World Country Guide

General Information

Area
147,570 sq km (56,977 sq miles).

Population
130,200,000 (official estimate 2000).

Population Density
882.3 per sq km.

Capital
Dhaka. Population: 3,612,850 (1991).

Geography
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan, is bordered to the west and northwest by West Bengal (India), to the north by Assam and Meghalaya (India), to the east by Assam and Tripura (India) and by Myanmar (Burma) to the southeast. The landscape is mainly flat with many bamboo, mango and palm-covered plains. A large part of Bangladesh is made up of alluvial plain, caused by the effects of the two great river systems of the Ganges (Padma) and the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) and their innumerable tributaries. In the northeast and east of the country, the landscape rises to form forested hills. To the southeast, along the Burmese and Indian borders, the land is hilly and wooded. About one-seventh of the country’s area is under water and flooding occurs regularly.

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Pakistan in 1971. Head of State: President Iajuddin Ahmed since 2002. Head of Government: Prime Minister Khaleda Zia since 2001.

Language
The official language is Bengali (Bangla). English is widely spoken especially in government and commercial circles. Tribal dialects are also spoken.

Religion
88 per cent Muslim, 10 per cent Hindus and 2 per cent Buddhist and Christian minorities. Religion is the main influence on attitudes and behaviour. Since 1988, Islam has been the official state religion.

Time
GMT + 6.

Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the British 5- and 15-amp, two- or three-pin (round) type.

Communications

Telephone
Limited IDD available. Country code: 880. Outgoing international code: 00. Public telephone booths are located at the principal marketplaces and in post offices in the main towns.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900. Main network operators include Aktel (website: www.aktel.com), Grameen Phone (website: www.grameenphone.com) and Sheba Telecom (website: www.shebatel.com). Coverage is limited to main towns.

Fax
There are facilities at major hotels in Dhaka and services are now widely available in all large towns.

Internet
Public Internet services exist in the main towns and there are also a few Internet cafes. Hotels in Dhaka and Chittagong offer Internet access (mainly to guests). Main ISPs include BanglaNet (website: www.bangla.net) and Proshikanet (website: www.proshikanet.com).

Telegram
Telegrams may be sent from main post offices and there are three charge rates.

Post
Airmail takes three to four days to Europe; surface mail can take several months. Post boxes are blue for airmail and red for surface mail.

Press
There are eight daily English-language papers, the most popular being the Bangladesh Observer, followed by the Daily Star, the Financial Express, the Independent and the New Nation. The main English-language weeklies are the Bangladesh Gazette, the Dhaka Courier and Holiday. The main Bengali dailies are Ittefaq, Janakantha, Prothan Alo and Sangbad. Almost all these newspapers are published in Dhaka and circulated throughout the country.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.