Bangladesh

Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. A third of this desperately poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering normal economic development.

• tropical;
• cool, dry winter (October to March);
• hot, humid summer (March to June);
• cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)

• many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land;
• limited access to potable water;
• water-borne diseases prevalent;
• water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides;
• intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country;
• soil degradation;
• deforestation;
• severe overpopulation

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

0-14 years:

36% (male 24,055,675; female 22,918,354)

15-64 years:

60% (male 39,924,040; female 37,992,459)

65 years and over:

4% (male 2,342,134; female 1,961,562) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.19 male(s)/female

total population:

1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Bangladeshi(s)

adjective:

Bangladesh

conventional long form:

People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form:

Bangladesh

former:

East Pakistan

chief of state:

• President Shahabuddin AHMED (since 9 October 1996);
• note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections

head of government:

Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 23 June 1996)

cabinet:

Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

elections:

• president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term;
• election last held 24 July 1996 (next to be held by NA October 2001);
• following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results:

Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without opposition; percent of National Parliament vote - NA

• Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA Wajed];
• Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK];
• Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIAur Rahman];
• Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI];
• Jatiyo Party or JP [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Khwaja Mohammad SHEHABUDDIN

chancery:

2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 342-8372

consulate(s) general:

Los Angeles and New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador John C. HOLZMAN

embassy:

Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

mailing address:

G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone:

[880] (2) 884700 through 884722

FAX:

[880] (2) 883744

• green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;
• the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence;
• the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

lowest 10%:

4.1%

highest 10%:

23.7% (1992)

domestic:

• modernizing;
• introducing digital systems;
• trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave, and some fiber-optic cable in cities

international:

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries

total:

2,745 km

broad gauge:

923 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge:

1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (1998 est.)

total:

201,182 km

paved:

19,112 km

unpaved:

182,070 km (1997 est.)