China Rebuilding Lalmonirhat Airport Near Siliguri On Indian Border
Bangladesh Army says it would not allow foreign entity to operate in their country
New Delhi: Amid the news of China rebuilding Lalmonirhat Airport near Siliguri in India, the Bangladesh Army has said that it will not allow any foreign entity to operate in the country in a way that harms its security and national interest.
The dormant Lalmonirhat airbase, in Rangpur division, is roughly 20 km away from the Indian border and is very close to the strategic Siliguri corridor. Originally a military airbase built in 1931 and used by the Allied Forces during World War II, it is operated by the Bangladesh Air Force. If rebuilt by China it could be used by it for intelligence gathering and logistics support.
“The airport is being revived to support national needs, including the Aerospace University. I have no information about Chinese involvement. Rest assured, no foreign entity will be allowed to operate in a way that harms our security or national interest,” Brig Gen Md Nazim-ud-Daula, director of the Military Operations Directorate of Bangladesh said. The statement in way that can be seen as addressing India’s security concerns with regard to Chinese presence so close to Indian borders with Bangladesh.
While the Bangladesh Army wants to steer clear of any controversy by saying there is no rift between the two, and they are working together in close coordination, it has also made it clear that there are certain redlines with regard to security which cannot be crossed.
After the Army chief of Bangladesh urged the country's interim government’s chief advisor Md Yunus to go for polls by December this year, there are instances that indicate it is not on the same page on certain things with the political leadership. The Bangladesh Army has reiterated it is not in favour of any corridor in the Rakhine state of Myanmar for Rohingyas. “The army will not be involved in any activity that compromises the country’s security,” Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam of Bangladesh Military Operations Directorate said when questioned by media about the proposal of a humanitarian corridor in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government has indicated that it does not want to escalate trade tensions with India and take retaliatory steps after New Delhi imposed restrictions on Bangladeshi agro products, furniture, textiles etc from its land port.
On the backfoot due to pressure from its own trader community, which is now facing huge loss in business, the Bangladesh government is seeking a Commerce Secretary-level meeting at the earliest to resolve trade issues. Sources in the Bangladesh government said the issue is being “actively” discussed within the Bangladesh government and it may soon connect with the Indian government on this.
"Our efforts will continue so that no further escalation takes place -- we will not retaliate," said Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman last week after an inter-ministerial meeting also attended by representatives from trade bodies. India put in place restrictions for Bangladesh after it announced to stop yarn imports from India through its four land ports. The Indian government also decided to suspend the transshipment facility for Bangladeshi garment items.
