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Bangladesh should carve its own sphere of influence in the region
UNB
Umran Chowdhury
Published: May 17, 2023 1:02 AM | Last updated: May 17, 2023 1:02 AM
Bangladesh recently joined a handful of countries which have outlined their Indo-Pacific views. The foreign ministry introduced an Indo-Pacific Outlook with four guiding principles and 15 objectives. It calls for a peaceful, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
In its broadest definition, the Indo-Pacific stretches from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of the Americas. Bangladesh is located at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, which lies atop the eastern part of the Indian Ocean.
The guiding principles refer to fundamental rights and freedoms, international peace and security, sustainable development, humanitarian action, and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It also emphasizes the traditional Bangladeshi dictum of friendship to all and malice to none.
The objectives promote freedom of navigation and overflight, maritime security and counter-terrorism, nonproliferation, peacekeeping, peace building, climate action, the preservation of fisheries and marine life, food security, water security, energy security, resilience in global value chains, and the unimpeded and free flow of commerce in the Indo-Pacific.
The emergence of the contemporary construct of the Indo-Pacific in the 21st century is due to economic realities. Most of the world's trade takes place across the Indian and Pacific oceans.
This includes the busiest shipping routes where energy, commodities, and goods are transported.
The Bay of Bengal is a critical zone for Bangladesh due to nutrition (fish), shipping, energy, and employment. It is therefore natural that both the Bay of Bengal and the wider Indian Ocean should be considered as a sphere of influence for Bangladesh. For example, the navy and air force have been deployed in the past to assist the Maldives and Nepal during emergency situations.
At the Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka, delegates from across the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean gathered to take stock on engagement and cooperation that has developed over the years.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) are forums in which Bangladesh plays a role through multilateral diplomacy.
Extra-regional powers are also prevalent in the Indian Ocean. This includes the British Indian Ocean Territory, which is home to the US military base of Diego Garcia. France also maintains overseas territories in the Indian Ocean and is a member of the Indian Ocean Commission along with Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, and the Seychelles.
During the conference, India's foreign minister S Jaishankar stood out for his comments on reform and democratic openness. The minister has a reputation for speaking on behalf of the Global South.
He is critical of Eurocentric worldviews and advocates a more multipolar world. According to Walter Russell Mead of the Hudson Institute, Indian politics and foreign policy are vital to realizing and understanding the future direction of world politics.
The foreign minister noted that Indian Ocean countries ought to be conscious of the threats posed by forces taking advantage of democratic openness to fuel extremism and fundamentalism.
This is a reflection of political realities in both India and Bangladesh, but in different ways.
Crucially, the minister sounded a note of reform. While observing that countries in the region are facing the consequences of past choices, he said that it is now a time “to reflect and reform, not one to repeat and reiterate.”
Bangladesh should carve its own sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean. This can be achieved in both cooperation and competition with other powers in the region.
Naval and air force modernization will be needed for this to happen, which hinges on developing a defense budget in consultation with public representatives and strategic partners.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the conference that it was important to strengthen existing capacities for maritime law enforcement and humanitarian operations, including responding to emergencies at sea, conducting search and rescue, and upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in line with international law. Her governments have historically been at the forefront of naval modernization in Bangladesh.
With a glorious naval and oceanic heritage emanating from the history of Bengal and the subcontinent, Bangladesh must promote a peaceful, secure and inclusive atmosphere in the region.
Umran Chowdhury works in the legal field.
