Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
Bilateral issues and internal politics in Bangladesh are going to take the centre stage during the meetings between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Delhi.
Observers and diplomats said during her four-day visit, her basket of discussion will be replete with energy cooperation, water sharing, trades, transit and transshipment, and insurgency issues topped with the promises of how the bilateral relations will reach to new height as Bangladesh national election is knocking at the door.
They said when the two leaders will sit face-to-face, obviously the internal political discussion, though it is not made public, come to the fore as Bangladesh has only one year and four months left for parliamentary polls.
Delhi, they observed, has already taken the Awami League-led government into a consensus for some tangible reasons like AL government in its tenure has not allowed the insurgents in the North-East States of India to use its territory.
It has definitely helped India to quell its insurgents to a great extent for the collaboration of Bangladesh, they viewed.
On the other hand, due to the geographical reason, India will always expect a government in Bangladesh that will serve their interests and purposes.
However, they said the stakeholders of Bangladesh will determine whom they will give their mandates to form the next government in power in the foreseeable future.
Observers and political party leaders said as the parliamentary poll is likely to hold in December next year, the Awami League-led government will try to do whatever is necessary to cling to power.
As Bangladesh holds a historic tie with India which helped Bangladesh for its independence in 1971 war spearheaded by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League government always gets priority in Indian preference list.
Since Awami League government is in power for third consecutive term, both the government is known for each other to easily deal with multiple bilateral issues, they further observed.
As Awami League government is facing mounting pressures both at home and abroad due to economic crunch, upsurge demonstrations of the oppositions, sanctions on RAB for egregious human rights violations and regional politics, it is seeking the support of the neighbour to overcome it.
And if necessary, they will seek cooperation of India as it has been stated by Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen recently, they said.
Before her visit to India, the Foreign Minister at a public meeting blurted out that he sought ‘India’s assistance to keep Awami League government in power’.
After such remarks, the government and the ruling party Awami League had faced a tsunami of censures from the cross-section of the people even though the party in an abortive attempt tried to bury the speech by the culture of denial.
Diplomatic sources said that even India also felt ’embarrassed’ for such a statement from a top level minister of the government.
“Delhi has a consensus about the Awami League government because India has been benefitted for Bangladesh government’s cooperation to put down the insurgents in North-East India. So Awami League is in their grip of confidence through various means,” Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of Department of International Relations of Dhaka University told The New Nation on Sunday.
“The other political parties could not show any such tangible matter to India. In addition, India will prefer the government in Bangladesh which will help serve their interest,” he added.
However, experts said that reliable and known government always gets much priority in dealing with various issues with India.
“Of course, there are some understandings when two leaders sit across a table. Though their discussions do not come to the public sphere, it is clear that a known government always gets some soft corners in the hearts of others,” a former Ambassador of Bangladesh M. Humayun told The New Nation.
The observers said that at the end of the day power politics plays an important role in the current political landscape and players need to be cautious in dealings.
