Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is an independent, secular and democratic country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth largest democracy, having the eighth largest population in the world. Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi). To the west, north and east, Bangladesh shares land borders with India and with Myanmar to the southeast. In the south, Bangladesh has the world's longest natural sandy beach in Cox's Bazar and the world's largest mangrove forest (Sundarbans) along the coastline forming the northern part of the Bay of Bengal at the apex of the Indian Ocean. It is narrowly separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the Siliguri Corridor and from China by the Indian state of Sikkim in the north. Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy, where the Prime Minister is the Head of State and the President is a ceremonial figure. General elections are held routinely every five years to elect three hundred Members of Parliament and the party that wins the largest number of seats in parliament forms the government. Dhaka, the capital and the largest city, is the nation's political, financial and cultural centre. Chittagong is the second-largest city and Chittagong Port is one of the busiest ports in the Bay of Bengal together with Mongla Port, Payra Port and Matarbari Port. The official language is Bengali, one of the easternmost branches of the Indo-European language family.
The economy of Bangladesh is a major developing market economy. As the second-largest economy in South Asia, Bangladesh's economy is the 35th largest in the world in nominal terms, and 25th largest by purchasing power parity. Bangladesh is seen by various financial institutions as one of the Next Eleven, an emerging market, a middle income economy, and a frontier market. Bangladesh is a member of the South Asian Free Trade Area and the World Trade Organization. In fiscal year 2021–2022, Bangladesh registered a GDP growth rate of 7.2% after the global pandemic. Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Rajshahi Division is one of the eight first-level administrative divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of 18,174.4 square kilometres (7,017.2 sq mi) and a population at the 2011 Census of 18,484,858. Rajshahi Division consists of 8 districts, 70 Upazilas and 1,092 Unions.
Rajshahi is a metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the Padma River, near the Bangladesh-India border, the city has a population of over 763,580 residents. The town is surrounded by the satellite towns of Nowhata and Katakhali, which together build an urban agglomeration of about 1 million population. Modern Rajshahi lies in the ancient region of Pundravardhana. The foundation of the city dates to 1634, according to epigraphic records at the mausoleum of Sufi saint Shah Makhdum. The area hosted a Dutch settlement in the 18th century. The Rajshahi municipality was constituted during the British Raj in 1876. It was a divisional capital of the Bengal Presidency.
Gombhira is a type of song originating in the Bengal region in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, what is today northeastern West Bengal, India and northwestern Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Bank is the central bank of Bangladesh and is a member of the Asian Clearing Union. It is fully owned by the Government of Bangladesh.
Natore district is a district of Rajshahi Division located in northern Bangladesh. It borders the metropolitan city of Rajshahi and used to be a part of Rajshahi district.
Rajshahi District is a district in mid-western Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division. The metropolitan city of Rajshahi is in Rajshahi District.
Dinajpur district is a district in the Rangpur Division of northern Bangladesh. Dinajpur is the largest district among all sixteen northern districts of Bangladesh.
Naogaon District is a district in northern Bangladesh, part of the Rajshahi Division. It is named after its headquarters, the city of Naogaon in Naogaon Sadar Upazila.
Chapainawabganj is located in the north-western part of Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division, and was formerly a sub-division of Malda district. The north and west part of Chapai Nawabganj is bounded by Malda and Murshidabad districts of India, the east by Naogaon District, and south-east by Rajshahi District.
Naogaon is a city and district headquarter of Naogaon District in northern Bangladesh. It is located in the bank of Mini Jamuna river. It is the centre of commerce within the Naogaon District. The area of the town is about 38.36 km2 (14.81 sq mi) and the population is about 150,025. The municipality consists of 9 wards and 56 mahallas.
Ras malai, originally known as rosomalai, or roshmalai, is a dessert from the Indian subcontinent. The dessert is called roshmalai/rosmalai in Bengali, ras malai in Hindi, and rasa malei in Odia. It is popular in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Rajshahi silk is the name given to the silk products produced in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is famous because it is a high quality fabric used for clothing, especially for saris. In 2021, it was given Geographical indication status as a product of Bangladesh.
The national language and official language of Bangladesh is Bangla according to the third article of the Constitution of Bangladesh. The second most spoken language in Bangladesh is claimed to be Burmese which is spoken by the Marma tribe in Chittagong Hill districts as the districts border Myanmar; it is also spoken by the Rohingya people. Almost 99% of Bangladeshis speak Bengali as their first language. Bengali Language Implementation Act, 1987 made it mandatory to use Bengali in all government affairs except in the cases of foreign relations. According to a 2022 census, Bengali is predominantly spoken by 99% of the country's population and it also serves as the national language of the nation. The indigenous people of northern and southeastern Bangladesh speak a variety of native languages. Bangladesh has 44 indigenous languages according to Professor Shameem Reza.
Nakshi kantha, a type of embroidered quilt, is a centuries-old Bengali art tradition of the Bengal region, notable in Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and part of Assam. The basic material used is thread and old cloth. Nakshi kanthas are made throughout Bangladesh, but the greater Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Bogra, Rajshahi, Faridpur and Jessore, Chittagong areas are most famous for this craft.
Bangladesh has an embassy in Washington D.C. and consulates in New York City and Los Angeles. The United States has an embassy in Dhaka, with information centers in Chittagong, Jessore, Rajshahi and Sylhet. The U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh also operates the Archer K Blood American Library and the Edward M Kennedy Centre in Dhaka. Both countries are members of the United Nations.
Rajshahi Railway Station is a railway station at Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The railway station is the main station of the city, and links to Dhaka via the Iswardi–Sirajganj line. The station is one of the most modern, largest and important stations of Bangladesh Railway along with Dhaka and Chittagong railway station. Headquarter of Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway is also located within the station complex.
The Himsagar Mango is a popular mango cultivar, originating in the modern-day Bangladesh and state of West Bengal in India. Widely considered as the best mango, the inside of Himsagar is yellow to orange in colour and does not have any fibre. The fruit is medium-sized and weighs between 250 and 350 grams, out of which the pulp content is around 77%. It has a good keeping quality. It is also known as Khirsapati.
The Haribhanga mango is a mango cultivar produced in the northwest part of Bangladesh, especially in the Rangpur district. Cultivation of the Haribhanga mango has recently gained popularity among the farmers of northern districts. Locally called Haribhanga, these mangoes are round in shape. Haribhanga is highly fleshy and typically weighs 200 to 400 grams. They have been recorded weighing up to 700 grams. In July 2021, India received 2600 kilos of Haribhanga mangoes from Bangladesh as a memento of friendship between the two neighbouring countries. It was sent through the Petrapole border of Bangaon in West Bengal.
