New Delhi:
A Pakistani cargo ship docked at Bangladesh’s Chittagong port final week, marking the first-ever direct maritime contact between the 2 international locations in over 5 a long time. The vessel from Karachi has efficiently unloaded its containers at Bangladesh’s southeastern coast, port officers advised information company AFP on Sunday, as either side search to rebuild ties frosty for the reason that 1971 Bangladesh Liberation Conflict.
The direct maritime hyperlinks between Pakistan and Bangladesh underscores a historic shift within the historically complicated relationship between India’s western and japanese neighbours. It additionally has implications on New Delhi’s safety institution particularly because of Bangladesh’s proximity to India’s northeastern states.
Docking Of Pakistani Vessel In Bangladesh
The Panama-flagged Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan, an 182-metre (597-foot) lengthy container ship, had sailed from Pakistan’s Karachi to Bangladesh’s Chittagong. The ship had offloaded its cargo in Bangladesh on November 11 earlier than leaving port, AFP reported quoting prime Chittagong official Omar Faruq.
Chittagong port authorities reportedly stated the ship introduced items from Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, together with uncooked supplies for Bangladesh’s key garment trade and primary meals gadgets.
Pakistani items have been beforehand transferred onto feeder vessels, normally in Sri Lanka, Malaysia or Singapore, earlier than being transported to Bangladesh. Nonetheless, in September, Bangladesh, below the brand new interim authorities led by Muhammad Yunus, eased import restrictions on Pakistani items, which beforehand required a compulsory bodily inspection on arrival leading to lengthy delays.
The opening of the direct maritime hyperlink is being seen as an try by Bangladesh’s interim authorities to have sturdy ties with Pakistan.
There was widespread dialogue on social media in Bangladesh after a submit by Pakistan’s envoy to Dhaka, Syed Ahmed Maroof, in regards to the direct transport route being “a serious step” in boosting commerce between the 2 nations.
The route will “promote new alternatives for companies on either side”, Mr Maroof wrote on Fb.
Bangladesh-Pakistan Relations And Shadow Of 1971 Liberation Conflict
Pakistan and Bangladesh – as soon as one nation – cut up in 1971 following Mukti Juddho (Liberation Conflict). The reminiscence of the brutal conflict, which noticed the killing of some 3 million folks and the rape and torture of tens of 1000’s of others, remained deeply imprinted in Bangladesh’s nationwide psyche until not too long ago.
Previously often called East Pakistan, Bangladesh grew to become an unbiased nation after a nine-month conflict with West Pakistan in 1971 by which India aided Bengali freedom fighters.
The bilateral ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have remained bitter for the reason that Liberation Conflict, extra so below Sheikh Hasina’s regime in Dhaka, whose central political agenda had been to hunt justice for atrocities dedicated by Pakistan in the course of the brutal conflict.
Ms Hasina, who dominated Bangladesh from 1996-2001 and 2009-2024, arrange the Worldwide Crimes Tribunal in 2010 to prosecute conflict criminals or razakars for his or her conflict crimes in 1971. She additionally banned the traditionally pro-Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami, whose chief Abdul Quader Mollah was convicted by the ICT in 2013 for conflict crimes. Mollah grew to become the primary of many razakars to be executed throughout Ms Hasina’s reign.
India-Bangladesh Relation Put up-1971
In the meantime, Ms Hasina saved bringing Bangladesh nearer to India over the yr. India already held an in depth bond with Bangladeshis, courtesy of New Delhi’s help within the Bangladesh Liberation Conflict.
The ousted former Prime Minister and her household reportedly loved an in depth private relationship with the Nehru-Gandhi household, however her authorities’s clampdown on terrorism and spiritual extremism proved to be a strategic glue that certain successive Indian governments to her regime.
Her relationship with New Delhi helped her flee to India on August 5 after a student-led revolution in opposition to her regime escalated. However, Bangladesh’s ties with New Delhi frayed after the toppling of her autocratic Hasina regime.
Hasina’s Ouster
For years, Ms Hasina reaped political mileage from her celebration and household’s contribution to Bangladesh’s liberation, nonetheless, the current protests throughout the nation appear to point that the sentiment doesn’t echo many.
So, when Ms Hasina branded the protestors as “razakars” in July, it backfired, resulting in outrage amidst actual social and financial considerations plaguing the nation.
Moreover, there was reportedly resentment amongst Bangladeshis in opposition to Ms Hasina for “cozying up” to New Delhi. As per a report by Indian Specific, many in Bangladesh felt that India was too concerned within the nation’s issues. The rising “anti-India” sentiment in Bangladesh was on show when a mob in August vandalised and torched the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), the hub of Indian cultural exercise within the Bangladeshi capital for over 5 a long time.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed the creation of Bangladesh, has a robust presence within the post-Hasina dispensation in Dhaka.
Rising Pakistan and Bangladesh Ties
After Ms Hasina’s ouster, Mr Yunus’ interim authorities has proven a shift in the direction of nearer ties with Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan and Mr Yunus mentioned strengthening bilateral cooperation on the sidelines of the United Nations Normal Meeting in September this yr.
“The maritime hyperlink is important for reviving our relationships,” Mr Yunus not too long ago stated, calling for a “new web page” in Pakistan-Bangladesh ties to reinforce cooperation in several sectors.
Bangladesh additionally appears to be going the Pakistan method with the nation’s Legal professional Normal Md Asaduzzaman calling for eradicating the phrases “socialism” and “secularism” from Bangladesh’s structure. The proposal has sparked fears the predominantly Muslim nation might be shifting towards an Islamic state.
Furthermore, Bangladesh can also be searching for the extradition of ousted Ms Hasina, who stays in exile in India. Dhaka has already issued an arrest warrant for the 77-year-old and has summoned her to look in courtroom in Dhaka to face expenses of “massacres, killings, and crimes in opposition to humanity”.
Mr Yunus stated his administration was centered on guaranteeing these responsible of cracking down on the protests to oust Ms Hasina confronted justice.
The 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner was appointed to guide the federal government as “chief advisor” on August 9, days after the top of Ms Hasina’s 15 years of iron-fisted rule. Mr Yunus, in a speech to the nation marking 100 days in energy since a student-led revolution, stated he had spoken to Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the Worldwide Felony Courtroom.
“We are going to search the extradition of the ousted autocrat from India,” Mr Yunus stated, referring to Ms Hasina.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh stated it could request an Interpol “purple discover” alert for fugitive leaders of Ms Hasina’s regime. Purple notices issued by the worldwide police physique alert regulation enforcement businesses worldwide about fugitives.
India is a member of Interpol, however the purple discover doesn’t imply New Delhi should hand Ms Hasina over. Member international locations can “apply their very own legal guidelines in deciding whether or not to arrest an individual”, in response to the group, which organises police cooperation between 196 member international locations.
Influence On India
With growing narcotics commerce linked to Pakistan, rising ties between Islamabad and Dhaka may grow to be a nationwide safety concern for India One other safety concern for New Delhi is the involvement of Pakistan’s spy company ISI in actions that destabilise the area.
Over time, India has used its relationship with Ms Hasina to keep watch over the actions at Chittagong port, the place in 2004, round 1,500 containers of Chinese language ammunitions have been confiscated. The consignment, reportedly price an estimated USD 4.5-7 million, was allegedly masterminded by Pakistan’s intelligence company, the Inter-Providers Intelligence (ISI).
The consignment was allegedly meant to be delivered to banned terrorist outfit ULFA (United Liberation Entrance of Asom) in India.
Mr Yunus nonetheless, has assured that Dhaka-Delhi relations ought to be “very shut” regardless of the current regime change within the nation, asserting that it’s within the curiosity of each international locations.
“Relations between the 2 international locations should be very shut. There might be no different to this. They want this, we want this. That is important from any angle, whether or not it is about economics, safety or water,” he was quoted as saying by Bengali language each day Prothom Alo in October.
When requested for his feedback on current tensions in bilateral ties, Mr Yunus stated the current incidents in Bangladesh might need “disheartened” India and “they weren’t happy with the adjustments.” He didn’t point out the incidents.
“It will likely be troublesome for us to maneuver alongside with out one another. It is just pure that we’ve got shut ties and good relations in each sphere,” he stated.
India has urged the interim Bangladesh authorities to make sure peaceable spiritual occasions for the Hindu neighborhood within the South Asian nation. Greater than 600 individuals, together with Hindus, have been killed throughout violent protests in Bangladesh following the ouster of Hasina-led authorities, in response to a UN report.
“Issues might be clear to them after they see that the whole world is accepting us, how can they not settle for us?” he added.
He stated so far as South Asian diplomacy was involved, his interim authorities positioned excessive significance on strengthening ties with India and “on the similar time, strengthening SAARC (South Asian Affiliation for Regional Cooperation”.