Economist Podcasts – The Intelligence

Episode: "Dhaka matters: an election for Bangladesh"

Date: February 11, 2026
Hosts: Jason Palmer, Rosie Blore

Overview

This episode explores a historic moment for Bangladesh: its first truly competitive general election in nearly two decades, following the dramatic ousting of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Senior editor Mark Johnson joins from Dhaka to analyze the contenders, the stakes, persistent challenges, and the hopes for lasting democratic renewal. Subsequent segments cover the radical prospects of terraforming beyond Earth and the evolving use of AI in job applications.

Main Segment: The Bangladesh Election

Background and Context

• Bangladesh ousted Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government 18 months ago, after 15 years in power.
• Mass protest movements, driven by Gen-Z, culminated in Hasina’s flight ("The image of Sheikh Hasina fleeing by helicopter was one of the iconic shots of that year." – Rosie Blore, 02:14).
• The upcoming election is seen as the first true test of democracy since 2008.

[02:46]

"This is a seminal moment for Bangladesh. It's the first competitive vote that the country has held since 2008."
— Mark Johnson, Senior Editor

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Election Landscape

• 40% of voters have never participated in a free election.
• Widespread excitement in Dhaka; "election banners all over town" and optimism about democratic prospects.
• Despite revolutionary hopes, the contest is mainly between two established parties.

The Main Contenders

• Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP):
  • Now led by Tariq Rahman, son of ex-leader Khaleda Zia.
  • Rahman's history: 17 years in self-exile in London, widely seen as a power behind BNP during his mother's rule.
  • Allegations of corruption ("allegedly was widely considered one of the most corrupt individuals in Bangladesh" – Mark Johnson, 04:35).
  • Returned due to quashed convictions by new, more independent courts.
  • His leadership and image have changed: "Lots of observers say that the man who's come back is not the same as the man who went away." (05:18)
• Jamaat:
  • Largest and most moderate Islamist party.
  • Leveraging strong social media presence.
  • Appeals as a cleaner, more meritocratic, reformist option ("seen as more favourable towards constitutional reform... more disciplined, more meritocratic" – Mark Johnson, 06:05).
  • Concerns over inclusivity and women's rights: No female candidates; ambiguity on reducing women’s working hours.
  • Questions about their governing capacity persist.

Division and Dilemmas

• Liberal middle class fears a more pious, Islamist government.
• Jamaat's moderate promises contrasted with its conservative moves.
• BNP benefits from Jamaat's weaknesses and uncertainties.

[07:15]

"The economy was on the verge of disaster 18 months ago. It's widely considered that the interim government has managed to pull it back from the brink. But there's a huge amount that hasn't been done—a lot of treading water over the last two years, as you might expect."
— Mark Johnson

Challenges Facing the New Government

• Economic reform:
  • Graduation from "least developed country" status looms, risking loss of trade perks, cheap loans.
  • Urgent need to modernize factories, increase government revenue (currently just 7% of GDP), and fight corruption.
• External relations:
  • Fraught ties with India, who is sheltering Hasina.
  • Bangladesh must recalibrate its relationship with India despite political sensitivities.
• Institutional renewal:
  • The interim government has revised the constitution to safeguard democracy; a referendum will coincide with the election.
  • Pressure to eventually reintegrate the banned Awami League, as a significant part of the electorate remains loyal to them.

Looking Forward

• A sense of accomplishment, but much work ahead:

  "People are, on the whole, optimistic, and they can be proud of what they've achieved since the revolution. But the hard job of building the new Bangladesh is only just begun."
  — Mark Johnson, 09:22

Notable Quotes

• "For a large number of voters, maybe 40% of the country's voters, they've never had a chance to cast a real ballot before." — Mark Johnson, 02:59
• On Jamaat: "They're seen as cleaner than many of the old parties, more disciplined, more meritocratic. And that's attracting votes, some cases in spite of them being Islamist, not because of it." — Mark Johnson, 06:08
• "A new government is going to have to rethink its ties with India and try and get them back on a more stable state." — Mark Johnson, 08:17

Additional Segment Highlights

Terraforming and Applied Astrobiology

Guest: Oliver Morton, Planetary Affairs Editor
[10:10–16:09]

Core Discussion

• Shift from searching for life (astrobiology) to making life possible off-Earth (applied astrobiology).
• Near-term focus: Finding and engineering microbes to turn raw materials on the Moon or Mars into useful products (food, plastics, pharmaceuticals).
• Far-off dream: Terraforming Mars, possibly centuries from practical reality.

Memorable Quotes

• "Once you're used to using bugs that grow in Martian conditions, you might start thinking about how you can build a system whereby the bugs build more of their habitable conditions that allow them to have more bugs." — Oliver Morton, 14:03
• "It's probably easier now to conceive of a habitable Mars... in centuries rather than millennia." — Oliver Morton, 15:35

The Great AI Job Application Arms Race

Guest: Shira Aviona, Business Writer
[16:15–20:18]

Key Points

• AI tools have massively increased the volume and ease of job applications (average per role up 200% since ChatGPT).
• Risks: Bots, automatic application submissions, and infiltration (e.g., North Korean scam operations).
• Corporate responses:
  • "AI policies" requesting transparency.
  • Screening with AI and tougher psychometric/puzzle tests.
  • Trend towards companies seeking out candidates, not the other way around.

Notable Quote

"One firm, Gartner, predicts that by 2028, as many as one in four candidate profiles could be fake." — Shira Aviona, 18:29

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bangladesh Election Introduction & Context: 01:11 – 03:25
• BNP, Jamaat, and Candidates: 03:30 – 05:47
• Election Issues & Economic Challenges: 07:11 – 08:26
• Path Forward, Constitutional Reforms: 08:26 – 09:38
• Terraforming & Astrobiology: 10:10 – 16:09
• AI Job Application Trends: 16:15 – 20:18

Tone & Style

• Analytical, thorough, and fact-driven; yet focused on human stakes and optimism for institutional rebirth in Bangladesh.
• Rich in clear explanations, with candid assessments from correspondents.
• Sprinkled with wry, Economist-style humor, especially in the latter segments.

This episode delivers a nuanced look at Bangladesh’s democratic crossroads, explores humanity’s ambitions beyond Earth, and reveals the AI-fueled reshaping of the job market—all with the Economist’s trademark critical insight and global perspective.