India gives assurances to Bangladesh on Rohingyas, essential supplies

India on Tuesday assured Bangladesh that it would provide assistance on a range of vital issues, from Rohingya repatriation to the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities, including oil.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kawatra, who briefed the media after the summit level bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said, on the question of Rohingya repatriation, “India will take all types initiatives for safe repatriation of Rohingyas to Rakhine province in Myanmar.”

“We know, internationally, that Bangladesh’s role is praised for giving shelter to displaced Rohingyas… India has provided financial help to Bangladesh on Rohingyas. India always supports all moves for a peaceful, stable and safe return of Rohingyas to Myanmar,” Kawatra said, adding, “India will do whatever is required for settlement of Rohingya issues.”

A slew of agreements was signed and exchanged after the prime ministers and their delegations met for detailed discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral issues that exist between neighbours India and Bangladesh and the increasing closeness of the strategic relationship.

The two countries also signed an interim water sharing agreement for Kushiyara river, the first such pact since the signing of the Ganga water treaty in 1996.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is on a four day state visit to India, from September 5 to 8, during which she aims to further enhance ties and resolve all issues between the two countries amicably, through dialogue, for the well-being of people of both countries.

Both prime ministers spoke at length about the increasing numbers of infrastructure projects that are helping to inter-twine connectivity, trade and people-to-people relations between India and Bangladesh.

During the discussions, India raised concern about the growing Chinese footprint in Bangladesh’s defence sector, the Foreign Secretary said adding, India’s interest and concerns are the interests and priorities of Bangladesh. India had earlier offered a $500 million line of credit (LOC) for defence cooperation to Bangladesh, which has remained unutilised. Responding to a query on the issue, Kawatra said a small beginning had now been made and one MoU was recently signed on defence cooperation. “Though it was for a small amount of the LOC, but a process has begun,” he said.

Official sources said that India and Bangladesh have signed a MoU to build a Bailey Bridge in the Chittagong Hill Tract region. A Bailey bridge has the advantage of requiring no special tools or heavy equipment to assemble. The wood and steel bridge elements were small and light enough to be carried in trucks and lifted into place without the use of a crane. The bridge was strong enough to carry tanks, the sources said.

India is committed to helping Bangladesh meet its energy requirements and, in this regard, the Foreign secretary said “laying down of the India-Bangladesh ‘Moitree’ (friendship) diesel pipeline under the Indian LOC was discussed. Diesel from India will reach the northern part of Bangladesh through this pipeline,” he said.

Bangladesh has registered the Indian Oil Corporation for government to government services for the supply of refined petroleum to Bangladesh.” No mention was made of crude imports from Russia to facilitate this transfer, but India has welcomed the decision to register IOC to supply oil.

Cooperation in the nuclear energy and initiating collaboration in the space sector (satellite mapping) are other areas in which India aims to assist in fulfilling Bangladesh’s growing energy requirements.

Kawatra also spoke of the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities like onions, wheat and cotton, which Bangladesh imports from India, by attempting to ensure that supply chains are strengthened, saying, “commodities supply was one of the main lines of discussion. India want to strengthen resilient supply chain goods of perishable and non-perishable goods,” he said. “Our line of supply chains for commodities supply is assured for the growth of trade, and India will put in all type of facilities and infrastructure for sustained supply and trade between both countries.”

Meanwhile, responding to a question of the release of a Biopic movie on the life of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, made by noted Indian Director Shyam Benegal, the Indian MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said shooting for the film is over and, after the final editing and completion process, it will be shown first to the Bangladesh Prime Minister and given final clearance for release, by the end of this year, by the Bangladesh PMO. – INDIA NEWS STREAM