India on Friday said it is "prepared to engage" with Bangladesh on all matters in an environment that is "conducive" to mutually beneficial dialogue.
“We share 54 rivers, including the Ganges. To discuss all relevant issues related to this cooperation, the two countries have a bilateral mechanism in place—the Joint Rivers Commission,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, during a regular media briefing in New Delhi, reports UNB.
Jaiswal added that consultations with relevant state governments and their representatives are part of India’s internal process in framing its approach to such issues.
A few months ago, officials from Bangladesh and India held the 86th meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission in Kolkata, where they discussed the pros and cons of renewing the 30-year-old treaty which comes up for renewal next year.
In response to a question regarding a recent trilateral meeting between Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan, the MEA spokesperson said India keeps a close watch on developments in its neighborhood that could affect its interests and security.
“Our relations with individual countries, while standing on their own footing, also take into account the evolving context,” Jaiswal said.
Earlier on Thursday, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain ruled out the formation of any new alliance among Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan, clarifying that the meeting was not held to target India.
“We are not forming any alliance. It was a meeting at the official level, not the political level… there was no element of alliance formation,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Asked whether the meeting aimed to isolate India, Adviser Touhid said: “It is certainly not targeting any third party. I can assure you.”
The informal trilateral meeting among Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan took place on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation meeting in Kunming on June 19, according to Dhaka.
Trade measures
Asked about trade issues with Bangladesh, Jaiswal said the trade-related amendments announced by India were in response to Bangladesh’s own demand for "fairness, equal treatment, and reciprocity."
He added that India awaits the resolution of long-standing underlying issues pending with the Bangladeshi side.
"These issues have been raised by India at several structured meetings, including at the Commerce Secretary-level talks," he said.
Minority issues
Responding to a question about recent developments in Dhaka, Jaiswal said India understands that "extremists" were calling for the demolition of the Durga temple in Khilkhet.
He claimed that instead of ensuring the temple`s protection, the interim government of Bangladesh framed the episode as a matter of illegal land use, ultimately allowing the temple’s destruction on Thursday.
This resulted in damage to the deity before it was relocated, he added.
"We are dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh," Jaiswal said. "Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and their religious institutions."
