Dhaka wants time-frame to resolve Teesta, land issues

Bangladesh will seek "specific time-frame" from India to settle the Teesta water sharing and implement the land boundary agreement at the upcoming foreign ministers' meeting.

The third Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting to be held in New Delhi Sep 20 will be the first after Narendra Modi became the Indian prime minister.

Dhaka sees the meeting as an opportunity to take the relations to "a new height".

The meeting also assumes significance to Bangladesh as it will be the first visit of Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali to India.

The progress in bilateral cooperation in all areas including security, trade, connectivity, power, water resources, border management, infrastructure, people to people contacts, culture, environment, and education will be reviewed at the meeting.

A foreign ministry official told bdnews24.com that security issues would top the priority for India while Bangladesh would place two specific proposals: river basin management and Bay of Bengal co-operation.

Bangladesh would also deamnd that Indian security forces shoult not kill any Bangladeshi, said an official who preferred anonymity.

"But we'll seek specific time-frame to settle the long pending issues (Teesta water sharing and LBA)," he said.

The LBA is awaiting approval in the Rajya Sabha while the Teesta water sharing treaty was shelved after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised objections.

At least two senior foreign ministry officials told bdnews24.com that they do not find "any confidence deficit" with India at this moment though there are pending issues.

"We enjoy good collaboration with India even at international level that has never happened before," one official said.

The foreign ministry also believes Modi will come to Dhaka any time, if at least one of the two issues was settled.

The last JCC was held in Dhaka in February last year.