[This was published on 16 May 2014 in Dhaka
Courier]
Needless to utter it twice that
Bangladesh-India Relations, although claimed by India as a ‘role model’, is
still suffering from acute lack of understanding in almost all areas with
fluctuating political will at the centre. What India says and strikes today
makes it difficult and questionable tomorrow, which is not only shocking and
bewildering for the party-in-power in Bangladesh but passes also a kind of
negative message to the people at large in particular in Bangladesh and the
world in general. As a result, widening chasm, not lessening abyss gets easiest
routes for paving way more speedily with wild velocity and vehemence for the
rise and escalation of mutual distrusts, suspicions, confusions and misapprehension.
This is indeed a bad signal for these two neighbor countries. Question is why
does it happen again and over? Who is responsible, India or Bangladesh or the
both?
Whether one may agree or not but for
Bangladesh standing perceptions are: (a) Geography tells us to be with India
but history advises us to be away from India and (b) Indo-phobic Bangladesh at
the mass level while India friendly Bangladesh at the government level (since
it is seen all the time that party-in-power attempts to continue friendly ties
with her counterpart in India without taking and ensuring necessary initiatives
to pass the corresponding rays to the mass level, which is a sort of bad
practice by a section of leaders in Bangladesh). India must take note of these
seriously and should invest her time and energy using all sorts of diplomatic
tracks and political modes to heat on the root for strengthening, consolidating
and cementing her growing image and standing. This is very much mutually rewarding
and reciprocal by nature. Hence, Bangladesh should be responsive and
responsible on her part indeed.
Plain
truth is crux of the knot lies in India and it is India that can settle the
outstanding issues, long or short, in a peaceful and amicable mood and manner
since she is the largest neighbor in the region having more resources and
potentialities in all respects. For all these, Guzrul’s Doctrine (It emphasizes that 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 prevail over the highly-talked-about India
Doctrine ((In fact, there is nothing like India doctrine in the dictionary of
the foreign policy of India, although it is being used by many in a negative
sense after the model of Monroe doctrine of USA to unfurl the real application
of Indian foreign policy in the context of time, space and dimension. It is
also known as Nehru Doctrine and more important is that it is believed by many
that this very doctrine is sustained, preserved and applied by the
party/alliance-in-power irrespective of ideology and color as and when
required. Many feel free to conclude by saying that party shall come and party
shall go but foreign policy shall remain target-oriented and rigid under the
shade of south block). India should be pro-active, openly or
secretly, to suite the very purposes. Or at least a mid-route should be devised
by India to weigh the overall sentiments and necessities of the states in
question.
If India feels free to set herself as a model
for her neighboring countries including Bangladesh then she has no choice but
to be sincere, reconciliatory and accommodative both bilaterally and
multi-laterally. Bangladesh must take the realities into account that to India, there is no denying the fact, she owes
for its birth and on all counts overall continuing peace, stability and development in Bangladesh
cannot be ensured without active cooperation and supports of India. One should
not be nostalgic, emotionally or otherwise, to this actuality as at times ‘real
is more ideal than ideal itself’.
Other side of the coin is that Bangladesh is nowadays
a hotbed of foreign interference(s). Willingly or unwillingly or recklessly or
inadvertently, almost all the political parties, big or small, in today’s
Bangladesh have entered the domain of pro and anti shades of international and
regional politics. Of them, it is believed that USA, leader of the uni-polar
world and India, rising power and leader of the region in south Asia, are now
starkly dominating the political landscapes in Bangladesh. Obviously, the grand
alliance-in power led by Sheikh Hasina has sided with India for reasons, known
or unknown. Obviously it is in the air that India has got more than ever before
during the administration of Sheikh Hasina whereas Bangladesh has virtually
received nothing from India. It might be a cause of research, study and
analysis for the researchers, think-tanks and others. Whatever might be the
feedbacks in the end, truth remains one and unique that alas! Sheikh Hasina
government with all his sincere commitments and magnamonity failed to yield
expected fruits from India. Is it falling of Sheikh Hasina’s statesmanship? Or
is it failure of her statesmanship? Or is it because of the oft-quoted
allegation by the critics that Sheikh Hasina Administration has totally
addressed itself to India, which is in foreign relations otherwise called
‘Recapitualistic foreign policy?
Therefore, on the one hand a common approach
towards India based on the understanding between or among the major political
parties in Bangladesh at least between the two major political parties Awami
League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party with two India policy on top (It
implies that one for the centre and other for the
bordering states may be of great
importance in course of time provided there shall be no conflict between the
approaches in operation)
is a call of time, space and dimension and on the other, India needs to revisit
and recast her approach towards Bangladesh having consensus at home before
striking any deal with Bangladesh at the same time being careful of and sincere
to her commitments made in the past, near or remote. We should not die into
oblivion that in international politics and relations ‘confidence-building
through mutually rewarding exchanges is a condition precedent under all the
circumstances, favorable or not’. Let the leaders of Bangladesh and India be
pragmatic and honest to it from the very bosom of their minds not merely from
the mouths and therefore, here comes the lines as follows:
O the peoples of Bangladesh and India
Think and realize in line together with
geo-politics and history
Not merely taking the note of history on your
own.
O the leaders and statesmen of Bangladesh and
India
Lead, lead the nations respectively
In line with building of mutual confidence
and cooperation
Deleting the bitter chapters and days of past
Infusing a strong sense of commitment(s) both
at the government and mass levels for
For cementing ties and brotherhood
Upholding the songs of development and
cooperation in almost all fields
Leaving no stone unturned in expectation of
Better present and future.
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