M Shahidul Islam

It is undeniable that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has, quite deftly, made the most of the fast-changing regional and global geopolitics, eventually emerging as a strong leader in South Asia.

Relations between China and Bangladesh have undergone a speedy transformation in the past few decades. The former is the latter's

The Rohingya refugee crisis has exposed Bangladesh's diplomatic weaknesses. No permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has strongly backed Dhaka to solve the refugee problem.

While China has been investing in Myanmar for decades, in recent years, one notices greater Indian interests in the country. In this piece, I will try to explore both China and India's stakes in Myanmar.

China and India's steady economic growth after centuries of stagnation is changing the economic landscape of Asia—lifting millions out of poverty. As economic interdependence between the two nations increases, their geo-political rivalry is also on the rise. Beijing and New Delhi have competing visions to expand their geo-economic interests and, perhaps, supremacy in the region and beyond.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Bangladesh is likely to be a landmark one owing to a number of factors. After three decades, a Chinese President is visiting Bangladesh, signifying growing importance of the country in South Asia's economics and geo-politics.

Financial cooperation between Beijing and Dhaka is likely to add a new dimension to the economic ties between the two countries. China's ambitious plan to internationalise its currency could help Bangladesh conduct a portion of trade in Renminbi (RMB) and secure some reserves in RMB-denominated assets.

Singapore is set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence on August 9. Once known as a backward fishing village, Singapore now has one of the highest per capita GDP (about US$56,000) in the world.