Bear in mind, that India has fairly warm relations with BD now, and they are growing not lessening. Secondly, this would be a primarily anti-India alliance, is BD willing to consider an exactly same alliance with Myanmar against Bangladesh.
Well if you would read up on the Dual Alliance, you would see that the French and the Russians were tempted to change sides from time to time. They had many reasons for doing so too and the battle for allies and allegiances was quite fierce between the two rival factions before the actual war broke out. So just because a side had relations, doesn't mean they are not likely to choose the other group.
As to that part about BD relations with India improving, well I’m guessing that is a matter up for debate and if you don’t mind; I’d be a little more keen to listen to what the Bangladeshis have to say in this regard. I’m sure they will have a more impartial point of view about the Bangladesh’s inclinations given that it is their country. I didn’t get your last bit though, about BD willing to consider an alliance against Bangladesh.
From what i think, its a lose-lose situation for BD. They get bad publicity, their alliance is not with a country which is an industrial or economic powerhouse. Pakistan is in debt, and might default on loans, fighting terrorists in 2 provinces, with trouble on its Western border and the US undermining Pakistan's border.
You do not seem to have understood the dynamics of the Dual Alliance, the fact that Russia and France both felt like underdogs and were in great economic/military strains is exactly what compelled them to seek said alliance. Not that I agree with your causal dismissal of Pakistan’s potency on account of selective unrest in some sectors and its current economic disposition. Both these factors are subject to great fluency and fluctuation. There was also once a time when India was known as a failed state while Pakistan the pinnacle of modern economic development, needless to say times change. Also suggesting that the US is seriously contemplating itself as a threat along our western border would be blowing things out of proportion a bit.
Bangladesh gets on the wrong side of India for no apparent gain. If Pakistan could not protect it in 1971 when it had troops there, what can it do now if a situation really arises?
There are many explanations for why Pakistan could not ‘protect’ Bangladesh, not least of which is that the people there were not on our side. The Pakistan Army was spread out in a classic counter-insurgency posture…commanders employed a thinly spread out disposition which was obviously not suited for defending against an invading army nearly 10 times their size. And the greatest reason of all, there was no political will even from West Pakistan to hold on to the East. All these reasons will not apply if BD was doing the defending herself against a genuine foe, and I’m sure whatever their short comings, the BD Army is still lot stronger than the 70,000 man “garrison” Pakistan had there in 71.
And what would it contribute to the alliance? It doesn't have a strong military and is not going to have one for at least a few decades. It has a GDP of $ 70 billion, defence budget of $800 million, is the LDC in South Asia and is the lowest on the HDI score. It doesn't have any enemies and can do without looking for and creating ones.
Now that’s not a very flattering view to have about your ‘friendly’ neighborhood country. If the Bangladeshis don’t like India, that’s up to them. But I do know that despite all what happened in 71, on average Bangladeshi people still prefer Pakistan over India (our BD friends please feel to correct me if I’m wrong). Besides the notion that “Bangladesh can’t think of fighting with us or allying with our enemy because we are just too strong for them” isn’t the most mature way to look at things. Particularly in light of the fact that the Dual Alliance was exactly the sort of thing designed to negate this helpless, satellite state status that France had come close to achieving after her crushing defeat at the hands of the Germans in 1871.
Now that the Indians have had their say, and elaborated on their perhaps un-shockingly not very enthusiastic takes at my idea. Might I suggest that we hear about what the Bangladeshis have to say? MBI Munshi I would most appreciate it if you could address me directly so we could do away with this circular bickering. I think this is a fascinating prospect, don’t you? Perhaps if not now then maybe in 10 years, or 20 even…anything is possible like Mister malaymishra123 so rightly said.
