The Bangladesh you didn't know!

[mello]

Excellent thread, really enjoying seeing an in depth view of Bangladesh.

[shakman]

You correct indeed. I have never viewed Bangladesh from the photos you have provided. Thanks for sharing.

[Dhakaiya]

Thank you all for your kind words

Here is more

Bandarban- from the very southeast of Bangladesh.



Hillscape by Shutterfreak ☮, on Flickr


SUNRISE @ TINDU by AccesS || DenieD, on Flickr


Amazing Bandarban. by Ferdousi., on Flickr

[Dhakaiya]

More of Bandarban

Hillscape by Shutterfreak ☮, on Flickr

Joypurhat, Rajshahi Division- the beauty in the simplicity of northwest Bengal

The north wind and the sun by Shutterfreak ☮, on Flickr

Longest sandy beach in the world- Cox's Bazaar- near the very south of Bangladesh

Peace by Shutterfreak ☮, on Flickr

Botanical Gardens, Dhaka

Can you see the rain? by Shutterfreak ☮, on Flickr

[Dhakaiya]

Boats at Inani, Cox's Bazaar

inani '12 by dreamer@desh, on Flickr

Inani Beach, Cox's Bazaar

sadness @inani by dreamer@desh, on Flickr

In 1952, the then military rulers of East Pakistan declared that Urdu would be the national language of Pakistan although only 10% of the ruling elite spoke it while over 50% of the people spoke Bengali. The junta opened fire on protesters- thus we gave our lives to earn the right to speak our own mothertongue in our own soil

শহীদ মিনার (shohid minar) by dreamer@desh, on Flickr

[Dhakaiya]

BENGALI SOCIETY

Islam is the largest religion in Bangladesh and over 90% of the people are practicing Muslims. This image shows Muslim children in a mosque in Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh is not an Islamic state and the majority of Bengali people separate the mosque and the state despite being highly practicing in their faith. We are a moderate democracy with female Prime Minister.

knOw thysElf... by mmsyfullah, on Flickr


Symmetric Bow to Almighty-II by Taste_of_Cherry, on Flickr

Welcoming the Bengali new year: culture, cricket and religion are as basic to Bengali life as food, water and shelter

Bangladesh welcomes and celebrates the Bangla year 1416 amid festivity and gaiety. by sytoha / Syed Touhid Hassan, on Flickr

Magical Bangladesh- who knew that one of the fastest growing economies would also be a place of magical fantasies people think are long gone? This image displays a Hindu soothsayer in Old Dhaka

The Thrifty Trident by NiH, on Flickr

Holi in Old Dhaka- the Hindu festival of colours

Festival of Colours by ~ tanjir ~, on Flickr

Buddhist Temple in Rangamati

Golden Temple by Sadia Rahman, on Flickr

Christian nuns in Dhaka

faith & light by AЯίF | Arifur Rahman, on Flickr

The Biswa Ijtema held in the outskirts of Dhaka once a year is a conference on the true preaching of Islam, clearing of misconceptions and general prayers for the country and the world. It is the second largest Islamic gathering in the world after the Hajj- most of the visitors are local, Bangladesh being the 9th most populated country in the world.

People in Bangladesh by akhlas_viewfinder, on Flickr

Welcome to Dhaka & Chittagong

Concert Photography 5 by Khondker Nasif Akhter, on Flickr

If the cheering mob of Colosseum was the heartbeat of Rome, then the sounds of Sher-e- Bangla Cricket Stadium are the heartbeat of Dhaka

ICC WC 2011 about to see the light by Taste_of_Cherry, on Flickr

Weddings are the most important occasion in the personal lives of Bengalis. Divorces are extremely rare (often frowned upon) but growing as society gets more modernized. Sadly, I must admit- the personal lives of Bengalis were much cleaner and happier back when our GDP was half of what it currently is.

Bangladesh : Top of the World by Shabbir Ferdous, on Flickr

We are fiercely, passionately patriotic country. Our youth being only the 3nd generation of Bangladeshis since independence (our parents were children at the time of liberation- thus making us the first generation to be born in the free land), this means the memories and horrors of the war and the sacrifice of over a million martyrs are still vividly alive. We breathe free for their sacrifice and through remembrance we keep our martyrs immortal in liberated Bengal.

Procession of Red and Green by Sopnochora, on Flickr


Joy of Victory Day [Dhaka, Bangladesh] by - Ariful H Bhuiyan -, on Flickr

Shopping malls are the new hubs of the major cities across Bangladeshis. With the private sector booming & the govt. sector getting more privatized- the middle class in the country has boomed over the past few years. The image below shows a mall before the Islamic festival of Eid- when special discounts are often given and stores are often out of stock by the end of Eid.

Festive rush by Asif Adnan Shajal, on Flickr

Although our generation has never seen martial law- the military have ruled over the country for nearly half our history. Despite the fact- the military remain highly revered and respected. Their rule saw the golden period of Bangladesh as the country was steered from a basket case to an emerging tiger of Asia. They have been the guardians and protectors of democracy over the last 2 decades. The army is the 23rd largest in the world and their skill and morality have allowed them to be the highest contributor in UN.

Victory Day parade by technology_jubair, on Flickr

The mouth watering spicy and delicious street food awaits one at every corner of Old Dhaka.

Street Delights ...(1) by Pagan Eyes, on Flickr

However, the urban elite often consider the street food to be "not posh" and prefer restaurants that have mushroomed across the urban centers, especially in Dhaka.

Interior by M R Hasan, on Flickr

[jhny12]

Beautiful & informative thread!

[Ayreonaut]

Thank you for this thread! Bangladesh looks fascinating, to say the least.

[Dhakaiya]

26th March is the Independence Day of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh was liberated in 1971 was a bloody civil war with Pakistan. A Bengali political party demanding autonomy won the national elections but the junta refused to handover power.

Tomb of Sheikh Mujib- father of the nation

Mazar of Bangabandhu by .ranak, on Flickr

To suppress the protests by Bengalis, the junta launched a full scale massacre killing about 50,000 people in the midnight 25th March. A curfew was declared and they hoped the demand for democracy would go out with fear.

Together We Stand by AvikBangalee, on Flickr

The Bengali leader before being arrested asked up his party followers and general people to not give up- trying to suppress the demand for autonomy and democracy had erupted in a full scale civil war demanding liberation once and for all.

Bangladesh: twenty-first of February by Rezwan Razzaq, on Flickr

Bengali officers in the Pakistan military defected to the cause of Bangladesh and the common people joined them. In 9 months the rural areas and small towns were free but the city cantonments were still held by the junta. Bangladesh appealed for help and India answered. The junta surrendered in less than a month.

The Homecoming Warrior II by Sopnochora, on Flickr

In return for over a million lives and nearly 50,000 women raped- the price of freedom was paid. A new country was born- giving us the right to dream and the right to pursue happiness in a land we call our own- Bangladesh.

?????? ?????? ??? Jatio Sriti Shoudho by Asif Adnan Shajal, on Flickr


Mausoleum of Ziaur Rahman, Chandrima Uddan, Dhaka - Bangladesh by - Ariful H Bhuiyan -, on Flickr

Dhaka today is a city of monuments- monuments honouring Bangladesh's immortal dead. I personally love this picture- it shows the struggle of our past...and the promise of our future.

Come, let's fly. [..Dhaka, Bangladesh..] by Catch the dream, on Flickr

[Dhakaiya]

10 LARGEST CITIES OF BANGLADESH

10. Barisal, Barisal Division- Population- 220,000
Credit of CS Avi- Wikimedia Creative Commons



9. Rangpur, Rangpur Division- Population- 250,000

tajhaat palace by dream_maze, on Flickr

8. Mymensingh, Dhaka Division- Population- 300,000.
Credit of Audree


7. Tongi, Gazipur District, Dhaka Division- Population 350,000- heavy industrial area just outside Dhaka Metropolitan Area
Credit of Maniruzzaman 1944


6. Comilla, Chittagong Division- Population 390,000- contains ruins of milennia old Buddhist civilization
Credit of roymonotosh


Credit of towsifsalam


5. Sylhet, Sylhet Division- Population: 460,000. Famous for tea and immigrants (there was a time when Sylhet was the only educated region of Bangladesh and many moved to London). Although small, it along with Dhaka & Chittagong is among the most affluent cities of Bangladesh. Nickname: City of Saints
Credit of MSZ Noor


Credit of Tmac


4. Rajshahi, Rajshahi Division- Population: 700,000- famous for arts and juicy mangoes. Nickname: Silk City
Credit of Tmac




3. Khulna, Khulna Division-Population: 1.45 million close to Sundarban rainforest- home of the Bengal Tiger. Second port of Bangladesh.
Source: http://visitbdspot.com/khul_spot.php


2. Chittagong, Chittagong Division- population: 5 million. 56th largest urban agglomeration in the world. Bangladesh's main port.

Credit of Tmac
G]

Self-taken


1. Dhaka, Dhaka Division- population: 16 million, 9th largest urban agglomeration in the world. Nickname: City of Mosques

Author: Md. Ishtiaque Mahmood Rohan, registered as Creative Commons under Wikimedia


Part of a Dhaka suburb- one of the many oceans of mid-rise residential buildings
Credit of Li Mu Bai


Credit of Adnan Ali

[Dhakaiya]

The tea gardens of Sylhet, northeast Bangladesh

Alo ashbe e... by Shad0w_0f_Dark, on Flickr

Traditional kite festival in old Dhaka

Sky of the kite runners. by mostakim timur, on Flickr

Fireworks light up Mirpur Stadium during the opening of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

Fireworks 7 by mostakim timur, on Flickr


Fireworks 2 by mostakim timur, on Flickr

A traditional annual boat race at Bosila, Bangladesh

People enjoing the boat racing festival at Bosila by mostakim timur, on Flickr

Bandarban Hill Tracts

SUNRISE [explored] by mostakim timur, on Flickr

Along the banks of the Buriganga river (Ganges)- the shabbier parts of Dhaka

Night of the old busy river... by mostakim timur, on Flickr

[IMBY]

Thanks a zillion for these treasurable photo's. I had some wanderlust tonite and these photo's filled the bill beautifully.

Been to India a couple times, always wanted to squeeze Dhaka into my itineray, but never managed to do so.

Will probably never get back that way, so thanks and thanks!