India, Bangladesh in talks for Joint Rivers Commission meeting

It is one of the earliest bilateral mechanisms over water resources

October 23, 2020 05:22 am | Updated 05:22 am IST - NEW DELHI

India and Bangladesh are negotiating the modalities for hosting the long-delayed meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission, an official said here on Thursday. Anurag Srivastava, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said the plan for the meeting is on course as envisaged by the Sixth Joint Consultative Commission meeting held on September 29.

“During the recently held Joint Consultative Commission meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, they urged the concerned authorities to consider convening the ministerial level JRC meeting. I understand both sides are in discussion on this,” said Mr. Srivastava.

The Joint Rivers Commission was created as one of the earliest bilateral mechanisms over water resources. India and Bangladesh are geared for early conclusion of the Framework Agreement for sharing of waters of six joint rivers like Manu, Muhuri, Gomti, Dharla, Dudhkumar and Khowai. That apart, both sides are also in talks on sharing the waters of the Teesta which has not made forward movement despite repeated show of support by the top leaders from both sides.

The chances of holding the JRC at the level of Water Resources Ministers appeared to brighten on Wednesday when newly arrived High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami met State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk. Mr. Srivastava described the meeting as a gesture of ‘courtesy’ by the envoy who arrived in Dhaka in the first week of October.

The Prime Ministers are scheduled to meet for a virtual summit in December and it is expected that the JRC will be convened ahead of the exchange. However, Mr. Srivastava did not mention the actual date of the meeting.

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