Bangladesh will seek Cambodia’s assistance in becoming a member of Mekong-Ganga Cooperation when the premiers of both the countries will sit for official talks.
“Bangladesh wants to join the cooperation as we are a part of the civilisation of the Ganges river,” said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a two-day state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The two will have a private conversation followed by official talks today.
The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by six countries, namely India, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, which was launched in 2000 at Vientiane in Lao PDR for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications.
As rivers, both the Ganges and the Mekong have historic significance, and the MGC initiative aims to facilitate closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins.
“Bangladesh will also request Cambodia to assist Dhaka in becoming an Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Dialogue Partner,” said the Foreign Ministry official.
Bangladesh applied to become a dialogue partner but there is a moratorium on expansion of dialogue till 2016 and the proposal will be considered after that.
“The Cambodian premier is a very influential member of Asean and has influence over other member states. He can help Bangladesh in this regard,” the official said.
China, Japan and India are the dialogue partners of the 10-member Asean, a major regional trade bloc in the world.
After the official talks, three agreements and a memorandum of understanding will be signed, said another Foreign Ministry official.
The agreements concern establishment of joint commission, promotion and protection of investment on reciprocal basis, and cultural cooperation while the memorandum of understanding will be about agricultural cooperation, he said.
Bangladesh will also raise the issue of the establishment of Joint Trade Council between with Cambodia, which will be co-chaired by the two commerce ministers, he added.
