Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of plates
- List of maps and figures
- Acknowledgements
- Timeline
- Introduction
- PART I THE LONG VIEW
- 1 A land of water and silt
- 2 Jungle, fields, cities and states
- 3 A region of multiple frontiers
- 4 The delta as a crossroads
- PART II COLONIAL ENCOUNTERS
- PART III BECOMING EAST PAKISTAN
- PART IV WAR AND THE BIRTH OF BANGLADESH
- PART V INDEPENDENT BANGLADESH
- Conclusion
- Bangladesh district maps
- Key political figures since 1947
- Glossary of Bengali terms
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
2 - Jungle, fields, cities and states
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2015
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of plates
- List of maps and figures
- Acknowledgements
- Timeline
- Introduction
- PART I THE LONG VIEW
- 1 A land of water and silt
- 2 Jungle, fields, cities and states
- 3 A region of multiple frontiers
- 4 The delta as a crossroads
- PART II COLONIAL ENCOUNTERS
- PART III BECOMING EAST PAKISTAN
- PART IV WAR AND THE BIRTH OF BANGLADESH
- PART V INDEPENDENT BANGLADESH
- Conclusion
- Bangladesh district maps
- Key political figures since 1947
- Glossary of Bengali terms
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
For hundreds of thousands of years, the fertile Bengal delta was covered by dense rainforests and wetlands, an environment of high biodiversity. Much of it survived well into historical times. In the last few centuries, however, what had been one of the richest wildlife areas of the world went into sharp decline. Many species of plants and animals disappeared from Bangladesh – among the larger animals: rhinoceros, wild buffalo, banteng, gaur, nilgai, various species of deer, wolf, marsh crocodile, pink-headed duck and peafowl. Others, such as elephant, tiger and leopard, became very rare (see box ‘Spotting a shishu’).
The decline of the Bengalian rainforest was directly related to the success of one of its denizens: man. Human beings have been roaming the forests and rivers of Bangladesh, making use of their rich resources, from very early times. However, few early remains have been found, and experts do not agree on when humans first made their appearance. According to some, they entered the region from the north-east, crossing the mountains from China some 60,000 years ago. Others suggest, however, that a discrete regional culture developed in Bengal well before 100,000 bce.
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- Information
- A History of Bangladesh , pp. 11 - 23Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009