It looks much has changed in BJP-TMC relations after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to West Bengal with Mamata Banerjee, party chief and the Chief Minister, agreeing to accompany PM to his forthcoming Bangladesh visit which is scheduled for the first week of June. It was the same Mamta who refused to accompany former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka in 2011. It was former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who started the whole process and UPA presented Bill in Parliament in 2013. The Bill facilitates exchange of enclaves in accordance of 1974 agreement and sets aside the apprehensions of shrinking boundary of India. Though the transfer of enclaves has been approved but the Bill does not approve transfer of people thus leaving the option to the residents of the area to continue where they are or to shift to new territory. The 41 year-old agreement signed between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rehman had a tumultuous journey through out with opposition not willing to take the bait and today what Congress started, BJP completed it in a true democratic manner. This change has raised the hope for the conclusion of Land Boundray Agreement (LBA) and Teesta Water Agreement. These two agreements can alleviate Indo-Bangla relations and providing better regional connectivity. Infact much of the connectivity infrastructure between the two countries existed via road, railway and water ways right up to mid-1960s. However these were snapped following India-Pakistan war of 1965. Reviving these channels would provide a huge boost to the sub-regional trade and commerce, people-to-people contact benefitting both the coutries which to some extant can neutralise the Chinese expansion in the region. India can also make Bay of Bengal free from power balance tussle between India and China. By getting the LBA finalised India can cut the transit time and distance to eastern parts of the country by crossing through Bangladesh which is again important to safeguard economic and defence interests vice versa India can provide a better market for products from Bangladesh. The agreement fully delineates the border between the two countries. So the coming visit of Modi will bring much more dividends on the economic and geopolitical grounds and better connectivity for India.
