Historical Timeline
1947- Bangladesh (East Pakistan) gained independence from Britain
1971- East Pakistan declared its independence, taking the name Bangladesh
1971- Bangladesh Liberation War
1980- The installation of cheap surface wells kept people from drinking dirty pond and river water
1991- A cyclone killed about 131,000 people; 9 million were left homeless; thousands of survivors died from hunger or water borne diseases
1995- A general strike affected more than 60 cities and towns; aimed at forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Zia, accused of corruption and incopetence
1998- War between 13 tribes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the central government ended after 22 years of fighting
2003- Death toll from coldest winter in 6 years reached 779; rose to 1170 people in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh combined
2003- A Bangladesh court convicted and sentenced five zookeepers to 14 years in prison for killing three tigers in 1996 and planning to sell their skins
2007- Cyclone in southern Bangladesh
Cultural Contributions
The Bangladesh Global Connections and Exchange Program increases global dialogue and education opportunities by installing computers with internet to schools. They also develop training and learning projects for teachers, students, and members living around the school.
The Bangladesh Cultural Organization (BCO) promotes friendship among all members of the organization including family members. It also promotes cultural activities and friendships with Norway and other nations.
Current Issues
The Bangladesh Army Chief expressed concern about rising rice prices. The November cyclone, which killed more than 3,400 people, also destroyed 291 million dollars of winter rice crop. Rice had risen from 9.0 taka in a month to 33 taka (48 cents) per kilogram, which is a steep increase for millions of Bangladeshis. Officials say that the government would import rice from Thailand as soon as possible.
The poultry industry has dropped from 69 million-79 million US dollars in 2006 to 69 million dollars. The drop was caused by an avian flu outbreak, floods, and a cyclone, which caused death of poultry in affected areas. The price of maize, the main feed for poultry, is also high. If they fail to improve the situation, many farms will close.