India-Bangladesh Relations on Border Management Politics

Book excerpt: Bangladesh-India relations are perhaps the most complex bilateral relations in the subcontinent. Despite its role in Bangladesh's independence in 1971, India is often perceived as serving its own self-interests against Pakistan. With the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1972, the two countries attempted to improve their relations to no avail. As a result, decades-old issues concerning land, water, illegal migration, and border security still remain, as does Bangladesh's seeking of favorable access to Indian markets, particularly for its widely exported garment products. On August 1, 2015, despite its peripheral status in bilateral negotiations, India and Bangladesh formally exchanged 162 enclaves strewn along shared borders--low-cost concessions for both, yet a possible template for successful future relations. Bangladesh and India share a common border of 4096 km running through five states, namely, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Managing such a diverse border is a complex task but vital from the point of view of national security. There are 162 enclaves between Bangladesh and India. The enclaves provide an important site for scrutinizing the connections between bordering practices and sovereignty claims. Uncertain borders not only raise bilateral tensions but also facilitate cross-border infiltration, illegal migration, smuggling and crime. Illegal migration has emerged as one of the major national security challenges. The India-Bangladesh border has been described as the 'problem area of tomorrow'. The problems include illegal migration, smuggling, and trans-border movement of insurgents, which are serious threats to the security of the country. This book will be invaluable for students and scholars of history, politics and international relations. The book should be also be of interest to the policy makers and other stakeholders who wish to develop insight into intricate areas of discord between Bangladesh and India and the possible resolutions suggested by the young minds.