Bangladesh Law and Government

Country name: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former : East Pakistan Data code: BG Government type: republic National capital: Dhaka Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi note: there may be two new divisions named Barisal and Sylhet Independence: 16 December 1971 National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Shahabuddin AHMED; note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution, the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina WAJED cabinet : Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1996; following legislative elections.

The leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results : Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without opposition; percent of National Parliament vote - NA Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad elections: last held 12 June 1996 election results: percent of vote by party - AL 33.87%, BNP 30.87%; seats by party - AL 178, BNP 113, JP 33, JI 3, other 2, election still to be held 1; note - the elections of 12 June 1996 brought to power an Awami League government for the first time in twenty-one years; held under a neutral, caretaker administration, the elections were characterized by a peaceful, orderly process and massive 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: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda Ziaur Rahman; Awami League, Sheikh Hasina Wajed; Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad Ershad; Jamaat-E-Islami, Motiur Rahman Nizami; Bangladesh Communist Party, Saifuddin Ahmed Manik International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Khwaja Mohammad SHEHABUDDIN chancery.