<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on English common law
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991); election last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results—Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20 March 1991)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
<item><hi format=bold>National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad):</hi> elections last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held NA February 1996); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN; Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED; Jatiyo Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail); Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN; Ganotantri Party, leader NA; Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed