The year 2008 was the 37th year after the independence of Bangladesh. It was also the second year of Bangladesh's caretaker Government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed.
Incumbents
President: Iajuddin Ahmed Prime Minister: Fakhruddin Ahmed (acting) Chief Justice: Md. Ruhul Amin
Demography + Demographic Indicators for Bangladesh in 2008 Population, total144,304,164 Population density (per km2)1108.6 Population growth (annual %)1.1% Male to Female Ratio (every 100 Female)104.0 Urban population (% of total)29.0% Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people)22.2 Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people)5.9 Mortality rate, under 5 (per 1,000 live births)55 Life expectancy at birth, total (years)69.1 Fertility rate, total (births per woman)2.4
Climate
Economy + Key Economic Indicators for Bangladesh in 2008 National Income Current US$ Current BDT % of GDP GDP $91.6 billion BDT6.3 trillion GDP growth (annual %) 6.0% GDP per capita $635.0 BDT43,566 Agriculture, value added $16.1 billion BDT1.1 trillion 17.6% Industry, value added $22.7 billion BDT1.6 trillion 24.7% Services, etc., value added $48.5 billion BDT3.3 trillion 52.9% Balance of Payment Current US$ Current BDT % of GDP Current account balance $0.9 billion 1.0% Imports of goods and services $25.2 billion BDT1.6 trillion 25.0% Exports of goods and services $17,495.1 million BDT1.1 trillion 17.7% Foreign direct investment, net inflows $1,328.4 million 1.4% Personal remittances, received $8,940.6 million 9.8% Total reserves (includes gold) at year end $5,787.4 million Total reserves in months of imports 2.6 Note: For the year 2008 average official exchange rate for BDT was 68.60 per US$.
Events
3 February – The port city of Chittagong put on high alert to prevent a bird flu epidemic 8 February – A plague of rats destroy crops in Chattogram Hill Tracts 13 February – The immigration advisory service in Britain warn that restrictions on immigration of Bangladeshis to the UK was leading to shortages in curry houses and affecting the industry 28 February – Ferry accident near Dhaka claims 45 lives 3 March - Justice A. K. Badrul Haque resigned from High Court Division 14 April - Train service between Dhaka, Bangladesh and Kolkata, India, resumes after 43 years with the inauguration of Maitree ExpressAtlast, train to Bangladesh. The Financial (Bangladesh). Retrieved 10 April 2025. 16 April - Train-bus collision in Tangail district kills at least 17 people and injures 19 othersIHT. IHT. Retrieved 10 April 2025. 13 May - Another ferry named MV Nazimuddin sunk in the Ghorautura River, killing at least 40 people 19 May- Dhaka high court approves citizenship for Biharis who were minors when Bangladesh won independence in 1971 or born after 11 June – Former PM Sheikh Hasina is released on parole 13 June – 9 bandits are killed in Natore by locals. 20 June – The Election Commission (EC) announces that polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities will be held on 4 August 2009. 30 June – The caretaker government increases prices of petroleum products for the second time during its tenure. 21 July – At least 21 people are killed and nearly 40 injured when two buses collide on a Bangladesh highway. 30 July – The government sets up a truth commission that would allow corrupt businessmen and politicians to avoid going to jail if they confess and refund money obtained illegally 3 September – Tareq Rahman, son of former PM Khaleda Zia is freed on bail. 11 September – Khaleda Zia is freed from her yearlong detention. 3 November – The caretaker government schedules general elections on 18 December 2008. 24 November – The Electoral Commission reschedules the date for the general election from 18 to 29 December. 29 December – 2008 Bangladeshi general election takes place, Bangladesh Awami League secures a landslide victory. Sheikh Hasina becomes PM for the second time.
Awards and Recognitions
Independence Day Award Recipients Area Note Dr. Syed Muhammad Shamsuzzoha liberation war Dr. Govinda Chandra Dev liberation war Rehman Sobhan research and training Bangladesh Rifles liberation war organization
Ekushey Padak Muzaffar Ahmed, education Khandaker Nurul Alam, music Shyam Sundar Baishnab, music (posthumous) Najma Chowdhury, research Shefali Ghosh, music (posthumous) Waheedul Haq, music (posthumous) Zohra Begum Kazi, social work (posthumous) Dilwar Khan, literature Khaleque Nawaz Khan, language
Sports Olympics: Bangladesh sent a delegation to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Bangladesh did not win any medals in the competition. International football: In June, Bangladesh participated in SAFF Championship held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bangladesh couldn't progress any further from the group stage. In October, Bangladesh competed in Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia but couldn't register any point. Later in November, Bangladesh participated in Myanmar Grand Royal Challenge Cup where they managed to secure a goalless draw against Myanmar, but again couldn't progress from the group stage. Domestic football: Dhaka Abahani won Bangladesh League title. Cricket: The South African cricket team toured Bangladesh for two Test matches and three One Day Internationals in February and March. The visitors swept both the series. The Ireland cricket team toured Bangladesh in March 2008 and played three One Day Internationals (ODIs). Bangladesh won all three matches. Bangladesh lost both first-round games against Pakistan and India at a triangular ODI tournament held in Bangladesh in June. At the 2008 Asia Cup held in Pakistan, Bangladesh won their first group stage game against associate UAE. Even though they lost to Sri Lanka in the next group stage match, Bangladesh reached the super four stage, before losing the next three games against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Bangladeshi national cricket team visited Pakistan in April and played a five-match Limited Overs International (LOI) series which Pakistan won 5–0. In August–September, the Bangladesh national cricket team played three One Day International (ODI) matches in Australia. The Australians swept the series 3–0. New Zealand played two Test matches and three One Day Internationals in Bangladesh in October, winning one Test and two ODIs. The other Test was drawn, and Bangladesh won the remaining ODI. Then Bangladesh toured South Africa from 5 to 30 November. They played two Test matches, one Twenty20 International and three ODIs against South Africa. Other than an abandoned Test match South Africa won all other matches. In December, however, Bangladesh bounced back from the previous lackluster performances by threatening to win the first Test match against Sri Lanka at home by chasing down the highest fourth innings total of 513. Though they fell 107 runs short, their performances were praised.
Deaths
14 January – Selim Al Deen, playwright (b. 1949) 31 January – Abdus Suttar Khan, scientist (b. 1941) 4 February – Devdas Chakraborty, artist (b. 1933) 16 February – Monwar Hossain Nannu, footballer (b.1948) 17 February – S M Aslam Talukder (Manna), movie actor (b. 1964) 26 February – Bazlur Rahman, journalist (b. 1941) 28 March – Mohammad Asaduzzaman, educator (b. 1948) 6 April – Naziur Rahman Manzur, politician (b. 1948) 21 August – Abdullah al Mamun, playwright, actor, filmmaker (b. 1942) 2 September – Mohammad Moniruzzaman, author (b. 1936) 2 September – Zia Haider, author (b. 1936)
See also 2000s in Bangladesh List of Bangladeshi films of 2008 Timeline of Bangladeshi history
References