South China Morning Post
The head of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Dr. Experts believe that Muhammad Yunus will further advance the relationship between the two countries. Their expectation is that Bangladesh’s relationship with the Trump administration will increase further.
Experts say that Muhammad Yunus’ distant and conflicted relationship with Donald Trump is an open secret. But Bangladesh needs the US for strategic reasons. As a result, the Yunus government will be able to start working with the new US administration very quickly.
An analytical report by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said this. Maria Shio’s report was published on the website of the South China Morning Post on the night of November 13.
Muhammad Yunus congratulated Trump on November 5 after winning the presidential election. The Chief Adviser said he looked forward to strengthening the partnership between Bangladesh and the United States.
Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute of the Washington-based observer organization Wilson Center, sees Muhammad Yunus’ statement as very positive.
He said, ‘Trump is coming to power at a time when Sheikh Hasina is trying to restructure and stabilize Bangladesh. Yunus. So I think Dr. Yunus will soon settle the conflict with Trump. Immediately after Trump won. The congratulatory message from Yunus indicates that.’
Yunus’ dispute with Trump basically started in 2016 when Trump was first elected US president. After Trump was elected president. Yunus called Trump’s victory ‘a solar eclipse’.
On the other hand, Yunus’ relationship with the leaders of the United States Democratic Party, especially former US President Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Bill’s wife, has always been cordial.
However, Professor Lailufar Yasmin of International Relations Department of Dhaka University does not want to see the situation of that time and the current situation together.
The analyst says, ‘Dr. Muhammad Yunus currently represents a country of 170 million people. The country has geopolitical importance in South Asia and beyond. So the situation then and now is different. and Dr. Yunus is managing the foreign relations with Bangladesh skillfully.’
Even if there is a change in the administration of the United States, this teacher of the International Relations Department of Dhaka University does not think that there will be any change in the country’s policy towards Bangladesh.
Explaining this, Professor Lailufar Yasmin said, ‘Trump’s policy towards Bangladesh will be more ongoing than changing. Because he puts the interests of the United States first.
Syed Munir Khosru, chairman of the international monitoring organization IPAG Asia-Pacific, Australia, mentioned the donation given by Muhammad Yunus to Hillary Clinton in 2016 behind the ‘complicated’ relationship between Yunus and Trump.
But he said, ‘But that matter does not represent Bangladesh’s foreign policy. Because Bangladesh has a mutually beneficial area with the United States. For example, both countries have maintained good relations in business, development and technology. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached 13 billion US dollars in 2022.
Syed Munir Khosru thinks that Bangladesh’s relations with the new administration of Trump will increase further. Said, ‘Especially in the field of digital infrastructure development.’
According to Syed Munir Khosroo, Donald Trump’s tweet about Bangladesh before the election was not a representation of his policy, but was basically part of the election campaign.
“Bangladesh and the US maintain a strategic relationship, based on shared interests such as counter-terrorism, humanitarian support and regional stability,” added IPAG Asia-Pacific, Australia Chairman.
Analysts say, now Bangladesh should hire a lobbyist. Who can enhance Bangladesh’s domestic policy and appeal to US policy makers.
Donald Trump’s policy is ‘America First’. In line with that policy, Professor Lailafur Yasmin advises the interim government of Bangladesh to adopt the ‘Bangladesh First’ policy. This international analyst is of the opinion that the relationship between the two countries will deepen.
(Dhaka Times/November 16/DM)
Source: www.dhakatimes24.com
