Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Sunday acknowledged the challenges facing bilateral relations and stressed the need for joint efforts to address them.
The discussion took place during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Muscat, Oman, according to a press release issued by the Bangladesh foreign ministry.
“Both sides recognized the challenges the two neighbours are facing in terms of bilateral relations and discussed the necessity to work together to address those,” read the release.
During the meeting, Touhid underscored the importance of initiating discussions for the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty.
He also emphasized the need for convening the SAARC Standing Committee meeting and requested India’s support on the matter.
Both sides expressed optimism that various border-related issues would be addressed during the upcoming meeting between the Directors General of Border Guarding Forces of Bangladesh and India, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 18 to 20, said the foreign ministry release.
The two leaders also exchanged views on other bilateral issues of mutual interest and concern, the foreign ministry stated.
Reflecting on their last meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, they noted that since then, the two nations have engaged in multiple bilateral dialogues, including the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) at the Foreign Secretary level in Dhaka on December 9.
Besides, they also recalled Bangladesh energy adviser’s participation in the India Energy Week events in New Delhi on February 10-11.
Adviser Touhid also held meetings with the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania on the sidelines of the IOC.
He is scheduled to meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman on Monday.
MSH
