Diplomatic Correspondent :
Both Bangladesh and India are going to sit across the table on the 7th round of Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on Sunday to discuss on various bilateral issues.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will co-chair the meeting, Foreign Ministry sources said.
The JCC meeting is going to be the first physical meeting since the onset of the Covid pandemic as the last meeting was held virtually in 2020 when both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to a peaceful and secure border.
In addition, the two sides reviewed the expanding connectivity in the road, rail, inland waterways, and ports.
At the end of the virtual meeting, both countries agreed to expedite progress in the ongoing projects.
Meanwhile, Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen had reached New Delhi on Saturday to attend the bilateral meeting on the Foreign Ministry level.
Sources said the 7th round meeting will talk about the entire gamut of bilateral issues including Teesta water sharing issue, border management, energy, water resources, security, trade and investment, connectivity, development partnership and regional and multilateral issues.
The meeting is likely to finalise the date of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India to talk on bilateral issues.
Apart from the JCC meeting, Foreign Minister Dr Momen will also attend a function titled ‘Interactive Business Meeting’ which will be jointly organised by Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and Confederation of Indian Industry to enhance business and trade connectivity to increase businesses between the two countries.
On Monday, Dr Momen will meet Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and after that he will return home.
However, the 7th round of the JCC meeting was scheduled to be held in May 30 but it was deferred due to the other engagement of the Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The deferment of the JCC meeting was announced during a river conclave held in Guwahati where Dr Momen attended in May 27.
Before the entry of Dr Momen in India, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent one metric ton of ‘Amrapali’ Mango as a gift to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi said, the mangos were sent to the residents of the President and the Prime Minister of India through diplomatic channel on Friday.
Last year Bangladesh had also sent mango as a gift to Indian President and Prime Minister along with Chief Minister of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam as part of its Mango and Hilsha diplomacy.
