Editorial
Better business ties to India
Closer economic and trade cooperation is win-win
The recent statement made by the PM to an Indian trade delegation on the government's plans to boost bilateral business and trade relations we hope heralds a new era of cooperation between the two countries that will redound to our mutual benefit.
For too long now our two countries have been engaged in a relationship that was not very productive and did not leverage the advantage to both countries of working together. The costs of such a policy have been a stalemate on both sides of the border.
It is long overdue for a complete reevaluation and overhaul of the bilateral relationship. We are heartened to see that transferring it to a more mutually advantageous footing appears to be high on the government's foreign policy agenda.
Specifically, the proposal to re-open the cross-border rail link that was closed following the 1965 war, is one that we think has great merit and will help facilitate trade and travel between the two countries. In addition, the idea to solicit Indian expertise in developing our rail sector is also a good one.
Similarly, we welcome Indian investment, as we welcome investment from any other foreign country willing to put the funds to help develop our manufacturing sector. If we have EPZs for other countries there is no reason we cannot consider an Indian EPZ.
The trade deficit, of course, needs to be narrowed, and the government's plans to boost exports to India by bringing the Bangladeshi testing regimen into conformity with India's, is a good step. We also need to diversify our export base, and develop land port infrastructure to help boost trade.
PM's emphasis on opening up routes to Bhutan and Nepal through India, is a crucial step to creating a sub-regional zone of cooperation that will ultimately prove advantageous to all four countries.
We would like to see a new era of Bangladesh-India relations, and it seems as though the political will is there, on the Bangladeshi side. We hope the Indian government will reciprocate in kind.
In closing, we would like to mention the caveat that with so much at stake and with things seemingly poised to take off, it would be contrary, in fact, harmful, to the overall positive environment for heralding a new phase of burgeoning bilateral relationship, if India were to take any unilateral action on Tipaimukh. New Delhi must share all the information on the proposed dam with Bangladesh and ensures full protection of our rights as a co-riparian state, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised.
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