https://www.scmp.com/rss/325919/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters At least ⁠14 people ⁠were killed after lightning ⁠strikes hit several parts of Bangladesh, officials said on Monday, as seasonal thunderstorms swept across the country. The deaths were ‌reported from several districts after sudden storms brought heavy rain and intense lightning on Sunday. Most of the victims were farmers working in open fields and labourers caught in ⁠exposed areas, local authorities said. Several other people were ‌injured and taken to nearby hospitals, with some in critical... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351543/lightning-strikes-kill-14-day-seasonal-storms-hit-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351543/lightning-strikes-kill-14-day-seasonal-storms-hit-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:26:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A former University of South Florida student has been charged with killing his roommate and the roommate’s girlfriend – two doctoral students from Bangladesh who disappeared earlier this month, authorities said Saturday. Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is facing two counts of premeditated murder in the first degree with a weapon in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, students at USF, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. He made an initial court appearance Saturday in Tampa,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351443/roommate-charged-murder-2-bangladeshi-phd-students-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351443/roommate-charged-murder-2-bangladeshi-phd-students-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:30:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters A surge in fossil fuel ⁠prices since the Iran war is squeezing polyester suppliers and garment makers across India ⁠and Bangladesh, threatening to raise costs for fast-fashion retailers like Zara and H&M. Filatex, one of India’s biggest polyester yarn producers, is paying nearly 30 per cent more for the petroleum-derived feedstocks – purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG) – that it needs to make yarn, as Chinese suppliers raise prices and Middle East supply is disrupted,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351409/iran-war-tearing-polyester-fabric-fast-fashion-and-shoes-could-be-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351409/iran-war-tearing-polyester-fabric-fast-fashion-and-shoes-could-be-next?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:18:26 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A suspected Chinese underwater drone hauled out of Indonesian waters this month has sharpened global focus on a security race that analysts say has been years in the making across South and Southeast Asia: undersea surveillance. The torpedo-shaped device was found near the Lombok Strait, one of the few deepwater channels through which submarines can transit submerged between the Pacific and Indian oceans and a passage closely watched by the United States and Australia. Beijing said it did not... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351348/chinese-drone-discovery-sharpens-focus-asias-undersea-security-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351348/chinese-drone-discovery-sharpens-focus-asias-undersea-security-race?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:27:31 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof The death of a Bangladeshi gaming influencer in an alleged drink-driving crash involving a Malaysian soldier has sparked cries for justice and renewed demands for punitive laws, as anger grows over a second similar fatal case in less than a month. Muzahid Millad, 22 – better known as Advance Gaming – died on Wednesday after the suspect’s car reportedly veered into the opposite lane on the Maju Expressway, colliding with the e-hailing vehicle in which the content creator and his wife were... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351255/bangladeshi-youtubers-death-sparks-mourning-amid-malaysias-drink-driving-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351255/bangladeshi-youtubers-death-sparks-mourning-amid-malaysias-drink-driving-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:50:11 +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/week-asia/politics/article/3351243/india-opens-door-sheikh-hasina-extradition-talks-delhi-dhaka-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351243/india-opens-door-sheikh-hasina-extradition-talks-delhi-dhaka-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:46:34 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia is entering a dangerous summer for food production as scientists warn of a “super El Nino” suppressing rainfall while the war on Iran drives up energy and fertiliser costs for farmers. India’s Meteorological Department has forecast a below-average monsoon, after two successive years of above-normal rains, while in Australia – a major wheat producer and exporter – a shortage of farm inputs and persistent dryness has reportedly pushed planting acreage to a seven-year low. Farmers across South... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350988/asia-braces-food-shortages-super-el-nino-iran-war-effects-collide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350988/asia-braces-food-shortages-super-el-nino-iran-war-effects-collide?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:38 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rohingya refugee Rahila Begum spent two days adrift ⁠in the Andaman Sea this month, clinging to a wooden shard after her ⁠overcrowded boat capsized, one of the few survivors of a disaster that left 250 missing and feared dead. She was among the thousands of Rohingya Muslims who brave hunger and accidents on rickety boats each year to flee desperate conditions in camps in southeastern Bangladesh for countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Hundreds die en route from hunger or accidents at sea,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350814/why-more-rohingya-risk-sea-escapes-malaysia-indonesia-some-make-it-some-die?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350814/why-more-rohingya-risk-sea-escapes-malaysia-indonesia-some-make-it-some-die?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:58:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Europe has “maybe 6 weeks or so [of] jet fuel left”, the head of the International Energy Agency said on Thursday in a wide-ranging interview, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war. IEA executive director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced”, stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. “In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350352/europe-running-low-jet-fuel-stoking-fears-flight-cancellations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350352/europe-running-low-jet-fuel-stoking-fears-flight-cancellations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:44:20 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Washington’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is threatening to tip Asia into its worst energy crisis in living memory, with peace talks on the Iran war stalled and no clear timeline for when oil flows might resume. The United States moved to seize control of the flashpoint waterway on Monday night, with US President Donald Trump framing the move as a way to force Iran to open the strait and accept a deal to end the war. Iran responded by threatening all ports in the Persian Gulf and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350057/asias-energy-supply-breaking-point-us-blockades-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350057/asias-energy-supply-breaking-point-us-blockades-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:09:18 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The United Nations has issued a grim warning about the costs to the Asia-Pacific region of a prolonged conflict in Iran, forecasting job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock and millions of informal workers facing the body blow of rising transport costs. More than 8 million people across the Asia-Pacific could be plunged into poverty if the crisis that closed the Strait of Hormuz drags on, according to a study published on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350038/un-warns-8-million-asia-pacific-risk-poverty-if-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350038/un-warns-8-million-asia-pacific-risk-poverty-if-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:33 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Hong Kong and Singapore routinely top global rankings of unaffordable cities. Yet it is the residents of Manila, Colombo and Yangon who are far more likely to tell pollsters they cannot afford shelter. The Philippines recorded the world’s highest share of people reporting difficulty affording housing in a new survey from US-based firm Gallup, with 55 per cent saying they had struggled to pay for shelter in the past 12 months. Sri Lanka followed at 54 per cent, Myanmar at 49 per cent and Thailand... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349725/forget-hong-kong-and-singapore-philippines-housing-least-affordable-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349725/forget-hong-kong-and-singapore-philippines-housing-least-affordable-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:21 +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/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349753/vaccine-coverage-gaps-spur-bangladeshs-deadly-measles-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349753/vaccine-coverage-gaps-spur-bangladeshs-deadly-measles-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:18:38 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Nepal has ordered private schools to stop double-charging fees, repay illegally collected ones and clearly publish their pricing structures, reopening a debate about education costs that runs across South Asia. From Dhaka to Delhi, parents have long complained that private schools charge too much and operate with too little oversight, inviting questions about whether governments should try to rein them in, improve state schools, or do both. Nepal’s Ministry of Education issued directives this... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349666/nepals-school-fee-crackdown-upends-south-asian-private-education-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349666/nepals-school-fee-crackdown-upends-south-asian-private-education-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Russia is seeking to leverage a global natural gas supply crunch to lure energy-starved South Asia into purchasing shipments from its US-sanctioned facilities, according to people familiar with the matter. The shipments were being offered at a 40 per cent discount to spot prices last week via little-known intermediary companies based in China and Russia, said the people, who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. The sellers said that they could provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349479/russia-tempts-energy-starved-south-asia-40-discounts-us-sanctioned-lng?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349479/russia-tempts-energy-starved-south-asia-40-discounts-us-sanctioned-lng?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:37:09 +0000 Göktuğ Çalışkan Göktuğ Çalışkan The first tankers that turned away from the Strait of Hormuz did not just redraw shipping maps. They redrew grocery lists, too. After Iran’s partial closure of the strait disrupted a chokepoint that carries roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil, traders priced in something they know too well: war is not only about missiles; it’s about the bill that lands on kitchen tables months later. Brent crude climbing back above US$100 a barrel, and touching roughly US$120 on the worst days, is already... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349221/war-premiums-hit-groceries-china-deals-give-africa-room-breathe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349221/war-premiums-hit-groceries-china-deals-give-africa-room-breathe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bangladesh has launched an emergency ⁠vaccination campaign ⁠targeting more than a ⁠million children as a fast-spreading measles outbreak sweeps across the country. Health ministry figures show there have been 17 confirmed deaths from measles so far, with 113 suspected ‌deaths and more than 7,500 suspected infections nationwide. The campaign, led by the health ministry with support from Unicef, the World Health Organization and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, began in 18 high-risk districts,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349178/bangladesh-aims-vaccinate-over-1-million-children-fatal-measles-outbreak-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349178/bangladesh-aims-vaccinate-over-1-million-children-fatal-measles-outbreak-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:27:02 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji While the Iran war has sent shock waves through energy markets across Asia, one corner of the region has been hit especially hard. South Asia’s reliance on Middle Eastern fuel and Gulf remittances threatens to push some of its most exposed economies to the brink, analysts warn, as the conflict drives energy and food costs to multi-year highs. For Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, whose International Monetary Fund bailout programmes and thin fiscal buffers limit their ability to shield citizens... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348974/why-war-iran-threatens-unleash-unrest-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348974/why-war-iran-threatens-unleash-unrest-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 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