Bangladesh

Small Farming, Urbanisation And Climate Migration

December 2, 2024 Jake Smaje, Resilience.org. Educate! Bangladesh, climate crisis, Food and Agriculture, Migration, Small Farmers

Bangladesh is a small country that sits within the Northeast of South Asia with India wrapped around it, and Myanmar to the South. Despite its small size and relatively recent independence, Bangladesh plays an oversized role in the way poverty, development, climate change and urbanisation are imagined globally. Often in discussions of climate change the conversation turns to Bangladesh as a country imagined to be sinking, throwing out waves of climate migrants across the world. For many reasons this vision is wrong. I don’t have space to go into this in depth here (see further references below). Instead, I want to tell a different but connected story about Bangladesh, urbanisation and the environment.

Harris And Trump Want US Hegemony Over The World To Continue

November 4, 2024 Abdul Rahman, People's Dispatch. Educate! 2024 US Presidential elections, Asia, Bangladesh, Donald Trump, Modi US visit, Narendra Modi, Newsclick, Taimur Rahman, United States, US Imperialism

On November 5, the people of the United States will head to the polls to elect their next president and legislators. The two leading contenders in the presidential race, Donald Trump from the Republican party and Kamala Harris from the Democratic Party are neck and neck in the majority of opinion polls so far, generating increased speculation on what the outcome will be and what impact their policies may have on the world. With regards to South Asia, historically, the US has maintained relationships of a different character with countries in the region, and these relationships have rarely been impacted by a particular electoral outcome.

Will Bangladesh Be Another Egypt?

August 26, 2024 Vijay Prashad, People's Dispatch. Educate! Bangladesh, Egypt, History, Regime Change, Sheikh Hasina

The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina.

Probing US Regime-Change in Pakistan And Bangladesh

August 23, 2024 Jeffrey D. Sachs, Consortium News. Educate! Bangladesh, Coups, Pakistan, United Nations, US Regime Change

Two former leaders of major South Asian countries have reportedly accused the United States of covert regime change operations to topple their governments. One of the leaders, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, languishes in prison, on a perverse conviction that proves Khan’s assertion. The other leader, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, fled to India following a violent coup in her country. Their grave accusations against the U.S., as reported in the world media, should be investigated by the U.N., since if true, the U.S. actions would constitute a fundamental threat to world peace and to regional stability in South Asia.

Retaliatory Violence Grips Bangladesh Weeks After Hasina’s Resignation

August 18, 2024 Abdul Rahman, People's Dispatch. Educate! Awami League, Bangladesh, Elections, State Violence

The commemoration in Dhaka of the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, considered to be the founder of the nation, was marked by violent attacks. Hundreds of people had gathered in Dhaka to honor Bangladesh’s first prime minister, but were met with large-scale violence by protesters, including students. The incident comes just two weeks after Sheikh Hasina stepped down as prime minister of Bangladesh. Those participating in the commemoration, which included members of Hasina’s Awami League, were reportedly attempting to reach Sheikh’s home but were prevented from doing so by students who also blocked journalists trying to cover the incident.

Ex-Bangladeshi Prime Minister Says US Orchestrated Her Ouster

August 13, 2024 Orinoco Tribune. Educate! Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, student movement, US Imperialism, US Regime Change

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused the United States, in a letter published on Sunday, of orchestrating her ouster after she refused to give up the sovereignty of the strategic island of St. Martin. “I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal,” the letter obtained by The Economic Times read. Hasina said last summer that Bangladesh would not lease the island, without specifying the details or the interested party. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said days later that the US had never mentioned plans to take control of the island.

Breaking Silence After Ouster, Sheikh Hasina Accuses United States

August 11, 2024 Pia Krishnankutty, ThePrint. Educate! Bangladesh, coup, Sheikh Hasina, US Imperialism

In her latest statement, Hasina, the longest-serving prime minister in Bangladesh’s history, warned the new interim government not be “used” by such foreign powers. The 17-member advisory council, which includes four members who lean towards the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and three affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami, took oath Thursday night. The Bangladesh Parliament was dissolved earlier this week, after army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced Hasina’s resignation shortly after she fled the country. “I resigned so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over your (students’) bodies, I did not allow it. I came with power,” read Hasina’s statement.

Sheikh Hasina Resigns As Prime Minister And Leaves Bangladesh

August 6, 2024 People's Dispatch. Resist! Awami League, Bangladesh, Imperialism, Mass Action, Regime Change, Sheikh Hasina, US

Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country, army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced during an address to the nation in the afternoon of Monday, August 5. The Army chief also claimed to have taken full responsibility over the government, promising that an interim government would be formed soon after consulting all the opposition parties. He also appealed to the protesters to end their demonstrations with a hope that the violence would stop. Waker-Uz-Zaman promised that he will make sure that all persons responsible for the killing of protesters are held accountable for their acts.

A Student Movement Sets Out To Conquer Bangladesh

July 22, 2024 Santiago Montag, Left Voice. Resist! Bangladesh, India, Repression, Worker Rights, Youth Activism

The university campuses of Dhaka are usually peaceful spaces, far from the din of the traffic of the city outside. The buildings of Jahangirnagar University are immersed in the jungle forests of the Bay of Bengal where the youth can enjoy exchanging ideas in the tea rooms and train for their future. Dhaka University also boasts of large parks that seek to generate the same tranquility and seclusion. Until a few days ago, few would have guessed that the youth of these campuses would flood the streets of the capital and start a major rebellion that would soon spread across the country, sparking an unprecedented crisis that would put the current Awami League government on the ropes.

11 Lessons From 11 Years After The Rana Plaza Disaster

April 24, 2024 Anna Canning and Sarah Newell, In These Times. Strategize! Bangladesh, History, India, Rana Plaza, Worker Rights, Workplace Safety

On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building collapsed in Bangladesh killing 1,134 people and injuring approximately 2,500 more. Those deaths were preventable. In the aftermath of the deadliest incident in the history of the apparel manufacturing industry, worker organizations and activists around the globe rallied around the demand: “Rana Plaza Never Again.” Since that horrific day, workers have won binding, enforceable protections to make that rallying cry a reality. The Bangladesh Accord, now known as the International Accord, has received recognition around the globe for transforming basic workplace conditions for three million garment workers.

The US Wants To Overthrow Prime Minister Hasina From Power

August 25, 2023 Democracy Files, Orinoco Tribune Educate! Bangladesh, Imran Khan, Pakistan, Regime Change, US Imperialism

An empire doesn’t like those who are unwilling to serve its purpose. Since the invasion of Ukraine, the White House made it crystal clear that the nations who denounce or won’t support its “unprecedented and expansive” sanctions against Russia, will have to pay a heavy price. The world already witnessed Washington’s removal of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan who refused to sing the same tune along with the Empire to wage a war against Russia by visiting Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine. He refused to be a slave of the Western powers and shouted out loud, “What do you think of us? Are we your slaves… that whatever you say, we will do?”

The Modern Form Of Colonialism: Climate Change

June 25, 2023 Tapti Sen, Inequality.org. Educate! Bangladesh, climate crisis, Climate Justice, Environment

I am from a disappearing nation. My country, Bangladesh, is one of several at risk of becoming submerged partially or completely by rising sea levels caused by climate change in the coming decades. 75 percent of the country lies below sea level. Bangladesh, a tropical country on top of a low-lying delta, is no stranger to flooding, especially during monsoon season. But the extent to which this flooding has taken place in recent years is unprecedented. Flooding in Sylhet and other northeastern districts of Bangladesh between May and June of 2022 displaced an estimated 15 million people – approximately 9 percent of the country – and toppled hundreds of villages in 2022 alone.

Death Of Over A Thousand Garment Workers In Bangladesh

April 21, 2023 Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental: Institute For Social Research. Educate! Bangladesh, Capitalism, India, Worker Rights and Jobs

On Wednesday 24 April 2013, 3,000 workers entered Rana Plaza, an eight-story building in the Dhaka suburb of Savar in Bangladesh. They produced garments for the transnational commodity chain that stretches from the cotton fields of South Asia, through Bangladesh’s machines and workers, and on to retail houses in the Western world. Garments for famous brands such as Benetton, Bonmarché, Prada, Gucci, Versace, and Zara are stitched here, as are the cheaper clothes that hang on Walmart racks. The previous day, Bangladeshi authorities had asked the owner, Sohel Rana, to evacuate the building due to structural problems.

Study Throws New Light On Unfair Practices By Global Fashion Brands

January 26, 2023 People's Dispatch. Educate! Bangladesh, Fashion Industry, neo-colonialism, Worker Rights and Jobs

A study published this month found that popular international fashion brands with factories in Bangladesh were involved in multiple “unfair practices,” such as paying suppliers below the cost of production, which had an impact on workers and their livelihoods. The study conducted by Aberdeen University and advocacy group Transform Trade, titled ‘Impact of Global Clothing Retailers’ Unfair Practices on Bangladeshi Suppliers During COVID-19,’ was based on the survey of 1,000 Bangladeshi factories that manufacture garments for international fashion firms. It found that these factories were facing rising costs for raw materials, and nearly one in five struggled to pay the Bangladeshi minimum wage of £2.30 per day. Professor Pamela Abbott, co-investigator of the study and director of the Center for Global Development at the University of Aberdeen, claimed that fashion brands were extracting their wealth from some of the world’s poorest countries, a form of 21st century neo-colonialism.

In Bangladesh, Concerns Mount Over Mass Displacement And Climate Change

October 18, 2022 People's Dispatch. Educate! Bangladesh, climate crisis, Food and Agriculture, Global South

Rising sea levels and extreme flooding in Bangladesh are devastating lives and livelihoods. This year, floods in Bangladesh killed more than 100 people and, according to AFP, eroded at least 1,800 hectares (4,500 acres) of land according to estimates by Bangladesh’s Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS). The homes of at least 10,000 people were also affected. Totally, as many as 7.2 million have been affected by the floods, as per the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Cross Societies, and nearly half a million had to flee their homes and take refuge elsewhere as water levels rose this summer. As per a report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in February, climate change is also severely impacting the country’s food production. According to *New Age Bangladesh,* the report points with alarm to the “declining production” of basic food grains such as rice and wheat, by 12-17% and 12-61%, respectively, by “mid-century.”

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