Defense Diplomacy and Civil-Military Relations in Bangladesh

Abstract

In a democratic state, it is expected that a balance exists between civil and military power. While the military’s role has been traditionally defined as safeguarding a country’s national sovereignty and security, the modern concept of civil-military relations encapsulates a broader engagement of the military in advancing a country’s diplomacy as well. This article, taking the broader understanding into consideration, probes into the Bangladesh military’s expanding role. While civil-military relations went through much turbulence during the first few decades in Bangladesh’s history, with the restoration of democracy in 1991 the military has been one of the key participants in advancing defense diplomacy. Using several case studies, the article addresses vital questions such as the role of colonial legacies in Bangladesh’s military, how the military has gradually embedded itself in Bangladesh’s social, political, and economic milieu, and how unique civil-military relations have emboldened Bangladesh’s defense diplomacy.