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Indo-Bangla Relations

Historic opportunity missed

Say senior journalists of the two countries

Diplomatic Correspondent
Journalists from Bangladesh and India yesterday said a new era had been created in the relations between the two countries with the visit of Sheikh Hasina to India in 2010, but it turned into a missed opportunity.
They said Sheikh Hasina had taken a political risk during the visit, which had created a historic opportunity, but it was not properly utilised.
Terming it as "history of a missed opportunity", the Indian journalists frankly admitted that the Indian side had failed to understand the problems in Bangladesh despite having likeminded governments in both countries.
They further recognised that a peaceful and stable situation had been prevailing in north-eastern India because of the Hasina administration's cooperation.
Journalists of the two countries spoke at a dialogue, “Role of media in strengthening relations between Bangladesh and India", at a hotel in Dhaka, organised by Dhaka chapter of "Friends of Bangladesh”.
Senior journalists of both countries said Sheikh Hasina took a high risk and responded to India's main concern of security, transit, border management but India failed to reciprocate, as it had yet not solved pending issues with Bangladesh.
The Indian journalists said India was fortunate enough to have Hasina government in power and called for resolving all pending issues with Dhaka like Teesta water sharing deal and the Land Boundary Agreement.
They accused Indian media of failing to positively portray the opportunities created and opened up by Bangladesh in the last five years.
The speakers feared that Bangladesh and India relations might face a setback again if the current government in Dhaka changed through the upcoming election.
Executive Editor of The Daily Star Syed Badrul Ahsan and noted Indian filmmaker and President of Friends of Bangladesh Goutam Ghosh presented the keynote papers, while noted cultural activist Nasir Uddin Yousuff delivered the introductory speech.
Among the Bangladeshi journalists were Abed Khan, Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam, CEO of Boishakhi TV Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Haroon Habib, Acting Editor of Sangbad Moniruzzaman, Desh TV's Alok Das Gupta, DU journalism department teachers Akhter Sultana and Robaet Ferdous.
On the Indian side were Shankar Raghuraman, associate editor, Times of India; Sumit Chakravartty, editor, Mainstream; Gautam Das, editor,
Desher Khatha in Agartala; Saumya Bandyopadhyay, consulting editor, Prothom Alo, New Delhi; Kalyan Barooah of Asham Tribune; Santanu Ghosh of Times Now; and Topasree Gupta, coordinator, Friends of Bangladesh.
Goutam Das said people ofTripura were getting the benefits of Hasina’s government, as it allowed transportation of heavy equipment and machineries for Palatana power plant through Bangladesh without charge.
Golam Sarwar bitterly criticised the role of Indian media, saying they totally ignored Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has taken several positive steps to resist the rise of fundamentalism, but there is no reflection in Indian media about this, said Abed Khan.
The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam said India and Bangladesh relations were fundamental to the prosperity of the two nations.
"India should help Bangladesh from a point of view of India's selfinterest, as an economically prosperous Bangladesh will add to the peace and stability of the region and be a more attractive trading partner of India," he said.
He asked the Indian journalists to realise Bangladesh as an important partner in the regional affairs and give Bangladesh due importance.