Indian newspaper criticizes attitude of New Delhi

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
August 7, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1628/indian-newspaper-criticizes-attitude-of-new-delhi

While Bangladesh is eagerly awaiting the September visit of Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Dhaka's foreign ministry and others are visibly busy in giving 'everything' to India as per its desires, eminent Indian newspaper The Economic Times in an editorial said: "… after the Bangladeshi Prime Minister's visit to India in January 2010, Bangladesh has done quite a bit to improve bilateral relations. However, India hasn't reciprocated. Water-sharing, migration, transit and maritime boundaries are complicated and contentious issues. However, it is a bit strange that after so many years, we haven't been able to resolve land boundaries. In a sense, we don't know what India is and what Bangladesh is."

The newspaper further said: "As far as one can make out, India "adversely" occupies 551.8 acres of Bangladeshi land and Bangladesh "adversely" occupies 226.81 acres of Indian land."

What the writer did not mention is Killing or injuring by BSF, "unprovoked" firing by the Indian border guards, trafficking in illegal arms and ammunition, and smuggling of explosive and narcotic substances, including Phensidyl, heroin and hemp from India. He also did not mention the Push-in bids and border violation by BSF and Indian citizens, Bangladeshi "criminals acting from inside India", intrusion, obstruction by BSF to the development activities of Bangladesh, keeping "Tin Bigha [1 acre] corridor" open for 24 hours, electrification of Dohogram-Angurpota area.

Meanwhile, according to news sites, Indian Border Security Force [BSF] simply walked into Bangladeshi territory, occupied 261 acres of land and erected poles. The border guards of the neighboring country are also intercepting Bangladeshis from going to their crop-lands. Several sources inside Bangladesh on condition on anonymity said, these lands were handed over to Indian side willingly by the Bangladesh government. Earlier, the Bangladesh Government had made over a piece of land to India on Padua border, the frontier that had been troubled by a skirmish between the border forces of the two countries during the previous tenure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who now again is in power in Bangladesh with a brute majority in the parliament. Bangladesh is conceding another 13.5 acres of cultivable land to India at Kulum Chhara in Goainghat upazila in Sylhet district.

Anyway, though government of Bangladesh Awami League enthusiastically handed over the land to India and are even willing to meet any desire of expectations of New Delhi, there is no sign from the other side, even of showing minimum respect to what Bangladesh deserves from its large neighbor.

It is rumored that Sheikh Hasina government is not only going to meet and implement each and every desires of the Indian government, it is also ready to even pass a Presidential Ordinance stopping any citizen of Bangladesh from criticizing any of the treaties or agreements signed by the current government in Dhaka. Earlier a Presidential Ordinance has been passed closing ways for bringing any of the treaties or agreement for discussion in the parliament.

Political analysts praising the steps taken by Sheikh Hasina government say it is unwise for a smaller neighbor like Bangladesh to unnecessary show hostile attitude towards India. They said, India has not turned into a regional power, but true cordial relations between Dhaka and New Delhi can greatly benefit the people of the both nations. They also raised the case of India-Nepal or India-Bhutan relations. It may be mentioned here that, Indian currency is in free circulation in Nepal and Bhutan. The economic experts in South Asia are even suggesting introduction of a common currency for South Asian nations.

Personally, I am never a pessimists and I really do not fall as victim of shadow fear. There are many anti-Indian and pro-Pakistani elements inside Bangladesh, who might be actively trying to unnecessarily put the Bangladeshis into fear about possible closer ties between Dhaka and New Delhi. But, in reality, it totally depends on the policymakers of India as to how they take the recent cordial attitude of Sheikh Hasina government. I believe, Sonia Gandhi, who very recently paid her visit to Bangladesh, will in this case, play the most important role of stopping Delhi from only taking from Bangladesh, but also encourage India in equally giving what Bangladesh desires and expects. Ms. Gandhi can once again exhibit the historic friendship towards the people of Bangladesh same as her late mother-in-law. We do not want to even think that, India, a country of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Netaji Subhash Basu and Indira Gandhi will at all follow the path of hostility towards smaller nations like Bangladesh. We whole-heartedly welcome Dr. Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh and hope, this time; he will be coming with series of good news of 'giving' to the Bangladeshi people, instead of just 'taking' selfishly. We want to feel proud of being a neighbor of a country like India instead of being in horror.

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