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Bangladesh

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

Capital

Dhaka

Head of State

President Mohammed Shahabuddin

Head of Government

Chief Adviser of the Interim Government Muhammad Yunus

The pause on visa processing will begin on January 21, and will continue indefinitely. Photo: Reuters

United States

US halts visas for 75 countries indefinitely; China not on the list

Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing from January 21, affecting applicants worldwide while exempting key visa categories.

2 hours ago

India

India-Bangladesh talks over Ganges waters may turn murky over politics, UN pact

13 Jan 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

Asia elections

Asian Angle | Bangladesh needs ‘structural’ change, but how will it get there?

3 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM

Asia elections

‘Clear advantage’: why return of Zia’s son may influence Bangladesh’s election

The death of ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia may have boosted voter support for her son Tarique Rahman, who is contesting in the election.

31 Dec 2025 - 6:53PM

Then acting Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman addresses his supporters after his return from London in Dhaka on December 25. Photo: Reuters

Khaleda Zia

Video | Former Bangladesh leader Khaleda Zia dies

The 80-year-old was a dominant figure in Dhaka’s turbulent power struggles and had vowed to run in next year’s election.

30 Dec 2025 - 6:08PM

Sheikh Hasina

Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia dies after prolonged illness

Despite her ill health, 80-year-old Zia, a dominant figure in Dhaka’s turbulent power struggles, had vowed to run in next year’s election.

30 Dec 2025 - 6:08PMvideocam

Asia elections

Will Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh ease tensions, restore stability?

Rahman could help consolidate the BNP’s position as the dominant electoral force, while tempering a volatile political climate, analysts say.

29 Dec 2025 - 6:50PMvideocam

Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and Bangladesh Nationalist Party‘s acting chairman, addresses supporters during a rally after his arrival in Dhaka on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Letters | China’s Latin America policy paper speaks language of multipolarity

Readers discuss why Beijing’s outreach to the region should not be seen as a challenge to Washington, the HK$2 subsidised transport fare for the elderly, and Hong Kong’s New Year countdown.

29 Dec 2025 - 11:30AM

Myanmar

Stay or go? Rohingya see no way out of predicament as Myanmar heads to poll

Myanmar’s phased election, set to start on Sunday, is likely to be steered by the same leaders responsible for driving the Rohingya out.

26 Dec 2025 - 5:05PMvideocam

Protests around the world

Aspiring Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman welcomed home after 17 years abroad

The political heavyweight is to lead the BNP through an election after ex-premier Sheikh Hasina’s exit following a student-led uprising.

25 Dec 2025 - 5:46PMvideocam

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman waves to crowds from a vehicle after his arrival in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

India

India’s partial visa suspension signals unease over Bangladesh’s recent unrest

India halted visa services from its Chittagong mission after violent protests, underscoring its concern over security and stability.

23 Dec 2025 - 11:41AMvideocam

Protesters chant slogans around a fire in Dhaka on December 18 after the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, whose killing triggered unrest in the Bangladeshi capital and other parts of the country, including attacks on media offices, authorities said. Photo: AFP

Protests around the world

Video | Protests turn violent in Bangladesh after uprising leader killed

Protesters set fire to multiple buildings in the capital, Dhaka, including the offices of newspapers accused of pro-India bias.

19 Dec 2025 - 6:17PM

Sheikh Hasina

Violence erupts in Bangladesh after shot leader of youth uprising dies

Sharif Osman Hadi was attacked by assailants in Dhaka and airlifted to a hospital in the city state, where he succumbed to his injuries.

19 Dec 2025 - 6:11PMvideocam

India

Bangladeshi politician’s threat targeting India’s northeast deepens row

His claim of Delhi’s election interference comes days after a leader of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh was shot in Dhaka.

18 Dec 2025 - 5:52PM

Hasnat Abdullah (centre), a leader of the National Citizen Party, speaking at a rally in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo: EPA

Singapore

Bangladesh to airlift injured uprising leader to Singapore after shooting

Attackers shot student leader Sharif Osman Hadi shortly after a date was announced for elections, following on from last year’s uprising.

15 Dec 2025 - 11:03PMvideocam

Members of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union march in Dhaka in Bangladesh on Sunday, demanding the arrest of attackers who shot student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Photo: EPA

Malaysia

Trump’s tariffs on Southeast Asia put US Christmas gifts at risk

From Hot Wheels to headphones, new levies are squeezing the supply of Americans’ festive favourites.

15 Dec 2025 - 8:02AM

Africa

6 UN peacekeepers killed in Sudan drone strike blamed on RSF paramilitary group

The victims were all Bangladeshi nationals working at a United Nations logistics base in Kadugli.

14 Dec 2025 - 5:46AM

India

Are India and Bangladesh sidestepping Hasina’s exile to improve frayed ties?

A national security bilateral meeting and Narendra Modi’s message of support for Khaleda Zia signal that ties are on the mend.

12 Dec 2025 - 6:03PMvideocam

Bangladesh’s then prime minister Sheikh Hasina speaking to the media in Dhaka in early 2024. She has been sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity by a Bangladeshi court. Photo: AFP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party

Why a leading party in Bangladesh is facing uncertainty as election looms

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s leadership crisis threatens to undermine its advantage ahead of the February election, analysts say.

8 Dec 2025 - 9:01PM

Sheikh Hasina

Video | Mass grave unearthed in Bangladesh

The UN says up to 1,400 people were killed in the uprising and subsequent crackdowns, forming the basis for the former prime minister’s conviction for crimes against humanity.

8 Dec 2025 - 6:00PM

Nepal

‘Like a market’: Chinese marriage brokers hunt for brides in Nepal

China’s bachelor crisis meets Nepal’s poverty in a trade that blurs the lines between arranged marriage and coercion.

9 Dec 2025 - 2:36PM

A screenshot of a WeChat account that posts videos of Nepali girls and hosts live streams. Photo: Handout

Protests around the world

Bangladesh mass grave from 2024 uprising exhumed with UN support

The UN says up to 1,400 people were killed in the crackdowns, forming the basis for the former prime minister’s conviction for crimes against humanity.

7 Dec 2025 - 10:54PM

Family members of Sohel Rana, who disappeared during Bangladesh’s July mass uprising, react as they stand outside the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Dhaka on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Climate change

Opinion | Fashion industry must tailor climate plans to Asian suppliers’ reality

Efforts to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions in the fashion industry will not work if they rest on a Western design paired with Eastern sacrifice.

7 Dec 2025 - 5:30AM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong’s religious communities unite in prayer to mourn Tai Po fire victims

Muslims and other faith groups express solidarity and sorrow for victims of deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court.

5 Dec 2025 - 7:29PM

Britain

UK MP Tulip Siddiq, aunt Sheikh Hasina sentenced to jail in Bangladesh land case

The former Bangladeshi prime minister, her niece and sister were convicted for illegally obtaining land in a government project.

1 Dec 2025 - 4:51PM

Tulip Siddiq (left) stands beside her aunt, former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in 2013. Photo: AP

Protests around the world

‘Utmost inspiration’: Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia in ‘very critical’ condition

Zia was jailed for corruption in 2018 under Sheikh Hasina’s government, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

29 Nov 2025 - 4:03PM

Nobel laureate and chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government Muhammad Yunus speaks with former prime minister Khaleda Zia at a reception to mark the country’s Armed Forces Day in Dhaka last November. Photo: AFP/Press Wing of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser

Singapore

Can new coach Gavin Lee restore hope and pride in Singapore football?

Lee’s appointment, following the Lions’ qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup, is a ‘long-needed change’ in Singapore football, analysts say.

29 Nov 2025 - 12:33PM

Climate change

Opinion | How Cop30 laid bare the new geopolitics of climate action

Fractures, even among the Global South, show the energy transition is not just a technical challenge but a deeply political negotiation.

28 Nov 2025 - 8:30PMvideocam

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Bangladesh

US halts visas for 75 countries indefinitely; China not on the list

Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing from January 21, affecting applicants worldwide while exempting key visa categories.

India-Bangladesh talks over Ganges waters may turn murky over politics, UN pact

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Asian Angle | Bangladesh needs ‘structural’ change, but how will it get there?

‘Clear advantage’: why return of Zia’s son may influence Bangladesh’s election

The death of ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia may have boosted voter support for her son Tarique Rahman, who is contesting in the election.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Former Bangladesh leader Khaleda Zia dies

The 80-year-old was a dominant figure in Dhaka’s turbulent power struggles and had vowed to run in next year’s election.

Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia dies after prolonged illness

Despite her ill health, 80-year-old Zia, a dominant figure in Dhaka’s turbulent power struggles, had vowed to run in next year’s election.

Will Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh ease tensions, restore stability?

Rahman could help consolidate the BNP’s position as the dominant electoral force, while tempering a volatile political climate, analysts say.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | China’s Latin America policy paper speaks language of multipolarity

Readers discuss why Beijing’s outreach to the region should not be seen as a challenge to Washington, the HK$2 subsidised transport fare for the elderly, and Hong Kong’s New Year countdown.

Stay or go? Rohingya see no way out of predicament as Myanmar heads to poll

Myanmar’s phased election, set to start on Sunday, is likely to be steered by the same leaders responsible for driving the Rohingya out.

Aspiring Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman welcomed home after 17 years abroad

The political heavyweight is to lead the BNP through an election after ex-premier Sheikh Hasina’s exit following a student-led uprising.

India’s partial visa suspension signals unease over Bangladesh’s recent unrest

India halted visa services from its Chittagong mission after violent protests, underscoring its concern over security and stability.

Video | Protests turn violent in Bangladesh after uprising leader killed

Protesters set fire to multiple buildings in the capital, Dhaka, including the offices of newspapers accused of pro-India bias.

Violence erupts in Bangladesh after shot leader of youth uprising dies

Sharif Osman Hadi was attacked by assailants in Dhaka and airlifted to a hospital in the city state, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Bangladeshi politician’s threat targeting India’s northeast deepens row

His claim of Delhi’s election interference comes days after a leader of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh was shot in Dhaka.

Bangladesh to airlift injured uprising leader to Singapore after shooting

Attackers shot student leader Sharif Osman Hadi shortly after a date was announced for elections, following on from last year’s uprising.

Trump’s tariffs on Southeast Asia put US Christmas gifts at risk

From Hot Wheels to headphones, new levies are squeezing the supply of Americans’ festive favourites.

6 UN peacekeepers killed in Sudan drone strike blamed on RSF paramilitary group

The victims were all Bangladeshi nationals working at a United Nations logistics base in Kadugli.

Are India and Bangladesh sidestepping Hasina’s exile to improve frayed ties?

A national security bilateral meeting and Narendra Modi’s message of support for Khaleda Zia signal that ties are on the mend.

Why a leading party in Bangladesh is facing uncertainty as election looms

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s leadership crisis threatens to undermine its advantage ahead of the February election, analysts say.

Video | Mass grave unearthed in Bangladesh

The UN says up to 1,400 people were killed in the uprising and subsequent crackdowns, forming the basis for the former prime minister’s conviction for crimes against humanity.

‘Like a market’: Chinese marriage brokers hunt for brides in Nepal

China’s bachelor crisis meets Nepal’s poverty in a trade that blurs the lines between arranged marriage and coercion.

Bangladesh mass grave from 2024 uprising exhumed with UN support

The UN says up to 1,400 people were killed in the crackdowns, forming the basis for the former prime minister’s conviction for crimes against humanity.

Opinion | Fashion industry must tailor climate plans to Asian suppliers’ reality

Efforts to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions in the fashion industry will not work if they rest on a Western design paired with Eastern sacrifice.

Hong Kong’s religious communities unite in prayer to mourn Tai Po fire victims

Muslims and other faith groups express solidarity and sorrow for victims of deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court.

UK MP Tulip Siddiq, aunt Sheikh Hasina sentenced to jail in Bangladesh land case

The former Bangladeshi prime minister, her niece and sister were convicted for illegally obtaining land in a government project.

‘Utmost inspiration’: Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia in ‘very critical’ condition

Zia was jailed for corruption in 2018 under Sheikh Hasina’s government, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

Can new coach Gavin Lee restore hope and pride in Singapore football?

Lee’s appointment, following the Lions’ qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup, is a ‘long-needed change’ in Singapore football, analysts say.

Opinion | How Cop30 laid bare the new geopolitics of climate action

Fractures, even among the Global South, show the energy transition is not just a technical challenge but a deeply political negotiation.

Asian Angle | Bangladesh needs ‘structural’ change, but how will it get there?

Video | Former Bangladesh leader Khaleda Zia dies

Letters | China’s Latin America policy paper speaks language of multipolarity