Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said that the two countries are working together to finalise a common water sharing agreement between Bangladesh and India. He also talked about the fairness regarding river dams and the salinity of the river and the exchange of experience.
He made the remarks while addressing the 10th India-Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue in India on Monday (21 February). At that time he also paid homage to the language martyrs of 1952.
The Indian foreign secretary said that in addition to controlling illegal activities, easy transit of goods and people must be ensured. Noting that border infrastructure needs to be strengthened at this time, he said that for the first time in bilateral trade, exports are expected to exceed 2 billion dollars this year. The quick completion of a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement is essential to accelerate this trade.
Shringla said that Bangladesh has historically been an important trade and transport hub of the subcontinent. India and Bangladesh have signed an agreement to use the Chittagong and Mongla ports for transporting goods to the northeast of India. He hoped that the implementation of this agreement would bring economic benefits to various stakeholders of both countries.
Referring to the historic Ganges water-sharing agreement, Foreign Secretary Shringla said that India and Bangladesh are working to finalise an agreement on 54 shared rivers. Both countries are resolving the issues of fairness regarding river dams and salinity.
He reiterated India’s commitment to accelerate regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework, adding that BIMSTEC was important for enhancing economic cooperation, development, and connectivity in the region.
