Oregon daily emerald., August 01, 1972, Page 4, Image 4

Commentary
Shaukat Hassan
Bangladesh—part two
This is the second in a series of articles about
Bangladesh, the land and the people. Shaukat llassan is
from Bangladesh and is a junior in political science at
the University.
Bangladesh is situated on the northeast corner of
India and has an area of 55,126 square miles.
It is one of the flattest pieces of alluvial land in the
world and is formed by the delta of the combined
Ganges Brahmaputra system of rivers. Except for a
small port ion on the eastern borders and in the southeast
where sandy hills form an undulating configuration, the
gradient is extremely low from the sea northwards
(about six feet above sea level).
The riverine system generally divides it into four
parts The main stream of the Ganges, known in
Bangladesh as Padma, cuts away a portion to the south
which comprises the districts of Khulna, Jessore,
Kushtia, Faridpur, Patuakhali and Bakerganj. The
main stream of the Brahmaputra, known as Jumna,
severs the portion on the west from the central part. On
the western side of the Jumna are the districts of
Itajshahi, Bogra.
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated
countries in the world, the average being 950 persons per
square mile and the highest being in Dacca, the capital,
with 1768 per square mile.
Except in specific areas, such as the Sundarbans
(Beautiful Forests), the Chittagong Hill Tracts (where
the Garos and Chakmasof the Buddhist Tribes live), and
some parts of Dinajpur and Rangpur in the northern
area of Bangladesh, the spread of [M>pulation is more or
less continuous and the (topulation can generally be
divided into two main categories urban and rural. For
administrative purposes Bangladesh will have 62
districts with direct links to the national Government in
I )acca.
Bangladesh has a coastline of 430 miles in the south
and shared a borderline with India of more than 3000
miles. In the southeast it borders Burma for about 100
miles In the northwest, Bangladesh border parallels
that of Nepal, the gap actually being of only 15 miles.
The country falls directly in the path of the mon
soons Various districts eif Bangladesh are heavy rainfall
regions. The memsoons which se*ts in during the month of
June is preee*de*d by Nor’westers, which bring heavy
rains in the- evenings accompanied by thunderstorms.
These rains are ve>ry important, starting in the month of
February and going on until May, turning into regular
monsoons, anel are a boon to the prexluctieen of rice anel
jute.
The heavy rainfall generally results in the flooding
of the rivers, which overflow their banks and cover an
extremely vast area. This often causes a sudden on rush
of water in the rivers and streams resulting in loss of life
and property. Intensive efforts are being made currently
by the Government to safeguard against these floods.
Normally, however, the overflowing of the streams
carries silt and when the excess waters recede, they
leave behind a new layer of deposits which is extremely
rich and helps in the growth of good crops.
The innumerable villages are usually buried in
groves of mango, jackfruit, bamboo, betelnut, datepalm,
coconut and other useful trees, Herbs, shrubs and trees
are common everywhere Of the gregarious trees, some
of the most conspicuous are the sal, sisso, khair, betelnut
and coconut.
The flora of the Sundarbans is notable because it
contains more local species due to the saline properties
of the water and tidal action on the land. The islets of the
Sundarbans are clothed with a dense evergreen forest of
tress and shrubs—mangrove being predominant.
Climbers and herbaceous plants dot the jungles.
No natural barrier militates against cultural
cohesion among the peoples of Bangladesh. The mon
soonic climate generates a common outlook on life and
focuses man’s attention on the higher ambition of the
human spirit A Bengali is born during a cyclone, lives
through cyclones and dies in a cyclone. The monsoon has
affected both the nature of the soil and the habits of man.
The heavy rains augur joy for the thirsty earth, which is
ever eager to absorb any amount of water and shoot up
the greenery that is characteristic of this country. They
create a spontaneous mirth in the hearts of men who
witness the dance of nature in the rhythmic drops of
rain. No wonder that the children in their movements
imitate the marvels of nature's art. Love of dancing and
music are an inborn quality of the Bengalis. Many a poet
has sung praises and written odes to our Golden Bengal.
The rural agricultural economy related to fixed seasons
has dictated a particular social pattern, which despite
historical cataclysms, is rooted in the native soil. This
great love of the soil is accompanied by a sense of
freedom and the circumstances have favoured the
growth of a unified life in which love for freedom retains
its basic character.
Bangladesh, a free, sovereign and independent
country, is already recognised by more than 75 countries
since it achieved independence last year The people of
Bangladesh, under the leadership of Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Kahman, are steadily moving toward
peace, progress and prosperity under the four basic
principles of secularism, socialism, democracy and
nationalism.
Official Name: The People’s Republic of
Bangladesh
Location: Latitude between 20.75 and 25.75 North;
Longitude between 88.3 and 92.75 East.
Area: 55,126 sq. miles (less than half the size of
Oregon)
Boundaries: North-West Bengal and Assam (In
dia); South—Bay of Bengal and Burma: East—Assam
(India) and Burma; West—West Bengal and Bihar
(India)
Climate: Minimum temp, in Jan.—49.6 F to 56.2 F
and in July—77.9 F to 78.9 F. Maximum temp, in Jan —
75.4 F to 78.4 F and in July—85.9 F to 89 F Annual temp.
57 F to 85 F.
Rainfall: Lowest rainfall—47.9 at Lalpur, Rajshahi
(northwest of Bangladesh); Highest rainfall—225.76 at
Lalkhel, Sylhet (northeast of Bangladesh)
Capital: Dacca (also seat of Government)
Population: 1972 (estimate) 75 million. 1961 Census:
Muslims—40.9million; Hindus—9.4million; Buddhists—
0.4 million; Christians—0.2 million; Total—50.9 million.
Rural Population 80 per cent; Muslim Pop. 80 per cenj^
Female-male ratio 930-1000. Literacy rate—20 per ceifl|
State Language—Bengali (English, former official
language, totally eradicated).
National days—a. Birthday of the Father of the
Nation, March 17; b. Independence day, March 26; c.
Victory day, December 16; d. Shaheed day (Martyrs),
February 21.
Principal rivers: Meghna, Padma, Brahmaputra,
Jumna, Surma and Karnaphuli
Important crops: Rice, jute, tobacco, tea, sugar
cane, pulses, etc.
Important industries: Jute, sugar, paper, textiles,
cement, natural gas, newsprint, etc.
Seaports: Chittagong and Chalna (Khulna)
Airports: Dacca (International), Chittagong, and
five other cities.
Media. Radio stations, 6; Television stations, 1;
Daily newspapers, 17
Power: Installed capacity, 475 MW; Transmission &
Distribution lines, 5767 miles; Total mileage of railways,
1752 miles; Total mileage of waterways, 4500 miles;
Total mileage of roads, 3607 miles
Educational Institutions: Universities, 6; Colleges,
296, Schools, 36,300
Nicholas Von Hoffman
What’s really wrong with him (buzz buzzIP
WASHINGTON Gary Hart looked good.
McGovern's campaign manager was wearing a pair of
dynamite leather pants and a beautifully tailored jacket
suggestive of blue denim and farm stitching In the face
of lus campaign's recurrent low comedy crises, he
displays a faintly good humored assurance and a
composure that borders on the serene
The other evening he w as standing in the foyer of his
headquarters, the same premises that Muskie once
occupied, turning away any suggestion that Eagleton
would be dumped "1 know why Muskie lost," he ven
tured, looking at a box of old Muskie leaflets. "It’s the
phone system he had in here "
The same attitude ran through the building Up
stairs Frank Mankiewicx, tin* national political direc
tor all of St George's people have these el supremo
titles w as also not sounding worried. "The press is just
trying to spook you," ho reassured somebody on the
other end of the phone lux*, aixl then hung up to make one
of his small, dry funny isms about Henry Kimelman, or
"Kiuielporson as we have to call him now with Women's
lab "
A W (Nidrrful Opportunity
Outside m this most political of cities you could find
a far wider spectrum of emotions aixi reactions to Tom
Kaglelon and his shrinks Then* was the Massachusetts
Congressman who kept saying it was a wonderful op
portunity to educate tlx* American public on mental
health "It's just like going to the hospital and getting
>ixir .qnx'ixlix out." lx* explained to someone w ho looked
puzzled and ttx*n asked, "Three times"”
In the Senate tlx* Itepubhcans an* n*ported to be
tripping amuixi chortling aixi saying to each other. "A
gn*at ticket, a commie aixla kook," while another suf
fering Democrat in the House remarked, “It’s not the
head-on arguments I fear, it's the jokes, the jokes and
those sympathetic background stories in the papers
quoting some medical expert explaining that in nine
cases out of 10 shock treatment does not result in per
manent brain damage.”
Underneath the many expressions of sympathy for
Kagleton. there is a tone of hilarity, not about him but
about Washington where most people seem to think
they’re crazy for being here. The whole town's a funny
farm so why pick on him0 Or, it serves the country
right, if they think any sane man would want custody of
the doomsday button
For Kagleton himself you can't help but feel sorry.
Win or lose, this gossipy, snippy city will be talking
about him for a long time Nervous fatigue, depression,
ha' what's really wrong with him0 Buzz-buzz,
domineering father, drunk driver, and all the sweet
maliciousness It was still fitting, though, that this
should happen to him, the realpolitik candidate, the
practical pol's candidate, the guy w ho was going to bring
the Catholics and the big labor boom booms back to the
Party. Better they should have eliminated the mid
dleman and nominated George Meany himself He still
wouldn't endorse the ticket, but it is true that the only
depression in Meanv s life was when the stockmarket
crashed in 1929
If instead of picking Kagleton, who was nothing but
an undistinguished pro Muskie liberal. McGovern had
picked the farthest *>ut veep candidate. mental health
wouldn't be the nation's number-one conversational
topic That candidate would have been Frances
Farenthold. the woman state representative from
Corpus Christi, Texas Sissy, as she's called by her
followers, was runner-up in the Vice Presidential
balloting in Miami Beach
She got her big vote mostly because was the
women’s candidate, but in fact, she’s a politician for all
genders. In Texas they know that. There she not only
came close to winning the gubernatorial nomination in
the run-off election, but in the process sent John Con
nally spinning out of the Democratic Party and over to
the Republicans where he belongs.
She pushed Connally out
1 know Sissy and am biased in her favor, but it’s still
true to say the reason she missed out being elected
governor of Texas was that she was a better McGovern
woman than McGovern was a McGovern man She
endorsed him the day he declared and she stumped the
state in a vintage 1941 DC-3 advocating the ideas he once
seemed to espouse She was forthright and her failure to
equivocate on anything from busing to abortion cost her
"They'd come to me and want me to say just one word,”
Sissy said the other day “I couldn’t say it and I’d see
that vote walk away.”
The feeling among her friends is that she made such
a record of good sense and honest statecraft that she will
be elected next time around. It is just those qualities as
well as her ability to present voters with new ideas
without frightening them that McGovern needs right
now and didn’t get with Eagleton.
Sissy, however, is beyond the imagination of the
men who wear the leather pants around the McGovern
headquarters As for the candidate himself, at this
writing the word from South Dakota is that he has taken
a stand at last and is waiting the reappearance of Gutzon
Borglum to chisel his face on Mr Rushmore
C opyright, IH72. The Washington Post
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