- a Where is Bangladesh situated?
- b When did she get her freedom?
- c How is the climate in Bangladesh?
- d Which are the main rivers of the country?
- e What are the main attractions of the country?
- f How do you feel about your country?
My Country/Bangladesh/Homeland
Bangladesh lies on the shore of the Bay of Bengal in the South of Asia. India surrounds the other three sides of this tiny country. She got her freedom once from Britain in 1947 and next from Pakistan on 16th December, 1971. Dhaka is the capital of this country. The tropic of cancer and the 90 longitudinal line intersect almost in the middle of the country. It is a temperate country. There are six seasons in our country-summer, rainy season, autumn, late autumn, winter and spring. The total land area of the country is 1,47,570 square kilometers and the land is plain and fertile. Bangladesh is a land of rivers. The Padma, the Meghna, the Jamuna are the main rivers of our country. The population of the country is about 140 million and the majority of the population are farmers. Rice, jute, wheat, tea, sugar-cane etc. are our main crops. Besides these, various fruits like mangoes, jackfruits, pine-apples, papaws, coconuts, orange, palms, guavas grow here. The natural beauty is the main attraction of this country. Cox’s Bazar is known around the world for its silvery sandy sea beach and Rangamati for its evergreen hills and lakes and special natural sites worth seeing for the tourists.
Bangladesh Statistics
Bangladesh, my country, is an independent sovereign country. She got her freedom from Pakistan on 16th December, 1971. Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. She is a temperate country-neither too hot nor too cold. She has six seasons – each season covering two Bengali months. The total land area of the country is about 1,47,570 square kilometres with a population of over 160 millions. Around 1800 people live per square kilometre. She is the most densely populated country in the world. She is a plain and fertile land with a large number of rivers and tributaries. The Padma, the Meghna and the Jamuna are her main important rivers. The majority of her population are farmers. Rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane etc are our main crops. Mangoes, jackfruits, coconuts, pineapples etc grow here in plenty. The natural beauty is the main attraction of this country. Bangladesh has three World Heritage Sites declared by the UNESCO. Cox’s Bazar sea beach, Saint Martins island, Rangamati, Jafflong, Sundarbans are some famous tourist spots. She is one of the attractions of the tourists from home and abroad.
Population Growth Hampers Development
Though population is an asset of a country, excessive population is a curse. Bangladesh is a small country having an area of about 1,47570 square kilometers but has a large population more than 15 crore. The growth rate of population is 1.38% while the density is 1040 per square km. So, Bangladesh is a densely populated country. At the same time, it is a poor country. About half of its total population live below the poverty line while one third below absolute poverty.
The rapid growth of population is the main cause of poverty in Bangladesh. The rate is so high that no development programmes can keep pace with it. Our limited land is being divided and subdivided because of alarming growth rate of population. The building of new houses is reducing our cultivable land. It reduces the production of agricultural crops. So, on one hand, the population is growing, on the other hand, food production is decreasing. Our job opportunities are not enough for our huge population. So, the number of unemployed people is increasing. This situation is creating a negative effect to the per capita income of the people of the country. That’s why the standard of living of the people is going down.
The present economic condition of Bangladesh can hardly provide the additional people with additional things. This situation will worsen if the present growth of population goes on unchecked. So population growth must be kept down by adopting the various measures of population control. The government has taken some necessary steps to reduce the poverty of the country. Besides, the NGOs and donor countries are also implementing poverty alleviation programmes through various ways. But all these programmes are being hampered by the rapid growth of population. So, for the betterment of the country, we should control the rapid growth rate of population.
Accommodation Problem in Bangladesh
Accommodation is one of the common problems in our country. It is most severe in Dhaka city. The biggest victims of this ever growing problem are those who do not have their own houses. They have to stay as tenants in other people’s houses. Those who can afford to pay the high rent get the houses. People with medium or lower income have to struggle for accommodation. Unmarried men known as bachelors suffer a lot. There is hardly any landlord who wants to rent their houses to these bachelors. Many people come to Dhaka city from villages in search of work. They come with their family with hope. But they do not have the place to live. Having no option many people look for slums. But slums are not free and also not available too. Most of them are occupied due to the population explosion in this city. Thus it is a huge problem for the new comers in the city. Garment workers are also victims of this problem. Government should come forward and take serious steps to solve this problem. We should be conscious too.