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Bangladesh and India are culturally, economically, and socially connected. Bangladesh shares four of its land borders with India, including one that runs alongside the Bay of Bengal. 4096.7 kilometres are shared between Bangladesh and India. Bangladesh plays a significant role in India’s Neighbours First policy. Bangladesh gained independence in December 1971, and India was the first nation to recognise it as a distinct and sovereign state. India subsequently established diplomatic ties with Bangladesh as a pleasant South Asian neighbour. Many things bring the two nations together, including their shared history, cultural heritage, and an affinity for music, literature, and the arts. The Anthems of Bangladesh and India were also composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
Key takeaways
- The current Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, recently referred to the bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh as “a role model of excellent neighbourhood diplomacy.” Thus, this declaration came as a declaration of the fifty years of mutual friendship between the two countries.
- In contrast, India was one of the first nations to establish diplomatic ties with the newly formed nation in Dec of 1971. Bangladesh has become India’s most significant trading and development ally in South Asia.
- To maintain communication and optimise the advantages of the shared river systems, a bidirectional Joint River Commission was formed in 1972. The two nations share approximately 54 common rivers between them.
- The two nations’ efforts to sign the CEPA or the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which focuses on trade in commodities, services, and investments, have also recently improved their relations.
Things Between Bangladesh and India
- Ties of the Economy:
Due to its proximity, India is one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners. India’s sixth-largest trading partner is Bangladesh.
- Since 2011, Bangladesh has been granted duty-free access by India under the SAFTA or South Asian Free Trade Area on all tariff lines except for cigarettes and alcohol.
- From USD 10.8 billion in 2020–2021 to 18.2 billion USD in 2021–2022 is a significant increase in bilateral trade between the two nations.
- The governments of India and Bangladesh have given their approval for 6 Borders Haats (2 in Tripura and 4 in Meghalaya).
- River Waters Sharing:
Fifty-four rivers connect Bangladesh and India. The 1996 Ganga Resources Treaty for sharing Ganga River waters during the lean period (January 1-May 31).
- The Kushiyara Pact, which will benefit residents of the Sylhet district of Bangladesh, and Southern Assam, was most recently inked.
- Connectedness:
4096.7 kilometres are shared between Bangladesh and India, which borders West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and other states. A long-standing and well-established convention between India and Bangladesh governs transit and trade over inland waterways.
- The Agartala-Akhaura train line will be the initial rail link between Bangladesh and Northeast India.
- Cooperation in the sector of power and energy:
India and Bangladesh’s collaboration in the energy industry have advanced significantly during the past few years.
- The Friendship Pipeline Project between India-Bangladesh, signed in 2018, will link Parbatipur in Bangladesh’s Dinajpur district with Siliguri in India’s West Bengal.
- The FOU, or the Framework of Understanding on Collaboration in the Petroleum Sector, has also been signed by Bangladesh and India.
- Travel & Tourism:
The majority of international visitors to India in 2020, comprising tens of thousands of individuals seeking medical care, came from Bangladesh, as the Ministry of Tourism reported.
Bangladesh-India Bilateral Relations as a Model for Neighbouring Nations
Regarding ties between neighbours, the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and India is an example for the rest of the globe. They have developed over time and are profound. Bangladesh views India as its faithful ally.
On Dec 6, 1971, India officially recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign, independent nation. Bhutan recognised Bangladesh on the same day. Since the beginning of the Liberation War, India has supported Bangladesh. One million refugees were given shelter and food, the liberation fighters were given training and weapons, and the Bangladeshi government in exile received full support. On December 16, shortly after India’s recognition, the Bengali freedom militia Mukti Bahini and Indian soldiers launched a coordinated operation to destroy Pakistan swiftly. Bangladesh places a lot of importance on the date.
This connection has developed in various ways in an atmosphere of camaraderie, comprehension, and respect for one another. The two nations have partnered in a “shonali adhyaya” under the inspiring leadership of Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Narendra Modi of India (golden chapter).
India's visit by the Bangladeshi prime minister is expected to strengthen bilateral ties
The four-day visit of the Bangladeshi Honourable Prime Minister to India, which got underway on Sept 5, was eagerly anticipated in both nations. Particularly in Bangladesh, there was a lot of speculation about the trip since it was seen as a way to advance bilateral cooperation among the two neighbours and as a way to help Bangladesh deal with the economic difficulties brought on by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As a result, this trip served as a way to assess ongoing projects by officially opening landmark projects such as the 1320 MW Rampal power station and the Rupsha railway bridge, both done on September 6. It also served as a way to figure out how to navigate Bangladesh’s choppy economic waters due to the country’s high energy costs on the international market. This bi-lateral visit was essential for advancing ongoing discussions and collaboration on issues like the trade of energy, connectivity, and the development of significant trading infrastructure and services between the two nations, particularly in border regions — as well as investment opportunities in human resources through plans for judicial training and technological collaboration among BCSIR and CSIR.
Significant problems and probable solutions
However, significant problems like river water disputes (water sharing on the Teesta River), helping illegal immigration, drug exchanges between Bangladesh and India, The rise of Chinese influence in Bangladesh, terrorism, etc., still exists between these two nations. Addressing the Teesta River Water Conflict, Improving Connectivity, Energy Security, Moving the Goalposts to CEPA, Resisting Chinese Influence, and Addressing the Refugee Crisis may be the solution.
