Pankaj Saran speaks of ‘new trust’ between India and Bangladesh

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran believes that “a new kind of trust and understanding” have been generated in the last few years between India and Bangladesh that makes it “easier” to resolve all pending issues.

Interacting with journalists on Saturday, he said the land boundary agreement (LBA) showed that the two countries can resolve “the most difficult issue”.

This was his last interaction with journalists before his imminent departure from Dhaka. He will take up his new assignment in Moscow in January.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, currently Indian ambassador to Thailand, will be replacing him.

Saran is credited for his persistent diplomacy to settle the long pending LBA. During his nearly four year tenure he oversaw many high-profile visits to Dhaka, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s.

He also played a key role in promoting crucial deals.

“We have generated a new kind of trust and understanding between India and Bangladesh,” he said, answering questions on his reflections in Dhaka.

He said it has been “a real privilege” for him to serve as Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh.

“This has been an important stage of our relations. I have been fortunate to be present at a time when the relations have developed in many directions and we have been able to make progress on issues which were stuck for decades.

“We have been able to narrow down our differences and open new areas of cooperation in this period,” he said.

“All in all for me personally it has been a very satisfying tenure in Bangladesh,” he said.

He said this relationship was “very important” not just for Bangladesh, but also for India.

And this relationship has many stakeholders on both sides of the border. It goes well beyond the two governments because of the geography and history and cultural links.

This is a relationship which affects people in all walks of life, in all areas of activity.

The future of the relations, he said, depend on the energy of the young generation of both sides.

“We want to chart out new directions (of relations) of the two countries,” he said.

He said the future would focus on economy, trade, investment, connectivity and issues like energy, environment, health and food sufficiency that affect common people.

Sharing of river waters still being a pending issue, he said this was an issue “important” both for India and Bangladesh.

“Dialogue is the only way to solve this,” he said, adding that both sides must respect each others’ concerns.

At the same time, he said, “we have to accept the reality on the ground. Both of us face the scarcity of water”.

During his tenure, Dhaka-Delhi embarked on a flurry of engagements in almost all sectors of the relations.

New dimensions have been created in cooperation on security related issues. Border killings have reduced significantly.

Border market-places have been introduced while new modes of connectivity have come into effect. Two power grids have been connected for the first time.

The issuance of visas has become easier with the introduction of five-year multiple visas, and the opening of new visa centres.

Bangladeshi products now get duty-free market access in Indian markets.

A 100-member youth delegation visited India each year during Saran’s tenure.

Asked about the ‘high point’ of his tenure, he said: “I was able to see the transition of the relation to a higher level in almost every single sector”.

He, however, lamented that there were some implementation challenges of the decisions from the both sides.

He also bemoaned that Bangladesh’s export to India did not increase as much as he had expected despite duty-free market access.

Unlike western diplomats, he never made comments on Bangladesh’s internal politics during the volatile political situation surrounding the 2014 general elections.

He said Bangladesh has become a “far more mature and self-confident” country today than before.

He said Bangladesh’s progress had been recognised by the world. Today, not just India but every single power of the world wants to have good relations with Bangladesh.

Despite newer engagements, he had to face anti-India rhetoric from the opposition BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

He said people have different views on India. “We have to deal with those, to reach out, talk and convey on those same issues”.

He once again said that being neighbours, India and Bangladesh shared linked destinies.

“Whether we like it or not, we are sailing the same boat. Either we sail together or we sink together,” he said.