Bangladesh’s Political Blind Spot: National Security

Reading Time: 19 minutes Despite Bangladesh’s unique geopolitical position and the multifaceted threats posed by regional powers, its political parties have largely remained indifferent to the imperatives of national security and defence policy. While economic development and electoral theatrics dominate public discourse, real and present dangers from India and Myanmar continue to fester unchallenged. Parties such as the BNP, JeI, and the newly formed NCP have thus far demonstrated alarming ignorance, inaction, or sheer inability to articulate a national defence policy capable of defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and strategic interests of the nation. Introduction: A Nation Adrift in Strategic Fog Bangladesh’s political landscape has long been plagued by partisanship, ideological rivalry, and populist posturing. Unfortunately, none of the major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), and the Nationalist Consensus Party (NCP), has shown the intellectual rigour or strategic foresight required to formulate a cohesive national