Crescent and the Delta The history of Bangladesh Book

This book surveys the history of the area that is now Bangladesh from earliest times to the present, though providing more detail on events since the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The title reflects the two dominant influences that have shaped the life and culture of Bangladesh, namely the Crescent (Islam) and the Delta (the great fact of geography). While histories of Bangladesh have been produced in India, Pakistan and in Bangladesh itself, all have been characterised by highly controversial political and other agendas. This is the first comprehensive history of Bangladesh to be written by an Englishman, though one who has spent much of his life in Islamic countries. Awareness of Bangladesh in Britain is low. In the recent BBC series commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of the British Raj, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) received scarcely a mention. Few people are aware that Bangladesh has the eighth largest population in the world. There is a large Bangladeshi population in this country, some now second or even third generation. They too often have little awareness of their ancestral homeland. Crescent and Delta aims at more than a history of Bangladesh. By recounting what has often been a violent and tragic history, it explores wider issues such as the cultural and economic interactions between those of different faiths, and the problems of establishing stable systems of government in places that have experienced centuries of oppression and exploitation. This book is also affiliated with first of its kind "Buckingham Bangladesh Scholarship" where all the profits are raised in perpetuity to educate a British born Bangladeshi and in the future Bangldeshi students from abroad. A worthy reason to purchase this book.