Yet the dream project of Matarbari deep seaport at Cox's Bazar, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, is the one that really sets the pace of commercial connectivity and economic development not just in this country but well beyond the boundary. With close proximity to the Seven Sisters of India's north-east, the seaport scheduled to be completed in 2027 can share its benefits with those Indian states. To go by the Japanese ambassador's assertion, it is clear that his country has taken a long view in order to maximising the utility of Matarbari deep seaport. Alongside developing infrastructure in Bangladesh, Japan has also concentrated on taking similar infrastructure development programmes in northeast India.
Given the importance of the Bay of Bengal, Japan rightly points out how connectivity can be extended well beyond the Seven Sisters and Bangladesh. The Japanese ambassador envisages an expansion of the commercially important strategic connectivity as far as to cover West Bengal, Bhutan and Nepal, two land-locked countries. Echoing the ambassador's sentiment, Indian high commissioner in Bangladesh, Pranay Verma also endorsed the pragmatism of developing Matarbari as a regional hub of commercial and economic interests and cooperation. He has been appreciative of the partnership role Japan is playing in building infrastructure aimed at transforming regional economy courtesy of the deep seaport. When land customs stations in Khagrachhari's Ramgarh and Sabroom in Tripura get connected following the seaport becoming operational, the states of the region will not only come closer but will gain a sense of direction for effective and meaningful economic and other cooperations.
With the expected offshore exploration for petroleum and hydrocarbons in the Bay of Bengal emerging successful, the deep seaport's commercial viability may increase many times more. In short, the blue economy if and when exploited can catapult the country into unfathomable prosperity. Now that India, the most populous country in the world, and Bangladesh boasting a majority of working age youthful demography have a time in their favour, together they can lead the South Asian age of prosperity. The seven sisters staying at the backyard of Indian development paradigm stands to immensely benefit with closer interactions and cooperations with Bangladesh. Nepal and Bhutan can as well make use of the connectivity and access to Matarbari port in order to boost their export and import. For them this advantage will prove to be a blessing by all means. Bangladesh has requested India on a number of occasions to consider allowing the use of new land and rail routes and land posts via India to facilitate connectivity between Bangladesh and Nepal as well as Bhutan.
The untapped natural resources in the Indian north-eastern states will add to the economic interests not only for India but also for Bangladesh and other stake-holders around the globe. Japan has well recognised the shifting of the centre of world economy's gravity and come forward with massive investments of money and advanced technology. The Araihazar special economic zone dedicated exclusively to Japanese investors has been undertaken with this objective in view. But to reap the full productive and economic potential of the region, similar investments will have to be made in northeast India, Nepal and Bhutan. If the Japanese ambassador's statement is any guide, the north-eastern Indian states are going to be recipients of massive dosages of such investments.
There is, however, no hard and fast rule for injection of only Japanese fund and technological inputs. Other nations such as South Korea and China have already participated in such initiatives and also shown their eagerness to advance their cooperation in infrastructure development programmes of Bangladesh. However, the existing political environment between India and China seems to be hardly propitious for Chinese investment in northeast India. But the relations between Korea and India are conducive enough for advancing similar collaboration in the Seven Sisters. Also, notwithstanding the not-so-favourable Sino-Indian relations, some Chinese smartphone companies have been doing good business in India courtesy of collaborative ventures. Economic interests at times can circumvent sour relations between countries.
The leaders in the South Asian region seem to have abandoned the idea of taking ahead the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) any further. With the prospect of Indian economy looking bright, now the focus is directed to the sub-regional cooperation and development. Political turmoil in Pakistan and Afghanistan has excluded those countries out of reckoning. Lately, the Maldives has also changed its political alignment. In a fractious regional political regime of South Asia, neutral investors are also likely to look for the sub-region where political stability and the future of investments look secure.
nilratanhalder2000@yahoo.com