Bangladesh political crisis

[genmirajborgza786]

India, US at odds over Bangladesh policy


NEW DELHI: Publicly, India and the US may appear to be on the same page regarding the situation in Bangladesh. But in reality, India is increasingly uncomfortable with the US' positions, and believes it can have negative implications for Bangladesh and the region.

Last week, US ambassador to Dhaka, Dan Mozena, visited South Block and spent long hours meeting foreign secretary Sujatha Singh and other senior officials. As picketing, shut-downs and street violence take over domestic politics in Bangladesh, India and the US have shared concerns regarding its stability.

Sources said Sheikh Hasina had invited her rival Begum Khaleda Zia for a meeting and dinner to end the impasse over the caretaker government. But main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is unwilling to end the violence and insisting on a neutral dispensation.

But India remains more concerned about the colour of politics being pursued by BNP. This is where Indian and the US positions diverge.

The US appears much more comfortable with the BNP-Jamaat combine, who have made no secret of their radicalized politics. India believes if this succeeds, Bangladesh would be very different as a nation. The politics of BNP and Jamaat have become more radicalized in the past couple of years.

Indian intelligence has detected influences of both Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and al-Qaida. There is a lot of funding available to these groups from West Asian countries, and some from Pakistan.

The US is less comfortable with Sheikh Hasina's government, especially after the PM's confrontation with Mohammed Yunus of Grameen Bank — the fracas over funding for the Padma bridge project — and also the war crimes tribunal. There appears to be a part of official thinking in the US that believes, according to sources here, BNP-Jamaat have better free market credentials, and that they would move away from radical Islam once they are in power. "They are too far away to have a realistic view of the street," they said.

India is haunted by the 2001 Pyrdiwah massacre, when 15 BSF personnel were massacred by BDR troops in an ugly confrontation. BNP had explained Jamaat's place in government thus: it would be better to have them in than out. But once in government, Jamaat occupied the ministries crucial to furthering their radical agenda. Those years saw the flowering of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and other terror groups like HuJI. India is opposed to a return to those days.

An added regional vulnerability is the Rohingya problem in Myanmar. With heightened communal tensions in Myanmar along with considerable Rohingya population in Bangladesh, New Delhi believes that the situation is ripe for disaster. The implications of increased radicalized politics in Bangladesh would have terrible implications for Myanmar's stability.

Again, reports of LeT and al-Qaida infiltration among Rohingyas are popping up frequently. The instability as a result of radical politics could spread to India's north-east and even China's Yunnan province.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...er-Bangladesh-policy/articleshow/24950652.cms

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Battling Begums burn each other on hotline
- Red or dead? Read it to believe it!

DEVADEEP PUROHIT


Sheikh Hasina (top), Khaleda Zia
Oct. 30: They did not talk for over a decade. But since the battling Begums spoke for 37 minutes on Saturday evening, Bangladesh has not stopped talking about the talk.

The conversation between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Premier Khaleda Zia has gone viral on social networking sites.

Hasina said today in Dhaka that her nation should know every bit of what transpired between her and the Opposition leader, but there was no clue as to how the conversation got leaked.

“There should be an investigation on how the conversation between the Prime Minister and our leader got leaked…. This is against the IT law of the country,” Maruf Kamal Khan, press secretary of Khaleda, told The Telegraph.

The trigger behind the call was an attempt by Hasina to end the stand-off with the Khaleda-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) over the arrangement of how the next parliamentary elections should be held.

While Khaleda has been demanding elections under a caretaker government, Hasina has proposed an all-party government, which the Opposition has not accepted.

Excerpts from the transcript:

(Before the two leaders started their conversation, their aides spoke between themselves briefly. Instead of exchanging pleasantries, the aides got sucked into a debate on who — Hasina or Khaleda — was supposed to make the call.

Khaleda’s aide claimed that the former Premier had been waiting for the call for eight hours while Hasina’s aide said that he was expecting the Opposition leader to make the call.

No resolution could be reached and the two aides handed over the phones to their respective leaders.)

Hasina: I had called you around noon, you didn’t pick up.

Khaleda: This is not correct.

Hasina: I want to inform you that…

Khaleda: You have to listen to me first. You said you called me, but I didn’t get any call around the time you mentioned.

Hasina: I called your red phone.

Khaleda: My red phone has been dead for years. You run the government, you should know that. And if you have plans to call, you should have sent people to fix the phone yesterday. They should at least check if the phone is working or not.

Hasina: The red phones always work.

Khaleda: Send people over now to see whether the phone is okay.

Hasina: You were Prime Minister yourself. You know that the red phones always work.

Khaleda: They always work? But mine is not working at all.

Hasina: It is working perfectly. At least it was working when I called.

Khaleda: How can a dead phone come to life all of a sudden? Is your call so powerful that it will bring life to my dead telephone?

Hasina: All right, you could not receive the phone for some reason.

Khaleda: No, that is not true. I have been sitting here. There is no reason behind not receiving a call. A dead phone does not ring. Do you understand? This is the truth.

Hasina: The phone was dead or kept disconnected...

Khaleda: No, it was dead.

Hasina: I will see to it tomorrow...

Khaleda: It is good that you will see to it.

Meeting proposal

Hasina: I am calling you to invite you in the evening to Gana Bhaban (the Prime Minister’s residence) on October 28. You already know that I have spoken to several political parties about the next elections. I am inviting you.

(In an attempt to break the impasse over how to hold elections, the Bangladesh Prime Minister is holding talks with other parties to form an all-party government that can see through the election.)

Khaleda: If you are really sincere about a dialogue, I will come. I will not come alone, of course, there will be others.

Hasina: You can bring as many people as you want, not a problem.

Khaleda: I don’t want to bring my full party over. I will bring those I think will be needed.

Hasina: I am urging you for the sake of the nation, the people, withdraw the hartal.

(Demanding elections under a caretaker government, BNP had called a 60-hour strike starting last Sunday morning, which ended yesterday. During the clashes between Sunday and Tuesday, at least 21 people lost their lives in Bangladesh)

Khaleda: No, I cannot go on October 28.

Assault begins

Hasina: Killing people, throwing fires... stop these.

Khaleda: It is in your nature to kill people. Not ours. You torch people, kill people, kill people with poles and oars… These are recorded. The hartal will be on. It will end on October 29 evening, we can talk after that.

Hasina: I am telling you, for the sake of the people and the nation, please withdraw your hartal.

Khaleda: No, the hartal is for the sake of the people and the nation. It is because you are not willing to come for a dialogue. Your ministers said there would be no dialogue. You said yourself that you rejected our proposal. You have said there is no need for a dialogue. Now you are talking about a dialogue. So this dialogue can wait till our programme is over.

Hasina: I am requesting you...

Khaleda: No, I will not lift the hartal, it is not possible. If you would have come forward a day before, there could have been an opportunity. But you didn’t do that.

Hasina: This is not a matter of one day earlier. You know I have talked with several parties...

Khaleda: I know you are a busy person. We are also busy people, though we may not be as busy… But where there is a will, there is a way. You did not do that. Yesterday, you gave us permission for our rally in the last moment. We had requested many days ago…. You didn’t even allow us to use microphones. People come to rallies to hear speeches. What kind of a democracy is this? Why didn’t you allow microphones?

Hasina: No, there were a few…

Khaleda: I will put up speakers as far away as I wish so that more people can hear. You stopped transport to prevent people from coming, imposed Section 144. Is there a state of emergency in the country? Are we at war?

Hasina’s turn..

Hasina: I remember everything, I remember the August 21 grenade attack...

(Hasina had narrowly escaped a grenade attack on August 21, 2004, but it caused her major hearing impairment.)

Khaleda: We were not involved. It was you who did it.

Hasina: You gave permission at 11 at night, I remember that well. These words do not suit you.

Khaleda: The rally was in Muktangan. But you changed the venue to your office, you did not even let us know.

Hasina: I don’t want to quarrel.

Khaleda: You are quarrelling.

Hasina: Will you keep killing people in the name of hartal?

Khaleda: I don’t want to kill people. You killed people. You killed nine people yesterday... Your Chhatra League, Jubo League…

Return to 1971

Hasina: We don’t do the politics of murder; on the contrary I see...

Khaleda: .... This is your old habit. Since Independence in 1971, you are killing people. You killed so many people, how can you forget?

Hasina: We killed people in 1971?

Khaleda: Right after 1971 and formation of your government.

Hasina: And you are working to save the war criminals.

Khaleda: Not to save war criminals.... If you had tried the war criminals properly, you would have had our full support. But the tribunal you formed... it was biased. You did not try the war criminals in your party. Why? You have not been able to maintain impartiality. Or else, you wouldn’t have treated me like this. The way you treated me, my son, my party — do I need to say anything more? You don’t even know how to respect the Opposition leader. What sort of democracy do you promote?

(The nine-month Liberation War in 1971 is still an emotive issue in Bangladesh. As part of her election promise, Hasina set up a tribunal to try the war criminals, who had joined hands with the Pakistani Army and committed crimes against humanity. The tribunal has convicted some leaders of BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami, following which BNP has called its rulings biased and partial)

Fake birthday

(Every year Hasina observes the death anniversary of her father and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and mourns the death of other members of her family — including her 10-year-old brother Sheikh Russel — on August 15. This year, while Hasina and her family prayed at the mausoleum of Mujibur Rahman, Khaleda cut a giant 69-pound cake at the BNP’s new office in the Paltan area of Dhaka to celebrate her 69th birthday. The birthday celebration sparked a debate as there were reports that no government documents indicate Khaleda’s date of birth as August 15.)

Hasina: When you cut your birthday cake on August 15…

Khaleda: August 15 is my birthday. I will cut cakes on that day.

Hasina: You cut the cake to encourage the killers?

Khaleda: That’s not the point. I’ll cut cakes on August 15 because it is my birthday. Is it that no one can be born on August 15 in Bangladesh? No one can celebrate birthday on August 15? Leave this subject aside.

Hasina: You saw Russel walk around in our house.

Khaleda: No, no. I don’t want to talk about that.

Caught in strike

Khaleda: Whatever you people did, I don’t want to talk about that. I do not support your politics and urge you people to give up the way of violence. In my speech that day, I said that we should forget these. Let’s give up the culture and start anew. If you are willing to do that, then let’s sit and have a talk. I have no objection in having a dialogue. But the date has to be after my hartal...

Hasina: So you will not withdraw the hartal?

Khaleda: No, I cannot withdraw the hartal.

Hasina: For the poor people of the country…

Khaleda: This is not my decision. This is a decision of the 18-party alliance. How can I take a decision all by myself?

Hasina: Call the whole party and tell them to withdraw.

Khaleda: No, there is no more time for that. As your police are chasing my people, they cannot be found easily. You have directed the police to tail them all. How can they be found? Tell me!

Camera rolling…

Hasina: It seems like you are making a speech in front of the camera.

Khaleda: I do not have any camera in front of me, I am alone.

Hasina: Same with me, there is no camera at my end either.

Khaleda: I am talking from my home. If I was in my office, there would have been cameras. I do not want to stoop so low. And then later, it will be seen that you have broadcast it on televisions.

Red phone again

Khaleda: Check my Gulshan house… See who told you that my telephone was okay. I want to see an end to this matter. (BNP has its party office in Gulshan)

Hasina: Your phone is all right.

Khaleda: My phone is not okay.

Hasina: I called up 10-12 times. The phone rang.

Khaleda: Do you think we were all deaf… The phone rang and we did not hear? You might hear it.

Hasina: How will I hear? One of my ears is damaged.

Khaleda: It is you who have said that my phone had rang, but we are saying that it didn’t.

Hasina: Phone...... Phone, I made the call myself.

Khaleda: It does not matter if you say you have called. You are saying that a dead phone has rung.

Hasina: The phone rang.

Khaleda: How will it ring? A dead phone does not ring. This displays your mentality, shows if you are telling the truth or not!

Signing off..

Hasina: Let us settle the matter between ourselves.

Khaleda: I don’t want to do anything.

Hasina: You have received my call, thank you for that.

Khaleda: Accept the non-partisan government, or set a date after 30th and I’ll join.

Hasina: I’m inviting you on the 28th to come.

Khaleda: No, I can’t come on 28th. I don’t go out during hartal.

Hasina: Tell me who you will bring along with you on 28th.

Khaleda: I will not come on 28th. I don’t know who is prompting you from there. The hartal won’t be withdrawn on 28th. I’ll go on 30th if you fix the date.

Hasina: Since you will not withdraw the hartal, thank you. Thank you.

Bangladeshi media today quoted Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam that the dialogue offer from Hasina was still valid and the party was expecting a resolution.

Some of the prominent members of the civil society in Bangladesh, however, were not as hopeful.

“The body language of Khaleda made it clear that she is not interested in a resolution and the reason is she is dictated to by Jamaat-e-Islami, which wants to push the country towards a civil war,” said Shahriar Kabir, a war crime researcher and a prominent member of the civil society.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1131031/jsp/frontpage/story_17515009.jsp

 

[UKBengali]

This is hilarious

Conversation starts with argument over whether the red phone works or not.

 

[kalu_miah]

Two immature ladies in a comedy of errors, only there is no happy ending.

 

[Anubis]

This is hilarious

Conversation starts with argument over whether the red phone works or not.

It doesn't work...reporters went there and verified it!The stupid witch said she called 10-12 times...lies....did you see how she brought up Sheikh Rasel out of no where...trying to emotionally blackmail KZ!

 

[PlanetSoldier]

Two immature ladies in a comedy of errors, only there is no happy ending.

I think the genuine Bangla version has the real taste ...I missed it.

 

[PlanetSoldier]

It doesn't work...reporters went there and verified it!The stupid witch said she called 10-12 times...lies....did you see how she brought up Sheikh Rasel out of no where...trying to emotionally blackmail KZ!

But is it really Khaleda's birthday on 15th August ?

 

[extra terrestrial]

But is it really Khaleda's birthday on 15th August ?

Will remain a mystery!!!

According this article by ANI:

Begum Zia's marriage certificate indicates her birth date as September 5, 1945. Her first passport says that she was born on August 19, 1945, while her admit card for taking part in a matriculation examination shows her date of birth as August 9, 1945.

 

[Anubis]

But is it really Khaleda's birthday on 15th August ?

I am quite sure it is not on 15tth.BUT the issue at hand is a constitutional and legal problem SHW cannot use a petty use like this to justify any of the shit that she is doing.KZ is insensitive towards SHW but so are BALs towards President Zia.Its all a part of the game.

 

[kalu_miah]

India, US at odds over Bangladesh policy


NEW DELHI: Publicly, India and the US may appear to be on the same page regarding the situation in Bangladesh. But in reality, India is increasingly uncomfortable with the US' positions, and believes it can have negative implications for Bangladesh and the region.

Last week, US ambassador to Dhaka, Dan Mozena, visited South Block and spent long hours meeting foreign secretary Sujatha Singh and other senior officials. As picketing, shut-downs and street violence take over domestic politics in Bangladesh, India and the US have shared concerns regarding its stability.

Sources said Sheikh Hasina had invited her rival Begum Khaleda Zia for a meeting and dinner to end the impasse over the caretaker government. But main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is unwilling to end the violence and insisting on a neutral dispensation.

But India remains more concerned about the colour of politics being pursued by BNP. This is where Indian and the US positions diverge.

The US appears much more comfortable with the BNP-Jamaat combine, who have made no secret of their radicalized politics. India believes if this succeeds, Bangladesh would be very different as a nation. The politics of BNP and Jamaat have become more radicalized in the past couple of years.

Indian intelligence has detected influences of both Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and al-Qaida. There is a lot of funding available to these groups from West Asian countries, and some from Pakistan.

The US is less comfortable with Sheikh Hasina's government, especially after the PM's confrontation with Mohammed Yunus of Grameen Bank — the fracas over funding for the Padma bridge project — and also the war crimes tribunal. There appears to be a part of official thinking in the US that believes, according to sources here, BNP-Jamaat have better free market credentials, and that they would move away from radical Islam once they are in power. "They are too far away to have a realistic view of the street," they said.

India is haunted by the 2001 Pyrdiwah massacre, when 15 BSF personnel were massacred by BDR troops in an ugly confrontation. BNP had explained Jamaat's place in government thus: it would be better to have them in than out. But once in government, Jamaat occupied the ministries crucial to furthering their radical agenda. Those years saw the flowering of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and other terror groups like HuJI. India is opposed to a return to those days.

An added regional vulnerability is the Rohingya problem in Myanmar. With heightened communal tensions in Myanmar along with considerable Rohingya population in Bangladesh, New Delhi believes that the situation is ripe for disaster. The implications of increased radicalized politics in Bangladesh would have terrible implications for Myanmar's stability.

Again, reports of LeT and al-Qaida infiltration among Rohingyas are popping up frequently. The instability as a result of radical politics could spread to India's north-east and even China's Yunnan province.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...er-Bangladesh-policy/articleshow/24950652.cms

Thanks bro for posting this, this is great info., good job.

I would like to ask Bangladeshi's who are more familiar with situation on the ground to analyze and verify the bold part above.

1. Is USA really more positive about BNP-Jamat, because obviously Mozena knows what is going on in Bangladesh? That is why we have US embassy and an Ambassador is sitting there in the first place, to feel the pulse of Bangladesh public opinion from grass roots level.
2. How will Nisha Desai affect things, as she is now Mozena's boss?
3. Is USA worried that Hasina will loose regardless, so USA is just being pragmatic and want to side with BNP-Jamat who are going to be in power in the next term?

Delusional Indians obviously cannot see writings in the wall and accept the reality of public opinion in Bangladesh and are still trying to prop up Hasina led AL. And USA is trying to convince them about the reality. I say it is a futile effort, knowing Indians and how their mind work.

 

[kalu_miah]

Whatever happened to edit option for posts?

"They are too far away to have a realistic view of the street," they said.

Who is this they?

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Thanks bro for posting this, this is great info., good job.

I would like to ask Bangladeshi's who are more familiar with situation on the ground to analyze and verify the bold part above.

1. Is USA really more positive about BNP-Jamat, because obviously Mozena knows what is going on in Bangladesh? That is why we have US embassy and an Ambassador is sitting there in the first place, to feel the pulse of Bangladesh public opinion from grass roots level.
2. How will Nisha Desai affect things, as she is now Mozena's boss?
3. Is USA worried that Hasina will loose regardless, so USA is just being pragmatic and want to side with BNP-Jamat who are going to be in power in the next term?

Delusional Indians obviously cannot see writings in the wall and accept the reality of public opinion in Bangladesh and are still trying to prop up Hasina led AL. And USA is trying to convince them about the reality. I say it is a futile effort, knowing Indians and how their mind work.

I think option 3 is the most likely reason, if true then this indeed is an opportunity of window provided BKZ plays her cards well, take the example of Ecuador, the U.S dint like the election result of a Russia/China leaning party coming into power but nonetheless accepted it, other notable examples are Turkey, Sri Lanka etc's , but in all this China is the panicle platform for any change that the Bangladeshis might desire, look @ Sri lanka , Chittagong is your wild card

hambantota port documentary by China

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Mozena leaves for Washington to discuss Bangladesh
Diplomatic Correspondent
US Ambassador Dan Mozena left Dhaka for Washington yesterday to brief the State Department officials about the ongoing political challenges ahead of the general election in Bangladesh, which is due in a few months.
Diplomatic sources said Mozena would also brief them about his October 23-26 visit to New Delhi where he had talks with Indian External Affairs Ministry officials, including Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, on Bangladesh’s current political challenges.
The envoy is also expected to talk with US government officials regarding restoration of Bangladesh’s trade benefits in the US market under the GSP facility which the Obama administration suspended on June 27 to press Dhaka for ensuring labour safety.
The next hearing on the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) is due to be held in Washington in December.
Sources said earlier that Mozena was expected to return to Dhaka in less than two weeks with necessary directives from Washington.

http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/mozena-leaves-for-washington-to-discuss-bangladesh/

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Amidst new violence in Bangladesh, UN chief urges restraint, respect for rule of law

31 October 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is concerned about the latest wave of deadly violence in Bangladesh ahead of parliamentary elections due by January.

“He calls on all concerned to respect the rule of law, exercise restraint and to express their views peacefully,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

Mr. Ban is hopeful that the recent steps to initiate dialogue continue, the spokesperson added, and urges all parties to ensure an environment “conducive to credible and peaceful elections.”

The latest outbreak of fighting has reportedly killed at least a dozen people and injured many others.

Earlier this year, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco said the South Asian country was witnessing “a significant increase” in the number of violent incidents after more than 30 people died and 60 others were injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital, Dhaka.

At the time, he called on all stakeholders to work together to create a conducive environment that would allow free, fair, credible, inclusive and non-violent elections to take place.

General elections in Bangladesh are due to be held within 90 days after the expiration of the Parliament, which was due to be dissolved last week in accordance with the country’s constitution. That would require elections to be held between now and the end of January 2014

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46382&Cr=Bangladesh&Cr1=#.UnNRQ1tzZjo

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Bangladesh is in a violent phase and India must do all it can

DHAKA: Bangladesh is headed for a political crisis that might impact Asia's regional balance. When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in China signing the border defence agreement and addressing future ideologues at the Chinese Communist Party school, Indian diplomats in Dhaka were desperately trying to get the two leading ladies — Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed and opposition leader Khaleda Zia — to speak to each other and start a dialogue to ensure peaceful and inclusive elections to ensure a democratic transition in Bangladesh.

Hasina finally broke the ice and offered an all-party interim cabinet comprising ruling and opposition coalitions to conduct the upcoming parliament polls. She quickly followed it up by speaking to Khaleda over telephone and extending her a dinner invite. Khaleda refused the invitation and instead decided to go ahead with a 60-hour nationwide strike that turned very violent. The 37-minute conversation was reduced to a squabble involving past actions and Khaleda's out-of-order special telephone and did little to inspire the nation's confidence.

The BNP chief stuck to her demand for restoration of a neutral non-party caretaker Hasina insisted that was not possible after the 15th constitution amendment had scrapped it and kept offering the all-party interim cabinet instead. But the BNP chief stuck to her guns, dashing the hopes of a political reconciliation. As the conversation went viral on internet and was broadcast over Dhaka-based TV stations, Bangladesh wondered what lay in store in the days ahead.

The main show had a sideshow to it — one involving the US and Indian ambassadors. Local media reports have been agog with rumours of a no-holds barred spat between the two diplomats during a breakfast meeting, following which the US envoy Dan Mozena, flew to Delhi for consultations with Indian officials. On his return to Dhaka, media reports quoting US embassy sources suggested, "India and the US were on the same page in Bangladesh." Upset with these reports, the Indian high commission and the ministry of external affairs reacted furiously. Quoting unnamed Indian diplomats, the local media reported that India and the US were "not on the same page".

Privately, Indian diplomats told journalists that Mozena was "behaving like a standing committee member of the BNP". They say he is "doing everything to bring back the BNP to power" and Khaleda is ever so determined to bring down the Hasina government through violent street protests increasingly orchestrated by the radical Jamaat-e-Islami with US encouragement.

And when media reports surfaced over India and the US being on the same page, Indian diplomats saw it as an American move to drive a wedge between India and its best friend in Dhaka, the Awami League, whose government has delivered on India's security and connectivity concerns like no government in Dhaka has ever done. India has good reasons to feel beholden to the Hasina government, though the diplomats are not oblivious to the anti-incumbency she faces. But if Washington has a choice in Dhaka, how can it deny India having a right to its own choice of a friend?

The US feels a BNP-led government will serve its strategic interests and may help it stop Chinese inroads into the country. India has reservations about the BNP after trying to unsuccessfully court it during Khaleda's 2001-06 tenure. For Delhi, the real worry is Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam.

Delhi has good reasons to fear such a dispensation as likely to be inimical to its security. India feels the US is overlooking the spectre of a revival of Islamic radicalism Bangladesh experienced when Khaleda was last in power and thus weakening the focus of the war against terror.

But the most important element in the US-India spat in Dhaka was an unnamed Indian diplomat describing the Chinese stand on the emerging political crisis in Bangladesh as "constructive". Chinese ambassador Li Jun has been more vocal than any of his predecessors. In recent weeks, he has thrice issued statements on Bangladesh's political crisis, asking "wisdom to prevail over violence" and even suggesting China was trying to mediate in the crisis through "our friends in both the parties".

China is keen to go ahead with its plans to build a deep sea port in Sonadia off the Chittagong coast. For the first time, Indian diplomats are not worried about another 'pearl in the string'. They believe Sonadia can help India access its northeast better and the whole project can fit into the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar plan to develop connectivity for increased trade, investment and commerce.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...a-must-do-all-it-can/articleshow/25044588.cms