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■ A Golden Country-Bangladesh
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Bangladesh as an Aid Recipient
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| “Bangladesh：A Golden Country”-It may sound strange to you. As one of the most impoverished countries in the world, Bangladesh is called an experimental ground for NGOs. Too often, mass media report Bangladeshi people suffering from floods and famine. For most Japanese, as well as for the international society, Bangladesh is strongly associated with the image of hunger, poverty and war (it became independent from Pakistan in 1971). The country has long been considered as a recipient of foreign aid. |
It was in 1971 that for the first time the world heard the country's cry for help; George Harrison, a former member of the Beatles, organized The Concert for Bangladesh. Joined by big-name rock musicians, the concert became the center of attention.
“My friend came to me, with sadness in his eyes / He told me that he wanted help ⁄ Before his country dies ⁄…⁄To help us save some lives” (Bangla Desh, George Harrison). Accompanied with the images of starving children on the stage screen, the lyrics implored the world for help. The world responded; the concert tickets were immediately sold out, and the proceeds of the album yielded 1.4 billion yen (about $10 million) within the first ten days of its release. It was a big success and established the “charity concert” as means of support.
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People's Republic of Bangladesh
| Total area |
143,998 square kilometers |
| Resources |
natural gas, coal, jute |
| Population |
138,100,000（2003） |
| Capital |
Dhaka |
| Languages |
Bengali (official language) |
| Religion |
Islam (the state religion) 89.7%, Hinduism 9.2%, Buddhism 0.7%, Christianity 0.3% |
| Adult Literacy rate |
41% |
| Average life expectancy |
63 years |
| Mortality of children under five years old |
77 out of 1,000(2004) |
| References |
“World Yearbook 2005” and “The State of the World's Children 2006” |
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