Ideological alliances: Bangladesh’s role in the geopolitical chess game of the Indo-Pacific region

The Indo-Pacific region is a geopolitical hotspot where the U.S. promotes democratic values and China advances authoritarian norms, reflecting their contrasting ideologies in a struggle for regional dominance. Bangladesh’s geopolitical significance in the Indo-Pacific offers opportunities and challenges, requiring strategic navigation of major power rivalries to advance its self-interest. This article argues that Bangladesh’s ability to leverage its geopolitical importance and bargaining power was hindered by the legitimacy crisis faced by the AL government. Bangladesh appears to align more closely with China in the ideological struggle between the US and China, not primarily or solely driven by economic or strategic interests, but rather due to shared ideological leanings. The influence of China on Bangladesh is seen as advantageous for the AL authoritarian government grappling with a legitimacy crisis.