Our view is clear that India should not be too confident about having defence pact with Bangladesh. It will be wrong for India not to understand the sentiment of our people. Our people want just and fair relationship between the two countries.
Some say the government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation; others say it may be an agreement. Since the government is not speaking out, speculation is running high about it.
There is no military threat to Bangladesh from any country we know of. But even if there is, it is for the people of Bangladesh to prepare themselves for defending their country.
What surprises many is that the proposal for the defence pact came all on a sudden and none is disclosing anything about it. Indian Defence Minister visited Dhaka in December last immediately after Bangladesh Navy received two submarines from China with which Bangladesh has comprehensive defence agreement. New Delhi then mooted the idea of the defence pact and signing it within three months.
Former ambassador to China Mr Ashfaqur Rahman made the critical point saying since India helped Bangladesh to win independence, the relation is lacking fair play and equality. In his view any unnecessary deal is bound to create misgivings.
In the opinion of defence analysts Maj Gen Muniruzzaman Bangladesh’s relations with India is suffering from imbalance including huge trade deficit. Bangladesh had not gained any thing from India so far except the Land Boundary Agreement, which also benefitted India.
If anything India needs to be extra-careful, if it cares about friendly relationship with Bangladesh, the people of Bangladesh are not all that subservient and insensitive that they cannot choose their friends and well-wishers.
