Shawdesh Desk:

The long-awaited ministerial-level meeting of Bangladesh India Joint River Commission (JRC) began at Sushma Swaraj Bhaban in News Delhi on Thursday afternoon.

India’s Jal Shakti (Water Resources) Minister Gajendra Singh Shakhawat and State Minister for Water Resources of Bangladesh Zaheed Farooque are leading their respective sides in the meeting.

Deputy Minister of Bangladesh Water Resources Ministry AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem also joined the meeting.

Meanwhile, the secretary-level meeting of Bangladesh India JRC was held here on Tuesday. The officials of the two countries had a threadbare discussion on sharing of water and other issues, meeting sources said.

In the meeting, the two sides will finalize some issues which are remained pending for long, sources familiar with the development told BSS today.

Sources however, hinted that related issues would be finalized in today’s meeting but documents would likely to be signed during the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s India visit in early next month.

When asked diplomatic sources said a joint statement is likely to be issued after the meeting.

Sources earlier said the two sides are expected to finalize a joint study on utilization of Ganges water and an agreement of withdrawal of water from Kushiyara river in today’s meeting.

They added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sharing of data on the flow of water in the rivers flowing in India’s North-East region would also be finalized in the meeting.

Bangladesh Water Resources Ministry earlier said that Bangladesh side would raise the long-awaited Teesta issue in the meeting apart from finalizing a framework agreement of six common rivers- Monu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar.

Besides, issues relating to renewal of Ganges water sharing treaty would also be discussed prominently in the meeting.

The 30 years-long landmark Ganges water sharing agreement between Bangladesh and India was signed in 1996 during the regime of Awami League government. The tenure of the agreement will end in the year of 2026.

The last ministerial-level JRC meeting was held in March 2020.