President Trump has indicated publicly that in South Asia-related matters, he prefers to engage more closely with Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, without any apparent concern about Bangladeshi sensibilities. Hardly unaware of the handicap he faces dealing with the Trump-led administration, the wily Dr Yunus is hitting back in his own way: After reviving its chumminess with an unrepentant post-1971 Pakistan, Bangladesh has now started to woo China more aggressively than before, But its efforts in this direction, as with Pakistan earlier, is yet to bring in significant dividends in the near term.

It is not difficult to see why. Cut off from its earlier support from the Democrats, the Yunus-led Bangladesh would like to cock a snook at the Trump establishment by making things as difficult for India, the current favourite of the US, as possible nearer home. Dhaka's move should not come as a surprise .Bangladesh has not yet made much progress in functioning as a sovereign, independent country in South Asia, without needing demonstrable support from its bigger neighbours. like China or India.

The crisis for Bangladesh is that whatever his other merits, Yunus, basically an unelected functionary enjoying a spell of thrust-upon political eminence, is proving to be diplomatically graceless while navigating through the minefields of highly complex South Asian politics. Consider his predicament: the man has been catapulted to power through a violent coup that has cost Bangladesh 2000 lives (and the toll is still rising!) since August 5 2024. Among his chief domestic backers, hardline Jamaati/Islamic extremists call the tune, sidelining even the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), leading contenders for legitimately earned political power through elections. The early threats emanating from Dhaka against India, including some bizarre (and comic !) visions of a nuclear strike using borrowed nukes from Pakistan or China or cutting off the narrow Siliguri corridor, were made under pressure from the Islamic extremists

Significantly, the BNP despite initially supporting Yunus never associated itself with such harebrained calls and warnings. Almost too late, the exalted Chief adviser realised that he himself was being wrongly advised if not actually misled, by hordes of homegrown fanatic Islamic hotheads. These people even tried to import vegetables, rice and sugar, among other things from Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the middle East and other countries, totally boycotting India!

Fortunately, the interim government changed course at the last moment by (a) toning down its anti-India rhetoric and (b) trying to normalise border trade and import of essentials from India as before, under mounting pressure from angry demonstrators!

Not that the Yunus team had much choice. The BNP has already given ample indication of its increasing impatience with the Chief Adviser who seems to have stalled the long-awaited elections on one pretext or another through all his moves during the past six months. The much demonized Awami League (AL), the other major force in the country, with its leader Mrs Hasina Wazed still functioning from exile, has been banned. But even the BNP has protested against this. Seasoned BNP leaders, being part of the legitimate democratic process in Bangladesh, are well aware that a general election held without the AL contesting, as the Jamaatis would like to ensure, would hardly earn them much credibility whether at home or abroad.

Further even the Jamaat leaders began criticising the Chief adviser for the present situation in Bangladesh — they alleged that all the ills plaguing their country under Hasina's administration — corruption at the top, state-sponsored violence and lawlessness, forcible suppression of dissent, high inflation hitting large sections of the people, frequent outbreaks of communal attacks — had continued unabated. The only way out would be a fresh general election. The interim government is yet to respond to this virtual indictment from its main sponsor.

It is with a measure of desperation that Dhaka has sought to sponsor a carefully controlled anti-Indian agitation on the Teesta water sharing issue. The move will buy the team Yunus much needed time and temporarily deflect mounting public anger against the present rulers and their 'advisers'. Talks with China have been resumed as to how the 'Save the Teesta river project could be revived, among Dhaka-based diplomats. According to sources,, possibilities of the Chinese expressing their support for the interim rulers, not least to offset somewhat the loss of earlier US support, also figured in the discussions.

The backroom diplomatic initiative vis-a-vis China has so far resulted in a typical protocol-approved response from the Chinese. Beijing circles pointed out that river experts had already given their suggestions in reply to the proposed Bangladesh scheme to revive the river Teesta, after a prolonged two year study and survey. It was for Bangladesh to indicate whether it wanted to proceed on the project which the Chinese were ready to bankroll if necessary. Further, on mutually agreed terms the two countries could also launch discussions on Dhaka buying more arms and ammo from its larger Northern neighbour as before, following an official agreement.

However, regarding the possibility of Chinese stepping into intervene in specific situations, to help Bangladesh, Beijing's response was protocol-perfect, as is usual with major powers. The bigger country, Dhaka was told, was ever ready help its smaller regional neighbours in all bilateral matters, including the development of trade and business. But as Beijing believed in dealing with all countries as equal sovereign partners the Chinese were confident that the mature domestic political establishment as well as the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh, were fully capable of dealing with and settling, their own problems, both at home and abroad.

If the tone of Bangladeshi media reports is anything to go by, such nice, comforting words from China were officially appreciated. However, they brought scant comfort for the interim Government still smarting under the strong snub from the new Trump team. (IPA Service)