The New Nation - Internet Edition

M.T. Hussain

Though unusual for any diplomat, the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, His Excellency Pinaki Ranjan Chakravarty was very much straight forward and rude as was seen and heard in the ITV news at 7 P.M. on the 14th February in Dhaka in his exact fluent Bengali verbatim, 'AMORA NA KHEYE KI APNADER KHAOABO' that meant in English language, 'Shall we give you (rice) to eat while we shall go unfed'? On the very day of international exchange of love for the Valentine's Day, he appeared little unkind though but perfectly in tune with his country's policy in terms of policy of rice export to Bangladesh. Whatever had been done earlier in selling rice below US$ 500 per ton, no rice would henceforth be exported to Bangladesh from India below US$ 510 as would be comparably cheaply available from other countries nearby. Interestingly whatever he meant in the Bengali verbatim does not sound consistent as they would not go unfed should they sell rice to Bangladesh at the bargain price for each ton at US$ 510 and not les than that.

To meet up the year-to-year food shortage, Bangladesh needs to import food grains. Import of rice and other essential food items, if imported from India, makes it attractive for Bangladesh for lower transport cost, ease of transport and also for less time required for transportation from Indian side to Bangladesh.

Contrarily these are matters that give advantage to India for easy manipulation whenever they would wish to act in their advantage but against interests of Bangladesh. Such evil manipulations do not remain limited to daily essential items but to other items as well.

The over flooding of Bangladesh during monsoon through abruptly opening gates of the their barrages built in the upstream of the common 53 rivers, and again creating shortage of water in Bangladesh in the natural downstream through shutting down gates during dry or lean season of those barrages of the same rivers do not only end in high flows or low flows but also that such overflows and draught directly affect Bangladesh's agricultural production including essential food items, as well. During the last 34 years since 1974, there had been water sharing treaties of and on until 1997, and again one made for 30 years in 1997, but the irony of fate for Bangladesh remains that the due share of water was hardly available in downstream that adversely affected Bangladesh's agricultural productions including the main food grain rice. Not only this. Widespread arsenic affects in underground water in Bangladesh causing multiplier adverse effects has a lot for upstream water control during dry season by India. Why can't Bangladesh ask for compensation on these accounts in terms of rice, onion and wheat supply to Bangladesh at a lower price rate?

That India not only manipulates such issues against Bangladesh but also at times behaves rudely just as Pinaki did this time. One might recall that a few weeks back, he reminded the Bangladeshis to remain grateful forever to the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for her bounty in bringing about independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

That was one-way right. But it was a matter of amazement that he forgot to recall the minimum cost incurred compared to huge benefits worth of billions of dollars India gained internationally then.