Being good neighbours

AS a small country, with low level of development and high level of poverty and illiteracy, Bangladesh needs to be careful about its relations with neighbours, particularly India and China, the two emerging giants of Asia. It is certainly not proper for Bangladesh to take a partisan view about either India or China. We should be close to both.
With a long border with India, along both land and river, it is pretty difficult to develop a good relationship if both the countries are determined to see only their own respective interests. It needs a spirit of sacrifice to build the edifice of mutual trust and confidence for the benefit of their people, particularly the people at the borders.
Closer links with India depends mainly on the Indian attitude. What appears to be necessary for India is proper appreciation of the difficulties for Bangladesh due to lack of initiative from India in resolving bilateral issues. What is required is an integrated approach to all bilateral issues.
The governments of India and Bangladesh appear to be keen on developing a cooperative relationship in various sectors. With strong, stable, democratic and friendly governments, this is an appropriate opportunity for India to create the right atmosphere for resolving ticklish bilateral issues. Our foreign minister's recent visit to India (7-10 September) to discuss various issues appears to be the right step for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh issues are demarcation of sea and land boundaries, sharing of waters of trans-boundary rivers, construction of Tipaimukh dam, transit to Nepal and Bhutan and balancing India-Bangladesh trade. India is interested in transit or transshipment by road, railway or waterway through Bangladesh, and cooperation in terrorism and extradition with Bangladesh.
The four days long bilateral discussions appear to have been mainly on the following issues: (a) allowing India to use Chittagong port, (b) designating Ashuganj as a new port of call, and (c) need for water-sharing agreement for the Teesta river.
India has agreed to the following: (i) facilitating Bangladesh transit to Nepal and Bhutan, (ii) providing at least 100 mw power to Bangladesh (on priority basis), (iii) increasing trade and communication facility, (iv) finalising agreement on criminal matters and combating international terrorism, illegal drug trafficking and organised crime, (v) assisting Bangladesh in dredging its rivers, and (vi) opening markets on the Bangladesh-Meghalaya border.
In principle, India agreed on: (a) Providing Bangladesh with a line of credit for railway projects, and supplying locomotives, coaches and buses, (b) railway link under Indian assistance.
Apart from the above the following issues were also raised: (i) duty free access, removal of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers and improvement of infrastructure on the Indian side, and (ii) removal of barriers to Indian investments and port restrictions for specific commodities.
Our past agreements with India could not bring us the desired results. The repeated assurances by the Indian prime minister of not hurting the interest of Bangladesh in constructing Tipaimukh dam cannot assure us. We need written agreement in the matter. The details of construction of Teesta dam have not yet been fully reported to Bangladesh. Broadly speaking, the agreed issues need further careful study by our experts before papers are ready for our prime minister's meeting with the Indian prime minister.
In the past, Indian credit (at low rate interest) could not be ultimately utilised fully by Bangladesh due to some flaws in the agreement. We should be more careful in handling such issues. We are not fully aware of the need for a rail link between Akhaura and Agartala. However, we must ensure our safety and security in undertaking such a project.
The success of our foreign minister in handling India depends on finalisation of the treaty at prime ministerial level. We will always welcome close relationship with India based on mutual respect, dignity and honour. Let us hope for a new era in Bangladesh-India relations.

A.B.M.S. Zahur is a former Joint Secretary.