Bangladesh

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Bangladesh Politics of Bangladesh takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Bangladesh is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ...

Constitution 2006–2008 political crisis President Iajuddin Ahmed Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed Parliament Political parties Elections Parliament: 2001 - 2008 Divisions Districts Upazilas Human Rights Foreign relations

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Bangladesh pursues a moderate foreign policy that places heavy reliance on multinational diplomacy, especially at the United Nations. This page lists Presidents of Bangladesh. ... Iajuddin Ahmed (Bangla: ইয়াজউদ্দিন আহম্মেদ) (February 1, 1931) is the current President of Bangladesh and has been in office since 2002. ... The Prime Minister of Bangladesh is, in practice, the most powerful political position in Bangladesh. ... Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed (born May 1, 1940, Munshiganj, British India) is a noted Bangladeshi economist, civil servant, and a former governor of the Bangladesh Bank, the countrys central bank. ... Jatiyo Sangshad (Bangla: জাতীয় সংসদ) or National Assembly is the national parliament of Bangladesh. ... This article lists political parties in Bangladesh. ... See election for a more comprehensive discussion and the List of democracy and elections-related topics for an overview on related topics. ... General elections were held in Bangladesh on 1 October 2001. ... In 2007, general elections were scheduled to be held in Bangladesh. ... The South Asian country of Bangladesh consists of 6 divisions (bibhag), each named after its respective capital. ... The divisions of Bangladesh are divided into 64 districts, or zila (Bengali: জেলা jela). ... The districts of Bangladesh are divided into subdistricts (upazilas). ... 2005 was a terrible year for national security in Bangladesh. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... A countrys foreign policy is a set of political goals that seeks to outline how that particular country will interact with other countries of the world and, to a lesser extent, non-state actors. ... This article is about negotiations. ... UN redirects here. ...

Participation in Multilateral Organizations

Commonwealth

Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1972 and has actively participated in the Heads of Government conferences that occur bi-annually. The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2008. ...

United Nations

Bangladesh was admitted to the United Nations in 1974 and was elected to a Security Council term in 1978 and again for a 2000-2002 term. Foreign Minister Choudhury served as president of the 41st UN General Assembly in 1986.

In recent years, Bangladesh has played a significant role in international peacekeeping activities. Several thousand Bangladeshi military personnel are deployed overseas on peacekeeping operations. Under UN auspices, Bangladeshi troops have served or are serving in Somalia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kuwait, Bosnia, and Haiti, and units are currently serving in Kuwait and East Timor. Bangladesh responded quickly to President Clinton's 1994 request for troops and police for the multinational force for Haiti and provided the largest non-U.S. contingent. Bangladesh has the largest number of peacekeeping troops in the United Nations peacekeeping force since 2001. This article is about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

Non Aligned Movement

Bangladesh was slated to become the next chairman of NAM at the summit scheduled for Dhaka 2001, however it was later decided to host the summit at an alternative venue.

Organization of the Islamic Conference

Following the recognition of Bangladesh by Pakistan in 1974, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led a Bangladeshi delegation to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) conference in Lahore upon which Bangladesh was admitted as a member. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangla: শেখ মুজিবর রহমান Shekh Mujibur Rôhman) (March 17, 1920 – August 15, 1975) was a Bengali political leader in East Pakistan and the founding leader of Bangladesh. ... OIC redirects here. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...

In 1977, the President Ziaur Rahman amended the Constitution of Bangladesh, including a clause stating that "the state shall endeavour to consolidate, preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity". Since then, an explicit goal of Bangladeshi foreign policy has been to seek close relations with other Islamic states. Ziaur Rahman (Bengali: Ziaur Rôhman) (January 19, 1936 — May 30, 1981) was the 6th President of Bangladesh and the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. ... The constitution of Bangladesh is the supreme law in Bangladesh. ...

In 1983, Bangladesh hosted the foreign ministers meeting of the OIC.

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

The government also pursued the expansion of cooperation among the nations of South Asia, bringing the process--an initiative of former President Ziaur Rahman--through its earliest, most tentative stages to the formal inauguration of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) at a summit gathering of South Asian leaders in Dhaka in December 1985. Bangladesh has served in the chairmanship of SAARC and has participated in a wide range of ongoing SAARC regional activities  Afghanistan  Bangladesh  Bhutan  India  Maldives  Nepal  Pakistan  Sri Lanka Headquarters Kathmandu, Nepal Statistics Area  - Total 7th if ranked 5,130,746 km² Population  - Total (2004)  - Density 1st if ranked 1,467,255,669 285. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Dhaka (previously Dacca; Bengali: Ḍhākā; IPA: ) is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. ...

Other

Bangladesh is currently chairman of the Group of 8 Developing Countries. The government has participated in numerous international conferences, especially those dealing with population, food, development, and women's issues. In 1982-83, Bangladesh played a constructive role as chairman of the "Group of 77," an informal association encompassing most of the world's developing nations. It has taken a leading role in the "Group of 48" developing countries.Bangladesh also participate in these international organizations: ARF, AsDB, BIMSTEC,CP,FAO,IAEA, IBRD,ICAO,ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,IDA,IDB,IFAD,IFC,IFRCS,IHO,ILO,IMF,IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, SACEP, UNCTADUNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WTO,OPCW. link titlelink titlelink titlelink titlelink title--210. ... A developing country is a country with low average income compared to the world average. ... Possible meanings: Faro Airport (Portugal) Federation of Astrobiology Organizations Financial Aid Office Food and Agriculture Organization This page expands a three-character combination which might be any or all of: an abbreviation, an acronym, an initialism, a word in English, or a word in another language. ... Ilo may refer to: Ilo, a port in southern Peru Ilo, an artist on the Icelandic Bad Taste record label Ilo, the Estonian goddess of feasts This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (established December 14, 1950) protects and supports refugees at the request of a government or the United Nations and assists in their return or resettlement. ... Look up who in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ...

Bilateral relations

Since Bangladesh is almost entirely encircled by India via a land border which stretches 2400 kilometers (1500 miles), its relations with India are vital. These relations furthermore have been subject to the traditional Pakistan-India polarity of the subcontinent. This effect was most marked during the administration of Mujibur Rahman, after whose assassination Pakistan immediately recognized Bangladesh and announced an aid package while India's attitude cooled considerably. The relations are further complicated by the two main political parties supporting opposing sides: Awami League has a relatively India-friendly platform while BNP has an anti-India pro-Pakistan platform. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ( 1920 - August 15, 1975), born in Gopalganj, Bangladesh, was a Bengali nationalist leader in East Pakistan and first Prime Minister and President of independent Bangladesh. ... The Bangladesh Awami League (বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ Bāŋlādeś Āowāmī Līg) or the Bangadesh Peoples League is the main opposition party in Bangladesh. ...

Republic of India

Main article: Bangladesh-India relations

At the outset India's relations with Bangladesh could not have been stronger because of India's unalloyed support for independence and opposition against Pakistan at the time. During the civil war, many refugees fled to India. India also intervened militarily and may have helped bring international attention to the issue through Indira Gandhi's visit to Washington. Afterwards India furnished relief and reconstruction aid. India extended recognition to Bangladesh prior to the end of the war in 1971 (the second country to do so after Bhutan) and subsequently lobbied others to follow suit. A young Indira Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, during one of the latters fasts Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Hindi: ) (19 November 1917 - October 31, 1984) She was the Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and for a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ...

Indo-Bangladesh relations have been strained^[1] over the years over issues such as South Talpatti Island, the Tin Bigha corridor and access to Nepal, the Farakka Barrage and water sharing, border conflicts near Tripura and the construction of a fence along most of the border which India explains as security provision against migrants, insurgents and terrorists. Many Bangladeshis feel India likes to play "big brother" to smaller neighbors, including Bangladesh. Bilateral relations warmed in 1996, due to a softer Indian foreign policy and the new Awami League Government. A 30-year water-sharing agreement for the Ganges River was signed in December 1996, after an earlier bilateral water-sharing agreement for the Ganges River lapsed in 1988. Both nations also have cooperated on the issue of flood warning and preparedness. The Bangladesh Government and tribal insurgents signed a peace accord in December 1997, which allowed for the return of tribal refugees who had fled into India, beginning in 1986, to escape violence caused by an insurgency in their homeland in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Bangladesh Army maintains a very strong presence in the area to this day. The army is increasingly concerned about a growing problem of cultivation of illegal drugs. South Talpatti Island is an offshore island of Bangladesh emerged in Bay of Bengal in 1970 just after the 1970 Bhola cyclone (A 120-mph powerful tropical cyclone hits the densely populated Ganges Delta region of then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh in 1970 killing an estimated 500,000 people -considered... The Farakka Barrage is located 10 km from the Indian side of the border between India and Bangladesh. ... Tripura   (Bengali: ত্রিপুরা, Hindi: त्रिपुरा) is a state in North East India. ... The Bangladesh Awami League (বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ Bāŋlādeś Āowāmī Līg) or the Bangadesh Peoples League is the main opposition party in Bangladesh. ... Ganga redirects here. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Flooding near Key West, Florida, United States from Hurricane Wilmas storm surge in October 2005 For other uses, see Flood (disambiguation). ... An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority, by any irregular armed force that rises up against an enforced or established authority, government, or administration. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Chittagong Hill Tracts comprise an area of 13,180 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, and borders India and Myanmar (Burma). ... For other uses, see Army (disambiguation). ... Tillage (American English), or cultivation (UK) is the agricultural preparation of the soil to receive seeds. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events...

There are also small pieces of land along the border region that Bangladesh is diplomatically trying to reclaim. Padua, part of Sylhet Division before 1971, has been under Indian control since the war in 1971. This small strip of land was re-occupied by the BDR in 2001, but later given back to India after Bangladesh government decided to solve the problem through diplomatic negotiations. South Talpatty island (called New Moor by India), administered under Satkhira district of Bangladesh, is still under Indian military occupation, though the Bangladesh government sent satellite images to the Indian government proving the island to be within Bangladeshi territory.

In recent years India has increasingly complained that Bangladesh does not secure its border properly. It fears an increasing flow of economically depressed Bangladeshis and it accuses Bangladesh of harboring Indian separatist groups like ULFA and alleged terrorist groups. The Bangladesh government has consistently denied these accusations.^[2][3] India estimates that over 20 million Bangladeshis are living illegally in India.^[4] One Bangladeshi official responded that "there is not a single Bangladeshi migrant in India".^[5] Since 2002, India has been constructing an India - Bangladesh Fence along much of the 2500 mile border.^[6] The United Liberation Front of Asom is a separatist organization from Assam. ... India is presently constructing a 3,286-kilometer fence to seal off the Indian-Bangladeshi border. ...

But recent relations are not without bright spots. In May 2007 they announced that for the first time since the 1965 Indo-Pak War, rail service between Kolkata and Dhaka will be restored, a lapse of 42 years.^[7] Moreover in October 2007 some cooperation was announced on the border issues mentioned above.^[8] These signs of cooperation coincide for the moment at least with a change in Bangladeshi leadership that is expected to last until the end of 2008. , “Calcutta” redirects here. ... Dhaka (previously Dacca; Bengali: Ḍhākā; IPA: ) is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. ...

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Main article: Pakistan-Bangladeshi relations

The Bangladesh-Pakistan relationship is yet to be at a level that may be called warm. However since full diplomatic relations were implemented in January 1976, it has shown improvement in bilateral relations concerning commerce, culture and trade and making reconciliatory agreements.

Landmarks in their reconciliation are:

• An August 1973 agreement between Bangladesh and Pakistan on the repatriation of numerous individuals, including 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war stranded in Bangladesh as a result of the 1971 conflict;
• A February 1974 accord by Bangladesh and Pakistan on mutual diplomatic recognition, followed more than 2 years later by establishment of formal diplomatic relations on January 18th 1975
• The organization by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of an airlift that moved almost 250,000 Bengalis from Pakistan to Bangladesh, and non-Bengalis from Bangladesh to Pakistan; and
• Exchanges of high-level visits, including a visit by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to Bangladesh in 1989 and visits by Prime Minister khalida Zia to Pakistan in 1992 and in 1995.

Still to be resolved are the division of assets from the pre-1971 period and the status of more than 250,000 non-Bengalis who are ethnically Biharis also known as Stranded Pakistanis remaining in Bangladesh but seeking resettlement in Pakistan.

The People's Republic of China

Main article: Sino-Bangladeshi relations

Early relations with the People's Republic of China were cold due to the rare use of China's veto at the United Nations Security Council to block Bangladesh's accession to the United Nations. Lately however China has made efforts to improve relations with many of its neighbors. Trade with China reached a record level in 2006 of $3.2 billion under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (AFTA). A large trade imbalance exists in China's favor however, which is the target of an aid package and plan announced by China in 2007.^[9] “Security Council” redirects here. ... UN redirects here. ...

United States

Main article: Bangladesh-United States relations

The United States is an aid donor to Bangladesh. It provides assistance during natural calamities. In the post 9/11 scenario, American policy-makers expressed support for moderation in one of the Muslim's world's few democracies. The US State Department voiced support for free elections before 2008 ends.

Britain and Europe

The ties between Britain and Bangladesh date back to the British Raj. Today the large Bangladeshi immigrant population in the United Kingdom, particularly from Sylhet, shapes relations between the two countries.

European countries, particularly from Scandinavia, provide significant economic assistance to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's relations with the European Union and its member states remained a priority area in the foreign policy context. A number of achievements were made in the economic field during that brief period. At present EU is the top export destination of Bangladesh's products( 48% of the total product). International Jute Study Group is being established in Dhaka. Bangladesh successfully participated in World Apparel Fair, European Seafood Exposition, Bangladesh Trade Show in Moscow and Kiev.

Saudi Arabia and the Middle East

Bangladesh supplies over 1 million guest workers to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and other Gulf countries. In turn most of Bangladesh's oil is imported from this region.

Islamic countries and charities provide economic aid usually to advance the Islamic agenda, including funding mosques and madrassas. A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Madrassa in the Gambia The word madrassa in the Arabic language (and other languages of the Islamic nations such as Persian, Turkish, Indonesian etc. ...

Iran

Main article: Bangladesh-Iran relations

Russia

Main article: Bangladesh-Russia relations

Japan

Main article: Bangladeshi-Japanese relations

Bhutan

Along with India, Bangladesh is one of the only two nations to have a residential embassy in Bhutan. The relationship between Bhutan and Bangladesh have always been positive since 1971 when the former became one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after gaining independence from Pakistan.

Myanmar

Bilateral ties with Burma are good, despite occasional border strains and an influx of more than 270,000 Muslim refugees (known as "Rohingya") from predominantly Buddhist Burma. As a result of bilateral discussions, and with the cooperation and assistance of the UNHCR, most of the Rohingya refugees have now returned to Burma. As of 2000, about 22,000 refugees remain in camps in southern Bangladesh.

South Asia

Other countries in South Asia. Bangladesh maintains friendly relations with Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and strongly opposed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Bangladesh and Nepal recently agreed to facilitate land transit between the two countries.

Disputes - international

A portion of the boundary with India was undefined, and there was a disagreement with India over South Talpatti Island / New Moore Island. South Talpatti Island is an offshore island of Bangladesh emerged in Bay of Bengal in 1970 just after the 1970 Bhola cyclone (A 120-mph powerful tropical cyclone hits the densely populated Ganges Delta region of then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh in 1970 killing an estimated 500,000 people -considered...

References

• This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
• This article contains material from the US Department of State's Background Notes which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.

The World Factbook (ISSN 1553-8133; also known as the CIA World Factbook)[2] is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Background Notes series is a collection of works by the United States Department of State. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• The Tuesday Group

The Tuesday Group is a group of foreign diplomats based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. ...

External links

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Government of Bangladesh

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