HISTORY OF BANGLADESH

Historical Background the territory comprising Bangladesh was inhabited by the Proto-Australoids and the Proto-Mongoloids, later mingled by the Dravidians, Aryans and Mongolians.

Muslim conquest of the region and continuous rule for about 500 years helped spreading of Islam in the region, started first by Arab traders and missionaries in the 11th Century. By the end of the 16th Century Europeans started arriving. By promoting treason and very little fighting Robert Clive of East India Company won the battle of Plassey, which marked the beginning of British rule in 1757 and continued till 1947 when the sub-continent was partitioned into India and Pakistan. The territory now comprising Bangladesh formed the eastern wing of Pakistan.

Bangladesh became independent and sovereign after a clarion call Bangladesh now has a multi-party democratic system with a parliamentary form of government. A sovereigntary parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) is elected by the people for a five-year term. It acts as the legislature and approves the annual national budget. It can amend the Constitution with the support of at least two-thirds of the 330 members in the House. A simple majority is, however, sufficient to approve laws and pass the budget. Three hundred Members of parliament are elected by direct franchise while 30 seats reserved for women are filled in through indirect election by elected MPs. Parliament has to sit every two months and is summoned into session by the President. It has a tenure of five years.

Bangladesh has now switched on to a parliamentary form of government. It remains accountable to the people through a parliament elected by direct popular vote. The transparancy of all its transactions is ensured by Parliamentary Standing Committees for various ministries, consisting of members from all parties, which act as watchdogs over the government. The Prime Minister, who represents the majority in the House and other Ministers, drawn from MP's of the majority party, are responsible to the Parliament.

The country is divided into five administrative divisions, each headed by a Divisional Commissioner. A division consists of a

number of districts, each administered by a Deputy Commissioner. There are 64 such districts divided into 464 Thanas (sub-districts), 4,500 unions and over 68,000 villages. Every union, comprising several villages, has an elected body

called the Union Parishad which is the local government at the lowest tier. Between the National Government and the Union Parishad is the district level Zilla Parishad. Big cities have municipal corporations headed by an elected Mayor and other towns have municipalities headed by an elected Chairman.

The highest judiciary in the country is the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court comprises the Appellate Division and the High Court Division. There are also courts at the district level to try civil and criminal cases. The entire judiciary is enjoying unprecedented freedom in the dispensation of justice under the present democratic government.

Economy:

Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Its per capita income is $370. The government launched structural reforms in the 1990s to establish a more open, market-based economy and to accelerate economic growth. By the mid-1990s, the fiscal deficit had fallen slightly and inflation remained moderate. However, massive flooding in 1998 destroyed most of the rice crop, shattering the economic progress being made. Nearly 30 million people were affected by the floods, and the impact is still being felt today. The fiscal deficit for 2000 is expected to decline by more than four percent of the GDP.

Average Annual Income:	$ 370 (US)
Currency:	taka