top of pageBackground: The huge delta region formed at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems - now referred to as Bangladesh - was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires centered on the Gangetic plain for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971.
Climate: tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Major riversBy length in km:Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km
note: - [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Natural hazards: droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
GeographyNote: most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal
top of pageEthnic groups: Bengali at least 98.9%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1.1% (2011 est.)
Note: Bangladesh's government recognizes 27 indigenous ethnic groups under the 2010 Cultural Institution for Small Anthropological Groups Act; other sources estimate there are about 75 ethnic groups; critics of the 2011 census claim that it underestimates the size of Bangladesh's ethnic population
Religions: Muslim 88.4%, other 11.6% (2020 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 25.38% (male 21,587,699/female 20,846,378)
15-64 years: 67.09% (male 54,560,958/female 57,599,478)
65 years and over: 7.53% (2023 est.) (male 5,871,022/female 6,718,930)
Birth rate: 17.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Major urban areasPopulation: 23.210 million DHAKA (capital), 5.380 million Chittagong, 955,000 Khulna, 962,000 Rajshahi, 964,000 Sylhet, 906,000 Bogra (2023)
EnvironmentCurrent issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; destruction of wetlands; severe overpopulation with noise pollution
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
top of pageCapitalName: DhakaGeographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E
Time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the origins of the name are unclear, but some sources state that the city's site was originally called "dhakka," meaning "watchtower," and that the area served as a watch-station for Bengal rulers
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of the Awami League's declaration of an independent Bangladesh, and 16 December (Victory Day) memorializes the military victory over Pakistan and the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
ConstitutionHistory: previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (preindependence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986
Amendments: proposed by the House of the Nation; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the House membership and assent of the president of the republic; amended many times, last in 2018
Legal system: mixed legal system of mostly English common law and Islamic law
Executive branchChief of state: President Mohammad Shahabuddin CHUPPI (since 24 April 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed (since 6 January 2009)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 February 2023 (next to be held by 2,028); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament
Election results: President Mohammad Shahabuddin CHUPPI (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister to a fourth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election
Legislative branchDescription: unicameral House of the Nation or Jatiya Sangsad (350 seats; 300 members in single-seat territorial constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote; 50 members - reserved for women only - indirectly elected by the House of the Nation membership by proportional representation vote using single transferable vote method; all members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 7 January 2024 (next to be held in 2,029)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (directly elected) - AL 222, JP 11, other 3, independent 62, vacant 2; composition NA
Judicial branchHighest courts: Supreme Court of Bangladesh (organized into the Appellate Division with 7 justices and the High Court Division with 99 justices)
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice and justices appointed by the president; justices serve until retirement at age 67
Subordinate courts: civil courts include: Assistant Judge's Court; Joint District Judge's Court; Additional District Judge's Court; District Judge's Court; criminal courts include: Court of Sessions; Court of Metropolitan Sessions; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court; special courts/tribunals
Political parties and leaders:
Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]
Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB [Shafiqur RAHMAN]
Bangladesh Kalyan Party or BKP [Syed Muhammad [IBRAHIM]
Bangladesh Nationalist Front or BNF [S. M. Abul Kalam AZAD]
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Tarique RAHMAN, acting chairperson; Begum Khaleda ZIA]
Bangladesh Tariqat Federation or BTF [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI]
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Rowshan ERSHAD]
Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) [Anwar Hossain MANJU]
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]
National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD [Hasanul Haque INU]
Workers Party or WP [Rashed Khan MENON]
International organization participation: ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad IMRAN (since 12 December 2022)
In the us chancery: 3,510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 244-2,771
In the us email address and website:mission.washington@mofa.gov.bd
[link] From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Peter HAAS (since 15 March 2022)
From the us embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212
From the us mailing address: 6,120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,120
From the us telephone: [880] (2) 5,566-2000
From the us FAX: [880] (2) 5,566-2,907
From the us email address and website: Flag description: green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh
top of pageEconomy overview: one of the fastest growing economies; significant poverty reduction; COVID-19 adversely impacted female labor force participation and undermined previously stable financial conditions; looking to diversify beyond clothing industry; fairly low government debt; new taxation law struggling to increase government revenues
Agriculture products: rice, potatoes, maize, sugar cane, milk, vegetables, onions, jute, mangoes/guavas, wheat
Industries: jute, cotton, garments, paper, leather, fertilizer, iron and steel, cement, petroleum products, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, tea, salt, sugar, edible oils, soap and detergent, fabricated metal products, electricity, natural gas
Labor force: 70.961 million (2021 est.)
Note: extensive migration of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia
Unemployment rate:
5.23% (2021 est.)
5.41% (2020 est.)
4.44% (2019 est.)
Note: about 40% of the population is underemployed; many persons counted as employed work only a few hours a week and at low wages
Public debt:
33.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Exports:
$49.386 billion (2021 est.)
$38.476 billion (2020 est.)
$44.961 billion (2019 est.)
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: United States 15%, Germany 14%, United Kingdom 8%, Spain 7%, France 7% (2019)
Commodities: clothing, knitwear, leather footwear (2021)
Imports:
$85.303 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$56.776 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$64.234 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Partners: China 31%, India 15%, Singapore 5% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, cotton, natural gas, scrap iron, wheat (2019)
Debt external:
$50.26 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$41.85 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates:
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 85.084 (2021 est.)
84.871 (2020 est.)
84.454 (2019 est.)
83.466 (2018 est.)
80.438 (2017 est.)
top of pagetop of pageBroadcast media: state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) broadcasts throughout the country. Some channels, such as BTV World, operate via satellite. The government also owns a medium wave radio channel and some private FM radio broadcast news channels. Of the 41 Bangladesh approved TV stations, 26 are currently being used to broadcast. Of those, 23 operate under private management via cable distribution. Collectively, TV channels can reach more than 50 million people across the country.
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2020)
1.4% of GDP (2019)
1.4% of GDP (2018)
Military and security forces:
Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force
Ministry of Home Affairs: Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2023)
Note 1: the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are jointly administered by the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD), both under the Prime Minister's Office; the AFD has ministerial status and parallel functions with MOD; the AFD is a joint coordinating headquarters for the three services and also functions as a joint command center during wartime; to coordinate policy, the prime minister and the president are advised by a six-member board, which includes the three service chiefs of staff, the principal staff officer of the AFD, and the military secretaries to the prime minister and president
Note 2: the RAB, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security; the RAB is a joint task force founded in 2004 and composed of members of the police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guards seconded to the RAB from their respective units; its mandate includes internal security, intelligence gathering related to criminal activities, and government-directed investigations
Military service age and obligation: 16-21 years of age for voluntary military service; Bangladeshi nationality and 10th grade education required; officers: 17-21 years of age, Bangladeshi nationality, and 12th grade education required (2023)
Space programOverview: has a modest space program focused on designing, building, and operating satellites, particularly those with remote sensing (RS) capabilities; researching a variety of other space-related capabilities and technologies; has a government-owned company for acquiring and operating satellites (Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited or BSCL, established in 2017); has relations with several foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of France, Japan, Russia, and the US (2023)
Overview note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in
space programs Terrorist groupsTerrorist groups: Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Bangladesh (ISB); al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in
terrorist organizations top of pageAirports: 18 (2021)
With paved runways: 16
With paved runways civil airports: 1
With paved runways military airports: 2
With paved runways joint use (civil-military) airports: 2
With paved runways other airports: 11
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 2
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Waterways: 8,370 km (2011) (includes up to 3,060 km of main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in the dry season)
top of pageDisputes international:
Bangladesh-Burma: the border area has historically been an area of conflict and instability; militants, particularly ethnic armed groups (EAGs) from Burma, continue to operate in the border region and conduct illegal crossings, and both countries maintain considerable numbers of security personnel along the border; Burmese military forces actively conduct operations against EAGs; in 2022, Burmese artillery struck Bangladesh territory several times during military operations against Arakan Army rebels inside Rakhine; as of 2017, Burmese border authorities had constructed about 130 miles of border fencing and had planned to fence off the remainder of the border
Bangladesh-India: Bangladesh referred its maritime boundary claims with Burma and India to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea; Indian Prime Minister Singh's September 2011 visit to Bangladesh resulted in the signing of a Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh, which had called for the settlement of longstanding boundary disputes over un-demarcated areas and the exchange of territorial enclaves, but which had never been implemented
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries; does not manufacture precursor chemicals with the exception of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and toluene
🅶🅷🅴🅾🆂.🅲🅾🅼