March 26: Independence Day of Bangladesh
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Bangladesh.
History Note
When Pakistan and India separated in 1947, Pakistan was composed of two territories that did not touch. They were located to the west and east of India. After conflict between the two territories, they split into two separate countries in 1971. West Pakistan became Pakistan. East Pakistan became Bangladesh.
The people of Bangladesh have suffered under unstable governments and military coups. However, the country has seen more effective government and economic growth in recent years.
With about 170 million people, Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely-populated countries. Nearly all citizens are part of the Bengali ethnic group and speak the Bangla language. About 90% are Muslim, 8% are Hindu, and a relatively small number are Christian.
Bengali leaders declared independence from Pakistan on March 26, 1971. Today the country observes March 26 as its Independence Day. People celebrate with parades, concerts, and ceremonies.
On March 26, 2014, Bangladeshis celebrated their Independence Day by setting a world record for the most people singing a regional or national anthem together. In the capital of Dhaka, 254,537 people gathered to sing “Amar Sonar Bangla.” Photo by Sebastian Castelier / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a Bengali poet, artist, and philosopher. He wrote the lyrics for “Amar Sonar Bangla” (“My Golden Bengal”) in 1905. He adapted a melody by Gagan Harkara (c. 1845-1910). During the Bengali struggle against Pakistan in 1971, they adopted this song as their national anthem.
Learn more about Bangladesh at Homeschool History.
