Indian wants all, unwilling to give anything in return
Shamsuddin Ahmed
Leaving aside a host of bilateral issues pending for decades to resolve, India has of late come up with fresh proposals for a military pact with Bangladesh and sign agreement for use of Chittagong and Mongla Ports for greater utilization of Bangladesh transit-corridor awarded to India for transport goods and passengers from the west to its troubled northeast states.
More than a year ago Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali accompanied by half a dozen secretaries visited Delhi with unresolved bilateral issues with the hope of resolving them. To his utter surprise Mahmood Ali found Indian response to the pressing needs of Bangladesh was insipid. He returned home empty handed, informed sources said.
Dhaka proposes, Delhi disposes
Pending bilateral issues include Teesta water sharing, land boundary agreement, killing of innocent Bangladeshis by Indian BSF almost daily violating its own repeated pledges, border management, cooperation in energy and power and water resources management. Of this, land boundary agreement is yet to be ratified by India Rajya Sava while the Teesta water sharing agreement, ready to sign during the Manmohan government, was shelved for opposing from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Awami League government in Bangladesh has agreed for bilateral cooperation with India in all areas including, security, trade, connectivity, power, water resources, infrastructure, people to people contact, culture, environment and education. All aspects of cooperation were supposed to have been reviewed during the Foreign Minister’s visit to India last year. Since then nothing has progressed.
Officials said unresolved issues should be resolved to take forward the bilateral relations with India. Indian side is happy with the existing deep relations. They noted that the bilateral relations are now at its height. It was never like this during the previous governments in Bangladesh.
Weekly Holiday earlier reported that India-Bangladesh are to sign defence pact during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Delhi scheduled for December 17-18. Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar accompanied by deputy chiefs of army, air force and navy visited Dhaka late last month. They discussed with their Bangladesh counterparts ways to deepen security ties and firm up defence cooperation agreement to be signed when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits India. It is very interesting to note that an Indian commentator, Debasish Sarkar, advised Parrikar to ask Bangladesh Prime Minister to desist from buying submarines from China. The purchase will be a pain ‘on our neck’. Parrikar’s visit was followed by Bangladesh Navy Chief’s sojourn to Delhi for the same purpose.
Do we need a defence pact?
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hisiana’s visit to Delhi has been postponed. The reason attributed by the Indian media to the arrival in Delhi of Tajikistan President Emamoli Rahaman on December 18. Narendra Modi will remain busy with the distinguished guest from Tajikistan. He will be unable to give time to Sheikh Hasina. It is said she will visit India sometime in January to sign the defence cooperation agreement. But the question is why Bangladesh should enter into a military pact with India? Any country normally goes for such a pact if and when it comes under threat or apprehend threat of military attack. India signed the military pact with the then Soviet Union before declaring war on Pakistan in 1971 to ensure security against possible attack by USA or China.
Now, by binding Bangladesh in military pact, does India want to ensure that Dhaka should be on her side in the event of any war with Pakistan or China? India fought wars with Pakistan in 1965, 1971 and 1999 (limited Kargil war) and once with China in 1962. Anyone would frankly admit that for long Bangladesh armed forces were sceptical about the country’s relationship with India for the Indian army had looted arms, ammunition, equipment and valuables from all the cantonments of Bangladesh after the defeat of Pakistan army in 1971. All this happened in broad daylight before the eyes of our army personnel. Major Abdul Jalil who later became president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) was arrested by the Indian army for resisting such act.
The situation, however, has turned around when General Moin U. Ahmed came to power in 2007 and the relationship between the two countries greatly improved. Subsequently during the Awami League government under Sheikh Hasina, it has reached to a new height. Indian analysts happily admit Indo-Bangladesh relations are now at its highest point.
What more India wants?
What seemingly worries India is Bangladesh-China military cooperation agreement signed in 2002. Bangladesh is buying supplies of arms, equipments, tanks, frigates, fighter jets and of late submarines form China. The agreement is to meet present day need of Bangladesh’s defence forces and institutionalize the existing accords in defence sector. India is also worried over China’s perceived plans to develop sea port with base for submarines in Bangladesh which may host Chinese submarines in future as Colombo did last year.
India and China compete for influence in South Asia. Delhi apprehends Beijing might take advantage of its military ties with Dhaka to corner India. In such a scenario, Indian analysts suggest for a long term friendship with Bangladesh deeper military cooperation is quite important. Military relations do play a crucial role in bilateral relationship.
About agreement for use of Chittagong and Mongla ports for greater utilization of transit-corridor, a secretary level meeting was held in Dhaka on December 7. Indian officials were told at the meeting that it would take time to settle related issues including fees for use of the ports. India currently pays a nominal fee of Tk 192 per ton for use of Ashuganj river port as against Tk 1,058 recommended by the Tariff Commission.
The controversial transit-corridor agreement was signed in 2011. The agreement provides, inter alia, 1) Bangladesh will allow India container cargo by rail, road and river transports; 2) allow use of Chittagong, Mongla sea ports by India; and 3) will provide assistance to the Indian security forces for suppression of insurgency movement in the eastern states of Assam, Nagaland, Monipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
More than a dozen insurgent outfits including ULFA, NSCN, GNLA, Monipur Liberation Army are long fighting for independence from India. They are allegedly supported by China. About one lakh Indian troops remained deployed in the region to suppress the independence movement for decades.
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Shamsuddin Ahmed
Leaving aside a host of bilateral issues pending for decades to resolve, India has of late come up with fresh proposals for a military pact with Bangladesh and sign agreement for use of Chittagong and Mongla Ports for greater utilization of Bangladesh transit-corridor awarded to India for transport goods and passengers from the west to its troubled northeast states.
More than a year ago Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali accompanied by half a dozen secretaries visited Delhi with unresolved bilateral issues with the hope of resolving them. To his utter surprise Mahmood Ali found Indian response to the pressing needs of Bangladesh was insipid. He returned home empty handed, informed sources said.
Dhaka proposes, Delhi disposes
Pending bilateral issues include Teesta water sharing, land boundary agreement, killing of innocent Bangladeshis by Indian BSF almost daily violating its own repeated pledges, border management, cooperation in energy and power and water resources management. Of this, land boundary agreement is yet to be ratified by India Rajya Sava while the Teesta water sharing agreement, ready to sign during the Manmohan government, was shelved for opposing from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Awami League government in Bangladesh has agreed for bilateral cooperation with India in all areas including, security, trade, connectivity, power, water resources, infrastructure, people to people contact, culture, environment and education. All aspects of cooperation were supposed to have been reviewed during the Foreign Minister’s visit to India last year. Since then nothing has progressed.
Officials said unresolved issues should be resolved to take forward the bilateral relations with India. Indian side is happy with the existing deep relations. They noted that the bilateral relations are now at its height. It was never like this during the previous governments in Bangladesh.
Weekly Holiday earlier reported that India-Bangladesh are to sign defence pact during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Delhi scheduled for December 17-18. Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar accompanied by deputy chiefs of army, air force and navy visited Dhaka late last month. They discussed with their Bangladesh counterparts ways to deepen security ties and firm up defence cooperation agreement to be signed when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits India. It is very interesting to note that an Indian commentator, Debasish Sarkar, advised Parrikar to ask Bangladesh Prime Minister to desist from buying submarines from China. The purchase will be a pain ‘on our neck’. Parrikar’s visit was followed by Bangladesh Navy Chief’s sojourn to Delhi for the same purpose.
Do we need a defence pact?
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hisiana’s visit to Delhi has been postponed. The reason attributed by the Indian media to the arrival in Delhi of Tajikistan President Emamoli Rahaman on December 18. Narendra Modi will remain busy with the distinguished guest from Tajikistan. He will be unable to give time to Sheikh Hasina. It is said she will visit India sometime in January to sign the defence cooperation agreement. But the question is why Bangladesh should enter into a military pact with India? Any country normally goes for such a pact if and when it comes under threat or apprehend threat of military attack. India signed the military pact with the then Soviet Union before declaring war on Pakistan in 1971 to ensure security against possible attack by USA or China.
Now, by binding Bangladesh in military pact, does India want to ensure that Dhaka should be on her side in the event of any war with Pakistan or China? India fought wars with Pakistan in 1965, 1971 and 1999 (limited Kargil war) and once with China in 1962. Anyone would frankly admit that for long Bangladesh armed forces were sceptical about the country’s relationship with India for the Indian army had looted arms, ammunition, equipment and valuables from all the cantonments of Bangladesh after the defeat of Pakistan army in 1971. All this happened in broad daylight before the eyes of our army personnel. Major Abdul Jalil who later became president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) was arrested by the Indian army for resisting such act.
The situation, however, has turned around when General Moin U. Ahmed came to power in 2007 and the relationship between the two countries greatly improved. Subsequently during the Awami League government under Sheikh Hasina, it has reached to a new height. Indian analysts happily admit Indo-Bangladesh relations are now at its highest point.
What more India wants?
What seemingly worries India is Bangladesh-China military cooperation agreement signed in 2002. Bangladesh is buying supplies of arms, equipments, tanks, frigates, fighter jets and of late submarines form China. The agreement is to meet present day need of Bangladesh’s defence forces and institutionalize the existing accords in defence sector. India is also worried over China’s perceived plans to develop sea port with base for submarines in Bangladesh which may host Chinese submarines in future as Colombo did last year.
India and China compete for influence in South Asia. Delhi apprehends Beijing might take advantage of its military ties with Dhaka to corner India. In such a scenario, Indian analysts suggest for a long term friendship with Bangladesh deeper military cooperation is quite important. Military relations do play a crucial role in bilateral relationship.
About agreement for use of Chittagong and Mongla ports for greater utilization of transit-corridor, a secretary level meeting was held in Dhaka on December 7. Indian officials were told at the meeting that it would take time to settle related issues including fees for use of the ports. India currently pays a nominal fee of Tk 192 per ton for use of Ashuganj river port as against Tk 1,058 recommended by the Tariff Commission.
The controversial transit-corridor agreement was signed in 2011. The agreement provides, inter alia, 1) Bangladesh will allow India container cargo by rail, road and river transports; 2) allow use of Chittagong, Mongla sea ports by India; and 3) will provide assistance to the Indian security forces for suppression of insurgency movement in the eastern states of Assam, Nagaland, Monipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
More than a dozen insurgent outfits including ULFA, NSCN, GNLA, Monipur Liberation Army are long fighting for independence from India. They are allegedly supported by China. About one lakh Indian troops remained deployed in the region to suppress the independence movement for decades.
http://www.weeklyholiday.net/Homepage/Pages/UserHome.aspx?ID=2&date=12/16/2016
