“The situation is tense but under control.” That is how a BSF officer described the situation on the Indo- Bangladesh border during the recent exchange of mortar fire between the BSF and the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). This was when at least two women were killed on the Indian side leading to mass exodus of panic stricken people from border villages of Cachar district of Assam. And BDR continued its illegal occupation of a portion of the Indian Territory.
The “tense but under control” description, in fact, symbolizes the entire gamut of relations between India and Bangladesh and not just on the border. It is unfortunate that despite India’s wholehearted support to the freedom struggle in Bangladesh in 1971, the two countries have not been able to develop a relationship that well meaning neighboring countries ought to have.
There are problems galore. Look at the border dispute. The 272-km border has been fenced only to the extent of 70 percent. On the remaining portion Bangladesh does not allow the fencing work as it thinks the area is yet to be demarcated. India, on the other hand, believes that the border is well demarcated by the pillars all through.
In the recent incident, the BDR provided cover to Bangla civilians to cross over to the Indian side and begin cultivation of the 216 acre strip of land near the Surma River which Dhaka claims as its own. Once the civilians crossed into India, Dhaka came out with a status quo offer, which New Delhi promptly rejected. It believes that the area belongs to it and there is no dispute.
Soldiers of the two sides had clashed in June last as well in the same area. The bitterness in the relationship is aggravated by the continued infiltration from Bangladesh over the years. It has assumed dangerous proportions with, according to one estimate, the figure touching eight million. Bangladesh has, however, denied the accusations.
But the extent of infiltration through the porous border is visible to anyone in the North-East. It has not only overhauled the demographic structure in the area but also led to social and political conflicts among the people in the region. Bangladesh is yet to respond positively to the proposal of setting up of eight Integrated Check Posts along the border to check infiltration.
On top of it, are the support, shelter and encouragement provided by Bangladesh to the India insurgent groups operating from its soil. New Delhi has already provided a list of 172 such camps to Dhaka. Most of these are run by ULFA, NSCN (IM) NSCN (Khaplang), and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF). Other groups with their own camps in Dhaka include Kuwait based Revival of Islamic Heritage Society and two Saudi Arabia based NGO’s Al-Haramin and the Islamic Religion Organization.
It is no secret that Bangladesh has become a safe Haven for the Indian insurgent groups. According to Indian Officials, what is alarming is that Pakistan’s ISI is also increasing its activity and supporting the Jihadi’s in Bangladesh. So congenial is the atmosphere that that ULFA is said to be owning three hotels in Dhaka and two each in Sylhet and Chittagong.
Three masterminds of the July 11 Mumbai serial blasts case, Zahibuddin Ansari, Fayaz Kagzi and Rahil Abdul Rehman, have fled to Bangladesh after executing the mission.. Dhaka is yet to take any tough measures to arrest the trio.
In the Ayodhya attack in July last year also, Bangladesh based Jihadi elements were involved but they are yet to be nabbed.
At the recently concluded Home Secretary level meeting in Dhaka, India not only raised the concerns about the border dispute, infiltration and the operations of the Indian insurgent groups from its soil but told Bangladesh in “clear terms” that terrorist activities in India have links in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, judging by the response from Bangladesh so far, this may turn out to be more for record than action on ground.
There are reports that some insurgent groups have started shifting their base from Bangladesh to Thailand and other South East Asian Countries. This is because they foresee a defeat of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the elections, next year. The BNP has been extending support to them.
The lack of trust between the two countries runs deeper. Following the foot steps of Pakistan, Bangladesh recently banned 13 Indian cable TV Channels. After long negotiations it restored all but the 13 Indian Channels. Action against Indian TV Channels has been taken by friendly neighbour Sri Lanka as well, but that is aimed at regulating financial control.
As if this is not enough, Nepal is emerging as a new transit point for the terrorists to infiltrate into India. It is growing as a strong terror base and launch pad for anti- India campaigns.
Flanked by two important hostile neighbours like Pakistan and Bangladesh, and some others not so friendly countries India has a difficult task ahead. That calls for a well thought out long and short term policy prescriptions which can be executed with seriousness.
Perhaps half of the problems, which New Delhi faces today, are a result of consistent steps taken by successive governments sending a signal of India being a soft state. The new policy must take this factor into account in good measure.
Courtesy : Syndicate Features
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