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Bordered by India and Myanmar in South Asia, Bangladesh is uniquely situated as a natural link between South Asia and Southeast Asia, playing a vital role in furthering regional integration and collaboration.  Bangladesh gained its independence through a war with Pakistan in 1971 and was founded on principles of the identity of the Bangla (Bengali) language and secularism. The 98% Bengali population includes at least 45 ethnic groups with their own languages, culinary culture, dress, and music.  A predominantly Muslim country (89%), the second largest religious group at 10% are Bangladeshi Hindus, followed by Buddhists and Christians (the remaining 1%).  Bangladeshis enjoy and celebrate public holidays recognizing the country’s major religious festivals, including the Islamic Eid holidays, Christmas, the birthday of Gautam Buddha, and the Hindu festival of Durga Puja.  The people of Bangladesh, a country of nearly 173 million, are known to be resilient, friendly, and hospitable.  The primary spoken language is Bangla, although English is widely used especially in academic and business circles.  There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bangladesh, two cultural (Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat and Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur) and one natural (The Sundarbans).   In addition, five properties are included in the UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage Sites which are “Archaeological sites of Lalmai-Mainamati”, “Archaeological Sites on the Deltaic Landscape of Bangladesh”, “Cultural Landscape of Mahasthan and Karatoya River”, “Mughal Mosques in Bangladesh”, “Mughal and Colonial Temples of Bangladesh”, and the “Mughal Forts on Fluvial Terrains in Dhaka”.

Foreign visitors are treated with great respect; former Fulbright Scholars have typically received warm welcomes from their hosts and students.  Following the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack, American exchange programs were temporarily on hold in Bangladesh until May 2022.  During the past few years, security conditions have dramatically improved.  Since resumption of American exchange programs, U.S. Embassy Dhaka has hosted six Fulbright Scholars and Specialists, eight American English Language Fellows and Specialists and several U.S. Speakers to improve the educational landscape in Bangladesh and promote mutual understanding between the two countries. 

Bangladesh celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence in 2021 and is a development success story with improvements in social welfare metrics that stand out among South Asian countries.  Millions of Bangladeshis have emerged from poverty as the nation has sustained an average annual economic growth rate of six percent for more than a decade, although the war in Ukraine and global inflation have slowed that pace and posed challenges to sustainable and inclusive growth.  A moderate, pluralistic Muslim-majority country, Bangladesh is on a trajectory to make history by reducing its fertility rate to replacement level through voluntary family planning and has met all three eligibility criteria for graduation from LDC status, putting it on the path to qualify for middle-income country status by 2026.  

Bangladesh has vibrant intellectual traditions, and its higher education sector is undergoing rapid expansion. The Ministry of Education’s University Grants Commission (UGC), the government’s regulatory body of higher education, assesses needs and maintains standards and quality of public and private universities.  There are 50 approved public universities and more than 108 private universities operating in Bangladesh.  All private universities have adopted the semester system, and the academic year begins in September.  However, only a few public universities have adopted this system, and their academic session runs from January to December.  Higher education in the public sector is a legacy of the British colonial education system, whereas private universities generally follow the U.S. curricula.  Private universities have been established in response to the fact that public universities have not been able to meet Bangladesh’s increasing demand for higher education, given the country’s large youth population.  At least 40 million people are under the age of 30.  The COVID-19 pandemic and global inflation challenges has exacerbated challenges facing Bangladesh’s education sector, significantly deteriorating education progress among the least economically resilient groups.  Operating with limited economic and technological resources, the Government of Bangladesh is trying hard to fulfil educational needs of its citizens.  The Fulbright Program plays a significant role in supporting Bangladesh achieving goals to improve the educational landscape and build a skilled and resilient workforce.