Bangladesh may involve China in the Teesta project, which could pose a threat to India. According to reports, the Muhammad Yunus government is keen to engage China in the conservation and management of Teesta. The river originates from Sikkim and flows into Bangladesh via West Bengal. The river covers a distance of 305 kilometers. There is a contention between India and Bangladesh over Teesta, and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had put China away from the project.
The report suggested that the Rangpur administration, a district in North Bengal, convened a public hearing at Kawnia over the river’s fate. The Bangladesh media quoted Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an advisor to the Bangladesh Ministry of Forest and Water Resources, who told the Chinese government had made a master plan for the conservation and management of the river. She said Bangladesh is in talks with China, and the nation has sought a two-year time to which Bangladesh has agreed but with conditions that the master plan must be made after taking suggestions from people living on the banks of the river.
According to Sayeda , they have also added one condition that the $1 billion project must be finished by December 2025. It includes other tasks like cleaning, reservoir construction, draining system, and construction of satellite townships.
Notably, the Teesta project has been entangled since 2011 after the Mamata Banerjee government opposed it. Sheikh Hasina had raised the problems due to the project during her visit to India. An agreement was also made between the two governments.
