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.
Agriculture Products
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
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
Industrial Production Growth Rate
8.4% (2014 est.)
Labor Force
80.27 million
Labor Force by Occupation
Agriculture: 47%
Industry: 13%
Services: 40% (2010 est.)
Unemployment Rate
5% (2013 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line
31.5% (2010 est.)
Household Income or Consumption by Percentage Share
Lowest 10%: 4%
Highest 10%: 27% (2010 est.)
Distribution of Family Income Gini Index
33.6 (1996)
Budget
Revenues: $18.09 billion
Expenditures: $24.33 billion (2014 est.)
Public Debt
30.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
Central Bank Discount Rate
5% (31 December 2009)
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
Stock of Narrow Money
$16.54 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Stock of Broad Money
$84.11 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Stock of Domestic Credit
$89.32 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Market Value of Publicly Traded Shares
$23.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
$18.09 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Debt External
$28.26 billion (30 June 2013 est.)
Stock of Direct Foreign Investment at Home
$8.593 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Stock of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad
$162.9 million (31 December 2013 est.)
Exchange Rates
69.649 (2010 est.)
