Rohingya, water sharing issues to feature Bangladesh-India joint consultative commission meet

DHAKA, Sep 28, 2020, Dhaka Tribune. Rohingya crisis, water sharing in common rivers, energy, connectivity, bilateral trade and border issues will be the key-features in Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting slated for Tuesday, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar will lead their respective sides in the 6th JCC meeting to be held in a virtual platform in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Diplomatic sources in New Delhi said both the foreign ministers may discuss the draft of the water sharing treaty of six common rivers — Monu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gomti, Dharla and Dudhkumar — and will give a guideline to hold the JRC meeting soon.

Sources familiar with the developments also expected that a new date of holding the stalled JRC meeting between Bangladesh and India will be announced in Tuesday’s JCC meeting.

The last meeting of the JRC was held in New Delhi in 2010. But, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India last year, both the countries had agreed to direct the JRC technical committee to exchange updated data and information and prepare a draft framework to this end.

Sources, however, told BSS last evening that Dhaka and New Delhi will discuss the common programme during “Mujib Borsho” apart from reviewing the development sectors of Bangladesh-India bilateral engagements in the meeting.

Bangladesh will host the 6th JCC meeting as the 5th meeting of the commission was held in New Delhi in February last year when Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and his the then Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj led their respective sides.

During the 5th India-Bangladesh JCC meeting held on February 8 last year, four MoUs were signed to further strengthen the existing multifaceted cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.

The MoUs were the mid-career training of 1,800 Bangladesh civil servants, cooperation between AYUSH and the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh in the field of medicinal plants, cooperation between Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and cooperation between Hiranandani Group and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority to facilitate investments in the Indian Economic Zone in Mongla.