Khandakar Tahmid Rejwan
On August 5, 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh was forced to step down after student protests became what is now referred to as the “Monsoon Revolution.” These demonstrations began shortly after Hasina visited the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in early July (MFA, July 10). Since her demise, PRC ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen (姚溫) has been quick to launch a diplomatic campaign among the country’s political elites (Global Times, September 3). Yao, the PRC’s top envoy in Dhaka, has met with the Chief Advisor (CA), Dr. Muhammad Yunus, and at least two advisers of the interim government. He expressed Beijing’s total commitment to working with Dhaka’s new political leadership and enhancing the recently upgraded “Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership (全面的战略合作伙伴关系)” (The Business Standard, August 25; UNB, August 25) He has also held discussions with top political figures such as Mirza Fakhrul, secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, emir of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (JIB)—two of the largest political parties that competed with Hasina’s Awami League (AL). The BNP’s foreign policy stance is historically pro-PRC (Dhaka Tribune, March 28).
In his discussion with Yao, the BNP’s Fakhrul remarked that the PRC has “made it clear that they do not believe in hegemony. They had previously promised to always stand by the people of Bangladesh, considering its geopolitical situation, and they have now reiterated this” (Dhaka Tribune, August 21). JIB also sees Beijing as an ally due to its anti-India sentiment and Yao has praised it as a “well-organized party (组织良好的派对).” Rahman thanked the PRC for engaging in Bangladesh’s social and economic development. After the meeting, Yao Wen expressed Beijing’s desire to work with all the political parties to deepen ties (JIB, September 2; Global Times, September 3; News18, September 3).
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