Updated May 14, 2019
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (the former East Pakistan) is a Muslim-majority
in South Asia,” referred to the House Foreign Affairs
nation in South Asia, bordering India and Burma on the
Committee in February 2019, and S.Res. 34, “A resolution
Bay of Bengal. It is the world’s eighth most populous
expressing the sense of the Senate that the Governments of
country, with approximately 165 million people living in a
Burma and Bangladesh ensure the safe, dignified,
land area about the size of Iowa. It is a relatively poor
voluntary, and sustainable return of the Rohingya
nation and suffers from high levels of corruption. In recent
refugees,” referred to the Senate Foreign Relations
years, its democratic system has faced an array of
Committee in January 2019, are two examples of
challenges, including political violence, weak governance,
Congressional interest in Bangladesh.
poverty, demographic and environmental strains, and
Islamist militancy.
Rohingya
Approximately one million ethnic Rohingya fleeing
The currently ruling Awami League (AL) and the
persecution in Burma have fled to Bangladesh, putting
opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) dominate
immense pressure on local communities and testing the
Bangladeshi politics. When in opposition, both parties have
central government’s ability to provide adequate security,
at times used demonstrations, labor strikes, and transport
food, and sanitation. The predominantly Muslim Rohingya
blockades, as well as at the ballot box to regain control of
have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma for
government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been in
years—especially in Burma’s Rakhine State. Burma views
office since 2009. Her AL party won its third consecutive
the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
term in December 2018. The next parliamentary elections
Bangladesh has criticized Burma for failure to take
are due in 2023. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of the
meaningful steps to repatriate the Rohingya. Bangladesh
BNP was convicted of graft in February 2018 and given a
reportedly has plans to relocate over 100,000 Rohingya to
five-year sentence. The BNP is a key component of the
Bhashan Char, a remote island in the Bay of Bengal.
opposition Jatiya Oikya Front, which rejected the 2018
election results citing irregularities. The BNP chose to join
parliament after the 2018 election. Over the past two
decades, a number of local Islamist extremist groups have
emerged, and several have conducted terrorist attacks.
Despite a strong government response, terrorist attacks
remain a threat to political stability in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s economy is projected to grow by over 7%
annually in real terms over the next several years.
Relations with the United States
The United States has long-standing and supportive
relations with Bangladesh, and Washington generally views
Bangladesh as a moderate voice in the Islamic world. In
relations with Dhaka, recent U.S. administrations, along
with many Members of Congress, have focused especially
on issues relating to ethnic Rohingya, economic
development, humanitarian concerns, labor rights, human
rights, good governance, and counterterrorism. In recent

years, the rise of Islamist militancy has been a cause of
concern for the United States, as well as for Bangladesh’s
Source: CIA World Factbook, Economist Intel igence Unit.
government. The two nations hold an annual Partnership
Human Rights and Religious Freedom
Dialogue and a Security Dialogue, and have developed a
Many analysts and policymakers contend that human rights
cooperative relationship over the years to meet shared
concerns. The United States is one of Bangladesh’s largest
and religious freedom are under threat in Bangladesh. The
Department of State’s Country Reports on Human Rights
export markets and is also the largest source of foreign
Practices for 2018 highlights a number of concerns with
direct investment in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh including “unlawful or arbitrary killings; forced
disappearance; torture; [and] arbitrary or unlawful
Many Members of Congress believe that supporting
detentions by the government or on its behalf.… There
democracy, rule of law, and human rights in the Indo-
were reports of widespread impunity for security force
Pacific region is critical to advancing U.S. interests. H.Res.
abuses.” According to the Dhaka-based human rights group
160, “Expressing concern about the threat posed to
Ain O Salish Kendra, extrajudicial killings, abductions, and
democracy and human rights by theocratic groups operating
enforced disappearances continued in Bangladesh in 2018,
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Bangladesh
with a record 446 deaths by “crossfire” or in police custody,
was a popular site with expatriates, and several foreigners
up from 162 in 2017. Counter narcotics operations are
were killed, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one
apparently leading to a large percentage of the deaths.
U.S. citizen, and one Indian. Other militant groups, such as
Political violence reportedly accounted for 67 deaths and
Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Harkat-ul-Jihad-
7,287 injuries in 701 incidents in 2018. “Cross fires” and
al Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), and Ansarullah Bangla
other police actions reportedly killed 51 people between
Team (ABT) have operated in the country.
January 1 and March 14, 2019. A harsh government
crackdown on road safety protests following a July 2018
The China Factor
incident where two young Bangladesh pedestrians were
Bangladesh has pursued closer ties with China in recent
killed demonstrates what appears to be increasingly heavy-
years. Some analysts point to the Bay of Bengal region’s
handed government responses to arguably legitimate citizen
growing importance for China’s Belt and Road Initiative
grievances. The constitution of Bangladesh recognizes
(BRI), which emphasizes infrastructure and energy projects,
Islam as the state religion, but Bangladesh has also
trade, transit, and other linkages throughout the region and
officially upheld principles of secularism. Despite
beyond. Approximately 22% of Bangladesh’s merchandise
government espousal of tolerance, religious minorities face
imports come from China. Bangladesh-China ties improved
considerable discrimination and even violence.
significantly with President Xi Jinping’s 2016 visit to
Bangladesh. During the visit, President Xi and Prime
Democracy
Minister Hasina agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship
Bangladesh has long been viewed as a democratic, Muslim-
to a “strategic partnership of cooperation” and reportedly
majority nation. Many observers called the most recent
signed 27 agreements totaling $13.6 billion. By one
election a turning point in Bangladesh’s democracy, with
account, announced infrastructure financing and investment
some now of the opinion that Bangladesh is moving toward,
by China in Bangladesh now totals over $30 billion and is
or has already become, a one-party state. According to
of increasing concern to the Indian government, which
Human Rights Watch, government authorities have jailed
views Chinese “encroachment” in its immediate
members of the opposition, violated freedom of speech, and
neighborhood as a serious challenge to its own interests.
suppressed those that are critical of the ruling Awami
China has become Bangladesh’s primary supplier of
League.
military equipment, including two submarines and jet
trainer aircraft. Recent China-Bangladesh deals include
Amnesty International has described Bangladesh’s new
China’s investment of 50% in a $2.4 billion coal-fired
Digital Security Act as an “attack on freedom of
power plant and a feasibility study for a joint venture to
expression,” adding that “vague and overly broad
build a railway line around Dhaka.
provisions of the new law could be used to intimidate and
imprison journalists and social media users, silence dissent
Bangladesh was part of the proposed Bangladesh-China-
and carry out invasive forms of surveillance.” Transparency
India Myanmar (BCIM) corridor, which was one of six
International, which measures levels of corruption, ranked
potential BRI Corridors. The BCIM group has, however,
Bangladesh 149 out of 180 countries in 2018, and
struggled with internal conflicts, including between China
Bangladesh dropped from 146th to 150th out of 180
and India. China and Burma signed a Memorandum of
countries in the World Press Freedom Index in 2019.
Understanding for a China-Myanmar Economic Corridor in
Freedom House described Bangladesh as “partly free” in its
July 2018. The BCIM corridor is reportedly not part of a
2018 report.
recent list of BRI corridors, though the China-Myanmar
Economic Corridor is. The full implications of the China-
Demographic and Environmental
Myanmar Economic Corridor for the BCIM concept are as
Concerns
yet unclear.
Many analysts believe that demographic pressures and
environmental problems—including those linked to climate
Bangladesh has also been further developing ties with India
change—increasingly are challenges for Bangladesh, and
and Japan. Some analysts view India and China as
that they may result in thousands, perhaps millions, of
competing for influence in Bangladesh. Bangladesh-India
people being displaced in future years. If that does happen,
relations improved after a 2015 land Boundary Agreement.
many of these people likely will move to crowded cities or
India, which played a key role in Bangladesh’s 1971
to neighboring countries, such as India, leading to further
“liberation,” extended lines of credit to Bangladesh for
strains on social services and, perhaps, regional instability.
infrastructure, power projects and defense hardware worth
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries
$5 billion during a 2017 visit by Prime Minister Hasina to
on earth and its population is projected to grow from
Delhi. Japan has also signed agreements with Bangladesh
approximately 165 million to around 200 million by 2050.
financing several infrastructure projects, including the
Jamuna Railway Bridge and a mass transit system in
Islamist Extremism
Dhaka. According to some observers, Japan may be trying
The U.S. and Bangladeshi governments see a common
to “counter the deepening Chinese influence in the Indian
interest in working to counter Islamist extremists and their
Ocean Region.”
ideology. The Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda in the Indian
Subcontinent (AQIS) have been active in Bangladesh in
Bruce Vaughn,
recent years. One terrorist attack killed over 20 people at
Dhaka’s Holey Artisan Bakery in July 2016. The bakery
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Bangladesh



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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10214 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED

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