1. BANGLADESH
Group project, created by:
Yelena Mikshanskaya, Kasey Murrey, Molly
Peterson, Jason Rexroad, Mariya Roata, and
Stephen Stabbert
November 18, 2011

2. Table of Contents
 Geography of Bangladesh (By Mariya Roata)
 Bangladesh Economy (By Stephen Stabbert)
 Bangladesh Nonverbal use of Clothing (formal and informal) (By Molly Peterson)
 Bangladesh Rituals (verbal and nonverbal traditions) (By Kasey Murrey)
 Bangladesh Gender Roles (By Yelena Mikshanskaya)
 Bangladesh Religion (By Jason Rexroad)
The purpose of this presentation is to tell the viewer as much information about Bangladesh
as possible. After viewing this presentation you will know geographical facts, nonverbal
use of clothing, rituals, gender roles and about religion of Bangladesh.

3. Geography of Bangladesh
(By: Mariya Roata)
( Image: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paharpur_03.JPG)
Somapura Mahavihara in Paharpur,
Bangladesh: the greatest Buddhist Vihara in
the Indian Subcontinent, built by
Dharmapala of Bengal Group # 5

4.  Bangladesh:
Geographical Facts
( Image: patwarybrothersltd.com/about_bangladesh.htm)
 Bordered by India on all sides except for a
small border with Burma (Myanmar)
 Lies between latitudes 20° and 27°N, and
longitudes 88° and 93°E.
 Most parts are less than 12 m (39.4 ft)
above the sea level
 Water is contaminated with arsenic
frequently because of the high arsenic
contents in the soil
 Total area is 56,977 sq mi (147,570 km2)
 93.6% land and 6.4% water
 Floods, tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and
tidal bores occur almost every year
 Is one of world's largest producers of rice,
tea, potato, mango, onion and mustard
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh

5. More Geographical Facts
 Bangladesh:
 Map references is Asia
 Comparative: Slightly smaller than Iowa
 Coast line is 580 km Bangladesh Land Use Distribution
 Climate is tropical; mild winter (October
to March); hot, humid summer (March to
June); humid, warm rainy monsoon
(June to October)
 Terrain is mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly
in the southeast
 Natural resources are natural gas,
arable land, timber and coal
 50,500 sq km are irrigated land
 Land use:
Image:
 Arable land: 55%
 Permanent crops 3%
 Other: 42%
Source: cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-
factbook/geos/bg.html

6. Bangladesh Economy
By Stephen Stabbert
http://coins.about.com/od/worldcoins/ig/World-Coins-Gallery-Index/Bangladesh-
Money-Coins.htm
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=81840
6
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=368272

7. Economy
 Bangladesh is primarily an agrarian economy.
This means that they rely largely on farming to
support their society (Bangladesh :: Agriculture,
n.d.).
http://www.sts-machinery.com/bangladesh-agriculture-ministry/
Agriculture is the single largest producing sector of
the economy, comprising 30% of the Countries GDP
and employing around 60% of the total labor force
(Bangladesh :: Agriculture, n.d.).
Jute and tea are the two main sources of foreign
exchange (Bangladesh :: Agriculture, n.d.).
Major impediments to growth include frequent
cyclones and floods which ruin important crops, a
rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by
agriculture, and inadequate infrastructure concerning
transportation and power needs (Bangladesh ::
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/arsenic/visual.php Economy, n.d.).

8. Agriculture
 Meeting the nation's food requirements is the key-
http://www.jutebag.com.au/aboutJute.htm
objective of the government (Bangladesh :: Agriculture,
n.d.).
 Agricultural holdings in Bangladesh are generally small
(Bangladesh :: Agriculture, n.d.).
 Rice, Jute, Sugarcane, Potato, Pulses, Wheat, Tea and
Tobacco are the principal crops (Bangladesh ::
Agriculture, n.d.).
 Bangladesh is the world leading supplier of Jute Jute: Is a long, soft, shiny
(Bangladesh :: Agriculture, n.d.). vegetable fiber that can be
spun into coarse, strong
 The crop sub-sector dominates the agriculture sector threads. It is a similar
contributing about 72% of total production. Fisheries,
livestock and forestry sub-sectors are 10.33%, 10.11% and product to cotton (site).
7.33% respectively (Bangladesh :: Agriculture, n.d.).
8

9. Infrastructure
http://bestautomotive2011-2012.blogspot.com/2011/06/trucking-
 Bangladesh’s infrastructure is one of
their greatest limiting factors in
industry-india-healthy-25.html
economic growth.
 Their infrastructure industry is one of
the most underdeveloped in the world
ranking 126th out of 133 countries
(Bangladesh Infrastructure, n.d.).
Transport facilities are severely lacking causing
traffic bottlenecks that drive up the cost of
business and goods (Bangladesh Infrastructure,
n.d.).
Power shortages are also a major drawback,
illustrated by a 128th of 133 ranking for
http://www.busytrade.com/products/1279627/Power-Transmission-Poles.html
competitiveness of electricity supply (Bangladesh
Infrastructure, n.d.). 9

10. Clothing
Formal and Informal
By: Molly Peterson

11. Informal clothing
Women:
 Saris: A large piece of fabric that drapes over the body. These are a
traditional garment worn by women, in all different types of fabric .
 Salwar Kameez; a three-piece garment that consists of loose trousers, a long
tunic and a scarf that drapes over shoulders. This outfit is popular among
girls and young adults.
 Salwar Kameez is a traditional outfit to wear to school
 Women typically cover there whole body with clothes or dress
conservatively because of the Islamic and Muslim religion in Bangladesh.
Men:
 Lungi a long cloth rapped and lower half of the body, worn with a vest is
popular among the countryside or the less-wealthy.
 Shirts and pants are common in urbanized areas
 Men wear shoes that are easy to get on and off, such as slippers
and sandals.

12. Women:
Formal Clothing
 Saris made out of elaborate artistic fabric or
adjourned with beading is most commonly worn to
parties, special events and festivals.
 Gold Jewelry is worn with formal attire, to increase
status and beauty.
 Salwar Kameez in elaborate colors and fabrics
 In Urban areas women may wear skirts, pants, and
tops.

13. Formal Clothing
Men:
 A version of the westernized suit is seen at
formal events.
 Sherwani and Charidar a calf-length tunic
and loose trousers is the traditional attire
for a wedding.
 Panjabi; a long tunic is worn to religious and
cultural events
 White cotton pajamas are indicative of
someone with high status.
 A white dress displays an occupation that
does not require hard labor.
13

14. Verbal Rituals
 when the speak it is very implicit/indirect.
 they have very long and “rich” contextualized
sentences that are only understood with the correct
body language.
 When speaking they stand very close together, unless
speaking with a woman.
 From an outsiders point of view the way they
communicate may be taken as being rude.
14
14

15. Nonverbal Rituals
 Being angry, lack of personal hygiene, eye contact,
frustration, or bad eye contact mean your
“unwelcoming” to others.
 In the business world negative gestures cause a great
discomfort for customers.
 If smiles, eye contact, and assertive body language is
displayed people feel like they are gaining a trusting
relationship from you.
15
15

16. Greeting Rituals
 Men shake hands with men.
 If uncertain to shake hands with a woman, wait for a
woman to extend their hand.
 When you walk in a room greet the oldest person first
 When saying goodbye you must say bye to everyone
individually.
16

17. The correct way to address
someone
 . Indians revere titles such as Professor, Doctor and
Engineer.
. Status is determined by age, university degree, caste
and profession.
. If someone does not have a professional title, use the
honorific title "Sir" or "Madam".
. Titles are used with the person's name or the
surname, depending upon the person's name.
 Wait to be invited before using someone's first name
without the title. 17

18. The Gender Roles
By Yelena Mikshanskaya
Adapting to others who are different from you can be
both interesting and challenging. Intercultural
communication competence is described as, “ The
ability to adapt one’s behavior toward another person
in ways that are appropriate to other persons culture”
(Beebe et al., 2010). Learning the main gender roles in
Bangladesh , would you easily adapt to this culture?
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19. Children
 In Bangladesh about 55 million people live in
poverty. Parents greatly influence children to
participate in labor. Therefore, kids are found to
be working an average of 48 hours a week in
hazardous environments which include
industries (Hossain ,2010).
 Following orders is expected, commands must
be obeyed as a sign of respect for both girls and
boys (Nimbark, 2001).
 Daughters are to help their mothers with the
household. Therefore, females stop attending
school earlier than males. As for Boys, they
have more latitude for movement outside the
household ( Nimbark, 2001).
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20.  In Bangladesh women are dependent on men
throughout their whole lives from fathers, to
husbands, and even sons.
 Women are expected to get married between ages
fifteen and twenty. They are always expected to
please their husbands desires (SIGI, 2011).
 The Constitution affirms gender equality, but state
legislation and institutions often ignore women's
rights. Furthermore women and young girls are more
disadvantaged than men in their access to
education, health care, and financial assets
(SIGI, 2011).
 Women have no protection against violence which is
quite common. Especially sexual harassment,
assaults, and rapes. Acid attacks are common and
are usually caused by revenge due to rejection.
Also, after the husband returns tired from a long day
at work (Hossain, 2010).
 Women are allowed to speak only when spoken to
and are never seen in public events. Their lives
revolve around their husbands, children, cooking,
cattle feeding, and processing rice (SIGI, 2011).
20

21. •
Men
In Bangladesh men are the main wage
earners and decision makers.
Therefore, fathers decide who their
children marry (Maloney& Aziz,
2001).
• Men are expected to marry at around
twenty-five or older. Some men who
are comfortable economically have
two or more wife's indicating he can
support more than one wife
(Maloney& Aziz, 2001).
• Men’s work is agriculture such as:
office tending, business matters, and
shopping. With exceptions such as
weeding which is only done by poor,
tribal, or old women(Maloney & Aziz,
2001).
• Men handle all the money (Hossain,
2010).
• Men beat their wife’s if she speaks to
other males, or doesn’t respect her
parents in law (Maloney& Aziz, 2001).
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22. Bangladesh Religion
By Jason Rexroad

23. Bangladesh Religion
 The people of Bangladesh are
deeply religious
 Approximately 85% of the
Bangladesh population are
Muslim
 Roughly 12% are Hindu
 About 3% are Buddhist
 Some ½ of 1% are Christians
 Mosques, temples and shrines to
respect saints fill the cities and
dot the countryside
 The year is filled with religious
festivals and holidays
http://www.aobbangladesh.org/Bangladesh

24. Religious festivals and holidays
 Islam being a majority throughout the country praying is an everyday
occurrence.
 Islamic holidays:
I. Eid-ul-Azha; which is a festival of sacrifice in honor of Allah.
II. Ramadan; which a month of fasting between dawn and dusk.
III. Eid-ul-Firt: festival marking the end of Ramadan.
 Hindu holidays:
I. Kati Puja; which is a festival that pays respect to the female goddess
Kali.
II. Durgapuja; is a 10 day festival acknowledging the female warrior
goddess Durga.
 Christian holidays:
I. Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
 Buddists celebrate the birth of Buddha. (Harris, 2011)
Image http://www.everyculture.com

25. Religion and its role in culture, society,
government and public life
 Understanding the spiritual roots of a country
provides deeper insight into its culture.
 This information can give a better
understanding of the social customs,
traditions, behaviors and beliefs of the
culture.
 Because of the strong religious background a
basic understanding of the religious culture
can be key to interpreting associated
behavior in the Bangladesh government,
business, public, family, and social life.
 Understanding the religious culture of
Bangladesh will help with communicating
and establishing successful relations in a
respectful manner and help avoid social or
political mistakes or misunderstandings
Image: http://www.juggle.com/bangladesh communicating with the people of
Bangladesh.

26. In Conclusion, Bangladesh has a lot of
interesting information that a lot of the
people do not know about.
 The main points were presented by:
 Geography of Bangladesh (By Mariya Roata)
 Economy of Bangladesh (By Stephen Stabbert)
 Bangladesh Nonverbal use of Clothing (formal and informal) (By Molly Peterson)
 Bangladesh Rituals (verbal and nonverbal traditions) (By Kasey Murrey )
 Bangladesh Gender Roles (By Yelena Mikshanskaya)
 Bangladesh Religion (By Jason Rexroad)

27. Questions
 1. What are the 3 major (biggest) rivers in
Bangladesh?

 2. What order do you say goodbye to people in
Bangladesh?

 3. Is religion an important part of the Bangladesh
culture? Why?

 4. What are some major differences between gender
roles in Bangladesh and America?

 5. What are the three components to a Shalwar
Kameez garment?

28. References
April. (2011, Apr 14). Culture of bangladesh - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family. Retrieved
from http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Bangladesh.html
Ashraful Aziz, A. A., & Clarence Maloney, C. M. (2001). Life stages, gender and fertility in Bangladesh. (pp. 74-80). International
Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh. Retrieved from
http://dspace.icddrb.org/dspace/bitstream/123456789/2564/1/Life stages gender and fertility in Bangladesh, Monograph No
3.pdf
Bangladesh. (2011). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/51736/Bangladesh
Bangladesh :: Agriculture. (n.d.). The Bangladesh Travel Guide : Know Bangladesh, Travel to Bangladesh & Discover Bangladesh
Naturally. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from http://www.discoverybangladesh.com/meetbangladesh/agriculture.html
"Bangladesh." Cities of the World. 2002. Retrieved November 17, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3410700171.html
Bangladesh Clothing . (n.d.). In Discovery Bangladesh . Retrieved November 14, 2011, from
http://www.discoverybangladesh.com/meetbangladesh/clothing.html
Bangladesh :: Economy. (n.d.). The Bangladesh Travel Guide : Know Bangladesh, Travel to Bangladesh & Discover Bangladesh
Naturally. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from http://www.discoverybangladesh.com/meetbangladesh/economy.html
Bangladesh Infrastructure (Introduction) :: Bangladesh's need for infrastructure has not gone unnoticed by its two largest
neighbors, India and China. . (n.d.). Trade Gallery of Asia,B2B Asian Business Portals,Trade in Asia,Asian Business Sites,Asian
Trade Gallery. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from http://www.asiatradehub.com/bangladesh/intro.asp
Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Ivy, D. K. (2010). The Blue Book of Communication Studies (TCC Custom Edition ed. , pp. 161). Boston:
Allyn and Bacon.
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29. References
Cultural information - bangladesh. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=bd
Harris, M.S. (2011). Countries and their cultures. Retrieved November 6, 2011, from http://www.everyculture.com
Hossain , M. H. (2010). Child labour:trends and features . Retrieved from http://www.banglarights.net/HTML/Childlabour.htm
JUTE BAG AUSTRALIA. (n.d.). JUTE BAG. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from http://www.jutebag.com.au/aboutJute.htm
Nimbark, A. (2001). Bangladesh. In R. Marlow-Ferguson (Ed.), World Education Encyclopedia (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 98-102). Detroit:
Gale. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3409700026&v=2.1&u=tacoma_comm&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
NLM (A service of the U.S National Institutes of health) (2011), Gender and sexuality among men and women in Bangladesh.
Retrieved from http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102259568.html
SIGI (Social Institutions And Gender Index) (2011), Gender equality and social institutions in Bangladesh . Retrieved from
http://genderindex.org/country/bangladesh
Silence. (2005). Bangladesh - culture, customs, language and etiquette. Retrieved from
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/bangladesh.html
South Asia: Bangladesh. (n.d.). The World Factbook. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/bg.html
The people of Bangladesh. (n.d.). In Sreepur Village . Retrieved November 14, 2011, from
http://www.sreepurvillage.org/documents/Sreepur%20Village%20Education%20Resources%203.pdf
Walker, B. (n.d.). Bangladesh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 21, 2011,
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh
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