Bangladesh has just come into the company of two foreign dignitaries those are Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee and Richard Boucher, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia. These important guests were in their Dhaka visit after the December-2008 election, which turned the nation a parliamentary democracy again from a two-year long military backed extra constitutional interim government that imposed state of emergency over the country. The dignitaries were visiting Bangladesh on 9th and 7th & 8th December respectively.
Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit was in the attention of media, officials, and academician and of course for the common people as the two neighbours have many issues to be discussed and resolved. Similarly, US assistant secretary Richard Boucher’s trip was of high importance; he expressed the US willingness to assist Bangladesh in many sectors.
Pranab Mukherjee and his counterparts Bangladesh Industries Minister Dilip Barua and Commerce Minister Faruk Khan signed the agreements on behalf of their respective governments. Both signed the new Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPA) that seeks to promote and protect investments from either country in the territory of the other, with the objective of increasing bilateral investment flow. As of BIPA, Bangladesh and India will henceforth consider each other the most favoured nation (MFN).
Under the renewed bilateral trade agreement signed between Bangladesh and India for three more years, both countries will now be able to use each other's waterways, roadways, and railways for transportation of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other.
The two countries also agreed to fight militancy and terrorism jointly in a bid to establish peace and stability in South Asian region, but no agreement was signed in this regard bilaterally; though the issue was much talked about among concerned community.
Meanwhile, The Indian Minister for External Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, agreed with Bangladesh’s proposal of forming a joint anti-terrorism taskforce to combat regional terrorism and militancy, local press said quoting, Abul Kalam Azad, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Hasina.
Mukherjee apparently made a positive response when Hasina made the proposal of forming the joint anti-terrorism taskforce during their meet at the premier’s official residence on Hare Road, Azad quoted.
While Richard Boucher wrapping up his Dhaka visit stated that the United States has willingness to assist Bangladesh in maritime patrol and secure its unprotected territorial sea though Washington has no plan to set up a ¡military base in Bangladesh’s territorial waters.
Boucher said, ‘I think there are some interests in maritime patrol so you can protect your sea areas better. We can help their activities but the modalities will depend on what Bangladesh wants.’ He expressed disagreement on the issue that US might be planning to set up a military base in Bangladesh. ‘We do not have any intention for a permanent presence,’ he added further.
Meanwhile, political parties, civic forums, academicians and the people in general have expressed concern over the proposal made by the United States to assist Bangladesh in patrolling its maritime boundaries and questioned the motive for such offer. But an analyst of international affairs and a maritime expert found nothing wrong in the US offer, rather they thought it might be very positive for Bangladesh, a local newspaper reports.
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