parties and leaders:Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or
BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
[Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul
Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244–0183
FAX: [1] (202) 244–5366
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
telephone: [880] (2) 885–5500
FAX: [880] (2) 882–3744
Flag description:
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;
the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
Economy Bangladesh
Economy - overview:
Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve
economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,
overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is
generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the
past several years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$275.7 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.2% industry: 27.1% services: 51.7% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
65.49 million
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
in 1998–99 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)
Unemployment rate:
40% (includes underemployment) (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
45% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995–96 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.6 (FY95/96)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.921 billion
expenditures: $8.262 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)
Public debt:
43% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses,
oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:
