Category: Country Reports
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November 2019
Overview. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made an official visit to India, where she signed bilateral agreements that included an MoU regards the Feni river. The World Bank has forecast GDP growth of 7% for Bangladesh for the 2019-20 fiscal year. On the security front, the murder of student Abrar Fahad by Chatra League members sparked…
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October 2019
Overview. Whilst Pakistan Defence Day celebrations and country-wide Shia religious processions by passed without incident, there were a number of terrorist attacks in Balochistan throughout the month. PM Khan remained focused on Kashmir and spoke on the topic at UN General Assembly session in the New York. Kashmir. Kashmir Solidarity rallies continue to be…
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October 2019
Overview. The desire for a bilateral meeting at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Trump’s part was said to be a factor in the sacking of the stridently anti-Iran US National Security Advisor this month. While John Bolton’s departure may be positive for US-Iran relations in the medium term, serious attacks on Saudi oil targets,…
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October 2019
Overview. The Prime Minister’s statement regarding the Rohingyas at the 74th UN General Assembly in New York is the main political story of the month. The Asian Development Bank has projected Bangladesh’s growth to be the fastest in Asia in the coming year. The crackdown on casinos and illegal gambling has seen police and security…
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September 2019
Overview. A challenging month for PM Khan – continued terrorist attacks by various groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Islamabad, and India’s revocation of Jammu & Kashmir’s Special Status both added to an already full agenda, punctuated by Eid-ul-Adha and Pakistan Independence Day. On the plus side, PM Khan extended the Chief of the Army…
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September 2019
Overview. Diplomatic moves around the G7 raised hopes of direct US-Iran talks, but initial positive noises from Iran were rolled back as conservatives applied pressure to the Reformist government. The Iranian tanker held in Gibraltar Grace 1 was released, while Iran still holds UK-registered vessel Stena Impero. Domestically, anti-corruption arrests look increasingly politically-motivated and are…