The Price The Earth Is Paying To Develop Bangladesh

The Price the Earth is Paying to Develop Bangladesh

By JMN

EVNS 101 midterm essay question

In southern Asia, set between India and Burma, lies Bangladesh; the most densely populated country in the world. The 144,000 sq. km area is home to more than 162 million people. (2) Bangladesh is what is known as an LDC: a Less Developed Country. These countries are poor, largely rural, agriculturally based and account for 90% of global population growth. Birth and death rates start out extremely high in LDC's. Over time there is a shift in these figures. The shift is a four stage process known as demographic transition. Country's follow these certain patterns on their way to industrialization. With the fertility rate dropping each year, Bangladesh is just now beginning the third stage, otherwise known as the stabilization era of the transition.

The overpopulation combined with limited space, the location and the resources available make for an almost heartbreaking analysis of the state of this country. Bangladesh is a flat alluvial piece of land fanned out at the confluence of three major river systems. The rivers have begun to run black from the industrial and human waste that fills them daily. Thousands of people who live on the banks of these rivers continue to use the contaminated water to wash, bathe and even drink. (5).Flood waters cover the already depleted soils and farms of the residents for much of the year. Many acres of this farmland used to be biologically diverse wetlands and healthy timber forests. Of course timber has been cleared immensely and the earth's natural filters are being removed continuously by the unaware. Recently, education on replanting, reducing waste, erosion control and conservation methods, as well as other sustainable ideas have begun to be reaching the multitudes of Bengal people. The flooding, poor land use and unsanitary conditions lead to continuous devastation from waterborne illnesses, loss of food crops, loss of life and loss of livelihood. On top of all that, the ground water beneath this country is contaminated with arsenic, so access to potable water is very limited. ' Besides its toxicity, groundwater arsenic contamination creates widespread social problems for its victims and their families in Bangladesh."(3). Add to that the propensity for cyclones and the fear of even a slight rise in sea level and you have a country full of devastation and despair.

This being said, I have three requests for the government of Bangladesh: # 1Please educate and include your people on