Secy-level talks, JRC meeting before Hasina-Modi summit

Bangladesh and India yesterday agreed to hold a series of secretary-level talks and also a meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission in the run-up to the summit between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Premier Narendra Modi in Dhaka in March.

The two countries also stressed the need to increase fund utilisation and expedite the approval process for development projects in Bangladesh under India's Line of Credit.

They also agreed on the renewal of the bilateral air bubble agreement that facilitates essential travel between them.

Besides the Secretary-level JRC meeting, the countries' Home and Commerce Secretaries would also meet before the March summit.

The decisions were taken at a two-hour Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) meeting, co-chaired by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen and his Indian counterpart Harsh Vardhan Shringla, at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi yesterday.

"Both sides agreed to hold the next Home Secretary-level talks, Commerce Secretary-level talks and the Secretary-level meeting of Joint Rivers Commission before the March 2021 Summit," the Indian External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The decision to hold the JRC meeting assumes importance as Masud bin Momen had, before leaving for Delhi for the FOC talks, made it clear that Bangladesh was looking forward to the Teesta river water-sharing deal which has been in a limbo for the last decade due to stiff resistance by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Commerce Secretaries meeting would be keenly watched as the two countries are reportedly close to the finalisation of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that will allow freer two-way trade and services.

At the FOC meeting, which began at 11:30 local time, both sides held a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in the many areas of the bilateral relationship, the statement said.

The discussion also focused on preparations for the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi to Dhaka in March and events relating to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Dhaka.

The two countries noted with appreciation the close cooperation on Covid-19 related issues, including India's gift of two million doses of Covishield vaccines to Bangladesh in keeping with India's neighbourhood first policy.

Underscoring the importance of the year 2021 in the context of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh, the 50th year of bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, both sides decided to further strengthen the ongoing coordination to jointly commemorate these anniversaries.

In this context, both sides expressed their appreciation for the participation of the Bangladesh tri-service marching contingent at India's Republic Day Parade on January 26 and noted the significance of the event in reminding present generations about the struggle and sacrifices of Indian and Bangladesh forces and peoples during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

The FOC meeting expressed satisfaction at the intensity of bilateral exchanges, continuing steadily despite the Covid-19 pandemic and noted the recent meetings that both sides had after the December 17, 2020 virtual Summit between Hasina and Modi, including the 51st BSF–BGB Director General-level talks in Guwahati on December 22-26, 2020, the technical-level meeting of the JRC on January 6 this year, the first Police Chiefs' Dialogue on January 12, as well as the 19th Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee meeting on power sector cooperation on January 23.

 The 2nd India-Bangladesh Consular Dialogue was held on January 28 in New Delhi.

The Bangladesh Foreign Secretary was accompanied by Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran, Secretary (East) Mashfee Shams and representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Water Resources of Bangladesh.

The Indian delegation consisted of representatives from the Ministries of External Affairs, Home, Commerce and Industry, Jal Shakti and Finance.

During his stay in New Delhi, the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary will visit the Bagabandhu-Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) Digital Exhibition currently on display at Vigyan Bhawan and will be interacting with Indian Foreign Service Officer Trainees at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.