: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ ) is a sovereign state
located in South Asia
. It is bordered by India
on all sides except for a small border with Burma (Myanmar) to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal
to the south. The capital (and largest city) is Dhaka
, also it is the hub of all cultural, political and religious affairs. Together with the Indian state of West Bengal
, it makes up the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal
.
1952 In Dhaka, East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) police open fire on a procession of students that was demanding the establishment of Bengali as the official language, killing four people and starting a country-wide protest which led to the recognition of Bengali as one of the national languages of Pakistan. The day is later declared as "International Mother Language Day" by UNESCO.
1966 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, announces the ''Six Points'' in Karachi as the election manifesto of Awami League, that later led to formation of Bangladesh.
1970 Bhola cyclone: A 150-mph tropical cyclone hits the densely populated Ganges Delta region of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), killing an estimated 500,000 people in one night. This is regarded as the 20th century's worst natural disaster.
1971 The People's Republic of Bangladesh forms, under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Mujibnagor.
1971 Pakistan severs diplomatic relations with India following New Delhi's recognition of Bangladesh.
1972 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returns to the newly independent Bangladesh as president after spending over nine months in prison in Pakistan.
1972 East Pakistan renames itself Bangladesh.
1972 India and Bangladesh sign a friendship treaty.
1973 National Assembly of Pakistan passes a resolution on the recognition of Bangladesh.
1974 Organisation of the Islamic Conferencesummit begins in Lahore, Pakistan. Thirty-seven countries attend and twenty-two heads of state and government participate. It also recognizes Bangladesh.