Whereas there was no formal announcement concerning the evaluate of the MoUs, sources cited by a report in Prothom Alo mentioned the Indian authorities perceives the evaluate consideration as an early part for the brand new administration in Bangladesh, which can develop a special stance because it matures.
As per the studies, Bangladesh’s interim international affairs minister Touhid Hossain, throughout a latest press convention emphasised that MoUs usually are not binding agreements and may be modified or revoked as needed.
“MoUs usually are not agreements. These can all the time be revised. If the Bangladesh authorities thinks these MoUs usually are not useful, these can all the time be reviewed,” Bangladesh media quoted Hossain telling reporters on the Ministry of International Affairs after coming back from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) assembly.
He famous that if the Bangladeshi authorities determines that these MoUs don’t serve the nation’s pursuits, they’ll actually be reassessed.
A number of political analysts have mentioned the interim authorities is below the notion that the Sheikh Hasina administration had a detailed relationship with India and should have favored Indian pursuits excessively when signing the MoUs.
In response to questions concerning the potential extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has taken refuge in India following her ousting on August 5, Hossain acknowledged that the federal government would pursue her extradition if legally needed. He talked about that if a court docket mandates motion to deliver her again from India, the federal government would make each effort to conform, though the ultimate determination rests with India, which has its personal authorized protocols to observe. Regardless of the existence of an extradition treaty between the 2 nations, the method could also be complicated.
In June 2024, Sheikh Hasina’s administration signed a complete of ten MoUs with India, which included seven new agreements and the renewal of three current ones. These agreements have been established throughout high-level discussions on the Hyderabad Home in India, coinciding with Hasina’s two-day state go to.
India-funded initiatives additionally below evaluate
In the meantime, uncertainty has additionally emerged over the way forward for Indian loans to Bangladesh.
The planning ministry is reviewing the feasibility of ongoing and proposed initiatives funded by Indian Line of Credit (LOCs).
This evaluate will embody the evaluation of present and proposed initiatives below three Indian LoCs, Prothom Alo reported.
Mission stakeholders consider that many initiatives funded below these LoCs are primarily for Indian pursuits. As an illustration, the four-lane highway from Ashuganj to Akhaura is predicted to facilitate the transit of Indian items, mentioned the report citing officers.
India had promised Bangladesh loans totaling $7.36 billion throughout three LoCs in 2010, 2016, and 2017. Nevertheless, the precise disbursement has been a lot decrease than anticipated, with solely $1.80 billion launched thus far, in line with Bangladeshi media studies.
A complete 36 initiatives have up to now been taken in sectors comparable to highway and rail connectivity, vitality, and infrastructure, below the three L0Cs. Of those, 15 have been accomplished, eight are ongoing, and the remaining initiatives are both within the levels of advisor and contractor appointments or proposal preparation.
As per a deal signed between India and the now-ousted Hasina authorities, Indian Exim Financial institution offered Traces of Credit score (LoC) for varied initiatives.
The Ashuganj-Akhaura highway undertaking was one such initiatives funded by way of the second LoC.
As per the foundations governing LoC-funded initiatives, Indian contractors have to be appointed, and 65% of the undertaking’s items and providers have to be sourced from the nation, mentioned the report by Prothom Alo.
Border hyperlink undertaking halted
In a associated improvement, an Indian credit-funded undertaking to improve roughly 50 kilometers of highway from Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria to the Akhaura border, has been suspended as officers from the Indian contracting agency have deserted the undertaking and returned to India, mentioned a report by Prothom Alo citing sources.
This highway improve undertaking was initiated in 2017.
After a revision, the undertaking value was estimated at Tk 57.91 billion (approx Rs 4,000 crore), with Tk 29.82 billion (approx Rs 2,000 crore) funded by Indian loans below the second Indian Line of Credit score (LoC).
The remaining Tk 28.09 billion (approx Rs 1,970 crore) is to be offered by the Bangladesh authorities. The undertaking is scheduled to be accomplished by June 2025. Nevertheless, solely 50% of the work have been completed by June 2024.
Teesta water-sharing deal
In the meantime, Bangladesh’s interim authorities mentioned it desires to restart dialogue with India on the Teesta water sharing treaty.
Adviser on water sources Syeda Rizwana Hasan asserted that upper-riparian and lower-riparian nations ought to adhere to worldwide ideas on the distribution of water.
Talking to PTI in Dhaka, Hasan expressed confidence that the Teesta treaty and different water-sharing agreements with India could be resolved amicably by way of dialogue however steered that Bangladesh may contemplate worldwide authorized paperwork and ideas if an settlement can’t be reached.
“I’ve mentioned the problem of Teesta water sharing with all related stakeholders (in Bangladesh). We’ve got mentioned that we have to restart the method and dialogue concerning the Teesta treaty. We additionally should work on the Ganges treaty, which is coming to an finish in two years,” she informed PTI in an interview on Sunday.
“Either side agreed, and a draft of the Teesta water-sharing settlement was ready, however the settlement was not signed because of the opposition of the West Bengal Chief Minister. The very fact stays that we’ve not been capable of finalise the settlement. So, we are going to begin from that time with the draft of the settlement and urge India to return ahead and restart the dialogue course of,” she mentioned.
India and Bangladesh have been set to ink a deal on Teesta water sharing throughout then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Dhaka go to in 2011, however West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declined to endorse it, citing shortage of water in her state.
“We’d attempt to discover an amicable answer. As that is a world water challenge, it additionally considerations different nations’ consideration of authorized entitlement. So, how a lot water is out there and whether or not it’s adequate is unclear to us. Even when very minimal water is out there, the stream should proceed to Bangladesh as a result of worldwide sharing norms,” she mentioned.
