For the past few months, the nation of Bangladesh has witnessed tremendous turmoil, especially since the violent ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. The so-called Interim Government led by Mohd. Yunus has proved to be a colossal failure in stabilizing the country and safeguarding religious minorities, especially Hindus. Now, it has come to light that amidst the upheaval, the Bangladesh government is looking to establish direct maritime links with Pakistan, a development that has major security implications for India.
A cargo vessel from Karachi docked at Chittagong on Wednesday, marking the first-ever direct maritime contact between the two countries after the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. It is widely expected that such direct maritime links between India’s eastern and western neighbours have the potential to create real trouble in the north-eastern Indian states.
Syed Ahmed Maroof, the Pakistani high commissioner in Bangladesh, was present at the time of the docking of the cargo ship that ferried over 300 containers to Chittagong. Maroof said it was a “major step in bilateral trade”. The Pakistani official also pointed to the economic benefits behind these maritime links, “This new route will streamline supply chains, reduce transit time and open up new business opportunities for both countries.”
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The Interim government in Bangladesh, after the Sheikh Hasina government was overthrown, welcomed the direct sea link and hoped for a spike in the volume of trade with Pakistan. Now, Pakistani ships will come directly to Chittagong, with the chances of contraband and illegal arms being shipped to Bangladesh ending up in the hands of insurgent groups in India, becoming a real and imminent possibility. Meanwhile, India has been quite cautious about the sea channels connecting the Chittagong and Mongla ports.
Pakistan has now gained access to the Chittagong port. The sea channels to the ports will now allow Pakistani vessels. The development will surely have an impact on the region as the area is extremely crucial to India’s geopolitics, with Pakistan gaining indirect access to India’s northeast borders as well as to Myanmar.
The world sees the direct maritime link as an attempt by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to cozy up to Pakistan. The ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan were tense during the tenure of Hasina.
Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan, was born as an independent nation after a nine-month war with West Pakistan in 1971 where India sided with the freedom fighters of Bangladesh who were led by the Mukti Bahini. The newly formed Bangladesh’s ties with India grew over the years, especially under the Sheikh Hasina-led governments. Though the current ground situation in the country is adamant on following an anti-India domestic and foreign policy, with this latest maritime development sure to further fray the tempers in the region.