Inter Relationship of elements of National Power in shaping up the

Inter Relationship of elements of National Power in shaping up the National Security Strategy Lt. Gen Mollah Fazle Akbar, Commandant of the NDC, Senior Directing Staff of the NDC, NDC Course Members 2012, Aas‐Salaamu‐A’laikum and Good Morning Introductory Comments It is a great pleasure to be here speaking at the NDC once again. The topic of today’s discussion is of great significance to Bangladesh as a nation. An understanding of the concept and constituents of Bangladesh’s national power is of great importance not only for the Armed Forces but also for policy makers and stakeholders in the government. For our deliberation today, I would first like to clarify ‘national power’. Then I would like to discuss the various constituents that influence the national power of Bangladesh and the interrelationship of the elements of national power in the geo‐strategic environment of Bangladesh. Finally, I would like to deliberate on the art of projecting national power in pursuance of national interest through the implementation of a national security strategy. National Power Power is the ability to influence the behavior of others to get a desired outcome. Historically, power has been measured by such criteria as population 1 size and territory, natural resources, economic strength, military force, and social stability. National power is defined as the sum of all resources available to a nation in the pursuit of national objectives. Hard power is the use of military might. Soft power is the ability to attract people to one’s side without coercion. There are various types of National Power which include Political/Diplomatic Power, Informational and Social Power, Military Power, Economic Power, Infrastructure, Law Enforcement and Information Systems. Elements of National Power: Developed and Developing Countries Elements of National Power vis‐à‐vis Developed countries would include strength in the following areas: ‐ Military ‐ Economic ‐ Information/Military Intelligence ‐ Law Enforcement ‐ Stable political structure ‐ Infrastructure ‐ Lack of Corruption ‐ Social stability ‐ Natural resources The US instruments of power are tremendous because of the magnitude of the capability it holds in each of these areas. Their political system is stable, whilst their diplomats and intelligence forces are known for their expertise. With a free 2 press and public access to each branch of government, it provides uncensored information on American intent and objectives .Their military is renowned for its might and global reach. In spite of its current economy, it is still one of the richest states in the world. As a result, the nation is one of the most effectively secure states in the world. With regards to developing countries, elements of national power would include: ‐ A stable political system ‐ A growing economy ‐ Natural Resources ‐ Information/science and technology ‐ Large workforce ‐ Military India, for example, can be considered to be a powerful developing country. It has a relatively stable political system, a robust growing economy, an abundance of natural resources, a large workforce, a growing population, and a large, well equipped military. Constituents of National Power of Bangladesh and their Relationships Military: The Bangladesh Military consist of three uniformed military services namely the Army, Navy and Air Force. The role of the Bangladesh Military transcends beyond national security and defense to include law enforcement, disaster management, emergency services and international peacekeeping. The 3 Bangladesh Army is the largest of the three services of the Bangladesh Military. The role of the Bangladesh Army is to defend Bangladesh against external aggressors and support national development during peacetime. At present there are almost 200,000 active personnel.1 The Army also plays a significant role in the preservation of internal security. Army officers hold key posts in BGB, RAB, DGFI and various security organizations. Officers from the Bangladesh Army also hold civilian posts in educational institutions and other organizations intrinsic to the welfare of the nation. The Bangladesh Navy was established on April 7, 1972 to maintain sovereignty over the nation's territorial waters, to safeguard Bangladesh's economic interest and exercise maritime control within the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf, and to protect Bangladeshi shipping lines and its merchant fleet. At present the Navy is composed of approximately 24,000 personnel and a mix of both aged and modern warships. In addition to its primary objective of upholding national maritime sovereignty, the Bangladesh Navy is also responsible for performing coast guard duties in support of the Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG), search and rescue operations, conducting cyclone warning for naval ships and undertaking oceanographic survey.2 The Bangladesh Air Force consists of approximately 17,000 personnel. The key roles of the Bangladesh Air Force include defending Bangladesh's airspace and the Bangladesh military forces’ areas of operation, carry out air transport 1
Bangladesh Army Overview
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Bangladesh Navy Overview
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4 operations, provide air intelligence, perform air search‐and‐rescue missions and to assist civil aviation authorities in command, control and services, as required. Overall the Bangladesh Military not only preserves the sovereignty of the country but forms an integral component of nation building, provides rewarding careers to young men and women and serves as a dependable force in times of national crises. In addition to its contribution within the country, the Bangladesh military has achieved recognition and gratitude for its contribution to the U.N peacekeeping forces, which is the largest in the world. According to the latest press release by the UN, at present 99,989 peacekeepers of 117 countries are deployed across the world. Of them, 10,245 are from Bangladesh. Thus the Bangladesh Military has heightened the image of the country abroad and displayed professionalism and integrity in foreign countries under adverse circumstances. The military thus forms a key constituent of the national power of Bangladesh. Workforce: Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a total of 1142.29 people per square mile as of 2010. Bangladesh has an estimated 7.6 million workers abroad and remittance inflows hit a decade high of $12.17 billion in 2011, which is a 10% increase from 2010.3 The majority of Bangladeshi migrants work in the Middle East and North Africa and are mostly employed as laborers, particularly in the construction sector. In 2011, remittance inflows were equivalent to more than 11% of the GDP and are among the largest and most stable source of foreign exchange, making a noticeable developmental impact. Bangladesh has the capability to enhance its workforce through better 3
Remittance hits a 10 year High
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5 training, framing of policies and private and public investment. Great opportunities lie in the area of finding jobs for Bangladeshis overseas and simultaneously building a healthy and productive relationship with the Bangladeshi diaspora all over the world. Sensibly managed, exploitation free movement of our workers, including in some cases permanent migration, will remain important for Bangladesh in the years ahead, given the important contribution of remittances to the growth and development of Bangladesh. Recent studies have shown that in the next five years Bangladesh’s remittances can increase to 30 billion US dollars. The large amount of remittances sent by migrant workforce of Bangladesh is thus an integral component of national power. Economy: Economic power in Bangladesh can be assessed in terms of the condition of having stable income or other resources to support a standard of living now and in the foreseeable future. This also depends on the level of employment and inflation. Bangladesh has posted robust economic growth averaging over 6 percent over the past several years. The relatively low wages, foreign investment opportunities, its substantial human resources, the prospect of vastly increasing the remittances from Bangladeshis working abroad and a rapidly expanding private sector, make it clear that Bangladesh has the potential for a bright future. This is also the view shared by many well‐known financial institutions in the West. The country is listed among the Next Eleven (N‐11) economies according to a report by the investment bank Goldman Sachs. Although several constraints remain, Bangladesh has the ability to grow at 8% per year and steps must be taken to enhance the economic component of national power. 6 Technology, Information and Communication: Recent efforts had been undertaken to promote a “Digital Bangladesh”, under which more and more e‐
government programmes are introduced and made fully operational. These efforts have greatly enhanced the use of technology and communication mechanisms. International influences of a diverse nature have had an impact on Bangladesh. Bangladesh's economic reforms and opening up, the growth of the media, cable television, the rapid expansion of the cellular phone network, where the subscriber base recently crossed 75 million, and technological improvements and reforms in the communications and the ICT sectors, constitute significant positive developments, as do technological developments in the agro‐processing, ship‐building, pharmaceutical, frozen food, light industry, leather, shoes, RMG and textile sectors. Diplomacy: Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy has had a major impact on national interest. It is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi‐Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), a member of the Commonwealth and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Bangladesh’s diplomacy portends great potential, particularly in improving Bangladesh’s image in the international arena Strategic Location: Bangladesh occupies a strategic position as a land bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia and a trade corridor for landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan and the seven states of India’s northeast. Although geographic vulnerabilities severely impact national security, the 7 strategic location of Bangladesh and its proximity to the giant economies of India and China is a major component of national power. From the above points it can be seen that the components of national power are all interlinked and dependent on one another. The strong presence by Bangladeshi troops in the U.N. portrays a positive image of the country. This is then utilized by foreign policy efforts to explore greater markets for migrant workforces, which in turn leads to economic advancements and technological improvements. Art of Projecting National Power in Pursuance of National Interest The national powers of a country can be projected through the use of a wide ranging national security strategy. National security strategy is not a strategy to win a war. This strategy is about assuring Bangladesh’s place in the world. It guides the use of power—all instruments of power—in pursuit of larger national interests. The instruments of national power include military, economy, technology and information and diplomacy. To build a cohesive National Security Strategy for Bangladesh, there are two immediate requirements. Firstly, there must be an understanding of the concepts and components of national power as it relates to Bangladesh, as well as clarification of the range of duties and responsibilities of the concerned stakeholders. Secondly, consensus must be reached on the constituents of the strategy by civil and military stakeholders. To meet the first requirement the civil society can undertake extensive research, advocacy and deliberation on the components of national power outlined above. The second requirement can be met by robust civil‐military deliberations on the 8 constituents of the National Security Strategy. Thus a cohesive civil‐military relationship is a prerequisite for building a National Security Strategy for Bangladesh, which would enable the country to effectively address the key national security concerns of terrorism, insurgency and resources security. In order to ensure the safety and security of our nation, stakeholders from military and civil society must engage in robust discussions aimed at minimizing communication and operational gaps and promulgate concerns and recommendations to envision a National Security Strategy. A collaborative effort by military, civil authorities and experts is required to create such a strategy to effectively utilize its national powers to advance national interest. I would like to conclude by saying that each country’s national security strategy needs to be tailor‐made according to its national powers as well as its specific security environment, which comprises the expectations, values and interests of its citizens. 9