BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH Hasina’s four-day state visit, from October 3 to October 6, during which seven agreements were signed, has been described as successful by both sides. The two countries have enjoyed a long period of bonhomie in bilateral ties ever since Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2009. Most bilateral disputes have been settled amicably, including those relating to land and maritime boundaries. Issues relating to water-sharing, still hanging fire, figured prominently in the bilateral talks held in New Delhi. There are 54 rivers the two countries share but only one water-sharing treaty relating to the waters of the Ganga has been signed so far.
The signing of a treaty on the Teesta waters is still in abeyance after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s last-minute objections scuttled the signing of an agreement in 2011. On assuming power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the Bangladesh government that the deal would be initialed before his first term expired. However, Mamata Banerjee remains unwilling to be a party to the deal. The lack of progress on this front, however, did not stop the two sides from signing an agreement under which India will be able to draw 1.82 cusecs of water from the Feni river, which flows into Bangladesh from Tripura.
COASTAL SURVEILLANCE
India also agreed to establish a coastal surveillance system in Bangladesh by installing 24 radar systems. This will help India keep an eye on maritime activity along the Bangladesh coastline. The two sides agreed to expedite a study on the prospects of entering into a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
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How Not To Handle An Epidemic
The lockdowns were meant to buy time to put in place appropriate health measures and contain the coronavirus’ spread, but they have failed to achieve the objective and heaped immense misery on the marginalised sections of society. India is still in the exponential phase of the COVID-19 infection and community transmission is a reality that the government refuses to accept.
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New worries
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No love lost for labour
Taking advantage of the lockdown and the inability of workers to organise protests, many State governments introduce sweeping changes to labour laws to the detriment of workers on the pretext of reviving production and boosting the economy.
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Understanding migration
When governments and their plans are found to be blatantly wanting in addressing reverse migration, exercises such as the Ekta Parishad’s survey of migrant workers throughout India can be useful to work out creative long-lasting solutions.
Waiting for Jabalpur moment
The Supreme Court’s role in ensuring executive accountability during the ongoing lockdown leaves much to be desired. Standing in shining contrast is the record of some High Courts.
An empty package
The Modi regime, which has been unable to control the COVID-19 infection, restore economic activity and provide relief to millions exposed to starvation, trains its sights on Indian democracy, making use of the panic generated by fear and a lockdown that forecloses paths of resistance.
