Dhaka gets closer to Delhi, Beijing 2011-02-10

The first two years of the Awami League-led grand alliance government have seen Bangladesh focusing its foreign policy on regional connectivity and boosting ties especially with India and China -- the two Asian giants.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official visit to India in January last year helped clear the clouds that overshadowed the relations between the two close neighbours during the rule of BNP. The 51-point Joint Communiqué signed during the visit is considered a landmark in the new bilateral relations.

Bangladesh has agreed to let India use its ports in Chittagong and Mongla, along with two other South Asian neighbours Nepal and Bhutan. In return, India has agreed to allow transit facilities to Bangladesh for trading with the two land-locked countries through Banglabandh.

Dhaka has also signed a deal to allow India use its Ashuganj river port for transport of equipment for an electricity plant New Delhi is building in Tripura.

However, securing a loan of $1 billion from India mainly to upgrade road and railway infrastructures is seen as a major gain in the government's foreign policy. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rushed his most senior colleague Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Dhaka to witness the signing of the loan agreement.

In forging closer ties with India the government remained unfazed by criticism from the main opposition BNP that accuses the prime minister of giving too much to New Delhi and getting too little in exchange.

Bangladesh and India are yet to reach an agreement on sharing the waters of river Teesta, settle the dispute over 6.5 kilometres of the border and remove the trade imbalance that heavily favours New Delhi.

The past years have also witnessed Dhaka taking steps to strengthen its trade and economic relations with China, one of its long-time friends.

Invited by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Sheikh Hasina paid an official visit to China in March last year producing a 10-point comprehensive Joint Communiqué to intensify cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, transport and infrastructure development.

Bangladesh is seeking Chinese assistance in building a seaport deep in the Bay of Bengal and offering Beijing to use it through a proposed highway from Bangladesh's southeastern part to the Chinese city of Kunming through Myanmar.

Hasina travelled to India, China, South Korea, USA, Kuwait, Russia, Japan, Belgium, Bhutan, and Malaysia last year.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, however, visited over two dozen countries and attended several international and regional events. She held talks with at least 100 foreign counterparts, ministers and high level officials of various international bodies.

A bright spot has been Bangladesh's success in clearing its name from the list of countries that harbour extremism and corruption. The country is currently commanding an image of a non-communal democratic country.

The prime minister undertook an important visit to Japan, the largest donor and development partner of Bangladesh. Japan has agreed to provide Bangladesh an additional $100 million for the construction of Padma multipurpose bridge.

Sheikh Hasina also visited Russia to attend a conference on how to protect the Royal Bengal Tigers of the Sundarbans. She used the tour as an opportunity to discuss Russian help in setting up nuclear energy-based power plant.

Bangladesh did well to project its vulnerability to the climate change due to global warming. At all international conferences, including the ones in Copenhagen and Cancun, Bangladesh strongly put its case as a climate change victim, highlighting the people's plight and impediments it posed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

In response to Hasina's appeal for the transfer of green technology and new money from the Global Climate Change Fund to enhance the country's adaptive capabilities, developed economies agreed to assist Bangladesh by providing financial and technological assistance.

Diplomatic analysts think Bangladesh spent the past two years in laying the foundation of a new-look foreign policy. They say 2011 will be the year for Bangladesh in getting the benefit.

Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, are likely to gradually open up recruitment of Bangladeshis, they added.

The UAE has already increased manpower import from Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to UAE (January 16-19) will further open up opportunities for Bangladesh, assumed the analysts.

China and Korea have already allowed duty free access to several thousand Bangladeshi items and the country would reap the benefits when the opportunities are properly utilised.