The year 2009 was the 38th year after the independence of Bangladesh. It was also the first year of the second term of the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Incumbents
President: Iajuddin Ahmed (until 6 January), Zillur Rahman (starting 6 January) Prime Minister: Fakhruddin Ahmed (acting) (until 6 January), Sheikh Hasina (starting 6 January) Chief Justice: Md. Ruhul Amin (until 23 December), Md. Tafazzul Islam (starting 23 December)
Demography
Climate
Economy
Note: For the year 2009 average official exchange rate for BDT was 69.04 per US$.
Events
19 February - ML Happy sunk near Barisal City. At least 39 people died in the sinking. 25 February – Mutiny staged by Bangladesh Rifles, a paramilitary force at BDR HQ, Pilkhana, Dhaka. The rebelling BDR soldiers took over the BDR headquarters in Pilkhana, killing the BDR Director-General Shakil Ahmed along with 56 other army officers and 17 civilians. They also fired on civilians, held many of their officers and their families hostage, vandalised property and looted valuables. By the second day, unrest had spread to 12 other towns and cities. The mutiny ended as the mutineers surrendered their arms and released the hostages after a series of discussions and negotiations with the government. 13 March – A fire at Bashundhara City shopping mall kills 7 and injures 50 more. The blaze started around 1:30 pm, after Friday prayers, on one of the top floors. Most of the offices were empty, as Friday is the first day of the weekend in Bangladesh. A security guard died as he jumped off the top of the building to escape the fire. Seventeen others were injured. The chief security officer of the building was rescued from the roof top by a Bangladesh Air Force Bell-212 helicopter. 17 April - Police arrest 31 suspected Hizb ut-Tahrir members for planning terrorism. 25 May – Cyclone Aila ravages the south-west coast. 27 November - A ferry named MV Coco-4 sunk near Bhola Island, killing 75 people, out of more than a thousand on board, with several dozen more reported missing. 4 December - Another ferry sunk in Daira river located in Mithamain Upazila, Kishoreganj District killing at least 47 people.
Awards and recognitions
International recognition
1 May - Bangladeshi attorney and environmentalist Rizwana Hasan was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2009. 12 August – Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the US US President Barack Obama.
Independence Day Award
Ekushey Padak
Burhanuddin Khan Jahangir (education) Syed Anwar Husain (research) Mahbub Ul Alam Choudhury (language movement) Ashraf Uz Zaman Khan (journalism) Begum Bilkis Nasir Uddin (journalism) Manik Chandra Saha (journalism) Humayun Kabir Balu (journalism) Selina Hossain (literature) Shamsuzzaman Khan (research) Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad (poverty reduction) Mohammad Rafi Khan (social service) Monsur Ul Karim (fine arts) Ramendu Majumdar (theatre)
Sports
Kabaddi: Bangladesh won bronze medal in Kabaddi in Asian Inddor Games. Football: Bangladesh hosted the SAFF Championship from 4 to 13 December. Bangladesh lost to India in the semi-finals. Abahani Limited Dhaka defended B. League title. Cricket: