:
740,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.365 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications
and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
15 (1999)

Televisions:
770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bd

Internet hosts:
1 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2000)

Internet users:
243,000 (2003)

Transportation Bangladesh

Railways:
total: 2,706 km
broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 207,486 km
paved: 19,773 km
unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Waterways:
8,372 km
note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 2,012 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Chittagong, Mongla Port

Merchant marine:
total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 28, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 4
foreign-owned: 10 (China 1, Singapore 9)
registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Airports:
16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bangladesh

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$995.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Bangladesh

Disputes - international:
discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of
river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries,
allocate divided village