Sheikh Hasina pitches for more trade channels, says Teesta water pact can transform ties with India

Bangladesh is looking to open more trade channels with India, widen footprint of border haats and open up routes that were closed during the 1965 war, visiting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today.

Observing that nothing is solved by confrontation but friendship is the solution to all problems, she said the two nations have been able to establish "profound mutual trust and exemplary friendship" over the years.
India and Bangladesh have been unable to finalise the long-pending Teesta water-sharing agreement, primarily due to opposition by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Hasina, who is on a four-day visit to India, urged Indian industry houses to invest in Bangladesh, especially in infrastructure projects, power and energy, transport, manufacturing, food and agricultural processing sectors.

She said the Indian business community can take full advantage of Bangladesh's steady economic growth, high demographic dividend, low business cost and large consumer base, noting that "to facilitate further investments, a 'One Stop Service Act' is currently being finalised". Hasina also witnessed the signing of pacts worth over USD 9 billion by companies from India and Bangladesh aimed at deepening partnership in sectors like power and oil and gas. Speaking in Bengali, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister took a potshot at her opposition parties, saying there were charges that she was going to sell off the country to India.

Observing that economic conditions of South Asia should improve, she termed poverty as the common enemy of both India and Bangladesh and called for a joint fight "to ensure a better life for our people". She was addressing a meeting organised by business chambers CII, Ficci and Assocham here. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was also present on the occasion, invoked the shared cultural history of India and Bangladesh, and pointed towards his close proximity to Dhaka since he belongs to Odisha.

"My friends from Bangladesh perhaps did not get Hilsa for me this time. Rice and Hilsa fish is the staple food item of East India and Bangladesh," Pradhan said. In many ways, this is an exceptional relationship, he said, adding, "Since we share 54 rivers, it is said that a river cuts through a rock, not because of its power but because of its persistence. We have enough goodwill between the nations to persist in nourishing and grooming this relationship for the collective welfare of millions of our people".

"Being one of the key pillars of our growing economic engagement, we are extremely happy to partner with Bangladesh in meeting its growing demand for petroleum products," Pradhan said, noting that the two nations are entering a new level of collaboration in hydrocarbon sector. He said a gas pipeline between the two neighbours will cater to the power plants of Bangladesh and also integrate the Bangladesh natural gas grid, creating synergy for both sides. He said exploration activities are being carried out by ONGC Videsh and "we are at an advanced stage of exploration which would hopefully produce results benefit both nations".

The Indo-Bangladesh ties will undergo "another transformation" if a pact on Teesta water sharing is inked, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today but is anxious over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's reaction to such an agreement. Stressing that common water resources must act as a uniting force, she pitched for a comprehensive solution to sharing of waters of all common rivers between the two countries.

"We strongly believe our common water resources must act as a uniting force. A comprehensive, basin-wide solution with an in-built solution to water sharing of all common rivers holds key to our common future," she said while addressing an event here. On the Teesta issue, Hasina said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again reiterated his government's strong resolve to conclude the water-sharing treaty as soon as possible. "Once it happens, the phase of Indo-Bangladesh relations will undergo another transformation," she said.

In a lighter vein, Hasina said she does not know how Banerjee, who is reportedly not in favour of Teesta water sharing, will react to her submission about the pact. "I don't know what 'didi' (Banerjee) will do. Had a talk with didi, she put forward something new. But Modiji has given the assurance that he is there to see what happens," she said. However, the Bangladesh PM said at least Banerjee offered her electricity from West Bengal. "Paani mangaa to electricity mila. Laykin electricity milaa achha hai kutch toh mila naa (we asked for water, she gave us power but at least we got something)" Hasina said.

While Modi has rekindled the hope for an early signing of the pact, Banerjee insisted that instead of Teesta, the government should look at other river systems to share water with Bangladesh. The Teesta deal was set to be signed during the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh in September 2011, but was postponed at the last minute due to objections by Banerjee. Teesta waters are crucial for Bangladesh, especially in the leanest period from December to March when the water flow often temporarily comes down to less than 1,000 cusecs from 5,000 cusecs. Hasina also asserted that her government has comprehensively addressed India's security concerns which was a factor in building trust.

"We have put in place a multi-layered and effective bilateral security architecture with many dedicated joint institutional mechanisms for targeted and coordinated actions," she said. Observing that the journey towards peace and prosperity is put to peril by the rise of terrorism and violent extremism, she said threats from state and non-state actors tend to undermine efforts to integrate regional economies and societies and pitched for more concerted efforts to strengthen security.