He said both Bangladesh and Pakistan have a common issue of concern with India -- water. This issue needs to be resolved soon as the conventional wars of the next century are likely to be fought over sharing of waters, he added.

Sehgal, also a contributor to The Daily Star, was delivering a lecture on 'Indo-Pak dialogues and its regional impact' in the city, organised by the Council for National Agenda.

He felt that all positive dialogues should focus on the trust between India and Pakistan and the leaders should emphasise the positives over the negatives.

Sehgal also criticised the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) for not incorporating provisions for bilateral dialogue between the member countries.

Initiating constructive dialogues at Saarc summits would lay the foundations for a more peaceful region, which would act as the catalyst for development and prosperity, he said.

Free trade among the South Asian nations would also be helpful in building prosperity, Sehgal said.