Destinations » Asia » South Asia »
Bangladesh
Bangladesh simply means "country of Bengal." The word Bengal, or Bangla, though has an unknown origin. It may come from the name of a historic tribe of people that lived in the region nearly 3,000 years ago. Others say the name refers to Bonga, a sun god, or is named after Bong, a man who supposedly colonized the region for the first time years ago.
বাংলাদেশ
Introduction:
Bangladesh is one of the world's lowest lying countries and during rainy season it seems the entire country is a swamp covered with rickshaws and people who don't even seem to notice the rising water levels or the mud. In fact, nearly the entire country encompasses the delta of the Ganges River and hence the land is wet and the animal life is plentiful. This location and the fertile lands have made this an ideal location for settlement for millennia and even today the people remain reliant on the lands and seas.
In this tropical climate, the people of Bangladesh have easy access to water and food as crops are easy to grow and animals provide other food sources. Rice and seafood seemed to have dominated the food in the past and even today many people make a living by growing or catching food for the dinner table. However, with the introduction of Islam the diet has changed to a degree as has the lifestyle. This religion brought in new ideas and a new lifestyle, while changing how people interact socially, dress, and behave; things that still exist today to some degree. Although most people in Bangladesh are Muslim, the form of Islam practiced in Bangladesh is fairly liberal compared to that of many Middle Eastern countries.
Although the lands and Islam have made the most impact on the core of the Bangladeshi culture, modern technology and communication are rapidly changing this small country. Many people have occupations that are reliant on technology as the British brought the Industrial Revolution to the country in full force in the 1800s and Bangladesh became a leading recipient in these new technologies as British India's capital was in nearby Calcutta (West Bengal). This led to a more industrialized society and a huge influx of jobs, which helped the population grow dramatically as urbanization made nearly the entire country a suburb of Dhaka.
Today the country may seem over-crowded to a foreigner as people are coming and going in every direction at nearly all times of day. The country continues to grow both in population numbers as well as in economic success as the country is now building up as Dhaka has an ever-changing skyline. This is constantly changing the country's culture, however the root of the culture remains in the Ganges River delta, Islam, and the traditional foods and dresses, which can still be seen today.
Learn More About Bangladesh:
Map of Bangladesh:
Travel Planner:
Start your trip to Bangladesh with our free Travel Planner:
Information for Bangladesh was last updated: November, 2012 ● View our: Sources & Special Thanks