Bangladesh opens port to US warships

Special Correspondent

Dhaka: Bangladesh is in the final stages of signing a strategic defense agreement with the United States, under which the country’s port and airbase infrastructure will be opened for use by the US military.

The two countries held detailed discussions on this issue during a visit to Dhaka by a delegation from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) (May 5-7, 2026). It is reported that the terms of implementation of the previously signed Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) were also discussed during the visit.

US President Donald Trump, in a personal letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has linked the signing of two defense agreements with further economic benefits. The two agreements are the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).ACSA

The agreement will allow US warships and aircraft to use Bangladeshi ports and air bases for maintenance, refueling and resupply. In particular, the ports of Chittagong and Matarbari will be used as strategic hubs. The GSOMIA agreement will create opportunities for intelligence sharing. As a result, US control and surveillance in the Bay of Bengal will be significantly increased.

The move is important for Bangladesh amid an economic crisis. Dhaka is paying a price for the deal to maintain a 19 percent preferential tariff rate and duty-free benefits in the textile sector. On the other hand, the decision will bring significant changes to Bangladesh’s geopolitical position. The country is currently heavily dependent on Chinese investment in port infrastructure and about 70 percent of its weapons come from China.

The move is seen as a major setback for China. As part of China’s ‘Strait of Malacca’ strategy, massive investments in Myanmar’s Kyaukpyu port and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) could now be at risk. The increased US surveillance of the Bay of Bengal could reduce the importance of this route as a safe route for Chinese ships.