People's mindset hampering NE-Bangla ties

SHILLONG, February 14: The former Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Faruq Sobhan yesterday reiterated that his country was committed to cooperation with India to stop insurgency which was wreaking havoc in the Northeastern States. "Bangla's stand on the issue of insurgency is very firm, articulate and positive," he said, denying charges that Bangladesh is sheltering militants from the Northeast. He was interacting with newsmen here last afternoon. Observing that there is a feeling in India that Bangladesh is not interested in extending its cooperation in dealing with ultras hiding there, he countered: "How could it help Bangladesh to provide sanctuary to Northeast militants ?" On another sensitive issue of Pakistan's ISI operating against India from Bangladesh soil, he firmly said, "Bangladesh will be the last to support the activities of the ISI." Earlier, participating at a seminar on "India's Northeast and Bangladesh: "problems and opportunities" at Hotel Pinewood here, speakers from both sides of the border were unanimous in their views that it was the "mindset" of the people that was hampering better relations between the Northeasterners and the Bangladeshis. The people of the Northeast will have to shed their fears and apprehensions that Bangladesh is a poor country whose people out to grab land here, and look at the tremendous opportunities to be exploited through close ties with Bangladesh, said Rahmatullah Mohammed of Centre for Policy Dialogue Dhaka. Likewise, Bangladeshis will also have to change their attitude of looking only towards Delhi and Kolkata, and focus their attention on their backyard-Northeast for mutual gains, be observed. Aware that official-level talks between the two neighbours during the last several years have not resulted in closer ties between India's Northeast and Bangladesh, all the speakers stressed building "people-to-people" interaction not only to accelerate the process but also to remove wrong perception and misunderstanding between the two. "We have to act together" to enure closer economic cooperation, said A M Mintoo, former president, Bangladesh Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Eminent journalist Sanjay Hazarika regretted that "despite being immediate neighbours," we know very little of each other. Coverage by the media needs to be stopped up to remove the misunderstandings, he strongly suggested. Several other speakers suggested exchange of media delegations between the Northeast and Bangladesh. The Editor of the Daily Star, a leading English daily from Bangladesh, also felt that the media have a big responsibility in building bridges of understanding. "We must improve media linkages," he said.