Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
Theoretically speaking, the broad foreign policy objectives of nation-states appear to be similar. Some of these shared objectives are for example safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, promoting national interests, international cooperation for peace, stability and development, friendly relations with other states on the basis of sovereign equality, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, non-use of force or threat of use of force and peaceful settlement of all disputes, upholding democratic values and human rights, combating and eliminating racism, colonialism in any manifestation, and the like.
The picture, complex as it is, is further complicated by the harsh reality of unequal relationships among all sovereign nation-states. The conspicuous disparity in size, population, economic and military power renders peace highly tenuous, at both the global and the regional level. The doctrine of security underlying the balance of power-blocs represented by them has unleashed an escalating arms race spreading to the developing Third World and rendering the militarily weak countries highly vulnerable. Such a World order is, of course, the very antithesis of what had been envisioned by the founding fathers of the United Nations.
The most disquieting aspect of the contemporary World situation is that the transformation in the geopolitical map of the world with the emergence of the new sovereign states of the Third World was not accompanied by the needed transformation in the world economic structures, which has continued for all practical intents and purposes as it was during the colonial era. This anachronistic structural imbalance of the world economic order is at the root of many of the problems that now bedevil both the developing and the developed parts of our World.
For this purpose, the need for a pragmatic, balanced, dynamic and forward-looking foreign policy was clearly indicated. National interests remaining paramount, it was recognized that the foreign policy should be based on a long-term perspective and despite the pressure of the immediate problems; their solution should be sought within the framework of such a long-term policy. It was, of course, imperative that the framework of such a long-term policy must be based on principles reflecting a national consensus.
Happily, a striking convergence was observed in the thinking of the leaders ever since independence on some of the basic principles in structuring the foreign policy of Bangladesh. Historically, this region has been the heartland of several great civilizations which left a deep imprint on world progress and enriched the cultural heritage of mankind. Ironically enough, the countries of this region are now among the poorest in the world. Even in India, which technologically ranks high among the leading countries of the world, nearly 50 percent of her populations live below the poverty line.
The geo-political position of Bangladesh renders it imperative on her part to develop, sustain and promote friendly relations and cooperation with all her neighbours and near neighbours. The national interests in external relations are best served through a carefully designed foreign policy marked by continuity, stability and consistency and accompanied by pragmatism as warranted by the dynamics of changing international politics. In dealing with problems arising out of asymmetrical relations among neighbors, Bangladesh found quiet diplomacy, based on the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Non-Aligned Movement to which all the countries of the region were committed, as the most forceful negotiating tool.
Bangladesh’s experience shows that a weak state may be more vulnerable but not totally helpless. In the case of Bangladesh, its large population with its homogeneous composition and fiercely nationalistic fervor can be transformed through national cohesion into a powerful force and a deterrent. The vulnerability of the weak Third World countries is increased by the trend observed among them to borrow, in many cases, threat perceptions from the great power blocs.
Ensuring of an adequate flow of external resource for achieving self-reliance in national development should be integral to her foreign policy strategy. Last but not the least, the roots of a nation’s foreign policy lie within the very soil of the country.
(Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed, former Additional Secretary)
