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With a population of some 130 million, Bangladesh is both one of the largest countries in the world as well as an important Islamic nation. Often referred to as an economic basket case, in recent times Bangladesh has radical Islam as an additional factor to contend with. The Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh spans the country's periods under various regimes, its incorporation into India and Pakistan, and then from 1971 its independence and identity as a state in its own right. Thus, there are obvious challenges in writing a historical dictionary of Bangladesh, this handy reference volume has achieved precisely that. The book focuses especially on the modern state of Bangladesh which explored most intensively. The book contains hundreds of entries in an easy-to-refer A-to-Z format, spanning Bangladesh's history, politics, economy, society, its religious traditions, culture and the country's important people in a succinct and balanced manner. The rich mine of information is placed in context by an over-arching introduction and a detailed chronology. An extensive bibliography offers further guidance for those seeking to study different aspects of Bangladesh in greater detail. This book is a compact but highly informative ready-reference resource for scholars and students, political scientists and commentators, journalists, diplomats, regional analysts and the enquiring travelers. It offers both solid background and a perspective for a better understanding of a country which remains one of the poorest of the world's nations and one where an embattled democracy and a tenuous market economy are struggling to take root and where radical Islam too is now emerging as a serious factor.