Popular YouTube channel Ishtehar has called for greater awareness about the geopolitical realities facing Bangladesh, highlighting the countryโs vulnerability as a playground for global power struggles, involving superpowers, particularly the United States and China, in the Bay of Bengal and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
The latest video, aired on Monday, begins by illustrating historical patterns of foreign interventions in various countries, where local uprisings escalate into violent conflicts, often culminating in foreign military presence and regime changes.
This historical context is used to frame the contemporary geopolitical tensions surrounding the Bay of Bengal, an area of immense strategic and economic significance due to its location, natural resources, and proximity to vital maritime trade routes.
It says that recently, videos circulated on social media showing a US military presence in Chattogram, Bangladesh, raising public concerns and fears about American intentions in the region. Despite government reassurances that the US forces were in Bangladesh for military exercises, scepticism and anxiety persist among citizens about potential foreign military bases and control over national resources.
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The video then delves into the geopolitical importance of the Bay of Bengal and surrounding areas, emphasising how the region has become a focal point in the USโs Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at countering Chinaโs rising influence. It highlights the critical nature of the South China Sea, a maritime corridor vital for global trade, energy supply, and military positioning, contested fiercely by China and several Southeast Asian nations.
Myanmarโs strategic instability and its geographic position linking the Bay of Bengal to the South China Sea are analysed as part of Chinaโs Belt and Road Initiative, which the US views as a threat to its interests. Bangladesh, geographically positioned as the gateway to the Bay of Bengal and a corridor to the Gulf and Indian Ocean, is portrayed as a pivotal point in this geopolitical chess game. Control over Bangladeshโs ports and coastline could allow the US to dominate crucial sea lanes and exert pressure on Indiaโs northeastern region.
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The video emphasises the risks of hosting even a single US guided-missile destroyer in Bangladesh, which could destabilise South Asiaโs security environment and turn the country into a battlefield among global powers. It argues that the USโs presence and military manoeuvres in Bangladesh are not isolated incidents but part of a broader strategy to contain China and India, using the region to establish a continuous corridor from the Gulf to the Bay of Bengal.
Further, it warns about the socio-political consequences of such foreign involvement, citing how US interventions historically fuel religious extremism, insurgencies, and human rights dilemmas. It criticizes the role of international organizations like the UN and mainstream media, accusing them of distorting facts and diverting public attention from critical national issues such as poverty, education, and food security.
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Highlights:
๐ The Bay of Bengal is a critical geopolitical hotspot due to its strategic location and natural resources.
โ The Indo-Pacific strategy of the US aims to counter China by controlling crucial sea lanes, including the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea.
๐ South China Sea disputes involve key regional powers and are central to global trade and energy security.
๐ข Even a single US guided-missile destroyer in Bangladesh could destabilise South Asia and turn Bangladesh into a conflict zone.
๐ Foreign interventions often exacerbate local extremism, poverty, and political instability, while mainstream media downplays these risks.
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