3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

Conventional short form: Bangladesh

Local long form: Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh

Local short form: Bangladesh

Former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

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

Administrative Divisions

8 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet

Independence

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

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

Constitution

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

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 (2019)

Legal System

mixed legal system of mostly English common law and Islamic law

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Abdul HAMID (since 24 April 2013); note - Abdul HAMID served as acting president following the death of Zillur RAHMAN in March 2013; HAMID was subsequently indirectly elected by the National Parliament and sworn in 24 April 2013

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

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

Elections appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 February 2018 (next to be held by 2023); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament

Election results: President Abdul HAMID (AL) reelected by the National Parliament unopposed for a second term; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister as leader of the majority AL party following parliamentary elections in 2018

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 popular vote; 50 members - reserved for women only - indirectly elected by the elected members by proportional representation vote using single transferable vote; all members serve 5-year terms)

Elections: last held on 30 December 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AL 289, BNP 7, other 3; composition - men 279, women 72, percent of women 20.6%

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: 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

Political Parties and Leaders

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]
Bangladesh Nationalist Front or BNF [Abdul Kalam AZADI]
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]
Bangladesh Tariqat Federation or BTF [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI]
Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh or JIB (Makbul AHMAD)
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]
Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) [Anwar Hossain MANJU]
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]
National Socialist Party or JSD [KHALEQUZZAMAN]
Workers Party or WP [Rashed Khan MENON]

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 Symbols

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

National Anthem

Name: "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)

Lyrics music: Rabindranath TAGORE

Year

Government Type

  • Parliamentary republic

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 Mohammad ZIAUDDIN (since 18 September 2014)
  • Chancery
    3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 244-0183
  • Fax
    [1] (202) 244-2771
  • Consulate S General
    Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Earl Robert MILLER (since 29 November 2018)
  • Telephone
    [880] (2) 5566-2000
  • Embassy
    Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
  • Mailing Address
    G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
  • Fax
    [880] (2) 5566-2915

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
  • MINUSMA
  • MONUSCO
  • NAM
  • OIC
  • OPCW
  • PCA
  • SAARC
  • SACEP
  • UN
  • UNAMID
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNHCR
  • UNIDO
  • UNIFIL
  • UNMIL
  • UNMISS
  • UNOCI
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WFTU (NGOs)
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO