India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri went to Dhaka last Monday to attend an important bilateral meeting in an atmosphere that could not be said to be much of a relief for Delhi. It goes without saying that Vikram Mishri did not even get a drop of the kind of welcome and friendly attitude Indian government representatives were used to seeing in Bangladesh for the past decade and a half!
Diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh have also been at the bottom for various reasons in the past few days, which must have been reflected in the meeting.
“Our foreign secretary went to Dhaka for talks, met with their advisers – there is no reason to assume that everything is going well again. Rather, what needs to be done to keep relations normal, the main focus of this discussion was there', a senior official of Delhi's South Block told Bengali Tribune.
He also informed that the two sides openly discussed the necessary steps to maintain a healthy working relationship between the two neighboring countries.
In fact, there was uncertainty about whether the foreign secretary-level meeting would take place in Dhaka at all. Although Bangladesh had completed all the preparations for the meeting, there was hesitation from India's side. But India confirmed to attend the meeting almost at the last minute – because Delhi felt it was imperative to use this platform to convey some urgent message to Dhaka.
Just as Bangladesh has outlined its expectations from India, India has also stated that they have some 'conditions' to take the relationship forward. India's point was that there is no way to stop overnight the close relations that they have developed with Bangladesh in various sectors over the past many years. But to maintain that relationship in the new reality of Bangladesh, India also has some demands or conditions!
It should be remembered that after the meeting in Dhaka, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Md. Although Jasim Uddin held a press conference, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri did not take any questions from the journalists. Observers in Delhi believe India's refusal to hold a joint press conference sends a message that relations are not yet normal; Rather, if all the conditions given by them are met, then it is possible to return to the old protocol – this is what it means!
Now the question is, what are these conditions given by India?
Bengali Tribune learned from talking to officials of various ministries, former and current diplomats in Delhi that India has mainly emphasized three conditions. What they are, this report highlights that.
1. 'Engagement will be limited'
India has made one thing clear to Dhaka that it will never go into 'full engagement' with an 'interim government' of Bangladesh. Delhi's point is that even if a democratically elected government is in power in India, it is not clear what is the constitutional basis or specific mandate of the rulers in Bangladesh!
And if anything, their primary duty in India's eyes is to pave the way for fair elections – nothing more.
In other words, the Narendra Modi government will not enter into any discussion with the Muhammad Yunus government, where the question of taking a political decision on a bilateral issue will come up. India has informed Dhaka that such a decision will be taken with the next elected government – not before.
And until this happens, there may be expert or bureaucratic level meetings on various issues, but ministers will not make any important compromises or agreements. However, the agreements that are already in place will continue as they are.
A related official was saying as an example, 'When the relationship between the two countries is not at all good, but in the middle of November, there was a successful expert-level discussion on the renewal of the Ganges Agreement between the two countries, and documents were exchanged! But whatever decision is made regarding the renewal of the agreement, it will be taken after discussion with the next elected government of that country.'
Therefore, one of the main conditions from India's side is that for the time being the scope and scope of engagement between the two governments will be 'limited', a fact that Dhaka has to accept.
2. Protection of Hindus, Justice of Chinmoy Krishna Das
It is this second condition that has been presented most strongly from the Indian side – and that is to ensure the safety and security of Hindus in Bangladesh at any cost.
India's foreign secretary has given this message to Dhaka that if the interim government continues to deny the incidents of persecution of religious minorities, it will not be acceptable to Delhi.
Of course, he has also accepted that the Indian media is presenting these events in a very inflated or exaggerated manner, but that means that Dhaka's counter claim that no such incident is happening, Delhi cannot accept it either.
Incidentally, immediately after Vikram Mishri's visit, a list of at least 88 incidents of torture against minorities in Bangladesh was presented by the Office of the Chief Adviser in Bangladesh, which India sees as a positive sign.
Besides, the arrest of Sanatan Jagran Manch leader and (former) ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das definitely came up in the meeting.
India has said that Chinmoy Krishna Das' detention on charges of sedition may be an internal matter of Bangladesh, but that he will not be given legal aid, denied bail, or have no lawyer to represent him, is unacceptable. The arrest of a Hindu monk, which has created a strong backlash among Hindus in India, has also been reported to Dhaka.
The Foreign Secretary has made it clear that these issues need to be 'addressed' immediately if we want 'normal relations' with India.
Former Indian diplomat and former High Commissioner of India in Dhaka Veena Sikri was saying, 'As far as I have heard, Vikram (Mishri) has gone to Dhaka and said – we also want to advance bilateral relations, we want to finish the unfinished projects.'
“But it will be possible only when you can show zero tolerance in the case of atrocities on minorities, but not!”, he said.
3. Not raising the issue of Sheikh Hasina
The relationship between India and Bangladesh has been a matter of extreme discomfort for the past few months due to Sheikh Hasina's presence on Indian soil and her various political statements, speeches or advice given to party leaders and activists from there.
The Interim Government of Bangladesh has repeatedly said that India is actually poisoning the bilateral relationship by harboring the deposed dictator on August 5 and allowing him to continue his political activities and Delhi should hold its own!
Here India has counter argued that Sheikh Hasina is a guest of India and under special circumstances she sought permission to visit India temporarily, which was granted. He is neither under house arrest in India, nor a political prisoner – so there is no question of severing all ties with the outside world.
Now if he uses that to establish contact with party leaders, then India can't really have anything to do there. But that does not mean that all his words or actions have India's support.
Incidentally, Vikram Mishri also made the exact same statement to the Indian MPs at the Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting in Delhi after returning from Dhaka.
In this context, India has also highlighted another very important point – that Sheikh Hasina came to India with the covert support of the Bangladesh Army. He was brought to India by a military aircraft of Bangladesh, for which permission was also sought from India by the army.
Therefore, the fact that Sheikh Hasina's departure was subject to the permission of the Bangladeshi army and since then there has been no change in the leadership of the army of that country has also been highlighted by Delhi.
A top source in India's foreign ministry said Dhaka has been asked to realize the reality that hosting Sheikh Hasina is a 'compulsion' – not a persuasive move – by India. It has also been said that for the sake of healthy and normal bilateral relations, India feels that it will be good for both sides if the issue of Sheikh Hasina is kept out of the discussion.
How much Bangladesh will accept these 'conditions' given by India will be understood in the coming days. It will take some time to understand India's attitude towards the expectations or demands that have been mentioned by Dhaka.
But whether Dhaka-Delhi relations will see a glimpse of improvement or sink to the bottom, it will depend on whether both parties agree to accept these mutual conditions!
