Bangladesh quick facts

Welcome back! The Muslim Bangladeshi greeting is Assallamu alaikum (Peace be upon you). The response is Waalaikum assalaam (And peace be upon you). I have recently started to review some of the information that was given to us during our Intercultural Training course that was presented by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) while we were still living in Vancouver. I would like to share some background information about Bangladesh to provide some context .....


Land and Climate:
Bangladesh is approximately 144,000 square kilometers (about the size of Wisconsin);
The mostly fertile delta is broken up by hills in the east;
Rivers and channels run throughout the country; the three largest rivers are the Padda (Ganges), Jamuna and Meghna;
Winter (October-March) is cool and mild, summer (March-June) is hot and humid.
The monsoon season (June-October) brings most of Bangladesh's yearly rain;
Floods, tidal waves and cyclones are common;
Many areas are rich in resources such as natural gas & timber.

Population:
In 2005 Bangladesh's population was 138.4 million, and is growing at an annual rate of 2.06%;
Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries;
Approximately 20 percent of its residents live in cities;
Most Bangladeshis live in thousands of small villages;
Bangladeshis consider themselves a homogeneous people;
They have an Indo-European heritage, with some Arab, Persian and Turkic influence.

Religion:
Bangladesh has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world;
Approximately 83 % of the people are Muslim;
The average Bangladeshi is very religious, and most are Sunni Muslim;
Muslims pray five times daily, the midday Ju'mma service on Friday is the most important prayer time;
Muslims accept the Qur'an (Koran) as scripture revealed to the prophet Muhammad by Allah (God) through the angel Gabriel.

General Attitude:
A calm and serious face is considered a sign of maturity;
While Bangladeshis might not smile in public, they are not being unfriendly;
Bangladeshis value the group more than the individual;
Family needs come first;
Being connected to someone in power is highly valued;
Class is still an important factor in the choice of a marriage partner;
Fatalism play an important role in people's lives.
(www.culturegrams.com)