The name “Bay of Bengal” is a matter of pride for Bengalis! Large cities like Madras (Chennai), Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar. etc. in all areas or states in India are located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. However, the bay is not named after them. It was named after Bengal. In the middle of Myanmar, Andaman Islands, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the vast territory of South India, the reservoir of 2,171,964 square kilometers is named after Bengal.
The Bay of Bengal has now become the center of international politics due to its economic and strategic importance but in fact, it extends to the bottom of Sri Lanka. It is the busiest international shipping route in the world. About 40,000 ships pass this route each year and half of the world’s goods and fuel vessels use this route.
Looking at the picture of the Bay of Bengal, it is clear that its all-northern boundary has formed a parallel belt. The two sides on the outside have gradually increased and ended in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. On the other side, the Andaman Islands merge with Sumatra from Myanmar and turn right to join Sri Lanka. Cox’s Bazar, the largest beach in the world, the Sundarbans, the largest uninterrupted mangrove forest, and one of the world’s most delicious fish species, the habitat of hilsa is linked and associated with Bay of Bengal.
The ports on the shores of the Bay of Bengal have borne the imprint of political, religious and economic tensions over the centuries. From ancient times to the Middle Ages, Arab traders and missionaries flocked to the port on the shores of the Bay of Bengal via the Arabian Sea. After the discovery of the Bay of Bengal by Vasco-da Gama, Portuguese, French, Danish, Dutch and English companies started coming from Europe. They built their company’s offices and forts on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. From this time the conflict between the European merchants and the Indian kings began. Towards the end of this conflict, the British East India Company built its two and a half hundred-year empire in India.
Today, the Bay of Bengal gets attention from world powers. The US, UK, China, India and Japan have focused their attention on it. That is the strategy. The US has shifted its policy from the Asia Pacific towards Indo- Pacific to counter the China’s BRI. Both parties want Bangladesh into their respective blocks. In this regard, Bangladesh is handling this issue tactically. It avoids its involvement with the blocs directly.
Having been requested by the US for years, Bangladesh didn’t show any interest in signing the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSMIA) agreements with US. On the other hand, when the Chinese envoy to Bangladesh commented that Bangladesh shouldn’t join IPS this year, Bangladesh strongly protested against his remarks saying it is capable to form its own national policy. Basically, Bangladesh doesn’t like any controversy with anyone. Its aim is very simple and clear: friendship to all, malice to none. Bangladesh wants and likes to go ahead with all regional and global actors.
The Bangladesh policy is not towards bipartisan international politics. The country was an active member of the Non-Aligned Movement and has no intention and interest to join any block. But Bangladesh does have the intention to be benefitted from the blocks. Bangladesh wants and believes in the peaceful coexistence in the region. It always avoids any kind of clashes with its neighbors. Despite having the provocation from Myanmar during the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017, it abstained from using any kind of force. Bangladesh is also balancing successfully between the BRI and the IPS and exploiting the strategic significance of the Bay of Bengal.
Whether Bangladesh is involved in the US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) or the Chinese-led Belt and Road (BRI), it must maintain peace and the rule of law in the maritime region to reap maximum economic benefits from the Bay of Bengal. It needs to acquire natural resources as well as the ability to catch fish from the deep sea. If it is possible, it will open the way for Bangladesh to earn huge amounts of foreign exchange from fishing and minerals.
The port plays an important role for connectivity. Bangladesh has three seaports but due to depth constraints, large vessels (mother vessels) are still unable to be accommodated. The establishment of a deep seaport at Matarbari in Cox’s bazar in collaboration with Japan will solve this problem as well as reduce the cost of transporting goods. Four and a half thousand foreign ships transport imported and exported goods to Bangladesh and it has to pay about $105,027,660 every year to charter ships. Bangladesh has only 60 ships to transport goods by sea, therefore having a serious shortage of capacity. Bangladesh therefore needs to increase its capability.
The sea border of Bangladesh is 12 nautical miles or 22 kilometers. On the other hand, if all the rivers and ponds originated from and connected with rivers of Bangladesh are added, it stands at 15,000 kilometers. Bangladesh needs training, education and infrastructure to increase its ability to extract resources from this vast ocean. At present, it has a Maritime University, Oceanographic Department and Oceanographic Research Center. These institutions should also come forward to expand education in this sector.
Drug smuggling, piracy in the Malacca Strait and pollution from ships and land are destroying the marine environment. Effective steps can be taken to address these crises jointly through BIMSTEC, SAARC and ASEAN. Bangladesh has made changes in the Maritime Act of 1974 and a Marine Economy Cell has been formed. Besides, a maritime economic action plan has been adopted. Bangladesh wants to join the Colombo Security Conclave now as its aim is to tackle maritime threat.
Japan attaches great importance to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Bangladesh is one of the partners of Japan’s Big-B initiative around the Bay of Bengal. Under this, Matarbari in Maheshkhali will be turned into a hub for the import and export of electricity and energy, industry and sea. However, the Rohingya crisis could lead to instability in the region. Therefore, Japan should can play a significant role in case of the repatriation of Rohingya, which is a sustainable solution to this crisis.
The Bay of Bengal was historically important. Due to geopolitics, its importance has increased since the late 80’s. Bangladesh is an important player in this geopolitics. The present government has pursuing a policy of maintaining good relations with all Indo-Pacific countries, avoiding conflict and because of the balance, Bangladesh is an active partner of the US IPS as well as China’s BRI. Basically, Bangladesh shows the rest of the countries in the region how to balance with big powers simultaneously. Its balancing capability is really praiseworthy and exemplary for many countries.
The US, Japan, Australia and India formed the QUAD to counter China’s BRI. Despite competition over geopolitics, the United States and China are each other’s biggest trading partners. Bangladesh knows and understands this. It needs both America and China to ensure its business interests. Strategic significance of the Bay of Bengal will make Bangladesh more prosperous in the region.
*The writer is an activist, researcher, analyst and columnist based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
December 25, 2021
The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of Aequitas Review.
