By Nitya Chakraborty
On December 9 Monday, Indian foreign secretary held crucial talks in Dhaka with his Bangladesh counterpart as also the head of interim government Dr. Muhammad Yunus to find some ways for improving the bilateral relations in the wake of reports of attacks on Hindus by the communal elements of the country. The discussions were the first at the high level between the two countries in the Bangladesh capital with no breakthrough in sight though both expressed their desire to continue the dialogue.
No sooner after the departure of the Indian foreign secretary for New Delhi from Dhaka, Pakistan Government’s trade ministry swung into action to identify the areas of trade and investment in Bangladesh so that in a short term, the Yunus government can get some assistance from Islamabad in meeting its economic challenges posed by its present relations with India.
Already, in the last two months, Islamabad and Dhaka had talks about the trade possibilities but now, Islamabad wants a full-fledged meeting of the Pakistan Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission proposed to be held in end December/January to start a new era in bilateral economic relations. Bangladesh is also making preparations and its ministries have been asked to earmark the areas where Pakistan can replace the supplies from Indian sources. Islamabad has mostly identified but Bangladesh is yet to make its list final as the administration is not sure to what extent, Dhaka can be benefitted by diverting to Pakistan supplies from India.
The holding of a JEC meeting in a big way is the brainwave of the Pakistan foreign ministry and the Islamabad strategy is to give some concessions to Bangladesh taking into the additional costs due to distance compared to India. Bangladesh has already requested granting duty free access to ten product categories covering 104 items.. Further Pakistan is assuring Bangladesh of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
More than trade Pakistani businessmen are interested in investments in Bangladesh having a huge market. A large number of non-resident Pakistani businessmen who are called NRPs like our NRIs, are in touch with both Islamabad and Dhaka for setting up facilities in Bangladesh. Many of them are interested in technical cooperation in textiles, the premier industry of Bangladesh. At their request, Pakistan government is including the joint ventures s an important part of discussions at the coming JEC meeting.. Further, Bangladesh-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce office will be set up in both Dhaka and Chittagong.
While right now, Indian officials are not generally visiting the Bangladesh government offices for discussions as they used to do before August 5 this year, the Pakistan High Commission officials in Dhaka are now regular in meeting the officials in Dhaka.. The Pak officials based in Dhaka High Commission on the basis of bilateral discussions have proposed the setting up of a joint venture between the oil exploration agencies of the two countries. A proposal has been mooted to sign a MoU between the two corporations during the JEC meeting. The proposed JV will be working for joint hydrocarbon and minerals exploration. There is another proposal that an MoU will be signed between Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAF) and Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh (EPB) at the JEC meet..
The ouster of Sheikh Hasina from power in Bangladesh on August 5 and the installation of the Yunus regime was nowhere near the imagination of the Indian policy makers. South Block was confident that like earlier challenges, Hasina would ride through this anti-quota movement challenge also. But the scenario turned completely opposite. From a virtual non-entity in Hasina years, Pakistan has entered the centre stage of Bangladesh politics. Last month, Bangladesh imported 35, 000 rifles from Pakistan. An agreement has been concluded that Pakistan army will conduct training of a section of Bangladeshi soldiers. Pakistan ship has landed in Chittagong Port for the first time in the last five decades. Pakistan army and Bangladesh army are cosying. ..
For India, it is a very very trying period. New Delhi has to act with caution and restraint and give no further scope to the people of Bangladesh to become more anti-Indian. Bangladesh knows that Pakistan is offering the incentives with political motives, these will not be of any real benefit. Economic relations with India are more meaningful and beneficial to them. The Bangladesh trade ministries are still giving some resistance and putting questions. But Pakistan is putting too much pressure on the fragile Yunus regime to rush with his decision to agree to Pak charter at the coming JEC meeting. Bangladesh has every right to choose its trade partner, but Dhaka will lose if it ignores India and its economic assistance. It is high time, in the coming three weeks, India communicates with Dhaka and sends the right signals. Dhaka will only lose if it falls in Pakistani trap. (IPA Service)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
