New Delhi, Oct. 9 -- Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million. finds itself in a position that could alter regional dynamics in South Asia and beyond. The country is no longer just a peripheral state wedged between India and Myanmar. It has become a focal point in the quiet but consequential contest between great powers, mainly the United States and China. Moreover, its own choices risk reshaping relations with India, the Bay of Bengal, and the broader Indo-Pacific.

A Geography That Dictates Politics

Bangladesh's geography is exceptionally strategic. It sits at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia, with uninterrupted access to the Bay of Bengal. For the United States, which is shifting its global posture from the Middle East to the Ind...