India Cuts Off Bangladesh from Nepal & Bhutan Trade
Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus presents a photograph to PM Narendra Modi (Image credit Bangladesh Govt)
Bangladesh Faces India Backlash Over Yunus Rhetorics
By TRH News Desk
New Delhi, April 9: India has withdrawn facilities for Bangladesh to trade with Nepal and Bhutan. India withdrew an earlier circular which had allowed transshipment of cargos between Bangladesh and Nepal and also Bhutan.
The major development has come within a few days of Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok on the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit. In place of improving relations, Bangladesh further vitiated atmosphere with its top officials telling media that the Sheikh Hasina extradition was the hallmark of the Modi-Yunus meeting.
Modi also had cautioned Yunus from making rhetorical claims on India. Yunus during his China visit claimed that India’s Northeastern states are landlocked. “Seven northeastern states of India are land locked. Bangladesh is the only guardian of the sea,” Yunus had told Chinese businessmen.
With India withdrawing the facility for Bangladesh to use its territory for trade with Nepal and Bhutan, the Islamic nation now faces a complete disruption in trade ties with Himalayan nations. Source said that trade of electricity through the Indian grids may also be examined by officials in the coming days.
Bangladesh officials told reporters in Dhaka that the issue of the extradition of Hasina was raised by Yunus in his meeting with Modi. Prime Minister had asked Yunus to take measures for protection of minority in Hindus, India’s foreign secretary Vikram Mistri had told reporters in Bangkok.
Two days ago, Bangladesh once more slipped into an absolute chaos as Jihadists attacked businesses during a pro-Gaza protest. India appears to be growing tired of patiently allowing the Yunus-led regime to see reasons and mend ways, said a former Indian diplomat.
Also, Bangladesh inviting China and Pakistan for strategic stakes in immediate proximity with India is riling up New Delhi. Cutting off Bangladesh from trades with Nepal and Bangladesh will be a big blow to Dhaka at a time when the global economy is in fluid situations due to the ongoing tariff war.
Incidentally, Nepal and Bhutan are also members of BIMSTEC. But Bangladesh is seen to be isolating by striking divergent notes by adopting anti-India stance, said diplomatic sources.
India has on occasions asked Bangladesh to stop dragging New Delhi into the domestic politics. India has also asked Bangladesh to avoid rhetoric. But Yunus is accused by Bangladesh observers to be a mere face of a Jihadi regime in Dhaka, with strategic affairs analysts attributing their installation in power to outside actors.
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