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People's Republic of Bangladesh
গনপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ
Gôno Projatontri Bangladesh

Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: none
Anthem: Amar Shonar Bangla (My Golden Bengal)
Capital	Dhaka 23°42′ N 90°22′ E
Largest city	Dhaka
Official languages	Bengali
Government President Prime Minister	Parliamentary Republic Iajuddin Ahmed Khaleda Zia
Independence  - Declared  - Victory Day	From Pakistan March 26, 1971 December 16, 1971
Area  • Total  • Water (%)	144,000 km² (91st) 7.0
Population  • 2005 est.  • [[As of |]] census  • Density	144,319,628 (7th) 1002/km² (7th)
GDP (PPP)  • Total  • Per capita	2005 estimate $280 billion (32nd) $1875 (151st)
HDI (2003)	0.520 (139th) – medium
Currency	Taka (BDT)
Time zone  • Summer (DST)	BDT (UTC+6) not observed (UTC+6)
Internet TLD	.bd
Calling code	+880 - SubCodes

The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a south Asian country bordering India, Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal. Together with the West Bengal province of India, it comprises the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. The name Bangladesh is written as বাংলাদেশ and pronounced IPA: /'baŋlad̪eʃ/. It means "Country of Bengal" but the origin of the word Bangla (Bengal) is obscure.

The borders of Bangladesh were demarcated in 1947 when it became the eastern wing, separated by 1000 miles, of Pakistan. Despite their common religion, the ethnic and linguistic gulf between east and west was compounded by the ruling west's neglect and persecution. Bangladesh won its independence in 1971, after a bloody war supported by India. In its three and a half decades of independence marked by political turmoil and corruption, Bangladesh has had 13 different heads of government, two of them assassinated, and at least four coups. Its last two political transitions were lawful, but growing Islamist terrorism is undermining this newfound stability.

Bangladesh is belied by its modest land area (about the size of Greece). Its population ranks 7th in the world and 3rd among Muslim-majority nations. It is the most densely populated country in the world, apart from a handful of city-states and small island nations. Geographically dominated by the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta the country undergoes annual monsoon floods and cyclones are also common. Bangladesh is one of the founding members of SAARC and a member of the OIC and the D-8.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 Arrival of Islam 1.3 British Era 1.4 1947 Partition 1.5 East Pakistan 1.6 Independent Bangladesh 2 Government and politics 2.1 Structure of the Government 2.2 Legal System 2.3 Political parties 3 Subdivisions 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Sports 9 Education 10 Miscellaneous topics 11 See also 12 External links 12.1 Further reading/Non-government sites 12.2 Government and government organizations 12.3 Newspapers 12.4 Online Bangladeshi news sources 13 References

History

Main article: History of Bangladesh

Early history

Remnants of civilization in the greater Bengal region date back three millenia when it was settled by Dravidians. The region was mostly fractured into unaffiliated units that were ruled by various kingdoms and empires, both foreign and domestic. From the 4th through 6th centuries CE, the region came under the influence of the Hindu Gupta Empire. Aftwerwards a dynamic Bengali Shashanka erected an impressive but short-lived kingdom. With the launch of the Buddhist Pala dynasty in the 8th century CE the region reached its most ascendent moment, but retreated during the 12th century Sena dynasty.

Arrival of Islam

Islam made its first appearance in Bengal during the 12th century CE when Sufi missionaries arrived. Later occasional Muslim invaders reinforced the process of conversion. Bengal was conquered by the Mughal empire in the 16th century. Dhaka became an important provincial center of Mughal administration as the seat of the Nawab. The Bengali ethnic and linguistic identity probably crystallized during this period, since the whole of Bengal was united for the first time under an able and long-lasting administration. Furthermore its inhabitants were given sufficient autonomy to cultivate their own customs and literature.

British Era

Portugese, Dutch, French, Irish and British traders began to arrive in the late 15th century CE and by the late 18th century the British East India Company gained control of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey in 1757. This was the first conquest, in a series of engagements that ultimately lead to the expulsion of other European competitors, the defeat of the Mughals and the consolidation of the subcontinent under the rule of a corporation -- a doubly unique event. Calcutta (nowadays Kolkata) on the Hooghly River became a major trading port for Muslin and Jute.

Scandals and the bloody rebellion known as the Sepoy Mutiny prompted the British government to intervene. In 1858, authority in India was transferred from the East India Company to the crown and the rebellion was brutally suppressed. Rule of India was organized under a Viceroy and continued a pattern of economic exploitation. Famine racked the subcontinent many times, including at least two major famines in Bengal. The Raj was politically organized into 17 Provinces, of which Bengal was one of the most significant, headed by a Governor. For a brief period in the early 20th century, an abortive attempt was made to divide Bengal into two zones.

1947 Partition

Britain, having exhausted its resources during World War II, could no longer hold on to its colonies. Mountbatten was appointed as Viceroy expressly for the purpose of effecting a graceful exit that would set the stage for a close relationship between India and Britain. But the Viceroy was unable to reconcile differences between the Congress Party led by Nehru and Gandhi with the Jinnah's Muslim League, which had been calling for the creation of a new Islamic state comprising the Muslim-majority areas. But the Muslim League did not have much political success among Muslim voters until communal violence broke out in Calcutta in 1946. These ominous signs threatened a widespread outbreak of Muslim-Hindu violence that the British would be unable to control.

The leaders agreed on a solution for partition which involved referenda in each Province and Princely State to select which country, Pakistan or India, each would join. Two exceptions were made: Punjab and Bengal were to be dissected along religious lines. There was great concern over the probability of communal violence in Amritsar, Lahore and Calcutta. Indeed the Punjab's worst fears shortly became reality, but were largely averted in Calcutta thanks to the intervention of Gandhi. Then almost 80, he fasted nearly to death in order to protect the minority Muslim communities in the city. Prior to partition he had accomplished the same for the Hindu communities in Noakhali (now part of Bangladesh).

East Pakistan

The Bengali portion of Pakistan was organized as a province called East Bengal with its capital in Dhaka. In 1950, land reform was accomplished in East Bengal through the abolition of the feudal Zamindari system. The Language Movement of 1952 was the first sign of friction between the two wings of Pakistan. The east rejected an attempt by the politically dominant west to establish Urdu as the national language, an event commemorated now as the International Mother Language Day. In 1955, the province's name was forcibly changed by West Pakistan to East Pakistan in an effort to reinforce flagging nationalism.

Troubles in East Bengal continued to rise. The Bengali Awami League agitated for autonomy and in 1966 its president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was jailed for a time. The upper levels of Pakistan's government and military were dominated by the feudal classes from the west, despite the fact that the economic and demographic weight of the east was equal or greater.

Tensions came to a head during 1971 in the face of two disasters: one natural and one political. A massive cyclone devasted coastal East Pakistan and the storm's impact was exacerbated by the central government's poor response. The anger was compounded when Mujib, whose Awami League fairly won a majority in Parliament, was blocked from taking the reins of government. Mujib is still remembered for his delivery of an electrifying oratory [1] at a racetrack in Dhaka and became known as Bôngobondhu or "Friend of the Bengali". After stalling for time by staging compromise talks with Mujib, President Yahya Khan arrested him and on March 25th launched an all-out military assault on East Pakistan. This resulted in one of the world's worst genocides, a well planned execution of about 3 million people (mainly targeting the intelligentsia) by the Pakistani military [2].

Yahya's methods were extremely bloody, as he intended to intimidate the Bengalis into total submission. His slaughter of unarmed innocents was similar in scale to that of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Chief targets included intellectuals and Hindus. Ten million refugees fled across the border into India and rough estimates of those massacred range from several hundred thousand to as many as 3 million [3], [4].

The Bangladesh Liberation War lasted for 9 months. The guerrilla Mukti Bahini and Bengali regulars eventually received decisive support from the Indian army in December of 1971. The surrender of more than 90,000 Pakistani troops was the largest ever. The terms of surrender made way for the triumphant return of Mujib from his incarceration in West Pakistan and of course the independence of East Pakistan.

Independent Bangladesh

Mujib proved to be less able an administrator than a figurehead of the independence movement. His influence on the country, whether positive or negative, animates Bangladeshi debate to this day. He was at once devoted to the welfare of his fellow Bengalis and deeply suspicious of intrigues against his rule. Mujib outwardly championed the Awami League ideologies of nationalism, secularism, socialism and democracy -- principles that were embodied in the constitution. He also permitted corruption to thrive so that it would tarnish the reputation of potential rivals. In 1975, Mujib and his family were assassinated by mid-level military officers and a string of coups led to the rise of war-hero General Ziaur Rahman.

Zia's legacy in a sense represents the alter-ego to Mujib's in modern Bangladeshi political discourse. He added to his popularity by giving Bangladesh an international presence, most notably in lobbying successfully for full inclusion in the UN General Assembly. He also adopted symbolic changes to the constitution, declaring Islam as the state religion. Though less secular than Mujib, Zia had a similar attitude towards corruption in the country's law-of-the-jungle political climate. Zia restored democracy by calling and winning an election in 1978, en route creating the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). However, amid declining popularity, he was assassinated by elements of the military three years later.

Bangladesh's next major ruler was another strongman General Hossain Mohammad Ershad. He ruled from 1982-90 when he was ousted in a popular uprising. Since that time Bangladesh has reverted to a semblance of democracy, albeit with spiraling corruption. Zia's widow Begum Khaleda Zia rose to head the BNP and the country from 1991-96 and again from 2001 until the present (next election is in 2006). She maintains an acrimonious rivalry with Mujib's surviving daughter Sheikh Hasina who heads the Awami League and came to power from 1996-2001.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Bangladesh

National symbols of Bangladesh

Flag	Green with a red circle
Anthem	Amar Sonar Bangla
Animal	Royal Bengal Tiger
Bird	Doyel
Flower	Shapla
Fruit	Jackfruit
Sport	Kabadi
Calendar	Bangla Calendar

Structure of the Government

Bangladesh is a Parliamentary democracy. The President is the head of state and holds a largely ceremonial post. The real power, however, is held by the Prime Minister, who is head of government. The president is elected by the legislature every five years and has normally limited powers that are substantially expanded during the tenure of a caretaker government, mainly in controlling the transition to a new government.

The prime minister is ceremonially appointed by the president and must be a member of parliament (MP) who commands the confidence of the majority of other MPs. The cabinet is composed of ministers selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president.

The unicameral Bangladeshi parliament is the House of the Nation or Jatiya Sangsad, which has 300 members are elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies for five-year terms of office. The remaining 45 seats are reserved for women, and allocated among the political parties according to their representation of elected members. There is Universal suffrage, citizens attain the right to vote at the age of 18.

Legal System

The most important legal document in Bangladesh is the constitution. The constitution was written in 1972 and has been amended thirteen amendments since. All other laws of the country are made by the Parliament conforming to the tenets of the constitution. The highest judiciary body is the Supreme Court, of which the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president. The judiciary is not seperate from the administrative body, which has been reason for much commotion in recent years. Laws are loosely based on English common law. However, family laws (regarding marraige, inheritance etc) are based on religious texts, and hence differ for various relogious communities.

Political parties

Khaleda Zia began her second (non-contiguous) 5-year term as Prime Minister in 2001. She is the head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which has formed a coalition with Jatiya Party and the two moderate Islamist parties Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jot. Two radical Islamist parties were banned in February, 2005.

The opposition is led by Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League, which has been a key party since and prior to independence. Awami tends to adopt a more secular stance and tilts towards India while BNP has closer relations with China. Awami-BNP rivalry has been bitter and punctuated by protests and violence.

For the fifth year in a row, in 2005, Bangladesh was ranked at the bottom of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of Transparency International.

Subdivisions

Main article: Divisions of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is subdivided into six administrative divisions, all named after their respective divisional headquarters:

• Barisal বরিশাল
• Chittagong চট্টগ্রাম
• Dhaka ঢাকা
• Khulna খুলনা
• Rajshahi রাজশাহী
• Sylhet সিলেট

The next level of administrative unit is a district or Zila (জিলা) (in Bangla). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh. For more information, see Districts of Bangladesh.

Each district is further subdivided into Thana or Police stations (formerly called upa-zila or sub-districts). Each police station, except for those in metropolitan areas, is divided into several unions. The unions consist of many villages. In the metropolitan areas, the unit is a ward, which consists of several mahalla or areas.

Dhaka is the country's capital and largest city. Other major cities include Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna.

See List of cities in Bangladesh.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Bangladesh

Bangladesh consists mostly of a low-lying river delta located on the Indian subcontinent with a largely marshy jungle coastline on the Bay of Bengal known as the Sundarbans, home to the (Royal) Bengal Tiger and one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. Bangladesh is situated in the geographic region named The Ganges Delta (also known as the Ganges-Brahmaputra River Delta). This delta is the largest in the world. Having densely vegetated lands, Bangladesh is often called the Green Delta. The densely populated delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges (local name Padma or Pôddā), Brahmaputra (Jomunā), and Meghna rivers and their tributaries as they flow down from the Himalaya, creating the largest riverine delta in the world. Bangladesh's alluvial soil is highly fertile but vulnerable to both flood and drought. Hills rise above the plain only in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (highest point: the Keokradong at 1230 m) in the far southeast and the Sylhet division in the northeast.

Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, the Bangladeshi climate is tropical with a mild winter from October to March, a hot, humid summer from March to June, and a humid, warm rainy monsoon from June to October. Natural calamities, such as floods, tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and tidal bores affect the country almost every year, combined with the effects of deforestation, soil degradation and erosion. Cox's Bazar, south of the city of Chittagong, has a sea beach that stretches uninterrupted over 120 km; it is frequently quoted as the World's longest natural sea beach (although this claim is difficult to prove or disprove).

Economy

Main article: Economy of Bangladesh

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains an underdeveloped, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. And yet, as the World Bank notes in its July 2005 Country Brief, the country has made impressive progress in human development by focusing on increasing literacy, achieving gender parity in schooling, and reducing population growth.

Jute was once the economic engine of Bangladesh. Its share of the world export market peaked in the late 1940s at 80% [5] and even in the early 1970s accounted for 70% of its export earnings. Bangladesh also grows significant quantities of rice, tea and mustard. Although two-thirds of Bangladeshis are farmers, nowadays more than three quarters of Bangadesh's export earnings come from the garment industry [6], which began attracting foreign investors in the 1980s due to cheap labor. The garment industry now employs almost 40% of the employed female population.

Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, mismanaged port facilities, a growth in the labor force that has outpaced jobs, inefficient use of energy resources (such as natural gas), insufficient power supplies, slow implementation of economic reforms, political infighting and corruption. According to the World Bank's Country Brief updated July, 2005: "Among Bangladesh’s most significant obstacles to growth are poor governance and weak public institutions." [7]

In July 2004, Bangladesh was ravaged by its worst floods in six years, described by the UN as a "quiet disaster". Hundreds were killed and 30 million were displaced from their homes. Damages to crops, the garment industry and other infrastructure was over $2 billion (Riaz, 2004).

In spite of the hurdles, since 1990 the country has achieved an average annual growth rate of 5% according to the World Bank. The middle class and with it the consumer industry has seen some growth. In December 2005, four years after its report on the emerging "BRIC" economies (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), Goldman Sachs named Bangladesh as one of the "Next Eleven," along with Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam. Bangladesh has seen a sharp increase in Foreign Direct Investment. A number of multinational corporations, including Unocal and Tata, have made significant investments, with the natural gas sector a priority. In December 2005, the Central Bank of Bangladesh projected GDP growth between 6.3% to 6.8%.

The July 19, 2005 issue of the New York Times reported that an eight story shopping mall (the largest in South Asia) recently opened in Dhaka. The capital's population has swelled to a stunning 15 million, indicative of the migration of labor. Nevertheless, Bangaladeshis continue to live predominantly in rural villages. Microcredit loans, the brainchild of Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus who founded Grameen Bank, have lifted many rural women out of extreme poverty.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a population of 144 million (July 2005 est.) making it the 7th most populous country in the world after Pakistan and before Russia. Apart from a few small countries with fewer than 1 million inhabitants, Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world at about 1000 persons per km². In the mid-1980's, the government promoted birth control in order to slow a massive population growth rate. This program has helped to reduce the growth rate to about 2 percent.

Bangladesh is ethnically homogeneous, with Bengalis comprising 98% of the population. The remainder is made up mostly from Bihari migrants and autonomous tribal groups located mainly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The main language, as in West Bengal, is Bangla (Bengali), an Indo-Aryan language of Sanskrit origin (the other major Sanskrit-based tongue being Hindi). The language is written in its own Bengali script. Bangla is the official language, but English, widely spoken as a second language among the middle and upper classes, is often accepted in official tasks and higher education.

The two major religions are Islam (83% CIA est. 1998, 88% US State Dept. est. 2005) and, to a lesser extent, Hinduism (16% CIA est. 1998, 11% US State Dept. 2005). The ethnic Biharis are predominantly Shia Muslims. There are also a small number of Buddhists, Christians, and Animists.

Health and education levels have improved steadily while poverty levels have gone down. Nevertheless, Bangladesh remains among the poorest nations in the world. Most Bangladeshis are rural and poor, living off of subsistence farming. Nearly half of the population lives on less than 1 USD per day. Health problems abound, ranging from surface water contamination, to arsenic in the ground water, and other diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and dengue. Literacy rates are 54% among men and 32% among women.

Sources: CIA World Factbook, US Department of State, World Bank

Culture

Main article: Culture of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a vibrant culture, that encompasses traditions both old and new. The Bangla language boasts a rich literary heritage, most of which is shared by Bangladesh and West Bengal. The first literary text in Bangla is the millenium old Charyapada. Medieval ages saw a lot of activity in the Bangla literary scene by poets like Alaol and Chandidas. However, it is in the nineteenth century that Bangla literature gained its maturity. The greatest literary icons of Bangla literature are Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Rabindranath wrote what was later adopted as Bangladesh's national anthem Amar Shonar Bangla, whereas a song of Nazrul was adopted as the Martial song. Contemporary Bangladesh keeps producing substantial amount of litearture of all forms. Bangladesh also has a rich tradition in folk literature, evinced by Mymensingha gitika, Thakurmar Jhuli or stories related to Gopal Bhar and Birbal.

The musical tradition of Bangladesh is lyrics-based (Baniprodhan), with only minimal instrumental accompaniment. The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music, and Lalon Fakir perhaps the most well known of Bauls. Folk music of Bengal is often accopanied by Ektara, a string instrument with only one string. Other instruments include Dotara, dhol, khanjan, tabla etc. However, Bangladesh also has active heritage in North Indian classical music. One of the most famous classical musician to emerge from Bangladesh is Ustad Allauddin Khan. Similarly, Bangladeshi dance forms also draw from folk traditons, specially those of the various tribal groups, as well as the broader Indian dance tradition.

Food is central to Bangladeshi culture and hospitality is viewed as a virtue. The saying "machhe bhate Bangali", literally "rice and fish make a Bengali", epitomizes the importance of food in the Bengali identity. Sweetmeats are also central to Bangladeshi culture, a guest has to be treated with Mishtimukh (literally "Sugarmouth", meaning the guest must eat sweetmeats). They are also avid tea (cha) drinkers as evidenced by the tea shanties which dot the riverbanks and road-sides.

Bangladesh has had a film industry, and produces about 60 films a year. However Bangladeshis are avid consumers of Bollywood-made cinema, as well as films from Kolkata, in West Bengal, has had its own thriving Bengali-language movie industry.

Sources: Virtual Bangladesh

• Performing arts of Bangladesh
• Islam in Bangladesh
• Hinduism in Bangladesh
• Buddhism in Bangladesh
• Music of Bangladesh

Sports

Main article: Sports in Bangladesh

Cricket is perhaps the most popular sport in Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi Tigers joined the elite 10-nation league of national teams that play test matches in 2000. Other popular sports include football, field hockey, tennis, badminton, handball, kabadi, volleyball, chess and carrom. Kabadi (কাবাডি), a 7-on-7 team sport played without a ball or any other equipment, is notable because it has been honored as the National Game of Bangladesh since 1972. In that year, the Bangladesh Sports Control Board was established, and as of 2005 it regulates 29 different sporting federations.

On the international stage, Bangladesh has had its most noteworthy successes in cricket and chess. In 2005, Bangladesh won its first 5-day test match against Zimbabwe and defeated the 2003 world champion Australia in a one-day match. In chess, Bangladesh has had two Grandmasters: Niaz Morshed and more recently Ziaur Rahman.

Sources: Banglapedia [8], BBC News

Education

Main article: Education in Bangladesh

Education in Bangladesh is highly subsidized by the Government, which operates many schools and colleges in the primary, secondary and higher secondary level as well as many public universities. The whole country is divided into seven education boards (Barishal, Chittagong, Comilla, Dhaka, Jessore, Rajshahi and Sylhet Education Boards) which oversee education from the primary to the higher secondary level, and conduct the primary and junior scholarship examinations, the Secondary School Certificate examination, and the Higher Secondary Certificate examination. The Government also provides a large portion of the salaries of the teachers in non-government schools. To promote literacy among women, education is free up to the higher secondary level for female students. There is also a Government-funded program which gives incentives like stipends and food for continuing education in the secondary level.

The literacy rate in Bangladesh is approximately 42%.

Higher education is also subsidized by the government, and most of the students seeking college education are enrolled in a public instituition. Dhaka University is the largest and oldest of public universities, and there are 21 more such public universities in Bangladesh. The recently formed National University regulates all the public colleges in the country, hence a student recieving undergraduate education from a public college recieves a degree from the National university.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), located in Dhaka, is the foremost instituition for technology in the country. There are newer universities in Chittagong, Khulna, Gazipur, Rajshahi and Sylhet that also provide engineering education. Public education in medical sciences is provided by Medical Colleges, each regulated by a public university. Postgraduate education in medical sciences in provided by BSMM University in Dhaka. Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh is the premier institution for agricultural studies, though other institutes exists as well. There are also a number of polytechnic institutes providing diplomas in specific technologies. Bangladesh also has a leather institute, a textile institute and other specialized education centers.

In the last one decade education in higher studies were boomed by the help of the Private Universities. There are now 52 private universities in Bangladesh, providing general, engineering and medical education.

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Bangladesh
• Foreign relations of Bangladesh
• List of Bangladeshis
• Military of Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Air Force
  • Bangladesh Army
  • Bangladesh Navy
• Professional Institute
• NGOs in Bangladesh
• Public holidays in Bangladesh
• Transportation in Bangladesh
  • Biman Bangladesh
• Universities in Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Official Website
  • University of Chittagong (চট্টগ্রাম বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) - CU
  • University of Dhaka (ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ) - DU
  • Jahangirnagar University (জাহাঙ্গীরনগর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) - JU
  • Khulna University (খুলনা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) - KU
  • Rajshahi University (রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) - RU
  • North South University Official Website - NSU
  • American International University Official Website - AIUB
  • Independent University
  • East West university -EWU

See also

• Language Martyrs' Day
• West Bengal

External links

Further reading/Non-government sites

• Bangladesh Gateway
• Banglapedia - National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
• United Nations in Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association
• Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• Bangladesh Statistical Information and Resources
• Various policies of Bangladesh
• Genocide in Bangladesh, 1971

Government and government organizations

• Bangladesh Government Official Web Page
• Election Commission Secretariat
• Legislative Information Centre - Official parliamentary site
• Dhaka City Corporation
• e-Forms of the Government of Bangladesh (Includes downloadable visa application form)
• Bangladesh Customs Home Page (National Board of Revenue)
• Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB/T&T)

Newspapers

Bangla newspapers	English newspapers
Ajker Kagoj Inqilab Ittefaq Janakantha Jugantor Nayadiganta Amardesh Jai Jai Din Prothom Alo Shaptahik 2000	The Daily Star The New Age The Daily Independent The Bangladesh Observer The Financial Express The News Today The New Nation The Weekly Holiday

Online Bangladeshi news sources

• The Bangladesh Journal
• Bangladesh News Archives
• News from Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Strategic and Development Forum

References

• Banglapedia article on History of Bangladesh
• U.S. Department of State (Aug. 2005). "Background Note: Bangladesh"
• Collins, Larry; & Lapierre, Dominique (1986). Freedom at Midnight (18th ed.). New Delhi: Vikas Publishers. ISBN 0-7069-2770-2.
• Imam, Jahanara; (Transl.) Rahman, Mustafizur (1998). Of Blood and Fire: The Untold Story of Bangladesh's War of Independence (2nd ed.). Dhaka: University Press Ltd. ISBN 984-05-1423-7.
• Mascarenhas, Anthony (1986). Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-39420-X.
• Ali Riaz (2005). Bangladesh in 2004: The Politics of Vengeance and the Erosion of Democracy, Asia Survey, XLV(Jan/Feb): 112-118.

Countries in South Asia
Bangladesh | Bhutan | India | Maldives | Nepal | Pakistan | Sri Lanka

Countries in Asia

Afghanistan | Armenia1 | Azerbaijan1 | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Bhutan | Brunei | Cambodia | People's Republic of China | Republic of China (Taiwan)2 | Cyprus1 | East Timor | Egypt | Gaza Strip4 | Georgia1 | Hong Kong3 | India | Indonesia | Iran | Iraq | Israel | Japan | Jordan | Kazakhstan1 | Kuwait | Kyrgyzstan | Laos | Lebanon | Macau3 | Malaysia | Maldives | Mongolia | Myanmar | Nepal | North Korea | Oman | Pakistan | Philippines | Qatar | Russia1 | Saudi Arabia | Singapore | South Korea | Sri Lanka | Syria | Tajikistan | Thailand | Turkey1 | Turkmenistan | United Arab Emirates | Uzbekistan | Vietnam | West Bank4 | Yemen

1. Usually assigned to Asia geographically, but nonetheless often thought of as European for cultural and historical reasons. 2. See political status of Taiwan 3. Special administrative regions of the PRC. 4. Israel-controlled territories governed by the Palestinian Authority.

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