Chittagong and Mongla are the only seaports and Dhaka, Chandpur, Barisal and Khulna are the main inland ports. Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet have international airports. Dhaka and Chittagong are the principal domestic airports, there are eight other regional ones.
Environmental issues are given very little importance in national and regional legislation and development planning. Undoubtedly the major constraint on sustainable development in Bangladesh is the rapid increase in population. Economic growth must substantially exceed 2.5% annually to improve the living standard of the general population. While agricultural growth has kept pace with the population increase, production has increased more slowly, particularly in the 1980's.
Future employment opportunities are as grim; agriculture opportunities are almost exhausted and 54% of the population is below 15 years of age. Average gross domestic production (GDP) in the four years ending 1990/91 increased at 3.8% annually.
Agriculture is the major economic activity in Bangladesh, making up 37.6% of 1990/91 GDP (constant prices) of which forestry contributed 2.5%, according to official statistics. The three next largest sectors are transport, storage and communication 11.8%, professional services 10.5% and traders 9.1%. Livestock and fisheries are marginally more important than forestry in the official statistics.
Bangladesh is noted for its estuarine environment, yet less than 10% of its total waterflow originates from its own catchments, the rest comes from India, Nepal and Bhutan. Normally, 20% of the country gets flooded during the monsoon period.
Important Demographic Features Important Population features affecting national economic development are: · Life expectancy 55 years, expected to increase to 65 years by 2010. · Active labour force 31%, female participation is about 10%. · Over 50% of the population is below 15 years of age. · 0.5% of the population are of tribal origin, many of whom practice shifting cultivation. · About 23% of households are female-headed, a considerable percentage are destitute. · Participation at the primary school level is about 89%, dropping to 26% in the case of the secondary level and to a mere 3.4% at the higher level of education. · One doctor every 6,300 people, infant mortality is 105/1,000 live births. · Per capita caloric intake in Bangladesh declined to 1,920 calories per day in 1990, from 2,300 calories in 1960. Malnutrition is a major cause of death. · Overall per capita land availability is about 0.12 hectares. Some 60% of the rural population are now functionally landless, and depend on wage income totally. |
Bangladesh's 1991 population was 108 million, up from 51 million in 1961, and growing at a rate of 2.2%/year. Average population density is about 750/km2, reaching some 1,300/km2 near Dhaka, Chittagong and other population centres. The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has the least population (less than 80/km2), partially reflecting the lower carrying capacity of the land and lack of infrastructure and its tribal nature.
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world and population growth is the most serious problem facing sustainable use of resources. If uncontrolled, it will cause further poverty and environmental degradation. Life expectancy in 1991 was 56 years and the literacy rate averaged 25%, female life expectancy is only slightly less but their literacy is 50% of the male rate. Over the next ten years there will be a dramatic rise in the demand for employment due to the large number of people currently below the age of 15.
About 80% of the population lives in urban areas and the urban population is expected to reach 41 million by 2000. Population growth is a very serious problem inhibiting sustained economic growth and resource management and use. The low area of land per capita intensifies competition for the very limited land resources for different uses. At the same time, existing agriculture productivity is not great. The present population of Bangladesh comprises 19.7 million households (average household size is 5.3 persons) and about 75% of households depend on agriculture for a living.
