KATHMANDU
At the very start of the following year, Bangladesh will hold its next national parliamentary elections. Due to the opposition parties’ demands for a caretaker administration and their suspicion of the ruling party, the political climate is predicted to get more heated in the coming months. The opposition is said to have lobbied the foreigners to guarantee their demands were met.
By enacting sanctions and restrictions with an eye toward the next elections, foreign countries, particularly the USA and its European allies, appear to be attempting to exert pressure on the Bangladeshi government. Recently, the USA’s plot to seize control of Bangladesh’s Saint Martin’s Island came to light, raising questions about their excessive desire to uphold democracy in Bangladesh. Since foreign countries are attempting to use Bangladesh to further their own agendas, maintaining regional and national stability is crucial as we pursue our own economic and social progress.
New visa restrictions for Bangladeshis have been put in place by the US in an effort to demoralize Bangladesh’s intentions to hold free, fair, and peaceful national elections. The new visa policy, which went into effect on May 24, was announced in Washington and applied to any Bangladeshi citizen accused of being accountable for or complicit in subverting the country’s democratic election process. This committee would consist of current and past officials from Bangladesh, as well as representatives from the ruling and opposing parties, law enforcement officers, judges, and security professionals. There is no reason for the United States to operate differently in the case of Bangladesh since every nation in the world pursues its foreign policy in the service of its own national ambitions.
The national sovereignty of Bangladesh would be violated if another country were allowed to use its territory for any reason. The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, expressed her viewpoint on June 21 at a press conference in Ganabhaban. This happened after she traveled to Switzerland from June 13–16 and to Qatar from May 22–23 to attend the International Labor Organization’s World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All. Sheikh Hasina asserted that she might keep her job if she leased out Saint Martin’s Island, but she wouldn’t let anyone else decide the fate of Bangladeshis.
The people of Bangladesh are aware of the superpowers’ strategy of dominance. Even though the USA frequently speaks out in favor of democracy, it doesn’t really matter whether Bangladesh has a democratic government or not. It only seeks to make use of whatever is required to further its objective or interest. The USA has wrecked devastation in several countries for its own ends, most recently in Ukraine but also in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and Syria. The US has regularly disregarded its partners’ interests in order to retain its hegemony. Human rights and democracy have been weaponized by the US.
The earlier US sanctions imposed on the RAB were also unjust and unfriendly. Despite Israel’s abhorrent killing of Palestinian children and defenseless civilians, the US did not impose sanctions on it. Bangladesh’s general populace is completely aware of the recent US activity against their country’s upcoming general election. The US cannot continue to hold the position of leadership in the world if democracy is only practiced in Bangladesh.
Security experts think that if these foreign forces could take Saint Martin’s Island, they would have a substantial military advantage in the Indo-Pacific region. All of these superpowers need to control Saint Martin’s and the surrounding areas in order to achieve their long-term strategic goals. The national interests of Bangladesh will never be compromised by Sheikh Hasina. All foreign countries, especially the Western ones, are aware of this. Political observers thought that in the absence of these issues, these influential international organizations would not have a reason to oppose Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Due to its proximity to the two superpowers, China and India, Bangladesh’s geo-strategic location is crucial in terms of world politics. The United States needs a foothold in this region to maintain its dominance, and Bangladesh can give them that access. But despite intense pressure from abroad, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina refused to submit to their will in order to further their interests and continued to put the country’s prosperity first. Although the United States and its allies have abused both democracy and human rights in many other nations while seeking to exert pressure on Bangladesh, Bangladesh has made great strides in the last ten years.
Myanmar, Bangladesh’s neighbor, attempted to stir up the government by driving vast numbers of Rohingyas onto Bangladeshi soil. Few people thought war was unavoidable. Sheikh Hasina, however, maintained her composure and welcomed the enormous number of Rohingya refugees while keeping in mind the needs of the populace and the development of the country. However, as if democracy or human rights were not being violated in Myanmar, the USA did not exert any meaningful pressure on that country. Sheikh Hasina has brought many of the world’s superpowers together as partners in growth, including the United States, China, Russia, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. Her inspiring leadership is what gave Bangladesh its status as a development model.
Everybody wants the national election in January 2024 to be free, unbiased, and trustworthy. PM Hasina also committed herself to the cause. The national interest or sovereignty of the country must not be jeopardized, however, under any circumstances. Our relationships with both our development partners and neighbors must remain cordial. The advancement of Bangladesh and its citizens will never be aided by escalating the situation in this area.
Before the next elections, Bangladesh must overcome a number of challenges. We sincerely hope that foreign nations will firmly resolve to uphold world peace and support Bangladesh’s economic growth. Additionally, we anticipate that national interests will come first for the ruling party and the opposition. In this time of a shift in the balance of power, national unity will remain crucial. We believe that no one will be able to violate the peace in the country and the region if our leaders serve the country and the people.
