Editorial
Why cloud the atmospherics for better ties?
Indian envoy should have been discreet
FOREIGN Minister Dipu Moni has said she feels that Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty might have breached diplomatic norms by commenting to the effect that Bangladeshi water experts were making uninformed observations on Tipaimukh dam. Besides referring to them as 'so-called experts' he has also characterised them, obviously sweepingly, as being politically motivated.
Since the Indian envoy did not contradict such attributions appearing in the national press we can assume that he had made such remarks.
This is unfortunate. We wonder why create an unhelpful situation, even unwittingly, especially at a time when two governments have taken charge of their countries on convincing mandates giving rise to fresh hopes of taking Indo-Bangla relationship to a new height. When the vista of a new possibility can be seen on the horizon for improved ties between the two countries, why indiscreet comments would emanate leaving the atmospherics beclouded, even if temporarily?
To be candid, even if unintentional, the comments made by the Indian High Commissioner on our experts have had pejorative overtones amounting to casting aspersions on them. We accept the right of envoy to express displeasure. An experienced envoy of Mr. Chakravarty's stature could definitely have found a better manner and language of doing so.
It is beyond question that there is an issue with Tipaimukh, even the Monipur state of India has expressed concern over its possible deleterious effects. Bangladesh being a co-riparian country, the minds of our experts have been profoundly exercised over it and rightly so. That they would express concerns over it, especially in a context of unavailability of full details was to be only expected. Politics in Bangladesh is confrontational and some remarks may be politically oriented. But does it call for a sweeping characterisation of all our experts by an envoy? He might have had things to say; but he could have done so maintaining the standard diplomatic decorum. By sadly over-speaking, the Indian High Commissioner has hardly contributed to the atmospherics that must be congenial to fostering better ties. In fact by making sweeping judgmental comments he has created a situation which was eminently avoidable.
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