Geological Importance of Bangladesh in Geopolitics

Donnish Journal of Political Science and International Relations Vol 3(1) pp. 001-005 November, 2018. http://www.donnishjournals.org/djpsir ISSN: 2984-8555 Copyright © 2018 Donnish Journals Original Research Article Geological Importance of Bangladesh in Geopolitics Md. Rezwanul Kabir*, S.M. Rabiul Islam, Md. Milon Molla and Shoara Akter Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh. th Accepted 28 October, 2018. After the nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan in May 1998, experts, particularly the former US president Bill Clinton, described the region as becoming a dangerous region in the world. This description of South Asia is to be viewed in the context of the uneasy relations between India and Pakistan since their independence. The geopolitical disputes among South Asian countries have remained an area of unresolved and dangerous conflict involving external powers, arms proliferation and ethnic and religious hatred that go back to the evolution of India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka - the countries that form South Asia. Due to its strategic location and natural wealth, the region has acquired a very important position from a geostrategic point of view. External powers such as China and the US are increasing their economic stakes in South Asian countries. This paper has attempted to study and analyze the geostrategic importance of South Asia and the role of China and India as two major powers that have interests in the region. Keywords: Nationality, Neighborhood, Politics, Geopolitics, Relationship, Bangladesh. INTRODUCTION Bangladesh was always a part of India until four decades ago. It is almost similar to West Bengal in language, customs, lifestyle and even the ideology. Their national anthem is penned by Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian. The Ganges, the holiest river for Hindus ultimately meets the sea through Sunderbans in Bangladesh. South Asia was, prior to 1947, referred to as British Indian Empire with a diverse mix of British, Indian and a range of kingdoms with varying degrees of subservience and allegiance to the colonial power. Most geographers refer to it as the Indian subcontinent because of its separation from the rest of the Asian landmass by a continuous barrier of mountains in the north. Foreign powers began to arrive in South Asia to conduct trade from the 16th century onward. In the 16th century, the British East India Company was chartered to trade with India. Observing the situation and wishing to benefit by exploiting the conditions prevailing at that time, the East India Company started establishing colonies in the subcontinent. Till the mid of the 20th century, Britain controlled South Asia either through the East India Company or the British Crown. After the end of the Second World War, Britain was not in a position to keep control over the subcontinent, and in the mid-20th century, it left the subcontinent after partitioning it into India and Pakistan. With the partition of the subcontinent, many conflicts and controversies related to boundaries came into existence. The partition grew into a tragic civil war, as Hindus and Muslims migrated to their country of choice. South Asia is a sub-region of Asian continent comprising the modern states of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It covers about 4,480,000 square km or 10% of the continent and is also known as the Indian subcontinent. In 1971, Bangladesh achieved independence from Pakistan and India began to control geopolitics in this region. Now Bangladesh is important geo-politically to China as a new great power. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES    To analyze the phenomenon of geopolitics. To investigate neighbor countries relationship. To examine geopolitical strength and its impact. HYPOTHESES "Geological importance of Bangladesh with neighbor countries and their relationship." Methodology The research report is conducted through Historical, Descriptive and Analytical methods of research. Data has been collected through Secondary resources including books, articles, journals, magazines, and newspapers etc. Corresponding Author: Md. Rezwanul Kabir . MSS (Public Administration), MSS (Development studies). Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected] Kabir et al Donn. J. Pol. Sci. Int. Rel. GEOPOLITICAL IMPORTANCE OF BANGLADESH Being located in between the Indian mainland and its reveling seven sister states, Bangladesh's strategic importance to Indian has been very crucial to communicate by less spending. Besides being almost inside India and having a small mouth to the Bay of Bengal, it has also become an attraction for USA and China sometimes to deter India to maintain a regional strategy. The geographical location of Bangladesh is a preponderant fact that influences the decision makers in making foreign policy. Because of the various elements in the formulation of foreign of a country, geographic location occupies a significant position. Geopolitics examines the political and strategic significance of geography in this context geography is defined in terms of the location, size and resources of the places. Geopolitical location of Bangladesh gives it both strength and weakness from different perspectives. As it is by location landlocked by India it keeps Bangladesh in a disadvantage but a little land boundary with Myanmar and its entrance in sea give an advantage to its external orientation. India's need of corridor through Bangladesh and enhancing global importance of the south Asian region comes as a hope to Bangladesh to keep its foreign policy in an advantageous position. LOCATION OF BANGLADESH Bangladesh is with an area of 147,570 square km. The country is bordered by India on the east, west, and north and by the Bay of Bengal on the south. There is also a small strip of frontier with Burma on the southeastern edge. The land is a deltaic plain with a network of numerous rivers and canals. Through Myanmar, Bangladesh is associated with the entire Southeast Asian region. China is not very far off. Geographically The People's Republic of China is a very close neighbor of Bangladesh with only 100 km of Indian territory between their borders. Though Bangladesh does not have a common border with Nepal and Bhutan, both are very close neighbors separated from the northern border of Bangladesh by 22 km and 30 km of Indian Territory respectively. Though in the south she has her own outlet to sea, the funnel-like shape of the Bay of Bengal puts her in conflict with both India and Myanmar in determining the sea border. NEIGHBORS OF BANGLADESH India and Myanmar are the immediate neighbors of Bangladesh with common borders. The land border with Myanmar is about 243 kilometers while that of India extended over 4,025 kilometers. Thus, in terms of peace along the extensive border and overall national security, the quality of relations with India is of crucial importance to Bangladesh. The near neighbors of Bangladesh are though, without common borders, the nearest are Nepal (22km), Bhutan (distance 22km), and China (distance 100km). Among the neighbors of Bangladesh, there are three countries with nuclear power. GEOPOLITICAL WEAKNESS AND ITS IMPACTS Truly, Bangladesh is clearly locked by India both in land and water except a little border with Myanmar. Geopolitics may be a disadvantage when a country is landlocked or shares common border mostly with one country. Also, the security consideration of a country is greatly dictated by geographical | 002 location. Bangladesh nearness of border with India may appear as a weakness in her defense against any future military conflict with India. Common sharing of rivers also appears as a weakness for Bangladesh because the flow of water which depends on the source of the rivers. Due to its almost flat topography, Bangladesh also has the natural strategic defense that can be a barrier for the external attackers. The flow of 54 common rivers from India into Bangladesh territory creates yet another weakness to Bangladesh. Construction of Farakka barrage and the possibility of constructing more other barrages also appeared as a weakness given by the nature of Bangladesh which we are considering as a geopolitical disadvantage to Bangladesh. Shiligori corridor between Bangladesh and both Nepal, Bhutan which also appears as a weakness to Bangladesh, as it could have brought a more advantageous position if it were Bangladesh part. This small land separates Bangladesh from linking Nepal and Bhutan. If Bangladesh had linkage with Nepal or Bhutan, it could have made easier linkage to China which could have been strengths in bargaining to formulate Bangladesh's foreign policy. Since independence, Bangladesh is being used as a transit route by rail and inland waterways between India's two parts. It gives India benefits in terms of quick movements of goods and less freight cost. For what we see, India's great interest is to take corridor facilities through land roads and using Chittagong port. For the foreign policy decision makers of Bangladesh, this transit facilities more correctly corridor as India proposed has been an important factor to bargain and to mitigate other problems like water dispute, border dispute, sea border dispute with India. GEOPOLITICAL STRENGTH AND ITS IMPACTS Though Bangladesh is a small country and almost locked by India, its geopolitical location gives it some strength in this interdependent world which is prone to be multipolar. Bangladesh is being significant geopolitically where we can categorize some of the important causes. Asian Highway For the fulfillment of Asian highway, Bangladesh plays a significant part as it links India with southeastern countries through the easier low-cost way. Though Bangladesh yet hasn't linked with the Asian high way because of disagreement with India one another's proposal still Bangladesh remains as not to be avoided. Transit Way First of all geopolitical location of Bangladesh appeared for itself in some cases has been disadvantages as so it has been very disadvantageous to India also. To communicate with the northwestern part India has the only and small corridor which is still gory between Bangladesh and India. In case of any dispute or war with China, India's northwestern part becomes very much vulnerable to be separated. What we observed in the Sino-India war of 1962 on border dispute. Since independence, Bangladesh is being used as a transit route by rail and inland waterways between India's two parts. It gives India benefits in terms of quick movements of goods and less freight cost. For what we see, India's great interest to take corridor facilities through land roads and using Chittagong port. www.donnishjournals.org Kabir et al Donn. J. Pol. Sci. Int. Rel. For the foreign policy decision makers of Bangladesh, this transit facilities more correctly corridor as India proposed has been an important factor to bargain and to mitigate other problems like water dispute, border dispute, sea border dispute with India. Geopolitical Importance of Bangladesh for other Countries Not only India has interest over the geopolitical location of Bangladesh. Also, countries like Nepal, Bhutan, China, and USA and even countries like Japan and Australia are showing their interest in considering the geopolitical importance of Bangladesh. Nepal and Bhutan being landlocked and not having sea access, they are very much interested in using Bangladesh’s seaports to foster their trade. Since China has a competing relationship with India, it always seeks opportunities to contain India geo-strategically where Bangladesh becomes one of the perfect positions to her intention. Though the USA has its biggest naval base in Andaman and Nicobar islands, it intends to use Chittagong Sea ports to strengthen its strategic position in the south Asia considering the importance of the region in World politics. More clearly in terms of any dispute with India and China, Chittagong port is the better place to contain two nuclear power and which are growing as a superpower in international system. Japan and Australia also for their national interest maintain good relations with Bangladesh and where Australia has different project and aid in a great deal in Chittagong Hill Tracks. The geopolitics of Bangladesh-China Relations It is quite appreciable that the Government of Bangladesh has adopted a balanced foreign policy. It is applying the ‘friendship to all, animosity to none’ principle of our constitution quite effectively, serving the legitimate and just national interest of Bangladesh, while contributing to the maintenance of the right regional and continental balance of power. In this process, the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping is one of the most significant events in the diplomatic and geopolitical history of Bangladesh. For the last couple of decades, the position of the President has become the most significant in China, ahead of the General Secretary of the Communist Party. However, the Chinese have devised a way where both positions are normally held by the same person, who in turn becomes the most powerful political figure in the Chinese system. This visit is, hence, the first of its kind in reality, despite the visit of a Chinese President in 1986 and a Premier in the early years of this decade. The visit of such a high profile global figure from China to Bangladesh signifies the kind of importance China nowadays attaches to Bangladesh. The current Prime Minister, quite intelligently, undertook the initiative of ice-breaking between the Awami League and the Chinese leadership while she was the leader of the opposition, and the Chinese reciprocated wholeheartedly. It was in the context of a perceived coldness emanating from 1971 and the seventies. It was a fitting and timely initiative given the reality of economic miracles being achieved by China and the secular and, still to a great extent, pro-commoners nature of the Chinese state. Perhaps, China can’t anymore be termed as a communist republic in the classical sense, in light of its spectacular economic rise driven by Special Economic Zones initially in the early eighties and domestic private entrepreneurships later. Now both the governments share the same global anti-terror platform too. | 003 It hardly requires to mention that China is almost a global superpower now. In economic terms, it already is; militarily, perhaps a superpower in waiting. But already China is very much a continental power in all senses. However, coping rightly with China’s largely peaceful rise to the stature of a major power is a delicate job in the geopolitical sphere of Asia, especially in the Indian Ocean maritime domain, where there are other established and aspiring powers. The US is still the dominant military force globally and in the Indian Ocean. We have no dispute with China and hence BangladeshChina relations can grow almost unrestricted. However, the reality is Bangladesh is surrounded by India from three sides. We need Chinese friendship to counteract such potential threats. China, on the other hand, needs alternate access to the Indian Ocean for trade and energy supply purposes. In fact, India itself is part of BCIM initiative which is very much in line with China’s ‘one belt one road’ economic connectivity agenda. China also wants to dish out the labor-intensive manufacturing of its private entrepreneurs to countries with cheaper labor e.g. Bangladesh, as it has already reached midincome status and looking to climb up the value chain. All these make a case for some genuine alliance between Bangladesh and China. China has a stable vision for Asia and we perfectly fit into it. We shall surely not discard India or the US, neither should we get tied in their disputes. Bangladesh between Sino-Indian confliction in this region We must address this economic issue with delicate diplomacy. Recently, China has committed $24 billion for infrastructural development in Bangladesh. On the other hand, India has promised something to the tune of $2 billion and a coal-based power plant in the environmentally critical area of Sundarban, UNESCO declared site for nature conservation. Bangladesh's land area is surrounded by the Indian border, where Indian border guards kill 150-200 Bengalis annually, and we are still friendly neighbors. Like many other places in the world, India and Bangladesh have critical disputes. Some of them are solved diplomatically and some of them are under tireless negotiations. For example, in September 2011, the two countries signed a major accord on border demarcation to end the 4-decade old disputes over boundaries. Still now, Bangladesh is not getting a fair, rational and necessary share of the Ganges water. Bangladesh observes that during the dry season India releases very little amount of water and it gets flooded when India releases excess waters in monsoon season when we don't need water. Another achievement of Bangladesh's diplomacy is the Bay of Bengal sea water settlement with India. Teesta is now a dried and dead river for Indian policy. And river water sharing is another big issue between India and Bangladesh. For decades, it has been exerting huge economic and environmental impact since the Bangladeshi population lives on agriculture by natural irrigation. We don't have any history of hostilities with the Chinese. China is also very close to Bangladesh, but the Himalayas create enormous natural barriers. Since China is becoming a global player and has put forth the grand design of the One Belt One Road Initiative and Maritime Silk Route, this puts Bangladesh as a necessary strategic hub for connecting South Asia with South East Asia. India appears disturbed and worried by such a Chinese step towards Bangladesh because, in that way, China can put geopolitical pressure on India from Pakistan, China's old friend and from the would-be friend Bangladesh. Since the US is siding with India, the South Asian geopolitical game will soon take new shapes and forms. www.donnishjournals.org Kabir et al Donn. J. Pol. Sci. Int. Rel. Already, the Afgan-Pak region, Kashmir, Arunachal, the Dalailama, terrorism and many issues are coming up as disputes between US-led India and China. Bangladesh will not be a safe place if the crisis between India and China escalates. The flame of unconventional warfare will also severely damage Bangladesh if the country is not prepared for inevitable scenarios. Economically, Bangladesh must curb down its trade deficit by facilitating and attracting local production. Since the country has enormous manpower, she should buy the technology, not the products. In such a manner, 50% of the trade deficit should be curtailed to promote heavy and small industries. We also find more space in bilateral relations. Militarily, Bangladesh must increase her defense spending. Recently, Bangladesh has bought two submarines for its navy from China. Though primarily they are being used for training and sea security purposes for Bangladesh Navy, India has expressed concern. India must remember that Bangladesh doesn't consider India an enemy state. Bangladesh should outsource hi-tech weaponry from countries like Russia, Turkey, Germany, and Belgium to diversify her defense mechanisms. For example, Bangladesh can buy five sets of S-400 surface to air missile system to thwart any aerial threat including nuclear missiles. Geopolitically, the country must walk on the balance beam when she deals with both simultaneously. She should clearly understand the state ideologies of regional powers but take a stance of distinctive pragmatism. Bangladesh knows very well that Indian regional policy towards her is very influential. India has a certain cultural-political-economic base from the very birth of Bangladesh since India politically and militarily backed the liberation war of Bangladesh. On the contrary, China didn't give Bangladesh recognition as a new country until 1975, after four years of Bangladesh's independence. Also, Bangladesh should be very careful about Indian red lines. For example, Bangladesh should not give any space to any country to destabilize the Indian seven sisters. She must deter such existential threats. China and India’s geopolitical tug of war for Bangladesh A battle for influence in Bangladesh is on between Asia’s giants, China and India. The Indian government sees Bangladesh as an important neighbor for political, national security and religious reasons. Bangladesh is a transport corridor to India’s northeastern states and a vital alternative route to the vulnerable Siliguri corridor that in the past has been threatened by China’s military, isolating all of northeast India. India also fears that Islamic fundamentalism and jihadism in Bangladesh may spill over the border. China’s broader program of developing influence throughout Asia through trade, finance, military cooperation and soft power includes Bangladesh. Bangladesh is the world’s seventh most populous country and the only one bordering India (except Bhutan) where Chinese influence is not dominant. Both countries’ main influence over Bangladesh is in the area of trade — both run huge current account surpluses with Bangladesh. China exported US$16–17 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh (once official data is adjusted for massive underinvoicing) and imported only US$750 million in 2016–17. China’s foreign assistance to Bangladesh amounts to about US$1 billion a year and a large US$24 billion lending program, promised by China’s President Xi Jinping during his visit in October 2016, is only just getting underway. | 004 Bangladesh’s current account deficit with India is at least US$12 billion. India exports about US$8 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh (once adjusted for under-invoicing) and imports just US$260 million. Informal trade is in India’s by US$2–3 billion, with remittances by Indians working in Bangladesh estimated to be around US$2–4 billion. India’s annual disbursed foreign assistance to Bangladesh amounts to US$150 million. India and China are offering large sums of money for infrastructure projects in Bangladesh. Both are promoting large railway projects (low return investments that will do little for Bangladesh) and both are keen to get involved in building a deep-sea port in Bangladesh. But none of these projects are making much headway and efforts to build big coal-fired power plants have thrown up significant operational and environmental risks. So far the rivalry in infrastructure investment has produced limited tangible outcomes, with Bangladesh the loser. And India’s and China’s manufacturing and energy investments in Bangladesh remain extremely low despite promising intentions. China has long been the main supplier of military equipment to the Bangladesh armed forces. India is trying to catch up, but the Bangladesh military procurement office remains sceptical about the quality of Indian military hardware. In the realm of culture, Indian influence in Bangladesh is overwhelming. The two countries share a common language and Bengali culture is still centred in Kolkata. At least 100,000 Bangladeshis attend school in India and universities in the two countries entertain close links. For its part, China has established Confucius Institutes in Bangladesh that teach Chinese language and scholarships are available for Bangladeshis to study in China. Chinese commercial influence and general presence in Dhaka and Chittagong (a major port city) are rising steadily. India’s memory of the rule of the pro-Islamic and proPakistan Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from 2001–06 shapes its thinking on Bangladeshi politics. Under the BNP Islamic militancy thrived and insurgencies in India’s northeast received Bangladeshi support. India would be appalled if any party other than Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League were to rule Bangladesh. The view from Delhi is very short term: the strategy is to keep the Awami League in power while trying to block growing Chinese influence. China, on the other hand, is playing a long game in Bangladesh and it balances its relations with the ruling Awami League and the anti-Indian, pro-army BNP. Bangladesh is not a passive victim of this geopolitical competition in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is using its strategic position to encourage it. There is a clear awareness in Dhaka that both India and China take more than they give and that their infrastructure and manufacturing projects are of low quality (compared to those of Japan and South Korea). The Rohingya refugee crisis has also made clear that China and Bangladesh are only fair-weather friends. China is blocking the UN Security Council action to move against the genocide or ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar government, which Bangladesh sees as an unfriendly act. India, ostensibly Bangladesh’s closest ally, is no better: in the Rohingya refugee crisis, it squarely backs Myanmar. China and India will do their best to edge each other out in their battle for influence in the Bay of Bengal and will try to exploit an economically weak Bangladesh. But they are likely to fail as Bangladesh continues to play hard to get and plays them off against each other. Going forward, changes in trade policy might have the biggest impact on the giants’ respective influences in Bangladesh. For now, India is doing all it can to www.donnishjournals.org Kabir et al Donn. J. Pol. Sci. Int. Rel. block exports from Bangladesh, while China shows no signs of letting Bangladesh exports enter Chinese markets. Both countries allow massive under-invoicing of their exports to Bangladesh — violating WTO rules — and withhold far more funds from Bangladesh’s exchequer than they offer as loans. But China, which is far richer than India and whose economy dwarfs India’s, has an advantage on trade. If it were to open its economy to billions of dollars of imports from Bangladesh, the balance of power in Bangladesh would shift decisively in China’s favour. CONCLUSION The above analysis over the geopolitical reality and its impacts on foreign policy formulation gives us the understanding that Bangladesh hardly can avoid India as a factor to its foreign policy also in this changing world its being vice versa. Now Bangladesh is going to make a new strong relationship with emerging world power China instead of India. Geopolitical realities dictation over foreign policy provides both disadvantages and disadvantages which also makes the countries interdependent in this world system. | 005 REFERENCES 1. Akmal Husain, "Geopolitics and Bangladesh foreign policy". 2. Mohammad Shamsul Hoque, 'Bangladesh in International politics: the dilemmas of weak states 1993. 3. Ibid, page-159 4. Akmal Husain, Ibid. 5. Yasnin Jahan, Ibid 6. "Geopolitics of South Asia and the threat of war"(Paper presented at the Conference on Glob-al Conflict and Threat of War at the University of Windsor, Canada on October 2, 1999. K. Subramanian, Bangladesh and India's security, alit and Dutt, Dehra Dun, 1972, page-.109. 7. Sarwar Jahan Chowdhury. BDNews 24, October 14, 2016. 8. www.mofa.bd. (Bangladesh ministry of foreign affairs) www.donnishjournals.org