London, April 18 Bangladesh is grappling with fuel shortages, rising prices, and diplomatic uncertainty while attempting to avoid offending any major power. The government's carefully worded statements during the recent conflict in West Asia have drawn criticism at home and scrutiny abroad, a report stated on Saturday.
According to the UK-based Middle East Monitor, at a deeper level, the situation reflects a more fundamental issue – the absence of a coherent foreign policy strategy in Bangladesh.
A reactive, risk-averse posture shaped more by dependency than principle is, the report stated, a condition that can be described as foreign policy bankruptcy.
"The US–Israel war on Iran has shaken the whole world. The surprising air attacks on February 28, amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations, came as a shocking development, drawing condemnations and muted responses from around the world. Bangladesh's reactions to the war, crafted in measured words, condemned violations of sovereignty of the Gulf states by Iranian counterstrikes, but not Iran's sovereignty violated by the US and Israel," the report detailed.
"The reference to Iran as the primary victim was missing, exposing not just economic vulnerability, which is widely acknowledged, but a deeper, structural weakness in Bangladesh's foreign policy. The war has not created this weakness; it has simply revealed it," it added.
The report underscored that while the Iran war remains geographically distant, its repercussions are immediate, leaving Bangladesh affected despite not being a participant — a reflection of the "paradox of globalisation" for smaller states.
"The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply, and any disruption there sends shockwaves through energy markets. When conflict escalates in the Strait of Hormuz corridor, Bangladesh feels it almost instantly through fuel prices, shipping disruptions, and inflation," the report mentioned.
Given the gravity of the crisis, it said, one might expect a clear diplomatic stance, yet Bangladesh appears to have opted for neutrality.
“Official statements emphasise restraint, dialogue, and peace. On the surface, this seems reasonable. After all, Bangladesh has little to gain from taking sides in a major geopolitical conflict. But neutrality is not simply the absence of alignment. It requires consistency, credibility, and balance. And here is where the problem begins,” the report stated.
Highlighting broader implications, the report said, “In a world of rising uncertainty, this approach is becoming less sustainable. Foreign policy is not only about surviving the present. It is about preparing for the future. Bangladesh, at this moment, is struggling to do either. That is why the current moment feels like a kind of bankruptcy. Not a sudden collapse, but a gradual erosion of capacity, clarity, and confidence.”
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