Introduction
Bangladesh has been subjected to deception, deprivation and subjugation by neighbor India through the later’s unfriendly treatment, actions, policies and sugar-coated pledges expressed in different treaties/agreements which never materialized. The recent treaty signed between Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Monmohon Singh titled ‘Framework Agreement for Co-operation’ has tied Bangladesh in an infinite bondage and created scopes for Indian access into every sector of Bangladesh including corridor through Bangladesh territory.
In order to resolve the various issues that Bangladesh facing with India; it is essential for us to ponder on the points mentioned under following subheads:
a. How Awami Govt has surrendered our national interests to India.
b. India’s hostile behavior towards Bangladesh.
c. Advantages and benefits that India enjoys for Bangladesh such as strategic advantages, economic and cultural domination.
d. Strategic disadvantages faced by India.
e. Recommendations.
How Awami Govt has surrendered our national interests to India
1. Signing of 7 Points Treaty by Tajuddin Ahmed in 1971 which denied sovereign rights to Bangladesh.
2. Allowing India to emerge as sole victor on 16 December 1971 denying our 9 month’s struggle against the West Pakistani occupation forces.
3. Allowing India to loot armaments worth billion dollars left by Pakistani Forces.
4. Signing of trade agreement in 1972 by Sheikh Mujib allowing transit through roads, rails and river routes.
5. Handing over our Berubary enclave without ensuring exchange of 3 bigha corridor by India.
6. Signing of 25 year treaty by Sheikh Mujib which is known as slavery treaty that denied our rights of maintaining defence force and pursuing independent diplomacy.
7. Allowing Indian Army to operate inside independent Bangladesh territory at CHT area who conducted repression on tribal people for about a year since 16th December 1971.
8. Allowing India by Sheikh Mujib to open Farakka Barrage and never to close it which has caused desertification, salinity and rising of river beds due to sediments.
9. Allowing India to train and motivate ZRB (Zatiyo Rakkhi Bahini) who allegedly killed more than 34000 opposition political activists during Mujib regime.
10. Signing of Gangees Water Sharing Treaty by Sheikh Hasina in 1996 without any arbitration and guarantee clause; as a result, India never gave BD due share of water.
11. Surrendering country’s 1/10th portion CHT to India-trained separatist group called JSS through a so called peace treaty which denied govt’s sovereignty and our fundamental citizenship rights on CHT.
12. Signing of 50 Points MOU by Sheikh Hasina in January 2010 and secretly giving transit/corridor to India along with many other undisclosed promises.
13. Signing of ‘Framework Agreement for Co-operation’ on 6th September 2011 by Sheikh Hasina which created scope for Indian access into every sector of Bangladesh and gave corridor to India through Bangladesh territory which is against our security, sovereignty and economic interests.
India’s hostile behavior towards Bangladesh
14. India has not returned 3 Bhigha Corridor to us in exchange of Berubary enclave which was handed over to India as per Mujib-Indira treaty signed in 1972.
15. India sheltered armed group of Kaderia Bahini who conducted armed activities along the border area after 1975.
16. India allowed her territory to be used by separatist Shadhin Bangabhumi Andolon group led by Chittoronjon Sutar and Kalipodo Boiddo which demands a separate land for Bangladeshi Hindus in South-Western part of Bangladesh.
17. India allowed her territory against Bangladesh by sheltering, inspiring and training CHT’s JSS armed terrorists named Shantibahini who killed more than 35000 people in CHT. Even, since signing of CHT Treaty on 2 December 1997, JSS armed wing has killed more than 700 and kidnapped more than 1300 CHT people.
18. India has never given us due share of water as per the Ganges Treaty signed by Sk Hasina.
19. Releasing deposited water at Farakka point through all the gates causing flood and inundation in Bangladesh every year.
20. Trade imbalance by imposing trade barriers for Bangladeshi products. Presently trade gap is more than 3 billion US dollar per year.
21. India erected barbed-wire fence around Bangladesh turning Bangladesh into world’s largest sell.
22. Killing of our citizens at border area by BSF; As per the statistics given by right group ‘Adhikar’, between 1st January 2000 and 31st August 2011, Indian BSF killed 998 Bangladeshi citizen; injured 996; arrested 226; kidnapped 957; missing 107 personnel and raped 14 Bangladeshi women.
23. India smuggling drugs such as Phencydil and illegal arms into Bangladesh.
24. Sheltering Bangladeshi criminals in Kolkata.
25. Conducting anti-Bangladeshi propaganda.
26. Indian forces raided our Roumary and Padua BOP.
27. India influencing our journalists by inviting Bangladeshi editors to India and brainwashing them in favour of India’s demands such as corridor.
28. Interfering with our political affairs by giving bagsful of money and advices as stated by the Economist magazine.
29. India captured our Talpotti Island in the Bay of Bengal.
30. Putting claim on 2/3rd portion of our maritime boundary.
31. Putting pressure for Asian Highway route to be selected as per India’s desire i.e. India-Bangladesh-India-Myanmar.
32. India ensured corridor from Sheikh Hasina in order to transport her goods, Armed Forces and military hardware through Bangladesh territory.
33. India constructed barrage on 52 out of 54 international rivers that entered into Bangladesh through India; thus controlling and diverting international river water depriving Bangladesh as a lower riparian country.
34. Undertook project for constructing Tipaimukh Barrage which will cause catastrophic impact on Bangladesh especially greater Sylhet area.
35. Planning to divert Feni River water.
36. Constructing defence installation within 150 meters of the No-man’s land violating international rules.
37. Grabbing our land along border areas such as Tamabil of Sylhet.
38. India shut transit facility between Bangladesh and Nepal just hour after opening it.
39. Pilkhana massacre is alleged to be India’s mastermind in order to demolish our border security.
40. India plotted to assassin Bangladeshi President Ziaur Rahman which is revealed by Shuvir Bhoumik in his book titled ’Troubled Peripheri’.
Strategic advantages achieved and benefits enjoyed by India for Bangladesh
41. India’s arch rival Pakistan is divided in 1971 War with the help of Bangladeshi people and Freedom Fighters.
42. Avoid huge financial expenditure for eastern sector due to absence of Pakistani Forces.
43. No potential threat in Eastern sector.
44. India is relieved seeing- no harboring of North-Eastern guerrillas in Bangladesh.
45. Arrest and handing over of infiltrator guerrillas to Indian authority by Bangladesh Govt making Bangladesh fight a proxy war for India.
46. Support ensured from Bangladesh for India’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
47. Able to destabilize security situation in Bangladesh by supporting any armed group as done in CHT.
48. Able to launch offensive operation on isolated Bangladesh while only defending western front with Pakistan.
49. Influence Bangladesh’s foreign affairs by installing puppet regime.
50. Claiming and capturing lands, islands and maritime area without being effectively opposed by Bangladesh.
51. Getting facility to counter NE independent movement and fight China using Bangladesh territory as corridor.
52. Avoid risky Shilliguri Corridor for transportation of her goods and military hardware.
53. Dominating and subverting Bangladesh Armed Forces by combined military exercises, training, visits etc.
54. Dominating our border physically and psychologically and suggesting us to term all killings by BSF as simple ‘deaths’.
55. Got a rare chance of defeating Pakistan’s 94000 Muslim Forces; thereby taking ‘Hazar saal ka badla’ as stated by Indira Gandhi which could never be possible without active support of our thousands of Freedom Fighters and whole population.
56. Achieved free and easier access for her intelligence force ‘RAW’ to operate inside Bangladesh.
57. Got a chance to bargain with us using ‘international river water’ as a tool to gain corridor and other facilities from Bangladesh.
58. Subvert and intimidate Bangladeshi people and Armed Forces by showing her large army, advanced arms and nuclear weapons; as a result, many MPs, ministers and writers term India as ‘Big neighbour’.
59. Bangladesh became a country almost surrounded by Indian territory from all sides which also facilitated India to confine Bangladeshi nation by fencing.
60. Installed a puppet Regional Council authority in CHT led by Shantu Larma and after withdrawal of Bangladeshi Security Forces; it will be easier to capture CHT and cut off Chittagong Port by putting blockade at Feni.
61. Easy to establish blockade against Bangladesh by land and sea during any hostility.
62. Bangladesh is unable to maintain any defensive front line as India is able to launch offensive from almost all directions.
63. India is now in a more advantageous position in annexing Bangladesh as she did to Sikkim in order to fulfill her Nehru Doctrine of Greater India.
India’s Economic domination on Bangladesh
64. Bangladesh is converted into an economic colony of India; daily commodities including motorbikes, TATA trucks, buses and cars, CNG Baby Taxies etc are dominating BD market.
65. Able to destabilize economic stability of Bangladesh by smuggling into/from Bangladesh.
66. Getting contracts for printing text books, providing all materials and consultancy for construction of corridor infrastructure as per 1 billion dollar loan agreement.
67. Planning to produce electricity by importing BD gas; then exporting it to BD and also supply to Poshchimbongo through BD.
68. Capturing BD garments sector, mobile communication sector etc.
69. Reduce time, distance and transportation cost by using BD territory as corridor.
70. Reduce BD’s scope of export to NE states as India’s goods will be available there now in reduced prices.
71. India enjoys huge earning facility from Bangladeshi nationals who go to India for medical treatment and education.
72. Indian Marwaries looted billions of dollars from BD share market scam in previous term of Awami regime due to Awami Finance Minister’s self-admitted ignorance about share market.
73. Every Eid festival is a lucrative business opportunity for Indian traders who sell Indian clothes worth around 5000 crores Taka when Indian dresses are sold in BD markets priced from 3000 to 3 lac Taka.
Cultural domination on Bangladesh
74. Indian dozens of Hindi channels earn more than 1000 crore Taka every year from Bangladesh.
75. In last 3 years around 300 Indian artists attended different cultural programs in Bangladesh who earn millions of dollars from Bangladesh.
76. Hindi culture is observed in most of the middle class families of Bangladesh. Even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes that due to Durga Ma’s visit by Roth, BD is abundant with crops.
77. Most of the cultural programs are filled with Hindi film songs, dances and costumes; Tri-nation concert organized in Dhaka on 24th February 2010 is an example of this.
78. Many beauty shops use Indian style and cosmetics for decoration of brides.
79. Many pro-India intellectuals preach that formation of Pakistan on the basis of religion was a mistake but they carefully refrain from admitting that we could get an independent Bangladesh because of creation of independent Pakistan in 1947 from British South Asia.
Strategic disadvantages faced by India
80. Indian Poschimbonga and North-Eastern states are encouraged by an independent Bangladesh to achieve independence.
81. BD capable of widening operational area into NE states if invaded by India.
82. Bangali Nationalism propagated by Awami regime likely to inspire Poshchimbonga (West Bengal) Bangalees to be united with independent Bangladesh accepting Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib as their Father of the Nation and Tagore’s ‘Amar sonar Bangla’ song as their National Anthem too.
83. Whole Bangladeshi nation got alienated against India because of Indian subjugation, deprivation, hegemony, imperialism and intimidation.
84. It has become easier to identify Indian agents by their words, actions, policies and agreements signed with India surrendering national interests who waited 40 years to give corridor to India.
85. Bangladesh being world’s 7th largest country in population, India, by its military might, may occupy Bangladesh but cannot hold the ground as any invasion by India will cause a protracted liberation war which will sink invading forces into the quagmire of Bangladesh.
86. Unidentifiable border at CHT area covered by hills and jungles are ideal terrain for both Indian and Bangladeshi tribal insurgents to infiltrate as due to CHT Treaty- BD security camps are being withdrawn and Bangalees are prohibited to settle in CHT leaving CHT as a paradise for armed groups.
Recommendations
87. BD nation needs to reject and resist Hasina-Monmohon’s ‘Framework Agreement for Co-operation’ signed on 6th September 2011 which is an infinite bondage of slavery.
88. India needs to change its hegemonic attitude and reshape her diplomatic and economic policies towards Bangladesh.
89. India has to stop all border killings and violations and compensate for border killings and repression as per international rules.
90. India has to make compensation for the damage and loss suffered by BD due to Farakka Barrage which is estimated around 140 billion dollar.
91. India has to return all weapons abandoned by Pakistani Forces in 1971.
92. India has to refrain from supporting CHT terrorist groups operating against Bangladesh and stop allowing her land to be used for propaganda against Bangladesh.
93. India has to remove all tariff and non-tariff barriers imposed on BD products in order to eradicate trade imbalance.
94. India has to abandon her Tipaimukh Barrage project.
95. India has to share 50% water of each international river entered into Bangladesh.
96. India should refrain from interfering with BD politics and stop supporting any chosen regime.
97. India has to abandon her undue occupation on BD’s Talpotti Island and also return 3 Bigha Corridor to Bangladesh completely if she wants to retain Berubari enclave as per the Mujib-Indira Treaty.
98. India has to abandon her undue claim on BD’s maritime boundary.
99. India has to stop smuggle of drugs and illegal arms into Bangladesh.
100. India has to stop using Bangladesh territory as her corridor and all treaties/MOUs signed with India need to be disclosed to BD people.
Conclusion
Relation between Bangladesh and India should be based on equality, mutual interest and mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty.
Both countries should recognize help of each other during BD Liberation War and Indo-Pak War in 1971.
India should reflect on the strategic and economic advantages and benefits that she enjoys because of Bangladesh and refrain from all sorts of hostile and unfriendly activities against Bangladesh which is a precondition for building trust and confidence of Bangladeshi people for bi-lateral co-operation.
By: Major Faruk (Retd)
