AL wants - an asian highway or a transit for India?

[eastwatch]

Issues to consider before joining the Asian Highway project

ISSUES TO CONSIDER BEFORE JOING ASIAN HIGHWAY
Syed Jamaluddin

The Asian Highway project was conceived in 1959. This grand project of building a highway in the Asian continent was sponsored by the Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific(ESCAP) of the United Nations. The project remained in a limbo for more than a quarter century and was revived in accordance with the inter-governmental agreement in 2001 in Seoul. The Asian Highway Authority set the deadline of December 31,2005 for joining the multilateral project. The deadline has already expired. But countries can still join the project

Bangladesh could not decide in time to be part of the project. Of the three possible routes that may connect the country with the continental network, the last BNP government preferred the Dhaka-Yangon alignment. Bangladesh was willing to make the necessary construction at its own cost. But Myanmar was yet to agree to this arrangement. The two other options start from Benapole of India near Bangladesh border and end at Tamabil. Both of these routes start and end in Indian territory after a short journey through Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is enthusiastic to join the project. The two routes (India to India) may hamper the commercial interest of Bangladesh and pose a security threat to the country. The last BNP government found it difficult to join the project by accepting either of the two options indicated above. Some of our intellectuals are in favour of joining the project without arguing. But there are many others who are not supporting the project with either of the two options mentioned above as it will go against the interest of the country.

The two proposed routes have been planned, keeping in view the convenience of India. This means that through these routes India will use Bangladesh as a corridor. There is a story behind the proposed alignment of the Asian Highway through Bangladesh. Both the Executive Secretary and the concerned Director of ESCAP were from Bangladesh at the time of preparation of route design relating to Bangladesh and India.

These officials sought Indian support for their promotion and extension. Therefore, they worked in favour of the Indian interest and did not brief the Bangladesh government properly on this issue. The Executive Secretary is dead. The said Director is back to Dhaka after retirement from ESCAP and is still pushing for the Benapole-Tamabil route.

Bangladesh showed interest in Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox's Bazar-Yangon route. Myanmar was also interested in this proposal. The government of Bangladesh will have to present this proposal jointly with Myanmar. India reportedly has been influencing Myanmar to accept the ESCAP proposal. But it now appears that government has decided to join the project on the basis of India-to-India route.

They are saying that Bangladesh will be isolated if they do not join the project. But the issue is not about joining the project. The real problem lies in choosing the alignment. BNP preferred the Dhaka-Yangon route whereas this government is going for the Benapole-Tamabil route.

BNP did not join the Asian Highway as per ESCAP proposal as they were not willing to provide transit to India. Giving transit to India will be a major concession. Bangladesh must get equivalent concession from India. Let India say that they will return south Talpatty in return for the transit. Granting of transit to India without commensurate benefit will amount to betrayal of the cause of Bangladesh. It is necessary to go for hard bargaining in this case.

Bangladesh situation was not unique in not accepting the ESCAP proposal. The Philippines has not yet accepted the proposal. Because the project may not be beneficial for a country consisting of many islands. Singapore has reservation about road link with Malaysia. Turkomenistan has problems with the neighbouring countries. North Korea has connectivity problem. Therefore, much remains to be done before the Asian Highway project can be completed. Many issues remain unresolved.

The logical thing is that this road project should enter a particular country in one place and there will be an exit in another point. In this case, the road enters India twice. Normally the route is to start from Delhi and reach Dhaka. From Dhaka it should proceed to Yangon and then connect Bangkok. This is how the route will connect Europe. There is no reason why ESCAP will not buy this idea. They have to be convinced along this line.

It is often claimed that there is great prospect of cooperation between Bangladesh and the north eastern states of India. These states are less developed compared to the other states of India. It is true that our products have great demand in those states. But Bangladeshi products cannot move to these places unless India applies a special trade regime for states.

But the central government of India will never do this. On the other hand, if transit is allowed, the requirements of those states will be met by transporting goods from the rest of India thereby eliminating the prospect of market for Bangladeshi goods in the north eastern states of India. This will be a real loss for Bangladesh.

There was a newspaper report recently that the future of the Padma bridge will depend on giving transit to India. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) may not provide funding for the bridge project unless transit is given to India. But this report is not likely to be true. Donor agencies cannot put pressure on Bangladesh for giving transit to India.

This is an issue to be decided between India and Bangladesh. At one stage, an idea was floated that investors may not come to Bangladesh if transit is not granted to India. This is how the matter is played in the media. Interested quarters float many ideas in support of their target.

It may not be wise for the government to proceed unilaterally on this issue which is sensitive. There may be political risks involved in the matter. While there is no disagreement on joining the Asian Highway project, the choice of route is the bone of contention. The debate is on selecting the most appropriate and beneficial route for Bangladesh. A suggestion has been made to arrange a referendum on this controversial issue.

The Tariff Commission has made a good proposal to the government. Their suggestion is to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of transit covering economic, social and political issues, prior to granting transit facility to India. According to them, a multi-dimensional approach to the issue of transit appears to be realistic.

Five major issues such as conceptualisation of transit, benefit of transit, infrastructural requirement and costs involved for providing transit and requirement for customs and other facilities for border agencies need to be addressed clearly before taking a decision. It is hoped that government will take a comprehensive view of the issue before taking a decision.

 

[eastwatch]

"Issues to consider before joining Asian highway' is an well thought out analysis of the proposed highway. BD govt must give priority to the interest of this country. AL govt was not given mandates by the voters to safeguard the interest of India at the expense of our own security.

Only a few months ago, Sheikh Hasina told that the BD would ask for rerouting the AH, but it could not do so before it signed its willingness to participate. But, I find it very unusual that once BD has signed it, now she is backtracking from her earlier comments. Now, she says the route has already been decided and google-search to see it.

BD population did not vote her Party into power to safeguard Indian interest. By reading the article above, one can see AH is a long-term project. It cannot probably be started during the present AL govt. People should take note of the AL attitude this time and reflect their displeasure in the next election.

 

[TopCat]

"Issues to consider before joining Asian highway' is an well thought out analysis of the proposed highway. BD govt must give priority to the interest of this country. AL govt was not given mandates by the voters to safeguard the interest of India at the expense of our own security.

Only a few months ago, Sheikh Hasina told that the BD would ask for rerouting the AH, but it could not do so before it signed its willingness to participate. But, I find it very unusual that once BD has signed it, now she is backtracking from her earlier comments. Now, she says the route has already been decided and google-search to see it.

BD population did not vote her Party into power to safeguard Indian interest. By reading the article above, one can see AH is a long-term project. It cannot probably be started during the present AL govt. People should take note of the AL attitude this time and reflect their displeasure in the next election.

You have to sign the treaty first then you have to recommend modification of the existing route. Now BD is not the memeber of the group, so it has no voting power.
When BNP approached China for change of route, Chinese said they were too late. My question was, what the hell they were doing for 5 years? Only stealing and looting? Now showing all the buzz once in the opposition.
I am sure AL will change the route. One route AH1 will be through Teknaf another AH2 will be through Tamabil. AH41 might be dropped. Even if it were not changed we can still go to China en route to Myanmar with AH41. What is the big deal?

PS: The Tamabil route will not be dropped.

 

[eastwatch]

You have to sign the treaty first then you have to recommend modification of the existing route. Now BD is not the memeber of the group, so it has no voting power.
When BNP approached China for change of route, Chinese said they were too late. My question was, what the hell they were doing for 5 years? Only stealing and looting? Now showing all the buzz once in the opposition.
I am sure AL will change the route. One route AH1 will be through Teknaf another AH2 will be through Tamabil. AH41 might be dropped. Even if it were not changed we can still go to China en route to Myanmar with AH41. What is the big deal?

PS: The Tamabil route will not be dropped.

Tamabil or what an "India to India" route is completely unacceptable. Teknaf route will be readily acceptable by the population. A sub-route from Nepal and Bhutan may come southward to meet the main route somewhere inside BD. It is their's and India's choice whether to go south to Burma through the Indian NE and make a link there.

Whatever the past BNP govt was doing, at least we should credit it for discouraging an Indian transit thru BD in the name of AH. At least, the corruption-loving BNP did not make BD the tail of India. But, we can see how the present AL govt is desparately trying to do exactly that.

A transit should be an issue separate from the AH issue, and, therefore, should be discussed separately in any bi-lateral meetings. But, the AL govt is trying to sell both transit and AH in a single package. This is a kind of backstabbing. People are not that stupid, they already know what the AL govt is after. A black AL coal cannot probably be whitened.

Are you willing to allow a lane to your neighbour through your house? A day will come when AL govt will backtrack from its present position. but, the population have already seen an unchangeable AL bent on worshipping India. It paid dearly for that in the past and it will pay again in the future.

 

[TopCat]

Tamabil or what an "India to India" route is completely unacceptable. Teknaf route will be readily acceptable by the population. A sub-route from Nepal and Bhutan may come southward to meet the main route somewhere inside BD. It is their's and India's choice whether to go south to Burma through the Indian NE and make a link there.

Whatever the past BNP govt was doing, at least we should credit it for discouraging an Indian transit thru BD in the name of AH. At least, the corruption-loving BNP did not make BD the tail of India. But, we can see how the present AL govt is desparately trying to do exactly that.

A transit should be an issue separate from the AH issue, and, therefore, should be discussed separately in any bi-lateral meetings. But, the AL govt is trying to sell both transit and AH in a single package. This is a kind of backstabbing. People are not that stupid, they already know what the AL govt is after. A black AL coal cannot probably be whitened.

Are you willing to allow a lane to your neighbour through your house? A day will come when AL govt will backtrack from its present position. but, the population have already seen an unchangeable AL bent on worshipping India. It paid dearly for that in the past and it will pay again in the future.

I understand your concern. The road is called Asian highway and is meant for the maximum benifits for all of its member. The current route proposed by the ESCAP looks like, maximum benifit for India and nominal benifit for Bangladesh as both AH1 and AH2 enters and escape through India. Mine and some of the experts' suggestion is that, one of the highways should enter Bangldesh and exit throgh Myanmar, so that India could go to its NE with one of them and to Myanmar with the other one, so does Bangladesh. It makes way lot more sense.
Again the other side who are hell bent in not allowing India or stopping India to go to NE will make the whole project unacceptable to India for obvious reason as the project will be not bring maximum benifit to India.
As India is allowing us to got to Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan then I dont see any problem in India going to its NE through us. But ofcourse the route should be higly monitored and controlled by Bangladesh. We just had an accord with Nepal to allow them to use Mongla port and in susequent meeting with India and Dipu Moni, India agreed to allow that. They also proposed BD-India-Pakistan rail link which was unimaginable in the past. Remember before 1971 India never allowed that transit.

About the last highlighted sentence. I dont think past and present psycho of People of Bangldesh are same. and that deserve another course of discussion in another thread.

 

[rubyjackass]

What India seems to insist is the route India-BD-India. Connecting to Myanmar is not a problem at all. Later the same highway can be extended to Myanmar thru India or a as a separate route through Cox's Bazar. As Iajdani said, there are suggestions in that direction as well. Besides India has some more chips to offer for that. Like connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan and may be Pakistan if they agree.
The more connectivity the more everyone benefits. As simple as that.

@others: The joke about iajdani 'careful dude! you will be branded a RAW agent' got very old already. It seriously stinks. Work on new ones.

 

[eastwatch]

India-BD-India route is the most unacceptable of all the routes. There will be bloodbath if the AL govt dares to show its ego and go ahead with this route. This route falls in the category of transit or corridor. India gets all the benefits of such an arrangement at the expense of BD.

Other pending issues between the two countries must be solved before a transit can even be discussed. Is India willing to give us back our 110 enclaves, stop withholding water across our border, return Talpatty to the sovereignty of BD etc. etc.? When India takes due action on all these pending issues, only then BD should consider India's plea for a thorough passage.

India's offer for the BD-India-Pakistan train transit can be reciprocated by providing a transit to Burma through BD. Pakistan can do similar things. But, a thorough passage from India to India is not reciprocal. It will be too generous for BD to provide such a route unless other pending matters have been solved.

About route to Nepal and Bhutan. It more benefits those two countries than BD itself. These two countries suffer at the hands of Calcutta Port Babus all the time. So, they want their export/import to be operated via BD and its generous port officials.

 

[TopCat]

India-BD-India route is the most unacceptable of all the routes. There will be bloodbath if the AL govt dares to show its ego and go ahead with this route. This route falls in the category of transit or corridor. India gets all the benefits of such an arrangement at the expense of BD.

Other pending issues between the two countries must be solved before a transit can even be discussed. Is India willing to give us back our 110 enclaves, stop withholding water across our border, return Talpatty to the sovereignty of BD etc. etc.? When India takes due action on all these pending issues, only then BD should consider India's plea for a thorough passage.

India's offer for the BD-India-Pakistan train transit can be reciprocated by providing a transit to Burma through BD. Pakistan can do similar things. But, a thorough passage from India to India is not reciprocal. It will be too generous for BD to provide such a route unless other pending matters have been solved.

About route to Nepal and Bhutan. It more benefits those two countries than BD itself. These two countries suffer at the hands of Calcutta Port Babus all the time. So, they want their export/import to be operated via BD and its generous port officials.

You got some valid point there. These can not be denied either. My suggestion was not to advocating transit but to augmentation of the current proposal of ESCAP which categorically bypassed BD's concern when both AH1 and AH2 had the entry and exit point to India.

 

[eastwatch]

You got some valid point there. These can not be denied either. My suggestion was not to advocating transit but to augmentation of the current proposal of ESCAP which categorically bypassed BD's concern when both AH1 and AH2 had the entry and exit point to India.

Thanks for showing understanding of the concerns of BD population with regard to the India-BD-India AH route. We are very fond of saying about India's Chanakya intelligence. However, I do not believe they have any of those intelligences. Instead of bullying BD into submission, India, from 1972, should have pursued a policy of making a good relationship with our small country of proud people.

A big India encroaching upon a peanut-sized BD land and sea - it is really difficult to understand their psychology. This kind of bullying made us unfriendly towards India. Pranab Mukherjee has all the goodwills from the people of BD because he speaks the same language that we do. There are many in BD who wants him to be the PM of India.

But, even he, during his tenure as the FM of India, did not do anything to resolve the pending issues. Instead, he was always talking about transit and gas pipeline and TATA investment. Pranab Mukherjee is also not a foresighted person. Now, people like him are trying to send a TROJAN HORSE to BD through the Asian Highway.

It is very unfortunate that our PM intends to ride that horse. India-BD-India route will cause so much desparation in BD that the population will go wild. However, this will work as a tonic to revive the popularity of BNP. Not bad, a strong opposition Party is always good for the country's politics.

 

[idune]

Pranab Mukherjee has all the goodwills from the people of BD because he speaks the same language that we do. There are many in BD who wants him to be the PM of India.

Now that should be called another West Bengal originated ghoti Chanakya ploy. Same language is not basis for good relation. People from west bengal has proven time and again they are the biggest enemy of Bangladesh. Talking about wolf in sheep skin promoted by another ghoti Sympathizer.

1) People in West Bengla actively lobby in US and EU against Bangladesh interest and its people.

2) West Bengal is source of all Phensidyl used for addiction in Bangladesh and destroying Bangladeshi youth.

3) West Bengla host anti Bangladesh group like "Bongo Bhomi"

4) West Bengal give shelter to Bangladeshi criminals and terrorists and anti Bangladesh activists

5) West Bengla news papers like Ananda bazar constantly run propaganda against Bangladesh.

5) And it is Pranab Mukherjee who issue threat of attacking Bangladesh

Addressing them in the capital’s Mavalankar Hall, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee disclosed a conspiracy was afoot to destabilise the elected governments in Bangladesh and Pakistan. He let out a hitherto unknown fact to the audience: "I had to go out of my way to issue a stern warning to those trying to destabilise the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh that if they continued with their attempts, then India would not sit idle." In other words, New Delhi had conveyed it was willing to take counter-measures in the Great Game, including the possibility of direct intervention.

www.outlookindia.com | The Hidden Emirate Of Anarchistan

 

[eastwatch]

Below is a news report that lists the transit facilities India, at present, is already enjoying at the courtesy of BD govt. I have checked the authenticity of the report. With these water transit facilities in place, India may not even need a land transit at all. The report is in Bangla.

::Welcome to Daily Naya Diganta::

 

[Stumper]

India-BD-India route is the most unacceptable of all the routes. There will be bloodbath if the AL govt dares to show its ego and go ahead with this route. This route falls in the category of transit or corridor. India gets all the benefits of such an arrangement at the expense of BD.

Other pending issues between the two countries must be solved before a transit can even be discussed. Is India willing to give us back our 110 enclaves, stop withholding water across our border, return Talpatty to the sovereignty of BD etc. etc.? When India takes due action on all these pending issues, only then BD should consider India's plea for a thorough passage.

India's offer for the BD-India-Pakistan train transit can be reciprocated by providing a transit to Burma through BD. Pakistan can do similar things. But, a thorough passage from India to India is not reciprocal. It will be too generous for BD to provide such a route unless other pending matters have been solved.

About route to Nepal and Bhutan. It more benefits those two countries than BD itself. These two countries suffer at the hands of Calcutta Port Babus all the time. So, they want their export/import to be operated via BD and its generous port officials.

EastWatch, you want india, with almost 11,000KM of the highway to giveaway all dispute's to BD (contributing 1800KM in this highway) for this NE corridor? ... i wont be surprised.. may happen.. the people in my parliament are dumb a$$. Buy you fail to convince , why you want to block this route(other than to bring us to negotiation table). Pray let us know ..would be interesting to debate.

 

[eastwatch]

EastWatch, you want india, with almost 11,000KM of the highway to giveaway all dispute's to BD (contributing 1800KM in this highway) for this NE corridor? ... i wont be surprised.. may happen.. the people in my parliament are dumb a$$. Buy you fail to convince , why you want to block this route(other than to bring us to negotiation table). Pray let us know ..would be interesting to debate.

If you are a Bangla-speaker, then I ask you to read the news that I have posted in #86 above. You will see that BD has already provided water transit through our land to Assam/Meghalaya and BD has agreed to another route for water transit to Tripura. BD is already working to improve the river port facilities in Ashuganj, near Agartala.

Heavy machineries, meant for construction of a power plant in Tripura, from some of your ports will be unloaded in Ashuganj and then will be transported by road to Agartala. The road infrastructures will shortly be built for this purpose. The agreement says Indian goods can be unloaded here until the project is commissioned.

Only future can tell if this new facility will be allowed to use for an extended period or not. But, if India does not behave like a good boy and keeps our territories, including Talpatty, occupied, then the political Parties will make it an issue and the port facility may no longer be available to India.

Other than this new port facility, I personally do not foresee any land transit for many years to come. This is not only a politically sensitive subject, but also that BD does not have the road/bridge infrastructure to support movements of Indian container trucks.

India must understand that the Asian Highway cannot be used as a route that directly connects NE with west Bengal. To solve the connectivity problem India must resolve all the major pending issues between the two countries. I hope your central Minister Jairam Ramesh someday becomes your FM or PM. He fully understands the map and knows how to forge intimate relationship with BD, although he is not a Bangla speaker.

 

[Stumper]

If you are a Bangla-speaker, then I ask you to read the news that I have posted in #86 above.

No, im not.

But, if India does not behave like a good boy and keeps our territories, including Talpatty, occupied, then the political Parties will make it an issue and the port facility may no longer be available to India.

Well, to be honest, its your job to educate your political parties that Moore Island is NOT a BD property, that maritime boundary is still not finalized between both India and BD. We have a dispute around it. You either solve it by guns and keep all other things on bay or solve it through negotiation (like everybody does) and keep on working towards achieving peace through other means. This might not give you instant gratification like war does, but seems to be a long drawn but accepted solution.

India must understand that the Asian Highway cannot be used as a route that directly connects NE with west Bengal.

This is debatable. But yes, we need to explore further.

To solve the connectivity problem India must resolve all the major pending issues between the two countries.

.
Maybe it was not deliberate. Maybe you should have written "India-BD must resolve all the major pending issues between the two countries". I pray someday, we will get BD to work with us on terrorism, cross border smuggling, Transit route and illegal immigrants issue's as well. Its a 2 way highway, amigo.

 

[idune]

No, im not.

Well, to be honest, its your job to educate your political parties that Moore Island is NOT a BD property, that maritime boundary is still not finalized between both India and BD. We have a dispute around it. You either solve it by guns and keep all other things on bay or solve it through negotiation (like everybody does) and keep on working towards achieving peace through other means. This might not give you instant gratification like war does, but seems to be a long drawn but accepted solution.

"Moore Island is NOT a BD property" - say who? An igonarant indian with cap lock fonts. Rivers and island are divided in mid stream. Talpatti or new moore has clearly fallen well east of mid stream and therefore is Bangladesh territory.

Negotiation never was and is indian choice but impose on gunpint is indian preffered path on neighbors. Thats why as soon as island floated india sent its naval ship to the island. Talking about negotiation at gun point is just deception that indians knows best.

Maybe it was not deliberate. Maybe you should have written "India-BD must resolve all the major pending issues between the two countries". I pray someday, we will get BD to work with us on terrorism, cross border smuggling, Transit route and illegal immigrants issue's as well. Its a 2 way highway, amigo

In same sentence indian tried to preach about 2 way highway but laid down only indian wish list and most of these wish list originate from pure hegemonic agenda has nothing to do with Bangladesh. Talking about indian deception in every breath indians take.