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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

Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's then prime minister, attends a security conference in Munich in 2024. Photo: dpa

Asia elections

Sheikh Hasina’s return bid threatens to upend Bangladeshi politics

The ousted leader, who has been sentenced to death, plans a December homecoming in a high-stakes bid to resurrect her banned party.

16 Jul 2026 - 7:30PMvideocam

Myanmar

Rohingya refugees among over 500 feared dead after Myanmar boats capsize

16 Jul 2026 - 1:20PMvideocam

Crime

Don’t buy brides, China’s Bangladesh embassy warns as trafficking surges

15 Jul 2026 - 5:42PMvideocam

Science

Active fault line threatens world’s biggest hydropower project: Chinese geologists

New analysis brings call for slope reinforcement for massive mega-dam project in Tibet to mitigate risks of landslides and collapses.

9 Jul 2026 - 12:15PMvideocam

An aerial view of a section of the Yarlung Tsangpo. Construction started on the mega-dam project in July last year. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

India

Opinion | To boost manufacturing, India need not choose between Japan and China

Without Chinese suppliers on the ground, potential Japanese investments will struggle to reach the scale or speed the moment demands.

7 Jul 2026 - 5:40PM

India

India-Bangladesh ties ease with visa restart amid China concerns

Analysts say Dhaka will have to be prudent as it tries to secure Chinese investment to boost its economy while managing India’s security concerns.

3 Jul 2026 - 6:52PM

Japan

‘My dream is broken’: foreign business owners in Japan lament new visa rules

Japan’s business manager visa holders surged to 46,000 by mid-2025 – up 70 per cent from 2020. About half were Chinese nationals.

3 Jul 2026 - 5:25PMvideocam

Budhathoki Samjhana checks receipts at Chitwan Rhino Restaurant and Bar in Tokyo’s Okubo-Shin area on June 12. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, June 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met more than 20 world leaders this year, reflecting Beijing’s increasing global influence.

1 Jul 2026 - 11:36AM

Sheikh Hasina

Sheikh Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh ‘this year’ despite death sentence

This is the first time the former prime minister has given a schedule for her return since fleeing to India in August 2024.

29 Jun 2026 - 11:36AM

Malaysia

Bangladesh urges Malaysia to ease labour hiring curbs amid exploitation concerns

Both sides seek to ensure that the hiring process for Bangladeshi workers is transparent to protect their interests.

22 Jun 2026 - 7:44PM

Bangladeshi workers who were employed by Malaysian companies protest in Dhaka last year demanding unpaid wages, fair compensation and an end to alleged abuse by Malaysian employers. Photo: AP

SCMP Highlights

Korean’s racist World Cup experience, India’s military revamp: 7 Asia highlights

From Lawrence Wong’s trip to Russia to a racist encounter at the World Cup, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

16 Jun 2026 - 2:33PM

Left: South Korean YouTuber Yoon Su-jin, who posts under the handle InoCat, filming fans at a World Cup match in Guadalajara. Right: A man identified as Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes apologising for making an offensive gesture towards her in a later video. Photos: Instagram / inocat_t / latinus_us

India

Could India’s Cockroach Janta Party spark South Asia’s next youth uprising?

Analysts say the satirical party reflects real discontent but remains far from matching the movements that toppled neighbouring governments.

14 Jun 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Malaysia

Why Bangladesh’s new PM is visiting Malaysia and China before India

Analysts view the decision to prioritise Kuala Lumpur and Beijing as practical rather than a direct snub of New Delhi.

13 Jun 2026 - 1:30PMvideocam

India

Bangladesh, India pledge closer border cooperation amid migration row

Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to ‌force migrants across the border without due process.

12 Jun 2026 - 3:33PMvideocam

Border Guard Bangladesh personnel patrol near the Benapole-Petrapole frontier crossing between Bangladesh and India in Benapole on June 3. Photo: AFP

Malaysia

‘We drank seawater’: a refugee’s journey from Myanmar to Malaysia

A Rohingya woman recalls her days adrift at sea and the legal limbo that has defined the 16 years since she reached Malaysia’s shores.

7 Jun 2026 - 1:30PMvideocam

A wooden boat carrying Rohingya migrants is detained in Malaysian territorial waters off the island of Langkawi, in 2020. Photo: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency/AP

India-Pakistan tensions

Letters | Reforms are a band-aid solution to water woes of downstream countries

Readers discuss the necessity of enforceable laws for rivers, Hong Kong’s pivot to Central Asia, and Chinese tourists’ safety fears.

6 Jun 2026 - 11:30AM

Disease

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March.

3 Jun 2026 - 12:07AM

SCMP Highlights

Japan’s Russia concern, firms pick Malaysia over Singapore: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan’s concerns about Russian military activity to moon bears freed in Laos, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

2 Jun 2026 - 1:08PM

F-15J Eagle fighter aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force prepare for take-off at Chitose Air Base, Hokkaido prefecture, in 2017. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Outside In | How Trump’s war on Iran is jeopardising Asia’s remittance lifeline

In Gulf economies, lost migrant jobs and remittances risk plunging millions across Asia into crisis.

29 May 2026 - 4:30PM

India

Policy pivot? India watchful as Bangladesh engages Pakistan

Analysts say the new government in Dhaka is trying a ‘balancing act’ in the region that could signal more businesslike ties with its neighbours.

28 May 2026 - 8:13PM

Donald Trump

Celebrity ‘Trump’ buffalo spared sacrifice, sent to Bangladesh zoo

The animal with a blond hairdo said to resemble the US president’s signature look was saved just hours before it was set to be slaughtered.

28 May 2026 - 12:46AMvideocam

A carer attends to an albino buffalo nicknamed “Donald Trump” at a farm in Narayanganj on May 17. Photo: AFP

CSD

Bangladesh probes hospital deaths of 6 newborns

Air conditioning in the ward where the babies were was not working in the early hours on Wednesday.

28 May 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

A Bangladesh Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime official, from the specialised unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, inspects the scene at the post-operative ward of the Ad-din Hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Donald Trump

Video | Rare ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo is an internet celebrity in Bangladesh

Experts from the livestock department said albino buffaloes are extremely rare, and appear white or pink due to a lack of melanin production.

25 May 2026 - 8:43PM

India

India orders new deportation centres days after BJP election victory

The Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has ordered detention centres for undocumented migrants in West Bengal state, sparking fear of arbitrary expulsions.

25 May 2026 - 7:37PM

SCMP Highlights

Chinese coal mine accident, Cathay Pacific flight turbulence: 5 weekend reads

From a coal mine accident that killed 82 people to turbulence on a Cathay Pacific flight, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

25 May 2026 - 1:08PM

Rescue workers at the scene at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua

China's military weapons

Why Bangladesh could raise Indian red flags by buying a China-Pakistan fighter jet

Dhaka could be boosting its air power with the reported acquisition of a JF-17 flight simulator.

24 May 2026 - 6:00AMvideocam

Bangladesh's acquisition of a simulator for the JF-17 Thunder signals “serious intent to field modern fighters”, an observer says. Photo: Handout

Donald Trump

Bangladesh’s rare ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo draws crowds over resemblance

Many have travelled a long way to pose for selfies and videos with the ‘calm by nature’ buffalo, which has gone viral on social media.

23 May 2026 - 4:40PM

Protests around the world

Bangladesh protestors clash with police over alleged child rape

Protesters tried to seize a man accused of raping a four-year-old girl who is now undergoing treatment in hospital.

22 May 2026 - 6:31PMvideocam

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Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina’s return bid threatens to upend Bangladeshi politics

The ousted leader, who has been sentenced to death, plans a December homecoming in a high-stakes bid to resurrect her banned party.

Rohingya refugees among over 500 feared dead after Myanmar boats capsize

Don’t buy brides, China’s Bangladesh embassy warns as trafficking surges

Active fault line threatens world’s biggest hydropower project: Chinese geologists

New analysis brings call for slope reinforcement for massive mega-dam project in Tibet to mitigate risks of landslides and collapses.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | To boost manufacturing, India need not choose between Japan and China

Without Chinese suppliers on the ground, potential Japanese investments will struggle to reach the scale or speed the moment demands.

India-Bangladesh ties ease with visa restart amid China concerns

Analysts say Dhaka will have to be prudent as it tries to secure Chinese investment to boost its economy while managing India’s security concerns.

‘My dream is broken’: foreign business owners in Japan lament new visa rules

Japan’s business manager visa holders surged to 46,000 by mid-2025 – up 70 per cent from 2020. About half were Chinese nationals.

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, June 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met more than 20 world leaders this year, reflecting Beijing’s increasing global influence.

Sheikh Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh ‘this year’ despite death sentence

This is the first time the former prime minister has given a schedule for her return since fleeing to India in August 2024.

Bangladesh urges Malaysia to ease labour hiring curbs amid exploitation concerns

Both sides seek to ensure that the hiring process for Bangladeshi workers is transparent to protect their interests.

Korean’s racist World Cup experience, India’s military revamp: 7 Asia highlights

From Lawrence Wong’s trip to Russia to a racist encounter at the World Cup, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Could India’s Cockroach Janta Party spark South Asia’s next youth uprising?

Analysts say the satirical party reflects real discontent but remains far from matching the movements that toppled neighbouring governments.

Why Bangladesh’s new PM is visiting Malaysia and China before India

Analysts view the decision to prioritise Kuala Lumpur and Beijing as practical rather than a direct snub of New Delhi.

Bangladesh, India pledge closer border cooperation amid migration row

Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to ‌force migrants across the border without due process.

‘We drank seawater’: a refugee’s journey from Myanmar to Malaysia

A Rohingya woman recalls her days adrift at sea and the legal limbo that has defined the 16 years since she reached Malaysia’s shores.

Letters | Reforms are a band-aid solution to water woes of downstream countries

Readers discuss the necessity of enforceable laws for rivers, Hong Kong’s pivot to Central Asia, and Chinese tourists’ safety fears.

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March.

Japan’s Russia concern, firms pick Malaysia over Singapore: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan’s concerns about Russian military activity to moon bears freed in Laos, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Outside In | How Trump’s war on Iran is jeopardising Asia’s remittance lifeline

In Gulf economies, lost migrant jobs and remittances risk plunging millions across Asia into crisis.

Policy pivot? India watchful as Bangladesh engages Pakistan

Analysts say the new government in Dhaka is trying a ‘balancing act’ in the region that could signal more businesslike ties with its neighbours.

Celebrity ‘Trump’ buffalo spared sacrifice, sent to Bangladesh zoo

The animal with a blond hairdo said to resemble the US president’s signature look was saved just hours before it was set to be slaughtered.

Bangladesh probes hospital deaths of 6 newborns

Air conditioning in the ward where the babies were was not working in the early hours on Wednesday.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Rare ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo is an internet celebrity in Bangladesh

Experts from the livestock department said albino buffaloes are extremely rare, and appear white or pink due to a lack of melanin production.

India orders new deportation centres days after BJP election victory

The Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has ordered detention centres for undocumented migrants in West Bengal state, sparking fear of arbitrary expulsions.

Chinese coal mine accident, Cathay Pacific flight turbulence: 5 weekend reads

From a coal mine accident that killed 82 people to turbulence on a Cathay Pacific flight, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Why Bangladesh could raise Indian red flags by buying a China-Pakistan fighter jet

Dhaka could be boosting its air power with the reported acquisition of a JF-17 flight simulator.

Bangladesh’s rare ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo draws crowds over resemblance

Many have travelled a long way to pose for selfies and videos with the ‘calm by nature’ buffalo, which has gone viral on social media.

Bangladesh protestors clash with police over alleged child rape

Protesters tried to seize a man accused of raping a four-year-old girl who is now undergoing treatment in hospital.

Opinion | To boost manufacturing, India need not choose between Japan and China

Video | Rare ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo is an internet celebrity in Bangladesh