Delhi emphasizes mutual
interests after Dhaka
warning By Syed Tashfin
Chowdhury
DHAKA - Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's scheduled visit to neighboring
Bangladesh in September appears to be back on
track after a visit to Dhaka by External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna and his own efforts to undue
damage done by the premier's claim that much of
Bangladesh was "in the clutches" of the Pakistan
intelligence service.
The remarks also
threatened the visit this month by Sonia Gandhi,
president of India's ruling Congress party,
according to Indian media reports.
Krishna
began his three-day visit on July 6 to broaden the
"cooperation framework to improve the livelihood
of the peoples of two countries significantly" by
telling the press that India "has always sought a
deeper and stronger partnership with
Bangladesh. We believe that a
prosperous, stable and democratic Bangladesh is in
the interest of both the countries and the
region." A week earlier, Manmohan told
newspaper editors in India that despite good
relations between the two countries "we must
reckon that at least 25% of the population of
Bangladesh swear by the Jamaat-e-Islami [a
far-right Islamist political party in Bangladesh]
and they are very anti-Indian, and they are in the
clutches, many times, of the ISI [Pakistan's
Inter-Services Intelligence]."
"So the
political landscape in Bangladesh can change at
any time. We do not know what these terrorist
elements, who have a hold on the Jamaat-i-Islami
elements in Bangladesh, can be up to," Manmohan
said.
The Prime Minister's Office later
withdrew the remarks, explaining they were "off
the record", but Bangladesh immediately summoned
Indian High Commissioner Rajit Mitter to explain
them, according to media reports. The comments
angered the ruling Awami League and opposition
politicians in Bangladesh and triggered protests
in the local press.
Manmohan's remarks
risked ruining progress made between India and
Bangladesh over the past year, the Business
Standard in India reported.
Manmohan
called Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on
July 4 to confirm his visit to Bangladesh in
September 6-7. During the call, "Singh praised her
[Hasina's] leadership, and said he was sure his
visit would be a historic one", Bdnews24.com
reported, quoting press secretary Abul Kalam Azad.
The official did not say whether the two prime
ministers discussed Manmohan's earlier
controversial remarks.
Two days later, on
his arrival in Dhaka, Krishna talked up the
positive side of the relationship between the
countries while emphasizing the financial links
they share - notably a US$1 billion line of credit
agreed last August during a visit to India by
Hasina.
"We have made considerable
progress in the implementation of the 2010 joint
communique and projects under the $1 billion line
of credit," Krishna said in a written statement.
"I wish to discuss the scope for a broader
cooperation framework which will significantly
improve the livelihood of our peoples."
Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dipu Moni
was also upbeat. "Since our government assumed
office [in 2008], we have given priority attention
to expanding relations with our neighbors both in
form and substance. Critical to this thrust is the
issue of regional connectivity - physical
connectivity as much as the connectivity of ideas,
of people, of cultures."
Using the $1
billion credit line, Bangladesh on July 4 signed a
$16.5 million contract with Texmaco, part of
India's K K Birla Group, to buy 165 railroad
containers to carry oil to power plants. The
purchase will be completed in a year, the
Associated Press reported.
Krishna's visit
was seen as pivotal in strengthening
India-Bangladesh ties, as it can help to promote
resolution of a number of issues between the two
countries including border killings, a maritime
boundary dispute and a deal for improved transit
along their shared 3,700 kilometer land borders.
Other issues the two countries hope to
reach agreement on before Manmohan's visit include
sharing of waters flowing through India to
Bangladesh via various rivers, border demarcation,
power cooperation and trade concessions.
Easing of cross-border travel for
Bangladeshis living in the country's enclaves in
India was also discussed during Krishna's visit.
A draft document on water sharing of the
Teesta and Feni rivers has been prepared although
the two countries "still differ on the proportion
of Teesta water to be shared", the Daily Star
reported in Dhaka, citing an unidentified senior
Bangladesh Foreign Ministry official. Both
countries had been asking for 55% of Teesta water
during the lean period (October-May). Bangladesh
finally asked for a 50% share, according to an
official of the Bangladesh Water Resources
Ministry.
Sharing of water from other
rivers of concern, including the Manu, Muhuri,
Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar, was also to
be discussed during Krishna's visit.
As
relations between the two countries have improved,
pressure has grown to ease the transit between
them of goods and people along their shared
border. In particular, easing transit in their
northern and eastern borders would improve
commercial opportunities and sea access for
India's far northeastern states, such as Assam and
Mizoram.
India has sought "15 road and
railway routes" connecting Chittagong, on the
eastern side of the Ganges Delta, and the main
port for Bangladesh, and Mongla, a seaport on the
western side of the delta in Bangladesh and close
to Kolkata, the commercial capital of eastern
India.
India also wants road and rail
transit agreements for the border between eastern
Bangladesh and the adjoining, nearly surrounded,
Indian state of Tripura. In particular, New Delhi
wants road transit through Ashuganj, north of
Dakka, to Agartala, in Tripura; rail transit
further north between Agartala and Akhuara, and,
to the southeast, transit by road from Ramgarh
(Khagracharri) in Bangladesh to Sabroom (Tripura).
Bangladesh should charge between $4 and
$50 in transit fees for each tonne of goods
depending on the route, the Bangladesh Tariff
Commission has said. The rate would be equally
applicable to vehicles from India, Nepal and
Bhutan.
Bangladesh Finance Minister A M A
Muhith said after meeting Krishna on July 6 that
although "both countries agreed on transit for
India, Nepal and Bhutan", Bangladesh also wants
transit and trans-shipment facilities "to Myanmar,
Thailand, and China with a view to turning the
country as a regional economic hub".
Bangladesh used last week's meetings to
pursue its demands for duty-free access of 61
items to India.
The countries on July 7
signed an "Agreement on Promotion and Protection
of Investments" to ensure "National treatment and
Most Favored Nation treatment to be accorded by
either country to investments of investors of the
other country", the Daily Star reported.
The agreement, initially for 10 years,
provides for repatriation of capital investment,
non-operating profits, loan repayments, royalty
payments and service fees without delay and on a
non-discriminatory basis.
They also signed
an agreement to facilitate the movement of
Bhutanese vehicles between India and Bangladesh
land customs stations to promote bilateral trade
between Bhutan and Bangladesh through India.
Syed Tashfin Chowdhury is a
senior staff writer at New Age in Dhaka.
(Copyright 2011 Asia Times Online
(Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please
contact us about sales, syndication and
republishing.)
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
