Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries, with its people crammed into a delta of rivers that empties into the Bay of Bengal. Poverty is deep and widespread; almost half of the population live on less than 50p a day, it has the highest percentage of poverty in South Asia and holds the worlds largest population after India and China. However, Bangladesh has reduced population growth and improved health and education. Formerly East Pakistan, Bangladesh came into being only in 1971, when the two parts of Pakistan split after a bitter civil war which drew in neighbouring India. Bangladesh is a very low lying country where two of the great South Asian rivers – the Ganges and the Brahmaputra meet, often vulnerable to floods and stands to be badly affected by rising sea levels.

Bangladesh spent 15 years under military rule and, although democracy was restored in 1990, the political scene remains volatile. Analysts say the antagonism between the Awami League, which governed until July 2001, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party reflects personal animosity between their leaders rather than substantial ideological differences. The huge corruption, Bangladesh is one of the top ten most corrupt countries in the world, has meant much foreign aid has failed to reach the poor, much of the population remain unable to influence politics and the countries development is obstructed due to personal greed. Currently, an interim military backed caretaker government is in charge with the aim to sort out corruption and hold fair elections by the end of 2008. Both former prime ministers and over a hundred politicians are in prison awaiting trial.

A major export is clothing to markets such as the UK’s. Thousand’s toil for 50p a day so we can have cheap clothes we demand in our high street stores, thus make sure we have the latest must have look and feel fulfilled as a member of society.