BY- S M MUJAHIDUL ALAM DEPUTY MANAGER BANGLADESH PARJATAN CORPORATION FORMER HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL AND TOURISM, NHTTI

2. Bangladesh is a small densely populated tropical
country in South Asia. It is believed that in the
unknown prehistoric age Austro Asian races lived
here. Then came the Dravidians from western
India. Arians from central Asia and Mongolians,
Abyssinians, Arabs, Armenians, Pathans, Turks
and the English. Finally after nine months of
liberation war in 1971, Bangladesh came into
being a sovereign country. The country is officially
known as the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh.
BANGLADESH

3. GEOGRAPHY
Bangladesh is in the low-lying Ganges– Brahmaputra River Delta or
Ganges Delta. This delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges
(local name Padma), Brahmaputra (Jamuna), and Meghna rivers and
their respective tributaries. The Ganges unites with the Jamuna and
later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal.
The alluvial soildeposited by these rivers has created some of the
most fertile plains in the world criss-crossed by mighty river canals
and studded by numerous marshes and swamps. The geologists
believe that the whole of Bangladesh was a part of now extinct
Assam Bay. Most parts of Bangladesh are less than 12 metres (39 ft)
above the sea level. The land is mostly flat exempt for a range of hill
in Southeast and the plateau area of the North West. Only 16% of
the country is forested mainly in Sundarbans, Rangamati,
Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Mymensingh. The highest point in
Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 metres (3,451 ft) in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts..

5. LOCATION
Bangladesh is located between 20 degree 34'
and 26 degree 38' North Latitude, and 88 degree
01' and 92 degree 41' East Longitude.

6. BOUNDARIES
Bangladesh has common boundary with India and
Myanmar as follows:
North India (Assam & Meghalaya)
South Bay of Bengal
East India (Tripura & Mizoram)
Myanmar (Arakan Province)
West India (West Bengal)

7. AREA
Bangladesh covers an area of:
Total Area: 147570 sq Kms or 56,977 sq.miles
Territorial Water: 12 Nautical Miles or 22.22 Kms
Economic Zone: 200 Nautical Miles or 370.30 Kms

8. ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
Divisions: 08
Districts: 64
Upazila: 482
Thana: 599
Union: 4466
Village: 85,650
Head of the State: President
Head of the Government: Prime Minister
Form of Government: Parliamentary

9. CLIMATE
Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate marked by
high humidity almost round the year. The country has
mainly four seasons, the winter (Dec-Feb), summer (March-
May), monsoon (June-August) and autumn (September-
November). The rainless winter is the most pleasant
season. Most places receive more than 1,525 mm of rain a
year, and areas near the hills receive 5,080 mm). Most rains
occur during the monsoon and little in winter. Bangladesh
is subject to devastating cyclones, originating over the Bay
of Bengal, in the periods of April to May and September to
November. Often accompanied by surging waves, these
storms can cause great damage and loss of life.

10. Average Temperature and rainfall

11. DEMOGRAPHY
Total Population: 156,186,882(July 2016 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.05% (2016 est.)
Sex ratio: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009estimated)
Rural Population: 73%
Life expectancy: 60.00 years (2009 estimated)
Male: 57.57 years
Female: 63.03 years
Per capita income: 1466 U.S. dollars
Literacy rate: 41 %( Appx)
Male: 50%
Female: 31%

12. PRINCIPAL RIVERS
Padma, Meghna, Jamuna,
Brahmaputra, Madhumati, Surma
and Kushiara, Karnafuli, Tista

13. COMMUNICATIONS
Bangladesh with its revering and Deltaic nature of land
though provides good means of water transportation
yet make building of roads and railways difficult. Apart
from the waterways, road, railways and airways serve
this land.
Airports: Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Jessore, Cox's
Bazar, Rajshahi, Barisal and Saidpur
Sea Ports: Chittagong and Mongla
River Ports: Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chandpur, Khulna,
Barisal, Baghabari, Sirajganj, Bhairab etc

14. FLORA
• The country has a varied and abundant plant life
because of the tropical conditions. The tropical
climate has made the country rich in vegetation. The
villages are usually full of groves of Mango, Banana,
Jack-fruit, Coconut, Palm, Bamboo, and other useful
trees. About 17 percent of the land areas are forests.
Herbs and shrubs grow abudantly. Most of the hilly
regions are mostly forested. The largest forest is the
Sundarban. Principal agricultural products are:

15. Principal agricultural products are:
Food Crops Cash Crop Fruits Vegetation Flowers Spices
Rice Jute Mango Sundari Rose
Chilli
Whea Tea Banana Gewa Marigolds
Ginger
Pulses Sugarcane Pineapple Gorja Water lilies
Potato Tobacco
Turmeric
Jack Fruit Koroi
BayLeaf Gandharaj
Vegetables Oil seed Melons Bokul
Mustard

16. FAUNA
Bangladesh is situated within the subtropical belt and has a wide variety
of ecological conditions. In addition to a long sea coast, numerous rivers
and their tributaries, lakes, haors, baors, ponds and other forms of
wetlands, there are lowland evergreen forests of tropical nature, semi-
evergreen forest, hill forests, swamps, and flat lands with tall grasses.
Because of expansion of agriculture and industry many original vegetation
of most areas have lost their original characteristics and ecological
features, which affected adversely both the fauna and flora of the country.
Varieties of wild animals are found in the forests. Of the 200 species of
mammals, the best goes to the Royal Bengal Tiger found in the
Sundarbans. Elephants are mostly found in the forests of Chittagong Hill
tracts. Six species of Deer are seen in the Hill Tracts and the Sundarban.
There are about 150 species of reptiles. Common amphibians include the
Sea Turtle, River Tortoise, Mud Turtle, and Crocodile. There are hundreds
of species of birds, and fresh water fishes are abundant in both quantity
and category. Of the 525 recorded species of birds, 350 are resident. There
are 200 numbers of species of marine and fresh water fish.

17. Major Faunas are:
Birds: Magpie Robin, Cuckoos, Owls, Kingfishers,
Mayna, Parrot, Wood Piker, Vulture, Hawks
Fishes: Hilsha, Vetky, Ruhi, Prawn, Pomfret, Boal,
Pangash, Magur, Kai, Singh, Sea fishes etc.
Other Animals: Elephant, deer, Leopard, Jackal,
Monkey, Buffalo, Crocodile etc.

18. PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIES
Jute, sugar, paper, textiles, fertilizers, cigarette,
cement, steel, natural gas, oil-refinery,
newsprint, power generation, rayon, matches,
fishing and food processing, leather, soap,
carpet, timber, ship-building, telephone, etc.

19. PRINCIPAL MINERALS
Natural gas, Coal (Bogra, Fridpur & Boropukuria), Limes stone
(Sylhet), Glass sand (Sylhet), Ceramic Clay (Mymensingh),
PRINCIPAL EXPORTS
Ready Made Garments, Hide & Skins, Fish Knitwear, Jute and
Jute goods, Shrimps, Ceramic, Handicrafts, Agricultural products,
Pharmaceuticals, Light Engineering Products, Tea, etc.
PRINCIPAL IMPORTS
Petroleum & Lubricants, Chemicals, Cement, Capital Machinery,
Machinery parts, Tinned and Bagged Milk powder, Edible oil,
Automobiles, electronics etc.

20. CULTURE
Bangladesh has rich intermingling of various cultures. The
mixture of Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Animist belief
in so small a country can offer a variety of experiences and
traditions for visitors.
LANGUAGE
Bangla is the national language and also spoken by 95% of
people. English is widely spoken & understood

21. FOODS
Bangladeshi food has considerable regional variations. A staple across
the country however is rice and various kinds of lenti, which is locally
known as daal & fish. Bengali food is rich and varied with the use of
many specialized spices and flavours.
DRESS
Bangladeshi people have unique dress preferences. Bangladeshi men
wear Panjabi on religious and cultural occasions, lungi as casual wear
and shirt-pant on formal occasions. Sari is the main dress of
Bangladeshi women. Salwar kameez is quite popular, especially
among younger women.
In Arts & crafts, Dance, Music, and Cinema and in Drama, Bangladeshi
cultures are reflected.

22. FAIR & FESTIVALS
Festivals and celebrations are integral part of the
culture of Bangladesh. Fairs and festivals have always
played a significant role in the life of the citizens of this
country. They derive from them a great amount of joy,
entertainment and color for life. While most of the
festivals have sprung from religious rituals, the fairs
have their roots in the very heart of the people,
irrespective of religion, caste or creed. Prominent and
widely celebrated festivals are:

23. MUSLIM HINDU CHRISTIAN BUDDHA
Eid-Ul-Fitr Durga Puja Christmas Maghi Purnima
Eid-Ul-Azha Lakhsmi Puja Easter Buddha Purnima
Ashura Sharashwati Puja Boishakhi Purnima
Eid-E-Miladun Nabi Kali Puja Ashari Purnima
Shab-E-Baarat Rath Jatra
Other Festivals: Pahela Baishakh, Rabindra & Nazrul Jayanti, Langalbandh Mela, Baul Mela
Marriage Ceremony: Engagement, Yellow day, marriage, Reception etc
National Days: Independence Day, Victory day, International Mother Language Day etc

24. RELIGION
Religion Percent Religion Percent
Islam 89.7% Hinduism 9.2%
Buddhism 0.7% Christianity 0.3%
Others: 0.1%

25. CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS
Bangladesh is very strongly influenced by the Islamistic
tradition and care must be taken to show respect for
the country´s religious customs. Religious sites should
not be visited in revealing clothing. Permission should
always be requested before photographing people and
in particular women

26. SOUVENIRS
Silk, Muslin, Jamdani, Pink Pearls, cane Products, Conch
& Shell Products, Handicrafts, Jute & Leather Goods,
Traditional Puppet Figures
TOURIST SEASONS
October to March
MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Colorful tribal life, longest sea beach, centuries' old
archeological sites, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger,
largest tea gardens, interesting riverine life, etc.