Bangladesh has once again raised the issue of sharing the waters of the Teesta River with India. Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury said Dhaka does not want the issue to damage relations with New Delhi, but India should also understand Bangladesh’s needs. Speaking at a seminar in Dhaka, the minister said India has its own requirements, but Bangladesh has its own needs as well. He stressed that friends should also consider each other’s interests.
The Teesta flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh. The river is important for farming and livelihoods in northern Bangladesh, while West Bengal also depends on its water for irrigation and other needs.
Bangladesh’s Teesta River Project With China
Bangladesh is also moving ahead with the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project with Chinese support. The project aims to address flooding, river erosion and water shortages during the dry season. Shahiduddin said people in five to six districts of northern Bangladesh have high hopes from the project. He described its implementation as a major challenge.
He said, “five-six northern districts’ people have a lot of hope from this, because they have been suffering from river erosion and other problems for years. If we fail to implement it, the problems of families in those areas will increase further. We have to overcome this challenge at any cost.”
What Is the Teesta Water-Sharing Dispute?
The Teesta water-sharing issue has been under discussion between India and Bangladesh for decades. In 1983, an interim arrangement proposed giving India 39 percent of the water and Bangladesh 36 percent, while keeping the remaining 25 percent unallocated.
A new interim agreement was drafted in 2011, but it could not move forward due to objections from West Bengal. Bangladesh now wants to pursue both a water-sharing agreement and broader development of the river.
Bangladesh Looks to China for the Project
During Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s visit to Beijing in June, he discussed with Chinese officials speeding up the study of technology for the Teesta project. India, however, has maintained that all aspects related to the Teesta must be discussed with all relevant stakeholders, including West Bengal.
