Union home minister P.Chidambaram and his Bangladesh counterpart Shahara Khatum reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism and jointly address security concerns. The Bangladesh minister’s visit to Delhi marked a step forward. Relations between the two neighbours have been improving since the Awami League came to office in 2009. It has resulted in closer security cooperation. Bangladesh has clamped down upon anti-India insurgents harbouring in that country and boosted two-way trade which stood at $1.7 billion in the first half of the current fiscal.It is encouraging that Delhi has reassured Dhaka that joint border management will be overhauled. That will to some extent solve the problem of border firing. But more has to be done like speedy land boundary agreement implementation and settlement of the Teesta water sharing issue.
Bangladesh has a strategic position linked with Nepal and Bhutan. It also provides connectivity between North East India and South Asia. Indian Investment can beef up the Bangladesh economy which is steadily growing at 5%. 100 Indian companies have already set up business in Bangladesh. Many more are in the pipeline. But greater people to people contact is necessary to push forward Ceat’s first tyre manufacturing plant in Bangladesh and Sahara India’s Rs 80,000 crore New Dhaka Project. Cultural exchanges are also a must. Visa restrictions to Bangladesh need to be relaxed. On the whole, the focus should be on making India-Bangladesh ties stronger than ever.