Bangladesh

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A court in Bangladesh's southeastern city of Chittagong again denied bail for prominent Hindu leader Krishna Das Prabhu, who is facing sedition charges for leading rallies and allegedly disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag, AP reported on Jan. 2.

Bangladesh: Chittagong Court Again Rejects Bail for Prominent Hindu Leader

Pakistan

According to Indian media reports, Pakistan will begin training Bangladesh's army in February 2025, which would mark the two countries' first military training agreement since the 1971 Liberation War that led to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, Firstpost reported on Dec. 30.

Bangladesh: India Claims Pakistan Will Provide Military Training to Bangladesh

Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin and India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to discuss strained bilateral relations, AP reported on Dec. 9.

India, Bangladesh: Governments Discuss Recent Tensions

Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned India's envoy to condemn protesters' storming of Bangladesh's consulate in India on Dec. 2 over Bangladesh's Nov. 26 detention of Hindu leader Krishna Das Prabhu on charges of sedition, Hindustan Times reported on Dec. 3.

Bangladesh: Dhaka Summons Indian Envoy Amid Escalating Protests

Political tensions in Bangladesh escalated as the prominent Anti-Discrimination Student Movement demanded interim President Mohammed Shahabuddin's resignation, giving him a two-day ultimatum to step down, AP news reported on Oct. 23.

Bangladesh: New Tensions Arise as Student Protesters Call for Interim President's Resignation

Ready-made garment workers in Bangladesh's city of Gazipur began protesting and blocking major highways, including the Dhaka-Mymensingh route, while ongoing demonstrations have led to the closure of at least 60 garment factories in Ashulia, Savar and Dhaka, the Daily Prothom Alo reported on Sept. 4. 

Bangladesh: Garment Workers' Protests Block Highways, Shut Down Factories

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Garment factories in Bangladesh are struggling to meet deadlines due to flooding that has disrupted the cotton supply, exacerbating a backlog already caused by recent political instability, Reuters reported on Aug. 30. 

Bangladesh: Garment Factories Struggle To Meet Deadlines as Flooding Disrupts Cotton Imports

Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, said on Aug. 25 that the country will hold a free and fair election after the implementation of essential reforms, The Daily Star reported on Aug. 26.

Bangladesh: Elections To Follow 'Necessary' Reforms, Though Timeline Remains Unclear

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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

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

Essential Geopolitics: The Future of Bangladeshi Politics

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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

Japan

A digital illustration of the Bangladeshi flag.

After weeks of election-related unrest, the situation in Bangladesh has stabilized, which will free the government to focus on securing investment and infrastructure deals with the U.S., India, Japan and China.

As the Dust Settles at Home, Bangladesh Turns Its Attention to Foreign Policy

An Awami League campaign rally Jan. 4, 2024, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. On Jan. 7, Bangladesh will hold general elections in which the ruling Awami League will seek a fifth term under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership.

The Weekly Rundown: Bangladeshi Elections, Blinken's Latest Middle East Visit

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: Chittagong Court Again Rejects Bail for Prominent Hindu Leader

Bangladesh: India Claims Pakistan Will Provide Military Training to Bangladesh

India, Bangladesh: Governments Discuss Recent Tensions

Bangladesh: Dhaka Summons Indian Envoy Amid Escalating Protests

Bangladesh: New Tensions Arise as Student Protesters Call for Interim President's Resignation

Bangladesh: Garment Workers' Protests Block Highways, Shut Down Factories

Bangladesh: Garment Factories Struggle To Meet Deadlines as Flooding Disrupts Cotton Imports

Bangladesh: Elections To Follow 'Necessary' Reforms, Though Timeline Remains Unclear

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