President of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (Retd) has characterized Bangladesh as a 'bridging nation' between South Asia and Southeast Asia, emphasizing its inherent geopolitical strengths.
Moderating a roundtable discussion, he highlighted the necessity of balancing relations with all global powers and underscored the importance of fostering a knowledge-based society.
The BIPSS President subsequently invited the expert panel to share their insights during the roundtable discussion.
He emphasized the urgent need for collaborative strategies to address Bangladesh's geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges and foster a united approach for sustainable development.
BIPSS organized the roundtable on “Bangladesh 2.0: Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Options” at a hotel in Dhaka that brought together experts to explore the nation's evolving strategic landscape, offering deep insights into its future challenges and opportunities.
Dr. Marufa Akhter, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Global studies and Governance, IUB; Parvez Karim Abbasi, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, East West University; Shafqat Munir, Head of BCTR and Senior Research Fellow BIPSS were the speakers who shared their knowledge and perspectives regarding the discussion topic.
At the beginning of the session, Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (Retd) reflected on the recent fall of the 'autocratic regime' that ruled for the past 16 years, which he said has unveiled new opportunities in Bangladesh's geoeconomic and geopolitical landscape.
Marufa addressed the evolving geopolitical landscape of Bangladesh, highlighting its emergence as a land-linked nation in South Asia.
She emphasized the challenges in maintaining bilateral relations with India and Myanmar, citing issues such as trade disputes, border killings, migration, river management, and media misrepresentation with India, alongside the Rohingya crisis with Myanmar.
Marufa stressed the need for redefining relations with neighboring countries and resolving key bilateral issues.
She also underlined the importance of democracy, transparency, and stable multiparty governance to enhance Bangladesh's international standing.
She called for strategic engagement with global powers, including the USA and EU, to secure geopolitical and economic benefits, especially through fair elections and accountable governance.
Shafqat Munir emphasized the need for a policy-driven, forward-looking approach to Bangladesh's post-Monsoon Revolution order. He emphasized that there is no room for sentimentality or dogma in geopolitics.
He also stressed the importance of developing new bilateral and multilateral relations, along with comprehensive strategies to advance Bangladesh's geopolitical, geoeconomic, and security interests, particularly with nations in the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
Munir highlighted Bangladesh's strategic maritime significance, noting its crucial role as an “access provider” to the Bay of Bengal.
Given this, he emphasized the necessity of formulating new strategies to enhance Bangladesh’s maritime capability and to foster maritime cooperation with key partners such as Australia and Singapore.
He underscored the importance of reviving SAARC for enhanced regional cooperation in South Asia.
Munir also addressed Bangladesh as a leader in the climate security discourse. He underscored Bangladesh’s support for the rule-based international system and for productive and meaningful relations with all its neighbours.
Parvez Karim Abbasi highlighted Bangladesh's historical economic challenges, focusing on the substantial per capita debt, which surged by 135% between 2016 and 2024, including $3.35 billion in debt accrued in 2024 alone.
Drawing parallels with the Ottoman Empire, Abbasi underscored the difficulties Bangladesh faces in repaying debts to institutions such as the World Bank and ADB. He expressed concerns about the fragile state of the banking sector, with at least 10 banks nearing bankruptcy.
He stressed the need for improved global economic connectivity and beneficial trade agreements, highlighting Bangladesh’s tremendous geoeconomic potential.
During the interactive session, attendees, including journalists, academicians, students, representatives from various organizations, and ambassadors, raised and discussed a wide range of critical issues and related to the topic.
The audience shared their perspectives on Bangladesh's geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, emphasizing deteriorating relations with India and Myanmar, the need for debt reforms, and the importance of fostering relations with nations beyond the major global powers.
Discussions also touched on the complexities of state versus government interests, the potential for SAARC reform, and enhancing global connectivity.
Additionally, the role of youth in shaping Bangladesh’s overall geopolitical and economic landscape was highlighted as a key factor in the country’s future trajectory.