Bangladesh: The People and The Land
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated
and poorest nations in
the world. The majority of the population is employed in the
agricultural sector, yet floods and cyclones plague the country.
Bangladesh has tried to diversify its economy through industrial
development, but there still are an insufficient number of jobs for the
burgeoning population. An estimated 35.6 of the population lives below
the poverty line.
The population of Bangladesh is 98 percent Bengali, with tribal groups
and non-Bengali Muslims, such as the Biharis, making up the last 2
percent. The primary religion is Muslim (83 percent), followed by Hindu
(16 percent); the remaining 1 percent is Buddhists, Christians, and
Animists. The literacy rate is approximately 43.1 percent.
Bangladesh seceded from West Pakistan to form an independent nation in
1971. The war for independence was bitter and bloody, and was followed
by 15 years of military rule. Though democracy was restored in 1990,
the political scene remains volatile, and the country is often charged
with human rights violations.
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