COVID-19 ails Bangladesh's health, politics and economy – East Asia Forum

COVID-19 ails Bangladesh's health, politics and economy 5 Ali Riaz, Illinois State University The COVID-19 pandemic was pivotal in shaping the politics and economy of Bangladesh in 2020. The official death count remains lower than in other South Asian countries. Yet COVID-19 will have long-term health, political and economic impacts. It has laid bare the economy's structural weaknesses and accelerated the growing authoritarianism of the incumbent Bangladesh Awami League government. It was also coupled with two other pandemics: persecuting government critics and widespread corruption. Bangladesh's government underestimated the severity of COVID-19 and was ill-prepared before it hit the country. As…