The business and political media in Bangladesh in winding up for P.M. Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India.
I’ll be following the news over the period of the 3 day visit. Already Sheikh Hasina’s itinerary is full and she’s committed to the multiple honoraria and cultural visits that foreign dignitary accede to in order to convey diplomatic concern and respect.
The most interesting news however on the repercussions of this diplomatic trip on the domestic agenda is that the BNP has skillfully made the visit an issue of national interests and national security.
The Hindustan Times quotes Begum Zia as follows:
“We are placing the expectation and aspiration of the people ahead of the prime minister’s visit to India so that she can raise the issues boldly to uphold our national interest.”
It is no less than breath-taking to think that the party that has done much to provoke mistrust between successive governments of the two countries should come forth and suggest that the ruling opposition should look upon this venture with great seriousness. The veiled threat is that doing any less would squander the opportunity to assert Bangladeshi sovereignty over contested goods, and, indeed, might draw Bangladesh into capitulating its sovereignty over those same contested goods.
This is a nice move. One that automatically guarantees the opposition BNP a measured victory, because it allows the BNP the chance to rewrite its complaints against the Awami League if it is less than supremely successful. Secondly it allows the BNP to rewrite its demands that now stipulate the exigencies on Bangladeshi sovereignty.
