Voting has begun in the US elections. The national vote will determine the next president as well as the composition of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump are competing for the post of president in this election.
Polls in the past few weeks have seen a tight battle between the two. Whatever the outcome of the vote, it will determine several policies, including US politics and foreign affairs, for the next four years. Voting began at 5 am local time in Vermont on the US east coast. Voters in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York and Virginia are also reported to have started voting.
Trump or Kamala, whoever sits on the US bill, what will happen to Bangladesh? This is also a big question in the current context of the South Asian country. Moreover, India or how much factor can be here? Or the chief advisor of the Bangladesh government. Muhammad Yunus with US politicians will play a role?
Analysts feel that the US election results are also an important factor for Bangladesh. The discussion has intensified especially around a tweet by Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Chief Advisor to the Government of Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus has been on good terms with US politicians in the past, especially Democratic leaders.
Democrat administration emphasizes issues like democratic process, human rights around the world. Analysts believe that if Kamala Harris or the Democrats come to power, the business and cooperation areas will be easy for Bangladesh.
According to author Michael Kugelman, an expert on South Asia at the Uelson Center in the US, if Kamala Harris wins, the continuity and harmony of the current relationship will be maintained. But the situation may be different if Trump becomes president.
He thinks that Bangladesh is one of the countries in South Asia where important changes in the relationship between the two countries may come based on the results of the US elections.
"I don't think Donald Trump would support the current structure of the relationship," said Michael Kugelman. Where the United States is providing development, reform and other assistance or support to the country to ensure its stability. Trump and his administration will not be interested in a relationship that emphasizes US aid to Bangladesh.
M. Humayun Kabir, the former ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States, thinks that if Trump becomes president, the place of American humanitarian cooperation may decrease in the world. In that case, the Rohingya issue is also a big issue as a place of uncertainty for Bangladesh. Because most of the aid coming to Rohingyas in Bangladesh through the United Nations is from the United States.
Mehnaz Momen, a professor at Texas & M University in the United States, said that Donald Trump has not been seen as a traditional American president in the history of the United States. There is also uncertainty surrounding how he considers foreign policy positions. Usually, there is no major change in foreign policy even if there is a change of president. Behind this there is a strong role of US organizations or structures.
He added, "We've seen Trump talking about changing the institution in some of the campaigns." That could be a big change. However, there is doubt as to how far this will go or have an impact on the foreign policy space.
Recently, Donald Trump's tweet regarding the persecution of minorities has created a discussion in Bangladesh. But analysts see it as a political strategy to attract American Hindu voters in the elections rather than a future policy. Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary of the interim government's chief adviser, said that they think that some lobby groups may have tried to influence it from the point of internal American politics, and this statement came in that light.
There is also talk that lobby group means Awami League or India.
Although the United States initially took a strong stand on the acceptance of the past elections in Bangladesh, later India's support for the Bangladeshi government became a factor.
Recently, the press secretary of the chief adviser said that the Republicans and Democrats, along with the senior leaders of the two parties. As Muhammad Yunus is well connected and has friends in both camps, the outcome of this election will not affect the relationship between the two countries.
Although it is said that the Bangladesh-US relationship will not be affected by the government, Michael Kugelman believes that the reality may be different if Trump comes to power. He said Yunus had criticized Trump when he was elected in 2016. Their political ideals or ideologies are also different.
While speaking in 2016 at a university named HEC Paris, Dr. Yunus described Trump's victory as a 'solar eclipse' or a dark time, according to Heck's website. In addition, at another event at that time, when asked what he would like to say to Trump, he told NBC News that instead of building a 'wall', he should build a 'bridge' and liberalize his views. Yunus.
Mr. According to Kugelman, Dr. Kamala Harris won. Yunus will be an asset to US-Bangladesh relations. Because, like the Biden administration, Kamala will have a comfort zone. But if Trump wins, that relationship will face challenges.
In this regard, Professor Mehnaz Momen said, Kamala or Trump, whoever the president is, the interim government of Bangladesh must establish a place of reliability. After the change in the political pot, even if the next election will be late, when will it be, how will it be, what will be the steps, i.e. a roadmap should be presented. He felt it was important to ensure the current government's image of legitimacy and grounds for support.
However, Humayun Kabir and Mehnaz Momen also think that in the current situation of the world, there will be an opportunity for America to worry too much about Bangladesh.
There is a place of interest in the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States in various aspects such as trade, strategic, geopolitical. The United States refers to itself as a development partner of Bangladesh. Former Ambassador M. Humayun Kabir said that the United States is increasing its focus on the region, but in the geopolitical context, Bangladesh is a country with a large population who are quite active. Being at the junction of Asia with South East Asia and the Bay of Bengal, it has a geopolitical interest. Recently we are thinking about diversification from the military side as well. In that case, the US would be interested in selling weapons.
He also thinks that the United States has a place of interest in the field of trade considering Bangladesh as an 'emerging market'. M. Humayun Kabir mentions big power plant equipment, Boeing aircraft, gas or LNG as examples.
Besides, many people of Bangladesh live in America and go to study. Human-to-human relationships are also important. From a technical point of view, even if you go to use a credit card or a computer, it somehow benefits the US.
In foreign policy, the balance of interests with other countries of the world or with neighboring countries is generally important. However, for America, in the case of Bangladesh, the new equation is the relationship with Professor Yunus. These various factors will determine the future relationship of Bangladesh with the United States.
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