By Enayet Kabir
Do you think the advisers of the US “proxy” Yunus government have become inactive? Even before US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur arrived in Dhaka, former adviser Adilur Rahman rushed to Kathmandu, Nepal, using a diplomatic passport.
A lady who was part of Kapur’s delegation had already arrived there at a resort owned by a Bangladeshi businessman. What was settled in this secret meeting? The masterminds of August 5 frequently hold meetings with U.S. diplomats at this resort. Surely none of them are going to enjoy the beauty of the Himalayas in Nepal?
Amid the Iran attacks on Israel and the United States, Kapur’s Delhi-Dhaka visit is very significant. Even before his arrival, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen was openly active.
In the context of the Iran war, it is very urgent for the United States to sign the ACSA (Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement) with Bangladesh in the name of military logistical support cooperation.
The US wants assurance that its warplanes could use Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar airports if necessary and collect fuel there. Under ACSA, US Marines could also establish temporary bases in Cox’s Bazar and Kutubdia if required.
To sign the ACSA with Bangladesh, India’s approval would be required. Due to the Indo-Bangladesh Friendship Treaty, Bangladesh cannot sign a military assistance agreement with another country without India’s consent. Previously, in 2019 and 2022, the United States strongly urged Bangladesh to sign the GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement).
GSOMIA is a security gateway through which the two signatory countries would be obligated to share military and intelligence information with each other, and one country could use the other’s territory (land, sea, air) to carry out military attacks on a third country.
The United States could also pressure a country under this agreement to provide intelligence information and comply with other unjust demands.
Almost all West Asian Arab countries have ACSA and GSOMIA agreements with the United States. Most of them host US military bases. Qatar, Kuwait, Dubai, Bahrain, and others have already been drawn into the “Iran war.” Through the ACSA agreement, the United States wants to use Bangladesh as a “soft base.”
Last night at 10 PM, Kapur arrived in Bangladesh via Delhi. The main agenda of this diplomat’s visit is to sign ACSA and secure final commitment on the GSOMIA agreement.
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government declined these two agreements with the United States in 2019 and 2022. After August 5, 2024, work on these agreements resumed. Considerable progress was made through Yunus.
As part of this, immediately after August 5, several high-ranking military officials from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command visited Bangladesh for four days. Later, in November 2024, then Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin visited the United States and indicated Bangladesh’s softened stance on the matter.
How the United States is pressuring the Muhammad Yunus government to implement the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) signed by Bangladesh—three examples of this can be found on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka.
1) “I met with Mr. Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid, who heads three ministries – the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and the Ministry of Food. Top-quality U.S. agricultural products like soy, corn, wheat, and cotton support Bangladeshi livestock, dairy, and fish farmers and millers. We are helping Bangladesh feed its people while balancing trade.” – Ambassador Christensen
2) “Had an excellent meeting with Law Minister Mohammad Asaduzzaman Asad today. Stopping illegal immigration and human trafficking and strengthening border security are shared priorities for both countries.” – Ambassador Christensen
3) Bangladesh’s aviation and tourism sectors are poised for growth over the next decade, and Boeing and US technology companies are the perfect partners. Ambassador Christensen had an excellent conversation with Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Afroza Khanam Rita about the many opportunities in these sectors. – Ambassador Christensen
Even before Kapur landed in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s DGDFI Major General Qaiser Rashid had already made a brief visit to Delhi with his spouse.
Kapur has been sent to Bangladesh mainly to push for the final implementation of the recently concluded trade agreement (ART), and at the same time to convey the message that Bangladesh no longer has the opportunity to delay regarding the two military agreements, such as ACSA and GSOMIA.
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With that objective, meetings will also be held with other important political parties in Bangladesh, including the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned.
What will the BNP government led by Tarique Rahman do? It remains to be seen whether it will reach a strategic understanding with the United States to counter the strong presence of China, Turkey, and Pakistan in Bangladesh.
(The writer is a political and economic analyst)
