Many times we prefer western countries and European countries for a tour, but in Asia there are many countries where we can travel and enjoy. Bangladesh may be one of them.

Bangladesh is a famous destination with the land of green forests, rivers and some natural wonders with a great colorful cultural life. So tourists from all part of the world come here every Year. You also may choose this country as a dream destination. Some destinations are very unique in nature also. It is a great county with many festivals also like Baisakhi (Pahela Baisakh-The new day of Bengali calendar), Id, Durga Puja and some other popular festivals, which the people of this country celebrate from their heart throughout the year. Numbers of good hotels and resorts are here. So come on let us go to Bangladesh now.

About Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a republic country, lies in southern part of Asia. It is bordered on the west, north and east by India and Myanmar is in southeast part. Bay of Bengal is also on the south of Bangladesh. Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and also it is the largest city of this country.

Historically and culturally it has some similarities with West Bengal but it is larger than Bengal. Previously Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan from 1947 to 19771. On 26th March 1971, this country was declared as Independent.

Bangladesh is famous for many rivers. It is a low-lying country and located in the Ganges delta and Brahmaputra delta. So flood happened many times in this country. Jute is the main cash crop of Bangladesh. Due to flooding, people normally build their houses on high land or high area. Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna are said ornaments of this province. Most of the land is flat and low-lying. There are few hill areas in this country also like Chittagong hill area. On the boarder and in the side of Myanmar Mowdak Maul is the highest point. Some small hills are nearby the eastern and northern parts of India.

Some part of Sunder ban lies within this country. So rivers and forest are important features of Bangladesh. Padma is also a famous river.

Climate

Rainy season falls in Bangladesh from May to October. So Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon variety. In all areas about eighty percent annual rainfall occurs in this period. This country is also famous for devastating cyclones, which are originated from the Bay of Bengal. So this type of events damages many assets including some lives also. Bangladesh has also a warm weather throughout the year.

Plants and Animals

Previously it is said that Chittagong is the main hill area. Portion of Madhupur tract and a few areas of Sunder ban are forest area. So Bangladesh is famous for forest and rivers with many varieties of wild animals and plant and also water animals. Total forest area is near about one eighth of total area. Acacia and banyan trees are famous here. Mango and jack fruits are also famous fruits. Bangladesh is also famous for many varieties of bamboo trees also.

Bangladesh has 109 indigenous species of mammals (approx), 295 types of birds and 119 kinds of reptiles (approx). It is also famous for nineteen different amphibians and two hundred varieties of marine and fresh water fishes. Monkey, lemurs are also found. Other some attractive and famous animals are mongoose, jackal, Bengal foxes, wild boar, parakeet, kingfisher, vultures and crocodiles.

Main cities to visit

Chittagong: - It is one of the main cities, lies on the bank of the Karnafuli River, near bay of Bengal. This has a historical back ground. This part is famous for Mastarda Surya Sen. - a famous freedom fighter. There are some museums also and many other places to visit. This city has a famous port also. Natural beauty also attracts tourists to come here.

Dhaka: - Among some major cities of Bangladesh, Dhaka is one of them. Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh also. It is famous for silk products. Dhaka has a renowned stadium also.

Above these two there are many destinations also to go like- Khulna, Narayanganj, Rajshahi, Cox’s Bazar, Paharpur, Mainamati, Bandarban etc which are also attractive and famous places. There are some historical mosques and monuments also with some natural beaches of Bay of Bengal.

Languages

The main language of Bangladesh is Bengali, which is also known as Bangla. It is official language of this country. This language is derived from Devnagari script of Sanskrit language. The culture and national identity are closely associated with this Bengali language. It has two distinct variants. One of them is formally written and other is casually spoken language.

Although a major portion of Bangladeshi speaks in Bengali, but Urdu, Indo-Iranian language are also spoken. Santhal people speak in Alchiki language. English is also widely used in education and also in some official purpose.

Religion

Major portion of countrymen are Muslim or from Islam religion. Hindus are second in number. There are some small communities of Buddhist, Christians and animists.

Culture and custom

Boul song is famous in Bangladesh. It is performed by individuals mainly with a one stringed musical instrument, called Ektara. It is also called as folk songs or the songs of land. The cultures of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India have many similarities. Bangladesh may be called as center of Bengali culture. Many famous poets and writers were born in Bangladesh. Custom is the great guide of life of any individual or of any society. Kazi Najrul Islam was a famous poet and honored as national poet of Bangladesh.

This country is also famous for painting, sculptures and architectures. Bangladesh National Museum is a famous museum of Bangladesh. Bharat Natyam, Kathakali, Manipuri are some traditional dance style. Traditional and famous musical instruments of Bangladesh are banshi (bamboo flute), Dholes (wooden drums) and Dotara (instrument with two string).

Now fishing

Fishing is a main profession of the people of Bangladesh people. Fish is a main item of Bangladeshi diet. Hilsa and prawns are two famous fishes in the world. Hilsa and prawn are also exported in many countries including India.

Transportation and communications

Transportation system of Bangladesh is very much improved. Road and railway including water way are major transport system with some air transport system. Bangladesh airlines provide domestic and International air service. The main and popular International airport is Dhaka International airport.

Bengali newspaper, English newspaper are popular publishing media. Bangladesh Radio and television is also popular.

Main festivals

People of Bangladesh give importance on fairs and festivals as these plays an important role in the life. They are very social and always maintain a good relation with all communities in society. Eid-ul Fitter is a famous festival of Muslims and Durga puja is a famous of Hindus. Buddha purnima is celebrated by Buddhists. National festivals are also celebrated with a great affection and all people participate in these festivals. They celebrate 26th March as Independence Day and 16th December as Victory day every year. Bengali New Years day is also famous and treated as public holiday. 21st February every year is celebrated as language day (Bhasa Divas). UNESCO declared this day as International Mother Language Day. They also celebrate rabindra and Najrul Jayanti in the memory of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Najrul Islam. They arrange some fairs also throughout the year. Langal Bandh Mela is one of them.

Some other popular destinations: Miles of tea gardens are located in Srimangal. Mainamati, Paharpur etc are some famous for archeological and Cox’s bazaar for sightseeing. Sunder ban is famous for wild life and the great mangrove forest of the world. Foy’s lake is famous for scenic beauty.

So best time to visit

Bangladesh has all six seasons and all seasons are with some its own beauties. Dry and cool season starts from September and ends in May. This time may be best time to visit. In rainy season, travelling may be possible but it may create some problems as this country is mainly village based country and some areas remain with huge water. So better to avoid this time though boat facility is available.

Now some tips (especially for foreigners):

• Take a renowned and professional travel agent.
• Take your visa and passport in time and keep these safely. Don’t give to any stranger.
• Book any renowned hotel to stay.
• Take some regular medicines for normal fever and loose motion.
• Take precaution for mosquito.
• Avoid the time of elections or strike period. Know and gather information before planning.
• Pack light cloths for summer and woolen cloths for winter. For rainy season take some protection.
• Follow the rules and regulations of Bangladesh. We should not hurt any community for our refreshment.
• No need to take too much hard cash as it may be risky.

So don’t get afraid. Do a planning for a Bangladesh tour. The people of Bangladesh are waiting to welcome all tourists. They behave very much friendly. Above these there is much information available in net. Better to check it. Some guide books are also available. Any can take help from there also.

Some information and data of this article are collected from Wikipedia.