Imports: total value: $6.8 billion (FY95/96 est.) commodities: capital goods, textiles, food, petroleum products partners: India 21%, China 10%, Western Europe 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 6% (FY95/96 est.)

Debt - external: $17.1 billion (1996)

Economic aid: recipient : $1.585 billion (FY95/96)

Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska

Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 42.450 (January 1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Bangladesh:Communications

Telephones: 249,800 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: poor domestic telephone service international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0