United States

Bangladesh

India

Economics

According to Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, India's textile exports will enter the United States duty-free if manufacturers use U.S. cotton yarn, the same tariff benefit granted to Bangladesh, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 12.

India: U.S. Tariffs on Select Indian Textile Exports Set To Ease

Bangladesh secured a reduced 19% U.S. tariff under a bilateral trade deal signed on Feb. 9, Reuters reported the same day.

U.S., Bangladesh: U.S. Reduces Tariffs on Bangladeshi Goods

Politics

Campaigning is underway in Bangladesh ahead of the country's first national elections since the 2024 uprising that forced longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power, with voting scheduled for Feb. 12, AP reported on Jan. 22.

Bangladesh: Campaigning Begins for First National Vote Following Hasina's Fall

Bangladesh's National Citizen Party, or NCP, a student-led group formed from the protest movement that ousted then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has forged an electoral alliance with the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of the February 2026 parliamentary elections, Reuters reported on Dec. 29.

Bangladesh: Student‑Led NCP Forms Electoral Alliance With Islamist Party Jamaat-e-Islami

Bangladesh's Election Commission announced that the country will hold parliamentary elections on Feb. 12, Reuters reported on Dec. 11.

Bangladesh: Election Commission Announces Election Date

Bangladesh's Supreme Court reinstated the practice of installing a nonpartisan caretaker government to oversee the conduct of free and fair national elections, AP reported on Nov. 20.

Bangladesh: Caretaker Government System To Resume After the Next Election

Military & Security

The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia for ordering lethal force against anti-government protesters in the summer of 2024, AP reported on Nov. 17.

Bangladesh: Special Tribunal Sentences Former Prime Minister to Death for Crackdown on 2024 Protests

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

Assessments

A man walks past campaign posters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman and Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on Feb. 13, 2026.

The transition from an interim administration will likely restore political stability, though social and fiscal pressures will still pose constraints for the new center-right government.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party Wins Big in First Election Since 2024 Uprising

Media

Podcasts

What major challenges will the incoming government face?

What To Expect From Bangladesh's Upcoming Elections

Iran

Japan

Thailand

Campaign posters Feb. 6 of candidates running in the upcoming Japanese House of Representatives election, in Inagi, Tokyo prefecture.

U.S.-Iran Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Holds Snap Elections, U.S. Weighs Options After Iran Talks

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters gather for a rally in Sylhet, Bangladesh, ahead of the upcoming national election on Jan. 22, 2026. 

Global Elections

The Feb. 12 ballot could yield a government led by the conservative BNP, a coalition led by the Islamist Jamaat party, or a fragile BNP-Jamaat coalition -- each with distinct implications for Bangladesh's economic, political and foreign policy landscape.

Bangladesh's General Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Nepal

Sri Lanka

How do recent protests in Nepal compare to those in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka?

Essential Geopolitics: Political Instability in South Asia

Columns

On Security

Kenya

Madagascar

Nigeria

South Africa

Chile

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Jordan

Lebanon

Morocco

Tunisia

Turkey

Indonesia

Philippines

Serbia

Fire rages through the Singha Durbar, the main administrative building for the Nepal government, in Kathmandu on Sept. 9, 2025, after youth protesters set fire to the building. 

Recent events in Nepal, Madagascar and elsewhere show how digitally coordinated, leaderless protests can succeed, but eventually face even larger challenges in sustaining the momentum for change.

Worldwide Gen Z Protesters May Be Disappointed With Their Success

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

On Geopolitics

Pakistan

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

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

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

India: U.S. Tariffs on Select Indian Textile Exports Set To Ease

U.S., Bangladesh: U.S. Reduces Tariffs on Bangladeshi Goods

Bangladesh: Campaigning Begins for First National Vote Following Hasina's Fall

Bangladesh: Student‑Led NCP Forms Electoral Alliance With Islamist Party Jamaat-e-Islami

Bangladesh: Election Commission Announces Election Date

Bangladesh: Caretaker Government System To Resume After the Next Election

Bangladesh: Special Tribunal Sentences Former Prime Minister to Death for Crackdown on 2024 Protests

Bangladesh: Interim Government and Political Parties Sign Political Charter

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