Exploit strategic location: Hillary to Bangladesh

[eastwatch]

What is your source regarding the reserve of oil and gas at the bay of bengal? 18 billion barrels of oil and 200 trillion cft gas combinedly represent more then 50 billion barrels of oil which has a market price more then 5 trillion usd which is pretty significant.

The following article is little old. But, it says about the probable reserves of gas and oil in the Bay. By the way, value of 18 billion barrels is about $2.0 trillion at $120 per Barrel, and 200 trillion cft of gas is about $1 trillion @$5/1000 cft. So, in total, the value is about $3 trillion.

The news report does not seem to be saying that all the reserves lie in the BD territory, although it implies that the reserves lie in the disputed territory between BD and Burma. However, much of that disputed territory has been awarded to BD recently. Case in example is the area about 32 km south-west of St. Martin Island. Burma sent south Korean exploration ships in that area in December, 2008 during Caretaker govt. Burma had to leave the place because of a possible war.



Bay of Bengal
by Klaus Dodds

A territorial dispute is being played out in the Bay of Bengal between neighbouts Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma). Last November, both sides dispatched naval vessels to the disputed region, which is centred close to an island called St Martin's. Diplomatic sources in Bangladesh said that Burmese ships had entered into 'Bangladesh waters', and urged the vessels to withdraw so that negotiations on maritime jurisdiction could take place. Troops on both sides of the shared border were said to be on high alert.

The Bay of Bengal forms part of the northeastern segment of the Indian Ocean, and is bordered by Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and the northern tip of Indonesia. It occupies an area of more than two million square kilometres, and numerous rivers, including the Ganges, flow into the bay itself.

While the current dispute is over territory, its roots lie in what is believed to be under that territory: vast oil and gas reserves. Estimates suggest that there could be as much as 18 billion barrels of oil and up to 200 trillion cubic feet (5.7 trillion cubic metres) of gas located in two blocks under the bay. India, Bangladesh and Myanmar are all already exploiting these resources to varying degrees, and all three are continuing to search for new reserves to develop.

 

[ebr77]

Transit is bad for Bangladesh and good for India. It will give a cheaper route for them to NE Bangladesh while polluting Bangladesh air with diesel fuel. Secondly they will use the same route to connect with ASEAN, while we have no route to Myanmar at present time, which means if we want to connect to ASEAN we will need to go through Indian land.

Providing transit also means a strategic threat, as idune Bhai and others pointed out, they can use the road to cut off Chittagong and take over and we don't have the army to resist that.

So till we get a balance of power achieved in our country, by bringing in China, ASEAN, Japan and Korea in the mix, to offset the imbalance created by influence from India, we cannot afford to be careless while we loose economically as well as strategically. Till we reach a BOP situation, we are in no position to provide transit:
Balance of power in international relations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bhai no disrespect. India will of course look for it's benefit, while we can also look how it will benefit us and not harm us anymore than we can absorb at a time. Myanmar is not yet a stable country yet. We need to put more effort on them. Transit can be given when we are sure that we can and there is benefit for us as well.
Strategic threat:look at the map. BD is surrounded all three sides by India, they have a powerful Navy in BoB and in Indian Ocean. They didn't build all this in one day. BD armed forces need to go a long way before we can compare with them neck to neck. Our forces are good a defense and guirella tactics, but still they can do a lot more harm to us if they want to. This is the real thing. Why to compare what we can do to each other what we can destroy of each other. Lets compare what we can build and prosper as humans for the sake of humanity.
Too many cooks spoils the broth- that is a old saying. India, China, they are our regional partners. Pakistani Businessmen are also taking a interest in our country's industrial sector. Why to make the water muddy man by bringing everyone else at the same time.

 

[kalu_miah]

Bhai no disrespect. India will of course look for it's benefit, while we can also look how it will benefit us and not harm us anymore than we can absorb at a time. Myanmar is not yet a stable country yet. We need to put more effort on them. Transit can be given when we are sure that we can and there is benefit for us as well.
Strategic threat:look at the map. BD is surrounded all three sides by India, they have a powerful Navy in BoB and in Indian Ocean. They didn't build all this in one day. BD armed forces need to go a long way before we can compare with them neck to neck. Our forces are good a defense and guirella tactics, but still they can do a lot more harm to us if they want to. This is the real thing. Why to compare what we can do to each other what we can destroy of each other. Lets compare what we can build and prosper as humans for the sake of humanity.
Too many cooks spoils the broth- that is a old saying. India, China, they are our regional partners. Pakistani Businessmen are also taking a interest in our country's industrial sector. Why to make the water muddy man by bringing everyone else at the same time.

If you understood BoP is from the above wiki article you would not say what you did, please try to understand it. It is one of the basic principle of International Relations among nation states.

By the grace of Allah (SWT), we have a not so small (around 150 miles) border with Myanmar and road is not difficult to build (only 23 km to connect the two country road network and then repair internal roads in Myanmar), when balance is achieved in our internal politics using additional external influence. ASEAN is a dynamic region and is not infested with Brahmin Hindutva Supremacists whose goal in life is to wipe out Islam and Muslims from the face of the earth.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Bhai no disrespect. India will of course look for it's benefit, while we can also look how it will benefit us and not harm us anymore than we can absorb at a time. Myanmar is not yet a stable country yet. We need to put more effort on them. Transit can be given when we are sure that we can and there is benefit for us as well.
Strategic threat:look at the map. BD is surrounded all three sides by India, they have a powerful Navy in BoB and in Indian Ocean. They didn't build all this in one day. BD armed forces need to go a long way before we can compare with them neck to neck. Our forces are good a defense and guirella tactics, but still they can do a lot more harm to us if they want to. This is the real thing. Why to compare what we can do to each other what we can destroy of each other. Lets compare what we can build and prosper as humans for the sake of humanity.
Too many cooks spoils the broth- that is a old saying. India, China, they are our regional partners. Pakistani Businessmen are also taking a interest in our country's industrial sector. Why to make the water muddy man by bringing everyone else at the same time.

How can you be so certain that it'll "benefit" all? There is tremendous future potential for Myanmar-Bangladesh trade, they have a lot of resources.

The thing is, the transit linking with India has little or no clarification. Particularly with the current government (which partly survives on Indian prescription). And of-course, it'll take a lot of infrastructure and money to support it.

Do you think the whole thing is even realistic? Or that it'll yield favorable returns on investment on our part?

See, we won't see many reports regarding the issue, other than mere opinions. The Indian minister's recent visit was completely meaningless.

Do not confuse opinions with facts. Patience pays off.

 

[scholseys]

Bhai no disrespect. India will of course look for it's benefit, while we can also look how it will benefit us and not harm us anymore than we can absorb at a time. Myanmar is not yet a stable country yet. We need to put more effort on them. Transit can be given when we are sure that we can and there is benefit for us as well.
Strategic threat:look at the map. BD is surrounded all three sides by India, they have a powerful Navy in BoB and in Indian Ocean. They didn't build all this in one day. BD armed forces need to go a long way before we can compare with them neck to neck. Our forces are good a defense and guirella tactics, but still they can do a lot more harm to us if they want to. This is the real thing. Why to compare what we can do to each other what we can destroy of each other. Lets compare what we can build and prosper as humans for the sake of humanity.
Too many cooks spoils the broth- that is a old saying. India, China, they are our regional partners. Pakistani Businessmen are also taking a interest in our country's industrial sector. Why to make the water muddy man by bringing everyone else at the same time.

Myanmar is more stable than Bangladesh in the current climate, even the British Prime Minister Myanmar visited that nation lately and Hillary went lesbo with their Hasina not so long ago

 

[Zabaniyah]

Myanmar is more stable than Bangladesh in the current climate, even the British Prime Minister Myanmar visited that nation lately and Hillary went lesbo with their Hasina not so long ago

There are some armed rebel movements in the country.

 

[bindaas]

There are some armed rebel movements in the country.

Most of the insurgents in Myanmar are busy in striking peace deals. Its miracle time in Myanmar.

 

[scholseys]

There are some armed rebel movements in the country.

small time...india has it as well...nothing to be worried about.

 

[Zabaniyah]

I also heard that you can actually freely carry a polybag full of money in Yangon with no worries

Imagine that in Dhaka...

 

[Black Widow]

If it is business and trade the Chinese border is about 6,000km away from BD. The route is through BoB, Indian Ocean, Malakka Strait and South Pacific to Shanghai. So, China is a far away neighbour when it is a question of trade. BD is certainly not located in a strategically located point in consideration of a trade scenerio with China.

I don't think any American will talk something favoring China, So China is not in picture. If we leave china apart, which we should, BD can get access to Asian countries and that is a good point.


Many American firms operate in India, They can get access to Asian Market (Alternative route). Any Investment in Infrastuvture is good. India is able to make world class roads (After A B Bajpai's GQ project India has seen many world class road). India can share its expertise with BD, hence BD can achieve good infrastructure.


I am upset by seeing Jamati views, Why these Anti govt Jamati believe that India is root of all there issue???? Grow up kids, If you hate us, we can ignore you. India offer relation of equality,Accept it


@Experience from Pakistan: US-Pak relation was not relation of equal. Pakistan wanted to use against India, USA used Pakistan against Soviet. Pakistan wanted to be used and thrown, so they got it. In case of BD-India-USA, we all are country with high dignity and sovereignty, We will not let us use by any country and will not use any coutry as proxy, so that fear is useless..

If you understood BoP is from the above wiki article you would not say what you did, please try to understand it. It is one of the basic principle of International Relations among nation states.

By the grace of Allah (SWT), we have a not so small (around 150 miles) border with Myanmar and road is not difficult to build (only 23 km to connect the two country road network and then repair internal roads in Myanmar), when balance is achieved in our internal politics using additional external influence. ASEAN is a dynamic region and is not infested with Brahmin Hindutva Supremacists whose goal in life is to wipe out Islam and Muslims from the face of the earth.

Oh Lord, You are such Kattar (fundamentalist) Person. I never knew how much you hate Hindus. From where you generate this much venom???

 

[Zabaniyah]

I swear, some of you guys are blowing this topic out of epic proportions

Hillary spoke to Hasina for thirty minutes, and spoke to Khaleda Zia for one hour. See how Hasina would feel?

Ultimately, she came to see Dr. Yunus And she recommended that the two begums seek compromise (which is unlikely to happen).

 

[Vinod2070]

I have been sending post after post for the past few years in the PDF that BD's unique geographical location has made it very important, only to be rebuffed by the bigmouth Indians. Now, at least I am happy that my view is being endorsed by none other than Hillary Clinton. The jealous poor Indians should come out with big processions in all their big cities to protest her assertion about their small neighbour Bangladesh.

Remember Indians, today or tomorrow, Bangladesh economic might will surpass that of India. Our living standard and also Pakistan's are much higher, at present, than the Indian one, though.

Well, at present you are an LDC and all other countries in South Asia give you concessions.

You HDI is the lowest, per capita income the lowest (less than half of India in PPP terms) and poverty and corruption is the highest.

You lurch from one political and human crisis to the other. The biggest one (of global warming) is always looming on the horizon.

We have nothing against BD. Just don't obsess about India.

BD has significance. Obviously much more for Bangladeshis than others. For India it is not the highest priority though it can occupy higher attention if it overcomes its pathetic politics and forms some sort of national consensus on critical issues and not depend on which Begum is in power.

Yes, I am aware of India's landmass and population. But, India is infested with Jatpat and other social evils. This can also be seen on the factory floors. India is too big to be developed by the central govt planning. But, the GoI does not allow decentralization. On the other hand, BD is small and homogeneous with one language.

The two factors you have mentioned are not enough to take India to the front seat of progress. Think of Japan, its GDP is $5 trillion with a population of 140 million, while, India's is only $1.2 trillion with a population of 1200 million. Think of England. It has much higher GDP than India while the population figure is much smaller than India. So, only bigger population and land mass do not necessarily guarantee a larger economy.

Nationalism is very important for a country. We have more nationalism than the Indians because we have been exploited by the non-Bangali Pakistanis and now being bullied daily by the Indians. This has become a component to build up a strong nationalism in Bangladesh. Since we have already started to build up our country's economy, there will be a time when our's will surpass that of Pakistan, then the India's, and our next target will be the economy of England.

The last country had enslaved our people for about two centuries, and had made us landless peasants with the help of our enighbouring society. We must take over them, too. So, India is our immediate target, but, England will be our final target. This dream will certainly come true, because in our effort towards our economic goal countries like USA and Japan have shown willingness to lend their assistance.

Don't worry about our "Jatpat", worry about which all sects are "wajib ul qatl".

Your wet dreams are condemned to remain just that.

 

[Vinod2070]

Oh Lord, You are such Kattar (fundamentalist) Person. I never knew how much you hate Hindus. From where you generate this much venom???

It is self loathing. A sign of inadequacy.

Such people are sick. We should treat them as such.

His biggest fear is not that Hindus' "goal in life is to wipe out Islam and Muslims from the face of the earth.", it is that we ignore them so totally.

Do you even understand the meaning of your country's "strategic position"? Why & what causes it to be so? It is not unique by itself, it's position next to India & close to China through Myanmar make it so. For BD to exploit it's strategic location it must necessarily be on good terms with those countries that make it strategic. If as you say, you are going to be dismissive of India, I'm afraid you are in for a rude shock. Your position immediately becomes that of any other country; nothing strategic or unique! In your rush to vilify India, you forget that India is part of the reason your are strategic. Without India, you are not.

Hit the nail on the head.

The "strategic location" can be a curse more than a boon.

 

[kalu_miah]

The eager beaver Indians constantly and feverishly keep posting in Bangladesh defense threads to show how they "IGNORE" Bangladesh. Good going.

 

[jaunty]

The eager beaver Indians constantly and feverishly keep posting in Bangladesh defense threads to show how they "IGNORE" Bangladesh. Good going.

Stop the "bash India" campaign of yours in the BD section