On October 5th Prime Ministers of India and
Bangladesh held bilateral dialogue in New Delhi for the first them after their
spectacular electoral victories. Bangladesh is India’s largest trading partner
in the South Asian region with bilateral trade amounting to $ 9.3 billion.
Aside, Bhutan, India enjoys strong bilateral relations with Bangladesh with
whom India shares 4156 km long boundary.
Indo-Bangladesh ties have been on an upswing ever since
Sheikh Hasina of Awami League clinched power in 2009. She resurrected the bilateral
ties which took a beating during Khaleeda Zia’s regime backed by
fundamentalists and pro-Pakistani elements. In 2011 India and Bangladesh came
close to signing the Teesta water sharing agreement which was stalled by West
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who opposed it. The relationship received
new lease for life after India generously accepted the decision of Permanent
Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the delimitation of the India-Bangladesh maritime
boundary which was highly skewed in favour of Bangladesh. PCA awarded 80% of
disputed area in the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh in July 2014. India didn’t
contest the verdict. Building on this good will, BJP government which came to
power with majority successfully resolved the 40-year old long Land Boundary
Agreement (LBA) signed by Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rehman. Having
peacefully resolved the outstanding land and maritime agreements, leaders of
both countries signed a slew of agreements in transport, connectivity and
energy sectors deepening multisectoral cooperation. Modi during his first visit
to Bangladesh extended $2 billion credit line imparting fresh energy to the old
ties. Thus far, India provided $8 billion credit to Bangladesh.
During the last five years, leaders of both countries who met
in Delhi, Dhaka and Kolkata initiated various projects including a
comprehensive cultural engagement. In March, Modi and Hasina jointly
inaugurated projects in transport, health and education in their sixth video
conferencing talk. They unveiled e-plaques for supply of buses and trucks,
inaugurated 36 community clinics, 11 water treatment plants and extension of
National Knowledge Network to Bangladesh from New Delhi and Dhaka respectively.
Despite the renewed engagement, Teesta waters remained a sticking
point and a recalcitrant West Bengal chief minister refused to make any
concessions. Besides water sharing Bangladesh is seeking India’s help on the
unabated infiltration of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar and worried about the
outcome of India’s NRC exercise. India abstained from voting on UN resolution
sponsored by Bangladesh and EU against Myanmar for human rights violation.
Bangladesh has shared its concerns of Rohingya crisis with both India and
China. China which has several vested interests hasn’t even bothered to brook
this issue with Myanmar. While India hasn’t been forthcoming on the Rohingya
issue, Prime Minister Modi who met Hasina along the sidelines of the UNGA at
New York allayed Bangladeshi fears on NRC.
Hasina in her last visit to India, appealed New Delhi to
confabulate on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. But India
which is seeking close cooperation of Mynamar towards completion of Kaladan
Multi-Modal Transit Project and carrying strikes against the insurgent groups
along the Indo-Myanmar border has been biding time. Like Bangladesh, Myanmar is
India’s gateway to South East Asia and extremely pivotal for security of North
East region of India. India which is cognizant of Bangladesh’s hardships in
sheltering 11 million Rohingyas has launched “Operation Insaniyat” offering
humanitarian assistance to Dhaka in 2017. Ever since India has been regularly
delivering consignments of relief material like rice, pulses, sugar, cooking
oil, salt, tents and sewing machines to displaced women.
Far from finalising the Teesta water sharing deal, leaders of
both countries called for expeditious interim water sharing agreements for six
rivers-Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dhudhkumar.
Instead of getting roiled by some sticking contentious
issues, leaders of both countries began working on issues of mutual interest.
Modi congratulated Hasina for graduating out of LDC. Keen on fostering economic
cooperation, both sides are working on forging Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement (CEPA), establishment of framework on trade remedial
measures for cooperation and capacity building. For the first time Bangladesh
exports to India crossed $1 billion mark after India offered duty free and
quota free access to its markets. Enthused by 52% increase in exports both
countries are working towards finalisation of collaboration in textiles and
jute sectors.
Pakistan’s intransigent approach cast a death knell to the
regional cooperation under the aegis of SAARC. Notwithstanding this roadblock,
countries are now actively pursuing the platform of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) to intensify sub regional
cooperation. Both sides are working towards operationalisation of BBIN
(Bangladesh Bhutan India and Nepal) Motor Vehicle agreement to improve regional
connectivity. In the past five years, countries have substantially improved
connectivity across all terrains-air, water and land. To improve people to
people, connect, countries have now increased the frequency of trains, buses
and air services.
After the conclusion of the bilateral dialogue, leaders
inaugurated three developmental projects- import of LPG from Bangladesh,
opening of Vivekananda Bhaban and Bangladesh-India skill development project
through video conferencing. Countries have exchanged seven MoUs which includes-
use of Mongla and Chattogram ports, use of 1.82 cu sec drinking water from Feni
river for Sabroom town in Tripura, implementation of Line of Credit, cultural
exchange, youth affairs and coastal surveillance system. With Hasina at the
helm of the affairs, there has been a sharp decrease in cross border terror
attacks from Bangladesh. Her zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism has been
instrumental in heralding bilateral ties. Instead of bickering over some
irritants, Hasina who was taken aback by the sudden Onion export ban expressed
her disappointment in Hindi at the India Economic Forum in a lighter vein. This
new level of comfort and ease in politely expressing inconvenience endured in
public is reflective of fledging comradery between both countries.
Though there have been concerns about Bangladesh’s burgeoning
defence exports from China and Chittagong becoming a vital part of Dragon’s
string of pearls, Bangladesh is extremely crucial for India’s security and Act
East policy. It can serve as an effective conduit for improving connectivity to
India’s North East region. As of now Bangladesh is deftly managing its
relations with both India and China and refrained from cold shouldering India
for the Dragon. Bangladesh is among the first countries which termed revocation
of article 370 as India’s internal issue. Back home Hasina is facing the ire of
adversaries and fundamentalists over the Teesta water sharing deal and
Bangladesh’s approval of abrogation of special status for Kashmir. Refuse to
cowed by domestic opposition, Hasina on her four-day state visit from Oct 3-6,
firmed up developmental cooperation with India. Indo-Bangladesh has stood the
test of times. But it is time India delivers on Teesta water agreement.
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