POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Nov 13, 2021: The United States has been urging Bangladesh to join the IPS strategic initiative around India and the Pacific since 2016. Germany, France, as well as the European Union (EU) have finalized their positions on IPS in the context of geopolitical competition in Corona. French President Emmanuel Macho also discussed IPS with visiting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Paris. Senior diplomats have confirmed that Bangladesh is also going to finalize its position on IPS.
Europe’s major powers, such as France and Germany, and the EU have finalized their position on IPS, with special emphasis on economic cooperation in accordance with international law. Even France’s IPS makes it clear that China’s growing power in the region and the country’s competition with the United States are upsetting the balance of power.
When Bangladesh is part of the Bay of Bengal, there is no chance to avoid IPS talks. Bangladesh must be involved in any process
The joint statement issued after the Hasina-Makho official meeting in Paris on Tuesday reflected the two countries’ common position on IPS. The two countries have emphasized on the establishment of a free, open, peaceful, secure and participatory Indian Ocean region with the aim of upholding international law for the prosperity of all. In the declaration, France and the EU agreed to enhance cooperation in the areas of maritime security and the economy, in addition to regional peace and stability, taking into account the IPS.
Bangladeshi diplomats told Prothom Alo that the issue of IPS was raised for the first time in a joint statement issued after a country’s high-level talks with Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladesh’s support for the policy announced by France and the EU is clear.
Foreign Ministry officials say the government is going to finalize a strategy as a country in the Bay of Bengal, as Western countries are paying special attention to IPS. This brief strategy on IPS will focus on the protection of economic interests.
In the last two months, Bangladesh has held Foreign Secretary level talks with Germany, the United Kingdom and the European Union. In the meetings in Berlin, London and Brussels, Germany, UK and EU informed Bangladesh about their position on IPS. They also wanted to know what Dhaka is thinking about IPS.
Foreign Ministry officials said that the way France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the EU have discussed the issue of IPS, it is clear that in the future, various countries and alliances will take a stand on the issue. They will also want to know the location of Bangladesh.
Asked about the government’s position on IPS before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Paris, Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen told Prothom Alo : Since Bangladesh is part of the Bay of Bengal, there is no chance of avoiding IPS talks. If something happens in this area, it is also in our interest. Therefore, our strategy will be fixed by giving priority to our own economic interests through IPS. However, Bangladesh will clearly say that there is no issue of blocking any country through IPS.
Talking to Bangladeshi officials working at home and abroad, it is learned that after the United States, Germany, France and the EU have fixed their strategy with IPS, but there is no chance to think that everything has been finalized. Bangladesh should move forward considering this issue. In this case, the strategy of Germany, France and the EU seemed much more realistic to Bangladesh. Because, the EU has given importance to economic interests in their strategy.
Maj Gen (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), a research institute for peace and security , told Prothom Alo that geopolitical changes are taking place in the global arena due to geo-strategic reasons. There is no chance for Bangladesh to stay away from that. However, there must be a balance in the strategy that Bangladesh will decide in the national interest. Here it is advisable to highlight the strategic neutrality of Bangladesh. The strategy that Bangladesh will decide, it must be clearly stated that Bangladesh will not go through any kind of military process.
