AGARTALA, April 6 (TIWN): The 10th ONGC Agartala Marathong has begun on Thursday with Tripura Sport Mninister Sahid Choudhury's inauguration to the programme by handing over the Indo-Bangla Friendship baton to the runners going for B'desh.

Reportedly, a 5 members team is leading the marathon and their journey had kicked off at Akhaura Checkpost.

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (“ONGC”), a Fortune 500 company of the Government of India, owns significant natural gas reserves in the North Eastern state of Tripura. However, these natural gas reserves are yet to be commercially developed due to low industrial demand in the North-Eastern region, that took the initiative for the marathon.

It's worthy to mention here that Bangladesh-India relations are perhaps the most complex bilateral relations in the subcontinent. Despite its role in Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, India is often perceived as serving its own self-interests against Pakistan. With the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1972, the two countries attempted to improve their relations to no avail. As a result, decades-old issues concerning land, water, illegal migration, and border security still remain, as does Bangladesh’s seeking of favourable access to Indian markets, particularly for its widely exported garment products.

When the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) was ratified in 2015, it was deemed a historic success story and the setting of a new trajectory for Bangladesh-India relations. Border demarcation remained an unresolved issue in the subcontinent since the end of colonisation in 1947, which made the LBA even more significant.

However, while there is cause for optimism, the political will of decision-makers in both governments is the most significant ingredient in achieving that goal. There is still a possibility that the LBA may turn out to be short-lived, especially since very little progress has been made in resolving other issues.