ABSTRACT
Bangladesh’s five-year plan launched in July 1973 was upset by the world oil crisis, and little progress has been made in industrial production since that time. Bangladesh had bumper harvests of jute and food grains in 1975 and 1976. Bangladesh has only a limited number of gas fields, some small mines, a few mineral and industrial plants, and one fair-sized oil refinery. The Indian government has entered into a joint venture with the Bangladesh government to build a 2,200-tpd fertilizer plant in Bangladesh. In 1975, Bangladesh imported about 770,000 tons of crude oil and 470.000 tons of refined oil. Bangladesh has hardly any mines and mine workers. Only a limited number of workers are employed at the few gas fields and industrial plants in the country. Further development of natural gas and related industries (fertilizers and direct-reduction steel) will have an important bearing on the economy.
