Bangladesh rises to be South Asia's standout star as India, Pak fall behind

Bangladesh's growth rests on three pillars: exports, social progress and fiscal prudence

Half a century ago, in March 1971, Bangladesh’s founders declared their independence from richer and more powerful Pakistan. The country was born amid famine and war; millions fled to India or were killed by Pakistani soldiers. To the Pakistani military’s American backers, the new country seemed destined to fail: Henry Kissinger, then Secretary of State, famously called it a “basketcase.” George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organized the first-ever super-benefit to raise money for UNICEF relief work in the struggling country.

This month, Bangladesh’s Cabinet Secretary told reporters that GDP per capita had grown by 9% over the past year,