India-Bangladesh Relations

[Tgis was published on 03 January 2014 in Dhaka Courier]

Over the period of last one year, I have written more than ten articles on Bangladesh-India Relations most attentive of which are Bangladesh-India Relations: Centre of attention, 11 September, 2011, Dhaka Courier, Indian PM’s comments, aftermath and his forthcoming visit, 18 July 2011, Dhaka Courier, Understanding Khaleda Zia’s Visit to India, 30 October 2012, New Nation, Khalada Zia’s visit to India: Viewed from a wider perspective, 09 November 2012, Financial Express and  Khaleda’s visit not pointless even for AL, 16 November 2012, Dhaka Courier.

In all cases, I made attempts to the highest order to pass an unambiguous message to the policy-makers, think-tanks, leaders and statesmen in Bangladesh and India that while dealing each other, for a sustainable mutually rewarding relations (a) ‘common approach’ based on consensus of the leading political parties in the respective Parliament is a condition precedent and (b) Being a big state and rising global power in Asian political landscapes India should be more responsible, accommodative and responsive towards her small neighbors including Bangladesh. To suite the very purposes, Guzrul’s Doctrine (for building and cementing a frame of mutual confidence removing distrusts and suspicions, a big state, instead of projecting and establishing its big brotherly gesture, should behave in such a mood and mode that show due respects to the causes of a neighboring small state) should go ahead of the highly-talked-about India Doctrine (supremacy of India over the states in the sub-continent must be achieved and ensured anyhow. It is also known as Nehru Doctrine and in the context of time, space and dimension it is being identified as a kind of revival of ‘Monroe Doctrine’ in today’s Indian perspective).

My past attachment with Jatiyo Party as international, publicity and publication secretary exceeding a decade from 1986-1998 opened a big horizon before me to cultivate, garner and store so many things in national, bilateral, regional and international perspectives having India in mind as one of the topmost priorities since then. Long before that, amusingly enough, I had golden opportunities as a special correspondent of the then weekly New Nation, now a daily, to take exclusive interviews of the then leading Indian political leaders and statesmen such as Indira Gandhi (New Nation, 23 September 1979), Charan Singh, Jagjiban Ram (New Nation, 06 September 1981) and Jyoti Basu (for External Services of Radio Bangladesh 16 May, 1985), which, to speak the truth, generated a great interest in me to learn more about India, her leaderships and foreign policy. I am still roaming and storing, and hope to continue intimately.

And to me, speaking outspokenly, the interview that I gave to Foreign Policy Research Centre (FPRC), New Delhi, India remains to be the most absorbing one till the date.

Noting factually, on 26 October 2013 I gave an e-mail interview to Foreign Policy Research Centre (FPRC), New Delhi, India, which has been published in its current special issue, FPRC Journal-16 in the second week of December. The questionnaire contains eight questions touching almost all the thorny issues on India-Bangladesh Relations. It carries importance for many a reason in the context of ongoing bi-lateral relations between Bangladesh and India since the very policy and role of India towards Bangladesh are not so much conspicuously translucent and ready to lend a hand from Bangladesh standpoints and perspectives. There is no denying the fact that public perception about India’s stand nowadays is not so much promising as conceived and projected at the start of the Hasina-led grand alliance government in 2009. Moreover, BNP’s about-turn from its highly initiated anti-India-stand, used as one and the same for Bangladesh’s interests, immediately after Khaleda Zia’s official visit to India in 2012 is not commensurate with the overall interests of Bangladesh whether one may agree or not adding a list of arguments accordingly. Knowingly or unknowing or recklessly or negligently both AL and BNP are now at a loss as to what to do to move honorably with this rising global power in Asia. Should India herself be considerate towards Bangladesh in her own mood and mode?  Or should Bangladesh be somber and accommodative enough politically and diplomatically to maintain, enhance and uphold her interests at various fronts ( for this there must a kind of consensus between two leading political parties AL and BNP on major foreign policy issues on Bangladesh-India context)? Or should there be a broadly based responsive and responsible reciprocal mechanism between these two uneven neighbors?

whatsoever the approach (es) might be, reality unfolds the truth that Bangladesh is suffering mainly because of absence of home-work at home, or else called ‘national consensus’, while India is yielding benefits resting on ‘common approach’ in line with ‘India Doctrine’ and, therefore, strategically, certainly apart from geographical, economic and military standing, India is also in the best position politically and diplomatically. Taking all into accessible apposite mathematics, arts and technology, Hobson’s choice for Bangladesh is to look confidently at her respective standing first and see that the very essence and asset of Bangladesh are its razor-sharp and far-sighted politics and diplomacy for which she needs beyond question leadership backed by vision and mission. There is no alternative to and debate on it.

Therefore, to cope up with all these here bringing the interview of FPRC to notice as under may relevantly be considered and weighed as much as possible.

‘Questions and Responses:

Q1. We should differentiate between Bangladesh-India relations at official level from the non-official or people’s level. People in general in both countries are keen to maintain cordiality and warmth.

 R. It's a time to give importance to the saying that goes on repeating that 'Indo-phobic Bangladesh at the mass level and India friendly Bangladesh at the government level’ is a reality at this very present. Therefore, India should first of all understand and realize the overall pulse of the people of Bangladesh. Multi-track diplomacy is a condition precedent but India should take due initiative to put into practice what it says, in particular in the light of the treaties made between Hasina and Manmohan Singh in 2010.Mere utterances of friendship and goodwill may sometimes also emerge as possible source of discontents and distance.

Q2. Is it correct to say that India gives more weight to fulfilling its interest in Bangladesh than addressing Bangladesh’s interests?

R. Yes, it is indeed.

Q3. A lot of problems, certainly on Bangladesh’s side, stem from a certain degree of ignorance. But, then, India is also so ‘obsessed’ with Pakistan that Bangladesh gets marginalized. If India wishes to continue its relationship with Bangladesh, should it not take a good look at the stand it takes towards other South Asian countries also?

 R. Good realization of course, which needs reflection in its entirety in the overall Geo-political landscapes in the region.

Q4. A growing relationship between China and Bangladesh is visualized by India as potentially problematic. Bangladesh tries to bargain between India and China. Apart from that, Bangladesh’s policy over the years has been characterized by one favoring India, and one against it. Is it a correct assessment of the relationship?

R. Such assessment is neither correct nor incorrect from the standpoints of realities and compulsions of national, regional and international interests, politics and relations. Please take it guaranteed that synchronization and harmonization between state security and regime security in practice at times are very much difficult and challenging, covertly or overly or from the both taken together, since politics of the regime in power in most of the cases gets upper hand.

Q5. An appreciable degree of strategic coordination is taking place between Washington and New Delhi in relation to Bangladesh. US Secretary of State Clinton, during her last visit to India, specifically stated that India “has a great commitment to improving relations with Bangladesh, and that is important because regional solutions will be necessary on energy shortages, water-sharing, and the fight against terrorists.” Do you share this assessment?

R. Yes, I do provided that must be in the interests of the states in the region as a whole.

Q6. India-Bangladesh relations also significantly impact on the internal politics of both the countries.  The dynamics and pattern of the internal politics of Bangladesh is importantly influenced by the impact of India -Bangladesh relations. Similarly, given the steady rise of regional parties and the increasing dependence of governments in New Delhi on their state allies, the impact is being felt in the area of foreign policy as well. Do you share the view that this historic relationship has been lost to the vagaries of domestic political wrangling in both countries?

R. The assessment carries partial truth and the other side of the coin is that 'Indian interference, direct or indirect, with the domestic issues in Bangladesh has made her an object of suspicion and distrust to the people in Bangladesh.  The concept of pro and anti' in case of India has now become an essential ingredient to the politics of Bangladesh.

Q7. “India should not overemphasize history and Bangladesh should not forget geography and both the countries should develop vested interest in each other’s prosperity” (Prof. Omprakash Mishra) How far do you agree with the statement?

R. Mostly agreed.

Q8. The challenge before India and Bangladesh is how to make bilateral relations irrevocably friendly. What steps you would like to suggest to take the relationship to the next level?

R. India's recent approach to build relations with the political parties, big or small, in Bangladesh is very much realistic and praiseworthy on all counts. India must prove on record that she is sincere, fair and respectful to the causes of Bangladesh. IK Guzral-doctrine, not India-doctrine should come to the forefront. Look at the present Hasina administration in Bangladesh and ask yourself what Hasina has already given to India and what in return Bangladesh received from India. The gap between the two i.e. giving and getting shows what India should now do to uphold the concept that 'Bangladesh-India relations are now role model'.

In tune with the Indian mindset as depicted in the responses of the interview once more it can be noted here with more vehemence and velocity that in our day there is no dearth of doubt that India under all the circumstances is determined to keep her hands high about the matters in Bangladesh and her differences of stands and opinions with USA on the ongoing political stalemate in Bangladesh give messages to all concerned that she is not only Bangladesh’s adjacent big neighbor but also the greatest midwife to the birth of this country. Hence, her role is bigger than anybody else’s.  Therefore, let me pen off with a recent saying from Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid that "While the US is at some distance from Bangladesh, we're right next to it. So our understanding of the region and understanding of sentiments of the people in the region should be helpful in the positions they (USA) want to take (The Hindu, an influential Indian English daily, quoted the Indian External Affairs Minister in a report published on 30 December 2013)’".