প্রকাশ: 06/04/2022
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, now in Washington, has
explained Bangladesh’s engagements with India and China noting that
Bangladesh’s foreign policy, like the US one, is all about national interests.
He also shared historical background shedding light on the
two different roles that India and China played during the War of Liberation in
1971.
The foreign minister answered a number of questions at a
programme titled “A conversation with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister” on the
lessons learned from the last 50 years and the path ahead for US-Bangladesh
relations hosted by United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Tuesday.
President and CEO of the USIP Lise Grande delivered opening
remarks at the event moderated by Ambassador Teresita Schaffer.
As the Biden administration implements its Indo-Pacific
strategy, Bangladesh’s relationships with neighbouring India and China suggest
that it will draw increasing interest from US policymakers, according to USIP.
“We’ve rock-solid relations with India,” Momen said, adding
that Bangladesh can never forget the support of India and its people during the
1971 War of Liberation.
He, however, said Bangladesh needs more resources to develop
the country further while India does not have that much resource to share.
“We need to help develop our economy and they (China) have a
basket of money. China came with a basket of money with affordable and
aggressive proposals,” Momen said, claiming that Bangladesh is very prudent in
receiving credit and China is helping Bangladesh in building some mega
projects.
The FM said even India borrows from China though they do not
have good relations. “This is a very strange world.”
He said India and China have their own problems and
Bangladesh does not intervene on those issues. “We maintain a non-partisan
relationship.”
Momen also said the USA might have difficulties with China
but Bangladesh only relates to China for its development efforts. “In the area
of democracy and human rights, we don’t compromise.”
Responding to a question on Bangladesh-US relations, the
foreign minister referred to two letters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and US
President Joe Biden and said these two letters tell the story of partnership
between Dhaka and Washington.
“The drive, resourcefulness, and innovation of Bangladeshis
- rebuilding after the 1971 War of Liberation and now forging a path of
economic growth and development – serve as a model for the rest of the world,”
Momen quoted from Biden’s letter sent to Hasina.
He said once Bangladesh was known as bottomless basket with
no hope of survival. “Pakistani occupants destroyed our economy. We didn’t have
much resources.”
After 50 years, Momen said, they feel proud to say that
Bangladesh is a vibrant economy and is now a land of opportunity.
Things have changed because of hard-working, dynamic and
resilient people of Bangladesh, the foreign minister said, adding that, “Last
12 years, we made a miracle over 6 percent growth under the prudent leadership
of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
He credited leadership’s commitment and targeted approaches
and the spirit of the people given by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman who wanted to build Sonar Bangla, a prosperous
Bangladesh.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of relations between
the United States and Bangladesh. Over the past five decades, Bangladesh and
the United States have developed a complex relationship that spans economic and
security ties as well as transnational issues like climate change.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh had boasted a
decade of impressive economic growth, and the United States remains the top
destination for Bangladesh’s exports.
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