DHAKA: A legal notice was served upon the Government of Bangladesh demanding that the privileges of transit and transshipment granted to India be canceled immediately.
The notice has been served to the secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance by Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Azizul Haque.
In the notice, Azizul Haque argued that it is unfair to continue those facilities when India has recently unilaterally withdrawn transshipment access previously extended to Bangladesh. The legal step signifies that there is a growing public sentiment in Bangladesh demanding equitable treatment and to end what is being termed as "discriminatory agreements."
The lawyer said if the government does not act, he would proceed to file a writ petition at the higher courts for an order on the state to cancel all existing bilateral arrangements giving India logistical advantages through the territory of Bangladesh.
Under the agreements for transit and transshipment, India may carry goods through Bangladeshi ports and land routes from and to its northeastern states.
Many say the use of these agreements benefits India, while Bangladesh hardly gains anything in return. Recent policies of India ought to have been tilting the balance further in the favor of India.
This notice could mark a watershed in the diplomatic and trade relations of the two neighboring countries. When the issue reaches court, it could spark legal and political affairs about issues of sovereignty, economic justice, and regional cooperation.
The result might presage a sea change in bilateral trade flows throughout South Asia.
[Source Credit: Dhaka Tribune]
