Resolving Issues in the India-Bangladesh relationships

Bangladesh, shares 4094 kilometres of land border with India on three sides, the fourth side being open to the Bay of Bengal. Various issues need to be resolved if the relationship between the two are to be improved, from sharing the water of 54 international rivers that flow from India to Bangladesh to controlling terrorism and promoting economic development. Issues that are needed to be resolved between India & Bangladesh:1. Economic & Political Linkage 2. Water Disputes 3. Border issues 4. Security Issues 5. External Influence 6. Land Border Agreement 1) Economic & Political Linkage: I) Indias look East Policy

Bangladesh is an integral part for the execution of Indias Look East policy, initiated by the late Prime Minister Shree Narsimha Rao, in 1993. As per this policy, of the Looking East for more opportunity of new trade relations, exploration of the new markets for Indian products & services, in short India should be looking to her neighbourhood to boost foreign trade and get the economy back in shape. In the eastern countries of India that comprises of Bangladesh, Myanmar & the whole of South East, the market opportunities are now booming. Bangladesh is vital for this policy; it can be a bridge to the economic & political linkage with South Asia & beyond.

Picture 1: The prominent South Eastern Countries India is intending to increase its relations in terms of diplomacy & trade.

Even by providing land corridor that India wants through Bangladesh, to connect West Bengal to the North Eastern States of the India. Right now, the only land connection between these two parts of India is the 20 to 25 km wide Siliguri Corridor in West Bengal, i.e. also known as the Indias Chicken Neck. II) North Eastern Regions of India (NER)-Bangladesh Border Trade

Exports from NER to Bangladesh dominate NER-Bangladesh trade. The NER exports raw materials like coal, limestone, stone chips, bamboo, to Bangladesh and imports finished products like cement, plastic goods, readymade garments, process food and drinks. Minerals from Meghalaya are exported to Bangladesh through the Land Custom Stations of Assam and Meghalaya. Trade flows through Tripura-Bangladesh sector is dominated by imports from Bangladesh. As the resource structure of the NER and demand structure of Bangladesh are complementary to each other, there exists a huge potential for trade between these two regions. As the NER exports industrial raw material to Bangladesh, trend of the NERs export is found to be stable. Export trade in exhaustible resources like coal and limestone suffers from severe limitations in that the trade dries up with the depletion of stock of resources. As a result, for sustainable growth it is important to diversify the export basket and also to add value to export by switching over from export of raw materials to export of processed/semi-processed goods. To strengthen the ties with not only Bangladesh but also with the North Eastern Regions of our Country Indian Government need to grow its economic links with the various associations, economic & cultural groups comprising these countries. NERs Gateway to the East: Associations at a glance

MGC EAS(ASEA N+6) SAARC

BIMSTEC

NER
APTA GMS

ASEAN

SASEC

NER- North Eastern Regions of India i.e. the Seven Sister States.

MGC-Mekong Ganga Corporations SAARC- South Asian Association for Regional Corporation SAARC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and its main goal is to "accelerate the process of economic and social development in member states, through joint action in the agreed areas of cooperation ASEAN-Association of Southeast Asian Nations APTA-Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement Members are Bangladesh, India, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, the Republic of Korea and Sri Lanka GMS- Greater Mekong Sub-region SASEC- South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation BIMSTEC- Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Members of BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. EAS-East Asia Summit ASEAN plus India, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and Korea

2) Water Disputes between India & Bangladesh India & Bangladesh share 54 trans- boundary Rivers. Major rivers among them are the Ganga, The Brahmaputra River, Teesta River & Hoogly River. I) Ganga River: The Ganga River originates in the Himalayas & after draining around 2500 km in India, enters the Bangladesh. After entering Bangladesh the Ganges is known as Padma River. The route of the River Ganga can be understood by the Picture: 2, Major Trans-Border Rivers shared by India & Bangladesh. The origin of the conflict: Dates back to 1951 when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan. India began plans for the construction of a mile-long "barrage" (a river flow obstruction) at Farakka, 18 kms from the Bangladeshi border. To increase the diversion of Ganges water to the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River to flush silt and keep Calcutta harbour operational during the dry season. It was thought that by increasing the river flow, the harbour could be kept from deteriorating from silt deposition. However, Bangladesh (then part of Pakistan) protested on the grounds that this action would wreak havoc on the environment. Nevertheless, India continued, and began construction in 1962. With no other course of action, Pakistan (and then later Bangladesh) took the matter before the United Nations General Assembly in 1968 and discussions continued in that forum until 1976. This Barrage gave India control over Ganges flows into Bangladesh during the dry season, in the spring of 1975 India withdrew 40,000 of the, 55,000 ft/s of water from the Ganges, there were disastrous consequences on Bangladesh. The international attention to the issue caused India to at least concede that the Ganges was an international river, and that bench riparian State was entitled to a reasonable and equitable share of the waters of an international River Ganga. In 1971, Bangladesh became an independent nation, with India aiding it in its independence struggle against Pakistan. It was expected that better relations between India and Bangladesh

would result, but India persisted with its Farakka plans, and this led to a general souring of the relationship. In 1972, an Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission was established to study the river flow and develop the river water on a cooperative basis. However, work on the Farakka barrage continued, and it was finally completed in 1975. A short-term agreement was subsequently signed by India and Bangladesh to conduct a 40 day trial test of the barrage during the dry season. Unfortunately, four months later, the President of Bangladesh was assassinated by elements of the military that found him too cooperative with India. The next dry season, India began to divert water at Farakka unilaterally, and continued to do so until 1977 when a treaty on sharing of the Ganges Waters at Farakka and on augmenting its Flows was signed by the two countries and guaranteed a minimum flow level for Bangladesh for a five year period. The Treaty called the Treaty of Friendship was signed by then Prime Minister of India; Indira Gandhi & Bangladeshs founding leader and Prime Minister Sheik Mujibur Rahman.

After the expiration of this treaty in 1982, two more short-term agreements were concluded on water sharing until 1988. Thereafter, India began unilateral diversions at will. Moreover, domestic political upheavals, and the growing polarization caused by rising national religious factions (Hindu India vs. Islamic Bangladesh), contributed to a rising level of animosity between the two nations. In 1992, the prime ministers of the two countries met and agreed to renew efforts for a solution. In addition, Bangladesh revived its attempts to internationalize the affair by bringing forth the dispute before the UN General Assembly and the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting in 1993. In addition, the issue was raised in the South Asia Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC), although no definite action was taken. In December of 1996, a Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was signed that is supposed to last for thirty years. The Treaty addressed: water allocation during the five months of the dry season (JanuaryMay). During the rest of the year, there is sufficient water that India can operate the Farakka diversion without creating problems for Bangladesh.

This Treaty was signed by the Indian Prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheik Hasina Wajed. However, increasing upstream withdrawal in Northern India has further lowered the dry-season flow at Farakka, further complicating matters. Hence, the Treaty stipulates that below a certain flow rate, India and Bangladesh will each share half of the water. Above a certain limit, Bangladesh will be guaranteed a certain minimum level, and if the water flow exceeds a given limit, India will withdraw a given amount, and the balance will be received by Bangladesh (which will be more than 50%). Despite the Treaty, there are still factions in Bangladesh that feel that India should not be drawing off any water at Farakka, as well as elements in India that dont want Bangladesh to receive any water

In Short troubles viewed by India & Bangladesh for sharing the Gaga River & construction of Farraka Barrage: INDIA Little silt was flushed from the BaghirathiHooghly River Calcutta has declined as a port city BANGLADESH Increased salinity of soil and waste Decline of soil quality and crop yields

Shrinking fish population Decline of fishing villages and loss of a livelihoods Decline of mangrove forest Increased erosion rates and sedimentation Increased salt water intrusion More severe flooding during the monsoon season Direct damages are estimated to be three billion US dollars

Stand that India can take to solve the issue: Annually, the Ganges brings to its mouth over 2 million tons of silt. Due to increasing deforestation in the foothills of the Himalayans, the amount of erosion is growing. With such levels of silt, it is increasingly no longer possible for the Hooghly to retain a flushing role for Calcutta Harbour, and it is time for India to realize this and terminate Ganges water withdrawal and concentrate on port development further downstream. In addition, due to silt deposition and flooding patterns, the Ganges is actually naturally shifting eastward, and it is only a question of time before the Hooghly River will no longer be capable of supporting deep harbour operations. India should accept this fact and plan for a harbour much closer to the Bay of Bengal; else it should consider regular and more intensive dredging operations. II) Teesta River Conflict:

It originates in the Sikkim Valley of the Himalayan Range within India. The entire rainfall runoff of this valley accumulates near Kalimpong of Darjeeling district in Paschimbanga (West Bengal). The river enters Bangladesh near Tin Bigha, the total length is about 315 km out of which 129 km is in Bangladesh. About 21 million Bangladeshi people live in the basin of river Teesta while only 8 million live in West Bengal and half a million live in Sikkim state. India has built a barrage at Gazaldoba from which 85% of water flow is diverted from Teesta River without Bangladeshs consent. When Bangladesh needs water in dry season it does not get it, but when it does not need water during summer and monsoon it gets enough of it to the point of flooding, destroying houses, roads and riverbanks and embankments. Accordingly, sharing of water of the rivers is necessary in the dry season. Bangladesh has to irrigate 632, 000 hectares of farming land with water from the Teesta and during the dry season. Since Sikkim and West Bengal withdraw water from the Teesta, the flow has been drastically reduced to the detriment of the Bangladeshi farmers. Initially, Dhaka proposed equal sharing of Teesta water, keeping 20% for river flow. But India wanted 55%. Furthermore, India wanted a 15-year agreement on water-sharing of the Teesta River. It was reported in the media in June 2011 that the two sides agreed that India would get 42.5% and Bangladesh 37.5%. The Teesta river accord could not be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs Dhaka visit on September 2012 due to last-minute opposition from Paschimbanga Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal River expert Kalyan Rudra, who heads the committee set up by the West Bengal government on November 15, 2011 to find an acceptable solution to the Teesta water issue, was

scheduled to submit his report by December 2011, but he reportedly failed to submit it and wanted more time. Coalition governments everywhere suffer conflicting pressures from different party components, and the Teesta water-sharing appears to have become a victim of political manoeuvring between New Delhi and Kolkata.

The Road Ahead for the both India & Bangladesh to resolve the Teesta River conflicts: Both Bangladesh and West Bengal recognise that dealing with their regional problems offhand is a significant impetus to allowing the water deal to kick off. West Bengals Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee made it clear at more than one occasion that her concerns hold in the greater interest of the state rather than admitting concern towards strengthening Indo-Bangladeshi ties. In the wake of fraying Indo-Bangla relations, the signing of the extradition treaty and a liberalised visa agreement does mark an effort towards improving bilateral relations between the two countries. However, at this juncture, it is expedient that Bangladesh continues cooperation till India readopts water diplomacy and refrains from acting as the stipulated big brother in the region.

Picture: 2 Major Trans-Border Rivers shared by India & Bangladesh To resolve this water issues a joint initiative should be undertaken by India and Bangladesh, to build reservoirs in both the countries that would help in storing the excess water during the rainy season and utilize it during the dry seasons 3) Border Issues between India & Bangladesh I) Land Border Issue

India and Bangladesh share almost 4096 kilometres of land border, whereas official records suggest that only 6.5 km of land along the ComillaTripura border is considered as officially disputed by the governments of both countries.

The border disputes between Bangladesh and India are by no means confined to demarcation* problems. It is further linked with other problems like illegal migration of people and goods and other cross border criminal activities. Within just six weeks of partition, the border between India and Pakistan was drawn by Sir Cyril Radcliff on the basis of the Two Nation Theory. This provided for Indias control over 112 enclaves and Bangladeshs control over 32 enclaves based on the religious identities of the inhabitants of those areas. An agreement was signed by the Presidents of the two countries in 1972 but since it was not ratified by India it could not be put into effect. On the other hand Bangladeshs immediate ratification of the treaty and the fulfilment of its obligation gave way to the return of South Berubari to India by Bangladesh, while India gave permission to Bangladesh to use the Tin Bigha corridor in 1992 which would work as an entrance to Bangladeshs enclaves inside India.

Picture 3: India & Bangladesh Enclaves & Border Regions II) Maritime Border While Bangladesh, having concave coastlines, delimits its sea border southward from the edge of its land boundary, India stretches its claim southeast wards, covering around thousands of miles in the Bay of Bengal. Due to competing claims of the two countries, delimitation of the sea boundary and determining Bangladeshs exclusive economic zones have remained unresolved. Moreover, in terms of determining the continental shelf, the presence of the Andamans and Nicobar Islands puts India, in a favourable position.

Territorial Waters The issue of demarcating territorial waters led to serious differences between the two countries. Questions of ownership over a new born island known as South Talpatty in Bangladesh and New Moore/ Purbasha in India.

Picture: 4 Disputed Island on the India Bangladesh Border Spotted by a satellite picture in 1975 in the estuary of Haribhanga River on the border of the two countries has been a source of contention since its discovery. In order to settle the above dispute Bangladesh proposed sending a joint IndoBangladesh team to determine the flow of channels of the river on the basis of existing International Law of the Sea. But the Indian counterpart sent forces to establish claims by stationing naval troops on the island in 1981. After initial resentment by Bangladesh, India agreed to resolve the issue through negotiations. Till now the sovereignty over the island nation remains undecided and recent reports of the press and media suggests that Bangladesh views India with suspicion in its activities over the disputed piece of landmass on the breast of an international water.

4) Security Issues/ Illegal migrant Indias concern, issue of the continuing huge influx of undocumented Bangladesh migrants through a 4000 km porous International Border Problems of immigration considered illegal have even led to the outbreaks of xenophobic** violence in certain places. India has completed around 1357 km fencing of the international border with plans to cover another 2429 km of border in the second phase and also plans to illuminate around 300 km of international border to prevent illegal migration. Cooperative measures like joint patrolling of the border areas, consular access to prisons and signing of an extradition treaty are on the verge of materializing. As steps to increase vigil to check drug and arms trafficking, as well as illegal immigration, especially the trafficking women and children. The Centre for Women and Children Studies based in Bangladesh estimated in 1998 that 27,000 Bangladeshis had been forced into prostitution in India.

Illegal Bangladeshi migrants enter Indian Territory to settle in rural areas like Nandigram in West Bengal, as share croppers. In the North-eastern states like Nagaland, the population of Bangladeshi, mostly Muslim immigrants, have been increased square folded in the past 30 years. Drug Trafficking Bangladesh is increasingly being used as a transit point by drug dealers and the drug mafia, which dispatches heroin and opium from Burma, and other countries of the golden triangle, to different destinations. As a result, Bangladeshs Department of Narcotics Control has come under the scanner sev eral times and invited criticism. Bangladesh has become the prime transit route for trafficking heroin to Europe from Southeast Asia. International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) notes that the most common methods and routes for smuggling heroin into Bangladesh are by courier from Pakistan, commercial vehicles and trains from India, and via sea through the Bay of Bengal or overland by truck or public transport from Burma. Anti Terror Cooperation The Ministry of Defence, India, expressed its interest in seeking Bangladeshs firm cooperation in fighting antiIndia terror and insurgent outfits operating from its soil. The armies of both countries have, in the past, proved their might by fighting the ULFA cadres. Bangladeshi attempts to cooperate with India on antiterror grounds, recognized that some Pakistan based terror outfits had formed a strong nexus with militants in Bangladesh, because of its close proximity to India with its porous border, to carry out attacks in India. India has vital security related concerns visvis Bangladesh such as sanctuaries enjoyed by indigenous Indian ethnic terrorist organizations likeULFA, Activities of trans border Islamic terrorist the People United Liberation Front (PULF) Activities from Bangladesh territory of Pakistani origins supported by the ISI such as the LeT, HuJI, and HarkatulMujahideen (HuM) Gun running in Indias northeast from and through Bangladesh Illegal migration into Assam and West Bengal the flow of funds from Wahabi charity organizations in Saudi Arabia to fundamentalist elements in BangladeshIndia region, money laundering through IndiaNepal and IndiaBangladesh region, etc. India is often seen as a big power with dominated leadership tendencies amongst its neighbours in the subcontinent. Bangladesh, in relation to India, has to take note of the large anti Indian sentiments presiding in its soils.

5) External influences Bangladesh has always used China as a counter balance against India. The Prime minister of Bangladesh was generous towards India, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina decided to visit her Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh first before China, on her 2010 visit. A major setback to the enthusiasm in India of Hasinas visit, came in the form of her visit to China immediately after that, wherein a communiqu was issued, consisting of similar transit facilities given to China as given to India.

Bangladesh sought Chinese assistance in constructing a highway passing through Myanmar to Yunan province in China. A rail network passing through the same area has been proposed. Bangladesh was also reportedly engaged in persuading China to further develop and use the Chittagong port and develop a deep sea port at Sonadia Island. This becomes problematic for India who fears Chinas access to the Myanmar naval base in Hanggyi Islands and the monitoring station, established at Coco Island in the north of Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India fears China encircling India as part of its String of Pearls strategy. The relationship between China and Bangladesh since 1975 influences Bangladesh to move away from India. Bangladesh maintains a very close relationship with China for its economic and military needs.

Over the years, the two sides have signed a plethora of bilateral agreements including economic engagements, soft loans, social contacts, cultural exchanges, academic interactions, infrastructural development and military sales at reduced prices, with China emerging as the major supplier of arms to Bangladeshs armed forces. China and Bangladesh along with Myanmar, have decided to build the 900 km Kunming Highway linking Chittagong with Kunming through Myanmar to facilitate greater trade. DhakaBeijing relations have reached new heights as China overtook India as Bangladeshs largest trading partner. Bangladesh and China in 2005 signed the BangladeshChina Cooperation Agreement on the Peaceful Usage of Nuclear Energy which aims to assist Bangladesh in developing peaceful nuclear energy for power generation and other developmental purposes and a Defence Cooperation Agreement with China in 2002. Bangladesh tries to bargain between India and China, thus standing only to gain. Chinese quest for regional power and then global power should be taken into account. This quest is based on the sustained and dedicated engagement with Indias neighbours for access and basing. Therefore, Bangladesh has been an obvious choice for partnership. 6) Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) Indias inability to ratify the protocol to the Land Boundary Agreements (LBA) of 1974 with Bangladesh is making its position weak in the bargaining with the Bangladesh on the stage of international relations. As per the proposed Land Boundary Bill that was already discussed with the Bangladesh govt. that will ensure its loyalty toward India, is pending in the Indian parliament due to concerns of injustice in framing the bill, raised by the various members & mostly by the West Bengal state govt. As already discussed 161 adversely held small enclaves are to be exchanged between India & Bangladesh. According to the draft bill both the countries will exchange the other countries enclaves in its territory 7100 acres will come under Indias boundary & 17000 acres go to Bangladesh. The interest of the country is undermined by the interest of a state or few political parties. For the betterment of the relations with our still a neutral neighbour into a trusted ally the Indian government along with its diplomatic community have to work fast.

Bibliography 1. IPC Special Report 2010, India-Bangladesh Relations, Issues, Problems & Recent Developments 2. The Hindu, 5th Sep13 Editorial: India should resolve contentious issues with Bangladesh 3. Report of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region 2011, Expansion of North East India's Trade and Investment with Bangladesh and Myanmar. 4. http://www1.american.edu, WOW Case Studies, India-Bangladesh Water Dispute, ICE Case Number 78. 5. Paper on Sharing the Ganges: Water Conflict between India and Bangladesh, Brianna Besch Macalester College St. Paul, MN 6. http://www.mungpoo.org/2012/01/teesta-water-issue-few-hard-facts.html 7. India-Articles#3825, 25 February 2013, Teesta Water Accord: Expectations for Indo-Bangladesh Water Diplomacy * The action of fixing the boundary or limits of something. ** Dislike or fear of people from other country Name: Rimpa Dutta