The US–Israel war on Iran has shaken the whole world. The surprising air attacks on February 28, amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations, came as a shocking development, drawing condemnations and muted responses from around the world. Bangladesh’s reactions to the war, crafted in measured words, condemned violations of sovereignty of the Gulf states by Iranian counterstrikes, but not Iran’s sovereignty violated by the US and Israel. The reference to Iran as the primary victim was missing, exposing not just economic vulnerability, which is widely acknowledged, but a deeper, structural weakness in Bangladesh’s foreign policy. The war has not created this weakness; it has simply revealed it.

Bangladesh today finds itself scrambling to manage fuel shortages, rising prices, and diplomatic ambiguity while avoiding offense to any major power. The government’s cautious statements, carefully worded to offend no one, have drawn criticism at home and scrutiny abroad. Beneath this lies a harder truth: Bangladesh does not have a coherent foreign policy strategy. What it has instead is a reactive, risk-averse posture shaped more by dependency than by principle.

This is what can fairly be called a form of foreign policy bankruptcy.

A Far Away War with Ripple Effects

The Iran war is geographically distant, but its consequences are immediate. Bangladesh is not a participant in the conflict, yet it is deeply affected by it. This is the paradox of globalization for smaller states.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply, and any disruption there sends shockwaves through energy markets. When conflict escalates in the Strait of Hormuz corridor, Bangladesh feels it almost instantly through fuel prices, shipping disruptions, and inflation. 

Already, the impact is visible. Fuel shortages have forced the government to reduce working hours and impose energy-saving measures. Panic buying and even violence linked to fuel scarcity have emerged, underscoring how fragile the domestic situation is. 

Already, the impact is visible. Fuel shortages have forced the government to reduce working hours and impose energy-saving measures. Panic buying and even violence linked to fuel scarcity have emerged, underscoring how fragile the domestic situation is. 

Economists have warned that the war could hit Bangladesh “like an earthquake,” triggering a chain reaction: rising costs, weakened exports, pressure on remittances, and strain on foreign reserves. In other words, Bangladesh is not merely observing the war, it is also absorbing its consequences. 

READ: Bangladesh shuts educational institutions to conserve fuel and electricity

The Illusion of Neutrality

Faced with such a crisis, one might expect the country to articulate a clear diplomatic position. Instead, Bangladesh has opted for what appears to be neutrality. Official statements emphasize restraint, dialogue, and peace. On the surface, this seems reasonable. After all, Bangladesh has little to gain from taking sides in a major geopolitical conflict. But neutrality is not simply the absence of........

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