Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's trip to Dhaka has concluded on a positive note. It has been marked by a certain clearing of the air on issues that have been exercising the minds of people here. Simultaneously assurances were given on specific issues of concern to Bangladesh.
Pranab's visit had two major purposes before it. One was to bring to a closure the joint celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Noble Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, the shared icon between the two countries. The second objective has had to do with evaluating the status of implementation of different protocols and projects envisaged in the Manmohan-Hasina joint declarations of 2010 and 2011.
The two objectives have been fulfilled to the mutual satisfaction of both governments. The periodic reviews can only lend urgency to implementation processes and provide better understanding of practical issues involved in them.
Assurances have come on the controversial river linking project and Tipaimukh dam and Teesta water sharing issues. Bangladesh will not be affected by the river linking project, Pranab has assured us, as the rivers originating in the Himalayas will be kept outside its purview. On Tipaimukh dam, a sub-committee with a powerful mandate under the JRC will look into all aspects of the project including joint participation by Bangladesh as indicated by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. As for Teesta water sharing, water experts of India have struck a formula which they hope would address the concern of West Bengal government and that of Bangladesh.
Consensus building process is on in India to ratify land boundary protocols with Bangladesh since the UPA is a coalition government and Congress does not have the required majority for the purpose. Pranab Mukherjee's candour on the subject goes down well with us. On border killing, Indian finance minister expressed his regrets and once again reiterated his country's resolve to address the issue.
We note that India has made a friendly gesture by announcing $200m as grant out of the $1b credit line. Also, she has promised to decrease rate of interest on the remainder $800m and relax conditions on procurement of machine parts.
On the whole, the Indian finance minister's visit to Dhaka has proved useful.
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