The Government of Bangladesh

[Note: This information derives primarily from the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook.]

Basic Information

Name
- conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
- conventional short form: Bangladesh
- former: East Pakistan
- Digraph: BG
Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
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