The House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held a hearing titled “Bangladesh in Turmoil: A Nation on the Brink,” where they will discuss the growing instability in Bangladesh.

Testifying at the hearing are Major General Muniruzzaman; Ali Riaz, public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center; President at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies; John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch; and Bikash Chowdhury Barua, chairman at Bangladesh Support Group (BASUG).

The American Security Project (ASP) held an event titled “Bangladesh at a Crossroads,” with four different panel discussions on the various problems that the country faces in the status quo.  These discussions included the upcoming elections, the rise of terrorism, the economy, and the impact that climate change will have on the country.

Videos of the event can be found on our blog.

On top of the population stress, Bangladesh is placed in a very volatile region, neighboring China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The threat of terrorism is increasing with the rise of domestic groups and outside groups seeking to impose their will.

Climate change is causing significant displacement in a country that is already ranked in the top ten of the world’s most densely populated countries.

We also have a fact sheet on Bangladesh, providing a background to some of the issues that could create instability in the country.

The hearing will be an important step in bringing Bangladesh to the limelight and making sure that policymakers are aware of the national interest in ensuring the region remains stable. A stream of the event can be found here beginning at 2:00 EST.

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