Pathik Hasan
We know about the famous ‘Ping Pong diplomacy’ between China and the USA in the 1970s. The new diplomatic approach between the two sides brought China and America under the umbrella of bilateral ties. The ties became strained between the PRC and USA after the declaration of Communist China by Chairman Mao Ze Dong in 1949.
Ping-pong diplomacy is especially significant in Sino-US history. At the conclusion of the 31st World Championships in Nagoya, Japan, the Chinese table tennis team invited the US table tennis team to visit China.
Responding to that invitation, the US table tennis team visited China on April 10, 1971. It was the first visit by a US delegation to China since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The following year, the Chinese team returned to the United States. The visit was able to melt two decades of Sino-US relations and normalize relations between the two countries. The little initiative built the ties between China and the US.
Ping pong is a game. This game melted the ice between China and USA. Can we expect another ping pong diplomacy between Pakistan and Bangladesh regarding Pak-BD strained ties? If policymakers of both states think and realize deeply in this regard, both states could benefit from such kind of ping pong diplomacy. It is cricket diplomacy between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
To some extent, the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are strained now. When Sheikh Hasina resumed ‘war crimes trial after starting her second term as Prime Minister in 2009. This led to the deterioration of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.
But from the year (2020), relations between the two countries began to improve. President Arif Alvi has just felicitated Muhammad Shahabuddin on assuming office as the 22nd President of Bangladesh. In a tweet on Tuesday, he expressed the confidence that relations between the two brotherly countries would be strengthened during his tenure. Wishing him a very successful term in office, President Arif Alvi said he looked forward to work closely with Muhammad Shahabuddin for the mutual benefit of our countries. An analyst called this as Pakistan, Bangladesh ‘presidential felicitation diplomacy’. Former PM and cricketer Imran Khan’s phone call to PM Sheikh Hasina Wajed in July 2020, PM Hasina’s meeting with the newly appointed Pak envoy to BD in December 2020 and the most recent meeting of Pakistan High Commissioner Imran Ahmed Siddiqui’s meeting with Bangladesh PM on October 25, 2021, were the clear sign of improvement of bilateral relations. Pakistan’s High Commissioner has conveyed a message of goodwill and friendship to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the people of Bangladesh. He also presented a photo album of Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s visit to Pakistan in 1974 to attend the OIC conference. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked the High Commissioner for the gift and responded to Imran Khan’s greetings. That is the inception.
Amidst these events, Pakistan U19 departed for Bangladesh from Lahore in the wee hours of Wednesday, where the side is scheduled to feature in a series of one four-day, five 50-over matches and one T20 match from 30 April to 17 May. A 17-member squad of the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team left for Bangladesh today from Lahore to play a five-match ODI series, one T20, and a four-day Youth Test match.
According to the announced schedule, the much-awaited series will kick off with the one-off youth Test on April 30 in Chittagong and will conclude on May 18 with the T20. The Saad Baig-led squad, with three reserve players, underwent a training camp from April 8 to 18 at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore before departing for the tour.
Earlier, the National selectors of the Pakistan Cricket Board announced the Pakistan men’s cricket team for the two Tests against Bangladesh, which was played in Chittagong from November 26 to November 30 and in Dhaka from December 4 to December 8.
Pakistan national cricket team set foot in Bangladesh after six long years on November 13. The visitor’s team played three T-20 and two Test matches in Bangladesh. The last visit of the Pakistan national cricket team to Bangladesh was in 2015. On the other hand, Bangladesh Cricket Team visited Pakistan in 2020. The Bangladesh cricket team toured Pakistan in January and February 2020 to play one Test match and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches against the Pakistan cricket team. Then the cricket diplomacy was stopped for some time. Now the Cricket diplomacy is going to start now which is the positive side for both Pakistan and Bangladesh. We can remember the mango diplomacy between Pakistan and Bangladesh in July and August. Now the Cricket diplomacy! We hope that Cricket Diplomacy between Bangladesh and Pakistan would help to strengthen the ties.
Basically, Pakistan and Bangladesh can strengthen their ties to break and melt the ice for ensuring greater mutual interest through such kind of little but very significant initiatives like mango diplomacy, Cricket diplomacy etc. It can be a great effort between both sides for making and developing a good relationship between Bangladeshi and Pakistani people and the government. In the very near future, the new generation of both sides would want a better relationship in the economy, tourism, etc.
Cricket diplomacy can increase people-people contact. This people to people contact to turn into public diplomacy between Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is true that Track-1, Track- 1.5, Track- 2 and Track-3 diplomacy, cultural diplomacy even economic diplomacy could originate from the ‘People to People contact. Then it would be possible to create connectivity between two states. Ultimately, a formal diplomatic and economic-trade tie could be established. We saw the Sino-Chinese example in this regard. People of both countries could benefit from establishing the ties. Above all, the strained ties must be smoothened.
Mango diplomacy, Cricket diplomacy are some kinds of tools. Using this tool, high officials can exchange visits. For example, PM Mr Khan. can visit Bangladesh for enjoying the game sitting in the gallery directly. This visit can open a new door between Bangladesh and Pakistan. He can meet PM Sheikh Hasina Wajed for strengthening ties. The whole regional context may change by his visit. Then US president Richard Nixon paid a visit to China. That visit paved the way to bolster the Sino-US ties.
Although Bangladesh-Pakistan has some strained relations in some fields. But time is changing. Bangladesh and Pakistan have to understand the present world scenario. There might have some bilateral problems between Bangladesh and Pakistan. But these problems aren’t eternal and perpetual. These problems could be solved through the exchange of visits of high officials, bilateral meetings, talks etc. But a holistic diplomatic effort is much needed here. Cricket diplomacy has crested this ample opportunity. Now it is time to assess and realize this.
Bangladesh is going to become a South Asian economic miracle. In this globalization era, every stare is dependent on others. Pakistan may need Bangladesh and vice versa for tackling some common challenges such as terrorism, climate change, poverty alleviation, covid-19 vaccine diplomacy, mutual support at the common international forum, increasing regional connectivity etc. because both are regional states. Pakistan should build strong relations with Bangladesh to maximize its own interest. Bangladesh and Pakistan can exchange some regional advantages.
This little initiative will turn into a great achievement for both sides. Now we can expect some next steps. High-level visits may be a step to strengthen the ties. The two PMs can exchange a visit to normalize the relations. Pakistan PM should visit Bangladesh as soon as possible using Cricket diplomacy as a tool. This initiative can bring both under an umbrella in the case of bilateral relations. Both parties have to realize that. If the realization is positive, both the governments and people in both countries would benefit. Yes, Cricket diplomacy can normalize.
Pathik Hasan is a Dhaka-based NGO activist, researcher and freelance writer on contemporary international issues whose work has been published in many local and international publications. Academic background: BSS (Peace and Conflict Studies) and MSS (International Relations) under the University of Dhaka. He can be reached at pathikhasan1141@gmail.com.
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