Indo-Bangla relations: Time and COVID-19 tested

Seeds of the Indo-Bangla relations were sowed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. During the nine months of our War of Independence, India not only provided shelter to millions of our people, who fled atrocities of unprecedented magnitude and war crimes committed by the occupying Pakistani armed forces and their local collaborators, but the Indian servicemen also fought shoulder to shoulder our Mukti Bahini.

India was also beside Bangladesh during the post-war reconstruction. In March 1972, during her first official visit to the newly liberated Bangladesh, the then Indian prime minister Srimati Indira Gandhi expressed her country's desire to see Bangladesh grow as a self-reliant neighbour. Additionally, and categorically, she clarified that the basis of Indo-Bangla relationship was built on equality and mutual benefit for the two sovereign nations. Despite being a petroleum importing country, India supplied free petroleum to Bangladesh during the first two years following our independence and during the first three years post-liberation, Indian import from Bangladesh reached $35 billion.

In the past four decades, Indo-Bangla relationship has witnessed a roller coaster ride – from an exceptionally warm and cordial relationship during Bangabandhu's tenure until his assassination in 1975 to that of military dictator Ziaur Rahman's regime (1975-81), filled with a feeling of suspicion and mistrust. This was followed by the tenure of another military dictator, HM Ershad (1982-1990), and then autocratic regimes under Khaleda Zia (1991-96 and 2001-2006). During these tenures, despite the apparent sweet coating on the surface, the two countries experienced sour and tensed relations.

The bilateral relationship went to higher levels steadily ever since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took office first in 1996 and later on in 2009. Some of the landmark decisions have been taken since then. Ganges Water Treaty was signed in 1996. India's adherence to the verdict of the International Court of Justice (IJC) on the delimitation of the maritime border favouring Bangladesh in July 2014, led to India willingly giving away 19,467 square kilometres to Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal. It was a rare gesture, as many nations have disregarded verdicts of the ICJ in the past. The Land Boundary Agreement, an epoch in the bilateral relations, was signed in 2015, which resulted in another round of territorial gains for Bangladesh.

Being neighbours, Bangladesh and India have many commonalities in history, language, culture, rivers and so on. These commonalities remain the strength to the lasting and time tested Indo-Bangla relationship. However, at times they pose challenges also. These challenges include a dispute over sharing of common resources like water, border management issues like the illegal cross-border movement of people, smuggling, including that of arms and narcotics, trade issues etcetera to list a few. Two friendly nations and their understanding governments, recently giving priority to mutual trust and cooperation, have established various institutional mechanisms for sustained dialogue for resolution of crisis and conflicts. Around 50 institutional mechanisms have been established between Bangladesh and India in areas of security, trade, power and energy, transport and connectivity, science and technology, defence, rivers and maritime affairs. These mechanisms serve as major platforms for sharing each other's concerns.

For example, given Bangladesh's concern about deaths of our nationals in the borders, India has introduced the use of nonlethal weapons by their Border Security Force in our border. This Indian initiative has reduced, if not totally abolished, deaths at our borders. India has also provided unilateral duty-free access to Bangladeshi products to reduce the wide trade gap, which Bangladesh has repeatedly demanded. This measure taken by India has seen an increase in Bangladesh exports to India, which touched $1 billion in 2019. India has also remained careful of Bangladesh's concerns and refrained from pursuing any treaty without our consent. India is not pursuing renewal of the 25-year Indo-Bangla Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace, that expired in 1997, sensing Bangladesh's reluctance is a telling example of their respect to Bangladesh's opinion.

India's humanitarian support to Bangladesh during COVID-19 in the form of PCR test kits, PPE and medicine is also a telling example of its intentions. India also evacuated Bangladeshi students stranded in Wuhan along with their own ones. Besides these, during the COVID-19 times when trading through the land ports between Bangladesh and India has been seriously affected, additional freight trains in addition to the regular operations have kept bilateral trading ongoing. In June, the number of freight trains operated by the two countries reached 100 for the first time ever. Not only so, but parcel train services have also been introduced between the two countries that will allow traders to trade in a smaller quantity of goods.

Having listed the above long list of Indian gesture to Bangladesh, it needs to be mentioned that the bonhomie between the two countries would not have reached such heights without equal reciprocation by the present Awami League government. The government of Bangladesh has been upfront about the necessity of maintaining a good relationship with India.  Its support in the arrest of leaders of North-Eastern Indian insurgent groups who were operating from Bangladesh with support from the previous Bangladeshi regimes needs special mentioning. Bangladesh's gesture hugely contributed to curbing insurgency in these Indian regions. Along with the political steps, significant cultural exchanges have also been undertaken by the two governments to enhance the age-old linkages.

Bangladesh and India place each other first, making each other important partners in each other's development and progress. However, there are domestic, regional as well as international players that keep on exploiting the asymmetries between the two countries in respect of territory, economy, military power and so on and inject confusions in the mindset of the two people. A weird decision by any obstinate regional leader, therefore, requires sensitive analysis before embarking on any conclusion. Bangladesh and India showcase the true spirit of neighbourly relationship based on mutual respect, shared growth and prosperity, which is not only time tested but has also been re-tested during COVID-19. This tested Indo-Bangla relationship is a blooming example of how neighbours can contribute to each other's peace and development keeping both of their heads high.