Once one of the richest regions on Earth, Bangladesh is a relatively young nation that gained independence from (West) Pakistan in 1971. In the late 18th century, the British East India Company colonised the territory known today as Bangladesh – but referred to as Bengal for centuries – sparking systematic colonial exploitation and the dismantling of its textile industry to favour British manufacturing.
By the time the British left in 1947 this former macroeconomic powerhouse of textile industry, ship building, and trade, Bangladesh has become one of the poorest and most famine-prone regions of Asia.
Decolonisation did not bring immediate freedom; the Bengali people were culturally and politically suppressed by the ruling elites of West Pakistan. Following a nine-month liberation war and genocidal suppression by the Pakistani Army, they ultimately gained independence in 1971.
After independence, modern Bangladesh became heavily reliant on a highly exploitative, export-oriented textile industry that produces ready-made garments for global fashion brands. A former textile-producing powerhouse now relies on an industrial sector that offers low wages and creates hazardous working conditions for millions of women.
Climate change affects Bangladesh disproportionately. The nation is continuously hit by an increasing number of severe tropical cyclones, while rising sea levels slowly submerge precious agricultural lands. It is predicted that by 2050, almost a fifth of Bangladesh's territory will be claimed by the Bay of Bengal, creating a domestic climate-refugee crisis.
Dhaka and Central Bengal are the political, cultural, and industrial center of Bangladesh and traditionally, home to Bengal’s textile trade. It features Mughal, colonial, and modern architecture, the main points of interests are Old Dhaka and Sonargaon.
Southern Bengal is dominated by its extensive river networks and by the symbiosis with the Bay of Bengal. Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the world’s largest mangrove forest and many animal spices, like the Bengal tiger, river dolphins, saltwater crocodiles, and hundreds of different types of birds.
Northern Bengal is the agricultural heartland of Bangladesh and home to Bengal’s ancient silk trade. The region is also rich in history, the main points of interest are UNESCO World Heritage Site Sompur Mahavihara that is one of the most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries, the Hindu city of Puthia, and Mahasthangar, the earliest urban archeological site in Bangladesh.
Eastern Bengal offers a combination of rolling hills, tea plantations, wetlands, and beaches. Cox’s Bazar is the world’s longest unbroken sandy beach, while Sylhet is the tea capital of Bangladesh. Chittagong is Bangladesh’s main port and also home to the infamous shipbreaking yards that are normally off limits to visitors.
The first independent and unified kingdom in Bengal, the Gauda Kingdom emerges.
The Pala Empire is born turning Bengal into an important center of Buddhist art and learning. The first Bengali texts emerge during this era.
The Sena Dynasty takes the power from the Pala Empire transforming Bengal into an orthodox Hindu territory and reshaping the Bengali society along the caste system and Kulinism.
Start of Islamic rule in Bengal after the defeat of the Hindu king by Bakhtiyar Khalji, a Turko-Afghan military general. After his death in 1206, the Delhi Sultane takes control.
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah unites the regions of Bengal and declares independence from the Delhi Sultane, creating the Bengal Sultanate. Bengal becomes a rich global hub of trade and textile production.
Bengal becomes a province of the Mughal Empire after the lost Battle of Tukaroi in 1575.
Bengal Subah becomes an independent state ruled by the hereditary rules known as Nawab of Bengal.
The British victory in the Battle of Plassey over the Nawab of Bengal laid down the political foundations for the colonization of India by British East India Company.
The Treaty of Allahabad grants Diwani rights to the British East India Company, meaning that the Company has the right to collect land revenues from the population of Bengal. Start of effective British colonial rule.
The Great Bengal famine of 1770 claims the lives of one-third of the population. The famine was caused a continuous drought and the exploitative economic policies of the Brith East India Company.
Establishment of the British Raj when rule over India was transformed from the East India Company to the Crown. Queen Victoria becomes the Empress of India.
First partition of Bengal into Hindu-dominated West Bengal and Muslim-dominated East-Bengal as means to Britain’s rule and divide policy. Protests followed the partition resulting in the reunification of the Bengal Presidency in 1911.
1943
The Bengal famine of 1943 kills between 800,000 and 3.8 million people caused by the colonial wartime policies of Winston Churchill’s War Cabinet.
Following the Partition of British India into an independent Muslim-majority Pakistan and independent Hindu-majority India, the territory of Bangladesh became East Pakistan (known as East Bengal until 1955), separated from West Pakistan by roughly 1,400 kilometers of Indian territory.
Height of the Bengali Language Movement, a political movement advocating for the recognition of Bengali as an equal second language of Pakistan. In 1947, only Urdu, the official language of the West, was recognized as a state language.
Bangladesh Liberation War and Bangladesh genocide. Tensions escalated after the elections of 1970. The East Pakistani politician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s party won the election, but the West Pakistani elite refused to hand over the power. The Pakistani army then launched an ethnic cleansing and political reprisal campaign, culminating in the Indo-Pakistani War. On 16 December, Dhaka is liberated and the Pakistani Army surrenders.
Indian Army leaves Bangladesh, the Constitution of Bangladesh becomes effective.
First general elections, Bangladesh joins the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Bangladesh famine of 1974, one of the worst in the 20th century claims the life of between 450,000–1.5 million people, according to the experts. The famine was cause by flooding, government mismanagement, and foodgrain smuggling.
The second half of the 1970s and 1980s is characterized by autocracy and military coups that was triggered by the introduction of one-party rule followed by the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The mass pro-democracy protests in 1990 led to democracy but political polarization led to a military-backed caretaker regime in 2007-2008. In 2009 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter Sheikh Hasina’s party won the election starting her 15 year rule over Bangladesh.
July Uprising and Non-Cooperation movement, a Gen Z-led mass uprising that resulted in the resignation of PM Sheikh Hasina ending her 15 year-long rule.
Bangladesh’s tourism industry mostly caters domestic tourists and has one of lowest per capita international tourist arrivals. As a result, Bangladesh’s tourism infrastructure is underdeveloped and while travelling in Bangladesh offers a lot of rewarding experience a high degree of flexibility and patience is required from tourists.
Road traffic in Bangladesh in general, and in Dhaka in particular is one of the most congested and slowest in the world. Even a few kilometers can take hours on a bad day in Dhaka. Due to the traffic conditions delays are more like a norm than an exception.
Traveling by train is equally challenging and delays are frequent, averaging between half an hour and five hours.
The best way to cover long distances, especially in the Southern regions that is a massive river delta is by boat. Although this is also a slow way of getting around, the schedules are reliable. These ferries are often massive floating hotels offering various classes of travel.
In an effort to be helpful and maintain social harmony, locals may tell you what they think you want to hear. Rather than prividing the actual duration of a trip or saying "I don't know," a person may provide directions or updates that are inaccurate.
Outside Dhaka, there are rarely any international hotel chains, but the hotels in the countryside are basic but clean. The hotel staff often go a long way to be kind, offering small tokens of hospitality like delivering welcome drinks, fruits, or flowers toyour hotel room at the most unexpected times. As the best hotels are often located on or near the main thoroughfare, nights can be rather loud unless one travels with earplugs.
The main staples in Bangladesh are rice, lentils, and fish. Bhorta (smashed boiled vegetebles mixed with mustard oil, red chillies, onion, and cilantro) and bhaji (fried vegetables with turemic and green chillies) often accompany meals.
Museums and historical sites often lack adequate explanations, therefore to have a good understanding of the places one visit, expert guidance is necessary. As anywhere else in this part of the world, there is a two-tier pricing system for entry fees, and international visitors ofent pay a hundredfold more than locals.
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Read full storyBangladesh is one of those countries that's really hard to find these days. From the incredibly friendly people to the rich colourful culture, the bustling streets of Dhaka to deep into the forests where the Bengal Tigers lay, it is truly a gem waiting to be discovered.
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