A new energy is evident in the India-Bangladesh relationship — and it is no secret who is the moving force behind this. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's desire to improve relations with New Delhi has seen her go the extra mile, particularly in shutting down the operations of the United Liberation Front of Asom. The Hasina government's decision to honour Indira Gandhi with the Bangladesh Swadhinata Sammanona or Bangladesh Freedom Honour for her historic role in the founding of the nation is a gesture of political and emotional significance. Before this, sections of the Bangladesh polity opposed to the nation's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rehman seemed to be in denial about the crucial roles played by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Indian Army in the country's liberation. The award is also a sign that Sheikh Mujib's daughter, who led the Awami League to power in the 2008 general election, is surer of her political ground now than in her previous term. What is more, her confidence that relations with India are proceeding in the right direction has been evident in the manner in which Dhaka chose to make light of a remark by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an interaction with newspaper editors that “25 per cent” of the Bangladeshi people were anti-India and in the “clutches of the ISI.”
The urgency with which External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna was despatched to Dhaka after this showed a seriousness of intent on the Indian side in keeping the bilateral relationship in good shape. Last week, the two governments inaugurated a market on the Meghalaya border to facilitate trade between the people on both sides; more such trading posts should follow. The two countries have also settled September 6-7 as the dates of Prime Minister Singh's long-awaited visit to Bangladesh; it will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 12 years. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's visit at the end of this week could pave the way for an agreement on the difficult issue of “enclaves” — the bits of land that both countries have in the territory of the other, stranding Indians as well as Bangladeshis on the wrong side of the border. Complaints that Bangladeshis continue to get killed on the border despite a recent agreement between the BSF and the Bangladesh Border Guards not to use lethal weapons against illegal crossers will surely be raised during Mr. Chidambaram's visit. He, in turn, will try and persuade Dhaka to hand over Anup Chetia, the last of the prominent ULFA leaders known to be in that country. For the long term, India must work to ensure that the state of its relationship with Bangladesh is not dependent on a single political entity.
Keywords: Indira Gandhi, India-Bangladesh ties
For India, which is the only country in the world none of whose neighbors is friendly, this will bring a lot of change.
Since, Mujbhir Rahman's assassination in 1975, India has rarely had a pro India govt in Dhakka. The time is ripe for Delhi to move forward and cement the relationship. the target should be integration of South Asia with ASEAN which is the best way to combat Chinese economic might in future. ASEAN extends upto Burma, India is already negotiating several issues and a true free market along the lines of EU would develop the region further. the question is will our Politico Bereaucratic establishment work towards enabling this or will it obstruct it ? In either case, relations with bangladesh will hold the key.
Very nicely written article ... It exposes a least highlighted matter to the dept. hope the bilateral relationship between India and bangaladesh will be taken to a new high.
Its good to see that India and Bangladesh are moving in the right direction. Prime Minister Hasina deserves the credit for the changed tone. India should go the extra mile and resolve pending issues like enclaves and water sharing. Improved trade will fecilitate the better relations
Till such time the highly sensitive issue of straightening out the border by eliminating the ridiculous 'adverse possession' enclaves - 111 belong to India and 51 to Banladesh - is resolved, relations can never improve. The border issue relates to smuggling, terrorist and other illegal infiltration, and encroachment and can lead to total disruption of political communications between New Delhi and Dhaka.
The initiatives taken by the Hasina government in this context, are laudable. The Indian government has also always taken a graceful stand when it comes to maintaining neighbourly relations. However, this graciousness should not be stretched to the point of seeming lenient, even when it comes to taking a severer stand in crucial issues of national importance. The point in context, is the problem of illegal immigration from Bangladesh. This problem comes across as an oft understated one, which has now proliferated to gargantuan proportions. The obvious political asylum offered to these illegal immigrants has changed the very demographic structure of regions in Assam. The foreign ministries of both countries would do well to take substantive steps in this.
Good to know that things are moving towards good neighbourly relations. Hope this renewed warmth will be long lasting and benefitial to both countries.
The relationship between India nd Bangladesh should be very similar to that of Canada and U.S.A.
You are right in that India should ask Dhaka to hand over Anup Chetia. In all fairness, India should also ask for strict actions from B'Desh to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into India .
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