The huge delta region was part of greater Bangladesh( Anga- Banga- Kalinga) formed at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems – now referred to as Bangladesh – was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires centered on the Gangetic plain for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971. The post-independence AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 it was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections occurred in 1991.
LAND
142,500 km2 ; 66% arable (including cultivated and fallow), 18% not available for cultivation, 16% forested
Land boundaries: 2,535 km
WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (economic including fishing 200 nm)
Coastline: 580 km
PEOPLE
Population: 93,040,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.6%
Nationality: noun—Bangladeshi(s); adjective—Bangladesh
Ethnic divisions: predominantly Bengali; fewer than one million “Biharis” and fewer than one million tribals
Religion: 85% Muslim, about 12% Hindu, less than 1% Buddhist, Christian, or other
Language: Bengali
Literacy: 24.3% (1979-80)
Labor force: 30.7 million; extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Kuwait; 80% of labor force is in agriculture, 15% services, 11% industry (FY79)
GOVERNMENT
Official name: People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Type: independent republic since December 1971; Government of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman overthrown in August 1975; two other coups followed; after four years of martial law rule, presidential elections were held in June 1978 and a new parliament was elected in February 1979; President Ziaur Rahman assassinated in failed military coup on 30 May 1981; former Vice President Justice Abdus Sattar became President in election on 15 November 1981; martial law imposed 24 March 1982; government dissolved
Capital: Dacca
Political subdivisions: 19 districts, 413 thanas (counties), 4,365 unions (village groupings)
Legal system: based on English common law; constitution adopted December 1972; amended January 1975 to more authoritarian presidential system, changed by proclamation in April 1977 to reflect Islamic character of nation; further change, by proclamation in December 1978, to provide for the appointments of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as other ministers of Cabinet rank, and to further define the powers of the President
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March
Branches: constitution provides for unicameral legislature, strong President; independent judiciary; President has substantial control over the judiciary
Government leader: President Abdus Sattar replaced by martial law administrator Lt. Gen. H. M. ERSHAD in March 1982 coup
Suffrage: universal over age 18
Elections: Second Parliament (House of the Nation) elected in February 1979; elections every five years; most recent presidential election November 1981
Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (formed September 1978), Abdus Sattar; Awami League, Sheikh Hasina Wajed; United People’s Party, Kazi Zafar Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed; Muslim League, Khan A. Sabur; Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (National Socialist Party), M. A. Jalil; Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Manindra Moni Singh; numerous small parties; political activity banned following March 1982 coup
Communists: 2,500 members (est.)
Member of: ADB, Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMCO, ISCON, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
ECONOMY
GNP: $9.1 billion est. (FY79, current prices), $100 per capita; real growth, 4.4% (FY79)
Agriculture: large subsistence farming, heavily dependent on monsoon rainfall; main crops are jute and rice; shortages—grain, cotton, and oilseed
Fishing: catch 835,000 metric tons (FY78)
Major industries: jute manufactures, food processing and cotton textiles
Electric power: 1,302,000 kW capacity (1980); 1.750 billion kWh produced (1980), 20 kWh per capita
Exports: $759 million (f.o.b. 1980); raw and manufactured jute, leather, tea
Imports: $2,348 million (f.o.b. 1980); foodgrains, fuels, raw cotton, fertilizer, manufactured products
Major trade partners: exports—US 14%, USSR 8%; imports—US 19%, Japan 12% (FY79)
Budget: (FY81) domestic revenue, $2,379 million; expenditures, $2,203 million
Monetary conversion rate: 16 taka=US$1 (June 1981)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 4,085 km total (1980); 2,198 km meter gauge (1.000 m),l,852 km broad gauge (1.676 m), 35 km narrow gauge (0.762 m), 300 km double track; government owned
Highways: 45,633 km total; 4,076 km paved, 2,693 km gravel, 38,864 km earth
Inland waterways: 7,000 km; river steamers navigate main waterways
Ports: 1 major (Chittagong), 2 minor
Pipelines: 854 km natural gas
Civil air: 9 major transport aircraft
Airfields: 23 total, 15 usable; 17 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate international radio-communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 100,000 (est.) telephones (0.1 per 100 popl.); 9 AM, 6 FM, 7 TV stations, and 1 ground satellite station
DEFENSE FORCES
Military manpower: males 15-49, 21,456,000; 11,190,000 fit for military service
Military budget: for fiscal year ending 30 June 1982, $1.7 billion; about 10.8% of central government budget
