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India like brother, China a bank manager: Bangladesh envoy
Posted at: May 31, 2018, 9:02 PM
Last updated: May 31, 2018, 9:02 PM (IST)
http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/ne...a-a-bank-manager-bangladesh-envoy/598034.html
Smita Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 31
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali on Thursday defended his country's expanding economic ties with China.
While emphasising that the spirit of 1971 could be felt with ties with India today, relations with China have grown to meet development needs of Bangladesh. In an analogy the envoy said if his brother does not have money to offer to him to purchase a car, he would go seek a loan from the bank. But the bank manager does not become a brother. The envoy was interacting with journalists at the Indian Women's Press Corps.
"We have trade and economic relations with China but we do not want to get into a debt trap. China has offered us line of credit. But it is not for free," said the envoy.
He also underlined that unlike in Sri Lanka or Myanmar, Bangladesh did not hand over the deep sea port in Chittagong to Beijing rather it is being built as a consortium by India, China and European Union. "It is being built by all to be of use to all, though the process may be a bit slow," said Ali.
The High Commissioner also expressed concerns on reports about China building dams on Brahmaputra to divert waters and advocated not just bilateral but trilateral basin management for major rivers. Asked about the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement stuck since 2011 with an unrelenting Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the high commissioner urged that it be resolved at the earliest possible.
Meanwhile, after the recent meeting between Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi in Shantiniketan, the two sides are discussing ways to coordinate siltation and dredging of Ganges and Brahmaputra for better outcomes.
The envoy also underlined that as long as 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in his country are not repatriated to Rakhine State, connectivity projects will not succeed under the BIMSTEC forum that has seven members including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Thailand and is seen as an alternate sub regional forum to SAARC.
Posted at: May 31, 2018, 9:02 PM
Last updated: May 31, 2018, 9:02 PM (IST)
http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/ne...a-a-bank-manager-bangladesh-envoy/598034.html
Smita Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 31
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali on Thursday defended his country's expanding economic ties with China.
While emphasising that the spirit of 1971 could be felt with ties with India today, relations with China have grown to meet development needs of Bangladesh. In an analogy the envoy said if his brother does not have money to offer to him to purchase a car, he would go seek a loan from the bank. But the bank manager does not become a brother. The envoy was interacting with journalists at the Indian Women's Press Corps.
"We have trade and economic relations with China but we do not want to get into a debt trap. China has offered us line of credit. But it is not for free," said the envoy.
He also underlined that unlike in Sri Lanka or Myanmar, Bangladesh did not hand over the deep sea port in Chittagong to Beijing rather it is being built as a consortium by India, China and European Union. "It is being built by all to be of use to all, though the process may be a bit slow," said Ali.
The High Commissioner also expressed concerns on reports about China building dams on Brahmaputra to divert waters and advocated not just bilateral but trilateral basin management for major rivers. Asked about the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement stuck since 2011 with an unrelenting Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the high commissioner urged that it be resolved at the earliest possible.
Meanwhile, after the recent meeting between Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi in Shantiniketan, the two sides are discussing ways to coordinate siltation and dredging of Ganges and Brahmaputra for better outcomes.
The envoy also underlined that as long as 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in his country are not repatriated to Rakhine State, connectivity projects will not succeed under the BIMSTEC forum that has seven members including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Thailand and is seen as an alternate sub regional forum to SAARC.
