Fact Sheet - Bangladesh

7/28/2019 Fact Sheet - Bangladesh

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FactSheet

www.AmericanSecurityProject.org 1100 New York Avenue, NW Suite 710W Washington, DC

Fact Sheet: BangladeshFarhad Mirzadeh

September 2013

Bangladesh, a nation o nearly 170 million people is the worlds sixth largest country andthe third largest Muslim majority country. Its shared borders with India and Myanmar andclose proximity to China and the critical access that it provides to the Bay o Bengal placesthe country in a highly sensitive strategic location.

As Bangladesh continues to experience economic growth,it garners more scrutiny over its labour standards romthe international community and major trading partners,including the United States. With that being said, Bangladesh

continues to be a hub or economic activity as it is rich inminerals and energy potential. For example, it has opened upits shores to oreign exploration. It is an important site or theUnited States Asian pivot and the growing Chinese emphasison Bangladesh.

Te recent political impasse in Bangladesh and growing trendsin militancy and terrorism raise serious concerns not only orits own stability but also the stability o the wider South Asianregion. Te situation becomes more complex as the NAO ledinternational orces withdraw rom Aghanistan in 2014.

Historical Background: Te borders o Bangladesh were a result o the Partition o Bengal in 1947.1

Ethnic and religious tensions as well as economic concerns led to the BangladeshLiberation war in 1971.

As a result, Bengalis split rom Pakistan and ormed Bangladesh, an independent andsecular nation.

However, Bangladesh was aected by amine, poverty, and numerous military coups.2

In 1991, a parliamentary republic was restored with an unocial two-party system.3


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Electoral Background: Te day-to-day aairs are run by the Prime Minister, while the President serves a ceremonial role

head o state.

In 1991, however, the Presidents powers were expanded withthe introduction o the caretaker government, making thepresident responsible or elections and the resulting transero power.4

Te role o the Caretaker Government was institutionalizedin 1996 with the passage o the 13th amendment to the Con-stitution.5

However, the Awami League passed the 15th amendmentwhich abolished the Caretaker Government.6

Te next election is supposed to occur between October 26th,

2013 and January 24th, 2014.

Political Instability: For over a year, the country has been gripped with growing unrest and strikes.

Te Bangladesh Nationalist Party, along with 18 opposition parties, has led strikes against the rulinAwami League that has nearly shut down many government unctions.7

Te Courts ruled to de-register one o Bangladeshs largest politi-cal parties, Jammat-e-Islami, a party tied with Islamic interests.8

Te Courts reasoning was that the partys charter placed Godbeore democratic principles.9

Tis has resulted in widespread protests, oten violent, on thestreets o Bangladesh.

Furthermore, the rise o Heazat-e-Islam, another party rooted inIslamic undamentalism, continues to rise as it commits violentprotests in the streets o Bangladesh.1011

Te rising inuence o these Islamic groups is evident in the grow-ing number o madrasas, or religious schools, that are linked withextremism and violent tendencies.12


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Economics: Since 1991, with the stabilization o internal politics,

Bangladesh has experienced strong economic growth.13

For example, poverty rates are down by 25 percent since1990 and per-capita GDP has doubled since 1975.14

Goldman Sachs has included Bangladesh in the NextEleven, or part o a group o countries that could beeconomic leaders in the 21st century.15

More than 75 percent o the countrys export earnings arederived rom the readymade garment industry.16

Te industry employs over 3 million workers, 90 percento them being women.17

However, international governments and human rights groups are pressuring Bangladesh or possible

rights violations in this sector with regards to poor wages and long hours.18

Recently, more than 100 garment actories were recently shut down due to strikes over low wages.19

Environmental Security: According to the National Geographic, Bangladesh ranks frst as

the country most impacted by climate change in coming decades.20

With over 160 million people, it is the 8th most populated countryin the world, making it one o the most densely populated countries

in the world.21

Te Bay o Bengal, a climate change hotspot, will experience risingsea levels and changing weather patterns.22

At the current rate, Bangladesh could lose 11 percent o its territoryto rising sea levels.

As a result, 20 to 30 million could be displaced, orcing them to migrate to already dense cities or toneighbouring countries like India or Pakistan.23

Farhad Mirzadeh is a policy researcher and intern at the American Security Project, he is arecent graduate of the University of North Texas with degrees in History and Political Science


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Endnotes

1. Encyclopedia Britannica. Bangladesh.

2. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Bangladesh.

3. MD. Saidur Rahman. Institutionalization o Democracy in the Political Parties in Bangladesh. North South University, 20

4. Te Economist. Generally trusted. August 28th

, 2010.

5. Ole J. Forsburg, PhD. Bangladeshs New Amendment. Electoral Forensics. June 30th, 2011

6. Shakhawat Liton. How the controversial 15th Amendment curtailed peoples power. Te Daily Star. September 12th, 201

7. AlJazeera. Bangladesh paralysed by opposition strike. May 26th, 2013.

8. Te Indian Express. Bangla on the boil ater HC calls Jamaat-e-Islami illegal. August 2nd, 2013.

9. Wall Street Journal. Bangladesh Court Strikes Down Jamaat-e-Islamis Electoral Registration. August 1, 2013.

10. Sabir Mustaa. Heazat-e Islam: Islamist coalition. BBC. May 6th, 2013.

11. Julien Bouissou. Bangladeshs radical Muslims uniting behind Heazat-e-Islam Te Guardian. July 30th, 2013.

12. ahmima Anam. An education: Inside Bangladeshs madrasas. Te Guardian. May 20th, 2011.

13. Jyoti Rahman and Asi Yusu. Economic Growth in Bangladesh: experience and policy priorities.

14. Te Economist. Te path through the felds. November 3rd, 2012.

15. Kathryn Koch. Opportunities and challenges in the Next Eleven Jakarta Post. April 21, 2012.

16. Achim Berg, Saskia Hedrich, and Tomas ochtermann. Bangladesh: Te next hot spot in apparel sourcinMcKinsey&Company. March 2012.

17. Nazneed Jahan Chowdhury and MD. Hafj Ullah. Socio-Economic Conditions o Female Garment Workers in ChittagMetropolitan Area An Empirical Study. Journal o Business and echnology (Dhaka). Issue 02, July-December 2010.

18. Ferdous Ahamed. Improving Social compliance in Bangladeshs Ready-made Garment Industry. National Library o Austra2013.

19. Voice o America. Bangladesh Garment Worker Protests Shut Factories. September 25th, 2013.

20. Don Belt. Te Coming Storm. National Geographic. May 2011.

21. CIA World Factbook. Bangladesh. Last updated August 22, 2013.

22. Sydney Morning Herald. Rising sea level settles border dispute. March 25th, 2013.

23. Young People in Social Action. Climate Displacement in Bangladesh. May 2012.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/51736/Bangladesh/277585/Bangladesh-since-independencehttp://mppg-nsu.org/attachments/119_Institutionalization%20of%20democracy,%20by%20Saidur%20%5bfinal%5d.pdfhttp://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/08/running-elections-bangladeshhttp://www.electoralforensics.org/commentary/?p=689http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/how-the-controversial-15th-amendment-curtailed-peoples-power/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/05/201352653414218728.htmlhttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/bangla-on-the-boil-after-hc-calls-jamaateislami-illegal/1150042/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323681904578641530401992180.html?mod=googlenews_wsjhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22424708http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/bangladesh-hefazat-e-islam-shah-ahmad-shafihttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/21/inside-madrasa-for-girls-bangladesh-tahmima-anamhttp://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/drodrik/Growth%20diagnostics%20papers/Economic%20growth%20in%20Bangladesh%20-%20experience%20and%20policy%20priorities.pdfhttp://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21565617-bangladesh-has-dysfunctional-politics-and-stunted-private-sector-yet-it-has-been-surprisinglyhttp://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/04/21/opportunities-and-challenges-next-eleven.htmlhttp://www.mckinsey.com/insights/consumer_and_retail/bangladesh_the_next_hot_spot_in_apparel_sourcinghttp://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/lmd/article/viewFile/2269/3148http://www.voanews.com/content/bangladesh-garment-worker-protests-shut-factories/1756818.htmlhttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/bangladesh/belt-texthttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bg.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/rising-sea-level-settles-border-dispute-20100324-qwum.htmlhttp://users/paulwhamill/Desktop/Bangladesh%20fact%20sheet/ypsa.org/?wpdmact=process&did=MTkuaG90bGluaw==%3C200E%3Ehttp://users/paulwhamill/Desktop/Bangladesh%20fact%20sheet/ypsa.org/?wpdmact=process&did=MTkuaG90bGluaw==%3C200E%3Ehttp://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/rising-sea-level-settles-border-dispute-20100324-qwum.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bg.htmlhttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/bangladesh/belt-texthttp://www.voanews.com/content/bangladesh-garment-worker-protests-shut-factories/1756818.htmlhttp://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/lmd/article/viewFile/2269/3148http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/consumer_and_retail/bangladesh_the_next_hot_spot_in_apparel_sourcinghttp://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/04/21/opportunities-and-challenges-next-eleven.htmlhttp://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21565617-bangladesh-has-dysfunctional-politics-and-stunted-private-sector-yet-it-has-been-surprisinglyhttp://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/drodrik/Growth%20diagnostics%20papers/Economic%20growth%20in%20Bangladesh%20-%20experience%20and%20policy%20priorities.pdfhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/21/inside-madrasa-for-girls-bangladesh-tahmima-anamhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/bangladesh-hefazat-e-islam-shah-ahmad-shafihttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22424708http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323681904578641530401992180.html?mod=googlenews_wsjhttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/bangla-on-the-boil-after-hc-calls-jamaateislami-illegal/1150042/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/05/201352653414218728.htmlhttp://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/how-the-controversial-15th-amendment-curtailed-peoples-power/http://www.electoralforensics.org/commentary/?p=689http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/08/running-elections-bangladeshhttp://mppg-nsu.org/attachments/119_Institutionalization%20of%20democracy,%20by%20Saidur%20%5bfinal%5d.pdfhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/51736/Bangladesh/277585/Bangladesh-since-independence


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Te Honorable Gary Hart, Chairman

Senator Hart served the State o Colorado in the

U.S. Senate and was a member o the Committee

on Armed Services during his tenure.

Robert B. Crowe

Robert B. Crowe is a Partner o Nelson

Mullins Riley & Scarborough in its Boston and

Washington, DC oces. He is co-chair o the

rms Government Relations practice.

Stuart Piltch

Stuart Piltch is the Co-Founder and Managing

Director o Cambridge Advisory Group, an

actuarial and benets consulting rm based in

Philadelphia.

Brigadier General Stephen A. Cheney, USMC (Ret.)

Brigadier General Cheney is the Chie Executive

Ocer o ASP.

Norman R. Augustine

Mr. Augustine was Chairman and Principal

Ocer o the American Red Cross or nine

years and Chairman o the Council o the

National Academy o Engineering.

Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, USA (Ret.)

Lieutenant General Christman is Senior Vice

President or International Afairs at the United

States Chamber o Commerce.

Lieutenant General John Castellaw, USMC (Ret.)

John Castellaw is President o the Crockett Policy

Institute (CPI), a non-partisan policy and research

organization headquartered in ennessee.

Nelson W. Cunningham

Nelson Cunningham is President o

McLarty Associates.

BOARD OF DIRECORS

Lee Cullum

Lee Cullum, at one time a commentator on the

PBS NewsHour and All Tings Considered

on NPR, currently contributes to the Dallas

Morning News and hosts CEO.

Admiral William Fallon, USN (Ret.)

Admiral Fallon has led U.S. and Allied orces and

played a leadership role in military and diplomatic

matters at the highest levels o the U.S. government.

Raj Fernando

Raj Fernando is CEO and ounder o

Chopper rading, a technology based trading

rm headquartered in Chicago.

Vice Admiral Lee Gunn, USN (Ret.)Vice Admiral Gunn is the President o the

Institute o Public Research at the CNA

Corporation, a non-prot corporation in Virginia.

General Lester L. Lyles, USAF (Ret.)General Lyles retired rom the United States Air Force

ater a distinguished 35 year career. He is presently

Chairman o USAA, a member o the Deense

Science Board, and a member o the Presidents

Intelligence Advisory Board.

Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, USA (Ret.)

Lieutenant General Kennedy was the rst woman

to achieve the rank o three-star general in the

United States Army.

Dennis Mehiel

Dennis Mehiel is the Principal Shareholder

and Chairman o U.S. Corrugated, Inc.

Ed Reilly

Edward Reilly is CEO o Americas o FD

International Limited, a leading global

communications consultancy that is part o FI

Consulting, Inc.

Governor Christine odd Whitman

Christine odd Whitman is the President o the

Whitman Strategy Group, a consulting rm that

specializes in energy and environmental issues.


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We believe that America must lead in the pursuit o our commongoals and shared security. We must conront internationalchallenges with our partners and with all the tools at our disposaland address emerging problems beore they become security

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Fact Sheet - Bangladesh