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1 1 (September 27, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/goveixu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Bangladesh Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) is a Muslim-majority South Asian nation bordering India and Burma on the Bay of Bengal. It is the world's eighth most populous country, with approximately 164 million people living in a land area about the size of Iowa. It is a relatively poor nation suffering from high levels of corruption. Its democratic system has faced an array of serious challenges, including political violence, weak governance, poverty, demographic and environmental strains, and Islamist militancy. The U.S. and Bangladesh have partnered on a wide range of issues and worked together to promote shared interests in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy that conducts regular elections, though there are increasing concerns about its trajectory. Some observers suggest it is backsliding toward a one party state and a hybrid regime that includes elements of authoritarianism and democracy. The ruling Awami League (AL) of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina increasingly dominates national politics. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been the main opposition party. When in opposition, both parties have at times used demonstrations, labor strikes, and transport blockades, as well as the ballot box to regain control of government. Prime Minister Hasina, who has held office since 2009, won her third consecutive term in December 2018. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of the BNP was convicted of graft and embezzlement in 2018 and imprisoned. She was released in March 2020 due to poor health. The next parliamentary elections are due in 2023. The Economist Intelligence Unit projects Bangladesh's economy will grow by 7.2% in 2021/2022 and 5.7% in 2022/2023. Readymade garments reportedly accounted for over 80% of Bangladesh's exports in 2021. Export growth is expected to decelerate due to slowing consumer spending in Europe and the United States. According to the World Bank, agriculture's share of total employment in Bangladesh declined steadily over the past decade, but it remains the country's largest employment sector; agriculture accounted for 38% of total employment in 2020. The World Bank reported remittances to Bangladesh of $21.75 billion in 2020. Relations with the United States The United States has long-standing relations with Bangladesh, and recent U.S. Administrations, along with many Members of Congress, have focused on issues relating to Rohingya refugees from Burma, economic development, humanitarian concerns, labor rights, human rights, good governance, and counterterrorism. The United States is among Bangladesh's largest export markets and is a key investor in Bangladesh. Many Members of Congress contend that supporting democracy, rule of law, and human Updated September 27, 2022 rights in the Indo-Pacific region, including in Bangladesh, is critical to advancing U.S. values and interests. The United States and Bangladesh hold annual bilateral Partnership Dialogues and Security Dialogues and have developed a cooperative security relationship to meet shared concerns, including violent extremism and regional security. The United States also recognizes Bangladesh's role as one of the world's largest contributors of troops to U.N. peacekeeping operations. In March 2022, Bangladesh abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution reprimanding Russia for invading Ukraine. Figure I. Bangladesh in Brief Sources: Economist Intelligence Unit, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, State Department, World Atlas. Rohingya The predominantly Muslim Rohingya have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma for years, where the current government views the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. In September 2022, the Department of State announced $170 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Rohingya people displaced by conflict in Burma, including in host communities in Bangladesh. This brings total U.S. assistance for the Rohingya since August 2017 to almost $1.9 billion. Approximately one million ethnic Rohingya facing persecution in Burma have fled to Bangladesh, putting immense pressure on local communities and testing the Dhaka government's ability to provide adequate security, food, and sanitation. Bangladesh has criticized Burma for failure to take meaningful steps to repatriate the Rohingya. Bangladesh began relocating Rohingya from existing camps in Bangladesh to Bhashan Char, a low-lying remote island in the Bay of Bengal, in December 2020. Bangladesh reportedly plans to relocate 100,000 Rohingya to the area

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