We should refrain from wholesale support to either side
'The United States itself is still buying oil from Russia, and since the beginning of the war it has increased its oil purchases. Bangladesh has to deal with this situation maintaining friendship with all'
Bangladesh should not give whole support to either Western sanctions on Russia or subsequent countermeasures by the latter. We rather need to look at each such action on a case-by-case basis prior to voting in favour or abstaining from.
When it comes to a humanitarian issue, we must stand for it; in other cases, Bangladesh should abstain from voting on any resolutions only to corner either of the parties.
Bangladesh will have to explain to the Western alliance and Russia that such voting at the international level will not find an exit to the war in Ukraine. The ongoing crisis must be resolved through negotiations.
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The United States itself is still buying oil from Russia, and since the beginning of the war it has increased its oil purchases. Bangladesh has to deal with this situation maintaining friendship with all.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis is likely to continue until midterm elections in the US next November. Capitalising on it, US President Joe Biden is trying to increase his popularity although his chances of winning are slim as he is being criticised a lot inside his own country.
We will have to look at our own interests without taking a stand for the US or Russia. We will not do anything for or against any of them so that no one becomes displeased with Bangladesh.
India is still maintaining a neutral position. The US has accused Russia of committing genocide in Ukraine. India has demanded an independent inquiry into such a proposal raised at the United Nation. Russia has rebuffed the allegation and called for not reaching any conclusion before the investigation into Bucha killings ends. In this case too, India's position supports Russia's statement.
The situation in Bangladesh is not like the kind of pressure exerted by the West on Pakistan for its neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. Because the history of Pakistan is different from that of Bangladesh.
Pakistan's military has always been associated with the US, and going against Russia, the country had assisted the US in the war in Afghanistan under the Southeast Asia Treaty.
Bangladesh has never joined any country or alliance like Pakistan did and it should not join any such military alliance. Because once a country joins a military alliance, it is difficult to get out of that. We should not go for a military alliance with China, Russia or the US.
We have to be smart with our stance in the Russia-US conflict. We must tell all parties that we are with all of them. We do not want to be associated with anyone's military structure.
Imtiaz Ahmed, a professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, talked to TBS Special Correspondent Abul Kashem over the phone
