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1 1 (December 13, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govenrq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congres Infrming ihb Bangladesh Updated December 13, 2023 Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) is a Muslim-majority South Asian nation bordering India and Burma (Myanmar) on the Bay of Bengal. The world's eighth most populous country, with approximately 167 million people, it has a land area about the size of Iowa. Its democratic system has faced many serious challenges, including political violence, weak governance, corruption, poverty, demographic and environmental strains, and Islamist militancy. The United States and Bangladesh have partnered on various 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 that it is backsliding toward a one-party, hybrid regime that includes elements of authoritarianism and democracy. The ruling Awami League (AL), the party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, increasingly dominates national politics. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been the main opposition party. In opposition, both parties have at times used demonstrations, labor strikes, and transport blockades, as well as the ballot box, to regain government control. Prime Minister Hasina, in office since 2009, won her third consecutive term in December 2018. During that election, observers reported vote rigging, voter intimidation, and mass arrests of opposition activists. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for January 7, 2024. The World Bank projects Bangladesh's economic growth rate fell from an estimated 7.1% in 2022 to 6% in 2023. Readymade garments accounted for 85% of Bangladesh's exports in 2022. The Economist Intelligence Unit expects Bangladesh's export growth to decelerate due to slowing consumer spending in Europe and the United States. Agriculture, previously the largest employment sector, accounted for 37% of total employment in 2021, second to the service sector's 41%. The World Bank reported remittances to Bangladesh of $21.5 billion in 2022. Relations with the Un ited States The United States has long-standing relations with Bangladesh, and is among its largest export markets and sources of foreign investment. The Obama, Trump, and Biden Administrations, and many Members of Congress, have focused on issues relating to Rohingya refugees from Burma, democracy, good governance, economic development, humanitarian concerns, labor rights, human rights, and counterterrorism. Some Members contend that supporting democracy, rule of law, and human rights, including in Bangladesh, is critical to advancing U.S. interests. The State Department announced in May 2023 that it will restrict visa issuance for any Bangladeshis it finds to be undermining Bangladesh's democratic election process ahead of scheduled 2024 voting. 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. As part of these dialogues, the two governments have agreed to work closely together for a shared vision of a free, open, inclusive, and peaceful Indo-Pacific. Figure I. Bangladesh in Brief Sources: Economist Intelligence Unit, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, State Department, Census Bureau, World Atlas. Rohingya The predominantly Muslim Rohingya have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma for years. The Burmese government has denied them citizenship and treated them as illegal immigrants. In FY2022, the United States provided $265 million in humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees from Burma, including in host communities in Bangladesh. The State Department announced an additional $26 million in assistance in March 2023. Total U.S. assistance for the Rohingya since August 2017 is now almost $2.1 billion. Approximately one million Rohingya currently reside in Bangladesh, testing the government's ability to provide adequate security, food, and sanitation. Bangladesh officials have criticized Burma for its failure to take steps to repatriate the Rohingya. Bangladesh began relocating Rohingya from existing camps in Bangladesh to Bhashan Char, a remote island in the Bay of Bengal, in December 2020, despite warnings that the island is vulnerable to sea level rise and storm surges. Press reports estimate that roughly 30,000 Rohingya refugees had been relocated to the island as of January 2023. onaI Research Service Iea Iltive de ba e sInc'e 1914

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