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China, India or anyone else can be engaged for implementing the long-awaited Teesta river-management project as Bangladesh now takes an open position on bets in this regard.
"Bangladesh government takes an open position on Teesta issue. In this case, cooperation with India is also possible as it is possible with China. Nothing is barred," Foreign Affairs Adviser of the interim government Touhid Hossain said Tuesday.
Talking to reporters at the foreign ministry the adviser said during Chief Adviser Dr Yunus's Beijing visit, Bangladesh welcomed Chinese companies to extend cooperation for the Teesta project.
Similarly, during the bilateral meeting between Professor Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Bimstec summit in Bangkok, the Teesta issue was discussed, he pointed out about the latest developments on the diplomatic front.
Regarding the progress in the Teesta talks he said one should not expect progress overnight. "We are not expecting that someone will come and will solve the problem by tomorrow."
He mentions that there is an umbrella MoU on water resources. Bangladesh remains open on the issue of cooperation.
"So, cooperation with India is as possible as with China," says the adviser on apparent note of mixed feelings.
"We have to assess which side will be more beneficial to us for a project. The water resources ministry will take decision considering interest of the country," he notes.
Asked about another major matter of the day, he said Bangladesh raised the issue of extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the bilateral meeting.
About India's response he said the issue was raised and they were told that she has to face justice. "But nothing was finalised in that meeting," he added.
Responding to a question regarding India's call during the meeting for democratic transition, he said the government said time and again, made it clear that it wanted to hold polls as soon as possible to hand over power to an elected government.
Responding to a question regarding any progress on the Indian visa issue, he skipped a direct answer, saying that the vacuum in the nature is automatically filled.
If people of Bangladesh do not get Indian visa, they will go to other countries for fulfillment of the purpose for which they intend to visit India, he categorically said.
"And we will help them to find out the alternative to them so that they do not have to suffer," the foreign adviser said, adding that if India normalises its visa-issuance operation for Bangladeshis, it will benefit both the countries.
But he did not forget to remind that issuing visa is a sovereign right of a country.
"You have nothing to do here. You can not ask them why they are not issuing visa."
Regarding delay in Italian visa issuance, he said the government is in regular touch with the Italian government on this issue.
The Italian government has found some anomalies in the papers of some visa-seekers and they are scrutinising it, which will take some time, he informed, lamenting that for the wrongdoing of some, all the Bangladeshi visa-seekers have to get in sufferings.
The foreign adviser said the Modi-Yunus one-on-one was very fruitful and noted that inflammatory remarks need to be stopped to ensure advances in ties.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com