POWER STRUGGLE OVER INDIAN OCEAN: SECURITY IMPLICATIONS FOR BANGLADESH
Keywords:
POWER STRUGGLE, INDIAN OCEAN, SECURITY IMPLICATIONSAbstract
The Indian Ocean is a fascinating ocean, rich in history. However, history also testifies that presence of the global imperialist powers over the Indian Ocean caused untold sufferings for the littorals especially for the small and vulnerable states. In fact, whoever controlled the Indian Ocean had the littorals at his mercy and could monopolise their trade and exploit their resources. Today, with the pace of global geo-strategic and geo-political transformation, Indian Ocean is once again becoming the epicentre of power struggle of the big three contenders viz. The USA, China and India. Bangladesh, being located at the close proximity of the melee, is likely to be sucked into the vortex of the unfolding great game and affected by the vested equations of the rival powers. It, therefore, merits a comprehensive research on the current dynamics of power struggle over the Indian Ocean and find out the likely implications on the security interests of Bangladesh. This will greatly help in identifying viable courses of actions for Bangladesh to cope with the changing scenario. It is apparent that due to the conflicts of interests and aspirations, the Indian Ocean region will be the focal point of future geo-strategy of the three major powers of the contemporary world. As trust among this trio is low and will likely to remain so in the foreseeable future, they are set to enter into a dynamic power struggle to secure trade, energy and dominance over the Indian Ocean. Being a geo-strategic pivot of the region, Bangladesh is crucially important to all the three contending players. As such each will try to field Bangladesh according to its own design of the game. On other hand, Bangladesh will require to use all of them as partners of progress. However, playing any wrong card to any of them might severely affect national security interest of the country. Under such precarious situation, maintaining congenial and beneficial relationships with all the three rival powers without getting embroiled into the power politics will be the real challenge for Bangladesh. For this Bangladesh will need to sell her geo-vitality to all the contending parties in a crafty way and will require to maintain a balanced relationship with all without bandwagoning anyone.
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Lectures, Speeches and Interviews
Alam, Lt Gen A T M Zahirul, rcds, psc (retd), lecture at NDC on Strategy Planning, Policy Analysis and Formulation of National Security Strategy on 20 Mar 2013.
Ali, DG Saquib ndc, Senior Directing Staff, National Defence College, lecture on ‘Foreign Policy of Bangladesh’ 15 April 2013.
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Habib, Vice Admiral Muhammad Farid, (ND), ndc psc, The Chief of Naval Staff Naval Headquarters, lecture at NDC on ‘Bangladesh Navy and its Challenges’ on 07 Mar 2013.
Kabir, Mr Humayun, lecture at NDC on ‘Current Global Geo-Strategic Structure’ on 04 Aug 2013.
Malik, Mr Asif, lecture at NDC on ‘Global and Bangladesh Energy Scenario and Options for Bangladesh’ on 11 July 2013.
Mian, Maj Gen Ferdous (retd), lecture at NDC on ‘Geo-Politics, Geo-Strategy and Geo-economic and their Influences on National Security’ on 18 march 2013.
Mozena, H.E. Dan, Ambassador of USA, lecture at NDC on ‘Contemporary USA: Changing Global Role in 21st Century’ on 05 August 2013.
Rahman, Dr Hossain Zillur, lecture at NDC on ‘International Relationship of Element of National Power for Shaping up the National Security Strategy’ on 10 April 2013.
Rahman, Maj Gen Mahfuzur afwc psc, lecture at NDC on ‘Contemporary School of Security Theories’ on 11 April 2013.
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