Trump’s Special Envoy’s Bangladesh Mission Falls Short
Mobaidur Rahman
US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor made a three-day visit to Bangladesh from July 30 to August 1. Despite widespread speculation in Bangladeshi and Indian media beforehand, the government gave no advance publicity, and only routine press releases were issued after the visit.
Indian media had claimed Gor would press Dhaka to pursue “inclusive politics” and discourage Bangladesh from involving China in the proposed Bangladesh-Myanmar-China Economic Corridor and the Teesta mega-project. Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman denied that either issue was discussed. After meeting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Gor publicly praised the government’s leadership and stability.
Several unusual developments marked the visit. Gor cancelled a Foreign Ministry dinner scheduled for July 31 without explanation, while a planned meeting with professionals and civil society representatives did not take place.
Gor also held a meeting of more than an hour with India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Tribedi, although it was not listed on his official schedule. Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman criticized the meeting, saying bilateral matters should be handled through governments rather than individual diplomats. The following day, Tribedi travelled to New Delhi for consultations, with no confirmed return date reported.
Instead of meeting leaders of the BNP or NCP, Gor met banned Awami League leader Saber Hossain Chowdhury on July 31. The meeting drew attention because the Awami League’s activities remain officially banned following the last election. Indian journalists Gautam Lahiri and Amal Sarkar reported that Gor had also met Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders in New Delhi before travelling to Bangladesh and had previously held talks with Tribedi in India.
According to sources, Gor’s visit focused on two objectives: persuading Bangladesh to withdraw from the proposed China-backed economic corridor and urging the government not to impose a permanent ban on the Awami League while easing restrictions on its activities. Sources claimed he raised both issues with the Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman but received no positive response.
A confidential source said Tribedi’s subsequent trip to New Delhi reflected the assessment that the prime minister’s position remained unchanged. The source further claimed Gor’s approach signalled a return to a longstanding US policy of viewing Bangladesh through India’s perspective, influenced by Indian lobbying in Washington and New York. The source added that, despite this, Washington’s senior leadership continues to express confidence in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
