Pakistan and India are already in US camp. How tiny ( but potentially rich naturally) neighbour Bangladesh is going to survive 'neutrally" (cannot sit on the fence with a tabiz)? China would like to have a foothold in the region through friendly overture to Dhaka. But there is no indication of political maturity and forces...right in our projected foreign policy stances for the coming decades, due to absence of political consensus...... at the national level. Why our political leaders are co callous and indifferent to national priorities? It is always too late! We need more public debates for awareness and generating political support.

The region is embedded with peculiar situations, with religion playing a crucial background role, however direct or indirect (note poverty and illiteracy as breeding grounds in millions of minds). Vast Hindu majority India is facing Muslim majority countries in the East and West. The North is protected by a huge long Himalayan wall, with forests and hilly terrain in the East, while the south is protected by the seas. Myanmar as neighbour has plus and minus points, with energy resources, and isolated communist regime.

The US is very sensitive (and covetous) to the presence of energy resources anywhere in the world, and it is very difficult to fight this bullying menace (take a look at ravaged Afghanistan [ for oil route to the seal, and Iraq). Hence Myanmar is also under the US binoculars. Bangladesh is sandwiched in a hot spot! What type of diplomacy is suitable for Dhaka? Where are the indicators?

Thus strategic Bangladesh is at a crossroad in this battle of global control by the two big powers US and China, with India potentially emerging as a big industrial powerhouse. The factories are shifting to the developing countries, and EU cannot dictate terms to have a piece of the pie. The ineffectiveness of the OIC is monumental.

The above stray points are enough to unsettle the peace of mind. What next?