Dhaka: Bangladesh government's decision to
allow India to use its territory for transit has evoked mixed
reactions here among foreign experts and in the nation's
mainstream media.
Dhaka had agreed to allow Ashuganj as a new port of call
in response to New Delhi's request for transport of Indian
heavy consignments for the Palatana Power Project in Tripura
during the last month's visit of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni to
India.
In turn, India also agreed to facilitate transits
between Bangladesh with its two landlocked neighbours, Nepal
and Bhutan. The two countries are scheduled to sign a deal in
May 2010 on India's access to the Ashuganj Port.
The New Age newspaper, quoting several former diplomats
and academics, today said Bangladesh should mobilise resources
for development of infrastructures like roads, railway
networks and river ports to keep Dhaka's absolute command over
vehicle movement through Bangladesh.
The same report, however, referred to some other experts
expressing opposing views saying Bangladesh needed to have
foreign capital for the infrastructures, be it from India or
any other country.
Foreign Ministry sources said New Delhi offered to invest
in building required infrastructures for the development of
the particular route but was yet to make any financial package
of benefits.
"We should thoroughly examine the requirements and modes
of investments for a better regional connectivity," former
foreign secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, currently the
foreign affairs adviser to Khaleda Zia of main opposition
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told the daily New Age.
But another former diplomat turned politician, Mostafa
Faruk Mohammad, however, did not see any problem in receiving
Indian fund for development of road, railway and port
infrastructures.
"What is wrong if we take Indian investment as we are
having investments from countries such as China and Japan in
transport infrastructures," asked Mohammad, who hails from
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League.
Former UNESCAP executive M Rahmatullah suggested that
Bangladesh should not invest right now in establishing
connectivity with its neighbour as Indian vehicles can
transport goods from Akhaura to Agartala.
"We need not invest money right now in establishing
connectivity with India as Indian multi-excel vehicles can
transport goods from Akhaura or Ashuganj to Agartala," he
said.
The Bangladesh government is in negotiation with India
for cooperation in transport sector, mainly in railways. But
the issue remains a contentious one among the country's
various parties who are opposed to the facility for "security
and economic concerns."
Bureau Report