https://www.scmp.com/rss/325919/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse State-run public transport in Pakistan’s capital and most populous province will be free for the coming month, officials said, after the government drastically raised fuel prices due to the Iran war. The announcement came after street protests and long queues of motorcycles at fuel stations triggered by a late-night decision on Thursday to impose a 42.7 per cent rise in the price of petrol to 485 rupees (US$1.70) per litre. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif back-pedalled late on Friday, saying he... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349010/pakistan-offers-30-days-free-public-transport-following-40-petrol-hike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349010/pakistan-offers-30-days-free-public-transport-following-40-petrol-hike?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:46:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Planning to update your wardrobe this summer? Industry insiders have some advice: do it soon. By the time autumn collections hit the racks, the aftershocks of war on Iran may have quietly picked your pocket. Clothing manufacturers and industry analysts are warning consumers to budget for price increases of 10 to 15 per cent as South Asia’s US$50 billion garment export industry reels from a cascade of war-driven shocks. Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has choked natural gas supplies to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348195/war-iran-about-make-clothes-more-expensive-heres-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348195/war-iran-about-make-clothes-more-expensive-heres-why?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rescue teams including navy divers in Bangladesh have recovered 24 bodies from a bus that plunged into a river at a ferry crossing, officials said on Thursday. The bus sank into the deep waters of the Padma river in Goalanda on Wednesday, about 65km (40 miles) west of the capital Dhaka. It had around 50 passengers on board, many of whom managed to escape. A fire service report said that 24 bodies, including those of five children, had been recovered by midday on Thursday. Some were pulled out by... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348011/bangladesh-recovers-24-bodies-after-bus-plunges-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348011/bangladesh-recovers-24-bodies-after-bus-plunges-river?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:56:46 +0000 Dong Ting Dong Ting Bangladesh’s garment industry employs around 4 million workers. Their labour built something larger than an export sector – it built a tax base. The industry generates more than 80 per cent of the country’s export earnings and contributes roughly 11 per cent of its GDP. The taxes paid by workers and the wider economy they sustain fund a meaningful share of Bangladesh’s public schools and basic healthcare. Over several decades, a country that once ranked among the world’s poorest has turned... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347472/why-bangladesh-could-be-last-hurrah-asias-development-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347472/why-bangladesh-could-be-last-hurrah-asias-development-model?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Chietigj Bajpaee Chietigj Bajpaee When the late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe gave his landmark speech in the Indian parliament in August 2007 referring to the “confluence of the two seas”, he gave birth to the concept of the Indo-Pacific as a strategic space connecting East and South Asia. But the latest conflict in the Middle East illustrates how South Asia’s interconnectedness increasingly lies to its west. Some of these connections are deeply rooted in history: South Asia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346933/why-middle-east-volatility-presents-enhanced-risk-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346933/why-middle-east-volatility-presents-enhanced-risk-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Accelerating glacial retreat in the Himalayas over the past decades is threatening over 2 billion people in the region who depend on meltwater from the “water tower of Asia” for their daily needs, according to climate scientists. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have been losing ice at twice the rate since 2000, with smaller glaciers under 0.5 sq km shrinking more rapidly than larger ones, according to two landmark reports published on Saturday to coincide with the World Day for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:10 +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/week-asia/economics/article/3347372/india-steps-regional-energy-diplomacy-supplies-bangladesh-diesel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347372/india-steps-regional-energy-diplomacy-supplies-bangladesh-diesel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:52:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters Asian utilities are boosting coal-fired power generation to cut costs and safeguard energy supply, industry officials say, as the US-Israeli war on Iran chokes liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments and soaring prices threaten to suppress LNG demand. Asia spot LNG prices have doubled to three-year highs in the second major supply shock in four years, as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has all but stopped and No 2 global exporter Qatar has halted shipments. In South Asia, Bangladesh is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3346902/asia-ditches-gas-coal-after-iran-war-sends-prices-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3346902/asia-ditches-gas-coal-after-iran-war-sends-prices-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:44:23 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Biman Mukherji Joseph Sipalan,Biman Mukherji Malaysia’s government has been forced onto the defensive over its much-touted tariff deal with the United States, after a minister walked back an earlier claim that the agreement had been rendered “null and void” by a US Supreme Court ruling. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration signed the deal in October, promising US$240 billion in investments and purchases of American goods, including beef and aircraft, in exchange for continued access to the world’s largest consumer market at a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:14:40 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When the alert arrives on his phone, Yashwant Deshmukh knows exactly what to do. The Dubai-based political analyst moves away from the windows, waits for the second message confirming the missile has been intercepted, and then goes back to work. “It has become a drill,” he said. For the roughly 9 million Indians living and working across the Gulf, the war on Iran has shattered one of the region’s most durable illusions: that cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama would remain apart from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346524/iran-war-fallout-puts-9-million-indian-workers-line-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346524/iran-war-fallout-puts-9-million-indian-workers-line-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Trump administration on Wednesday opened a new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries – an effort that comes after the Supreme Court struck down US President Donald Trump’s previous use of tariffs by declaring an economic emergency. Trump and his team have made clear that they’re seeking to replace the hundreds of billions of dollars in lost revenues after the Supreme Court’s February ruling by using different laws to establish new tariffs. In this case, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346279/us-launches-trade-probe-china-and-eu-bid-revive-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346279/us-launches-trade-probe-china-and-eu-bid-revive-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 23:46:48 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asian economies reliant on energy imports are bracing themselves not just for a spike in oil prices but for the possibility that the Iran war could trigger a prolonged period of energy market disruption. While markets have already priced in the initial disruption to shipping and energy infrastructure linked to the conflict, economists warn that a war lasting several weeks could leave Asian importers facing persistently higher fuel costs, widening trade deficits and slower economic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346262/asias-energy-reliant-economies-face-existential-threat-prolonged-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346262/asias-energy-reliant-economies-face-existential-threat-prolonged-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:45:45 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain How does a missile strike on a Qatari gas plant end up raising the price of rice in Bangladesh? The answer is fertiliser, an unglamorous commodity that nevertheless sustains much of what the world eats. Qatar burns natural gas to produce ammonia. Ammonia is converted into urea. Urea goes into the ground and out of the ground comes grain. Disrupt the first step, as Iran did when it struck QatarEnergy’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing facility on March 1, and the consequences travel along... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346201/war-iran-threatens-asias-food-supply-fertiliser-prices-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346201/war-iran-threatens-asias-food-supply-fertiliser-prices-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:00:14 +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/week-asia/politics/article/3346125/hope-india-bangladesh-reset-after-arrests-student-leaders-killing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346125/hope-india-bangladesh-reset-after-arrests-student-leaders-killing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:30:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The oil price spike caused by the war in the Middle East has sparked unrest in Bangladesh and exasperation at petrol pumps around Asia, where many economies are heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports. Even as governments move to limit the impact on fuel prices, queues have formed at petrol stations in countries including Vietnam, Pakistan and the Philippines, although the situation remains stable elsewhere. In Bangladesh – which imports 95 per cent of its oil and gas needs – the military has... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346112/iran-war-asia-sees-violence-fuel-rationing-queues-energy-crunch-hits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346112/iran-war-asia-sees-violence-fuel-rationing-queues-energy-crunch-hits?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:59:28 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Bangladeshi man who spent over three years on bail in Malaysia fighting local child pornography charges has been spirited to Alaska by the FBI to face what prosecutors describe as one of the most prolific child exploitation cases in US history. Zobaidul Amin, 28, was brought from Malaysia to the United States last Wednesday and made his initial appearance in a federal court in Anchorage the following day, where he pleaded not guilty to all 13 counts, according to the US Department of Justice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346092/malaysia-had-him-bail-child-abuse-us-had-other-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346092/malaysia-had-him-bail-child-abuse-us-had-other-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:29:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh began fuel rationing on Sunday as the war in the Middle East deepened an energy crunch, creating long queues at petrol stations and boiling over into anger. The country of 170 million people imports 95 per cent of its oil and gas needs. Following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes throughout the Gulf, the national oil company, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), restricted fuel sales for most vehicles. Authorities capped fuel purchases for several... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345903/bangladesh-rations-fuel-us-iran-war-stresses-energy-supplies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345903/bangladesh-rations-fuel-us-iran-war-stresses-energy-supplies?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 14:40:12 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia is bracing itself for another energy shock after a disruption to Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) output sent regional gas prices to their highest level in about three years, exposing what observers say is a dangerous reliance on Middle Eastern fuel supplies. The increase follows Iran’s drone strikes on Qatar in retaliation for Israeli and US attacks in a widening conflict, alongside a blockade of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a key artery for global oil and gas trade. Spot LNG... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345728/qatars-lng-halt-exposes-asias-energy-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345728/qatars-lng-halt-exposes-asias-energy-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:30:39 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Millions of migrant workers, who support some of the Middle East’s most crucial sectors, are in the line of fire as Iran retaliates against the US-Israeli strikes that killed the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. Southeast and South Asian nations supply a large share of the labour in the Gulf, including medical practitioners, construction workers and household help that make up a migrant workforce the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates at over 24 million. The Philippines,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345171/millions-asian-migrant-workers-gulf-danger-war-iran-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345171/millions-asian-migrant-workers-gulf-danger-war-iran-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:25:39 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The killing of Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli air strikes has prompted governments across Muslim-majority South and Southeast Asia to reiterate calls for restraint as protests flared in several cities, with some religious and political movements hailing the cleric as a “martyr”. Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei’s death on Sunday and declared a 40-day mourning period, casting the assassination as a pivotal moment for the Islamic Republic he had led since... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345014/death-irans-khamenei-sparks-outrage-and-calls-restraint-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345014/death-irans-khamenei-sparks-outrage-and-calls-restraint-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 07:57:35 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A Supreme Court ruling that gutted the legal foundation for much of US President Donald Trump’s tariff regime has left Asian trading partners scratching their heads about the future of trade deals struck with Washington over the past 12 months. America’s apex court ruled on Friday that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) – which Trump had used to impose sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs since his “Liberation Day” proclamation last April – did not grant the president the power to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344300/asias-us-trade-deals-doubt-after-trumps-supreme-court-tariff-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344300/asias-us-trade-deals-doubt-after-trumps-supreme-court-tariff-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:49:32 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Sanju*, a foreign domestic helper of Nepalese ethnicity, never imagined her Hong Kong dream would turn into a nightmare. The 34-year-old arrived in Hong Kong in 2023, driven by a simple wish to work in the city of her dreams. But she said her first employer paid her 30 per cent below the statutory minimum wage, allowed her only two hours of sleep a day, and gave her just three rest days over six months, during which she was only paid two months’ salary. After six months, she was dismissed and... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3344257/silent-suffering-how-domestic-helpers-hong-kong-dream-became-nightmare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3344257/silent-suffering-how-domestic-helpers-hong-kong-dream-became-nightmare?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:04:53 +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/week-asia/explained/article/3344168/bangladesh-faces-daunting-post-election-challenges-economy-garment-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3344168/bangladesh-faces-daunting-post-election-challenges-economy-garment-sector?utm_source=rss_feed 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/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343612/how-bnps-bangladesh-election-victory-will-shape-policy-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343612/how-bnps-bangladesh-election-victory-will-shape-policy-trends?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/politics/article/3343731/bangladeshs-outreach-india-good-beginning-easing-strained-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343731/bangladeshs-outreach-india-good-beginning-easing-strained-ties?utm_source=rss_feed 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/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343587/bangladesh-pm-be-celebrates-landslide-win-thanks-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343587/bangladesh-pm-be-celebrates-landslide-win-thanks-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/politics/article/3343508/bangladeshs-bnp-set-balance-ties-regional-powers-us-avoid-crossing-red-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343508/bangladeshs-bnp-set-balance-ties-regional-powers-us-avoid-crossing-red-line?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:08:15 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Fosun Health Group, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharmaceutical, said it plans to build its first overseas hospitals in Indonesia amid a push by Chinese healthcare companies to expand abroad. The announcement underscores Indonesia’s appeal – home to the world’s fourth-largest population of 287 million – as Beijing encourages its healthcare sector to “go global”. Fosun Health planned to establish “several hospitals” in Indonesia, CEO Frank Hu Hang told delegates at the South China Morning Post’s China... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343167/fosun-health-build-first-overseas-hospitals-indonesia-amid-chinese-go-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343167/fosun-health-build-first-overseas-hospitals-indonesia-amid-chinese-go-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 07:30:09 +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/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342969/bangladeshs-political-parties-campaign-over-revolutions-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342969/bangladeshs-political-parties-campaign-over-revolutions-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/economics/article/3342709/outcry-bangladesh-over-politicians-call-curb-women-workforce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342709/outcry-bangladesh-over-politicians-call-curb-women-workforce?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:00:26 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When India sealed a landmark free-trade pact with the European Union last month, Brussels’ top bureaucrat saw more than an economic deal taking shape. “India has risen and Europe is truly glad about it,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared. “Because when India succeeds, the world is more stable, more prosperous and more secure.” Her words were more than just a diplomatic nicety; they reflected a growing consensus in European capitals that India has become an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Pakistan’s government says the national cricket team will be allowed to take part in the coming T20 World Cup but must boycott its group game against arch-rival India. India and Sri Lanka are co-hosts for the 20-team tournament, which starts on Saturday. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka – including any in the knockout stage – because of political tensions with India. The two teams are scheduled to meet in a Group A game in Colombo on February 15 in what is often a tournament... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342031/pakistan-play-t20-world-cup-will-boycott-india-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342031/pakistan-play-t20-world-cup-will-boycott-india-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:52:30 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has plans to increase its investments in Nepal to take advantage of the country’s rich hydropower resources, according to a Nepalese official. Nepal’s hydropower sector is particularly attractive to Chinese investors because there is potential to sell some of the power generated to India, said Hong Kong-based Consul General Bindeswar Prasad Lekhak. The Himalayan nation, which borders China and India, has vast untapped hydropower resources and it is keen to attract more foreign investment... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341838/china-step-investment-nepals-hydropower-sector-nepalese-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341838/china-step-investment-nepals-hydropower-sector-nepalese-official?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:30:12 +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/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341669/bangladeshs-cricket-boycott-exposes-deepening-cracks-south-asian-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341669/bangladeshs-cricket-boycott-exposes-deepening-cracks-south-asian-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/politics/article/3340471/bangladeshs-student-leaders-sidelined-islamist-allies-poll-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340471/bangladeshs-student-leaders-sidelined-islamist-allies-poll-pact?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/politics/article/3340184/why-india-losing-ground-over-bangladesh-and-myanmar-regional-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340184/why-india-losing-ground-over-bangladesh-and-myanmar-regional-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:35:15 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistan is increasingly confident of making billion-dollar arms sales, headlined by the JF-17 fighters its co-produces with China, as up to six Muslim-majority countries look to upgrade their air forces amid growing geopolitical turbulence and civil wars. A preliminary deal worth US$4 billion was struck last month with the Libyan National Army for an unspecified number of JF-17s and other training aircraft manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Reuters reported, citing Aamir Masood, an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339961/pakistans-arms-deals-cleared-take-jf-17-orders-soar-muslim-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339961/pakistans-arms-deals-cleared-take-jf-17-orders-soar-muslim-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 04:52:11 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan The administration of US President Donald Trump is suspending the processing of immigrant visas, including family-based green cards, for applicants from dozens of countries, the US State Department has confirmed to the Post. “The State Department is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries,” an official from the agency said on Wednesday. China is not included in the list, which has countries like Thailand, a US ally, and Brazil, a close neighbour in the western hemisphere, along with... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3339928/us-halts-visas-75-countries-china-not-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3339928/us-halts-visas-75-countries-china-not-list?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:57:23 +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/week-asia/politics/article/3339324/india-bangladesh-talks-over-ganges-waters-may-turn-murky-over-politics-un-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339324/india-bangladesh-talks-over-ganges-waters-may-turn-murky-over-politics-un-pact?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/opinion/article/3338565/bangladesh-needs-structural-change-how-will-it-get-there?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3338565/bangladesh-needs-structural-change-how-will-it-get-there?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/politics/article/3338300/why-return-zias-son-may-influence-bangladeshs-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338300/why-return-zias-son-may-influence-bangladeshs-election?utm_source=rss_feed 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/news/asia/south-asia/article/3338087/former-bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zia-dies-after-prolonged-illness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3338087/former-bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zia-dies-after-prolonged-illness?utm_source=rss_feed 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/week-asia/people/article/3338049/will-tarique-rahmans-return-bangladesh-ease-tensions-restore-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3338049/will-tarique-rahmans-return-bangladesh-ease-tensions-restore-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:50:47 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words China’s updated policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean should be read less as a challenge to Washington and more as a reflection of how global power is quietly rebalancing. Released without drama earlier this month, the document signals continuity rather than disruption.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3337765/chinas-latin-america-policy-paper-speaks-language-multipolarity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3337765/chinas-latin-america-policy-paper-speaks-language-multipolarity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Rashid arrived on the Malaysian island of Langkawi as a young child after spending weeks at sea in a fishing boat crammed with Myanmar’s unwanted: Rohingya Muslims driven out by soldiers and ethnic Buddhist militias who had razed their villages. A decade on, the now 14-year-old has witnessed countless boats arrive on the island over the years, as his stateless community continues to flee persecution. “We did not choose Malaysia because we thought it was a good or nice country,” he told This Week... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337690/rohingya-crisis-deepens-myanmar-election-offers-no-hope-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337690/rohingya-crisis-deepens-myanmar-election-offers-no-hope-return?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Aspiring prime minister and political heavyweight Tarique Rahman was welcomed back to Bangladesh on Thursday by huge crowds of joyous supporters after 17 years in self-imposed exile. Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and heir apparent of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), shook hands with party leaders after touching down at the Dhaka airport. Accompanied by his wife and daughter, a visibly emotional Rahman took off his shoes, stood on the grass outside the airport and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3337721/aspiring-bangladesh-pm-tarique-rahman-welcomed-home-after-17-years-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3337721/aspiring-bangladesh-pm-tarique-rahman-welcomed-home-after-17-years-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 09:46:01 +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/week-asia/politics/article/3337371/indias-partial-visa-suspension-signals-unease-over-bangladeshs-recent-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337371/indias-partial-visa-suspension-signals-unease-over-bangladeshs-recent-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed 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/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336979/violence-erupts-bangladesh-after-shot-leader-youth-uprising-dies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336979/violence-erupts-bangladesh-after-shot-leader-youth-uprising-dies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:47:27 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Dhaka’s already strained relationship with New Delhi has come under fresh pressure after a Bangladeshi opposition leader threatened to shelter separatists targeting India’s sensitive northeast region in retaliation for what he claimed to be election interference. Hasnat Abdullah, a leader of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), warned at a rally in Dhaka on Monday that he would carry out the move if Bangladesh believed India was trying to influence its election in February. “If... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336823/bangladeshi-politicians-threat-targeting-indias-northeast-deepens-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336823/bangladeshi-politicians-threat-targeting-indias-northeast-deepens-row?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:00:12 +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/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336527/bangladesh-airlift-wounded-uprising-leader-singapore-after-election-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336527/bangladesh-airlift-wounded-uprising-leader-singapore-after-election-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:14:10 +0000