Bangladesh plans to open a Deputy High Commission in Chennai as it seeks to strengthen ties with the southern parts of India, High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali has said.
“We have made the request regarding opening a Deputy High Commission in Chennai to India’s Ministry of External Affairs. As soon as it’s cleared, we will set up the mission,” Mr. Ali told The Hindu on Saturday.
This will be Bangladesh’s sixth diplomatic office in India. Besides the High Commission in Delhi, Bangladesh has Deputy High Commissions in Kolkata and Mumbai and Representative Offices in Guwahati and Agartala.
Mr. Ali said a large number of Indians working in Bangladesh are from southern India. Besides, Bangladeshis are also coming to the south, especially for medical tourism. “India has very good medical facilities at affordable costs. We want to make this people-to-people contact stronger by opening a Deputy High Commission here.”
The envoy added that India-Bangladesh ties are on a strong wicket. Both countries have identified the areas of cooperation. “We have a fully demarcated border. Cross-border connectivity has fully been restored. Energy cooperation is another key area. The Russians are building a nuclear reactor in Bangladesh and India is providing the technical know-how.”
He said trade is also booming between the two countries, which is expected to cross $9 billion soon.
Another key issue where Bangladesh needs India’s help, said the High Commissioner, is the Rohingya problem. “There are 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, mainly in the Cox’s Bazar area. Earlier 4,00,000 refugees had come. And in the recent wave of refugees, 7,00,000 more Rohingya have come. So far, the Sheikh Hasina government has controlled the situation. But there has to be a regional solution to this problem for which the bigger powers in the region should put pressure on Myanmar,” he said.
Asked about the irritants in Indo-Bangladesh ties, Mr. Ali referred to the illegal border crossing. “Such incidents have been curbed and the killings on the borders have also been substantially reduced. But it should be reduced to zero level.”
Another key issue, in his view, is water sharing. “India and Bangladesh have signed a treaty on sharing the Ganges water. But we are yet to reach an agreement on the Teesta water. We should also move into joint river management and development.”
