NSU CPS Hosts High-Level National Security Dialogue on Bangladesh’s Future. Bangladesh’s traditional security affairs posture encounters a critical assessment given the geo strategic developments in the South Asian region. To address this, Center for Peace Studies (CPS) at North South University (NSU) convened key defense strategists, policy experts and academic leaders at the NSU Syndicate Hall for a high-level national dialogue entitled “Securing Bangladesh’s Future: Rethinking National Security in a New and Changing Era”. In this dialogue, pressing structural problems such as Bangladesh’s Reactive National Security posture, the country’s vulnerability to sub-threshold and hybrid warfare threat, maritime economic strangulation, cyber warfare, and coordination issues in strategy formulation are addressed. In the opening remarks, CPS Director Professor Dr. M. Jashim Uddin addressed, “national security and economic development are interconnected and reinforce each other”. And Honourable Panelists and Discussants identified core strategic instabilities that weakens national resilience.
First Panel discussed about the defense and alliances. Keynote speaker Lieutenant General (Retd.) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman stressed the country’s lowest (1.1% of GDP) in the defense is the lowest among the South Asian nations and he proposed strategies for military alliance for the country amid the geopolitical reality. He Further added that Bangladesh’s negligence to adequate defense allocation is the indicator why Bangladesh fails to come-up with coherent and comprehensive national strategy. Major General (Retd.) Dr. Md Nayeem Ashfaque Chowdhury complements that the country’s capability gap exposes the country’s assymetric vulnerabilities and proposed urgency for instituitional modernization.
Second Panel addressed the cyber security threat to the country. Major General (Retd.) Ibne Fazal Shayekhuzzaman emphasized on building cyber infrastructure is the prerequisite to formulate a national cyber security strategy. Complemented by Major General (Retd.) Md Wahid-Uz-Zaman, “it is high time to connect national security and cyber security”.
The Third Panel addressed the urgency to address maritime security issues. Commodore (Retd.) Syed Misbah Uddin Ahmad highlighted the need for a multi-dimentional maritime strategic security architecture. In that regard, Professor Dr. M. Jashim Uddin added that “We are a Maritime Nation and securing the maritime zone is prerequisite for national security. And Rear Admiral (Retd.) M Anwar Hossain discussed why the country needs to uphold strategic autonomy in the Bay of Bengal and why it is urgent to come up with a comprehensive Indo-Pacific outlook. And “a maritime security council is needed to be established to address the security issues”.
The Chief Guest National Professor Dr. Mahbub Ullah gave an address after the end of panel discussions. He emphasized on why it is necessary for the country to distinguish between the friend and enemy. He also addressed that “small states are also capable to beat larger powers if certain factor are met”. Later the special guest Major General (Retd.) Fazle Elahi Akbar highlighted the urgency for a National Security Agency and an overall national security architecture.
In concluding remarks, NSU Vice-Chancellor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury said that defense investments when it is tied to domestic research, yield vital technological and economic spillovers. Further the moderator Professor Dr. M. Jashim Uddin highlighted why Bangladesh should uphold its strategic autonomy amid the geopolitical reality and it is necessary for the United States to see Bangladesh only from its eyes. The dialogue came up with a harmony that Bangladesh needs have a National Security Council (NSC) for the better dealings of the strategic instabilities.