Latest news with #India-Bangladesh
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘China, Pak gaining influence in B'desh'
New Delhi Foreign policy experts have warned the parliamentary committee on external affairs against the increasing strategic foothold of China and, to some extent, Pakistan in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The experts added that media hype is adding to the adversities. 'China, Pak gaining influence in B'desh' Former foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, dean of JNU's School of International Studies Amitabh Mattoo and former Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Riva Ganguly Das, along with retired Lt. General Syed Ata Hasnain, briefed the members of the panel, led by Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor, during a meeting on the 'Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship' on Friday. Tharoor later said, 'Four first-class experts gave us great insights... You will see our report in the next few weeks... We didn't discuss (the issue of Bangladeshis living in India). But we were told about a figure that the number of Bangladeshis coming to our country has lessened now.' According to functionaries, some experts expressed concern over how China and Pakistan are making inroads in Bangladesh since the students' revolt led to the ouster of former premier Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. India-Bangladesh relations have been in free fall since the caretaker government led by Yunus assumed office after Hasina was ousted. The two sides have repeatedly clashed over Dhaka's handling of the repression of Bangladesh's Hindus, with New Delhi calling for steps to protect the minority. In April this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Yunus on the sidelines of the Bimstec summit in Thailand. 'I reiterated India's support for peace, stability, inclusivity and democracy in Bangladesh. Discussed measures to prevent illegal border crossings and expressed our serious concern for the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities,' Modi later said in a post on X. On Friday, the experts told the panel that the influx of illegal Bangladeshis in India has reduced drastically, even as a section of the media has made it a major issue. The experts also felt that the media hype also remains a major issue in restoring India-Bangladesh ties. According to people familiar with the matter, BJP MP Kiran Choudhry,recalled India's role in liberating Bangladesh, noting that her father Brigadier Atma Singh of 17 Kumaon Regiment had played a heroic role in the 1971 war and had suffered bullet injuries. Singh was called the 'founding father' of the regiment and his unit battle honours. Another MP asked if South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation could be revived to counter China's attempts to grow its influence in the region, and also floated the idea of exchange of journalists to boost people-to-people engagement with Bangladesh. As New Delhi and Dhaka are set to meet in the coming months to renew the Ganga water treaty, experts also discussed the geostrategic situation and the importance of data sharing for Ganga and Teesta.
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
At House panel meeting, MPs flag Bangladesh's growing ties with Pak and China
NEW DELHI: A meeting of the Parliamentary standing committee on External Affairs on Friday saw discussion on Bangladesh's growing proximity with Pakistan and China, and implications of India's strained ties with its eastern neighbour amid suggestions by some experts on engagement with the country, according to sources. Former foreign secretary and ex-National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and academician Amitabh Mattoo attended the meeting. The committee recorded evidence of the experts/non-official witnesses in connection with the examination of the subject 'Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship'. The panel is headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Some MPs expressed concern that China is getting a foothold in the country, which is strategically important for India, said sources. MPs also pointed out that Pakistan is trying to strengthen its ties with Bangladesh. One of the MPs suggested that if the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) can be revived to counter the Chinese bid to grow its influence in the MP also suggested that the exchange of journalists will boost people-to-people engagement with Bangladesh, said sources. An MP said some members raised concerns about the deteriorating relationship with Bangladesh under the interim government of Muhammad Yunus. The implications of India-Bangladesh ties on West Bengal, which shares a long border with the country, were also raised by MPs from the state, said a source. The state has been bearing the brunt of the suspected large-scale infiltration, said the MP. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Tharoor said infiltration from Bangladesh has been reduced now.
India Gazette
12 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Experts present their views on India-Bangladesh ties to parliamentary panel
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): The Standing Committee on External Affairs met on Friday and heard views of experts on 'Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship'. Chairperson of the panel Shashi Tharoor, MP, later said the committee heard insights of 'four first-class experts'.He said the panel was told that the number of Bangladeshis coming to the country has come down. 'You will see our report in the next few weeks... We didn't discuss (the issue of Bangladeshis living in India). But we were told about a figure that the number of Bangladeshis coming to our country has lessened now,' he said. India-Bangladesh ties have seen some strain in the recent past. India on Thursday condemned the demolition of a Durga temple in Dhaka, criticising the role of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and projecting it as a case of illegal land use. At a weekly media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, the extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. 'We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use allowing ... and they allowed the destruction of the temple. This has resulted in damage to the deity before it was shifted. We are dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh. Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutions,' Jaiswal said. The decision of the authorities has been condemned by several minority organisations. Earlier in May, India imposed restrictions on the entry of Bangladeshi ready-made garments (RMG) and other products through its northeastern land ports -- Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram -- and Fulbari and Changrabandha in West Bengal, following controversial remarks by Bangladesh's interim chief advisor Muhammad Yunus. During a speech in China, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Yunus had described India's northeastern states as a 'landlocked region with no access to the ocean.' This comment has sparked diplomatic friction, with Indian officials viewing it as undermining the region's connectivity and status. The new restrictions has forced Bangladesh to reroute exports -- including Ready-Made garments (RMG), plastics, melamine, furniture, juices, carbonated drinks, bakery items, confectionery, and processed foods -- through Kolkata port in West Bengal or Nhava Sheva port in Maharashtra, increasing logistics costs. (ANI)
News18
15 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
'Bangladesh Army Not As Radical As Pakistan's': Experts To Parliamentary Panel On External Affairs
Last Updated: The experts assured the Shashi Tharoor-led standing committee that there was no immediate cause for alarm regarding Bangladesh, especially compared to Pakistan Concerns about the radicalisation of youth in neighbouring countries were discussed during a key meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Dr Shashi Tharoor. The discussion, focused on India-Bangladesh relations, included expert testimonies from former national security adviser Shivshankar Menon, Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), former High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, and strategic affairs analyst Professor Amitabh Mattoo. The meeting addressed the growing apprehensions over China and Pakistan's increased engagement with Bangladesh. Several committee members expressed concern about the implications of this evolving regional dynamic, given India's already strained ties with both China and Pakistan. However, experts assured the panel that there was no immediate cause for alarm regarding Bangladesh, especially compared to Pakistan. According to the experts, the Pakistani army remains deeply radicalised, unlike the Bangladeshi army, which does not exhibit similar traits. This distinction is a key factor in assessing the strategic outlook of India's eastern neighbour. They also noted that media narratives often exaggerate the closeness between Bangladesh and India's adversaries. BJP MP Kiran Choudhry, also a member of the panel, recalled her father Brigadier Atma Singh Sejwal's contribution during the Bangladesh Liberation War, reiterating India's longstanding friendship with Bangladesh. In response to a question about Sheikh Hasina's presence in India and how it might be perceived in Bangladesh, the experts drew parallels with India's historic record of granting refuge—from the Dalai Lama to various political figures—reinforcing that this aligns with India's humanitarian ethos. Opposition MPs also emphasised the importance of enhancing bilateral engagement, particularly because states like West Bengal and Tripura share deep linguistic and cultural ties—and long, porous borders—with Bangladesh. Several members proposed increasing people-to-people exchanges, including media and journalist programmes, to deepen mutual understanding. Chairman Shashi Tharoor described the session as 'an excellent and in-depth discussion", confirming that a detailed report would be submitted to Parliament soon. 'We had first-class experts before the committee today. Members raised many important questions, and we received comprehensive responses," he said. On the politically sensitive issue of illegal migration from Bangladesh—often flagged by BJP leaders across states like West Bengal and Jharkhand—Tharoor noted that the number of such cases has 'significantly declined", based on inputs received by the committee. When asked about the ongoing water-sharing disputes and whether the issue was discussed, especially in light of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's concerns, Tharoor said, 'You'll have to wait for the final report to know more." The last major meeting on India-Bangladesh ties took place in December, when foreign secretary Vikram Misri briefed the committee. He addressed questions on bilateral relations and spoke at length about the reported violence against the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh.
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Pak, China making headway in Bangladesh, India should keep up': Experts to parliamentary panel
The Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs was told by experts on Friday that the Pakistan-China nexus is making headway in Bangladesh and that India should keep up with the developments in the country and not be caught napping. The experts told the panel that India should create stakes in Bangladesh and engage with the neighbouring country through people-to-people contact, The Indian Express has learnt. The agenda of the meeting on Friday was to hear experts on 'Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship'. Four experts in the field of external affairs briefed the Standing Committee on Friday. Former national security advisor Shivshankar Menon, retired Army General Syed Ata Hasnain, former high commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and Dean of the School of International Studies (JNU) Amitabh Mattoo briefed the committee on Friday. One of the experts is learnt to have told the panel that the Chinese are making a lot of headway in Bangladesh through infrastructure development like building ports and air bases. Another expert said that the role of the media in the two countries developing a bond is quite crucial, and in the recent past, the media has played a negative role in both India and Bangladesh. One expert said that India needs to grasp the reality of the new power structure in Bangladesh and move ahead. The committee was told that India needs to think and move beyond former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and engage with the current ruling dispensation in the country. The panel was also told that the need of the hour was to engage with the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. An Opposition member in the Committee asked the experts how West Bengal could play a role in improving India's relations with Bangladesh. Sharing of river water was also discussed during the meeting, including the Ganga Water Treaty, which is up for renewal in 2026. Members asked the experts about the probable reasons for the trust deficit between India and Bangladesh and what could be done to mend the relationship.
