Bangladesh

Military & Security

Politics

Representatives from 25 political parties and alliances in Bangladesh, including major groups such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, signed the July National Charter 2025 -- named after the national uprisings of July 2024 -- which lays out a roadmap for constitutional amendments, legal reforms and the introduction of new legislation, The Business Standard reported on Oct. 17. 

Bangladesh: Interim Government and Political Parties Sign Political Charter

Pakistan

Economics

Pakistan and Bangladesh pledged to boost bilateral trade, investment and connectivity following Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar's visit to Dhaka, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 25.

Pakistan, Bangladesh: Governments Strengthen Relations

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus announced that he would formally ask the country's Election Commission to schedule national elections for early February 2026, before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins later that month, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 5.

Bangladesh: Yunus To Formally Ask Election Commission To Schedule Polls for February 2026

United States

Sri Lanka

The Trump administration announced new tariffs for Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan that will take effect on Aug. 7, Reuters reported on Aug. 1.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan: Trump Announces Reduced Tariff Rates

Bangladesh's political parties agreed on the mechanism to establish an Election Commission, a move the vice-president of the National Consensus Commission called a "historic turning point" in the dialogue process, The Daily Star reported on July 23.

Bangladesh: Parties Agree To Establish Election Commission

Under a combined third and fourth review of Bangladesh's ongoing loan program, the International Monetary Fund's executive board approved the release of $1.3 billion, Bloomberg reported on June 24. 

Bangladesh: IMF To Release $1.3B After Third and Fourth Loan Review

The office of Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus released a statement hinting that elections could be held in February 2026, two months earlier than the April 2026 date he announced on June 6, as popular frustration with interim authorities mounts, Bloomberg reported on June 13.

Bangladesh: Interim Leader Yunus Hints at Greater Flexibility on Election Timeline

Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, announced on the evening of June 6 that the country would hold elections in the first half of April 2026, Reuters reported the same day. 

Bangladesh: Interim Leader Says Elections To Be Held in Early April 2026

Snapshots

Representatives of various Bangladeshi political parties present the July National Charter at the South Plaza of the National Parliament in Dhaka on Oct. 17, 2025. 

The proposed reforms underscore efforts by some of Bangladesh's main political forces to curb the concentration of power, strengthen democratic institutions and ensure greater accountability and transparency.

Uncertainty Over Bangladesh Charter Implementation Will Sustain Risks of Unrest

Columns

On Geopolitics

India

Nepal

Protesters gather at the Singha Durbar, the main administrative building for the Nepal government, in Kathmandu on Sept. 9, 2025. 

Widespread discontent with corruption and economic mismanagement is fueling movements that demand greater accountability across South Asia.

Political Instability Roils South Asia

Supporters of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party wave the national flag in Dhaka during a rally held to call for the introduction of a proportional representation system in the country's forthcoming general election on July 19, 2025. 

While delays remain possible, the interim government will likely hold elections in February 2026 as promised, paving the way for a functioning parliament and the implementation of key reforms.

A Set Election Date Eases Political Uncertainty in Bangladesh

Assessments

The entrance to the International Monetary Fund headquarters is seen in Washington, D.C.

Global Trade

While Bangladesh is making progress in its IMF program, risks persist, including political uncertainty, low foreign exchange reserves and high U.S. tariffs on its vital garment sector.

Bangladesh's Economic Outlook: Progress and Persistent Challenges

A protest on Jan. 8 in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.

If Bangladesh's interim government does hold a vote due to the lack of progress on electoral reforms, the risk of instability, economic difficulties and public discontent will rise, potentially leading to military intervention. 

How Bangladeshi Stability Depends Upon a Prompt Election 

A general view shows Sri Lanka's Colombo port on April 9, 2025.

Textile exports from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will suffer under new U.S. tariffs, worsening economic hardships and risking political instability.

South Asia's Textile Industry Reels From U.S. Tariffs

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The lobby of the headquarters for the U.S. Agency for International Development is seen on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Social Issues

Cuts to U.S.-funded humanitarian and development programs could worsen global health outcomes, destabilize security environments, accelerate democratic backsliding, and create opportunities for rival powers to expand their influence.

The Global Implications of Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts

Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard in Dhaka on July 27, 2024.

Since assuming power in August, Bangladesh's interim government has pursued closer ties with Pakistan and China, deepening India's concerns about regional stability and its declining influence over Dhaka.

Bangladesh's More Assertive Foreign Policy Puts India on Edge

Demonstrators on Sept. 5 mark a month since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. The emphasis on extensive reforms by the interim government of Bangladesh will likely delay elections, intensifying unrest and destabilizing the country even more.

The emphasis on extensive reforms by the interim government of Bangladesh will likely delay elections, intensifying unrest and destabilizing the country even more. 

A Likely Delay to Bangladesh Elections Will Intensify Unrest

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When can we expect elections in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina's resignation?

Essential Geopolitics: The Future of Bangladeshi Politics

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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) arrive for a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25, 2020.

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Science & Technology

While U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will maintain many of the outgoing Biden administration's overarching policies toward South Asia, bilateral relationships will grow increasingly transactional.

What Trump's Second Term Means for South Asia

A protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Aug. 15.

In Bangladesh, improving security will not eliminate the high risk of additional violence and protests in the coming weeks, while policy uncertainty and severe political tensions in the coming months will continue to threaten the operating environment for businesses.

In Bangladesh, Improving Security Does Not Spell Stability

Bangladesh is a democratic republic located in South Asia. India borders it to the north, east and west, while Bangladesh shares a narrow southeastern border with Myanmar. Rivers are the defining geographic feature of Bangladesh. The country is home to the world's largest delta, as two of South Asia's major rivers &mdash; the Ganges, known locally as the Padma, and the Brahmaputra &mdash; converge with the Meghna River to drain into the Bay of Bengal. (Bangladesh has a 580-kilometer, or 360-mile, fractured coastline.) The delta plain covers about 80 percent of the country's 147,570 square kilometers (57,000 square miles), while hilly terrain and highlands comprise the rest. Bangladesh's low-lying elevation and numerous river systems make it prone to frequent flooding. Its tropical monsoon climate aids in the cultivation of rice, the country's main crop. Historically poor, Bangladesh has shown a high and sustained economic growth rate in recent years, even as climate change looms as a long-term threat.    Before achieving independence in 1971 as a result of a war between India and Pakistan, Bangladesh was known as East Pakistan and was carved out during the Partition of 1947 from Bengal, a historical region that also includes the Indian state of West Bengal. Unlike other South Asian countries, Bangladesh is a relatively homogeneous country with 98 percent of the population speaking Bengali. Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries, and its capital, Dhaka, is among the world's most populous cities.    As a lower riparian state nearly surrounded by India, which thus comprises its most consequential international partnership, Bangladesh's primary geographic challenge is to ensure water security, while breaking out of its poverty and limiting New Delhi's dominating presence. In the long term, Bangladesh also needs help in adapting to the damaging effects of climate change. Weak boundaries have also meant that Bangladeshi migration into West Bengal and India's northeast has been a source of contention. Similarly, Rohingya migration from neighboring Myanmar into eastern Bangladesh historically has been a sore spot between Dhaka and Naypyidaw.

SITUATION REPORTS

Bangladesh: Interim Government and Political Parties Sign Political Charter

Pakistan, Bangladesh: Governments Strengthen Relations

Bangladesh: Yunus To Formally Ask Election Commission To Schedule Polls for February 2026

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan: Trump Announces Reduced Tariff Rates

Bangladesh: Parties Agree To Establish Election Commission

Bangladesh: IMF To Release $1.3B After Third and Fourth Loan Review

Bangladesh: Interim Leader Yunus Hints at Greater Flexibility on Election Timeline

Bangladesh: Interim Leader Says Elections To Be Held in Early April 2026

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