Bangladesh might be one of Asia’s most misunderstood countries… and I’m saying that as somebody who totally had the wrong impression going in.
Most of what I anticipated from Bangladesh came from people’s stories about intense poverty. However, those stories are pretty dated. Of course there is still poverty around Bangladesh, but it is nowhere near where it was in the 90s. Instead, the country has had one of the most impressive trajectories of economic growth within my lifetime.
Bangladesh is full of layers and nuance, and I’m happy I had the chance to visit up close. It gave me a chance to better appreciate its unique position in the world.