FOREIGN POLICY OF BANGLADESH: CHALLENGES IN THE 1990s

This article provides a forward-looking assessment of the major foreign policy challenges confronting Bangladesh in the 1990s. It argues that the end of the Cold War and the country's own transition to democracy created a new and complex international environment. The study identifies several key challenges. The first is managing the critically important and asymmetric relationship with its powerful neighbor, India, particularly on issues like water sharing. The second is navigating the new global economic landscape, which demands greater competitiveness and economic diplomacy. A third challenge is addressing non-traditional security threats, such as environmental degradation and migration. The research also explores the opportunities for Bangladesh to play a more proactive role in regional cooperation through SAARC and in international peacekeeping through the UN. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for a pragmatic and agile foreign policy to successfully navigate the uncertainties of the post-Cold War world.

The dawn of the 1990s presented Bangladesh with a fundamentally altered international landscape and a new set of foreign policy challenges. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of these challenges. The study is structured around three core themes. First, it examines the geopolitical challenges, with a primary focus on the relationship with India. It delves into the persistent and vital issue of sharing the waters of the Ganges and other common rivers, arguing that finding a sustainable solution is a paramount foreign policy objective. Second, the paper analyzes the geo-economic challenges. With the global shift towards market-based economies, it highlights the imperative for Bangladesh to enhance its export competitiveness, attract foreign investment, and skillfully navigate the multilateral trading system. The role of economic diplomacy is identified as a key area for capacity building. Third, the study explores the emerging non-traditional security challenges. It discusses the profound threat posed by climate change and sea-level rise, as well as the complex issue of cross-border migration, both of which require cooperative, diplomatic solutions. The findings suggest that Bangladesh's foreign policy in the 1990s would need to be multi-dimensional, moving beyond traditional political diplomacy to adeptly manage a complex agenda of economic, environmental, and security issues in a new and evolving global order.