India’s high commissioner to Bangladesh, Pinak Chakravarty, told PTI, “With a new India rising, we want Bangladesh to be a part of it.’’
“A poor neighbour syndrome is a liability which is why we want an integration of markets, connectivity and communication with Bangladesh,’’ Chakravarty said.
Back in Dhaka, the finance ministry in the caretaker government was instructing its Board of Investment to restart negotiations with the Tata group on a $3 billion (Rs12,000 crore) investment in the country’s power, steel and fertilizer sectors, Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Star reported.
Until talks fell apart in 2006 over rising anti-India feeling, the Tata investment would have been Bangladesh’s biggest investment ever. Talks were on for a 15-year guarantee on the state’s supply of 1.25 trillion cubic feet of gas as well as 3 million tonnes (mt) of coal annually. Dhaka had also agreed to allow the Tata group a 10-year tax holiday.
People in India’s home ministry familiar with the development, but who do not wish to be identified, have confirmed that after Gen. Moeen Ahmed’s visit— he met external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, defence minister A.K. Antony, and West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee—the around 4,000-km border between India and Bangladesh has been unusually quiet; Bangladesh shares borders with all seven states in India’s North-East .
Bangladeshi sources admitted that during Khaleda Zia’s tenure, “relations with India were very tense’’ because Delhi believed that her government was allowing Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency to plot against India from the country.
“But after the army chief’s visit to India, there is much better understanding between Delhi and Dhaka. The army chief assured India that Bangladesh would take action against anti-Indian insurgent camps as well as against religious fundamentalists who are using Bangladeshi territory against India,’’ said a person in the Bangladeshi establishment familiar with the matter.
All through the political churning in Bangladesh last year, Delhi kept extremely silent. Unlike the newly appointed US ambassador to Bangladesh, James Moriarty, (who moved from Nepal to Bangladesh earlier this week), who publicly called for the state of emergency to be lifted before “credible elections’’ can be held, India has held its peace.
When Zia’s son Tarique Rahman was thrown in jail on corruption charges, India kept its counsel. Then the two Begums were arrested. In December, they were charged by the Anti-Corruption Commission for colluding with Canadian gas exploration company Niko to the detriment of the state.
Political analysts say India plays its cards quietly. “India would clearly like to see Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League come to power in the elections, because she is much more disposed to India. However, Delhi and the rest of the world can only quietly encourage Dhaka to keep to the election timetable. Dhaka must be encouraged to take the credit of cleaning up the corruption and then hold elections,’’ said an Indian analyst, who did not wish to be identified.