Bangladesh is located in South Asia and borders both Myanmar and India. The very poor country only became independent in 1971 as a result of the Bangladesh war. The country’s national animal is the endangered Bengal tiger. Around 600 to 700 specimens live in the protected mangrove forest area of the Sundarbans. See Andyeducation for education in Bangladesh.
| Capital City | dhaka |
| Size | 147,570 km² |
| Resident | 160,000,000 |
| Official Language | Bengali |
| Currency | taka |
| Time Zone | UTC+6 |
| Telephone Area Code | +880 |
Fast facts to know
- A lot of agriculture (rice, jute, sugar cane, wheat, tobacco, legumes, tea).
- The country’s most serious environmental problem: Poisoning of groundwater with arsenic.
- The Sunderbans are one of the last refuges for the endangered Bengal Bengal tiger.
- One of the poorest countries on earth.
- Very religious / 90% Muslim.
- A visa is required for entry.
- Route Changes Permission required for departure by land.
Exciting cities in Bangladesh
- dhaka
- Chittagong
- Rajshahi
- Khulna
- Barisal
History of Bangladesh
- Part of British India until 1947.
- Division of the country and addition of India and Pakistan.
- East Pakistan becomes independent in 1971 and changes its name to Bangladesh.
- Parliamentary democracy is replaced by military dictatorship.
- 1990 popular uprising leads to return to democracy.
Climate & travel weather in Bangladesh
- Tropical climate.
- High temperatures all year round.
- Rain (June-October) and dry season (November-March) alternate.
- March, April, October often with hurricanes.
- Best travel time: November – February.
Ideas for trips in Bangladesh
- Tea plantations at Sylhet.
- Ruins of the former royal city of Jaintiapur.
- Excursion to Sherpur and other historical places.
- Swamps and jungles in Khulna.
- Sunderbans National Park.
- Terracotta Mosque Shad Gambuj Masjid.
- UNESCO World Heritage Parharpur.
- Lowacheera Reserve.
- Boat ride on Kaptai Lake.
- Historical city of Sonargaon.
- Mosque city of Bagerhat.
Eating & Drinking in Bangladesh
- Mostly South Asian cuisine.
- Curry and rice important components.
- Some sharpness almost always present.
- Traditionally, eating is done with the right hand without any tools or cutlery.
- Poultry, lamb and seafood are often processed.
- Typical dishes:
- Shis kebab, shami kebab (meat skewers).
- Baht (white rice).
- Lentil porridge (dhal or jhal).
- Biryani (spiced meat rice).
- Pulao (vegetarian rice variant).
- Desserts: Keora, Zorda, Sundesh.
Particularly scenic
- Sunderbans, at almost 4,000 square kilometers one of the largest mangrove forest areas in the world.
- Cox’s Bazar – one of the longest beaches in the world.
- Waterfalls in Sylhet.
