Bangladesh
People's Republic of BangladeshGana Prajatantri Bangladesh
parliamentary republicIndependence 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
Bangladesh as the 2022 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 171 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. In 2021 the UN approved a resolution to allow Bangladesh to officially graduate from least-developed-country (LDC) status in 2026, based on World Bank criteria.
Geography
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
19 fieldsLand useshare of 148,460 sq km
Climate
- tropical;
- mild winter (October to March);
- hot, humid summer (March to June);
- humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km; note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)
Natural hazards
- droughts;
- cyclones;
- much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
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
37 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2022 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups
Bengali at least 98.9%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1.1% (2011 est.)
note: Bangladesh's government recognizes 27 indigenous ethnic groups under the 2010 Cultural Institution for Small Anthropological Groups Act; other sources estimate there are about 75 ethnic groups;
critics of the 2011 census claim that it underestimates the size of Bangladesh's ethnic population
Languages
Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.); major-language sample(s): বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.92 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.73 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations
- water contact diseases:
- leptospirosis
- animal contact diseases:
- rabies
note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Bangladesh; as of 9 December 2022, Bangladesh has reported a total of 2,036,760 cases of COVID-19 or 1,236.7 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 29,436 cumulative deaths or a rate of 17.8 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 6 December 2022, 87.12% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
16 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
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, 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
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 58.33 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 84.25 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 59.3 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
- tropical;
- mild winter (October to March);
- hot, humid summer (March to June);
- humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 40.5% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations
- water contact diseases:
- leptospirosis
- animal contact diseases:
- rabies
note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Bangladesh; as of 9 December 2022, Bangladesh has reported a total of 2,036,760 cases of COVID-19 or 1,236.7 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 29,436 cumulative deaths or a rate of 17.8 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 6 December 2022, 87.12% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Food insecurity
- severe localized food insecurity:
- due to economic constraints - losses in income and remittances caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic and its containment measures led to an increase in poverty;
- in 2022, food insecurity is expected to increase and remain at high levels due to the impact of recent shocks, including floods that occurred in mid‑May 2022 in the northeastern parts of the country and the elevated international prices of energy, fuel and food, which have been transmitted to the domestic markets (2022)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km; note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 3.6 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
- industrial:
- 770 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- agricultural:
- 31.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Abdul HAMID (since 24 April 2013); Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed (since 6 January 2009)
22 fieldsCountry 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"
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; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet
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
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
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 Wazed (since 6 January 2009)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president
- elections/appointments:
- president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held on 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:
- 2018: 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 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 December 2023)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party as of February 2022 - AL 299, JP 27, BNP 7, other 10, independent 4;
- composition - men 277, women 73, percent of women 20.9%
Judicial branch
- 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
Political parties and leaders
- Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]
- Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB [Shafiqur RAHMAN]
- Bangladesh Nationalist Front or BNF [S. M. Abul Kalam AZAD]
- Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Tarique RAHMAN, acting chairperson; Khaleda ZIA]
- Bangladesh Tariqat Federation or BTF [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI]
- Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Rowshan ERSHAD]
- Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) [Anwar Hossain MANJU]
- Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]
- National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD [Hasanul Haque INU]
- Workers Party or WP [Rashed Khan MENON]
International organization participation
ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador M Shahidul ISLAM (since 17 February 2021)
- chancery:
- 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 244-0183
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 244-2771; [1] (202) 244 7830
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; http://www.bdembassyusa.org/
- consulate(s) general:
- Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Peter HAAS (since 15 March 2022)
- embassy:
- Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212
- mailing address:
- 6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20521-6120
- telephone:
- [880] (2) 5566-2000
- FAX:
- [880] (2) 5566-2907
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://bd.usembassy.gov/
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 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
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c);
- Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c);
- Sundarbans (n)
Economy
34 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2017 est.)
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic 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.
Credit ratings
- Fitch rating:
- BB- (2014)
- Moody's rating:
- Ba3 (2012)
Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2010)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agricultural products
rice, potatoes, maize, sugar cane, milk, vegetables, onions, jute, mangoes/guavas, wheat
Industries
jute, cotton, garments, paper, leather, fertilizer, iron and steel, cement, petroleum products, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, tea, salt, sugar, edible oils, soap and detergent, fabricated metal products, electricity, natural gas
Labor force
66.64 million (2017 est.) note: extensive migration of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia
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
Exports
$38.78 billion (2020 est.) · $44.96 billion (2019 est.) · $44.13 billion (2018 est.) note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Imports
$57.26 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $64.23 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $65.59 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$33.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.) · $32.28 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 84.75 (2020 est.) · 85 (2019 est.) · 83.715 (2018 est.) · 77.947 (2014 est.) · 77.614 (2013 est.)
Energy
11 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2019)
Installed generating capacity, 18.461 million kW(2020 est.)
Coal
- production:
- 1.016 million metric tons (2020 est.)
- consumption:
- 9.345 million metric tons (2020 est.)
- exports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- imports:
- 8.329 million metric tons (2020 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 293 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 13,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 122,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate exports:
- 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate imports:
- 21,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 28 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 28,629,927,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
- consumption:
- 31,268,968,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
- exports:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- imports:
- 2,639,041,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
96.18 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 16.538 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 18.535 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 61.107 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- Bangladesh’s economic resurgence over the last decade took a battering in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic;
- the country had been on track to move off the United Nation’s Least Developed Countries list by 2026, however the crisis may have pushed that back a few years;
- the telecommunications sector experienced a set of challenges, with mobile data usage exploding at the same time as many consumers were being forced to curb their spending in other areas;
- the demand on data grew so large and so rapidly that Bangladesh came close to running out of bandwidth;
- at the start of 2020, Bangladesh was consuming around 900Gb/s on average, well below the 2,642GB/s capacity of its submarine cables;
- this ballooned to over 2,300Gb/s during the pandemic;
- Bangladesh was looking forward to adding 7,200Gb/s capacity when the SEA-ME-WE-6 submarine cable goes into service in mid-2024, but the sudden upsurge in downloads is forcing state-run company Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) to scramble to find alternatives before the country’s internet supply is maxed out;
- the increased demand during the Covid-19 crisis also put pressure on the country’s existing mobile networks, already under strain as a result of strong growth in the mobile broadband market coupled with significant untapped potential for mobile services in general across the country;
- this led to premium prices being paid at auction for spectrum in the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, most of which will be used to enhance and expand LTE services;
- a 5G spectrum auction had been anticipated for 2020, but low interest from the MNOs in going down that path when there are still so many areas waiting for LTE access means that 5G will likely be deferred until 2023 (2021)
- domestic:
- fixed-line teledensity remains less than 1 per 100 persons;
- mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and now exceeds 107 per 100 persons;
- mobile subscriber growth is anticipated over the next five years to 2023 (2020)
- 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)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure;
consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
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.
Transportation
12 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 6 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 30
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 5,984,155 (2018)
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 63.82 million (2018) mt-km
Railways
- total:
- 2,460 km (2014)
- narrow gauge:
- 1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
- broad gauge:
- 659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge
Waterways
8,370 km (2011) (includes up to 3,060 km of main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in the dry season)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 468
- by type:
- bulk carrier 48, container ship 6, general cargo 140, oil tanker 144, other 130 (2021)
Ports and terminals
- major seaport(s):
- Chattogram (Chittagong)
- container port(s) (TEUs):
- Chattogram (Chittagong) (3,088,187) (2019)
- river port(s):
- Mongla Port (Sela River)
Military and Security
8 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 1,000 people · (2022)
Military and security forces
- Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): ;
- Ministry of Home Affairs:
note 1: the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are jointly administered by the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD), both under the Prime Minister's Office;
the AFD has ministerial status and parallel functions with MOD; the AFD is a joint coordinating headquarters for the three services and also functions as a joint command center during wartime; to coordinate policy, the prime minister and the president are advised by a six-member board, which includes the three service chiefs of staff, the principal staff officer of the AFD, and the military secretaries to the prime minister and president
note 2: the RAB, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security; the RAB is a joint task force founded in 2004 and composed of members of the police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guards seconded to the RAB from their respective units; its mandate includes internal security, intelligence gathering related to criminal activities, and government-directed investigations
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- much of the military's inventory is comprised of Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment, with a smaller mix from a variety of other suppliers;
- since 2010, China has been the leading provider of arms to Bangladesh;
- as of 2022, Bangladesh was undertaking a large defense modernization program, with a focus on naval acquisitions (2022)
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 (2022)
Military deployments
- 1,375 Central African Republic (MINUSCA);
- 1,625 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 190 police);
- 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL);
- 1,100 Mali (MINUSMA; plus about 280 police);
- 1,600 South Sudan (UNMISS);
- 180 Sudan (UNISFA) (May 2022)
Military - note
- the military’s chief areas of focus are border, economic exclusion zone, and domestic security;
- the Army maintains a large domestic security presence in the Chittagong Hills area where it conducted counterinsurgency operations against tribal guerrillas from the 1970s until the late 1990s;
- since 2009, the military has been in a force-wide expansion and modernization program known as Forces Goal 2030 (2022)
Maritime threats
- the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh remain a risk for armed robbery against ships;
- there were no attacks reported in 2021 as opposed to four ships that were boarded in 2020
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
- Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh;
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Bangladesh (ISB);
- al-Qa'ida;
- al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
- Bangladesh-Burma:
- 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.
- Bangladesh-India:
- Bangladesh referred its maritime boundary claims with Burma and India to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea;
- Indian Prime Minister Singh's September 2011 visit to Bangladesh resulted in the signing of a Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh, which had called for the settlement of longstanding boundary disputes over un-demarcated areas and the exchange of territorial enclaves, but which had never been implemented.
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees (country of origin):
- 950,972 (Burma) (2022)
- IDPs:
- 427,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2021)
- stateless persons:
- 889,704 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs
- transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries;
- does not manufacture precursor chemicals with the exception of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and toluene
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Bangladesh.” The World Factbook 2022. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bangladesh/2022.