Updated June 22, 2020
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) is a Muslim-majority
Figure 1. Bangladesh in Brief
nation in South Asia, bordering India and Burma on the
Bay of Bengal. It is the world’s eighth most populous
country, with approximately 163 million people living in a
land area about the size of Iowa. It is a relatively poor
nation suffering from high levels of corruption. In recent
years, its democratic system has faced an array of
challenges, including political violence, weak governance,
poverty, demographic and environmental strains, and
Islamist militancy.
Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy. The currently-
ruling Awami League (AL) and the main opposition
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) dominate national
politics. When in opposition, both parties have at times
used demonstrations, labor strikes, and transport blockades,
as well as the ballot box to regain control of government.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been in office since
2009. Her AL party won its third consecutive term in
December 2018. The next parliamentary elections are due
in 2023. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of the BNP
Source: CIA World Factbook, Economist Intel igence Unit.
was convicted of graft and embezzlement in 2018 and
imprisoned, then released in March 2020 for six months due
supporting democracy, rule of law, and human rights in the
to poor health.
Indo-Pacific region, including in Bangladesh, is critical to
advancing U.S. interests.
The Coronavirus pandemic is having a significant economic
Rohingya
as well as health impact on Bangladesh. The country’s
economy is projected to grow by 1.6% in 2020, down from
Approximately one million ethnic Rohingya facing
8.2% in 2019, due to increasing unemployment resulting
persecution in Burma have fled to Bangladesh, putting
from the nationwide lockdown implemented to thwart the
immense pressure on local communities and testing the
spread of the Coronavirus. Overseas remittances, which
Dhaka government’s ability to provide adequate security,
normally account for about 7% of Bangladesh’s GDP, are
food, and sanitation. The predominantly Muslim Rohingya
expected to decrease significantly.
have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma for
years. Burma views the Rohingya as illegal immigrants
Relations with the United States
from Bangladesh. Bangladesh has criticized Burma for
The United States has long-standing and supportive
failure to take meaningful steps to repatriate the Rohingya.
relations with Bangladesh, and generally views Bangladesh
Bangladesh reportedly has plans to relocate over 100,000
as a moderate voice in the Islamic world. In relations with
Rohingya to Bhashan Char, a low-lying remote island in the
Dhaka, recent U.S. Administrations, along with many
Bay of Bengal. Human rights advocates have pointed out
Members of Congress, have focused on issues relating to
that the isolated island lacks services and is vulnerable to
Rohingya refugees, economic development, humanitarian
sea level rise and storm surges.
concerns, labor rights, human rights, good governance, and
Human Rights and Religious Freedom
counterterrorism. The rise of Islamist militancy has been a
cause of concern for the United States, as well as for
Many analysts and policymakers contend that human rights
Bangladesh’s government. Despite a robust governmental
and religious freedom are under threat in Bangladesh. In
response, terrorist attacks remain a threat to political
2020 the Department of State highlighted a number of
stability in Bangladesh. The United States and Bangladesh
concerns with Bangladesh, including “unlawful or arbitrary
hold annual bilateral Partnership Dialogues and Security
killings; forced disappearance; torture; arbitrary or unlawful
Dialogues, and have developed a cooperative relationship
detentions by the government or on its behalf, [and stated]
over the years to meet shared concerns. The United States is
There were reports of widespread impunity for security
among Bangladesh’s largest export markets. The United
force abuses.” There reportedly were an estimated 300
“crossfire” killings, a euphemism for extrajudicial killings,
States became the fourth-largest investor in Bangladesh in
2019 while China emerged as the leading foreign investor
in Bangladesh in 2019. Security forces are rarely held
in Bangladesh. Many Members of Congress contend that
accountable for such deaths. The constitution of Bangladesh
recognizes Islam as the state religion, but Bangladesh also
officially upholds principles of secularism. Despite
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Bangladesh
government espousal of tolerance, religious minorities face
thwarting the activities of the Islamic State in Bangladesh
considerable discrimination and violence.
since the 2016 Holey Artisan attack. That said, several
police were injured in attacks in Dhaka in 2019 by the Neo-
Democracy
Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB).
Bangladesh has long been viewed as a democratic, Muslim-
majority nation. However, many observers called the most
The China Factor
recent election a turning point in Bangladesh’s democracy,
Bangladesh has pursued closer ties with China in recent
with some now arguing that Bangladesh is moving toward,
years. Some analysts point to the Bay of Bengal region’s
or has already become, a one-party state. According to
growing importance for China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Human Rights Watch, authorities have jailed members of
(BRI), which emphasizes infrastructure and energy projects,
the opposition, violated freedom of speech, and suppressed
trade, transit, and other linkages throughout the region and
those that are critical of the ruling Awami League. The
beyond. Bangladesh-China ties improved significantly with
State Department’s 2019 Country Report on Human Rights
President Xi Jinping’s 2016 visit to Bangladesh. During the
Practices described the 2018 election as “not considered
visit, President Xi and Prime Minister Hasina agreed to
free and fair and was marred by reported irregularities.”
upgrade the bilateral relationship to a “strategic partnership
of cooperation.” Prime Minister Hasina traveled to China in
Amnesty International has described Bangladesh’s 2018
July 2019 in an effort to further strengthen bilateral
Digital Security Act as an “attack on freedom of
cooperation in power, investment, culture, tourism, and
expression,” adding that “vague and overly broad
technology. By one account, China’s investments in
provisions of the new law could be used to intimidate and
Bangladesh now total an estimated $38 billion.
imprison journalists and social media users, silence dissent
and carry out invasive forms of surveillance.” Transparency
Some in India view these developments with increasing
International, which measures levels of national corruption,
concern, and consider Chinese “encroachment” in India’s
ranked Bangladesh 146 out of 180 countries in 2019, and
immediate neighborhood as a serious challenge to its own
Bangladesh dropped to 151 out of 180 countries in the
interests. China has become Bangladesh’s primary supplier
World Press Freedom Index in 2020. Freedom House
of military equipment, including two submarines, maritime
described Bangladesh as “partly free” in its 2020 report.
patrol vessels, tanks, fighter jets, and trainer aircraft.
Bangladesh reportedly is China’s second-largest arms
Demographic and Environmental
export destination (after Pakistan) and accounts for 20% of
Concerns
China’s arms sales. Bangladesh and China signed a Defense
Many analysts believe that demographic pressures and
Cooperation Agreement in 2002. Bangladesh was part of
environmental problems—including those linked to climate
the proposed Bangladesh-China-India Myanmar (BCIM)
change—increasingly are challenges for Bangladesh, and
corridor, which was one of six potential Belt and Road
may result in thousands, perhaps millions, of people being
Initiative Corridors. The BCIM group has, however,
displaced in coming years. According to one report, as
struggled with internal conflicts, including between China
many as one in seven Bangladeshis may be displaced by
and India. China and Burma signed a Memorandum of
climate change. While World Bank data shows that
Understanding for a China-Myanmar Economic Corridor in
Bangladesh’s population growth rate has fallen from 3.2%
July 2018. Bangladesh and China reportedly continue to
in 1967, it continued to grow by 1% in 2018. According to
work together to develop connectivity between Chittagong,
some population projections, Bangladesh’s population will
Bangladesh, and Kunming, China.
peak at 193 million in 2053. If that does happen, many of
these people likely will move to already overcrowded cities
Bangladesh also continues to develop ties with India and
or to neighboring countries, such as India, leading to further
Japan. India and China appear to many to be competing for
strains on social services and, perhaps, regional instability.
influence in Bangladesh. India played a key role in
Bangladesh is currently one of the most densely populated
Bangladesh’s 1971 “liberation” from Pakistan, and
countries.
Bangladesh-India relations improved after the conclusion of
a 2015 land Boundary Agreement. Prime Minister Hasina
Islamist Extremism
and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved forward
The U.S. and Bangladeshi governments see a common
with a number of pacts and projects deepening bilateral
interest in working to counter Islamist extremists and their
cooperation following Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in
ideology. Both the Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda in the
October 2019. Japan has also signed agreements with
Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) have been active in
Bangladesh financing several infrastructure projects,
Bangladesh. One terrorist attack killed over 20 people at
including the Jamuna Railway Bridge and a mass transit
Dhaka’s Holey Artisan Bakery in July 2016. The bakery
system in Dhaka. According to some observers, Japan may
was a popular site with expatriates, and several foreigners
be trying to “counter the deepening Chinese influence in the
were killed, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one
Indian Ocean Region.”
U.S. citizen, and one Indian. Other militant groups, such as
Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Harkat-ul-Jihad-
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
al Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), and Ansarullah Bangla
Team (ABT), have operated in the country. The Bangladesh
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authorities have reportedly been largely effective in
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Bangladesh
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10214 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED