https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/524482/feed The latest news and updates on Sheikh Hasina, a prominent Bangladeshi politician and daughter of the nation’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She served as Prime Minister for over two decades across multiple terms (1996-2001, 2009-2024), becoming Bangladesh’s longest-serving head of government. As President of the Awami League, her leadership focused on economic development, poverty reduction, and social welfare, overseeing significant GDP growth and initiatives like the Ganges Water... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Faced with a fuel crisis beyond its control, Bangladesh’s government is spending the equivalent of hundreds of millions of US dollars each month to insulate its people from surging prices. But as growth slows and inflation rises, the new government’s reform plans are being tested before it has had much time to clean up the country’s troubled financial institutions or retool its young, abundant – but underemployed – workforce for the AI era. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office on February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370930/how-fuel-crisis-threatening-bangladeshs-reform-goals-it-hit-our-citizens-hard https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370930/how-fuel-crisis-threatening-bangladeshs-reform-goals-it-hit-our-citizens-hard Thu, 15 Oct 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju Bangladesh’s tilt towards China has added a new dimension to security and trade in South Asia, signalling what observers see as Dhaka’s desire to be a strategic actor in the region and ease its overreliance on India. The hedging policy comes after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in 2024 amid a student-led uprising. Under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and then the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) after it came to power in February, the country’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367248/bangladesh-draws-closer-china-political-chessboard-balance-india-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367248/bangladesh-draws-closer-china-political-chessboard-balance-india-ties Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Bangladesh’s request for additional diesel from India has turned a growing power crisis into a potential opening for the two neighbours to repair ties strained in part by the continuous self-exile of ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi and Dhaka’s repeated requests for her extradition. India confirmed on Friday that it was examining Dhaka’s request for extra fuel as Bangladesh ordered shops, malls and markets to close by 8pm to conserve power, with hospitals, pharmacies and restaurants... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364601/bangladeshs-energy-crisis-opens-door-india-mend-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364601/bangladeshs-energy-crisis-opens-door-india-mend-ties Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:08:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh said on Sunday that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not visit India until New Delhi extradited Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladeshi former premier who fled during a 2024 uprising. The countries have had a strained relationship since deadly anti-government protests brought down Hasina’s government and prompted her to escape to neighbouring India, where she remains. She faces the death penalty in Bangladesh after being convicted of crimes against humanity, and Dhaka has repeatedly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3364191/rahman-will-not-visit-india-until-hasina-extradited-bangladesh https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3364191/rahman-will-not-visit-india-until-hasina-extradited-bangladesh Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:44:37 +0000 Jawad Khalid Jawad Khalid Last month, as thousands of young Indians led by a group calling itself the Cockroach Janta Party, marched towards Parliament in New Delhi, they were met with tear gas and struck with batons by the police. It appeared that India’s moment in South Asia’s Gen Z revolution had finally arrived. As one journalist observed, for the first time since 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, fear had “switched sides”. The protests began over paper leaks that resulted in the cancellation of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3363076/south-asias-gen-z-protests-offer-one-lesson-common https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3363076/south-asias-gen-z-protests-offer-one-lesson-common Sat, 08 Aug 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bangladesh has asked India to clarify its stance on exiled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s planned virtual address from New Delhi, warning that allowing political activities by a fugitive could hurt ‌improving bilateral relations. The remarks were Bangladesh’s first official response to Hasina’s planned appearance at Wednesday’s event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCCSA) in Delhi, marking the second anniversary of the student-led uprising that toppled her... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3362883/sheikh-hasinas-planned-speech-revives-fresh-india-bangladesh-row https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3362883/sheikh-hasinas-planned-speech-revives-fresh-india-bangladesh-row Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:15:16 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s invitation to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend a Brics summit in New Delhi in September is being seen as a chance to repair ties after one of the most turbulent periods in relations between the neighbours in years. If Rahman accepts, he will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly for the first time since becoming Bangladesh’s leader after elections in February. Brics is an association of leading emerging national economies whose members include Brazil,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362408/can-brics-invite-mark-new-chapter-india-bangladesh-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362408/can-brics-invite-mark-new-chapter-india-bangladesh-ties Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:31:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina said she was determined to return to her country by December despite fearing for her life. “I may be killed. I may be arrested. I may be sent to prison,” Hasina, 78, said in an email. “I am fully aware of my fate. Still, I want to go back because my people are calling me.” Toppled in August 2024 by a student-led uprising that ended her 15-year, iron-fisted rule, Hasina fled by helicopter to India as crowds stormed her palace. The United... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3362236/bangladeshs-sheikh-hasina-vows-return-despite-believing-she-may-be-killed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3362236/bangladeshs-sheikh-hasina-vows-return-despite-believing-she-may-be-killed Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:04:14 +0000 Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru South Asia is undergoing a gradual but important shift. Smaller states now command a widening array of options, and India’s primacy is quietly giving way. The lesson is clear. Regional leadership can no longer rest on geography and must be sustained through credible and mutually beneficial engagements that compare favourably with the alternatives. China’s challenge begins at India’s border. Both countries fought in 1962, continue to dispute a frontier of roughly 3,500km and had their deadliest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3361501/india-losing-its-regional-primacy-beijing-and-washington-move https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3361501/india-losing-its-regional-primacy-beijing-and-washington-move Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin, a former ally of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, will resign on Friday halfway through his term, according to his spokesman. The president’s office is a largely ceremonial post and Shahabuddin is quitting much before the end of his tenure in April 2028. The decision comes after Hasina announced her plan to return in December to surrender following a court conviction. “As a result of his illnesses, it is no longer possible for him to discharge his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3361707/bangladesh-president-quits-leaving-hasina-isolated-ahead-return-exile https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3361707/bangladesh-president-quits-leaving-hasina-isolated-ahead-return-exile Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:07:53 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s vow to return to Bangladesh despite facing a death sentence has raised the prospect of a dramatic comeback for her and the Awami League. Her potential return could revive the rivalry between the banned party and the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), while curbing further gains for Islamist political forces, according to analysts. Hasina, who has been living in India since her government was toppled by a student-led protest movement nearly two... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3360817/sheikh-hasinas-return-bid-threatens-upend-bangladeshi-politics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3360817/sheikh-hasinas-return-bid-threatens-upend-bangladeshi-politics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:30:05 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s decision to resume tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals marks the clearest sign yet of a thaw in strained ties, but analysts say the real test will be whether trade links can be rebuilt while Dhaka courts Chinese investment near India’s sensitive eastern flank. India began accepting tourist visa applications from Bangladeshis on Sunday, nearly two years after services were suspended amid the fallout from violent protests that forced former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3359324/india-bangladesh-ties-ease-visa-restart-amid-china-concerns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3359324/india-bangladesh-ties-ease-visa-restart-amid-china-concerns Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return ⁠to Bangladesh this year, brushing ⁠aside a death sentence handed down ⁠in absentia and denouncing the ruling as “illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated”. Hasina, 78, who fled to India after a student-led uprising ousted her government in August 2024, said in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV that she was undeterred by the risk ‌and would overcome “every obstacle and every conspiracy” to return home. “I want to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3358691/sheikh-hasina-vows-return-bangladesh-year-despite-death-sentence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3358691/sheikh-hasina-vows-return-bangladesh-year-despite-death-sentence Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:36:32 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Bangladesh’s new leader is set to visit Malaysia and China later this month in a trip that Dhaka says reflects its independent foreign policy – with the decision to skip India seen less as a snub than a bid to strike a diplomatic balance. Tarique Rahman, who became Bangladesh’s 11th prime minister in February, plans to visit Malaysia on June 21–22 before a three-day official visit to China from June 23 on his first overseas trip since taking office. The Malaysia leg, scheduled ahead of any visit... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356930/why-bangladesh-chose-malaysia-and-china-india-pms-debut-tour https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356930/why-bangladesh-chose-malaysia-and-china-india-pms-debut-tour Sat, 13 Jun 2026 05:30:05 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse Bangladesh and India have agreed to deepen cooperation along their shared border with improved intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols, according to a joint statement released on Friday, amid strained relations over alleged undocumented migration. Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to ‌force migrants across the border without due process, complicating efforts to stabilise ties following the 2024 ousting of Sheikh Hasina and India’s broader effort to identify and deport... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3356878/bangladesh-india-pledge-closer-border-cooperation-amid-migration-row https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3356878/bangladesh-india-pledge-closer-border-cooperation-amid-migration-row Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:33:36 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For many years, India was a key training ground for many of Bangladesh’s senior officials, as well as a source of support and regional guidance. Now, some are being trained in Pakistan, a symbolic shift that has unsettled New Delhi and offered an early clue to how Dhaka’s new government wants to deal with its neighbours. A delegation of 12 senior Bangladeshi bureaucrats attended an executive training programme at the Civil Services Academy in Lahore from May 4 to May 21, a move analysts said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355203/bangladesh-seeks-more-diplomatic-room-pakistan-outreach-amid-india-concerns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355203/bangladesh-seeks-more-diplomatic-room-pakistan-outreach-amid-india-concerns Thu, 28 May 2026 12:13:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s once-praised family planning system is buckling under severe contraceptive shortages, raising fears of a rise in unplanned pregnancies in one of the world’s most densely populated countries. For decades, the South Asian nation was hailed as a success for slashing birth rates through an expansive state-backed family planning programme that sent field workers door to door with pills, condoms and advice on birth spacing. But that system is now faltering, with government clinics across... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353388/delivery-pains-hamper-bangladeshs-family-planning-efforts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353388/delivery-pains-hamper-bangladeshs-family-planning-efforts Wed, 13 May 2026 06:07:12 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji After his party’s stunning conquest of West Bengal, Narendra Modi stands at a juncture that would have seemed implausible mere months ago. The prime minister who lost his parliamentary majority in 2024, briefly inviting talk of a weakened leader, now controls roughly 70 per cent of India’s state legislatures through his ruling coalition, the National Democratic Alliance. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweep of West Bengal, winning 207 of 294 assembly seats and ending three consecutive terms... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3352627/what-bjps-historic-west-bengal-victory-means-modis-india https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3352627/what-bjps-historic-west-bengal-victory-means-modis-india Wed, 06 May 2026 11:00:07 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow India’s agreement to review Dhaka’s request for Sheikh Hasina’s extradition could hint at more flexibility over a deeply political issue, but observers warn that does not mean New Delhi is ready to hand the former Bangladesh ruler over just yet. The ex-prime minister fled to India in August 2024 after her regime fell to protesters. India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on April 17 it was conducting a formal review of Dhaka’s extradition request. The announcement – a significant shift... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351243/india-opens-door-sheikh-hasina-extradition-talks-delhi-dhaka-thaw https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351243/india-opens-door-sheikh-hasina-extradition-talks-delhi-dhaka-thaw Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:46:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rocking her baby to soothe his searing pain and gasping breaths, 18-year-old Rubia Akhtar Brishti recounts how her son nearly died in Bangladesh’s deadly measles outbreak. “The boy had [a] high fever and found it hard to breathe,” Brishti said, wiping the fevered brow of one-year-old Minhaz, cradled in her arms. “His whole body had rashes.” At least 143 people have died in the outbreak since March 15, the vast majority children, with more than 12,000 suspected cases – the worst in the South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349753/vaccine-coverage-gaps-spur-bangladeshs-deadly-measles-outbreak https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349753/vaccine-coverage-gaps-spur-bangladeshs-deadly-measles-outbreak Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:18:38 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow India’s move to supply Bangladesh with diesel as fuel prices soar amid the Iran war reflects its “first responder” role in the region and clout through the use of its critical commodities to deepen ties with neighbouring states. If the fuel shortages were to persist, however, India would have to balance between its own energy demand and that of its neighbours, according to observers. Bangladesh will be importing 45,000 tonnes of diesel from India by April, with 5,000 tonnes having been delivered... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3347372/india-steps-regional-energy-diplomacy-supplies-bangladesh-diesel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3347372/india-steps-regional-energy-diplomacy-supplies-bangladesh-diesel Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:52:25 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Indian police have arrested two suspects in the killing of a prominent Bangladeshi student leader, a development analysts say could help ease strained ties between the neighbouring countries. The detention of the two men over the death of Sharif Osman Hadi – whose killing last year triggered anti-India protests in Bangladesh – may provide an early test of cooperation between New Delhi and Dhaka following Bangladesh’s recent political transition. Hadi was shot in the head last December during an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3346125/hope-india-bangladesh-reset-after-arrests-student-leaders-killing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3346125/hope-india-bangladesh-reset-after-arrests-student-leaders-killing Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:30:29 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The biggest challenges that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has to tackle following its recent victory in the general election are the country’s sluggish economy, high inflation and unemployment. Speaking at a webinar, panellists said voters would judge the new government on its ability to create jobs, tame inflation and steady relations with key partners, even as they commended the peaceful election. Zafar Sobhan, editor of Counterpoint, said: “Let us not forget this was a key driver in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/explained/article/3344168/bangladesh-faces-daunting-post-election-challenges-economy-garment-sector https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/explained/article/3344168/bangladesh-faces-daunting-post-election-challenges-economy-garment-sector Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:25:11 +0000 Liu Zongyi Liu Zongyi On February 12, Bangladesh held its first official general election since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. Compared with previous elections marred by violence and turmoil, this one was relatively calm. Although there were scattered allegations of irregularities, international observers generally praised it as one of the most transparent elections in Bangladesh’s history. With voter turnout at nearly 60 per cent, the Bangladeshi people showed strong enthusiasm for change through... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343612/how-bnps-bangladesh-election-victory-will-shape-policy-trends https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343612/how-bnps-bangladesh-election-victory-will-shape-policy-trends Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Bangladesh has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in as the country’s next leader, a gesture analysts say could help steady relations after months of strain between the neighbours. Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured victory in last week’s national polls, paving the way for the long-time opposition leader to take office after years on the political sidelines. Modi will not attend Tuesday’s ceremony because of prior commitments, but... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3343731/bangladeshs-outreach-india-good-beginning-easing-strained-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3343731/bangladeshs-outreach-india-good-beginning-easing-strained-ties Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman on Saturday dedicated his landslide election win to those who “sacrificed for democracy”, calling for unity after the first polls since a deadly 2024 uprising. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Rahman, 60, the scion of one of the most powerful political dynasties, is set to lead the South Asian nation of 170 million people after sweeping elections on Thursday. “This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy,” he said, in his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343587/bangladesh-pm-be-celebrates-landslide-win-thanks-protesters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343587/bangladesh-pm-be-celebrates-landslide-win-thanks-protesters Sat, 14 Feb 2026 11:21:29 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is poised to recalibrate Dhaka’s ties with India, Pakistan and China, while also addressing US concerns over Beijing’s growing influence in South Asia, following its decisive victory in Thursday’s general election. Analysts said this foreign policy agenda aligned with the party’s focus on economic development, even as it aimed to restore law and order after months of political unrest. The BNP said on social media that it had won enough parliamentary seats... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3343508/bangladeshs-bnp-set-balance-ties-regional-powers-us-avoid-crossing-red-line https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3343508/bangladeshs-bnp-set-balance-ties-regional-powers-us-avoid-crossing-red-line Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:08:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s election campaign entered its final day on Monday before this week’s vote, with rival parties invoking the 2024 uprising that ended the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina. Tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters attended a succession of rival rallies across the sprawling capital Dhaka, as parties sought to harness the legacy of the mass uprising and pitch competing visions of change for the country of 170 million in Thursday’s election. The South Asian nation will elect a 350-seat... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342969/bangladeshs-political-parties-campaign-over-revolutions-legacy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342969/bangladeshs-political-parties-campaign-over-revolutions-legacy Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:32:47 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Controversial remarks in Bangladesh by a politician who questioned women’s ability to perform jobs because of their child-bearing role have caused an uproar ahead of the general election in a country where female workers form the spine of its mainstay garment sector. Shafiqur Rahman, the chief of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, also ruled out the possibility of a woman assuming the Islamist party’s top post. In a TV interview, Rahman said women with babies should be given the option of fewer... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3342709/outcry-bangladesh-over-politicians-call-curb-women-workforce https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3342709/outcry-bangladesh-over-politicians-call-curb-women-workforce Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:00:26 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Bangladesh’s recent pull-out over perceived security concerns for the showpiece T20 World Cup cricket hosted by India and Sri Lanka next month has underscored the unprecedented way regional political tensions have spilled over into sports. Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the 20-team event on Saturday after the International Cricket Council rejected Dhaka’s request to move its matches to Sri Lanka, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the February 7 start. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341669/bangladeshs-cricket-boycott-exposes-deepening-cracks-south-asian-diplomacy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341669/bangladeshs-cricket-boycott-exposes-deepening-cracks-south-asian-diplomacy Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Bangladesh’s student leaders, one of the main driving forces behind the mass protests that brought down former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024, now face an uncertain political future. Despite their central role in the uprising, the youth movement has been granted only a small share of parliamentary seats under a new electoral alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami – an Islamist party that was long politically marginalised but has re-emerged as a central player. Under the agreement, the student-led... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340471/bangladeshs-student-leaders-sidelined-islamist-allies-poll-pact https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340471/bangladeshs-student-leaders-sidelined-islamist-allies-poll-pact Tue, 20 Jan 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India is facing multiple geopolitical challenges in the region as Bangladesh and Myanmar show signs of drifting away from New Delhi’s orbit amid its long-standing disputes with Pakistan and China. Dhaka has been drawing closer to Islamabad following the downfall in 2024 of its former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who had close ties with Delhi during her rule, while China has continued to maintain its influence in Myanmar since the junta in Naypyidaw ousted the elected government in a coup in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340184/why-india-losing-ground-over-bangladesh-and-myanmar-regional-rivals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340184/why-india-losing-ground-over-bangladesh-and-myanmar-regional-rivals Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:35:15 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow India and Bangladesh have begun the process to renew a landmark agreement on sharing the waters of the Ganges, as analysts warn political disputes and uncertainty over Dhaka’s general election could complicate talks between the two neighbours. Officials from both sides have started joint measurements of water levels in the Ganges, or Padma as the river is known in Bangladesh, as part of preparations to renew the agreement signed in 1996 and due to expire in December this year, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3339324/india-bangladesh-talks-over-ganges-waters-may-turn-murky-over-politics-un-pact https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3339324/india-bangladesh-talks-over-ganges-waters-may-turn-murky-over-politics-un-pact Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Kamal Ahmad Kamal Ahmad Things had to change in Bangladesh. The brutality of an autocratic regime which tolerated little dissent gravely undermined its legitimacy. Its relentless kleptocracy exposed a capacity for private greed and theft that had no limits, turning it into a criminal state. The surrender of a proud nation’s sovereignty to a giant neighbour for its guarantee of an illicit political status quo ultimately proved untenable. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was the right man at the right hour to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3338565/bangladesh-needs-structural-change-how-will-it-get-there https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3338565/bangladesh-needs-structural-change-how-will-it-get-there Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:00:20 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The death of Bangladesh’s three-time former prime minister Khaleda Zia just days after her son Tarique Rahman returned from a 17-year exile has created a groundswell of sympathy for the family, with analysts saying Zia’s legacy may tilt the country’s February election in favour of her party. With the polls set to be the first since student-led protests toppled the government of Zia’s long-time rival, Sheikh Hasina, and the Awami League barred from contesting, analysts said Zia’s death on Tuesday... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3338300/why-return-zias-son-may-influence-bangladeshs-election https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3338300/why-return-zias-son-may-influence-bangladeshs-election Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:57:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia, who hoped to lead her nation one last time after the election next year, died on Tuesday aged 80, her party said. The government declared three days of state mourning, with her funeral to be held on Wednesday. Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in the election set for February – the first vote since a mass uprising toppled her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina last year. Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3338087/former-bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zia-dies-after-prolonged-illness https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3338087/former-bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zia-dies-after-prolonged-illness Tue, 30 Dec 2025 01:56:31 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The recent homecoming of Tarique Rahman, the de facto leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and heir to one of the country’s most powerful political families, is widely expected to reshape the political trajectory ahead of February’s national election. Analysts say his return after 17 years in exile could consolidate the BNP’s position as the dominant electoral force, while tempering a volatile political climate unsettled by unrest and tensions with India following the overthrow of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3338049/will-tarique-rahmans-return-bangladesh-ease-tensions-restore-stability https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3338049/will-tarique-rahmans-return-bangladesh-ease-tensions-restore-stability Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:50:47 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s decision to suspend visa services from Bangladesh’s port city of Chittagong after a fresh bout of political violence underscores how difficult it may be for bilateral ties to return to normal any time soon, analysts have said. The suspension, announced on Sunday, followed protests triggered by the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, a youth leader linked to last year’s student-led uprising, who was shot in Dhaka on December 12 and later died from his injuries at a hospital in Singapore after... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337371/indias-partial-visa-suspension-signals-unease-over-bangladeshs-recent-unrest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337371/indias-partial-visa-suspension-signals-unease-over-bangladeshs-recent-unrest Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:06:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Violence broke out in Bangladesh’s capital early on Friday after a youth leader of the country’s 2024 pro-democracy uprising who was injured in an assassination attempt died in a hospital in Singapore. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Dhaka after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, was announced, to demand that his killers be arrested. Several buildings in the capital, including those housing the country’s two leading newspapers, were set on fire, according to authorities, with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336979/violence-erupts-bangladesh-after-shot-leader-youth-uprising-dies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336979/violence-erupts-bangladesh-after-shot-leader-youth-uprising-dies Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:47:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s interim government said it would fly a leader of the 2024 uprising, a candidate in coming elections, for treatment in Singapore after an assassination attempt that left him critically wounded. Masked attackers shot student leader Sharif Osman Hadi on Friday as he left a mosque in the capital Dhaka, wounding him in the ear. The shooting took place one day after authorities announced a date for the first elections since the student-led uprising last year that overthrew the autocratic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336527/bangladesh-airlift-wounded-uprising-leader-singapore-after-election-shooting https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336527/bangladesh-airlift-wounded-uprising-leader-singapore-after-election-shooting Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:14:10 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Bangladesh’s national security adviser recently made a low-profile visit to New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart, in what many in Dhaka saw as a sign that the neighbours might reset ties following months of tensions over the self-exile of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India. The meeting was the highest-level contact since Bangladesh’s interim government took office. But analysts say that the path to normalising relations remains uncertain, even if India is willing to work... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3336093/are-india-and-bangladesh-sidestepping-hasinas-exile-improve-frayed-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3336093/are-india-and-bangladesh-sidestepping-hasinas-exile-improve-frayed-ties Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Two months before Bangladesh heads to the polls for the first time since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, the most established party still in the race, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is facing deep uncertainty as its two top figures are either gravely ill or stuck abroad. BNP chair Begum Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, is battling serious complications involving her heart, liver and lungs and is expected to be flown to London from Dhaka for treatment, while her son Tarique... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3335640/why-a-leading-party-in-Bangladesh-is-facing-uncertainty-as-election-looms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3335640/why-a-leading-party-in-Bangladesh-is-facing-uncertainty-as-election-looms Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:00:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladeshi police began exhuming a mass grave on Sunday that is believed to contain around 114 unidentified victims of a mass uprising that toppled autocratic former prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year. The UN-supported effort is being advised by Argentine forensic anthropologist Luis Fondebrider, who has led recovery and identification missions at mass graves worldwide for decades. The bodies were buried at the Rayerbazar Graveyard in Dhaka by the volunteer group Anjuman Mufidul Islam,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3335524/bangladesh-mass-grave-2024-uprising-exhumed-un-support https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3335524/bangladesh-mass-grave-2024-uprising-exhumed-un-support Sun, 07 Dec 2025 13:54:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A court in Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison and her niece, British Labour Party lawmaker Tulip Siddiq, to two years in prison on Monday for corruption involving a government land project. Rabiul Alam, the judge of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court, said Hasina misused her power as prime minister while Siddiq was guilty of corruptly influencing her aunt in helping her mother and two siblings get a land plot in a government... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334741/hasinas-niece-uk-mp-tulip-siddiq-sentenced-2-years-jail-bangladesh-land-case https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334741/hasinas-niece-uk-mp-tulip-siddiq-sentenced-2-years-jail-bangladesh-land-case Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:52:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia’s health deteriorated since being admitted to hospital, prompting her family and party members to urge citizens to pray for her speedy recovery on Saturday. Zia, 80, was admitted to hospital on November 23 with symptoms of a lung infection and was currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit, members of her party said. Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir, from Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told reporters late Friday that “doctors have told... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334612/bangladesh-ex-pm-khaleda-zia-very-critical-condition https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334612/bangladesh-ex-pm-khaleda-zia-very-critical-condition Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:03:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Anti-corruption authorities in Bangladesh have seized about 10kg (22 pounds) of gold worth about US$1.3 million from bank lockers belonging to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, officials said on Wednesday. Officials from the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue said the discovery was made after opening lockers that had been seized in September. “Following a court order, we opened the lockers and found about 9.7 kilograms of gold belonging to the former prime... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334254/bangladesh-uncovers-fugitive-ex-pm-hasinas-gold-stash-bank-lockers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334254/bangladesh-uncovers-fugitive-ex-pm-hasinas-gold-stash-bank-lockers Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:25:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow With ex-leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, Bangladesh is turning its focus towards a referendum aimed at reforming its political system and rebuilding its democratic institutions. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate who assumed office after last year’s uprising, earlier this month pledged to hold a national vote on the blueprint for change, timed to coincide with February’s planned parliamentary election. But analysts have cast doubt on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3333724/bangladesh-seeks-fix-its-completely-broken-politics-referendum-change https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3333724/bangladesh-seeks-fix-its-completely-broken-politics-referendum-change Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India is unlikely to accept an extradition request for Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is facing the death penalty in her own country for crimes against humanity. Hasina, 78, has been living in India since fleeing Bangladesh in August last year after the fall of her regime. She was sentenced to death on Monday after being found guilty by a tribunal of incitement, issuing kill orders and failing to stop atrocities linked to last year’s protests in which up to 1,400 people... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3333252/why-india-extraditing-hasina-bangladesh-face-death-penalty-unlikely https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3333252/why-india-extraditing-hasina-bangladesh-face-death-penalty-unlikely Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:30:21 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Bus queue brawl at Malaysia-Singapore crossing spotlights border bottlenecks Viral footage of two commuters wrestling on the floor of Johor Bahru’s main border terminal has once again highlighted the chronic congestion – and fraying tempers – at one of Southeast Asia’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3333189/brawl-malaysia-singapore-crossing-southeast-asias-climate-crisis-7-asia-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3333189/brawl-malaysia-singapore-crossing-southeast-asias-climate-crisis-7-asia-highlights Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:41:03 +0000 Redwan Ahmed Redwan Ahmed Bangladesh is bracing itself for a landmark court verdict on Monday that could see its self-exiled former leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, with the case potentially fuelling an already combustible political climate ahead of national elections. The outcome could either deliver long-awaited justice for the 1,400 people killed during a brutal crackdown last year or spark a repeat of the chaos, according to analysts. Hasina, 78, fled to India in August 2024 after... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3332886/justice-or-chaos-bangladesh-edge-hasina-verdict-looms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3332886/justice-or-chaos-bangladesh-edge-hasina-verdict-looms Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:00:14 +0000