The challenge of regaining Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

The people of Bangladesh, who won the War of Independence in 1971 at the cost of a sea of blood, are always determined to safeguard their freedom. For this they look for pursuing strategic autonomy. Superpower ravalries for supremacy in Asia and the Indian Ocean has heightened the strategic importance of Bangladesh being located at the centre of South and South East Asia. This calls for expertly crafting the nation’s strategic options. A very encouraging first step towards achieving this is the launching of the Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies (FSDS) in Dhaka on Sunday 23 February last. The research-based institution, organisers said, will function as a think tank, conducting research on governance, national security, development, and policy formulation processes.

The launch of the FSDS attracted a high profile audience including the chiefs of Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Airforce - General Waker-uz-Zaman, Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hasan, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan; two former army chiefs Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, M. Nooruddin Khan, and several retired military officials, leaders of major political parties, members of the foreign diplomatic missions in Dhaka, the academia and the news media giving the event high credence and underlying the importance and broad support for the new institution. Major General (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar, Chairman of FSDS outlined the objectives and goals of the organisation.

Two old strategic institutions, the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Institute of Strategic and Peace Studies (ISPS) of Major General Maniruzzaman (retd) have been functioning in the country for quite sometime. The first one is state-run and has remained restricted mostly to some official programmes with less emphasis on pioneering research. The second one publishes occasional reports giving analyses of developments in the arena of foreign relations. Another institution – CSPS, Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies – launched under the leadership former secretary to the government, Hannan Shah, remains at the formative phase. But none of these institutions is geared to offering suggestions for Bangladesh’s strategic options in the evolving geopolitical landscape.

The significance of the emphasis on Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy lies in the developments of the past two decades when external friends perceived the nation’s foreign policy, and even internal politics, as decided from elsewhere. In a way this was an outcome of the US Indo-Pacific strategy in which India was chosen to lead a coalition against P.R. China in Asia. New Delhi did eclipse Dhaka’s foreign policy to such an extent that a former U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh had to assert that his country did not see this country through a third eye. Yet the paramount super power of the world had to give in when in late 2023 New Delhi wanted the US to withdraw pressure on the Bangladesh government mounted thru sanctions and visa restrictions on people obstructing democracy, human rights and free fair elections. The outcome was another lopsided election held on 7 January 2024 devoid of participation of the opposition. The ruling party of the time allowed its workers to contest the officially nominated candidates in the election as independents. The intention was to create an atmosphere from where it would be able assert and tell the world the polls were keenly contested by rival candidates.

Bangladesh has acquired the present strategic outlook after the August 5 student-mass upsurge that forced the Prime Minister of the nearly 16-year-old authoritarian government to flee the country. Bangladesh now seeks to rebuild a foreign policy which will be an autonomous and independent, revitalize the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and expand its arena of friendship by utilizing neighbourly ties, traditional affinity with the third world nations and the Muslim countries, cushioning against occasional unfounded Islamophobic diplomatic and media attacks. Viewed from this perspective the launching of FSDS could not be more timely, to rediscover the nation’s potentials to pursue its development goals to achieve economic prosperity of the people with a fair measure of independence in the present interdependent world.               

Setting up of the foundation is a significant step also towards bolstering strategic and developmental research capabilities. Major General Fazle Elahi Akbar (retd), who heads the FSDS, articulated the guiding principle of the foundation as: "Bangladesh first." This motto reflects the institution's commitment to prioritising national interests and fostering a research environment that serves the country's strategic needs. Chief of Bangladesh Army General Waker Uz Zaman emphasized the necessity of a robust defense infrastructure to maintain an independent foreign policy. His remarks highlighted the interconnectedness of military strength and strategic autonomy, a theme echoed by other senior military officials in attendance. More importantly, Gen Waker underlined the need for a focus of defence endeavours of Bangladesh to guard the sea boundaries and protect the inland territorial integrity, which, he said, is lacking now. 

The participation of a diverse cross-section of political leaders showcased the backing for the FSDS. Additionally, senior newspaper editors were in attendance, highlighting the media's role in disseminating the foundation's research and findings to the public. The French ambassador to Bangladesh H.E. Marie Masdupuy attended the launch and offered strong support for the FSDS. Her emphasis on helping calibrate strategic autonomy reflected the international community's recognition of the foundation's potential impact.

The launch of the Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh's strategic research arena. With strong leadership, broad support from military and political figures, and international endorsement, the FSDS is poised to contribute significantly to the country's strategic and developmental goals. The FSDS stands as a beacon of Bangladesh's commitment to prioritizing national interests and fostering a research environment that supports the country's strategic needs. This landmark initiative underscores Bangladesh's dedication to strengthening its defense and pursuing an independent foreign policy through rigorous and insightful research. The foundation's future endeavors will be closely watched, as it seeks to make substantial contributions to identifying the choices to shape up the nation's strategic commitments.

(Former editor of The New Nation, writer, researcher, water-environmental activist and journalism trainer, Mostafa Kamal Majumder is the editor of GreenWatch Dhaka <greenwatchbd.com> online newspaper)