23 Amazing Interesting Facts About Bangladesh | Things To Do In Bangladesh

Bangladesh Is Located in South Asia and became an independent country in 1971. It forms a significant part of the region of Bengal. It shares a lot of features with India ranging from the origin to cultural beliefs.

Known for its spicy foods and sweets, There are more amazing things you probably didn’t know about Bangladesh. We present to you the most interesting ones:

General Facts About Bangladesh

• Total Area: 147,570 km2 (56,980 sq mi)
• Capital: Dhaka
• Total Population: 164 million people
• Continent: Asia
• Time Zone: UTC+6 (BST)
• Demonym: Bangladeshi
• Official Language: Bengali
• Currency: Taka (৳) (BDT)
• Government: Unitary parliamentary republic
• Highest Point:  Saka Haphong – 1,052 meters above the sea (3,451 ft)
• Largest Lake: Kaptai Lake
• National Anthem: “Amar Sonar Bangla”
• Country Code: BD
• Calling Code/Prefix: +880

1. The word Bangladesh means “the people of Bengal” in the local Bangla language. The country’s official name is the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

2. As of 1 January 2016, the population of Bangladesh was estimated to be 161,957,017 people. It is the world’s eighth-most populous country and the fifth-most populous in Asia.

3. Cox Bazar Beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, and it’s the third-longest beach in the world. Only Praia do Cassino in Brazil and Ninety Mile Beach in Australia is longer than Cox Bazar.

4. There was no Bangladesh before 1971. The region that makes up Bangladesh today has been ruled by Turkic, Indian and Mughal dynasties, British throughout times. The Bangladesh War of Independence was bloody with Pakistan but resulted in independence in 1971.

5. The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, and it’s protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers an area of 139,500 hectares (539 sq mi) and is home to a vast number of different species. 

6. Bangladesh has the third largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and Pakistan.

7. Cricket is the most popular sport in Bangladesh. In 1999, the Bangladesh national cricket team was part of the Cricket World Cup. In 2000, it received the Test status, which is an honor in international cricket.

8. Saka Haphong is an Unofficial peak in Bangladesh, often considered the highest point of the country, with an elevation of 1,052 meters (3,451 feet).

9. One of the sad facts about Bangladesh is that it constantly gets ranked high in statistics over the most corrupt countries in the world. In 2017, it ranked 143rd of the least corrupted countries in the world.

10. About 700 rivers including tributaries flow through the country constituting a waterway of total length around 24,140 kilometers (15,000 miles). Most of the country’s land is formed through silt brought by the rivers.

11. In Bangladesh, the left hand is considered to be unclean. The right hand is used when eating, passing food, or passing business cards.

12. Rice is a staple food in Bangladesh and is often served with an assortment of curries.

13. Three percent of the world’s tea comes from Bangladesh. The industry also employs about four million people.

14. Muslin is a renowned lightweight cotton fabric that was first handwoven in the Bengal region around current day Dhaka. The name “Muslin”, is thought have come from the city of Mosul in current day Iraq from where western traders procured the material.

15. Bangladesh has six fully distinct seasons, and it’s sometimes called “the playground of seasons”.  Those six seasons are the Summer, the Monsoon, the Autumn, the Late Autumn, the Winter and the Spring.

16. Three of the largest rivers in Asia flow through Bangladesh. Those rivers are the Ganges, the Meghna, and the Brahmaputra.

17.  With its size of 2,172,000 square kilometers, the Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world.

18. Bangladesh is one of the most disaster prone areas in the world. Cyclones and floods have killed thousands and impeded economic growth.

19. The people of Bangladesh rarely smile because they consider frequent smiling to be a sign of immaturity.

20. Bangladesh has a shortage of rocks for construction. They make bricks and break them to be used as rocks during construction.

21. The national Parliament of Bangladesh is one of the largest legislative centers. It occupies 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land.

22. Almost half of the Bangladeshi population (45%) are farmers. Farming makes up 18% of the nation’s GDP.

23. The national animal of Bangladesh is the Royal bengal tiger. It has a roar that can be heard up to 3 km away.