More information about Bangladesh is available on the Bangladesh Page, U.S. Department of State publications, and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-BANGLADESH RELATIONS

Bangladesh is an important regional partner on economic, climate, humanitarian, and security priorities.  As 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of U.S.-Bangladesh relations, the United States and Bangladesh held multiple high-level engagements and strategic discussions in Dhaka and Washington D.C. to deepen bilateral, economic, commercial, and security collaboration. The two governments also discussed steps to promote security; protect human rights, the rule of law, and freedom of expression; and ways to continue to work closely together to advance a shared vision of a free and open, prosperous, inclusive, peaceful, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.

The United States seeks a strong, multi-faceted relationship built on mutual respect for the rule of law, democracy, and human rights; inclusive economic growth and development; people-to-people ties; enhanced capacity to tackle the climate and pandemic crises; and a greater contribution to regional security.

U.S. Assistance to Bangladesh

Over the past 50 years, the United States has invested over eight billion dollars to improve the lives of Bangladeshis.  The country now stands as the largest recipient of U.S. assistance in Asia. U.S. assistance supports sustainable agriculture and increased food security, modernizing small-scale farming, strengthening the trade and business environment, adapting to climate change, conserving biodiversity, improving public health and education, preparing for and responding to disasters, and promoting democratic institutions and practices, including the labor sector and workers’ freedom to assemble.

The United States appreciates the generosity of Bangladesh for hosting nearly one million Rohingya refugees who fled genocide and crimes against humanity in Burma.  We applaud the people of Bangladesh for all they have done and continue to do to shelter the Rohingya refugees.  The United States is the largest donor to the Rohingya refugee crisis response, providing humanitarian support to  both refugees and host communities in Bangladesh.  We stand with Bangladesh and with Rohingya in working toward the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees, when conditions allow.

The United States and Bangladesh have cooperated closely to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.  Bangladesh has been one of the top recipients of U.S.-donated COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX.  The United States has also donated more than $121 million in additional life-saving COVID-19-related assistance to Bangladesh since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States is proud to partner in Bangladesh’s development success. Over the last 50 years, Bangladesh’s economy expanded from a largely agricultural society to one with the potential to become a major participant in global supply chains.  Its enviable growth and openness to U.S. private sector investment makes this market an opportunity for U.S. firms and those of our allies and partners.  For the past 20 years, the economy in Bangladesh has grown at over 6 percent every year.  The United States is the largest importer of Bangladeshi products, importing $8.3 billion in 2021.   U.S. companies are the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh, making the United States the top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2021.  U.S. companies have made $4.3 billion in investments as of 2021, which accounts for 20 percent of the total FDI stock in Bangladesh.   The vast majority of these investments are in natural gas extraction, banking and insurance, and power generation sectors.  U.S. companies also contribute to the transportation and infrastructure sectors by providing high-quality airplanes, locomotives, power generation turbines, and dredging equipment among other products.  The growing commercial ties between the United States and Bangladesh have been further demonstrated through the establishment of the U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council in 2021.

Bangladesh’s Membership in International Organizations

Bangladesh is the largest contributing country to UN peacekeeping operations.

Bangladesh and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, ASEAN Regional Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.  Bangladesh is also a positive contributor for regional integration in the Indo-Pacific through its active participation in organizations such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Initiative, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).  Bangladesh completed its second term as Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum in June 2022.

Bilateral Representation

Principal embassy officials are listed in the Department’s Key Officers List.

Bangladesh maintains an embassy in the United States at 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel: 202-244-0183).

CIA World Factbook Bangladesh Page
U.S. Embassy
USAID Bangladesh Page
History of U.S. Relations With Bangladesh
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics 
Export.gov International Offices Page 
Library of Congress Country Studies
Travel Information

U.S. Department of State

The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future