Dhaka-Delhi JCC Meeting Tomorrow

Bangladesh and India will hold the foreign ministerial-level sixth Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting on Tuesday.

Sources said the JCC meeting will begin virtually at 3:30 pm tomorrow.

Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen will lead the meeting on behalf of Bangladesh while Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will lead their side. 

Regarding the preparation of the JCC meeting between Bangladesh and India, an inter-ministerial meeting was held in Dhaka on Sunday.

A new date for the stalled meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC) will be announced at the consultative talk, paving way for a water-sharing deal on the six common rivers.

The last meeting of JRC was held in New Delhi in the year 2010.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India in October last year when both countries agreed to direct the Technical Level Committee of the JRC to expeditiously exchange updated data.

The technical committee was also asked to prepare a draft framework of the interim water-sharing agreement on six rivers, namely Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti Dharala and Dudhkumar and to firm up the draft framework of the interim agreement on the Feni river.

Sources indicated that a draft agreement may be finalized in the much-awaited JCC meeting.

JRC may take up water sharing of other rivers as soon as possible.

The Indian side is expecting Bangladesh to flag the recent export ban of onions to Bangladesh while Rohingya repatriation is one of the issues to be discussed.

This matter will be left to the next level of Commerce Secretary level meeting.

One of the major focuses of discussion will be on jointly combating Covid-19 and researching vaccines.