Bangladesh can be the region’s voice of reason

In recent years, the Indo-Pacific region has become a major focus in international politics, especially in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war and the increasingly complicated relations between China and the West. The entire South Asia region is now no stranger to the political struggles of the three major powers, with one US-based foreign policy expert recently describing it as their "battleground" in a seminar in Dhaka.

Bangladesh's geographic location, its growing importance in regional connectivity and relations, and the crucial role it plays as the host to over a million Rohingya refugees, means we are now finding ourselves in more challenging diplomatic situations. While we have managed to play a delicate balancing act and maintain relations with all the major actors so far, experts have warned that if faced with another significant global event that strongly pits Russia or China against the US and its allies, Bangladesh could face unprecedented pressure to pick a side.

In a world that is becoming more and more polarised every day, it is now even more crucial for Bangladesh to maintain its simple yet effective foreign policy position: "Friendship to all, malice to none." This foreign policy dictum, first put forward by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Cold War era, has guided our country through decades of political upheaval and sensitive diplomatic situations, while also enforcing our right to carve our own path without caving in to external pressures. Given the growing engagement with South Asian countries from Washington, Beijing and Moscow, it is imperative that we now take a stronger stance in exerting our independence to choose what is best for us as a nation.

History has taught us that smaller countries are always at risk of becoming pawns in a much larger political game. We have also seen how such power struggles ultimately benefit no one, and as the world moves from crisis to crisis, human rights and global cohesion end up taking a back seat. In such situations, countries like Bangladesh can play a crucial role in being the voice of reason and emphasising the importance of regional and international cooperation instead. Bangladesh is already an important actor in global climate leadership; we must continue to strengthen partnerships with countries in similar positions and urge major powers to move away from militarisation and focus on the most critical need of the hour: human rights and socioeconomic development in the era of the climate emergency.