3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

Conventional short form: Bangladesh

Local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh

Local short form: Banladesh

Former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

Administrative Divisions

6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet

Independence

16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

National Holiday

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution

4 November 1972; effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982; restored 10 November 1986; amended many times

Legal System

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Zillur RAHMAN (since 12 February 2009)

Head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 6 January 2009)

Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

Elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 11 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2014)

Election results: Zillur RAHMAN declared president-elect by the Election Commission on 11 February 2009 (sworn in on 12 February); he ran unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA

Legislative Branch

Unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies; members serve five-year terms elections: last held 29 December 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - AL 49%, BNP 33.2%, JP 7%, JIB 4.6%, other 6.2%; seats by party - AL 230, BNP 30, JP 27, JIB 2, other 11

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)

Political Parties and Leaders

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Manjurul A. KHAN]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Advocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA (Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs) other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders; teachers; union leaders

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

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • Parliamentary democracy

Capital

  • Name
    Dhaka
  • Geographic Coordinates
    23 43 N, 90 24 E
  • Time Difference
    UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador (vacant)
  • Chancery
    3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 244-0183
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 244-7830/2771
  • Consulate(s) General
    Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
  • 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

International Organization Participation

  • ADB
  • ARF
  • BIMSTEC
  • C
  • CP
  • FAO
  • G-77
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC
  • ICCt (signatory)
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IDB
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IHO
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • IMSO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • ISO
  • ITSO
  • ITU
  • ITUC
  • MIGA
  • MINURCAT
  • MINURSO
  • MONUC
  • NAM
  • OIC
  • OPCW
  • SAARC
  • SACEP
  • UN
  • UNAMID
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNHCR
  • UNIDO
  • UNMIL
  • UNMIS
  • UNMIT
  • UNOCI
  • UNOMIG
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCL
  • WCO
  • WFTU
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO