India-Bangladesh relations

[IBM]

In many other defence forums I see a strong anti-India sentiments from Bangladeshi's? Why is't so? I don't understand, they wouldn't exist if we didn't liberate them from the clutches of pakistan. They are more pro towards pakistan than India, calling pakistani's as brothers when they butchered millions of their own people.

Let's discuss on this so that it would throw more light on this issue.

They are Pakistani pretending to be Bangladeshi.

 

[mehwish92]

They are Pakistani pretending to be Bangladeshi.

I don't think that's always the case. Some Bangladeshi's have ill feelings towards India because of the events that followed after 1971, such as boundary disputes, etc. Also I guess they felt like India was trying to control Bangladesh after 1971, make it a puppet country.

I don't really know, but personally I haven't met any such Bangladeshi here in Canada. Most of the Bangladeshis I know (Hindus and Muslims) have actually studied in India and often visit India.

 

[Sabir]

Seeds of this hatred was planted before our Independence. Todays Bangladesh was yesterday's Pakistan (east) and India was an enemy. To Muslim majority Pakistan (east and west) India was a hindu state . Just for a brief period enemy turned to friend and that was all- for a brief period and that was not enough to uproot seeds of hatred that was threre from beginning.

 

[RPK]

Indo-Bangla border well demarcated: Bangladesh official

fullstory


Shillong, Oct 7 (PTI) Maintaining that the Indo-Bangladesh boundary was well demarcated, a top Bangladesh government official today said instances of trespassing and encroachment by people from both sides of the border are wilful.

"The demarcation of the Indo-Bangla border is completed.

We have strip maps of the exact boundary. If some people cross over to the other side, they do it wilfully and not due to ignorance," Director of Bangladesh's survey department Rafiqul Islam said after conclusion of the three-day Indo-Bangla boundary conference here.

He, however, underlined the need to create more awareness among villagers on issues related to the boundary problems.

"In the Meghalaya sector alone, we have 79 strip maps clearly showing the actual boundary. Some of the maps are with us and the remaining with the Indian authorities," Islam said.

 

[RAM]

Border fencing

India - Bangladesh Border Fencing To Be Completed By March 2010

The fencing project of India – Bangladesh border is expected to complete by March 2010.

The development of fence had been put off due to issues like harsh topography and pending land acquisition case, cites a home ministry statement.

The other factors which delayed the fencing of the India - Bangladesh border include need for realignment of fencing, presence of human life within 150 yards of border, objections from Bangladesh Rifles for the development of fences within 150 yards etc. The working season available for the construction of the fence was also a very restricted one.

Approximately 2,649.74 km of the total 3,436.56 km have been fenced till now. The project is now expected to reach completion by March, 2010, it said.

About 3,326.82 km of border roads of the sanctioned 4,326.24 km have also been constructed. The 2,840 km India – Bangladesh border will be floodlighted, which is expected to cost about Rs.1,327 crore. This is expected to get over by 2011-2012.

The work is being carried out by CPWD, NBCC and NPCC.

 

[Flint]

In many other defence forums I see a strong anti-India sentiments from Bangladeshi's? Why is't so? I don't understand, they wouldn't exist if we didn't liberate them from the clutches of pakistan. They are more pro towards pakistan than India, calling pakistani's as brothers when they butchered millions of their own people.

Let's discuss on this so that it would throw more light on this issue.

They are Zia's children. They are tilted towards more Islamist views, which aligns them ideologically with Pakistan.

 

[Daredevil]

Two crore illegal Bangla migrants, 600 deported last year: states report

Amitabh Sinha Posted online: Sunday , Oct 04, 2009 at 0436 hrs

New Delhi : Estimates sent by the state governments have given an official number to what has been known informally for a very long time — that illegal migrants from Bangladesh now comprise at least two per cent of India’s population.

According to “very conservative estimates” of the state governments, the total number of Bangladeshi citizens residing in India without proper documents or permits would be in excess of 2 crore, government sources have told The Sunday Express.

The state governments had been asked to send estimates of the number of Bangladeshi migrants living in their states and also the number of such people who had been deported back to their country. Most states have now responded.

According to these figures, not more than 600 Bangladeshi migrants had been deported to their country in the last one year and the possibility of many of them finding their way back isn’t being ruled out.

Migrants from Bangladesh now live in every part of the country. Besides West Bengal, Bihar, Assam and other North-Eastern states — the known places where these illegal migrants have been able to settle down — Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka are new regions having large concentrations of Bangladeshi citizens. Sources said these were also areas witnessing rapid urbanization and development, and therefore, offering job opportunities to these migrants.

Though it had asked for the data from the states, the Centre was still undecided on what use to put this data to.

“This was mostly an academic exercise, not aimed at any particular objective. The figures that have come out are only estimates, but they are reliable estimates,” a senior government official said. He said as of now there was no clarity on how to deal with this migrant population.

“That is something that the political leadership will have to take a call on, probably after obtaining a consensus on the issue. Migration from Bangl-adesh has huge social and economic aspects apart from having security implications. There is no easy way to tackle this issue,” he said.

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

First transit access to India a 'test case': Bangladesh​

Dhaka: Bangladesh considers as a "test case" its decision to allow India use its territory to carry goods to Tripura and its outcome would decide the fate of other transit proposals between the two neighbours.

Bangladesh agreed to allow Ashuganj as a new port of call in response to India's request for transporting heavy consignments for the proposed Palatana Power Project in Tripura during Foreign Minister Dipu Moni's recent trip to New Delhi.

"We consider allowing India transit once as a test case and its result will decide the fate of other proposals floated earlier by New Delhi," an unidentified senior official was quoted as saying by the New Age newspaper.

The report said once this decision was implemented successfully, Bangladesh would then move with other proposals for transit of various modes for India. The two countries are scheduled to sign a deal on Indian access to the Ashuganj port in May 2010.

Link

 

[ejazr]

Minister reiterates Dhaka resolve to fight militants

“Subversive activities” by fugitives of an Indian militant group are “part of a conspiracy” against Bangladesh and won’t be permitted, a minister said. Minister of State for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku said the government was determined to uproot the fugitives who belong to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and that he had directed the authorities to act against them, Star Online, the website of The Daily Star newspaper reported. His statement at a function came ahead of the visit to India of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, possibly later this month. Insurgent groups from India’s northeastern region is expected to be high on the bilateral talks agenda.

 

[RAM]

ULFA FOUNDER ARRESTED IN BANGLADESH

GUWAHATI: Arabinda Rajkhowa, chairman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and its publicity secretary Apurba Baruah have been arrested in Bangladesh, informed sources said on Wednesday. Both are expected to be in India's custody soon, the sources said.

The two leaders are believed to have been arrested by the Special Branch of the Bangladesh Police from downtown Dhaka.

Rajkhowa, 56, was in Bangladesh for close to two decades, operating out of bases in that country to order hit-and-run strikes in Assam.

He founded the ULFA in 1979 along with five other leaders, including the outfit's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who is believed to have escaped Bangladesh and is reportedly hiding in China.

Last month, Bangladesh reportedly handed over two ULFA leaders, self-styled foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury and finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, to Indian authorities.

Top ULFA leader arrested in Bangladesh - India - The Times of India

 

[RAM]

India, Bangladesh finalise 3 pacts as ULFA chief held

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Bangladeshi authorities arrested United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) founder Arabinda Rajkhowa and handed him over to India while the two countries finalised three crucial accords in the area of counter-terrorism and security cooperation ahead of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi.Chairman of the insurgent ULFA Arabinda Rajkhowa was arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) in Tripura by Bangladesh authorities, dealing a crippling blow to the banned outfit, officials said in Guwahati Wednesday.

A senior intelligence official said Bangladesh security forces handed over Rajkhowa to BSF commanders at the Gokul Nagar border outpost in Tripura. The BSF then arrested him.

The 56-year-old Rajkhowa was in Bangladesh for close to two decades now, operating out of bases in that country to carry out the outfit’s hit-and-run guerrilla strikes in Assam.

Rajkhowa was picked up by Bangladesh Police Special Branch at least three days ago and the incident was kept under wraps, sources said.

The news of Rajkhowa’s arrest coincided with the three-day talks between home secretaries of India and Bangladesh that ended in New Delhi Wednesday.

After the talks, the two sides announced they have finalised three crucial accords, including one for combating terrorism and the transfer of prisoners. They also agreed to resolve the issues relating to their land boundary.

Terrorism dominated the discussions, with both sides stressing “immediate action on the basis of real time and actionable information.”

“Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and reaffirmed their commitment not to allow the use of territory of either country for any activity inimical to each other’s interests,” said a joint press release.

The finalisation of drafts of the three agreements marks a major confidence-building step to address the issue of terrorist leaders sheltering in Bangladesh that had marred relations between the two neighbours.

The three agreements were finalised after wide-ranging talks between Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdus Sobhan Sikder.

These relate to mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, combating international terrorism and transfer of sentenced persons. the agreements will be signed during the three-day visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India starting Dec 18.

The agreements will help India get access to leaders of northeast insurgent groups like the outlawed ULFA and other terrorists who are engaged in anti-India activities and operating from Bangladeshi territory.

Pillai thanked Bangladeshi authorities for taking prompt steps to prevent likely attacks on the Indian mission in Dhaka.

In a slew of steps aimed at expanding security cooperation, the two sides agreed to develop mechanisms to further hasten the process of verification of nationality status of prisoners lodged in jails of either country, specially those who have completed their sentence.

The Indian side expressed its concerns over the smuggling of fake Indian currency notes into India and sought the cooperation of Bangladeshi authorities in preventing such activities, said the statement.

The next home secretary-level talks will be held in Dhaka.


India, Bangladesh finalise 3 pacts as ULFA chief held (Lead)

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=148079&cid=2

 

[ppgj]

India, Bangladesh to sign three pacts during Hasina visit

PTI New Delhi, January 3, 2010

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Bangladesh's counterpart Sheikh Hasina during a meeting in Port-of-Spain. India, Bangladesh are expected to sign three pacts related to counter-terrorism and organised crime during her visit. File Photo: PTI

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sheikh Hasina will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discuss ways to enhance these in mutually-beneficial manner, the government sources said

India and Bangladesh are expected to sign three pacts related to counter-terrorism and organised crime during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit here from January 10, a step that could help address India’s concerns about north-east insurgents taking shelter in that country.

The two countries will sign a few other agreements and MoUs, including one in power sector, during the three-day visit that is expected to give a push to the bilateral relations in the backdrop of recent positive atmospherics.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Ms. Hasina will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discuss ways to enhance these in mutually-beneficial manner, government sources said here.

The two countries are expected to sign an Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons and a pact on Combating International Terrorism, Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking during the visit, which will be Ms. Hasina’s first trip to India after taking over in January last year.

The agreements are aimed at addressing India’s concerns with regard to north-east insurgents taking shelter in Bangladesh as a legal framework would be in place to transfer them, including those having undergone sentences in that country.

India has a lot of expectations on this front from the Ms. Hasina government. Dhaka has already taken a number of discreet measures to deny safe haven to north-east insurgents, which is reflected by the arrest of some top ULFA leaders like Arabinda Rajkhowa.

India and Bangladesh have agreed to develop mechanisms to hasten the process of verification of nationality of prisoners lodged in jails of either country, particularly of those who have completed their sentences, to enable their early repatriation, the sources said.

Since the Hasina government came to power, the goodwill for India in Dhaka has increased and both sides are working to address their differences and promote cooperation in a wide range of areas, including commerce, railways and power.

Ms. Hasina’s visit is expected to be beneficial in this regard.

During the visit, the Indian side is expected to announce a credit line of up to USD 500 million.

India has been looking “sensitively” at issues relating to tariffs on goods from Bangladesh and has made a provision for duty-free import of eight million pieces of garments.

Benefits under the Least Developed Country (LDC) are also being extended to Bangladesh, as a result of which the list of sensitive items for import has been pruned considerably.

In the energy sector, the two countries will sign a power exchange MoU providing for import and export of electricity amounting to over 900 million units per annum depending on availability, need and price, the sources said here.

The price and various modalities for exchange of power will be worked out later for the MoU under which about 250 MW of power is expected to be exchanged initially and eventually it could touch 1,000 MW.

Energy-deficient Bangladesh will receive the power from Indian grids in West Bengal and Tripura.

The two sides are also working to ink an agreement on Teesta River water sharing.

The Hindu : News / National : India, Bangladesh to sign three pacts during Hasina visit

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Deep sea oil clogs India-Bangla ties- Hindustan Times

Deep sea oil clogs India-Bangla ties

New Delhi is hoping for a “political solution” to a maritime boundary dispute when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrives in India for a visit on Sunday.

The Bangladesh Navy has been used by Dhaka to interfere in oil and gas surveys undertaken by various companies in the Bay of Bengal with clearances from Indian authorities.

Bangladesh last year-end took India to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), seeking arbitration to settle the bilateral maritime boundary dispute between the two countries.

Dhaka’s decision to move UNCLOS came after India and Myanmar protested against Bangladesh allotting oil blocks to two multi-nationals last year.

Companies carrying out exploration in the blocks offered by the Indian government in the Bay of Bengal last year have complained to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry of repeated interference by the Bangladesh Navy.

“Such interruptions by the Bangladesh Navy are a matter of serious concern as these blocks have been awarded to international oil and gas companies after obtaining clearances from the authorities concerned,” India’s petroleum regulator, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, had informed the petroleum ministry.

The ministry, in turn, conveyed the concerns to the External Affairs Ministry. In October, Petroleum Secretary R.S. Pandey wrote to Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao: “I request you to take up the matter so that the mineral wealth of our country is explored and exploited without undue interference.”

Dhaka has linked the dispute with the survey of offshore oil and gas exploration that Indian and other companies are undertaking. Dhaka wants recourse to an arbitration process in response to Delhi’s persistent demand that Bangladesh address the problems bilaterally and amicably.

“Bangladesh has been delaying the process (of a bilateral solution) despite the fact that they are the initiator of the case. The issue was discussed at home secretary-level talks in the first week of December. And, we have been taking up the matter through the diplomatic channel but not of much use,” said senior official.

He said if there is a political will to “take the issue out of arbitration” or find an “amicable solution” through “any mechanism”, the maritime dispute coming in the way of better economic ties can be solved.

 

[ppgj]

Paper no. 3592 06-Jan-2010

India And Bangladesh Must Come Together

By Bhaskar Roy

No foreign relations in Bangladesh raises such a political storm as relations with India do. This is not new. Bangladesh became independent in 1971. The people of Bangladesh paid with their blood to achieve this goal and correct an incongruous relationship with West Pakistan or Pakistan as it is now.

The division of the subcontinent in 1947 which created the two wings of Pakistan, West Pakistan and East Pakistan was never a case for common bonding. Problems started in 1948 with the East Pakistanis resenting cultural and economic domination from the western wing. The anti-West Pakistan movement was ignited by the 1952 language movement in Dhaka, opposing imposition of Urdu as the main language.

India played a significant role in Bangladesh’s liberation war, having been dragged in by the Pakistani army and their Bangladeshi collaborators launching a genocidal mayhem on the country. Around three thousand Indian soldiers lost their lives, India bore the burden of hosting around 10 million Bangladeshi refugees, and accorded substantial assistance to the fledging nation. Then things began to go wrong.

Certainly, the credit for independence must go to the Bangladeshis. Their sacrifice is incomparable. But a question remains on the outcome of this war if Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had not intervened. With Pakistan’s air attack on India, it became an India-Pakistan war. Some core freedom fighter organisations in Bangladesh have been demanding for years national recognition of Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora, GOC of Indian forces in Bangladesh (who accepted the Pakistani surrender), Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, and Mrs. Indira Gandhi. But India has desisted from involving itself in such projects for good reasons.

Although Prime Minister Indira Gandhi withdrew Indian forces from Bangladesh in the shortest possible time despite dismay from some Bangladeshi leaders, it was a wise decision.

The Pakistani army surrendered to Lt. Gen. Aurora in Dhaka on December 16, 1971. It was an euphoric occasion. But according to Indian army officers on duty in Bangladesh, within the first few months of 1972 they became targets of children and lumpens on Dhaka streets shouting “Indian dogs, go back!’. The significance of this development cannot be under estimated. It demonstrated that a section with strong anti-India and pro-Pakistan feelings had taken deep roots in the country, despite the move by the new government to try collaborators and war criminals. There should be some explanation as to how these elements were allowed to function so freely.

The assassination of Bangabandhu Sk. Mujibur Rahman and family and relatives by a group of army officers on August 15, 1975 turned India-Bangladesh relations upside down. Important questions hang over the real intentions of freedom fighters like Maj.Zia-ur-Rehman, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) M.A. Matin and some others. Zia worked through the turmoil of the post-Mujibur years to become the Army Chief, President and founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is now headed by his widow, Begum Khaleda Zia. He ensured that the Mujib killers got diplomatic assignments abroad. He legalised the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI), the pro-Pakistan collaborators.

Zia brought India-Bangladesh relation to a low point till his assassination in 1981. The BNP-JEI government from 2001-2006, under Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, surpassed even that. Evidence supports the assessment the BNP-JEI government did everything possible, even at the cost of the country’s development, to obstruct India. This visceral antipathy is rare between close neighbours, but this was done according to a plan.

The Awami League (AL) and the grand coalition led by Sk. Hasina swept to power at the December 28, 2008 elections on two grounds. The BNP-JEI had reduced the country to a Mafia-like fiefdom. And the army kept itself out from rigging the electoral process. A third reason, perhaps, was the focus of the international community on the elections.

In the last three months, Prime Minister Sk. Hasina’s India visit has engaged Bangladesh’s politics. The BNP-JEI with their alliances are determined to show that the AL and Sk. Hasina are selling the country’s sovereignty to India. To them, Bangladesh’s development is of no concern. The only objective is to spite India and join Pakistan as a loose federation.

Sk. Hasina is looking at a much larger picture of a stable Bangladesh which has to confront fast growing challenges of economic development, climate change, and an economic and trade network with South East Asia for which the Asian Highway sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a must.

Leaderships of countries in today’s globalised world seek to maximise their country’s development with co-operation with others, not a zero-sum game. But the BNP-JEI scuttled the Myanmar-Bangladesh-India gas pipeline, cutting its own licensed earnings, to prevent India from getting the Myanmar gas. They stymied the Asian Highway project which could bring Bangladesh substantial transit trade benefit, just to counter India. The combine also blocked all India related Bangladesh cooperation which could advance mainland India’s connectivity with its North-East region to ensure short transit linkages did not develop, despite the fact that Bangladesh would earn transit fees. These are a few examples which cost Bangladesh more than India.

It is generally perceived that the Awami League and its grand coalition comprising secular, democratic and progressive political parties are India’s natural allies. These are the pro-liberation minded groups who see in India support, development and stability.

On the other hand, the BNP-JEI combine have demonstrated that they are natural opponents of India. The JEI and its students wing Islamic Chatro Shibir (ICS) were the Pakistan occupation army’s collaborators. This has been officially recorded. The BNP, which was formed in 1978, comprised of old Jamaat cadres and leaders, some stray anti-India elements, cold war allies of the USA and pro-China elements.

The following comparison between the JEI and BNP is interesting. Just before surrendering to the Indian forces in 1971, the Pakistan army and their collaborators, differently named groups as Al Shams, Razakars and Al Badrs tried to physically eliminate all pro-independence leaders and intellectuals in virtual pogroms. They wanted to leave the country as leaderless as possible.

In 1975, the group of army officers who assassinated Sk. Mujibur Rahman and his family and relations, also mowed down top leaders of the Awami League who had been put in jail. The aim was to eliminate the party’s leadership. President Zia-ur-Rehman protected these killers.

This is indicative of a serious divide over India in Bangladesh. Although the BNP and the JEI were swept out of power at the last general elections, they have their own committed supporters and constituencies, which is not insignificant.

Old ghosts have returned to haunt the JEI and the BNP. In the Sk. Mujibur Rahman case 12 ex-army officers have been condemned to death. Five of them are in custody while the rest are absconding abroad.

The 1971 war criminal trials are going to commence in February or March. Among the important listed offenders are top JEI leaders and at least one BNP leader. The names of about a dozen Pakistani leaders also figure in this list, but it is unlikely the government will press for their appearance.

Investigations into the attempt on Sk. Hasina’s life on August 21, 2004 is nearing conclusion. A senior Awami League leader was among the 24 killed. Evidence suggest several BNP leaders including at least one Minister handled this conspiracy, employing the terrorist organization, HUJI.

Another case under investigation is April, 2004 illegal arms confiscation case in the port city of Chittagong. Eight truck loads of arms brought from a Chinese port, were landed at the Chittagong port, for transfer to the ULFA in
Assam. Involved in this operation is a line up of intelligence heads of Bangladesh and Pakistan, a Pakistani media company ARY based in Dubai, around ten former Ministers and political leaders , and the trail is leading to the then Prime Minister Khaleda’s door. There are other serious cases, too.

During the BNP-JEI government, Indian insurgent groups like the ULFA, NSCN (I/M), the Manipuris and Bodos were given full support apart from the assistance from Laskhar-e-Toiba (LET), HUJI and, finally Dawood Ibrahim. In brief, the BNP-JEI led four-party alliance (2001-2006) converted Bangladesh into a frontline terrorist base against India.

The record of JEI and the BNP from 1971 was one of anti-nationalism. By the time the verdict is announced on these cases they would earn national and international opprobrium.

These two parties, pushed to a corner, are looking for opportunities to open new questions against the Awami League, to create a volatile political situation in the country. The focal point is Prime Minster Sk. Hasina’s forthcoming visit to India. All potential India-Bangladesh agreements are targeted as anti-Bangladesh and a sell out of Bangladesh’s sovereignty to India. This is aimed to raise questions on India’s intention and credibility among the people of Bangladesh. There is a lot of sensitivity on both sides of this bilateral relations. The negativity is there and apprehensions about a big neighbour are not difficult to exploit.

The BNP and JEI mouthpiece have already started misinformation about Sk. Hasina’s visit, and Indian intelligence agencies sabotaging Bangladesh’s sovereignty. Simultaneously, seminars are being held, marches are being organized, appeals are being made abroad, against possible India-Bangladesh agreements on the cards. Although Bangladesh is power starved, a possible power purchase agreement is being dubbed as an Indian trap where India can cut off supply at will.

It is now India’s call on how to handle Sk. Hasina’s visit. She has delivered on her promise to tackle terrorism. While the process is still ongoing, Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism which had taken deep roots will take much more to defeat, if at all.

It will be wise to put aside contentious issues for further discussions, while going ahead with those which are workable. Trade and transit surface connectivity between Bangladesh, and Nepal and Bhutan through India is doable. So is Bangladesh’s power purchase from Nepal and Bhutan. Better tariff and access to Bangladeshi products must also be considered positively.

The issue of adversely possessed enclaves, especially Dahagram and Angarporta must be resolved. As a much larger country and economy, India must accord Bangladeshi exports special terms. And the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) should be much less trigger happy on petty Bangladeshi smugglers.

India’s large heartedness will take the wind out of the sails of the Bangladeshi opponents. This will create space for strong arguments for the Bangladeshi government to push through other bilateral agreements. The entire gamut of issues cannot be resolved with one issue.

How confident are Sk. Hasina and her team to execute their Indian policy without constantly looking over their shoulders. The latest developments in Bangladesh suggest there is significant bureaucratic opposition to fast paced Bangladesh-India good will. Most of these officers are either JEI or BNP acolytes or beneficiaries. It is well known that Prime Minister Hasina’s life is under constant threat. She is the living symbol of Liberation, being Sk. Mujibur Rahman’s eldest daughter. Unless she holds firm she will lose ground.

Sk. Hasina must return from India with at least one bag full. The rest can then follow. But the journey will be arduous.

(The author is an experienced analyst of South Asian region. He can be contacted at [email protected])

India And Bangladesh Must Come Together

 

[ppgj]

Future of India-Bangladesh relations

Haroon Habib, January 9, 2010

INDO-BANGLA RELATIONS: An economically strong, secular and democratic Bangladesh is crucial for New Delhi and the rest of the region.

The domestic context in Bangladesh of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s major visit to India starting on Sunday.

Sheikh Hasina, who started her second term as Prime Minister of Bangladesh on January 6, 2009, is due to visit India from Sunday. This is her first visit to New Delhi during this term, and it is expected to be a significant one.

When Ms Hasina became Prime Minister in 1996 (she held office till 2001), her Awami League had a thin majority in Parliament, and her government had many limitations. She came to power after two decades that followed the bloody changeover of 1975. Despite those limitations, her government took some remarkable steps vis-À-vis India. Overall, it tried to reverse certain post-1975 political trends and to rejuvenate the pro-liberation spirit that was needed badly for a secular polity in a country that had seen the planned rehabilitation of the so-called 1947 spirit by a set of military and pseudo-democratic rulers.

During that tenure, the Awami League-led government signed the historic Ganga Water Treaty. It also paved the way for the return to India of thousands of Chakma refugees from Tripura with the signing of a landmark accord that ended decades of tribal insurgency in the border region. Then, it sent a firm signal to insurgents operating all across northeastern India, many of whom, as claimed by India, enjoyed sanctuary in Bangladesh. These steps were not easy to take, and indeed constituted a test of courage and conviction for the government.

This time, too, the government of the grand alliance led by the daughter of the slain founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is not without its limitations. But its leadership is now more experienced. It won a landslide in the December 2008 elections, and secured a two-thirds-plus majority in Parliament. This enabled Ms Hasina’s government to amend the Constitution and bring about certain changes that it felt were needed to initiate a new journey that Bangladesh needs to undertake in order to get back on the right track.

Having achieved independence from Pakistan in the aftermath and as a consequence of the devastating war of 1971, Bangladesh did not get adequate time to consolidate itself and put itself on a firm democratic footing. India helped the Bengali freedom fighters to a great extent, and finally formed a joint military command after Pakistan attacked its soil. But that remarkable and historic achievement failed to deliver the expected outcome fully, probably due to a certain lack of alertness, a premature sense of euphoria or a misreading of the feelings of the forces that were defeated.

At the high-level meetings between Bangladesh and India over the next few days, particularly of the heads of governments, important bilateral aspects that will have a historical resonance are bound to come up. But the domestic context of the visit is unlikely to remain unnoticed.

Bangladesh is now ruled by secular democratic forces, known as the ‘pro-liberation’ forces. But the forces which opposed independence from Pakistan and which developed a solid economic foundation and organisational base over the past few decades, have now become quite alert and aggressive. They have been quickly joined by some elements — who were direct beneficiaries of the 1975 changeover and who ruled the country for 30 out of the 39 years of its political existence — and have unleashed a propaganda war.

The fundamentalists and the local versions of the Taliban do not want Bangladesh to remain friendly with India; to them India is “the enemy state.” But why is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is but a mixture of soft Islamists, fundamentalists and former communists, singing a similar tune?

When the national media projected the Prime Minister’s visit to India optimistically — as an opportunity to begin a new era and resolve certain outstanding issues — Begum Khaleda Zia, BNP chairperson and chief of the four-party rightist alliance in which the Jamaat-e-Islami plays a pivotal role, posed an open challenge to the government. She stated publicly that should Ms. Hasina conclude an honourable deal with India, she would be welcomed with garlands on her return. If, on the other hand, she failed to protect the ‘national interest,’ her path would be strewn with thorns.

This is an open challenge posed before the one-year-old government, which has ensured that the war criminals found guilty for their role during the liberation war against Pakistan face trial. The Supreme Court recently upheld the death sentence to the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

There are several issues on the table in the context of Ms Hasina’s visit. It is all right to analyse them ahead of the summit, but it will be wrong to give the impression that any lack of progress in solving them in a single visit will constitute failure. To imply that even a meeting with the Indian leader could somehow lead to an eventual surrender of national interests is equally fallacious.

Post-1975, the definition of patriotism changed in Bangladesh. Originally, it was the Bengali freedom fighters and their local collaborators on the warfront who were called “patriots” along with the vast majority of people who helped to fight the war against the Pakistan Army. But the history of the independence struggle was re-written, rather distorted, by a set of military and pseudo-democratic rulers. Fortunately, Bangladesh now looks forward to removing the distortions as a younger generation of Bangladeshis seeks to know what really happened.

The Khaleda Zia-led combine, which will soon be under the command of her controversial son Tareq Rahman — he is now in London and faces multiple corruption charges — did not perhaps notice the changed national mood. As Ms Hasina prepared to go to New Delhi, the Leader of the Opposition chose to question the patriotism of even the people who belong to the ruling party, forgetting that patriotism is not the monopoly of any single group or party.

Whenever such a top-level meeting takes place, the mainstream media delve into history and recall India’s support to the cause of Bangladesh’s nationhood. It is yet another irritant Begum Zia and her alliance have been destined to suffer. It is a matter of history that India sheltered 100 million refugees from the former East Pakistan when the Pakistan Army began a genocidal war against unarmed civilians, and also extended significant support to Bangladesh’s war that finally culminated in the creation of a new country.

However, the historic relationship did not develop as it was meant to. Bangladesh faced its first shock in August 1975 with the assassination of Mujibur Rahman. With state power vested in the military and pseudo-democratic rulers for two decades, Bangladesh found a new ethos that practically negated the secular spirit of 1971. India, too, underwent transformation on multiple fronts. Therefore, while history provides a vital thrust, India and Bangladesh must practically resolve the issues that have confronted them, and seek to put their relations on a solid foundation.

Since India is a big neighbour, some psychological impact on both sides of the border is inevitable. When the post-1975 situation influenced a section of Bangladeshis to look back at the “spirit of 1947,” which actually ran counter to the spirit of the war of liberation, Dhaka-New Delhi relations faced many obstacles. While this was against the will of many Bangladeshis, the protagonists of the “spirit of 1947” did succeed in influencing a section that would strongly argue that the stumbling blocks were mainly India’s “intransigence, chauvinism and obduracy.”

Bangladesh covers a relatively small territory. But it has enormous potential and considerable strategic significance. Close relations with India to resolve all major irritants should be a key requirement for it to make a new beginning. Despite having been in office only for a year and despite the fact that the adversaries of the pro-liberation spirit are more powerful than ever before, the Sheikh Hasina government has shown considerable courage and conviction to free its soil from anti-India activity. Many would, therefore, hope for suitable reciprocal gestures to strengthen the polity.

An economically strong, secular and democratic Bangladesh is crucial for New Delhi and the rest of the region. A democratic and secular India, and Bangladesh, that has started its renewed march towards a stable democratic polity despite the muscle flexing by some extremists, should work together for a stable South Asia.

(The writer, who was involved in Bangladesh’s freedom struggle, can be reached at: [email protected])

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Future of India-Bangladesh relations

 

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India, Bangladesh Put Boundary Issue on Fast Track

New Delhi | Jan 12, 2010

Amid the new-found bonhomie, India and Bangladesh have decided to put the process of resolving land boundary issue on fast track with an aim of completing it within 18-24 months.

It was also agreed that a railway line would be built between Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala, which could lead to addressing India's demand for transit through Bangladesh as Kolkata-Dhaka-Akhaura railway connectivity already exists.

A Joint Statement issued here today following talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina last evening said the two countries decided to enhance connectivity and boost trade while addressing each other's security concerns.

"Both Prime Ministers agreed to comprehensively address all outstanding land boundary issues keeping in view the spirit of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement. In this context, they agreed to convene the Joint Boundary Working Group to take this process forward," it said.

Official sources said the two sides have set a target of 18 to 24 months to settle all border issues, including adverse possession comprising areas that either country controls without properly demarcated boundary.

India and Bangladesh share 4,096 km long boundary out of which 6.1 km is undemarcated.

At the talks, the two Prime Ministers agreed on the need for amicably demarcating the maritime boundary, an issue that has been taken by Bangladesh to the arbitrator UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS).

Singh and Hasina noted the initiation of proceedings of the UNCLOS and in this context welcomed the visit of a delegation from Bangladesh to India, the Joint Statement said.

At their talks, marked by "great warmth, deep understanding and a spirit of close friendship between the two sides", the two Prime Ministers condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

"They noted that security remained a priority for both countries, as terrorists, insurgents and criminals respect no boundaries" and "underscored the need for both countries to actively cooperate on security issues", it said.

"Both leaders reiterated the assurance that the territory of either would not be allowed for activities inimical to the other and resolved not to allow their respective territory to be used for training, sanctuary and other operations by domestic or foreign terrorist/militant and insurgent organizations and their operatives," the Joint Statement said.

Welcoming the Home Secretary-level talks held in New Delhi in December 2009, the two Prime Ministers directed their respective Ministries and agencies to cooperate closely and implement all decisions taken during the talks.

While recognizing the need to check cross-border crimes, both Prime Ministers agreed that the respective border guards exercise restraint and underscored the importance of regular meetings between the border guarding forces to curtail illegal cross-border activities and prevent loss of lives. (MORE)

Hasina thanked her Indian counterpart for facilitating the provision of electricity in Dahagram-Angarpota and invited India to construct a flyover across Tin Bigha Corridor for exclusive Indian use, as agreed earlier.

It was agreed that Bangladesh will allow use of Mongla and Chittagong sea ports for movement of goods to and from India through road and rail.

Bangladesh also conveyed their intention to give Nepal and Bhutan access to Mongla and Chittagong ports.

It was agreed that the Akhaura–Agartala railway link would be constructed with grant from India. A joint team of the railway authorities of the two countries will identify the alignment for connectivity.

The Prime Ministers agreed that Rohanpur–Singabad broad gauge railway link would be available for transit to Nepal.

Bangladesh informed of its intention to convert Radhikapur–Birol railway line into broad gauge and requested for railway transit link to Bhutan as well.

The Prime Ministers agreed to operationalize land customs stations at Sabroom-Ramgarh and Demagiri-Thegamukh, including putting in place necessary infrastructure and issue necessary notifications.

Further, with respect to existing land custom stations, it was agreed to take measures for strengthening infrastructure.

The Prime Ministers expressed that the discussions on the sharing of the Teesta waters between India and Bangladesh should be concluded expeditiously and directed their respective Water Resources Ministers to convene the Ministerial-level meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission in this quarter of 2010.

The Joint Rivers Commission will also discuss issues relating to Feni, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar.

The two Prime Ministers also agreed on dredging of Ichhamati river for which India will provide dredgers to Bangladesh on an urgent basis. Bangladesh indicated the need for 9 dredgers.

They also agreed on undertaking protection on Mahananda, Karatoa, Nagar, Kulik, Atrai, Dharla, and Feni rivers.

With a view to encourage imports from Bangladesh, both countries agreed to address removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers and port restrictions and facilitate movement of containerized cargo by rail and water.

In this context, Bangladesh welcomed India's initiative to provide duty-free access to SAARC Least Developed Countries to the Indian market.

Bangladesh also welcomed the reduction of the number of items from India's negative list that were of direct interest to Bangladesh and requested for further reduction in the list.

The Prime Ministers agreed that investments, including joint investment and joint ventures, shall be encouraged by both countries. They agreed that the participation of the private sector in both countries will give an added fillip to economic engagement between the two countries.

It was agreed that border haats shall be established on a pilot basis at selected areas, including on the Meghalaya border, to allow trade in specified produces and products and in accordance with the regulations agreed and notified by both governments.

news.outlookindia.com | India, Bangladesh Put Boundary Issue on Fast Track

 

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Turning a new corner

Smruti S. Pattanaik, January 12, 2010

First Published: 21:07 IST(12/1/2010)
Last Updated: 21:08 IST(12/1/2010)

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s visit to India is a historic one. Not only is a strong political will evident, there’s a palpable enthusiasm to walk the extra mile. Her Awami League (AL) government has just completed one year in office and the two governments have time on their side to tackle complex bilateral issues.

The AL’s historic win has been a cause for celebration in India and India’s stakes in the regime’s success are high, poised as it is to take several decisions that will determine Bangladesh’s secular future. Whether it is the trial of war criminals or zero tolerance for terrorism, this government is set to create history in Bangladesh’s politics.

During Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led regime, Indo-Bangladesh relations had touched their nadir.

Political patronage to radical elements, growing religious intolerance and reluctance of the government to act against Indian insurgent groups, refusal to sign on to the multilateral trans-Asian Highway project — just because the route would benefit India — are but some instances where the BNP government did not hesitate to adopt policies that adversely affected Bangladesh’s interests; all in the name of protecting its sovereignty.

Given this backdrop, this visit is definitely about the ‘charter for change’ in the AL’s election manifesto, which had boldly declared that ‘rail and road connections with neighbouring countries under the Asian Rail and Highway schemes will be established’. The government has also announced that, after modernisation, the Chittagong and Mongla ports will be opened to all of Asia. What’s more, it has the popular mandate to carry these proposals forward.

India has announced a $1-billion line of credit that would help Bangladesh build infrastructure and emerge as a hub between South and Southeast Asia. Also, the memorandum of understanding on electricity exchange, to the tune of 900 million units per annum, will go a long way in dealing with power shortage in the two countries.

India needs to walk the extra mile and, if necessary, provide unilateral trade concessions, already hinted at by the finance minister. But any concession or policy announcements must not be allowed to get tangled in bureaucratic red tape, leading to broken promises — India’s offer of half a million tonnes of rice during cyclone Sidr being a case in point.

India has already agreed to provide transit facilities to Bangladesh for trade with Nepal and Bhutan; it now needs to resolve undemarcated land and maritime boundaries rather than letting the issue fester. To address its main security concerns, India must be prepared to bear some economic loss — a small price to pay in the long run. What’s important here is to send the right political signals.

Bangladesh has suffered more than India by tolerating radical elements and no one knows this better than the current government, which could have lost its entire front-ranking leadership in the August 2004 bombing of an AL rally. Hasina’s government has busted militant networks and has made several arrests and facilitated the surrender of Ulfa leaders who had taken refuge in Bangladesh. So, the agreement on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, extradition of sentenced criminals and the bilateral resolve to combat international terrorism and organised crime is significant.

India must demonstrate magnanimity commensurate with its size, stature and global aspirations. Let the benefits be evaluated in intangibles, like strengthening liberalism over fundamentalism and shared political and social values, which should not get lost in the bilateral nitty-gritty.

Smruti S. Pattanaik is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

The views expressed by the author are personal

Turning a new corner- Hindustan Times

 

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Paper no. 3629 27-Jan-2010

Sheikh Hasina Visits India--A View From Dhaka

By Kazi Anwarul Masud

Bangladesh Prime Minister’s visit to India on 10-13 January 2010 is being widely discussed in Bangladesh. Many favorably view that in long time the two countries have been able to create an environment of trust and cooperation. Critics fear that given the asymmetric relationship due to the different geographical, economic and population size of the two countries there is a latent fear in some quarters in Bangladesh of social Darwinism may set the tone of bilateral relationship that suggests survival of the fittest. Adherents of this school of thought following Plato and Aristotelian argument in favor of economic self-sufficiency to secure a nation’s power see deepening of Indo-Bangladesh relations as “inherently threatening”. They argue that such ties would be harmful to “national interest” invoking the necessity of political and economic self-sufficiency thereby reducing dependence on others.

In reality in this age of globalization it would be well nigh impossible, and indeed suicidal, to restrict socio-economic advancement of the people by refusing to relate with others who are already positioned in a higher rung of the economic ladder and could become the third largest global economy in a few decades. A careful reading of the joint communiqué issued after the Prime Minister’s visit reveals that not only ours but also India’s concerns on security and terrorism have been addressed and that the two leaders have “put in place a comprehensive framework of cooperation for development between the two countries, encapsulating their mutually shared vision for the future, which would include cooperation in water resources, power, transportation and connectivity, tourism and education”.

Conceptual Framework on Security and Terrorism

The agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, and on Combating International Terrorism, Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking are essentially covered by SAARC Convention on Terrorism, various UNSC resolutions and international law. Defining terrorism has never been easy. Indeed a uniform definition of terrorism with universal acceptance has yet to come about. US authorities as many others have been able to agree on some of the fundamental elements of terrorism which are (a) terrorism is the unlawful use of violence against non-combatants, governments and societies; (b) it is used to inculcate fear and/or intended to coerce/intimidate; (c) by sub-national groups or clandestine agents; and (d) in furtherance of political, religious or ideological goals. Since many violent acts can attain one or more of the above objectives it is necessary to distinguish terrorism from common murder or assault. To Harvard Professor Jessica Stern, it is the “deliberate evocation of dread is what sets terrorism apart from simple murder or assault”.

Defining Security

Stephen Sachs of Merton College -, Oxford digressing from the Max Weberian concept of security based on the effective monopoly on the use or licensing of violence with the defined territory of the state, calls for “human security” to address the need of the individuals for safety in the regions of basic needs*food, clean water, environmental and energy security, freedom from economic exploitation, police excess, extraction by gangs and domestic violence etc- Sachs adds that the growing reach and sophistication of international terrorism poses a further threat to intra-state violence that cannot be easily solved by military means- security planners must address environmental pollution, ozone layer depletion, global warming, massive migration of climate change refugees*East/West income asymmetry and inter-state unequal distribution of wealth. Professor J Ann Tickner of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles places importance on ‘structural violence” which goes beyond physical violence to include “the indirect violence done to the individual when unjust economic and political structures reduce their life expectancy through lack of access to basic material needs”. Tickner adds that “true security cannot be achieved until… hierarchical social relations and divisive boundary distinctions are recognized and substantially altered and until all individuals participate in providing for their own security”. Any substantial degradation in the quality of life is also regarded as threat to security. It should, however be acknowledged that to expansive a definition of security runs the risk of making the concept so elastic as to detract from any serious consideration of taking counter measure.

Roots of Terrorism in South Asia

In tracing the roots of terrorism and extremism in South Asia one has to trace the history of the Indian sub-continent that was partitioned on the basis of religion. That religion alone cannot be the basis of nationalism is well known because had it not been so then instead of so many Arab states there would have been one Arab state. Similarly Christendom would have been divided along the lines of the main strands of Christian religion. In Bangladesh apart from HUJI and JMB we have seen the head of the Hizb ul Tehrir (Bangladesh) publicly announced that “we always want to oust all governments in all Muslim countries in the world to establish Khilafat states”. The world is already mired in the militant activities of al-Qaeda operatives. The conflict is not only inter-religious or intra-religious, the hydra headed Medusa has taken under development, poverty, tribal and cultural differences among people to unleash its fangs of poison.

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Food Security

The visit has addressed positively the challenges faced by the Bangladesh in the areas of food security (albeit the Prime Minister in her press conference on 15th January has assured the nation that the country has enough food stock to meet future needs) by recognizing that “the eradication of poverty and ensuring food security were great challenges of the century (and) agreed that the international community should initiate a fully coordinated response and address these issues in a comprehensive manner, from short to medium and long term. The basic argument has been that in the face of global meltdown countries like Bangladesh would have to depend on its own resilience to survive the global economic turmoil. Since food is the basic need of the people the government of the day has rightly focused on food security for the people.

Food security is described as a situation in which people do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. World-wide about a billion people are chronically hungry due to extreme poverty; while up to 2 billion people lack food security intermittently due to varying degrees of poverty. (source: FAO, 2003). The stages of food insecurity range from food secure situations to full-scale famine. "Famine and hunger are both rooted in food insecurity. Food insecurity can be categorized as either chronic or transitory. Chronic food insecurity translates into a high degree of vulnerability to famine and hunger; ensuring food security presupposes elimination of that vulnerability. Chronic hunger is not famine. It is similar to undernourishment and is related to poverty. The number of people without enough food to eat on a regular basis remains stubbornly high, at over 800 million, and is not falling significantly. Over 60% of the world's undernourished people live in Asia.. The First Millennium Development Goal is to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty, and agricultural productivity is likely to play a key role if it is to be reached on time. "Of the eight Millennium Development Goals, eradicating extreme hunger and poverty depends on agriculture the most. (MDG 1 calls for halving hunger and poverty by 2015 in relation to 1990.) Notably, the gathering of wild food plants appears to be an efficient alternative method of subsistence in tropical countries, which may play a role in poverty alleviation.

Global Agriculture-Hunger-Poverty Nexus

Eradicating hunger and poverty requires an understanding of the ways in which these two injustices interconnect. Hunger, and the malnourishment that accompanies it, prevents poor people from escaping poverty because it diminishes their ability to learn, work, and care for themselves and their family members. Food insecurity exists when people are undernourished as a result of the physical unavailability of food, their lack of social or economic access to adequate food, and/or inadequate food utilization. Food-insecure people are those individuals whose food intake falls below their minimum calorie (energy) requirements, as well as those who exhibit physical symptoms caused by energy and nutrient deficiencies resulting from an inadequate or unbalanced diet or from the body's inability to use food effectively because of infection or disease. An alternative view would define the concept of food insecurity as referring only to the consequence of inadequate consumption of nutritious food, considering the physiological utilization of food by the body as being within the domain of nutrition and health. Malnourishment also leads to poor health hence individuals fail to provide for their families .If left unaddressed, hunger sets in motion an array of outcomes that perpetuate malnutrition, reduce the ability of adults to work and to give birth to healthy children, and erode children's ability to learn and lead productive, healthy, and happy lives. This truncation of human development undermines a country's potential for economic development – for generations to come.

There are strong, direct relationships between agricultural productivity, hunger, and poverty. Three-quarters of the world's poor live in rural areas and make their living from agriculture. Hunger and child malnutrition are greater in these areas than in urban areas. Moreover, the higher the proportion of the rural population that obtains its income solely from subsistence farming (without the benefit of pro-poor technologies and access to markets), the higher the incidence of malnutrition. Therefore, improvements in agricultural productivity aimed at small-scale farmers will benefit the rural poor first. Increased agricultural productivity enables farmers to grow more food, which translates into better diets and, under market conditions that offer a level playing field, into higher farm incomes. With more money, farmers are more likely to diversify production and grow higher-value crops, benefiting not only themselves but the economy as a whole." The challenge that will have to be faced by the Bangladesh government will be immense. US Agriculture Department in its July 2008 report predicted that the global economic meltdown combined with food and fuel( though now fuel price is going down) hikes will contribute to the ongoing deterioration in global food insecurity with particular negative impact on developing countries that are most food insecure. USDA’s long term projection of price increase states that 90% of the price shift that the world had seen in 2005-07 will persist putting tremendous pressure on low income households. FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment mission to Bangladesh in its August 2008 report estimates that 40% or 56 million people are “absolute poor” i.e. unable to acquire the minimum level of food required to maintain normal health; within this 27 million were categorized as “hard core poor” i.e. unable to acquire two third of the minimum level mentioned earlier; and 11 million as ‘ultra poor” i.e. unable to acquire half of the minimum requirement. The prevalence of absolute, hard core and ultra poor increased from 2000-2005 due to population growth. For Bangladesh external sources would reduce i.e. Myanmar due to cyclone Nargis will not be able to export thousands of tons of cereals, part of which would have come to Bangladesh. In Thailand too exportable quantity is expected to decrease. Added to supply side constraint the price of cereals and food-led inflation paints a discouraging picture. Price increases are fundamentally due to climate related disaster, expanding demand for cereals for human consumption and as animal feed, diversion of agricultural land for production of bio-fuel, rising cost of fertilizer, speculation in the price of cereals, lack of investment in many developing countries in agricultural research etc. It would be absolutely necessary for the government to stock food and to import much ahead of any emergency that may occur. Besides if the price of essentials is to be kept under control then subsidy has to be given regardless of what the World Bank/IMF may be advising.

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Addressing Cooperation in Energy Sector

It is generally recognized that reproductibility is a key concept of the economics of production (Energy and Economic Growth-David Stern & Cutler Cleaveland). While capital and labor are reproducible, energy remains an important non-reprodicible factor of production. The importance of energy in the economic development of a country can hardly be overemphasized. Mainstream economists think that while land, labor and capital are primary factors of production fuels and materials are intermediary inputs.

Energy Bangle (Revisiting the energy situation in Bangladesh) paints a dismal picture of Bangladesh energy situation. According to the report Bangladesh power is generated from natural gas (82%), oil (9%), hydro (4%) and coal (5%). While the total installed capacity of power generation is 5245 MW, the achievable power generation capacity is around 4200 MW leaving a shortfall of 800MW. Less than half of the population is served by electricity and per capita electricity consumption is only 170 KHz (FY 2006). Natural gas reserve in Bangladesh varies widely. Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ) reported gas reserve of 3 trillion cubic feet (TCF) as of January 2006. Petro Bangla put reserve at 15.3 tcf in 2004. Ministry of Finance estimated in 2004 a reserve of 28.4 tcf of which 20.5 tcf was recoverable. In 2001 US Geological Survey estimated an “undiscovered reserve” of 32.1 tcf.

The other sources of energy are oil that is mostly imported, coal and hydro. Energy Bangla estimated that natural gas requirement from 2000 to 2050 would be 40 to 44 tcf if growth rate is three percent; 64 to 69 tcf with a growth rate of 4.5%; 101 to 110 tcf with a growth rate of 6%; and 141 to 152 tcf with a growth rate in GDP of 7%. It is evident that natural gas would not be able to sustain the economic development of the country if we aspire for growth rate of 10% by 2017 and produce electricity of 7000 MW by 2013 and 20000 MW by 2021.

This aim can be realized if Bangladesh were to deepen regional cooperation in the production of electricity since the Himalayan rivers flow through Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan. It is estimated that the Himalayan Rivers flowing through Nepal have a hydro power potential of 83000 MW. The Chukka project in Bhutan completed with Indian assistance has the potential to benefit Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. During the visit the two countries addressed the subject of energy insufficiency through Indian agreement to “supply to Bangladesh 250 MW electricity from its grid. In this context, both Prime Ministers emphasized the need to expedite inter-grid connectivity. They also agreed that the two countries shall cooperate in development and exchange of electricity, including generation from renewable sources, and may set up joint projects or corporate entities for that purpose”.



Connectivity

Bangladesh Prime Minister agreed that Bangladesh would allow use of Mongla and Chittagong sea ports for movement of goods to and from India through road and rail. Bangladesh also conveyed their intention to give Nepal and Bhutan access to Mongla and Chittagong ports. Surprisingly some people in Bangladesh apprehend that allowing India to use Chittagong and Mongla ports would “seriously endanger the country”. One may wish to be reminded that Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe, provide excellent access to hinterland reaching Basel, Switzerland and France. Rotterdam functions as an important transit point for bulk material and between Europe and overseas. From Rotterdam goods are transported by ship, river barge, train and road. Likewise Singapore, currently the world’s busiest port in terms of total shipping tonnage transships a fifth of the world’s shipping containers and half of the world’s annual supply of crude oil. It is difficult to understand how road, rail and port connectivity can endanger the security of Bangladesh when the meaning of the term “security” is no longer confined to physical security of a nation but includes food, environmental, freedom from want and poverty, health, education any many other aspects of life that would provide a meaningful existence.

Water Sharing Issue

One of the most serious issues that have bedeviled bilateral relationship has been, seen in Bangladesh, India’s unilateral withdrawal of the common rivers flowing from one country into another. Indian construction of Farakka Barrage is held responsible for navigational, environmental and all other kinds of adverse effects suffered by Bangladesh. In recent time reports of Indian construction of Tipaimukh barrage has generated considerable controversy in Bangladesh. Though it is reported that in 1978 Bangladesh had requested India to build Tipaimukh Barrage to regulate the flow of the river flowing into Sylhet district it is now apprehended that if India were to complete construction of the Tipaimukh Dam it would dry out the river in Sylhet with disastrous consequences. Critics are loathe to accept the assurance given by the Indian Prime Minister that nothing would be done that would be detrimental to the interest of Bangladesh. Critics have also made an issue for the Prime Minister for not concluding an agreement of sharing of Teesta River. If the Ganges Water Treaty had taken so many years to be concluded expectation on Teesta was impractical. The issue was addressed in Delhi and Water Resources Ministers are to meet for expeditious conclusion of a treaty.

Trade

Huge imbalance in Indo-Bangladesh trade has been a bone of contention in bilateral relations. In the fiscal year 2007-08 trade imbalance in India’s favor was estimated at $ 3.6 billion. Indian non-tariff barriers are classification of good, custom valuation, testing requirement, mandatory requirement for labeling and marketing, special labeling of jute bags, mandatory standard requirement, technical regulations, quarantine requirements, tariff value and countervailing duty etc that impede increase of Bangladesh exports to India. Indian agreement to address removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers and port restrictions and facilitate movement of containerized cargo by rail and water, India's initiative to provide duty-free access to SAARC LDCs to the Indian market and reduction of the number of items from India's negative list that were of direct interest to Bangladesh are positive developments. One should also note India’s announcement of a line of credit of US$ 1 billion for a range of projects, including railway infrastructure, supply of BG locomotives and passenger coaches, rehabilitation of Saidpur workshop, procurement of buses including articulate buses and dredging projects. The joint communiqué also includes many other issues of importance to Bangladesh.

Conclusion

It would have been impractical to expect one visit to solve all outstanding issues. If anything the visit has created an atmosphere of trust between the two countries that has been lacking for a long time primarily due to our involvement at the instance of another country to act as a transit point and sanctuary to insurgents of north eastern India .The unequivocal assurance given by the two Prime Ministers that the territory of either would not be allowed for activities inimical to the other and resolve not to allow their respective territory to be used for training, sanctuary and other operations by domestic or foreign terrorist/militant and insurgent organizations and their operatives would be beneficial to both afflicted with extremism and other forms of terrorism. One hope that many follow up actions that would be required would be taken in right earnest to bring about the level of bilateral relations to a higher level.

(The writer is a former Ambassador and Secretary of Bangladesh)

http://southasiaanalysis.org/\papers37\paper3629.html