Bangladesh to host next Sundarbans conservation talks with India

The next meeting of the Joint Working Group of Bangladesh and India on conservation of Sundarbans biodiversity will be held in Bangladesh, officials decided on Monday.

The decision was taken when Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Dinesh Trivedi met Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo at the Bangladesh Secretariat. State Minister for Environment Shaikh Faridul Islam was also present.

The two sides agreed to hold the next bilateral meeting in Bangladesh under the existing Memorandum of Understanding on Bengal Tiger conservation. However, the next meeting on transboundary Asian elephant conservation will be held in India.

The two countries also discussed climate change, transboundary environmental problems, carbon credits and development of a green economy.

Mintoo said Bangladesh and India, as close neighbours, share closely related environmental and ecological interests, and called for stronger mutual trust, information exchange and regional cooperation. He said maintaining a balance between environmental protection and economic development was important for sustainable development.

Faridul Islam said the Sundarbans is a common natural resource of the two countries, acting as a buffer zone against climate change and natural disasters.

Separately, Prime Minister's Adviser on Public Administration Md. Ismail Zabihullah, also a BNP National Standing Committee member, called for reducing the trade deficit with India and ensuring Bangladesh's fair share of Ganges waters, during a courtesy call by Trivedi at his office. Zabihullah said bringing border killings down to zero was important for mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Trivedi highlighted the two countries' shared culture and historic ties, and the demand for Bangladeshi hilsa in India.