Dhaka: Bangladeshi experts have largely
welcomed the outcome of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's maiden
India tour calling it a "bold shift" in bilateral ties as she
blunted opposition criticisms alleging the deals with New
Delhi to have compromised the country's national interests.
Former diplomat Farook Sobhan said if Bangladesh
wanted to accelerate its growth between eight and nine per
cent and achieve the status of a middle-income country, "there
is no other way but to build regional and sub-regional
economic cooperation."
International relations professor Shahiduzzaman of
Dhaka University said the prime minister's India visit shifted
the paradigm of Indo-Bangla relations and "the visit proves
that Bangladesh's foreign policy has become dynamic."
Former diplomat Harun-ur Rashid said Hasina's India
visit was expected to have removed the confusion over
Bangladesh's relation with India. They were speaking at the
a newspaper Star held roundtable on "Bangladesh-India Summit 2010."
The roundtable coincided with Hasina’s press briefing
on her last week’s three-day India tour when she answered the
opposition allegations of "selling out country’s interests"
and defended the deals saying those paved ways for enhanced
bilateral and regional cooperation to fight "poverty, our
common enemy."
"India is an economic power and we need to follow the
tail end. It (deals) is a courageous step," said Bangladeshi
born secretary-general of Amnesty International, Irene Khan.
Former state minister for foreign affairs and main
opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda
Zia’s adviser Reaz Rahmanm however, described the outcome of
the summit as "very disappointing."
"Look at the Indian gains. There are too many gifts
for India. The balance of the game was seriously skewed," he
said, terming the move to open up Bangladesh’s southeastern
Chittagong and southwestern Mongla ports to India "mega
concessions".
He said Bangladesh made four "mega concessions" in
bilateral security, connectivity, economic cooperation and
"psychological game" and the "concessions will have
far-reaching implications" while "in my opinion the Awami
League has seriously endangered our nation".
Rahman was supplemented by president of Metropolitan
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Anisuddowla saying
Bangladesh lost its bargaining chip after offering India the
seaport facility without "studying the implications."
But Sobhan said greater cooperation with India,
Bhutan and Nepal would open up the opportunities while India
made a major concession in giving Bhutan and Nepal transit to
Bangladesh.
Hasina late yesterday criticised her archrival Zia’s
BNP for what it alleged that she had "compromised the national
interest" during her maiden New Delhi visit saying "I have
succeeded in my mission as Bangladesh’s interests have been
protected cent percent."
She called a major success of her trip in obtaining
Indian nod in allowing its territory for Bangladesh’s road
links with Nepal and Bhutan which, she said, ensured a
regional connectivity "while India is said to be interested
only in bilateral arrangements on all issues."
"Opposing India is nothing new in Bangladesh; we are
familiar with the anti-India campaign since 1954 elections It
became a habit of some people and we have nothing to do about
it," she said.
Hasina’s press conference was held on a one day notice
as Zia called a press briefing two days ago to give her
reaction on the "outcome of the visit" while the opposition
leader deferred her scheduled briefing by one day after
Hasina’s decision to meet the press.
Dhaka and New Delhi inked three treaties on security
and terrorism, cross border crime and mutual legal assistance
and two memorandums of understanding on power swapping and
trade links while the two sides agreed on several other issues
including offering India the port facilities in Bangladesh in
a joint communiqué.
Dhaka-New Delhi relations witnessed ups and downs in
the past several decades but it is said to have witnessed its
lowest ebb during the 2001-2006 tenure of BNP-led four party
rightwing coalition while the ties started improving during
the subsequent military backed interim administration.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 17, 2010, 13:28