Jubilant scenes but bumpy road ahead in post-Hasina Bangladesh

Background

After a tense election cycle, Bangladesh voted in a new leader with the opposition winning in a landslide. With a new government comes uncertainty, especially in the economic sphere. Experts worry about the debt the new government is inheriting, and the potential for adverse effects on the nation's youth and budding middle class.

What Comes Next

The outgoing government handed over leadership with a generous bouquet of issues to unpack. The new government has made initiating dialogue with India a priority in an effort to shore up economic instability. Tensions between the two nations have mounted in recent years over matters of immigration, the sharing of waters, and other ideological differences.

Inflation and Loan Fallout

There are also concerns about how the new government will address rising inflation, as well as internal and external pressures on their debt load. With such a large proportion of the nation's population being young, a key challenge for the new government will be creating more jobs and attracting foreign investment to help buoy the economy.

Anti-corruption Campaign

Another focus of the new government is to stamp out rampant corruption which has long been a burden on the nation. There is hope that this new initiative will be a catalyst for growth and development, but it may also create additional short-term challenges and economic pressure.