The Dhaka Times Desk Tensions between China and India in Galwan in Ladakh still continue. In the meantime, China has claimed its sovereignty over a large part of neighboring Bhutan's eastern region.
Observers believe that China has claimed the Sakteng sanctuary in Bhutan mainly to increase pressure on Delhi. The reason is that India is committed to protect and defend the integrity of Bhutan.
Bhutan has already sent a demarche or diplomatic protest to China through its embassy in Delhi against China's move. Sakteng is a sanctuary covering an area of about 650 square kilometers in the eastern part of Bhutan's Thrasighing district bordering India, which is known as the habitat of many rare wild animals.
A month ago, the 'Global Environment Facility' or GEF also organized an international online meeting to finance a project to develop these forests. It was there that China first claimed Sakteng.
Aparna Subramani, one of India's representatives in the World Bank, participated in the meeting on behalf of India-Bhutan-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka-Maldives, she also strongly protested China's statement.
Recently, after the minutes or proceedings of that online meeting came to light, it is understood that China is now trying to include Bhutan's Sakteng in the disputed border area.
Then this week, China's foreign ministry reiterated its claim on Sakteng in a statement sent to India's Hindustan Times newspaper. Pointing to India, said that 'no third party here nose-throat'!
Why China's claim on Sakteng?
Inder Pal Khosla, India's former ambassador to Thimphu, told BBC Bangla that, “I think China is now behaving like an expansionist country. They are claiming a place in Bhutan that has never been disputed, and despite twenty-four rounds of border talks between the two countries, Sakteng has never been on the table."
"Now I see they are not holding any border agreement, they are demanding as far as Vladivostok in Russia. We can only hope that China's experiments will not last long and they will stop it," said former diplomat M Khosla.
M. Taylor Fravel, a China expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in America, said that China's claim is based on an agreement between Tibet and Bhutan in 1715. Although the treaty accepted Tibetan sovereignty over Sakteng, Bhutanese herdsmen were allowed to graze cattle and sheep in that grassland.
Sakteng has been part of Bhutan since 1949. But now China is saying that since Tibet is theirs, Sakteng is also theirs.
Is Sakteng really important from a strategic point of view?
Indrani Bagchi, the diplomatic editor of Times of India in Delhi, asked the press about this matter, where is the strategic importance of this sanctuary that China wants to capture it?
He said, "If you look at the map of that region, you will understand that Sakteng is an area just north of the Sela Pass in India's Arunachal Pradesh where the India-China war of '62 took place. China's ultimate goal is to capture the entire Arunachal Pradesh. That's why it could be a part of that plan."
"Secondly, this particular time has been chosen because China sees that India is already under pressure over Ladakh or Kalapani - which may also be an objective to increase political or diplomatic pressure on Delhi."
"Thirdly, China wants to take this pressure on Bhutan to such an extent that Bhutan is forced to tell India that we are dealing with China separately on the issue!", Indrani Bagchi said about the issue.
What is the real target of China then India?
In fact, China has been trying to isolate Bhutan as much as possible from India's sphere of influence for a long time. However, during the Doklam crisis three years ago, the way Indian troops took a stand against Chinese forces on behalf of Bhutan, surprised China at that time. After that, however, China continued to make strong efforts to improve diplomatic relations with Bhutan, China also wanted to open an embassy in Thimphu again and again.
Indrani Bagchi also said, “China has been wanting to open its own embassy in Thimphu for a long time by upgrading diplomatic relations. But the kings of Bhutan strongly objected to it.”
“Actually it's not just China, most countries don't even have an embassy in Thimphu. Bhutan is covered by the ambassadors of those countries in Delhi. The same is true of America or Japan.”
“Yet China has repeatedly sought its own embassy in Bhutan. "But the King of Bhutan, known as 'K-Four' or 'The King Four', together with his predecessor K-Three, after much thought, decided that there was no need," Indrani Bagchi told the BBC.
Bhutan's diplomatic protest or demarche against China's claim on Sakteng has also been sent to the Chinese embassy in Delhi.
India thinks that there is a border dispute with China at Galwan or Pangong Lake in Ladakh and with Nepal at Kalapani. Now China is planning to open a new front of conflict with India when it comes to Bhutan in Sakteng. Source: Ekushey Television based on BBC.
Things to do to prevent Corona virus
# stay at home all the time.
# Follow the rules and use mask when going out for emergency.
# three-layer surgical mask can be washed if desired.
# wash clothes after coming home from outside. Or hang it without shaking for at least four hours.
# Wash hands thoroughly (for at least 20 seconds) with soap or liquid before coming outside.
# plastic PPE or eyes, face, head must be washed thoroughly with detergent and dried after one use.
# Wear PPE made of cloth or clean as described.
# Use a head cap that completely covers the hair.
# Those who have sneeze cough should follow all the rules promulgated by the government. Also, wash hands as directed before and after handling food items, keys, switches, mice, remote controls, mobiles, watches, computer desks, TVs, etc. and after using the bathroom. Those who have dry hands use Moisture after washing their hands. Soap or hand liquid can be used. Why can this virus remain in the crackle (cracked part) of dry hands? Avoid using highly alkaline soaps or detergents.
English 
Bengali