122-646: Cumilla City Corporation is a self-governed municipal administration in Bangladesh that administers and oversees development and maintenance works in the city of Comilla . The corporation covers an area of over 53.84 square kilometers in the Comilla District. The body was known as Comilla Municipality previously, until it obtained the City Corporation status by a ministry of local government declaration on 10 July 2011. The Comilla municipality
244-680: A Status of Forces Agreement , an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement and a General Security of Military Information Agreement. In 2019, Bangladesh ratified the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Since the colonial period, Bangladesh has had a prominent civil society . There are various special interest groups, including non-governmental organisations , human rights organisations, professional associations, chambers of commerce , employers' associations, and trade unions. The National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh
366-532: A breadth of two and thirty stadia, and a depth of 1000 fathoms, while its farther banks were covered all over with armed men, horses and elephants. For the kings of the Gandaritai and the Prasiai were reported to be waiting for him (Alexander) with an army of 80,000 horse, 200,000 foot, 8,000 war-chariots, and 6,000 fighting elephants. Plutarch Ptolemy (2nd century CE), in his Geography , states that
488-596: A city that the Greco-Romans described as "Ganges": There is a river near it called the Ganges, and it rises and falls in the same way as the Nile. On its bank is a market-town which has the same name as the river, Ganges. Through this place are brought malabathrum and Gangetic spikenard and pearls, and muslin of the finest sorts, which are called Gangetic. It is said that there are gold-mines near these places, and there
610-575: A critical role in addressing regional issues, including the Rohingya refugee crisis , which has strained its resources and highlighted its humanitarian commitments. The poverty rate went down from 80% in 1971 to 44% in 1991 to 13% in 2021. Bangladesh emerged as the second-largest economy in South Asia, surpassing the per capita income levels of both India and Pakistan. As part of the green transition , Bangladesh's industrial sector emerged as
732-544: A habitat for many aquatic plants. Water lilies and lotuses grow vividly during the monsoon season. The country has 50 wildlife sanctuaries . Bangladesh is home to most of the Sundarbans , the world's largest mangrove forest , covering an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) in the southwest littoral region. It is divided into three protected sanctuaries: the South , East , and West zones. The forest
854-452: A large kingdom comprising several nations, the largest of which was "Tyndaridae" (which seems to be a scribal error for "Gandaridae"). He further states that a river separated this nation from their neighbouring territory; this 30-stadia wide river was the greatest river in this region of India (Diodorus does not mention the name of the river in this book). He goes on to mention that Alexander did not campaign against this nation, because they had
976-546: A large number of elephants. The Book 18 description is as follows: …the first one along the Caucasus is India, a great and populous kingdom, inhabited by many Indian nations, of which the greatest is that of the Gandaridae, against whom Alexander did not make a campaign because of the multitude of their elephants. The river Ganges, which is the deepest of the region and has a width of thirty stades, separates this land from
1098-571: A leader in building green factories, with the country having the largest number of certified green factories in the world in 2023. In January 2024, Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a fourth straight term in Bangladesh's general election . Following nationwide protests against the Awami League government, on 5 August 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee to India. An interim government
1220-600: A long sea coastline, numerous rivers and tributaries , lakes, wetlands , evergreen forests, semi evergreen forests, hill forests, moist deciduous forests , freshwater swamp forests and flat land with tall grass. The Bangladesh Plain is famous for its fertile alluvial soil which supports extensive cultivation. The country is dominated by lush vegetation, with villages often buried in groves of mango , jackfruit , bamboo , betel nut , coconut , and date palm . The country has up to 6000 species of plant life, including 5000 flowering plants. Water bodies and wetland systems provide
1342-460: A parliamentary act was passed to reserve three seats (out of 12) in every union for female candidates. Bangladesh is the second largest economy in South Asia after India. The country has outpaced India and Pakistan in terms of per capita income. According to the World Bank , "when the newly independent country of Bangladesh was born on December 16, 1971, it was the second poorest country in
SECTION 10
#17327759280651464-575: A precedent for the emergence of Bangladesh. The All-India Muslim League was founded in Dhaka in 1906. The Lahore Resolution in 1940 was supported by A. K. Fazlul Huq , the first Prime Minister of Bengal . The present-day territorial boundary was established with the announcement of the Radcliffe Line . In 1947, East Bengal became the most populous province in the Dominion of Pakistan and
1586-460: A region they located in north-western part of the Indian subcontinent. For example, W. W. Tarn (1948) equated the term with Gandhara ; and T.R. Robinson (1993) equated it to Gandaris or Gandarae, an area in present-day Punjab mentioned by ancient Greek writers. However, the ancient Greco-Roman works make it clear that Gandaridae was located in the Ganges plain: it was another name for Gangaridae, and
1708-695: A strong kingdom. According to Nitish K. Sengupta, it is possible that the term "Gangaridai" refers to the whole of northern India from the Beas River to the western part of Bengal. Pliny mentions the Gangaridae and the Calingae ( Kalinga ) together. One interpretation based on this reading suggests that Gangaridae and the Calingae were part of the Kalinga tribe, which spread into the Ganges delta. N. K. Sahu of Utkal University identifies Gangaridae as
1830-404: A stronghold of pre-Islamic kingdoms. The Muslim conquest after 1204 led to the sultanate and Mughal periods, during which an independent Bengal Sultanate and wealthy Mughal Bengal transformed the region into an important centre of regional affairs, trade, and diplomacy. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked the beginning of British rule. The creation of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905 set
1952-691: A successful armed revolution ; the conflict saw the Bangladeshi genocide . After the war, Sheikh Mujib became the leader of the country. Mujib's assassination in 1975 led to the rise of Ziaur Rahman , who himself was assassinated in 1981. The 1980s was dominated by the presidency of H M Ershad . After 1990, the Battle of the Begums between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina defined Bangladesh's politics for next 35 years. In 2024, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took power after
2074-545: A suggestion as one of the contenders. An administrative move was made on 23 June 2011 abolishing the Comilla Municipality as the final step to introduce the administrative body as a city corporation. Later on 10 July 2011, a ministry gazette named the Comilla Municipality as the new Comilla City Corporation . The city corporation is run by a joint staff of elected public representatives and government officials. Officials both come from departmental recruitment and
2196-612: Is Bangladesh's largest economic aid provider, and the two maintain a strategic and economic partnership . Political relations with Middle Eastern countries are robust. Bangladesh receives 59% of its remittances from the Middle East, despite poor working conditions affecting over four million Bangladeshi workers . Bangladesh plays a major role in global climate diplomacy as a leader of the Climate Vulnerable Forum . The Bangladesh Armed Forces have inherited
2318-465: Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The northeastern Sylhet region is home to haor wetlands, a unique ecosystem. It also includes tropical and subtropical coniferous forests , a freshwater swamp forest , and mixed deciduous forests. The southeastern Chittagong region covers evergreen and semi-evergreen hilly jungles. Central Bangladesh includes the plainland Sal forest running along with the districts of Gazipur, Tangail , and Mymensingh . St. Martin's Island
2440-560: Is a gold coin which is called caltis . Anonymous, Periplus of the Erythraean Sea . Translated by Wilfred Harvey Schoff . Dionysius Periegetes (2nd-3rd century CE) mentions "Gargaridae" located near the "gold-bearing Hypanis" ( Beas ) river. "Gargaridae" is sometimes believed to be a variant of "Gangaridae", but another theory identifies it with Gandhari people . A. B. Bosworth dismisses Dionysius' account as "a farrago of nonsense", noting that he inaccurately describes
2562-589: Is being developed for production in the country. Biogas is being used to produce organic fertilizer. Bangladesh continues to have huge untapped reserves of natural gas, particularly in its maritime territory. A lack of exploration and decreasing proven reserves have forced Bangladesh to import LNG from abroad. Gas shortages were further exasperated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine . While government-owned companies in Bangladesh generate nearly half of Bangladesh's electricity, privately owned companies like
SECTION 20
#17327759280652684-586: Is derived from the Sanskrit word deśha , which means "land" or "country". Hence, the name Bangladesh means "Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal". The history of Bangladesh dates back over four millennia to the Chalcolithic period. The region's early history was characterized by a succession of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms and empires that fought for control over the Bengal region . Islam arrived in
2806-418: Is divided into several unions , with each union consisting of multiple villages. In the metropolitan areas, police stations are divided into wards, further divided into mahallas . There are no elected officials at the divisional or district levels, and the administration is composed only of government officials. Direct elections are held in each union (or ward) for a chairperson and several members. In 1997,
2928-516: Is estimated that about 10% of its land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 m (3.3 ft). 12% of the country is covered by hill systems. The country's haor wetlands are of significance to global environmental science. The highest point in Bangladesh is the Saka Haphong , located near the border with Myanmar, with an elevation of 1,064 m (3,491 ft). Previously, either Keokradong or Tazing Dong were considered
3050-703: Is home to the Asian elephant , hoolock gibbon , Asian black bear and oriental pied hornbill . The chital deer are widely seen in southwestern woodlands. Other animals include the black giant squirrel , capped langur , Bengal fox , sambar deer , jungle cat , king cobra , wild boar , mongooses , pangolins , pythons and water monitors . Bangladesh has one of the largest populations of Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins . The country has numerous species of amphibians (53), reptiles (139), marine reptiles (19) and marine mammals (5). It also has 628 species of birds . Several animals became extinct in Bangladesh during
3172-506: Is often strained by water politics of the Ganges and the Teesta , and the border killings of Bangladeshi civilians . Post-independent Bangladesh has continued to have a problematic relationship with Pakistan, mainly due to its denial of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. It maintains a warm relationship with China, which is its largest trading partner, and the largest arms supplier. Japan
3294-500: Is overseen by a cabinet headed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh . The tenure of a parliamentary government is five years. The Bangladesh Civil Service assists the cabinet in running the government. Recruitment for the civil service is based on a public examination. In theory, the civil service should be a meritocracy. But a disputed quota system coupled with politicisation and preference for seniority have allegedly affected
3416-456: Is part of the historic and ethnolinguistic region of Bengal , which was divided during the Partition of British India in 1947 as the eastern enclave of the Dominion of Pakistan . The country came into existence in 1971 after declaring independence from Pakistan at the start of a bloody war . The country has a Bengali Muslim majority. Ancient Bengal was known as Gangaridai and was
3538-889: Is presided over by the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad , who is second in line to the president as per the constitution. Bangladesh is considered a middle power in global politics . It plays an important role in the geopolitical affairs of the Indo-Pacific , due to its strategic location between South and Southeast Asia. Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1972 and the United Nations in 1974. It relies on multilateral diplomacy on issues like climate change, nuclear nonproliferation, trade policy and non-traditional security issues. Bangladesh pioneered
3660-492: Is the unicameral parliament. It has 350 members of parliament (MPs), including 300 MPs elected on the first past the post system and 50 MPs appointed to reserved seats for women's empowerment . Article 70 of the Constitution of Bangladesh forbids MPs from voting against their party. However, several laws proposed independently by MPs have been transformed into legislation, including the anti-torture law. The parliament
3782-477: Is the only coral reef in the country. Bangladesh has an abundance of wildlife in its forests, marshes, woodlands, and hills. The vast majority of animals dwell within a habitat of 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi). The Bengal tiger , clouded leopard , saltwater crocodile , black panther and fishing cat are among the chief predators in the Sundarbans. Northern and eastern Bangladesh
Cumilla City Corporation - Misplaced Pages Continue
3904-565: Is threatened by this growth. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act was enacted in 1995. The government has designated several regions as Ecologically Critical Areas , including wetlands, forests, and rivers. The Sundarbans tiger project and the Bangladesh Bear Project are among the key initiatives to strengthen conservation. It ratified the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 3 May 1994. As of 2014 ,
4026-470: Is vital to ensuring stability and security in northeast India . Bangladesh's strategic importance in the eastern subcontinent hinges on its proximity to China, its frontier with Burma, the separation of mainland and northeast India, and its maritime territory in the Bay of Bengal. In 2002, Bangladesh and China signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement. The United States has pursued negotiations with Bangladesh on
4148-652: The Awami League was the dominant party. Between 1975 and 1991, the country was placed under martial law twice (1975-1979 and 1982-1986) while a semi-presidential system existed in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and National Party (JP) were dominant. The BNP and National Party promoted gradual economic liberalization and free market reforms, while Islam was declared the state religion in 1988. The restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991 saw power alternate between
4270-544: The Bay of Bengal . To the north, it is separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the Siliguri Corridor , and from China by the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim . Dhaka , the capital and largest city , is the nation's political, financial, and cultural centre. Chittagong is the second-largest city and the busiest port. The official language is Bengali , with Bangladeshi English also used in government. Bangladesh
4392-543: The Padma River (an eastern distributary of Ganges). Pliny names five mouths of the Ganges river, and states that the Gangaridai occupied the entire region about these mouths. He names five mouths of Ganges as Kambyson, Mega, Kamberikon, Pseudostomon and Antebole. These exact present-day locations of these mouths cannot be determined with certainty because of the changing river courses . According to D. C. Sircar ,
4514-514: The People's Republic of Bangladesh , is a country in South Asia . It is the eighth-most populous country in the world and seventh most densely populated with a population of 173,562,364 in an area of 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi). Bangladesh shares land borders with India to the north, west, and east, and Myanmar to the southeast. To the south, it has a coastline along
4636-575: The Rarh region in West Bengal . The Rarh is located to the west of the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly (Ganges) river. However, Plutarch (1st century CE), Curtius (possibly 1st century CE) and Solinus (3rd century CE), suggest that Gangaridai was located on the eastern banks of the Gangaridai river. Historian R. C. Majumdar theorized that the earlier historians like Diodorus used the word Ganga for
4758-736: The Wari-Bateshwar ruins as the Gangaridai territory. William Woodthorpe Tarn (1948) identifies the "Gandaridae" mentioned by Diodorus with the people of Gandhara . Historian T. R. Robinson (1993) locates the Gangaridai to the immediately east of the Beas River , in the Punjab region . According to him, the unnamed river described in Diodorus' Book 18 is Beas (Hyphasis); Diodorus misinterpreted his source, and incompetently combined it with other material from Megasthenes, erroneously naming
4880-488: The Westminster system . Bengalis make up almost 99% of the population. The country consists of eight divisions , 64 districts , and 495 subdistricts , and includes the world's largest mangrove forest . Bangladesh has one of the largest refugee populations in the world due to the Rohingya genocide in neighboring Myanmar. Bangladesh faces challenges like corruption , political instability , overpopulation , and
5002-421: The administrative cadre service of the country . The Comilla City Corporation has 37 members, containing 27 councilors, 9 woman councilors led by the mayor. Bangladesh Election Commission is constituted to oversee city corporation polls, which sits in the office for a five-year tenure. The first ever mayoral election of Comilla City Corporation was held on 5 January 2012, has an area of 200 kilometers, elected
Cumilla City Corporation - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-598: The effects of climate change . Bangladesh has twice chaired the Climate Vulnerable Forum and hosts the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) headquarters. It is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Commonwealth of Nations . The etymology of Bangladesh ("Bengali country") can be traced to
5246-409: The fall of Sheikh Hasina . A middle power in the Indo-Pacific , Bangladesh is home to the fifth-most spoken native language , the third-largest Muslim-majority population , and the second-largest economy in South Asia. It maintains the third-largest military in the region and is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh is a unitary parliamentary republic based on
5368-419: The garments industry . Other major industries include shipbuilding , pharmaceuticals , steel , ceramics , electronics , and leather goods . Muhammad Aziz Khan became the first person from Bangladesh to be listed as a billionaire by Forbes . Since 2009, Bangladesh has embarked on a series of megaprojects . For instance, the 6.15 km long Padma Bridge was built for US$ 3.86 billion. The bridge
5490-399: The latter killing approximately 140,000 people. In September 1998, Bangladesh saw the most severe flooding in modern history, after which two-thirds of the country went underwater, along with a death toll of 1,000. As a result of various international and national level initiatives in disaster risk reduction, the human toll and economic damage from floods and cyclones have come down over
5612-516: The partition of Bengal between India and Pakistan during the Partition of India in August 1947, when the region became East Pakistan as part of the newly formed State of Pakistan following the end of the British rule in the region . The Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence on 26 March 1971 by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led to the nine-month-long Bangladesh Liberation War , which culminated in
5734-465: The "Gandaridae", and states that Alexander had to retreat after his soldiers refused to take an expedition against the Gandaridae. The book (17.91.1) also mentions that a nephew of Porus fled to the land of the Gandaridae, although C. Bradford Welles translates the name of this land as " Gandara ". He [Alexander] questioned Phegeus about the country beyond the Indus River, and learned that there
5856-774: The 8th century and gradually became dominant from the early 13th century with the conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1204 and the activities of Sunni missionaries like Shah Jalal . Muslim rulers promoted the spread of Islam by building mosques across the region. In 1338 Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah established independent sultanate in Bengal, establishing the capital at Sonargaon and founded an individual currency. The Bengal Sultanate expanded under rulers like Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah , leading to economic prosperity and military dominance, with Bengal being referred to by Europeans as
5978-525: The Awami League and BNP. In recent decades, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth, emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing economies, driven by its garment industry , remittances, and infrastructure development. However, it continues to grapple with political instability, human rights issues, and the impact of climate change. The return of the Awami League to power on 6 January 2009 under Sheikh Hasina 's leadership saw economic progress but criticisms of authoritarianism . Bangladesh has played
6100-577: The Bay of Bengal . Relations with neighbouring Myanmar have been severely strained since 2016–2017, after over 700,000 Rohingya refugees illegally entered Bangladesh. The parliament, government, and civil society of Bangladesh have been at the forefront of international criticism against Myanmar for military operations against the Rohingya, and have demanded their right of return to Arakan . Bangladesh shares an important bilateral and economic relationship with its largest neighbour India, which
6222-494: The Book 2 is based on Indica , a book written by the 4th century BCE writer Megasthenes, who actually visited India. Megasthenes' Indica is now lost , although it has been reconstructed from the writings of Diodorus and other later writers. J. W. McCrindle (1877) attributed Diodorus' Book 2 passage about the Gangaridai to Megasthenes in his reconstruction of Indica . However, according to A. B. Bosworth (1996), Diodorus' source for
SECTION 50
#17327759280656344-735: The British East India Company in the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and thus Bengal was conquered by the British. Bengal played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, but also faced significant deindustrialization . The Great Bengal famine of 1770 resulted in millions of deaths. The Bengal Presidency was established during British rule. The borders of modern Bangladesh were established with
6466-496: The Gandaridae alone of all peoples; for when he had arrived at the Ganges river with his entire army, after his conquest of the rest of the Indians, upon learning that the Gandaridae had four thousand elephants equipped for war he gave up his campaign against them. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 2.37.2-3. Translated by Charles Henry Oldfather . In Book 17 of Bibliotheca historica , Diodorus once again describes
6588-471: The Gangaridae lived in the Gangetic plains. The term Prasii is a transcription of the Sanskrit word prāchya s, literally "The Easterners" . Diodorus (1st century BCE) states that the Ganges river formed the eastern boundary of the Gangaridai. Based on Diodorus's writings and the identification of Ganges with Bhāgirathi-Hooghly (a western distributary of Ganges), Gangaridai can be identified with
6710-463: The Gangaridae occupied "all the region about the mouths of the Ganges". He names a city called Gange as their capital. This suggests that Gange was the name of a city, derived from the name of the river. Based on the city's name, the Greek writers used the word "Gangaridai" to describe the local people. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea does not mention the Gangaridai, but attests the existence of
6832-557: The Gangaridai near the mouths of the Ganges. A. B. Bosworth notes that the ancient Latin writers almost always use the word "Gangaridae" to define the people, and associate them with the Prasii people. According to Megasthenes, who actually lived in India, the Prasii people lived near the Ganges. Besides, Pliny explicitly mentions that the Gangaridae lived beside the Ganges, naming their capital as Pertalis. All these evidences suggest that
6954-561: The Great withdrew from the Indian subcontinent because of the strong war elephant force of the Gangaridai. A number of modern scholars locate Gangaridai in the Ganges Delta of the Bengal region, although alternative theories also exist. Gange or Ganges, the capital of the Gangaridai (according to Ptolemy ), has been identified with several sites in the region, including Chandraketugarh and Wari-Bateshwar . The Greek writers use
7076-569: The Hypanis river as flowing down into the Gangetic plain. Gangaridai also finds a mention in Greek mythology. In Apollonius of Rhodes ' Argonautica (3rd century BCE), Datis, a chieftain, leader of the Gangaridae who was in the army of Perses III, fought against Aeetes during the Colchian civil war. Colchis was situated in modern-day Georgia , on the east of the Black Sea. Aeetes was
7198-432: The Indian word "Ganga-hṛd", meaning 'the land with the Ganges at its heart'. The meaning fits well with the description of the region given by the author of Periplus. However, historian D. C. Sircar believes that the word is simply the plural form of "Gangarid" (derived from the base "Ganga"), and means "Ganga (Ganges) people". Some earlier scholars considered "Gangaridae" as a corruption of or distinct from "Gandaridae",
7320-610: The Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna, finally flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is called the "Land of Rivers", as it is home to over 57 trans-boundary rivers , the most of any nation-state. Water issues are politically complicated since Bangladesh is downstream of India. Bangladesh is predominantly rich fertile flat land. Most of it is less than 12 m (39 ft) above sea level, and it
7442-577: The Mosque City , the Paharpur Buddhist Ruins and the Sundarbans ) and five tentative-list sites. Activities for tourists include angling , water skiing , river cruising, hiking, rowing , yachting , and beachgoing . The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported in 2019 that the travel and tourism industry in Bangladesh directly generated 1,180,500 jobs in 2018 or 1.9% of the country's total employment. According to
SECTION 60
#17327759280657564-419: The Pacific has observed the fastest Human Development Index (HDI) progress in the world—with Bangladesh being one of the best performers, moving from an HDI of 0.397 in 1990, the fourth lowest in the region, to a HDI of 0.661 in 2021. Only China had greater improvements in the region over this period". In 2022, Bangladesh had the second largest foreign-exchange reserves in South Asia. The reserves have boosted
7686-399: The Prasi, with their very large and wealthy city of Palibothra [Patna], from which some people give the name of Palibothri to the race itself, and indeed to the whole tract of country from the Ganges. Pliny the Elder , Natural History 6.65-66. Translated by H. Rackham. The ancient Greek writers provide vague information about the centre of the Gangaridai power. As a result,
7808-433: The Summit Group and Orion Group are playing an increasingly important role in both generating electricity, and supplying machinery, reactors, and equipment. Bangladesh increased electricity production from 5 gigawatts in 2009 to 25.5 gigawatts in 2022. It plans to produce 50 gigawatts by 2041. U.S. companies like Chevron and General Electric supply around 55% of Bangladesh's domestic natural gas production and are among
7930-406: The civil service's meritocracy. The President of Bangladesh is the ceremonial head of state whose powers include signing bills passed by parliament into law. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Bangladesh Armed Forces and the chancellor of all universities. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh is the highest court of the land, followed by the High Court and Appellate Divisions. The head of
8052-638: The climate changes, each seriously affecting agriculture, water and food security, human health, and shelter. It is estimated that by 2050, a three-foot rise in sea levels will inundate some 20 percent of the land and displace more than 30 million people. To address the sea level rise threat in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 has been launched. Bangladesh is located in the Indomalayan realm , and lies within four terrestrial ecoregions: Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests , Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests , Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests , and Sundarbans mangroves . Its ecology includes
8174-434: The country is now setting the stage for further economic growth and job creation by ramping up investments in energy, inland connectivity, urban projects, and transport infrastructure, as well as focusing on climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness on its path toward sustainable growth." Bangladesh has made one of the greatest leaps on the Human Development Index among Asian countries. According to UNDP , "Asia and
8296-464: The country was set to revise its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan . Bangladesh is a de jure representative democracy under its constitution , with a Westminster -style parliamentary republic that has universal suffrage . The head of government is the Prime Minister, who forms a government every five years. The President invites the leader of the largest party in parliament to become prime minister. The Government of Bangladesh
8418-407: The crackdown on the opposition, mass media, and civil society through politicized enforcement. Bangladesh is ranked "partly free" in Freedom House's Freedom in the World report, but its press freedom has deteriorated from "free" to "not free" in recent years due to increasing pressure from the government. According to the British Economist Intelligence Unit , the country has a hybrid regime :
8540-484: The creation of SAARC , which has been the preeminent forum for regional diplomacy among the countries of the Indian subcontinent . It joined the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 1974, and is a founding member of the Developing 8 Countries . In recent years, Bangladesh has focused on promoting regional trade and transport links with support from the World Bank . Dhaka hosts the headquarters of BIMSTEC , an organisation that brings together countries dependent on
8662-428: The early 20th century, when Bengali patriotic songs, such as Aaji Bangladesher Hridoy by Rabindranath Tagore and Namo Namo Namo Bangladesh Momo by Kazi Nazrul Islam , used the term in 1905 and 1932 respectively. Starting in the 1950s, Bengali nationalists used the term in political rallies in East Pakistan . The term Bangla is a major name for both the Bengal region and the Bengali language . The origins of
8784-784: The emergence of the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh after victory was achieved on 16 December 1971. The Constitution of Bangladesh , enacted in 1972, established a democratic state with fundamental rights, an independent judiciary, and an elected parliament called the Jatiya Sangsad . Since gaining independence, Bangladesh has faced issues of political instability, economic reconstruction, and social transformation. The country experienced one party socialism under Sheikh Mujib in 1975, followed by military coups and military rule, notably under General Ziaur Rahman and General Hussain Muhammad Ershad . Between 1972 and 1975,
8906-515: The entrance of Bay of Bengal . According to the archaeologist Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti , the centre of the Gangaridai power was located in vicinity of Adi Ganga (a now dried-up flow of the Hooghly river). Chakrabarti considers Chandraketugarh as the strongest candidate for the centre, followed by Mandirtala . James Wise believed that Kotalipara in present-day Bangladesh was the capital of Gangaridai. Archaeologist Habibullah Pathan identified
9028-625: The famous king of Colchia against whom Jason and the Argonauts undertook their expedition in search of the " Golden Fleece ". Perses III was the brother of Aeetes and king of the Taurian tribe. The Roman poet Virgil speaks of the valour of the Gangaridae in his Georgics (c. 29 BCE). On the doors will I represent in gold and ivory the battle of the Gangaridae and the arms of our victorious Quirinius. Virgil, "Georgics" (III, 27) Quintus Curtius Rufus (possibly 1st century CE) noted
9150-616: The first " Shah of Bangala" in 1342. The word Bangāl became the most common name for the region during the Islamic period. 16th-century historian Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak mentions in his Ain-i-Akbari that the addition of the suffix "al" came from the fact that the ancient rajahs of the land raised mounds of earth in lowlands at the foot of the hills which were called "al". This is also mentioned in Ghulam Husain Salim 's Riyaz-us-Salatin . The Indo-Aryan suffix Desh
9272-478: The forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership . Straddling the Tropic of Cancer , Bangladesh's climate is tropical, with a mild winter from October to March and a hot, humid summer from March to June. The country has never recorded an air temperature below 0 °C (32 °F), with a record low of 1.1 °C (34.0 °F) in
9394-679: The government's spending capacity despite tax revenues forming only 7.7% of government revenue. A big chunk of investments have gone into the power sector. In 2009, Bangladesh was experiencing daily blackouts several times a day. In 2022, the country achieved 100% electrification. One of the major anti-poverty schemes of the Bangladeshi government is the Ashrayan Project which aims to eradicate homelessness by providing free housing. The poverty rate has gone down from 80% in 1971, to 44.2% in 1991, to 12.9% in 2021. The literacy rate
9516-486: The highest. In Bangladesh forest cover is around 14% of the total land area, equivalent to 1,883,400 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 1,920,330 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 1,725,330 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 158,070 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 33% of
9638-678: The information about the Gandaridae from another source, and appended it to Megasthenes' description of India in Book 2. Plutarch (46-120 CE) mentions the Gangaridai as "'Gandaritae" (in Parallel Lives - Life of Alexander 62.3) and as "Gandridae" (in Moralia 327b.). The Battle with Porus depressed the spirits of the Macedonians, and made them very unwilling to advance farther into India... This river [the Ganges], they heard, had
9760-403: The information about the Gangaridai was Hieronymus of Cardia (354–250 BCE), who was a contemporary of Alexander and the main source of information for Diodorus' Book 18. Bosworth points out that Diodorus describes Ganges as 30 stadia wide; but it is well-attested by other sources that Megasthenes described the median (or minimum) width of Ganges as 100 stadia. This suggests that Diodorus obtained
9882-669: The institutional framework of the British military and the British Indian Army . In 2022, the active personnel strength of the Bangladesh Army was around 250,000, excluding the Air Force and the Navy (24,000). In addition to traditional defence roles, the military has supported civil authorities in disaster relief and provided internal security during periods of political unrest. For many years, Bangladesh has been
10004-541: The judiciary is the Chief Justice of Bangladesh , who sits on the Supreme Court. The courts have wide latitude in judicial review , and judicial precedent is supported by Article 111 of the constitution. The judiciary includes district and metropolitan courts divided into civil and criminal courts. Due to a shortage of judges, the judiciary has a large backlog. The Jatiya Sangshad (National Parliament)
10126-520: The largest investors in power projects. 80% of Bangladesh's installed gas-fired power generation capacity comes from turbines manufactured in the United States. Gangaridai Gangaridai ( Greek : Γαγγαρίδαι ; Latin: Gangaridae ) is a term used by the ancient Greco-Roman writers (1st century BCE-2nd century AD) to describe people or a geographical region of the ancient Indian subcontinent . Some of these writers state that Alexander
10248-640: The largest publicly traded companies in Bangladesh include Beximco , BRAC Bank , BSRM , GPH Ispat , Grameenphone , Summit Group , and Square Pharmaceuticals . Capital markets include the Dhaka Stock Exchange and the Chittagong Stock Exchange . Its telecommunications industry is one of the world's fastest-growing, with 172 million cellphone subscribers in January 2021. Over 80% of Bangladesh's export earnings come from
10370-511: The largest river delta in the world. The northwest and central parts of the country are formed by the Madhupur and the Barind plateaus. The northeast and southeast are home to evergreen hill ranges. The Ganges delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges (local name Padma or Pôdda ), Brahmaputra ( Jamuna or Jomuna ), and Meghna rivers and their tributaries. The Ganges unites with
10492-400: The largest river in the region is Chenab (Acesines). Robison argues that Diodorus describes the unnamed river as "the greatest river in its own immediate area", but Bosworth believes that this interpretation is not supported by Diodorus's wording. Bosworth also notes that Yaudheyas were an autonomous confederation, and do not match the ancient descriptions that describe Gandaridae as part of
10614-661: The last century, including the one-horned and two-horned rhinoceros and common peafowl . The human population is concentrated in urban areas, limiting deforestation to a certain extent. Rapid urban growth has threatened natural habitats. The country has widespread environmental issues; pollution of the Dhaleshwari River by the textile industry and shrimp cultivation in Chakaria Sundarbans have both been described by academics as ecocides . Although many areas are protected under law, some Bangladeshi wildlife
10736-400: The later historians have put forward various theories about its location. Pliny (1st century CE) in his NH , terms the Gangaridai as the novisima gens (nearest people) of the Ganges river. It cannot be determined from his writings whether he means "nearest to the mouth" or "nearest to the headwaters". But the later writer Ptolemy (2nd century CE), in his Geography , explicitly locates
10858-404: The longstanding Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA). The Bangladeshi taka is the national currency. The service sector accounts for about 51.3% of total GDP and employs 39% of the workforce. The industrial sector accounts for 35.1% of GDP and employs 20.4% of the workforce. The agriculture sector makes up 13.6% of the economy but is the biggest employment sector, with 40.6% of
10980-558: The municipality's Monirul Haque Sakku as its new mayor, 27 councilors and 9 woman councilors from 27 wards. 2024 Comilla City Corporation by-election The Comilla City Corporation is responsible for administering and providing basic infrastructure to the city. Comilla City Corporation (COCC) has announced a budget of ৳ 1044.50 crore (US$ 87 million) for 2024-25 fiscal year. 23°28′02″N 91°10′34″E / 23.467212°N 91.176049°E / 23.467212; 91.176049 Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially
11102-417: The names "Gandaridae" (Diodorus), "Gandaritae", and "Gandridae" (Plutarch) to describe these people. The ancient Latin writers use the name "Gangaridae", a term that seems to have been coined by the 1st century poet Virgil . Some modern etymologies of the word Gangaridai split it as " Gaṅgā -rāṣṭra", "Gaṅgā- rāḍha " or "Gaṅgā- hṛdaya ". For example, it has been suggested that Gangarid is a Greek formation of
11224-461: The neighbouring part of India. Adjacent to this is the rest of India, which Alexander conquered, irrigated by water from the rivers and most conspicuous for its prosperity. Here were the dominions of Porus and Taxiles , together with many other kingdoms, and through it flows the Indus River, from which the country received its name. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 18.6.1-2. Translated by Russel M. Geer. Diodorus' account of India in
11346-515: The northern part of Kalinga. Diodorus mentions Gangaridai and Prasii as one nation, naming Xandramas as the king of this nation. Diodorus calls them "two nations under one king." Historian A. B. Bosworth believes that this is a reference to the Nanda dynasty , and the Nanda territory matches the ancient descriptions of kingdom in which the Gangaridae were located. According to Nitish K. Sengupta, it
11468-418: The northwest city of Dinajpur on 3 February 1905. A warm and humid monsoon season lasts from June to October and supplies most of the country's rainfall. Natural calamities, such as floods , tropical cyclones , tornadoes , and tidal bores occur almost every year, combined with the effects of deforestation , soil degradation and erosion . The cyclones of 1970 and 1991 were particularly devastating,
11590-579: The number of 3,000. Quintus Curtius Rufus Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) states: ... the last race situated on its [Ganges'] banks being that of the Gangarid Calingae: the city where their king lives is called Pertalis. This monarch has 60,000 infantry, 1000 cavalry and 700 elephants always equipped ready for active service. [...] But almost the whole of the peoples of India and not only those in this district are surpassed in power and glory by
11712-400: The ocean, forming the boundary towards the east of the tribe of the Gandaridae, which possesses the greatest number of elephants and the largest in size. Consequently no foreign king has ever subdued this country, all alien nations being fearful of both the multitude and the strength of the beasts. In fact even Alexander of Macedon, although he had subdued all Asia, refrained from making war upon
11834-417: The population. Like many developing countries, institutional corruption is an issue of concern for Bangladesh. Bangladesh was ranked 146th among 180 countries on Transparency International 's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index . Land administration was the sector with the most bribery in 2015, followed by education, police and water supply. The Anti Corruption Commission was formed in 2004, and it
11956-686: The region encompassing these mouths appears to be the region lying between the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly River in the west and the Padma River in the east. This suggests that the Gangaridai territory included the coastal region of present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh, up to the Padma river in the east. Gaurishankar De and Subhradip De believe that the five mouths may refer to the Bidyadhari , Jamuna and other branches of Bhāgirathi-Hooghly at
12078-590: The richest country to trade with. The region later became a part of the Mughal Empire . By the 18th century, Mughal Bengal emerged as the wealthiest province of the empire. Following the decline of the Mughal Empire in the early 1700s, Bengal became a semi-independent state under the Nawabs of Bengal , founded by Murshid Quli Khan in 1717 and ultimately led by Siraj-ud-Daulah who was defeated by
12200-462: The river as Ganges in Book 2. Robinson identified the Gandaridae with the ancient Yaudheyas . A. B. Bosworth (1996) rejects this theory, pointing out that Diodorus describes the unnamed river in Book 18 as the greatest river in the region. But Beas is not the largest river in its region. Even if one excludes the territory captured by Alexander in "the region" (thus excluding the Indus River ),
12322-449: The same report, Bangladesh experiences around 125,000 international tourist arrivals per year. Domestic spending generated 97.7 percent of direct travel and tourism gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012. Bangladesh is gradually transitioning to a green economy . It has the largest off-grid solar power programme in the world, benefiting 20 million people. An electric car called the Palki
12444-807: The shrinking space for independent civil society in recent years. Torture is banned by the Constitution of Bangladesh , but is rampantly used by Bangladesh's security forces. Bangladesh joined the Convention against Torture in 1998 and it enacted its first anti-torture law, the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act , in 2013. The first conviction under this law was announced in 2020. Amnesty International Prisoners of Conscience from Bangladesh have included Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Shahidul Alam . The widely criticized Digital Security Act
12566-597: The term Bangla are unclear, with theories pointing to a Bronze Age proto-Dravidian tribe, and the Iron Age Vanga Kingdom . The earliest known usage of the term is the Nesari plate in 805 AD. The term Vangala Desa is found in 11th-century South Indian records. The term gained official status during the Sultanate of Bengal in the 14th century. Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah proclaimed himself as
12688-469: The third of four rankings in its Democracy Index . Bangladesh was ranked 96th among 163 countries in the 2022 Global Peace Index . According to National Human Rights Commission, 70% of alleged human-rights violations are committed by law-enforcement agencies. LGBT rights are frowned upon among social conservatives. Homosexuality is affected by Section 377 of the Penal Code of Bangladesh , which
12810-418: The two nations Gangaridae and Prasii: Next came the Ganges, the largest river in all India, the farther bank of which was inhabited by two nations, the Gangaridae and the Prasii, whose king Agrammes kept in field for guarding the approaches to his country 20,000 cavalry and 200,000 infantry, besides 2,000 four-horsed chariots, and, what was the most formidable of all, a troop of elephants which he said ran up to
12932-416: The workforce. In agriculture, the country is a major producer of rice , fish , tea , fruits, vegetables, flowers, and jute. Lobsters and shrimps are some of Bangladesh's well-known exports. The private sector accounts for 80% of GDP compared to the dwindling role of state-owned companies. Bangladesh's economy is dominated by family-owned conglomerates and small and medium-sized businesses. Some of
13054-625: The world's largest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces . The military budget of Bangladesh accounts for 1.3% of GDP, amounting to US$ 4.3 billion in 2021. The Bangladesh Navy , one of the largest in the Bay of Bengal, includes a fleet of frigates, submarines, corvettes, and other vessels. The Bangladesh Air Force has a small fleet of multi-role combat aircraft. Most of Bangladesh's military equipment comes from China. In recent years, Bangladesh and India have increased joint military exercises, high-level visits of military leaders, counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing. Bangladesh
13176-600: The world—making the country's transformation over the next 50 years one of the great development stories. Since then, poverty has been cut in half at record speed. Enrollment in primary school is now nearly universal. Hundreds of thousands of women have entered the workforce. Steady progress has been made on maternal and child health. And the country is better buttressed against the destructive forces posed by climate change and natural disasters. Bangladesh's success comprises many moving parts—from investing in human capital to establishing macroeconomic stability. Building on this success,
13298-514: The years. The 2007 South Asian floods ravaged areas across the country, leaving five million people displaced, with a death toll around 500. Bangladesh is recognised to be one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change . Over the course of a century, 508 cyclones have affected the Bay of Bengal region, 17 percent of which are believed to have made landfall in Bangladesh. Natural hazards that come from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones are expected to increase as
13420-579: Was 74.66% in 2022. Bangladesh has a labor force of roughly 70 million, which is the world's seventh-largest ; with an unemployment rate of 5.2% as of 2021 . The government is setting up 100 special economic zones to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and generate 10 million jobs. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) have been established to help investors in setting up factories; and to complement
13542-551: Was a desert to traverse for twelve days, and then the river called Ganges, which was thirty-two furlongs in width and the deepest of all the Indian rivers. Beyond this in turn dwelt the peoples of the Tabraesians [ misreading of Prasii ] and the Gandaridae, whose king was Xandrames. He had twenty thousand cavalry, two hundred thousand infantry, two thousand chariots, and four thousand elephants equipped for war. Alexander doubted this information and sent for Porus, and asked him what
13664-638: Was active during the 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis , indicting many leading politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen for graft . Bangladesh is divided into eight administrative divisions, each named after their respective divisional headquarters: Barisal (officially Barishal ), Chittagong (officially Chattogram ), Dhaka , Khulna , Mymensingh , Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet. Divisions are subdivided into districts ( zila ). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh, each further subdivided into upazila (subdistricts) or thana . The area within each police station, except for those in metropolitan areas,
13786-552: Was different from Gandhara and Gandaris. Several ancient Greek writers mention Gangaridai, but their accounts are largely based on hearsay. The earliest surviving description of Gangaridai appears in Bibliotheca historica of writer Diodorus Siculus (69 BCE-16AD). This account is based on a now-lost work, probably the writings of either Megasthenes or Hieronymus of Cardia . In Book 2 of Bibliotheca historica , Diodorus states that "Gandaridae" (i.e. Gangaridai) territory
13908-486: Was formed in the mid-1890s and the city remained as a municipality for over 125 years though the number of the population has been rising with time. An administrative proposition, issued from the Comilla district administration, was passed on 20 August 2009. The ministry of local government meeting on 4 March 2011 declared to turn at least four of the populated municipalities into city corporations, largely bringing Comilla as
14030-487: Was formed on 8 August 2024, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Advisor . Bangladesh is in South Asia on the Bay of Bengal . It is surrounded almost entirely by neighbouring India, and shares a small border with Myanmar to its southeast, though it lies very close to Nepal , Bhutan , and China. The country is divided into three regions. Most of the country is dominated by the fertile Ganges Delta ,
14152-457: Was located to the east of the Ganges river, which was 30 stades wide. He mentions that no foreign enemy had ever conquered Gandaridae, because it of its strong elephant force. He further states that Alexander the Great advanced up to Ganges after subjugating other Indians, but decided to retreat when he heard that the Gandaridae had 4,000 elephants. This river [Ganges], which is thirty stades in width, flows from north to south and empties into
14274-479: Was originally enacted by the British colonial government. An underground LGBT scene is flourishing across the country. However, Bangladesh only recognises the local transgender and intersex community known as the Hijra , which is the most widely accepted LGBT group among poorer sections of society. According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index, an estimated 1,531,300 people are enslaved in Bangladesh, or roughly 1% of
14396-592: Was renamed East Pakistan , with Dhaka as the legislative capital. The Bengali Language Movement in 1952, the 1958 Pakistani coup d'état , and the 1970 Pakistani general election spurred Bengali nationalism and pro-democracy movements. The refusal of the Pakistani military junta to transfer power to the Awami League , led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , triggered the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The Mukti Bahini , aided by India, waged
14518-851: Was repealed and replaced by the Cyber Security Act in 2023. The repeal was welcomed by the International Press Institute . On International Human Rights Day in December 2021, the United States Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on commanders of the Rapid Action Battalion for extrajudicial killings, torture, and other human rights abuses. Freedom House has criticised the government for human rights abuses,
14640-835: Was set up in 2007. Notable human rights organisations and initiatives include the Centre for Law and Mediation , Odhikar , the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety , the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association , the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the War Crimes Fact Finding Committee . The world's largest international NGO BRAC is based in Bangladesh. There have been concerns regarding
14762-764: Was the first self-financed megaproject in the country's history. Other megaprojects include the Dhaka Metro , a mass rapid-transit system in the capital; Karnaphuli Tunnel , an underwater expressway in Chittagong ; Dhaka Elevated Expressway ; Chittagong Elevated Expressway ; and the Bangladesh Delta Plan , designed to mitigate the impact of climate change. The tourism industry is expanding, contributing some 3.02% of total GDP. Bangladesh's international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $ 391 million. The country has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites (
14884-529: Was the truth of these reports. Porus assured the king that all the rest of the account was quite correct, but that the king of the Gandaridae was an utterly common and undistinguished character, and was supposed to be the son of a barber. His father had been handsome and was greatly loved by the queen; when she had murdered her husband, the kingdom fell to him. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 17.93. Translated by C. Bradford Welles . In Book 18 of Bibliotheca historica , Diodorus describes India as
#64935