6th JCC meeting begins: Dhaka, Delhi to discuss water sharing, transport bubble

The 6th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting began this afternoon with a special focus on water sharing, projects under India-financed LoC, connectivity, trade and energy cooperation, officials said.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen is leading the Bangladesh side while Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is leading the Indian team at the virtual meeting.

The bilateral meeting began at 3:30pm, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB.

Dr Momen will brief the media immediately after the meeting, the official said.

Bangladesh is likely to raise the issue of making the Joint River Commission (JRC) truly functional for discussing water-sharing issues of common rivers between the two countries. There has been no meeting of the JRC since 2010.

"This JCC (6th) is being held quickly. And it's only for one hour as it'll be held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Usually, we discuss for three hours," Dr Momen told reporters at his office on Monday.

He said they do not expect much from this JCC as it is being held for a brief period.

"India is our neighbour and our best friend. Naturally, we've many issues to discuss," Dr Momen said.

The water sharing of common rivers, Rohingya and travel air bubble issues are likely to come up at the meeting for discussion, officials said.

"Transport Bubbles" or "Air Travel Arrangements" are temporary arrangements between the two countries aimed at providing commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

They are reciprocal in nature, meaning airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits, another official told UNB.

On the water issue, Dr Momen said, they will try to resume the Joint River Commission meeting through discussion so that the water sharing issues can be discussed widely.

Both sides are also expected to finalise more programmes for the ongoing Mujib Borsho marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and for the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh.

Security, border management, trade and investment flows, power and energy, river water sharing, development partnership, transport connectivity, culture, people-to-people contacts will be discussed at the JCC.

The fifth meeting of the Bangladesh-India JCC was held in New Delhi on February 8, 2019.