voter turnout, ending a
bitter two-year impasse between the former BNP and opposition
parties that had paralyzed National Parliament and led to widespread
street violence

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges
are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA];
Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK];
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIAur Rahman]; Islami
Oikya Jote or IOJ [Azizol HAQ]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman
NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC,
UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate A. Tariq KARIM

chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Mary Ann PETERS

embassy: Road 27, House 110, Banani, Dhaka

mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722

FAX: [880] (2) 8823744

Flag description: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist
side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to
achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush
countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Bangladesh Economy

Economy - overview: Despite sustained domestic and international
efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh
remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and
least developed nations. Although more than half of GDP is generated
through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are
employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most
important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent
cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate
port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be
abso