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Bangladesh

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Bangladesh. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Dhaka

Head of State

President Mohammed Shahabuddin

Head of Government

Chief Adviser of the Interim Government Muhammad Yunus

China's military weapons

In Focus | How the Zhuhai air show charted China’s path from catching up to flying high

Since the debut show in 1996, the country has gone from importing Russian planes to competing with the US at the cutting edge.

1 Nov 2026 - 6:17AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Opinion | Both Japan and China can help Bangladesh reach its full potential

31 Oct 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

Japan

Japan’s US$6 billion port plan aims to revive Bangladesh’s bruised economy

28 Oct 2026 - 6:00PM

Energy

Opinion | Energy shock could spark Asia’s next debt crisis

The IMF and World Bank need to step up debt surveillance as rising energy costs drain foreign exchange reserves and make debt repayments harder.

20 Oct 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

A protest against higher fuel prices in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 3. Photo: EPA

Middle East

Saudi Arabia executes 2 Bangladeshis over ‘indecent acts’ in a Mecca mosque

Dhaka says it was given no prior notice of executions as Saudis cite ‘gravity’ of violating sanctity of Islam’s holiest city.

20 Oct 2026 - 10:55AM

Trending in China

Taiwan Mandopop band member allegedly assaulted by South Korean diver underwater

Rival diver claims self-defence, alleging Song’s group intruded on their dive site, ignored warnings to leave, and struck first.

18 Oct 2026 - 10:24AM

Tourism

Bangladesh tourist resort fire kills 10

The fire chief said the resort lacked fire safety and that no government agency approval was given for the resort’s construction.

17 Oct 2026 - 7:18PM

A firefighter tries to douse a fire at Tuptup Resto and Resort at Inani in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh, on Saturday. Photo: AP

India

Modi under pressure as India’s youth protests rise to highest level in a decade

Analysts say the youth protests, and growing support for the opposition, form the worst crisis for Modi since he came to power in 2014.

17 Oct 2026 - 3:15PMvideocam

Sheikh Hasina

Energy shock tests Bangladesh’s US$1 trillion economy ambitions

Surging inflation and rising prices are straining government finances as the new leadership battles to reform the country.

15 Oct 2026 - 2:45PM

Middle East

Saudi Arabia’s main airport hit by new Houthi strike day after deadly attack

Riyadh’s international airport targeted again as strikes expose vulnerabilities in Saudi defence capabilities.

12 Oct 2026 - 4:52PMvideocam

Smoke and flames rise from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after an attack on October 8, 2026. Photo: Social media via Reuters

Singapore

Asia’s tuition trap: why parents can’t stop spending on extra lessons

From Singapore to South Korea, fear of falling behind fuels a costly cycle of extra lessons despite the toll it takes on children.

9 Oct 2026 - 4:25PM

A student sits at a desk during a class. Academic pressure and long studying hours are a major source of stress for youth across Asia. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong society

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: scientist pushes agricultural frontier

Lam Hon-ming’s groundbreaking work on soybean genetics and varieties has led to cultivation in mainland China, contributing to country’s food security.

9 Oct 2026 - 2:15PM

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Myanmar bet? Repatriations pave way for diplomacy

Malaysia’s move ahead of Min Aung Hlaing’s visit has raised concerns that Asean’s efforts to resolve the Myanmar civil war would be futile.

7 Oct 2026 - 4:07PM

China's military weapons

Indonesia to take delivery of first Chinese J-10CE jets in 6 months, report says

When they arrive the southeast Asian nation will become the third international operator of the aircraft, after Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

6 Oct 2026 - 7:00PM

A J-10CE fighter jet on display during the Zhuhai air show in 2024. Indonesia is said to be expecting its first delivery of the aircraft. Photo: Hayley Wong

India

‘A show of strength’: US F-35 stealth jets join Indian air drills

Joint drills offer New Delhi a glimpse of fifth-generation US air power, though analysts say Washington is keeping its top tech under wraps.

6 Oct 2026 - 4:25PM

A US F-35 Lightning II (left) flies alongside an Indian Air Force HAL Tejas during Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026. Photo: Instagram/IndianAirForce

Donald Trump

Anti-South Asian online hate surges in US under Trump 2.0, study finds

Trump’s immigration crackdown and economic anxiety have led to a spike in racist posts targeting South Asians, especially on X.

3 Oct 2026 - 2:46PM

China exports

China has scrapped two-thirds of its planned coal power plants abroad: report

The cutbacks have saved 6.4 billion tonnes of potential carbon emissions, though campaign’s momentum slowed last year, report finds.

24 Sep 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Saudi oil pipeline closure puts Asia’s economic resilience to the test

Experts say the loss will hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region.

18 Sep 2026 - 9:50PM

A satellite image shows a closer view of the damage at the Saudi Arabia East-West pipeline, located across the Arabian Peninsula, after a strike that hit it on September 11. Photo: Vantor/Handout via Reuters

US-China relations

China edges US, EU on AI regulation trust in middle-income countries: Pew survey

US think tank study finds middle-income countries have ‘more positive views of China’ when it comes to regulating AI effectively.

18 Sep 2026 - 2:49AMvideocam

Thailand

Southeast Asia weighs energy transition amid LNG supply crunch

At Gastech 2026, policymakers implore pragmatism over net-zero targets and closer cooperation to ensure affordable LNG supplies.

14 Sep 2026 - 8:35PM

China technology

Opinion | China’s J-10CE has foreign buyers, but not yet a market

In service in Pakistan and Uzbekistan and on Bangladesh’s radar, the fighter jet is not yet a threat to Western market dominance.

14 Sep 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

A model of a J-10C fighter jet displayed at the 55th Paris Air Show in Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France, on June 18, 2025. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

India

Bangladesh draws closer to China in ‘political chessboard’ to balance India ties

Dhaka’s pursuit of closer defence and trade cooperation with Beijing could further complicate its complex ties with New Delhi, analysts say.

13 Sep 2026 - 4:00PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets then Bangladeshi interim leader Muhammad Yunus in Beijing in March last year. Photo: Xinhua

Science

US-China decoupling could benefit other countries, Chinese study finds

The study suggests a complete severing of trade ties would hurt both superpowers while bringing temporary gains elsewhere.

12 Sep 2026 - 8:00PM

China's military weapons

From Pakistan to Uzbekistan: how China’s J-10CE is widening its overseas reach

Fighter jet is becoming an appealing option for a growing number of foreign operators, potentially providing insight into its performance.

11 Sep 2026 - 5:00PM

Measles outbreak

More than 1,000 children dead in Bangladesh measles crisis

The South Asian nation of 170 million has recorded 1,002 deaths and 187,484 infections among children since March.

9 Sep 2026 - 9:35PM

A woman cuddles her nine-month-old son, who suffers from measles and receives treatment at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

SCMP Highlights

Cambodia scam gangs; viral Jennie clip tests South Korea law: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan warships attracting US interest to viral clip of Blackpink’s Jennie, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

8 Sep 2026 - 4:59PM

Chinese public security officers escort a suspected China-born scam boss off a plane after he was extradited from Cambodia in April. Photo: China’s Ministry of Public Security/AFP

Measles outbreak

Bangladesh measles outbreak nears 1,000 child deaths as hospital wards fill

An epidemic is sweeping the country, with at least 986 children dead since March and cases topping 180,000 following vaccine campaign delays.

5 Sep 2026 - 11:45AM

India

Bangladesh’s talk of joining an ‘Islamic Nato’ raises red flags in India

Joining the Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani security alliance offers Dhaka leverage, but could also threaten its non-aligned stance.

3 Sep 2026 - 5:27PM

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Bangladesh

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}In Focus | How the Zhuhai air show charted China’s path from catching up to flying high

Since the debut show in 1996, the country has gone from importing Russian planes to competing with the US at the cutting edge.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Both Japan and China can help Bangladesh reach its full potential

Japan’s US$6 billion port plan aims to revive Bangladesh’s bruised economy

Opinion | Energy shock could spark Asia’s next debt crisis

The IMF and World Bank need to step up debt surveillance as rising energy costs drain foreign exchange reserves and make debt repayments harder.

Saudi Arabia executes 2 Bangladeshis over ‘indecent acts’ in a Mecca mosque

Dhaka says it was given no prior notice of executions as Saudis cite ‘gravity’ of violating sanctity of Islam’s holiest city.

Taiwan Mandopop band member allegedly assaulted by South Korean diver underwater

Rival diver claims self-defence, alleging Song’s group intruded on their dive site, ignored warnings to leave, and struck first.

Bangladesh tourist resort fire kills 10

The fire chief said the resort lacked fire safety and that no government agency approval was given for the resort’s construction.

Modi under pressure as India’s youth protests rise to highest level in a decade

Analysts say the youth protests, and growing support for the opposition, form the worst crisis for Modi since he came to power in 2014.

Energy shock tests Bangladesh’s US$1 trillion economy ambitions

Surging inflation and rising prices are straining government finances as the new leadership battles to reform the country.

Saudi Arabia’s main airport hit by new Houthi strike day after deadly attack

Riyadh’s international airport targeted again as strikes expose vulnerabilities in Saudi defence capabilities.

Asia’s tuition trap: why parents can’t stop spending on extra lessons

From Singapore to South Korea, fear of falling behind fuels a costly cycle of extra lessons despite the toll it takes on children.

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: scientist pushes agricultural frontier

Lam Hon-ming’s groundbreaking work on soybean genetics and varieties has led to cultivation in mainland China, contributing to country’s food security.

Malaysia’s Myanmar bet? Repatriations pave way for diplomacy

Malaysia’s move ahead of Min Aung Hlaing’s visit has raised concerns that Asean’s efforts to resolve the Myanmar civil war would be futile.

Indonesia to take delivery of first Chinese J-10CE jets in 6 months, report says

When they arrive the southeast Asian nation will become the third international operator of the aircraft, after Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

‘A show of strength’: US F-35 stealth jets join Indian air drills

Joint drills offer New Delhi a glimpse of fifth-generation US air power, though analysts say Washington is keeping its top tech under wraps.

Anti-South Asian online hate surges in US under Trump 2.0, study finds

Trump’s immigration crackdown and economic anxiety have led to a spike in racist posts targeting South Asians, especially on X.

China has scrapped two-thirds of its planned coal power plants abroad: report

The cutbacks have saved 6.4 billion tonnes of potential carbon emissions, though campaign’s momentum slowed last year, report finds.

Saudi oil pipeline closure puts Asia’s economic resilience to the test

Experts say the loss will hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region.

China edges US, EU on AI regulation trust in middle-income countries: Pew survey

US think tank study finds middle-income countries have ‘more positive views of China’ when it comes to regulating AI effectively.

Southeast Asia weighs energy transition amid LNG supply crunch

At Gastech 2026, policymakers implore pragmatism over net-zero targets and closer cooperation to ensure affordable LNG supplies.

Opinion | China’s J-10CE has foreign buyers, but not yet a market

In service in Pakistan and Uzbekistan and on Bangladesh’s radar, the fighter jet is not yet a threat to Western market dominance.

Bangladesh draws closer to China in ‘political chessboard’ to balance India ties

Dhaka’s pursuit of closer defence and trade cooperation with Beijing could further complicate its complex ties with New Delhi, analysts say.

US-China decoupling could benefit other countries, Chinese study finds

The study suggests a complete severing of trade ties would hurt both superpowers while bringing temporary gains elsewhere.

From Pakistan to Uzbekistan: how China’s J-10CE is widening its overseas reach

Fighter jet is becoming an appealing option for a growing number of foreign operators, potentially providing insight into its performance.

More than 1,000 children dead in Bangladesh measles crisis

The South Asian nation of 170 million has recorded 1,002 deaths and 187,484 infections among children since March.

Cambodia scam gangs; viral Jennie clip tests South Korea law: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan warships attracting US interest to viral clip of Blackpink’s Jennie, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Bangladesh measles outbreak nears 1,000 child deaths as hospital wards fill

An epidemic is sweeping the country, with at least 986 children dead since March and cases topping 180,000 following vaccine campaign delays.

Bangladesh’s talk of joining an ‘Islamic Nato’ raises red flags in India

Joining the Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani security alliance offers Dhaka leverage, but could also threaten its non-aligned stance.

In Focus | How the Zhuhai air show charted China’s path from catching up to flying high

Opinion | Both Japan and China can help Bangladesh reach its full potential