; General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan assumes control of Pakistan’s government 1970 Devastating cyclone hits East Pakistan; West Pakistan increases troops in East Pakistan 97 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 1971 1972 1974 1975 1981 1982 1986 1990 1991 1996 2001 2004 2006 3:37 PM Page 98 Bangladesh declares independence from West Pakistan; India condemns military action of West Pakistan; mass exodus of to 10 million immigrants to India from Bangladesh Constitution of Bangladesh adopted Famine kills nearly million Bangladeshis Mujib assassinated in a military coup; Major General Ziaur Rahman assumes power Rahman assassinated in a coup led by Major General Manzur Ahmed Hussein Mohammed Ershad seizes power and suspends the constitution The constitution is reinstated Ershad resigns Free elections held and Khaleda Zia becomes prime minister Elections held and Sheikh Hasina Wajed becomes prime minister Khaleda Zia becomes prime minister again Constitution amended to provide for 45 women members of Jatiya Sangsad; devastating tsunami strikes Bangladesh coast Parliamentary elections held 98 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 99 Bibliography Aminul Islam, A K M A Bangladesh Village: Conflict and Cohesion Cambridge, Mass.: Schenkman Publishing, 1974 Bangladesh Ann Arbor, Mich.: CultureGrams, annual editions Benhart, John E., and George M Pomeroy South Asia Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2005 Spencer, J E Asia East by South: A Cultural Geography New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1954 99 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 100 Further Reading Baxter, Craig Bangladesh: From a Nation to a State Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1997 Hartmann, Betsy, and James Boyce Needless Hunger: Voices from Bangladesh Village Oakland, Calif.: Food First, 1979 Ryan, Paul Ryder Bangladesh 2000: On the Brink of Civil War Cummington, Mass.: Munewata Press, 2000 Web sites Bangla2000 http://www.bangla2000.com/Bangladesh Bangladesh Embassy, Washington, D.C http://www.bangladoot.org/ Bangladesh (CIA World Factbook) https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bg.html A Country Study—Bangladesh (The Library of Congress) http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/bdtoc.html NationMaster http://www.nationmaster.com/country/bg-bangladesh Population Reference Bureau, 2006 World Population Data Sheet http://www.prb.org/pdf06/06WorldDataSheet.pdf Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh The World Bank http://www.worldbank.org 100 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 101 Index administrative divisions of government, 68 agriculture Bengal and, 36–37 economy and, 78–80 reasons for lack of, 19 Ahmed, Manzur, 48 airlines, 85 Akbar the Great, 35–36 Alexander the Great, 30 Ali, Mansur, 40 Alivardi, Nawab, 38 Allah, belief in, 62 All-India Muslim League, 43 alluvial plains, 18, 19 animals, 26–27, 79 anthem, 9–10 Appellate Court, 70 Ashoka, 30–32 automobiles, 55, 83–84 Awakened Muslim Masses of Bangladesh, 15 Awami League, 46 Babar, 35 Bang, 29–30 “Bangla Desh” (Beatles), 10 Bangla language, 60–61 Bangladeshi Liberation War, 10 Bay of Bengal, 19, 23 benefits, 10 Bengal, 30, 36 Bengal tigers, 26–27 Bengali language, 45, 60–61 Bihar, 31, 33 bills, Parliament and, 69 Biswa Itema, 14 boats, 85 Bodh Gaya, 31 British, historical impact of, 37–41 British East India Company, 37, 39–40 Buddhism Ashoka and, 30–32 culture and, 62 Gopala and, 33 Samatata and, 32 Buriganga River, 57 Calcutta, 38, 42 caretaker governments, 66 cars, 55, 83–84 censorship, 83 Chandragupta I, 32 Chandragupta II, 32–33 Charter Act, 39–40 child labor, 53, 77–78, 81 Chittagong Hills, 18, 19, 58 citizens, role of in government, 71–72 climate and weather, 19–21, 26 climate change, 13, 23–24, 88–89 Clive, Robert, 38–39 clothing industry, 80 communication, economy and, 82–83 Concert for Bangladesh, 10 Constitution of Bangladesh, 47–48, 65–66, 71–72 contemporary life, transition to, 59–60 corruption, 9, 74, 76, 81, 91 courts, 70–71 culture child labor and, 81 defined, 60 diet and, 62–63 ethnicity and, 60 folk lifestyle and, 75–76 future of Bangladesh and, 89 language and, 60–61 overview of, 58–59 religion and, 61–62 transitions in, 59–60 cyclones, 8, 13, 23–25, 47, 73, 76, 89 101 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 102 Index deforestation, flooding and, 22 deltas, 19 democracy, 64 See also government demography, defined, 52 deputy speaker position, legislative branch and, 69 Dhaka, 35, 37, 42, 48 garment industry and, 80 government and, 72–73 size of, 56–58 transportation and, 84–85 diet agriculture and, 78–80 culture and, 62–63 malnutrition and, 53, 54 rural life and, 56 Din-i-Ilahi, 35 diseases, 13, 53, 74 Divine Faith, 35 Dravidians, 29–30 drought, 20, 25–26 East Pakistan, 43–48 economy agriculture and, 78–80 communication and, 82–83 future of Bangladesh and, 91–92 manufacturing and, 80–81 overview of, 75–78 trade and, 81–82 transportation infrastructure and, 83–85 ecosystems, 26–27 education child labor and, 77–78 future of Bangladesh and, 90 as government challenge, 73 Muslims and, 40 Rajshahi and, 58 settlement and, 56 elections, 66, 68 electricity, 83 elevation, 20, 22 Elizabeth I (Queen of England), 37 English language, 40 English Trading Company to the East Indies, 37–38 environmental issues, 13, 73–74, 87–88 Ershad, Hussain Mohammad, 48–49, 65 ethnicity, culture and, 60 executive branch of government, 66–68 famines, 76 farming Bengal and, 36–37 economy and, 78–80 reasons for lack of, 19 Farrukhsiyar, 38 ferries, 85 fishing, 79 Five Pillars of Islam, 62 flooding, 13, 17, 19, 22–23, 87–88 folk lifestyle, 59–60, 75 food agriculture and, 78–80 culture and, 62–63 malnutrition and, 53, 54 rural life and, 56 foreign investment, 80–81 forestry, 79–80 Fort William, 38 Gandhi, Mohandas “Mahatma”, 43, 44 Ganges River, 19 garment industry, 80 Gauda, 33 genocide, 44–45 global warming, 13, 23–24, 88–89 globalization, trade and, 82 Gopala, 33–34 102 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 103 Index government challenges faced by, 73–74 Dhaka and, 72–73 executive branch of, 66–68 future of Bangladesh and, 91 judicial branch of, 70–71 legislative branch of, 68–69 overview of, 64–66 poverty and, 55–56 role of citizens in, 71–72 gross national income purchasing power parity (GNI-PPP), 77 Gupta Empire, 29, 32–33 infant mortality rates, 53 interfluves, 26 Internet, 82 Islam See also Muslims Hussain Mohammad Ershad and, 49 relationship with Hindus and, 40–41 rise of, 13–15, 34–37 Islamic family law, 70 hajj, 62 Hazardous Wastes Agreement, 74 Hephthalites, 33 High Court, 70, 73 Himalayas, 17 Hindi language, 60 Hindu religion, 14–15, 34, 42–43, 62 history of Bangladesh divided Pakistan and, 43–48 Europeans and, 37–42 first inhabitants and, 29–34 formation of nation and, 47–50 independence and, 42–43 rise of Islam and, 34–37 House of the Nation, 64, 68 See also government Human Development Index, humidity, 19–20 Hunas, 33 hurricanes, 8, 22 illiteracy See literacy independence from Britain, costs of, 44–45 independence from Pakistan, fighting for, 47, 49 India, 11, 17, 35 Indian Independence Act, 43 Jafar, Mir, 38 Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), 15 Jamuna River, 19 Jatiya Sangsad, defined, 64, 68 See also government Jatiyo Smriti Soudho, 49 Jinnah, Mohammad Ali, 43, 44 judicial branch of government, 70–71 jute, 79 Kahn, Louis, 73 Karnasuvarna, 33 Keokradong, 19 Khan, Mohammad Ayub (President of Pakistan), 46–47 Koran, 62 Kyoto Protocol, 74 Lakhmanasena, 34, 35 languages British control and, 40 business and, 80 culture and, 60–61 Pakistan and, 45 latitude, weather and climate and, 20 laws, 70–71 legislative branch of government, 68–69 life expectancy, 53 103 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 104 Index literacy child labor and, 77–78 folk lifestyle and, 75 future of Bangladesh and, 90 as government challenge, 73 rural life and, 56 Low Courts, 70 Lower Gangetic Plain, 19 overpopulation, 54–56 Ozone Layer Protection Agreement, 74 Magadha, Kingdom of, 30 Maharajadhiraja, defined, 32 malaria, 13, 53 malnutrition, 53, 54 manufacturing, economy and, 80–81 maternal death rate, 53 Maurya, Chandragupta, 30 Mauryan Empire, 30–32 Mecca, 62 Meghna River, 19 Members of Parliament (MP), legislative branch and, 69 migration patterns, 58, 76 monetary system, Samudragupta and, 32 monsoons, 13, 17, 19, 20 mortality rates, 53 Mouths of the Ganges, 19 Mughal Empire, 35–36 Mujib, 46–48 Muslim faith, 61–62 Muslim League, 45 Muslims, 13–15, 42–43 See also Islam Myanmar, 11 Nalanda, 33 national anthem, 9–10 National Martyrs’ Memorial, 49 nationality, defined, 60 newspapers, 83 OneWorld South Asia, 77 outsourcing, 80 Pakistan, 11, 43–48 Pala Dynasty, 33–34 Parliament, executive branch and, 66–68 plants, 26 politics, Pakistan and, 45–46 population size economy and, 76 future of Bangladesh and, 89–91 overpopulation and, 54–56 settlement and, 56–58 statistics on, 11, 51–54 poverty as government challenge, 73 population density and, 55 population size and, 53 reasons for, 12–13 statistics on, 77 presidency, executive branch and, 66 primate cities, defined, 57–58 processing, manufacturing and, 80 pulses, 79 Qur’an, 62 radio, 82–83 Rahman, Sheikh Mujibur, 46–48 Rahman, Ziaur, 48–49, 67 rain, importance of, 11 rainfall, 17, 20 Rajshahi, 58 Ramadan, 62 religion Akbar the Great and, 35 Buddhism, 30–32, 33, 62 culture and, 61–62 Hindu, 14–15, 34, 42–43, 62 importance of, 11 104 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 105 Index Islam, 13–15, 34–37, 40–41, 49 migrations and, 11 Pala Dynasty and, 34 radical Islam and, 13–14 repression, Mujib and, 48 rice, importance of, 78–79 rickshaws, 83, 84 rivers, 11, 14, 19, 57 Rocket, 85 rural lifestyle, 56, 89–91 Samatata, 32 Samudragupta, 32 Saudi Arabia, 15 Senas, 34–35 settlement, 56–58 Shabuj Chhaya, 83 Shankar, Ravi, 10 Shashanka, 33 Sheng Chi, 32 silk, Rajshahi and, 58 Siraj Ud Daulah, 38 soil degradation, 13 speaker position, legislative branch and, 69 Sundarbans, 19 Sunni Muslims, 61–62 Supreme Court, 70 Supreme Judicial Council, 71 tea, 79 television, 82–83 temperatures, 19–20 terrorism, 15 thanas, 68 tigers, 26–27 tobacco, 79 Tongi, 14 Toramana, 33 tornadoes, 25 trade, economy and, 81–82 traditional life, transition from, 59–60 transportation infrastructure, economy and, 83–85 travel, 55, 83–85 trials, 70 tsunami, 13 Turag River, 14 Turkmenistan, 34 Turks, 34–35 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 13 urban lifestyle, 56 Urdu language, 45 Urir Island, 24 vegetation, 26 Vijayasena, 34 Vikrampur, 34 violence, independence and, 44–45 Vishnugupta, 33 Wajed, Sheikh Hasina, 50 water, weather and climate and, 20 water pollution, 13 water shortages, 13 water transportation, 85 weather and climate, 19–21, 26 West Pakistan, 43–48 White Huns, 33 women, legislative branch and, 69 World Bank, 92 World Congregation of Islamic Preachers, 14 Yahya, Agha Mohammad, 47 Zia, Khaleda, 49–50, 67 105 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 106 Picture Credits page: 12: © Lucidity Information Design, LLC 14: Associated Press, AP 18: © Lucidity Information Design, LLC 21: Associated Press, AP 24: Associated Press, AP 31: © SEF/Art Resource, NY 36: © Time Life Pictures/Getty Images 39: © HIP/Art Resource, NY 44: Associated Press, AP 46: Associated Press, AP 49: Associated Press, AP 54: Associated Press, AP 57: © Getty Images 61: Associated Press, AP 67: ©AFP/Getty Images 72: REUTERS/Mohammad Shahidullah 79: Rafiqur Rahman/Reuters/Landov 84: Rafiqur Rahman/Reuters/Landov 88: REUTERS 90: REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman Cover: © 2006 Digital Vision/PunchStock 106 093-107_MWN-BANG_bm 1/26/07 3:37 PM Page 107 About the Contributors DOUGLAS A PHILLIPS is an educator, writer, and consultant who has worked and traveled in more than 100 countries on six continents During his career, he has worked as a middle school teacher, curriculum developer, author, and trainer of educators in many countries around the world He has served as the president of the National Council for Geographic Education, and he has received the Outstanding Service Award from the National Council for the Social Studies, along with numerous other awards He, his wife, Marlene, and their three children—Chris, Angela, and Daniel—have lived in South Dakota and Alaska, but now, in semiretirement, he and his wife and two sons reside in Arizona, where he writes and serves as an educational consultant for the Center for Civic Education He has traveled throughout much of South Asia, which has given him some understanding of and a great appreciation for the region’s fascinating physical environment, cultural practices, and distinctive landscapes CHARLES F GRITZNER is distinguished professor of geography at South Dakota State University in Brookings He is now in his fifth decade of college teaching, research, and writing In addition to teaching, he enjoys writing, working with teachers, and sharing his love of geography with readers As the series editor for Chelsea House’s MODERN WORLD NATIONS (and other) series, he has had a wonderful opportunity to combine these interests Gritzner has served as both president and executive director of the National Council for Geographic Education He also has received many national honors, including the George J Miller Award for Distinguished Service to Geographic Education from the NCGE and both the Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award and the Gilbert Grosvenor Honors in Geographic Education from the Association of American Geographers 107 ... Phillips, Douglas A Bangladesh / Douglas A Phillips and Charles F Gritzner p cm.— (Modern world nations) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 0-7910-9251-8 (hardcover) Bangladesh I Gritzner,... Contents Introducing Bangladesh Physical Landscapes 16 Bangladesh Through Time 28 The Rise of Bangladesh 42 People and Culture 51 Government and Politics 64 Bangladesh s Economy 75 Bangladesh Looks... Transparency International, a worldwide organization that exposes governmental corruption, has named Bangladesh as the most corrupt country in the world Fighting radical Islam in Bangladesh will most