Indian President Pranab Mukherjee specially thanked the Bangladesh Government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other authorities for their co-operation. He hoped such co-operation between the two countries in power and other sectors of the economy would grow. Tripura has an abundance of gas reserves, which could be utilised in meeting the energy needs of the region as a whole.

Bangladesh may draw 100 megawatts or more, if conditions are favourable, from Palatana, according to arrangements made between the two countries. The plant would also supply power to Assam and other NE states. It is a clean development initiative and begins with a positive balance of 1 million carbon points, on account of the very low level of pollution. It has been jointly implemented by the ONGC and the Tripura Power company.

Bangladesh had let India use its rivers and ports, to ensure the timely completion of the project. Most heavy equipment had been sent by ships from Haldia port. It was unloaded at Ashuganj in Bangladesh, from where it was carried by road to Tripura by Bangladeshi transporters. In the process, the 1600 kilometres distance from West Bengal to Tripura via Assam in the northeast had been reduced to 350 kilometres by river and land across Bangladesh territory. The switchover to the new multi-mode transport system saved much time and money.

Following this, a cargo of 3000 tonnes of foodgrains has been dispatched by the same route from Haldia to Tripura. Bangladesh, thus, earns a hefty transportation fee. In addition to more traffic at Chittagong and other ports, Bangladesh’s transporters also get to handle additional revenue generating business.

The obvious economic benefits to both countries aside, commissioning of the first unit brought considerable political dividend for the besieged ruling Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Repeated recent clashes between the police and other armed personnel in Bangladesh and armed members of the Islamic militant Hifazat-e-Islam group have claimed over 25-30 lives, according to Dhaka media reports. In addition, the prolonged standoff at Shahbag square between the occupying liberals and their hardline Islamic opponents, resulting in frequent violent confrontations, has cost the country dearly in terms of damaged property, failed export delivery schedules and general disruption of life and work.

The relentless slander campaign against Prime Minister Hasina as an ‘Indian stooge’ and of her Awami league party as the ‘agents of atheism’ have also had a considerable political fallout. This has been reflected in the recent victory of parties opposing the Awami league in the municipal elections held in four towns in Bangladesh. Commenting on the outcome, gloating spokesmen and sympathisers of Hifazat-e-Islam noted that voters, ‘mainly Muslims, have voted this way and that their vote, not that of the Hindus, have counted.’ Incidentally, Hindus now account for less than 10 per cent of the Bangladesh population, from around 35 per cent in 1947.

More worrying for Prime Minister Hasina has been the spate of anti-government rumour mongering directed at her personally and the Awami league generally. Matters deteriorated to the point where she was forced to declare in Parliament that the opposition and other forces had launched a dangerous political campaign to destablise the government. They had claimed that ‘hundreds of people’ had been killed in the recent incidents of violence, that ‘bodies had been loaded into trucks late at night and whisked away into India.’ It had also been alleged that India had not been supplying water from the Farakka barrage as had been agreed between the two countries. Its proposed Tipaimukh dam was also a similar project aiming to deprive Bangladesh of its due water supplies.

Rubbishing each of these claims, Hasina pointed out that India had always supplied water as per agreement, there being no question of any ‘cheating.’ Regarding the Tipaimukh dam project, she said that it was the Awami league, which had protested and taken up the matter with India, unlike the opposition BNP, which never lifted a finger when India had first announced its plans.

Clearly, it would have helped Hasina and her party if the irritant over the sharing of Teesta waters between India and Bangladesh could be removed. Despite repeated urgings by Dhaka, New Delhi has not been able to proceed, because of the stubborn refusal of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to even discuss the question! With Parliamentary elections in India getting closer, it may not be possible for the centre to overrule West Bengal’s views completely at this stage.

This, however, is of little consolation to the Awami league or its leaders, who are engaged in a make-or-break struggle against their Islamic fundamentalist opponents. Banerjee’s stand only strengthens the political position adopted by anti-secular fundamentalist forces in Bangladesh. Ironically, similar forces in West Bengal, sympathetic to Islamic fundamentalists based in Pakistan and Bangladesh, constitute the bulk of Banerjee’s ‘Muslim’ support in the state, according to observers. Apparently no one in the Trinamool Congress is bold enough to warn her of the long-term damage to Indo-Bangladesh relations, more specifically to Indian interests in Bangladesh that may result from her obstinacy.

Mukherjee is too astute a politician not to understand the complex factors that characterise the Indo-Bangladesh relations. This is why he took particular care not only to thank Bangladesh for its co-operation in the Palatana power plant project, but also presented a future vision of hope. It could still prove to be too little for Bangladesh. (IPA Service)