Country Characteristics
Bangladesh spans approximately 140,000 km2 and is home to approximately 150 million people. The country is bordered by India on the west, north, and east; by the Bay of Bengal on the south; and by Myanmar to the southeast. It was part of India until 1947, when it was designated “East Pakistan,” finally gaining independence in 1971.
Bangladesh is an Islamic nation and has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world. Approximately 80% of its inhabitants are Muslim, while Hindus account for about 15% of the country’s residents. Hindus are concentrated in certain areas, such as Khulna and Barisal. In Bangladesh, the work week is Sunday through Thursday. Friday is considered the holy day in Islam, during which there are large morning prayers at mosques.
Hurricanes, or cyclones, are common in Bangladesh, and they lead frequently to flooding. From May to September, there is heavy rainfall, while during the winter, the country endures a dry season. With its low...
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Suggested Readings
Abbott, S., & Riga, M. (2007). Delivering services to the Bangladeshi community: The views of healthcare professionals in East London. Public Health, 121, 935–941.
CDC. (2002). Progress toward poliomyelitis eradication – India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, January 2001–June 2002. MMWR, 51, 831–833.
Dhawan, J. (1994). Insulin resistance, high prevalence of diabetes, and cardiovascular risk in immigrant Asians. British Heart Journal, 72, 413–421.
Harris, R. J. (1983). Nutritional survey of Bangladeshi children aged under 5 years in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 58, 428–432.
London, E. (2004). Bangladesh. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens.
McKeigue, P. M. (1988). Diabetes, hyperinsulinaemia, and coronary risk factors in Bangladeshis in East London. British Heart Journal, 60, 390–396.
Ramaraj, R., & Chellappa, P. (2008). Cardiovascular risk in South Asians. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 84, 518–523.
Zeitlyn, S. (1992). Compliance with diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis immunisation in Bangladesh: Factors identifying high risk groups. British Medical Journal, 304, 606–609.
Suggested Resources
For immunization information. www.cdc.gov/
For nutrition information. http://www.mypyramid.gov/
For nutrition requirements. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/nutrecomm/en/index.html
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Saha, S. (2012). Bangladesh. In: Loue, S., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Immigrant Health. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5659-0_66
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