Time to think outside the box
WHAT should have been a regular visit to India by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina suddenly became a much-hyped and talked about trip. Though, before the visit actually took place, it was the media that to some extent kicked up a lot of dust on the upcoming visit, and political parties, especially the opposition BNP, joined the bandwagon later and began raising the usual cries against the ruling party, going to the extent that Begum Zia threatened to lay thorns along Sheikh Hasina's path if she returned "empty handed" from India.
The last state visit by any Bangladesh prime minister to India was by Begum Khaleda Zia when she went on a three-day visit to New Delhi on March 20, 2006. Though that was more of a goodwill visit, there were some discussions between her and Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, on trade and security issues.
Two pacts were signed: The Revised Trade Agreement and the Agreement for Mutual Cooperation for Preventing Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and related matters.
Under the revised trade agreement, both countries agreed to make "mutually beneficial arrangements" to permit their territories to be used for transportation of goods. This meant the two countries had reached accord on allowing transit facilities to each other through land, railway and waterway.
Bangladeshi trucks and boats could transport Indian goods through Bangladesh to another point on the Indo-Bangla border. Although the success in transit and investment issues did not figure in the joint declaration signed by the two premiers, it was described as an unexpected breakthrough.
A senior Indian official reportedly observed: "The granting of the Bangla corridor we had been hankering after for years is bound to transform frosty relations embittered by charges of abetting terrorism and illegal immigration. The visit should remove the misgiving of the ruling alliance in Bangladesh that India has a preference for Awami League."
The then Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan reportedly said: "The leaders of the two countries have now got a better understanding and a clear picture of each other's positions. They (India) don't have any preference for any particular political party. They will be happy to work with any political leadership in Bangladesh mandated by the people." He added that this indicated "a change in the mindset of politicians on both sides in a changed perspective."
It was a diplomatic comment coming from a mature foreign minister, sans the usual political rhetoric.
Hasina is no stranger to India -- as a person or a politician. Her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, developed special family ties with late Indira Gandhi and her family, and admired her courageous leadership during our hour of crisis in 1971. After the brutal killing of Bangabandhu along with his family members, one of his surviving daughters, Hasina, spent about five years of her exiled life in Delhi, getting support from the Indian government and the Indira family.
As expected, her recent visit to India drew some extra attention from all quarters, more so as it came in the wake of a massive electoral victory by Awami League in the parliamentary election of 2008, followed by a similar victory of the UPA, led by Sonia Gandhi, in India.
Even after the 2006 visit to India by Begum Zia, the relationship between the two countries has continued to sour to a great extent, largely due to security issues involving the bordering states of India, the ever growing trade imbalance heavily tilted towards India and restriction of entry of Bangladeshi goods into the Indian market through tariff and para-tariff barriers.
It became customary for a section of the Indian media to point fingers towards Bangladesh when terrorists hit Indian installations. When terrorists went on a rampage in the Hotel Taj Mahal Palace of Mumbai in 2008, instantly a section of Indian electronic media "traced" the origin of a couple of terrorists to Bangladesh. Before anything meaningful can be achieved by the two countries, the rusty fences would first have to be mended and thawing of the frozen relationship take place.
That is exactly what Hasina did during her four-day visit, and things have to move from here, and move at a much faster pace. The three agreements and the two MoUs, as expected, just came along. The three agreements were on fighting against terrorism and organised crime, and on reciprocal extradition of convicted prisoners.
The two memorandums of understanding were on cooperation in the power sector and cultural exchange. India also announced a $1 billion line of credit for infrastructure development in Bangladesh.
Besides, it announced that it would export 250 megawatts of electricity from its central grid to Bangladesh. Bangladesh also agreed to open up the port facilities of Chittagong and Mongla to India and expected that India would reciprocate by allowing Nepal and Bhutan to have access to these Bangladeshi ports for their international trade.
If this happens, then the visit by the Bangladeshi prime minister will have facilitated in establishing connectivity amongst four Saarc countries simultaneously. By any standard this is a big achievement.
As usual BNP, its allies, some BNP leaning intellectuals and analysts, and a small section of the media are busy in discovering a "sell-off" of Bangladesh interest and sovereignty to India by Hasina.
One former general even declared that he would raise an army of thirty million and wage war against India to reclaim West Bengal, Assam and Orissa! The usual comical rhetoric of BNP Secretary General Khondakar Delwar Hussain continues. BNP Standing Committee Member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury termed the opening of Chittagong port to India "a conspiracy to detach Chittagong from the rest of the country."
Bangladesh and India still have quite a few burning problems between them that need to be resolved without further delay. The killing of innocent Bangladeshi civilians by BSF, the demarcation of maritime and land boundaries, the common rivers water sharing problem, the enclave issue, removal of all trade barriers, and minimising of visa issuance hassles must be given top priority.
Both countries must prepare to implement the accords agreed by the two prime ministers. Only through these actions can the necessary confidence be built, that will lead to ushering in a new era of friendship and cooperation not only amongst the two governments but also amongst the people of the two countries.
Everyone, the party in power and the party in the opposition, must learn to think outside the box. Visits by prime ministers of the two neighbouring countries should be more of a routine matter, rather than one for creating unnecessary euphoria. Co-operation between these two neighbours, built on mutual trust and confidence, can change the socio-economic condition of the people in the region to a great extent.
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