A JOURNEY THROUGH BANGLADESH

Dr. Kauser Jahan, P.E.

Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Rowan University

DESTINATION BANGLADESH

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/ind/ban.htm

Reading the world's press you could be forgiven for thinking that Bangladesh is a disaster zone rather than a travel destination. But hiding behind these image of cyclones and floods is a strikingly lush and beautiful land with a rich history and a variety of attractions unusual for a country this size. For a start, you can visit archaeological sites dating back over 2000 years; check out the longest beach and the largest littoral mangrove forest in the world; and see decaying `Gone with The Wind' mansions of 19th-century maharajas.

Overview• History• Land• Nature• People• Seasons• Faith• Festivals

• Science and Technology

• Language

BANGLADESH

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Area: Land area:133,910 sq km Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Population: 128,094,948 (July 1995 est.)

Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, Other

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

35% of total populationfemales: 22%

The Land• Bounded by India on the

north and west, by India and Burma on the east, and by the bay of Bengal on the south.

• Clearly divided into two distinct regions - the North Eastern and the South Eastern mountain ranges and the vast alluvial plainlands

•Sylhet- hills and hillocks 100-200 feet high

•Chittagong Hill Tracts - highest peak 4034 feet

History

• Under British rule Eastern Bengal

• 1947-1971 East Pakistan

• 1971 Independent Country

• Can be traced as far as the upper Paleolithic period

History• Mahasthangarh- 3rd/4th century BC

earliest known epigraphical record (coins, northern black polished pottery

capital of the Mauryas, Sungas, Guptas, Palas• Mainamati- 7th-12th century A.D.• Paharpur - largest Buddhist monastery of the

subcontinent (177 cells, 70 feet above ground)

• Muslims arrived in 1205 A.D.

Mainamati

The Delta PlainsDivided into 3 main regions

• WEST (Kushtia, Jessore, Faridpur, North Bengal and Northern parts of Khulna

•EAST (Central and Southern Faridpur, Bakergong)

•Estuary of the delta (Sunderbans, South West Barisal)

RIVERS“The history of Bengal is in a sense the

history of her rivers”

“Rivers are the source of life for Bengal”

“The trade, nation, realm, territory and culture of Bengal are related to the ebb and flow of rivers, their course changing and the rise and fall of the delta land”

RIVERS• River currents are significant.

Padma, Meghna and Jamuna

• Largest delta in the world. Ganges-Brahmaputra

Faith and Religious Festivals“Worship is as natural as eating”• Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians,

Tribes• Atmosphere of tolerance and harmony• Festivals

– Muslim festivals - Eid (Ramadan and Hajj)– Hindu - (Durga Puja)– Buddhists (Maghi Purnima) Christians

(Christmas)

People• Farming, Fishing, Pottery, Handicrafts

(Embroidery, Rattan, Jute), Textiles (Sarees, Western Garments) Jewelry, Transportation (Rickshaws, Autorickshaws, Ferries, Boats), Dairy

• Industries: Textile, Jute, Silk, Carpet, Textile, Leather, Chemical (food, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer), Bone-china, Tea gardens, Tourism?

• Music, Painting

FESTIVALS

• Religious: Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-uz-Zoha

• State Holidays: Independence day, Victory Day, Shaheed Day

• Bengali New Year (Pohela Boishakh)

SEASONSSix seasons

• Summer (Grishma) Scorching heat and humidity, Mangoes, Lichis, Jackfruit

• Borsha (Monsoon) Heavy torrential rains, flooding, tidal waves, Homemade goodies

• Sharat (Autumn), Beautiful weather, Blue skies cirrus clouds, Poetry, Kite-flying

• Hemonto (Early Winter) Harvest, Date Juice, Molasses, Peetha, Cricket

• Sheet (Winter) Harvest• Boshonto (Spring) Trees, Flowers, Outdoor gatherings

STAR MOSQUE

AHSAN MANZIL

Saderghat (Riverfront on the Buriganga)

The following website have been used for this presentation.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/ind/ban.htm#attr

http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/