Positive development is in the offing

Ushering in a new era.MD. Asadullah Khan

WITH the AL-led government installed in power, there is anticipation of people-oriented actions. But there is also resignation and concern that the ferment in different sectors makes for an inherently unstable mix in which old demons, paranoid nationalism, partisan feelings, and demagogic populism could win out against democratic governance and ideals.

The first euphoria is seemingly fast diminishing and the next few months, it appears, will be a period of disenchantment and the discovery of pain and difficulties. One of the most serious problems, perhaps, is the paranoid nationalism that turned the country into a symbol of fractious politics. The main peril is populism, the politics of playing with the discontent of the people -- gathering strength by rallying support for fighting non-existent foes.

Like the attack on Ganges Water Sharing Treaty signed in 1996, the proposed accord on transit facilities and other outstanding disputes with India, to be signed in December during the prime minister's visit to India, has come under attack by the BNP and its cohorts. Destabilising and disruptive forces are at work to undo the process of reconciliation that is in progress at the state level between the two governments.

People feel that the water sharing issue and transit facility are two distinct issues and they must not be tagged together. Shockingly, to the peril of the country, no water treaty has been signed with India since 1988. The opposition leader's call at the time of signing the treaty for allowing Bangladesh 38,000 cusecs of water and not a drop less than that was hailed by all.

But people also remember that the then government's failure to get one cusec of water through talks, negotiations or treaty was a diplomatic failure. It is unfortunate that partisan politics can overshadow national interests at such a heavy cost. If the present government can sign accord it would definitely benefit the whole country, and not only the Awami League or the BNP or any other party.

As regards transit facility through Bangladesh, albeit a section of the political parties prefer to call it a corridor for India, most people in the country would like to take up this issue most dispassionately. The people will never approve an accord that poses a threat to the sovereignty and security of Bangladesh. A section of the disgruntled and disillusioned political parties should not unnecessarily be stoking the fires of parochial nationalism.

If nationalism and patriotism in the country are defined by the rejection of openness, keeping the nation a prisoner of the past that stifles growth and improvement of the living standard, then the country must be heading towards gloom. Stripped of militant ultra- religious fervour, Bangladeshi nationalism could be a positive force. It helped our national leaders maintain and safeguard the sovereignty of the country against the aggressive designs and brutality unleashed by Pakistani rulers in 1971.

It is argued that India wants transit facilities on three primary considerations, namely (i) promotion of inter-regional trade, (ii) strategic militaristic maneuver, and (iii) political ambition. It was argued in 1996 that the transit facility would help India save about Tk.8,000 crore a year while Bangladesh would be earn Tk.700-800 crore (according to an estimate some 13 years ago) a year in the form of tariff.

Another argument is that, to contain the separatist movement in the north-eastern region of India where ethnic, divisive and cultural antagonism have been simmering for a long time, India would be sending its troops through Bangladesh.

Against the backdrop of a cloud of incredulity and mistrust that has overshadowed or even soured relations between the two countries the just-concluded talks between the foreign secretaries, it appears, have removed the cobwebs on different issues, triggering positive signals in the improvement of ties between the two countries.

Indications available from the talks stipulate that issues relating to Bangladesh's connectivity to Bhutan through India, sharing of power, resolution of outstanding issues relating to Dahagram and Angorpota enclaves and the Tin Bigha corridor, cooperation in river dredging to restore navigability, and upgrading of Bangladesh Railway would be on the agenda of the Bangladesh prime minister's visit to India in December.

With the Bangladesh foreign secretary announcing that his Indian counterpart had stressed the need for resolving the outstanding border problems, including killings in border areas, some positive changes must be in the offing. As it appears from the secretary level talks, confidence building work has started with India agreeing to allow railway transit to Nepal through three bordering points between the two countries and providing Nepal-Bangladesh and Bhutan-Bangladesh connectivity.

Most importantly, with both sides agreeing to finalise the Teesta water-sharing agreement and to conduct joint hydrological observations on the rivers, Bangladesh will hand over a draft accord on the sharing of Teesta water before the prime minister's visit. As per the joint statement, Bangladesh will allow India to carry machinery to set up a power plant in its north-eastern part and India will sell 250 megawatts of electricity produced in the power plant at Palatana. Even a sceptic would say that these developments definitely demonstrate a keenness in tackling the outstanding issues souring relations between the two countries.

In a borderless world, transit facilities cannot pose a threat to the sovereignty and security of any country. By allowing transit facilities through Suez Canal the sovereignty and security of Egypt have not been liquidated, nor did Panama have to suffer in any way by allowing transit to the U.S. Stripped of false values and regional antagonism, Bangladeshi nationalism could be a vibrant force. With caution, pragmatism and commitment to national goal and prosperity brought into play, nationalism's darker side, such as extremist movement, and militant and ultra-religious feelings seem unlikely to emerge. Happily, the past is no longer a guide to the future in that the country has changed so much during the last three decades.

Democracy had been under assault throughout the last three decades and has often succumbed. Today, democracy is gaining strength in this region and regional alliances like Saarc can provide mutual political and economic support. People in this country remember that the previous government had agreed to allow transit facilities to Nepal but Nepal could not avail that because of the rupture in its relations with India. If we could have agreed to allow that facility to Nepal earlier, how can we go back from that stand when it concerns our own interest? We have to study the whole gamut of our relations in a spirit of neighbourly feelings and mutual understanding, however, never at the cost of our national interest.

Any political party, whether in the government or in the opposition, must have as its first prerogative the improvement of the living standard of the people. Ominous signals are already there. Prices of commodities are soaring everyday. Reports gleaned from newspapers in recent time indicate that several thousand Bangladeshi workers declared as illegal workers are being repatriated from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and the UAE.

Finding a place to live and to have a living are more difficult than five years ago because of the climatic disruption that continues to wreak havoc in the coastal districts of Bangladesh through coastal inundation, destruction of homes and hearths and loss of lives. Such hardships could provide a platform for populist politicians to indulge in rhetoric of imaginary solutions that might keep people happy for some time but often at the expense of national interest.

Since populism is often suffused with nationalism, any leader appealing to the constituency of discontent attaches himself to as many national symbols as possible. Shockingly, some leaders belonging to opposition political parties have been crying hoarse about the government's move to restructure bilateral relations and tackle trade deficit with India as being one out of touch with "Bangladeshi values" and national yearnings.

Very often extremist ideas and fanatic philosophies and practices are being tabled as Bangladeshi nationalism. The nation recalls the traumatic experience of the Pakistani rule and the carnage unleashed by the Pakistani marauders on the innocent people of this countr, before and during the liberation war of 1971, in the name of protecting Islam and Pakistan. Most people believe in and envision a modern democratic state where Islam must be followed by the Muslims but not necessarily enforced "to the letter" as ultra-religionists might want it to be, overriding the spirit of democracy.

On the issue of extending transit facilities through Bangladesh, let it be repeated that the people will never allow the interest of the country to be mortgaged to anyone. But the people want the knotty problems with our neighbours to be resolved peacefully and amicably, allowing unabated growth for all to meet the expectations of the jobless and the hungry. At the same time the administration now must prove the sceptics wrong through prudent commitment and actions.

The present trend of unnecessarily creating panic among the people and chanting slogans when in doubt or in trouble or out of power will only aggravate the relations between the two countries and complicate solutions. In the age of globalisation, when a spirit of compromise based on competitiveness has spurred our country, the people can hardly remain isolated and out of touch with reality.

Md. Asadullah Khan is a former teacher of physics and Controller of Examinations, BUET.

E-mail : aukhanbd@gmail.com