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Basic Characteristics of Bangladesh
Economy
Economy
Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest nations, with
overpopulation adding to its
economic woes, and it is heavily reliant on foreign aid. The
country's economy is basedon agriculture. Rice, jute, tea,
sugarcane, tobacco, and wheat are the chief crops.
Bangladesh is the world's largest producer of jute. Fishing is
also an important economic
activity, and beef, dairy products, and poultry are also
produced. Except for natural gas(found along its eastern border),
limited quantities of oil (in the Bay of Bengal), coal, and
some uranium, Bangladesh possesses few minerals.
Economy - overview:
Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve
economic anddemographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the
world's poorest, most densely
populated and least developed nations. The economy is largely
agricultural, with the
cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the
economy. Major impediments
to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency
of state- ownedenterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that
cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays
in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), inadequate power
supplies, and slow
implementation of economic reforms. Progress on other economic
reforms has beenhalting because of opposition from the bureaucracy,
public sector unions, and other
vested interest groups. Severe floods, lasting from July to
October 1998, endangered the
livelihoods of more than 20 million people. Food grain
production fell by 4 million tons,forcing Dhaka to triple its
normal food grain imports and placing severe pressure on
Bangladesh's balance of payments. The floods increased the
country's reliance on large-
scale international aid. So far the East Asian financial crisis
has not had major impact onthe economy.
Way of life. Most Bangladeshis farm the land with simple tools
and ancient methods,
much as their ancestors did many years ago. Since the
mid-1970's, however, there has
been increasing use of fertilizers and new kinds of seeds. About
70 per cent of all adultBangladeshis cannot read and write.
About 82 percent of the people of Bangladesh live in rural
areas. Clusters of Thatch-
roofed houses dot the nation's countryside. Most rural villagers
build homes made of
bamboo. A typical home consists of only one or two rooms. Few
homes in rural areashave electricity or plumbing.
Most of the families in the cities and towns live crowded
together in small wooden
houses. Some wealthy city families have large brick or concrete
homes. In urban slums,
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the houses are builds of cardboard, scraps of wood, or sticks.
Most Hindus and members
of other minority groups live together in distinct
neighborhoods.
Many of the people of Bangladesh do not have enough food to eat.
Although foodproduct has increased since the mid- 1970's, the
nation neither raises nor imports enough
to feed its large population. Few Bangladeshis have much variety
in their meals. Rice andfish are the tow most important foods. They
are usually served together in a spicy curry
sauce. Tea sweetened with sugar is a popular beverage, though
some people may drinkonly water most of the time.
People throughout Bangladesh war loose, lightweight
clothingbecause of the warm,
humid climate. Most of the women wear a sari, a long piece of
plain or printed cloth
wrapped around the waist and draped over one shoulder. A short
blouse in wornunderneath. Many Muslim men wear a lungi, a tight
skirtlike garment. The dhoti, worn
by Hindu men, is a piece of cloth, wrapped around the waist and
between the legs. Men
may also wear shirts. People of rural areas generally go
barefoot. City dwellers may wear
shoes or sandals.
Bangladeshis like to spend their leisure time chatting with
friends and relatives. The
men usually gather in cafes, and the women visit one another at
home. The people enjoy
the festivities held during various Muslim and Hindu religious
holidays.
Religion affects much in the lives of most Bangladeshis,
including food, marriage
customs, and family relationships. About 90 per cent of the
people are Muslims. The laws
of Islam, the Muslim religion, forbid the eating of pork; Most
Muslim parents arrange
marriages for their children. Most Muslims men in Bangladesh are
too poor. The men ina Muslim family have far more authority and
freedom than the women have. Many
Muslim women avoid social contact with men who do not belong to
their family, andthey participate in few activities outside the
home. They cover their heads with veils inthe presence of
strangers. In 1988, a constitutional amendment made Islam the
state
religion of Bangladesh.
Less than 10 per cent of the people of Bangladesh are Hindus.
Hindus are divided into
various social classes called castes. Each caste observes its
own customs and rules ofbehavior. Caste regulations limit the
extent to which members of one caste may associate
with members of another cast. Hindu parents also arrange their
Children's marriages.
Intermarriage between castes in rare. Hindu women have few legal
rights.
Most of the ethnic groups of the Chittagong Hills area practice
Buddhism. Some groupscombine Buddhist principles with local
religious beliefs. Less than 1 per cent of the
people of Bangladesh are Christians.ommandButto
