Fourth JCC Meeting: Dhaka proposes more connectivity
Dhaka proposed India new regional connectivity initiatives at the fourth meeting of India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) yesterday.
After the meeting, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, who co-chaired the meeting with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a press statement said India agreed to “positively consider” the proposals.
He said the two countries were cooperating to enhance connectivity through road, rail and waterways. “We proposed some new regional connectivity initiatives,” he said.
Dhaka-Chennai-Colombo air connectivity, Chittagong-Kolkata-Colombo shipping connectivity, Panchgarh-Shiliguri rail link, internet connectivity with Bhutan through Indian territory, and Trade route connecting Nakugaon Land Port (Bangladesh) to Gayleyphung (Bhutan) via Dalu (India) were some of them.
Mahmood said during the meeting they also agreed that BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement would be implemented between Bangladesh, India and Nepal [BIN] through exchange of letters, keeping the provision for Bhutan to join in later.
The Bhutanese parliament did not approve the agreement that apparently stalled the initiative.
Mahmood said they agreed that MoU for trilateral hydropower cooperation among Bangladesh, India and Bhutan would be signed soon. “India also agreed to facilitate import of electricity by Bangladesh from hydro projects in Nepal,” he said.
In additional to the current import of 660MW, India agreed to supply 340MW more electricity from Tripura through Comilla grid, he said, adding, “We have also discussed new proposals for supply of electricity from West Bengal and India's north-east.”
Mahmood said they discussed the issue of water sharing of common rivers, including the signing of Teesta water sharing agreement soon.
He said water resources must act as a “uniting force” between the two countries.
Bangladesh sought India's technical and financial support to carry out a feasibility study on the long-term options for Bangladesh to ensure optimum use of the Ganges water, he said.
However, Sushma in her press statement did not say anything about the most sensitive water sharing issue.
She said, “I have focused on the progress in our bilateral relationship, we are aware of the outstanding issues. We assure you that we are working to resolve them.”
Both ministers witnessed the signing and handing over of three documents which include capacity building in SME, and sale-purchase agreement between Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation and Numaligarh Refinery of India.
Mahmood also handed over the instrument of ratification for framework agreement on international solar alliance that Bangladesh ratified in August.
Sushma said India attaches the utmost importance to its relations with Bangladesh and their partnership today touches upon virtually all areas of human endeavour.
In the JCC meeting, both sides discussed common challenges that the two countries face.
"One such challenge is that of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation and we'll continue to fight this scourge together and along with other like-minded countries," she said.
Both sides reiterated strong commitment not to allow the use of their land against each other's interest and zero tolerance against terrorism and violent extremism.
The two countries also laid emphasis on bringing down the number of deaths at the borders to zero.
Sushma said India was supplying 660MW of much needed power to the Bangladesh people and “this figure will double, if not triple, in the foreseeable future.”
India and Bangladesh will work together as founding members of the International Solar Alliance, which is expected to make solar energy affordable.
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