Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina is back on a charm offensive in New Delhi. The two friendly nations have signed a string of new bilateral agreements and all indications are that the relations are set to climb new heights in the future. All the same, there exist some misgivings in Bangladesh about the Modi government’s follow up on the National Register of Citizens (NRC). This mainly concerns immigrants from Bangladesh to the eastern states of India like Assam and West Bengal, and indications are that these matters will be sorted out in a friendly manner without hurting either nation.
India’s ties with Bangladesh go back to the early 1970s when the leader of Bangladesh’s Liberation struggle, Mujibur Rahman formed the first government there with able support from New Delhi. Pakistan which lorded over its eastern province ever since Independence in 1947 had to beat a hasty retreat. India’s ties with and support to elected governments in Bangladesh remained in good form all through, though the Liberation hero’s daughter took the relations to new and more promising frontiers in recent years of her rule. She is managing her nation well and she is proving to be a trust-worthy friend to India despite the odds in the geopolitical region. India too attaches great importance to Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina in particular.
While several bilateral agreements having been inked during the current visit of the Bangladesh prime minister, issues like NRC are set to pose some problems in the future. Sheikh Hasina has been promised by PM Modi that matters will be sorted out in a friendly manner and there was no cause for worry. The NRC process is overseen by the Supreme Court and the government will have to tread a careful path. While the humanitarian aspects will need be addressed, national interests must be upheld too. It is also important that no embarrassing situation is created from India’s side for the Bangladesh PM. The mutual trust between the two nations would need to be zealously maintained.
Sheikh Hasina on her part has urged nations and peoples to rise beyond majority-minority considerations. She is a successful governess of a nation for several years and she is taking the progress of Bangladesh steadily to new heights. Economic growth there itself is more impressive than that of India as of now, and she is keeping her flock together despite attempts by Islamic militants to create troubles. With her success in politics, she is emerging as a guiding light to the geopolitical region as a whole.