Dhaka, Nov. 6 -- The American midterm elections have delivered a resounding political rebuke to President Donald Trump, with Democrats wresting control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The outcome represents a dramatic reversal of Republican fortunes and raises questions about the direction of American politics during the remaining two years of Trump's presidency.

For Bangladesh, the implications extend well beyond the political fortunes of the White House. The elections could influence Washington's approach to trade, regional security, democracy, human rights and its increasingly complicated relationship with China. Yet Dhaka would be mistaken to interpret the Democratic victory as heralding an immediate return to t...