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The Daily Independent (January 30, 2008)

Strategic issues confronting world have both threats, opportunities for Bangladesh: Zillur

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said strategic issues confronting the world have both threats and opportunities for Bangladesh, and it is important to deal with the threats and make the best use of the advantages. The strategic landscape, which confronts us, has to be read both-a landscape of threat and a landscape of opportunity. I think the focus has to be on both, he said while speaking as chief guest at a seminar. The seminar titled 'The Changing Strategic Landscape: New Challenges and Realities' was jointly organised by Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and German Embassy at a city hotel. The Adviser said it is important that the country should deal with threats and utilise the opportunities to the best of advantage. He said for a small country like Bangladesh the importance of engagement in strategic issues is even greater because the cost of doing nothing about facing the threats and utilising the opportunities is even greater. So, for us, there is really no choice but to much more proactive engagement on these issues. Dr Zillur pointed out that the link between outer world and the country's internal processes is very critical, as these processes determine Bangladesh's capacity to engage with the rest of the globe. He said if focus is given on the internal processes to lead the country to be in a position to engage on the strategic challenges more effectively. The Adviser highlighted three dimensions of internal processes-systemic, professional quality of the engagement and broadening of discourse. He said Bangladesh has engaged in a very ambitious attempt in responding to expeditions of the people and electorates. Now, we are engaged in a process of, one might almost say, political modernisation, which is an ongoing process. Dr Zillur identified some aspects like quality professional excellence, cultural and social values and ideas, moral values, non-traditional interactions apart from traditional soft and hard power to deal with the emerging strategic issues. He said future belongs to the capable contenders and Bangladesh is determined to try to fulfil its promise to become a capable contender in the emerging strategic landscape of the world. Presided over by BIPSS president Maj Gen ANM Muniruzzaman, the seminar was also addressed by German Ambassador Frank Meyke. German professor Dr Wifred von Bredow, BBC senior editorial coordinator Dr Sayed Mahmud Ali and former secretary and ambassador Muhammad Zamir presented separate keynote papers at the seminar.
In his welcome address, Maj Gen Muniruzzaman said Bangladesh, as part of the international community and system fortunately or unfortunately, happens to occupy some high value real estate. We are positioned between two of the world's fastest growing economies and rising powers. Never before in history has a nation witnessed the rise of two major powers so close to its borders. The access to the Indian Ocean that we potentially can provide adds value to our geo-strategic position or perhaps to its complexities, he said, adding, Though a small state, but we may be in the epicenter of a large matrix. It's, therefore, critically important to understand and comprehend the changes that are taking place around our strategic landscape. Describing German-Bangladesh relations as excellent, comprehensive and intensive, Ambassador Meyke said the highlights of the relations are strong trade relations, successful development cooperation and cultural ties. There is, however, one very important area of our bilateral cooperation in which the German Embassy would like to see strengthening and promotion of activities, that is the dialogue between 'think tanks' and strategic thinkers, political scientists, analysts and opinion leaders of Germany and Bangladesh, he said