Myanmar : Time to improve relations
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Sifat Bari
Recently, Myanmar, is seen taking initiatives to improve relations with Bangladesh. They have made known their willingness to take back some nine thousand Rohingyas they earlier pushed into Bangladesh. Presently, the push-in attempts of Rohingyas inside Bangladesh, appear to have stopped. In negotiations with Bangladesh recently, Myanmar has conceded and accepted --jointly-- Bangladesh's principle in demarcating the sea boundaries between the two countries.
These gestures from Myanmar are to be appreciated and the softening attitude of Yangoon needs to be exploited fully on our side to deepen ties with our important neighbour to the east. Specially, the economic relations should be deepened with Myanmar. The economic relationships can blossom very quickly indeed if only the governments on the two sides want an acceleration in that direction.
For example, Myanmar has huge fallow lands which are not producing any returns at the moment. Bangladesh has offered to rent and farm a part of these lands on either production sharing contract or any other form of arrangement. The materializing of this plan can be highly beneficial for both countries. Without any form of investment, Myanmar stands to gain from receiving large scale output of rice and other agro-products. Bangladesh can gain from a steady source of supply of food grain and other agro-oriented raw materials from an external but very near source for its burgeoning industries.
Bangladesh has offered to extend its road building activities inside Myanmar at its own costs up to the Chinese borders. The completion of such road construction will lead to an increase in bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar and also aid in trilateral expansion of trade between Bangladesh, Myanmar and the economic superpower, China. Besides, such road building will also bring Myanmar and Bangladesh closer to the East Asian countries like Thailand for greater trading activities with them.
Energy is one sector where both countries can engage in mutually supportive activities with no loss of time. Myanmar has huge reserves of gas far in excess of its current and projected rate of consumption. A proposal was made to Yangoon from India to build a gas transmission line from Myanmar through Bangladesh territory to reach the Indian consumers of the gas. It appears that Bangladesh is ready to play a positive role in relation to this proposal. Therefore, this deal can be firmed up if only Rangoon now comes forward with some resolve to this end. Bangladesh also wants to buy gas from Myanmar and this can be made possible through the tri-nation gas pipeline or an independent project. A proposal is also there to set up fertilizer factories inside Bangladesh using Myanmar's gas and the related arrangement to share the produced fertilizers. A positive nod to it from Myanmar can be a big step taken towards contributing to the food security of both countries.
According to recent media reports, some companies in Myanmar are getting ready to establish two hydel power plants on Mynmar territories with the express aim of selling the power produced from these plants to Bangladesh. The representatives of these companies have reportedly visited Bangladesh and had far reaching conclusive talks with Bangladesh authorities about the matter. The power plants and their supply of some 500 mw of electricity to Bangladesh in a reasonable period of time, can come as a big boon for this presently power starved country.
Recently, Myanmar, is seen taking initiatives to improve relations with Bangladesh. They have made known their willingness to take back some nine thousand Rohingyas they earlier pushed into Bangladesh. Presently, the push-in attempts of Rohingyas inside Bangladesh, appear to have stopped. In negotiations with Bangladesh recently, Myanmar has conceded and accepted --jointly-- Bangladesh's principle in demarcating the sea boundaries between the two countries.
These gestures from Myanmar are to be appreciated and the softening attitude of Yangoon needs to be exploited fully on our side to deepen ties with our important neighbour to the east. Specially, the economic relations should be deepened with Myanmar. The economic relationships can blossom very quickly indeed if only the governments on the two sides want an acceleration in that direction.
For example, Myanmar has huge fallow lands which are not producing any returns at the moment. Bangladesh has offered to rent and farm a part of these lands on either production sharing contract or any other form of arrangement. The materializing of this plan can be highly beneficial for both countries. Without any form of investment, Myanmar stands to gain from receiving large scale output of rice and other agro-products. Bangladesh can gain from a steady source of supply of food grain and other agro-oriented raw materials from an external but very near source for its burgeoning industries.
Bangladesh has offered to extend its road building activities inside Myanmar at its own costs up to the Chinese borders. The completion of such road construction will lead to an increase in bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar and also aid in trilateral expansion of trade between Bangladesh, Myanmar and the economic superpower, China. Besides, such road building will also bring Myanmar and Bangladesh closer to the East Asian countries like Thailand for greater trading activities with them.
Energy is one sector where both countries can engage in mutually supportive activities with no loss of time. Myanmar has huge reserves of gas far in excess of its current and projected rate of consumption. A proposal was made to Yangoon from India to build a gas transmission line from Myanmar through Bangladesh territory to reach the Indian consumers of the gas. It appears that Bangladesh is ready to play a positive role in relation to this proposal. Therefore, this deal can be firmed up if only Rangoon now comes forward with some resolve to this end. Bangladesh also wants to buy gas from Myanmar and this can be made possible through the tri-nation gas pipeline or an independent project. A proposal is also there to set up fertilizer factories inside Bangladesh using Myanmar's gas and the related arrangement to share the produced fertilizers. A positive nod to it from Myanmar can be a big step taken towards contributing to the food security of both countries.
According to recent media reports, some companies in Myanmar are getting ready to establish two hydel power plants on Mynmar territories with the express aim of selling the power produced from these plants to Bangladesh. The representatives of these companies have reportedly visited Bangladesh and had far reaching conclusive talks with Bangladesh authorities about the matter. The power plants and their supply of some 500 mw of electricity to Bangladesh in a reasonable period of time, can come as a big boon for this presently power starved country.