Bangladesh Cultural Overview

Poor maternal health and poverty are directly interrelated. Bangladesh being one of the poor countries in the world has worse maternal mortality rate in South Asia. It has been estimated that every year 21,000 women die during pregnancy or while giving birth to a child. Most of these deaths occur due to hemorrhage, anemia, hypertension and obstructed labor. Absence of medication for pregnant woman and delay in receiving the appropriate mode of transportation is also a major contributing factor to poor maternal health.

One of the major reasons for poor maternal health is the lack of skilled birth attendants which accounts for just 13% of all deliveries in Bangladesh. Another major reason for the poor is the fact that female children are not adequately nourished since their birth and generally conceive early in life. The resultant poor health and low birth weight has been carrying on for centuries.

South Asia is the most populated region of the world, even though this region is one of the most charismatic and colorful places on earth. Of this region, Bangladesh has the most natural landmarks which make Bangladesh a dream travel destination for tourists.

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world but the people here are warm hearten and treat guests so cordially that guests don’t feel like they are outside of their home. This kind of hospitality is very much rare anywhere in the world and that can alone be a reason to travel to Bangladesh.

Not only the people but also the nature here in Bangladesh are very kind and warm too. It has every element that a nature lover would crave for, like never ending sea beach, serpentine rivers, and enchanting jungles with plenty of variations of wild life. Bangladesh also offers many ancient historical sites which will give you a peek inside into the ancient culture of the Indian sub-continent.

The biggest victims of a poverty stricken country are its children. Bangladesh has had a dismal track record when it has come to kids health. Most of the children in the country specially in the rural areas suffer from acute malnutrition. The problem gets aggravated as Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with nearly 1,000 people per square kilometer. Although there has been considerable progress in the last 15 years the health of children in Bangladesh is being described as one of the severe in South Asia.

According to the latest UNICEF report the mortality rate in children under-five stands at an alarming 94 deaths per 1,000 live births. Malnutrition, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, injuries are contributing to the high rate of neonatal deaths in the country. Nearly one-half of all children below the age of five years are either underweight or stunted. The poor child health care facilities in the country means that most of these children are not vaccinated exposing them to the threats of life threatening diseases.