Navigating a Convergence of Crises: Bangladesh at a Crossroads

In this commentary, BIPSS Research Assistant Jannatul Toba Jhumu examines Bangladesh’s growing exposure to a convergence of interconnected crises spanning energy insecurity, economic fragility, public health breakdown, and emerging security risks. She argues that external shocks such as Middle East instability are compounding domestic vulnerabilities at a critical juncture marked by political transition, LDC graduation pressures, and rising debt burdens. Beyond economic concerns, she also highlights the reemergence of public health failures, particularly the measles outbreak linked to weakened vaccination systems, alongside renewed risks of extremism and radicalization. Toba concludes that Bangladesh is not confronting isolated crises but a systemic accumulation of pressures, and argues that the country’s future resilience will depend on shifting from reactive crisis management toward anticipatory, strategic, and long-term policy planning.