Bangladesh should put the Commonwealth at the centre of its thinking
Here in London, the news of India's ascendancy has well and truly broken. Politicians and journalists are increasingly aware of Delhi's relevance in global affairs – but few understand the emerging role that Dhaka plays. Today the world's 37th largest economy by nominal GDP, the Centre for Economics and Business Research projects that Bangladesh will stand 20th by 2037, and with economic growth comes geopolitical influence.
As it blossoms anew on the international stage, Bangladesh must remember that it has a readymade network of friends, allies, and partners who share much in common, and who are keen to engage in good faith. The Commonwealth of Nations is the perfect framework for a globally minded Bangladesh, tying together many disparate objectives under one convenient banner.
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For one, the Commonwealth is the perfect forum through which Bangladesh can exert influence on the world's established players. The Commonwealth, with a tiny minority of states from the so-called West, has always offered Africa and Asia an equal seat at the table. In the 20th century, the Commonwealth put significant pressure on the UK to change its position on Apartheid, much to the chagrin of the Thatcher government.
As the effects of climate change ravage millions of Bangladeshis, an intra-Commonwealth coalition with Caribbean states devastated by Hurricane Irma and African states suffering acute desertification could provide a powerful platform from which to hold polluting states accountable. Such an alliance could make the case for greater support in curbing global ecological damage from countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia, while sharing techniques and expertise on how to limit the damage.
Just as importantly, Bangladesh can leverage its vast Commonwealth diaspora to its advantage in improving relations with these major players. Some one million Bangladeshis and their descendants live in Malaysia, with a further 900,000 in the UK, and large communities in South Africa, Singapore, and Canada.
These communities stand to offer far more than remittance payments. As India's Prime Minister Modi so well understands, 'living bridges' can prove to be some of the most robust links between countries. It is people-to-people links, interwoven communities, and personal experience, which often have the greatest impact on who countries choose to deal closely with. Britain's large Indian population is without question a large part of why post-Brexit Britain has tried so hard to improve its relationships in New Delhi. King Charles' recent visit to the Bangladeshi community in London shows how Bangladesh's diaspora populations can serve as a powerful and positive link between the state institutions of one country and the culture, values, and perspectives of another.
But this isn't just about strengthening old partnerships – it's about building new ones.
Building on Commonwealth ties – sporting, legal, historical, or otherwise – to deepen its ties with Africa could also open up vast economic opportunities for Bangladesh's booming economy. Nigeria is set to be home to some 400 million people by 2050, with a further 84.7 million in Kenya and many millions more across Commonwealth Africa. The streets of Lagos, Nairobi, and Accra are all thronged with young Africans keen to buy clothing for their backs, jute sacks for their farms, and rice for their bellies. Compatible legal and commercial practices mean that doing business with other Commonwealth countries is 21% cheaper on average. Bangladesh can help to meet Africa's growing demand – and benefit from reciprocal access to Africa's vast and untapped oil reserves, and the explosion of agricultural production on the continent.
Closer to home, the Commonwealth is one of the few places where the often-dysfunctional South Asian club can come together and talk. Off the cricket pitch, there are few international forums where India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are all willing to sit together. While tensions and challenges dominate Saarc summit after Saarc summit, the Commonwealth's global outlook often forces South Asia's sparring states to unite around common causes and shared interests, whether they like it or not.
The recent and positive steps taken by Prime Minister Hasina and Prime Minister Modi on cross-border terrorism and on energy production provide an excellent blueprint. With issues like Indian Ocean piracy, export support for small businesses, and the fight against rising sea levels are so often the focus of discussions in the Commonwealth, Bangladesh will quickly find itself agreeing with its neighbours more readily than it otherwise might.
In a world dominated by would-be hegemons, the Commonwealth is an increasingly attractive safe harbour for countries which do not see themselves firmly in one camp or the other. There is great value in independence-minded countries banding together to support one another against the global giants. Improved economic, diplomatic, and military ties with Commonwealth partners across the globe will strengthen Bangladesh's hand in dealing with behemoths like the US, China, and the European Union. As any good businessman will tell you, relying too heavily on one client is always a risk – a strategy of portfolio diversification would be a sensible long-term investment.
Bangladesh stands to be a particular beneficiary of the Commonwealth's connective power, bringing it closer to its diaspora, to new markets, and to its regional partners. The Ganabhaban should set in motion a concerted policy for consistent Commonwealth engagement and put Commonwealth ties at the centre of its foreign-policy thinking.
Sam Bidwell is the founder and director of the Centre for Commonwealth Affairs, a London-based think-tank which works to craft pan-Commonwealth policy.
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