Bangladesh - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

(, New edition)

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Description

Bangladesh is a lush, green country situated on the fertile Ganges delta, adjacent to the Indian state of West Bengal. Although there are hilly areas in the northeast, this densely populated country is mostly flat, and criss-crossed by many rivers. Much of its coastline forms part of the world's largest mangrove forests, the Sundarbans, home to the Royal Bengal tiger and many other flora and fauna. Bangladesh is young country with an ancient history. The province of Bengal was divided when India became independent in 1947, and its mainly Muslim eastern part became East Pakistan. This was followed by years of upheaval, and in 1971, after a freedom movement and a war, the east Bengali people finally gained independence as the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Most Bangladeshis live in rural areas, and the majority are Muslims. Historically they have lived in harmony with many other faiths. Bengali, or Bangla, is the lingua franca, and there are several regional dialects. Once the hub of the southern Silk Route, the Bengal delta region has a long and rich cultural tradition. Over the centuries it has been influenced by Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. It

Reviews

Culture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers...' Sunday Times Travel, ' the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries.' Global Travel, ' full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas.' Observer, ' as useful as they are entertaining.' Easy Jet Magazine, ' offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world.' New York Times

Author Bio

Urmi Rahman is a Bangladeshi journalist and author with a Master's degree from Chittagong University. After working for several years on various newspapers and magazines in Bangladesh, she was awarded a UNESCO Fellowship to Michigan State University and to the Press Foundation of Asia in Manila, Philippines. In 1985 she joined the Bengali Section of BBC World Service in London as a producer-broadcaster and remained with them for eight years, before leaving to work in local government in London. Urmi has published a number of books, both fiction and non-fiction, and has translated several books from English to Bengali. She now lives in Kolkata with her Indian husband, and regularly contributes to newspapers and journals in both Kolkata and Dhaka.