Relationship dossier
Bangladesh
United States
Relationship assessment
Sustained cooperation in development, security, and humanitarian affairs alongside recurring political friction
Bangladesh toward United States
+20Bangladesh has cooperated with the United States on counterterrorism and security matters, and has engaged in bilateral trade and development programs. Dhaka has also objected to U.S. sanctions on Bangladeshi security officials and to U.S. measures concerning elections and labor rights.
United States toward Bangladesh
+15The United States has provided development and humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh, including substantial support for Rohingya refugees, and has engaged in bilateral security cooperation. It has also imposed sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion personnel and introduced visa restrictions tied to concerns about Bangladesh's electoral process.
Overall relationship
+20The relationship has a durable practical foundation in development, humanitarian assistance, trade, and security engagement. Political disagreements, particularly over elections, labor rights, and U.S. measures targeting Bangladeshi officials, have repeatedly complicated cooperation without displacing it.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Bangladesh and the United States have sustained cooperation in development, trade, security, and humanitarian response, including support for Rohingya refugees. Relations have also faced significant friction over labor rights, elections, and U.S. sanctions and visa measures. The relationship combines practical cooperation with recurring political disagreements.
Areas of tension
- U.S. concerns about Bangladesh's electoral process and the 2023 visa policy
- U.S. sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion personnel and Dhaka's objections
- Labor rights and workplace safety concerns, including the suspension of U.S. trade preferences
Key developments
The United States imposed sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion and several current and former Bangladeshi officials over alleged human rights abuses.
The United States announced a visa restriction policy for individuals responsible for undermining Bangladesh's democratic electoral process.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral security and trade cooperation are unclear.
- The direction of Bangladesh's policy toward the United States following the 2024 political transition is uncertain.