A new civic platform, “People Against Supremacy and Hegemony,” officially launched on Monday with a commitment to raise public and state awareness about the risks of hegemonism and promote a collective approach to safeguarding Bangladesh’s national sovereignty.

To mark the launch, the platform organised a discussion titled “Sovereignty Strategies for the State of Bangladesh in the New Global and Regional Geopolitical Context” at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club.

Speakers at the discussion addressed the changing dynamics of global politics, Bangladesh’s geopolitical risks amid conflicts among major powers, trade and currency crises, river and international water-sharing issues, and strategies for protecting the country’s sovereignty.

Leaders of the organisation said its primary objective is to build national consensus on a sovereignty strategy for Bangladesh in the new political and changing regional context following the July uprising.

Dr Dilara Chowdhury, chief of the platform’s convening committee, chaired the event.

She said a country can exert hegemony over another in various ways, including through economic dependence, influence over cybersecurity, dependence on military equipment, and unequal agreements.

Calling for multidimensional preparedness in light of Bangladesh’s geographical realities and defence capabilities, Prof AKM Waresul Karim, dean of North South University’s School of Business and Economics, said Bangladesh is in a “precarious situation” because of its geographical location.

“Alongside security, we need to strengthen our economic capabilities. For this, we need a democratic, efficient and merit-based government,” he said.

Brigadier General Hasan Nasir (retd) stressed the need for greater coordination among the government, bureaucracy and people to move Bangladesh forward.

“Through the uprising, we were able to cut off the head of the autocratic system, but the entire body still remains,” he said.

Shafiqul Alam, editor of Daily Waada and former press secretary to the Chief Adviser of the interim government, said Bangladesh needs to maintain a balance in its foreign policy to counter hegemony. At the same time, he said, the country must strengthen its military capabilities.

“Despite being a country of 180 million people and having an economy nearly four times larger than Myanmar’s, we remain behind in military capabilities, particularly air power,” he said.

Photographer and human rights activist Shahidul Alam said changing the country’s political culture is more important than merely changing the government.

Mardiya Momtaz, a reserved-seat MP from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said political parties should not establish relationships with foreign countries on behalf of Bangladesh.

“There should not be a relationship between a political party and a country. Relations should be made between two countries,” she said.

Former diplomat Sakib Ali presented the keynote paper at the event, while Fahim Mashrur, a member of the platform’s convening committee, moderated the discussion.

Former chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Tajul Islam and AB Party Secretary General Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, among others, were present at the event.