| Bangladesh Country Profile |
Location and Physical Features
Bangladesh is situated in the northeastern part of South Asia. It lies between 20~34' and 26~36' north latitude and 88~1' and 92~41' east longitude. The heavy and great Himalayas stand as the northern ramparts, while the southern frontier is guarded by the Bay of Bengal. On the West lies the expansive genetic plains (West Bengal) of India and on the eastern frontier lies the almost impassable forest of Myanmar ( Arakan Province) and India (Tripura and Assam hills). These picturesque geographical boundaries delineate out a low lying plain of about 144,000 sq. KM crises-crossed by innumerable brooks, rivers, rivulets and streams. Mighty rivers the Padma, Jamuna, Meghna, Karnaphuli and others flow through Bangladesh. The unscalable blue is stretched high above, and the green and silvery landscape below runs far beyond. This is Bangladesh, a fertile land where nature is bounteousEconomy
Bangladesh is an agricultural country. The total cultivable area is around 23 million acres and there are a little more than 14.5 million cultivators. Major agricultural products are rice, jute, (the golden fiber), wheat, potato, pulses, sugarcane, tea tobacco etc. The country is the world's largest exporter of jute and jute goods. Tea is also one of the major foreign exchange earners. Bangladesh also exports frozen shrimps, frog legs and handicrafts. There has also been a rapid growth in manufacturing industries, which offer a wide range of exportable goods such as leather goods and ready-made garments. Within the last few years' remittances from Bangladeshis employed abroad have contributed largely toward foreign exchange earningsClimate and Seasons
The climate is sub-tropical with temperatures ranging from a daytime low 18~ C in the cold reason to a maximum of 40~ C in the summer. Annual rainfall ranges from 160-cm. To 2000 cm in west, 200 cm to 400 cm, in the south-east and 250 cm. to 400 cm. in the north-east mainly in monsoon. The country has mainly four seasons, winter (Dec- Feb), summer (Mar-May), Monsoon (June-Sep) and Autumn (Oct-Nov). The winter is the most pleasant season when average maximum and minimum temperatures and 26.6~ C and 13.5~ C respectively.Demography
Bangladesh has got a population of about 120 million, making it the most densely populated country in the world, 85% live in rural areas. Density of population per sq. km is 764. There are about a million tribal people. They live in the hilly regions of Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban. The citizens of Bangladesh are known as Bangladeshi. Bangladeshis are simple, polite and courteous. They are friendly and hospitable towards visitors.Language
The state language and mother tongue is Bangla. English is also spoken and understood.Religion
Bangladesh is a land of religious freedom and tolerance. People of all caste, creed and religion live here in perfect harmony. Approximate ratio of population on the basis of religion is as follows: Muslims 86.6%, Hindus 12.1%, Buddhists 0.6%, Christian 0.4% and other 0.3%.Transportation
Air : Bangladesh can be reached by air from any part of the world. Biman Bangladesh Airline connects Dhaka with 29 major cities of the world. It also operates in 7 domestic routes. Beside Biman, several Leading International carriers fly to and from Dhaka.Rail : The Bangladesh Railway provides an service to please of interest such as Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Mymensingh, Bogra, Rajshahi, Dinajpur starting from Dhaka, The inter city Express service is available to and from important cities at cheap fares.
Bus/Coach Services : Road transport in Bangladesh is predominantly a private sector affair. Rates are among the cheapest in the world. Express and non-stop services are available to principal towns from bus terminals in Dhaka. The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) also maintains a country-wide network of bus service.
General Information
| Wearing apparel: | Tropical in summer and light woolen in winter. |
|---|---|
| Currency: | Taka (TK) is the unit of currency. The taka is equal to 100 paisa (smallest unit). Notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 taka and coins of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 paisa are in circulation. |
| Banking hours: | 9.00 am -5.00 pm on Sunday - Wednesday Thursday 9.00 am - 2.00 pm Closed on Friday & Saturday. |
| Time difference: | GMT 6+ |
| Working Hours: | Office House 9.00 am - 5.00 pm. |
Investment Opportunity in Bangladesh
Private investment from overseas countries is welcome in all most all areas of the economy. Such investment can be made either independently or through joint venture on mutually beneficial terms and conditions. In other words, 100 percent foreign investment is, however, specially desirable in the following areas:- Export - oriented industries;
- Industries in the export processing zones;
- High technology products which are either import - substitutes or export-oriented;
- Undertaking in which more diversified use of indigenous natural resources is possible;
- Basic industries, depending mainly on local raw materials;
- Investment towards improvements in quality and marketing of goods manufactured and or ncrease f production capacities of existing industries;
- Labour intensive/technology intensive/capital intensive industries
Visiting Bangladesh
Visit to Bangladesh is not a problem at all. The people of Bangladesh are extremely friendly and accept the visitor cordially. Hospitality is a age old traditional of Bangladesh. To Visit Bangladesh the following documentation are required:- One can obtain for visa before departure from Bangladesh Embassy/High Commission.
- Provision for obtaining visa for short visit are also available at Zia International Airport
How to get in Chittagong from Dhaka
By Road: There are many air-conditioned luxurious highway buses. The major transport agencies are (1) CITYCOM, (2) Shohag Paribahan, (3) Green Line, (4) Gray Line, (5) Neptune, (6) SityLine etc. having their offices at Dhaka city. Any body can get their telephone numbers by dialing 02-17 at Dhaka and 031-17 at Chittagong.Railway: Inter city railway services are very comfortable between Dhaka-Chittagong route. The ticket is available at Kamapapur Railway Station, at Dhaka. One can also get advanced booking facilities there.
Airways: Frequent flights between Dhaka-Chittagong & Dhaka-Sylhet are available.
