Bangla Agrees To Revive Road, Rail Links

Bangladesh has agreed to revive road and rail links with India across the border in Bengal, setting the stage for a historic renewal of links snapped abruptly during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.

A meeting of the Indo-Bangladesh joint economic commission which ended yesterday, formally discussed, for the first time, ways and means to address the long-standing Indian demand for transit routes through Bangladesh to the north-eastern states of the country.

We do not want to spare any issues for discussion, Bangladesh foreign minister Abdus Samad Azad said, responding to a question on whether Dhaka was still reluctant to provide such transit routes for Indian goods and personnel.

 

The mood in the Bangla camp was lauded by external affairs minister I K Gujral as well as ministry officials.

Three months after both countries signed an innovative water-sharing treaty, Dhaka seemed ready yesterday to battle with the pro-India accusations being rained on it by the main opposition party led by Khaleda Zia.

We are seeing a new attitude in Bangladesh, which is more willing to talk and consider proposals from India, even though they are doing it at their own pace, which we also understand and appreciate. The areas being targetted are transport, infrastructure and transit facilities, one official said.

It was the meeting between the two foreign ministers at the end of the day, sources said, that gave teeth to the joint commission and provided evidence of the new political will on the part of the Bangladeshis.

The shift towards greater practical cooperation was reflected in a number of ways:

The broad gauge rail link starting from the Bongaigon railhead and crossing the Indian border at Petrapole, across to the Benapole border point in Bangladesh and onwards to Jessore will be revived.

Bangladesh has agreed to talk about a motor vehicles agreement, which will enable trucks to carry goods across the border without having to unload onto Bangladeshi trucks.

Bangladesh has sought Indian investment in their country, especially in the railways sector and in the construction of the massive Ganges barrage project, estimated at $2 bn.

Indian suggestions to correct the trade imbalance (Rs 3,500 crore for India and Rs 280 crore for Bangladesh in 1995-96) include the diversification of imports from Dhaka into new areas such as newsprint, fertilisers and natural gas.

Border trade will be revived, focussing on areas and commodities of local produce, but will not be a substitute for general trade. This will be a variation of the 1972 border pact for which recommendations must be given by the end of this year.

Bangladesh expressed formal appreciation of Indias acceptance of 212 high priority items (out of Dhakas wish list of 300) on which tariff concessions are being offered since March 1. These 212 items are part of the 513 tariff lines that have been notified by India under the least developed country clause in Sapta.

Exim Bank will offer a Rs 500 million credit to boost economic ties with Bangladesh.

Technical cooperation will take place in agriculture, science & technology.

Gujral, in his opening statement, sought to put pressure on Dhaka to act upon its commitments, saying all efforts at improving trade and economic cooperation would be wasted unless infrastructural facilities are upgraded and developed suitably.