Two neighbouring countries face problems and solve those: Foreign minister

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said there is a solution to the problems that appear between two neighbouring countries but the good thing is India has taken such preventive measures so that any kind of instability and tension cannot arise.

The minister made the remarks in reply to a query from newspersons on the upcoming meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC).

Abdul Momen was speaking to the newspersons after attending a memorial meeting on former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith organised by Bangladesh Private Medical College Association at a hotel in Dhaka.

Led by Abdul Momen and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, the seventh meeting of the JCC is scheduled to be held in Delhi on 19 June.

The meeting was scheduled to be held on 30 May but foreign ministers of both countries agreed to postpone the JCC meeting during their meet on the side line of the Joint River Commission meeting in Guwahati, capital of Indian state of Assam, in end-May.

Asked about the agenda of the JCC meeting, Abdul Momen said there are myriad of issues to be discussed with India that include anti-dumping duty on jute, border and energy security issues.

Regarding import of wheat from India, the foreign minister said India has given approval on exporting wheat to Bangladesh and anyone in Bangladesh wants to import it individually they can do so but they cannot sell the grains to a third party.

Replying to a query on Joint River Commission (JRC), Abdul Momen said, “The JRC meeting was not held though we wanted it. We discussed it with them in Assam. They are not prepared for the JRC. Issue of water sharing will be discussed albeit the JRC meeting was not held before the JCC meeting.”