New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- India on Friday signalled that it will be taking all necessary measures to protect its national interest following reports that the incumbent BNP government of Bangladesh is conducting an assessment of 101 bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the erstwhile Awami League government.
As of now, several sectors in India-Bangladesh ties which are of strategic importance, such as transit or access to the ports of Chittagong and Mongla, connectivity projects, electricity, borders, and water sharing, have come under scrutiny in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, New Delhi asserted that no formal communications regarding the report have been made so far by the Bangladesh government.
In response to a query during the press briefing held in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded that India has noted the media reports, but there have been no formal communications so far from Bangladesh.
"We have seen some media reports in this regard. However, nothing has been officially communicated to us till now. Naturally, India would take all appropriate measures for safeguarding its interests," Jaiswal said.
The exercise has been initiated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)'s Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, who recently stated that Bangladesh's government was reviewing 101 agreements and MoUs made between India and Bangladesh during the regime of the Awami League. He emphasised that Bangladesh was keen on maintaining cordial relations with New Delhi but Bangladesh's national interests must remain uppermost.
Some of the MoUs being reviewed are the one on using the ports of Chittagong and Mongla to ferry cargo from and to the northeastern part of India through Bangladeshi territory. Bangladesh has expressed reservations regarding the terms and conditions on the issue of access to and transit from the ports.
Any shift in such arrangements would have implications beyond regional connectivity and the flow of goods between India's Northeast and the rest of the nation. The review process is also happening against the larger context of Bangladesh's reassessment of infrastructure and connectivity projects with India.
Another equally significant area of bilateral cooperation between the nations is energy cooperation. Bangladesh receives power from India, which includes electricity from the Godda plant, and both countries share power infrastructure across their borders. Such a review of current arrangements could thus have repercussions for both sides, especially since Bangladesh is experiencing pressures from both energy and foreign exchange.
Besides, border security along the 4,096-km long border India-Bangladesh border is yet another important aspect of New Delhi's relations with Dhaka. In particular, during the regime of the Awami League government, Bangladesh has acted against anti-Indian militant groups operating from Bangladesh's soil.
Water sharing is yet another touchy pillar of the relationship. The 30-year Ganga Water Sharing Treaty was signed on December 12, 1996, and would expire by December 2026. When queried about the mechanism of renewal, Jaiswal stated that the existing bilateral and technical-level mechanisms were still functional.
Both countries share 54 transboundary rivers, and the Joint Rivers Commission has been the primary bilateral forum for discussions on water issues. The Teesta has been the unresolved issue for years with the proposed 2011 water-sharing treaty not coming into effect owing to resistance from West Bengal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.