Nurturing good neighbourliness

Shafiqul Islam Kajol / Driknews

Bangladeshis are looking forward to the august visit of Dr. Manmohan Singh. We have so much to learn, receive, exchange and share with India. This visit can usher in a big change in our economic and neighbourly relations, and pragmatic steps can follow, if we are sincere on both sides. Let this be a visit of developing more meaningful economic relations. If economy is in the right footing, all other areas will follow suit automatically, including trust. As a huge economy, and a strong country in many ways, and since we have good relations, we can really benefit in a massive manner. Areas we can take into account could include the following:
* Transfer of technology in selected areas
* Transfer of Agricultural know-how
* Setting up industrial base
* Setting up a futuristic IT/Knowledge base
* More Educational Exchanges (capacity building of management schools)
* Agreeing on a 'favoured nation' status with our exports and its expansion
* Reducing the trade gap and help with balance of payments
* Proper water sharing
* Tipaimukh Hydro-Electric Project update and assurance of not restricting the regular water flow to Bangladesh (the technical visit NEVER materialized!).
* Marine demarcation settlement
* Complete halt in border killings as promised
* Easier handling of the $1b credit (of Indian goods and services), which often is not without hiccups and compromise on national interests
* BAJAJ Scooters can plan a manufacturing or assembly plant in BD for the three-wheelers we now import in hundreds.
If India really comes forward to offer help in most of these areas, we must be prepared to receive them in good faith and make good use of it. Let us hope and plan to work for our shared future. We are very small, and will remain so always, geographically and economically. So, our development will never be a threat to India; rather it would be eventually good for both.
I hope and pray the message and 'wishes' above are shared by both sides and are included as part of economic agenda towards sincere approach in further improving our relationship.
Long live our friendship!