Bangladesh risks business relations with the US as well as European countries in the near future because of absence of democracy in the country. If the country’s garments export to these destinations is compromised heavily, the economic peril it is going to face is not difficult to imagine: the economy may see an absolute collapse.
After Joe Biden assumed power, the US appeared to be very serious about the condition of Bangladesh’s democracy and was urging the authorities for a long time to make the next general elections free and fair.
Strangely, Delhi no longer hides its policy towards Bangladesh democracy. India’s foreign secretary, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, declared that India had full support for Sheikh Hasina when he met her at Gonobhaban on Wednesday. At that time it became clear that India does not stand for democratic aspirations of people in Bangladesh, it only wants a certain person to govern Bangladesh. It is understandable.
That the US under President Joe Biden Bangladesh has put its focus on Bangladesh was clear when last year the US did not invite Bangladesh to its democracy conference. Next, the US slapped sanctions on the Rapid Action Battallion (RAB) and seven of its officials for gross human rights violations. While doing these things, the US all the while urged the Bangladesh government to hold the forthcoming general elections in a free and fair manner. To press home the fact that they are serious about Bangladesh’s democracy, within a short span of time, the State Department sent several high ranking officials to Bangladesh. After Assistant Secretary Donald Lu, State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet has made the latest visit.
While in town Mr Chollet in a meeting with a group of Bangladesh editors on Wednesday at the capital’s American Centre observed that erosion of democracy in any country, including Bangladesh, means the US would be less cooperative with that country with specific reference to business investment. That Bangladesh’s democratic credentials fall short to the US is again seen as it has not invited Bangladesh to its Summit of Democracy. To institutionalise democracy is also the aspiration of the people in Bangladesh. Though the Bangladesh government is telling the USA and many others that it also wants free and fair elections!
Before slapping sanctions on RAB, the US continued to warn Bangladesh that if the law enforcing agency did not stop disappearances and extrajudicial killings, it would face drastic measures. And when it did, Bangladesh realised that the US threat was real and employed lobbyists for lifting the sanctions. After the sanctions, however, there has been a palpable improvement regarding disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the country.
Therefore, when the Counsellor Chollet says erosion of democracy in Bangladesh can limit Bangladesh’s business ties with the US, this threat cannot be taken very lightly. If the forthcoming general elections do not pass as free and fair according to the international standards, Bangladesh’s business with the US, especially its garments export, can see a jolt. The US will not be the only nation to do it, European Union nations may also follow suit.
If that happens, the stake can be very high for Bangladesh because it is the main source of its foreign currency. Presently Bangladesh’s economy is going through a crisis and in this situation if its garments business suffers in a major way, Bangladesh’s economic gains will collapse with the shuttering of garments factories one after another. The other countries including India will be benefitted by such a development.
The crucial issue also is, in a free country, the people must have the ability to choose their government.
