Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Dhaka on 26 and 27 March. The country’s foreign minister S Jaishankar has arrived in Dhaka Thursday morning basically to finalise this visit. During this one-day visit, he will pay a courtesy call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Prior to that, in the afternoon he will have a bilateral meeting with foreign minister AK Abdul Momen.
In a press release of the Indian external affairs ministry on Wednesday, it was said that Jaishankar is visiting Dhaka after the 17 December virtual meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries. This trip will be an opportunity to review relations between the two countries.
Previously S Jaishankar visited Bangladesh in August 2019, for the first time as foreign minister. And in August last year, Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla paid a rather sudden visit to Dhaka. And Bangladesh’s foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen paid a visit to Delhi in January this year.
Concerning S Jaishankar’s visit, foreign minister AK Abdul Momen told Prothom Alo, Bangladesh will raise the issues of expanding trade and commerce as well as connectivity including an increase in passenger train service. The issues of sharing waters of common rivers and halting border killings will also feature in the talks. Alongside these issues, the discussions will include loan agreement projects and the speedy implementation of the Rampal power plant.
Foreign ministry officials have said that Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Dhaka on 26 March to join events marking Bangabandhu’s birth centennial and Bangladesh’s 50th year of independence. On the first day of the visit he will speak at the event commemorating Bangabandhu birth centennial and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence. The next day, 27 March, he will pay respects at Bangabandhu’s grave in Tungipara. He will return to Dhaka in the afternoon and hold bilateral talks with prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Teesta and six other rivers
The Teesta water sharing agreement has been held up due to differences between the India’s West Bengal state government and the country’s central government over the issue. The water sharing agreement of common rivers remains uncertain due to West Bengal’s Vidhan Sabha elections to be held in the last week of March. Even so, the Teesta issue will be raised with Jaishankar, according to foreign ministry officials. There has been no meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC) since its last ministerial meeting of the commission in 2010. Bangladesh will stress the need to hold the JRC meet as soon as possible.
A senior official of the foreign ministry has told Prothom Alo that even though the signing of the Teesta water sharing agreement is uncertain, the two countries have been working since 2019 on the interim draft agreement for the sharing of waters of the rivers Monu, Muhuri, Dudhkumar, Gomti, Khoai and Dharla. Meanwhile, India has objected to a canal been excavated in Rahimpur of Zakiganj in Syhet to use water from the river Kushiara for irrigation purposes. Bangladesh will seek to resolve these issues during the discussions.
Trade issues
While exports from Bangladesh to the Indian market have increased, Bangladesh’s businesspersons face problems as the issues of tariff and non-tariff barriers have not been resolved. Discussions have been continuing for long regarding a withdrawal of the anti-dumping tariff imposed by India. Also, discussions will also aim at resolving the complications which have emerged regarding sending goods through the land ports.
An official of the foreign ministry has said that a decision had been taken to carry out a joint study aimed at signing an agreement for integrated economic partnership between the two countries. Bangladesh will press for the study to be completely as soon as possible.
Establishing a peaceful border
Border killings are not a reflection of close relations. This matter has been discussed between the two countries. However, despite India’s assurances at various times, it has not been possible to halt the border killings.
Bangladesh will raise this issue during talks with Jaishankar. Bangladesh’s officials feel, in order to establish a peaceful border, there is no alternative but for Bangladesh and India to work together in order to control any sort of illegal activities along the long border. This requires steps in raising awareness as well as legitimate economic activities along the border.
Cooperation for connectivity
Bangladesh is working in building up a hub of regional connectivity, including roads and railways. Bangladesh is in an advantageous geographical position as a conduit between South and Southeast Asia. That is why Bangladesh looks for bilateral cooperation with India as well as sub-regional and regional means to establish itself as a connectivity hub.
An official of the foreign ministry said that Bangladesh wants to join up with the tri-nation highway of India, Myanmar and Thailand. The two sides will also discuss Dhaka’s proposal in this regard. Bangladesh has also proposed five new routes for connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan over Indian territory. India has the matter under consideration.