The planned visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping to Bangladesh in the middle of October could have been used as a great diplomatic opportunity by Dhaka if it could have waited in taking sides over the worsening military confrontation between India and Pakistan. We could have waited to be decisive over our support for India. Our government could not have avoided support for India as it was a forgone conclusion because of the special relationship our government has with India.
In the situation of war with Pakistan the support of Bangladesh in favour of India will not be a big help for India. If any effective role was to be expected then that was in the field diplomacy.
It was also important for us to think that the issue involved in the dispute is Kashmir. The question will be how best to solve the Kashmir problem. The most reasonable basis for the solution will be public opinion in both parts of Kashmir. The fate of Kashmir has to be weighed constructively for the good of India also. There is a resolution of the United Nations on Kashmir.
Military confrontation between India and Pakistan over Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir has drawn the two nuclear nations closer to broader engagement. Whether these acts will lead to war is not clear despite assurances from India that it has no intention to escalate.
India claimed it had carried out a surgical attack on Pakistani side of the LoC on Wednesday night in which they killed several terrorists. Pakistan said two of its soldiers were killed in exchange of fire and they fear more such attack may come. In fact exchange of fire across the LoC continued through Friday in which both sides claimed to have also more military and civilian casualties.
What surprises many at this stage is that when both India and Pakistan are trading blames and making rush to war games, Bangladesh has lent its open support to India in the event of any war. Our Government has said Bangladesh would stand beside India; which appears to many as too early an announcement that should have been delayed to allow the situation to get clear. Needless to say India has helped Bangladesh in our Liberation War and it is natural that we have a responsibility towards India also.
In a war context however, Bangladesh support will mean nothing effective. But so clear cut a partisan stand in favour of India would not mean much.
In our view neither India nor Bangladesh has intention to go for a full blown war. Having nuclear weapons on both sides, they must show restrain because it will destroy each other. Such a decision will be suicidal. But accidents may happen. So Bangladesh could have played a sobering role to calm the situation.
The visit of the Chinese president could be used to explore how both countries can be helpful for peace in the region. The question is not to encourage India or Pakistan to go to war.
In fact the latest military escalation in the ground resulted from an attack on September 18 on an Indian army base in Uri of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 Indian soldiers in the night-time operation. India held Pakistan responsible for the attack saying terrorists from Pakistani side of the LoC have carried out the raid. But Pakistan turned down the claim saying Kashmiris fighting for freedom may have carried out it. Some parts of the state is now witnessing mass uprising protesting serious violation of human rights by Indian forces in the region.
If Bangladesh could wait then it would have been possible for it to play constructive role. Now after so clear a support so prematurely we see no role for our country.
The Indian motive behind the new military escalation is to destroy terrorists bases inside Pakistani held Kashmir. But Pakistan is blaming India for ‘unprovoked and naked’ aggression. In fact the main issue behind the military escalation rests with the Kashmiri people’s aspiration for freedom. We must say both India and Pakistan must work to ease their condition without diverting their miseries under the smoke of a new war.
