http://www.deccanchronicle.com/editorial/op-ed/‘b’desh-our-most-vital-neighbour’-819
Bangladesh is in many ways India’s most important neighbour, and we haven’t done quite enough to raise the relationship to a “partnership” level, says a much-respected Dhaka watcher and former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Deb Mukharji in an interview to Ramesh Ramachandran.
Why is Bangladesh so important to us?
The country is embedded in the heart of a sensitive region of India. Any extremist form of government in Bangladesh could impact India negatively. Poverty there results in increased migration to India. A happy and healthy relationship with Dhaka can only assist in the development and connectivity of India’s northeastern states.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in January 2010 generated hopes of a big shift in bilateral ties. Two years on, where are we?
There is a general feeling that progress has not been quite as rapid as it should have been. Projects such as power transmission take time. But on other issues such as the one-billion-dollar credit some of us don’t see adequate movement in identification of the projects. Obviously, this requires negotiations with regard to details. But there should have been a greater sense of urgency in seeing that the projects are identified and the disbursement commenced.
There are other areas which continue to be awkward, like non-tariff barriers in trade. The main border transit point at Petrapole is in an abysmal state. It has very poor connectivity to Kolkata. There is no point in somebody saying this is the responsibility of the state government (West Bengal), and they say they don’t have the money. India as a state should sort out these things. When a government makes a commitment, it has to be fulfilled.
I think we, frankly, need to be a little more forthcoming on concessions in trade. At the end of the day I don’t believe that Bangladeshi exports to India could threaten our industry. So this is something at which our commerce ministry really ought to take an energetic look.
How is the progress on border demarcation and sharing of river waters?
We are moving forward rapidly on the border issue. I think we should be able to put this to rest by the time Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Dhaka in September. River waters are a much more difficult subject. Obviously, India cannot utilise waters to such an extent that Bangladesh is grievously hurt. At the same time, I don’t think Bangladesh can expect that the same flows will continue forever. There are 300 million Indians upstream on the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. Their interests also need to be looked after.
The only real, long-term answer is a regional approach to water resources development because a great deal of the water that comes into India and then flows to Bangladesh comes from Nepal. Similarly, the Brahmaputra comes in from Tibet. So, there has to be a regional approach both on development of water resources and their management so that we don’t waste water. That is in the long term. In the short, India and Bangladesh have to have a system of transparent exchange of information. Tipaimukh dam is a case in point. There has been a lot of opposition to it in Bangladesh, but to the best of my understanding Tipaimukh would be good for Bangladesh. But sometimes politics gets involved.
Have Dr Singh’s recent off-the-record remarks on Bangladesh damaged ties? Would these hurt Ms Hasina politically?
I think this is something that really has to be put behind us. Obviously, what Dr Singh said was unfortunate, and in some cases not based on facts. I do believe that Bangladesh is mature enough to put this behind them. I don’t think this would hurt our long-term relationship. I don’t think the observations will hurt Ms Hasina. But, unfortunately, these remarks give the Jamaat-e-Islami far greater importance than they deserve. What these remarks do tell us is the need for a greater understanding of the state of affairs in our neighbourhood.
What could be some of the deliverables during Dr Singh’s visit to Dhaka in September?
I expect some kind of an agreement on the Teesta. I expect the border issues of demarcation, exchange of enclaves and adverse possessions to be resolved by then. And I hope that we will have greater clarity on how the Indian credit is being utilised. And I hope Dr Singh would be able to carry a trade package with him to Dhaka.
Is a section of the Indian establishment doing Ms Hasina a disfavour by viewing her as being pro-India?
Firstly, I don’t think Ms Hasina is pro-India. I don’t think Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was pro-India. And I think when we say that, we are indeed doing her a disservice. I think whatever Ms Hasina is doing is in the enlightened self-interest of Bangladesh. Let’s be clear about that.
As far as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Khaleda Zia are concerned, we have seen what happened when the BNP was in power. Insurgency in India and terrorism were actively promoted, if not by the BNP then by its partner in government, the Jamaat. All this is well established.
Obviously, India does not choose who’s going to be in the government in Dhaka. India has tried to deal with the BNP and Begum Zia as positively as possible in the past, but it takes two to tango. In the past there has simply been no positive reaction towards India from the BNP. Certainly, both in principle and in practice, we should hold an open dialogue with the BNP. I mean, that is unquestionable. But it takes two to come to a positive relationship.
Does India have a neighbourhood policy, and where does Bangladesh figure in it?
Well, each of our neighbours has a different kind of equation with us. So, I really cannot speak of a general neighbourhood policy. But we have to understand that if our neighbourhood does not prosper, that will have an adverse impact on us. That is really the bottomline, and I frankly don’t think we have done enough.
And I’ll tell you the reason for this is that we have been so totally preoccupied — perhaps obsessed — with one neighbour that we just do not give adequate attention to dealing with the other neighbours.
Let me add that it is not only the politicians. The media too has a great responsibility. I think Bangladesh is in many ways India’s most important neighbour, not least because of its location.
And I think that we should do whatever we can to enhance our relationship to a level of partnership.
Bangladesh is in many ways India’s most important neighbour, and we haven’t done quite enough to raise the relationship to a “partnership” level, says a much-respected Dhaka watcher and former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Deb Mukharji in an interview to Ramesh Ramachandran.
Why is Bangladesh so important to us?
The country is embedded in the heart of a sensitive region of India. Any extremist form of government in Bangladesh could impact India negatively. Poverty there results in increased migration to India. A happy and healthy relationship with Dhaka can only assist in the development and connectivity of India’s northeastern states.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in January 2010 generated hopes of a big shift in bilateral ties. Two years on, where are we?
There is a general feeling that progress has not been quite as rapid as it should have been. Projects such as power transmission take time. But on other issues such as the one-billion-dollar credit some of us don’t see adequate movement in identification of the projects. Obviously, this requires negotiations with regard to details. But there should have been a greater sense of urgency in seeing that the projects are identified and the disbursement commenced.
There are other areas which continue to be awkward, like non-tariff barriers in trade. The main border transit point at Petrapole is in an abysmal state. It has very poor connectivity to Kolkata. There is no point in somebody saying this is the responsibility of the state government (West Bengal), and they say they don’t have the money. India as a state should sort out these things. When a government makes a commitment, it has to be fulfilled.
I think we, frankly, need to be a little more forthcoming on concessions in trade. At the end of the day I don’t believe that Bangladeshi exports to India could threaten our industry. So this is something at which our commerce ministry really ought to take an energetic look.
How is the progress on border demarcation and sharing of river waters?
We are moving forward rapidly on the border issue. I think we should be able to put this to rest by the time Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Dhaka in September. River waters are a much more difficult subject. Obviously, India cannot utilise waters to such an extent that Bangladesh is grievously hurt. At the same time, I don’t think Bangladesh can expect that the same flows will continue forever. There are 300 million Indians upstream on the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. Their interests also need to be looked after.
The only real, long-term answer is a regional approach to water resources development because a great deal of the water that comes into India and then flows to Bangladesh comes from Nepal. Similarly, the Brahmaputra comes in from Tibet. So, there has to be a regional approach both on development of water resources and their management so that we don’t waste water. That is in the long term. In the short, India and Bangladesh have to have a system of transparent exchange of information. Tipaimukh dam is a case in point. There has been a lot of opposition to it in Bangladesh, but to the best of my understanding Tipaimukh would be good for Bangladesh. But sometimes politics gets involved.
Have Dr Singh’s recent off-the-record remarks on Bangladesh damaged ties? Would these hurt Ms Hasina politically?
I think this is something that really has to be put behind us. Obviously, what Dr Singh said was unfortunate, and in some cases not based on facts. I do believe that Bangladesh is mature enough to put this behind them. I don’t think this would hurt our long-term relationship. I don’t think the observations will hurt Ms Hasina. But, unfortunately, these remarks give the Jamaat-e-Islami far greater importance than they deserve. What these remarks do tell us is the need for a greater understanding of the state of affairs in our neighbourhood.
What could be some of the deliverables during Dr Singh’s visit to Dhaka in September?
I expect some kind of an agreement on the Teesta. I expect the border issues of demarcation, exchange of enclaves and adverse possessions to be resolved by then. And I hope that we will have greater clarity on how the Indian credit is being utilised. And I hope Dr Singh would be able to carry a trade package with him to Dhaka.
Is a section of the Indian establishment doing Ms Hasina a disfavour by viewing her as being pro-India?
Firstly, I don’t think Ms Hasina is pro-India. I don’t think Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was pro-India. And I think when we say that, we are indeed doing her a disservice. I think whatever Ms Hasina is doing is in the enlightened self-interest of Bangladesh. Let’s be clear about that.
As far as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Khaleda Zia are concerned, we have seen what happened when the BNP was in power. Insurgency in India and terrorism were actively promoted, if not by the BNP then by its partner in government, the Jamaat. All this is well established.
Obviously, India does not choose who’s going to be in the government in Dhaka. India has tried to deal with the BNP and Begum Zia as positively as possible in the past, but it takes two to tango. In the past there has simply been no positive reaction towards India from the BNP. Certainly, both in principle and in practice, we should hold an open dialogue with the BNP. I mean, that is unquestionable. But it takes two to come to a positive relationship.
Does India have a neighbourhood policy, and where does Bangladesh figure in it?
Well, each of our neighbours has a different kind of equation with us. So, I really cannot speak of a general neighbourhood policy. But we have to understand that if our neighbourhood does not prosper, that will have an adverse impact on us. That is really the bottomline, and I frankly don’t think we have done enough.
And I’ll tell you the reason for this is that we have been so totally preoccupied — perhaps obsessed — with one neighbour that we just do not give adequate attention to dealing with the other neighbours.
Let me add that it is not only the politicians. The media too has a great responsibility. I think Bangladesh is in many ways India’s most important neighbour, not least because of its location.
And I think that we should do whatever we can to enhance our relationship to a level of partnership.
