Strengthening Indo-Bangla Relations
*Saumitra Mohan

Notwithstanding India’s attempts to further improve and consolidate bilateral relations with Bangladesh, the latter continues to indulge in hostile acts which actually compromise India’s territorial security and integrity. The unprovoked firing by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) from time to time resulting in loss of human and animal lives only confirms this.

Notwithstanding the assertions of India’s Border Security Force (BSF), backed by concrete evidence, Bangladesh is not willing to accept the fact that it is playing host to the militants having inimical designs on India. Bangladesh just does not see any such militant camps being run on its territory. But the fact remains that as many as 172 training camps of different insurgent groups including those from Tripura have been operational in Bangladesh for a very long time.

The BSF has been submitting lists of such camps at annual border meetings with its counterparts namely the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) since the late 1990s only to be rebuffed every time by the latter. However, BDR did assure in 2006 to ‘look into the matter and find out’ but did nothing beyond that.

As per the 1996 accord between the two, both the countries were expected not to allow such bases on their sides of the border, but Bangladesh never kept its word as is obvious from the experience to the contrary. In spite of the initial promise, the present interim government in Bangladesh is no different from its predecessors. It is obvious by now that Dhaka deliberately winks at the disruptive activities of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). The latter is out to destabilise India’s North-East as part of its long-cherished desire to bleed India through thousand cuts, dismembering her eventually.

A TV channel’s footage recently of some rebels belonging to the secessionists National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) undergoing training in Bangladesh should leave Dhaka red-faced. Only recently, a Guwahati-based website quoted NDFB commander Ranjan Daimary welcoming and exhorting trained cadets in Bangladesh telling them about their real task starting with the end of their training.

Known as the Bodo Security Force during the height of the Bodo agitation, NDFB took in present avatar in 1995. It teamed up with six smaller ethnic outfits to form an umbrella organisation called the Self-Defence United Front of the South East Himalaya Region. It has links with ULFA and NSCN (IM). Two years after Bhutan busted the NDFB camps, the outfit signed a truce with the Centre in 2005, but it would appear this was merely a ploy to buy some time to be able to consolidate.

Though the Bodos are now masters of their own destiny, the NDFB does not recognise the Bodo Territorial Council under the Sixth Schedule signed by its rival, the Bodo Liberation Tigers. The Centre can not ignore the NDFB’s potential for mischief and must redefine the truce. In all this, Bangladesh’s friendly gestures can go a long way in India’s efforts at fighting such forces as was done by Bhutan a few years back.

Bangladesh’s cooperation on this count would definitely help in tackling the long festering problem of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The fact remains that today millions of illegal Bangladeshi citizens are residing and working in India and it is well nigh difficult for the latter to identify and deport them all for different practical reasons. That is why, there has been a suggestion of completely opening the borders with Bangladesh as is the case with Nepal and Bhutan.

This one measure would not only help in effective monitoring of the inter-border movements of citizens by means of valid work permits for citizens on both sides, but shall also go a long way in improving the bilateral trade between the two countries which is heavily skewed in favour of India presently for the obvious reasons.

And if functionalist theory of international relations is to be believed, then such a bold decision would also pave the way for better political relations owing to the positive spin-offs of the better and improved economic ties. After all, it is a well-known fact that better economic ties have always shown potential to spill over into domain of politics as has shown the experience of the European Community. The same may also help the cause of economic development of India’s North-East.

Though, sceptics may points out that such an act would have its own adverse implications including endangering India’s security and integrity by way of changing the democratic profile of the bordering Indian states. It is believed that India’s stronger pull factor would actually make this inter-border movement one-way, with Bangladeshi citizens encroaching on India’s economic resources including developmental benefits of the Indian citizens.

It may actually make the situation very tense than easing it as is being touted. The bird flue outbreak in West Bengal is also attributed to ineffective border surveillance between the two countries and it is believed that had it been completely open, bird flue situation would have been much more dangerous than has been the case so far.

Doubting Thomases notwithstanding, Indo-Bangla trade ties have only been growing for the better. The very fact that the recently launched bus and train services between the two countries have been taken very well by the two countries and have been functioning very well than the one with Pakistan.

One just hopes that better sense would prevail upon Bangladesh and she would see reason and benefits that better ties with India may fetch her. In fact, the same would have positive implications for the wider regional cooperation as well, making SAARC realise the objectives that have so far eluded the over two decade old organisation.