Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has said that Dhaka is optimistic about the outcome of the upcoming Joint River Commission meeting with Delhi after 12 years.
He was speaking with the reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
The foreign secretary said a meeting at the ministerial level after a long break is a positive thing.
"The timing is perfect as it is right before the prime minister's India visit. So, we are expecting a lot," he said.
The foreign secretary said there are many other issues on rivers apart from water distribution. “These issues can be resolved through discussions at the meeting.”
Moreover, the JRC meetings are expected to discuss the outline agreements of Manu, Dharla, Khowai, Gomti and Dudhkumar rivers, which have been among the topics over the last few years.
The Ganges water sharing agreement will expire in 2026, but the water of the shared river could not be utilized fully. A joint survey is supposed to be done in this regard. The JRC may take a decision so that the survey can be announced after the meeting of prime ministers.
The JRC ministerial-level meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday while the secretary-level meeting is scheduled on Tuesday.
