2019 Edition

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.

Area

Land

130,170 sq km

Total

148,460 sq km

Water

18,290 sq km

Area Comparative

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

Climate

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

Coastline

580 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Keokradong 1,230 m

Lowest Point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Mean Elevation

85 m

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

Geographic Coordinates

24 00 N, 90 00 E

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

Irrigated Land

53,000 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Burma 271 km, India 4142 km

Total

4,413 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

70.1% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

59% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

6.5% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

4.6% (2016 est.)

Forest

11.1% (2016 est.)

Other

18.8% (2016 est.)

Location

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

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

Contiguous Zone

18 nm

Continental Shelf

to the outer limits of the continental margin

Exclusive Economic Zone

200 nm

Territorial Sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

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

Natural Resources

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Terrain

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

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.)

Birth Rate

18.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

32.8% (2014)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

62.3% (2014)

Current Health Expenditure

2.4% (2016)

Death Rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

7.7 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

13 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

52.6 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

44.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

87% of population

Improved Total

86.9% of population

Improved Urban

86.5% of population

Unimproved Rural

13% of population

Unimproved Total

13.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

13.5% of population

Education Expenditures

2% of GDP (2018)

Ethnic Groups

Bengali at least 98%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1.1% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

<.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<1000 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

14,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

28.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

32.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

75.9 years

Male

71.5 years

Total Population

73.7 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

70.1% (2017)

Male

75.7%

Total Population

72.9%

Major Infectious Diseases

Animal Contact Diseases

rabies (2019)

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)

Major Urban Areas Population

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

Maternal Mortality Rate

173 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

27.8 years

Male

26.3 years

Total

27.1 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

18.5 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Bangladeshi

Noun

Bangladeshi(s)

Net Migration Rate

-3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

3.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.53 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

159,453,001 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.02% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

62.1% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

60.6% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

57.7% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

37.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

39.4% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

42.3% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

12 years (2017)

Male

11 years

Total

11 years

Sex Ratio

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

At Birth

1.04 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.15 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

16.8% (2017 est.)

Male

10.8%

Total

12.8%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

3.17% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

37.4% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

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

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

23 43 N, 90 24 E

Name

Dhaka

Time Difference

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

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

Constitution

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)

History

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

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

People's Republic of Bangladesh

Conventional Short Form

Bangladesh

Etymology

the name - a compound of the Bengali words "Bangla" (Bengal) and "desh" (country) - means "Country of Bengal"

Former

East Bengal, East Pakistan

Local Long Form

Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh

Local Short Form

Bangladesh

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Earl Robert MILLER (since 29 November 2018)

Embassy

Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

Fax

[880] (2) 5566-2915

Mailing Address

G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

Telephone

[880] (2) 5566-2000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Mohammad ZIAUDDIN (since 18 September 2014)

Consulate's General

Los Angeles, New York

Fax

[1] (202) 244-2771

Telephone

[1] (202) 244-0183

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president

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

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

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

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA (since 6 January 2009)

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

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

Legal System

mixed legal system of mostly English common law and Islamic law

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)

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%

Elections

last held on 30 December 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Rabindranath TAGORE

Name

"Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)

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

National Symbol S

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

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

33.5 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

25.1 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

11 December 2017

5%

30 October 2015

5%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

10.41%

31 December 2017

9.54%

Current Account Balance

2016

$1.391 billion

2017

-$5.322 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$41.85 billion

31 December 2017

$50.26 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2005

33.2

2010

32.1

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.

Exchange Rates

2013

77.614

2014

77.947

2015

78.468

2016

78.468

2017

80.69

Currency

taka (BDT) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$34.14 billion

2017

$35.3 billion

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

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

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

15% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

6% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

68.7% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-20.3% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

30.5% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

1% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

14.2% (2017 est.)

Industry

29.3% (2017 est.)

Services

56.5% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$261.5 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$3,800

2016

$4,000

2017

$4,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$599.5 billion

2016

$642.7 billion

2017

$690.3 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

6.8%

2016

7.2%

2017

7.4%

Gross National Saving

2015

30.3% of GDP

2016

30.6% of GDP

2017

30.2% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

27% (2010 est.)

Lowest 10

4%

Imports

2016

$40.28 billion

2017

$47.56 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

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

Industrial Production Growth Rate

10.2% (2017 est.)

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

5.7%

2017

5.6%

Labor Force

66.64 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

42.7%

Industry

20.5%

Services

36.9% (2016 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

30 September 2017

$92.33 billion

31 December 2015

$71.73 billion

31 December 2016

$77.99 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

24.3% (2016 est.)

Public Debt

2016

33.3% of GDP

2017

33.1% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$32.28 billion

31 December 2017

$33.42 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$25.98 billion

31 December 2017

$28.68 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$228.5 million

31 December 2017

$369.6 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$13.24 billion

31 December 2017

$14.62 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$135.3 billion

31 December 2017

$152.1 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$25.98 billion

31 December 2017

$28.68 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

4.4%

2017

4.4%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

79.97 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

21,860 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

3,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

28 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

68.9% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

75.9% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

94% (2016)

Population Without Electricity

60.3 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

53.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

97% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

11.9 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

60.51 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

29.53 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

29.53 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

185.8 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

106,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

901 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

81,570 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

26,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

5 (2017 est.)

Total

7.296 million

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

Percent Of Population

18.2% (July 2016 est.)

Total

28,499,324

Telephone System

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)

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)

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)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

710,189

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

92 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

145,113,669

Airports

18 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

6 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

2 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

1 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

2 (2017)

Total

16 (2017)

Under 914 M

5 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2013)

Total

2 (2013)

Under 914 M

1 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

S2 (2016)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 33, container ship 4, general cargo 77, oil tanker 122, other 93 (2018)

Total

329

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

182,692,553 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

2,906,799 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

30 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

6 (2015)

Pipelines

2950 km gas (2013)

Ports And Terminals

Container Port's Teus

Chittagong (2,566,597) (2017)

Major Seaport S

Chittagong

River Port S

Mongla Port (Sela River)

Railways

Broad Gauge

659 km 1.676-m gauge (2014)

Narrow Gauge

1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

Total

2,460 km (2014)

Roadways

Paved

110,311 km (2018)

Total

369,105 km (2018)

Unpaved

258,794 km (2018)

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)

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

Military And Security Forces

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

Military Expenditures

2014

1.36% of GDP

2015

1.46% of GDP

2016

1.44% of GDP

2017

1.38% of GDP

2018

1.37% of GDP

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)

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

Illicit Drugs

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

Idps

426,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2018)

Refugees Country Of Origin

914,998 (Burma) (2019) (includes an estimated 744,400 Rohingya refugees who have fled conflict since 25 August 2017)

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)

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)