Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agencies / Assam Tribune
New Delhi, October 14 2009:
Asserting that security was the main issue, Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee said that India and Bangladesh should together combat the menace.
Addressing the conclusion session of the India-Bangladesh dialogue, Mukherjee said India's main concern was security.
"Terrorists have no respect for boundaries," he observed.
New Delhi has been pressing Dhaka to flush out the militants operating out of the neighbouring country, besides closing down their camps and business interests.
Several top ranking ULFA and NDFB leaders are still holed up in the neighbouring country.
Mukherjee, who steered clear of controversial issues, however, re assured Bangladesh about the Tipaimukh Dam Project.
The Prime Minister had already said that India would not do anything to harm Bangladesh's interest," he added.
Touching on some vital points concerning both the countries, the Finance Minister said that a consensus building process has to be evolved.
He suggested that a common strategy was needed to face challenges like terrorism, poverty, and lack of infrastructure.
"We should act together to overcome these problem," he opine.
"Prosperity of the two countries are inter-linked," he said.
The two-day dialogue felt that, on its part, Bangladesh should allay Indian concerns regarding security and terrorism.
India should also be sensitive to the security interests of Bangladesh.
The dialogue recommended creation of a dedicated fund for improvement and development of infrastructure in Bangladesh, including roads, bridges and river routes in order to improve much-needed inter country connectivity, removal of all non-tariff trade barriers and needless procedural impediments besides establishment of coordination mechanism at the central and state government level involving stakeholders and decision makers to resolve ground level problems.
Presenting a paper, 'India Bangladesh Dialogue: Connectivity Issues' former High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri said that if the Inland Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) protocol could be implemented to its full potential it would substantially increase the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India, sharply reduce transportation costs.
However, during the last 37 years, only 10 meetings of the Standing Committee on IWTT have taken place, she pointed out.
Bangladesh has joined Trans Asian Railway (TAR), which envisages both freight and passenger trains.
The Indian TAR corridor after passing through Myanmar enters India at Tamu-Moreh from where it will link with the Indian Railway network at Jiribum.
Through the Akhaura-Agartala rail link Bangladesh could easily link up with the TAR route through India at Manipur via the north of Myanmar to China as also to other South East Asian countries.
This link will also help Bangladesh substantially in importing industrial and agricultural raw materials from India's North Eastern States.