Growth and stagnation: Bangladesh’s first 50 years

<p>The country has empowered its women, established itself as a garment-industry powerhouse and vastly improved public health—but its politics <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/03/27/as-it-turns-50-bangladesh-is-doing-well-despite-its-politicians?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">remains troubled</a>. The pandemic has not reduced average global happiness, but rather <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/03/20/the-pandemic-has-changed-the-shape-of-global-happiness?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reshaped it</a>: the old are more content and the young less so. And a look at the <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/03/24/the-jumbo-traffic-jam-on-the-suez-canal?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">staggering costs</a> of the Suez Canal blockage. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>