Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The foreign office consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India will be held in New Delhi on Tuesday as Dhaka expects tangible progress on outstanding issues in the high-level meeting.
Foreign Secretary Mohammed Mijarul Quayes, who left for New Delhi on Monday afternoon, will lead an eight-member delegation, while Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai will lead his side, foreign ministry sources said here.
The two secretaries will hold detailed discussions on all aspects of the India-Bangladesh relationship and follow up the progress of the decisions taken during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in January 2010, and Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh in September 2011.
The diplomats are expected to follow the issues agreed in the first meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) held in New Delhi in May 2012.
Both Foreign Secretaries will also gauge the progress made in their engagement across the whole range of issues, including greater understanding in political, security, defence, increase in conventional trade and investment; in renewable and nuclear energy; water resources, connectivity; development cooperation; and increasing people-to-people contacts.
The two Secretaries are also expected to discuss issues of regional, sub-regional and global significance of common concern to both countries. The talks will serve to further strengthen the close and friendly relations between India and Bangladesh.
After the meeting, Mijarul Quayes is scheduled to call on Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, National Security Advisor Shiv Shanker Menon and Water Resources Secretary Dhruv Vijai Singh.
The meetings with the top-level policymakers are expected to yield positive results, especially on crucial water sharing deal between India and Bangladesh.
The other members accompanying the foreign secretary are: commerce ministry’s additional secretary Ruhul Amin Sarker, foreign ministry director general for South Asia Mashfi Binte Shams, economic relations division Joint Secretary M Asif-uz- Zaman, joint rivers commission member Mir Sajjad Hossin, deputy director of the Directorate of Lands and Records Konkham Nilmoni, director of foreign secretary’s office Toufique Hasan and Senior Assistant Secretary Kazi Ziaul Hasan.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tarique A Karim is expected to join the meeting. The last FOC was held in Dhaka in July, 2010.
BBN/SSR/AD-24July12-11:50 am (BST)
