ALTHOUGH Bangladesh is not a member of the G20, the country’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, made her presence felt during her participation in the recently held G20 summit in New Delhi as a special invitee. This gave her an opportunity to meet and interact with a number of world leaders, prominent among them President Joe Biden of the USA, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the UK, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS) of Saudi Arabia, and many more. Her meeting with the host, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was perhaps most significant from the point of view of strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, especially in view of the forthcoming elections, likely in January 2024.
Deals inked
During her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both leaders inked several deals to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on Cooperation on Digital Payment mechanisms between the National Payments Corporation of India (NCPI) and the Bangladesh Bank, the renewal of the Cultural Exchange Program (CEP) for 2023- 2025, and between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC). They also looked forward to beginning negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), covering trade in goods, services, and protecting and promoting investments. The two leaders discussed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation, including political and security cooperation, border management, trade and connectivity, water resources, power and energy, development cooperation, cultural and people-to-people ties.
Current developments in the region and cooperation in multilateral fora were also discussed. Furthermore, the leaders welcomed the operationalisation of the Agreement on the use of the Chattogram and Mongla Ports and the commissioning of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline. They also expressed appreciation for the operationalisation of the settlement of bilateral trade in the Indian Rupee (INR).
Similarly, several images of her with President Joe Biden have gone viral in Bangladesh, currently circulating widely and boosting Sheikh Hasina’s image, adding further support to her profile in light of the upcoming elections. Her ruling party, Awami League (AL), has also received a fresh lease of life, as the political rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has recently been holding several political rallies all over the country, engaging in AL bashing over alleged corruption and nepotism. The BNP was also upbeat due to perceived US support ahead of the elections and US sanctions imposing visa restrictions on Bangladesh. At least tactically, the BNP is now on the defensive, as there is widespread speculation and interpretation in the print, electronic, and social media, highlighting that the political influence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has significantly increased due to her G20 visit and meetings with the US President, Prime Minister Modi, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and other international leaders. The presence of her daughter, Siama Wazed, during her meeting with the US President and Indian Prime Minister, also gives rise to speculations about Siama’s potential larger role, whether political or otherwise, in the future of Bangladesh.
Siama is an accomplished figure in her own right and is also a champion of the cause of autism.
In the environ of the hectic politicking in Bangladesh leading up to the elections, Hasina’s image has certainly risen a few notches, and her party is filled with renewed confidence. Additionally, the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Dhaka on September 10 further added political mileage to Prime Minister Hasina. During Macron’s one-day stay in Dhaka, several bilateral issues were discussed between both leaders, and in their presence, two bilateral agreements were signed to enhance cooperation in various fields, including infrastructure and satellite.
These two agreements include a Credit Facility Agreement between the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of Bangladesh and the France Development Agency (AFD) on the Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Program, and a Letter of Intent (LOI) on Cooperation between Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) and Airbus Defence and Space SAS of France related to the Bangabandhu-2 Earth Observation Satellite System.
New areas of cooperation
Earlier in the day, both leaders held talks to explore new areas of cooperation. It may be recalled that the last time a French President visited was in 1990 when thenPresident Francois Mitterrand visited Bangladesh. It is a wellknown fact that France had shown keen interest during the liberation struggle of Bangladesh, and in 1973, the renowned French writer and humanist, Andre Malraux, visited Bangladesh and provided full support to the cause of Bangladesh’s freedom. Hence, the visit of the French President now also appears to be a political gain for Bangladesh in general and Prime Minister Hasina in particular.
Judging by these developments, it appears that Sheikh Hasina stands to gain politically within her own country, and her personal image in the international arena has substantially improved, along with her country, which was once described by the US as a “basket case.” Yet, there is no room for complacency on her part, as she must do everything to ensure victory in the elections. Her triumph would mean the defeat of communal and parochial forces that are anti-India as well. The recent development of some men in Khaki joining the rival BNP must be considered when making calculations to secure an outright victory in the polls.
