Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, and tribals less
than 1 million
Religion: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, and other
less than 1%
Language: Bangla (official), English widely used
Literacy: 35% (male 47%, female 22%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force: 35,100,000; agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry
and commerce 11% (FY86); extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE,
and Oman (1991)
Organized labor: 3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered
unions (1986 est.)
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: People's Republic of Bangladesh
Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972,
suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986,
amended NA March 1991
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since
8 October 1991)
Head of Government--Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman
(since 20 March 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman;
Awami League, Sheikh Hasina WAZED;
Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD;
Jamaat-E-Islami, Ali KHAN;
Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK;
National Awami Party (Muzaffar);
Workers Party, leader NA;
Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (National Socialist Party--SIRAJ), M. A. JALIL;
Ganotantri Party, leader NA;
Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA;
National Democratic Party, leader NA;
Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR;
Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed;
United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by October
1996);
results--Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote
National Parliament--last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held
February 1996); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women)
BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, CBP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1,
Workers Party 1, SIRAJ 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1,
NDP 1, independents 3
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador A. H. S. Ataul KARIM;
Chancery at 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone
(202) 342-8372 through 8376; there is a Bangladesh Consulate General in
New York;
US--Ambassador William B. MILAM; Embassy at Diplomatic
Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka (mailing address
is G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212); telephone 880 (2) 884700-22
Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
center; green is the traditional color of Islam
ECONOMY
Overview: Bangladesh is one of the poorest nations in the world.
The economy is based on the output of a narrow range of
agricultural products, such as jute, which is the main cash crop and
major source of export earnings. Bangladesh is hampered by a relative
lack of natural resources, population growth of more than 2% a year,
large-scale unemployment, and a limited infrastructure; furthermore,
it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Despite these constraints,
real GDP growth averaged about 3.5% annually during 1985-89. A strong
agricultural performance in FY90 pushed the growth rate up to 5.5%.
Alleviation of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government's
development strategy.
GDP: $20.4 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 4.0%
(1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (FY90 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (FY90 est.)
Budget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $3.9 billion, including
capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (FY90)
partners--US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%,
Eastern Europe 7%
Imports: $3.6 billion (FY90 est.);
commodities--food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer
goods, semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment;
partners--Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8%
External debt: $10.9 billion (FY90 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 4.1% (FY90 est.); accounts
for 15% of GDP
Electricity: 1,990,000 kW capacity; 5,700 million kWh produced,
50 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: jute manufacturing, base metals, food processing,
cotton textiles, tobacco processing, chemicals
Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP, 60% of
employment, and one third of exports; imports 10% of food grain
requirements; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial
products--jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk,
poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils and cotton; fish catch
778,000 metric tons in 1986
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4
billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1980-88), $10.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion
Currency: taka (plural--taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1--35.790 (January 1991), 34.567
(1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986),
27.995 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge,
978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge
Highways: 7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved
Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes
2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Ports: Chittagong, Chalna
Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
339,081 GRT/500,008 DWT; includes 38 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and
lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 3 bulk
Pipelines: 1,220 km natural gas
Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft
Airports: 16 total, 12 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate international radio communications and
landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair
broadcast service; 241,250 telephones; stations--9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV;
2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations
