Let’s find a mutually acceptable formula
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common rivers and a secretary-level meeting in early August decided to work on water-sharing and basin management of seven rivers -- the Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Feni, Gumti, Dharla, and the Dudhkumar.
They also decided to have a feasibility study on the proposed Ganges Barrage project, especially its impact on the environment and people’s livelihoods in both the countries.
Asked about concerns that some four million Bangla-speaking people are at the risk of losing Indian citizenship as they were left out of the National Register of Citizens in Assam, Jaishankar said, “This is an internal matter of India.”
However, Foreign Minister Momen later told reporters that India asked Bangladesh not to worry about the NRC issue.
“We said we are already in serious trouble with 1.1 million Rohingyas … They [Jaishankar] said ‘you don’t worry at all about it’,” Momen told a smaller group of reporters at his ministry office.
The NRC is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in Assam which shares a border with Bangladesh. Assam had an influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century. It is the only Indian state where people are being registered under the NRC.
When the draft NRC was published on July 30, 2018, there was a controversy over the exclusion of 40.7 lakh people.
This is Jaishankar’s maiden visit to Dhaka since his appointment as the minister of the BJP-led government in May.
The three-day visit, that began on Monday, comes ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s state visit to New Delhi in the first week of October.
Jaishankar handed Hasina Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation for the visit when he met her at the Gono Bhaban later in the day, reports UNB.
Hasina thanked Modi for the invitation.
PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. He said Jaishankar laid emphasis on simplifying the process for people’s visits to the countries.
During the meeting with Hasina, Jaishankar expressed interest in enhancing cooperation in the energy sector, especially hydroelectricity project.
The hydroelectric project can be implemented effectively as the cost of this project is lower, Jaishankar told the PM.
During Jaishankar’s meeting with Momen, the two ministers discussed preparations for the PM’s visit to India. The countries are likely to sign a number of MoUs then.
Details were not disclosed but the ministers discussed border management, reducing untoward incidents at the border, trade and investment, power and energy, river water-sharing, connectivity, culture, and consular issues.
They reviewed progress of projects under the Indian Lines of Credit (LoC). Sources said Momen sought fast disbursement of funds.
The ministers also discussed the Rohingya crisis that has put immense strain on the economy, environment, and security of Bangladesh.
“We agreed that safe, speedy, and sustainable return of the displaced people from Myanmar is important in the national interest of all the three countries -- Bangladesh, Myanmar, and India,” said Jaishankar.
He also reaffirmed India’s readiness to provide more assistance to the Rohingyas in Bangladesh and improve socio-economic conditions in Rakhine State.
Jaishankar said Bangladesh and India are enjoying the best of relations. Over 100 agreements have been signed in the last 10 years and 68 of them were inked in the last three years. The decades-old land boundary and maritime issues have been resolved.
It’s now the golden age of India-Bangladesh ties thanks to the visionary statesmanship of Modi and Hasina, he said, terming the ties “a model in South Asia”.
“Our ties have transcended into a strategic partnership,” the Indian minister said, adding that India would like to extend all possible support to Bangladesh to realise its development agenda.
He said Bangladesh and India agreed to be partners against crime, extremism, and terrorist groups.
The two countries agreed to increase connectivity via air and waterways, which would generate income and growth for the countries.
“We would like to step up this partnership ... .”
“We’ve many energy-sharing projects, which we’re discussing, including private and public sector partnership, and we hope to take those forward,” Jaishankar added.
He said they were ready to move to the next stage of economic partnership as Bangladesh’s economy develops and matures. “We’ll make progress at a pace which is comfortable for Bangladesh.”
Jaishankar said India was ready to make travel as seamless as possible for Bangladeshis wishing to visit India.
Foreign Minister Momen at the briefing said they had a very fruitful discussion.
While talking to the smaller group of journalists, Momen said Bangladesh raised the issue of killings along the Bangladesh-India border. “We want zero deaths.”
He said despite repeated commitments made by India, border killings remain a problem. The Indian side yesterday assured Bangladesh of looking into the matter.
Before the meeting with Momen, Jaishankar visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi-32 and paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He is scheduled to leave for Nepal today.