Rekindling Relations

It would appear from the media circles in Bangladesh, as well as from several segments of political parties, that Bangladesh has finally heaved a sigh of relief following Yunus’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently in Bangkok. It is perhaps heartening to note a slight change in the tone and tenor of the Bangladesh media, especially in the print press, in the wake of this much-awaited meeting. Leading English daily The Daily Star and the most widely read Bangla daily Prothom Alo have promptly carried editorials and columns welcoming the summit on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) meeting in Bangkok. It is now hoped by Indo-Bangladesh watchers that this stance will be consistently maintained by the Bangladeshi vernacular media to do some damage control by creating a public opinion that is less hostile than the one whipped up over the past eight months, during which anti-India rhetoric had vitiated public sentiment.

In an editorial dated April 5, The Daily Star wrote that a long-awaited meeting has finally taken place between Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand. The meeting, according to the paper, comes as a positive sign for Bangladesh-India relations, which have been under strain since the political changeover in August resulting in the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. The April 3 meeting between Modi and Yunus, the first in-person engagement in the last seven months, raises hope for improved ties between the two countries. This sense of optimism must hold water for a long time and should not remain confined to newspaper columns.

Besides, Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Modi have known each other for a long time, and Yunus’s presentation of a photograph of the two leaders from 2015 to Prime Minister Modi must have served as a reminder of the cordial relationship that exists between them. The paper further reckons that this gesture opened the doors for the free and frank dialogue that ensued. Both sides were forthright in sharing their concerns and acknowledged the importance of the historic, cultural, and trade links between the two countries.

However, Chief Adviser Yunus brought up the issues of border killings, water-sharing treaties, and Dhaka’s repeated requests to extradite Sheikh Hasina, among other matters. Prime Minister Modi, on his part, stated that India does not support any particular political party and wishes to maintain a people-to-people relationship, which is what is expected. The Indian Prime Minister also shared his country’s concerns regarding the minority situation in Bangladesh. While Yunus reiterated his assurance that the interim government is addressing the issue, he also highlighted the “fake and exaggerated” presentation of the issue in the Indian media.

Though the meeting did not offer immediate solutions to the problems that exist between the two nations, it undoubtedly launched a dialogue, which the paper hoped would result in follow-up steps. This is especially crucial for Bangladesh as a lower riparian country, given that the Ganges Water Treaty is soon to expire, and the Teesta Water Treaty is still waiting to be harnessed further.

The daily also hoped that, following this meeting, the negative discussion in the media will stop. Given the importance of strong India-Bangladesh ties, realism must set in within bilateral relations, and insensitive rhetoric of all sorts should be avoided. Dialogues with Indian counterparts should be fact-based and realistic, leading to decisions that mutually benefit both parties. The Daily Star also hoped that both governments would strive to build a win-win relationship between the two neighbours. After a long time, such a positive change of mind seems to have come to the fore, thus raising hopes of further breakthroughs in the ties.

In the meantime, Bangladesh High Commissioner-designate to India, Riaz Hamidullah, has arrived in New Delhi. He is a career diplomat and had briefly served in India earlier. He had handled the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat in Kathmandu and obviously has the blessings of the Bangladesh government. Bangladesh watchers are hoping that the appointment of a High Commissioner would help further restore cordiality between the two countries, and that all does not seem to have been lost in the rigmarole of the deteriorating ties. This appears crucial.

Similarly, the most popular Bangla daily Prothom Alo was also prompt in articulating its opinion, elaborating on the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Muhammad Yunus. It has voiced cautious optimism about the visit and the complete restoration of a harmonious relationship between India and Bangladesh, and has underscored the need for the resumption of tourist and medical visas for Bangladeshis towards further normalization of relations between the two countries. This apart, the paper also seems to have lowered its decibels in its anti-India posture.

Meanwhile, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General, has welcomed the recent Bangkok summit, hoping for better relations between the two, sooner rather than later.

The aforesaid reactions may be cautiously interpreted as Bangladesh’s journalistic and political responses becoming a bit more positive and favourable, albeit for the time being. That said, however, the entire situation merits close watch, as the reactions could possibly be tactical. With the fast-changing political landscape ahead of the election canvassing, the tone may change to suit the stakeholders’ interests and political conveniences.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat, and a former National Security Advisor in Mauritius. Views expressed are personal