Bangladesh’s Response In The Middle East Crisis: Upholding Solidarity And Economic Imperatives

After the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 5 August, many aspects of India-Bangladesh relations have slowed down significantly. The suspension of India’s visa service is one of the most remarkable instances as it has sparked public discontent. 

In the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina`s ouster from power, the relationship between neighbours Bangladesh and India seems to have gone cold. The former prime minister was considered pro-India, and many believe she gave India undue privileges to cement her hold on power. So, the anti-Hasina sentiment has rubbed off on India so much so that anti-India slogans were heard during the July Uprising. 

In the US presidential election on November 5, Donald Trump of the Republican Party won a decisive victory, and he is scheduled to succeed Joe Biden as the US president on January 20, 2025. The upcoming change in the US administration is likely to substantially affect ties between Bangladesh and the United States, in areas including politics, the economy, migration, strategic and security ties, climate change, and humanitarian cooperation.

A major contributor to Bangladesh’s GDP, remittance has long been a pillar of the country’s steady economic growth and resilience. Remittance or expatriate income is currently in the best position among the primary indicators of the nation’s economy. After continuing to expand in August and September, the remittance inflow is gaining significant traction in October as well, indicating not just the expatriate community’s tenacity but also their restored faith in the economic security of their country.

Since the fall of the Awami League, Indian media has portrayed Bangladesh as a nation plunged into chaos, highlighting alleged attacks on the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. The country, having more than 170 million people in about 8 percent of them Hindus, is facing a manipulated narrative from its neighbor’s media, which undermines its pursuit of a stable democracy after a prolonged period of authoritarianism.

On October 31, 2024, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump issued a statement on the platform X (formally Twitter) regarding violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities in Bangladesh, claiming they have been victims of mob looting that, according to him, would have never occurred under his watch.

On 26 October, Dattatreya Hosabale, the General Secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), urged the United Nations (UN) and the world community to save Bangladeshi Hindus from persecution.

In recent months, the Hindu minority in Bangladesh has become a focal point of international concern and geopolitical maneuvering, particularly from India, where prominent political voices are calling for global intervention to protect this community.

When Riyadh acknowledged Bangladeshas a sovereign state in 1975, the formal relationship between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia began. These two nations have been friendly and close ever since. Both parties` high-level visits have helped to strengthen their bilateral ties.

At present, 11 districts in Bangladesh are grappling with a dire situation of severe flooding. This crisis has not only affected over 5 million people but also forced more than 1 million to flee their homes. The floods have wreaked havoc on crops, cattle, and fisheries, causing losses estimated to be in the hundreds of crores of taka. As governments and various organizations rush to provide relief, food supplies, medical care, and temporary shelters, the urgency of the situation cannot be overstated.

Last week, the commerce ministry sent a letter of consent to the foreign ministry, requesting Bangladesh`s entry into the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It is the first formal step Bangladesh has taken to join the RCEP, as the move is expected to unlock numerous trade and investment benefits for the country.

On 17 September 2024, a female ready-made garment worker died during a clash between workers in Ashulia, Dhaka. The clash occurred between workers of two factories, debating whether they should return to work or continue their protests. 

The US delegation’s visit to Bangladesh in September 2024 carries both immediate and long-term significance for US-Bangladesh relations, occurring against the backdrop of political transition in the South Asian country.

Bangladesh is a country of multi-ethnic culture where people belonging to different religious, racial, cultural, and lingual identities live together harmoniously. Religious harmony has existed in Bengali culture for thousands of years. In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, the Hindus continue to remain the second-largest religion, constituting around 10 percent of the population. Buddhists and Christians also live in great harmony. For centuries, these communities have coexisted, contributing to a shared cultural and social heritage.

BANGLADESH is facing severe floods and river erosion due to irregular upstream water releases from barrages and dams on transboundary rivers. At the same time, excessive water withdrawal during the dry season is disrupting river ecosystems, leading to devastating impacts on agriculture and local livelihoods. This escalating crisis underscores the urgent need for a swift resolution to the long-standing water-sharing dispute and more effective transboundary river management strategies to prevent future catastrophes.

In August 2017, Myanmar’s military unleashed a brutal crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, sending hundreds of thousands fleeing across the border into Bangladesh. These refugees joined an existing population of around 300,000 displaced Rohingyas, swelling Bangladesh’s burden and transforming the region into the world’s largest refugee camp.