Intensify Dhaka-Delhi dialogue to resolve issues
Say speakers
More intense dialogues should be held between the civil societies and intellectuals of Bangladesh and India to guide their governments in resolving outstanding problems, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.
Problems between the two countries are not beyond solution if there is political will, they said at a three-day discussion titled "Dialogue on Cooperative Development, Peace and Security in South and Central Asia: Strengthening India-Bangladesh Relations.”
Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) and Bangladesh Network for Environmental Governance (BNEG) jointly organised it.
Speakers said the Track II Dialogue greatly helped the two governments to take major decisions, like Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and other important bilateral deals and encouraged frequent dialogues outside the government for building greater understanding.
Chaired by BUP Chairman MA Jalil, the inaugural session held at Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) auditorium was addressed by prime minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Rajeet Mitter, PKSF Chairman Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed and former adviser to a caretaker government CM Shafi Sami.
Leading Indian journalists MJ Akbar, Indian intellectuals Prof Rashpal Malhotra and Prof Sucha Singh Gill, Navdeep Suri, joint secretary (Public Diplomacy) of external affairs ministry of India and Dr Nilufar Banu executive director of BUP were present among others.
Rajeet Mitter said India wants Bangladesh to grow with it and achieve economic development. He also listed out achievements in various sectors, including trade and investment, security and border management and sharing of Teesta and other rivers since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India in 2010.
He said India gives more than 2,000 visas, the highest number in Bangladesh every day.
MJ Akbar identified poverty as a major hurdle in South Asian countries and said the leaderships in this region must cross that hurdle. He hoped that many of those issues will be solved when Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh visits Bangladesh.
Prof Sucha Singh Gill laid emphasis on multi-nation strategies to utilise the flood water, which drains out through Bangladesh each year, wasting a huge supply of freshwater during floods.
The 3-day dialogue will discuss various important issues, like climate change, agriculture and food security, water development and sharing, connectivity, direct foreign investment and energy.
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