Families of forced disappearance victims hold photos of the missing in Dhaka on June 25. (Photo courtesy of Maayer Daak)
Politics

Bangladesh disappearances may spike ahead of polls: rights groups

Government rejects link to abductions, torture and extrajudicial killings of critics

30 August 2023
A woman votes in Bangladesh's last general election in 2018, which was marred by violence and allegations of rigging.
Politics

Bangladesh election observer controversy casts new doubt on polls

Commission's list of monitors scrutinized over ruling party ties

21 August 2023
The multipurpose Padma bridge connects Dhaka with the south of Bangladesh. The repayment of a Chinese loan for a railway portion of the bridge is due to start soon.
Economy

Bangladesh's looming debt bills to China, Russia fuel forex fears

Dhaka must be 'very careful' with reserves as infrastructure loans come due

18 August 2023
Bangladeshi police confront opposition protesters blocking a highway into Dhaka on July 29.
Politics

Bangladesh election tensions rise as protests erupt, economy dims

Nation at crossroads between democracy and 'closed autocracy,' expert says

31 July 2023
Nonnative English researchers struggle to read, write, revise and prepare presentations in English, taking nearly twice as long as native speakers to read research papers, for example. 
Education

Nonnative English researchers take 91% longer in reading: study

Japanese, Bangladeshi, Nepali scholars face high hurdles to scholarship

29 July 2023
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Asia's Age of Hydropolitics

Vietnam's Mekong Delta is sinking, but innovations offer hope

From lotus farms to 'floating rice,' farmers get creative in face of China dams, climate change

28 July 2023
Stream article image
Asia's Age of Hydropolitics

Bangladesh, Brahmaputra serve as proxy for Sino-Indian conflict

China, India dams stoke tensions as region's most vulnerable suffer

26 July 2023
Ships sailing in the Kashi River in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China.
Asia's Age of Hydropolitics

China dams make 'upstream superpower' presence felt in Asia

Enormous water diversion projects spark concern across region

24 July 2023
Mugda Medical College & Hospital in Dhaka is struggling to cope with the high number of patients suffering from dengue.
Society

Deadly dengue sweeps Bangladesh, risks deepening economic pain

Some blame lax mosquito eradication while others point to climate change

22 July 2023
The Three Gorges Dam discharges water to lower reservoir levels following heavy rain. China's latest hydropower project would be three times bigger. 
Opinion

China can't just keep building the world's biggest dam in secret

Brahmaputra project poses risks for India and Bangladesh

14 July 2023
A recent leak from a Bangladesh government website exposed names, birth dates, national identification numbers and other sensitive information on millions of citizens. (Source photo by AP) 
Economy

Huge Bangladesh government data leak hints at other vulnerabilities

Latest wake-up call comes as nation aims to grow digital banking, other services

12 July 2023
The U.S. is a top export destination for Bangladesh, but diplomatic relations have soured over Washington's warnings about January elections in the South Asian nation.
International relations

U.S. team seeks to break heated election standoff in Bangladesh

Ties fraying over Washington threat to sanction officials who block 'free' polls

10 July 2023
Foreign workers work at a construction site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia following the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.
Work

Migrant workers in Asia approach pre-pandemic levels

Remittances to home countries in Asia-Pacific region hit record high in 2022

6 July 2023
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo in April. Tokyo has been Dhaka's largest single bilateral aid provider since 2012. (Pool via Reuters)
Opinion

The India-Japan-Bangladesh triangle is worth watching

New Delhi and Tokyo are jointly supporting new infrastructure to counter China

28 June 2023
Bangladesh's first deepwater port will be built here near the Matarbari coal-fired plant, which is nearing completion. (Photo by Toru Takahashi)
International relations

Japan funding fuels development boom on Bangladesh coast

New power plant and port come at crucial point in country's economic development

26 June 2023
Bangladesh, India and Nepal are expected to soon finalize an agreement that would allow power sharing across Indian transmission lines. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
International relations

Bangladesh, India, Nepal near 'milestone' electricity trade deal

Arrangement hailed as step toward South Asian energy sustainability

25 June 2023
Bangladesh has been squeezed by a lack of dollars needed to import fuel oil, gas and coal. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
Economy

Bangladesh tightens policy to cut inflation, meet IMF conditions

South Asian nation to let local taka currency float freely against U.S. dollar

19 June 2023
Bangladesh's central bank is expected to lay down guidelines for setting up digital banks. (Source photo by Getty Images) 
Economy

Bangladesh readies digital bank framework in push to go cashless

Country follows lead of India and Pakistan, but 2016 hack looms large

13 June 2023
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina contends that the U.S. is pursuing a strategy of regime change in her country. (Pool via Reuters)
Opinion

Uneven U.S. treatment of Bangladesh and Pakistan makes little sense

Sanctions against Dhaka officials unlikely to help cause of democracy

12 June 2023
A man drinks lemonade from a street vendor during a heat wave compounded by power cuts in Dhaka on June 6.
Climate Change

Bangladesh blackouts magnify heat wave linked to climate change

Forex shortage further reduces electricity generation, frustrating residents

9 June 2023
Dhaka ferrymen eat on a boat on the Buriganga River: Inflation is putting a heavy strain on Bangladesh's public.
Economy

Bangladesh's 'expansionary' $71bn budget raises financing doubts

Analysts warn plan may exacerbate pressures that drove Moody's downgrade

2 June 2023
Bangladesh's upcoming elections have become a source of tension with the U.S., after the last two polls were widely criticized. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images)
International relations

Bangladesh faces election test as U.S. draws line on manipulation

Analysts say visa policy shows Washington's 'exasperation' with Dhaka

30 May 2023
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina aims for Bangladesh to become a developed nation, but the nation's flawed power supply system could derail such plans. The country's giant Matarbari coal-fired power project has been scaled back amid concerns over its environmental impact. (Photos by Reuters and Toru Takahashi)
Energy

Can Bangladesh beat decarbonization challenge to achieve growth?

Travails of coal power project point to difficult economic road ahead

29 May 2023
A worker in Dhaka dries rice: Bangladesh's agricultural sector, which accounts for 12% of GDP, has been challenged to meet ever-growing demand for food grains.
Opinion

With support, Bangladesh can improve its food security

New rice mill will help reduce wastage and increase women's participation

23 May 2023
Workers in Dhaka: Some economists say belt-tightening on imports may strangle Bangladesh's industrial development and job creation.
Economy

Bangladesh on hot seat to meet IMF loan targets

Second-tranche reviews loom as pressure grows to boost reserves but also imports

19 May 2023