Bangladesh

Introduction

Background

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.The post-independence AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 it was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections occurred in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternated in power since 1991, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014, the incumbent AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted the election, which extended HASINA's term as prime minister. In December 2018, HASINA secured a third consecutive term (fourth overall) with the AL coalition securing 96% of available seats, amid widespread claims of election irregularities. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has reduced the poverty rate from over half of the population to less than a third, achieved Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health, and made great progress in food security since independence. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6% for the last two decades and the country reached World Bank lower-middle income status in 2014.

Geography

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total: 148,460 sq km
land: 130,170 sq km
water: 18,290 sq km
country comparison to the world: 95

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries

total: 4,413 km
border countries (2): Burma 271 km, India 4142 km

Coastline

580 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm
contiguous zone: 18nm
continental shelf: to the outer limits of the continental margin

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

Elevation

mean elevation: 85 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use

agricultural land: 70.1% (2016 est.)
arable land: 59% (2016 est.)/permanent crops: 6.5% (2016 est.)/permanent pasture: 4.6% (2016 est.)
forest: 11.1% (2016 est.)
other: 18.8% (2016 est.)

Irrigated land

53,000 sq km (2012)

Natural hazards

droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Environment - current 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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People and Society

Population

159,453,001 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8

Nationality

noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups

Bengali at least 98%, 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

Languages

Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.)

Religions

Muslim 89.1%, Hindu 10%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist, Christian) (2013 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.29%(male 22,135,349 /female 21,373,470)
15-24 years: 19.14%(male 15,313,674 /female 15,200,861)
25-54 years: 40.07%(male 30,626,005 /female 33,267,339)
55-64 years: 7.09%(male 5,582,450 /female 5,716,763)
65 years and over: 6.42%(male 4,844,612 /female 5,392,478) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.6 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 44.9 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 13 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 27.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 26.3 years
female: 27.8 years
country comparison to the world: 146

Population growth rate

1.02% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105

Birth rate

18.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Death rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179

Net migration rate

-3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Urbanization

urban population: 37.4% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 3.17% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

20.284 million DHAKA (capital), 4.915 million Chittagong, 963,000 Khulna, 893,000 Rajshahi, 814,000 Sylhet (2019)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

18.5 years (2014 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality rate

173 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53

Infant mortality rate

total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 32.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.1 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 60

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 71.5 years
female: 75.9 years
country comparison to the world: 133

Total fertility rate

2.15 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98

Contraceptive prevalence rate

62.3% (2014)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 86.5% of population
rural: 87% of population
total: 86.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 13.5% of population
rural: 13% of population
total: 13.1% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

2.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.53 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 57.7% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 62.1% of population (2015 est.)
total: 60.6% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 42.3% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 37.9% of population (2015 est.)
total: 39.4% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

<.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

14,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<1000 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2019)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever (2019)
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2019)
water contact diseases: leptospirosis (2019)
animal contact diseases: rabies (2019)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.6% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 191

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

32.8% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 7

Education expenditures

2% of GDP (2018)
country comparison to the world: 169

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.9%
male: 75.7%
female: 70.1% (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2017)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 12.8%
male: 10.8%
female: 16.8% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Government

Country name

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
local long form: Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh
local short form: Bangladesh
former: East Bengal, East Pakistan
etymology: the name - a compound of the Bengali words "Bangla" (Bengal) and "desh" (country) - means "Country of Bengal"

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Dhaka
geographic 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

Administrative divisions

8 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet

Independence

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

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

Constitution

history: 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 (2019)

Legal system

mixed legal system of mostly English common law and Islamic law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bangladesh
dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Abdul HAMID (since 24 April 2013); note - Abdul HAMID served as acting president following the death of Zillur RAHMAN in March 2013; HAMID was subsequently indirectly elected by the National Parliament and sworn in 24 April 2013
head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA (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 7 February 2018 (next to be held by 2023); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament
election results: President Abdul HAMID (AL) reelected by the National Parliament unopposed for a second term; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister as leader of the majority AL party following parliamentary elections in 2018

Legislative branch

description: unicameral House of the Nation or Jatiya Sangsad (350 seats; 300 members in single-seat territorial constituencies directly elected by simple majority popular vote; 50 members - reserved for women only - indirectly elected by the elected members by proportional representation vote using single transferable vote; all members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 30 December 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AL 289, BNP 7, other 3; composition - men 279, women 72, percent of women 20.6%

Judicial branch

highest 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 Nationalist Front or BNF [Abdul Kalam AZADI]
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]
Bangladesh Tariqat Federation or BTF [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI]
Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh or JIB (Makbul AHMAD)
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]
Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) [Anwar Hossain MANJU]
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]
National Socialist Party or JSD [KHALEQUZZAMAN]
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, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Mohammad ZIAUDDIN (since 18 September 2014)
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
FAX: [1] (202) 244-2771
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Robert MILLER (since 29 November 2018)
telephone: [880] (2) 5566-2000
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
FAX: [880] (2) 5566-2915

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

National symbol(s)

Bengal tiger, water lily; national colors: green, red

National anthem

name: "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)
lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE
note: adopted 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote India's national anthem

Economy

Economy - overview

Bangladesh's economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 2005 despite prolonged periods of political instability, poor infrastructure, endemic corruption, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the services sector, almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Garments, the backbone of Bangladesh's industrial sector, accounted for more than 80% of total exports in FY 2016-17. The industrial sector continues to grow, despite the need for improvements in factory safety conditions. Steady export growth in the garment sector, combined with $13 billion in remittances from overseas Bangladeshis, contributed to Bangladesh's rising foreign exchange reserves in FY 2016-17. Recent improvements to energy infrastructure, including the start of liquefied natural gas imports in 2018, represent a major step forward in resolving a key growth bottleneck.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$690.3 billion (2017 est.)
$642.7 billion (2016 est.)
$599.5 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 33

GDP (official exchange rate)

$261.5 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.4% (2017 est.)
7.2% (2016 est.)
6.8% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,200 (2017 est.)
$4,000 (2016 est.)
$3,800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 176

Gross national saving

30.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
30.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
30.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 68.7% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 6% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 30.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 15% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -20.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 14.2% (2017 est.)
industry: 29.3% (2017 est.)
services: 56.5% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

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

Industrial production growth rate

10.2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Labor force

66.64 million (2017 est.)
note: extensive migration of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia
country comparison to the world: 7

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 42.7%
industry: 20.5%
services: 36.9% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.4% (2017 est.)
4.4% (2016 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
country comparison to the world: 58

Population below poverty line

24.3% (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 27% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.1 (2010)
33.2 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 118

Budget

revenues: 25.1 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 33.5 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

Public debt

33.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.6% (2017 est.)
5.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Central bank discount rate

5% (11 December 2017)
5% (30 October 2015)
country comparison to the world: 80

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.54% (31 December 2017 est.)
10.41% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Stock of narrow money

$28.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$25.98 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

Stock of broad money

$28.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$25.98 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

Stock of domestic credit

$152.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$135.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49

Market value of publicly traded shares

$92.33 billion (30 September 2017 est.)
$77.99 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$71.73 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

Current account balance

-$5.322 billion (2017 est.)
$1.391 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184

Exports

$35.3 billion (2017 est.)
$34.14 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

Exports - partners

Germany 12.9%, US 12.2%, UK 8.7%, Spain 5.3%, France 5.1%, Italy 4.1% (2017)

Exports - commodities

garments, knitwear, agricultural products, frozen food (fish and seafood), jute and jute goods, leather

Imports

$47.56 billion (2017 est.)
$40.28 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Imports - commodities

cotton, machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

China 21.9%, India 15.3%, Singapore 5.7% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$33.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$32.28 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49

Debt - external

$50.26 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$41.85 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$14.62 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$13.24 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$369.6 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$228.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Exchange rates

taka (BDT) per US dollar -
80.69 (2017 est.)
78.468 (2016 est.)
78.468 (2015 est.)
77.947 (2014 est.)
77.614 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

population without electricity: 60.3 million (2013)
electrification - total population: 75.9% (2016)
electrification - urban areas: 94% (2016)
electrification - rural areas: 68.9% (2016)

Electricity - production

60.51 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - consumption

53.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124

Electricity - installed generating capacity

11.9 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - from fossil fuels

97% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134

Crude oil - production

3,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

Crude oil - imports

21,860 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Crude oil - proved reserves

28 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81

Refined petroleum products - production

26,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86

Refined petroleum products - consumption

106,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Refined petroleum products - exports

901 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Refined petroleum products - imports

81,570 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - production

29.53 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - consumption

29.53 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - proved reserves

185.8 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

79.97 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 710,189
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 145,113,669
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8

Telephone system

general assessment: inadequate for a modern country; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities; fixed broadband penetration in Bangladesh remains very low mainly due to the dominance of the mobile platform; in July 2018  first test run of 5G technology in Bangladesh took place in Dhaka (2018)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and now exceeds 92 telephones per 100 persons; slow to moderate mobile subscriber growth is anticipated over the next five years to 2023; strong local competition (2018)
international: country code - 880; landing points for the SeaMeWe-4 and SeaMeWe-5 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2019)

Broadcast 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.

Internet country code

.bd

Internet users

total: 28,499,324
percent of population: 18.2% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 7.296 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21

Military and Security

Military expenditures

1.37% of GDP (2018)
1.38% of GDP (2017)
1.44% of GDP (2016)
1.46% of GDP (2015)
1.36% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 86

Military and security forces

Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force (2019)

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 (2018)

Maritime threats

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh remain a risk for armed robbery against ships; in 2018, the number of attacks against commercial vessels increased to 12 over the 11 such incidents in 2017

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 6 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 30 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,906,799 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 182,692,553mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

S2 (2016)

Airports

18 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 139

Airports - with paved runways

total: 16 (2017)
over 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2017)
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)
under 914 m: 5 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Pipelines

2950 km gas (2013)

Railways

total: 2,460 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 1,801 km1.000-m gauge (2014)
broad gauge: 659 km1.676-m gauge (2014)
country comparison to the world: 68

Roadways

total: 369,105 km (2018)
paved: 110,311 km (2018)
unpaved: 258,794 km (2018)
country comparison to the world: 20

Waterways

8,370 km(includes up to 3,060 km of main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in the dry season) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 16

Merchant marine

total: 329
by type: bulk carrier 33, container ship 4, general cargo 77, oil tanker 122, other 93 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 48

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Chittagong
container port(s) (TEUs): Chittagong (2,566,597) (2017)
river port(s): Mongla Port (Sela River)

Terrorism

Terrorist groups - home based

Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B): aim(s): install an Islamic state in Bangladesh
area(s) of operation: headquartered in Bangladesh and mostly active in the southeast; maintains a network of madrassas in Bangladesh; has links with al-Qa'ida and Pakistan-based terror groups advocating similar objectives, including Harakat-ul Jihad Islami (HUJI) and Lashkar e-Tayibba (LeT) (2019)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Bangladesh: aim(s): replace the Bangladesh Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia; ISIS operates in Bangladesh under the name Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB)
area(s) of operation: operates primarily in Dhaka
note: targets foreigners, foreign aid workers, university professors, students, and secular bloggers for assassination; core ISIS refers to its Bangladesh branch as Bengal (2019)

Terrorist groups - foreign based

al-Qa'ida (AQ): aim(s): overthrow the Bangladesh Government and, ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia
area(s) of operation: operates in collaboration with its al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent affiliate
note:  also known as Ansar al-Islam in Bangladesh (2019)
al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS): aim(s): protect Muslims in Bangladesh from perceived injustices and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in the Indian subcontinent
area(s) of operation: active throughout the country, targeting primarily military and security personnel, but also activists, bloggers, academics, and religious minorities
note:  also known as Ansar al-Islam in Bangladesh (2019)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

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 undemarcated areas and the exchange of territorial enclaves, but which had never been implemented; Bangladesh struggles to accommodate 912,000 Rohingya, Burmese Muslim minority from Rakhine State, living as refugees in Cox's Bazar; Burmese border authorities are constructing a 200 km (124 mi) wire fence designed to deter illegal cross-border transit and tensions from the military build-up along border

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 914,998 (Burma) (2019) (includes an estimated 744,400 Rohingya refugees who have fled conflict since 25 August 2017)
IDPs: 426,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2018)

Illicit drugs

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

Flag of Bangladesh