Imported crude oil from India reaches Narsingdi

[Cheepek]

Ofcourse, big bro to rescue again.
But always keep in mind, it's all till the time Sheikh Hasina is in power.

Won't be surprised if we help BD in managing their BOP crises later, if incase it becomes troublesome.

 

[Wergeland]

Its no other party than the USA who is allowing this. That is parts and parcel of socalled indo-Pacific strategy. No sanctions on India for buying Russian oil. India can use that to increase its influence in neighbourhood and South East Asia, at Chinas cost.

For America its far better to have two major powers to handle, than to have one superpower that is on the verge of eclipsing US Hard Power within next 20 years. Recent Sanction waiver for buying Russian S-400 batteries is another proof of this strategy.

 

[fallstuff]

True that, but that was then and I and many other BD’shis heavily criticised Modi and India over this.

That is the past and we need to move on.

Both India and BD have a great future as long as they work together for mutual benefits.

Bangladesh can't ignore India as it is a larger country covering three sides of Bangladesh.

Relationship between the two countries is transactional, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The bilateral trade volume favors India but that's because Bangladesh buys mostly essentials such as raw material for the garments industry and food items.
People from Bangladesh traveling to India for medical care is getting a better deal than Bangladesh because sometimes it costs twice as much for lesser quality in Bangladesh.

Having said that I just don't see the need for Bangladesh to borrow billions of dollars to build infrastructure that supports Indian connectivity while Bangladesh pays for it.
I personally think Hasina has been doing a good job in balancing the relationship.

Unfortunately present Indian government thrives by nurturing communal tension, so I think even if Hasina shows further good faith, BJP government will not respond in kind.

 

[Bilal9]

Relationship between the two countries is transactional, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

BINGO! Best comment about India Bangladesh relations I have heard in a long while.

Any BS such as Sanghis feigning they're doing us a favor - is just BS. Period.

 

[UKBengali]

Bangladesh can't ignore India as it is a larger country covering three sides of Bangladesh.

Relationship between the two countries is transactional, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The bilateral trade volume favors India but that's because Bangladesh buys mostly essentials such as raw material for the garments industry and food items.
People from Bangladesh traveling to India for medical care is getting a better deal than Bangladesh because sometimes it's cost twice as much for lesser quality in Bangladesh.

Having said that I just don't see the need for Bangladesh to borrow billions of dollars to build infrastructure that supports Indian connectivity while Bangladesh pays for it.
I personally think Hasina has been doing a good job in balancing the relationship.

Unfortunately present Indian government thrives by nurturing communal tension, so I think even if Hasina shows further good faith, BJP government will not respond in kind.

How is BD spending billions for BD connectivity that mainly benefits India?

Can we have some examples here?

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@UKBengali

UKB Dada,

the extremely close relations that BD and India now have.

This is the kind of relations that all neighbours ought to have- even closer and better if feasible. Especially in South Asia.

Indians refused to honor COVID Vaccine purchase agreement after receiving payment.

I certainly dont wish to defend India on this, but do keep in mind that the govt and the whole country was shaken up by the heavy death toll that the country faced in Apr-Jun 2021

Regards

 

[Bengal71]

Bangladesh can't ignore India as it is a larger country covering three sides of Bangladesh.

Relationship between the two countries is transactional, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The bilateral trade volume favors India but that's because Bangladesh buys mostly essentials such as raw material for the garments industry and food items.
People from Bangladesh traveling to India for medical care is getting a better deal than Bangladesh because sometimes it's cost twice as much for lesser quality in Bangladesh.

Having said that I just don't see the need for Bangladesh to borrow billions of dollars to build infrastructure that supports Indian connectivity while Bangladesh pays for it.
I personally think Hasina has been doing a good job in balancing the relationship.

Unfortunately present Indian government thrives by nurturing communal tension, so I think even if Hasina shows further good faith, BJP government will not respond in kind.

Yeah I agree with this. We have given them transshipment for negligible price, even then they don't pay properly. There is simply no need to give them transit while our roads and infrastructure will be used by them too, for what benefit? Yes we need co-operation, we need a working relationship where both sides benefit but in the name of integration we don't need to open our borders to Indians. I don't want to see Indians speaking in Hindi in streets, market places and bazars. Have a transactional relationship where both party can benefit, co-operate on geopolitical matters where we can be on the same page and that's about it.

 

[UKBengali]

Yeah I agree with this. We have given them transshipment for negligible price, even then they don't pay properly. There is simply no need to give them transit while our roads and infrastructure will be used by them too, for what benefit? Yes we need co-operation, we need a working relationship where both sides benefit but in the name of integration we don't need to open our borders to Indians. I don't want to see Indians speaking in Hindi in streets, market places and bazars. Have a transactional relationship where both party can benefit, co-operate on geopolitical matters where we can be on the same page and that's about it.

They need to be made to pay properly of course.

Leverage of course. The more dependent that India becomes on BD goodwill like keeping transit rights open, the more leverage BD has over India.

Hasina knows what she is doing.

 

[Bengal71]

They need to be made to pay properly of course.

Leverage of course. The more dependent that India becomes on BD goodwill like keeping transit rights open, the more leverage BD has over India.

Hasina knows what she is doing.

They will never pay properly, it's not going to happen. And that's not the only thing, I don't want BD getting flooded with visa free Indians in BD, I don't think majority of Bdeshis want that either. You also need to remember India itself is a third world country, they need to seek rizq for their own hundreds of millions of people, if we allow they will take it and it will cause serious problems in the employment market within BD. I already want the immigration rules tightened and thousands of illegal Indians working and sending money via hundi kicked out.

I simply don't see any benefit for BD in doing this.

 

[UKBengali]

They will never pay properly, it's not going to happen. And that's not the only thing, I don't want BD getting flooded with visa free Indians in BD, I don't think majority of Bdeshis want that either. You also need to remember India itself is a third world country, they need to seek rizq for their own hundreds of millions of people, if we allow they will take it and it will cause serious problems in the employment market within BD. I already want the immigration rules tightened and thousands of illegal Indians working and sending money via hundi kicked out.

I simply don't see any benefit for BD in doing this.

That is a good point you make but I fail to see how transit will flood BD with Indians in due course as long as the system is implemented properly.

There needs to be a robust system where every truck driver etc can be tracked as they transit through BD to NE and the other way round. Anyway I fail to see how much more attractive BD will be for India truck drivers that are earning a decent living already. This may change in 10-15 years if BD economy outperforms Indian economy by a significant margin(2%+ extra GDP growth per annum).

If BD wants access rights to hydroelectric power from Nepal and Bhutan that it needs to power its economy, then it needs to give transit to India on a quid-pro-quo basis.

It cannot have the former without giving the latter.


PS - Visa free Indians? Those involved in transit will get special passes to pass through and cannot get off apart from at motorway service stations or go anywhere else in BD without special permission or emergency(accident).

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@UKBengali

UKB Dada,

If BD wants access rights to hydroelectric power from Nepal and Bhutan that it needs to power its economy,

Hopefully Ekattor dada (@Bengal71) wont oppose these transmission lines saying that illegal Indians will swing down those lines to come to BD?

 

[Destranator]

Money is in short supply to build all these refineries and stockyards after the govt built projects that can be photographed for the public to see and praise. A very cheap stunt that will backfire.

The private sector should invest and build, the govt should incentivise and regulate. There is always demand for refined oil all around the world. We can aim to export any excess.

 

[UKBengali]

@UKBengali

UKB Dada,

If BD wants access rights to hydroelectric power from Nepal and Bhutan that it needs to power its economy,

Hopefully Ekattor dada (@Bengal71) wont oppose these transmission lines saying that illegal Indians will swing down those lines to come to BD?

I am a bit perplexed as to why so many BD'shis are against transit right to India.


Without this then the dream of creating a free trade area in the region of 400 million people where goods,service and energy can flow freely is a non-starter.


Some BD'shis were recently saying that Padma Bridge was built mainly to cater to transit for India.

 

[Bengal71]

That is a good point you make but I fail to see how transit will flood BD with Indians in due course as long as the system is implemented properly.

There needs to be a robust system where every truck driver etc can be tracked as they transit through BD to NE and the other way round. Anyway I fail to see how much more attractive BD will be for India truck drivers that are earning a decent living already. This may change in 10-15 years if BD economy outperforms Indian economy by a significant margin(2%+ extra GDP growth per annum).

If BD wants access rights to hydroelectric power from Nepal and Bhutan that it needs to power its economy, then it needs to give transit to India on a quid-pro-quo basis.

It cannot have the former without giving the latter.


PS - Visa free Indians? Those involved in transit will get special passes to pass through and cannot get off apart from at motorway service stations or go anywhere else in BD without special permission or emergency(accident).

There are several issues. You are assuming that things will be implemented correctly, I can assure you it never will, it is BD, it's not Japan, Germany or Netherlands. Special passes and let them in and they can't get off except petrol stations? Who is going to monitor them throughout several 100 KMs? Smuggling will happen, illegals will come in through the trucks. It's too risky and the problems far outweigh the benefits (there is none actually). Another thing Hasina did was totally not required and was actually blunder is gigivng them access to Chittagong and Mongla ports where we ourselves have acute port capacity issues.

Besides, for what exact benefit we should allow Indian trucks to pass through BD, why can't we do transshipment which is happening now. I also don't agree with the idea of producing electricity in Nepal or Bhutan, electricity power plants are strategic and there should never be a dependancy on other countries for it even if it's only 5%. I never agreed with Hasina's policy of getting Indian or Nepalese/Bhutanese electricity. If we can produce 95% of our needs in BD, it's not too hard to do 100%, this was simply not needed.

I also don't agree that BD can't further develop without the help of India, there is no merit to this argument. We have developed to the current point with our own hard work and there is no argument or logic that we can't develop further without India's help. Yes, we need market access etc in India but that should be dealt with in a transactional manner, we allow their goods, they allow our goods. We don't need to go gung ho about it.

In terms of benefiting BD, I am as pragmatic as it gets. I will deal with anybody if there is a benefit to be had. I don't see any benefit in what you are proposing which can't otherwise be reaped without giving those things to India.

@UKBengali

UKB Dada,

If BD wants access rights to hydroelectric power from Nepal and Bhutan that it needs to power its economy,

Hopefully Ekattor dada (@Bengal71) wont oppose these transmission lines saying that illegal Indians will swing down those lines to come to BD?

It is not to be taken as an offense, I don't have any childish hatred/dislike for anybody be they Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese or the Martians.

Hydroelectric in Nepal and Bhutan was a bad idea, it was not required. Hasina is a good policy maker but nobody is infallible, I don't agree with what she did with this one.

 

[bluesky]

The private sector should invest and build, the govt should incentivise and regulate. There is always demand for refined oil all around the world. We can aim to export any excess.

The total money volume is the same. If the govt borrows from Banks and sells its Bonds in the market, then money needed for the private enterprises becomes in short supply.

This has been happening in BD for two decades.

Private people are not encouraged by the govt authorities. No private company has that much strength, both in capital and market, without the govt support.

The govt bodies have also a solemn duty to purchase the goods produced by the private sector. It is more needed when an industry is in its childhood.