LOOKEAST

Prasanta Paul |

CLOSE on the heels of Bangladesh National Party’s (BNP) landslide victory in the just–concluded parliamentary polls, political observers in Pakistan have sought to trigger quite a brouhaha over Pakistan’s opportunity to further strengthen the tempo of friendship with Bangladesh meticulously built during the Md Yunus–led interim administration.

■ In Khaleda Zia’s funeral, Jaishankar meets Tarique Rahman in Dhaka | Hamidullah Riaz

And another narrative being floated in the air has gained momentum in Pakistan that India is obviously confronting a sort of uncertainty in improving its relations with Bangladesh at the moment. For, its illustrious foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar had barely made only one visit to his neighbouring country in the last 18 months and that it would take months, if not years, to improve bilateral ties.

However, some quick developments in the past couple of days seem to have poured cold water on Pakistan’s aspirations. First, a string of reshuffles in the Bangladesh Army that took immediate effect from Sunday (22nd February) itself has proved that the new regime under Tarique Rahman would do everything but blindly toe the Yunus line.

Under Bangladesh’s previous interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Dhaka and Islamabad resumed direct flights, exchanged high–level civilian and military visits

String of Reshuffles & Visa Relaxation

In fact, one particular transfer (though described as routine) has created ripples; Bangladesh Army Brigadier General Muhammad Hafizur Rahman who had been serving at the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi for so long after his posting by Md Yunus, has been removed with a promotion to the rank of Major General and put at helm of the 55th Division of Bangladesh’s infantry.

Secondly, in the wake of a prolonged meeting between the Indian ambassador to Bangladesh Pranay Verma and Bangladesh foreign minister Khalilur Rahman on Sunday, this being the maiden meet between the duo following the swearing–in of the Tarique Rahman–led BNP government, it has been decided that India will soon resume all kinds of visa services.

“Medical and double–entry visas are now being issued. Steps are being taken to reopen the travel visa and other departments. The relations between India and Bangladesh are based on mutual respect and cooperation and both countries are responsible to take it forward,” a Bangladesh media outlet quoted Anirudh Das, a senior consular of India based in Bangladesh, as saying.

■ Newly appointed Bangladeshi foreign minister Khalilur Rahman

India suspended visa services for the first time on 8 August 2024, during the July uprising and three days after the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina‘s visit to India. Relations between the two countries reached its nadir during the interim government of Mohammad Yunus who made a series of controversial comments about India and Seven Sisters. The anti–India separatist forces also raised their heads.

But the situation began to improve after BNP’s Tarique Rahman, son of Khaleda Zia, came to power recently. Jaishankar’s attendance at the funeral of Begum Khaleda was not overlooked by Mr Rahman; and then Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was present at the swearing–in ceremony of the new BNP chief to whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sent a message.

The idea of Pakistan and Bangladesh being like “twin brothers,” voicing a strong desire for an increase in cultural exchanges and signaling hopes for deeper cooperation between the two nations

Pak Missive to Tarique

Pakistan, it is true, did not waste time in congratulating Mr Rahman as Islamabad immediately sought to strengthen ties with the BNP. First, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Tarique Rahman on the “resounding victory” of his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in parliamentary elections, saying that he looked forward to working closely with the new Bangladeshi leadership.

Secondly, Pak President Asif Ali Zardari extended his felicitations to the BNP and its leader, Rahman, on securing a “landslide majority” in the national elections and receiving the mandate to form the next government.

On Tarique Rahman now hinges the strategic autonomy of Dhaka.

A string of reshuffles in the Bangladesh Army that took immediate effect from Sunday (22nd February) itself has proved that the new regime under Tarique Rahman would do everything but blindly toe the Yunus line

Under Bangladesh’s previous interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Dhaka and Islamabad resumed direct flights, exchanged high–level civilian and military visits, and eased visa procedures, among various other confidence building measures.

Analysts say that this momentum could gather pace under a BNP government. According to former Pakistani foreign secretary and diplomat Salman Bashir, the Bangladesh election “marks the end of Awami League’s (AL) long dalliance” with India and “a reopening of close relations” with Pakistan.

BNP cold shouldering Pak Missive ?

But Contrary to expectations that the BNP would be quite tough with AL, the latest announcement from the office of the Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs of Bangladesh indicates quite a different picture altogether.

In its latest communique issued in Dhaka, the ministry informed that the Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam of the International Crimes Tribunal has been replaced by senior lawyer Mohammad Aminul Islam and the order takes immediate effect. It may be mentioned here that Tajul Islam who was picked by Yunus to head the post, had earlier delivered the death sentence to Awami League supremo Sheikh Hasina for her alleged crimes committed during her tenure as PM.

India suspended visa services for the first time on 8 August 2024, during the July uprising and three days after the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina‘s visit to India. Relations between the two countries reached its nadir during the interim government of Mohammad Yunus who made a series of controversial comments about India and Seven Sisters

Ahsan Iqbal’s Interview in Pak TV

During a recent interview with Pakistan TV, Ahsan Iqbal, the federal minister of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, stated that ‘meetings have been lined up in Dhaka’ with Md Yunus and the new BNP chief.

“We look forward to a new journey between Bangladesh and Pakistan to work together towards prosperity and stability not only of the region, of our people because both countries share so much common history and heritage. We are like twin brothers in terms of our population which is very young, very dynamic and very talented,” he said.

■ Pakistan Army team in Bangladesh’s Rangpur, close to ‘Chicken’s Neck’

Mr Iqbal who would represent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, emphasized the idea of Pakistan and Bangladesh being like “twin brothers,” voicing a strong desire for an increase in cultural exchanges and signaling hopes for deeper cooperation between the two nations.

“I think both countries with their population of over 400 million can be a very strong powerful voice as well as a player in global politics; both countries are leading members of OIC (Organisation of Islamic Countries) where we can play a very important role because both Pakistan and Bangladesh have similar views,” he observed.

BNP to Adopt A Balancing Act

But a deeper analysis of the latest developments would indicate that Mr. Rahman, unlike Md Yunus, is likely to adopt a balancing act at the moment. Ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan have significantly improved, courtesy Yunus. After a 15–year hiatus, foreign ministers of both the countries met in April last year which was followed by several political and military visits.

First direct flight between Islamabad and Dhaka by Biman Bangladesh Airlines resumed on January 29 this year after a gap of 14 years. In the same month, Pakistan expressed its desire to sell JF–17 fighter aircraft to Dhaka. These aircraft are being jointly developed by China and Pakistan

The first direct flight between Islamabad and Dhaka by Biman Bangladesh Airlines resumed on January 29 this year after a gap of 14 years. In the same month, Pakistan expressed its desire to sell JF–17 fighter aircraft to Dhaka. These aircraft are being jointly developed by China and Pakistan.

Now, it remains to be seen if Bangladesh, Pakistan and China come further closer in coming months or if the BNP chief opts to tread cautiously and prefers to go for selective cooperation without hurting the interests of India. Because reconciliation with past barbaric acts of Pakistan and conflicts requires a significant degree of actual betrayal of goodwill and expression of remorse instead of mere symbolic rhetoric. ■

Prasanta Paul served Deccan Herald as the Chief of Bureau, Calcutta for nearly two decades before switching to work with various TV channels such as Al-Jazeera, CNN, German TV and CBS. Mr. Paul who accompanied former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on his overseas tour of Singapore and other Asian countries, travelled extensively to Bhutan, Sikkim and Darjeeling besides other Northeastern states.