Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s historic visit to Bangladesh in September resulted in agreements that have demarcated the shared 4,000 km border (the fifth longest in the world) and dissolved 201 enclaves (small pockets of one country’s territory surrounded by another’s) that existed in both states. The enclaves date back to centuries-old agreements made between local princes. They are home to more than 50,000 people, many of whom live in abject poverty, cut off from their respective governments and without access to basic services such as schools and the police.
It had been hoped that Singh’s visit, the first by an Indian prime minister for 12 years, would lead to an accord over sharing water from the Teesta river. It is widely believed that the deal fell through at the last minute due to opposition from Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, an Indian state bordering on Bangladesh. The two countries also failed to come to an agreement on Indian overland access across Bangladesh to its landlocked north-eastern states.
Ties between the two countries have been strained in recent years due to India’s concerns over the threat of crossborder terrorism. But India is seeking to improve relations with Bangladesh in an attempt to counter the growing influence of China in the region. Last year, India granted a $1 billion soft loan to its neighbour, it’s largest ever to a foreign country. And, during their recent meetings, Singh and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to extend trading ties, with Delhi granting tax concessions to 46 Bangladeshi products, including textiles.
