FROM NEW DELHI: The third Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting between two neighbouring countries Bangladesh and India held in New Delhi on Saturday.

The meeting, which started at 10:00am (India local time), continued till 2:30pm. 

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and India Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj led their respective delegations in the meeting.

Sources said the meeting put importance on Tessta water sharing and other bilateral issues, including border killing, border management and cooperation in water resources, power, energy, commerce, development, public relations, cultural exchanges, science, technology and environment sectors.

India also responded positively to the issues, the source added.

Besides, the discussion also included the development of roads, railways and naval links aiming to enhance the commerce and inter-nation communications.

A high commission source said water sharing of Teesta and other trans-boundary rivers and the dates of other Joint River Commission (JRC) meetings were placed in the ongoing meeting.

The JCC meeting also discussed the cooperation under Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Bangladesh China India Myanmar-Economic Corridor organizations.

Cooperation in coordinating on mutual interests in international issues was also discussed in a friendly environment.

The visiting foreign minister is now in a meeting with India’s Rajya Sabha (Upper House) opposition leader Golam Nabi Azad.

The visiting Bangladesh foreign minister is expected to brief the meeting at his hotel later on the day.

The high commission source further said that foreign minister Mahmood Ali will leave New Delhi Saturday midnight to attend 69th general assembly of United Nations to be held in New York.

Foreign secretary Shahidul Haque and principal secretary to Prime Minister Abdus Sobhan Sikder will accompany the minister.

BDST: 1740 HRS, SEP 20, 2014