BANGLADESH AT A GLANCE
Introduction
Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country in 1971 following a nine month war of liberation. It is one of the largest deltas of the world with a total area of 147,570 sq. km. With a unique communal harmony, Bangladesh has a population of about 152.51 million, making it one of the densely populated countries of the world. The majority (over 88%) of the people are Muslim. Over 98% of the people speak in Bangla. English, however, is widely spoken. The country is covered with a network of rivers and canals forming a maze of interconnecting channels. Being an active partner, Bangladesh plays vital role in the international and regional forum, particularly in the UN, Commonwealth and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
General Information:
| Official Name: | The People’s Republic of Bangladesh |
| Political system: | Parliamentary democracy |
| Capital name: | Dhaka |
| Time zone: | GMT + 6 hours |
| Major Cities | Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Rangpur |
| Principal rivers: | Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Teesta, Surma and Karnaphuli.(total 310 rivers including tributaries). |
| Principal industries: | Ready made garments, pharmaceuticals, cements, garment accessories, chemicals, fertilizers, newsprint, leather and leather goods, paper, sugar, jute, ship building. |
| Principal exports: | Readymade garments, frozen foods (shrimps), leather, leather products, jute, jute products, tea, ceramic, textile fabrics, home textile, chemical product, light engineering products including bi-cycle. |
Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
Geography:
| Location: | Between 200 34′ and 260 38′ north latitude and between 880 01′ and 920 41′ east longitude. |
| Boundary: | North: India West: India South: Bay of Bengal East: India and Myanmar |
| Area: | 56,977 sq. miles or 147,570 sq. km. |
| Territorial water: | 12 nautical miles Territorial Sea, 200 nautical miles Economic Zone. |
| Main seasons: | Summer (March-May), rainy season (June-September) and winter (December-February) |
| Climate variations: | Season |
| Principal seasonal crops and fruits: | Paddy, jute, wheat, tobacco, pulses, oil seeds, spices, vegetables, jack-fruit, banana, mango, coconut, pineapple etc. |
| Natural resources: | Natural gas, coal, lime, white clay, granite, glass sand. |
source:Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
National Demographics
| Total population (m*) | 160.8 Million |
| Male (m) | 80.5 Million |
| Female (m) | 80.3 Million |
| Annual growth rate | 1.37% |
| Sex ratio (males per 100 females) | 100.3 |
| Density (per sq km) | 1127 |
*=million
Source:Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
Source:Projections as per previous report, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
Overview
| GDP total: USD $274 Billion (FY 2017-18) |
GDP growth rate (%): 7.86 (2017-18) |
| International reserves: USD $32.94 Billion (June 2018) |
Total exports: USD $36.67 Billion (FY 2017-18) |
| GDP per capita: USD $1751 (2017-18) |
FDI Inflows: USD $2.151 (Net) Billion (June, 2018) |
| Currency: USD 1 = BDT 83.72 (28 June 2018) |
Total imports: $54.46 Billion (FY 2017-18) |
Source: BANGLADESH INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Key Indicators
Electricity
| Item | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | |
| 1. Electricity | Per Capita Generation (KWH) | 288.22 | 324.18 | 351.21 |
| Per Capita Consumption (KWH) | 249.16 | 281.36 | 308.22 | |
| 2. Energy Production Index (Base:2005-06=100) | Electricity | 191.06 | 219.29 | 243.39 |
| Natural Gas | 172.48 | 184.29 | 184.00 | |
| 3. Industrial Production Index (Manufacturing)(Base: 2005-06=100) | — | 236.11 | 267.88 | 293.81 |
| 4. Consumer Price Indices (Base: 2005-06=100) | National | 207.58 | 219.86 | 231.82 |
| All Urban | 204.76 | 219.31 | 233.29 | |
| All Rural | 209.10 | 220.10 | 231.02 |
Source: BANGLADESH INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Overview of EPZ
|
Name of EPZ
|
Industrial Plots
|
Investment (mUS$) (2016-17) |
Export (m US$) (2016-17) |
Employment (2016-17) |
| Chittagong | 501 | 1556.83 | 26476.97 | 199757 |
| Dhaka | 451 | 1292.12 | 22575.33 | 92340 |
| Comilla | 238 | 284.00 | 2019.00 | 27019 |
| Mongla | 190 | 47.23 | 484.86 | 2104 |
| Uttara | 180 | 138.58 | 582.58 | 28152 |
| Ishwardi | 290 | 116.60 | 551.31 | 9058 |
| Adamjee | 229 | 421.54 | 2895.21 | 53122 |
| Karnaphuli | 25 | 484.36 | 3781.58 | 67629 |
| Total | 2104 | 4341.26 | 59366.84 | 479181 |
Source: BANGLADESH INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Ports
| Seaports: | Seaports | Chittagong and Mongla. |
| Inland river ports | Dhaka, Chandpur, Barisal, Khulna, Baghabari, Sharishabari, Narayanganj, Bhairab Bazar, Ashuganj. | |
| Airports | International airports | Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet. |
| Domestic airports | Chittagong, Jessore, Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar, Syedpur, Rajshahi and Barisal. | |
| Landports: | Benapole, Teknaf, Banglabandha, Sonamasjid, Hilli, Darshana, Birol, Burimari, Tamabil, Haluaghat, Akhaura, Bibirbazar and Bhomra. |
Source: Statistical Pocket Book Bangladesh-2009, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
Communications
| Radio stations: | Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Sylhet, Rangamati, Comilla and Thakurgaon. broadcasting programmes (in addition to Bengali): in English, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic and Nepali. |
| Television stations: | Dhaka, Chittagong. |
| Relay stations: | Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Natore, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Noakhali, Satkhira, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati and Thakurgaon. |
| Television channels: | Terrestrial: BTV Satellite: BTV World, Channel-I, NTV, ATN Bangla, Bangla Vision, Boishakhi TV, Islamic TV, Desh TV, ETV, My TV, Diganta TV, RTV. |
| Daily Newspaper: | Daily Prothom Alo, Daily Ittefaq, Daily Kaler Kontha, Daily Janokantho, Daily Jugantor, Daily Bhorer Kagoj, Daily Star, Daily Independent, Daily Financial Express, Daily News Today etc. |
Source: Statistical Pocket Book Bangladesh-2009, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
Programs / Events
News
