LocationSouth Asia.
Area147,570 sq km (56,977 sq miles).
Population152.6 million (UN estimate 2005).
Population Density1034.1 per sq km.
CapitalDhaka.
Population: 11.6 million (2003).
GovernmentRepublic. Gained independence from Pakistan in 1971.
LanguageThe official language is Bengali (Bangla). English is widely spoken, especially in government and commercial circles. Tribal dialects are also spoken.
Religion88% Muslim, 10% Hindus and 2%
Buddhist and Christian minorities. Religion is the main influence on attitudes and behavior. Since 1988, Islam has been the official state religion.
TimeGMT + 6.
Electricity220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the British 5- and 15-amp, two- or three-pin (round) type.
Head of GovernmentPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina since 2009.
Head of StatePresident Iajuddin Ahmed since 2002.
Recent HistoryAfter 16 years of presidential government, punctuated by spells of martial law, Bangladesh reverted to its original parliamentary system in August 1992, when constitutional amendments were approved by national referendum. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the
Jatiya Sangsad (parliament). Its members also elect the largely titular post of president, who is the head of state.
In October 2001, Khaleda Zia, the first female prime minister in Bangladesh, came to power following a landslide election victory of the four-party alliance led by her Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Her government has pointed to successes in handling the economy and in tackling environmental issues. But it has struggled to deliver on its key election pledge of containing lawlessness and violence. Ms Zia has come under opposition pressure to call early elections, amid a background of general strikes and protests.
There was a spate of politically motivated violent incidents in Bangladesh in 2004/2005. In August 2004, 20 members of the Awami League were killed, including the woman's affairs secretary, Ivy Rahman. In January 2005, former finance minister, Shah Kibria, was assassinated with four colleagues in another grenade attack at an Awami League rally in northern Bangladesh. Bangladesh has also ranked worst on Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index for the past four years.
TelephoneCountry code: 880. Public telephone booths are located at the principal marketplaces and in post offices in the main towns.
Mobile TelephoneCoverage is limited to main towns.
InternetPublic Internet services exist in the main towns and there are also a few Internet cafes. Hotels in Dhaka and Chittagong offer Internet access (mainly to guests).
MediaThe main broadcast media in Bangladesh,
Radio Bangladesh and
Bangladesh Television, are state-owned and favorable to the Government. Little coverage is given to the political opposition, except in the run-up to general elections when a caretaker Government takes control. Although Bangladesh Television remains the country’s sole terrestrial TV channel, private satellite-delivered TV stations have established a presence. The constitution guarantees press freedom, but journalists are subject to regular harassment from the police and political activists. Bangladeshi newspapers are diverse, outspoken and privately owned. English-language titles appeal mainly to the educated urban elite. The authorities sometimes withdraw foreign publications from circulation over articles or images considered malicious or offensive.
PostAirmail takes three to four days to Europe; surface mail can take several months. Post boxes are blue for airmail and red for surface mail.
Press• There are some daily English-language papers, the most popular being the
Bangladesh Observer, followed by the
Daily Star and the
New Nation.
• The main English-language weeklies include
Holiday.
• The main Bengali dailies are
Dainik Ittefaq and
Dainik Jugantor.
• Almost all these newspapers are published in Dhaka and circulated throughout the country.
Radio• Betar-Radio Bangladesh is Government-run.
• Radio Metrowave is a commercial, music and news station aimed at younger listeners in Dhaka.
• The
BBC World Service is available on FM in Dhaka.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.
20091 Jan New Year's Day.
21 Feb International Mother Language Day.
9 Mar Eid-e-Milad-un Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
26 Mar Independence Day.
14 Apr Bangla New Year.
1 May Labor Day.
9 May Buddha Purnima.
20 Jul Shab-e Barat (Ascension of the Prophet).
21 Sep (3 days)
Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
2 Oct Durga Puja (Dashami).
20 Oct Shab e-Qadr (Evening of Destiny).
7 Nov National Revolution Day.
28 Nov (3 days)
Eid ul-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
16 Dec Victory Day (Bijoy Dibosh).
18 Dec Islamic New Year.
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
21 Feb International Mother Language Day.
26 Feb Eid-e-Milad-un Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
26 Mar Independence Day.
14 Apr Bangla New Year.
1 May Labor Day.
28 Apr Buddha Purnima.
9 Jul Shab-e Barat (Ascension of the Prophet).
2 Oct Durga Puja (Dashami).
20 Oct Shab e-Qadr (Evening of Destiny).
2 Oct (3 days)
Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
7 Nov National Revolution Day.
17 Nov (3 days)
Eid ul-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
16 Dec Victory Day (Bijoy Dibosh).
29 Dec Islamic New Year.
Note(a) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there are restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid ul-Azha may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region. (b) Buddhist festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is not possible to forecast the date of their occurrence exactly.
Contact Information:Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (National Tourism Organization)233 Airport Road, Tejgoan, Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh
Tel: (2) 811 7855-9.
Website:
www.bangladeshtourism.org Bangladesh High Commission in the UK28 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5JA, UK
Tel: (020) 7584 0081.
Website:
www.bangladeshhighcommission.org.uk Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1730; Mon-Thurs 1000-1300 and 1500-1630, Fri 1030-1245 and 1500-1630 (consular office).
Bangladesh Embassy in the USA3510 International Drive, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 244 0183.
Website:
www.bangladoot.org
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