Digraph: BG

Type: republic

Capital: Dhaka

Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,
Rajshahi

Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended
many times

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991);
election last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October
1996); results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary
vote
head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20
March 1991)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad): elections last held 27 February
1991 (next to be held by February 1996); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for
women) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami Party
(Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya
Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),
Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN; Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED; Jatiyo
Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail); Jamaat-E-Islami (JI),
Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK;
National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo
Samajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN; Ganotantri Party, leader NA;
Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party (NDP), leader
NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, Khondakar
MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United
People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed

Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN,
UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR,
UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Humayun KABIR
chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 3