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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Bangladesh
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People's Republic of area 144,000 sq km/
55,585 sq mi capital Dhaka (formerly
Dacca) towns ports Chittagong, Khulna
physical flat delta of rivers Ganges and
Brahmaputra; annual rainfall of 2,540 mm/100
in; some 75% of the land is less than 3 m/10
ft above sea level and vulnerable to flooding
and cyclones hilly in SE head of state
Hussain Mohammad Ershad (president) from 1989
head of government Kazi Zafar Ahmad (prime
minister) from 1989 political system
restricted democratic republic political
parties Jatiya Dal (National Party), Islamic
nationalist; Awami League, secular, moderate
socialist; Bangladesh National Party, Islamic
right-of-centre exports jute (50% of world
production), tea, garments currency taka
(54.00 = 1 Feb 1990) population (1987)
104,100,000; annual growth rate 2.7% life
expectancy men 50, women 52 language Bangla
(Bengali) religion Sunni Muslim 85%, Hindu
14% literacy 43% male/22% female (1985 est)
GDP $11.2 bn (1983); $119 per head of
population chronology 1947 Formed into E
province of Pakistan on partition of British
India. 1970 Half a million killed in flood.
1971 Independence achieved from Pakistan.
Bangladesh emerged under leadership of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman after civil war. 1975 Mujibur
Rahman assassinated. Martial law imposed.
1976-77 Maj-Gen Zia ur-Rahman assumed power.
1978-79 Elections held, and civilian rule
restored.
1981 Assassination of Maj-Gen Zia.
1982 Lt-Gen Ershad assumed power in army
coup. Martial law imposed.
1986 Elections held but disputed. Martial law
ended.
1987 State of emergency declared in response
to opposition demonstrations.
1988 Assembly elections boycotted by main
opposition parties. State of emergency
lifted. Islam made state religion. Monsoon
floods and a cyclone left 35 million homeless
and thousands dead. 1989 Power devolved to
Chittagong Hill Tracts to end 14-year tribal
insurgency.