A sovereign country’s foreign policy is framed to protect its own interest and foster warm relationship amongst and between its neighbours and beyond. However some superpowers often formulate their foreign policy not only to protect their own self-interest but to damage those of others if needed.

If necessary these foreign powers will not hesitate to undermine the sovereignty of smaller or weaker countries and sometimes they may resort to such criminal acts like toppling an elected government in the name of democracy or  protecting ‘human rights’. If records are to be believed, world’s most powerful superpower US supersedes all other countries in such acts.

In 1953 US using its national intelligence agency CIA toppled the Iran’s elected government of Dr. Mohammad Mossaddegh; his sin being nationalization of  the Iranian oil wealth which was so far being plundered by the British Oil Companies in connivance with the Shah of Iran.  Initially Britain tried to do the job by itself but did not have enough strength to do so.

Examples of involvements in such activities of engineering coups by US government agencies in other countries abound and well documented. In another recent development Pakistan’s 22nd Prime Minister Imran Khan accused US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu  in inspiring Pakistan’s the then Army Chief General Bajwa to depose him, his sin being he visited Russia at the height of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Imran Khan who has already been convicted for three years charged with corruption is also being tried for other allegations against him.

Donald Lu is no stranger in Bangladesh as he and his State Department colleagues keeps regularly shuttling between Washington and Dhaka in search of their own version of ‘free, fair, peaceful and inclusive’ 12thparliamentary election and protection of human rights in Bangladesh.

Most national and international observers, even some US media often are critical of certain US interference vis-à-vis Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary election.  
Irrational Sanction Hurts EveryoneFor the upcoming parliamentary election in Bangladesh 28 political parties out of 40 registered with the Election Commission are taking part.

Bangladesh’s one of the major political parties BNP along with some of its rag-tag allies has resorted to sporadic criminal activities like burning innocent people to death in their sleep and torching parked public vehicles. On 28 October BNP-Jamaat goons brutally beat to death one police personnel and ransacked the premises of the Chief Justice’s residence.

With actions of some diplomats stationed in Dhaka it appeared that they were inspiring the agitating political parties to force the current Prime Minister to step down from her office and hold an election as per the demands of these street agitators. At times the moves of few diplomats stationed in Dhaka not only violated the covenants of the Vienna Convention of 1963 but also appeared to be blatantly interfering in the internal matters of Bangladesh. Not being successful in their moves US announced such measures like a ‘Visa Ban’ on Bangladesh’s elite law enforcing agency RAB though such instruments have no practical implication as such.

From the past records it is seen that US often uses the scare of imposing a ‘Visa Ban’ or ‘economic sanction’ on countries that refuse to tow their dictums. However, while sanctions are painted as an ideal alternative to war, as it does not produce immediate physical violence, the damage that they can create cannot be understated. Former UN Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali (1992-96) described economic sanctions as a “blunt instrument” that very much harms innocent civilians.

Currently with the Bangladesh’s 12th national election just few weeks away the political fortune tellers predicts that soon there may be a similar sanctions against Bangladesh and to  camouflage the political agenda, they will use the labour rights related issues. On 16 November US President Joe Biden signed an official memo to promote the labour rights around the world. Biden’s memo in no way did mention specifically Bangladesh.

It was a general memo in nature directed towards all counties which has wtrade links with US. No sooner had Biden’s memo made public, the political fortune-tellers lost no time that a sanctions on export of readymade garments to US is around the corner.

One rag-tag street agitator even announced a date, 17 December, to be final day of this government. US imports apparels from Bangladesh without giving any sort of concessions.

Bangladesh pays a duty of 15.3 percent on all its RMG exports and so does Vietnam. It is absolutely forbidden to talk of labour rights in Vietnam but the country competes with Bangladesh to be lead exporter of RMG to US. China, historically an ‘enemy’ country of US and the leading exporter of RMG to US, only pays only 3 percent duty for their exports. If US stops imports of such consumer goods it will not only punish millions of workers in other countries but also deny better and cheaper products to its own consumers which may prove to be too costly for the its current sluggish economy.

Bangladesh appreciates US’s contribution to its development projects, especially in the energy sector. Currently negotiations are going on with US giant oil companies for exploring oil and gas reserves in the Bay of Bengal area. Both the countries have seen ups and downs in its foreign policy but at the end good sense prevailed.

The US is a country that produced great statesmen like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln and iconic human rights activists like Dr. Martin Luther King. Bangladesh had its own Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In spite of the fact that US opposed the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation, it was Mujib who opened the door of friendship for US and over the years the relationship has grown. Over last fifty years both countries have shared many common interests – one being fighting against militancy. With a bit of compassion and understanding both countries have a long way to go.

Petty interest of individuals and groups should not stand in between the cooperation and common interest of both countries. There is no denying the fact that the rights of labours have to be respected and upheld around the world.
In the Month of Victory, warmest greetings to all readers.