Ganges water treaty: Dhaka-Delhi to discuss today

Diplomatic Correspondent :

Dhaka and New Delhi officials are meeting in the Indian capital on Tuesday to review the Ganges River Water-Sharing Treaty, which is due to expire in December 2026.

The 88th meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) will examine the treaty’s implementation and explore the contours of a potential renewal amid growing regional water stresses and shifting political realities.

A 10-member Bangladesh delegation, led by commission member Abul Hossen, left Dhaka for New Delhi on Monday to participate in the talks.
Hossen told The New Nation that while Dhaka is optimistic about the treaty’s renewal, this meeting will mainly serve as a review session rather than a negotiation on final terms.

“The paperwork for renewal and sharing of water will be discussed, but the ultimate settlement will come later,” he said.

Signed in 1996 for a 30-year term, the Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty guarantees Bangladesh a share of the river’s flow at the Farakka Barrage in India.

Representatives of both countries measure water levels at Farakka from January to May, four times a day, calculating the 10-day averages to ensure each side receives its agreed allocation.

For Bangladesh, however, the treaty has not fully resolved water scarcity during the dry season.

Reduced flows have left the Gorai River nearly desiccated at times, threatening agriculture and ecosystems in the southwest, including the Sundarbans mangrove forest.

Dhaka now intends to push for a longer-term agreement and an average guarantee of 40,000 cusecs of water.

India, by contrast, is reportedly weighing a shorter renewal of 10 to 15 years. Citing official sources, Indian media have noted New Delhi’s preference for flexibility, especially after it froze the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan earlier this year.

Bangladesh also plans to widen the scope of river cooperation. According to sources, Dhaka will propose water-sharing deals on 14 additional rivers, including the Dharla, Dudhkumar, Gomati, Khowai, Monu, and Muhuri. Out of the 54 rivers shared by the two countries, only the Ganges has a formal agreement.

Teesta River water-sharing, a long-pending issue that has faced political opposition within India, is also expected to be discussed informally on the sidelines. The Teesta remains critical for irrigation in country’s northern districts.

Beyond allocation, Dhaka seeks New Delhi’s approval for dredging and repair works on joint rivers, particularly dams damaged in recent years.
It will also call for a joint flood forecasting system, enabling real-time data sharing and coordinated disaster management.

The discussions come at a sensitive time when relations between Dhaka and Delhi have cooled following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024.

During her final state visit to India earlier that year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina had agreed to begin reviewing the treaty at the expert level. The change in government in Bangladesh has introduced fresh uncertainties into the process.

Water-sharing is one of the most politically charged issues in South Asia, where transboundary rivers are lifelines for hundreds of millions.

Analysts say the fate of the Ganges treaty will test whether Dhaka and Delhi can maintain cooperative momentum despite changing domestic and regional dynamics.

For Bangladesh, the stakes are existential. Water shortages in the lean season affect farming, fisheries, and the Sundarbans’ fragile ecology.

Securing a guaranteed minimum flow has been a cornerstone of Dhaka’s water diplomacy since the 1970s.

But India’s cautious approach signals that the new treaty may look very different from the 1996 framework.

A shorter duration would give New Delhi room to adjust allocations as climate change, upstream usage, and domestic political pressures reshape the region’s water landscape.

As the JRC convenes in Delhi, both sides acknowledge that this round of talks is only the beginning.

“Formal discussions on the renewal have not yet begun. That is a government decision,” Hossen said.

“We have prepared Bangladesh’s demands and why we need them. We also have an idea of what India might want,” he said.

With less than two years before the treaty’s expiration, the clock is ticking. Amid the cool relations between the two countries, Dhaka and Delhi can bridge their differences by quick renewal the Ganges treaty.