by Hafizur Rahman
November 23, 2025. Dhaka, Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s handling of the Rohingya crisis was influenced significantly by internal political calculations ahead of the 2018 national election, according to speakers at a round-table discussion in Dhaka. At the event titled “Dancing with Giants: The Art of Small State Survival,” organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) as part of the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2025, analysts said the government used the crisis to bolster domestic legitimacy while public sympathy was high.
Domestic Politics and the Rohingya Issue
Mr Parvez Karim Abbasi, executive director of CGS, delivered the keynote address. He said that ahead of the 2018 election, the government framed the Rohingya issue prominently in its foreign policy, as public sentiment was strongly in favour of the displaced Rohingya. He noted this reflected how foreign policy became an extension of domestic politics.
Abbasi added that after the ruling party returned to power, Bangladesh gradually shifted away from Western-led multilateral efforts and turned increasingly to China and India for managing the Rohingya situation. He described this shift as moving from “balancing” to “bandwagoning,” and argued that this change coincided with stalling repatriation efforts.
Foreign Policy Alignment and Trade Pressures
Abbasi also discussed the long-standing Teesta water dispute, saying that initially Bangladesh explored options from both China and India, but after the 2024 election the government aligned more closely with New Delhi. This shift, he said, disappointed many at home and reinforced perceptions of dependency.
He noted that Bangladesh’s export-import structure imposes trade pressures. Exporting mainly to Western markets while importing from China and India creates a structural tension. According to him, the readymade garment industry’s fear of sanctions or supply disruptions contributed to the government adopting a neutral stance in certain strategic relations.
Small State Strategy and Collective Action
Speakers at the session said that Bangladesh and similarly situated countries often need to navigate the competing interests of major powers. The session was moderated by David Patrician of RTL Nord (Germany) and included experts from India, Nepal, Malaysia, Australia and Germany. Participants emphasised that smaller states must adopt flexible and cooperative strategies rather than accepting subordination.
One senior academic, Selim Jahan of the BRAC Institute for Governance and Development, stated that “entering negotiations with giants requires preparation and unity” and argued that smaller countries should stop thinking of themselves as passive actors.
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