151-578: Bangladesh Mahila Samiti is a women's organization in Bangladesh descended from the All Pakistan Women's Association that was originally established by Lady Rana Liaquat Ali (wife of the Prime Minister of Pakistan) in 1948. The Dhaka branch was opened in 1949. The organization works to improve awareness of legal issues, and to fund education and health access for women. This article about
302-538: A Bangladeshi organisation is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh , is a country in South Asia . It is the eighth-most populous country in the world and seventh most densely populated with a population of 173,562,364 in an area of 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi). Bangladesh shares land borders with India to
453-669: A Status of Forces Agreement , an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement and a General Security of Military Information Agreement. In 2019, Bangladesh ratified the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Since the colonial period, Bangladesh has had a prominent civil society . There are various special interest groups, including non-governmental organisations , human rights organisations, professional associations, chambers of commerce , employers' associations, and trade unions. The National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh
604-429: A bloody war . The country has a Bengali Muslim majority. Ancient Bengal was known as Gangaridai and was a stronghold of pre-Islamic kingdoms. The Muslim conquest after 1204 led to the sultanate and Mughal periods, during which an independent Bengal Sultanate and wealthy Mughal Bengal transformed the region into an important centre of regional affairs, trade, and diplomacy. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked
755-567: A presidential form of government. Sheikh Mujib renamed the League the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL), and banned all other parties. The consequences lead to a critical political state. BAKSAL was dissolved after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The move towards a secular form of government caused widespread dissatisfaction among many low ranking military personnel, most of whom received training from
906-564: A critical role in addressing regional issues, including the Rohingya refugee crisis , which has strained its resources and highlighted its humanitarian commitments. The poverty rate went down from 80% in 1971 to 44% in 1991 to 13% in 2021. Bangladesh emerged as the second-largest economy in South Asia, surpassing the per capita income levels of both India and Pakistan. As part of the green transition , Bangladesh's industrial sector emerged as
1057-592: A democratic state with fundamental rights, an independent judiciary, and an elected parliament called the Jatiya Sangsad . Since gaining independence, Bangladesh has faced issues of political instability, economic reconstruction, and social transformation. The country experienced one party socialism under Sheikh Mujib in 1975, followed by military coups and military rule, notably under General Ziaur Rahman and General Hussain Muhammad Ershad . Between 1972 and 1975,
1208-548: A famine : 70,000 people died, and support for Mujib declined. Bangladesh continued exporting jute to Cuba, violating US economic sanctions, the Nixon government barred grain imports to Bangladesh. This exacerbated famine conditions. In January 1975, facing violent leftist insurgents Mujib declared a state of emergency and later assumed the presidency, after the Awami League dominated parliament decided to switch from parliamentary to
1359-534: A habitat for many aquatic plants. Water lilies and lotuses grow vividly during the monsoon season. The country has 50 wildlife sanctuaries . Bangladesh is home to most of the Sundarbans , the world's largest mangrove forest , covering an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) in the southwest littoral region. It is divided into three protected sanctuaries: the South , East , and West zones. The forest
1510-891: A historical, though still influential, ideological base combining left-wing nationalism , socialism , and democratic socialism . The party's nationalist outlook is primarily concentrated in its fundamental principles and historical role of nationalism in the Independence War. The ideology of Awami League has been evolved through political and socio-economic landscape of the country since its creation. The Party President Sheikh Hasina claimed that her party's ideology has been blended with pragmatism . Party's constitution states four fundamental principles in guiding its philosophy and policies: democracy , socialism , secularism and nationalism . The origins of these principles can be traced to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 's political thought . Awami League has been committed to secularism for
1661-700: A landmark order for the establishment of the Bangla Academy in Dhaka. As tensions with the western wing grew due to the demands for greater provincial autonomy in East Bengal, Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad dismissed the United Front government on 29 May 1954 under Article 92/A of the provisional constitution of Pakistan. In September 1956, the Awami League formed a coalition with the Republican Party to secure
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#17328737083751812-504: A leader in building green factories, with the country having the largest number of certified green factories in the world in 2023. In January 2024, Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a fourth straight term in Bangladesh's general election . Following nationwide protests against the Awami League government, on 5 August 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee to India. An interim government
1963-500: A link to assassinated members of the 1972–1975 AL government were Sayed Ashraful Islam , son of Syed Nazrul Islam , Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh , son of Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni , and Sohel Taj , son of Tajuddin Ahmad . Since 2009, the Awami League government faced several major political challenges, including BDR ( Bangladesh Rifles ) mutiny, power crisis, unrest in garments industry and stock market fluctuations. Judicial achievements for
2114-600: A long sea coastline, numerous rivers and tributaries , lakes, wetlands , evergreen forests, semi evergreen forests, hill forests, moist deciduous forests , freshwater swamp forests and flat land with tall grass. The Bangladesh Plain is famous for its fertile alluvial soil which supports extensive cultivation. The country is dominated by lush vegetation, with villages often buried in groves of mango , jackfruit , bamboo , betel nut , coconut , and date palm . The country has up to 6000 species of plant life, including 5000 flowering plants. Water bodies and wetland systems provide
2265-405: A long time. The party has promoted a strong secular image and depicted itself as a defender of secularism against Islamism . Most of the party leaders support the restoration of the original constitution of 1972 by removing Islam as the state religion . Since Islam has been made as the state religion of Bangladesh, Awami League has been trying to defended secularism in light of Islam. Being
2416-527: A majority in the new National Assembly of Pakistan and took over the central government. Awami League President Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy became the Prime Minister of Pakistan . Suhrawardy pursued a reform agenda to reduce the long-standing economic disparity between East and West Pakistan, greater representation of Bengalis in the Pakistani civil and armed services and he unsuccessfully attempted to alleviate
2567-611: A member of parliament from Habiganj , was killed in a grenade attack in Sylhet later that year. In June 2005, the Awami League won an important victory when the AL nominated incumbent mayor A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury won the important mayoral election in Chittagong, by a huge margin, against BNP nominee State Minister of Aviation Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin . This election was seen as a showdown between
2718-535: A member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Commonwealth of Nations . The etymology of Bangladesh ("Bengali country") can be traced to the early 20th century, when Bengali patriotic songs, such as Aaji Bangladesher Hridoy by Rabindranath Tagore and Namo Namo Namo Bangladesh Momo by Kazi Nazrul Islam , used the term in 1905 and 1932 respectively. Starting in the 1950s, Bengali nationalists used
2869-560: A number of students including Abdus Salam , Rafiq Uddin Ahmed , Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar . The events of 1952 are widely seen by historians today as a turning point in the history of Pakistan and the Bengali people, as it was the starting point of the Bengali nationalist struggle that eventually culminated in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy, who had been
3020-454: A parliamentary act was passed to reserve three seats (out of 12) in every union for female candidates. Bangladesh is the second largest economy in South Asia after India. The country has outpaced India and Pakistan in terms of per capita income. According to the World Bank , "when the newly independent country of Bangladesh was born on December 16, 1971, it was the second poorest country in
3171-714: A part of the Mughal Empire . By the 18th century, Mughal Bengal emerged as the wealthiest province of the empire. Following the decline of the Mughal Empire in the early 1700s, Bengal became a semi-independent state under the Nawabs of Bengal , founded by Murshid Quli Khan in 1717 and ultimately led by Siraj-ud-Daulah who was defeated by the British East India Company in the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and thus Bengal
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#17328737083753322-666: A pragmatist party, Awami League often compromises with the Islamist political parties in social issues, which has been criticized. The party's tolerance of the Islamic practices, retaining of Islam as the state religion , silence during the attacks on secularists in Bangladesh , has been questioned. Sheikh Hasina supported calls to remove the Statue of Justice in Bangladesh Supreme Court. Many criticized these calls, saying Sheikh Hasina
3473-649: A secular party. The word Awami is the adjectival form for the Urdu word Awam , which means "people"; thus the party's name can be translated as Bangladesh People's League . During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, most of the Awami League members joined the Provisional Government of Bangladesh and Mukti Bahini guerrillas to fight against the Pakistani army and the name Bangladesh Awami League
3624-596: Is Bangladesh's largest economic aid provider, and the two maintain a strategic and economic partnership . Political relations with Middle Eastern countries are robust. Bangladesh receives 59% of its remittances from the Middle East, despite poor working conditions affecting over four million Bangladeshi workers . Bangladesh plays a major role in global climate diplomacy as a leader of the Climate Vulnerable Forum . The Bangladesh Armed Forces have inherited
3775-465: Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The northeastern Sylhet region is home to haor wetlands, a unique ecosystem. It also includes tropical and subtropical coniferous forests , a freshwater swamp forest , and mixed deciduous forests. The southeastern Chittagong region covers evergreen and semi-evergreen hilly jungles. Central Bangladesh includes the plainland Sal forest running along with the districts of Gazipur, Tangail , and Mymensingh . St. Martin's Island
3926-584: Is being developed for production in the country. Biogas is being used to produce organic fertilizer. Bangladesh continues to have huge untapped reserves of natural gas, particularly in its maritime territory. A lack of exploration and decreasing proven reserves have forced Bangladesh to import LNG from abroad. Gas shortages were further exasperated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine . While government-owned companies in Bangladesh generate nearly half of Bangladesh's electricity, privately owned companies like
4077-418: Is divided into several unions , with each union consisting of multiple villages. In the metropolitan areas, police stations are divided into wards, further divided into mahallas . There are no elected officials at the divisional or district levels, and the administration is composed only of government officials. Direct elections are held in each union (or ward) for a chairperson and several members. In 1997,
4228-510: Is estimated that about 10% of its land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 m (3.3 ft). 12% of the country is covered by hill systems. The country's haor wetlands are of significance to global environmental science. The highest point in Bangladesh is the Saka Haphong , located near the border with Myanmar, with an elevation of 1,064 m (3,491 ft). Previously, either Keokradong or Tazing Dong were considered
4379-699: Is home to the Asian elephant , hoolock gibbon , Asian black bear and oriental pied hornbill . The chital deer are widely seen in southwestern woodlands. Other animals include the black giant squirrel , capped langur , Bengal fox , sambar deer , jungle cat , king cobra , wild boar , mongooses , pangolins , pythons and water monitors . Bangladesh has one of the largest populations of Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins . The country has numerous species of amphibians (53), reptiles (139), marine reptiles (19) and marine mammals (5). It also has 628 species of birds . Several animals became extinct in Bangladesh during
4530-498: Is often strained by water politics of the Ganges and the Teesta , and the border killings of Bangladeshi civilians . Post-independent Bangladesh has continued to have a problematic relationship with Pakistan, mainly due to its denial of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. It maintains a warm relationship with China, which is its largest trading partner, and the largest arms supplier. Japan
4681-437: Is overseen by a cabinet headed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh . The tenure of a parliamentary government is five years. The Bangladesh Civil Service assists the cabinet in running the government. Recruitment for the civil service is based on a public examination. In theory, the civil service should be a meritocracy. But a disputed quota system coupled with politicisation and preference for seniority have allegedly affected
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4832-804: Is presided over by the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad , who is second in line to the president as per the constitution. Bangladesh is considered a middle power in global politics . It plays an important role in the geopolitical affairs of the Indo-Pacific , due to its strategic location between South and Southeast Asia. Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1972 and the United Nations in 1974. It relies on multilateral diplomacy on issues like climate change, nuclear nonproliferation, trade policy and non-traditional security issues. Bangladesh pioneered
4983-486: Is the unicameral parliament. It has 350 members of parliament (MPs), including 300 MPs elected on the first past the post system and 50 MPs appointed to reserved seats for women's empowerment . Article 70 of the Constitution of Bangladesh forbids MPs from voting against their party. However, several laws proposed independently by MPs have been transformed into legislation, including the anti-torture law. The parliament
5134-471: Is the only coral reef in the country. Bangladesh has an abundance of wildlife in its forests, marshes, woodlands, and hills. The vast majority of animals dwell within a habitat of 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi). The Bengal tiger , clouded leopard , saltwater crocodile , black panther and fishing cat are among the chief predators in the Sundarbans. Northern and eastern Bangladesh
5285-548: Is threatened by this growth. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act was enacted in 1995. The government has designated several regions as Ecologically Critical Areas , including wetlands, forests, and rivers. The Sundarbans tiger project and the Bangladesh Bear Project are among the key initiatives to strengthen conservation. It ratified the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 3 May 1994. As of 2014 ,
5436-467: Is vital to ensuring stability and security in northeast India . Bangladesh's strategic importance in the eastern subcontinent hinges on its proximity to China, its frontier with Burma, the separation of mainland and northeast India, and its maritime territory in the Bay of Bengal. In 2002, Bangladesh and China signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement. The United States has pursued negotiations with Bangladesh on
5587-528: The All-India Muslim League (AIML)-nominated prime minister of Bengal in 1937 and held the same office after 1946 elections, did not agree to 'Muslim League' as the name of AIML in Pakistan. He initiated the thought that the ideal of political representation under religious identity was no longer prudent after independence and the organisation might be called the 'Pakistan League'. Moreover, he claimed that
5738-634: The Awami League was the dominant party. Between 1975 and 1991, the country was placed under martial law twice (1975-1979 and 1982-1986) while a semi-presidential system existed in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and National Party (JP) were dominant. The BNP and National Party promoted gradual economic liberalization and free market reforms, while Islam was declared the state religion in 1988. The restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991 saw power alternate between
5889-453: The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The Mukti Bahini , aided by India, waged a successful armed revolution ; the conflict saw the Bangladeshi genocide . After the war, Sheikh Mujib became the leader of the country. Mujib's assassination in 1975 led to the rise of Ziaur Rahman , who himself was assassinated in 1981. The 1980s was dominated by the presidency of H M Ershad . After 1990,
6040-515: The Jatiya Party led by former military ruler Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad as well as some leftist parties. According to the Official Results, Bangladesh Awami League won 230 out of 300 constituencies, and together with its allies, had a total of 262 parliamentary seats. The Awami League and its allies received 57% of the total votes cast. The AL alone got 48%, compared to 36% of
6191-586: The Pakistani army . On 15 August 1975 during the time of Major General K. M. Shafiullah as a Chief of the Army Staff, some junior members of the armed forces in Dhaka , led by Major Faruk Rahman and Major Rashid, murdered Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all his family members, including his wife and minor son. Within months, on 3 November 1975, four more of its top leaders, Syed Nazrul Islam , Tajuddin Ahmed , Muhammad Mansur Ali and A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman were killed inside
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6342-640: The Persian-Arabic script was Bengali . Against this backdrop, Bengali nationalism began to take root within the Muslim League and the party's Bengali members began to take a stand for recognition. On 23 June 1949, Bengali nationalists from East Bengal broke away from the Muslim League, Pakistan's dominant political party, and established the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League . Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Shamsul Huq were elected
6493-540: The Sultanate of Bengal in the 14th century. Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah proclaimed himself as the first " Shah of Bangala" in 1342. The word Bangāl became the most common name for the region during the Islamic period. 16th-century historian Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak mentions in his Ain-i-Akbari that the addition of the suffix "al" came from the fact that the ancient rajahs of the land raised mounds of earth in lowlands at
6644-592: The flag of Pakistan , showing the ex-Pakistani origin of the Awami League. The four stars on the Flag represent the four fundamental principles of the party. During the post- Mughal era , no political parties existed in the area known as Bangla or Bangal. After the British arrived and established government, the system of political representation (though much later) was adopted in the area of Bangla (Bengal) or introduced in Bengal. After
6795-419: The garments industry . Other major industries include shipbuilding , pharmaceuticals , steel , ceramics , electronics , and leather goods . Muhammad Aziz Khan became the first person from Bangladesh to be listed as a billionaire by Forbes . Since 2009, Bangladesh has embarked on a series of megaprojects . For instance, the 6.15 km long Padma Bridge was built for US$ 3.86 billion. The bridge
6946-399: The latter killing approximately 140,000 people. In September 1998, Bangladesh saw the most severe flooding in modern history, after which two-thirds of the country went underwater, along with a death toll of 1,000. As a result of various international and national level initiatives in disaster risk reduction, the human toll and economic damage from floods and cyclones have come down over
7097-533: The 300 provincial assembly seats in East Pakistan. This win gave the Awami League a healthy majority in the 313-seat National Assembly and placed it in a position to establish a national government without a coalition partner. This was not acceptable to the political leaders of West Pakistan and led directly to the events of the Bangladesh Liberation War . The Awami League leaders, taking refuge in India, successfully led
7248-525: The Awami League and BNP. In recent decades, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth, emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing economies, driven by its garment industry , remittances, and infrastructure development. However, it continues to grapple with political instability, human rights issues, and the impact of climate change. The return of the Awami League to power on 6 January 2009 under Sheikh Hasina 's leadership saw economic progress but criticisms of authoritarianism . Bangladesh has played
7399-606: The Awami League and the BNP. However, the killing of party leaders continued. In December 2005, the AL supported Mayor of Sylhet narrowly escaped the third attempt on his life as a grenade thrown at him failed to explode. In September 2006, several of the party's top leaders, including Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP and Asaduzzaman Nur MP, were hospitalised after being critically injured by police beatings while they demonstrated in support of electoral-law reforms. Starting in late October 2006,
7550-486: The Awami League led alliance carried out a series of nationwide demonstrations and blockades centring on the selection of the leader of the interim caretaker administration to oversee the 2007 elections. Although an election was scheduled to take place on 22 January 2007 that the Awami League decided to boycott, the country's military intervened on 11 January 2007 and installed an interim government composed of retired bureaucrats and military officers. Throughout 2007 and 2008,
7701-489: The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The phrase Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu is used by the party members at the end of speeches and communications pertaining to or referring to the devotion towards Bangladesh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. The Awami League party flag is a green field with four five-rayed red star at its centre, and a vertical red stripe at the hoist side. The flag also bears some resemblance to
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#17328737083757852-550: The Battle of the Begums between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina defined Bangladesh's politics for next 35 years. In 2024, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took power after the fall of Sheikh Hasina . A middle power in the Indo-Pacific , Bangladesh is home to the fifth-most spoken native language , the third-largest Muslim-majority population , and the second-largest economy in South Asia. It maintains
8003-572: The Bay of Bengal . Relations with neighbouring Myanmar have been severely strained since 2016–2017, after over 700,000 Rohingya refugees illegally entered Bangladesh. The parliament, government, and civil society of Bangladesh have been at the forefront of international criticism against Myanmar for military operations against the Rohingya, and have demanded their right of return to Arakan . Bangladesh shares an important bilateral and economic relationship with its largest neighbour India, which
8154-713: The Dhaka Central Jail as they were on behalf of BAKSAL. Only Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana , daughters of Mujib, survived the 1988 Chittagong Massacre as they were in West Germany as a part of a cultural exchange program. They later claimed political asylum in the United Kingdom. Sheikh Rehana, the younger sister, chose to remain in the UK permanently, while Sheikh Hasina moved to India and lived in self-imposed exile. Her stays abroad helped her gain important political friends in
8305-511: The Government of Bangladesh from all types of political and organizational activities and declared as a terrorist organization on 23 Oct 2024. The party has been labelled as centrist and centre-left , however, it has also been accused of being far-right and authoritarian since 2021. Awami League has been described as secular (though this is disputed), social-democratic , social-liberal , and economic-liberal , with
8456-596: The Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna, finally flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is called the "Land of Rivers", as it is home to over 57 trans-boundary rivers , the most of any nation-state. Water issues are politically complicated since Bangladesh is downstream of India. Bangladesh is predominantly rich fertile flat land. Most of it is less than 12 m (39 ft) above sea level, and it
8607-561: The Mosque City , the Paharpur Buddhist Ruins and the Sundarbans ) and five tentative-list sites. Activities for tourists include angling , water skiing , river cruising, hiking, rowing , yachting , and beachgoing . The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported in 2019 that the travel and tourism industry in Bangladesh directly generated 1,180,500 jobs in 2018 or 1.9% of the country's total employment. According to
8758-439: The Muslim League's objective of struggling to form a nation state had been achieved therefore political representation should continue focusing on nationalism based on Pakistani sovereignty. Suhrawardy's suggestion was not accepted and he parted ways with the party to be re-established as the Awami League in 1949. This was to serve the first shock to the country's political structure. In 1953, the party's council meeting voted to drop
8909-460: The Muslim League. However, due to its strength stemming from the discriminated Bengali population of Pakistan's eastern wing, the party eventually became associated and identified with East Bengal. In 1952, the Awami Muslim League and its student wing played an instrumental role in the Bengali Language Movement , during which Pakistani security forces fired upon protesting students demanding Bengali be declared an official language of Pakistan, killing
9060-468: The National Democratic Front against Ayub Khan's military-backed rule and to restore elective democracy. However the alliance failed to obtain any concessions. Instead the electoral colleges appointed a new parliament and the President exercised executive authority. Widespread discrimination prevailed in Pakistan against Bengalis during the regime of Khan. The University of Dhaka became a hotbed for student activism advocating greater rights for Bengalis and
9211-419: The Pacific has observed the fastest Human Development Index (HDI) progress in the world—with Bangladesh being one of the best performers, moving from an HDI of 0.397 in 1990, the fourth lowest in the region, to a HDI of 0.661 in 2021. Only China had greater improvements in the region over this period". In 2022, Bangladesh had the second largest foreign-exchange reserves in South Asia. The reserves have boosted
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#17328737083759362-434: The Pakistani state. They included Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the Awami League, who served as commerce minister. Leaders of the new provincial government demanded greater provincial autonomy for East Bengal and eventually succeeded in pressuring Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra , himself a Bengali , to endorse the proposed constitutional recognition of Bengali as an official language of Pakistan. The United Front also passed
9513-569: The Police and other agencies, violently cracked down on the protesters. In spite of that crackdown, the protests could not be quelled. The government imposed internet shutdown as well as curfews to forcefully stop the momentum of the movement. Eventually, the protests morphed into a movement aimed at ensuring the resignation of Sheikh Hasina. On 5 August 2024, millions of protesters defied curfew orders and marched towards Ganobhaban. Consequently, Hasina resigned and left Bangladesh for India. This ended 15 years of continuous awami rule in Bangladesh . In
9664-517: The Political Parties Elected Bodies Disqualified Ordinance, Khan banned all major political parties in Pakistan. Senior politicians, including the entire top leadership of the Awami League, were arrested and most were kept under detention until 1963. In 1962, Khan drafted a new constitution, modelled on indirect election , through an electoral college , and termed it 'Basic Democracy'. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy joined Nurul Amin , Khwaja Nazimuddin , Maulvi Farid Ahmed and Hamidul Haq Chowdhury in forming
9815-419: The Prime Minister's resignation. Suhrawardy requested to seek a vote of confidence in the National Assembly, but this request was turned down. Suhrawardy resigned under threat of dismissal on 10 October 1957. On 7 October 1958, President Mirza declared martial law and appointed army chief General Ayub Khan as Chief Martial Law Administrator . Khan eventually deposed Mirza in a bloodless coup. By promulgating
9966-513: The Suhrawardy government and called a conference in February 1957 at Kagmari, Tangail in East Bengal. He protested the move and the support lent by the Awami League leadership to the government. Bhashani broke away from the Awami League and then formed the leftist National Awami Party (NAP). Yar Mohammad Khan funded the 5-day Kagmari Conference and was the treasurer of the conference committee. The controversy over 'One Unit' (the division of Pakistan into only two provinces, east and west ) and
10117-433: The Summit Group and Orion Group are playing an increasingly important role in both generating electricity, and supplying machinery, reactors, and equipment. Bangladesh increased electricity production from 5 gigawatts in 2009 to 25.5 gigawatts in 2022. It plans to produce 50 gigawatts by 2041. U.S. companies like Chevron and General Electric supply around 55% of Bangladesh's domestic natural gas production and are among
10268-416: The West and in India that proved to be a valuable asset for the party in the future. After 1975, the party remained split into several rival factions and fared poorly in the 1979 parliamentary elections held under a military government. In 1981 Sheikh Hasina returned as Ziaur Rahman allowed her to return after the largest party faction, the Awami League elected her its president, and she proceeded to take over
10419-399: The appropriate electoral system for Pakistan, whether joint or separate, also revived as soon as Suhrawardy became prime minister. In West Pakistan, there was strong opposition to the joint electorate by the Muslim League and the religious parties. The Awami League however, strongly supported the joint electorate. These differences over One Unit and the appropriate electorate caused problems for
10570-467: The armed forces and the dominance of the Muslim League. The Bengalis argued that they constituted the ethnic majority of Pakistan's population and Urdu was unknown to the majority in East Bengal. Moreover, the rich literary heritage of the Bengali language and the deep rooted secular culture of Bengali society led to a strong sense of linguistic and cultural nationalism amongst the people of East Bengal. The only significant language in Pakistan not written in
10721-430: The beginning of British rule. The creation of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905 set a precedent for the emergence of Bangladesh. The All-India Muslim League was founded in Dhaka in 1906. The Lahore Resolution in 1940 was supported by A. K. Fazlul Huq , the first Prime Minister of Bengal . The present-day territorial boundary was established with the announcement of the Radcliffe Line . In 1947, East Bengal became
10872-509: The busiest port. The official language is Bengali , with Bangladeshi English also used in government. Bangladesh is part of the historic and ethnolinguistic region of Bengal , which was divided during the Partition of British India in 1947 as the eastern enclave of the Dominion of Pakistan . The country came into existence in 1971 after declaring independence from Pakistan at the start of
11023-584: The civil service's meritocracy. The President of Bangladesh is the ceremonial head of state whose powers include signing bills passed by parliament into law. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Bangladesh Armed Forces and the chancellor of all universities. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh is the highest court of the land, followed by the High Court and Appellate Divisions. The head of
11174-755: The climate changes, each seriously affecting agriculture, water and food security, human health, and shelter. It is estimated that by 2050, a three-foot rise in sea levels will inundate some 20 percent of the land and displace more than 30 million people. To address the sea level rise threat in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 has been launched. Bangladesh is located in the Indomalayan realm , and lies within four terrestrial ecoregions: Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests , Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests , Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests , and Sundarbans mangroves . Its ecology includes
11325-477: The complicity of law enforcement forces in compromising the integrity of the electoral process. On 7 January 2024, the twelfth National Parliamentary elections were held which were boycotted by BNP and major opposition parties. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) condemned this process as one-sided and farcical. The election saw Awami League again clinching a landslide victory, winning 224 out of 300 directly elected seats. The 62 elected members who contested
11476-582: The country and carried out mine clearing operations. The party had pro Pakistani newspaper editors arrested and shut down the nations' newspapers leaving only four in operation. Food shortages were also a major concern of the Awami League. War had damaged all forms of farming. The party aligned itself with the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and leaned towards the Soviet bloc. The party was accused of corruption by supporters of Pakistan. In 1974 Bangladesh suffered
11627-499: The country is now setting the stage for further economic growth and job creation by ramping up investments in energy, inland connectivity, urban projects, and transport infrastructure, as well as focusing on climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness on its path toward sustainable growth." Bangladesh has made one of the greatest leaps on the Human Development Index among Asian countries. According to UNDP , "Asia and
11778-464: The country was set to revise its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan . Bangladesh is a de jure representative democracy under its constitution , with a Westminster -style parliamentary republic that has universal suffrage . The head of government is the Prime Minister, who forms a government every five years. The President invites the leader of the largest party in parliament to become prime minister. The Government of Bangladesh
11929-578: The country, the party played the leading role in achieving the independence of Bangladesh . It is also one of the two most dominant parties in the country, along with its archrival Bangladesh Nationalist Party . The party was founded as the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League ( Urdu : آل پاکستان عوامی مسلم لیگ ) in 1949 by the Bengali nationalists Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani , Yar Mohammad Khan and Shamsul Huq , and joined later by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy who went on to become Prime Minister of Pakistan . It
12080-589: The crackdown on the opposition, mass media, and civil society through politicized enforcement. Bangladesh is ranked "partly free" in Freedom House's Freedom in the World report, but its press freedom has deteriorated from "free" to "not free" in recent years due to increasing pressure from the government. According to the British Economist Intelligence Unit , the country has a hybrid regime :
12231-638: The creation of SAARC , which has been the preeminent forum for regional diplomacy among the countries of the Indian subcontinent . It joined the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 1974, and is a founding member of the Developing 8 Countries . In recent years, Bangladesh has focused on promoting regional trade and transport links with support from the World Bank . Dhaka hosts the headquarters of BIMSTEC , an organisation that brings together countries dependent on
12382-471: The election as independents largely aligned with AL On 5 June 2024, The High Court of Bangladesh reinstated the controversial Job Quota System, sparking countrywide students protests. On 4 July 2024, The Appellate Division refused to rescind the verdict. As a result, protests intensified. Then the Appellate Division imposed a stay on the ruling but protesters continued to carry on their movement unless
12533-465: The elections in 1991, in which Khaleda Zia became the first female prime minister. AL's second term in office had mixed achievements. Apart from sustaining economic stability during the Asian economic crisis , the government successfully settled Bangladesh's long standing dispute with India over sharing the water of the river Ganges (also known as Padma ) in late 1996, and signed a peace treaty with tribal rebels in 1997. In 1998, Bangladesh faced one of
12684-492: The first elected government in Bangladesh to serve a full term in office. The party won only 62 out of 300 parliamentary seats in the elections held in October 2001, despite winning 40% of the votes, up from 36% in 1996 and 33% in 1991. The BNP and its allies won a two-thirds majority in parliament with 46% of the votes cast, with BNP alone winning 41%, up from 33% in 1996 and 30% in 1991. In its second term in opposition since 1991,
12835-420: The first president and general secretary of the party respectively, Ataur Rahman Khan was elected the vice-president, Yar Mohammad Khan was elected as the treasurer, while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad and A. K. Rafiqul Hussain were elected the party's first joint secretaries. The party was formed to champion the rights of the masses in Pakistan against the powerful feudal establishment led by
12986-664: The food shortage in the country. The Awami League also began deepening relations with the United States. The government moved to join the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) and Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO), the two strategic defence alliances in Asia inspired by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Maulana Bhashani , one of the party's founders, condemned the decision of
13137-586: The foot of the hills which were called "al". This is also mentioned in Ghulam Husain Salim 's Riyaz-us-Salatin . The Indo-Aryan suffix Desh is derived from the Sanskrit word deśha , which means "land" or "country". Hence, the name Bangladesh means "Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal". The history of Bangladesh dates back over four millennia to the Chalcolithic period. The region's early history
13288-474: The forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership . Straddling the Tropic of Cancer , Bangladesh's climate is tropical, with a mild winter from October to March and a hot, humid summer from March to June. The country has never recorded an air temperature below 0 °C (32 °F), with a record low of 1.1 °C (34.0 °F) in
13439-407: The general election of Bangladesh staged by military ruler Lt. Gen. H. M. Ershad even though the other major political party and the winner of previous elections Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted. British observers including a journalists termed the elections a "tragedy for democracy" and a "cynically frustrated exercise". The Awami League emerged as the largest opposition party in parliament in
13590-543: The government agreed to their demands of taking a firm step for reforming the quota system. Prime Minister Hasina ignited controversy by her statement - "If the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the freedom fighters are deprived of quotas, will Razakars' (Collaborators of the Pakistani military during the Liberation War)grandchildren and great grandchildren get them?" The protesters were further galvanized at this comment. Bangladesh Students' League, aided by
13741-665: The government's spending capacity despite tax revenues forming only 7.7% of government revenue. A big chunk of investments have gone into the power sector. In 2009, Bangladesh was experiencing daily blackouts several times a day. In 2022, the country achieved 100% electrification. One of the major anti-poverty schemes of the Bangladeshi government is the Ashrayan Project which aims to eradicate homelessness by providing free housing. The poverty rate has gone down from 80% in 1971, to 44.2% in 1991, to 12.9% in 2021. The literacy rate
13892-546: The government. By early 1957, the movement for the dismemberment of the One Unit had started. Suhrawardy was at the mercy of the central bureaucracy fighting to save the One Unit. Many in the business elite in Karachi were lobbying against Suhrawardy's decision to distribute millions of dollars of American aid to East Pakistan and to set up a national shipping corporation. Supported by these lobbyists, President Iskander Mirza demanded
14043-496: The government. Its pro poor policies achieved wide microeconomic development but that left the country's wealthy business class dissatisfied. The AL's last months in office were marred by sporadic bombing by alleged Islamist militants. Hasina herself escaped several attempts on her life, in one of which two anti-tank mines were planted under her helipad in Gopalganj district . In July 2001, the second AL government stepped down, becoming
14194-486: The highest. In Bangladesh forest cover is around 14% of the total land area, equivalent to 1,883,400 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 1,920,330 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 1,725,330 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 158,070 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 33% of
14345-516: The historic decision to adopt the traditional Bengali boat, which signified the attachment to rural Bengal, as its election symbol. The election in April 1954 swept the United Front coalition into power in East Bengal with a massive mandate of 223 seats out of 237 seats. The Awami League itself won 143 seats while the Muslim League won only 9 seats. Veteran student leader and language movement stalwart Khaleque Nawaz Khan defeated incumbent prime minister of
14496-492: The immediate aftermath of the fall of the AL government, many of its leaders went into hiding. The properties and residences of many AL leaders were looted, vandalized and set on fire. Many ministers and influential politicians from AL have been arrested and taken into remand. Many of them were prohibited from leaving Bangladesh. The bank accounts of many AL leaders and their families have also been frozen. The student wing of Bangladesh Awami League has been officially banned by
14647-693: The institutional framework of the British military and the British Indian Army . In 2022, the active personnel strength of the Bangladesh Army was around 250,000, excluding the Air Force and the Navy (24,000). In addition to traditional defence roles, the military has supported civil authorities in disaster relief and provided internal security during periods of political unrest. For many years, Bangladesh has been
14798-527: The judiciary is the Chief Justice of Bangladesh , who sits on the Supreme Court. The courts have wide latitude in judicial review , and judicial precedent is supported by Article 111 of the constitution. The judiciary includes district and metropolitan courts divided into civil and criminal courts. Due to a shortage of judges, the judiciary has a large backlog. The Jatiya Sangshad (National Parliament)
14949-477: The largest investors in power projects. 80% of Bangladesh's installed gas-fired power generation capacity comes from turbines manufactured in the United States. Awami League The Bangladesh Awami League ( Bengali : বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ , lit. 'Bangladesh People's League'), simply known as Awami League ( Bengali: [awɐmiliːg] ), is one of the major political parties in Bangladesh . The oldest existing political party in
15100-615: The largest publicly traded companies in Bangladesh include Beximco , BRAC Bank , BSRM , GPH Ispat , Grameenphone , Summit Group , and Square Pharmaceuticals . Capital markets include the Dhaka Stock Exchange and the Chittagong Stock Exchange . Its telecommunications industry is one of the world's fastest-growing, with 172 million cellphone subscribers in January 2021. Over 80% of Bangladesh's export earnings come from
15251-551: The largest river delta in the world. The northwest and central parts of the country are formed by the Madhupur and the Barind plateaus. The northeast and southeast are home to evergreen hill ranges. The Ganges delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges (local name Padma or Pôdda ), Brahmaputra ( Jamuna or Jomuna ), and Meghna rivers and their tributaries. The Ganges unites with
15402-644: The last century, including the one-horned and two-horned rhinoceros and common peafowl . The human population is concentrated in urban areas, limiting deforestation to a certain extent. Rapid urban growth has threatened natural habitats. The country has widespread environmental issues; pollution of the Dhaleshwari River by the textile industry and shrimp cultivation in Chakaria Sundarbans have both been described by academics as ecocides . Although many areas are protected under law, some Bangladeshi wildlife
15553-631: The leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , led the struggle for independence, first through massive populist and civil disobedience movements, such as the Six Point Movement and 1971 Non-Cooperation Movement , and then during the Bangladesh Liberation War . After the emergence of independent Bangladesh, Awami League under the leadership of Sheikh Mujib won the first general elections . The party along with most other parties of Bangladesh were merged into Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL) in January 1975, where Awami League politicians played
15704-523: The leading role in BaKSAL. After the August 1975 coup , the party was forced by subsequent military regimes onto the political sidelines, and many of its senior leaders and activists were executed or jailed. In 1981, Sheikh Hasina , the daughter of Sheikh Mujib, became the president of the party and continued to hold the position to this date. The party played a crucial role in the anti-authoritarian movements against
15855-404: The longstanding Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA). The Bangladeshi taka is the national currency. The service sector accounts for about 51.3% of total GDP and employs 39% of the workforce. The industrial sector accounts for 35.1% of GDP and employs 20.4% of the workforce. The agriculture sector makes up 13.6% of the economy but is the biggest employment sector, with 40.6% of
16006-402: The military backed government tried to root out corruption and remove Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia of the AL and BNP respectively. While these efforts largely failed, they succeeded in producing a credible voter list that was used on 29 December 2008 national election. The Awami League won the national election held on 29 December 2008 as part of a larger electoral alliance that also included
16157-435: The most populous province in the Dominion of Pakistan and was renamed East Pakistan , with Dhaka as the legislative capital. The Bengali Language Movement in 1952, the 1958 Pakistani coup d'état , and the 1970 Pakistani general election spurred Bengali nationalism and pro-democracy movements. The refusal of the Pakistani military junta to transfer power to the Awami League , led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , triggered
16308-512: The north, west, and east, and Myanmar to the southeast. To the south, it has a coastline along the Bay of Bengal . To the north, it is separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the Siliguri Corridor , and from China by the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim . Dhaka , the capital and largest city , is the nation's political, financial, and cultural centre. Chittagong is the second-largest city and
16459-418: The northwest city of Dinajpur on 3 February 1905. A warm and humid monsoon season lasts from June to October and supplies most of the country's rainfall. Natural calamities, such as floods , tropical cyclones , tornadoes , and tidal bores occur almost every year, combined with the effects of deforestation , soil degradation and erosion . The cyclones of 1970 and 1991 were particularly devastating,
16610-715: The official departure of the British, the area known as East Bengal became a part of Pakistan, and the establishment of the Muslim was led by its founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his Muslim League party. In 1948, there was rising agitation in East Bengal against the omission of Bengali script from coins, stamps and government exams. Thousands of students, mainly from the University of Dhaka, protested in Dhaka and clashed with security forces. Prominent student leaders including Shamsul Huq , Khaleque Nawaz Khan , Shawkat Ali , Kazi Golam Mahboob , Oli Ahad , and Abdul Wahed were arrested and
16761-406: The other major alliance led by the BNP which by itself got 33% of the votes. Sheikh Hasina, as party head, became the new prime minister. Her term of office began in January 2009. The second Hasina cabinet had several new faces, including three women in prominent positions: Dr Dipu Moni (Foreign Minister), Matia Chowdhury (Agriculture Minister) and Sahara Khatun (Home Minister). Younger MPs with
16912-569: The party included restoring original 1972 constitution, returning secularism to the constitution, beginning of war crimes trials, and guilty verdict in 1975 assassination trial. According to the Nielsen 2-year survey, 50% felt the country was moving in the right direction, and 36% gave the government a favourable rating. In the 2014 election the Awami League led alliance won a second term of which 154 Members (out of 300) of Parliament were selected where there were no election . Only 5% voter attended in
17063-447: The party leadership and unite the factions. As she was under age at the time she could not take part in the 1981 presidential elections that followed the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman . Throughout the following nine years of military rule by Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad the Awami League participated in some polls but boycotted most as Ershad did not believe in democracy. On 7 May 1986, Awami League participated in
17214-520: The party since 1981. Amongst the leaders of the Awami League, five have become the President of Bangladesh , four have become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and one became the Prime Minister of Pakistan . East Pakistan Awami Muslim League was formed as a breakaway faction of the Muslim League in 1949, within two years of the formation of Pakistan. The word Muslim was dropped in 1953 and it became
17365-471: The party suffered the assassination of several key members. Popular young leader Ahsanullah Master , a member of parliament from Gazipur, was killed in 2004. This was followed by a grenade attack on Hasina during a public meeting on 21 August 2004, resulting in the death of 22 party supporters, including party women's secretary Ivy Rahman , though Hasina lived. Finally, the party's electoral secretary, ex finance minister, and veteran diplomat Shah M S Kibria ,
17516-406: The police were accused of repression while charging protesters. In March, senior Bengali political leaders were attacked whilst leading protests demanding that Bengali be declared an official language in Pakistan. The leaders included A. K. Fazlul Huq , the former Prime Minister of undivided Bengal. Amidst the rising discontent in East Bengal, Jinnah visited Dhaka and announced that Urdu would be
17667-465: The polling station and cast their votes. The opposition and one of the most popular parties (BNP) boycotted the election for removing the caretaker government (neutral government) system from the constitution after completion of 5 years tenure. With 21 people dead due to the violence during election, along with further human rights abuses and an absence of opposition, this was one of the controversial general elections in Bangladesh's history. This election
17818-417: The population. Like many developing countries, institutional corruption is an issue of concern for Bangladesh. Bangladesh was ranked 146th among 180 countries on Transparency International 's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index . Land administration was the sector with the most bribery in 2015, followed by education, police and water supply. The Anti Corruption Commission was formed in 2004, and it
17969-597: The provinces of Pakistan. After the so-called Agartala Conspiracy Case , and subsequent end of the Ayub Khan's regime in Pakistan, the Awami League and its leader Sheikh Mujib reached the peak of their popularity among the East Pakistani Bengali population. In the elections of 1970, the Awami League won 167 of 169 East Pakistan seats in the National Assembly but none of West Pakistan's 138 seats. It also won 288 of
18120-430: The regime of Hussain Muhammad Ershad . After the restoration of democracy amidst mass uprising in 1990, the Awami League emerged as one of the principal players of Bangladeshi politics. The party formed governments winning the 1996 , 2008 , 2014 , 2018 and 2024 general elections. Throughout its tenure as the ruling party from 2009 to 2024 under Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh experienced democratic backsliding and
18271-481: The region became East Pakistan as part of the newly formed State of Pakistan following the end of the British rule in the region . The Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence on 26 March 1971 by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led to the nine-month-long Bangladesh Liberation War , which culminated in the emergence of the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh after victory was achieved on 16 December 1971. The Constitution of Bangladesh , enacted in 1972, established
18422-456: The region. In 1338 Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah established independent sultanate in Bengal, establishing the capital at Sonargaon and founded an individual currency. The Bengal Sultanate expanded under rulers like Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah , leading to economic prosperity and military dominance, with Bengal being referred to by Europeans as the richest country to trade with. The region later became
18573-554: The restoration of democracy in Pakistan. On 5 December 1963, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was found dead in his hotel room in Beirut , Lebanon. His sudden death under mysterious circumstances gave rise to speculation within the Awami League and the general population in East Pakistan that he had been poisoned. The 6-point demands , proposed by Mujib, were widely accepted by the East Pakistani populace, as they proposed greater autonomy for
18724-445: The same report, Bangladesh experiences around 125,000 international tourist arrivals per year. Domestic spending generated 97.7 percent of direct travel and tourism gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012. Bangladesh is gradually transitioning to a green economy . It has the largest off-grid solar power programme in the world, benefiting 20 million people. An electric car called the Palki
18875-733: The shrinking space for independent civil society in recent years. Torture is banned by the Constitution of Bangladesh , but is rampantly used by Bangladesh's security forces. Bangladesh joined the Convention against Torture in 1998 and it enacted its first anti-torture law, the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act , in 2013. The first conviction under this law was announced in 2020. Amnesty International Prisoners of Conscience from Bangladesh have included Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Shahidul Alam . The widely criticized Digital Security Act
19026-421: The sole state language of Pakistan given its significance to Islamic nationalism in South Asia. The announcement caused an emotional uproar in East Bengal, where the native Bengali population resented Jinnah for his attempts to impose a language they hardly understood on the basis of upholding unity. The resentment was further fuelled by rising discrimination against Bengalis in government, industry, bureaucracy and
19177-694: The term in political rallies in East Pakistan . The term Bangla is a major name for both the Bengal region and the Bengali language . The origins of the term Bangla are unclear, with theories pointing to a Bronze Age proto-Dravidian tribe, and the Iron Age Vanga Kingdom . The earliest known usage of the term is the Nesari plate in 805 AD. The term Vangala Desa is found in 11th-century South Indian records. The term gained official status during
19328-465: The then East Bengali Nurul Amin in a landslide margin. Amin was defeated in his home Nandail constituency. Khaleque Nawaz Khan created history at age 27 by defeating the sitting prime minister and the Muslim League was wiped from the political landscape of the then East Pakistan. A. K. Fazlul Huq assumed the office of Chief Minister of East Bengal and drew up a cabinet containing many of the prominent student activists that were leading movements against
19479-463: The third of four rankings in its Democracy Index . Bangladesh was ranked 96th among 163 countries in the 2022 Global Peace Index . According to National Human Rights Commission, 70% of alleged human-rights violations are committed by law-enforcement agencies. LGBT rights are frowned upon among social conservatives. Homosexuality is affected by Section 377 of the Penal Code of Bangladesh , which
19630-488: The third-largest military in the region and is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh is a unitary parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system . Bengalis make up almost 99% of the population. The country consists of eight divisions , 64 districts , and 495 subdistricts , and includes the world's largest mangrove forest . Bangladesh has one of the largest refugee populations in
19781-486: The war against the Pakistan Army throughout 1971. Leader Sheikh Mujib was arrested by the Pakistan Army on 25 March 1971, but the Bangladeshi people continued the fight to free themselves for nine months. After victory on 16 December 1971, the party formed the national government of Bangladesh. In 1972, under Sheikh Mujib, the party name was changed to "Awami League". The new government faced many challenges as they rebuilt
19932-602: The word "Muslim". In the run-up to the 1954 East Bengal Legislative Assembly election , the Awami League took the lead in negotiations in forming a pan-Bangla political alliance including the Krishak Praja Party , Nizam-e-Islam and Ganatantri Dal . The alliance was termed the Jukta Front (United Front) and formulated the Ekush Dafa , or 21-point Charter, to fight for establishing rights in East Pakistan. The party also took
20083-416: The workforce. In agriculture, the country is a major producer of rice , fish , tea , fruits, vegetables, flowers, and jute. Lobsters and shrimps are some of Bangladesh's well-known exports. The private sector accounts for 80% of GDP compared to the dwindling role of state-owned companies. Bangladesh's economy is dominated by family-owned conglomerates and small and medium-sized businesses. Some of
20234-530: The world due to the Rohingya genocide in neighboring Myanmar. Bangladesh faces challenges like corruption , political instability , overpopulation , and the effects of climate change . Bangladesh has twice chaired the Climate Vulnerable Forum and hosts the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) headquarters. It is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and
20385-625: The world's largest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces . The military budget of Bangladesh accounts for 1.3% of GDP, amounting to US$ 4.3 billion in 2021. The Bangladesh Navy , one of the largest in the Bay of Bengal, includes a fleet of frigates, submarines, corvettes, and other vessels. The Bangladesh Air Force has a small fleet of multi-role combat aircraft. Most of Bangladesh's military equipment comes from China. In recent years, Bangladesh and India have increased joint military exercises, high-level visits of military leaders, counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing. Bangladesh
20536-600: The world—making the country's transformation over the next 50 years one of the great development stories. Since then, poverty has been cut in half at record speed. Enrollment in primary school is now nearly universal. Hundreds of thousands of women have entered the workforce. Steady progress has been made on maternal and child health. And the country is better buttressed against the destructive forces posed by climate change and natural disasters. Bangladesh's success comprises many moving parts—from investing in human capital to establishing macroeconomic stability. Building on this success,
20687-417: The worst floods ever, and the government handled the crisis satisfactorily. It also had significant achievements in containing inflation, and peacefully neutralising a long-running leftist insurgency in south-western districts dating back to the first AL government's time. However, rampant corruption allegations against party office bearers and ministers as well as a deteriorating law and order situation troubled
20838-514: The years. The 2007 South Asian floods ravaged areas across the country, leaving five million people displaced, with a death toll around 500. Bangladesh is recognised to be one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change . Over the course of a century, 508 cyclones have affected the Bay of Bengal region, 17 percent of which are believed to have made landfall in Bangladesh. Natural hazards that come from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones are expected to increase as
20989-565: Was 74.66% in 2022. Bangladesh has a labor force of roughly 70 million, which is the world's seventh-largest ; with an unemployment rate of 5.2% as of 2021 . The government is setting up 100 special economic zones to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and generate 10 million jobs. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) have been established to help investors in setting up factories; and to complement
21140-638: Was active during the 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis , indicting many leading politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen for graft . Bangladesh is divided into eight administrative divisions, each named after their respective divisional headquarters: Barisal (officially Barishal ), Chittagong (officially Chattogram ), Dhaka , Khulna , Mymensingh , Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet. Divisions are subdivided into districts ( zila ). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh, each further subdivided into upazila (subdistricts) or thana . The area within each police station, except for those in metropolitan areas,
21291-408: Was characterized by a succession of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms and empires that fought for control over the Bengal region . Islam arrived in the 8th century and gradually became dominant from the early 13th century with the conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1204 and the activities of Sunni missionaries like Shah Jalal . Muslim rulers promoted the spread of Islam by building mosques across
21442-605: Was conquered by the British. Bengal played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, but also faced significant deindustrialization . The Great Bengal famine of 1770 resulted in millions of deaths. The Bengal Presidency was established during British rule. The borders of modern Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal between India and Pakistan during the Partition of India in August 1947, when
21593-463: Was consistently described as authoritarian , dictatorial and fascist . It was finally overthrown with the Student–People's uprising in August 2024. Since then, the party remained underground. Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, and Obaidul Quader , currently have been serving the president and the general secretary of the party, respectively. Sheikh Hasina , has headed
21744-504: Was established as the socialist Bengali alternative to the domination of the Muslim League in Pakistan and over centralisation of the government. The party quickly gained a massive popular support in East Bengal (later named East Pakistan ) and eventually led the forces of Bengali nationalism in the struggle against West Pakistan 's military and political establishment. The party under
21895-479: Was eventually settled upon. The most common electoral symbol for the party has been a traditional boat , a recognizable and relatable image in riverine Bangladesh. The salutation Joy Bangla ( Bengali : জয় বাংলা ; meaning "Victory to Bengal" or "Long live Bengal") is the official slogan of the Awami League. It was the slogan and war cry of the Mukti Bahini that fought for the independence of Bangladesh during
22046-480: Was formed on 8 August 2024, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Advisor . Bangladesh is in South Asia on the Bay of Bengal . It is surrounded almost entirely by neighbouring India, and shares a small border with Myanmar to its southeast, though it lies very close to Nepal , Bhutan , and China. The country is divided into three regions. Most of the country is dominated by the fertile Ganges Delta ,
22197-399: Was further tainted by arrests where dozens of opposition leaders and members were taken into custody. Amid this crackdown of opposition, in 2018, another election was held where BNP and all major opposition parties took part. That election was marred by allegations of widespread electoral fraud, harassment of political opposition and imprisonment of opposition activists. The opposition alleged
22348-475: Was originally enacted by the British colonial government. An underground LGBT scene is flourishing across the country. However, Bangladesh only recognises the local transgender and intersex community known as the Hijra , which is the most widely accepted LGBT group among poorer sections of society. According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index, an estimated 1,531,300 people are enslaved in Bangladesh, or roughly 1% of
22499-801: Was repealed and replaced by the Cyber Security Act in 2023. The repeal was welcomed by the International Press Institute . On International Human Rights Day in December 2021, the United States Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on commanders of the Rapid Action Battalion for extrajudicial killings, torture, and other human rights abuses. Freedom House has criticised the government for human rights abuses,
22650-777: Was set up in 2007. Notable human rights organisations and initiatives include the Centre for Law and Mediation , Odhikar , the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety , the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association , the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the War Crimes Fact Finding Committee . The world's largest international NGO BRAC is based in Bangladesh. There have been concerns regarding
22801-575: Was the first self-financed megaproject in the country's history. Other megaprojects include the Dhaka Metro , a mass rapid-transit system in the capital; Karnaphuli Tunnel , an underwater expressway in Chittagong ; Dhaka Elevated Expressway ; Chittagong Elevated Expressway ; and the Bangladesh Delta Plan , designed to mitigate the impact of climate change. The tourism industry is expanding, contributing some 3.02% of total GDP. Bangladesh's international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $ 391 million. The country has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites (
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