report in Dhaka Tribune, Aug 5, 2023
Discussions are ongoing for holding a series of meetings between the governments of Bangladesh and the United States by September.
If everything goes well, Richard Nephew, coordinator of the State Department’s Global Anti-Corruption Division, will visit Dhaka next week, reports Bangla Tribune.
As part of the regular meetings between the two countries, there is a possibility of military-to-military dialogue and a Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (Ticfa) meeting on trade issues.
Apart from this, several sources said there is a possibility of a security dialogue between Bangladesh and the United States.
A meeting between Bangladesh and the US at the foreign minister level has been held this year. Apart from this, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya and Assistant Secretary Donald Lu have visited Dhaka. Communication between the two parties is going on, said a foreign ministry source.
Regarding differences between the two countries on issues such as elections, democracy, human rights, labour rights and the rule of law, this is normal in diplomacy, the source said – there are some points of agreement between the two sides, and there are also differences of opinion.
Bilateral relations
Cooperation between Dhaka and Washington is multifaceted and diverse. However, the entire area of cooperation can be roughly divided into five categories: trade and investment, development cooperation, non-traditional security cooperation such as cooperation on climate change and human trafficking, defence cooperation, and rights-based negotiations.
Firstly, Bangladesh’s largest export market is the United States. Bangladesh also imports various products from there. Imports from the United States are expected to increase after the recent resolution of cotton import issues. In addition, the US is the largest investor in Bangladesh – they have invested in Bangladesh’s vital energy sector and are keen to do more.
Secondly, USAID has been providing various types of development assistance to Bangladesh since its independence. After independence, more people worked in the USAID Bangladesh office than those who worked in the US Embassy. Every year, the organization provides about $200 million to various sectors of Bangladesh.
Thirdly, the two countries do a lot of work under non-traditional security cooperation. Bangladesh and the US are working closely on climate change. The United States is also providing assistance to prevent human trafficking from Bangladesh. The United States gave Bangladesh the largest vaccination grant during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fourthly, under defence cooperation, the military forces of the two countries interact with each other in various ways. A military delegation from the United States visited Bangladesh last June. Again, many army officers from Bangladesh have gone to the United States for training. Discussions are also going on between the two countries on signing the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSMIA).
The fifth is rights-based discussion. Discussions are ongoing between the two sides on various issues including democracy, human rights, labour rights and the rule of law. The US has conveyed its concerns to the Bangladesh government about civil liberties such as digital security law, freedom of rally, freedom of expression and freedom of the media. According to them, civil liberty is a prerequisite for free and fair elections and democracy. Apart from this, they have their own views on the rule of law and labour rights, and these issues are being discussed between the two sides at various levels.
Cooperation between the two sides is progressing positively in almost all areas except rights-based issues.
Global context
In addition to bilateral relations, the United States wants to advance relations with a country by taking into account the regional reality and the global context.
Md Shahidul Haque, former foreign secretary and Bangabandhu Chair at Delhi University, said: “The US was interested in Bangladesh before and still is. Only the time and context have changed. The capacity of Bangladesh has increased more than ever before, and possibilities and opportunities have increased many times, which is drawing the attention of other countries including the United States.
“Bangladesh’s location is in the centre of the Bay of Bengal, and due to the changing situation, the geographical importance of Bangladesh is now more than ever. On the other hand, the interest of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region is very high.”
Bangladesh has recently announced its Indo-Pacific Outlook, which is in line with the basic principles of the United States. As a result, both parties are interested in taking the relationship to new heights. The former secretary said values and human rights are the mainstays of US foreign policy and that they take these issues into consideration in taking bilateral relations to new heights.
Shahidul added: “There will be differences of opinion between the two countries, this is normal. But the two countries have continued to communicate and negotiate, and that is what everyone expects from both sides. The governments of both countries are mature and aware of their national interests. Differences should be resolved through constructive discussion.”
At the same time, he said, all relationships are dynamic. “Things that differ now will eventually be reconciled. But then maybe a new point of disagreement will come to the fore. It is an ongoing process. That is why there is no room for negative attitudes or bad relations in diplomacy.”
Differences of opinion with everyone should be removed through constructive discussions with a positive attitude, he added.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/321658/series-of-meetings-between-us-bangladesh-on-the
