Bangladesh is the seventh most populous country in the world and third most populous Muslim country. More than one hundred and fifty million people call Bangladesh home. Bangladesh was part of India under the British Raj. In 1947 when the British Raj ended in the Indian sub-continent the country was divided into India and Pakistan. Bangladesh was part of Pakistan and was called East Pakistan.

Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 26 March 1971 after popular agitation against Pakistan. The capital of the new state was and still is Dhaka. The official name of the country is People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Victory Day is December 16 and is commemorated as the official creation of state of Bangladesh. The government type of Bangladesh is parliamentary democracy. Chief of state is the President and chief of government is the Prime Minister. Bangladesh legal system is based on the English common law.

After independence Bangladesh went through period of famines, natural disaster and widespread poverty. Bangladesh also saw political coups and military coups. This negatively impacted the progress of the nation. The democracy was restored in 1991 and has been followed by relative calm. However gross domestic product (GDP) has doubled since 1970′s and poverty has fallen by 20% since 1990′s. The main economic center of the nation is the capital Dhaka. Main export of the country comes from garment industry. This sector employs about three million people. One of the most significant contribution to Bangladesh and other nation comes from the formation of micro credit financing. Muhammad Yunus (Nobel peace winner 2006) is the founder of micro credit financing.

Bangladesh has a long history and a rich culture. The old and new tradition comes together in this country with all vibrant colors. Bangladesh also has rich literary heritage. The earliest literary text in Bengali is from eight century. Bangladesh is a mixture of old and new. Most of the population still lives in villages but the migration towards towns and cities is on the rise. The new technology is making inroads on the daily life but the traditionalist are having problem coping with the rapid speed of change. There are many problems which are faced by Bangladesh, but there is huge potential. It is a young country and needs time to flourish into a stable and prosperous country.

Bangladesh is a country famously known for its well preserved culture. The country still proudly holds most of its country’s ancient culture along the generations that passed. The country’s cultural history was brought to Bangladesh from its early inhabitants who through the generations carried in the many cultural diversities and cultural groups of the country. One of the country’s well-preserved ethnicity is the Bangladeshi’s cultural dance. The country’s cultural dances are common to the Middle Eastern dances. These cultural dances are associated with weddings and certain activities like harvesting, planting, fishing and others which mirrors the Bangladeshi’s way of life. Most cultural dances of Bangladesh are performed in singles or more commonly in groups. These dances are often accompanied be singing. There are some dances wherein the dancers sing and dance at the same time, depending on the occasions. These cultural dances of Bangladesh come together with other religious and social dances.

Chhau dance is a form of masked dance performed in the western regions of Bengal. It is a martial arts dance wherein the dancers wear attires together with swords and shields. Each dancers portray different characteristics and roles such as gods, demons and animals. It is more like a dance role playing. Chhau dance can be performed during any occasions. Chhokra dance is performed by young Bangladeshi boys portraying the roles of women. The dance is presented in an open field preferably in a canopied stage. The Chhoka dance is accompanied by a large team of singers and musicians who are commonly seated on the sides of the stage.

Lathi dance is a stick dance performed during the Muharram celebration which is the “Sacred month” of the Islam. This is celebrated during the fist month of the Hegira or the Islamic calendar. This dance is performed by youth groups that wear tight-fitted clothes and carry daggers, swords and cymbals. Kali dance is performed by a dancer wearing a black mask and representing the character of the goddess Kali who is a Hindu goddess which is said to be associated with eternal powers. Kali is known to be the goddess of time and change. The drum is the main instrument being played during the Kali dance.

Ghatu dance is performed with accompanying Ghatu songs which are Bangladesh native folk songs. The name Ghatu was derived if the name Ghat which means ‘river bank’. The Ghatu dance was mainly for entertainment and is not a religious dance. This is a form of dance performed by young boys dressed like girls which are the main attraction of the dance. There are other numerous cultural dances in Bangladesh. These dances each are very entertaining and fun to watch. Dances are still being performed these days, which is one of the main attractions in Bangladesh.