TL;DR
- Professor Muhammad Yunus proposed a high-level committee between Bangladesh and India for joint flood management.
- The proposal was discussed during a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma in Dhaka.
- The initiative aims to address shared river challenges and enhance bilateral cooperation.
- Both countries emphasized the importance of resolving water-sharing disputes and strengthening regional ties.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser, has proposed the formation of a high-level committee between Bangladesh and India to collaboratively manage floods. This proposal was made during a courtesy meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma at Professor Yunus’s Jamuna office in Dhaka on August 22, 2024. The meeting was later briefed to the press by Shafiqul Alam, the chief adviser’s press secretary, at the Foreign Service Academy.
Professor Yunus emphasized the shared challenges faced by Bangladesh and India due to common rivers, suggesting that a joint committee could enhance flood management through coordinated efforts. He expressed optimism that such collaboration could also expedite the resolution of water-sharing disputes over trans-boundary rivers. Highlighting the strong bilateral relations between the two countries, Professor Yunus also called for the strengthening of regional organizations like BIMSTEC and SAARC, particularly to foster collaboration among the youth in these regions.
Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma reaffirmed India’s commitment to a prosperous and stable Bangladesh, underscoring the goal of shared prosperity. Addressing the flood situation, Verma noted that the water was released automatically due to rising levels, describing the flood in Tripura as “very unprecedented,” which displaced approximately 50,000 people and caused significant damage on both sides of the border.
During the meeting, concerns were raised about the safety and security of Indian establishments in Bangladesh, including the High Commission in Dhaka. Both parties exchanged views on various bilateral interests and discussed ways to enhance people-to-people contacts. Professor Yunus also shared his personal connections with India, mentioning his many friends in the country, and discussed his vision of achieving “zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions.”
This proposal for a high-level committee comes in the context of ongoing efforts to improve disaster management and strengthen regional cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
