2024 Edition Primary

Background

The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires 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, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas 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 military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). Moreover, human development outcomes improved along many dimensions.  The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but faces several economic challenges.  

Area

land

130,170 sq km

total

148,460 sq km

water

18,290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; 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

highest point

Mowdok Taung 1,060 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

85 m

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

81,270 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km

total

4,413 km

Land use

agricultural land

70.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 59% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 6.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.6% (2018 est.)

forest

11.1% (2018 est.)

other

18.8% (2018 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Major aquifers

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

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 kmnote – [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)

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

Age structure

0-14 years

25.1% (male 21,540,493/female 20,800,712)

15-64 years

67.1% (male 55,071,592/female 58,180,322)

65 years and over

7.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,096,167/female 7,007,898)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

17.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

15.5%

women married by age 18

51.4% (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

22.6% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

62.7% (2019)

Current health expenditure

2.6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

80.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.6

potential support ratio

11.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.7

youth dependency ratio

39.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98.7% of population

improved: total

total: 98.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1% of population

Education expenditures

2.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bengali at least 99%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1% (2022 est.)

note

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.01 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

26.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

28.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.5 years

male

73.1 years

total population

75.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

72% (2020)

male

77.8%

total population

74.9%

Major urban areas - population

23.210 million DHAKA (capital), 5.380 million Chittagong, 955,000 Khulna, 962,000 Rajshahi, 964,000 Sylhet, 906,000 Bogra (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

123 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

30.4 years

male

28.7 years

total

29.6 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

18.6 years (2017/18 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Bangladeshi

noun

Bangladeshi(s)

Net migration rate

-2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.6% (2016)

Physician density

0.67 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

85,988,932 (2024 est.)

male

82,708,252

total

168,697,184

Population growth rate

0.89% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 73.5% of population

improved: total

total: 78% of population

improved: urban

urban: 85.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 26.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 22% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 14.7% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2020)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

17.1% (2020 est.)

male

52.2% (2020 est.)

total

34.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.07 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

40.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet

Capital

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

geographic coordinates

23 43 N, 90 24 E

name

Dhaka

time difference

UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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

history

previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (preindependence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986

Country name

conventional long form

People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form

Bangladesh

etymology

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

former

East Bengal, East Pakistan

local long form

Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh

local short form

Bangladesh

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Helen LAFAVE (since July 2024)

email address and website

DhakaACS@state.govhttps://bd.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212

FAX

[880] (2) 5566-2907

mailing address

6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC  20521-6120

telephone

[880] (2) 5566-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires DM Salahuddin MAHMUD (since 12 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, Miami, New York

email address and website

mission.washington@mofa.gov.bdEmbassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd)

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 Mohammad Shahabuddin CHUPPI (since 24 April 2023)

election results

President Mohammad Shahabuddin CHUPPI (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister for a fifth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 February 2023 (next to be held by 2028); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament

head of government

Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)

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 republic

Independence

16 December 1971 (from 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, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, 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; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court; special courts/tribunals

Legal system

common law; since independence, statutory law enacted by the Parliament of Bangladesh has been the primary form of legislation; Bangladeshi law incorporates elements of English common law; Islamic law applies to Bangladeshi Muslims in family and inheritance laws, with Hindu personal law applying to Bangladeshi Hindus and Buddhists  

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; all members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party as of December 2023 - AL 306, JP 27, BNP 0, other 14, independent 3; composition - men 280, women 70, percentage women 20%

elections

last held on 7 January 2024 (next to be held in 2026)

note

note 1: 50 seats are reserved for women only and are indirectly elected by the House of the Nation members using proportional representationnote 2: on 5 August 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed resigned, and the following day, President Mohammad Shahabuddin CHUPPI dissolved House of the Nation

National anthem

lyrics/music

Rabindranath TAGORE

name

"Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)

note

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

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c); Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c); Sundarbans (n)

total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

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

National symbol(s)

Bengal tiger, water lily; national colors: green, red

Political parties

Awami League or ALBangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIBBangladesh Nationalist Party or BNPIslami Andolan BangladeshJatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction)Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction)National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSDWorkers Party or WP  

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, vegetables, jute, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

52.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$34.538 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$39.849 billion (2021 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2014)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2012)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2010)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$15.775 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$14.438 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$4.388 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$53.63 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

one of the fastest growing emerging market economies; strong economic rebound following COVID-19; significant poverty reduction; exports dominated by textile industry; weakened exports and remittances resulted in declining foreign exchange reserves and 2022 IMF loan request

Exchange rates

Currency

taka (BDT) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

84.454 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

84.871 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

85.084 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

91.745 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

106.309 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$49.291 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$60.066 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$58.885 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, jute yarn (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 18%, Germany 16%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

13.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

5.7% (2023 est.)

household consumption

68.6% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-17.8% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

31% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

11% (2023 est.)

industry

34.6% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

51.1% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$437.415 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

33.4 (2022 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.4% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

3.5% (2022 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$85.299 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$93.635 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$73.172 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cotton fabric, cotton, fabric, fertilizers (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 32%, India 17%, Singapore 6%, Malaysia 5%, Indonesia 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

8.37% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering 

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

5.55% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

9.88% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

74.914 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

18.7% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

33.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.248 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.336 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.413 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.94% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.78% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$7,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$7,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$8,200 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

5.33% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

4.67% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

5.26% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$46.166 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$33.747 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$21.86 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

7.64% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

5.82% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

5.25% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.06% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

20.4% (2023 est.)

male

13.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

15.7% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

15.102 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

59.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

25.09 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

99.57 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

7.514 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

5.62 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

754,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

3.26 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

99.553 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

8.643 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

22.449 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

11.09 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

99.3%

electrification - total population

99.4% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

98.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

9.678 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

30.384 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

5.765 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

24.62 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

2 (2023)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

28 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

160,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2020 est.)

total

10,052,819 (2020 est.)

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.

Internet country code

.bd

Internet users

percent of population

39% (2021 est.)

total

66.3 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

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 (2021)

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)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

274,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

105 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

180.198 million (2022 est.)

Airports

17 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

S2

Heliports

35 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 68, container ship 10, general cargo 170, oil tanker 162, other 148

total

558 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

63.82 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

5,984,155 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

30

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Pipelines

2,950 km gas (2013)

Ports

key ports

Chittagong, Mongla

medium

1

small

1

total ports

2 (2024)

Railways

broad gauge

659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge

1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

2,460 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

110,311 km

total

369,105 km

unpaved

258,794 km (2018)

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)

Military - note

the military’s primary responsibility is external defense but it also has a domestic security role and has traditionally been a significant player in the country’s politics, as well as its economy; following widespread domestic protests in September 2024, the Army was given law enforcement powers for 60 days, including making arrests, conducting searches, and dispersing unlawful assemblies; the military has a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping missions, which has provided operational experience and a source of funding; it runs an international institute for the training of peacekeepers; the military also conducts multinational and bilateral exercises with foreign partners, particularly India; it has commercial business interests in such areas as banking, food, hotels, manufacturing, real estate, and shipbuilding, and manages government infrastructure and construction projects (2024)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air ForceMinistry of Home Affairs: Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2024)

note

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 presidentnote 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 and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 175,000 total active personnel (140,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force) (2024)

Military deployments

approximately 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,650 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 200 police); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 100 Mali (MINUSMA; plus about 150 police); 1,600 South Sudan (UNMISS); 500 Sudan (UNISFA) (2024)

note

note: as of early 2024, Bangladesh had nearly 6,000 total military and police personnel deployed on UN missions

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

much of the military's inventory is comprised of Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment; in recent years, China has been the leading provider of arms to Bangladesh (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

generally 17-21 for voluntary military service; length of service varies by military service  (2024)

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

427,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

976,507 (Burma) (2024)

stateless persons

929,606 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO; established 1980) (2024)

Space program overview

has a modest space program focused on designing, building, and operating satellites, particularly those with remote sensing (RS) capabilities; researching a variety of other space-related capabilities and technologies; has a government-owned company for acquiring and operating satellites (Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited or BSCL, established in 2017); has relations with several foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of France, Japan, Russia, and the US (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist 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

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 the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

84.25 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

59.3 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

45.99 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

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

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to economic constraints and high prices of important food items - food insecurity is expected to remain fragile, given persisting economic constraints; domestic prices of wheat flour and palm oil, important food items, were at high levels in May 2023 (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

70.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 59% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 6.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.6% (2018 est.)

forest

11.1% (2018 est.)

other

18.8% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

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 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.23 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

31.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

770 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

3.6 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

40.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

14,778,497 tons (2012 est.)