Bangladesh: Conditions, Issues & U.S. Relations

Bangladesh (the former East Pakistan) is an Islamic-majority nation in South Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, dominated by low-lying riparian zones. It is the world’s eighth-largest country in terms of population. U.S. policy toward Bangladesh emphasises support for political stability and democracy, development, and human rights. The United States offers economic assistance to Bangladesh, and has military-to-military ties that include co-operation in multilateral peacekeeping. Bangladesh is also of interest to the United States for the role it plays in the larger geopolitical dynamics of South Asia. This book focuses on the political and strategic developments and United States interests in Bangladesh; provides a background on the Bangladesh apparel factory collapse; discusses the Bangladesh 2012 human rights report as well as the 2012 international religious freedom report; and ends with the 2012 investment climate statement for Bangladesh.