UPSC Civil Services 2020: India-Bangladesh Bilateral Relations

With the recent inauguration of the India-Bangladesh Riverine Trade Route, the importance of flourishing bilateral relations between the two neighbours is a key aspect to study for the UPSC Civil Services exam 2020. Check all the important details about the India-Bangladesh Bilateral Relations in this article. 

India and Bangladesh have operationalized a new riverine trade route on September 3, where a Bangladeshi vessel transported a cargo of cement to Tripura (India) as part of efforts to boost connectivity between the two countries. This new trade-route will benefit both the nations and will help India strengthen the bonds with the neighbor. India-Bangladesh bilateral relations goes back to a shared history and common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties. In this article, we have shed light on the emerging bilateral relations between the two nations.

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The Background of India-Bangladesh Bilateral Relations

India was the first country to recognize Bangladesh as a separate and independent state and established diplomatic relations with the country immediately after its independence in December 1971. The relationship between the two nations is anchored in history, culture, language, and shared values of secularism, democracy, and countless other commonalities between them. In the last couple of years, the relationship has been further strengthened including through cooperation in new and high-technology areas. 

Various Joint exercises of the Army (Exercise Sampriti) and Navy (Exercise Milan) take place between the two countries. India shares the longest land boundary of 4096.7 with Bangladesh. 

India-Bangladesh Bilateral Institutional Mechanisms

➨Sharing of River Waters: India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers. A bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) signed in June 1972 to maintain liaison between the two countries to maximize benefits from common river systems is working well for the two nations. The Ganga Waters Treaty signed in 1996 for the sharing of waters of river Ganga during the lean season (January 1-May 31) has enhanced the peaceful neighborly relations between India and Bangladesh. Regular meetings of the Joint Committee on Sharing of Ganga Waters are held to take stock of the implementation of the provisions of the treaty.

➨ Security & Border Management: India and Bangladesh share 4096.7 km. of the border, which is the longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbors. It shares the borders with the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. The India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) came into force following the exchange of instruments of ratification in June 2015. As per the agreement, the enclaves of India and Bangladesh in each other’s countries were exchanged and strip maps were signed. Residents of these erstwhile enclaves, who opted to retain their Indian citizenship made a final movement to India by November 30, 2015. 

The Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) signed aims to synergize the efforts of both the Border Guarding Forces for checking cross border illegal activities and crimes as well as for maintenance of peace and tranquility along the India-Bangladesh border.

➨ Bilateral Trade and Investment: The first Trade Agreement between India and Bangladesh was signed in 1972. The India-Bangladesh Trade Agreement is signed for a period of 5 years with a provision for auto-renewal. There are a number of other trade-related agreements that have been signed between both countries.

India’s exports to Bangladesh for the financial year 2018-19 (April-March) stood at the US $9.21 BN and imports from Bangladesh for the same period stood at the US $ 1.22 BN.

At present, Bangladesh allows transit facilities to India’s north-eastern states by waterways for cargoes and roadways for passengers. For transit through waterways, India and Bangladesh had signed the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT).

In addition to LOC funds, the Government of India also provides grant assistance to Bangladesh for projects under ‘Aid to Bangladesh’. Projects such as the construction of school/college buildings, laboratories, dispensaries, deep tube wells, community centers, renovation of historical monuments/buildings, etc have been financed by the Government of India under this programme. At present, three Sustainable Development Projects (SDPs) are being undertaken in the cities of Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet. The extended development work of Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral house in Shilaidaha is as well as 36 community clinics in selected districts of Bangladeshis also being undertaken. One of the biggest projects under the Indian grant assistance is the Bangladesh section of the Agartala-Akhaura rail-link

➨Power and Energy Sector Cooperation: Cooperation in the power sector has become one of the hallmarks of India Bangladesh relations. Bangladesh is currently importing about 660 MW of power from India. The 1320 MW coal-fired Maitree thermal power plant, a 50:50 JV between National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), is being developed at Rampal. Many Indian public sector units such as Indian Oil Corporation, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Petronet LNG Ltd are working with their Bangladeshi counterparts in the oil and gas sector of Bangladesh.

➨ Connectivity: India-Bangladesh is a good example of connectivity through all modes of transport. The movement of goods by road is operationalized through 36 functional Land Customs Stations (LCSs) and 2 Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the border. This includes the Petrapole-Benapole ICP through which more than 50% of the bilateral trade takes place on account of which it has been decided to operate these land portion 24x7basis since 01 August 2017.  The Protocol on Inland Water Trade and Transit (PIWTT) has been operational since 1972. It permits the movement of goods over barges/vessels from India through the river systems of Bangladesh on eight specific routes.  There are regular bus services between Kolkata-Dhaka, Shillong-Dhaka, and Agartala-Kolkata via Dhaka. A new bus service (Dhaka-Khulna-Kolkata) was launched during PM Sheikh Hasina’svisit in April 2017

➨ Cultural Exchanges: The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), High Commission of India, is a Cultural Centre of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of India in Bangladesh. Inaugurated in 2010, IGCC regularly organizes programmes covering a wide-gamut of cultural activities. The IGCC also holds regular training courses in Yoga, Hindi, Hindustani Classical Music, Manipuri Dance, Kathak and Painting. The courses are very popular with Bangladeshi students. IGCC Hindi teacher also teaches Hindi at the Institute of Modern Languages in University. 

Recent Developments in India-Bangladesh Trade Relations

• The inauguration of a joint project by India and Bangladesh to let India buy liquefied petroleum gas from Bangladesh for consumption in India’s north-eastern state of Tripura.
• The inauguration of a skill development center that will provide basic as well as advanced training some 200-300 Bangladeshi youth on an annual basis for employment in the small and medium scale industry sectors.
• Terms for the use of the Chattogram and Mongla ports in Bangladesh for the movement of goods to and from India.
• A pact signed for India to draw 1.82 cusecs (cubic seconds) of water from Bangladesh’s Feni river for use by India in Tripura state.

Major Concerns

• The Teesta waters dispute remains a major issue due to continuous protest by the Mamata Banerjee led West Bengal government.
• National Register of Citizens has left out 1.9 million people in Assam who are being labeled as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh is firm in its stance that no migrants traveled to Assam illegally during the 1971 war of independence and NRC may risk the relations.
• The Rohingya issue and India’s remarks in 2017 on the issue have been upsetting for Bangladesh which has been facing the challenge of providing shelter to more than a million Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution
• Bangladesh is overwhelmingly dependent on China for military hardware. China’s footprint is growing in Bangladesh’s economy.