Audite Karim : At a time when relations between Bangladesh and India are strained and tense over the “push-in” issue, Dinesh Trivedi, the new Indian High Commissioner, arrived in Bangladesh carrying a message of friendship.
Last Friday, after 11:30am, he entered Bangladesh through the Benapole-Petrapole land port. India’s former Union Railway Minister and BJP leader Dinesh Trivedi is not a career diplomat; he is a politician. Last April, the Indian government appointed Dinesh Trivedi as the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh. In the 55-year history of relations between the two countries, this is the first time India has sent a politician as its high commissioner to Bangladesh.
Upon entering Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi said, “Our current population is 140 crore (1.4 billion). To that, I have added 20 crore (Bangladesh’s population). That makes 160 crore. Whatever I want to do here, it will all happen together. I am not thinking about it separately. Can’t you see I just walked right across ?
We will resolve the visa issues together. We share not just a common border, but a common dream. Our sky is one, our air is one, and in many cases, our challenges are also the same. Therefore, there is no scope for us to lose our way. All problems can be resolved through love and mutual sincerity.”
Regarding his priorities as high commissioner, he said, “My sole priority is the relationship between the people of Bangladesh and India. We are all brothers and sisters. There is no scope for us to lose our way. All that is needed is love and mutual sincerity. Only then can all problems be solved. Our relationship with the people of Bangladesh is not limited to the border. We are also connected to the dreams of the people of Bangladesh. The welfare of those who are our brothers, sisters, and mothers is the most important thing.”
By appointing a senior politician like Dinesh Trivedi as the ambassador to Bangladesh, India has sent a clear message: they are interested in improving relations with Bangladesh. Therefore, Bangladesh must now adopt a diplomatic strategy to develop this relationship. Tensions at the border, killings, and inhumane incidents like push-ins never indicate a good relationship; rather, they reflect bitterness between the two nations.
This hostility is detrimental to both countries. In today’s world, coercion and war do not solve any crisis. Instead, all problems can be resolved through dialogue. Without any further delay, the path to discussion regarding India’s unreasonable push-ins must be opened. Tension with a neighbor yields good results for no one.
It must be remembered that Bangladesh and India share a long border. The total length of the land border between Bangladesh and India is 4,096.7 kilometres. It is the fifth-longest land border in the world, connecting five Indian states – West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Tensions and untoward situations along this border pose a threat to the peace, stability, and security of both nations. Not just the border, but there are strains over several other issues between the two countries.
Quick discussions need to be initiated regarding issues such as a fair share of water from multiple rivers, including the Padma and Teesta, visa complications, and India denying Bangladesh the use of its ports for the last year and a half. For a country’s security, economic development, and peace, a normal, friendly relationship based on mutual respect and dignity with its neighbor is essential.
Everything can be changed, but one cannot change their neighbor. Therefore, instead of a tense relationship with neighboring countries, efforts must be made to solve problems through dialogue. Furthermore, the Bangladesh-India relationship was forged through the Great Liberation War of ‘71. India’s support and cooperation during our Liberation War is the strength of our friendship. Problems will exist between two neighbors,
but the only way to solve those problems is through dialogue. No problem can be solved by pushing people in or creating a war-like situation at the border. The arrival of India’s new Ambassador has created an avenue for dialogue between the two countries, and both nations must utilize this opportunity.
The decline in Bangladesh-India relations occurred during the tenure of the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus. During this period, under the guise of radical anti-India sentiment, the interim government led Bangladesh’s foreign policy astray. The irresponsible and India-phobic remarks made by Yunus and his advisers brought nothing but harm to Bangladesh.
The comment Yunus made regarding India’s Seven Sisters was a clear interference in the internal affairs of another country. The then law adviser Asif Nazrul soured relations between the two countries by spreading false information claiming that 2.6 million Indian citizens work in Bangladesh.
While the Yunus government opposed India outwardly, they internally made the country more dependent on Indian products. Product imports from India increased during the tenure of Yunus’s interim government. Yet, Indian visas were suspended, and Bangladeshi products were deprived of the opportunity to use Indian ports. Today’s push-ins are the result of the flawed diplomatic maneuvers of the Yunus government.
Due to Prof Yunus’s erroneous policies, Bangladesh has gradually become isolated not only from India but from the entire world. Bangladesh’s relations with its other neighbor, Myanmar, are also not good. Twelve lakh (1.2 million) displaced Rohingyas have been staying in Bangladesh for nine years, posing a massive burden on the country. There is no progress regarding sending the Rohingyas back to their homeland.
Although Muhammad Yunus was introduced as an “international player” at the beginning of his assumption of power, in reality, we have not been able to celebrate any goals scored by him. Aside from Pakistan, there has been no significant diplomatic success with any other country. Yunus had claimed that the Rohingyas would celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr of this year (last year) in Myanmar. Not only did that fail to materialise, but conversely, at least another two lakh Rohingyas have newly entered Bangladesh in the meantime.
After taking power, Yunus said that the world would come to us. But practically, over the last one and a half years, the doors of the world are on the verge of closing for Bangladesh. Yunus stated that European countries that do not have visa centers in Bangladesh would start operating here.
He invited ambassadors from various European countries based in Delhi to Dhaka. However, in one and a half years, Yunus could not relocate the visa center of a single country from Delhi to Dhaka, thereby increasing the suffering of students aspiring to study abroad. Most of the countries that Bangladeshi citizens could previously enter without a visa have now banned visa-free entry, and most other countries have reduced their visa issuance rates.
Visas for Thailand and Singapore have now become as rare as a golden deer (highly elusive). Yunus announced the reopening of the Malaysian labor market, but in reality, it did not open. Manpower export to numerous countries has shut down during the tenure of the interim government.
America has gone so far as to impose visa restrictions. The value of Bangladesh’s passport has degraded, dropping to the level of Yemen, Afghanistan, or Palestine. Despite traveling abroad 14 times in one and a half years – including 11 times in the first 12 months – the “Yunus Magic” has practically failed. Bangladesh’s diplomacy today has lost its way.
Therefore, one of the primary goals of the new government will be to bring our foreign policy back to the right track. Immediately after taking office, the BNP government took initiatives to restore Bangladesh’s foreign policy to a normal state. The BNP government has already brought some good news for Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has been elected as the President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. In the election held at the UN Headquarters in New York, he was elected to the post for a one-year term by defeating the special envoy of the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Andreas S Kakouris, by 8 votes. This is undoubtedly a massive achievement.
Efforts are underway to open the Malaysian labor market. The prime minister’s first foreign visit is to Malaysia. It is expected that the closed labor market will reopen during the Prime Minister’s visit to Malaysia on 21 June. This will be a success of Tarique Rahman’s economic diplomacy.
The core foundation of Bangladesh’s foreign policy is “Friendship to all, malice towards none.” That foundation must be re-established. Developing relations with neighbours must be given priority. At the same time, economic development must be prioritised in diplomacy. We are optimistic that Bangladesh’s foreign policy will soon find its way.
(Audite Karim is a writer and playwright. Email: auditekarim@gmail.com)