Indo-Bangladesh joint sub group on the proposed Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project hold its first meeting in New Delhi; PM Sheikh Hasina attends 16th NAM Summit in Tehran; Bangladesh plans to make the current temporary transit to Bhutan permanent; UAE denies
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    • According to reports, the Indo- Bangladesh-India joint sub group on the proposed Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project on the Barak river met for the first time in New Delhi on August 27, 2012 in a bid to work out the Terms of Reference (ToR) over a joint study of the dam's impacts.1 At the end of a two-day meeting, India handed over the five-volume Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Bangladesh to enable it carry out an impact study on the hydroelectric dam to be built on the Barak river in northeastern Indian state of Manipur. The meeting, after detailed discussions, finalised the ToR with a view to facilitating the conduct of the joint study. However, no timeline has been finalised to complete the study. 2

    Reports noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Iran to attend the 16th NAM summit held in Tehran on August 30-31, 2012. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dipu Moni, Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes and Bangladesh Ambassador to Iran Khondker Abdus Sattar. During the visit, the Prime Minister delivered her speech at the plenary session of the summit on the opening day. Bangladesh was elected as one of the vice-chairs of the 16th Nam Summit. In this capacity, Hasina presided over the session previous to the closing session of the summit. On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the heads of state or government of a number of countries including India, Iran, Sri Lanka and Nepal. 3 During her meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr. Singh assured India's firm commitment to ink the proposed Teesta water-sharing deal and the land boundary agreement "as soon as feasible".4 Bangladesh and Iran emphasised making the Non-Aligned Movement more effective through a coordinated approach by its all member states, when Prime Minister Hasina called on Iranian President Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the OIC Convention Centre in Tehran on the sidelines of the 16th Nam Summit. 5 PM also met Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei. Ms. Hasina reiterated Bangladesh's proposal for setting up a hydropower project with Nepal in joint venture, during her meeting with Nepalese Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. 6

    Reportedly, Bangladesh plans to make the current temporary transit to Bhutan permanent in order to expand trade between the two nations. At present, the two countries renew the transit deal through consultation under the Trade and Transit Protocol and a Technical Cooperation Agreement signed in 1984. 7

    Amid media reports that the UAE has slapped a ban on issuing new visas to Bangladeshis, a top UAE official confirmed that there is no Bangladeshi visa ban in place. The confirmation comes after the Bangladeshi Embassy in Abu Dhabi received complaints from its nationals they have not been granted new visas in the UAE. 8

    In other developments, two senior USAID officials arrived in Bangladesh on August 29, 2012 for a six-day tour to promote food security and further strengthen partnership between the US and Bangladesh. 9

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