Last updated on April 14th, 2023
61. Administrative Divisions
There are eight administrative divisions. These have 64 districts. Each district has sub districts.
62. The Executive
Bangladesh is a parliamentary republic. Bangladesh has a 350-member parliament and a prime minister. The president plays a ceremonial role.
63. The Judiciary
The highest court in Bangladesh is the Supreme Court. The head of the judiciary is the Chief Justice of Bangladesh. There are metropolitan courts and district courts.
64. The Bangladesh Armed Forces
This has the navy, the air force, and ground forces. Its formation happened in 1971. Bangladeshi soldiers have participated in UN peacekeeping efforts in the Golan Heights, Liberia, Darfur, South Sudan, Cyprus, and the Democratic Republic of Congo among other places.
65. Indo-Bangladesh Relations
India and Bangladesh have very strong ties because of a shared history. India supported the independence of Bangladesh.
66. Sino- Bangladesh Relations
Since the 1950s, there has been a warm relationship between China and Bangladesh. China supplies the Bangladeshi military with arms. 80% of Bangladesh’s military equipment comes from China.
67. Japan- Bangladesh Relations
The largest economic aid provider of Bangladesh is Japan. These two nations have common political goals.
68. US- Bangladesh Relations: the US is the largest export market for Bangladeshi products. It is also the third largest source of import for Bangladesh.
69. Bangladesh- Middle East Relations
Bangladesh is bound to Middle East countries by religion and culture. There are many Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Gulf States.
70. Bangladesh- Pakistan Relations
There are no official diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan because of Pakistan’s denial of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide.
71. Bangladesh- Myanmar Relations
Myanmar was one of the first nations to recognize Bangladesh. However, the Rohingya refugee issue has strained relationships between both countries.
72. Relations between Bangladesh & other Developing Nations
In the past, Bangladeshi aid agencies have offered crucial assistance in many developing nations. BRAC is a Bangladeshi NGO that benefited more than 12 million people in Afghanistan.
73. Foreign Exchange Reserves
Bangladesh has the second highest foreign exchange reserves in South Asia after India.
74. Economic Structure
Bangladesh has a market-based mixed economy. The Bangladeshi private sector has greatly grown since 1991.
75. Economic Drivers
They include agriculture, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemicals, shipbuilding, textile, leather goods, and food processing.
76. Economic Hub
The largest economic hub of Bangladesh is Dhaka. It is the largest urban economic centre of South Eastern Asia.
77. Economic Rating
Bangladesh has a BB- long-term credit rating awarded by Standard & Poors in 2010. This rating is above that of Sri Lanka and Pakistan but below that of India.
78. Trading Partners
The major trading partners of Bangladesh are the United States, the European Union, China, Japan, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. Bangladesh is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
79. The Bangladeshi Textile Sector
One of the key points about Bangladesh is its textile industry. Most of Bangladesh’s export earnings come from its textile sector.
80. Natural Gas Production
The seventh largest natural gas producer in Asia is Bangladesh. Gas supplies account for 56% of Bangladesh’s electricity. The major gas fields are in the southern and northern parts of the country.
81. Agriculture in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has very fertile lands. Thus, agriculture is a primary economic activity. Bangladesh is a top producer of farmed fish, jute, tropical fruits, potatoes, and rice.
82. Manufacturing
The largest manufacturing sector of Bangladesh is the Ready Made Garments industry. Bangladesh also has leather goods manufacturing sector.
83. Other Bangladeshi Industries
They include the local ceramics industry and the steel industry. The world’s 20th largest cement producer is Bangladesh.
84. Finance and Banking
In South Asia, Bangladesh has the second largest banking industry. The main financial market of the country is the Dhaka Stock Exchange.
85. Telecommunications
One of the fastest growing telecommunications markets in the world is Bangladesh.
86. Tourism
Bangladesh has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Sundarbans, Buddhist Vihara, and the Mosque City. A major tourist attraction in Bangladesh is the beach resort town of Cox’s Bazar.
87. Microfinance
Microfinance started in Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank started it. As at 2015, Bangladesh has over 35 million microfinance borrowers.
88. Transport
Bangladesh’s total road and highway network is over 20,000 kilometers. There are three international airports and several domestic airports. Bangladesh Railway is a state owned rail network operator.
89. Science & Technology
In 2015, Bangladesh was the 26th best global IT outsourcing destination. Bangladesh has a space agency developed with help of the United States.
90. Renewable Energy
Bangladesh has the fifth largest number of green jobs on earth. Solar panels power a considerable part of the national grid.
91. Non-renewable Energy
As of September 2019, there is an installed electric generation capacity of 21,419 MW in Bangladesh. Most commercial entities use natural gas, oil, and hydroelectric power. The Bangladesh government in collaboration with Russia is developing nuclear energy capability.
92. Water Supply
As at 2013, an estimated 97% of the Bangladeshi population has access to improved water sources. This is a high level for a developing country.
Bangladesh is still the country with the largest proportion of people exposed to arsenic contamination in the world.
93. Poverty
Bangladesh has made rapid economic growth over the last few decades. However, over 40% of the population lives below the international poverty line that is living on less than $1.25 a day.
94. Corruption
Bangladesh was number 14 in the 2014 Transparency International list of the most corrupt countries. The cost of bribery as of 2015 was at 3.7% of the national budget. Bangladesh has an Anti Corruption Commission.
95. Population Growth Rate
Bangladesh’s population grew from 44 million in 1951 to 163 million in 2016. Between the 1960s and 1970s, Bangladesh had one of the highest population growth rates in the world.
96. Young Population
Bangladesh has a young population. Individuals under 14 years constitute 27% the population. Those 65 years or older constitute 5% of the population.
97. Bangladeshi People
Most Bangladeshis are Bengalis. They form 98% of the population. Among Bengalis, the predominant majority is Bengali Muslims, followed by Bengalis Hindus, and then Bengali Christians.
98. Bangladeshi Women
In Bangladesh, women participate more in the workforce unlike in India and Pakistan. There are Bengali women who hold major political offices. Bangladesh has a long history of feminist activism.
99. Refugees
In Bangladesh, there are around 300,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. They live in refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh.
100. Immigrants
Bangladesh has an Ismailia community. There are also Urdu- speaking immigrants. In 2008, Bangladesh’s parliament granted citizenship to stranded Pakistanis.
101. Health Care
According to the World Bank, in 2009, Bangladesh’s government healthcare expenditure as a percentage of the GDP was a mere 3.35%. Health levels are relatively low in Bangladesh. In rural areas, most doctors are village doctors who have little or no formal education.
102. Universities
There are three types of universities in Bangladesh: public, private, and international. The government operates all public universities. There are two international universities, 64 private, and 34 public.
103. Festivals
The major festival in Bangladesh is the Bengali New year. Other common festivals are Eid al-Fitr and Christmas.
104. Cuisine
In Bangladeshi cuisine, the staple is white rice. The major source of proteins is fish. Meat consumption includes duck, mutton, chicken, and beef.
The Bottom-Line
Bangladesh occupies an important place in South Asia and in the world. It is one of the contributors to world peace because Bangladeshi soldiers have participated in all the UN peacekeeping efforts. Bangladesh is a rising economic, political, and cultural power.
Bangladesh – country at a glance
| Etymology | The name - a compound of the Bengali words "Bangla" (Bengal) and "desh" (country) - means "Country of Bengal" |
|---|---|
| Independence | 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan) |
| Capital City | Dhaka 23°45′50″N 90°23′20″E |
| Largest City | Dhaka (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) |
| Total area | total: 148,460 sq km land: 130,170 sq km water: 18,290 sq km |
| Population | 165,650,475 (2022 est.) |
| Official Language | Bengali |
| Borders | India and the Maldives (maritime borders) |
| Currency | Taka (৳) (BDT) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Demonym | Bangladeshi |
| Life expectancy at birth | 74.7 years (2022 est.) |
| Literacy | 74.9 % |
| National anthem | "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971) |
| Government type | Unitary dominant-party parliamentary republic |
| President | Abdul Hamid |
| Prime Minister | Sheikh Hasina |
| Climate | tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) |
| Terrain | mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast |
| Highest point | Keokradong 1,230 m |
| Lowest point | Indian Ocean 0 m |
| Mean elevation | 85 m |
| Coastline | 580 km |
| National colors | green, red |
| National symbol | Bengal tiger, water lily |
| Natural resources | natural gas, arable land, timber, coal |
| Agricultural land | 70.1% (2018 est.) |
| Birth rate | 17.69 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Sex ratio | 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.) |
| Industries | processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; tourism, shipping; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information technology services, construction |
| Exports | $38.78 billion (2020 est.) clothing, knitwear, leather footwear (2019) |
| Imports | $57.26 billion (2020 est.) refined petroleum, cotton, natural gas, scrap iron, wheat (2019) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $4,800 |
| Time Zone | UTC+6 (BST) |
| Internet country code | .bd |
| Drives on the | left |
| Calling Code | +880 |
| Table last updated | July 25, 2022 |