From the frenetic hum of Dhaka to the serene landscape of rural Bengal, a subtle yet significant transformation is underway in the psyche of common people about Bangladesh’s perceived foreign policy.

Long shaped by cultural and historical bonds with India, our strategic orientation is now being recalibrated—driven not by emotion or rivalry, but by a sober assessment of our national priorities and the shifting tectonics of global power.

The truth is straightforward: development is not optional for Bangladesh. It is our most pressing imperative, the compass guiding every decision we make.

And in this pursuit, China has emerged not just as a viable partner, but a responsive one—willing to listen, invest, and engage on terms that resonate with our aspirations.

This shift is not anti-Indian; it is pro-Bangladeshi.

There is a growing enthusiasm in Bangladesh for deeper ties with Beijing. One need only look at recent gestures: the Chinese government dispatching a special aircraft for Interim Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, or the spectacular drone display in Dhaka celebrating Noboborsho, our Bengali New Year.

These may seem like diplomatic flourishes, but they are read here as signs of genuine respect—symbolic of a relationship grounded in mutual recognition rather than historical baggage or regional muscle-flexing.

Contrast this with the uneasy undercurrent that increasingly defines our relationship with India.

While there remains deep appreciation for our shared history and geographic proximity, there is also a pervasive perception—fair or not—of regional overreach. Too often, Bangladeshis feel they are being managed, not engaged; expected to align, but rarely consulted.

This dynamic is neither sustainable nor wise.

History offers ample warning. The United States, through its 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, sought to secure its influence across Latin America.

What followed was not compliance, but decades of distrust and resistance. Influence, when exerted unilaterally, breeds its own limits.

Partnership grounded in equality

India, of course, has its own foreign policy preference—courting the West, strengthening ties with Israel, and preserving long-standing links with Russia.

But its uncritical backing of an autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka had created a severe anti-India wave in Bangladesh in the last few years, which only has gotten bolstered after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina.

However, Bangladesh is not looking to sever ties with India–far from it. We seek a partnership grounded in equality, not hierarchy. But we will not stall our ambitions waiting for others to make space for them.

China’s appeal is not ideological—it is infrastructural, economic, and immediate. The Belt and Road Initiative, for all its complications, offers us tangible tools: roads, ports, energy grids, trade corridors.

For a nation with our potential—and our urgent need for growth—these aren’t luxuries. They are lifelines.

We are not choosing between India and China. We are choosing opportunity, sovereignty, and momentum. If regional giants wish to remain relevant partners in Bangladesh’s rise, they must see us not as a client state, but as an equal on the path toward prosperity.

This is not to suggest that Bangladesh and India are destined for discord. Our nations are bound by shared history, language, and deep cultural ties that continue to shape our societies in profound ways.

Cooperation across trade, security, and regional connectivity remains both necessary and desirable. But the relationship, as it currently stands, is strained by a persistent asymmetry—a dynamic where Bangladesh is too often expected to align with India’s strategic imperatives, rather than be heard on its own terms.

What Bangladesh really wants

What Bangladesh seeks is not confrontation, but recalibration.

A relationship grounded in genuine equality, where our sovereignty is not just respected but actively upheld, would serve both countries far better in the long run.

It would foster trust, encourage collaboration, and unlock the potential of a region that has for too long been constrained by mistrust and misalignment.

As citizens of an emerging nation with ambitions that stretch far beyond our borders, we can no longer afford to be passive participants in this shifting geopolitical landscape.

Bangladesh must assert its agency, not just in rhetoric but in the partnerships we cultivate and the paths we choose.

Our growing engagement with China should be understood through this lens. It is not an act of defiance toward India, nor is it rooted in ideology. It is a strategic decision—anchored in the urgent demands of development, the promise of infrastructure, and the prospect of transformative economic cooperation.

China, for its part, has shown both willingness and capacity to support these goals, not with paternalism, but with pragmatism.

Yes, the embrace of the dragon carries its own complexities. But for Bangladesh, it is neither sentimental nor symbolic. It is a strategic imperative, shaped by the pursuit of progress and the protection of our national interests.

As we navigate this new era, we will continue to engage with all who approach us with respect and reciprocity. But we will no longer apologize for choosing what is best for our future.

Because in the end, our allegiance is not to one bloc or another. It is to the promise of a sovereign, self-determined Bangladesh.

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Munawar Rashid is an engineer based in Philadelphia, with a keen interest and perspective on global political affairs.