Humaiun Kobir in keynote address: National interest will be the priority, not any single side

Foreign Affairs State Minister Humaiun Kobir has made it clear that Bangladesh will not choose sides amid growing strategic competition among major powers.

He further said national interest would be the guiding principle of Bangladesh’s foreign policy. Rather than relying on any single side, Bangladesh wants to maintain strategic autonomy through cooperation with different countries.

Humaiun Kobir made the remarks in a keynote address on the concluding day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation at a hotel in the capital yesterday, Monday.

The three-day international conference was organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS). Yesterday was the final day of the conference.

The state minister said that the world is changing rapidly and the centres of power are shifting, creating both challenges and new opportunities for Bangladesh.

According to him, the competition among major powers in international relations should not be viewed as an opportunity to choose one side over another.

“Our policy is not to take any particular side; our policy is to choose what is best for Bangladesh’s national interests,” he said.

Where interests converge, Bangladesh will cooperate, while differences will be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy, he stated.

Referring to economic diplomacy as a key instrument of foreign policy, the state minister said there is no longer any scope to view foreign policy and economic policy separately.

Bangladesh’s missions abroad need to play a more active role in exploring new markets, attracting investment and promoting Bangladeshi products.

Describing South Asia as one of the least integrated regions in the world, he stressed the need for stronger regional connectivity, trade and energy cooperation.

Speaking on the Rohingya crisis, Humaiun Kobir said Bangladesh has been sheltering more than one million forcibly displaced Rohingya, but humanitarian assistance is not a permanent solution to the crisis.

Describing the issue as a top priority for national security and foreign policy, he said Bangladesh would raise the issue more forcefully on the international multilateral platform when it assumes the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He identified the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya as the ultimate goal.

Identifying cyber, food, energy, water and climate security as non-traditional security challenges, the state minister said cross-border cooperation is essential to address problems that transcend national borders.

Addressing the climate change issue, he said Bangladesh faces serious risks despite making a negligible contribution to global carbon emissions. He therefore highlighted the need for greater climate justice and adaptation financing.

The foreign affairs state minister outlined four core principles of Bangladesh’s foreign policy: national interest will serve as the guiding principle; strategic autonomy will provide strength; partnerships will expand new opportunities; and peace will remain the ultimate goal.