The first India-Bangladesh High Commissioners' meeting on Friday underscored the need for political goodwill from both sides to remove mistrust and lack of confidence souring the in relations between the two neighbouring countries.
More than a dozen of former High Commissioners of Bangladesh and India, who attended the meeting, also highlighted the urgency for resolving the pending issues with utmost sincerity as these are hindering bilateral relations as well as trade and business ties between the two countries.
The issues, ranging from cross-border water-sharing, land boundary agreement, security cooperation and border killings, non-compliance with treaty provisions and lack of commitment towards addressing, these issues through goodwill and friendship, are souring the relations, said the former senior diplomats. The diplomats also shared their mutual experiences on the state of India-Bangladesh relations.
To remove the obstacles to improving bilateral relations, they suggested reaching broader political consensus, narrowing the gap between practice and reality, establishing transparency and accountability and ensuring unhindered, flow of information and integration of the two economies.
"But narrow political interests from both the sides very often spoil everything," said former Indian diplomat IS Chadha who served the country from October 1985-February 1989.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, who inaugurated the meeting at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University, however, said despite ups and downs, the relationship has reached a new height and withstood 'the test of time.'
"The relationship has now reached a point from where it can only blossom," said the foreign minister adding that it has set a 'precedence' for other regional countries to emulate.
The Department of International Relations, Dhaka University, organised the meeting, first of its kind in Bangladesh, in association with the India-Bangladesh Foundation. DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique attended the programme as the guest of honour.
The inaugural function was also addressed among others by chairperson of the Department of International Relations Prof Ashequa Irshad while Prof Imtiaz Ahmed moderated the whole programme, split into several sessions.
Most of the Indian High Commissioners who served the country since mid-seventies shared their experiences with the audience and narrated the events that influenced the relations between the two countries.
They also explained a few of their achievements that had helped the relationship to grow and also a few of their failures to handle the issues properly.
The former Indian diplomats, who attended the experience-sharing meeting titled 'Lessons from the past' included Muchkund Dubey (Oct 1979-Oct 1982), IS Chadha (Oct 1985-Feb 1989), Deb Mukharji (March 1995-July 2000), Veena Sikri (Dec 2003-Nov 2006) and Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty (January 2007-Dec 2009).
Former Bangladeshi diplomats who attended the programme and shared their experiences while serving India included Faruq Ahmed Chowdhury (1986-92), Farooq Sibhan (1992-95), CM Shafi Sami ((1995-99) and Harun Ur Rashid ((1979-81).
Terming the envoys 'the living testament of Bangladesh-India relations and rare witnesses to a history in the making', the foreign minister appreciated their endeavour for development of the relations. "You have seen how the relationship began and how it evolved and flourished over the years," said the diplomat-turned-politician.
For economic development of both the countries, the diplomats also highlighted the urgency for integration of regional economy and cooperation in the field of power, energy and transportation.
They also called for increasing cooperation among Bangladesh, India, China and Myanmar linking South Asia with Southeast and East Asia by building multi-modal connectivity through BCIM Economic Corridor for harnessing economic complementarities.
The economic corridor, they said, will facilitate trade and connectivity between the landlocked and underdeveloped southwestern parts of China and the North Eastern region of India. In this regard, they also stressed the need for more improvement of India-China relationship.
Two of the three technical sessions were on 'Changes and Hurdles in Contemporary Times' and 'India-Bangladesh Relation and Its Future'. The sessions were attended by some 10 former and present high commissioner attended the sessions.
Former Indian High Commissioner (HC) in Dhaka Deb Mukharji said at a session the two countries have seen a 'sea of changes' but still 'mistrust' and 'emotions' erode bilateral relations.
He urged all to keep 'politics' away from the professional diplomatic relationship for the sake of the wellbeing of the two countries.
Former Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Mostafa Faruque Mohammad said there is not a single issue the two countries have not discussed and analysed but, from Bangladesh side, "the expectations are higher than those we achieved."
The two nations also signed many agreements and treaties but their implementation level is very low from the Indian side.
Former India High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri cleared the misunderstanding developed following regime change in India.
She said India's foreign relationship depends on 'national consensus', so regime change does not affect foreign policy.
She also identified 'low implementation level of pledges' as one of the major problems against improving relations.
"We don't implement what we agreed upon…that affects our bilateral relationship," she said.
Former Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Humayun Kabir said Bangladesh fought for dignity and achieved liberation.
"If India ensures dignity and respect to neighbouring Bangladesh, we are ready to discuss any issue," he said.
The present Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim said the two countries have to inject 'rationality' into relationship, not emotions.
He stressed the need for sub-regional connectivity if SAARC does not work properly.
Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty identified issues like security, radicalism, cross border trade and investment that would affect relationship of the two neighbours in future.
He stressed the need for an effective and extensive marketing for increasing Bangladeshi export to India as the country's export has not increased much even after implementation of zero tariff offer from India.
Former Bangladesh HC to India Hemayet Uddin underscored the need for showing actual results for increasing trust and confidence for which the relations lag behind.
He also said India's present Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh may improve bilateral relationship.
Former Indian HC to Bangladesh Rajeet Mitter said the two countries have to look for integration of economies sometime in future.
Former Bangladesh Deputy HC to Kolkata Bangladesh Mission Touhid Hossain said the two countries are at disagreement for some minor issues which should be resolved in a professional manner.
He also said both sides have committed many mistakes and must learn from the mistakes for the improvement of relationship.
The incumbent Indian HC to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran expressed commitment that issues raised at the sessions would be taken into consideration.
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Former envoys call to end mistrust
FE Team | Published: November 15, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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