WE welcome the high-level US delegation, headed by Brent Neiman, Deputy Under Secretary for International Finance at the US Department of the Treasury, and accompanied by Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.
Certainly, this team brings a message of significance to the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States.
We are happy to learn that the US decision to engage in high-level economic discussions with Bangladesh’s interim government is a significant development that holds immense promise for the country’s future.
Under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh now has a unique opportunity to reset its political and economic trajectory, recovering from the challenges of the past and charting a course towards a brighter future.
The US-Bangladesh relationship has been a cornerstone of economic cooperation, with the United States being Bangladesh’s largest source of foreign direct investment and its largest market for garment exports.
However, the recent political upheaval presents a new landscape, requiring a renewed focus on economic reforms and stability.
Under the deposed Hasina’s authoritarian rule, the country’s foreign policy lost its way completely.
It became overly dependent on neighbouring India. Bangladesh’s determination of foreign relations was driven by prioritising India’s interests.
As a result, the independence and sovereignty of the country were threatened.
The United States and Western powers have also evaluated their relationship with Bangladesh through the lens of India.
This has been not only humiliating for us but also alarming for the country’s economy, politics, and existence.
The US-Bangladesh partnership also provides an opportunity to dispel the false narrative perpetuated by India about Bangladesh’s susceptibility to Islamist extremism.
India’s claims have been strategically used to justify its influence over its neighbour, undermining Bangladesh’s efforts to forge stronger ties with other countries.
However, Bangladesh’s progress in women’s empowerment, education, and economic growth contradicts this narrative.
With US help, focusing on reforms, reinstating GSP facilities, addressing labour rights, and promoting stability, Bangladesh can position itself as a model for economic development and regional cooperation in South Asia.
The people of Bangladesh want a close relationship with the United States, but it must be direct.
We hope the US will move forward with a new relationship with Bangladesh as a sovereign state.