Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah,
Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur,
Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur,
Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail,
Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari,
Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram,
Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur,
Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet,
Tangail, Thakurgaon
_#_Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)
_#_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
_#_Communists: 5,000 members (1987 est.)
_#_Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG,
UPU, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WCL, WMO, WTO
_#_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)
_#_Exports: $1.5 billion (FY90 est.);
commodities—jute, tea, leather, shrimp, textiles;
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;