Bangladesh-India Relations
Observe ex-ambassadors at maiden summit
Diplomatic Correspondent
Building upon the achievements made between Bangladesh and India,
iconic diplomats from the two countries yesterday called for moving
forward with a comprehensive economic cooperation and integration.
They said the neighbours in the last six years have made significant improvement in their relations by addressing security concerns, border management and trade, but India has to take the bigger share in responsibility to build trust and confidence.
Over a dozen former high commissioners of Bangladesh and India, who served in Dhaka and New Delhi in the last four decades, also called for developing such a mechanism that will solve bilateral issues based on law and rights.
They said India should immediately address the two vital issues -- ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) and signing of the Teesta River Water Sharing deal. This, they observed, will help further develop trust and confidence.
“The water issue is crucial. It is going to dominate the bilateral relations [in the coming days],” said former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Muchkund Dubey.
He suggested resolution of all other sensitive outstanding issues on their legal basis following the example of international arbitrations over the maritime boundary dispute between India and Bangladesh.
Dubey, who served in Bangladesh between 1979 and 1982, suggested that the two countries go for a framework for economic cooperation and integration, which will have legal protection especially for Bangladesh.
IS Chadha, ex-Indian high commissioner in Dhaka from 1985 to 1989, lauded Bangladesh's initiatives to check India's security threats since 2009, but criticised the lack of responses from India's part, especially in the implementation of the LBA and the signing of the Teesta deal.
“This failure was a result of lack of political consensus,” Chadha said.
Echoing Chadha, Deb Mukharji said unless a political consensus was reached, it would be difficult to settle the outstanding issues.
He recalled how the landmark 1996 Ganges treaty was signed when he was the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, and how he had to convince the then Congress and BJP leadership of the importance of the deal.
“Problems [in bilateral relations] are known, the answer is known and the way forward is there but the question is how we give substance to what visions are there [to overcome the problems],” he said.
Veena Sikri, who discharged her diplomatic assignment in Bangladesh between 2003 and 2006, suggested that India and Bangladesh address the bilateral challenges on their own without allowing any third country to intervene.
“We are like brothers and sisters. Don't look for godfathers -- China or US,” she said.
Veena Sikri said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a signal to all neighbours by inviting the heads of government to his oath-taking ceremony. This meant he was committed to continuing with the Indian foreign policy for the neighbours.
However, she identified non-compliance of agreed issues as the greatest challenge for improving ties with Bangladesh.
“We don't do what we agreed upon,” she said, blaming both sides for the situation.
She cited examples how progress has stalled in the LBA, the Asian Highways and the container transit deals even after the two countries had already signed them.
“All were agreed but nothing was implemented,” Sikri said.
The International Relations department of Dhaka University and the India-Bangladesh Foundation jointly organised the two-day India-Bangladesh High Commissioners' Summit at the DU Senate Hall. A large number of retired and serving diplomats, noted economists, academics, media personalities and students attended the first-of-its-kind programme.
Former Bangladesh foreign secretary and envoy in New Delhi Farooq Sobhan said despite many achievements, there remained a gap between “reality and perception” while lack of mutual trust and confidence remained to be a “big problem”.
Harun-ur Rashid, who served at the helm of the Bangladesh mission in India, said India, being the stronger economy, has to take the small neighbouring countries on board to move forward.
The future of India-Bangladesh relations will depend on how they deal with security threats and radicalism, observed former Indian envoy in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty.
“We, therefore, need to go for intelligence cooperation, and also find ways to combat cyber threats."
Pinak suggested that Bangladesh set up automobile accessory manufacturing plants, provide industrial zone for Indian manufacturers, go for joint maritime exploration, technology-based e-retailing of their products, medical tourism and so on.
Former Bangladesh diplomat Hemayetuddin said India needs to be "careful" about the border killings, as one killing can spoil much of the achievement and create misconceptions among the people of the country.
Indian diplomat Rajeet Mitter said Bangladesh is not being able to cash in on the duty-free access of its products to India, and the reasons behind it need to be studied.
Diplomats at the programme also stressed the need for implementing the Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development signed in 2011 in Dhaka to take Indo-Bangla relations to greater heights in future.
Inaugurating the summit, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said India-Bangladesh relations have withstood “the test of time”, setting a precedent for other regional countries to follow.
Former Bangladesh high commissioners Faruq Ahmed Chowdhury, Mostafa Faruque Mohammed and CM Shafi Sami, and current Indian envoy in Dhaka Pankaj Saran also took part in the discussion.
They said the neighbours in the last six years have made significant improvement in their relations by addressing security concerns, border management and trade, but India has to take the bigger share in responsibility to build trust and confidence.
Over a dozen former high commissioners of Bangladesh and India, who served in Dhaka and New Delhi in the last four decades, also called for developing such a mechanism that will solve bilateral issues based on law and rights.
They said India should immediately address the two vital issues -- ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) and signing of the Teesta River Water Sharing deal. This, they observed, will help further develop trust and confidence.
“The water issue is crucial. It is going to dominate the bilateral relations [in the coming days],” said former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Muchkund Dubey.
He suggested resolution of all other sensitive outstanding issues on their legal basis following the example of international arbitrations over the maritime boundary dispute between India and Bangladesh.
Dubey, who served in Bangladesh between 1979 and 1982, suggested that the two countries go for a framework for economic cooperation and integration, which will have legal protection especially for Bangladesh.
IS Chadha, ex-Indian high commissioner in Dhaka from 1985 to 1989, lauded Bangladesh's initiatives to check India's security threats since 2009, but criticised the lack of responses from India's part, especially in the implementation of the LBA and the signing of the Teesta deal.
“This failure was a result of lack of political consensus,” Chadha said.
Echoing Chadha, Deb Mukharji said unless a political consensus was reached, it would be difficult to settle the outstanding issues.
He recalled how the landmark 1996 Ganges treaty was signed when he was the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, and how he had to convince the then Congress and BJP leadership of the importance of the deal.
“Problems [in bilateral relations] are known, the answer is known and the way forward is there but the question is how we give substance to what visions are there [to overcome the problems],” he said.
Veena Sikri, who discharged her diplomatic assignment in Bangladesh between 2003 and 2006, suggested that India and Bangladesh address the bilateral challenges on their own without allowing any third country to intervene.
“We are like brothers and sisters. Don't look for godfathers -- China or US,” she said.
Veena Sikri said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a signal to all neighbours by inviting the heads of government to his oath-taking ceremony. This meant he was committed to continuing with the Indian foreign policy for the neighbours.
However, she identified non-compliance of agreed issues as the greatest challenge for improving ties with Bangladesh.
“We don't do what we agreed upon,” she said, blaming both sides for the situation.
She cited examples how progress has stalled in the LBA, the Asian Highways and the container transit deals even after the two countries had already signed them.
“All were agreed but nothing was implemented,” Sikri said.
The International Relations department of Dhaka University and the India-Bangladesh Foundation jointly organised the two-day India-Bangladesh High Commissioners' Summit at the DU Senate Hall. A large number of retired and serving diplomats, noted economists, academics, media personalities and students attended the first-of-its-kind programme.
Former Bangladesh foreign secretary and envoy in New Delhi Farooq Sobhan said despite many achievements, there remained a gap between “reality and perception” while lack of mutual trust and confidence remained to be a “big problem”.
Harun-ur Rashid, who served at the helm of the Bangladesh mission in India, said India, being the stronger economy, has to take the small neighbouring countries on board to move forward.
The future of India-Bangladesh relations will depend on how they deal with security threats and radicalism, observed former Indian envoy in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty.
“We, therefore, need to go for intelligence cooperation, and also find ways to combat cyber threats."
Pinak suggested that Bangladesh set up automobile accessory manufacturing plants, provide industrial zone for Indian manufacturers, go for joint maritime exploration, technology-based e-retailing of their products, medical tourism and so on.
Former Bangladesh diplomat Hemayetuddin said India needs to be "careful" about the border killings, as one killing can spoil much of the achievement and create misconceptions among the people of the country.
Indian diplomat Rajeet Mitter said Bangladesh is not being able to cash in on the duty-free access of its products to India, and the reasons behind it need to be studied.
Diplomats at the programme also stressed the need for implementing the Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development signed in 2011 in Dhaka to take Indo-Bangla relations to greater heights in future.
Inaugurating the summit, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said India-Bangladesh relations have withstood “the test of time”, setting a precedent for other regional countries to follow.
Former Bangladesh high commissioners Faruq Ahmed Chowdhury, Mostafa Faruque Mohammed and CM Shafi Sami, and current Indian envoy in Dhaka Pankaj Saran also took part in the discussion.
