Updated September 27, 2022
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) is a Muslim-majority
rights in the Indo-Pacific region, including in Bangladesh,
South Asian nation bordering India and Burma on the Bay
is critical to advancing U.S. values and interests.
of Bengal. It is the world’s eighth most populous country,
with approximately 164 million people living in a land area
The United States and Bangladesh hold annual bilateral
about the size of Iowa. It is a relatively poor nation
Partnership Dialogues and Security Dialogues and have
suffering from high levels of corruption. Its democratic
developed a cooperative security relationship to meet
system has faced an array of serious challenges, including
shared concerns, including violent extremism and regional
political violence, weak governance, poverty, demographic
security. The United States also recognizes Bangladesh’s
and environmental strains, and Islamist militancy. The
role as one of the world’s largest contributors of troops to
United States and Bangladesh have partnered on a wide
U.N. peacekeeping operations. In March 2022, Bangladesh
range of issues and worked together to promote shared
abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly
interests in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
resolution reprimanding Russia for invading Ukraine.
Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy that conducts
Figure 1. Bangladesh in Brief
regular elections, though there are increasing concerns
about its trajectory. Some observers suggest it is
backsliding toward a one party state and a hybrid regime
that includes elements of authoritarianism and democracy.
The ruling Awami League (AL) of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina increasingly dominates national politics. The
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been the main
opposition party. 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 Hasina, who has held office
since 2009, won her third consecutive term in December
2018. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of the BNP was
convicted of graft and embezzlement in 2018 and
imprisoned. She was released in March 2020 due to poor
health. The next parliamentary elections are due in 2023.
The Economist Intelligence Unit projects Bangladesh’s
economy will grow by 7.2% in 2021/2022 and 5.7% in
2022/2023. Readymade garments reportedly accounted for
Sources: Economist Intel igence Unit, World Bank, Asian
over 80% of Bangladesh’s exports in 2021. Export growth
Development Bank, State Department, World Atlas.
is expected to decelerate due to slowing consumer spending
Rohingya
in Europe and the United States. According to the World
Bank, agriculture’s share of total employment in
The predominantly Muslim Rohingya have faced
Bangladesh declined steadily over the past decade, but it
persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma for years, where
remains the country’s largest employment sector;
the current government views the Rohingya as illegal
agriculture accounted for 38% of total employment in 2020.
immigrants from Bangladesh. In September 2022, the
The World Bank reported remittances to Bangladesh of
Department of State announced $170 million in additional
$21.75 billion in 2020.
humanitarian assistance for Rohingya people displaced by
conflict in Burma, including in host communities in
Relations with the United States
Bangladesh. This brings total U.S. assistance for the
The United States has long-standing relations with
Rohingya since August 2017 to almost $1.9 billion.
Bangladesh, and recent U.S. Administrations, along with
Approximately 1 million ethnic Rohingya facing
many Members of Congress, have focused on issues
persecution in Burma have fled to Bangladesh, putting
relating to Rohingya refugees from Burma, economic
immense pressure on local communities and testing the
development, humanitarian concerns, labor rights, human
Dhaka government’s ability to provide adequate security,
rights, good governance, and counterterrorism. The United
food, and sanitation. Bangladesh has criticized Burma for
States is among Bangladesh’s largest export markets and is
failure to take meaningful steps to repatriate the Rohingya.
a key investor in Bangladesh. Many Members of Congress
Bangladesh began relocating Rohingya from existing camps
contend that supporting democracy, rule of law, and human
in Bangladesh to Bhashan Char, a low-lying remote island
in the Bay of Bengal, in December 2020. Bangladesh
reportedly plans to relocate 100,000 Rohingya to the area
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Bangladesh
despite warnings that the isolated island is vulnerable to sea
Islamist Extremism
level rise and storm surges.
In general, the U.S. government views Bangladesh as a
moderate voice in the Islamic world, but the emergence of
Human Rights and Religious Freedom
some Islamist militancy in the country has been a cause of
Many analysts and policymakers contend that human rights
concern for the United States, as it is for Bangladesh’s
and religious freedom are under threat in Bangladesh. In the
government. The U.S. and Bangladesh governments see a
2021 Country Report on Human Rights Practices:
common interest in working to counter Islamist extremists
Bangladesh, the Department of State highlighted a number
and their ideology. Both the Islamic State (IS) and Al
of concerns, including “unlawful or arbitrary killings,
Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent have been active in
including extrajudicial killings; forced disappearance;
Bangladesh. A 2016 terrorist attack killed over 20 people at
torture or cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
Dhaka’s Holey Artisan Bakery. The bakery was popular
or punishment by the government or its agents.” There were
with expatriates, and several foreigners were killed,
also reports of “crossfire” killings, a euphemism for
including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one American, and
extrajudicial killings, in 2021. Security forces are rarely
one Indian. Other militant groups, such as Jama’atul
held accountable for such deaths. The constitution
Mujahideen Bangladesh, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami
recognizes Islam as the state religion, but Bangladesh also
Bangladesh, and Ansarullah Bangla Team, also have been
officially upholds principles of secularism. Despite
active in the country. The Bangladesh authorities have been
government espousal of tolerance, religious minorities face
largely effective in thwarting the activities of IS in
discrimination and violence. The 2021 State Department
Bangladesh since the 2016 attack.
Report on International Religious Freedom noted
widespread anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh in 2021.
External Relations
The Bay of Bengal region is a focus of China’s Belt and
Democracy
Road Initiative, which emphasizes infrastructure and energy
Observers had long viewed Bangladesh as a democratic
projects, trade, transit, and other linkages throughout the
nation. However, many analysts now argue that Bangladesh
region. China also has become Bangladesh’s primary
is moving toward, or has already become, a one-party state
supplier of military equipment, including two submarines,
where the ruling party faces no formidable opposition. The
maritime patrol vessels, tanks, and fighter jets. By one
2021 Country Report on Human Rights Practices described
estimate, China supplied approximately 74% of
the 2018 election, in which Sheikh Hasina won her most
Bangladesh’s weapons between 2010 and 2019.
recent five-year term, was “not considered free and fair by
Bangladesh-China ties expanded significantly following
observers.” Freedom House has stated “The ruling Awami
President Xi Jinping’s 2016 visit to Dhaka. During the visit,
League has consolidated political power through sustained
President Xi and Prime Minister Hasina agreed to upgrade
harassment of the opposition and those perceived to be
the bilateral relationship to a “strategic partnership of
allied with it, as well as of critical media and voices in civil
cooperation.” Prime Minister Hasina traveled to China in
society. Corruption is endemic ... security forces carry out a
2019 to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
range of human rights abuses with near impunity.”
According to Human Rights Watch, authorities have jailed
Some in India view Bangladesh’s ties with China with
members of the opposition, violated freedom of speech, and
concern, and consider Chinese “encroachment” in India’s
suppressed critics of the ruling Awami League.
neighborhood as a challenge to India’s interests. Indian
Transparency International, which measures levels of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Bangladesh as a
national corruption, ranked Bangladesh 147th out of 180
significant pillar of India’s “Neighborhood First” policy
countries in 2021, and Bangladesh dropped to 162nd in the
during a 2020 virtual summit with Hasina. In 2020,
World Press Freedom Index in 2022. Freedom House
Bangladesh halted development of what would have been
designates Bangladesh as “partly free” in its 2022 report.
its first deep-sea port at Sonadia after India opposed
China’s involvement. China had reportedly agreed to build
Demographic and Environmental
and provide loans for the port. Bangladesh and India
Concerns
continue to build close relations, and Prime Ministers
Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated
Hasina and Modi signed several Memorandums of
countries, and many analysts believe that growing
Understanding in New Delhi in September 2022.
demographic pressures and environmental problems—
including those linked to climate change—may result in
Bangladesh and Japan also have been developing closer
thousands, perhaps millions, of people being displaced in
relations, with Japanese financing of infrastructure projects
coming years. According to one report, as many as one in
in Bangladesh. In August 2022, the Japan International
seven Bangladeshis may be displaced by climate change.
Cooperation Agency signed an investment agreement with
While World Bank data show that Bangladesh’s population
Bangladesh SEZ Ltd. to establish a Special Economic Zone
growth rate has fallen from an annual rate of 3.2% in 1967,
Development Project. Japan is assisting with the
its populations continues to grow. According to some
construction of a deep-water port at Matabari. Some see
projections, Bangladesh’s population will peak at 193
developing ties with Japan as reflecting Bangladesh’s desire
million in 2053. If that happens, observers suggest many of
to balance its relations with external partners.
these people may move to already overcrowded cities or to
neighboring countries, such as India, leading to further
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
strains on social services and, perhaps, regional instability.
IF10214
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Bangladesh
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10214 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED