Collage: Panelists at Sapan Bangladesh Country Focus webinar. Visual by Sushmita Preetha

Post-uprising Bangladesh grapples with power, inclusion, and hope; rethink of ties with India

The aspirations of Gen-Z are on the walls, calling for a more tolerant and pluralistic society, with a sense of justice. "All political parties have heard that and understand that the newer generation are the most important voting bank at this moment. They don’t believe in the binary we have lived in for such a long time."

The changing state of Pakistani politics, for better or for worse

Today in Pakistan universities have proliferated and where in 2000 there were about 1 million post secondary students, in 2020 there were nearly 5 million and they have expectations, and they are also more political. But it is also the 30 and 40 year olds, generations of Pakistanis who are frustrated with the lifestyle of the rich and corrupt, and of a military they increasingly see in a similar light.

Pollution blows with the wind: South Asia's public health challenge needs harmonized regional action

In the larger South Asia context, air pollution does not follow national boundaries and therefore the solutions for all the airsheds cannot come from any one city or a country. The countries in South Asia – India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan - that share a common airshed are impacted by the transboundary pollution. More than half of the air pollution across major cities in South Asia is not local but transboundary in nature.

South Asia's climate crisis needs a regional response

Regional bodies like the SAARC, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, have the potential to foster cooperation on climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and trans-border pollution control. However, geopolitical tensions, particularly between India and Pakistan, hinder progress.

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Walking toward a new dawn? Why I took my teen daughters to Lahore’s Aurat March

An exhibition based on actual incidents of sexual violence had clothing hanging from clotheslines, a poignant reminder of what rape survivors and victims were wearing when attacked. Approximately eleven women are raped every day in Pakistan.

India-Bangladesh-Myanmar-Thailand quadrilateral cooperation and connectivity will be hugely beneficial to the region

If the Bangladesh-Myanmar-Thailand-India trilateral highway project and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) corridor were integrated, ASEAN members could access the markets of Bangladesh, northern India, and the Himalayan countries of Bhutan, and Nepal. 

India and Australia: Strategic partners bound by growing soft power linkages

Higher education has emerged as an important linkage between both countries. As  Australia seeks to reduce dependence on Chinese students, it would want to attract more Indian students.

Brain drain in Sri Lanka: A tragedy with a long term economic effect

This craze for migration is going to have a huge detrimental effect on Sri Lanka as it will be left with very few skilled workers to develop and contribute to the Sri Lankan economy.

India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline is a major milestone in bilateral cooperation, will help regional energy integration

Bhutan and Nepal would also benefit from the pipeline project. The two nations will have the chance to take part in the regional energy market and have access to a reliable energy source. The BBIN region’s economy will grow as the pipeline project fits in with the region’s overarching goal of enhancing integration and connectivity in South Asia. 

Has Myanmar had a change of heart on Rohingya repatriation?

Acting under international pressure, Myanmar has apparently made the decision to reintegrate persecuted Rohingya based on nationality verification - with the repatriated Rohingya being referred to as "Bengali foreigners" - under the active supervision of international organizations and China, the United States, and EU countries.

A funding crisis will hit Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh; India and China need to do more

However, India, China, and other regional actors have yet to establish a firm position on the Rohingya repatriation process and peace talks to end the crisis in Myanmar. While the US is strongly supporting Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue, China and India’s geopolitical and geoeconomic interests in Myanmar have left Bangladesh to manage the Rohingya crisis alone.

Why can't South Asia remove barriers to love?

Kolkata-based Bangladeshi environmental activist Natasha Ahmed spoke about her cross-border marriage and the challenges she faces living in India with her husband and children. Her sister is married to a man of Pakistani origin. They face many complications meeting each other’s families due to the visa restrictions between India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

COVID-19 and South Asian exports in Asian perspective: Maldives most integrated country, Pakistan least

The data for South Asia shows that Maldives is the most globally integrated country in the region followed by  Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Pakistan in terms of the average percentage of exports that formed part of the global value chain during the period 2019-2021.

Digital financial products will enhance financial inclusion in Bangladesh

Women in Bangladesh often have limited access to financial services, which can make it difficult for them to cope with climate change impacts such as floods, droughts, or cyclones. Digital financial products such as mobile banking and digital savings accounts can help to overcome these barriers and increase financial inclusion among women.

Reimagining international education: Australia’s India opportunity

This overbearing numbers-driven outlook has, so far, defined policy on international education. However, if India-Australia relations are to reflect a genuine partnership, the narrative needs to shift from transactional to transformational. This requires that the very purpose behind international education is dramatically rethought and altered.

Pakistan's clean history in utilisation of nuclear energy needs recognition

Karachi was the first Pakistani city to benefit from nuclear energy after KANUPP was connected to the grid. The inauguration of K-2 and now K-3 is a milestone in Pakistan’s quest to increase the share of clean nuclear energy. 

Pakistan's future is tied to its balancing ties with the US and China

If US-Pakistan ties were to deteriorate further, Islamabad has limited options since Beijing in recent months has clearly shown that it will assist Pakistan in dealing with its economic problems only up to a point.

Winds of change in Myanmar? Shifting narratives bode well for the persecuted Rohingya community

There has been an outpouring of support for ethnic minorities among protesters of the regime, particularly among the younger generation, who believe that a lasting peace in Myanmar can only be achieved if it includes all of Myanmar's citizens, regardless of class, ethnicity, or religious affiliation. This shift in empathy has also altered long-held perceptions of the Rohingya.

Keeping faith in a plural and diverse India

Such deliberations around the themes of interfaith harmony, pluralism, diversity, and solidarity bring hope, and perhaps signify the need and readiness among Indians to start reconsidering their nation’s pluralist legacy.