Glossary

Awami League (People's League)

Political party of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Founded in 1949; won absolute majority in putative Pakistan Constituent Assembly in 1970, an event leading to 1971 civil war and Bangladesh independence.
 

Bangla

Official language of Bangladesh; often referred to as Bengali before 1971. An Indo-European language.
 

Bangladesh National Party

Political party of Ziaur Rahman (Zia). Founded in 1978 and became majority party during Zia's presidency.
 

Bengal

Formerly province of British India, now encompasses India's state of West Bengal and all of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan- -q.v.) During Mughal period (1526-1858) a province, later governed by a president of the British East India company, and during the British Raj (q.v.), a state.
 

Bengali calendar

Year begins on April 15 of the Gregorian calendar; based on Muslim, or hijra (q.v.) calendar and used widely in religious life.
 

British Raj

Period of British colonial rule (1858-1947) over India, including those parts of British India that were to become Pakistan (on August 15, 1947) and Bangladesh (on December 16, 1971).
 

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Commonly used name for area comprising Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban regions in southeastern Bangladesh.
 

crore

In Bangladesh, as elsewhere in South Asia, large numerical units are usually expressed in crores; a crore is 10 million.
 

Delhi Sultanate

period of early Indian-based Islamic rule of Bengal (1206- 1341). The Delhi Sultanate continued in India proper until 1526.
 

district

zila in Bangla (q.v.). One of major administrative subdivisions in Bangladesh; an average of three districts make up each of the twenty-one regions of Bangladesh. In 1988 there were sixty-four districts in Bangladesh.
 

East Bengal

Eastern part or East Wing of Pakistan from August 15, 1947, to December 16, 1971. Another name for East Pakistan (q.v.).
 

East Pakistan

From August 15, 1947, to December 16, 1971, the eastern part, or East Wing, of united Pakistan. Seceded in 1971 to become Bangladesh.
 

East Wing

See East Pakistan.
 

fiscal year (FY)

July 1 through June 30.
 

freedom fighters

See Mukti Bahini.
 

gross domestic product (GDP)

A value measure of the flow of domestic goods and services produced by an economy over a period of time, such as a year. Only output values of goods for final consumption and investment are included because the values of primary and intermediate production are assumed to be included in final prices. GDP is sometimes aggregated and shown at market prices, meaning that indirect taxes and subsidies are included; when these have been eliminated, the result is GDP at factor cost. The word gross indicates that deductions for depreciation of physical assets have not been made. See also gross national product.
 

gross national product (GNP)

Gross domestic product (q.v.) plus the net income or loss stemming from transactions with foreign countries. GNP is the broadest measurement of the output of goods and services of an economy. It can be calculated at market prices, which include indirect taxes and subsidies. Because indirect taxes and subsidies are only transfer payments, GNP is often calculated at factor cost by removing indirect taxes and subsidies.
 

hadith

Tradition, based on the precedent of the Prophet Muhammad's nondivinely revealed deeds and words, that serves as one of the sources of Islamic law (sharia--q.v.).
 

hijri

Literally, to migrate, to sever relations, to leave one's tribe. Throughout the Muslim world, hijra refers to the migration of Muhammad and his followers to Medina in A.D. 622, marking the start of the Muslim era. In this sense, the word has come into European languages as "hegira" and is usually and somewhat misleadingly translated as "flight."
 

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Established along with the World Bank (q.v.) in 1945, the IMF is a specialized agency affiliated with the United Nations and is responsible for stabilizing international exchange loans to its members (including industrialized and developing countries) when they experience balance of payments difficulties. These loans frequently carry conditions that require substantial internal economic adjustments by the recipients, most of which are developing countries.
 

Jamayat Islami Bangladesh

Political party based on Islam. Established in 1941 by Sayeed Abul Ala Moududi.
 

Jatiyo Party

Political party of Hussain Muhammed Ershad. Established in 1985 and won majority control of Parliament in 1986 and 1988 elections.
 

jihad

The struggle to establish the law of God on earth, often interpreted to mean "holy war."
 

Mukti Bahini

Literally, liberation force, frequently taken to mean freedom fighters; the pro-Awami League (q.v.) military forces that led civil war against the Pakistani Army in 1971.
 

sharia

Islamic law.
 

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

comprises the seven nations of South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka; founded at a meeting of foreign ministers in New Delhi on August 1-2, 1983; inaugural meeting of heads of state and government in Dhaka on December 7-8, 1986. The goal is to effect economic, technical, and cultural cooperation and to provide a forum for discussion of South Asian political problems.
 

subdistrict

upazila in Bangla (q.v.). A rural administrative subdivision of a district (q.v.). In 1988 there were 460 subdistricts in Bangladesh.
 

taka

Bangladesh's unit of currency adopted in 1971, derives from the word tonka, the Iranian coinage used during the Delhi Sultanate (q.v.). In September 1988, the official exchange rate was US$1 equals Tk34.20. One hundred paisas constitute 1 taka; there are 1-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-paisa coins and banknotes in 1-, 10-, 20-, 50-, 100-, and 500-taka denominations. Ten million takas equals 1 crore (q.v.) takas.
 

ulama

Man trained in Islamic theology.
 

union

A rural administrative unit, subdivision of a subdistrict (upazila--q.v.). In 1988 there were 4,401 unions in Bangladesh.
 

upazila

See subdistrict.
 

World Bank

Informal name used to designate a group of three affiliated international institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The IBRD, established in 1945, has the primary purpose of providing loans to developing countries for productive projects. The IDA, a legally separate loan fund but administered by the staff of the IBRD, was set up in 1960 to furnish credits to the poorest developing countries on much easier terms than those of conventional IBRD loans. The IFC, founded in 1956, supplements the activities of the IBRD through loans and assistance designed specifically to encourage the growth of productive private enterprises in the less developed countries. The president and certain senior officers of the IBRD hold the same positions in the IFC. The three institutions are owned by the governments of the countries that subscribe their capital. To participate in the World Bank group, member states must first belong to the International Monetary Fund (IMF--q.v.).
 

zamindar

Landlord, but particularly of the group of landlords and the zamindar system that emerged after the British Permanent Settlement (Landlease) Act of 1793. In essence, the former tax collectors of the Mughal period (1526-1858) became landlords under the British. Zamindar tenure was abolished in 1950.
 

zila

See district.