WHEN the wind of opening up is blowing strong at global level Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s order to isolate Bangladesh under high-rise barbed wall around Assam border is shocking indeed. Media report said he has asked Sarbananda Sonwal, the Chief Minister of the new BJP Government of Assam to quickly complete the sealing of border with Bangladesh to stop illegal migration of Muslims from Bangladesh. It appears that the Indian Hindu Nationalist Party; which returned to power at the center two years back and now spreading wings in the northeast is desperate to use religious card to win anti-Muslim sentiment for political convenience. The party leaders earlier talked about sealing of borders and expelling Muslims in election campaigns from a state where Muslims constitute 35 percent of its population. Many in Bangladesh wonder why the ruling BJP are using volatile political issues; not supported by reality in the ground. Moreover any chaotic situation in the state may hamper development that the government may not like either. Assam has already sealed 223.7 km of border and out of the remaining 60.7 km; both countries have common rivers on 48.8 km; which are also technologically protected. There are only 11.9 km with vulnerability because of harsh local condition and India may fill it soon. But such fencing only suggests that Bangladeshi people illegally migrating to Assam and moreover it is a country infested by criminals and India must protect it. Such fencing hurts us all the more in a civilized world only to show Assam border resembles Israel’s barbed fence in Palestine. What makes Bangladesh utterly unhappy is the way India is using sensitive issues critically damaging Bangladesh’s image globally as a poor country and that its people are illegally migrating to Assam for livelihood. We must say Bangladesh is capable to feed its people better and the truth is that almost five lakhs Indian are now reportedly working in Bangladesh; most of them illegally earning their livelihood and repatriating money. India is a close friend of Bangladesh and we are offering all cooperation to Delhi denying shelter to insurgents and their cross border movement; which are critical to Indian security in the northeast. Bangladesh is risking its own security giving transit to India over land and river routes. We believe in a good neighbourhood policy in making these concessions but the policy that the new BJP government is pushing forward is not a policy of harmony and friendliness. What will be the fate of the ‘Border Haats; is yet another question. In our view Bangladesh must protest. The government must take the issue immediately to tell India that Muslims from Bangladesh has no reason to migrate to Assam for economic reason after the partition of India in 1947. Muslims in Assam are mostly local population and the so-called settlers existed there from the British days. Bangladesh has nothing to do with them.
