2015 Edition

Background

Muslim conversions and settlement in the region now referred to as Bangladesh began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans began to set up 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 independence for Bangladesh in a brief war in 1971, during which at least 300,000 civilians died.

The post-independence, AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 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). That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power between 1991 and 2013, 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, extending HASINA's term as prime minister. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has made great progress in food security since independence, and the economy has grown at an annual average of about 6% over the last two decades.

Area

land

130,170 sq km

total

148,460 sq km

water

18,290 sq km

Area - comparative

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 extremes

highest point

Keokradong 1,230 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 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; severe overpopulation

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

238.3 cu m/yr (2008)

total

35.87 cu km/yr (10%/2%/88%)

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

50,500 sq km (2008)

Land boundaries

border countries (2)

Burma 271 km, India 4,142 km

total

4,413 km

Land use

arable land 59%; permanent crops 6.5%; permanent pasture 4.6%

agricultural land

70.1%

forest

11.1%

other

18.8% (2011 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

Total renewable water resources

1,227 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

31.62% (male 27,115,731/female 26,311,130)

15-24 years

18.86% (male 14,976,910/female 16,880,807)

25-54 years

38.27% (male 30,608,224/female 34,053,744)

55-64 years

6.12% (male 5,196,932/female 5,150,199)

65 years and over

5.13% (male 4,258,664/female 4,405,404) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

21.14 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

13% (2006 est.)

total number

4,485,497

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

35.1% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

61.2% (2011)

Death rate

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.6%

potential support ratio

13.2% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.2%

youth dependency ratio

44.9%

Drinking water source

urban: 86.5% of population

rural: 87% of population

total: 86.9% of population

urban: 13.5% of population

rural: 13% of population

total: 13.1% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

2.2% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

Bengali at least 98%, ethnic groups 1.1%

note

Bangladesh's goverment recognizes 27 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 (2011 est.)

Health expenditures

3.7% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.01% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

700 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,900 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

41.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

46.56 deaths/1,000 live births

total

44.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.94 years (2015 est.)

male

69.02 years

total population

70.94 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

58.5% (2015 est.)

male

64.6%

total population

61.5%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

note

highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations

water contact disease

leptospirosis

Major urban areas - population

DHAKA (capital) 17.598 million; Chittagong 4.539 million; Khulna 1.022 million; Rajshahi 844,000 (2015)

Median age

female

25.1 years (2015 est.)

male

24.2 years

total

24.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Bangladeshi

noun

Bangladeshi(s)

Net migration rate

0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.3% (2014)

Physicians density

0.36 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

168,957,745 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.6% (2015 est.)

Religions

Muslim 89.5%, Hindu 9.6%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist .5%, Christian .3%) (2004 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 57.7% of population

rural: 62.1% of population

total: 60.6% of population

urban: 42.3% of population

rural: 37.9% of population

total: 39.4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2011)

male

10 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.89 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.9 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.97 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.4 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

13.6% (2005 est.)

male

8%

total

9.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.55% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

34.3% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

7 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, 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)

Constitution

previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (preindependence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986; amended many times, last in 2011 (2011)

Country name

conventional long form

People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form

Bangladesh

former

East Bengal, East Pakistan

local long form

Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh

local short form

Bangladesh

note

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marcia BERNICAT (since 12 January 2015)

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) elected by the National Parliament unopposed; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister as leader of the majority AL party

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 April 2013 (next must be held by 2018); 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; reappointed 5 January 2014)

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 democracy

Independence

16 December 1971 (from West 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 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; special courts/tribunals; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of mostly English common law and Islamic law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad (300 seats including 45 reserved for women; members directly elected in single territorial constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - AL-led Alliance 79%, JP 34%; seats by party - AL 234, JP 34, other 32

elections

last held on 5 January 2014 (next to be held by January 2019); note - the 5 January 2014 poll was marred by widespread violence, boycotts, general strikes, and low voter turnout

National anthem

lyrics/music

Rabindranath TAGORE

name

"Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)

note

adopted 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote India's national anthem

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971); note - March 1971 is the date of the Awami League's declaration of an independent Bangladesh, and 16 December, known as 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]

Communist Party of Bangladesh or CPB [Manjurul A. KHAN]

Bangladesh Nationalist Front or BNF [Abdul Kalam AZADI]

Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]

Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh or BDB [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY]

Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [multiple leaders]

Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]

Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]

National Socialist Party or JSD [KHALEQUZZAMAN]

Tarikat Foundation [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI]

Workers Party or WP [Rashed Khan MENON]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Ain o Salish Kendro (Centre for Law and Mediation) or ASK (legal aid and civil rights)

Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity

Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee or BRAC

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs or MoWCA (advocacy group to end gender-based violence)

Odikhar (human rights group)

other

associations of madrassa teachers; business associations, including those intended to promote international trade; development and advocacy NGOs associated with the Grameen Bank; environmentalists; Islamist groups; labor rights advocacy groups; NGOs focused on poverty, alleviation, and socioeconomic international trade; religious leaders; tribal groups and advocacy organizations; union leaders

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$24.33 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$18.09 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

5% (31 December 2010)

5% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13% (31 December 2014 est.)

13% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$132 million (2014 est.)

$2.366 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$33.2 billion (30 June 2014 est.)

$28.26 billion (30 June 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.1 (2010)

33.6 (1996)

Economy - overview

Bangladesh's economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 1996 despite political instability, poor infrastructure, corruption, insufficient power supplies, slow implementation of economic reforms, and the 2008-09 global financial crisis and recession. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector with rice as the single-most-important product. Garment exports, the backbone of Bangladesh’s industrial sector, accounted for more than 80% of total exports and surpassed $18 billion in 2014. The sector has remained resilient in recent years amidst a series of factory accidents that have killed over 1,000 workers and crippling strikes that shut down virtually all economic activity. Steady garment export growth combined with remittances from overseas Bangladeshis - which totaled $14 billion and 8% of GDP in 2014 - are the largest contributors to Bangladesh’s current account surplus and rising foreign exchange holdings.

Exchange rates

taka (BDT) per US dollar -

77.57 (2014 est.)

78.103 (2013 est.)

81.86 (2012 est.)

74.152 (2011 est.)

69.649 (2010 est.)

Exports

$31.2 billion (2014 est.)

$28.62 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 14.3%, Germany 13.6%, UK 7.9%, France 5.2%, Spain 4.3%, Italy 4.1% (2014)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

22.6%

government consumption

5.5%

household consumption

74.1%

imports of goods and services

-28.9%

investment in fixed capital

26.3%

investment in inventories

0.4%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

15.1%

industry

26.5%

services

58.3% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,400 (2014 est.)

$3,200 (2013 est.)

$3,000 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.1% (2014 est.)

6.1% (2013 est.)

6.3% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$185.4 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$533.7 billion (2014 est.)

$503 billion (2013 est.)

$474.2 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

30% of GDP (2014 est.)

30.4% of GDP (2013 est.)

30.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

4%

Imports

$38.5 billion (2014 est.)

$35 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 18.8%, India 14.8%, Singapore 5.8%, Malaysia 4.2% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

8.4% (2014 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)

7% (2014 est.)

7.5% (2013 est.)

Labor force

80.27 million

note

extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances were $10.9 billion in FY09/10 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

47%

industry

13%

services

40% (2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$41.73 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$17.48 billion (31 December 2012)

$23.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

31.5% (2010 est.)

Public debt

28.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

30.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$21.46 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$18.09 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$98.43 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$84.11 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$166.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$162.9 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$8.625 billion (30 June 2014 est.)

$8.593 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$99.59 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$89.32 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$19.69 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$16.54 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

5% (2014 est.)

5% (2013 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

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

63.5 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

23,620 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

4,200 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

28 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

37.88 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

97.7% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

2.3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

10.26 million kW (2013 est.)

Electricity - production

42.41 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

21.86 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

21.86 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

264.6 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

118,700 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

3,288 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

84,490 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

22,710 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) operates 1 terrestrial TV station, 3 radio networks, and about 10 local stations; 8 private satellite TV stations and 3 private radio stations also broadcasting; foreign satellite TV stations are gaining audience share in the large cities; several international radio broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.bd

Internet users

percent of population

6.9% (2014 est.)

total

11.4 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 19, shortwave 2 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line teledensity remains only about 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and now exceeds 67 telephones per 100 persons

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

international

country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 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 (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

1.09 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

72 (2014 est.)

total

120.4 million

Television broadcast stations

17 (2009)

Airports

18 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

1

over 3,047 m

2

total

16

under 914 m

5 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

total

2

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 25, cargo 28, chemical tanker 1, container 5, petroleum tanker 3

foreign-owned

8 (China 1, Singapore 7)

registered in other countries

10 (Comoros 1, Hong Kong 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 1) (2010)

total

62

Pipelines

gas 2,950 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s)

Chittagong (1,392,104) (2011)

major seaport(s)

Chittagong

river port(s)

Mongla Port (Sela River)

Railways

broad gauge

659 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge

1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

total

2,460 km

Roadways

paved

1,063 km

total

21,269 km

unpaved

20,206 km (2010)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh remain a risk for armed robbery against ships; attacks against vessels have decreased over the last few years in response to improved local security

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)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49

36,520,491 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

35,616,093 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

30,486,086

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

1,689,442 (2010 est.)

male

1,606,963

Military branches

Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army (Sena Bahini), Bangladesh Navy (Noh Bahini, BN), Bangladesh Air Force (Biman Bahini, BAF) (2013)

Military expenditures

1.15% of GDP (2013)

1.35% of GDP (2012)

1.44% of GDP (2011)

1.35% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

16-19 years of age for voluntary military service; Bangladeshi birth and 10th grade education required; initial obligation 15 years (2012)

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 29,000 Rohingya, Burmese Muslim minority from Arakan 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

at least 431,000 (violence, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2015)

refugees (country of origin)

232,462 (Burma) (2014)