The Workers Party of Bangladesh (WP) has strongly objected to Bangladesh’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS). A press statement from the Workers’ Party’s Politburo on Friday (October 16th) stated the objection.
The statement said that despite the denials of Bangladesh’s foreign and state ministers, US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Bigen made it clear to reporters that he had discussed Bangladesh’s participation in the Indo-Pacific strategy with them. In a press conference with the Foreign Minister, he also called Bangladesh an important partner of IPS. It is as clear as day that the US Deputy Secretary of State’s visit was to garner support for the IPS.
The statement from the Workers’ Party said that the United States has recently moved to build a military alliance in the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on the situation in the South China Sea, the Indo-China border dispute, and North Korea’s position on the Korean Peninsula. That’s why the US State Department is touring South Asian countries just three weeks before the US presidential election.
The statement said that in the past, the people of Pakistan saw the results of the Pakistan Central Government’s accession to the CENTO agreement during the then Pakistan period. Through the liberation war, the people of Bangladesh successfully freed them from the curse of the Treaty of SEATO and CENTO. That is why soon after the independence of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu not only adopted the policy of non-alignment but also became its leader.
The statement further said that the United States did not look at Bangladesh through the eyes of other countries and said that there was no excuse for being fooled. Independent role in foreign policy is part of Bangladesh’s policy and according to the constitution, Bangladesh cannot join the military alliance being formed in the region in the name of Indo-Pacific Strategy. And if that is the case, it will be against the constitution of Bangladesh and the declared policy of the government.
