Bangla seeks more technical info from India on Tipaimukh dam

Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, Aug 23 (PTI) Ahead of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni's
maiden official visit to India, Bangladesh has said it has
sought more technical information from New Delhi on the cross-
border Tipaimukh dam, which it considered an "important" and
"urgent" matter along with the maritime boundary issue.

"We have several issues with neighbours... we want to
settle them on a win-win basis as neighbours are constant and
relations should be on constant basis through continued
engagements," Foreign Secretary Mizarul Quayes said at his
first press conference Saturday after assuming office.

On the Tipaimukh dam in Manipur, he said Dhaka has sought
more technical information from New Delhi on the
hydro-electric project.

Bangladesh's main opposition BNP has objected to the
cross-border dam and demanded that the project be scrapped.

Quayes categorised the issues of maritime boundary with
New Delhi and Yangon and the Tipaimukh dam as "important" and
"urgent".

He said the report of the Bangladeshi parliamentary
delegation, which visited the site of the Tipaimukh dam on the
common Barak River, was being examined by experts.

He said talks on the maritime boundary with both Yangon
and New Delhi were underway, noting that the issue involved
"sensitivity on both sides".

Moni is likely to undertake her visit to India on
September 8 to discuss a host of bilateral topics including
security, water and maritime boundary issues. PTI AR
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