Bangladesh a country of diversity and harmony
Bangladesh a country of diversity and harmony Bangladesh, the largest and active most riverine delta, is nestling 170 million (apprx.) lively people in its 147570 sq.km land area; having Dhaka, a 400 years old city, as the capital.
In 1971 Bangladesh emerged from a bloody war as an independent country. The Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan on 26 March, 1971, in response to years of political, economic, and social marginalisation faced by the people of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). As the founding leader of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu played a pivotal role in guiding the nation during its formative years. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s vision of building “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal) was for a prosperous, self-reliant and equitable Bangladesh. He articulated this vision during his leadership and sought to transform the newly independent country into a model society where people could live with dignity, freedom, and prosperity.
The official language is Bangla, however, English is widely spoken. The people of Bangladesh heroically fought for their mother tongue Bangla, on 21 February 1952. Later, in 1999 UNESCO officially recognized the day as ‘International Mother Language Day and since 2000 the day has been observed all around the world.
Majority people are Muslim but the people of other religions and faiths have been living in harmony for centuries. Peoples of diverse faiths celebrate religious, national and cultural festivals in coherence. Colours of festivals and celebrations keep the Bangladeshis enchanted throughout the year.
A youth driven country, Bangladesh’s economy is running by a labor force of 65 million. The country is gender-equal country, where 36% of the labor force is women. As the second largest exporter of the Readymade Garments, Bangladesh is leading this sector globally. Besides that the export basket of the country consists of pharmaceuticals, leather, ceramics, jute, electronics and light engineering products, bicycle, shrimps and other frozen fish, agriculture produces and handicrafts.
In last 14 years Bangladesh’s economic growth has been nothing short of impressive. Through the extraordinary social, economic management and strong political leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is now achieving 7% average GDP (gross domestic product) growth, crossing the international standard line of the Lower Middle-Income threshold in 2015.Bangladesh has also been praised for its outstanding successes with regards to various socio-economic indicators. The resilient and aspiring people of the country are converting challenges into opportunities.
Bangladeshis are lauded for their ethos, liberal values, pluralistic views, creative minds, passion, inclusivity, rich culture, heritage and tradition, and most importantly hospitality and welcoming attitude. People do visit Bangladesh to see its unique nature and people.
Today’s Bangladesh is moving forward at an irresistible speed; globally perceived as a ‘development miracle’ Bangladesh is envisioning its position as ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041.
Pictures say more than a thousand words and with this in mind a humble attempt to present Bangladesh through this publication.
Welcome to a brief pictorial journey of Bangladesh!
