CapitalDhaka
Population174,370,536
Area148,460 km²
GDP per capita$8,500
LanguagesBangla , other
Currencytaka
Life Expectancy75.2 yr
Governmentparliamentary republic
Introduction
Background
The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971.
The military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.
The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but still faces economic challenges.
Geography
Area
land
130,170 sq km
water
18,290 sq km
total
148,460 sq km
Climate
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); warm, humid rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain
predominantly flat alluvial plain; hilly region in the southeast
Land use
other
13.3% (2023 est.)
forest
14.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
72.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Southern Asia, adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Coastline
580 km
Elevation
lowest point
Bay of Bengal 0 m
highest point
Mowdok Taung 1,060 m
mean elevation
85 m
Irrigated land
83,690 sq km (2022)
Major aquifers
Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin
Map references
Asia
Land boundaries
total
4,413 km
border countries
Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
18 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
to the outer limits of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
experiences droughts; prone to cyclones; a significant portion of the nation is regularly flooded during the summer monsoon period
Geography - note
the majority of the country lies on the deltas of major rivers originating from the Himalayas: the Ganges merges with the Jamuna (the principal channel of the Brahmaputra) and subsequently connects with the Meghna, ultimately discharging into the Bay of Bengal
Natural resources
natural gas, cultivable land, timber, coal
Area - comparative
slightly larger than the combined area of Pennsylvania and New Jersey; marginally smaller than Iowa
Geographic coordinates
24 00 N, 90 00 E
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage
Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km
note: [s] following the country name indicates river source; [m] following the country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Literacy
male
81.4% (2022 est.)
female
76.5% (2022 est.)
total population
79% (2022 est.)
Languages
Languages
Bangla 98.8% (officially referred to as Bengali), other 1.2% (estimate from 2011)
major-language sample(s)
বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla)
The World Factbook serves as an essential resource for fundamental information.
Religions
Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.95 male(s)/female
total population
0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.87 male(s)/female
Birth rate
19.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
28.7 years
total
27.8 years (2025 est.)
female
30.4 years
Population
male
83,908,720
total
174,370,536 (2025 est.)
female
90,461,816
Nationality
noun
Bangladeshi(s)
adjective
Bangladeshi
Tobacco use
male
47.6% (2025 est.)
total
29.7% (2025 est.)
female
12.5% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
40.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
25.1% (male 21,540,493/female 20,800,712)
15-64 years
67.1% (male 55,071,592/female 58,180,322)
65 years and over
7.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,096,167/female 7,007,898)
Ethnic groups
Bengali comprises at least 99%, with other indigenous ethnic groups accounting for 1% (estimate from 2022).
Child marriage
women married by age 15
15.5% (2019)
women married by age 18
51.4% (2019)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
54.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
43.5 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
11.1 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
2.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
1.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
11.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
31.3 deaths/1,000 live births
total
22 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
26.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.91% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.1 (2025 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male
73.1 years
female
77.5 years
total population
75.2 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
115 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 81.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 84.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 90.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 18.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 15.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 9.7% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
23.210 million DHAKA (capital), 5.380 million Chittagong, 955,000 Khulna, 962,000 Rajshahi, 964,000 Sylhet, 906,000 Bogra (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
3.6% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
18.6 years (2017/18 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
80.6% (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
21.7% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
11 years (2023 est.)
total
11 years (2023 est.)
female
12 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical; temperate winter (October to March); hot and humid summer (March to June); warm and humid rainy monsoon season (June to October)
Land use
other
13.3% (2023 est.)
forest
14.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
72.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
40.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane emissions
other
38.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste
693 kt (2019-2021 est.)
energy
544 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture
2,391.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
14.778 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
15.7% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
flooding; pollution of water bodies, particularly in fishing zones, due to the application of commercial pesticides; contamination of groundwater from naturally present arsenic; declining water tables in the northern and central regions of the nation; soil deterioration and erosion; deforestation; loss of wetlands; extreme overpopulation accompanied by noise pollution
Total water withdrawal
municipal
3.6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
770 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
31.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
125.956 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
56.906 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
26.967 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
42.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
42.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
1.227 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: a green field featuring a prominent red disk slightly off-center to the left
meaning: the red disk symbolizes the emerging sun and the sacrifices made for independence; the green field represents the fertile greenery of Bangladesh
Capital
name
Dhaka
etymology
the etymology of the name remains uncertain, but it could originate from either the dhak tree or Dhakeshwari, a deity honored in a shrine within the city
time difference
UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
23 43 N, 90 24 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Bangladesh
dual citizenship recognized
yes, but limited to select countries
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
prior to 1935, 1956, and 1962 (pre-independence); the most recent version was enacted on 4 November 1972, effective from 16 December 1972, suspended in March 1982, and reinstated in November 1986
amendment process
introduced by the House of the Nation; ratification necessitates a two-thirds majority vote from the House members and approval from the president of the republic
Country name
former
East Bengal, East Pakistan
etymology
the name is a compound of the Bengali words Bangla (Bengali) and desh (country)
local long form
Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh
local short form
Bangladesh
conventional long form
People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form
Bangladesh
Independence
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
Legal system
common law, which integrates aspects of English common law; since gaining independence, statutory law has been the predominant legislative form; Islamic law governs Muslims in matters of family and inheritance, while Hindu personal law applies to Hindus and Buddhists
Government type
parliamentary republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of Bangladesh (organized into the Appellate Division with 7 justices and the High Court Division with 99 justices)
subordinate courts
civil courts consist of: Assistant Judge's Court; Joint District Judge's Court; Additional District Judge's Court; District Judge's Court; criminal courts include: Court of Sessions; Court of Metropolitan Sessions; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court; special courts/tribunals
judge selection and term of office
the chief justice and justices are appointed by the president; justices remain in position until reaching retirement age of 67
Executive branch
cabinet
the Cabinet is chosen by the prime minister and appointed by the president
chief of state
President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023)
election results
President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (AL) was elected uncontested by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA was reappointed as prime minister for a fifth term following the parliamentary election on January 7, 2024, but fled the country on August 5, 2024, in response to widespread protests against her administration in July and August 2024; Mohammad YUNUS was designated as interim Prime Minister on August 8, 2024
head of government
Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)
most recent election date
13 February 2023
election/appointment process
the president is indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a term of 5 years (eligible for re-election); the president appoints the leader of the majority party in the National Parliament as prime minister
expected date of next election
2028
National holiday
Independence Day, March 26 (1971); Victory Day, December 16 (1971)
National color(s)
green, red
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c); Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c); Sundarbans (n)
Political parties
Awami League or AL
Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
Islami Andolan Bangladesh
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction)
Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction)
National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD
Workers Party or WP
Legislative branch
expected date of next election
February 2026
National anthem(s)
title
"Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)
history
adopted in 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also composed the national anthem of India
lyrics/music
Rabindranath TAGORE
National symbol(s)
Bengal tiger, water lily
National coat of arms
the water lily serves as the national flower, symbolizing promise, beauty, and grace; the water beneath the lily, the rice sheaves on either side, and the jute leaves above represent the landscape and economy of Bangladesh; the four stars denote the aspirations and goals of the nation
Administrative divisions
8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 244-2771
chancery
3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 244-0183
chief of mission
Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful ISLAM (since 5 September 2025)
consulate(s) general
Los Angeles, Miami, New York
email address and website
[email protected]
Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd)
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[880] (2) 5566-2907
embassy
Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212
telephone
[880] (2) 5566-2000
mailing address
6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20521-6120
chief of mission
Ambassador-designate Brent CHRISTENSEN (since 12 January 2026)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://bd.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not provided a declaration regarding ICJ jurisdiction; recognizes ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$39.849 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures
$51.558 billion (2021 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$60.066 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$58.885 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$53.848 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$93.635 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$73.172 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$74.96 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering
Labor force
77.355 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
taka (BDT) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
84.871 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
85.084 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
91.745 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
106.309 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
115.604 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$58.02 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
one of the rapidly advancing emerging market economies; notable economic recovery post-COVID-19; marked decrease in poverty levels; exports primarily driven by the textile sector; a decline in exports and remittances led to diminished foreign exchange reserves and a loan request from the IMF in 2022
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
4.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
4.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
4.7% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 16%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2023)
Imports - partners
China 34%, India 17%, Indonesia 5%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$7,900 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$8,200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$8,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
7.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
5.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
4.2% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023)
Exports - commodities
garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$14.438 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$4.388 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$1.87 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
7.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$450.119 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
70.1% (2024 est.)
government consumption
5.9% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
0% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
30.7% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
10.5% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-16.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
18.7% (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
52.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
7.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
9.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
10.5% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
3.5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.336 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.413 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.473 trillion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
13.7% (2024 est.)
total
11.5% (2024 est.)
female
9.2% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$33.747 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$21.86 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$21.395 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
34.1% (2024 est.)
services
51.4% (2024 est.)
agriculture
11.2% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.5% (2022 est.)
highest 10%
27.4% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
33.4 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
imports
13.305 million metric tons (2023 est.)
production
767,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
14.05 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves
3.26 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
28 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
263,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
imports
9.407 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
107.285 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
22.699 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
8.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
imports
6.785 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
22.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
29.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of nuclear reactors under construction
2 (2025)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
99.3%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
99.4% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
11.472 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
98.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
45% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
The state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) transmits nationwide; several channels are available through satellite; additionally, the government possesses a medium-wave radio station along with a number of private FM radio news channels; out of the 41 licensed television stations, 26 are actively broadcasting, while 23 are managed privately through cable distribution.
Internet country code
.bd
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
285,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2024 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
188 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
108 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
12.9 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
8 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
1
medium
1
key ports
Chittagong, Mongla
very small
0
total ports
2 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
0
Airports
17 (2025)
Railways
total
2,460 km (2014)
broad gauge
659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge
1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Heliports
36 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
558 (2023)
by type
bulk carrier 68, container ship 10, general cargo 170, oil tanker 162, other 148
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
S2
Military & Security
Military - note
the military's main duty is to provide external defense, though it also plays a role in domestic security; after extensive domestic protests in September 2024, the Army was granted law enforcement authority, which includes the ability to make arrests, perform searches, and disperse illegal gatherings; historically, the military has been a key player in the political landscape of the nation and has commercial interests spanning sectors such as banking, food, hospitality, manufacturing, real estate, and shipbuilding, in addition to overseeing government infrastructure and construction initiatives.
the military has a longstanding involvement in UN peacekeeping operations, which has offered both operational experience and funding opportunities; it operates an international training institute for peacekeepers; furthermore, the military engages in multinational and bilateral training exercises with foreign partners, notably with India (2025).
Military deployments
approximately 1,400 in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,700 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus around 200 police); 120 in Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,600 in South Sudan (UNMISS); and 500 in Sudan (UNISFA) (2024).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Bangladesh (also known as Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force.
Ministry of Home Affairs: Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2025).
Military service age and obligation
the duration of service varies by branch, but generally ranges from 17 to 23 years for voluntary military service; the length of service also differs (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
a significant portion of the military's equipment originates from China and Russia; however, recent years have seen suppliers expand to include Germany, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
details vary; approximately 170,000 active personnel within the Armed Forces (2025).
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) in Bangladesh (ISB); al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
756,743 (2024 est.)
refugees
1,005,637 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
1,005,520 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
The Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), which was established as a statutory entity in 1991 and recognized as the national focal point for space-related initiatives in 1995, (2025)
Space program overview
maintains a modest space program that emphasizes the design, construction, and operation of satellites, especially those equipped with remote sensing (RS) capabilities. SPARRSO's mission involves utilizing space and RS technology across various sectors, including agriculture, education, environmental research, fisheries, forestry, geology, land use, mapping, meteorology, and oceanography. In addition, it has established a government-owned enterprise for satellite acquisition and operation, known as Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, which was founded in 2017. The organization collaborates with a number of international space agencies and commercial partners, including those from France, Japan, Russia, and the United States, and is a member of various global space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (2025).
Key space-program milestones
2017 - first educational/scientific nanosatellite (BRAC-Onnesha) acquired from Japan and launched by US
2018 - first communications satellite (Bangabandhu-1) built by a French company and launched by US
2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the safe and responsible exploration of space
