Editorial
Indian Foreign Minister's visit
Yet more assurances
For us in Bangladesh, an Indian minister's visit, particularly when it is the foreign minister's, evinces keen interest in observers here. More so when our relationship goes very deep, and since the last four years it has been further bolstered, mainly because of the very substantive actions on the part of Bangladesh in enhancing bilateral relations, particularly in ameliorating India's security concerns.
The visit related to the Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission that sits alternatively in each other's capital annually. And of the three MOUs signed between the two countries, what catches one's interest is the understanding on setting up of a joint foundation which, through greater economic, scientific, educational, technical and cultural cooperation promote greater understanding between the two countries. Apart from that, Bangladesh has been served up with another round of assurances on the three very important issues that have been awaiting India's positive response.
As for border killings, we have no doubt that India wants zero killings on the border too. But expressed intention has not been translated into action, and although admittedly, the frequency of border killings has reduced, we feel that even one death of unarmed people is one too many, whether it is Bangladeshi or Indian national. Not assurances but concrete action is what we need.
We are glad to note that at long last the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 will be up for discussion in the Indian Parliament, as the Indian government has recently cleared the proposed Constitution Amendment Bill necessary to ratify the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and its additional protocol signed in 2011.We would hope that it would pass through the Indian Parliament without undue delay, and that the BJP will come on board given that it had joined the Assom Gana Parishad to protest against the protocol.
As for the Teesta agreement, the local factor, i.e. Mamata Banerjee's opposition to the deal, which the Indian FM said is impeding the process, needs more robust involvement of the central government to convince the West Bengal Chief Minister of the negative fallout of a scuttled Teesta deal on the bilateral relationship.
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