Time to improve relations with Myanmar
Monday, 25 January 2010
MYANMAR has of late agreed to take back some nine thousand Rohingyas they earlier pushed into Bangladesh. In negotiations with Bangladesh recently, Myanmar is said to have accepted Bangladesh's formula in demarcating the sea boundaries between the two countries.
These gestures from Myanmar should 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 cooperation with the latter should be increased. The economic relationships can blossom very quickly indeed if only the governments of the two countries want an acceleration in that direction.
For example, Myanmar has huge fallow lands. Bangladesh has offered to rent and farm a part of these lands on either production-sharing contract or any other form of arrangement. The materialising 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 grains and other agro-based 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 is there to set up fertiliser factories inside Bangladesh using Myanmar's gas and the related arrangement to share the produced fertilisers. A positive nod to it from Myanmar can be a big step taken towards contributing to the food security of both countries.
Shahidul Haque
Nasirabad, Chittagong
These gestures from Myanmar should 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 cooperation with the latter should be increased. The economic relationships can blossom very quickly indeed if only the governments of the two countries want an acceleration in that direction.
For example, Myanmar has huge fallow lands. Bangladesh has offered to rent and farm a part of these lands on either production-sharing contract or any other form of arrangement. The materialising 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 grains and other agro-based 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 is there to set up fertiliser factories inside Bangladesh using Myanmar's gas and the related arrangement to share the produced fertilisers. A positive nod to it from Myanmar can be a big step taken towards contributing to the food security of both countries.
Shahidul Haque
Nasirabad, Chittagong