Dhaka to press for road up to China, sea boundary

Sources: The Daily Star
Myanmar Gen Maung Aye arrives today for bilateral talks

However, the longstanding issue of repatriation of the Rohingya refugees would get lesser importance at the high-level discussion as it is not on the agenda, say foreign ministry officials.

“We've a number of projects we're planning together with Myanmar. I'm positive the visit will boost our cooperation in all these areas," Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told The Daily Star yesterday.

He said the discussion would focus on construction of a road, which would hopefully link Bangladesh to China, leasing land for agriculture and completion of the all-important maritime boundary talks.

"The repatriation of the Rohingya refugees may come up in the discussion," said the foreign adviser.

Rohingya influx has become a major concern for Bangladesh as approximately 30,000 refugees are residing in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar and Chittagong.

"At the meeting, Myanmar authorities should be asked to expedite the repatriation process," observes a home ministry official.

The repatriation process remained stalled since 2005.

Aye, also vice-chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, will be accompanied by seven key cabinet ministers, chiefs of navy and air forces and business leaders.

His visit was scheduled for September last year but was postponed due to political unrest in Myanmar the month before.

"The talks will cover the total gamut of our political and economic relations," said Iftekhar Chowdhury following a call on him by new Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh Phae Thann Oo.

Bangladesh signed an agreement with Myanmar in July 2007 to construct a 35-kilometre highway from Teknaf in Cox's Bazar to Bawlibazar in Myanmar.

If the road is constructed, Bangladesh's ultimate goal to establish a direct road link with China will be easier.

Myanmar will have to build 120km roads from Bawlibazar to China border Kyautaw to that end. During the talks, Bangladesh will try to pursue the Myanmar delegates on this point.

"We're looking forward to expediting the whole process while we talk," the foreign adviser said. He added Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed during his visit to China in September 2007 also laid emphasis on building a road between the two nations through Myanmar.

Apart from that, Iftekhar said maritime border demarcation would be an important feature at the bilateral talks. Bangladesh and Myanmar sat in April in Dhaka to discuss demarcation after a gap of 22 years.

The next maritime talk is scheduled to be held in Myanmar in January next year. The two countries cannot carry out offshore oil and gas exploration for claim and counter-claim of the seabed of the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh has also sea border with another neighbour India with whom talks have recently been held to resolve the long-standing maritime border demarcation issue. All the talks, however, ended inconclusive.

Important issues like cross-border smuggling of illicit weapons and explosives may also come up during the talks with Myanmar.

In a report recently submitted to the home and foreign ministries, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has emphasised an understanding to check the ongoing trespassing of criminals and smugglers.

"It's very important to exchange information about the smuggling syndicates," the report of the paramilitary force observes.

The chief adviser said the Bangladesh-Myanmar talks would open up a new horizon of friendship.

"There is an ample scope for increasing trade volume between Dhaka and Yangoon," he said when the Myanmar ambassador paid a courtesy call on him at his office yesterday.