Bangladesh

The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires 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, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas 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. <br><br>The military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026. <br><br>The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but still faces economic challenges.

Land

130,170 sq km

Total

148,460 sq km

Water

18,290 sq km

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

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

580 km

Asia

Highest point

Mowdok Taung 1,060 m

Lowest point

Bay of Bengal 0 m

Mean elevation

85 m

24 00 N, 90 00 E

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

83,690 sq km (2022)

Border countries

Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km

number of neighbors

2

Total

4,413 km

Agricultural land

72.3% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.)

arable land

60.63%

Forest

14.4% (2023 est.)

Other

13.3% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

7.07%

No

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

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km<br><br><strong>note: </strong>[s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Indian Ocean drainage

Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/op6gmLbHcvv6rLhH6

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/184640

Asia

Contiguous zone

18 nm

Continental shelf

to the outer limits of the continental margin

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

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

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Southern Asia

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

UTC+06:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

25.1% (male 21,540,493/female 20,800,712)

15-64 years

67.1% (male 55,071,592/female 58,180,322)

65 years and over

7.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,096,167/female 7,007,898)

Beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

19.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Women married by age 15

15.5% (2019)

Women married by age 18

51.4% (2019)

23.6%

21.7% (2022 est.)

80.6% (2022 est.)

6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

109 per 1,000

adult male

141 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

11.1 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

9 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

54.6 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

43.5 (2025 est.)

improved total

59.13%

Improved: rural

rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.9% national budget (2025 est.)

2 % of GDP

Bengali at least 99%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1% (2022 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

1.1 (2025 est.)

2 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.4% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

1.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.1%

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Female

26.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

18 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

22 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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

Major-language sample(s)

<p><br>বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla)</p> <br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

1

Female

77.5 years

Male

73.1 years

Total population

75.2 years (2024 est.)

Female

76.5% (2022 est.)

Male

81.4% (2022 est.)

Total population

79% (2022 est.)

23.210 million DHAKA (capital), 5.380 million Chittagong, 955,000 Khulna, 962,000 Rajshahi, 964,000 Sylhet, 906,000 Bogra (2023)

115 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

30.4 years

Male

28.7 years

Total

27.8 years (2025 est.)

18.6 years (2017/18 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Adjective

Bangladeshi

Noun

Bangladeshi(s)

-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

3.6% (2016)

0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Female

90,461,816

Male

83,908,720

Total

174,370,536 (2025 est.)

0.91% (2025 est.)

Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.)

improved total

37.32%

Improved: rural

rural: 81.4% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 84.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 90.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 18.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 15.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 9.7% of population (2022 est.)

Female

12 years (2023 est.)

Male

11 years (2023 est.)

Total

11 years (2023 est.)

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

At birth

1.04 male(s)/female

Total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

12.5% (2025 est.)

Male

47.6% (2025 est.)

Total

29.7% (2025 est.)

2.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

40.5% of total population (2023)

measles

96%

8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet

Etymology

the origins of the name are unclear, but it may be derived from either the dhak tree or Dhakeshwari, a goddess with a shrine in the city

Geographic coordinates

23 43 N, 90 24 E

Name

Dhaka

Time difference

UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/bd.svg

Amendment process

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

History

previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (pre-independence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986

alternative spellings

BD, People's Republic of Bangladesh, Gônôprôjatôntri Bangladesh

Conventional long form

People's Republic of Bangladesh

Conventional short form

Bangladesh

Etymology

the name is a compound of the Bengali words <em>Bangla </em>(Bengali) and <em>desh </em>(country)

FIFA code

BAN

Former

East Bengal, East Pakistan

Local long form

Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh

local long form (ben)

বাংলাদেশ গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী

Local short form

Bangladesh

Chief of mission

Ambassador-designate Brent CHRISTENSEN (since 12 January 2026)

Email address and website

<br>DhakaACS@state.gov<br><br>https://bd.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212

FAX

[880] (2) 5566-2907

Mailing address

6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-6120

Telephone

[880] (2) 5566-2000

Chancery

3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful ISLAM (since 5 September 2025)

Consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Email address and website

<br>mission.washington@mofa.gov.bd<br><br>Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd)

FAX

[1] (202) 244-2771

Telephone

[1] (202) 244-0183

Cabinet

Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president

Chief of state

President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023)

Election results

President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister for a fifth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election but fled the country on 5 August 2024 following mass protests against her government in July and August 2024; Mohammad YUNIS was appointed as interim Prime Minister on 8 August 2024

Election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament

Expected date of next election

2028

Head of government

Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)

Most recent election date

13 February 2023

Note

<strong>note:</strong> On August 5, 2024, former prime minister Sheikh HASINA fled the country as protesters stormed her official residence, and army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that an interim government would be formed to run Bangladesh; the President dissolved Parliament on 6 August and swore in Nobel laureate Muhammad YUNUS as interim prime minister on 8 August

<strong>description:</strong> green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the left<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh

The flag of Bangladesh has a dark green field bearing a large red circle that is offset slightly towards the hoist side of center.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/bd.svg

parliamentary republic

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Highest court(s)

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

common law, incorporating elements of English common law; since independence, statutory law has been the primary form of legislation; Islamic law applies to Muslims in family and inheritance laws, with Hindu personal law applying to Hindus and Buddhists

Expected date of next election

February 2026

Note

<strong><strong>note: </strong></strong>the Parliament (House of the Nation) was dissolved on 6 August 2024 by President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed on 5 August 2024; new national elections will be held in February 2026<strong><strong><br></strong></strong>

the water lily is the national flower and symbolizes promise, aesthetics, and elegance; the water under the lily, the rice sheaves on the sides, and the jute leaves at the top represent the Bangladeshi landscape and economy; the four stars represent the aims and ambition of the nation

green, red

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c); Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c); Sundarbans (n)

Total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

Bengal tiger, water lily

Awami League or AL<br>Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB<br>Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP<br>Islami Andolan Bangladesh<br>Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction)<br>Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction)<br>National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD<br>Workers Party or WP

Sunday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

52.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$51.558 billion (2021 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$39.849 billion (2021 est.)

code

BDT

name

Bangladeshi taka (BDT) [৳]

$1.43 billion

Current account balance 2022

-$14.438 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$4.388 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$1.87 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$104.49 billion

Debt - external 2023

$58.02 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

one of the fastest growing emerging market economies; strong economic rebound following COVID-19; significant poverty reduction; exports dominated by textile industry; weakened exports and remittances resulted in declining foreign exchange reserves and 2022 IMF loan request

Currency

taka (BDT) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

84.871 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

85.084 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

91.745 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

106.309 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

115.604 (2024 est.)

$47.09 billion

Exports 2022

$60.066 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$58.885 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$53.848 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

USA 16%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$1.31 billion

Exports of goods and services

10.5% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

5.9% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

70.1% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-16.3% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

30.7% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

11.2% (2024 est.)

Industry

34.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

51.4% (2024 est.)

$450.119 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$2,593

32.4 (2016)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

33.4 (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$469.5 billion

$2,820

31 % of GDP

Highest 10%

27.4% (2022 est.)

Lowest 10%

3.5% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$73.45 billion

Imports 2022

$93.635 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$73.172 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$74.96 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 34%, India 17%, Indonesia 5%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

3.5% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering&nbsp;

10.47%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

9.9% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

10.5% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

77.355 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

74.74 million persons

agriculture

44.26%

industry

18.03%

services

37.71%

18.7% (2022 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2016

33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

$1.67 trillion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.336 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.413 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.473 trillion (2024 est.)

4.22%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.2% (2024 est.)

$9,647

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$7,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$8,200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$8,500 (2024 est.)

$27.52 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

6% of GDP (2024 est.)

$21.39 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$33.747 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$21.86 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$21.395 billion (2024 est.)

10 % of GDP

8 % of GDP

7.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

3.78%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

4.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.7% (2024 est.)

Female

9.2% (2024 est.)

Male

13.7% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

11.5% (2024 est.)

Consumption

14.05 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

13.305 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

767,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

3.26 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

107.285 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

603 kWh

Imports

9.407 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

22.699 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

8.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

99.3%

Electrification - total population

99.4% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

100%

Fossil fuels

98.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0.77%

Hydroelectricity

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

1.5%

Solar

1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

297 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

11.472 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

29.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports

6.785 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

22.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

2 (2025)

Crude oil estimated reserves

28 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

263,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

25%

per 100 inhabitants

8 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (2023 est.)

Total

12.9 million (2023 est.)

state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) broadcasts nationally; some channels operate via satellite; the government also owns a medium-wave radio channel and some private FM radio news channels; of the 41 approved TV stations, 26 are currently being used to broadcast, and 23 operate under private management via cable distribution

.bd

Percent of population

45% (2023 est.)

####

+880

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2024 est.) less than 1

Total subscriptions

285,000 (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100

114 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

108 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

188 million (2024 est.)

passengers carried

6.63 million passengers

registered carrier departures

72,684 departures

17 (2025)

S2

Left

36 (2025)

By type

bulk carrier 68, container ship 10, general cargo 170, oil tanker 162, other 148

Total

558 (2023)

Key ports

Chittagong, Mongla

Large

0

Medium

1

Ports with oil terminals

0

Small

1

Total ports

2 (2024)

Very small

0

Broad gauge

659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

Narrow gauge

1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Total

2,460 km (2014)

BD

armored vehicles

tanks

the military’s primary responsibility is external defense but it also has a domestic security role; following widespread domestic protests in September 2024, the Army was given law enforcement powers, including making arrests, conducting searches, and dispersing unlawful assemblies; the military has traditionally been a significant player in the country's politics and has commercial business interests in such areas as banking, food, hotels, manufacturing, real estate, and shipbuilding, and manages government infrastructure and construction projects<br><br>the military has a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping missions, which has provided operational experience and a source of funding; it runs an international institute for the training of peacekeepers; the military also conducts multinational and bilateral exercises with foreign partners, particularly India (2025)

Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force<br><br>Ministry of Home Affairs: Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2025)

active duty personnel

227,000

note

<strong>note 1: </strong>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<br><br><strong>note 2: </strong>the RAB, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security; the RAB is a joint task force comprised of Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guards personnel seconded to the RAB; its mandate includes internal security, intelligence gathering related to criminal activities, and government-directed investigations

percent of total labor force

0.32 %

information varies; approximately 170,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

approximately 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 200 police); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,600 South Sudan (UNMISS); 500 Sudan (UNISFA) (2024)

much of the military's inventory is comprised of Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment, but in recent years suppliers have expanded to include Germany, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025)

1 % of GDP

current USD

$4,034,561,893

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

6.90 %

percent of GDP

0.94 % of GDP

varies by service, but generally 17-23 for voluntary military service; length of service also varies (2025)

PowerIndex score

0.6517

IDPs

756,743 (2024 est.)

Refugees

1,005,637 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

1,005,520 (2024 est.)

2017 - first educational/scientific nanosatellite (BRAC-Onnesha) acquired from Japan and launched by US<br><br>2018 - first communications satellite (Bangabandhu-1) built by a French company and launched by US<br><br>2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the safe and responsible exploration of space

Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO; established as a statutory body in 1991 and designated as the country's national focal point for space-related activities in 1995) (2025)

has a modest space program focused on designing, building, and operating satellites, particularly those with remote sensing (RS) capabilities; SPARSSO's mandate is to use space and RS technology in areas such as agriculture, education, environmental studies, fisheries, forestry, geology, land use, mapping, meteorology, and oceanography; has a government-owned company for acquiring and operating satellites (Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, established in 2017); works with several foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of France, Japan, Russia, and the US; member of several international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (2025)

Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) in Bangladesh (ISB); al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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 the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

26.967 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

56.906 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

42.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

125.956 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

flooding; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, from the use of commercial pesticides; groundwater pollution from naturally occurring arsenic; 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

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

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Agriculture

2,391.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

544 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

38.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

693 kt (2019-2021 est.)

42.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

6 % of total land area

1 % of total

1.227 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

34 % of internal resources

Agricultural

31.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

770 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

3.6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

14.778 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.7% (2022 est.)