Diplomatic Correspondent :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will hold bilateral meeting on the sidelines of BIMSTEC summit in Nepal today (Thursday).
The fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), a seven-nation regional body involving Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand begins today in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam came up with this disclosure at a press conference in his ministry on Wednesday.
He said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave here for Kathmandu this morning to attend the two-day BIMSTEC summit with the theme of “Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region”.
Shahriar Alam said, the heads of state or government of the BIMSTEC member countries will get a chance for holding bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit. “It’s expected that our Prime Minister will hold a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi among other regional leaders.”
The State Minister said, the Prime Minister will speak soon after the inaugural speech of the BIMSTEC chair Nepal.
He said, two important documents on enhancing cooperation and development of the BIMSTEC region are likely to be signed at the retreat session of the summit to be joined by top leaders of the seven member countries of the regional forum on Friday.
The Rohingya issue is also expected to come up for discussions at the retreat session, the State Minister said. “If any country raises the issue Bangladesh will be happy to facilitate that.”
He, however, said there is no possibility for talks on the Rohingya issue at the main summit as political issues are not mandated to discuss there.
Besides, the state minister said the Bimstec leaders will exchange views on the different issues of regional cooperation and give various directions to strengthen it further.
He said two MoUs and Convection-one is on The Establishment of BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection’ and the other is on Bimstec Convention on Mutual Legal and Assistance in Criminal Matters-are expected to be signed at the summit.
A joint declaration will be issued at the end of the summit while Sri Lanka will take the charge of the next chair of BIMSTEC from Nepal.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali is in Kathmandu now and attended the foreign ministers’ meeting held on Wednesday before the summit. Foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque led the senior officials meeting on Tuesday.
It is unlikely that the Rohingya issue will be discussed at the main summit, but there will be a retreat session apart from the formal summit where the leaders can discuss the issue. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled for Friday to return home.
