As expected, the Regime chief Sheikh Hasina fulfilled all the demands of New Delhi during her recent visit to India. Every time Mian Hasina comes to power mainly with the backing of India, she immediately pays off the debt sacrificing the national interest of Bangladesh. This time Hasina submitted to India´s demand for further “rail connectivity”. Secondly, she agreed to India´s proposal to study the “Teesta Basin” project jointly. Why is this proposal now? Does not the regime know that it is a dubious and ill-motivated move by New Delhi to refrain Bangladesh from going forward with the Chinese proposal on the same subject? Most experts opine that China´s Teesta Barrage Project will be better for Bangladesh for different reasons. India does not want Beijing’s involvement here because in that case, China will be too near to the strategically important “Chicken Neck Corridor”. In other words, India is asking us to forgo our genuine interest in preserving their illegitimate interests. The Teesta problem would not have arisen in the first place if India had accepted our due share of water from the Teesta River.
Due to India´s denial to provide us with our share of water, a vast area of North Bengal is becoming a desert. Bangladesh-India discussions have been going on for more than a decade. However, it did not give any meaningful results because India had not been serious or sincere. Under such circumstances, the PRC came up with a comprehensive plan to solve the problem. It includes building the dam, reservoir, canal, satellite towns, etc. Chinese teams have visited the proposed sites and promised to invest one billion dollars to implement the project.
When the PRC came to our rescue, India became alarmed. They interfered both in our internal and external affairs. Delhi forced the Hasina regime to virtually back down from the Chinese proposal on the Teesta project.
The irony of the Teesta crisis is that it has been created by India. During the winter season, it withdraws huge amounts of water unilaterally. And during the rainy season, they do the opposite. The consequences are known to all. If New Delhi agrees to a just and equitable water-sharing treaty according to international norms, the problem can be solved amicably. As an upper-riparian country, India has some obligations to abide by which she is ignoring by its sheer might.
What a mockery and greed! India now wants to implement the project designed by China. They want to make money by investing 1 billion dollars in this project.
One must not mix up the Bangladesh-India water-sharing agreement on Teesta with China´s Teesta Basin project. These two projects are quite separate and will serve different purposes. It seems India will not share Teesta´s water with Bangladesh. In addition, they do not want China to implement the Teesta Basin Project. During her last visit to New Delhi Hasina yielded to India´s unjust and unsolicited pressure.
Many observers believe India´s present move is a ploy to buy time. They will not go for the project. Instead, they will deny China access to a project near the strategically important “chicken neck” area.
It is not the first time India torpedoed a Chinese project to be implemented in Bangladesh. A few years back, the Hasina government turned down China´s offer to build a deep seaport near Sonadia Point at the last moment. When the Memorandum of Understanding was about to be signed, the Indo-US lobby put its veto and the project was canceled. Very interestingly, at that time China built a smaller port in Myanmar, very near Sonadia Point. How could Bangladesh expect China to support Bangladesh instead of Myanmar on Rohingya issues? The Hasina regime not only canceled the Sonadia Deep Sea Port Project of China but hastily approved the Matarbari Port Project designed by the Indo-US-Japanese lobby.
The regime argues that it has an independent policy on China whether India likes it or not. That is why it could purchase Chinese submarines and implement some mega projects with Chinese help and investments. But they do not disclose that these submarines remain idly stationed and do not move around due to India´s objections. Bangladesh had to seek and swallow big Chinese investments in some white-elephant-like mega projects because India did not have that much investment capacity. Otherwise, it would have preferred Indian money.
It seems, the Hasina regime still abides by the Bangladesh-India 7-Point Secret Treaty signed in October 1971 although its tenure ended long ago. The 7th point of the treaty clearly stated “Regarding carrying out of relations with other countries the foreign ministry of Bangladesh will consult with the external affairs ministry of India. And India will help Bangladesh in this regard as much as possible.” Only a subservient state can accept such a clause incorporated in a treaty. As an obedient ally, Hasina expresses her loyalty to that treaty still today with the sole intention of remaining in power with the unfair and immoral help of India. It is mainly India that brought her to power in 2014, 2018, and 2024. Notwithstanding the voter´s boycott, Awami League could get away with all these three farcical elections with massive riggings due to India´s unconditional support to this fascist party.
The worst harm Sheikh Hasina caused to Bangladesh during her recent visit to New Delhi was her consent to provide India with rail corridor facilities. It is not a bilateral train service between India and Bangladesh. Nor is it a transit facility proposal for a third-country destination. In the name of connectivity, India wants to use our train lines to connect her one part with another. In other words, India is asking for corridor facilities. And when our existing route cannot take the load of our domestic demands, how can we fulfill their extra demands? Who will pay if we have to create additional facilities for them? Who will bear the extra maintenance cost? More importantly, through this route, India wants to connect its eastern part with its strategically important north-eastern area where insurgencies and secessionist movements are going on for a long time. The regime is not unaware of the situation of India´s seven-sister states/provinces. Furthermore, China has a dispute over Himachal province with India. If India carries soldiers and/or arms to these states using the proposed train corridor, Bangladesh will antagonize both independence aspirant guerrillas and the PRC. All these factors must be taken into consideration. India cannot be given a blank check.
Many political observers believe that all these plans and projects now being discussed between Dhaka and New Delhi have been primarily settled before the last farcical general election of Bangladesh held on 7th January 2024. Bangladeshi people rightly apprehend that before every general election in Bangladesh India sets some conditions and comes to an agreement with the Hasina-led regime and Awami League. Then a rigged and farcical election is held with India´s direct backing. Maybe specific conditions are not placed, rather a blank check is given by the regime to New Delhi that they will abide by India´s demands. That is why Bangladesh cannot carry out an independent foreign policy. Nor can it make independent decisions even on certain vital internal issues.