Tughlak ruler of Turkic descends Giasuddin built a new city not far away from Delhi. He named it Tughlakabad. He expected everyone to come to pay homage and praise his initiative. Obviously everyone did so according to his desire, except one person.
His name was Khawja Nizamuddin, well known as Auliah, the foremost beloved Muslim saint of the subcontinent. When Giasuddin demanded explanation from him, the Darvish Nizamuddin prophesied that the new city would soon be a wilderness. The outraged Sultan swore he would teach the saint a lesson.
Giasuddin Tughlak, who was only a few marches from Delhi, sent orders that before he entered the capital the hospice of the saint should be razed to the ground. The kotwal (a government post similar to modern-time's officer in charge of a police jurisdiction) carried the order with tears in his eyes to Khawja Nizamuddin. The Kotwal said, 'Beloved of God, you are more to me than my parent.
The Sultan is only three marches from Delhi. What am I to do?' In reply, Nizamuddin calmly said, ' Go home in peace. Hunooz Dilli Door Ast (Still it is a long way to Delhi).' This is the famous quote we do frequently use when something we mean that would take time to take place.
Delhi was once a 15-day equestrian journey from Dhaka. After inventions of motor vehicle and train, it would take three days to reach over there. In later days, after flight started operating from Dhaka to Delhi, it takes around two and half hour to be there. So, nowadays, time is not factor to fly to Delhi. The factor is, how much are you welcomed by Delhi and how much you willing to go there. Let's say former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, during her second tenure in office, visited Delhi in 2006.
The then Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, invited Begum Zia, to a November 2005 sideline meeting of SAARC summit, to visit India for bilateral talks. The visit was aimed at melting down the frost between Dhaka and Delhi. However, the visit turned out to be nothing but a formal meet. Both the Prime Ministers were engaged in a simple speak and voice their respective concerns over disputed issues. Instead of fruitful, vivid chime, the parties blamed each other on different fields. The visit was limited within the frame.
Both the leaders felt on the need to maintain high-level dialogues. That was a right time to correct old asymmetries between the two while a soft, gentleman like Manmohan Singh held the office. However, neither she was able to resolve long-run land boundary dispute, nor she attained water treaty. Previously, she visited India in May 1992 during her first tenure.
This time it was a total reverse. Sheikh Hasina's Delhi visit, 7 to 10 April, was ever best after Bangabandhu's reception given by the Indian government. Setting aside protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi went to Indira Gandhi International Airport to receive his Bangladeshi counterpart. Prime Minister Modi traveled 10km through normal traffic without any rout restriction.
During her four-day visit, Hasina had been extolled by both the political parties, BJP and Congress. When the veteran BJP leader L K Advani met Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina, he became so emotional. Advani rued over his birthplace Sindh, which was departed on account of India partition.
He said, "Since Sheikh Hasina has come here, I thought I mention the anguish of my mind in front of her." Should we not evaluate his emotion he shared with our representative? Should we blindly follow the India bashing part of people? Apart from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Teesta River water sharing reluctance, Prime Minister Modi's commitments need to take into account.
Yet Delhi Hunooz Door Ast. According to data, trade between the two countries has grown 17 percent in last five years. The trade, however, is heavily in favor of India as Bangladesh imported goods worth $5.45 billion and exported only $6.90 million.
The Times of India in this regard said, "Concerted efforts are needed to narrow the gap." It has to be apprehend by the Indian authorities what Times of India said. Delhi obviously knows the discontent among the people of Bangladesh that going on over Teesta issue could make an embarrassing situation for the Hasina government.
But if the trade gap becomes lenient, the government of Bangladesh would have some explanation to the people. Otherwise Delhi will remain Door (Long way).
Writer is Executive Editor, The Daily Asian Age
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