Last-minute move on to finalise deals
Long-term framework agreement on cooperation on cards during Manmohan's visit
Rezaul Karim
As two more days are left for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's arrival in Dhaka, bureaucrats of both countries are trying to finalise a long-term Comprehensive Framework Agreement on cooperation, and around a dozen of other deals that are expected to mark a turning point in the bilateral relations.
Diplomatic sources said the two countries are considering signing of the long-term framework agreement for forging close bilateral relations.
Bangladesh and India had a 25-year Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace signed on March 19, 1972. The two governments however declined to renegotiate or renew the treaty when it approached expiry in 1997.
A highly placed source in the Bangladesh government told The Daily Star that both prime ministers feel that a framework agreement setting the vision, principles, and modalities of the relationship is important.
Elaborating on the framework agreement, the source said it will provide a structure, and identify priorities of the relationship.
Bangladesh Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi told The Daily Star that Dhaka gave the Indian side a draft proposal for the framework agreement, which will basically lay the foundation and broad principles of the relationship between the two countries.
Official sources said Bangladesh and India are working to finalise agreements, protocols, and memorandums of understanding (MoUs), like a 15-year interim agreement on water sharing of the Teesta river, unilateral withdrawal of water from the Feni river by India for a drinking water project, and a 20-year agreement on purchase of 250 megawatt (MW) power by Bangladesh from India at a preferential rate. Bangladesh might purchase another 250 MW power at the international market rate.
The two countries are likely to sign a package protocol under the 1974 Mujib-Indira Land Boundary Agreement which will deal with five legacy issues -- exchange of enclaves and adversely possessed lands, demarcation of 6.5 kilometres (km) of un-demarcated border, allowing Bangladeshis to use "Tin Bigha Corridor" for 24 hours, and finalisation of a strip map.
A likely MoU on Bangladesh's one of the most important issues, trade liberalisation, will allow duty-free entry of 61 Bangladeshi products to India. This will be signed under the Trade Agreement between the two countries.
A protocol on Protection of Royal Bengal Tiger in the Sundarbans is also likely to be inked. Besides, the two countries might sign an MoU on Preservation of Biodiversity in the Sundarbans.
Bangladesh and India are also likely to sign MoUs on cooperation on renewable energy, telecast of programmes of BTV and Durdarshan in both countries, cooperation in the fisheries sector, and cooperation between Dhaka University and Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
An addendum on allowing transit to Nepal through Rohanpur (Chapai Nawabganj) in Bangladesh and Singabad in India might also be signed. There is also the possibility of signing of an agreement on railway connectivity between Akhaura and Agartala, alignment construction of which is nearing completion.
India's pressing issue of transit is expected to be signed under the existing Trade Agreement between the two countries. Under it, three separate protocols on use of Chittagong and Mongla seaports, and roads and railway are on the cards.
On transit, Bangladesh officials said no fresh transit agreement is required to be signed as the existing Trade Agreement states, "Both the countries would make mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways, roadways and railways for commerce between the two countries for passage of goods between places in one country through the territory of the other."
Now a protocol of the article needs to be signed to make it operative. The joint communiqué issued during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India on January 10-13 last year, it was agreed that Bangladesh will allow India to use Mongla and Chittagong seaports for movement of goods to and from that country through road and rail.
On signing of a deal regarding land border, the officials said both countries agreed to comprehensively address all outstanding land boundary issues keeping in view the spirit of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement.
In this context, the officials said a package deal might be signed which will include demarcation of 6.5 km un-demarcated border, exchange of 162 enclaves (51 Bangladesh's and 111 India's), exchange of adversely possessed lands, and allowing Bangladeshis to travel 24 hours between Dahagram-Angarpota enclaves and Patgram through the "Tin Bigha Corridor".
As per the 1974 Mujib-Indira agreement, India will retain the southern half of South Berubari Union No 12 and the adjacent enclaves measuring 2.64 square miles approximately, and in exchange Bangladesh will retain Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves. India will lease in perpetuity to Bangladesh an area of 178 metres x 85 metres "Tin Bigha Corridor" to connect Dahagram with Panbari Mouza (PS Patgram) of Bangladesh.
Currently, Bangladeshis in Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves are allowed to mainland Bangladesh from dawn to dusk in every alternate hour.
A joint venture agreement on setting up a coal fired power plant of 1,320 MW capacity at Khulna is yet to be finalised, but officials are working on it, the sources said.
Most importantly, signing of the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement is now at the final stage. Although the two sides have yet to reach the final understanding on proportion of shares, officials expect the two premiers will settle the matter at their summit meeting.
Indian Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal will arrive in Dhaka ahead of Singh's visit in order to arrive at a formula for sharing the waters of the Teesta and Feni rivers.
Indian National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon made an unscheduled visit to Dhaka yesterday and had meetings with two advisers of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the Bangladesh water resources minister. This was his second visit in a week.
To Bangladesh, agreements on land boundary, water resources, market access, power purchase, etc are crucial while transit and security are prime concerns of India.
Both sides will be working till the last minute on some of those, the officials said.
They said signing of the Teesta water sharing deal and an acceptable river water sharing formula is high on the agenda right after both countries' concern for security. Dhaka sees killing of straying Bangladeshi civilians by the Indian Border Security Force as a constant irritant in the ties.
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