Environment

Due to Bangladesh’s location in southern Asia as part of the Ganges River delta, the climate is warm and humid. The average temperature is 79ºF(26ºC), but temperatures can range from 59-93ºF(15-34ºC). The region of the country determines its characterized climate, which in Bangladesh’s case is tropical monsoon climate. Monsoons are common and the country faces heavy precipitation and tropical cyclones as well. Bangladesh receives about 87 inches (2200 mm) of rainfall every year with every region receiving at least 59 inches (1500 mm). The country is known for having 6 seasons year-round instead of the standard 4 (winter, spring, summer, and fall). These 6 include Summer (Grisma ritu), Rainy (Barsa ritu), Autumn (Sarat ritu), Late Autumn (Hemanta ritu), Winter (Shitt ritu) and Spring (Basant ritu). To simplify, the warmest months are from April to September, while the colder and drier months are from December to February.

Bangladesh proudly hosts over 100 species of mammals in its lands such as water buffaloes in Cox’s Bazar region and elephants in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. One can find muntjac, also known as barking deer and samovar deer. They are located in the eastern jungles of Bangladesh. In addition, the common leopard, sloth bear, jackals, mongoose, and rhesus monkey (Bengal monkey) can be found in many parts of the country. Most importantly, the Royal Bengal tiger, the national animal of Bangladesh is dispersed throughout the land as well. Besides the variety of animals found in Bangladesh, there are also over six thousand plants found as well. Some fruits that thrive in the vegetation of the country are blam jam, papaya, guava, banana, cucumber, and jackfruit. In addition, one can find pumpkins, radishes, cabbages, spinach, beans, and cauliflower grown here too. In total, the warm and moist climate allows for plenty of animals and plants to survive and thrive in Bangladesh.

The breathtaking and diverse terrains of Bangladesh truly make the country an unforgettable place. There are four types of vegetation regions in Bangladesh, which are the eastern, western, central and southern zones. The eastern zone is made up of low hills and jungles of bamboo. Some cities in this zone are Chittagong and Sylhet. Interestingly, the country’s success in their own paper industry is thanks to their abundance of bamboo. The western zone is made up of cultivated plants and orchards as well as flat plains. Rajshahi and Rabna are western cities where one can find this vegetation. The central zone is made up of swampy vegetation and lakes. The capital city, Dhaka, is part of this zone and attracts thousands of visitors every year. Lastly, the southern zone is along the Bay of Bengal and is known for the Sundarbans. These are famous wetlands and mangrove vegetation sites in the country. Overall, the land of Bangladesh is a picture-perfect place full of mangoes, bamboo, jackfruit and unforgettable views making its citizens proud to call it home.

Although agriculture is one of the main economic activities in Bangladesh, it’s only seasonal. Therefore, in order to balance out activity year round, industrialization has increased since the mid-20th century to boost the economy of the country. After Bangladesh’s independence in March of 1971, two years later the government came up with a 5 year development plan. Fortunately, this plan has launched the country into a 21st century success. In 1979, a 19 point plan replaced the one from 1973 with emphasis on efficiency and productivity while encouraging private investment. The country shows remarkable progress from being one of the poorest countries in 1971 to lower-middle income status by 2015.

According to The World Bank, Bangladesh has a GDP of 460 billion USD (2022) and has earned a growth rate of 7.2% post the Covid-19 global pandemic. This is a significant difference from 20 years ago when the country only had a GDP of 60 billion USD (2003). This rise in GDP is thanks to the country’s expanding middle and affluent class, the digital adoption rate increasing, and the grand domestic consumer market. Through years of hard work, the country is becoming one of the fastest growing economies in the world.