This edition supersedes the Area Handbook for Bangladesh, coauthored by Richard F. Nyrop, et alia, in 1975. Some parts of that edition have been used in the preparation of the current book, and the authors of Bangladesh: A Country Study are grateful for the seminal work done by the earlier edition's authors.
Several individuals provided timely insight and assistance to the authors. They included Lieutenant Colonel Russell Olson, United States Army; Major James A. Dunn, Jr., United States Army; former diplomat Archer Kent Blood; and Professor Harry W. Blair. The authors also wish to thank various members of the staff of the Embassy of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in Washington, D.C., especially Brigadier Sharifuddin Ahmed, M. Tajul Islam, Mohammed Nazimuddin, and Obaedul Huq, for useful comments and primary-source research materials. Bazlur Rahim and Joyce L. Rahim provided and tabulated key statistical information, respectively. Additionally, the staffs of the United States Embassy in Dhaka, the Department of State, and the World Bank provided timely economic data. Labanya Borra of the Library of Congress Descriptive Cataloging Division assisted with some of the Bangla-language materials.
Various members of the staff of the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress assisted in the preparation of the book. Elizabeth Park prepared the telecommunications sections in chapters 3 and 4. Carolina E. Forrester checked the content of all of the maps used in the book and reviewed the text of the section on geography. Thomas Collelo provided substantive review of parts of the book. Tracy M. Coleman performed numerous essential tasks, ranging from assistance on research for the text, tables, and maps to word processing and proofreading. Andrea Matles Savada reviewed the Bibliography and helped proofread parts of the text and statistical tables. David P. Cabitto, Sandra K. Cotugno, and Kimberly A. Lord prepared the graphics. Harriett R. Blood assisted in the preparation of the maps. Helpful suggestions were made by Richard F. Nyrop during his review of all parts of the book. Noelle B. Beatty, Vincent Ercolano, Martha E. Hopkins, Marilyn L. Majeska, Ruth Nieland, Evan A. Raynes, and Gage Ricard edited portions of the manuscript. Izella Watson and Barbara Edgerton performed word processing. Martha E. Hopkins managed editing and production of the book. Andrea T. Merrill performed the final prepublication editorial review, and Shirley Kessel of Communicators Connection prepared the index. Sheryle O. Shears of the Library of Congress Composing Unit prepared camera-ready copy, under the direction of Peggy Pixley. Those who provided photographs and other illustrations have been acknowledged in the illustration captions.
Data as of September 1988