US Can't Resist Pitting Bangladesh Against Russia and India

A meeting between American Ambassador to Dhaka, Peter Haas, and Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, a senior opposition leader from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Monday has sparked concerns about the Biden administration's policy towards the South Asian nation, almost a month after the ruling Awami League swept the election.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of BNP's ongoing 'India Out' campaign aimed at inciting an anti-India sentiment in the country. According to reports, BNP has been leading a call to boycott Indian imports, mirroring a similar campaign in the Maldives which culminated in the election win of President Muhamed Muizzu last November.

The opposition party, which boycotted the federal election, has accused India of "intefering" in Bangladesh's election process by backing the Hasina government.

Similarly, the BNP also accused Russia, which has historical ties with Dhaka, of backing the ruling Awami League in the election.

Alexander Mantytskiy, the Russian Ambassador to Dhaka, has termed the charges as "misleading and false".

US Ambassador Seeks to Pit Bangladesh Against India, Russia and China: Awami League

Speaking to Sputnik India, Ambassador Muhammad Zamir, the chair of the International Affairs Sub-committee of Awami League, expressed concerns over the continuous courting of BNP by the American Ambassador.

"The US seems to have no idea about the politics and public opinion in Bangladesh. The US is hoping that it could replace India (as the closest political and developmental) partner of Bangladesh. They are hoping that we will stand against China. The US wants Bangladesh to tone down its ties with Russia and take an anti-Russia stance. These are absolutely rubbish things," stated Zamir, a former career diplomat.

"Why should we go against Russia, China or India?" he questioned.

Having a clear cut policy on Asia-Pacific, the Biden administration's National Security Strategy (NSS) identifies China as the "most consequential geopolitical challenge" and Russia as an "immediate" threat.

However, in the case of Bangladesh, the US and India, officially designated as 'comprehensive global and strategic Partners', have conspicuously been at odds over the election results. India, along with China and Russia, have all backed the validity of the 7 January election, which has otherwise been criticised by US-led western allies.

"There are at least 70-80 countries, including Russia and India, which have conveyed their congratulations to Prime Minister Hasina on the successful conduct of the federal election," Zaman highlighted.

He criticised the US policy, which he remarked wasn't rooted in reality.

He underscored that the Prime Minister Hasina was firmly following a foreign policy of "friendship with all, enmity with none", etched in Awami League's election manifesto.

"Mr Biden should be more worried about his election prospects and the things happening in his own country rather than being worried about democracy in Bangladesh," the Awami League official said.

BNP's 'India Out' Campaign

What's more surprising for Zamir is that the US was backing the BNP at a time when it was involved in a rabid anti-India campaign aimed at undermining New Delhi's ties with Dhaka.

"The BNP believes that they could instigate anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh by orchestrating an 'India Out' campaign in the country. This is absolute rubbish," the Ambassador stated, adding that the visit of foreign minister Hasan Mahmud to India this month reinforced Dhaka's strong economic, political and security ties with its western neighbour.

He further castigated the opposition for "disrespecting" the country's freedom struggle and its icons for the sake of power.

"On 21 February, we are celebrating the death anniversary of five students who laid down their lives for the cause of making Bengali as the official language of then Pakistan. 21 February is celebrated with much fervour in Bangladesh. UNESCO declared it as the International Mother Language Day (IMLD) in 1999," Zaman explained.

"The BNP hasn’t in any way said that the month needs to be respected due to the historical dates. Their politics is dishonouring their sacrifices," he added.

He urged the US to look into BNP's anti-nation politics as it extended its support to the opposition party.

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BNP's 'India Out' Campaign