Myanmar FM's visit

Whilst we would like the Myanmar government to restore democracy in the country at the earliest, some of the lingering problems in the relationship merited resolution without any further delay. In this category of pressing but forward-looking agenda fall repatriation of the Rohingya refugees stranded in Bangladesh; construction of Dhaka-Yangon highway; removal of trade imbalance currently tilted towards Myanmar; and final delimitation of maritime boundary between the two countries.

Dhaka has 'obtained' commitments from the visiting Myanmar FM to take back the last batch of 20,000 Rohingya refugees languishing in Cox's Bazar camps together with assurances of diplomatic support for Bangladesh's membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). Dhaka's bid for such an ASEAN berth is important in light of her foreign policy thrust towards South East Asia. Myanmar and Bangladesh are strategically important to each other insofar as Yangon provides the bridge-head to the southeast Asian region, both in terms of the sea-lane as well as overland access. Which is why it is of paramount importance to both countries that pursuant to the principle of equity established in the North Sea Continental Self case (1969) by the International Court of Justice, that their maritime boundary is demarcated sooner than later.

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That the stalled Dhaka-Yangon road-link has been activated is positive news. However, in this era of greater market inter-penetration between neighbouring or intra-and inter-regional countries, the ultimate test of expanding bilateral relations lies in revving up trade and investment cooperation. The low-profile trading between Myanmar and Bangladesh is simply inexplicable given their physical proximity and natural endowments. The inherent potentials they have for greater trade will have to be tapped with a sense of history going back to British era and a commitment to the future betterment of the two peoples.