Help keep stability in the region
FROM PAGE 12
the briefing that was also attended by Muhammad Imran, Bangladesh ambassador to the US.
About 90 heads of missions were invited to the event, but some 60 of them attended, according to officials present at the briefing.
The foreign secretary highlighted the significant development achieved by Bangladesh over the last 15 years.
He added that Bangladesh and India are trusted friends of each other and have implemented many vital projects that are critical for bilateral and regional development.
TEESTA DEAL
During the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) yesterday, Dhaka requested New Delhi to expedite the process of signing the Teesta water-sharing deal and other treaties concerning shared rivers.
In 2011, Bangladesh and India failed to seal the Teesta deal due to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s last-minute opposition.
Bangladesh also requested the removal of trade barriers to ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities between the two countries, according to a foreign ministry statement.
Foreign Secretary Momen and his Indian counterpart Vinay Mohan Kwatra led their respective countries to the FOC at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
This is the second FOC between Bangladesh and India. The first one was held in February this year in Dhaka.This FOC ahead of the upcoming national elections in both countries is considered significant as the polls were discussed in parts of the world.
In a bilateral meeting between New Delhi and Washington on November 10, India shared its perspectives on Bangladesh, saying that the country wants to see a democratic, progressive, and stable Bangladesh.
The US, however, has been calling for free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
Before leaving for Delhi, the foreign secretary had told the media that political issues among other things might be discussed, and if India enquired, he would provide an update on the elections.
Although the foreign ministry statementdid not mention whether politics or elections were discussed, it stated that Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra stressed the importance of maintaining stability in the region.
Masud requested Vinay Kwatra to expedite the visa issuance process to expand the people-to-people contacts. He also sought India’s assistance in resolving the Rohingya crisis.
They further emphasised bolstering cooperation in important areas such as development, trade and commerce, regional connectivity, regional power grid connection, security and water-related issues, and consular and cultural issues.
India is Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner, with the trade volume amounting to about $15 billion in 2021-22.
Terming Bangladesh a trusted neighbour, Kwatra assured the commitment of the Indian leadership to further strengthen the relationship with Bangladesh.