Draft MoU on Indo-Bangla Defence cooperation

[Banglar Bir]

12:00 AM, April 03, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 04:27 AM, April 03, 2017
PM's Trip to Delhi: Thirty deals with India 'finalised'
http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/pms-trip-delhi-thirty-deals-india-finalised-1385569

Diplomatic Correspondent

Dhaka yesterday finalised around 30 deals, including a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral security and defence cooperation for five years, for signing during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India beginning April 7.

An inter-ministerial meeting at the foreign ministry with Secretary Md Shahidul Haque in the chair worked those out.

The much-talked about Teesta river water sharing agreement is not in the list, said meeting sources.

More deals might be signed and water sharing and Ganges barrage issues will come up prominently when Hasina holds talks with her counterpart Narendra Modi on April 8, they said.

A huge welcome awaits Hasina, said official sources, adding, “There is a lot of expectation on both sides.”

Sources in New Delhi say Bangladesh will likely be offered a third credit line, this time at least US $3.5 billion, for infrastructure projects ranging from nuclear and liquefied gas power plants to ports, railways and the establishment of special economic zones.

A high government official in Dhaka says it might be as much as $5 billion.

The credit line includes $940 million for developing a component of the Rooppur nuclear power plant, $350 million for a multi-purpose terminal at Payra port and $177 million for a power transmission line between Bogra and India's Jharkhand.

It will also include $500 million for a new railway line from Bogra to Sirajganj, $157 million for a solar power project and US $550 million for special economic zones, including at Bangladesh's Mirsarai and Payra.

There is likely to be several MoUs relating to hydro projects in Bhutan, shipbuilding and upgradation of border posts, according to sources in New Delhi.

 

[Bilal9]

12:00 AM, April 03, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 04:27 AM, April 03, 2017
PM's Trip to Delhi: Thirty deals with India 'finalised'
http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/pms-trip-delhi-thirty-deals-india-finalised-1385569

Diplomatic Correspondent

Dhaka yesterday finalised around 30 deals, including a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral security and defence cooperation for five years, for signing during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India beginning April 7.

An inter-ministerial meeting at the foreign ministry with Secretary Md Shahidul Haque in the chair worked those out.

The much-talked about Teesta river water sharing agreement is not in the list, said meeting sources.

More deals might be signed and water sharing and Ganges barrage issues will come up prominently when Hasina holds talks with her counterpart Narendra Modi on April 8, they said.

A huge welcome awaits Hasina, said official sources, adding, “There is a lot of expectation on both sides.”

Sources in New Delhi say Bangladesh will likely be offered a third credit line, this time at least US $3.5 billion, for infrastructure projects ranging from nuclear and liquefied gas power plants to ports, railways and the establishment of special economic zones.

A high government official in Dhaka says it might be as much as $5 billion.

The credit line includes $940 million for developing a component of the Rooppur nuclear power plant, $350 million for a multi-purpose terminal at Payra port and $177 million for a power transmission line between Bogra and India's Jharkhand.

It will also include $500 million for a new railway line from Bogra to Sirajganj, $157 million for a solar power project and US $550 million for special economic zones, including at Bangladesh's Mirsarai and Payra.

There is likely to be several MoUs relating to hydro projects in Bhutan, shipbuilding and upgradation of border posts, according to sources in New Delhi.

Unfortunately most of these 'deals' benefit Indian long-term planning more than they benefit Bangladesh.

When will our planners be more pro-active and actually propose things to India instead of the other way round and just signing on the dotted line?

We have little leverage against them and are unwilling to use even those to negotiate a better deal.

 

[Banglar Bir]

Patience is a virtue as ordained by Almighty, dear brother. Please be rest assured that Bangladesh will finally emerge as the Victor.

 

[asad71]

Unfortunately most of these 'deals' benefit Indian long-term planning more than they benefit Bangladesh.

When will our planners be more pro-active and actually propose things to India instead of the other way round and just signing on the dotted line?

We have little leverage against them and are unwilling to use even those to negotiate a better deal.

Heard actually there is a long list of fifty three deals to be decided. This is intended to camouflage the security pact that is the main objective of India.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

#TheIndiaDoctrine https://goo.gl/WjKW2l

#TheIndiaDoctrine https://goo.gl/WjKW2l

 

[danger007]

170 Million armed Muslims of Bangladesh. Remember this is NOT 1971. Just let them try.

170 million armed personnel? really. don't exaggerate things unnecessarily.... feel lucky for sitting at bay of bengal... Both India and Bd settled disputes peacefully... look at situation in SCS, how china controlling islands and others eez.... .

 

[Banglar Bir]

These are a few amongst my favorite personalities, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, Farhad Mazhar, Prof. Asif Nazrul,Qamrul Islam(though, I don't know him personally} and Janab MBI Munshi, all honest and real patriots. Proud son of our soil. My deepest respects to men of such high Valor.

Icons of Bangladeshi patriotism, and role model for our future generations to come.

 

[Nabil365]

170 million armed personnel? really. don't exaggerate things unnecessarily.... feel lucky for sitting at bay of bengal... Both India and Bd settled disputes peacefully... look at situation in SCS, how china controlling islands and others eez.... .

And thanks for the sediments coming from Himalayas.Amazing gift for our country's expansion!

 

[asad71]

Yes, BD does require a defense pact. That to counter the threat posed by India - military, economic and cultural. Therefore, such pact need to be with nations like China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey - nations who have a stake in our national sovereignty.

 

[The Eagle]

#TheIndiaDoctrine https://goo.gl/WjKW2l

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#TheIndiaDoctrine https://goo.gl/WjKW2l

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It will be helpful if posted with translation in English for international readers as everyone is not familiar regional language.

Thanks

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Why does Awami League repeatedly want to sell out the country?

#TheIndiaDoctrine

https://goo.gl/WjKW2l

 

[asad71]

Why does Awami League repeatedly want to sell out the country?

#TheIndiaDoctrine

https://goo.gl/WjKW2l

View attachment 388759

They have all but taken over. Why not I get some kickback/commission/cream out of it?

 

[asad71]

Sorry, in Bangla. Here BAL SG Obaidul says that they will sign any deal, including defense, if found in national interest.

 

[idune]

Sorry, in Bangla. Here BAL SG Obaidul says that they will sign any deal, including defense, if found in national interest.

First class indian dalal who got the post because being that. Awami league, its SG and its cheer leaders will bark at indian command, that is natural.

 

[Banglar Bir]

The latest Indian position,please read the Indian minds.

http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2017/04/will-bangladesh-and-india-seal-deals-ward-dragon
Will Bangladesh and India seal deals to ward off the dragon?
Posted on : April 4, 2017

As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s first bilateral visit to India in seven years draws closer, there is increased anxiety on both sides over the Teesta pact and a host of other agreements that are on the table.
Sanjay Kapoor Dhaka
It started quite suddenly as flash mobs do. Last Tuesday, a noisy group of young men clapping and shouting slogans energetically enter the placid Dhaka University campus to overwhelm the quiet chatter of students and the persistent singing of a Koel (cuckoo). Shortly thereafter, the group mutates into a boisterous demonstration with protesters demanding “direct action” against the Islamic militants engaged in a standoff with armed forces in Sylhet. The Sylhet engagement ended after three days, leaving four dead and many wounded. This was followed by another bloody face off with Islamic radicals near Dhaka, which left eight dead. The Islamic State has taken credit for these incidents.

This spike in violence provides a compelling backdrop to the possible signing of a defence agreement during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India next week. This is PM Hasina’s first bilateral visit to India in seven years. She lands on April 7.

The protesters who belonged to the ruling Awami League’s student body “Chattra league” were demanding strict action against the Islamists that they claimed were acting at the behest of Pakistan and threatening the stability of the country. Dhaka University is at the epicentre of the organised resistance against the forces that want Bangladesh to become an Islamic State. Few years ago, students and liberals organised massive protests at Shajbagh demanding death for the war criminals of the 1971 independence movement. Rajbagh movement gave legitimacy to Sheikh Hasina’s government to hang many of the war criminals.

Details of this agreement are still shrouded in secrecy as there are misgivings about it in Dhaka. Expectedly, a somnolent opposition party—Bangladesh National Party (BNP)—stirred to life as soon as reports began trickling in that Hasina could sign a defence agreement with India. BNP leaders are claiming that their country would lose its sovereignty once such an agreement is signed. They want her to extract a deal on the intractable issue of sharing of Teesta river water first, before embarking on other issues. A section within the Bangla army, it is learnt, also subscribes to the view that if it has an agreement with India then it would lose out on all the gains that would come their way by playing one country against the other. India is worried, not just by this contrived ambivalence, but also by the strategic independence that the neighbouring country is trying to exercise by responding warmly to Chinese overtures.

To put the fears of the Bangladesh military leadership to rest, Indian Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, in his first visit abroad after his recent appointment, has flew to Dhaka to engage with his counterpart and others in the defence establishment. He could draw comfort from the views of one of Sheikh Hasina’s adviser, H T Imam. An old faithful of late Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and a strong votary of closer ties with India, Imam, shared his views about the proposed agreement with a group of visiting Indian journalists to Bangladesh. He said that the agreement would be more in the nature of a pact based on co-operation, but would be different from the one that India signed with the erstwhile Soviet Union. He said, “Cooperation would mean, naturally, against external aggression, and within the country, if there are threats to the security of India or Bangladesh, naturally we will cooperate with each other.” He further explained that a serious terror attack like the standoff in Sylhet could be one such situation. Imam held Pakistan and its Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) responsible for much of the problems his country faced.

To strengthen Prime Minister Hasina’s hand, the Indian government is expected to announce the third credit line of US $5 billion. Though this amount seems to be a pittance in comparison to what Chinese President Xi Jin Ping had promised—$24 billion—during a daylong visit to Dhaka last year, this would still be useful for Bangladesh for a reason: Indian credit lines are announced without identifying a project, whereas the Chinese money comes in only after the project is zeroed down. Bangladeshi officials have displayed skepticism about their ability to absorb the Chinese grant of $24 billion, but the truth is that in Dhaka, Chinese influence is no longer confined to the menus of its restaurants.

The biggest test for Prime Minister Hasina ahead of her scheduled visit to India would be to get the Indian government to sign the water sharing agreement on Teesta river. In 2011, when the then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh travelled to Dhaka to sign many agreements, including Teesta as well as one that involved swapping territories, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerji decided to play truant. Since then she could be brought around to endorse the Land Border Agreement (LBA) during PM Modi’s visit to Dhaka, but Teesta issue remains at a standstill. Though foreign policy is a preserve of the Central government, there are aspects of the river water agreement that have to be implemented by WB’s irrigation department. Mamata also claims that an unfair water agreement will hurt the people of the state. The Bangladeshi PM knows Mamata’s political compulsions, but wants New Delhi to find a way out of this quagmire. Recently, the West Bengal CM claimed on a TV channel that the Teesta deal will be signed in May this year when Modi pays another visit to Dhaka. No one was willing to lend credibility to her assertion. She further alleged that she was not kept in the loop about these negotiations—a fact firmly denied by Indian MEA spokesman Gopal Bagley who said that she had been informed about it as part of “cooperative federalism.”

No one in Dhaka or in Delhi expects the Teesta agreement to be signed. Perhaps there is merit in keeping the agreement on hold as it would end up serving as a paradigm to sort out water sharing issues with 52 other rivers that criss-cross Bangladesh and originate from India. The Indian government, therefore, is working hard to show that its relationship with Bangladesh is not confined to fixing water issues and fighting terror. It has put together some 30 agreements that will hopefully be signed in Delhi. These include agreements that were first conceived during the botched up 2011 trip of Manmohan Singh to Dhaka. In Dhaka’s official circles, Singh’s visit and the work that had gone into putting together the draft agreements is still remembered fondly.