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Bangladesh Army chief’s India visit to boost ties

Haroon Habib

Focus on training and security relationship between the neighbours

DHAKA: The India-Bangladesh relations, which have improved since the military-backed caretaker government took charge in Dhaka in January 2007, are expected to see a more positive change following Bangladesh Army chief Gen. Moeen U Ahmed’s visit to New Delhi.

The six-day visit from Sunday is likely to further strengthen the bilateral ties, including improving of defence relations between the two neighbours, say diplomatic observers.

General Moeen is being accompanied by his wife and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 66 infantry division Major General Syed Fatemi Ahmed Rumi and Director (Training) of Army Head Quarters Brigadier General Md Anisuzzaman Bhuiyan.

Sources said General Moeen would meet Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Chief of the Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major. He is likely to call on Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

Significant trip

There was no formal announcement of the high-profile trip but most leading Bangladesh newspapers saw the trip as immensely significant since the January 11, 2007 political change and the promulgation of the state of emergency was strongly backed by the armed forces.

When contacted, Brigadier General Anisuzzaman Bhuiyan, confirming the Sunday’s visit, told a Dhaka daily on Saturday, “In August last year, a visit by the Army Chief was called off at the last minute after the country was hit by severe floods that displaced millions of people.” He also said that the army chief would discuss training related matters with the top Indian military officers and re-establish defence ties.

This is the first visit by the Bangladesh Army Chief to India. The Chief of the Indian Army last visited Bangladesh in 2001 but the return visit is yet to be materialised.

General election

The visit is also seen as important in the perspective of the current political situation as the caretaker government and the election commission have pledged to hold the country’s stalled general election before the end of the current year while the major political parties are demanding lifting of emergency and declaration of poll schedule.

A mass circulated Bangladesh newspaper Amader Shomoy quoted Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakrabarty as saying that though Gen. Moeen’s visit was ‘military-to-military’, there might be talks on political issues.

Leading English daily The Daily Star said that while the issue of security information exchange might top the agenda, talks on a more formal bilateral mechanism to institutionalise the security relationship would also figure prominently during General Moeen’s visit.

The two sides are also likely to discuss the Dhaka-Kolkata rail link that has been stalled for over a year.

General Moeen is expected to return home on March 1.

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