Southasian port

Cover interview: Rehman Sobhan

Political opposition: The Bangladesh-India communiqué was a welcome departure, but a key challenge is the political opposition in Dhaka, which would want to extract mileage from this issue. Sheikh Hasina has given significant concessions to India on transit, and she will be asked what was received in return.

Market access: The promise of unrestricted market access to India raises expectations, for it would be a game-changer. Hitherto, restrictions such as non-tariff barriers and 'sensitive list' items have vitiated the realisation of full market access. A lot also depends upon how quickly transit and access are activated, and it will take at least two to three years just to build the necessary infrastructure.