Why Bangladesh should matter to us

[Al-zakir]

I can safely say that Zia's son is a huge threat to the national security of Bangladesh in the event that he returns after the BNP wins the next elections. The AL is not very popular now.

So you actually think Tarique Rahman is more threat to Bangladesh then la-Hasina? So la-hasina's bend over polices to make Bangladesh a subservient of Bharat is not enough for you declare her Ghaddar and dalal. Wow Zabayna! I am just wondering about your motive here.

Bharat is only become somewhat topic of discussion during Awami's regime. The reason being is that Awami munafiq actually worship Bharati for saving their coward leaders in 71. However, Bangladeshi Muslim doesn't feel connected to Bharat emotionally rather than trade and annoyed neighbor. That is it.

 

[Al-zakir]

ye isara meri taraf, khair.

Take the issue of Poila Baishak. You saw the comments of the fundamentalists here. Bengalis love a festival Baro Mashe tero Parban. Yet they were hostile to 'pagan' infiltration. Nothing wrong.

Celebration of Poila Baishaki(Hindu style) is haram however there is no problem if celebrate with food. Some Bengali minded people celebrate it with Hindu style ritual. I suspect they have strong Hindu gene.

If they are good Muslims, then they should not see the TV, hear music, not have their photos taken , not have banking, not praise the Nobel Laureate of Bangladesh etc etc.

Watching TV or hear music never been haram in Islam however content may be, Dr. Yunus has done some good and bad, and only he is counted for his action. I still praise him for his work to put simile on many people faces.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Well, its same here in BD. Nobody really cares about India in BD as well. It comes to lime lite once the onion price goes up or there is a shooting in the border. Other than that a rickshaw puller will hardly even mention India.

Good show.

It is quite a relief that none cares about India in Bangladesh.

That would mean that there should be no smuggling, attempts to cross the IB etc and hence a great relief to India,

But, is that the ground situation?

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

I presume Dr Zakir Naik would know more about Islam than many self assumed 'scholars'

It is worth listening to him where he is clear, quoting the Hadith, that music is haram in Islam.

 

[Soumitra]

Well, its same here in BD. Nobody really cares about India in BD as well. It comes to lime lite once the onion price goes up or there is a shooting in the border.

What is the relation between Onion prices and India?

Other than that a rickshaw puller will hardly even mention India.

A Bangladeshi Rickshaw puller may not mention India but many Rickshaw Pullers in Delhi mention Bangladesh

 

[Mumbai Man]

What is the relation between Onion prices and India?



A Bangladeshi Rickshaw puller may not mention India but many Rickshaw Pullers in Delhi mention Bangladesh

 

[eastwatch]

Most Indians have lost very little sleep over the fact that the prime minister`s visit to Bangladesh was a failure. Given the importance of Bangladesh to India`s well-being, we should have tossed and turned in our beds at what transpired in Dhaka. As it turns out, we slept quite well and continue to do so.

It would be easy enough to blame the prime minister and his team for the failure in Dhaka. Or to blame the chief minister of West Bengal who, bizarrely, at the last moment objected to the river-water agreement that was to be the centrepiece of the summit. However, the deeper cause of the failure in Dhaka is ignorance and public apathy.

We in India have failed to appreciate just how important Bangladesh is to our well-being. There are at least four reasons related to peace and development that make Bangladesh vital for us.

The first reason is that the security of the northeastern states, of eastern India, and of India more widely is affected by what Bangladesh does or does not do. If Dhaka does not cooperate with New Delhi, it is hard to see how India can rein in various insurgent groups that might find refuge in Bangladesh. If, in addition, India cannot get access to the northeast through Bangladesh - even if this only means economic access - it is hard to see how we can integrate those states with the heartland. And if Bangladesh does not remain a stable, open and tolerant country, we in India will have great difficulty in stopping Islamic extremists from flourishing there and from targeting our cities and towns.

The second reason we need to pay relations with Bangladesh much greater attention is that we share rivers with it. India and Bangladesh share over 40 rivers, and these rivers are vital for the livelihood of hundreds of millions of people in both countries. Bangladesh being the lower riparian state is in a weaker position on the use of these rivers. We in India should remember, though, that we are the lower riparian in relation to Bhutan, Nepal and China: if we fail to be sensible and fair over river-water sharing with Bangladesh, we could well find ourselves in an equally hopeless downriver position someday, especially with China.

If Bangladesh does not get enough water (or if it gets too much when the rivers are full), it will face catastrophe. Catastrophe in Bangladesh means instability in India`s northeast, West Bengal, and states further away. Inevitably, severe dislocations in Bangladesh mean refugee and migrant flows into India. Bangladeshis are coming to India anyway for various reasons, and this has already led to tremendous unease in the neighbouring states. Hydrologically-induced catastrophes would enlarge the problem massively.

There is another long-term catastrophe looming for both countries, and this is the third big reason to stay tuned to Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh are amongst the 12 countries that will be most severely affected by climate change. Bangladesh could lose up to 20% of its land as sea levels rise due to climate change. The ensuing turmoil in Bangladesh will inevitably be felt in neighbouring and distant parts of India. The two countries must therefore think about how to cooperate on conservation, alternative energy, and many other related aspects of environmental defence.

Finally, Bangladesh is crucial for India because it represents opportunities and lessons worth learning. In a globalising world where trade counts for so much, Bangladesh is one of our biggest trading partners. Given that it has been growing at over 5% per annum for the past decade and looks set to continue to grow, it is an economic asset. Bangladesh could sell us natural gas, and we could sell it hydropower. Bangladesh is also an exemplar. Its rapidly rising literacy rates (especially amongst women), its steady reduction in birth rates (from a much higher starting point than India), the tremendous advances it has made in basic health (including safe birthing and maternal care); all these put India to shame. If we were not so arrogant, we might learn something from our great neighbour to the east.

In short, Bangladesh matters. If only we could see.

Why Bangladesh should matter to us - The Times of India

---------- Post added at 04:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:40 AM ----------

I think a case of too little too late.........

I appreciate Mr. MBI Munshi for forwarding such a brilliantly thoughtout and beatifully written piece of article that says the importance of Bangladesh to India's defense as well as its integrity. I have said similar things myself many times in the past, but indians were all in unision tried to throw my thinking to the dustbin. This time, at least, they should understand how this Mamata Banarjee has successfully destroyed the future BD-India relatiosnship.

I have no doubt, it has delighted the NE Freedom Fighters who will take care of the situation and force their will on Delhi and Calcutta. Mamata Banerjee has derailed not only the BD-India friendship, she also has failed Sk. Hasina, who went out of her way to hand over the Assamese seccessionst leaders to India.

 

[eastwatch]

Good show.

It is quite a relief that none cares about India in Bangladesh.

That would mean that there should be no smuggling, attempts to cross the IB etc and hence a great relief to India,

But, is that the ground situation?

As usual, you still remain a shallow minded cheap person throwing ignorance at ease. Today or tomorrow, India will pay high price in Assam and NE because of hollow-minded people like you and Mamata Banerjee.

 

[NALANDA]

^^^
Handing Assamese seccessiont leaders should not be seen as an act of greatness. If you do not hand over, sooner or later, you would find 100 is to 1 seccessionist leaders ( Bangladeshis ) in India as well...isn't it.

You should not have given them shelter in teh first place, it is an enemy act.


Having said this, I am for mutually beneficial relationship with equality and sovereignity as the core basis, which means, Bangladesh can have good friendship & trade relationships with Pakistan, China and any tom dick and harry provided it is not anti - India alliance.

They should not seek any benefit too without any quid pro quo.

 

[DarK-LorD]

My PS3 is more important to me than all other Countries(Except India).

 

[EjazR]

I think the author makes some really valid points. I was one of those really disappointed that Mamta Banerjee played politics with an important neighbour especially a country where she is or atleast was very revered and more popular than even PM Singh. If the local BD media was any indication, they had made special gifts like a very expensive Jamdani saree and other treats for her.

The hurt felt by BD is indicative in the sense of how close they felt to Mamta Banerjee. As they say it hurts more when someone close to hurts you rather than those who are not close. Even if she didn't want the water treaty signed she could have atleast attended the visit and asked for the treaty to be delayed until the problems are worked out.

In any case, BD is probably the only country that we have excellent tied with in South Asia. Pakistan there is no need to talk about. Nepal is in one big mess, not to mention the open border has become the major conduit for terrorists and illegals much more serious than probably the BD border. And Sri Lanka is still playing hard to get despite the soft handling post LTTE crackdown by their army by India.

BD is not only important for developing India's NE but is very important to develop India Look East policy as well. It has the second fastest growing economy in South Asia and is the second largest country in terms of population in South east Asia region after Indonesia. All these are trends that India should take note of and develop a strong strategic partnership to bring ASEAN and the BIMSTEC region into a close embrace. The PM and GoI realizes this but local politics unfortunately played a spoiler here.

Having said that, there are still some very important positives. The land demarcation issue is resolved and hopefully with that we will have an end to illegals crossing knowingly or unknowingly and the subsequent killings at borders. At the same time BD has got an enormous opportunity to take care of their trade deficit by taking advantage of the no tariff lines extended to BD in the textile industry.

There are reports that Mamta Banerjee will visit BD later in the year or next year and also finalize the water treaty then. So lets hope that this is done as soon as possible too.

 

[DarK-LorD]

Though this is a bit offtopic I have a question for Indian Bengalis:
Has there been a lot of change for the good in WB after the TMC victory,that in terms of economy,social factors,administration etc?

 

[LaBong]

^EjazR, if Anandabazar Patrika to be believed, Seikh Hasina will soon visit Kolkata and they may ink the treaty there, there would be no mention of fixed amount/percentage of cusec in the treaty, but water will be shared according to real amount of water at a particular time, as proposed by Mamata.

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

Though this is a bit offtopic I have a question for Indian Bengalis:
Has there been a lot of change for the good in WB after the TMC victory,that in terms of economy,social factors,administration etc?

The Economy seems to have come to a virtual standstill .

But socially , the common folk seems to have got some solace from CPM tyranny . Several confrontations eg. The Gorkhaland movement seems to have been resolved amicably ( even if only temporarily).

One can only hope , after a while when Mamata manages to clean up the CPM mess of 25+ years ...she will concentrate on Industrialization. At present , industrially WB is at a standstill.

 

[harpoon]

The Economy seems to have come to a virtual standstill .

But socially , the common folk seems to have got some solace from CPM tyranny . Several confrontations eg. The Gorkhaland movement seems to have been resolved amicably ( even if only temporarily).

One can only hope , after a while when Mamata manages to clean up the CPM mess of 25+ years ...she will concentrate on Industrialization. At present , industrially WB is at a standstill.

I don't think Indian business community will easily forgive Mamatha for her Singur fiasco.