Shah Alam :
The agreement on sharing the waters of the Teesta River with neighboring and friendly country India remains uncertain. Despite prolonged negotiations, the treaty has not been signed yet, and Teesta River still remains a significant issue in the geopolitics of Bangladesh and India.
The Teesta crisis is not just a water issue; it is also an important aspect of humanitarian and bilateral relations between and Bangladesh and India. Resolving this problem would increase trust, confidence, harmony, and love between the people of the two countries. This time, the lack of discussion on the Teesta issue at the prime ministerial level has disappointed the people of Bangladesh.
The main issue with the Teesta River is that India has constructed barrages upstream and unilaterally withdrawn water, creating obstacles in the river’s natural flow through various infrastructure projects, including hydropower plants. This situation has further complicated Bangladesh’s water crisis. The drying up of the Teesta River and depriving Bangladesh of its fair share of river water is linked to India’s policies.
Therefore, it is crucial to engage in effective dialogue and seek technical assistance from India. Accepting India’s unilateral water withdrawal without entering into a water-sharing agreement can never be beneficial for Bangladesh.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly stated that his government is working with all stakeholders in India to finalize the agreement quickly. In the joint statements issued during the visits of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister to India in October 2019 and the visit of India’s Prime Minister to Bangladesh in March 2021, assurances were given time and again regarding the Teesta agreement.
During her visit to India in September 2022, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh brought up the draft Teesta agreement prepared in 2011. At that time, the Indian Prime Minister did not make any promises. Later, on Saturday, June 22, 2024, during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed 10 agreements, but there was no mention of the Teesta agreement in the joint statement issued after the visit.
This time, no mention of the Teesta agreement was made during discussions with India, and instead, 10 agreements were signed, including the agreement for rail transit through Bangladesh, leading to intense anger, dissatisfaction, and protests in Bangladesh.
Following the signing of these agreements, politicians, civil societies and ordinary citizens of Bangladesh expressed their strong reactions on social media in various ways.
Regarding Teesta, Bangladesh faces two types of problems here. India retains water during the dry season, causing the entire northern region to become barren like a desert, and during the monsoon season, releasing water causes devastating floods and river erosion, creating a heart-wrenching situation that seems far from being resolved. Currently, heavy rains are flooding India’s northern districts of Jalpaiguri, Sikkim, and others located upstream of Bangladesh.
Continuous rainfall in the hills and plains is causing the Teesta and other rivers to swell. The water level at Gajoldoba’s Teesta Barrage is rising rapidly. India’s Irrigation Department has issued a red alert on both banks of the Teesta.
After the formation of the new government in Bangladesh, during a meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud in January, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen said, “China is committed to the Teesta River project.
If Bangladesh submits a proposal, China will consider it and provide cooperation.” After expressing New Delhi’s concerns about awarding the work to a Chinese company, Beijing formally submitted a project proposal worth approximately $1 billion to Dhaka.
The comprehensive management and restoration project of the Teesta River (TRCMRP) has been under discussion in Bangladesh for a long time. Since 2019, this mega project has been planned to be implemented with financial and technical assistance from China.
Recently, India has also shown serious interest in the project, leading to a new type of tripartite competition and cooperation in the region. Last month, during his visit to Dhaka, India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra stated that India is also interested in funding the Teesta project.
However, the Hindustan Times reported that during the Bangladesh’s prime minister latest visit in New Delhi, India’s announcement of interest in the long-stalled plan for dredging and developing the Teesta River in Bangladesh is significant in the context of pressure from China regarding the project.
According to reports, India has recently proposed a comprehensive plan for the restoration and management of the Teesta River, while China has already provided financial and technical assistance for a project. This situation may escalate tensions between Beijing and New Delhi.
Though Dhaka has received support from Beijing for the development Teesta project, but Bangladesh will consider its geopolitical influence with India. New Delhi has long been delaying the signing of the Tista water-sharing deal with Dhaka, affecting the livelihood of people in the northern region of Bangladesh.
Due to water withdrawal upstream in India, the Teesta River has nearly dried up, which results in severe flooding in Bangladesh during the monsoon season. Moreover, Indian authorities often open the floodgates of the Gajoldoba Barrage to stop water withdrawal, as reported. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has informed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it is not possible to allocate Teesta’s water to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh had rail agreements with Nepal in 1976 and Bhutan in 1984, but India did not agree to use its land for these agreements, citing national security concerns. Regarding the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) sub-regional group, rail transit would facilitate communication and bring significant economic benefits to these four countries. Giving India rail transit, therefore, has led to dissatisfaction on social media and mainstream media. Therefore a question arises, is it appropriate to give India rail transit without solving the Teesta issue?
(The writer is Assistant Professor, Chittagong University).