The other general

Bangladesh8217;s new army-backed regime is talking business. India should hear it out

During his talks in Dhaka, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon should get the full measure of the proclaimed seriousness of the army-backed government there to transform Indo-Bangla relations. That the promise of a breakthrough in the bilateral relationship, which has deteriorated steadily over the years, has come from an unelected government is one of those accidents of history that India must take in its stride. Just as it grabbed the opportunity to do business with Gen

Pervez Musharraf, New Delhi should convert Dhaka8217;s new overtures into enduring structural gains.

India was entirely right in giving the benefit of political doubt to Dhaka8217;s army-backed caretaker government that has written a sweeping political mandate for

itself and has not given a clear road-map for restoration of democracy. Of course India8217;s current policy of engagement without endorsement would evolve significantly if it decides to host the army chief of Bangladesh Lt Gen Moeen U. Ahmed in the coming weeks. The degree of India8217;s political warmth towards Gen Ahmed must be carefully calibrated with the intensity of Dhaka8217;s commitment to a decisive and forward looking agenda for Indo-Bangla cooperation for mutual benefit.

So far, the signals from Dhaka have been encouraging. Its new willingness to combat religious

extremism has been marked by the hanging of six men of the notorious Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh. Dhaka has begun to crack down on the insurgent groups from India8217;s North East

operating in Bangladesh. The caretaker government has also been positive about restoring historic transport connectivities with India. Although it has taken no major

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decisions on major Indian investments in Bangladesh, it has put out positive feelers to the Tatas. If Gen Ahmed is ready to go down this road purposefully, India should be prepared to walk the extra mile. New Delhi has been remiss in addressing Dhaka8217;s many grievances on its huge trade deficit and the multitude of non-tariff barriers that India has erected against it over the years. If Menon succeeds in constructing a broad framework of give and take with his interlocutors in Dhaka, there will be work to do with Gen Ahmed.