India-Banladesh Relations improving more?!

[DesiGuy]

NEW DELHI: In another goodwill gesture, India said it would stop work on the Tipaimukh dam project which had caused resentment in Bangladesh.

India had earlier announced construction of a 1,500MW hydroelectric dam on the Barak river in the north-east. The river flows into Bangladesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Apart from that, India will also supply 250MW of electricity to Bangladesh over and above the 100MW agreed to last year.

New Delhi sought to address Dhaka’s concerns with regard to non-tariff barriers by agreeing to remove these on many more items. At the wide-ranging talks here between the two leaders, the two sides reached a number of decisions to revive the traditional links of connectivity, which included the Akhaura-Agartala railway line.

As announced earlier, the two sides signed five agreements, three of them a nod to India’s primary concerns on security and terrorism. They were on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, agreement on transfer of sentenced persons and an agreement on combating international terrorism, organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.

On Monday, Hasina and Singh met for delegation level talks in the evening, with the two leaders meeting in a one-on-one basis before the talks.

In a speech, the Bangladesh PM said, “I can give you this assurance that Bangladesh is committed to eliminating all forms of terrorism from within its territory.” The talks focused on terror, trade and investment, boundary and particularly water sharing. At the banquet held in her honour, Sheikh Hasina stressed on a water agreement, reminding India of the Ganges water treaty of 1996 .

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...W-power-to-Bangladesh/articleshow/5434901.cms

 

[DesiGuy]

Taking the current bonhomie with the Sheikh Hasina government to a new level, PM Manmohan Singh on Monday announced a $1 billion line
of credit for Bangladesh, the highest one-time line of credit assistance to any country by India.

Authorities described the aid as an apt reciprocation to the cooperation received from Bangladesh in dealing with terrorism and insurgency since Sheikh Hasina came back to power.

The credit will aid infrastructural development in that country, including building railway bridges, supply of locomotives and assistance in dredging.

Sheikh Hasina assured that no anti-India activity would be allowed to be carried out from the country. Sources said security was one of the most important issues on which the two sides agreed to actively cooperate.

During his meeting with Sheikh Hasina, Singh said her visit had opened a new chapter in India-Bangladesh ties leading to “complete unity of heart and mind”.

In another goodwill gesture, India said it would stop work on the Tipaimukh dam project which had caused resentment in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was inundated by official meetings through the day but her family had other social obligations.

The PM's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Hossain Putul, accompanied by their aunt Sheikh Rehana and her children, called on the Gandhi family to revive an old connection that had become rusty with disuse.

Sheikha Hasina came bearing mouth-watering gifts — Bangladesh’s famous hilsa fish from the Padma river, which they swear is tastier than the Indian hilsa from the Ganga.

In return, Sheikh Hasina will probably be gifted a little bit of West Bengal
when railway minister Mamata Banerjee gifts her a ‘Dhonekhali’ saree, a speciality of the state and a variety she personally prefers, along with some of Kolkata’s ‘notun gurer shondesh’.

India to give Bangladesh $1bn line of credit - India - The Times of India

 

[DesiGuy]

India
and Bangladesh are poised to take bilateral ties to a new level of trust. Tarun Das, former chief mentor of CII, outlines an agenda for cementing ties.
India has already allowed duty-free imports from Least Developed Countries into India, including Bangladesh — it can also remove all para-tariff and non-tariff barriers on imports from Dhaka.

Jointly improve infrastructure at land-border customs posts for smooth, speedy movement of goods.

Expand imports of textiles, leather products, jute, paper products, ceramics, seafood, cement and other items through a special outreach programme — Buy Bangladesh Project.

Issue of business visas should be streamlined. Select-industry associations could play a role in the process of recommendation.

Agriculture cooperation to enhance productivity and efficiency, especially in the food-supply chain. Joint development of micro-industry and rural micro-financing can benefit rural population.

Collaboration in setting up of educational and skills-training centres in Dhaka to help building HR capacity. JVs in healthcare facilities in Bangladesh for expansion of health infrastructure.

Multimodal transport for efficient movement of people and productivity enhancement in transportation. India could use Chittagong port for export-import trade.

Joint investment in integrated development of jute industry will be mutually beneficial. Sharing of technology and competency in textiles to develop export markets.

Cooperation in water would promote hydroelectricity, irrigation, and rainwater harvesting. Jointly build integrated electricity-grid for trans-border power sharing.

Cooperation in disaster management through a joint fund and organization for faster response to natural calamities.
Art, culture and sports are areas for intense exchanges — partnerships for people-to-people links needed.

A joint green agenda for setting up of green buildings, factories, schools in Bangladesh; work for progress in climate change action agenda. Assist Dhaka in setting up of a Green Development Institute.

Promotion of tourism between Bangladesh and the adjoining states in India will be highly beneficial. Teacher-student exchanges on a regular basis to build understanding and cross-fertilization of ideas.

‘Young Indians’ could help build ‘Young Bangladeshi’ organizations for cooperation at the level of ‘Young Entrepreneurs and Executives’.

A ‘Centre of Excellence’ should be set up in Bangladesh, only for SME competitiveness and development, on the Chandigarh model.

Shared action on standards through links between standards institutes, with involvement of the industry, would be helpful.

Extend transit facilities for Dhaka’s trade with other Saarc nations like Bhutan and Nepal. Extend a line of credit of $1 billion to Dhaka to help it augment its resources.

The important issue is to have a focus. To work to deadlines, to make up for lost time in building trust and mutual confidence. The need is to raise joint ambitions to build a new future together.

24-pt wishlist for Indo-Bangla ties - India - The Times of India