Post-Monsoon Revolution: Navigating a New World Order
On 23 November 2024, BIPSS Lecture Club hosted a thought-provoking session on “Post-Monsoon Revolution: Navigating a New World Order”, featuring Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury as the chief speaker. The event brought together a distinguished audience, including ambassadors, journalists, academics, and policy experts, to discuss how the global landscape is shifting and what it means for countries like Bangladesh.
The session delved into fundamental changes in the international system driven by the rise of China, the evolution of multilateralism, technological advancements, and climate change. Dr. Chowdhury drew parallels between Bangladesh’s recent revolution and historical movements, presenting a vision of “Bangladesh 2.0” and emphasizing the country’s potential in this new era. He highlighted three possible foreign policy approaches for Bangladesh: following larger powers, becoming strategically resilient, or isolating itself—an option deemed impractical due to global interdependence.
The discussion also addressed US-China relations as the defining feature of current geopolitics and how smaller states like Bangladesh can navigate these dynamics while leveraging their strengths in multilateral platforms and soft power. With questions from the audience, the session explored the challenges of formulating people-centric foreign policies and engaging with neighboring countries like India amidst regional tensions.
The event concluded with a call for Bangladesh to rise above challenges and harness its unique capabilities to carve out a significant role on the global stage.
