In March 2014, Bangladesh is supposed to be in the international limelight because one of the greatest sporting bonanzas - T20 World Cup - is slated to be held here. Before that another electrifying event, Asia Cup cricket, will take place.

But if the current political violence and uncertainty continue, one can be sure that the venues for these events will change. Bangladesh will lose a unique opportunity to host such prestigious games and heighten its prestige to a great extent.

With the current political situation, 2014 could actually be a year of heartbreakson many counts, sports being only one.

Bangladesh has a tall task ahead in getting back the GSP facility that the US cancelled following allegations of low labour standards, human rights violations and unsafe working conditions. These measures will not only go for claiming back the US GSP but also to retain its duty-free access to the EU, which will review the facility in June.

So far, very little has been done to comply with the requirements for GSP. The Bangladesh government and the private sector together have to go through a long list of corrective measures.

But in such a volatile situation, it now seems that Bangladesh will progress little in that direction and the results are anybody's guess.

Until very recently, Bangladesh was the hotspot for international garment buyers. McKinsey had predicted, based on the ground realities, that Bangladesh's garment exports would boom and reach $42 billion in 10 years.

True to the report, exports surged heftily (last growth is 19 percent). Even a garment giant like China has started placing orders. When a one billion plus populated country growing at astronomical rate shows interest in you, you should be in the seventh heaven.

Unfortunately, that dream dims if 2014 continues to be tumultuous. Buyers are looking

for alternative sources and they will find it sooner or later. Even China is now tentative.

Bangladesh also needs to focus its whole machinery on a number of critical issues like climate change and aid for trade.

After the successful WTO meeting in Bali, Bangladesh needs to chart its agenda for mobilisation of resources to address its trade-related constraints.

Similarly, it needs to negotiate on climate funds, which needs leadership and a comprehensive approach to the country's needs.

But if 2014 continues in the mood of 2013, such initiatives would get the least priority.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) initiative of which Bangladesh starred as a big achiever is another area that stands to be jeopardised. Bangladesh has been portrayed as one of the 18 "highlighted" countries in the South that have made significant gains on the Human Development Index over a two-decade period.

Now as the MDG 2.0 begins after 2015, Bangladesh needs to set its targets and implement them. We risk upsetting that too. And then our hope to make it to the next 11 countries, as predicted by Goldman Sachs, to emerge in economic power will diminish.

There are many more such possibilities that may get upset if the New Year proves to be violent and uncertain.