Round The World
New
Delhi, 20 January 2015
Turmoil
In Bangladesh
INDIA MUST KEEP PROMISES
By Ashok B
Sharma
Peace and development in India is
possible, if there is peace and stability in the immediate neighbourhood. India, being the major economy in South Asia is of course the main driver of growth in the
region with its output of about 70%, but the performance of other countries in
the region is the contributing factor.
Notwithstanding the continuing
global slowdown, the aggregate growth in the economy of South
Asia had remained steadfast after suffering an initial dip. It is
expected to grow at 4.9% in 2014 as per latest UN survey and is projected to
grow at 5.4%.
Let us not forget that though India is a major economy in the region, two of
its immediate neighbours – Sri Lanka
and Bangladesh
are growing at a much faster rate. While India
is slated to grow at 5 odd percentage points, Sri
Lanka and Bangladesh
have maintained a strong growth rate of 7.8% and 6.2%.
After the recent political
developments in Sri Lanka,
the Sirisena government is on the job of pushing for more political and
economic reforms to ensure the island country’s stability. But the recent
happenings of a series of street protests in Bangladesh that began from January
5 leading to violence like hurling of petrol bombs, cocktails at buses and
trains, uprooting railway tracks, derailing trains, attacks on other vehicles
and firing at law enforcement offices’ have raised definite concerns. The
attacks are led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of Begum Khaleda Zia and
Jammat-e-Islami, which boycotted the January 2014 polls that brought Begum
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League to power.
In reference to the developments
across its borders, India
has expressed its intention not to interfere in the matter and has left it to
the government and the people of Bangladesh “to determine what sort
of a society they want and what are the issues that they face.” That said India wants peace, stability and democracy in Bangladesh.
But India cannot just wash off its
hands and remain a mere spectator. It has to honour its longstanding
commitments to Bangladesh
like the Land Boundary Agreement that envisages the transfers of enclaves and
lands in adverse possessions on the 4,156 km border and also sharing of Teesta
waters. The Bill on Land Boundary Agreement is also cleared by the
department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee to be passed in both the
Houses of the Parliament. There is a need to pass this Bill!
Similarly, the sharing of Teesta
waters should be immediately implemented. The main opposition in the country to
sharing of Teesta has come from the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
who seems to have a different political agenda and vote bank politics in mind.
It seems there are a similar political forces working in the Indian side in West Bengal that is preventing Mamata from going ahead
with the accord on sharing of Teesta waters. However, it is the responsibility
of the central leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overcome the hurdles
posed by Mamata & co and go ahead on sharing of the waters.
India had shown its
extraordinary statesmanship and diplomacy in agreeing to the verdict of the
international body on the settlement of maritime dispute between the two
countries, even though it had to part with some of its rights. Similar
statesmanship is needed to be demonstrated by New Delhi
in this hour of crisis for Shiekh Hasina, who is perceived to be a friend of India. It’s
pertinent to note, in context, the recent utterances of Prime Minister Modi –
“Bangabandhu created Bangladesh
and his daughter Sheikh Hasina saved Bangladesh.” If Modi means to live
up to his utterances, he needs to honour his commitments!
Apart from river Teesta there are 53
common rivers between the two countries. There should be agreements between the
two countries for adequate water sharing and for facilitating trans-border
water transport.
Peace and stability in Bangladesh is crucial for peace and stability in
the region including India.
Let us not forget the recent Burdwan blast that has Bangladeshi connection. The
Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri had declared to bring the Indian
sub-continent, including Bangladesh
within the ambit of the outfit’s operation. Several home grown Bangladeshi
militant outfits such as Harkatul Zihad, JMBA, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Ansarullah,
Taleban and Hizbut Tahrir are already active and are giving Sheikh Hasina
challenging moments.
Dhaka and New
Delhi took significant steps to formalise security arrangements
during the visit of Sheikh Hasina to India in January 2010 by inking
agreements on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, transfer of
sentenced persons and on combating international terrorism, organised crime and
illicit drug trafficking and also signed a coordinated border management plan.
Subsequently, Extradition Treaty was signed in January 2013 between the two
countries. There are two joint task forces in operation, namely for combating
smuggling of fake currency notes and for curbing human trafficking.
With such agreements in place, the
two countries are better placed to handle terrorism. India
should help Bangladesh
in tracing the war criminals of 1971 Liberation War if they are illegally
taking shelter in the country. Bangladesh
should also crackdown on insurgent elements, if they are taking shelter on its
soil and operating their activities in northeast India. It should also speed up the
extradition process of the insurgent Anup Chetia.
Bangladesh has adopted Vision 2001
Document to transform the country into a middle income, science and technology
based society and a Digital Bangladesh. It has miles to go. Cooperation with India and it’s all round connectivity in the
region including India, Nepal and Bhutan as stipulated by Sheikh
Hasina is crucial. The Palatana Power Project in Tripura and export of 100 MW
power to Bangladesh
is a unique example of power cooperation. Also there are three border haats to facilitate land route trade,
namely at Kalaichar (India)-Baliamari
(Bangladesh), Balat (India)-Dolora (Bangladesh
and the latest one linking Purba Madhugram in Bangladesh. The two countries can
explore the possibilities of reviving old road and rail links that were in
vogue in the British colonial regime. Bangladesh
can explore possibilities of investing in generation of hydro-power in
north-east India
and subsequently its export.
Let us not forget that most of the
positive developments in the region took place between the two countries when
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and his daughter Sheikh Hasina were in power.
To name a few are the sharing of Ganga waters
in December 12, 1996. India
also helped Bangladesh in
the signing of peace accord with the tribals of Chittagong hills in December 2, 1997.
Peace and stability in Bangladesh is crucial for the progress of both India and Bangladesh While the cooperation under
SAARC is held up in hostage due to political differences between India and Pakistan, the prospects of
sub-regional cooperation under BIMSTEC looks brighter. Here peace and stability
in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,
Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar
and Thailand
is vital. India
should, therefore, play a proactive role in bailing out Sheikh Hasina by
honouring its commitments. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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