Long-form name: People's Republic of Bangladesh

Type: republic

Capital: Dhaka

Administrative divisions: 21 districts (zillagulo, singular--zilla); Bandarban, Barisal, Bogra, Chittagong, Comilla, Dacca, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Jessore, Khulna, Kushtia, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Pabna, Patuakhali, Rajshahi, Ramgarh, Rangamati, Rangpur, Sylhet, Tangail; note--the administrative hierarchy may have been changed to 4 divisions divided into 21 regions (formerly known as districts), and subdivided into 64 districts @m5divisions--(bibhaggulo, singular--bibhag) Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, and Rajshahi @m5regions--(anchalgulo, singular--anchal) Bandarban, Barisal, Bogra, Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tract, Comilla, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Jamalpur, Jessore, Khulna, Kushtia, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Pabna, Patuakhali, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet, and Tangail @m5districts--(zillagulo, singular--zilla) Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chittagong, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj, Habiganj, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenida, Jaipur Hat, Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Lakshmipur, Lalmanir Hat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur, Maulvi Bazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail, Narayanganj, Narsinghdi, Nator, Nawabganj, Netrakona, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagarh, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangamati, Rangpur, Satkhira, Shariytpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail, and Thakurgaom

Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)

Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; civil liberties curtailed under 27 November 1987 State of Emergency Declaration

Legal system: based on English common law, but suspended by the 27 November 1987 State of Emergency Declaration

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Branches: presidential system of government, 330-member unicameral legislature (Parliament), and independent judiciary; the president has substantial control over the judiciary; Parliament dissolved on 6 December 1987

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--President Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (since 11 December 1983, elected 15 October 1986); Vice President A. K. M. Nural ISLAM (since 30 November 1986); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Moudad AHMED (since 27 March 1988)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: byelections held in February and June 1987; last presidential election held in October 1986 (elected President to a five-year term); last parliamentary election held 3 March 1988

Political parties and leaders: Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad Ershad; Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Ziaur Rahman; Awami League, Sheikh Hasina Wazed; United People's Party, Kazi Zafar Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed; Muslim League, Khan A. Sabur; Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (National Socialist Party), M. A. Jalil; Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed Manik

Voting strength: March 1988 parliamentary elections--Jatiya Party won 256 out of 300 seats

Communists: 5,000 members (1987 est.)

Member of: ADB, Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IRC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador A. H. S. Ataul KARIM; Chancery at 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 342-8372 through 8376; there is a Bangladesh Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Willard A. DE PREE; Embassy at Adamjee Court Building, 5th Floor, Motijheel Commercial Area, Dhaka (mailing address is G. P. O. Box 323, Ramna, Dhaka); telephone Õ88å (2) 237161 through 237163 or 235093 through 235099 or 235081 through 235089

Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam

NOTE: The information regarding Bangladesh on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bangladesh Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bangladesh Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.