Bangladesh: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

Geography

For information on the geography of Bangladesh, it is necessary to consult books and documents published both during the Pakistani period and since independence. B.L.C. Johnson, Bangladesh, 2nd ed. (1982), is a brief, well-illustrated study. Haroun Rashid, Geography of Bangladesh (1977), is comprehensive. Good sources for demographic, agricultural, and industrial statistics are Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh (annual), and Statistical Pocket Book of Bangladesh (irregular), both published by the government. Other useful works include Don Yeo, Bangladesh, a Traveller’s Guide (1982); A.B.M. Shamsuddoulah, Introducing Bangladesh Through Books: A Select Bibliography with Introductions and Annotations, 1855–1976 (1976); and A.B.M. Shamsul Islam, Bibliography on Population, Health, and Development in Bangladesh (1986). Postwar economic development is addressed in Haroun Rashid, An Economic Geography of Bangladesh (1981); and E.A.G. Robinson and Keith Griffin (eds.), The Economic Development of Bangladesh Within a Socialist Framework (1974, reprinted 1986). Robert D. Stevens, Hamza Alavi, and Peter J. Bertocci (eds.), Rural Development in Bangladesh and Pakistan (1976), explores rural conditions at the time of independence. Traditional lifestyles and customs of rural communities are examined in Mohammad Afsaruddin, Rural Life in Bangladesh: A Study of Five Selected Villages, 2nd ed. (1979); Joseph F. Stepanek, Bangladesh, Equitable Growth? (1979); Betsy Hartmann and James K. Boyce, A Quiet Violence: View from a Bangladesh Village (1983); Gudrun Martius von Harder, Women in Rural Bangladesh: An Empirical Study in Four Villages of Comilla District (1981); and Tahrunnessa A. Abdullah and Sondra A. Zeidenstein, Village Women of Bangladesh: Prospects for Change (1982). Broader social studies include Ben Whitaker, Iain Guest, and David Ennals, The Biharis of Bangladesh, 4th rev. ed. (1982); and Clarence Maloney, K.M. Ashraful Aziz, and Profulla C. Sarker, Beliefs and Fertility in Bangladesh (1981).

Syed Sajjad Husain

History

Important works addressing the emergence of Bengali nationalism include Rafiuddin Ahmed, Religion, Nationalism, and Politics in Bangladesh (1990); A.F. Salahuddin Ahmed, Bengali Nationalism and the Emergence of Bangladesh (1994); Surendranath Banerjea, A Nation in Making: Being the Reminiscences of Fifty Years of Public Life (1925, reissued 1963); Leonard A. Gordon, Bengal: The Nationalist Movement, 1876–1940 (1973); Aminur Rahim, Politics and National Formation in Bangladesh (1997); and Pakistan Historical Society, A History of the Freedom Movement, 1906–1936 (1984). Examination of the issues surrounding the separation of Bengal and the partition of India include Joya Chatterji, Bengal Divided: Hindu Communalism and Partition, 1932–1947 (1994, reissued 2002); Maulana Abdulkalam Azad, India Wins Freedom (1960, reissued 1988); Mushirul Hasan, India’s Partition: Process, Strategy, and Mobilization (1993); and Gautam Chattopadhyay, Bengal Electoral Politics and Freedom Struggle, 1862–1947 (1984).

Other significant essays on the social and political dynamics of Bangladesh in the first half of the 20th century are Anisuzzaman, Creativity, Reality, and Identity (1993); J.H. Broomfield, Mostly About Bengal (1982); Sarat Chandra Bose, I Warned My Countrymen (1968); Akbar Ali Khan, Discovery of Bangladesh (1996); and Atulchandra Gupta (ed.), Studies in the Bengal Renaissance, 2nd rev. and enlarged ed., edited by Jagannath Chakravorty (Jagannātha Cakrabartī) (1977).

Much literature is available on the role of Islam in the history of Bangladesh. Among the most notable works are Richard M. Eaton, The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760 (1993); Rafiuddin Ahmed, The Bengal Muslims, 1871–1906: A Quest for Identity, 2nd ed. (1988, reissued 1996); Abdul Karim, Social History of the Muslims of Bengal, down to A.D. 1538, 2nd rev. ed. (1985); and Sufia Ahmed, Muslim Community in Bengal, 1884–1912 (1974). Books examining the interaction between Islam and politics in Bangladesh from the late 19th to the mid-20th century include Jayanti Maitra, Muslim Politics in Bengal, 1885–1906: Collaboration and Confrontation (1984); Humayun Kabir, Muslim Politics, 1906–47 (1969); and Shila Sen, Muslim Politics in Bengal, 1937–1947 (1976).

Useful studies on the background of the civil war of 1971 include G.W. Choudhury, The Last Days of United Pakistan (1974); Herbert Feldman, The End and the Beginning: Pakistan, 1969–1971 (1975); Jyoti Sen Gupta, History of Freedom Movement in Bangladesh, 1943–1973 (1974); and Pran Chopra, India’s Second Liberation (1973). The events of the civil war are chronicled in Lawrence Lifschultz, Bangladesh, the Unfinished Revolution (1979); Marcus Franda, Bangladesh, the First Decade (1981); and Talukder Maniruzzaman, The Bangladesh Revolution and Its Aftermath (1980). Both historical background and surveys of later developments are provided in Craig Baxter, Bangladesh: A New Nation in an Old Setting (1984); and Charles Peter O’Donnell, Bangladesh: Biography of a Muslim Nation (1984). The political forces that brought about the emergence of independent Bangladesh are discussed in G.P. Bhattacharjee, Renaissance and Freedom Movement in Bangladesh (1973); and Md. Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, Emergence of Bangladesh and Role of Awami League (1982). Also valuable are Matiur Rahman and Naeem Hasan, Iron Bars of Freedom (1980); Anthony Mascarenhas, Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood (1986); Talukder Maniruzzaman, Group Interests and Political Changes: Studies of Pakistan and Bangladesh (1982); and Asoka Raina, Inside RAW: The Story of India’s Secret Service (1981). Works placing the emergence of independent Bangladesh into regional and world perspective include Kuldip Nayar, Distant Neighbours: A Tale of the Subcontinent (1972); and G.W. Choudhury, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Major Powers: Politics of a Divided Subcontinent (1975).

Hugh Russell Tinker The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Country Profile: Updated Head of government. Oct 09, 2024
Invalidated site: Official Site of the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington D.C., United States. May 06, 2024
Country Profile: Updated Head of state. Apr 24, 2023
Add new Web site: Academia - History of Bangladesh. Dec 04, 2022
Add new Web site: Globalseurity.org - People's Republic of Bangladesh. Aug 30, 2022
Add new Web site: Academia - Consequence of Nepal Earthquake 2015 and Effects in Bangladesh. Feb 27, 2022
In the History section, revised the discussion of the economic crisis and famine in 1973–74. Jan 11, 2021
In the People section, noted that a sizeable amount of Bangladeshis live and work in the Middle East. Apr 13, 2020
Government and society section revised and updated. Jan 29, 2020
In the Economy section, added discussion of finance. Jun 19, 2019
In the People section, updated the discussion of demographic trends. Jun 19, 2019
In the History section, added mention of the outcome of the 2018 parliamentary election. Jan 04, 2019
In the History section, updated discussion of the Awami League's governance from 2009 through 2018. Dec 21, 2018
Corrected display issue. Aug 22, 2018
In the Economy section, added data on trade. Jul 12, 2018
Add new Web site: The Commonwealth - Bangladesh. Mar 21, 2018
Country Profile: Expanded country profile. Sep 01, 2017
In the Urban settlement section, noted that about one-third of the people live in urban areas, and in the Demographic trends section, noted that about one-third of the population is under age 15. Jun 27, 2017
In Ethnic groups, Religion, Urban settlement, and Demographic trends sections, added data charts. Jun 27, 2017
In the Economy section, added data charts. Jun 26, 2017
Add new Web site: Science Kids - Fun Science and Technology for Kids! - Bangladesh Facts for Kids. Dec 06, 2016
Media added. Jul 22, 2016
Country Profile: Updated head of government. Jun 13, 2016
Added locator map to Introduction. May 06, 2016
Replaced photograph. Sep 21, 2015
Replaced photograph. Aug 07, 2015
Country Profile: Updated head of state. Jun 28, 2013
Add new Web site: Official Tourism Site of Bangladesh. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Official Tourism Site of Bangladesh. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Iloveindia.com - Bangladesh. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: globalEDGE - Bangladesh. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Official Site of the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington D.C., United States. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Maps of World - Bangladesh. Dec 13, 2012
Country Profile: Changed the number of parliamentary seats from 345 to 350; changed the number of seats reserved for women from 45 to 50. Jul 11, 2012
Changed the number of seats in the parliament from 345 to 350. Jul 11, 2012
Country Profile: Added name of head of state and head of government, along with urban-rural, life expectancy, literacy, and GNI per capita statistics. Feb 20, 2012
Add new Web site: Fact Monster - World - Bangladesh. Jul 25, 2011
Media added. May 05, 2011
History section revised and updated. Feb 07, 2011
Photograph of Sheikh Hasina Wazed added. Feb 07, 2011
Country Profile: Changed Form of government. Feb 01, 2011
National anthem added. Dec 21, 2010
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Bangladesh. Aug 19, 2010
Country Profile: Updated area and population figures. Feb 16, 2010
Changed spelling of kayal to khayal. Feb 16, 2010
Country Profile: Updated Form of government. Oct 09, 2009
Added new Web site: National Geographic - Travel and Cultures - Bangladesh. Apr 16, 2009
Country Profile: 2009 update Jan 15, 2009
Bibliography revised. Aug 11, 2008
People section revised. Aug 11, 2008
Article revised and updated. Aug 11, 2008
Article thoroughly revised. Aug 11, 2008
Article revised and updated. Apr 18, 2008
Added new Web site: Permanent Mission to the United Nations - Bangladesh. Nov 19, 2007
Added new Web site: Atlapedia Online - People's Republic of Bangladesh. Oct 31, 2007
Article revised and updated. Mar 01, 2007
Added new Web site: Energy Information Administration - Bangladesh. Jan 19, 2007
Article revised and updated. Dec 14, 2006
Added new Web site: United Nations in Bangladesh. Oct 20, 2006
Added new Web site: Bangladesh - Home of Royal Bengal Tigers. Oct 20, 2006
Added new Web site: Library of Congress - Bangladesh - Selected Internet Resources. Aug 08, 2006
Added new Web site: Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Bangladesh. Jul 26, 2006
Added new Web site: Bangladesh.com. Jul 25, 2006
Added new Web site: Official Site of the Embassy of Netherlands in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Jun 20, 2006
Added new Web site: Bengal Temples. Jun 09, 2006
Article revised. May 12, 2005
Article revised. Aug 01, 2000
Article revised. Jan 24, 2000
Article added to new online database. Jul 26, 1999
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