Why Dhaka is gearing up to greet Pranab Mukherjee

For former president Pranab Mukherjee, life after presidency seems equally exciting, if not busy. Be it the launch of his political memoir (third book in the series) in October last year or his bold address at the Aligarh Muslim University on founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s 200th birthday, Mukherjee chooses his words and events carefully.

The former president is all set to visit Bangladesh on January 14 on a three-day trip. Needless to emphasise, he enjoys enormous goodwill in the neighbouring country. Held in very high esteem from the days of Bangladesh’s struggle for liberation, his fan following , cutting across party lines, is simply huge.

Incidentally, the native place of Mukherjee's parents-in-law is on the other side of the border, and he obviously has several close relatives living there. That apart, Pranab babu has earned this goodwill by sheer hard work and undivided attention to the well-being of Bangladesh in redressing issues pertaining to Indo-Bangladesh relations. His contribution can be called phenomenal in major contentious issues concerning India and Bangladesh.

The veteran Congress leader held several ministerial portfolios in the government of India - external affairs, finance, defence etc. That notwithstanding, he never took his eyes off the happenings in Bangladesh and always used his good offices, in all seriousness, and on all occasions requiring effective intervention.

Right from Bangladesh's independence war in 1971, Pranab babu has always been proactive and lending help whenever required - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's return from imprisonment, his installation as the prime minister, the tragic assassination and the trail of sensational developments impinging on India’s geo-political landscape due to rise in power of pro-Pakistani, Right reactionary forces who usurped power by facilitating a military coup and exterminating Mujib. It’s is believed Mukherjee proved to be a sheet anchor to the bereaved family of Sheikh Mujib at the time of grief and stood as a great pillar of strength to them. He was also the bridge between the family members and former Indian PM Indira Gandhi, comprehending and reacting to the events unfolding in Dhaka .

The bloody coup was followed by counter-coups that took a huge toll and pushed Bangladesh into a turbulent time. Successive regimes, imposition of martial law, general Hussain Mohammad Ershad's rise and Ziaur Rahman's assassination were hallmarks of Bangladesh contemporary history in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The man who held the hand of the distressed nation and at the same time took into account India’s security interests, is none other than Mukherjee. Although Sheikh Hasina (in her earlier stint) eventually came to power and was voted out after five years, Pranab Mukherjee maintained good relations with all and helped solve age-old problems of water-sharing and the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs ) accord that facilitated the return thousands of Chakma refugees to Bangladesh.

In brief, whenever Bangladesh ran into rough weather, Mukherjee steadied the ship and things remained on course keeping Indo-Bangla relations intact.

Interestingly, opposition leaders in Bangladesh too have immense respect for Mukherjee and acknowledge his vision and hold over the nuances of Bangladeshi politics. Mukherjee will be in Bangladesh to attend a number of programmes, including the closing session of the "International Bengali Literature Conference".

According to this news report, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina "will inaugurate the three-day literature conference on Saturday (January 13) at Bangla Academy, while Mukherjee will be present at the closing ceremony of the conference on Monday (January 15), as the chief guest".

He will also be flown in to Chittagong on January 15 to be honoured with a D Litt degree by the Chittagong University. In Chittagong , Mukherjee is also expected to be accorded a civic reception. On his part, Mukherjee will present a cheque on behalf of the Indian high commissioner to the Preetilata Trust in furtherance of its activities . Significantly , Mukherjee will also visit the memorial of Surya Sen aka Masterda, the famous revolutionary, known for the Chittagong armoury case. In Dhaka, he is scheduled to deliver the convocation address at the East West University and the Nikhil Bongo Sahitya Sammelan. So far, no meetings have been fixed with any political leaders. It’s assessed that abundant caution is being exercised so as to keep Mukherjee away from any political event, lest it is wrongly interpreted since the general elections in Bangladesh are due at the end of 2018 or early next year.

On the whole, the visit is likely to go a long way in reinforcing ties between India and Bangladesh ensuring that at least there is one immediate neighbour who can be relied upon and vice-versa. His presence on the Bangladeshi soil will also encourage secular and pro-liberation forces to rally around Sheikh Hasina, which in effect, will help neutralise communal and divisive forces.

Also read: Wait for another Pranab Mukherjee to become president may take a long time