Mango diplomacy: Bangladesh PM gifts Haribhanga mangoes to India

Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has gifted 2,600 kg of Haribhanga variety of mangoes to Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Key Facts

• Truck carrying 260 cartons of mangoes crossed Bangladesh-India border through Benapole port in Jessore.
• Mangoes are a “memento of friendship” between both the countries.
• Mangoes are of “Haribhanga variety” which are grown in Rangpur region of Bangladesh.
• Haribhanga mangoes typically weigh 200 to 400 grams and are round in shape, extremely fleshy and fibreless.

About Mango Diplomacy

Mango diplomacy has been a tradition of politics in Indian subcontinent. Dignitaries like former Pakistan Presidents Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf had also presented India with mangoes.

Evolving India-Bangladesh Relation

India-Bangladesh relations have entered new era of cooperation and is moving beyond historical and cultural ties. It has strengthened in areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence.

1. Military Relation: Bangladesh has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders. It has made India-Bangladesh border one of the most peaceful region in Indian subcontinent. Peaceful border has allowed India to make redeployment of military resources to other contentious borders. Bangladesh has also handed over several wanted criminals of India.
2. Land Boundary Agreement: Both countries have resolved border issues peacefully by ratifying historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015.
3. Trade Relations: Bangladesh has become biggest trading partner of India in South Asia. In Financial Year 2018-19, exports have reached to $9.21 billion while imports to $1.04 billion. India has also offered duty free access to several products from Bangladesh.
4. Developmental credits: Cooperation among both the countries has deepened. India has extended three lines of credit to Bangladesh. About $8 billion were given for construction of roads, railways, bridges, and ports.
5. Connectivity: Connectivity between both the countries has improved. A direct bus service now runs between Kolkata and Agartala via Bangladesh for a distance of 500 km as compared to 1,650 km if it ran through Chicken’s Neck to be entirely in India.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2021