Bangladesh to examine 101 India agreements, says review aimed at resolving inconsistencies
The national flag of Bangladesh. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
New Delhi: Bangladesh has said its review of 101 agreements and memorandums of understanding with India is aimed at identifying and resolving inconsistencies, so that the arrangements serve the interests of both countries. Dhaka has clarified that there is no blanket plan to cancel the agreements.
Speaking to ANI over the phone late Friday, the Bangladesh chief whip, Nurul Islam Moni, said there was no plan to cancel the agreements signed with India. He said the government would review them for inconsistencies and seek to resolve any such issues, with the aim of ensuring the arrangements serve the interests of both countries.
The relevant ministries and departments in Bangladesh will examine the agreements for inconsistencies. Moni said discussions with India would be held only if such inconsistencies were identified, with Dhaka seeking to resolve them rather than cancel the agreements wholesale.
Moni had announced on September 11 that Bangladesh was reviewing 101 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed with India during the previous Awami League government. The Business Standard reported at the time that Moni said the outcome of the review would be made public, and that Dhaka wanted to maintain friendly relations while prioritizing Bangladesh’s national interests.
India, however, says it has received no official communication from Bangladesh about the exercise. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said on Friday that New Delhi had seen media reports concerning the review but that nothing had been conveyed officially by Dhaka. He added that India would take necessary action to protect its interests.
India and Bangladesh have agreements and institutional arrangements spanning several areas, including connectivity, ports, infrastructure, power and energy, and border cooperation. An official MEA bilateral brief records that the agreement allowing India to use Bangladesh’s Chattogram and Mongla ports for transit cargo was operationalized in 2023, while the two countries also have rail, road and inland-waterway connectivity arrangements.
Power and energy cooperation is another established component of the bilateral relationship, alongside infrastructure and development projects. However, neither Bangladesh’s latest clarification nor the available official Indian material establishes that all these arrangements are among the 101 agreements and MoUs currently under review.
The review comes as the two governments continue engagement on other bilateral issues. As RNA Media reported on Friday, officials from the two sides have resumed discussions on the Bangladesh prime minister, Tarique Rahman’s, proposed visit to New Delhi, with the timing and agenda still being worked out.
