US 7th Fleet in Bangladesh: Rumor and Reality

On June 1 Bangladeshis and perhaps concerned Indians were surprised with a news from Time Now, a podcast service of leading Indian daily newspaper Times of India  claiming the US were on the process of stationing its naval base in Bay of Bengal.

It also claimed that the US 7th Fleet that is currently parked at Japan near Korean Peninsula was scheduled to move within maritime areas of Bangladesh and was likely to be based at Chittagong, Bangladesh’s largest sea port in the southeast.

Indian media even claimed that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Washington has formally placed the proposal for naval base in Bangladesh during Clinton’s recent visit to the country.

"Worried by increasing presence of Chinese naval bases in the South China Sea - America now eyes a counter strategy - as it wants an overall presence in Asia - right from Japan to its Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean,” it went on to say.

"This by parking its seventh fleet in a base in Chittagong giving it both an eye on taking on China and a strategic post in Asia as it pulls out of Afghanistan,” it further added.

"This move by America could put India on the back foot if the American fleet moves to Bangladesh, all of India's security installations will come under the American scanner. Bangladesh is not willing to comment on record even offering explanation to deny the developments. This Clinton visit was a more strategic one than just a friendly one- the Indian establishment caught unawares--as this base could cast a shadow on India's own strategic interests."

The news, true or baseless stirred every concerned citizen in Bangladesh immediately.

Even it had some timely coincidence that gives it some grounds as well.

It came just a day after Leon Panetta, US Defense Secretary told a gathering of Asian defense ministers, military officers and analysts that US was going to deploy to 60 percent of its navy forces into Asia-Pacific region.

Panetta added that it not meant to threaten China but rebalancing of US military is steady, deliberate and sustainable way.

However, the next day US State department and the following day Bangladesh Foreign ministry outright rejected the report terming it baseless, unfounded and fabricated.

“The Government wishes to state in categorical terms that such reports are baseless and unfounded, and that the assumptions and suggestions contained in the report are clearly fabricated,” said a Bangladesh Foreign ministry press release.

Quoted by leading English daily The Daily Star US embassy spokesperson Patricia A Hill said “I can tell you that this story is without foundation. The [US] Ambassador [to Dhaka] attended Secretary Clinton's meetings with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, and he confirms that there was no mention of building bases, moving the Seventh Fleet, or anything else of like nature.”

Now that both the US and Bangladesh government blowing up the news, it seems nothing more than a rumor.

Also the question hovers over that why should a leading Indian news service would run such sensitive but false news.

It was possibly intended to frustrate China, rising Asian power that India deem a strategic rival as well.

Two Asian powers India and China, who are neighbors but have never trusted each other, in fact they had been in a war in 1962 over border disputes.

As archrival Pakistan is struggling with enormous domestic problems and with its relationship with long-time ally the US is strained at the moment, for India the focus is slowly moving to China.

Strategic analysts say if US defense experts are wise enough they would rather select Myanmar for the navy base as it shares longer coastline along the sea.

As Myanmar opening up to democracy after decades of military rule, the US is also eyeing at developing the relationship with the country as well. Things will be difficult as the South East Asian country have maintained close relationship with China all these years.

What if the US starts pressing Bangladesh for a military base?

I would bet that it would be much more difficult for them too.

Even though the US and its home-made institutions like USAID, World Bank and IMF are big donors for Bangladesh, people would outright resist any such move.

There is no strong anti-US element in Bangladesh but the people old or young didn’t forget that the US sided with Pakistan during country’s 1971 liberation war.

People would never forget the US did nothing to stop Pakistan army brutality that left 3 million people killed, 200,000 women raped and forced around 10 million to take refuge in India.

It was an extraordinary war because it was between ordinary Bengali people and one of world’s best armies that time. The people came out victor in just nine months.

They also remember that US sent the Seventh Fleet to help Pakistan army that was on the verge of defeat by Bangladesh liberation forces, even though move came of no use because it was halted with counter threat from Russian navy and the war ended before it was able to reach.

The people will never forget that Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of Stare under President Nixon administration that time called Bangladesh ‘A bottomless basket’, in a manner to look down at mostly impoverished people here.

People also know that a US ally takes not time to make enemies around. Pakistan might be the biggest example.

Bangladesh, a land washed with bloods of millions would never tolerate anyone who put its sovereignty earned with one of the greatest sacrifices in the history of mankind under threat.

I admit that our political parties are full of corrupt leaders, but that doesn’t mean they would put security and sovereignty of the country at stake.

They know very well that people would resist any move and it will deem a fatal blow like chopping own foot.

The Mughal rulers throughout their time failed to fully control this land with their inconvincible army and said that ‘Bengal is a house of turbulence’, thus can’t be controlled.

The country even though battles with widespread poverty, corruption and illiteracy every day, yet today can resist any modern day Mughal.

I read a story when I was a child that might be great lesson in this regard

An elephant had a dispute with an ant. t used to threaten the ant every day and wanted to crush it. One day the elephant was sleeping and the any entered inside into one of its huge ears. Now the elephant was in real trouble, started jumping and crying.

No matter how big and or powerful, everyone has some sensitive and weak points.

Everyone needs to keep in mind one of the greatest sayings of Mahatma Gandhi, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS.”

*This post first appeared on a Facebook Page on June 12, 2012*