Decision on 6 common rivers at JRC meeting: Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abul Momen on Saturday said decisions on six common rivers will be taken at the meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint River Commission which will be held at the end of this month.

Responding to questions of journalists regarding a joint river excavation by Bangladesh and India, the minister made the remark after attending a scholarship awarding ceremony organised by Zilla Parishad in Sylhet, reports BSS Bangla Service.

“We want to make all the waterways of the country operational as before. That issue will also be discussed in the meeting,” he said.

“Sylhet’s flash floods are caused by the onrush of upstream water. So, we have proposed India inform Bangladesh in advance of the flood forecast there and the opening of their dams, and barrages. India has agreed in principle on these issues,” said the minister.

Informing that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit India on September 4-5, the minister said, “The agenda of the prime minister’s visit is yet to be finalised. Issues of developing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India will be the focus of the visit. The current global situation will also be discussed there.”

The minister also came up with a clarification of his Friday’s remark and accused journalists of twisting his statement. After attending a views exchange on land acquisition for expansion of Sylhet MAG Osmani Airport, the minister on Friday said, “Amid the global recession, the people of Bangladesh are better off compared with other countries. We are happy, we are in heaven.”

Momen said, “I said we are better off compared with other countries. And, all of you wrote I said of heaven. It was twisted.”

The foreign minister said, “A group is trying to create panic saying Bangladesh will become Sri Lanka.

It is true that we are in a bit of crisis due to the global recession. But we have enough reserves. As a precaution, we are trying to be a bit cost-effective.’

He said, ‘Inflation is 12 per cent in England, 67 per cent in Turkey, 37 per cent in Pakistan, 150 per cent in Sri Lanka, and our inflation is only 7 per cent. We are fine with that. But you did not say these words. If we compare these things, we are very good. It is not right to twist without understanding the matter.’

The president of Sylhet Metropolitan Awami League, freedom fighter Masuk Uddin Ahmad, the acting president of District Awami League, Shafikur Rahman Chowdhury, and others were also present at the programme.