Bangladesh

Politics

Citing national security concerns, Bangladesh's interim government invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act to ban all activities of the Awami League, the party led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Reuters reported on May 10.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh Imposes Ban on the Formerly Ruling Awami League Under Anti-Terrorism Law

Pakistan

Economics

Pakistan and Bangladesh held their first foreign secretary-level talks in 15 years in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Geo News reported on April 17.

Pakistan, Bangladesh: Foreign Secretaries Meet for First Time in 15 Years

China

India

India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs issued a notification on April 8 rescinding a June 2020 circular that enabled Bangladesh to trans-ship goods through India's Land Customs Stations, Indian Express reported April 9.

India: Country Ends Trans-Shipment Facility for Bangladesh After Dhaka Hints at Strengthening Ties With China

On the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus for the first time since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure, Reuters reported on April 4. 

India, Bangladesh: On the Sidelines of BIMSTEC, Modi and Yunus Discuss Bilateral Issues

United States

Sri Lanka

On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a series of reciprocal tariffs, including a 37% tariff on Bangladesh, a 30% tariff on Pakistan, and a 44% tariff on Sri Lanka, Reuters reported on April 3.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh: Steep U.S. Tariffs Hit Countries' Crucial Textile Exports

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Science & Technology

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, leading to widespread destruction and killing at least 25 people, including at least three across the border in Thailand, with the death count still rising, The New York Times reported on March 28.

Myanmar: Largest Earthquake in Over a Century Kills Dozens, Imperils BRI Projects

On March 28, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first state visit, which began on March 26 and lasted four days, the Daily Star reported March 28.

Bangladesh, China: Yunus meets with Xi, Signing 8 MoUs and Deal on Economic and Technical Cooperation

India is refusing Bangladesh's requests to restore the regular issuance of medical visas, citing staffing shortages and strained bilateral relations, Reuters reported on March 19.

India, Bangladesh: India's Restrictions on Bangladeshi Medical Visas Create Opportunity for China

Assessments

A protest on Jan. 8 in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.

If Bangladesh's interim government does hold a vote due to the lack of progress on electoral reforms, the risk of instability, economic difficulties and public discontent will rise, potentially leading to military intervention. 

How Bangladeshi Stability Depends Upon a Prompt Election 

A general view shows Sri Lanka's Colombo port on April 9, 2025.

Global Trade

Textile exports from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will suffer under new U.S. tariffs, worsening economic hardships and risking political instability.

South Asia's Textile Industry Reels From U.S. Tariffs

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The lobby of the headquarters for the U.S. Agency for International Development is seen on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Social Issues

Cuts to U.S.-funded humanitarian and development programs could worsen global health outcomes, destabilize security environments, accelerate democratic backsliding, and create opportunities for rival powers to expand their influence.

The Global Implications of Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts

Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard in Dhaka on July 27, 2024.

Since assuming power in August, Bangladesh's interim government has pursued closer ties with Pakistan and China, deepening India's concerns about regional stability and its declining influence over Dhaka.

Bangladesh's More Assertive Foreign Policy Puts India on Edge

Demonstrators on Sept. 5 mark a month since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. The emphasis on extensive reforms by the interim government of Bangladesh will likely delay elections, intensifying unrest and destabilizing the country even more.

The emphasis on extensive reforms by the interim government of Bangladesh will likely delay elections, intensifying unrest and destabilizing the country even more. 

A Likely Delay to Bangladesh Elections Will Intensify Unrest

Media

Podcasts

When can we expect elections in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina's resignation?

Essential Geopolitics: The Future of Bangladeshi Politics

Iran

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) arrive for a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25, 2020.

While U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will maintain many of the outgoing Biden administration's overarching policies toward South Asia, bilateral relationships will grow increasingly transactional.

What Trump's Second Term Means for South Asia

A protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Aug. 15.

In Bangladesh, improving security will not eliminate the high risk of additional violence and protests in the coming weeks, while policy uncertainty and severe political tensions in the coming months will continue to threaten the operating environment for businesses.

In Bangladesh, Improving Security Does Not Spell Stability

Bangladesh's military is likely to play a continued role in domestic politics, particularly if the general election is delayed and economic challenges and unrest worsen, and renewed episodes of social unrest are likely if the military takes measures to prevent the Awami League from returning to power.

The Bangladeshi Military's Expanded Role in Politics After Sheikh Hasina

United Kingdom

Nicolas Maduro on Aug. 7, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela. The presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, respectively, are considering a call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Aug. 12 in a bid to promote negotiations with the opposition to cool the risk of further violent unrest.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Awaiting Iranian Retaliation, Bangladesh's New Government

Muhammad Yunus (4R) on Aug. 9, 2024, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Global Elections

While Bangladesh's interim government is unlikely to make drastic changes in foreign policy, the government that emerges after new elections could seek closer ties with China and distance from India. This would delay bilateral projects with India, increase security challenges for India and lead to greater Chinese influence in the region.

After Elections, Bangladeshi Foreign Policy Will Drift in China's Favor

Snapshots

Anti-government protesters display Bangladesh's national flag as they storm Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's palace in Dhaka on Aug. 5, 2024.

The prime minister's decision to resign amid protests sets the stage for an uncertain interim government that will have to contend with a high risk of social unrest and economic challenges.

In Bangladesh, Hasina's Resignation Portends Greater Political and Economic Uncertainty

Bangladesh is a democratic republic located in South Asia. India borders it to the north, east and west, while Bangladesh shares a narrow southeastern border with Myanmar. Rivers are the defining geographic feature of Bangladesh. The country is home to the world's largest delta, as two of South Asia's major rivers &mdash; the Ganges, known locally as the Padma, and the Brahmaputra &mdash; converge with the Meghna River to drain into the Bay of Bengal. (Bangladesh has a 580-kilometer, or 360-mile, fractured coastline.) The delta plain covers about 80 percent of the country's 147,570 square kilometers (57,000 square miles), while hilly terrain and highlands comprise the rest. Bangladesh's low-lying elevation and numerous river systems make it prone to frequent flooding. Its tropical monsoon climate aids in the cultivation of rice, the country's main crop. Historically poor, Bangladesh has shown a high and sustained economic growth rate in recent years, even as climate change looms as a long-term threat.    Before achieving independence in 1971 as a result of a war between India and Pakistan, Bangladesh was known as East Pakistan and was carved out during the Partition of 1947 from Bengal, a historical region that also includes the Indian state of West Bengal. Unlike other South Asian countries, Bangladesh is a relatively homogeneous country with 98 percent of the population speaking Bengali. Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries, and its capital, Dhaka, is among the world's most populous cities.    As a lower riparian state nearly surrounded by India, which thus comprises its most consequential international partnership, Bangladesh's primary geographic challenge is to ensure water security, while breaking out of its poverty and limiting New Delhi's dominating presence. In the long term, Bangladesh also needs help in adapting to the damaging effects of climate change. Weak boundaries have also meant that Bangladeshi migration into West Bengal and India's northeast has been a source of contention. Similarly, Rohingya migration from neighboring Myanmar into eastern Bangladesh historically has been a sore spot between Dhaka and Naypyidaw.

SITUATION REPORTS

Bangladesh: Bangladesh Imposes Ban on the Formerly Ruling Awami League Under Anti-Terrorism Law

Pakistan, Bangladesh: Foreign Secretaries Meet for First Time in 15 Years

India: Country Ends Trans-Shipment Facility for Bangladesh After Dhaka Hints at Strengthening Ties With China

India, Bangladesh: On the Sidelines of BIMSTEC, Modi and Yunus Discuss Bilateral Issues

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh: Steep U.S. Tariffs Hit Countries' Crucial Textile Exports

Myanmar: Largest Earthquake in Over a Century Kills Dozens, Imperils BRI Projects

Bangladesh, China: Yunus meets with Xi, Signing 8 MoUs and Deal on Economic and Technical Cooperation

India, Bangladesh: India's Restrictions on Bangladeshi Medical Visas Create Opportunity for China

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