The United States of America which did not support aspiration of the people of erstwhile East Pakistan for independence in 1971, accorded recognition of independent Bangladesh on 4 April of 1972 following withdrawal of Indian troops from the soil of Bangladesh. In his letter President Richard Nixon did not regret in supporting Pakistan. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in August 1972 bilateral relations have been developing in depth and dimension despite occasional twists and turns.

The Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came out with a statement following recognition by the United States by saying: “the recognition would open up a new chapter in the development of friendly cooperation and understanding between the United States and Bangladesh for mutual benefit of our two peoples” in spite of the fact that Nixon administration of the United States totally sided with Pakistan’s President Gen. Yahya Khan during nine months war of liberation.

Turn of events
The statement by the Bangladesh Prime Minister was unusual and in a way reflected the amount of importance he attached to the relations with United States. It was followed by a bilateral agreement signed in Dhaka on 30 May of 1972 between Bangladesh and the United States. The United States provided $90 million as a grant. This was the turning point for development of bilateral relations.

In spite of objection by hard core Awami Leaguer led by Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, the unsung hero during war of liberation of Bangladesh in exile, the Prime Minister of independent Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman accepted foreign aid from the United States when Soviet Union did not come forward to assist the war ravaged Bangladesh having visited Moscow at the earliest opportunity from 1 –3 March of 1972 to express deep gratitude to the Russian people for their support.

Ironically, Soviet Union assisted freedom fighters along with India to liberate Bangladesh from clutches of Pakistan army but Moscow’s recognition did not come immediately. Soviet Union gave recognition on 25 January of 1972. Soviet Union of course helped Bangladesh in cleaning Chittagong port from mines and wrecked ships, apart from supply a couple of helicopters.

Bangladesh had been receiving food aid from United States under PL 480, which restricts the recipient county from trading with black-listed countries. Bangladesh, which was desperately in need of hard currency, used to export Jute and Jute goods to Cuba, which had been declared black-listed by the United States. The government of Bangladesh was advised in September of 1974 to cancel further export orders of Jute to Cuba in favour of US food aid.

Food aid & ’74 famine
In this context, Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Amartya Sen pointed out:
“only after Bangladesh gave in and sacrificed its trade with Cuba was the flow of American food resumed.” By that time, the food situation had gone from bad to worse, and the country was affected by a famine of a severe nature. Incidentally, Amartya Sen got Nobel Prize on economy on writing his thesis on famine in Bengal, including Bangladesh. Soviet helicopters were used during famine to supply food in distress districts.

Despite all these development, the government of Bangladesh attached importance to the visit of Dr. Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State under US President Gerald Ford—who was the master-mind (under President Nixon in 1970-71) to help Pakistan. Bangladesh was assured of financial assistance by Ford administration to reconstruct the war-ravaged economy of the country. As of now US has provided food aid amounting to $ 4.3 billion to Bangladesh.

Following the changeover in political scenario in Bangladesh, the western countries, including the US showed increasing interest in developing relations with Bangladesh primarily because President Ziaur Rahman’s policy to distance from Pro-Soviet bloc and to introduce multi-party democracy.

The United States has been of great help to Bangladesh in terms of financial assistance in the field of infrastructures in health, education, and energy sectors. Gradually, the US has reduced its assistance. Bangladesh received $ 114 million in aid in 2016 down 89 percent from 2015. Over time, the US became Bangladesh’s largest trading partner. Ready to wear garment has fetched $ 24 billion in export last year though export of the same to US declined last year.

Rana Plaza, GSP facility etc
Companies from the United States have become the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh in energy and natural gas sector. In recent years Obama administration had partnered with Bangladesh addressing in issues of global food security, health care and climate change. In 2012, US established strategic partnership dialogue during the visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The Rana Plaza tragedy plus Tanzeen fashion fire have caused serious concern in the US about SafetyNet for work force in garment industry in Bangladesh. In 2007, American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO) in a petition alleged a number of workers rights issues in export processing zones, the readymade garment sectors and seafood processing sector which compelled United States Trade Representative to suspend Generalized System of Preference (GSP) for Bangladesh. Till now the facility did not been restored.
Strikes which had begun at Ashulia garment factories on 12 December last year, following which arrest of thousands of workers have caused serious concern in the US Congress. Eleven members of Congress led by Congressman Janie Shakowsky reportedly wrote letter to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 February of 2017 to intervene to release the Union leaders and workers. RMG sector has become major source income for Bangladesh. Therefore, hardly any need to emphasis in improving working condition and wages of work forces in the Garment industry.
Being a least developed country (LDC), Bangladesh has been deprived of facility offered by Millennium Challenge Corporation program introduced by President George W. Bush in 2003. The countries are selected on the basis of the policies and programs that help the county achieve lasting poverty reduction, economic growth, just and democratic governance, economic freedom and investment in people and elimination of corruption.

HR abuse report
Bangladesh has been deprived from receiving a share of a cake from this millennium challenge corporation’s earmarked $ 2.3 billion because of high rate of corruption despite reduction of poverty and economic development. In its report for 2016 record of Human rights in Bangladesh, the State Department mentioned of extensive impunity of law enforcers misusing power, extrajudicial killings, illegal custody and continuation of abductions in Bangladesh as the Government refrained from taking strong measures against abuses and killings by law enforcement agencies, which the government denied.
Since presidential election in the United States in 2016 political climate has become chaotic and uncertain, government of Bangladesh should consider taking appropriate action for the interest of Bangladesh and its people.