Various Western countries including the United States have been exerting pressure on the Awami League government in various ways around the 12th National Parliament election. On the contrary, India, China and Russia sided with the rulers with silent support. Awami League has formed the government for the fourth consecutive time after winning the election with an absolute majority. This time the party is focused on strengthening relations with all parties. The leaders of the party say that the strategy will be adopted to bring balance to the foreign policy by increasing relations with Western countries including the United States and the European Union. They think that the course of both the government and the party will depend on it.
A week after the new government assumed office, Foreign Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmood spoke about closer ties with the United States. Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government ‘does not want to make friends with Russia by making it hostile to Washington or spoiling relations’. Former Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen also believes that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will maintain a ‘very balanced foreign policy’.
The way the government ministers and Awami League leaders have criticized the US before the election is not being noticed now. Awami League leaders see this situation as an indication of Dhaka’s initiative to mitigate the distance that has been created with Washington. At least three leaders working on the party’s foreign policy told the Bengali Tribune that relations with Western countries deteriorated around the 12th National Assembly elections, which are now being mended. However, it is still not clear how to proceed with the strategy.
Awami League leaders say that Awami League and government relations with India and China have been in good condition for a long time. Also, relations with Russia are rapidly improving. The relationship with the Western countries including the United States, the European Union, and the rest of the world has cooled somewhat due to the election. However, despite everything, the Awami League government managed to get a good vote. Now the rulers want to determine the course of the new government.
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When asked about the global challenges facing the new government, former foreign minister and currently chairman of the parliamentary committee on foreign ministry, AK Abdul Momen told the Bangla Tribune, “It is not that we will go west or east. We will proceed on the basis of our principal ‘Friendship with all, enmity with none’ given by Bangabandhu. There is no doubt that we will reach our target if we pursue a balanced foreign policy, pursuing the three packages taken earlier. We can build a developed Bangladesh by 2041.”
On Monday (February 12), Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader met with Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Alexander V. Mantitsky. Later, Obaidul Quader told reporters that Bangladesh does not want to be friends with Russia by enmity with the United States or by destroying relations. He also said that several things have been brought for Rooppur in a different strategy so that there is no enmity with the United States.
Several leaders of Awami League, who did not wish to be named, said that polarization is continuously increasing in the current world system. As a result, Western influence in Asia is waning; And the influence of China, Russia, India is increasing. In such a reality, the West led by the US is trying to maintain its influence and the three countries in the opposite ring are also becoming active in the region. In this, the issue of facing the big powers has become clear in Bangladesh as well. That is why Dhaka is emphasizing the policy of ‘friendship with all, enmity with no one’.
Awami League is giving the message of improving relations with the West besides continuing the communication with India, China and Russia. The leaders of the respective wings of the party are increasing diplomatic and political contacts besides reducing criticism of the West. They said that communication is being increased through various channels and at various levels.
Awami League International Secretary Shammi Ahmed told Bangla Tribune, We think Agagora had a good relationship with the West from the beginning. We make decisions as independent-sovereigns. Many countries have tried to talk a lot about the election. But we had a free, fair election. Now they are again congratulating, doing everything. Our foreign policy is friendship with all, enmity with none. We are moving forward on this principle.
When asked about increasing political communication along with diplomacy to improve relations with the West, he said that political communication is always there. It’s nothing new to do. State-wise, party-wise. Since we live in a global village, it also includes social interaction with them. I believe that these contacts will increase in the future, the bond will be stronger.
A member of the Awami League presidium told the Bangla Tribune on condition of anonymity that the United States has been putting pressure on the Awami League government by bringing forward several issues including participatory elections, political dialogue, freedom of expression, human rights, labor rights. On the contrary, the situation will be handled by emphasizing on some agenda, keeping the geo-political importance of Bangladesh and bilateral relations in front. In this regard, continuing mutual interests and cooperation, safeguarding regional peace and stability, dealing with the effects of climate change and the Rohingya crisis, and economic and commercial relations will come to the fore.
When asked about this, AK Abdul Momen told Bangla Tribune, “Many people are looking at Bangladesh as it is a geographical strategic location. 86 percent of the world’s trade takes place through the oceans and the Indo-Pacific region. China benefits greatly from this. The United States stands alone to stop them. For that Indo-Pacific has special attraction. They think, those who can help us, will get some benefit. We will not be lazy in this regard. We believe in our free, open, secure, inclusive, rules-based Indo-Pacific navigation, so that we can provide scope to all on principal. We will not face any tension if we work on the basis of principal. Will try to take us from one side to the other. But if we are on principal, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very strict about this. He will not go towards anyone with threats, maintaining a very balanced foreign policy.’
On January 11, Awami League’s joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud took charge as the foreign minister of the new government. At the beginning of the first working day at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 13, he said, at the end of the day, we will all work together. That’s the point. Everyone is our development partner, we will move the country forward with everyone. In addition to friendship with everyone, we will also value and evaluate the concerns of various friendly countries.
According to a source of Awami League, during the new government, conferences, seminars and visits to different countries will be used. Through this, the government representatives will emphasize on the development of relations. This process has already started. However, as there is little scope for developing political relations with the West, emphasis will be placed on diplomacy.
The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh met with the foreign ministers of Vietnam, Belgium, Czech and Sweden on the sidelines of the third EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Brussels, Belgium. Hasan Mahmud. In these meetings, the minister discussed with the four countries on matters of mutual interest including trade and increasing investment in Bangladesh’s emerging sector, solving the Rohingya problem. Besides, Hasan Mahmud had a meeting with the country’s foreign minister and national security adviser after visiting India a few days ago. In addition to creating deeper relations between the two countries, the Myanmar crisis and the impact of that crisis on regional stability, supply of daily necessities, Teesta and Ganges water sharing agreement, business and trade, connectivity, power-defense and security cooperation were discussed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to Germany on February 15 to attend the Munich Security Conference. This is his first foreign visit after the formation of the new government. This visit will create an opportunity for conference diplomacy. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hold a meeting with several heads of government besides presenting Bangladesh’s position at the conference. Among them, he will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Besides, the Prime Minister will have a courtesy meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Meta Global Affairs President Nick Clegg.
When asked about the foreign policy of the Awami League government, AK Abdul Momen told the Bangla Tribune, “Friendship with everyone, enmity with no one” – I have introduced a well balanced foreign policy. It is for the good of the country. As many states as there are—big countries, small countries…. We have left everyone in a fairly good relationship, especially with Westerners or vice versa. As a result, after the election, all the countries thanked us.”
He said, “There was a big pressure in front of us that the Prime Minister had promised – ‘Free, fair, transparent and credible elections’. Along with that we added Nonviolent. We have been very successful in that. Then our dignity increased. We have proved that we are the legacy of the responsibility that we took ourselves, the country that gave 3 million lives for democracy, human rights and justice. We have a good relationship with everyone in the position we are in now. I believe that the new government will adopt the same approach in the future and strengthen this good relationship.”
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