Bangladesh’s Path to Strategic Autonomy

Reading Time: 13 minutes Bangladesh today finds itself in a delicate position. A rising economy with ambitions of $13,000 per capita income by 2041, it nonetheless remains heavily entwined with neighbouring India – economically, politically and culturally. This dependency cuts both ways: India is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner and transit route, but Bangladeshi policymakers worry that it also leaves Dhaka vulnerable to New Delhi’s influence. In recent months even routine trade and transit arrangements have been disrupted – for example, India abruptly scrapped a key transit facility for Bangladeshi exports, and sharply curtailed land-based exports of garments, fruits and food from Bangladesh. Such moves have exposed Bangladesh’s strategic weakness. At the same time, India has criticised Dhaka on issues like minority rights and border security, and launched its own campaigns to shape South Asian narratives. A parliamentarian or business leader in Dhaka might ask: How can Bangladesh respond? The answer