Europeans began to set up
trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually
the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British
India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim)
separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country
of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward
arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated
by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East
Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was
renamed Bangladesh. About a third of this extremely poor country floods
annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic
development. The official language is Bangla (also known as Bengali);
English
is also spoken.