21 Curious Bangladesh Facts For Kids: Here's What You Need To Know!

Did you know Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, is the most densely populated city in the world? Bangladesh

Bangladesh, officially known as the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. Astonishingly, Bangladesh has the longest reigning female-led government in the world.

Sheikh Hasina has been Bangladesh’s Prime Minister since 2009, and she is currently in office for her third consecutive term. Bangladesh's capital city, Dhaka, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

The country’s national animal is the majestic Royal Bengal tiger, and its national fruit is the jackfruit. In this article, we will take an intricate look at the history, culture, and religion of Bangladesh and learn some lesser-known but interesting facts about Bangladesh. Keep reading to learn more!

After reading some interesting facts about Bangladesh, also check out facts about Mars and American culture facts.

Bangladesh Origin

The origins of the land of the Royal Bengal Tiger are quite interesting. Originally, Bangladesh was a part of the state of Bengal in the erstwhile Indian subcontinent before the partition. The same empires that ruled the rest of India also presided over Bangladesh, including the British empire.

When independence was being negotiated with British India, the demand for partition of the country started growing. There were demands from the Muslim League to create a Muslim majority state in Pakistan in the Muslim-dominated areas of the Punjab region and Bengal region. This will allow the Hindus and Muslims to have their separate states.

As a result, after much deliberation, India was divided into two countries, with Hindu majority India at the center surrounded by Muslim majority West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Surprisingly, East and West Pakistan were separated by more than 100 mi (1600 km) because India was between the two regions of Pakistan.

West Pakistan tried to establish its hegemony over East Pakistan as the west was dominated by Punjabis and Pashtuns, who combined to afflict atrocities on East Pakistan, dominated by Bengalis. Tired of the tyranny of West Pakistan, East Pakistan decided to go for independence.

With support from India, the Pakistani Army was defeated by the Mukti Bahini and the new state of Bangladesh came into existence as a democracy in 1972.

Bangladesh Culture And Religion

Bangladesh is predominantly an Islamic country, with 89% of the population practicing this faith. It has the third-largest Muslim population in the world. Sunni Muslims account for 92% of Bangladeshi Muslims, Shia Muslims account for 2%, and Ahmadiyya Muslims account for less than 1%.

In Bangladesh, Hindus make up only 10% of the population. There are also other minorities (less than one percent) of Christians, Buddhists, and animists.

There could be many reasons that could have contributed to the increase in the proportion of the Muslim population. Perhaps the most significant reason was the activity of ascetics and Sufis.

Sufis are the practitioners of Sufism, which is a mystical form of Islam. These were the people who won converts among lower-caste Hindus. Another significant reason could be the influx of Muslims from northern India and other countries.

Bangladesh has a traditional culture that is mirrored within the various facets of society. Tribal culture is also rich in the country as various festivals are celebrated around the year.

Many of the festivals in Bangladesh are intertwined with the culture and have been observed for centuries. The people of Bangladesh are known for their zeal and fervor while celebrating festivals. This is the reason that the country has also been anointed as the Land of Festivals.

When visiting Bangladesh, some of the most beautiful cities to visit are Sonargaon, the capital city of Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chittagong. These culturally rich cities will be sure to give you a travel experience that you will cherish for life.

What are people from Bangladesh called?

People from Bangladesh are called Bangladeshis. Most Bangladeshis are ethnolinguistically Bengalis, and the national language of the country is Bengali. As a result, they can sometimes be confused with Bengalis from India as well.

As per the World Bank, the Bengal Delta region is abundant in fertile soil because of the proximity of the Bay of Bengal. This has contributed to the country's fast economic growth as the agricultural produce here is quite high.

A large section of the population is therefore engaged in activities like agriculture, fishing, and textiles. In recent times, rapid economic growth has helped lift a large number of people above the poverty line.

The central bank of the country is the Bangladesh Central Bank, which is also encouraging economic growth with its policies.

What language is spoken in Bangladesh?

The official language spoken in Bangladesh is Bengali, which is also known as Bangla. In urban areas, English is commonly used as well and is also an official language. Bangla is an Indo-Aryan language that descended from Sanskrit. Its unique script is also based on Sanskrit.

Some non-Bengali Muslims in Bangladesh speak Urdu as their primary tongue.

Bengali originated from the influence of the Brahman society of the Aryans. Bengali originated from beyond the Pala rulers of Bengal from the 8–12th centuries, much like Pali and various other forms of Prakrit in ancient India.

The language from which Bengali developed, Gaudiya Prakrit, was not inhibited as a colloquial tongue by the Pala rulers. In addition to Bangla or Bengali, numerous tribal languages are also used by the native tribes, such as Chakma, Garo, Manipuri, and Tipra.

Did You Know...

Bangladesh’s per capita GDP is just about $4,200 U.S. per year as of 2017. It is a developing country, which is in the face of difficult circumstances like floods, famines, and overpopulation.

Its annual growth rate was roughly 6% from 2005 to 2017. Bangladesh is a country that is low-lying and is among the most vulnerable to the threat of rising sea levels attributed to global warming.

This densely populated nation on the Ganges/Brahmaputra/Meghna Delta, the largest river delta in the world, is an innovator and is making big leaps in the field of development. By doing this, it is pulling its people out of the clutches of poverty.

Even though manufacturing and services are gaining importance, almost half of the Bangladeshi workers are engaged in agriculture. Most factories and enterprises tend to be inefficient because they are owned by the government. Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The country’s hostile political beginnings can be deemed one of the major reasons for its lack of development. There are a host of reasons why Bangladesh continues to struggle.

As is the case in many developing countries, in Bangladesh, there is a wide gap between upper-class and lower-class citizens. This is usually caused by cities such as its capital, Dhaka.

Dhaka draws people away from impoverished regions in search of a livelihood, leaving the rural areas to become even poorer. The distribution of goods is always focused on urban areas, which makes it all the more difficult for rural areas to make a living and thrive.

Although there is some stability now and the GDP has been rising consistently over the past few years, the lower classes are still experiencing a lack of education, life expectancy, and infant mortality rates.

The literacy rate in Bangladesh has improved as the poverty rate falls, but as of 2017, only 76% of men and 70% of women are literate. Those aged 15–24, though, have a literacy rate of a whopping 92%, according to UNESCO.

These are some factors that hold the country back from making advancements towards becoming a developed country.

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