TOKYO -- Bangladesh is marking the 50th anniversary of its independence from Pakistan today, buoyed by economic progress and a relatively successful response to the coronavirus pandemic -- but aware of the progress still needed to lift more of its 163 million people, 2% of the global population, out of poverty.
Since 1971, when Bangladesh became independent, it has outstripped Pakistan in generating growth, with apparel exports and a surge in remittances helping to drive the economy.
