Saqlain Rizve

2 weeks ago | thediplomat.com | Saqlain Rizve

When Donald Trump announced his new tariff rules for more than 180 countries on April 2, what he termed as “Liberation Day,” it sent shockwaves across the global trade landscape. Like other regions, South Asia, a region of over 2.04 billion people, whose economies rely heavily on exports to the United States, will be deeply impacted by Trump’s tariffs. Governments in the region will need to respond quickly to ensure that their already struggling economies do not sink further.

3 weeks ago | thediplomat.com | Saqlain Rizve

While Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’ visit to China was significant, there were no major breakthroughs. The visit of Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to China from March 26 to 29 was significant for several reasons. It was his first official bilateral visit abroad since the political transition in Bangladesh in August 2024. More importantly, it signaled a growing Bangladeshi reliance on China as its lead economic partner.

1 month ago | thediplomat.com | Saqlain Rizve

“We do not want the Awami League to participate in the elections.” Within the first three weeks of the mass protests against a quota system in government jobs that swept Bangladesh in July 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s violent crackdown had claimed the lives of over 300 protesters. As anger against the government bubbled over, Nahid Islam, a key leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, called for Hasina’s resignation on August 3.

1 month ago | thediplomat.com | Saqlain Rizve

A gold jewelry businessman was brutally attacked and robbed in Dhaka’s Rampura area on the night of February 23. A group of five to six men, armed with a gun and machetes, are reported to have assaulted him as he returned home from work. They beat him up and then shot at him before looting his belongings, including 200 carats of gold. Shocking footage of the incident quickly went viral on social media, showing the victim surrendering his belongings in a desperate bid to save his life.

2 months ago | thediplomat.com | Saqlain Rizve

Six months have passed since the Sheikh Hasina government was ousted from power in a student-led mass uprising. Since then, the Awami League (AL), the party she leads, has remained absent from major political events. Many of its leaders, including Hasina, have fled the country. Over the past six months, Bangladesh’s political dynamics have shifted significantly. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have emerged the dominant political forces.