Business leaders express mixed reactions

---

Business leaders and researchers came up with a mixed bag of reactions over Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Delhi trip as some of them saw greater gain for India than that for Bangladesh while some found positive achievements through the major accords between the two neighbours, reports UNB.
Some of them said the decisions on some business issues would create ground for continuing discussion to address more issues in the future. They felt the urgency of implementation of the decisions which they believe will open up new avenues of opportunities.
They observed that the issues which are mostly important for India received due importance while Bangladesh's important and burning issues were sidelined at the bilateral summit talks and resultant deals.
Former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Abdul Awal Mintoo said the settlement of maritime boundary, water sharing of different rivers, including the Teesta, and also the Tipaimukh Dam were the most important issues for Bangladesh as these are key to resolving all the problems the country has been facing and would continue to face in future if not resolved.
"But achievement on the key issues is very negligible, which frustrates the nation," Mintoo, who is associated with the opposition BNP, told UNB.
"Those issues which are not important for Bangladesh but very important for neighbouring India, like deal on terrorism and use of Bangladesh's two seaports, received superb importance," said the former FBCCI chief.
"They (India) fulfilled their targets, but we couldn't".
Echoing his critical voice, eminent economist and former chairman of Economics Department of Dhaka University Prof Abu Ahmed said the gains from the PM's just-concluded tour went mostly in favour of India as the neighbouring country has been able to realise commitment and deals on its own issues like terrorism, use of seaports.
"But there was no written agreement or commitment made during the visit on those issues which are a question of our existence, like river-water sharing, Tipaimukh Dam, maritime boundary," he said.
The Economics professor also observed that allowing the two seaports before carrying out any economic study is an unwise move which may invite further complications instead of any benefit for the nations. "Many questions like royalty of port use, its financial benefit and taxation still remained unanswered."
About the Indian zero-tariff offer to allow 40 new Bangladeshi goods in the Indian market, he said this is not new. Similar commitment was made in the past. "But those were not implemented because of the reluctance of the Indian bureaucracy," he noted, adding: this time the same thing may happen.
On the US$ 1.0 billion credit line, he said this money is to be spent on developing infrastructure to facilitate Indian side.