Unprecedentedly, the world’s political and economic landscape is evolving to a larger extent day by day. According to the world’s political history, from 1946 to 1991, the world witnessed a bipolar order led by two influential countries: the United States and the Soviet Union. Having said that, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its alliance, the Warsaw Pact, the world order shifted into almost a unipolar system led by the United States. The question now arises: is it still a unipolar world order led by the United States? The answer is a ‘big’ no. This is because the world is now thoroughly interconnected, highly interdependent, and globalized, thanks to technological advancements and the omnipresence of democracy, liberalism, and capitalism.
The recent rise of China in the global sphere —mainly after 2010 — which has surpassed the USA’s economy has added a new dimension to global politics and economics. India, Russia, Iran, and Turkey are also some crucial players in international politics. Even a small state like Taiwan, which is under China’s sphere of influence, has been playing a significant role for years in international politics and the global economy as it produces semiconductors, an increasingly important raw material for various technological products. Some other countries are also increasingly playing their role in international politics, the global economy, and regional platforms, including the economic platforms. Alternatively saying, the world is now adopting many characteristics that are no more unipolar.
While the USA deliberately seeks to maintain its status quo by any means, China and other influential countries like Russia, India, and Iran, on the other hand, aim to challenge the USA’s sole dominance in international politics and economics. To achieve such foreign policy goals, countries are introducing organizations and platforms including the NATO, BRICS, QUAD, AUKUS, ANZUS, BIMSTEC, SAARC, Belt and Road Initiative, Indo-Pacific Strategy, and European Union. These key stakeholders attract developing countries into their respective spheres of influence, either by joining their initiatives or staying away from their rivals. Consequently, many developing countries in the Global South find themselves in a dilemma regarding which side to support. Without a doubt, Bangladesh is a prime example of this predicament.
Due to its rich history and strategic geographic location business hub (a country with 180 million people), Bangladesh has become a focal point for powerful states ranging from China and India in Asia to the USA and Russia in the West. Since all these countries are of paramount importance for the country’s well-being, Bangladesh increasingly needs to maintain a balanced foreign policy. In an era of neo-realism, constructivism, nationalism, and protectionism, Bangladesh’s position as a staunch advocate of multilateralism and regional cooperation might act as a catalyst for building mutual and shared future relationships among all the key actors around the world. By any means, Bangladesh should enhance mutual relations with neighboring countries and region-based institutions, along with global actors and international organizations.
In dealing with diverse international affairs, Bangladesh’s foreign policy consequently must evolve to keep pace with the rapidly changing global political and economic landscape. The world’s political economy and security dynamics are volatile, even as nations remain interconnected and interdependent. Foreign policies of several countries including, but not limited to, Turkey and Vietnam, which are prudently maintaining their international relations through a blend of two theories, realism and liberal institutionalism, can be helpful to make Bangladesh’s foreign policy of balancing geo-economic and geo-political rivalries. While Turkey maintains a close relationship with NATO on security grounds and is involved economically with various parties including Russia and China, Vietnam engages economically with China, despite having some conflicts, and strengthens relations including security ties with the USA and other Western nations.
Balancing relations with India, an important neighbor, and China, which provides strategic and economic support, requires Bangladesh to navigate its relationships with prudence. By participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative and India’s BBIN initiative, Bangladesh can maintain mutual and effective relationships with both, though this might become more challenging in the future due to ongoing China-India conflicts. Meanwhile, strengthening relations with the USA is crucial as it is Bangladesh’s largest market, particularly for Ready Made Garments —a key product for Bangladesh. The vast amount of foreign currency comes from this particular country. Historically, the USA has supported Bangladesh in various ways, from security assistance to financial aid. Given that the USA’s influence is everywhere, it is a key factor for every country.
Bangladesh, at the same time, should focus on diversification immediately. Depending on the RMG alone might be a threat to the future economy. Even if a country imposes extra political pressure due to its economic and/or political gains, Bangladesh’s economy will fall down or, at least, suffer. So, the country needs to reduce its dependency on any single country, product, or theory. Multilateralism and diversification will — hands down — help mitigate the economic risks and enhance the bargaining power of the country, leading to economic and political progress. In this context, Bangladesh could seek agreements with countries like Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Another key foreign policy priority is resolving the Rohingya refugee crisis — the worst crisis for Bangladesh. Instead of relying solely on bilateral discussions with Myanmar, Bangladesh needs to elevate the issue to the international levels — the UN and the International Criminal Court. By leveraging soft power and a prudent foreign policy, Bangladesh must garner international support to address the crisis, at least to mitigate it. The USA, China, and India may play “premium” roles in resolving the Rohingya issue, and Bangladesh should maintain dialogue with these countries. Alternatively, under the supervision of the UN, Bangladesh may explore the possibility of resettling refugees in other countries where there is a need for human resources, inspired by Turkey and Jordan.
Climate change diplomacy is another foreign policy priority. Despite being less responsible for global warming, Bangladesh has become one of the most vulnerable countries. Climate change has led to numerous disasters in Bangladesh including frequent floods, tornadoes, earthquakes and land erosion. Almost every year, these events take a heavy toll each year — resulting in human and economic losses. Based on the current trend of climate change, scientists have predicted that certain parts of Bangladesh will be submerged in a few decades due to rising sea levels. Thus, to mitigate the effects of these disasters, Bangladesh should seek climate incentives from global powers. Enhancing regional diplomacy, particularly with India, is of utmost importance for both countries as the two countries share significant water resources.
Bangladesh should also expand its multilateral engagement through peacekeeping operations under the United Nations. Historically, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have earned a strong reputation worldwide through their professionalism and skills. Through proactive diplomacy, Bangladesh can establish business relationships with the host countries where its peacekeepers served, serve and will be serving. Through building stronger bilateral ties with the host countries, Bangladesh as a whole may take steps to expand trade, export Bangladeshi products, and provide skilled workers.
To address energy shortages, Bangladesh can expand foreign policies. As part of its foreign policy, Bangladesh may increasingly negotiate energy deals with countries like Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia. Simultaneously, Bangladesh must focus on enhancing its maritime capabilities to protect its blue economy and wealth. The Bay of Bengal is a source of immense natural wealth — including energy — and the region plays a crucial role in the evolving geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. Therefore, increasing maritime capacity, along with regional cooperation, is essential for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh also needs to make an extra effort to prioritize cyber-security and address its transnational challenges. In this regard, strengthening cooperation with regional partners is increasingly important in combating cyber threats and cross-border crime. As a part, Bangladesh should work with South Asian countries in tandem like India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan, while also increasing security-sharing agreements with influential countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Magazine, its employees or any other authors. Views published are the sole responsibility of the author(s).
