Dhaka wants dialogue with India to secure fair share of water: State minister for foreign affairs
Photo: Collected
The Bangladesh government will try to secure the maximum in the country’s interest in water cooperation with India – State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir has said so.
He said Bangladesh wants its fair share from India. On the question of water sharing, the position of international law is in Bangladesh’s favour. Along with this, the support and aspirations of the country’s people are also strengthening Bangladesh’s position at the negotiating table.
He said this in response to a question at a seminar titled ‘Rethinking the future of water: Youth leadership, justice and cooperation’, organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka on Thursday.
At the seminar, the state minister for foreign affairs said effective communication and dialogue between officials at the relevant levels of the two countries are needed to increase cooperation on the water issue. To that end, Bangladesh has already formed a committee and has asked for the names of the representatives of the Indian side.
Regarding the water-sharing treaty between the two countries, he said, ‘We have asked India for names so that our representatives can begin dialogue and discussions with them. Now we have to wait for their reply.’
Expressing hope that a positive response would come from India, Humayun Kabir said a reply on the matter may be received very soon. After that, taking the talks between the two countries forward will pave the way for renewing the water treaty for the next term.
He further said that if there is a mindset of cooperation among the leadership of the two countries, an amicable solution to the water problem is possible through discussion. These matters have to be settled through the path of diplomacy and dialogue.
The state minister for foreign affairs mentioned that the position of international law on water sharing is also one of the bases of Bangladesh’s negotiations.
