🇧🇩 Indo-Bangla Relation: India's Regional Ambition, Geopolitical Reality, and Strategic Options For Bangladesh

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India eager to strengthen ties with Bangladesh

India is eager to further strengthen its relationship with Bangladesh, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday after meeting Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma.

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India eager to strengthen ties with Bangladesh
Says Mirza Fakhrul after meeting Pranay Verma

Photo: Collected

India is eager to further strengthen its relationship with Bangladesh, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday after meeting Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma.

"They also want to strengthen our relationships with the political parties of their country," Fakhrul told reporters after the meeting at the BNP Chairperson's office in Gulshan.

The meeting, which lasted nearly an hour, is the first formal talks between Indian officials and BNP leaders since Sheikh Hasina's regime was deposed on August 5.

Fakhrul said, "We raised the issues Bangladesh is facing with India, including the water-sharing issue, which requires a swift resolution."

On border killings, Fakhrul said, "We also conveyed the necessity of stopping the border killings.

"We also discussed security concerns between both the countries. They assured us they are vigilant and working towards resolving these problems as quickly as possible."

Fakhrul said India is keen on fostering greater goodwill and positivity in the relationship between the two neighbours.

Other BNP leaders present at the meeting included Standing Committee member Salauddin Ahmed, Vice Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury, and foreign affairs advisory committee member Shama Obaid.​

 

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Ties with big neighbours: Balance will still be the mainstay

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has spoken at length with The Daily Star on a host of issues facing Bangladesh at this critical juncture of the country’s transition to democracy.

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Ties with big neighbours: Balance will still be the mainstay

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has spoken at length with The Daily Star on a host of issues facing Bangladesh at this critical juncture of the country's transition to democracy. In an interview with our diplomatic correspondent Porimol Palma, the career diplomat shared his views on Dhaka-Delhi ties, Sheikh Hasina's stay in India, revival of Saarc and human rights, among other things.

TDS: What challenges is the government facing in maintaining and promoting relations with foreign countries?

Touhid: For a small country like Bangladesh with big neighbours, it is important to maintain a balanced relationship. We've been doing so and the interim government will also try to do the same.

There will always be challenges. Our relationship with each country is unique. For example, three sides of Bangladesh are bordered by India. Many of our rivers flow through India. We have a lot of trade, and our ties are historical as well as cultural. On the other hand, China, our biggest trade partner, funds many projects here. We have interests in our relationships with both India and China. China and India have issues of conflict, but we have to maintain ties with both of them.

The US, which is the number one superpower, is our single biggest export market, and a major source of our remittance. Our relations with Europe is also very important. As a bloc, the European Union is our biggest export destination. So our ties with different country are different.

TDS: We've seen some hiccups in our relations with India, and anti-India sentiment here after the fall of the Awami League government. What would be our strategy to stabilise this relationship?

Touhid: Our strategy will be to protect our interests. It does not mean we will ignore India's interest. For India, Bangladesh is a very important country when it comes to security. India's Northeast region suffered from insurgency, which was removed with our cooperation.

You need to remember that we are going through a phase of revolution and there may be some conflicts of interest. However, the relationship was very profitable for India during the previous regime. This led India, especially its media, to take a negative approach towards the current situation in Bangladesh. Most of their accusations were baseless. I believe these aspects will eventually be removed.

TDS: Will you take the initiative to bring back Sheikh Hasina from India?

Touhid: If our court issues orders to bring her back, we will take the necessary initiative. It is up to India how it will cooperate. I don't want to speculate anything. We'll see when the time comes.

India has its interests in the relationship with Bangladesh, just like we do. So the relationship has to be based on mutual interest and respect. We're only talking about the relationship between the two governments when it has to be people-centric so that the people benefit from the relationship. It is not an ideal situation for governments to say that the relationship is good while people here have anti-India sentiments.

TDS: What are your expectations from India?

Touhid: There are many expectations, but some small issues make the relationship bitter. For example, border killing. Just the other day, a 14-year-old girl was killed at the border. This is in no way justifiable. If India sincerely wants it, border killing can be fully stopped.

Then, there is the water-sharing issue. People have bitter feelings about the Teesta deal. It's not our concern what problem India's Centre and West Bengal government have. India has to solve it. The water is a liability for us in the rainy season, which is natural, and we aren't asking India to stop it. However, when this water is an asset in the dry season, we're not getting it. This is not acceptable. We know the water level is low in the dry season. But whatever water is there should be shared. Even if we can have an interim agreement with India on Teesta, it'll have a positive impact on the minds of the people of Bangladesh.

TDS: What will the interim government do about the agreements and Memoranda of Understanding with India that have been criticised?

Touhid: The interim government will do whatever is needed for the sake of national interest, regardless of its tenure. We'll take care of all the issues.

MoUs and agreements are different. Conditions of agreements are to be implemented. If that is to change, it needs to be done as per the provisions of the agreements. For MoUs, we have to know peoples' expectations and seek expert views. We have to revisit the MoUs based on all these factors. If we have to sign any agreement, we will do it, protecting the interest of both parties.

TDS: Will revisiting MoUs or signing agreements take place anytime soon?

Touhid: It's not that we'll start working tomorrow on this. It will come as part of the normal process. India too has to have its time. They won't sit with us tomorrow if we ask them for a meeting today. We'll try to take initiative on each issue based on priority in a mutually agreed time. It won't happen in a week or two, but we may take initiative in the next few months, or at least by this year.

TDS: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has said he wants to revitalise the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc). Is it possible, given the Pakistan-India enmity?

Touhid: I don't think it is impossible. I want to be optimistic. When Saarc was working, it was not that it brought about a huge change. But, some work was really going on, for example on meteorology, agriculture, free trade, etc. Then Saarc was going ahead even when India and Pakistan were engaged in small fights sometimes. The process was suspended by India's initiative. India-Pakistan conflict won't end overnight. But other South Asian countries should not be victims of this Indo-Pak enmity. All the other countries are eager to cooperate through Saarc.

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus is very interested in resuming the Saarc activities on whatever small scale. We want to come out of the stalemate.

TDS: Bangladesh has a lot of baggage in terms of human rights abuses. Can the government come out of this?

Touhid: A major objective of this government is to work in the area of human rights. Rights activists are in the council of advisers. The UN fact-finding mission will look into all of the rights violations and killings that took place in the last weeks of the previous government. Even post-August 5 attacks over political ideologies or on minorities – all can come under this investigation. Everyone has the right to get justice. We want transparency in the whole process of the investigation.

TDS: Will the foreign ministry undergo reforms to function more effectively, keeping in mind that the economy is a big part of our diplomacy?

Touhid: The foreign ministry, like any other time, will play an auxiliary role. We will extend support to other ministries as per their need. In some cases, re-allocation of business may be required. From our side, we can raise the issues that arise in the areas of overseas employment, foreign investment or export.

TDS: Prof Yunus has a global standing. How can we best utilise it in diplomacy?

Touhid: We have started benefitting from this already. You know that 67 Bangladeshi migrants were pardoned by the UAE president after Prof Yunus directly spoke to him. We will use his standing for our just demands.

TDS: How shall we navigate in the geopolitically changing world, especially amid the global power competition in the Indo-Pacific?

Touhid: We'll try to have our interests protected despite such competitions. We'll follow the path where we have our best national interest.

TDS: Aren't our national integrity, track record of human rights and democracy important for this?

Touhid: We're working to establish democracy on a strong footing. It'll be truly representative. There won't be any fake elections. The purpose of the sacrifice of the young people and their aspiration is democracy. We will work to that end. Reforms on human rights will be visible soon. So we are on the right track.​

 

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Dhaka strongly protests at Amit Shah’s remark on Bangladesh nationals

The interim government of Bangladesh on Monday lodged a strong protest against the Indian union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks about Bangladeshi nationals made during...

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Dhaka strongly protests at Amit Shah’s remark on Bangladesh nationals
Staff Correspondent 23 September, 2024, 19:39

Amit Shah | UNB/ Collected photo

The interim government of Bangladesh on Monday lodged a strong protest against the Indian union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks about Bangladeshi nationals made during his recent visit to the Indian state of Jharkhand.

The Indian minister said that the BJP would free Jharkhand from ‘Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators’ and hang them ‘upside down’, The Hindu reported on Sunday.

Terming Amit’s remarks as highly deplorable, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a protest note sent to New Delhi through the Indian mission in Dhaka called upon the government of India to advise the political leaders to refrain from making such objectionable and unacceptable remarks.

‘Through the protest note handed over today to the deputy high commissioner of India in Dhaka, the ministry conveyed its serious reservation, deep sense of hurt and extreme displeasure and called upon the government of India to advise the political leaders to refrain from making such objectionable and unacceptable remarks,’ said a foreign ministry press release.

The ministry also emphasised that such remarks, coming from responsible positions against the nationals of a neighbouring country, undermine the spirit of mutual respect and understanding between two friendly countries, it mentioned.​

 

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The Indian media is calling Bandarban, Rangamati, and Khagrachori as Bangladesh's three sisters. It is their desire to make CHT unstable to punish Bangladesh for following an independent foreign policy. It is my opinion that Bangladesh should join hands with China to break up India's seven sisters and annex them afterwards.

 

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Delhi in denial over Bangladesh

FOR a couple of months, Bangladesh has been making the media headlines. What is happening in this geographically small but strategically important country of 175 million people has created widespread interest...

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Delhi in denial over Bangladesh
Mahmood Hasan 25 September, 2024, 00:00

FOR a couple of months, Bangladesh has been making the media headlines. What is happening in this geographically small but strategically important country of 175 million people has created widespread interest.

On August 5, fascist prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India in the face of massive student-people uprising. It was truly a Gen Z-led revolution that overthrew Hasina’s 16-year tyrannical rule. Why did Hasina flee to India? For her, it was the obvious choice as she was India’s string-puppet in Bangladesh. She went back to her mentors. In consequence, relations between Dhaka and Delhi immediately took a dive.

An interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on August 8. Yunus is a universally accepted leader, who was urged to take over the helm of Bangladesh to repair and reform the state structures destroyed by Hasina.

The fall of Hasina was a jolt to India. Mandarins in Delhi could not believe that their domesticated pet had fallen. Interestingly, at 9:48 pm on August 8, India’s prime minster Narendra Modi issued a twitter message for Yunus, which reads as follows:

‘My best wishes to professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfil the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development.’

It was an appalling text that the head of government of one country could send to the head of another government. To date, no formal message came from Modi to Yunus. Clearly, the twitter text reflected Delhi’s anguish. In reply, when Yunus called Modi and invited him to visit Bangladesh to see for himself the revolution, Modi declined.

Firstly, diplomatic norm was totally ignored. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Diplomatic practice requires such messages to be sent through diplomatic channel. As both countries have high commissions in Dhaka and Delhi, the text could have been formally sent through either mission.

Secondly, the wording was poor. The text was impersonal, abrupt, devoid of niceties and condescending. One wonders whether Modi is capable of handling twitter and write messages.

Thirdly, he issued a warning to Yunus. He ordered Yunus to ensure safety and protection of the Hindus. To Modi, only the lives of the Hindus mattered. Lives of non-Hindus did not bother him. To him, it was all right if non-Hindus were persecuted. It revealed a sickening frame of mind.

During the immediate post-Hasina days, there was anti-Awami League retribution. It was essentially political in nature and certainly not communal. Yet, Hindu temples and families were guarded by young vigilantes of political parties, including madrassah students. Bangladeshis have proved again its non-communal identity.

India has all through played two cards to prop up the Hasina government: (a) Hindu persecution and (b) insurgency in seven sisters. Indian propaganda on these narratives is patently false. Yunus said that India had exaggerated the Hindu persecution issue. Yet, the Modi government tried vehemently to internationalise the Hindu persecution story but did not succeed because of lack of Washington’s support.

Hasina cunningly played along to convince Delhi that she needed to stay in power to stop the Hindu persecution and eliminate insurgency. She succeeded in persuading Delhi that other than the Awami League, all other parties in Bangladesh were Islamist.

It is nauseating to see the continuous propaganda war launched by the ‘Godi media’ sitting on the lap of the BJP government. The lies and disinformation presented in theatrical manner are revolting. They pander to the communal prejudice of the Hindu India. These media deliberately ignored the reasons Hasina fell. They never question Hasina’s trampling on democracy, rights violations and massive corruption. Indians seem to have forgotten the communal riots following the destruction of the Babri Mosque in 1992, when more than 2,000 Muslims were butchered. Communal violence is a regular feature in India. People living in glass houses should not throw stones at others.

After Yunus had given the Press Trust of India an interview, these media accused him of conducting ‘megaphone diplomacy’. Yunus as head of the government is the first diplomat of Bangladesh. He did speak openly about some pending issues with India and wanted fair solutions.

There is strong anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh, for which both the Awami League and Delhi are responsible. It is Delhi’s imperialistic policies towards Bangladesh. Indian ministers calling Bangladeshis ‘termites’, ‘insurgents’, ‘hang them with their heads down’, etc fanned anti-India feelings. Delhi established personal ties with Hasina and totally ignored the people of Bangladesh. India also deliberately shunned all other political parties in Bangladesh.

Hasina and her ministers also constantly repeated the narrative that ‘India gave Bangladesh its independence’. The sacrifice of Mukti Bahini was trashed. Minister Abdul Momen said that he had asked Delhi to keep Hasina in power. An election candidate announced that he was India’s nominee. Obaidul Qader said that the Awami League would be in power with Delhi’s help. There are many such utterances from Awami League leaders. Hasina signed agreements with India without any debate in the parliament. All these subservient behaviours of the Hasina government compromised Bangladesh’s sovereignty. Naturally, anti-India sentiments kept growing.

Now that Hasina is in India, what will Delhi do with her? Hasina has no valid travel document. The countries approached to give her sanctuary have regretted. According to the bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and India, she could stay in India for 45 days, which ended on September 20. Delhi is quiet on Hasina’s status.

What are the options for Delhi:

— Give her political asylum. In that case, Dhaka-Delhi relations will be further strained. Many cite the example of Dalai Lama. There is a significant difference. Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader, not accused of crime. Hasina committed criminal offences and is liable to face trial.

— Grant Hasina Indian citizenship. After Mujib’s assassination, Indira Gandhi gave Hasina refuge in Delhi. There are rumours that during that period (1975–1981), Hasina acquired Indian citizenship under a Hindu name.

— Treat her as an illegal immigrant.

— Send her back at Bangladesh’s formal request. There are already loud calls from Bangladesh to bring her back to face trials for the crimes she committed.

— If Hasina finds a place to hide, who will issue her travel document?


— Whatever may be the legal dispensation, Delhi has to choose either Hasina or Bangladesh. Hasina is an impediment in Dhaka-Delhi relations.

Sitting in Delhi, Sheikh Hasina continues to foment trouble in Bangladesh, instructing the Awami League remnants to rise against the interim government. Yunus has asked India that Hasina should keep quiet as it was not helpful. Her son is also talking outrageously and has asked India to ensure quick elections in Bangladesh.

Surprisingly, India is still in a state of denial. It cannot believe that Hasina has been overthrown and has become a fugitive. The hawkish section of Indians wants to teach Bangladesh a lesson for being disobedient. The saner section thinks that Modi needs to recognise the reality and recalibrate its policies towards Bangladesh. Hiding the head in sand and ignoring reality will certainly not help Delhi to improve relations with Dhaka.

Bangladesh wants friendly relations with India. As Yunus has said, ‘We need to work together to improve this relationship, which is now at a low.’ But that has to be on the basis of respect and fairness. The second republic of Bangladesh will not accept a domineering India. Will Delhi change its prism and look positively at Bangladesh as a sovereign equal?​

 

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According to Subramanyam of India, Bangladesh and India had entered into an agreement before the formal independence of Bangladesh by which the Indian army could go into Bangladesh and remain there to protect the rights of Hindus and other minorities. Does Bangladesh have any obligation to abide by what was written in the agreement signed even before her formal independence?

 

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Relations with Bangladesh to remain positive and constructive: Jaishankar

Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said that India's relations with neighbours Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would continue to be ‘positive and constructive’ and none should be deterministic about it

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Relations with Bangladesh to remain positive and constructive: Jaishankar
Correspondent
New Delhi
Published: 25 Sep 2024, 19: 03

Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar ANI

Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said that India's relations with neighbours Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would continue to be ‘positive and constructive’ and none should be deterministic about it.

‘I would urge you not to be deterministic about our relations. It's not like India wants to control every political move of every neighbour. That's not how it works. It doesn't work, not just for us, it doesn't work for anybody else,’ said the Indian external affairs minister after attending a discussion titled ‘India, Asia, and the World’.

Asiatic Society and Asia Society Policy Institute in New York organised it on Tuesday, reports PTI.

A journalist made a remark that India has unconditionally supported Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and provided loans. But the recently installed governments in both countries seem to be anti-Indian.

Replying to this question, Jayashankar said, "At the end of the day, each of our neighbours will have their own particular dynamics. It's not our intention to suggest that their dynamics must necessarily adhere to what we might consider as being better for us. I think this is the real world. I mean, everybody makes their choices and then countries adjust to each other and find ways of working it out."

He also added that the case of Bangladesh is a little different.

"Over the last one decade, we have taken on many projects in that country which have been fruitful for both of us. Economic activity has flourished and infrastructure has improved," he added.

Jaishankar's remarks came a day after his first meeting with Bangladesh foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Diplomatic sources termed the meeting as effective, positive and constructive.​

 

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Indo-Bangladesh relationship

I BELIEVE that the relationship between Dhaka and Delhi could have been as strong as the one between Washington and London. The Washington-London relationship is special, characterised by mutual respect and trust. But it is unimaginable for America to interfere in Britain’s internal affairs, or...

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Indo-Bangladesh relationship
Abdur Razzaq 29 September, 2024, 00:00

I BELIEVE that the relationship between Dhaka and Delhi could have been as strong as the one between Washington and London. The Washington-London relationship is special, characterised by mutual respect and trust. But it is unimaginable for America to interfere in Britain’s internal affairs, or those of France or Germany.

Why isn’t there a similar relationship between India and Bangladesh? The short answer is that India tends to dominate and exploit Bangladesh, taking undue advantage from defence, strategic and economic perspectives. India often prioritises its own interests over Bangladesh’s legitimate needs. This mindset has existed since before India’s independence in 1947.

In March 1946, the Labour government under prime minister Clement Attlee sent the Cabinet Mission to India to address the country’s complex constitutional issues. The Cabinet Mission rejected the idea of Pakistan, instead proposing a federal India with three groups: Group A (present-day India), Group B (present-day Pakistan), and Group C (Bengal and Assam). The Muslim League accepted this plan, but the Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, rejected it, seeking a united India under Hindu majority rule. Historians agree that the Cabinet Mission plan could have been the best solution, potentially avoiding partition and subsequent wars and creating a subcontinent similar to Western Europe. Moreover, present-day India would have been the leader of the groups. However, that was not to be because of the narrow mindset of the Congress.

Unfortunately, the same Indian attitude persists today. Over the past 15 years, India has supported a brutal dictatorship in Bangladesh, disregarding the will of the Bangladeshi people, leading to widespread anti-India sentiment. India also has strained relationships with other neighbours, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and the Maldives.

Our relationship with India depends on whether Bangladesh has a democratic or undemocratic government. It was shameful when the de facto head of Bangladesh’s interim government in 2007, Moin U Ahmed, asked Indian leader Pranab Mukherjee to secure his position. It was even more disgraceful when a foreign minister under Sheikh Hasina publicly asked India to help keep Hasina in power, as if Bangladesh were an Indian colony. Sheikh Hasina herself has declared, ‘I have given so much to India that they could not think of anymore,’ implying that her duty as prime minister was to protect India’s interests. This mentality has led to a belief that Bangladesh cannot survive without appeasing India. However, on August 5, this was proven wrong by our people, led by young students.

We are a nation of 173 million people. Our strength lies in our national unity, democracy, judicial independence, rule of law, economic development and constitutionalism. By preserving these values, we can engage with any regional or global power with honour and dignity.

Our relationship with India has faced significant challenges over the years. In May 1975, the Indian government initiated the Farakka Barrage project as a ‘trial run’ by misleading the Mujib government. This ‘trial run’ has continued for 50 years, causing severe ecological damage, particularly in the Rajshahi region of northeastern Bangladesh. The once-mighty Padma River has dried up over many miles, and the current generation has no idea of its former grandeur. Additionally, we have been deprived of our fair share of water from the River Teesta, which is now a point of contention between China and India.

We have granted India transit and transshipment rights, potentially compromising our sovereignty. The nation remains unaware of the benefits gained in return, despite the past government claims that this would transform Bangladesh into a new Singapore. Furthermore, the public is largely unaware of the terms and conditions of many treaties signed with India, even though Article 145A of our constitution requires all treaties to be presented before parliament. We suffer losses in border and international trade with India, and the Indian Border Security Force frequently kills our citizens at the border with impunity.

It is widely known that India’s foreign policy towards Bangladesh is primarily shaped by its intelligence agency, RAW, which is problematic.

We desire a good neighbourly relationship with India, based on equality and mutual respect between two sovereign nations. We do not want a repeat of the past government’s submissive foreign policy towards India. Our politicians should recognise that India is not monolithic and should engage with its diverse society to benefit Bangladesh. They need to develop the confidence to do so.

Once we have our internal affairs in order, we should reevaluate and renegotiate all unfair clauses in our agreements and treaties with India, asserting our sovereignty with honour and dignity.

Historically, Indian political leadership has sought to dominate and exploit neighbouring countries, leading to poor and sometimes sour relationships. This is a dark chapter in India’s foreign policy, and ultimately, India is the loser. The sooner India realises this, the better it will be for India, its people, and its neighbouring countries in the Himalayan subcontinent.

Abdur Razzaq is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and practising barrister in England.​

 

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Hindus security, Shiekh Hasina’s Extradition, BNP General Secy Alamgir says, “Ice started to melt”

 

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Why is the BJP playing the 'Bangladeshi infiltrator' card?

BJP is making infiltration an election campaign plank in Santhal Parganas and Kolhan.

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Why is the BJP playing the 'Bangladeshi infiltrator' card?

File photo: AFP

Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has placed "infiltration" of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis at the core of its high-decibel campaign for assembly elections in the eastern state of Jharkhand due later this year. At a series of public meetings in a space of one week or so, Modi and his close aide Amit Shah, home minister, amplified the infiltration issue in their separate ways. But some comments made by Shah at one of the rallies drew a sharp retort from the Bangladesh foreign ministry.

Shah may not have been entirely unaware that his remarks in Jharkhand could raise the hackles in Bangladesh like his "termite" description of allegedly illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the run up to West Bengal assembly elections had done more than three years ago.

It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who first raised the issue of infiltration at a rally in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, when he blamed the state's ruling coalition of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for change of demography in Santhal Parganas and Kolhan by allegedly facilitating infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshis. He said Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration poses a major threat to Jharkhand as it is "rapidly changing" the identity and demography of the Santhal Pargana and Kolhan regions. Thereafter Amit Shah, BJP President J P Nadda and senior leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in their separate rallies, also flagged the issue.

Nadda in his speech accused the JMM-led alliance of patronising the forces indulging in "love jihad," "land jihad" and "infiltration jihad." Shah too, at a rally at Giridih, said, "If infiltration is not checked, illegal immigrants will become the majority in Jharkhand in the coming 25-30 years. They are marrying our daughters, grabbing land and destroying rich tribal culture."

Hitting back, the JMM and the Congress have maintained that the BJP needs to answer how infiltration was taking place, if at all, since protecting the international borders is the central government's responsibility (BSF which guards the border with Bangladesh). They have also accused the BJP of "playing Hindu-Muslim politics by stoking tensions before the elections."

BJP leader Asha Lakra, a member of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, had led a team of the Commission to Jharkhand to probe reports of infiltration in the state. She told The Hindu that their probe "confirmed that infiltration is taking place" and has documented purported "evidence" of this in its 28-page report which is largely based on anecdotal material gathered from conversations with "neighbours, panchayat members, and villagers." The report, she said, has been submitted to the Home Ministry.

Why has BJP made infiltration as the main election campaign plank in Santhal Parganas and North Chotanagpur and Kolhan region in the southern part of the state? The party's leaders claim the issue finds resonance among the tribals in the state's Santhal Pargana district which accounts for 18 of the 28 Scheduled Tribes (ST)-reserved seats in the assembly whose total strength is 82 including a nominated member. The party, which now has just four MLAs in Santhal Parganas, is aiming to increase the number against Jharkhand's ruling alliance led by regional outfit Jharkhand Mukti Morcha led by Hemant Soren who has inherited the political legacy of his father Shibu Soren. The BJP hopes its espousal of the cause of tribals in Jharkhand would find resonance beyond the state's borders. It is relevant to point out that infiltration has been a major poll plank of BJP in West Bengal and Assam which have for decades witnessed the influx of undocumented people from Bangladesh.

The BJP has sought to make a political capital out of an order of the Jharkhand High Court about the institution of an independent fact-finding committee to probe the "infiltration of Bangladeshi immigrants" in Santhal Parganas. This, according to the court, is necessary because of the "conflicting" stands taken by the Centre and the state on the subject. The court has been hearing a Public Interest Litigation since 2022 which alleged Bangladeshi infiltration in Santhal Pargana area. "The State is disputing the infiltration issue, while the data, which has been furnished, as has been taken note in the order (August 8) with respect to decrease of the tribal population from 44.67% in the year 1951 to 28.11% in the year 2011 reflects otherwise," noted the court order. "However, linkages to Bangladeshi immigrants in any of these land related cases have not been established so far," reads an affidavit submitted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Amit Shah has welcomed the Jharkhand High Court's directive to form a committee to investigate the infiltration from Bangladesh and said the Centre would soon form a committee with the help of the Jharkhand government to probe it.

The Indian government's anti-money laundering agency Enforcement Directorate has initiated an investigation under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingya in Jharkhand, a section of the Indian media reported. The ED's enforcement case information report under PMLA is based on a FIR of Ranchi police registered at Bariyatu on June 6 but the ED will look into the larger issues including the money generated from infiltration being channelised into politics. The case is a first under PMLA as the ED is investigating the involvement of suspected human trafficking agents.

Jharkhand police's FIR relates to the trafficking of six girls—Rohingyas and Bangladeshis—who were apprehended during a raid. Subsequent investigation showed they had obtained identity papers and Aadhaar cards in Hindu names based on fake documents arranged by human trafficking agents from Kolkata. The ED has already gathered details from other central agencies related to the operation of a syndicate engaged in trafficking Bangladeshis and Rohingya through forests in Jharkhand. A network operating out of Kolkata is engaged in forging documents to help the alleged infiltrators pass themselves off as Indians from Bengal, sources said.

Pallab Bhattacharya is a special correspondent for The Daily Star. He writes from New Delhi, India.​

 

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India needs to pursue equal partnership with Bangladesh

If Bangladesh and India are to forge a more equitable friendship, three existing bilateral issues need to be addressed.

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India needs to pursue equal partnership with Bangladesh

Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of India’s Adani Group, meets former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gono Bhaban on July 15, 2023. PHOTO: X/Gautam Adani

India is often portrayed as Bangladesh's closest ally. The two nations share a strategic partnership grounded in shared history, economic interdependence and strong cultural ties. However, this relationship has frequently been characterised by a power imbalance, with India being in a position to exert dominance over Bangladesh. If Bangladesh and India are to forge a more equitable friendship, three existing bilateral issues need to be addressed.

A vexing issue that has been in deadlock for decades is the disadvantages imposed on Bangladesh for being a lower riparian state. Even though the recent floods cannot solely be attributed to India opening the Dumbur dam, the situation serves as an eye-opener on our water-sharing agreements (or lack thereof), flood management capacity, and the need for bilateral negotiations where both countries can mitigate the damages from heavy rainfall without harming the other. Teesta River's water-sharing agreement is one example. If current trends continue, the Teesta water shortage could lower Bangladesh's rice production by roughly 8 percent by 2030 and 14 percent by 2050. This scarcity raises production costs and risks for farmers and also triggers social issues such as migration, displacement, and poverty.

Even though Sheikh Hasina's government allowed India several benefits, including the upcoming railway line that will allow the transport of goods and travel of passengers (including military personnel) from India to its seven northeastern states via Bangladesh, Dhaka continues to be sidelined. Under Hasina's government, Dhaka had not been able to leverage its concessions to India to make progress with Teesta or other shared rivers. The interim government now has an opportunity to address this issue and build strong political consensus for a more equitable and sustainable water-sharing and flood mitigation arrangement between the two neighbours.

The second issue is the border killings between India and Bangladesh. Despite the close friendship between the two countries, the border is riddled with mindless deaths of Bangladeshis at the hands of the Indian Border Security Forces (BSF). Ain o Salish Kendra, a human rights organisation in Bangladesh, conservatively reported that between 2013 and 2023, 332 people were killed by the BSF, averaging 30 deaths per year. Aside from the killings, the BSF has also subjected Bangladeshis at the border to gruesome torture and abductions. It makes little sense for two countries that share exemplary ties to allow such lethality on their border. Although the leadership in India pledged zero deaths, this reality is yet to materialise as state promises are unaligned with BSF actions at the border. If the previous home advisor's words are an indication, the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) will no longer remain passive and retreat in border conflicts in the face of aggression from the Indian side. But more importantly, it is pertinent for the interim government to address the crisis and catalyse strong political will from its Indian counterparts to end the killings and bring to book the BSF soldiers who engaged in prior misconduct that led to the loss of lives and lifelong injuries of Bangladeshis.

A third contentious point that requires a comprehensive reassessment is Adani's Godda power plant in Jharkhand which charges Bangladesh an exorbitant, above-market rate. The deal was initiated back in 2015 by Modi—who Adani's chairman is close to—and signed in 2017 with Hasina's blessing, despite the deal not being favourable for Bangladesh, as reported by The Washington Post.

Even though a report by the non-profit AdaniWatch suggested Bangladesh might have at least two ways to exit the contract, it turns out that Adani made sure to insert clauses that prevent Bangladesh from leaving even if Adani breaches the contract. First, private coal-fired power plants in India can export electricity if only India has a power surplus, which it currently does not. Second, the contract states that the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) must pay a levy of taxes and duties that Adani itself is exempt from, especially since it was declared a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). BPDB was supposed to be officially informed of these changes for a price adjustment within 30 days, but Adani failed to do so. BPDB still went ahead with the contract, even fast-tracking it under the political compulsion of the Hasina government. Unfortunately, as The Daily Star pointed out, Bangladesh can only leave if Adani's breach of contract negatively impacts the latter's ability to produce electricity. As it stands, making unethical profits off the backs of Bangladeshi tax-payers will not be harming Adani's bottom line anytime soon.

Despite the ironclad agreement, there may be a way out. Unresolved disputes may be "settled in accordance with the Rules of Arbitration of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, 2016, 6th Edition," according to a lawyer interviewed by The Daily Star. If such a pathway can be pursued, the interim government may probe into the matter to identify any scopes for dispute resolution. Getting out of this contract or renegotiating the prices would drastically minimise costs in a country that is already plagued with debts and dwindling foreign reserves.

Whether it's our riparian rights, contentious border killings, or power deals designed to empty Bangladesh's coffers, it is true that Bangladesh often gets the short end of the stick. But Bangladesh can leverage its advantage as a zone of influence for great power politics and make use of its concessions to its upper riparian neighbour to ensure the sustainable prosperity of its land and people. It is also in the best interest of both India and Bangladesh to ensure the survival and thriving of their long-lasting exemplary friendship—with transparency and broad political consensus benefitting both countries equally.

Afia Ibnat is a political analyst and executive member of a local non-profit.​

 

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Dhaka, Delhi stress promoting bilateral relations

Bangladesh and India have emphasized that the two neighbouring countries need to work together in promoting bilateral relations for the welfare of their people. This was observed today, Wednesday while Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call on the foreign affairs adviser Md...

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Dhaka, Delhi stress promoting bilateral relations
BSS
Published: 02 Oct 2024, 22: 48

Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma makes a courtesy call on the foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the foreign ministry in the capital on Wednesday BSS

Bangladesh and India have emphasized that the two neighbouring countries need to work together in promoting bilateral relations for the welfare of their people.

This was observed today, Wednesday while Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call on the foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the foreign ministry in the capital, a foreign ministry’s press release said.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a range of bilateral issues, with particular emphasis on the resumption of regular visa processing by the Indian high commission.

Both the foreign adviser and the Indian envoy underscored the importance of activating the regular bilateral mechanisms between the two countries.

Touhid referred to his the meeting with Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in this regards.

They also explored opportunities for enhanced cooperation in trade, ongoing development projects, and fostering stronger people-to-people connections between Bangladesh and India.​