Boosting up Dhaka –Columba relations

Md. Masum Billah: With a view to boosting up bilateral relation between Dhaka and Columba Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been on a three-day visit to Bangladesh. This is the first visit of a head of state of Sri Lanka since it won victory over the civil war which plagued the country about three decades though there lies an allegation against Rajapaksa  government for violating human rights.  Dhaka and Columba have already signed  as many as five memoranda of understanding in the fields of   trade, agriculture, fisheries, vocational education and science and culture.  Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the  members of SAARC.Addressing a joint press conference with his Bangladesh counterpart Dipu Moni, the foreign minister of Bangladesh said  and Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris said the Joint Economic Commission meeting to be held here shortly. “We  will take up the issues including the Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection.”He also said “Sri Lanka is ready to initiate talks with Bangladesh regarding Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries. Both the sides also agreed to diversify the tradable goods and look for innovative ways to give a fresh impetus to trade relations. Turning to the current situation in Sri Lanka, the minister said terrorism in his country impeded expansion of trade and “we have now embarked upon a new era to expand  bilateral trade and investment.”

The Bangladesh prime minister put emphasis on establishing direct air and marine connectivity between the two countries. This points call for serious importance and consideration from both the sides. Sri Lankan president gave importance to the necessity of combating terrorism. He said that both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have faced as a result of extremism though at different levels.  If the cooperation in terms of combating terrorism between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka can be a successful example, ultimately the model can be applied in other SAARC countries as almost all the member countries have been plagued with terrorism. The Sri Lankan minister said they discussed political cooperation in exchange of information about terrorist activities and terrorist financing so that the terrors cannot become active and powerful in the future.

Food security is a growing and intensifying issue getting momentum in the global arena in general and the poor countries like SAARC members in particular calls for serious discussion and measures. The two leaders must give due importance to the issue as the climate change and frequent natural disasters occurring in this region put a potential threat to food production and satisfy the needs the food of growing population.

It is learnt from Dipu Moni’s statement that some 500 Sri Lankan students are now engaged in higher studies in Bangladesh, and “Bangladesh agreed to allow more students for medical and engineering studies here.” The Sri Lankan side agreed to train Bangladeshi nurses. Peiris, the foreign minister of Sri Lanka,  said after developing their Hambantota deep seaport, they have requested the Bangladesh side to resume the feeder vessel service for Chittagong and Mongla ports via Colombo.In response, Dipu Moni said Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are engaged in reviewing Shipping Services Agreement, and the proposed feeder service could be addressed through it. Bangladesh sought more investment from Sri Lanka in textiles, knitwear, leather, pharmaceuticals, agro-based industries and steel and engineering, education and health sectors. As Bangladesh sought Sri Lanka’s support to Bangladesh’s candidature for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2016-17, the Sri Lankan side assured that the request would be given due consideration. Rajapaksa requested Bangladesh government’s cooperation in obtaining the Sacred Hair Relics of Lord Buddah for exposition in Sri Lanka, and the Bangladesh side assured of cooperation.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have agreed to remove the constraints of tariff and non-tariff regime, and go for simplification and harmonization of mutually recognized standards to boost bilateral trade that now stands at only $45 million a year. When the European and American nations are exploring newer means and ground of economic cooperation, these two significant SAARC members cannot keep themselves aloof from this process of finding newer ways and grounds . Probably, the new beginning is going to take place through the visit of Rajapakshe to Dhaka.  

Both the sides agreed to diversify the basket of tradable goods and looked for innovative ways to add fresh impetus to trade and commercial relations. They also stressed the need for reactivating institutional mechanisms, including holding meetings of the Bangladesh Sri Lanka Joint Economic Commission. Bangladesh invited more Sri Lankan investments in sectors such as education, health, hospitality, textiles, apparel, leather, pharmaceuticals, steel and engineering, agro-based industries and information technology. Sri Lanka, however, invited Bangladesh business communities to seek out new opportunities available following the end of internal conflict there. The two leaders agreed that the finalization of the proposed Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection should be completed as early as possible.
Both countries expressed satisfaction at the commencement of flight operations between Colombo and Dhaka by Mithin Lanka and agreed that the existing Air Services Agreement would be revitalized to make it more responsive to the current needs including facilitation of cargo air transport. On tourism, both sides proposed that tour operators from both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh draw up special packages for people interested in visiting Buddhist religious sites in the two countries. Tourism poses to be a potential source both in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka but it has not unfolded significantly due to financial crisis, lack of well thought-out plan and terrorism. This viable sector deserves due attention and importance from both the leaders.

Visiting countries and signing of memoriam of understanding, cordial discussion among the leaders  covering entire gamut of  bilateral and international  relations and issues   take place from time to time between the two countries but its ultimate result and effect  hardly reaches the common people. It is learnt from a national daily that our prime minster toured more than twenty countries in twenty five times after assuming the power and five hundred twenty seven memoriam of understanding and contacts have been signed but not a single one has yet been implemented. Causes of not being implemented are lack of coordination between the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministries concerned, not follow -up after the signing, in many   cases concerned people are not included in the visiting team and only political grounds get preference to be included in the team. This news frustrates us. It is really convincing.. If we look at one single example we can see its proof.  Our PM visited India more than once and minster level visit took place many a time. In the same way, Indian Prime Minister visited Bangladesh and many contracts and signings but how much have we achieved? India is our closest neighbor, we need to go to India for various reasons but   to obtain an Indian visa is more troublesome than that of the USA or Australia.  In respect of Sri Lankan president’s visit and his signing must not be only full of discussions and paper writing only. Please don’t make them only ceremonial.  Rather let them see the light of implementation.

(Md. Masum Billah,Program Manager: BRAC Education Program,Cell: 01714-091431

Email: [email protected] )