Bangladesh Is A Clear Winner In U.S.- China Diplomatic Battle Over Its Loyalty

By Nitya Chakraborty

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman emerged as a clear winner at the end of his crucial talks with the U.S. envoy for South Asia Sergio Gor last week as he was able to extract maximum concessions from the U.S. team on big investments in his country to help the struggling economy as also widening the areas of bilateral trade suiting the immediate interests of Bangladesh.

Gor was the first seniormost official of the U.S. to visit Dhaka during the tenure of Tarique Rahman. He visited Dhaka in the context of the expanding Chinese footprint in all sectors of the Bangladesh economy, apart from defence and maritime facilities. It was expected that the Chinese influence in Bangladesh naval facilities in the Bay of Bengal would come up in a big way. But if the Bangladesh experts are to be believed, the issue did not get prominence finally. Gor only explained the U.S. position on the security aspects in Bay of Bengal and nothing more.

That way Tarique Rahman sowed his maturity as the PM and focused primarily on economic cooperation between Dhaka and Washington. The U.S. envoy reciprocated by conveying U.S. commitment to deepen strategic and economic ties and continued support to resolve the Rohingya crisis. The U.S. embassy in Dhaka said in statement after the conclusion of Gor’s visit from July 30 to August 1 that the visit highlighted the breadth and depth of the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship.

Gor responded to Bangladesh PM’s emphasis on larger investments in Bangladesh, particularly in soyabean, cotton, information technology and wheat mentioning that such U.S. investments will help building a stronger and more competitive supply chain. The U.S. side said that the U.S. investors are deeply interested in Bangladesh and the coming meeting of the US. India Business Council in Dhaka will be formulating some measures for new investments. Further, steps will be taken to hold a separate U.S. investors summit in Bangladesh.

Both sides also discussed expanding cooperation through the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), with Gor assuring Bangladesh that Washington would work positively for US engagements through the DFC, formed during the Trump presidency in 2019.

An analysis of what US. Embassy said in its statement after the visit as also what was said by the Bangladesh government in official briefings, it seems that the issue of China-Bangladesh-Myanmar corridor or Chinese involvement in the Bay of Bengal facilities did not receive priority. This was the first visit of the U.S. envoy after the new regime took over in February this year. China has been active from the very beginning. PM Tarique Rahman’s three day visit to China in June this year and his meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping set the base of a strategic relationship which is beneficial to the economy of Bangladesh. So the US side is moving cautiously. The U.S. has started the process of bridging the diplomatic gap in Dhaka vis a vis China by focusing on larger U.S. investments which Bangladesh is looking for desperately.

It is significant that Sergio Gor had a meeting with the Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi before his meeting with the Bangladesh PM. They must have discussed some of the common concerns about China’s increasing footprint in the security arena of Bangladesh. Indian envoy can not officially express these concerns, Trivedi must have communicated those to Sergio Gor who is also U.S. ambassador based in New Delhi. Tarique’s regime has attained stability. So both U.S. and India have to talk to Bangladesh on equal footing.

Indian foreign ministry officials are conversant with the carrot and stick policy of China in diplomacy. Presently, India’s relations with China are improving. The Chinese foreign ministry are saying all the good things about India-China bilateral relations. The border situation is calm, the border trade has started after a long gap, steps for tourists travel have also been worked out. But simultaneously, China has increased its presence in the areas of the neighbouring countries which lead to concerns for India.

In Bangladesh, following the PM’s visit to Beijing in June this year, agreements have been signed for the speeding up of Mongla port as well as expansion of Chinese economic and industrial zone in Chittagong. Bangladesh has every right to seek Chinese investment in this sea side, but Indian security experts are worried that the Chinese are having control over maritime facilities . If there is change in geopolitics, China can use that against India. The USA is equally concerned at the expansion of Chinese footprint in the Bay of Bengal, but at the moment, the U.S. is lying low.

For India, there is immediate need for improving bilateral relations with Bangladesh and assist the Tarique regime in its economic recovery. That is the only way, New Delhi can try to get back its lost standing among the people of its neighbor. PM Tarique Rahman has been invited to attend the BRICS summit on September 12 and 13 in New Delhi. PM Narendra Modi is the host. Bangladesh will have a big diplomatic outreach by attending it. But as of now, Bangladesh PM has given no response due to the presence of Sheikh Hasina in India and her continuing virtual addresses to her countrymen from Indian soil. It will be seen with interest whether some solution emerges on Hasina before the BRICS summit. (IPA Service)