Beyond the Sino-QUAD Binary: Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Strategy in the Post-July 2024 Uprising Era

Abstract

The shifting narratives of the Indo-Pacific geopolitical theatre exert noteworthy influence on ‎Bangladesh’s changing political landscape. As the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) seeks to counterbalance China’s burgeoning influence, this article bridges existing scholarly debates on Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific strategies and their intricate interplay with the United States, India, and the QUAD. The paper explores Bangladesh’s economic, diplomatic, and ‎security relations with QUAD members, juxtaposed against its longstanding ties with China. ‎The study’s significance is amplified by a timely analysis of the rapid administrative ‎metamorphosis in Bangladesh following the July 2024 Uprising; a transition that witnessed the ‎country move from the ‘predominantly bandwagoning’ regime of Sheik Hasina through the Dr. ‎Yunus-led Interim Government to the current Tarique Rahman-led BNP government. Given its strategic access to the Bay of Bengal and multifaceted relations with Indo-Pacific stakeholders, the study frames Bangladesh’s renewed governance architecture through the lens of a ‘small ‎state’ navigating a field of formidable regional and global powers. Employing a rigorous theoretical framework, the paper synthesizes policy documents, media accounts, and academic literature to examine Bangladesh’s progressive recalibration of its foreign policy, moving beyond the balanced political customs of the Interim Government. The nation is now institutionalizing a hybrid strategy of political hedging and minilateralism while upholding the Bangladesh First motto.‎