Bangladesh expects progress in Teesta water sharing
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes said Saturday Bangladesh expected progress in the long running issue of sharing waters of the Teesta River during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India next month, reports UNB.
Hasina's visit deferred due to the Copenhagen climate change summit is likely to take place on January 11. The visit was scheduled on December 19 but both Hasina and Indian PM Manmohan Singh were engaged in Copenhagen at that time.
During the planned visit several agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) are likely to be signed to facilitate transportation of India's Over Dimensional Consignments (ODC) for Palatana power project in Tripura, strengthening Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) to remove the hassle of certification of Bangladeshi export goods, facilitating Bangladesh-Nepal and Bangladesh-Bhutan connectivity through India.
To arrive at a mandate from the Hasina-Manmohan summit, Dhaka sought a date from Delhi to hold ministerial-level Joint River Commission (JRC) meeting before the PM's visit. The Indian side has not yet responded to the Bangladesh's intention.
In reply to a question, the foreign secretary said giving facility to
India to transport its ODCs through Ashuganj Port was not a transit.
Asked about the killing of Bangladeshi citizens by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), Mr Quayes said the Bangladesh side kept sustained pressure on the Indian side to stop the killing. Despite assurance from India to show maximum tolerance by BSF, incidents of killing are taking place along the border. "We're keeping pressure and we're trying to find out other ways to address the problem," he said.
Replying to a question on Bangladesh-Myanmar issue, Quayes said the foreign secretary-level consultations would be held in Dhaka this month where existing issues like border trade, banking facility, repatriation of Rohingya refugees, maritime boundary, etc. would be discussed.
However, he said a technical-level meeting between Bangladesh and Myanmar on maritime boundary issue would be held in Dhaka on January 8. He said regular engagement with Myanmar would help address the issues between the two countries.
Hasina's visit deferred due to the Copenhagen climate change summit is likely to take place on January 11. The visit was scheduled on December 19 but both Hasina and Indian PM Manmohan Singh were engaged in Copenhagen at that time.
During the planned visit several agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) are likely to be signed to facilitate transportation of India's Over Dimensional Consignments (ODC) for Palatana power project in Tripura, strengthening Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) to remove the hassle of certification of Bangladeshi export goods, facilitating Bangladesh-Nepal and Bangladesh-Bhutan connectivity through India.
To arrive at a mandate from the Hasina-Manmohan summit, Dhaka sought a date from Delhi to hold ministerial-level Joint River Commission (JRC) meeting before the PM's visit. The Indian side has not yet responded to the Bangladesh's intention.
In reply to a question, the foreign secretary said giving facility to
India to transport its ODCs through Ashuganj Port was not a transit.
Asked about the killing of Bangladeshi citizens by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), Mr Quayes said the Bangladesh side kept sustained pressure on the Indian side to stop the killing. Despite assurance from India to show maximum tolerance by BSF, incidents of killing are taking place along the border. "We're keeping pressure and we're trying to find out other ways to address the problem," he said.
Replying to a question on Bangladesh-Myanmar issue, Quayes said the foreign secretary-level consultations would be held in Dhaka this month where existing issues like border trade, banking facility, repatriation of Rohingya refugees, maritime boundary, etc. would be discussed.
However, he said a technical-level meeting between Bangladesh and Myanmar on maritime boundary issue would be held in Dhaka on January 8. He said regular engagement with Myanmar would help address the issues between the two countries.