My point exactly. This is called "having diplomacy and tact", rather than what in Bengali is called "Khorog-hosto" or openly hostile all the time and shutting down avenues of trade.
Yes sometimes our interests and diplomatic directives will not coincide. And we must draw a line in the sand. But trade relations (to our benefit) needs to continue.
Like
@Atlas bhai said, we must resist cultural aggressions from WB which they have foisted on us (witness Chetona Gong) for over fifty years.
But they are now economically weak and largely dependent on our economy in Bangladesh (which is the point of Mamata wishing better relations (i.e. the subject of this thread).
However if we can apply leverage, the cultural influence should go the other way. And we have plenty of leverage any way you look at it. WB Hindutvas must not be allowed to succeed in WB and we should actively (overtly or covertly) help our Muslim brothers (and educated liberal Hindu folks) in WB to resist that state falling into the hands of the BJP (which is in our interest). The reason is simple, trade and business for a market of tens of crores of people.
Same process should continue in Tripura and Assam, though the latter is a lost cause of sorts, being led by diehard provincial minded Hindutva people. But part of it is our fault, because we have not actively engaged with these bordering states while Hindutvas have. Active engagement could have prevented some of these policies they undertook.
Assam at the time of partition had well over 30% Muslim population (just like WB) however nowadays thanks to BJP influence they are trying all kinds of nasty ethnic cleansing exercises, which may become issues for us, especially when our economy is doing better than these bordering areas and we have a refugee problem.
I am not naively asking that WB, Tripura or Assamese/Meghaloy folks be given no-visa access, but diplomatic avenues should be open and patronization from our side should be ongoing for trade.
Our companies are doing good business in WB, Assam, Tripura (Pran Foods, Rahimafrooz, others) and Pran Foods even have packaging plants in these places. More Bangladeshi manufactured products should go to these areas, while we can utilize their raw materials (forest/agri produce/clinker) to add value within our borders. This makes supreme economic sense.
This arrangement is completely in contrast with what the Indian center wants, which is open up Bangladesh with transit, so Indian industrialists can control the trade in WB and these seven sisters states. That is not what should be in Bangladesh' interest. never has been and never will.
While I realize
@mb444 bhai's cautionary approach, you cannot severe lines of communications even with sworn enemies.
When "Faida Uthana" game is on, if you are not actively in a position of lifting Faida somewhere (like exacting mutual economic trade and goals in these states to our benefit) someone else (Indian Baniyas) will do their Faida lifting with you (meaning us in Bangladesh). I'd rather not be in a position for us to be exploited in Bangladesh by Indian Banyas.
No one expects people of these bordering states to forego their religious/political interests but trade detente can continue, and ACTIVELY, PROVIDED it is for our interest.
