Delhi reacts to Dhaka’s 101-pact review
India has said it will take all necessary actions to protect its interests after Bangladesh began reviewing 101 bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding signed with New Delhi during the previous Awami League government, putting the terms and national-interest implications of the deals under fresh scrutiny.
New Delhi said yesterday that it had received no official communication from Dhaka about the review.
Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had seen media reports about Bangladesh’s move but had not been formally informed. “Obviously, India will take all necessary actions to protect its interests,” he told a regular media briefing in New Delhi.
The statement came as Dhaka’s review of the 101 agreements emerged as a significant component of its effort to reassess bilateral arrangements inherited from the previous administration.
Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said on September 11 that the government was examining all 101 agreements and that the outcome would be announced soon. He said Bangladesh wanted friendly relations with India but would give the highest priority to its national interests.
For Dhaka, the review is centred on whether the existing arrangements provide reciprocal benefits and remain consistent with Bangladesh’s economic, strategic and sovereign interests.
The government has not announced a blanket cancellation of the agreements, and no specific deal has yet been identified for termination.
The scope of the review is potentially broad, covering arrangements concluded during a period when Bangladesh and India significantly expanded cooperation in connectivity, trade, infrastructure, energy and transit.
Port access has already emerged as one of the areas under scrutiny. Moni referred to agreements involving the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports by vessels from friendly countries and said all such arrangements were being reviewed.
He also alleged that provisions made under the previous government could give foreign vessels preferential treatment over Bangladeshi vessels when both arrived at Chattogram Port for unloading.
Such arrangements have a direct bearing on Bangladesh’s ports, logistics sector and revenue from regional transit.
Their review therefore raises questions not simply about bilateral relations but also about whether Bangladesh is receiving an appropriate economic return from access to its infrastructure.
At the same time, the government has stressed that reassessing the agreements should not be interpreted as a move to end cooperation with India. Moni has said Dhaka wants to maintain friendly relations with its neighbour while ensuring that bilateral arrangements protect Bangladesh’s national interests.
The review comes against a wider backdrop of unresolved issues between the two countries, including water sharing, border management, trade and connectivity.
The Ganges Water Sharing Treaty is among the most immediate concerns. Signed in 1996, the 30-year treaty expires in December this year.
Asked about the renewal process, Jaiswal said the two countries would continue discussions through the existing bilateral mechanism, including technical-level meetings of the Joint Rivers Commission.
For Bangladesh, the expiry of the Ganges treaty gives added importance to the broader management of shared resources. Any future engagement with India on water, transit or connectivity is likely to be assessed alongside the country’s wider economic and strategic interests.
The review also places the focus on the terms under which Bangladesh has provided access to its infrastructure.
During the previous administration, India obtained transit and port facilities that improved connectivity with its northeastern states.
Dhaka is now examining whether the arrangements adequately reflected Bangladesh’s interests and whether their implementation has generated sufficient benefits for the country.
The government’s review could consequently lead to different outcomes for different agreements.
Some may remain unchanged, while others could be amended or renegotiated if the assessment identifies provisions that Dhaka considers inconsistent with national priorities. At this stage, however, there is no official decision to cancel the 101 agreements as a group.
India’s response indicates that any substantive changes will also have a bilateral dimension. With New Delhi saying it will protect its interests, future discussions are likely to focus on the provisions of individual agreements rather than the entire package.
