INDO-BANGLADESH RELATIONS

INDO-BANGLADESH RELATIONS

Background

Irritants in Indo-Bangladesh Relations

1.         The Sharing of Ganga waters.

2.         The Chakma Refugees Problem.

3.         Transit and Shipping facilities.

4.         Insurgents having basecamps in Bangladesh.

5.         Huge trade imbalance between India and Bangladesh.

6.         Sharing of Ganga Waters .

(a)       India and Bangladesh signed a 30-year old Ganga Water Treaty on December 12, 1996.  The Treaty which has 12 Articles came into force on January 1, 1997.

(b)       The formulation for sharing of Ganga waters from Farakka barrage has been worked out for the 150 day dry season from January 1 to May 31.

(c)       The formulation is subject to the condition that India and Bangladesh shall each receive a guaranteed 35,000 cusecs of water in alternate three 10-day periods during March 1 - May 10.

(d)       The Treaty recognises the need to augment the dry season flows of the Ganga as part of a long-term solution.

(e)       An Indo-Bangladesh Joint Committee has been set up to oversee implementation of the Treaty.

(f)        The Treaty will be subject to a compulsory five year review.  The first review is also possible after two years if demanded by either parties.

(g)       The significance of the Treaty lies more in enhancing bilateral relations.  It paves way for bilateral co-operation in all spheres which will benefit the people of the two countries and bring stability and prosperity in the region.

7.         The Chakma Refugees Problem .

(a)       The Chakmas who follow Buddhist religion inhabit the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh.  About 60,000 Chakma refugees had crossed to Tripura in India since April 1986 following disturbances in the region.

(b)       With the signing of the Peace Accord between the Bangladesh Government and the Chakmas, the 12-year old Chakma refugee crisis between India and Bangladesh came to an end on February 27, 1998.

(c)       The 60,000 Chakma refugees in Tripura were repatriated to Bangladesh in six phases.

8.         Transit  and Shipping Facilities .

(a)       Transit through Bangladesh for connecting North-East India with the mainland has been a contentious issue between the two countries.

(b)       India wants the transit facilities for movement of Indian citizens and goods to the  North-East through Bangladesh.  Such transit facilities will reduce the cost of goods and overcome communication bottlenecks.  India has stated that such a transit would economically benefit Bangladesh to a great extent.

(c)       Transit facilities are also important to India for security reasons in view of the insurgency in the North-East.

(d)       Bangladesh has so far not agreed to the transit facilities on grounds of security concerns.

(e)       India also wants the reopening of the river route connecting Assam with Bangladesh as it would give the North-East direct access to international market through the Chittagong port.

9.         Insurgent Bases in Bangladesh.

(a)       India has told Bangladesh that insurgents from the North-East of India are having bases in Bangladesh which is a threat to India’s security.

(b)       Bangladesh has clarified that it has no interest in supporting any insurgency-related activity against India or harbouring in Bangladesh any such insurgents which vitiates friendly relations with India.

10.             Trade Imbalance.  The trade imbalance between the two countries is in favour of India.  Bangladesh seeks the withdrawal of countervailing duty imposed by India and duty cuts on 106 items to reduce the imbalance.