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Friday, September 2, 2011

[ALOCHONA] Is barbed-wire fencing consistent with friendly relations?

Is barbed-wire fencing consistent with friendly relations?

by Ikteder Ahmed

BANGLADESH'S immediate neighbour is India. Save for a relatively small
tract of frontier shared with Myanmar to the southeast, and the Bay of
Bengal to the south, Bangladesh is surrounded by its mighty neighbour
India from all sides. Since the inception of Bangladesh, business and
commerce with India, which has seen rapid advances in the past few
decades, has been heading towards a grossly disproportionate bias
towards India. This is one of the thorniest issues and of late a
number of such disputed issues have gathered moss for having remained
unresolved for years.

Bangladesh, contrary to established norms when it comes to friendly
relations, has come to enjoy rather a curiously multifaceted and
multi-layered relationship with India that has come to be defined and
influenced by various exogenous factors. Significant among these is
the political tilt of the government towards India. Overall, however,
while a positive outlook may be best summarised regarding the level of
relationship between Bangladesh and India, it would be worth a mention
that underneath this fine but notoriously unstable veneer lies an
undercurrent of prickly issues which, while not publicly acknowledged,
has come to evoke considerable unease and disconcerting views among
various quarters in Bangladesh.

Predominant among these thorny issues which have yet to be amicably
and constructively sorted out is the issue of cross-border shootings
by the Border Security Force, India's border enforcers, of Bangladeshi
nationals on often flimsy grounds. Of late, this issue has come to
enjoy a vastly expanded horizon of attention among the general
populace and experts alike in Bangladesh. However, equally perplexing
is the relatively lethargic pace of Bangladesh's reactions to such
occurrences. While such occurrences have shot up alarmingly in the
past few years, the lack of an effective approach by both the
Bangladesh government and the Indian government to address the
underlying factors is undeniably helping to further exacerbate the
problem. Furthermore, there is the general feeling of India's border
guards being given a free rein to pull in all the stops with regards
to halting the flow of illegal migrants from Bangladesh to India with
impunity. Thus, the lack of an effective framework to deal with
various associated outstanding issues, in particular the issues of
enclaves and exclaves and border demarcation, has led the Indian
authorities to act boldly against Bangladeshi nationals attempting to
cross the border. Fanning the flames further is what can be best
described as apparent meekness on part of the Bangladesh government in
its perceived reluctance to lodge strongly-worded protests with the
Indian government.

It should be noted that in December 2010, a galling report by the
internationally renowned NGO Human Rights Watch has further elevated
the level of awareness regarding the plight that Bangladeshi nationals
have to face near the border with India. The report, aptly named
'Trigger Happy', documents extrajudicial killings, arbitrary
detention, torture, and ill-treatment by the BSF.

Many people routinely move back and forth across Bangladesh's border
with India to visit relatives, procure supplies, and search for jobs.
However, some engage in petty and serious cross-border crimes. The
Border Security Force is mandated to address illegal activities, such
as narcotics smuggling, human trafficking, and transporting fake
currency and explosives. It also works to stop militants planning
violent attacks in India's restive northeast. However, in its pursuit
to oversee its objectives it would appear that the BSF tends to be
rather too liberal with regards to pulling the trigger.

In many of the cases which have been investigated by Human Rights
Watch, however, the victims were cattle rustlers, farmers, or
labourers who said they were hoping to supplement their meagre
livelihoods by working as couriers in the lucrative but illegal cattle
trade that is rampant at the West Bengal border.

Of late, visiting Indian high officials have given ironclad assurances
that they would see to it that cross-border shooting incidents are
toned down to a minimum, and would also encourage the use of rubber
bullets, instead of conventional ammunition which are inherently
lethal to stop influx of Bangladeshis into India. According to a
report, although border killings by the BSF has come down quite
significantly this year, at least 17 Bangladeshis were mowed down by
BSF fire and 49 others wounded between January and June. Thus, it
becomes apparent for an exhaustive solution to this quagmire, it is
imperative to approach some of the bigger issues that stand at a
stalemate between India and Bangladesh, the ramifications of which
have allowed this practice of shooting by the BSF at Bangladeshi
citizens to thrive and go unbridled.

Of another growing concern is the fact that a comprehensive
barbed-wire border fencing network, at a cost of $2.1 billion, is
scheduled for completion in the near future. While in India, the
1,790-mile fence, which barricades nearly the entirety of the
India-Bangladesh border, is seen as a cure to the persistent ills of
illegal immigration from Bangladesh, influx of 'terrorist elements'
from Bangladesh as well as safeguarding jobs in the economy, to
ordinary Bangladeshis, this barrier seems emblematic of what can be
misconstrued as India's irrational fears of a neighbour seemingly
based upon rather ludicrous grounds.

Furthermore, among other thorny issues that remain to be settled is
the issue of Bangladeshi exclaves located on Indian soil. Owing to the
perceived shortcomings of the Bangladeshi government, as well as lack
of any institutional framework, the citizens of these enclaves are
deprived of the rights and services that Bangladeshi citizens are
entitled to. Thus, to come to the mainland, these people have to risk
their very lives while trying to sneak past the border below the BSF's
notice, as catching their attention would almost inevitably means
shooting.

With regards to the issue to exclaves and enclaves, and resolving of
other outstanding issues though, one positive that can be gleaned is
that Indian home minister P Chidambaram expressed optimism, during his
recent visit to Bangladesh, that these issues would be resolved before
Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh's arrival on September 6.
However, the reality is that for many reasons not to be mentioned,
people of the country in general are less optimistic regarding any
groundbreaking resolution of the various outstanding issues.

Ikteder Ahmed is a former judge and registrar of the Supreme Court.
iktederahmed@yahoo.com.

http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/op-ed/31802.html


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[ALOCHONA] IDSA Taskforce Report on Bangladesh

INDO-BANGLA TIES
Delhi think-tank warns against complacency

Indian defence analysts have cautioned the Indian government against
complacency in taking India-Bangladesh ties towards a new heights and
move towards a strategic partnership.

A taskforce report—'India and Bangladesh: Moving Towards
Convergence'—which was released on Friday by the leading New
Delhi-based think-tank Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses or
IDSA, also recommended that faster implementation of the issues stated
in the 2010 joint communiqué including security, trade deficit and
border issues is accelerated.

On the eve of prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka on Sept
6-7, the report said, "The positive momentum in bilateral relations
generated during prime minister Sheikh Hasina's visit must be
continued."

The report takes note of the strategic importance of the neighbouring
countries for each other and argues that the Manmohan's visit provides
"an opportunity to take India-Bangladesh relations to a higher
trajectory by overcoming mutual suspicions and displaying a practical
will to convert their ties into a strategic partnership".

The panel of IDSA scholars emphasised that the legacy issues including
border demarcation, enclaves and adverse possessions, Teen Bigha
corridor flyover, river water sharing -- which have 'bedevilled'
relations between the countries -- should be settled at the earliest
possible.

They recommended that the two sides should explore new areas of
cooperation in climate change, environment, agricultural research,
water management, remote sensing, IT and communications technologies,
marine technologies, medicine and health etc.

"Linkages between appropriate institutions can be established. The
focus should be on joint research and capacity building. Both
countries should work jointly for meeting the challenge of pandemics
and water contaminated with arsenic," the report said.

Over the water-sharing issue, the panel suggested the government that
since Bangladesh would be seeking an agreement on river water sharing,
and both countries have "nearly reached an agreement on sharing of the
water of Teesta and four other rivers, minor differences should not be
allowed to come in the way and an agreement should be signed".

A draft on the Teesta deal has already been finalised.

SECURITY

Lauding Bangladesh for taking necessary measures to address India's
security concerns, the report said: "India has shown sensitivity to
Bangladeshi concerns and come out with a comprehensive assistance and
cooperation package for Bangladesh. These moves have created the
environment for transformation of ties between the countries."

IDSA thinks security cooperation with Bangladesh is commendable, "but
it needs to be institutionalised so that the matter is not limited to
any particular regime".

It further emphasised issues information sharing and joint patrolling
along the border. "The US-Mexico model on the joint management of
border can be considered."

Pointing at Bangladesh-proposed South Asia Task Force on terrorism, in
which it should play a lead role, the IDSA said, "A counter-terrorism
centre based in Dhaka can be set up to help the task force. India
could offer to fund the centre."

The group said that the two countries enhance cooperation in the
military sphere, including in search and rescue, joint patrolling of
piracy infested areas of the Bay of Bengal, capacity building and
joint exercises. "Defence cooperation will build mutual confidence,"
it observed.

It also suggested setting up a dialogue mechanism involving the
governments as well as non-governmental organisations working in the
area of de-radicalisation.

"Fundamentalism and extremism are a shared threat. Both sides should
work closely to meet this challenge," it added.

TRADE

Putting stress on transit, the report said, "Connectivity should be a
top priority. Both countries should work to operationalise it as soon
as possible. A public campaign as to why connectivity will be
advantageous for the people on both sides can be launched."

Regional countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand would be
benefited from trade and transit connectivity between the two
neighbouring countries.

The report also called on the two countries to redress the trade
issues and strengthen economic linkages and suggests Bangladesh, in
particular, to make special efforts in attracting Indian investment.

"India could consider extending assistance to Bangladesh for
renovating and modernising its power generation, transmission and
distribution infrastructure."

It also suggested the Indian government to persuade Bangladesh "to
acknowledge the problem of illegal migration". Both sides should try
to create an environment where this issue can be amicably dealt with.
"Innovative methods like work permits can be considered."

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=204931&cid=2

Full Text: http://www.idsa.in/system/files/book_indiabangrelations.pdf


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[mukto-mona] Interview with Habib Wahid, Is the IND-BANG transit deal actually a good idea?, Tareq Masud Honored Globally & more...



September 2, 2011

***

Habib Wahid: An Exclusive Interview

Nazmus Saquib

Habib's compositions have a unique appeal and the way he stormed into the music scene can be best described as "Veni, vidi, vici." Despite the rampant music piracy, if one goes to the nearest music store and ask around, it would emerge that Habib's albums are among the ones in most demand.

Read More...

***

How the India Bangladesh Deal Can be Mutually Benefical

(Source: Himal)

When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh makes his much-awaited visit to Dhaka in early September, he needs to be alert to the polarised nature of Bangladesh politics. Through diplomatic initiatives led by Prime Minister Singh and his counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, the two economies have finally arrived at a point of coordination after nearly 50 years of bifurcation, particularly on trade and transport. But even as Prime Minister Hasina has gone out on a limb to improve relations with the giant neighbour, the challenge will be to carry along the entire Bangladeshi polity...

Read More

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Newsweek Remembers Tareq Masud

Source (Newsweek/Daily Beast)

Juditha Olmacher

It is an unlikely journey for a madrassa-educated Bangladeshi boy to go to the University of Dhaka, and later America, and then to return with his American wife to become a visionary filmmaker and a voice for Bangladesh's secular traditions. Yet this was the path that Tareque Masud took before his life was cut short in a road accident on Aug. 13.

Read More...

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The Politics of Independence in Bangladesh

David Ludden

Historians still do not have all the records they need to fully understand the freedom struggle of Bangladesh and offer a proper appreciation of the role of all the participants. Political parties remain justifiably attached to their founders; partisans attached to India and Pakistan also have their memories, points of view and all merit attention. To recover the deeper history of independence, however, scholars need to study its popular dimensions, and, in that light, it is most obvious those radical student leaders and countless lesser lights in the people's struggle for independence still do not have the place in history they deserve.

Read More...

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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190




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