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On March 20, Bangladesh hosted the eighth United States-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue, the umbrella platform established in 2012 to raise the “strong relationship” between Dhaka and Washington. The once-annual dialogue had been on maintain since 2019 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
This dialogue, which coincided with the celebration of fifty years of bilateral ties between Bangladesh and the US, occurred amid new problems. Bilaterally, ties between Dhaka and Washington have been strained for the reason that U.S. sanctions in opposition to Bangladesh’s elite power Fast Motion Battalion (RAB) and its prime officers and the choice to not invite Bangladesh to Biden’s democracy summit in late 2021. Extra lately, Dhaka’s abstention from the historic U.N. Normal Meeting vote on the Ukraine disaster on March 2 additionally highlighted divergent positions. Extra broadly, the dialogue was held in opposition to the backdrop of the invasion of Ukraine by “revanchist” Russia, the rising assertiveness of “revisionist” China, and the “decline” of the U.S.-led liberal order, which is fostering the creation of a brand new geostrategic atmosphere in a quickly altering world order.
On the floor, the dialogue appeared to supply a constructive outlook, if not success. U.S. Below Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland – the third highest-ranking official within the U.S. State Division – led the U.S. delegation and termed the talks as an “appetizer for the feast,” implying extra good issues to return. Overseas Secretary Masud Bin Momen, who led the Bangladeshi delegation, likewise touted the dialogue as “the start of a rejuvenated strong engagement with our U.S. pals.”
The dialogue featured a “renewed, multi-faceted, and deepening” concentrate on your entire gamut of bilateral ties: commerce, funding, labor, human rights, governance, international threats together with local weather change, terrorism, maritime safety, regional points together with the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” and the Rohingya disaster. Like each bilateral dialogue, nonetheless, there are convergences and divergences between Dhaka and Washington and both sides has its personal priorities and nationwide pursuits.
The U.S. delegation emphasised the priorities of the Biden administration – its Indo-Pacific Technique (IPS) in addition to renewed concentrate on democracy and human rights – within the discussions. Washington can be eager on convincing Bangladesh to signal two protection offers, the Normal Safety of Navy Data Settlement and Cross-Servicing Settlement, to “include and rebalance” the rising Chinese language footprint in Bangladesh. Extra importantly, the US sought Bangladesh’s assist on its aspect to finish the struggle in Ukraine.
Conversely, Bangladesh expressed its deep considerations over two thorny points: U.S. sanctions on RAB, which Dhaka desires lifted, and the 2013 suspension of Generalized System of Choice (GSP) services for Bangladesh, which Dhaka desires restored. Dhaka’s delegation additionally highlighted the enactment of the legislation on Election Fee formation as a step towards strengthening the democratic course of in Bangladesh.
Notably, Bangladesh has demonstrated its pursuits in becoming a member of the “financial part” of the Biden administration’s IPS to fortify its financial improvement, pursue maritime cooperation, and counter local weather change, terrorism, and arranged crime. Nevertheless, Dhaka has distanced itself from becoming a member of the Quad, which is extensively seen within the area as an anti-China navy alliance. As a consequence of Bangladesh’s “strategic partnership” with China – its largest improvement, protection, and commerce companion – it could be imprudent for Dhaka to anger Beijing. Bangladesh’s strategic ties with Beijing don’t, nonetheless, result in the belief that Dhaka is abandoning the West and, specifically, the US.
As an alternative, Bangladesh has deftly balanced and saved itself shielded from the intensified geopolitical rivalries between and amongst nice powers in South Asia. Bangladesh has “strong ties” with the US, “blood ties” with U.S.-empowered companion India, “strategic ties” with U.S. arch-rival China, and “historic ties” with U.S. arch-foe Russia.
Although the U.S. delegation didn’t give any clear trace on whether or not the sanctions on the RAB and its prime officers can be lifted anytime quickly, nor any promise that the GSP can be reinstated, there are some clear indicators of rapprochement from each side. On Dhaka’s aspect, Bangladesh has began contemplating signing the “twin foundational offers” as part of modernizing its armed forces by 2030 and diversifying its protection agreements. Extra importantly, Bangladesh has switched its stance on the Ukraine disaster by tilting towards the “proper aspect of historical past” and criticized Russia by voting in favor of the March 24 U.N. Normal Meeting decision denouncing the dire humanitarian state of affairs in Ukraine and demanding entry for help staff and safety of civilians.
Alternatively, Washington, though belatedly, has additionally opted for the “proper aspect of the historical past” by referring to the atrocities dedicated in opposition to the Rohingya individuals in Myanmar as “genocide,” which will definitely inject new momentum into Bangladesh-U.S. ties. Bangladesh has been shouldering the burden of internet hosting 1.1 million Rohingya refugees for the reason that notorious “clearance operation” of Myanmar’s armed forces in 2017.
Evidently, Dhaka perceives Washington as a confirmed and trusted improvement companion. Bangladesh is the third-highest recipient of U.S. help in South Asia after Afghanistan and Pakistan and the two-way commerce reached $9 billion in 2019, with Bangladesh changing into the forty sixth largest U.S. buying and selling companion. As well as, the US is the one largest export vacation spot for ready-made clothes (RMG), accounting for 83 % of Bangladesh’s complete exports. Conversely, Bangladesh ranks because the second-largest attire exporter to the US, trailing solely China.
The U.S. additionally was the biggest supply of Overseas Direct Funding (FDI) to Bangladesh, with $3.5 billion in cumulative investments as of 2019. As Dhaka’s urge for food for funding, power sources, and expert labor grows, a strong partnership with the US is pivotal for Bangladesh’s financial development to materialize its “Imaginative and prescient-2041,” significantly after graduating from Least Developed Nation standing (anticipated in 2026).
As South Asia is experiencing intensified rivalries between China and India, in addition to China and the U.S., Bangladesh deserves consideration in its personal proper on the Indo-Pacific chessboard, not simply by means of the subset of “South Asian coverage” or the “Indian prism,” which has been the case for many years. Bangladesh, the present chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Affiliation (IORA), has unfettered entry to the Bay of Bengal, a geostrategic area that bridges South and Southeast Asia, a burgeoning economic system, and large market potential. Sitting on the essential juncture of fifty years of Bangladesh-U.S. ties, the White Home ought to, due to this fact, keep in mind Dhaka’s strategic imperatives as it’s engaged in a fragile balancing act between India and China within the South Asian area. If absolutely understood, this may set forth the “rejuvenation of Bangladesh-U.S. ties” within the coming days amid this “multiplex” world order.
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