India fights as Bangladesh-Pakistan ties

The dramatic political development in Bangladesh, which led to the excluding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year, has surprised many – including one -time enemies of Dhaka with Pakistan.

Last month, after decades of distressed relations, the two countries first started trade directly, in which Dhaka imported 50,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan. Direct flights and military contacts have also been revived, visa processes have been simplified, and there are reports of cooperation on security matters.

Countries – There are different, deep, painful historical relations from Landmas in India. The enmity between them went back in 1971, when Bangladesh – then known as East Pakistan – began a struggle to gain independence from Islamabad. India supported Bengali rebels during the nine -month war, which led to the formation of Bangladesh.

While the traces of that period are deep, Dhaka had a cordial relationship with Islamabad between 2001 and 2006, when the alliance of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami operated the country.

It changed during Hasina’s 15 -year rule since 2009 – when she was strongly supported by Delhi and kept distance from Pakistan. But when she fled to India after a massive protest against her government, the relationship starts melting.

Bangladeshi diplomatic Humayun Kabir says, “For the last 15 years, the relationship of Pakistan-Bangladesh was a bit difficult,” Bangladeshi diplomatic Humayan Kabir says, saying that the relationship is now returning to “two general neighbors”.

This development is being closely seen, especially in India, which has a long history of hostile relations with Pakistan.

Since the exit of Hasina, the relationship between Dhaka and Delhi has been frosting. India has not reacted to the demands of Bangladesh to face it with allegations of crime against humanity, money laundering and corruption. Hasina denied the allegations against her.

Some experts feel that reviving the relationship between Dhaka and Islamabad is a strategic step.

Pakistani academic Ayesha Siddika says, “Pakistan and Bangladesh have a strategic relationship at the moment. Simultaneously, they want to represent a pushback against India’s dominance,” says Pakistani academic Ayesha Siddiq.

Apart from starting direct trade, there have been other development.

Muhammad Yunus, the head of the interim Bangladesh government, met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif several times in recent months on multilateral forums several times.

And then there is a growing military relationship.

A high -level Bangladeshi military delegation made a rare visit to Pakistan in January and interacted with Asim Munir, the head of the influential army. The Bangladeshi Navy also participated in a multinational maritime exercise organized by Pakistan, away from Karachi coast in February. ,

Between 2003 and 2006, India was the High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh, Veena Sikri described the growing proximity between Dhaka and Islamabad as a “Déjà vu” moment.

During his tenure in Dhaka, he said, “India repeatedly” raised the issue of “Indian rebels being trained inside Bangladesh” with the support of ISI (Pakistan’s intelligence agency) and a part of the Bangladeshi Army “.

“We also provided evidence to Bangladeshi officials,” he said.

Officers in Pakistan and Bangladesh At that time he denied these allegations.

The long, pheasant border between India and Bangladesh makes it relatively easy for armed rebel groups from the north-eastern states of India to be relatively easy. However, after Hasina’s Awami League came to power in 2009, it exploded on these groups and destroyed their bases.

Ms. Sikri says, so the revival of military relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan is “a major security concern for India”.

He said, “This is not just a military relationship. Pakistani establishment is also reviving relations like Jamaat-e-Islami with Bangladeshi Islamic parties, which supported Islamabad during Bangladesh’s Freedom War,” she says.

The press office of the Younus administration has flatly rejected the Indian media reports that senior ISI officials have visited Dhaka. It has also described reports that claim that Pakistani operators were working to reopen an Indian rebel group camp in Bangladesh as “baseless”.

Pakistan’s army did not answer BBC questions on India’s concerns over the future role of ISI in Bangladesh.

Analysts say that Bangladeshi politicians know that, given close economic and linguistic relations, Dhaka cannot take the risk of taking an anti -India stance.

And despite the apprehensions in Delhi, Bangladeshi diplomats argue that relations with Pakistan cannot be normalized until issues related to the 1971 war are resolved.

During the war, hundreds of thousands of Bengalis died and tens of women were raped. The war ended with over 90,000 Pakistani security and civilian personnel, surrendering in the joint command of Indian and Bangladeshi forces seen as an abusive chapter in Islamabad.

Bangladesh has demanded formal apology from Pakistan for atrocities committed during the war, but Islamabad has not shown any inclination to do so.

Former Bangladesh diplomat Mr. Kabir said, “Pakistan needs to own crimes committed during the Freedom War.” “We also raised the issue of division of property of 1971 between the two countries in several bilateral meetings with Pakistan.”

Even former Pakistani military officials such as Ikram Sehgal admit that “the main stumble in bilateral relations requires Bangladeshis that Pakistanis should apologize for what happened in 1971”.

However, the retired Pakistan Army chief insisted that Bangladesh should also address the issue. Urdu speakers attack by Bengalis During the struggle for freedom.

“I was a witness to the atrocities that were against Urdu speaking Bihari people (in East Pakistan),” Mr. Sehgal, who now lives in Karachi, told the BBC.

While history gives a shadow over the relationship between Dhaka and Islamabad, economists suggest that the two countries can first focus on improvement in bilateral trade, which is currently less than $ 700m (£ 540m), mostly in favor of Pakistan.

“Pakistan has a solid market for Bangladesh over the medium to long term,” says Sabreen Baig, an associate professor of economics at the Delaware University.

Currently, both sides and businesses have obstacles including high tariffs and exporters have to face visas and travel barriers. However, Ms. Baig says “Better bilateral political and business relations will reduce these obstacles”.

Some of these issues can be discussed during the visit of Dhaka’s Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in April. Bangladesh is expected to hold general elections by the end of the year and a new government may have a separate set of foreign policy priorities.

However, whatever happens, the bets are high to Delhi, which firmly feel that a stable and friendly Bangladesh is necessary to maintain peace and stability in its north-eastern states.