Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswamy said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India next week will take the relations between the two countries to new heights. He made this comment in an exchange meeting with the editorial board at a hotel in the capital on Monday.
Doraiswamy spoke about various issues of India-Bangladesh relations and sub-regional cooperation in the exchange meeting. The meeting chaired by the President of the Editors Council Mahfuz Anam was attended by Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Ajker Editor Golam Rahman, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Bhorer Paper Editor Shyamal Dutta, Ittefaq Editor Tasmima Hossain, Samakal Acting Editor Mozammel Hossain, News Editor Altamash Kabir, Banik News Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud and Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan.
Doraiswamy said, ‘We have already solved major problems including border complications and sea boundaries. Compared to 20 years ago, India’s relationship with Bangladesh is much more mature now.’ Emphasizing the development of bilateral trade, he suggested the development of cost-effective and environment-friendly communication routes like sea and railways for the transportation of import-export goods.
He said, ‘If bilateral trade and transport communication improves, not only India-Bangladesh; It will also bring big changes for other countries in the region. The biggest challenge in bilateral trade is high costs. Most of India-Bangladesh’s import-export products are transported by land. It is very expensive; Not environment friendly either. A truck can carry a maximum of 15 tons of goods. That truck has to cover a distance of 4 thousand 96 km. The High Commissioner said, ‘India has no objection to export Bangladesh to any third country using the ancillary infrastructure and facilities including ports, railways.’
Doraiswamy said that sub-regional communication is the need of the hour for the greater welfare of the countries of the region. His country was willing to look at ports and economic interconnection between at least four to five countries. One effort to achieve this is BIMSTEC. However, the necessary infrastructure for this is not yet ready – for example, electricity connectivity, he said. He said, ‘This is not possible without the development of circulation system. All of the existing transmission systems are being used. At present, about 1,000 MW of electricity is being supplied from Baharampur to Bheramara from the Indian grid. Another 1,160 MW is being supplied from Tripura. Apart from these two, there is no transmission line between India and Bangladesh. India is interested in developing grid transmission system, Which will make the grid of Bangladesh stronger. In this case, more investment in renewable energy will come. Both Bangladesh and India will benefit if infrastructure is developed for passenger and goods transportation. 90 percent land border of Bangladesh is with India. Not only India-Bangladesh; The entire region will benefit from it.’
Highlighting the importance of increasing communication especially by sea in the future, Doraiswamy said, ‘Currently there is no opportunity for direct shipping between Bangladesh and India. Cargo ships have to go via Singapore or Colombo. It’s ridiculous.’
He said, ‘It is important that the concept of bilateralism between the two countries is not always correct, which needs to be looked into.’ When he drew attention to the implementation of NRC in Assam, Doraiswamy said, ‘India will not do anything that will harm the people of Bangladesh.’
