https://www.scmp.com/rss/524482/feed The latest news and updates on Sheikh Hasina, a prominent Bangladeshi politician and daughter of the nation’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She served as Prime Minister for over two decades across multiple terms (1996-2001, 2009-2024), becoming Bangladesh’s longest-serving head of government. As President of the Awami League, her leadership focused on economic development, poverty reduction, and social welfare, overseeing significant GDP growth and initiatives like the Ganges Water... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Maria Siow Maria Siow Bangladesh’s national security adviser recently made a low-profile visit to New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart, in what many in Dhaka saw as a sign that the neighbours might reset ties following months of tensions over the self-exile of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India. The meeting was the highest-level contact since Bangladesh’s interim government took office. But analysts say that the path to normalising relations remains uncertain, even if India is willing to work... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336093/are-india-and-bangladesh-sidestepping-hasinas-exile-improve-frayed-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336093/are-india-and-bangladesh-sidestepping-hasinas-exile-improve-frayed-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Two months before Bangladesh heads to the polls for the first time since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, the most established party still in the race, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is facing deep uncertainty as its two top figures are either gravely ill or stuck abroad. BNP chair Begum Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, is battling serious complications involving her heart, liver and lungs and is expected to be flown to London from Dhaka for treatment, while her son Tarique... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335640/why-a-leading-party-in-Bangladesh-is-facing-uncertainty-as-election-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335640/why-a-leading-party-in-Bangladesh-is-facing-uncertainty-as-election-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:00:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladeshi police began exhuming a mass grave on Sunday that is believed to contain around 114 unidentified victims of a mass uprising that toppled autocratic former prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year. The UN-supported effort is being advised by Argentine forensic anthropologist Luis Fondebrider, who has led recovery and identification missions at mass graves worldwide for decades. The bodies were buried at the Rayerbazar Graveyard in Dhaka by the volunteer group Anjuman Mufidul Islam,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3335524/bangladesh-mass-grave-2024-uprising-exhumed-un-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3335524/bangladesh-mass-grave-2024-uprising-exhumed-un-support?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 13:54:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A court in Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison and her niece, British Labour Party lawmaker Tulip Siddiq, to two years in prison on Monday for corruption involving a government land project. Rabiul Alam, the judge of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court, said Hasina misused her power as prime minister while Siddiq was guilty of corruptly influencing her aunt in helping her mother and two siblings get a land plot in a government... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334741/hasinas-niece-uk-mp-tulip-siddiq-sentenced-2-years-jail-bangladesh-land-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334741/hasinas-niece-uk-mp-tulip-siddiq-sentenced-2-years-jail-bangladesh-land-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:52:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia’s health deteriorated since being admitted to hospital, prompting her family and party members to urge citizens to pray for her speedy recovery on Saturday. Zia, 80, was admitted to hospital on November 23 with symptoms of a lung infection and was currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit, members of her party said. Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir, from Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told reporters late Friday that “doctors have told... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334612/bangladesh-ex-pm-khaleda-zia-very-critical-condition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334612/bangladesh-ex-pm-khaleda-zia-very-critical-condition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:03:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Anti-corruption authorities in Bangladesh have seized about 10kg (22 pounds) of gold worth about US$1.3 million from bank lockers belonging to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, officials said on Wednesday. Officials from the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue said the discovery was made after opening lockers that had been seized in September. “Following a court order, we opened the lockers and found about 9.7 kilograms of gold belonging to the former prime... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334254/bangladesh-uncovers-fugitive-ex-pm-hasinas-gold-stash-bank-lockers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334254/bangladesh-uncovers-fugitive-ex-pm-hasinas-gold-stash-bank-lockers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:25:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow With ex-leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, Bangladesh is turning its focus towards a referendum aimed at reforming its political system and rebuilding its democratic institutions. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate who assumed office after last year’s uprising, earlier this month pledged to hold a national vote on the blueprint for change, timed to coincide with February’s planned parliamentary election. But analysts have cast doubt on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333724/bangladesh-seeks-fix-its-completely-broken-politics-referendum-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333724/bangladesh-seeks-fix-its-completely-broken-politics-referendum-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India is unlikely to accept an extradition request for Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is facing the death penalty in her own country for crimes against humanity. Hasina, 78, has been living in India since fleeing Bangladesh in August last year after the fall of her regime. She was sentenced to death on Monday after being found guilty by a tribunal of incitement, issuing kill orders and failing to stop atrocities linked to last year’s protests in which up to 1,400 people... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333252/why-india-extraditing-hasina-bangladesh-face-death-penalty-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333252/why-india-extraditing-hasina-bangladesh-face-death-penalty-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:30:21 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Bus queue brawl at Malaysia-Singapore crossing spotlights border bottlenecks Viral footage of two commuters wrestling on the floor of Johor Bahru’s main border terminal has once again highlighted the chronic congestion – and fraying tempers – at one of Southeast Asia’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3333189/brawl-malaysia-singapore-crossing-southeast-asias-climate-crisis-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3333189/brawl-malaysia-singapore-crossing-southeast-asias-climate-crisis-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:41:03 +0000 Redwan Ahmed Redwan Ahmed Bangladesh is bracing itself for a landmark court verdict on Monday that could see its self-exiled former leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, with the case potentially fuelling an already combustible political climate ahead of national elections. The outcome could either deliver long-awaited justice for the 1,400 people killed during a brutal crackdown last year or spark a repeat of the chaos, according to analysts. Hasina, 78, fled to India in August 2024 after... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332886/justice-or-chaos-bangladesh-edge-hasina-verdict-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332886/justice-or-chaos-bangladesh-edge-hasina-verdict-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:00:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Bangladesh’s fugitive former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has expressed regret over the “needless” bloodshed as her administration tried to squash student-led protests that resulted in her losing power after 15 years, but poured scorn on a tribunal due to rule if she committed crimes against humanity by ordering the crackdown. In a defiant interview with This Week in Asia just days before the verdict in her trial in absentia, the 78-year-old accused the interim government that replaced her of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3332682/bangladeshs-hasina-regrets-student-bloodshed-slams-trial-judicial-mockery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3332682/bangladeshs-hasina-regrets-student-bloodshed-slams-trial-judicial-mockery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:12:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nearly 300 people have been killed in political violence in Bangladesh in the year since student-led protests toppled autocratic former leader Sheikh Hasina, the country’s main human rights group said on Sunday. A report by Odhikar, a Dhaka-based rights organisation, said at least 281 people had been killed in violence involving political parties from August 2024 – when Hasina’s rule ended and she fled to India – to September 2025. On top of those, there were another 40 victims of extrajudicial... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3331237/bangladesh-political-violence-kills-281-hasinas-fall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3331237/bangladesh-political-violence-kills-281-hasinas-fall?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 11:20:29 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Bangladesh’s pursuit of the death penalty against the country’s ousted former leader, Sheikh Hasina, has emerged as a key obstacle in efforts to bring her back from exile in India, with analysts saying the demand is likely to stall extradition talks and may even strengthen her bid for political asylum. The case centres on Hasina’s alleged role in a brutal crackdown on student protesters that marked the end of her 15-year rule – violence that a United Nations report said claimed 1,400 lives,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3329965/will-death-penalty-demand-bangladeshs-hasina-jeopardise-extradition-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3329965/will-death-penalty-demand-bangladeshs-hasina-jeopardise-extradition-india?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:30:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladeshi traders have been left counting the heavy cost of a devastating fire that tore through the cargo complex of the country’s main international airport this weekend, as the government investigates possible arson. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) gave an initial assessment on Sunday of “devastating” direct and indirect costs of as much as US$1 billion. Firefighters had brought the blaze under control and flight operations resumed late Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329591/bangladesh-airport-fire-destroys-us1-billion-garments-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329591/bangladesh-airport-fire-destroys-us1-billion-garments-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 15:03:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladeshi prosecution lawyers demanded on Thursday that fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina receive the death penalty in her trial for crimes against humanity. Hasina has defied court orders to return from India, where she fled last year, to face charges of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed attempt to crush a student-led uprising. Up to 1,400 people were killed in the clashes between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations. “We demand the highest punishment for her,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329249/bangladeshs-ex-pm-sheikh-hasina-should-be-put-death-prosecution-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329249/bangladeshs-ex-pm-sheikh-hasina-should-be-put-death-prosecution-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 09:17:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Bangladesh is navigating a morass of political hurdles in the lead-up to its election set for early next year, including conflicting demands over proportional representation in parliament. Both the country’s largest Islamist political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), which draws support from student leaders who toppled the previous regime of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, have demanded that the coming poll be conducted on the basis of the new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327386/bangladesh-grapples-political-fragmentation-ahead-key-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327386/bangladesh-grapples-political-fragmentation-ahead-key-election?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:30:12 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan For decades, London’s property market has offered sanctuary to fortunes of murky origins, its red-brick mansions and gleaming office blocks standing as monuments to global impunity. Now, as anti-corruption watchdogs from Malaysia to Bangladesh demand justice, Britain is once again forced to reckon with its role as the world’s premier laundromat for kleptocrats. Malaysia’s investigators revealed earlier this month that they were investigating the alleged London-based assets of former prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326142/malaysia-bangladesh-asias-dirty-money-finds-home-uk-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326142/malaysia-bangladesh-asias-dirty-money-finds-home-uk-property?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:12 +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, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification What unfolded in Nepal this month and in Bangladesh last year cannot be simply framed as a reflection of Gen Z’s heightened sense of conscience. While this generation is undeniably different,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3325287/nepal-bangladesh-gen-zs-passion-must-be-paired-perspective?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3325287/nepal-bangladesh-gen-zs-passion-must-be-paired-perspective?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 03:30:09 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Nepal’s prime minister resigned and Indonesia’s president reshuffled his cabinet after social media fanned fatal protests in two of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partners. K.P. Sharma Oli stepped down in Nepal on Tuesday after 19 people died in violent protests triggered by a social media ban and political corruption. A day earlier, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ditched finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and other cabinet members after eight people were killed in protests... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3325179/fatal-protests-upend-china-hopes-stability-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3325179/fatal-protests-upend-china-hopes-stability-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 09:00:18 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China is closely monitoring social unrest in Nepal, a strategic partner and key point in Beijing’s global infrastructure and investment initiative, following the resignation of prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli. Observers warned that Beijing should be prepared for further instability in the region, citing weak governance and potential external influence in political transitions. The unrest was initially triggered by a social media ban last week, and soon grew into a wider anti-corruption movement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325088/beijing-weighs-risks-social-unrest-rocks-strategic-partner-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325088/beijing-weighs-risks-social-unrest-rocks-strategic-partner-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 14:44:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Bangladesh’s interim leader announced on Tuesday that the parliamentary election will be in February, as the country marked a year since a student-led uprising led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Muhammad Yunus spoke in a televised address and said he would request that the Election Commission organise the election before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. That will begin on February 17 or 18, depending on when the new crescent moon is sighted there. Earlier on Tuesday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320870/bangladeshs-interim-leader-muhammad-yunus-sets-february-election-date-amid-reform-calls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320870/bangladeshs-interim-leader-muhammad-yunus-sets-february-election-date-amid-reform-calls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:02:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first witness in the trial of Bangladesh’s fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina gave evidence on Sunday, a man shot in the face during protests that toppled her last year. Hasina, 77, who has defied court orders to return from India to attend her trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity, is accused of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed bid to crush the student-led uprising. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320605/bangladesh-protest-victim-witness-gives-evidence-ex-pm-hasina-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320605/bangladesh-protest-victim-witness-gives-evidence-ex-pm-hasina-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 13:54:34 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When a Bangladesh air force jet slammed into a school on July 21, killing 31 people, India was the first country to respond – dispatching a team of specialist doctors, nurses and emergency medical equipment. Their swift arrival earned public praise from the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, and sparked cautious optimism that a thaw may be possible after months of strained ties between the neighbours. “These teams have come not just with their skills, but with their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320415/will-bangladesh-veer-its-india-china-middle-path?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320415/will-bangladesh-veer-its-india-china-middle-path?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A proposed 35 per cent US tariff on Bangladesh’s goods could devastate its garment industry and eliminate millions of jobs, observers say, as Dhaka scrambles to avert the looming trade blow. Experts warn the tariff could cripple Bangladesh’s export competitiveness and fuel social unrest just as its interim government prepares for a crucial general election. While Dhaka has made efforts to secure concessions from Washington, analysts are sceptical it can avoid the tariff. Bangladesh’s ready-made... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3319289/millions-jobs-risk-35-us-tariff-threatens-bangladeshs-garment-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3319289/millions-jobs-risk-35-us-tariff-threatens-bangladeshs-garment-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:21:49 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A violent clash in Bangladesh on Wednesday between a student-led political movement and supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has exposed deep political fault lines, with analysts warning of further unrest. At least four people were killed and dozens injured when members of the National Citizen Party (NCP) – formed by student activists – marched on Gopalganj district, a traditional stronghold of Hasina’s Awami League and the site of a mausoleum dedicated to her father, independence... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318745/has-bangladeshs-post-hasina-transition-hit-violent-roadblock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318745/has-bangladeshs-post-hasina-transition-hit-violent-roadblock?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 08:31:40 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media said. The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina in August last year announced a march towards southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina’s ancestral and her Awami League party’s stronghold. Authorities later imposed an... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3318520/bangladesh-violence-leaves-least-4-dead-post-hasina-turmoil-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3318520/bangladesh-violence-leaves-least-4-dead-post-hasina-turmoil-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Audio recordings analysed by the BBC suggest Bangladesh’s fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina ordered a deadly crackdown on protests last year, allegations for which she is on trial. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations, when Hasina’s government ordered a crackdown on protesters in a failed bid to cling to power. Hasina, 77, fled to India at the culmination of the student-led uprising and has defied orders to return to Dhaka, where her... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317566/bangladesh-recordings-suggest-ex-pm-hasina-ordered-lethal-weapons-be-used-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317566/bangladesh-recordings-suggest-ex-pm-hasina-ordered-lethal-weapons-be-used-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 10:36:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Protests in Bangladesh that toppled the government last year triggered a diplomatic pivot, with Dhaka warming towards China after neighbouring India was angered by the ousting of its old ally Sheikh Hasina. One year since the protests, that realignment risks intensifying polarisation – and fears of external interference – as political parties in Bangladesh jostle for influence ahead of elections next year. For the caretaker government, seeking domestic consensus for overhauling democratic... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317325/bangladeshs-china-pivot-puts-its-india-ties-under-intense-strain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317325/bangladeshs-china-pivot-puts-its-india-ties-under-intense-strain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:05:24 +0000