The much-awaited and ground-breaking visit of the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, to Bangladesh carried an important message for the people of both countries and for international diplomacy as well. India and Bangladesh recently ratified the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) which was first inked by the prime ministers of India and Bangladesh in 1974 to exchange enclaves.
The Bangladeshi parliament passed the LBA in November 1974, but the companion bill on the Indian side never made it through. A revised version of the agreement was finally adopted by the two countries 41 years later when the Indian parliament unanimously passed the 100th Amendment to the Indian Constitution on May 7, 2015, paving the way for exchanging pockets of land near the border and allowing thousands of people to choose their citizenships on either side.
Under this agreement, the enclave residents could continue to reside at their present location or move to the country of their choice. Many houses still exist on the borders with their front doors in one country and back doors in the other.
Together with civilisational, cultural, social, and economic associations between India and Bangladesh, the hydro-logic and enormous political flames also flow through the 57 trans-boundary rivers connecting our two countries. India and Bangladesh share a land boundary of 2,979km and riverine boundaries stretching 1,116km. The Indian states of West Bengal, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, and Tripura share a 4,095km-long border with Bangladesh.
On the other hand, even though India covers 70% of its 4,096km land boundary with Bangladesh with fences, the exchange of a shared history and common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties, passion for music, literature, and arts, and the long-standing affinities between the two sections of the delta, remain fence-less.
Both countries are now heading for an agreement on the Teesta river, a stake upon which the lives of countless people from West Bengal and Bangladesh depend for survival. The agreement may not have been inked during Prime Minister Modi’s visit, but expectations are high that a breakthrough is apparent, in an environment wherein both nations have popular governments in power. To date, only one comprehensive river pact has been signed by India and Bangladesh.
This was the water-sharing arrangement in 1996 of the Ganges’ waters at Farakka for a period of 30 years, renewable on the basis of mutual consent. This notation was set to change in September 2011, when the then India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, was due to sign a pact with Bangladesh regarding the access and use of Teesta water during his maiden visit to Bangladesh.
But an astonishing U-turn at the 11th hour by the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, surprised everyone in Bangladesh as well as West Bengal, where both share a common language and culture.
On March 14, 2012, Bangladesh won another maritime boundary dispute with India after the last one with Myanmar. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at Hague in Netherlands has awarded Bangladesh 19,467sq-km out of a total of the 25,602sq-km disputed area with India in the Bay of Bengal, a ruling that the Indian leadership also welcomed wholeheartedly.
The relationship started flourishing after the landmark visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January 2010, and a return visit by Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh in September 2011 that opened a new chapter in bilateral relations.
On his first trip abroad, the Indian president, Pranab Mukherjee, visited Bangladesh in March 2013 since assuming office, which reflected the highest degree of importance in this relationship. In June 2014, in her first official overseas trip, Sushma Swaraj, a reliable friend of Bangladesh, also visited Bangladesh as the external affairs minister, and further cemented the relationship between India and Bangladesh.
In 2012, Bangladesh allowed India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to ferry heavy machinery, turbines, and cargo through Ashuganj for the Palatana power project in southern Tripura. In October 2013, India started exporting 500MW of electricity a day to Bangladesh to continue over a period of 35 years.
The two country’s prime ministers also unveiled the plaque of the 1,320MW coal-fired Rampal power plant, a joint venture between the two countries. The association is being seen as a major milestone in strengthening our bilateral relationship.
Undoubtedly, India has always stood by Bangladesh right from its creation and also in its hour of need with aid and economic assistance to help Bangladesh cope with natural disasters and floods.
However, long-standing issues like illegal migration, insurgency, border disputes, the New Moore island controversy, and border killings of Bangladeshi civilians remain some of the disputes distancing the two neighbours. Implementation of a no-firing policy by Indian security forces and accountability are vital to preserve the belief among Bangladeshis that India is not an enemy state but a trusted and friendly neighbour.
The trade disproportions from India’s side must be taken care of. The current volume of bilateral trade is over $7bn, out of which India’s export to Bangladesh is around $6bn. This is not at all a healthy situation, wherein Bangladesh remains India’s largest trade partner in South Asia and fifth largest source of remittances, being home to a large illegal Indian community.
India is all set to voyage as a global power in the years to come and Bangladesh is unreservedly ready to support India’s quest in all international arenas.
It will be in India’s interest to settle all outstanding issues with its neighbours, specifically Bangladesh, considering its strategic importance. In India’s timeline, the agreement on water-sharing should be given priority. An early resolution of the Teesta issue is crucial.
Connectivity must also be a top priority and the two countries should also work faster for an agreement on non-tariff barriers. India and Bangladesh also need to strengthen their military ties -- they are being revived after a long gap.
Apart from initiating joint exercises, India should consider offering technical expertise to the Bangladeshi military as we are in need of it. Tactically, India should keep Bangladesh away from other strategic partners for its own interest.
Furthermore, the Chinese quest for being a regional as well as global power should be taken into account. This quest is based on the unrelenting and dedicated engagement with India’s neighbours for access and basing. Therefore, Bangladesh is an obvious choice for partnership.
In the recent past, Bangladesh sought Chinese backing in constructing a highway passing through Myanmar to the Yunnan province in China. A rail network passing through the same area has been suggested. Bangladesh was also reportedly engaged in persuading China to further develop and use the Chittagong port and develop a deep sea port at Sonadia Island.
India doubts China’s access to the Myanmar naval base in Hanggyi Island and the establishment of a monitoring station at Coco Island, north of India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, would become problematic for India.
The relationship between China and Bangladesh, since 1975, has been influencing Bangladesh to move away from India. Bangladesh maintains a very close relationship with China for its economic and military needs. India must out-do China to demonstrate its regional and international leadership.
