Article

2006-07-01 Bangladesh

B'desh objects India's move to oil exploration in Bay of Bengal

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve White 2006-07-01 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 John, can you clarify?

Posted by gromgoru 2006-07-01 06:17|| 2006-07-01 06:17|| Front Page Top

#2 There are several portions of the Indo-Bangla border that have not been permanently demarcated.
On land, this includes enclaves of each other's territory, completely surrounded by either India or Bangladesh.
At sea, the two countries have to settle maritime boundaries according to UN law of the sea treaty.

There is an almost reflexive negative Bangladesh response to any moves that would benefit India, even if Bangladesh itself would benefit enormously.

Thus having a settled boundary (and bear in mind that India is the bigger state territorially so its share of the Bay of Bengal would be larger) would benefit India's fisheries, its oil and gas etc and so is opposed. Better the issue be unsettled than India benefit.

Unocal left Bangladesh in frustration because it would not allow development of its gas reserves because the potential buyer of gas would be India.
Better the gas stay in the ground than it be used by India.

The Indian firm Tata, wanted to invest ten billion dollars in iron ore mining and steel production with downstream facilities.
This has gotten nowehere because Tata is an Indian firm.

Of course, the gas sales and the steel plants could radically improve the Bangladesh economy, but because it could benefit India as well, it is opposed.

Both main political parties in Bangladesh campaign on anti-India platforms, each accusing the other of being subservient to Indian interests.

I suspect that islam plays a great role here.
Muslim "honor and dignity" is offended by the subservient role to the "hindoo kaffirs"

Posted by john 2006-07-01 08:02|| 2006-07-01 08:02|| Front Page Top

#3 stopping the push-in of Bengali speaking Indians to Bangladesh.

This refers to the Indian attempts to deport some of the estimated twenty million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in India.

According to Bangladesh, there are no illegals in India.

Posted by john 2006-07-01 08:05|| 2006-07-01 08:05|| Front Page Top

#4 This is so stupid. They could joint venture the disputed areas and share the wealth. Thanks, John for the enlightening information. Here is a golden chance for Bangladesh to climb out of the poverty that they are in, and they dig their hole deeper. Shows you what happens when you mix Islam with well waters full of arsenic.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2006-07-01 12:34|| 2006-07-01 12:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Another example is the trans asian highway system which would link the various nations.
It would radically uplift the entire region via the trade potential.
Bangladesh did not join because it "did not wish to be a transit corridor for India".
India will instead connect to the grid via Burma, going the long way around via the north east states.

Posted by john 2006-07-01 17:06|| 2006-07-01 17:06|| Front Page Top

23:57 xbalanke
23:39 Anonymoose
23:12 Rambler
23:12 Chearong Unoper9371
23:11 Robert Crawford
23:00 bigjim-ky
22:58 JosephMendiola
22:47 anonymous2u
22:45 zazz
22:37 Inspector Clueso
22:34 JosephMendiola
22:29 Chearong Unoper9371
22:27 Oldspook
22:26 Nimble Spemble
22:23 JosephMendiola
22:10 JosephMendiola
22:07 JosephMendiola
22:03 JosephMendiola
22:02 Frank G
21:55 JosephMendiola
21:49 Frank G
21:47 Robert Crawford
21:47 Anginens Threreng8133
21:46 3dc