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

[Saif]

Bangladesh-India trade dynamics

It was 50 years ago when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, visited the Indian capital, New Delhi, at the invitation of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. The five-day visit from May 12 to 16, 1974, was the second and the last and most critical o

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh-India trade dynamics
ASJADUL KIBRIA
Published :
May 25, 2024 23:01
Updated :
My 26, 2024 21:43

It was 50 years ago when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, visited the Indian capital, New Delhi, at the invitation of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. The five-day visit from May 12 to 16, 1974, was the second and the last and most critical official visit to India. Two years before, he visited Kolkata from February 6 to 8, 1972. In between the two trips, many critical developments took place. These include Indian PM Indira Gandhi's visit to Bangladesh from March 17 to March 19, 1972; the singing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace between the two countries in 1972; the singing of the bilateral trade agreement in 1972, and the singing of the protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade in 1972.

During Bangabandhu's visit to India in 1974, several critical issues were discussed by the heads of the two governments. Regarding the bilateral trade issue, two parties agreed to set up two joint commissions to improve the jute sector and curb unauthorised transactions. The two parties also agreed to make the optimal use of a Balanced Trade and Payments Arrangement (BTPA). The arrangement was included in the three-year bilateral trade agreement, which replaced the first bilateral trade agreement, signed in 1972 and expired in September 1973. The agreement provided an opportunity for border trade between the two countries. It allowed people living up to 16 km on either side of the border to dispose of their goods daily. There was no customs and currency regulation for the border trade. The only restriction was the specific number of commodities. The agreement also provided an opportunity for a balanced rupee trade worth Rs. 250 million (or US $35 million) each way annually. In the new three-year trade agreement that became effective after the expiration of the first agreement in September 1973, two parties agreed to enhance the balanced trade to Rs. 305 million (US$ 42 million) worth of exports each way during the first year of the deal.

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Dhaka, Delhi to further boost travel of nationals from both sides

Bangladesh and India have agreed to further strengthen the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate movement of nationals from both sides

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Dhaka, Delhi to further boost travel of nationals from both sides

Photo: UNB

Bangladesh and India have agreed to further strengthen the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate movement of nationals from both sides.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges.

The agreement came at the 4th round of India-Bangladesh Consular Dialogue in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to a message received here.

Dr Aman Puri, joint secretary (CPV), led the Indian delegation, while the delegation from Bangladesh side was led by Rokebul Haque, director general (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The India-Bangladesh Consular dialogue mechanism was instituted in 2017 with a purpose to strengthen people to people contacts by having a regular channel of communication on consular, visa and mutual legal assistance cooperation matters between India and Bangladesh.

The two sides held wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and cooperation on consular issues, visa matters, repatriation, MLAT and Extradition cases, etc.

They agreed to hold the next round of the dialogue in Dhaka on a mutually convenient date.​

 

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India now wants to run Mongla port

Neighbouring India now wants to operate Bangladesh's second-seaport Mongla where it already enjoys transhipment facility to transport cargoes to and from its landlocked north-eastern states, sources said. The proposal is being seen as part of their expanding footprint in strategically import

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

India now wants to run Mongla port
Currently enjoys trade transhipment
SYFUL ISLAM
Published :
Jun 01, 2024 00:02
Updated :
Jun 01, 2024 00:02

Neighbouring India now wants to operate Bangladesh's second-seaport Mongla where it already enjoys transhipment facility to transport cargoes to and from its landlocked north-eastern states, sources said.

The proposal is being seen as part of their expanding footprint in strategically important Asian ports.

To pursue the plan, a delegation of India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), an entity under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, visited the Mongla seaport, days before striking a long-term deal to operate Chabahar port in Iran in mid-May.

In April this year, India also secured right to operate Sittwe Port in Myanmar, which will also be managed by IPGL.

Managing Director of IPGL Sunil Mukundan led the Indian delegation to Mongla port where he expressed interest in operating the seaport. The delegation members included other high officials from the IPGL and also some officials from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

They had a meeting with Lieutenant Colonel Md Firoz Al Wahid, Chief Engineer (Mechanical & Electrical), Mongla Port Authority, and his team after visiting the jetties and other facilities of the port.

Contacted, Mr Wahid told the FE Thursday that the Indian delegation expressed interest in operating the port.

"We welcomed their offer and asked them to submit their proposal in writing," he said.

Mr Wahid said once received, the port authority would evaluate the pros and cons of the proposal before taking a decision.

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Looking forward to working together to further strengthen people-centric partnership with Bangladesh: Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her warm wishes following his election victory. "India and Bangladesh share historic relations, which have seen unprecedented growth in the last decade," Modi said. In a message shared through X, formerly known as Tw

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Looking forward to working together to further strengthen people-centric partnership with Bangladesh: Modi
Published :
Jun 05, 2024 23:22
Updated :
Jun 05, 2024 23:22

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her warm wishes following his election victory.

"India and Bangladesh share historic relations, which have seen unprecedented growth in the last decade," Modi said.

In a message shared through X, formerly known as Twitter, Modi said he looks forward to working together to further strengthen the people-centric partnership between Bangladesh and India, reports UNB.

Narendra Modi invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his government, to be held June 8.

Sheikh Hasina accepted the invitation.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Narendra Modi on the resounding victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) inLok Sabah elections.

"As the leader of the largest democracy in the world, you carry the hopes and aspirations of the people of India," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a congratulatory telephone call from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the victory of NDA in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, according to Press Information Bureau of India.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate the Prime Minister Modi, reflecting the warmth and personal rapport between the two leaders, it said.

The two leaders pledged to continue working together to further deepen the historic and close ties under the renewed mandate towards achieving under the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and Smart Bangladesh 2041.

They acknowledged the significant improvements achieved in the lives of the people of both countries in the last decade and looked forward to further enhancing the transformative relationship across all domains that include economic and development partnership, energy security, connectivity including digital linkages and people-to-people contacts among others.​

 

[Saif]

Hasina to attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave for New Delhi tomorrow to attend her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony at his invitation.

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Hasina to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave for New Delhi tomorrow to attend her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony at his invitation.

PM's Speechwriter M Nazrul Islam yesterday confirmed her joining the ceremony slated for Sunday. She will return home on June 10, he added.

Modi is likely to take oath as the prime minister of India for the historic third term in a row on June 9 after his BJP-led NDA alliance won the election to Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian parliament.

Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe are among the foreign leaders who have been invited to Modi's oath-taking ceremony.

Earlier, Modi invited Hasina to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his government and she accepted the invitation.

Modi has thanked PM Hasina for her warm wishes following his election victory.

Hasina was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Modi, reflecting the warmth and personal rapport between the two leaders.

"India and Bangladesh share historic relations, which have seen unprecedented growth in the last decade," Modi said.

In a message shared through X, Modi said he looks forward to working together to further strengthen the people-centric partnership between Bangladesh and India.

Modi received a congratulatory telephone call from Hasina for the victory of NDA, according to the Press Information Bureau of India.

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Hasina, Modi want to deepen ties further

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi expressed their desire that the existing bilateral relations between the two...

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Hasina, Modi want to deepen ties further
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . New Delhi 10 June, 2024, 10:55

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi expressed their desire that the existing bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries would be further strengthened in the future.

'The two leaders have expressed their hopes that the existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh-India will be deepened further in the days to come,' foreign minister Hasan Mahmud told a news briefing in the early hours of on Monday.

The expectations came at a one-to-one meeting (tete-e-tete) between the two prime ministers after the swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet of the Modi government at Rashtrapati Bhaban on Sunday evening.

During the meeting held in a very warm and friendly atmosphere, the Bangladesh prime minister invited her Indian counterpart to visit Dhaka at his convenient time, Hasan said.

The bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India have reached a new height under the prudent leadership of Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi, he said.

The foreign minister said that the two premiers later attended a banquet hosted by Indian president Smt Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Senior Indian ministers, Bangladesh delegation, the invited heads of the other governments and states attended the dinner where they had brief interactions, he said.

Hasan said that they also had exchanged pleasantries at that time.

Replying to a query about expectations from each other as the Modi government has run his state for the last 10 years along with Sheikh Hasina's tenure for already 15 years in Bangladesh, the foreign minister said that Bangladesh and India had multifaceted relations.

'Many issues are involved between the two countries. As both the governments continue, there are some benefits in doing work together,' he said.

The people from both countries benefit in terms of different aspects that include connectivity from the friendly relations of both nations, he added.

'Our multi-dimensional deep relations will spread and be consolidated further in the future,' Hasan hoped.

Bangladesh high commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman and PM's press secretary M Nayeemul Islam Khan were present, among others, at the briefing.

Sheikh Hasina also held separate meetings with the president of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe and union minister of India and its former external affairs minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Monday morning.

The Bangladesh prime minister arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new Indian government at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.​

 

[Saif]

India now wants to run Mongla port

India now wants to run Mongla port
SYFUL ISLAM | Saturday, 1 June 2024

Neighboring India now wants to operate Bangladesh's second-seaport Mongla where it already enjoys transshipment facility to transport cargoes to and from its landlocked north-eastern states, sources said.

The proposal is being seen as part of their expanding footprint in strategically important Asian ports.

To pursue the plan, a delegation of India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), an entity under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, visited the Mongla seaport, days before striking a long-term deal to operate Chabahar port in Iran in mid-May.

In April this year, India also secured right to operate Sittwe Port in Myanmar, which will also be managed by IPGL.

Managing Director of IPGL Sunil Mukundan led the Indian delegation to Mongla port where he expressed interest in operating the seaport. The delegation members included other high officials from the IPGL and also some officials from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

They had a meeting with Lieutenant Colonel Md Firoz Al Wahid, Chief Engineer (Mechanical & Electrical), Mongla Port Authority, and his team after visiting the jetties and other facilities of the port.

Contacted, Mr Wahid told the FE Thursday that the Indian delegation expressed interest in operating the port.

"We welcomed their offer and asked them to submit their proposal in writing," he said.

Mr Wahid said once received, the port authority would evaluate the pros and cons of the proposal before taking a decision.

However, the port authority has yet to receive a formal proposal from the IPGL authorities.

"So far we did not receive any written proposal from the Indian company," Mongla Port Authority chairman Rear Admiral Shaheen Rahman told the FE Thursday.

The IPGL Managing Director, Sunil Mukundan, told the FE correspondent over the telephone on Friday that he visited a number of Asian ports, including those in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, in recent months with the aim of expansion of business.

"But this is a government-to-government matter," he said, adding: "I am yet to submit a report on the visit to our government."

Mr Mukundan said the plan could advance only after governments of the two countries would take decision jointly. "I will write a formal letter after getting directives from the government."

In the recent past the government decided to invite foreign investments in the port sectors through appointing globally reputed port operators. Already, the newly-built Patenga Container Terminal has been handed over to Jeddah-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) for operation.

Abu Dhabi Ports Group, PSA Singapore, DP World, and local East Coast Group and its partners have lined up to invest more than US$8 billion for construction of Bay Terminal. Also, Danish port giant Maersk Group will invest $400 million in building Laldia Container Terminal in Chittagong.

The Mongla seaport presently has five jetties where both container and bulk-carrier ships are handled. Two more jetties are under construction to expand its capacity as shippers are showing increased interest in using the port after construction of the Padma Bridge that shortened its distance with the capital.

The port is set to get rail connection soon, facilitating faster and cheaper transportation of cargoes and containers.

In April last year, Bangladesh granted permanent transit and transhipment facility to India to transport cargoes to its seven-sister states by using Chittagong and Mongla seaports.

The Mongla port is strategically important with both India and China having come forward to finance the upgrading and modernisation of its facilities, including the construction of terminals.

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[Saif]

Indian firm to upgrade Mongla port

Egis India Consulting Engineers Private Limited has been appointed as consultant for a capacity building project worth Tk 6,014 crore at Mongla port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh.

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Indian firm to upgrade Mongla port
Agreement signed for the Tk 6,014cr project

Once the project is implemented, Mongla port will be able to handle 1,800 vessels and 50 lakh tonnes of cargo annually, according to the port authority, while the port's annual revenue is expected to increase by Tk 150 crore. Photo: Anisur Rahman

Egis India Consulting Engineers Private Limited has been appointed as consultant for a capacity building project worth Tk 6,014 crore at Mongla port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh.

The Mongla Port Authority (MPA) and Egis India yesterday signed the related agreement, styled "Upgradation of Mongla port", at the Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden in the capital.

Of the estimated Tk 6,014 crore project, the government will finance Tk 1,555 crore from its own coffer while India will provide Tk 4,459 crore as assistance under its line of credit.

The project is scheduled to be complete by July 30, 2024.

The upgradation works include constructing a container terminal, handling and delivery yards, a residential complex and community facilities, marine workshop, multi-storey car lots, service jetty, and more.

Besides, the MPA will procure eight vessels to support port operations, such as loading and unloading goods from larger ships.

Once implemented, Mongla port will be able to handle 1,800 vessels, 50 lakh tonnes of cargo, 4 lakh twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) containers and 10,000 vehicles annually, according to the MPA.

In addition, the port's annual revenue is expected to increase by Tk 150 crore while that of related customs and other agencies could grow by as much as Tk 3,000 crore.

Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, chairman of the MPA, and Laurent Germain, chief executive officer of Egis India, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective parties.

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, the state minister for shipping, was present as chief guest while Pranay Verma, the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, acted as a special guest.

Chowdhury said the seaport will achieve new heights in regards to handling import-export cargo once the upgradation work is complete.

"Mongla port will move closer to Chattogram port's capacity. Not just Bangladesh, but neighbouring nations will also benefit from the port," he added.

The shipping minister went on to say that the project will help expand business and employment opportunities in the country through enhanced multimodal connectivity.​