The People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a country in south Asian region. The country is surrounded by India from all sides; Myanmar borders Bangladesh to the southeast and Bay of Bengal to the south. When India got Independence on August 15 1947, Pakistan as a separate country was separated and Bangladesh was part of eastern Pakistan. There were regional frictions between West Pakistan and Eastern Pakistan, which resulted in separation andBangladesh was born under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1971. Political conditions in Bangladesh still not very stable, in the past country have witnessed 13 changes in government and four military coups. Bangladesh is a member country of SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), BIMSTEC, and a member of the OIC and the D-8.

Bangladesh is a Parliamentary Republic. The head of the state is President; the position of president is mainly ceremonial and all the state affairs are addressed by the Prime Minister. The highest judiciary body in Bangladesh is Supreme Court. The President appoints the Chief Justice of Supreme Court. There are six administrative divisions in Bangladesh; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi,and Sylhet. Each division named after its’ respective divisional headquarters.

Geographically, Bangladesh is situated in low-lying region of Ganges Delta, also called Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. The delta is formed here as the three rivers comes together, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The alluvial soil deposited by the three rivers makes the land highly fertile.Bangladesh receives good rainfall but frequented by floods and cyclones. The climate in Bangladesh is tropical with mild winters from October to March and hot humid summer from March to June. Bangladesh receives good rainfall from June to October.

The economy of Bangladesh is not in good shape, as the nation is highly populated, most of the population is illiterate. Though national and international efforts are being continuously made in this direction. Jute industry once accountable for 70% export earning has declined due to widely used polypropylene products. More than 75%Bangladesh’s people work in garment industry of whom, about 90% is women. Foreign reserves largely come from Bangladesh people living and / or migrated to other developed countries. Muhammad Yunus who has received Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 is one of the major contributors toBangladesh’s economy through Grameen Bank. To boost country’s economy, Bangladesh government has set up export processing zones to attract foreign investors. Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority manages these zones.

Prime Minister:

Sheikh Hasina (2009)

Land area: 51,703 sq mi (133,911 sq km); total area: 55,598 sq mi (144,000 sq km)

Population (2009 est.): 156,050,883 (growth rate: 1.2%); birth rate: 24.6/1000; infant mortality rate: 59.0/1000; life expectancy: 60.2; density per sq km: 1,146

Dhaka, 12,560,000 (metro.area), 5,378,023 (city proper)

Other large cities: Chittagong, 2,592,400; Khulna, 1,211,500

Monetary unit: Taka

Geography:

Bangladesh, on the northern coast of the Bay of Bengal, is surrounded by India, witha small common border with Myanmar in the southeast. The country islow-lying riverine land traversed by the many branchesand tributaries of the Ganges and Brahmaputrarivers. Tropical monsoons and frequent floods and cyclonesinflict heavy damage in the delta region.

Attractions:
As an emerging tourism destination Bangladesh offerstravelers manyinterestingdiversions includingarchaeological, historic mosquesandmonuments, whitesandy beaches, and lush forest
venues filled with wildlifeand waterfalls Major points-of-interest
include Cox's Bazar, home to the longest beach on the planet;
the world's largest mangrove forest; Ramu village, Sonadia Island,
famous for its wide variety of seashells; the gorgeous beaches on St.
Martins Island, the Aggameda Khyang sanctuary and monastery 
and its bronze Buddha images; Royal Bengal Tigers tours, and 
of course, the capital city of Dhaka, filled with the symbols of
its rich Muslim history.Note that nothing in Bangladesh happens 
quickly, so patience is important when traveling here. In addition
, the security situation in Bangladesh is volatile, and Americans
are urged to check with the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka for the latest 
information. A terrorist bombing campaign and threats to U.S. and 
Western interests have led to increased security measures around U.S. Government facilities in and around Dhaka.

Landforms :

Bangladesh, a nation of rivers, is in essence a large delta comprised of three significant rivers;
the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. Subsequently, Bangladesh is one of the most flood-prone
countries in the world. When the spring snows meltoin the Himalayan Mountains and run south to

the sea, the rivers often overflow.Replete with mangrove forests and tropical rain forests, the
overall land is mostly flat, with a few hilly areas in  the east and southeast.

Army deployment for easing water crisis delayed

MPs fear mass outburst over city water crises

The army will be deployed to maintain security at Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) water pump stations by next week.

The Army personnel will also assist Dhaka WASA towards smooth water distribution in different parts of the capital, official sources said.

Earlier, troops had been scheduled to be deployed from Thursday following Prime Minister’s directive to help WASA tackle the severe water crisis in the capital.

When contacted, Managing Director of WASA Taqsem A Khan told UNB that the troops were scheduled to be deployed from today, but actually a couple more days were needed before they can be deployed.

“The troops which were supposed to be deployed are now engaged in another assignment. That’s why it needs couple of more days,” the WASA MD said.

He said army personnel will be deployed within next week after completion of their assignments.

The government took the decision of army deployment as in previous years as the city dwellers experience a severe crisis of water especially in summer.

Even lawmakers of Dhaka city on Wednesday in a meeting with LGRD Minister Sayed Ashraful Islam expressed concern over the acute water crisis and apprehended that the suffering of citizens may burst into anger if the problem is not immediately mitigated.

MPs fear mass outburst over city water crises

Lawmakers of Dhaka city have expressed concern over acute water crisis in the Dhaka city and apprehended that suffering citizens may burst into anger if the problem is not immediately mitigated.

Dr Mustafa Jalal Mohiudding MP and Habibur Rahman Molla MP, Asaduzzaman Khan MP and Sanjida Khanam MP were among those who met with LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam at his office on Wednesday and ventilated the grievances of the citizens.

Ashraf assured them that water supply would be eased with deployment of the Army at WASA water pump stations in the city for their uninterrupted operation. The Army personnel will also protect the WASA pumps from possible mob attack.

Also general secretary of the ruling Awami League Ashraf told the MPs that the government is trying to resolve the water crisis. Water will be supplied by tanks wherever necessary.

He informed that water supply in the city has been increased by 14 crore liters a day to meet the scarcity. WASA now supplies 185 to 190 crore liters as against the estimated demand of 220 crore liters.

The Minister attributed the water scarcity to the power load shedding that disrupted operation of water pumps.

The MPs suggested the minister to install more water pumps to meet the rising demand in the city. They said the government should take immediate steps to help ease the unbearable water crisis otherwise suffering people might burst into anger.

--UNB, Dhaka