The year 1998 was the 27th year after the independence of Bangladesh. It was also the third year of the first term of the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Incumbents
President: Shahabuddin Ahmed Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina Chief Justice: A. T. M. Afzal
Demography + Demographic Indicators for Bangladesh in 1998 Population, total122,682,818 Population density (per km2)942.5 Population growth (annual %)2.1% Male to Female Ratio (every 100 Female)105.9 Urban population (% of total)22.8% Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people)28.8 Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people)7.3 Mortality rate, under 5 (per 1,000 live births)97 Life expectancy at birth, total (years)64.3 Fertility rate, total (births per woman)3.4
Climate
Flood From July to September 1998, Bangladesh suffered extensive flooding. Over 75% of the total area of the country was flooded, including half of Dhaka. It was similar to the catastrophic flood of 1988 in terms of the extent of the flooding. A combination of heavy rainfall within and outside the country and synchronisation of peak flows of the major rivers contributed to the flood. 30 million people were made homeless, and the death toll reached over a thousand. The flooding caused contamination of crops and animals, and unclean water resulted in cholera and typhoid outbreaks. Few hospitals were functional because of damage from the flooding, and those that were open had too many patients, resulting in everyday injuries becoming fatal due to lack of treatment. 700,000 hectares of crops were destroyed.
Economy + Key Economic Indicators for Bangladesh in 1998 National Income Current US$ Current BDT % of GDP GDP $50.0 billion BDT2,269.3 billion GDP growth (annual %) 5.2% GDP per capita $407.4 BDT18,497 Agriculture, value added $11.3 billion BDT512.6 billion 22.6% Industry, value added $11.3 billion BDT514.2 billion 22.7% Services, etc., value added $24.9 billion BDT1,130.9 billion 49.8% Balance of Payment Current US$ Current BDT % of GDP Current account balance -$35.2 million -.1% Imports of goods and services $7,952.8 million BDT365.9 billion 16.1% Exports of goods and services $5,865.4 million BDT266.8 billion 11.8% Foreign direct investment, net inflows $190.1 million 0.4% Personal remittances, received $1,605.8 million 3.2% Total reserves (includes gold) at year end $1,935.8 million Total reserves in months of imports 2.8 Note: For 1998, the average official exchange rate for BDT was 46.91 per US$.
Events
18 August – Anwar Hossain Kamal, Khulna leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, is gunned down in Khalishpur. 23 June – Bangabandhu Bridge, the longest multipurpose bridge in Bangladesh, is inaugurated by the prime minister. 18 October – Wahiduzzaman Chanchal, vice-president of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, is gunned down in Khulna. 8 November – US energy company Unocal sign an agreement with Petrobangla to develop the country's largest gas field. 3 November – Khulna City leader of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Jubo Dal, Babul, was shot dead. 28 November – Floods devastate rice fields, pushing Bangladesh's annual food shortfall to 4.3 million tons. Over 1000 people reportedly died in the floods.
Awards and recognitions
Independence Day Award Recipients Area Note Shahidullah Kaiser literature posthumous Abdul Mosabber Chowdhury science and technology Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib liberation war posthumous Syed Nazrul Islam liberation war posthumous Tajuddin Ahmed liberation war posthumous Captain Mansur Ali liberation war posthumous A. H. M. Kamruzzaman liberation war posthumous Abdur Rab Serniabat liberation war posthumous Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni liberation War posthumous Sheikh Kamal sports posthumous
Ekushey Padak Ranesh Das Gupta (literature) Akhtaruzzaman Ilias (literature) Rokanuzzaman Khan (journalism) Abul Kashem Sandwip (journalism) Ferdousi Mazumder (drama) Mahbuba Rahman (music)
Sports Asian Games: Bangladesh participates in the 1998 Asian Games, held from 6 to 20 December 1998 in Bangkok, Thailand. The men's Kabaddi team won a bronze medal in the respective event in the tournament. Cricket: Bangladesh hosts the 1998 ICC KnockOut Tournament (officially known as Wills International Cup). It is the first tournament apart from the World Cups to involve all test-playing nations. South Africa defeated the West Indies in the final to win the event. In November, the West Indies A team visits Bangladesh and plays three List A matches against Bangladesh. Starting on 12 November, the two teams play the first-ever first-class match in Bangladesh (i.e., since independence). West Indies A win by 8 wickets.Bangladesh v West Indies A 1998
Births 16 January – Masuk Mia Jony, footballer 1 February – Zakir Hasan, cricketer 22 February – Jaker Ali, cricketer 22 May – Munim Shahriar, cricketer 25 May – Nazmul Hossain Shanto, cricketer 10 September – Hossain Ali, cricketer 11 September – Robiul Islam, cricketer 7 October – Yasir Arafat Mishu, cricketer 15 October – Mosabbek Hossain, cricketer 30 October – Saif Hassan, cricketer 12 December – Towhid Hridoy, cricketer
Deaths
26 January – Muhammad Sohrab Hossain, politician (b. 1922) 14 February – Badrul Haider Chowdhury, Chief Justice of Bangladesh (b. 1925) 14 May – Shawkat Osman, writer (b. 1917) 1 June – Brojen Das, swimmer (b. 1927) 12 August – Gazi Shamsur Rahman, lawyer, writer, translator, columnist. and television personality (b. 1921). 8 October – Jashim, film actor (b. 1950) 30 November – Abdullah-Al-Muti, educationist (b. 1930)
See also 1990s in Bangladesh List of Bangladeshi films of 1998 Timeline of Bangladeshi history
References