BANGLADESH-MYANMAR TIES Strengthening connectivity is of strategic imperative

[idune]

Dude, be realistic. With Rohingiya issue unresolved, there will be no connectivity. Period.

Overtime, Rohinga issue will be resolved one way or another. If Awami League can pursue relation with india and give them transit even after killing of Bangladeshis every other day, why it it is unrealistic in case of Myanmar? You need to ask that question. That is the threshold Bangladesh needs to overcome. No one says its is not a challenge but it has to be done.

Besides, connectivity with Myanmar is much more important to save lives of hundreds of Bangladeshis from indian brutality.

 

[kalu_miah]

@alaungphaya @Myanmar @myanmar eagle @Myanmar Military @myanmarsniper @Aung Zaya

My sincere condolences to Myanmar people for the killings going on at border. What you guys should note is that this current govt. in Bangladesh is Indian puppet dictator installed by India and this BGB is India's mercenary force who killed thousands of innocent unarmed Bangladeshi people since 2013. Current Bangladesh govt. and this BGB do not raise a finger without Indian instruction. Both Bangladeshi people and Myanmar people are now victims at the hands of these India supported and sponsored thugs.

Another proof that this BGB is India backed thugs are that they never fire a single bullet on Indian BSF at India-Bangladesh border, even at the face of regular killings and looting of Bangladeshi people by Indian BSF.

 

[my2cents]

BANGLADESH-MYANMAR TIES - Strengthening connectivity is of strategic imperative


Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised an international seminar on Enhancing Bangladesh-Myanmar Relations at BIISS auditorium, 21 May 2014. A delegation from Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS) participated in the seminar.
The Director General, BIISS in his opening address mentioned that although Bangladesh-Myanmar official relations started following Myanmar’s recognition to Bangladesh on 13 January 1972, both the countries have a long history of sharing political, cultural and economic destiny prior to their emergence as modern nation states. Of late after five decades of relative isolation, Myanmar has opened its door to outsiders, neighbours and development partners from 2011. As a result, huge potentials in trade and traffic through Myanmar between South Asia and Southeast Asia have developed along with the possibilities of multimodal communications by rail, road and sea between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Sub-regional cooperation
Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Chairman, BIISS, noted in his comments that despite ethnic and linguistic differences, Bangladesh and Myanmar had traditional commercial and cultural ties since long. The two countries have signed agreements on different issues including, boundary demarcation, general trade, air transportation, refugees’ repatriation, border trade and on prevention of trafficking of narcotics, etc. He added that the two countries are also developing cooperative relations under the framework of a number of regional/sub-regional organisations/ initiatives.
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, Md Shahidul Haque, mentioned that the relationship between Bangladesh and Myanmar did not develop commensurate with the advantages of geographical proximity and complementary economic interests. Since 2011 prime ministerial visit in Myanmar, acceleration has been obtained in bilateral exchanges. Last year, Bangladesh and Myanmar completed Seventh Foreign Secretary Level Consultation where both parties showed greater flexibility and accommodation. There were increased and regular consultations at both national and local levels including officials involved in border security and border management. Both countries are engaged bilaterally and multilaterally in expanding connectivity, and in regional arrangements like BCIM and BIMSTEC.
In the course of discussion on papers detailing some current concerns and complexities in Bangladesh-Myanmar relations, the Director General of the UN desk of Bangladesh Foreign Office, Ms. Saida Tasnim explained how through days of isolation of Myanmar under Western admonition, Bangladesh always stood by Myanmar at the UN, and how Myanmar reciprocated by necessary cooperation in repatriation of Rohingya Refugees under UNHCR monitoring back to Rakhaine state from Bangladesh. She expressed hope that existing problem of ethnic conflicts in Myanmar would also be resolved by mutual accommodation, pragmatism and spirit of humanism between the two neighbours.

United approach
In his speech, the head of delegation of Myanmar ISIS, Ambassador U Wynn Lwin mentioned that Myanmar and Bangladesh are very good friends and Myanmar is one of the first ten countries to recognize Bangladesh. He noted that in previous years Bangladesh and Myanmar were able to settle many disputed bilateral issues including the demarcation of land boundary between the two countries. In previous years the two countries worked jointly on many regional and international forums including ASEAN. He added that Myanmar accepted the Maritime demarcation verdict in an amicable way, which indicates that the two neighbours are united.
There was consensus in the express opinion from the audience and the treatises presented in the seminar that close relations and “united” position of Bangladesh and Myanmar is indeed a strategic imperative in the fast growing economic activity and fast-changing geopolitical order and power equations around the Bay of Bengal.

Comment

Nasim Mahmmud

Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised an international seminar on Enhancing Bangladesh-Myanmar Relations at BIISS auditorium, 21 May 2014. A delegation from Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS) participated in the seminar.
The Director General, BIISS in his opening address mentioned that although Bangladesh-Myanmar official relations started following Myanmar’s recognition to Bangladesh on 13 January 1972, both the countries have a long history of sharing political, cultural and economic destiny prior to their emergence as modern nation states. Of late after five decades of relative isolation, Myanmar has opened its door to outsiders, neighbours and development partners from 2011. As a result, huge potentials in trade and traffic through Myanmar between South Asia and Southeast Asia have developed along with the possibilities of multimodal communications by rail, road and sea between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Sub-regional cooperation
Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Chairman, BIISS, noted in his comments that despite ethnic and linguistic differences, Bangladesh and Myanmar had traditional commercial and cultural ties since long. The two countries have signed agreements on different issues including, boundary demarcation, general trade, air transportation, refugees’ repatriation, border trade and on prevention of trafficking of narcotics, etc. He added that the two countries are also developing cooperative relations under the framework of a number of regional/sub-regional organisations/ initiatives.
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, Md Shahidul Haque, mentioned that the relationship between Bangladesh and Myanmar did not develop commensurate with the advantages of geographical proximity and complementary economic interests. Since 2011 prime ministerial visit in Myanmar, acceleration has been obtained in bilateral exchanges. Last year, Bangladesh and Myanmar completed Seventh Foreign Secretary Level Consultation where both parties showed greater flexibility and accommodation. There were increased and regular consultations at both national and local levels including officials involved in border security and border management. Both countries are engaged bilaterally and multilaterally in expanding connectivity, and in regional arrangements like BCIM and BIMSTEC.
In the course of discussion on papers detailing some current concerns and complexities in Bangladesh-Myanmar relations, the Director General of the UN desk of Bangladesh Foreign Office, Ms. Saida Tasnim explained how through days of isolation of Myanmar under Western admonition, Bangladesh always stood by Myanmar at the UN, and how Myanmar reciprocated by necessary cooperation in repatriation of Rohingya Refugees under UNHCR monitoring back to Rakhaine state from Bangladesh. She expressed hope that existing problem of ethnic conflicts in Myanmar would also be resolved by mutual accommodation, pragmatism and spirit of humanism between the two neighbours.

United approach
In his speech, the head of delegation of Myanmar ISIS, Ambassador U Wynn Lwin mentioned that Myanmar and Bangladesh are very good friends and Myanmar is one of the first ten countries to recognize Bangladesh. He noted that in previous years Bangladesh and Myanmar were able to settle many disputed bilateral issues including the demarcation of land boundary between the two countries. In previous years the two countries worked jointly on many regional and international forums including ASEAN. He added that Myanmar accepted the Maritime demarcation verdict in an amicable way, which indicates that the two neighbours are united.
There was consensus in the express opinion from the audience and the treatises presented in the seminar that close relations and “united” position of Bangladesh and Myanmar is indeed a strategic imperative in the fast growing economic activity and fast-changing geopolitical order and power equations around the Bay of Bengal.

Holiday

I welcome your look east policy. What kind of economic cooperation you have in mind??

 

[kalu_miah]

@Bandula welcome to the forum. You should check this thread.

 

[Bandula]

@Bandula welcome to the forum. You should check this thread.

Thank you for your warmly welcome. Appreciate that.

 

[kalu_miah]

Thank you for your warmly welcome. Appreciate that.

We have a lot of emotional people on our side, please excuse their language. I will appreciate your feedback about the topic and posts on this thread, when you have some time and when you feel comfortable about expressing your opinion.

Also, please check out these two posts about my current thinking on regional and world geopolitics, so you get a context about my personal views:
Abe's Strategy: Rearrange Region's Power Balance | Page 14
Abe's Strategy: Rearrange Region's Power Balance | Page 19

 

[Luffy 500]

@ kalu_miah, sir with due respect why r u pandering to this primitive burmese bigots? I can understand u hating terrorist BGB but u do realise that thyese primitive burmese monkeys have no love-lost feeling while they slaughter rohingyas. There is hardly any difference between these loons and islamophobic hindtuva Indians. They r both in cohots when it come to killings muslims.

 

[Eve Teaser]

@ kalu_miah, sir with due respect why r u pandering to this primitive burmese bigots? I can understand u hating terrorist BGB but u do realise that thyese pritive burmese monkeys have no love-lost feeling while they slaughter rohingyas. There is hardly any difference between these loons and islamophobic hindtuva Indians. They r both in cohots when it come to killings muslims.

we live with muslims with almost +_ population of pakistan and are proving 2 nation theory wrong since 47

 

[kalu_miah]

@ kalu_miah, sir with due respect why r u pandering to this primitive burmese bigots? I can understand u hating terrorist BGB but u do realise that thyese pritive burmese monkeys have no love-lost feeling while they slaughter rohingyas. There is hardly any difference between these loons and islamophobic hindtuva Indians. They r both in cohots when it come to killings muslims.

I believe you are wrong about people of Myanmar. I am not sure how many countries you have lived in, I have lived in several places and my experience is that there is racism among all people in the world, including our own. Its just a matter of degree.

The reason they are being rough with Rohingya's is because they want them out of there, they are simply unwanted. Strictly speaking it is not our problem. But I have this idea that if we as a country and people help Myanmar to solve this Rohingya problem then they will become our forever allies.

And I don't need to explain why we need them more than they need us. Why is that? Because of China and its regional plans.

Imagine a time 36 years from now in 2050.
List of countries by past and future GDP (nominal) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

China will be the most powerful country in the world then, with a GDP of around 70-80 trillion. Both US, EU and India GDP will be around half of that amount. Road/railway from China will criss cross all of South East Asia, Central Asia, Russia and West Asia. For us to access this integrated economy of 3 billion people and keep us out of India's clutch, we will need the land route via Myanmar. India however will also be integrated with this economy.

But my prediction is that there will also be a developing Asian NATO of sorts, an expanded and revamped SCO, that will include almost all Asian countries except India and Arabian Peninsula. My prediction is that both Myanmar and Bangladesh will be in that military alliance. So for PLA to roll down Myanmar road and reach inside Bangladesh if and when needed, we will need direct road/rail link via Myanmar/Bangladesh border. Having an SCO naval base near Sonadia deep sea port at Kutubdia is also possibility as I discussed in another thread:
Adding a pearl: China looks for a naval base in Bangladesh

So I hope I was able to give you a broad future direction for regional countries, which should explain why both Myanmar and Bangladesh are in the same camp and why we need to go out of our way to try and improve relations with Myanmar. Because it is in our long term national interest, first and foremost.

Rohingya problem should be discussed in a forum where we have reps from China, ASEAN, OIC, Bangladesh and Myanmar, so we can make a deal to repatriate them to willing Muslim countries, with a good portion in Bangladesh. The expense can be borne out by wealthier Muslim countries who are willing to finance this effort. As part of the deal, Myanmar could give us transit privilege to China, Thailand and Laos and use of any Myanmar deep sea port. Myanmar could also give us trade privilege and allow large business houses to invest in agro-industrial project using vast land areas in Myanmar, which could make food cheaper in Bangladesh and reduce our dependence on Indian agro-commodities.

@Chinese-Dragon you may find this interesting.

 

[Luffy 500]

@kalu_miah, Any way what u say from a geopolitical perspective makes sense and if u have read my post i also share similar views but there's a big if for the best possible scenario we r hoping for. My point was there is no need to apologize to these racist islamophobes while there is also no need to bad mouth them either if u don't want to. Apologizing to them seems beding over backward & forgetting all the atrocities. They don't deserve it at all.There's no need to be so soft on them. But that's just my opinion and & I respect your opinion as well.

 

[kalu_miah]

@kalu_miah, Any way what u say from a geopolitical perspective makes sense and if u have read my post i also share similar views but there's a big if for the best possible scenario we r hoping for. My point was there is no need to apologize to these racist islamophobes while there is also no need to bad mouth them either if u don't want to. Apologizing to them seems beding over backward & forgetting all the atrocities. They don't deserve it at all.There's no need to be so soft on them. But that's just my opinion and & I respect your opinion as well.

It is called diplomacy, a small courtesy goes a long way to improve relations among people, where there is a future that we can look forward to. Just imagine what they do to us Bangladeshi's as neighbors, do they interfere like India, do they try to dam our rivers? The only issue is Rohingya, once it is resolved, then the relation can only improve.

I appreciate your criticism, but I reserve the right to do and say what I feel is in our national interest. I admit, I am not perfect and I can be wrong, but I do not believe this is one of those times.

 

[Bandula]

@ kalu_miah, sir with due respect why r u pandering to this primitive burmese bigots? I can understand u hating terrorist BGB but u do realise that thyese primitive burmese monkeys have no love-lost feeling while they slaughter rohingyas. There is hardly any difference between these loons and islamophobic hindtuva Indians. They r both in cohots when it come to killings muslims.

Well. Why don't you come visit to Myanmar for a few days since BD and MM is so closed? You can learn how Myanmar people live and love. Your media is the worst of worst in the world and they make you have hate in your heart to your neighbors. Trust me. You don't need a week to learn. You will know with your heart in two days.

To people of Bangladesh and Myanmar, whoever is reading this, please know that Bangladesh at this moment is run by Indian puppet. So everything in Bangladesh is being run under Indian instruction. India do not want good relation between Bangladesh and Myanmar, because that will be very helpful to China as China want to build road/rail link through Myanmar to Bangladesh directly over Myanmar-Bangladesh border. So at any cost Indian govt. wants to make sure that there is hostile relation between people and govt. of Bangladesh and Myanmar, and this link does not become reality, as it has future security and geo-strategic implication also for both Bangladesh and India.

So when around 40 RSO Islamist terrorists cross over to Myanmar from Bangladesh side and kill 4 Myanmar police force, we have to understand the context here. Where were this BGB when this happened and why they are still not being caught. Since there is no effort to catch these RSO Islamist terrorists, then we have to conclude they are perhaps RAW assets and doing their operation to advance India's geo-strategic interest and are being sheltered, protected or left alone by another RAW asset in Bangladesh, BGB.

We also have to remember that this BGB since its change over from BDR has been filled with RAW agents, Awami cadre's and people from minority community. During people's street movement in the past year, it has been extensively used as a repressive death squad, killing thousands of opposition activists. So the loyalty of this force is already in question and it can easily called a new RAW asset in Bangladesh replacing the former Mujib bahini or Rakkhi bahini. It is no surprise then that they are not doing anything to protect Bangladesh and its neighbor Myanmar interest, but rather advancing Indian interest.

Thank you Bro. This is exactly what Myanmar point was. Where were BGB members when RSO and Myanmar Patrols were exchanging fire for 45 minutes and that place is near by Rohingya Camp? That was why Myanmar Government keep alleging that some members of BGB have been working with RSO.

 

[Bandula]

@alaungphaya @Myanmar @myanmar eagle @Myanmar Military @myanmarsniper @Aung Zaya

My sincere condolences to Myanmar people for the killings going on at border. What you guys should note is that this current govt. in Bangladesh is Indian puppet dictator installed by India and this BGB is India's mercenary force who killed thousands of innocent unarmed Bangladeshi people since 2013. Current Bangladesh govt. and this BGB do not raise a finger without Indian instruction. Both Bangladeshi people and Myanmar people are now victims at the hands of these India supported and sponsored thugs.

Another proof that this BGB is India backed thugs are that they never fire a single bullet on Indian BSF at India-Bangladesh border, even at the face of regular killings and looting of Bangladeshi people by Indian BSF.

Thank you for your understanding.
Myanmar people are not as bad as some Bangladeshis here think. I admit that Rakhine people are little strong in racism but other ethnic groups are not. Rakhine literally mean Rakkita and it means keeping of their bloods from outsiders like Bamar and Chin. But it doesn't mean either that they are aggressive to others. Like Rohingya, they also are too much relying on rumors. So that when something happens, it could not be able to make them to understand what was really happening. So please don't judge on rest of the Myanmar people on the basis of those two ethnic groups.
Myanmar people has been worrying the growth of population of Bangladesh. It is over 160 millions now and it will be still growing. We think Bangladesh would burst out one day. So, We know that Bangladesh will need more job opportunities and more natural sources to solve this big population. We want to help Bangladesh by giving some thing that we can do like link to the East (obviously it is not land. hahaha). We understand that stability in your country would bring peace to the region in future. We don't have dirty mind to leave your country in the dark. We want your country to grow rapidly and to stay healthy.
Just please don't let your media being cheated by RSO feeding false news to burst out the conflicts between two countries.

 

[asad71]

RSO map of BD.Actually historical Arakan extends up to Syrium Point at the tip of Irrawaddy basin.

 

[Bandula]

RSO map of BD.Actually historical Arakan extends up to Syrium Point at the tip of Irrawaddy basin.

What RSO done will cause MM government mad at Bangladesh and will also alarm MM to alert. What good could it bring to Bangladesh?
RSO just wanted to create conflicts by any means between MM and BD hoping BD government would support them base and arms If BD falls into their trap. See they couldn't wait and they published it when there was a tension between two countries.