Bangladesh’s achievements from Manmohan Singh’s visitMd. Momin Uddin
It is a problem with us that we always think of the fish that slips out of our hands is bigger than the one(s) caught. We always put our focus on the thing missed and slight the things achieved. The recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has given us not much less than we should expect. Only one major thing Bangladesh has failed to achieve from Manmohan Singh’s visit is the signing of the Teesta water sharing treaty. And most of the other things we have achieved from this visit of the Indian Prime Minister are also major things and were equally expected by the people of Bangladesh. Nevertheless, this visit of Manmohan Singh is being termed by many as a complete failure.
The most important achievement of Bangladesh from Manmohan Singh’s visit is the signing of the Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement which aims at solving all outstanding problems related to the demarcation of India-Bangladesh boundary. The undemarcated boundary has often become issues of tension and confrontation between the two countries. This protocol will bring to an end the problems over the demarcation of boundaries. The issue of adversely possessed pieces of land along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam has been mutually finalized through this protocol. The enclave-problems are also addressed in the protocol. Although full-fledged implementation of this protocol will take time, the enclave Tin Bigha Corridor will remain open from now on for twenty four hours. People living in this enclave will have a round-the-clock access to Bangladesh—a right that they were denied all these years.
Another significant achievement of Bangladesh from this visit of the Indian Premier is the Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate overland transit traffic between Bangladesh and Nepal. Moreover, the scope of this MoU, which had been proposed during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2010 to facilitate rail transit to/from Bangladesh and Nepal by using the Rohanpur-Singhabad route, has been extended now. The addendum to this MoU will now facilitate overland transit traffic between Bangladesh and Nepal by using Indian territory through the Radhikapur-Birol line as well once the Bangladesh portion is converted into broad-gauge. Bangladesh will be hugely benefited by this MoU because it will facilitate bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Nepal.
Another important achievement of Bangladesh is that India has finally given an opportunity to reduce the trade deficit of more than $4.5 billion by allowing 46 Bangladeshi apparel items duty-free access to the Indian market. .
The MoUs on conservation of Sunderbans and the Royal Bengal Tiger will facilitate cooperation in the areas of conservation of biodiversity, joint management of resources, livelihood generation for poverty alleviation and development, cataloging of local flora and fauna, preventing of poaching or smuggling of wildlife, and bilateral initiatives to ensure survival and conservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development signed by the two prime ministers, if implemented duly, will ensure future cooperation between India and Bangladesh. The other MoUs signed between the two countries will also help Bangladesh in many ways.
If Manmohan Singh’s visit is a failure it is a failure to the people of India because Manmohan Singh has not been able to take for his country as much as he has given to Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s main target was the Teesta water sharing treaty and the Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement which will end all border related problems while India’s main target was Transit from Bangladesh. If fact, Bangladesh had agreed to give Transit in return of this protocol and the Tessta water sharing treaty. When India refused to sign the Teesta water sharing treaty, Bangladesh refused to give transit but managed to get the Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement signed.
Yet, the most important achievement of Bangladesh is that it has taught India a lesson. Hours before Manmohan Singh’s arrival when India made it clear that the Teesta water sharing treaty would not be signed, the foreign ministry of Bangladesh called in the Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh and asked for an explanation. Moreover, it was really daring of Bangladesh to say pointblank in Manmohan Singh’s presence that Bangladesh would not sign the agreement on transit if India did not sign Teesta water sharing deal. Even the Indian premier had to explain the reason of postponing the signing of Teesta treaty. Bangladeesh, perhaps as a sequel to India’s refusal to sign Teesta treaty, has not signed the Fenni river water sharing deal either.
Considering all these, it can be said that Manmohan Singh’s visit may not have fulfilled all our expectations, but it is not altogether disappointing for Bangladesh.
The writer is a Lecturer, Department of English, Jagannath University.
Courtesy:
It is a problem with us that we always think of the fish that slips out of our hands is bigger than the one(s) caught. We always put our focus on the thing missed and slight the things achieved. The recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has given us not much less than we should expect. Only one major thing Bangladesh has failed to achieve from Manmohan Singh’s visit is the signing of the Teesta water sharing treaty. And most of the other things we have achieved from this visit of the Indian Prime Minister are also major things and were equally expected by the people of Bangladesh. Nevertheless, this visit of Manmohan Singh is being termed by many as a complete failure.
The most important achievement of Bangladesh from Manmohan Singh’s visit is the signing of the Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement which aims at solving all outstanding problems related to the demarcation of India-Bangladesh boundary. The undemarcated boundary has often become issues of tension and confrontation between the two countries. This protocol will bring to an end the problems over the demarcation of boundaries. The issue of adversely possessed pieces of land along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam has been mutually finalized through this protocol. The enclave-problems are also addressed in the protocol. Although full-fledged implementation of this protocol will take time, the enclave Tin Bigha Corridor will remain open from now on for twenty four hours. People living in this enclave will have a round-the-clock access to Bangladesh—a right that they were denied all these years.
Another significant achievement of Bangladesh from this visit of the Indian Premier is the Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate overland transit traffic between Bangladesh and Nepal. Moreover, the scope of this MoU, which had been proposed during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2010 to facilitate rail transit to/from Bangladesh and Nepal by using the Rohanpur-Singhabad route, has been extended now. The addendum to this MoU will now facilitate overland transit traffic between Bangladesh and Nepal by using Indian territory through the Radhikapur-Birol line as well once the Bangladesh portion is converted into broad-gauge. Bangladesh will be hugely benefited by this MoU because it will facilitate bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Nepal.
Another important achievement of Bangladesh is that India has finally given an opportunity to reduce the trade deficit of more than $4.5 billion by allowing 46 Bangladeshi apparel items duty-free access to the Indian market. .
The MoUs on conservation of Sunderbans and the Royal Bengal Tiger will facilitate cooperation in the areas of conservation of biodiversity, joint management of resources, livelihood generation for poverty alleviation and development, cataloging of local flora and fauna, preventing of poaching or smuggling of wildlife, and bilateral initiatives to ensure survival and conservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development signed by the two prime ministers, if implemented duly, will ensure future cooperation between India and Bangladesh. The other MoUs signed between the two countries will also help Bangladesh in many ways.
If Manmohan Singh’s visit is a failure it is a failure to the people of India because Manmohan Singh has not been able to take for his country as much as he has given to Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s main target was the Teesta water sharing treaty and the Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement which will end all border related problems while India’s main target was Transit from Bangladesh. If fact, Bangladesh had agreed to give Transit in return of this protocol and the Tessta water sharing treaty. When India refused to sign the Teesta water sharing treaty, Bangladesh refused to give transit but managed to get the Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement signed.
Yet, the most important achievement of Bangladesh is that it has taught India a lesson. Hours before Manmohan Singh’s arrival when India made it clear that the Teesta water sharing treaty would not be signed, the foreign ministry of Bangladesh called in the Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh and asked for an explanation. Moreover, it was really daring of Bangladesh to say pointblank in Manmohan Singh’s presence that Bangladesh would not sign the agreement on transit if India did not sign Teesta water sharing deal. Even the Indian premier had to explain the reason of postponing the signing of Teesta treaty. Bangladeesh, perhaps as a sequel to India’s refusal to sign Teesta treaty, has not signed the Fenni river water sharing deal either.
Considering all these, it can be said that Manmohan Singh’s visit may not have fulfilled all our expectations, but it is not altogether disappointing for Bangladesh.
The writer is a Lecturer, Department of English, Jagannath University.
Courtesy:
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