Postponement of JRC meeting

POSTPONEMENT of the JRC meeting between Bangladseh and India at the last minute is a blow to the prospect of immediate resolution of Teesta water sharing issue. Bangladesh was hoping to finalise the deal in this meeting, which had been on hold since the Indian prime minister's visit to Dhaka in September 2011. Assurance from the Indian side to hold the meeting at a time convenient for both sides has left the prospect of the meeting, and consequently resolution of the issue, rather open ended.

The ostensible reason for the deferment of the talks is the Indian water resource minister's inability to attend, due, reportedly, to some 'internal issues'. It comes as a little solace to us, given that it has been more than three years since the last JRC meeting between the two countries were held. And the meeting was supposed to address a few other important issues, which include the controversial Tipaimukh dam project.

The impression we get from the eleventh-hour cancellation of the meeting is that India is not according due importance to the issue, and perhaps there may be a policy to soft-pedal on the matter. We wonder whether the 'inability' on the minister's part to attend has been caused by any other compulsion on India since no country would allow unexplained internal reasons to impinge on bi-lateral interests.

The postponement is frustrating and disappointing for us given the fact that for Bangladesh Teesta water sharing is a burning issue whose resolution cannot brook further delay.