Yunus administration’s calculated stand against terrorists in Gaza |
There are moments in foreign policy when hesitation costs more than action. Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, appears to have understood that truth at a critical juncture. By expressing interest in joining the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza—a plan floated by the US President Donald Trump to disarm Hamas and establishes order in the Strip—Dhaka has taken a decision that is timely, deliberate, and quietly consequential. It is not a reckless leap into a distant war zone. It is a measured assertion that Bangladesh intends to matter, morally and strategically, beyond its borders.
The fact that this interest was conveyed directly by National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman in Washington, in meetings with senior US officials, is itself significant. It signals seriousness. And the American response—that Washington is “interested in working with Bangladesh” on this issue—suggests the move was neither ignored nor dismissed. For an interim government, often assumed to be cautious to the point of inertia, this was a bold choice. And it deserves praise.
Start with the timing. Gaza is not merely another conflict zone; it is the moral fault line of contemporary geopolitics. The war has exposed the paralysis of the international system, the selective outrage of great powers, and the deep frustration of the Global South. For months, Israel’s military campaign has drawn accusations of disproportionate force and collective punishment against Palestinians, while Hamas’s brutality and cynicism have been rightly condemned. Into this moral fog, Bangladesh has stepped forward—not to take sides in a propaganda war, but to support a stabilization framework that could, if designed properly, reduce........